Kathmandu. There has been a new twist in the appointment of the 18th Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank. The criteria revised overnight by the government have disqualified all eligible candidates in the governor’s race. And it has opened the way for the elderly above 65 years of age to become governor.
The criteria for the appointment of officials related to the Ministry of Finance, 2073, have now been made public with amendments. Provisions regarding qualifications for appointment have been made in Section 3 of the criteria. In the previous criteria, (a), (b), (c) were included in the qualifications for appointment in Section 3. Now (c) of that criterion has been removed. In the previous criterion c, it is mentioned that ‘in the case of the Chief Executive Officer, thirty years of age and in the case of other officials and members except the Chief Executive Officer, thirty-five years of age and not exceeding sixty-five years of age.’ Now that arrangement has been removed.
After the appointment of the governor, the government has revised the criteria overnight and now those above 65 years of age have emerged as strong horses in this race.
Earlier, Neelam Dhungana, Dr. Prakash Kumar Shrestha, Dr. Gunakar Bhatta, Ashok Sherchan, who were considered strong in the governor’s race, are now said to be out of the race. Now, pensioners above 65 years of age are standing strong in this race. Pensioners Rajendra Kishor Chhetri, Rameshwor Khanal and Rabindra Pandey, who have served the Government of Nepal for at least 30 years, have appeared with strong claims. It should be noted that both of these former administrators are pensioners of the Government of Nepal and are over the age of 65.
The Ministry of Finance, at the very beginning of the appointment of governors, should consider the amendment of the criteria and the amendment of the provision regarding the age of becoming governor as ‘not just someone dying but also a turning point’. Now, the ‘chill and the chick’ have happened at the same time, which may not be just a coincidence.
Although the Rastra Bank Act does not specify the maximum age limit for the appointment of the governor. The qualifications required for the governor are specified, but the Rastra Bank Act is silent on the age of the governor. But after the government amended the criteria for the appointment of officials of the Ministry of Finance and public bodies and amended the age-related provisions, the lips of the 65 younger competitors in the race to become governor have dried up.
प्रतिक्रिया दिनुहोस्