Kathmandu, June 13: With
a large number of engineers refusing to go to the earthquake-hit places, the
reconstruction drive is likely to hit a snag.
The quake-struck
districts are in dire need of skilled technical hands but over 500 engineers
selected through the open competition did not go to the villages, citing poor
salary, allowance and incentives.
Last month the
government selected 1,346 engineers, sub-engineers and assistant sub-engineers
through the competition from among a pool of 2,932 architects.
But, about 428 of
them did not turn up to receive the appointment while 80 engineers were shy of
going to the quake-hit sites despite accepting the appointment letters.
Shiva Hari Sharma,
joint secretary at the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), informed that the
young engineers complained that salary, allowances and other incentives were
not satisfactory.
"They are
demanding increment in their salary and field allowance," Sharma said.
As per the current
government salary provision, the engineers are entitled to get the salary of
Rs. 31,000
As the government has
hired human resources through the fast track method for the first time, it has
not decided about the field and other allowances.
An engineer from
Bhaktapur, who rejected the job, said that it was not fair to give same salary
to the technical and general human resources.
"Naturally, youths have higher aspirations.
Besides, they have to spend a large amount of money to complete their graduation
in engineering. The government should understand this," he said in
condition of anonymity.
He demanded that
there should be allowance equal to the 50 per cent of the salary.
Agreeing to the
demands of the engineers, Sharma informed that the government was considering
about providing allowance.
"We have
received written demand to make provision of allowances. On the other hand, it
will not be fair to provide same payment and benefits to the architects who
work in the Kathmandu Valley or city areas and remote villages," he said.
The NRA and MoUD both
agreed that in order to retain the skilled man power, the salary and incentives
should be reviewed.
NRA secretary Madhu
Sudan Adhikari said that the reconstruction body was positive about increasing their
salary and allowance.
"Youths look for
comparative benefits. If there are no good incentives, no one will be ready to
go to the far-flung areas. If the MoUD comes up such a proposal, NRA will
consider it."
He reiterated that
the absence of the technical manpower in the villages had severe repercussion
on the reconstruction process.
NRA spokesperson Ram
Prasad Thapaliya stated that the engineers and sub-engineers should be sent to
the quake affected areas and the responsibilities of the secretary should be
handed over to the technical assistant where the post of VDC secretary was
vacant.
“There is a strong need to expedite the
reconstruction works. Therefore, alternative solutions must be sought.”
Meanwhile, Sharma
informed that the MoFALD was calling the candidates in the alternative lists
for the appointment and soon additional engineers would be mobilized.
The government has
deployed the female engineers in and around the Kathmandu Valley. About 118
female engineers were fielded in the Valley while the rest are appointed at
urban areas around the valley.
About 420 VDCs across
the country are running without secretaries who have been handling the local
bodies for the last 14 years in the absence of the elected representatives.
According to the Ministry
of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD), a secretary is looking after
as many as five VDCs in most of the quake-hit districts.
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