Ministries not giving info on vacant positions in PEs

KATHMANDU, March 19: It´s been almost three weeks since the recently-formed Public Enterprises Management Board requested various ministries to submit details on vacant positions of chief executives and board members in different state-owned enterprises under their ambit.



But apart from three, others have not heeded the call of the umbrella body that was established to monitor, supervise and regulate public enterprises.[break]



Only the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA), Ministry of Energy (MoE) and Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MoFSC) have responded to the Board´s request.



The MoTCA, for instance, has informed that the position of chief at Nepal Airlines Corporation and a position of board member at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal are vacant. The MoE has said the position of chief at Nepal Electricity Authority is vacant, while the MoFSC has informed the position of chief at Timber Corporation is unfilled.



Apart from these, top positions in Rastriya Beema Sansthan -- the state-owned insurance company, Hydropower Investment and Development Company and Nepal Oil Corporation are also vacant.



"But the line ministries of these public enterprises have not responded to the call made by the Board," a high-ranking official of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) told Republica. "If this continues there will be delay in appointment of chiefs through open competition."



Surprisingly, even the MoF, which is coordinating with the Board on management of public enterprises, has not responded to the call of the Public Enterprises Management Board.



State-owned firms like Rastriya Beema Sansthan and Hydropower Investment and Development Company fall under the ministry´s ambit. "But we are yet to get an official letter from the ministry about the vacant positions in these enterprises," the official said.



The Board in the end of February had asked ministries overlooking public enterprises to send details on vacant positions of chief executives and board members in a bid to kick-start selection of these officials through open competition.



As of now, most of these positions are filled with handpicked people, who are selected not on the basis of merit but based on personal relationship with political leaders. To end this practice, the Board has formed a guideline on selection of chief executives and board members of public enterprises, which was endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers last month.



As per the guideline, the Board will first issue public notice asking interested candidates to file applications. Once applications are filed, best candidates will be chosen based on personal qualification and experience, quality of business plan, face-to-face interview and leadership capacity. This task will be performed by a six-member committee, formed under the chairmanship of the Public Service Commission´s chief or someone appointed by the person.



The committee will then forward names of three best applicants to the government for final approval after which appointments will be made.

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