The Home Ministry has deployed under secretaries as chief district officers (CDO) in 17 districts that should have joint secretary as the chief administrator due to lack of joint secretaries.
"We have not downgraded these districts and joint secretaries will be CDOs in these districts in the future. We have made under secretaries CDOs in lack of joint secretaries," Spokesperson at the ministry Ram Krishna Subedi told Setopati.
He explained that under secretaries have been made CDOs as acting CDOs cannot oversee cases. "We need CDOs in the districts. We cannot keep acting CDOs for more than six months. We have, therefore, handed over the responsibilities to under secretaries. We will send joint secretaries later."
The current acting CDOs have been made CDOs in these districts. The Cabinet meeting a month back had taken a decision to send under secretaries as CDOs to the districts where joint secretaries are required.
The 17 districts include Tanahu, Nawalparasi, Nawalpur, Syangja, Baglung, Udayapur, Sindhuli, Sindhupalchowk, Gulmi, Bardiya, Doti, Bara, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Saptari and Ilam.
A total of 40 districts including the three in Kathmandu Valley have joint secretaries as CDOs.
