January 5: The Development and Technology Committee of the House of Representatives has raised concerns over the revision of criteria for the appointment of the managing director of Nepal Telecom.

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has amended the directive on appointment of managing director of Nepal Telecom (NT) to select the managing director through open competition.

The amended directive has increased the three-year tenure of Nepal Telecom’s MD to four years, monthly salary from Rs 200,000 to Rs 250,000 in addition to a monthly rent of Rs 60,000.  The new directive has also changed the age limit to 56 years from 58 years. The lawmakers raised questions over the change of criteria exactly one month before the appointment of the managing director.

Lawmakers said that the government cannot change the criteria suddenly with vested interest.  Ganesh Pahadi said that the directive was suddenly changed to appoint a particular person the government wanted to. The amended provisions of age limit and experience requirement are testament to it. 

Kalyani Khadka, chairperson of the committee, said that the government should always give priority the employees working in the organization for the top post. Baikuntha Aryal, secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, clarified that the criteria has been changed to reduce the age limit so that the appointed person can work for the entire term of four years

He said the appointment process will be done through open competition so it doesn't justify the claims that the employees of the company are being sidelined. 

The committee has directed the government to amend the directive only when it is in the interest of the organization. Minister for Communications Gyanendra Bahadur Karki was summoned to the meeting but he didn't attend it.  His absence raised suspicions among the lawmakers.

The committee has also directed the government to submit an action plan to make the internet service affordable. Nepal Telecom had submitted an action plan to expand the 4G service to all local levels in the previous fiscal year, but it is yet to expand the service in 43 districts. Pointing to NT's poor performance in infrastructure development, the committee has also directed NT to build the infrastructure recruiting qualified human resources.