Sep 10, 2016- Managing
Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Mukesh Raj Kafle has resigned from the
post. He submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on
Friday.
Earlier, Energy
Minister Janardan Sharma had expressed dissatisfaction over Kafle’s performance
and had asked him to step down.
Kafle had, however,
told the Post on Wednesday he would not resign, arguing he had been appointed
through free competition and that the Energy Minister had no right to demand
his resignation.
What made Kafle change
his mind was not immediately clear. He could not be reached for a comment. It
is also not known who will replace him.
Kafle’s departure,
however, does not come as a surprise, as the ministry had initiated the process
of removing him two months ago when a panel formed to appraise his performance
gave him failing grades. According to the performance contract signed between
the Energy Ministry and Kafle, the latter had to score at least 50 percent mark
or face any action, including dismissal.
“The NEA chief scored
45 percent in the evaluation,” said a ministry official who sat on the panel.
“However, in the performance contract, there is space for another panel to
review the evaluation done by the first. Kafle failed to secure pass marks in
the second panel’s evaluation too.”
Thursday’s Cabinet
meeting had also discussed Kafle’s handling of the NEA.
On July 3, the Energy
Ministry wrote to Kafle, seeking his clarification and demanding a reason why
he shouldn’t be dismissed.
Kafle replied to the
ministry’s letter on July 8 saying there was conflict of interest during the
review process, and that the panel which had reviewed his performance was not
independent, according to a ministry source. Kafle then filed an application at
the Prime Minister’s Office, requesting his performance be reviewed by an
independent panel. The panel’s report has been kept confidential.
Source: The Kathmandu
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