Gov decision to abolish DoLI draws flak

KATHMANDU: Concerned engineers have intensified the protests against the government’s recent decision to adjust engineers working with the Department of Local Infrastructure (DoLI) in the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD). A meeting of the Council of Ministers on 19 July 2022 decided to change the name of the DoLI to the Department of Housing and Market Infrastructure Facilitation (DoHMFI) and put the newly named department under the MoUD.Engineers under the MoUD have consolidated the protest against the decision stating that the fresh move of the government will inflict a serious impact on their professional development.

The budget of the current fiscal year has announced that the ‘DoLI has been abolished and a maximum of 10 percent of the technical staff in the DoLI will remain in the DoHMFI unit under the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration and the rest of the staff will be adjusted in the provinces as well as related federal ministries. Agitating engineers said the decision will lead to duplication of work among relevant agencies, unhealthy competition, and a discouraging working environment for technical staff. Ekaraj Adhikari, Joint Secretary of the MoUD, said that the morale of the technical staff under the architect sub-group will decrease, and uncertainty will be created in career development due to the recent decision. The protesting engineers have demanded that the government reconsider its decision stating that it will create a number of problems. They said that the government initiated the process of abolishing the DoLI without the consent of the MoUD, stating that it will leave short and long-term impacts.