The government has introduced new criteria for foreign junkets for those in public positions.
A Cabinet meeting today endorsed a directive concerning foreign visits and gifts of the government officials.
A committee under secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office and comprising secretaries of finance ministry, foreign affairs ministry, home ministry and defence ministry, prepared the directives that will guide foreign junkets of government officials and VIPs – including the head of government – on the basis of experiences from various countries.
The directives has also fixed criterion for giving or receiving gifts, and managing them during foreign visits, apart from the criteria to be observed by the head of government and other government officials.
Likewise, the cabinet has also endorsed the directives on use of vehicles. “The directives would not affect the jobs of the existing drivers driving government vehicles, according to Information and Communications Minister Minendra Rijal, who is also the government spokesperson. He said that the new provision would decrease the government costs on vehicles.
The meeting today also appointed Nirmala Acharya as general manager of the National News Agency (RSS). She was deputy general manager in the government news agency
Likewise, Moti Bahadur Kunwar has been appointed as executive director of Nalsingadh reservoir hydropower project, Khakindra Bahadur Bhandari a member of Central Child Welfare Committee and Rajesh Thapa as general manager of Cultural Institution.