Government to Launch 'Zero Pending File Week' Campaign to Expedite Administrative Processes

Kathmandu. The government is set to launch the 'Zero Pending File Week' campaign from Chaitra 30 to Baishakh 7. To facilitate this, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has released the 'Guidelines for Conducting Zero Pending File Week Campaign, 2082' for all government offices.

The Prime Minister's Office stated that the campaign aims to curb the tendency of files—including registered documents and initiated notes—from being unnecessarily stalled at various levels and desks, which leads to delays in decision-making.

Furthermore, it has been clarified that the campaign is being implemented to minimize instances where files that should be handled at lower levels are unnecessarily pushed to higher authorities, thereby affecting service delivery.

The primary objective of this campaign is to ensure that no active files remain stagnant indefinitely, to clarify responsibilities, and to ensure timely resolution of tasks.

For this purpose, guidelines have been issued to conduct the Zero Pending File Week in all government offices from Chaitra 30 to Baishakh 7.

According to the guidelines, the goal is to process and resolve pending and undecided files quickly and to maintain daily records of how many days a file has remained with a specific official.

The guidelines mandate an automatic review process for files stalled for more than three, seven, or 15 days.

A system must be developed to resolve matters at the appropriate level rather than unnecessarily sending them to higher authorities. The aim is to clearly decide on the status of files and enhance speed, transparency, and accountability in service delivery.

The guidelines require every office, division, branch, or unit to prepare a daily file list including registration number, subject, registration date, current desk or responsible official, number of days at that level, total pending days, current progress, reasons for delay, and expected decision date.

According to the guidelines, file tracking will be the foundation of the campaign. Every office must update the status of files daily, clearly showing who is responsible and how long the file has been with them.

Additionally, an initial review of old files must be conducted. If a file remains at a desk or level for more than three days, the branch head or responsible official must review the cause and immediately move it toward a decision or implementation.

The guidelines mandate that files stalled for more than seven days must be reviewed by the division head or office head to identify the cause of delay, clarify responsibility, and set a deadline for resolution.

A 'Zero Pending File Week Campaign Coordination Committee' has been formed, consisting of the office head as coordinator, along with division heads, administration heads, and planning/monitoring branch heads as members. IT representatives and an official designated by the office head will serve as member secretaries.

The guidelines clearly define the duties and powers of office heads, division heads, and branch heads. Each office must maintain a daily progress report during the campaign.

This report must include the total number of pending files at the start, new files received during the campaign, resolved files, remaining files, files pending for over 15 days, and suggestions for improvement.

The campaign is expected to reduce the number of pending files, clarify responsibilities, accelerate decision-making, improve service delivery, and curb the culture of hoarding files.

Employees who implement the campaign effectively may be rewarded with appreciation or certificates. Conversely, departmental action may be taken against employees who intentionally hoard files, cause unnecessary delays, or evade their responsibilities, in accordance with prevailing laws.