KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to once again assign under-secretaries as chief district officers (CDOs) in nine hill districts that were previously headed by joint secretaries.
According to ministry spokesperson Anand Kafle, the decision comes under the ministry’s new Organization and Management Survey (O&M), which revises staffing positions across several offices.
Under the new structure, 10 offices that had been led by joint secretaries will now be headed by under-secretaries, while a new Department of Narcotics Control will be established under the leadership of a joint secretary.
The districts where under-secretaries will now serve as CDOs are Bhojpur, Khotang, Salyan, Jajarkot, Jumla, Rolpa, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, and Achham. An under-secretary will also be assigned to Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa.
These districts had previously been headed by under-secretaries before the government temporarily upgraded them to joint-secretary-level postings.
With the latest revision, only 52 of Nepal’s 77 districts will have chief district officers at the joint-secretary level. The existing under-secretary-level postings in several Himalayan and hill districts will remain unchanged.
The Home Ministry has also approved the establishment of a separate Department of Narcotics Control, which will be headed by a joint secretary. The function had previously existed only as a branch within the ministry.
At the same time, the Decorations Branch and the Peace Promotion Branch have been removed from the ministry’s organizational structure.
The ministry has added six new under-secretary positions. Some offices that were previously managed by section officers will now have permanent under-secretary-level posts.
The Area Administration Offices in Waling (Syangja) and Bardibas (Mahottari) will now be headed by under-secretaries.
Similarly, four prisons will receive under-secretary-level leadership. The prisons in Jhapa, Morang, Kaski, and Banke will now have under-secretaries serving as prison chiefs.
Spokesperson Kafle also said that 46 section officer positions have been added under the new O&M structure.
