Budgetary Constraints Cited by Mayor Hamal for Health Workers' Salary Issue
Dhangadhi: Dhangadhi's Deputy Mayor, Gopal Hamal, addressed the ongoing issue concerning the salaries of health service employees, stating that the root problem lies in the absence of budget allocation from the federal government. The Ministry of Health and Population's failure to provide the budget as previously arranged has led to the current predicament. According to Mayor Hamal, a letter from the Federal Ministry of Health indicated the unavailability of funds for salaries, affecting not only Dhangadhi sub-metropolitan city but also 22 other local levels in Kailali and Kanchanpur.
A collective decision taken during a meeting of 22 local level authorities has resulted in the non-attendance of 33 health service employees who were hired through adjustment and matching, starting from 1st Shravan. To cover the salaries of these 53 employees, nearly four and a half million budget would be required. Mayor Hamal clarified that the challenge lies in the lack of internal resources within the sub-metropolitan city and the absence of a budget allocation from the Federal Ministry of Health and Population.
Mayor Hamal asserted that if the Ministry of Health provides the necessary budget for salaries, the employees will be allowed to resume their duties. He emphasized that the disagreement is not between the sub-metropolitan municipality and the Ministry of Health but rather a dispute involving the employees themselves.
Responding to the situation, Bimal Prakash Joshi, president of Kailali's official civil servants' trade union, attributed the problem to a mistake made by the Federal Ministry of Health and Population. He pointed out that personnel adjustments were carried out based on revisions and reconciliations, and the Ministry lacked accurate details of the employees involved. Despite the challenges, Joshi expressed readiness to discuss the salary issue with Mayor Hamal and the Chief Administrative Officer in Dhangadhi.
Furthermore, Mayor Hamal raised concerns about the potential impact on the city's development as the federal government also ceased salaries for employees in the education sector alongside the health service workers.