October 18: Government secretaries will now get a lump sum to purchase 125 liters of fuel per month.

This arrangement has come into effect after the approval of the guidelines on giving lump sum in cash instead of fuel to federal government employees who are given the facility of vehicle from the state.

According to this new provision, government secretaries will now get lump sum equivalent of 125 litres of fuel (diesel/petrol) per month and the joint secretary will get a lump sum equivalent to 100 liters of diesel/petrol.

As per the revised price of fuel on Monday, a secretary-level employee will get Rs 21,000 in cash for fuel each month at the rate of Rs 168 per liter for 125 liters of fuel. Similarly, a joint secretary will get Rs 16,800 per month.

They will also get the facility of 5 liters of mobil and brake oil every three months. The government is going to give employees who use electric vehicles half of what they get for using petroleum-powered vehicles.

The cash equivalent for this facility is more than Rs 11,500 per month. In the name of handing cash instead of fuel to government employees, the government is preparing to distribute money even for using cost-efficient vehicles that consume very little energy.

Electric cars consume very little electricity compared to petrol or diesel-powered vehicles. Driving an electric car in Kathmandu Valley does not cost more than Rs 3000 to Rs 4000 per month. However, the government is all set to hand over cash than three times more that the cost incurred for using electric vehicles.

The government had mentioned in the budget for the current fiscal year that it would make arrangements to give cash instead of fuel to government employees.

In line with this announcement, the Ministry of Finance prepared and approved the guidelines related to fuel. The guidelines were approved by the cabinet meeting last week.

The Ministry of Finance proposed the guidelines to provide cash for fuel to employees who get vehicle facilities.

Dhaniram Sharma, spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance, said that since the payment for fuel is made in cash, it is convenient and easy method.

This provision will be applicable for all the secretaries and joint secretaries working in central government offices including the constitutional bodies, courts, ministries, commissions, secretariats of the government of Nepal. Similarly, it is stated in the guidelines that the provincial government and organizations owned by the Nepal government can take this new guideline as a precedent and implement them.

According to the guidelines, the facility of fuel will not be provided when the employee is on study leave or other long vacation.