19 Chait, Dhangadhi. The government of Sudurpaschim province has decided not to continue the salary of the private secretary of the member of the provincial assembly for 6 months. The meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Wednesday decided to pay the salaries of private secretaries, which were stopped on the instructions of the federal government on October 5.

The then Sushila Karki-led government directed that ministers and MPs should not have personal secretaries as part of the cost-cutting plan.

For the same reason, since October, the private secretaries in the province did not receive the remuneration according to the Act 2075 regarding service facilities. According to the decision of the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, even though they have received their salaries so far, the way to work as personal secretaries has been closed.

“The cabinet meeting has decided to provide the salary to the private secretary until Chait 15 and not to continue until further instructions from the federal government,” said Minister of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Bir Bahadur Thapa.

The Ministry of Finance of the Union Government had issued a directive on October 5 to reduce the current expenditure by reducing the secretariat of the Chief Minister, Speaker, Ministers and MPs. After the same directive, private secretaries have not received salary since last October.

The meeting has also decided to amend the schedule of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers Remuneration and Facilities Act 2075 and change the service facilities of the Chief Minister and Ministers.

According to Minister Thapa, according to the instructions of the Karki-led government at that time, the system of having five members in the secretariat of the ministers will be implemented. But by amending the Act, the government has decided to keep office assistants and drivers as per the approved posts of the respective ministries.