𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐏𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞, 𝐇𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲

…𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄 𝑨𝒄𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝑪𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒍 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔, 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰𝒏𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒔

By Phurpa Wangmo & Sonam Deki

In accordance with the report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), there has been a steady decline in the number of civil servants over the past year. Consequently, serving civil servants find themselves overwhelmed by additional responsibilities, mounting workloads, time constraints, and frequent personnel changes without proper handover processes. These factors have significantly contributed to a rise in operational lapses, ultimately impacting the overall quality of efficient public service delivery.

The implementation of the Rules for Administrative Disciplinary Action (RADA) aimed to ensure discipline within the civil service. However, it has faced several challenges that have had far-reaching consequences. The strict and controlling nature of RADA has resulted in a decrease in employee morale, job satisfaction, and overall motivation. Civil servants are now hesitant to take initiative, fearing potential disciplinary repercussions for unintended deficiencies or mistakes made in good faith.

Another concerning issue is the increasing attrition rate among civil servants. Government agencies struggle to attract and retain skilled and experienced employees, posing a significant challenge to maintaining the efficiency and effectiveness of public services.

During the joint sitting of Parliament on July 6, The Member of Parliament Tshering Choden from the Khar Yurung Constituency expressed her concern about the burden of excessive workloads as a primary reason for civil servants resigning. Furthermore, being assigned tasks outside their core responsibilities has also contributed to employee dissatisfaction and resignations. In cases where individual performance is deemed unsatisfactory, civil servants often opt to resign or take extraordinary leave rather than face the repercussions.

She also highlighted the issue of inadequate payment, suggesting that civil servants should be paid according to the workload they handle. Some civil servants find themselves performing tasks that would normally require the effort of multiple individuals, yet their salaries do not reflect this additional responsibility. Consequently, many civil servants seek opportunities abroad, such as in Canada and Australia, where they can receive payment corresponding to their work performance.

Jamyang Namgyal, a member of the National Council, offered an additional viewpoint, proposing that the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) should evaluate the allocation of civil servants. He highlighted specific instances where a small population, comprising approximately 150 households, has been assigned one livestock and agriculture officer. Conversely, larger populations of 800 to 900 households are also being served by only one livestock and agriculture officer. To address these disparities in the distribution of civil servants, it is imperative for the RCSC to conduct a thorough and comprehensive review, ensuring equitable allocation based on population size and requirements. It is essential for the RCSC to conduct a comprehensive review and rectify these inconsistencies in the distribution of civil servants.

The House endorsed and recommended the RCSC to review the effectiveness and relevance of the Rules for Administrative Disciplinary Actions (RADA), considering some of the emerging challenges faced during the implementation of RADA.