Most ward offices in Myagdi san secretaries; service delivery in doldrums

Myagdi–Most of the ward offices at local level in Myagdi district are operational in an ad hoc basis owing to the absence of secretaries.

The absence of secretaries has adversely affected day-to-day registration, records management, service delivery and implementation of plan.

It has ultimately deprived the locals of accessing public service in time.

Myagdi district having six local levels has 45 wards but no local units of government except Beni municipality have ward secretaries as per the posts allocated.

Total 29 wards are being operational without secretaries. Dhawalagiri rural municipality with seven wards and Mangala rural municipality having five wards only have one secretary each to look after the duties related to service delivery, record management and registration, among others.

Malika rural municipality having seven wards does not have a single secretary. Annapurna and Raghuganga rural municipalities having eight wards each however have equal two secretaries.

Surya Biswokarma, Chief Administrative Officer, Malika rural municipality, said the responsibility of registration has been assigned to technical assistant and health workers in absence of secretaries.

"I have been assigned to look after the works of registrar for ensuring smooth service delivery after secretary's transfer", said Dhanamaya Pun, health worker of Malika-2, Room health post.

The situation has been resulted as most of the employees of the wards and rural municipalities took their transfer to the areas close to their homes following staff adjustment. "Existing employees took transfers to their convenience. Maybe many do not think to come here".

The service seekers have also voiced their complaint for not smooth delivery of public services they are entitled to. "We do not realize that the authority of Singha Durbar (main administrative building) has been devolved to the locals", they complained.

Nevertheless, some ward chairs, including elected representatives themselves are engaged in delivering service.