Private Visa Processing – Government denies its final Say
The International Relations and Labour Committee of Legislature-Parliament has engaged the government to stop its attempt to outsource visa processing job to a private company. During common criticism, a meeting of the committee on Sunday issued the order against the proposal tabled by the Home Ministry.
Speaking with BBC Nepal, Secretary Surya Prasad Silwal defended the government move but also supports Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, that it was necessary to replace the “stone aged” immigration system with a modern technology maintaining international standard. While the final decision to hand over visa processing to a private company is still under discussion. No decision has been taken yet,” he clarified. The Concept paper prepared by Government does not call the admittance of any local or overseas private company.
In the same conference Chairman of the committee, Prabhu Shah said, “Awarding such contract to a private company would have a huge impact on the national security and prestige of the country. We have requested the government to halt the process immediately, and also directed the ministry to provide us all documents related to the process.”
Chief Secretary Leela Mani Paudyal also lent his voice against the ministry’s controversial move. “It has raised the question of the civil servants,” he said in the meeting, adding that it has raised question over the capability of the country’s pen pusher. “Our officials are capable of handling the visa management,” he said. He informed the House panel that $25 would be charged to process a visa application, but the government is yet to make a decision on that.
Photo Courtesy : tiairport.com.np
