Government Employees with Influence Refuse to Accept Transfers and Reassignments in Madhesh Province
April 23, Janakpurdham – The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration had transferred Chief Engineer Rajendra Sah (Grade III Gazetted Officer) of the Physical Infrastructure Development Office, Bara, Madhesh Province, on January 15. The ministry informed the Ministry of Urban Development and the Madhesh Chief Minister and Council of Ministers’ office about his transfer. However, Engineer Sah has yet to receive his transfer letter and continues to serve as the head of the Bara office, where he has worked for years.
Similarly, Senior Divisional Engineer (Grade II Gazetted Officer) Deepakkumar Mishra, who served as head of the Physical Infrastructure Development Office in Rautahat, was transferred on January 17. The Ministry of General Administration transferred him to the Urban Development Ministry or its affiliated bodies and informed the Chief Minister’s office. Although both employees were notified about their transfers through the Physical Infrastructure Ministry and urged to accept, they have remained in their current positions without receiving official transfer letters.
Acting Secretary Sanjay Kumar Sah of the Physical Infrastructure Ministry confirmed that they sent formal correspondence instructing the employees to collect their transfer letters after receiving information from the Chief Minister’s office. “The ministry has requested the concerned employees to receive their transfers via official letters, but they have not complied yet,” he said. These two are not alone; other employees under this ministry have also refused transfers.
On January 12, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration had transferred eight engineers, including Virendra Prasad Sah, Sanjiv Kumar Sah, Lal Babu Rai, Ram Babu Prasad, Rimpukamari Yadav, Anant Kumar Raut, Ram Sagar Mandal, and Gulab Sahu. Their transfer information was shared with Madhesh’s physical infrastructure offices through the Chief Minister’s office. However, none have accepted their transfer letters so far.
“We have sent letters prompting offices to proceed with the transfer letter issuance, but the employees are yet to collect them,” said Secretary Sah. Sources indicate that per verbal instructions from Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav, employees transferred up to mid-July of the current fiscal year are being allowed to continue in their posts. This hesitance to accept transfers is not unique to this ministry; the Madhesh Ministry of Health and Population is also experiencing similar issues among its medical staff.
For instance, Dr. Rajiv Kumar Jha, Chief of the Health Supply and Management Center in Madhesh, had his assignment withdrawn by the federal government on March 5. The Ministry of Health and Population reassigned senior consultant medical generalist Dr. Jha to his sanctioned post at Koshi Hospital, Biratnagar. The Chief Minister and Council of Ministers’ office have informed the concerned ministry about this, but as of Tuesday, Dr. Jha had not accepted his reassignment letter. He also acts as head of the Public Health Laboratory. Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Pramod Yadav stated that the reassignment letter has not yet arrived at the ministry. “Once the letter is received, appropriate action will be taken,” he said.
Furthermore, Consultant Physician (Grade X) Dr. Ranjit Jha, previously acting Medical Superintendent at Lahan Provincial Hospital, has been transferred to Bir Hospital, where his sanctioned post is located. Senior Consultant Gastroenterologist Dr. Ramdev Chaudhary, serving at Janakpur Provincial Hospital, was transferred to Koshi Hospital. However, neither has acknowledged their transfer letters, according to the ministry.
The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration also transferred Engineer Kamlesh Kumar Mishra (Grade III Gazetted Officer) on March 8 from the Tourism Office in Rautahat under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism, Madhesh Province, to the Solukhumbu District Coordination Committee office. He has yet to receive his transfer letter. Secretary Jay Kumar Ghimire stated, “Engineer Mishra is currently in the process of receiving his transfer order.”
In Madhesh, it is a longstanding practice that higher-level and influential employees resist transfers, hesitate to accept official letters, and attempt to remain in favorable posts. This often involves lobbying from the Chief Minister to ministers and adopting all necessary measures to retain preferred postings. Although there were expectations that such practices would cease with the new government, the recent incidents reflect continued resistance to transfer and reassignment decisions made under Chief Minister Walendra Shah’s leadership. This issue is endemic not only within the federal government but also within the Madhesh provincial government.
Employees with influence often reject transfers and reassignments, while those without influence or who do not comply with ministerial preferences are left without responsibilities or assigned unrelated tasks. Numerous incidents involving problematic transfer management have come to light. According to Undersecretary Rohit Koirala, spokesperson for the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers’ office, the office regularly communicates with the concerned ministries about employees transferred or reassigned by the federal government. “Based on letters received from the federal government, the Chief Minister’s office issues notifications to relevant ministries to enforce and follow up on these transfers,” he said. “However, there has been no feedback from any ministries regarding the status of the 12 employees recently involved.” The bureaucracy in Madhesh tends to serve the interests of the Chief Minister, ministers, and their affiliates, managing employee assignments to suit their convenience.
