NextFin News - The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has officially commenced the recruitment process for 27 family members of individuals killed during the Janakpur (J-E-N-G-I) movement, marking a significant step in the government’s effort to settle long-standing social grievances through state-owned enterprise (SOE) resources. The decision, which follows a board resolution from late last year, provides contractual appointments up to a maximum of three levels within the utility’s various regional offices, tailored to the educational qualifications of the applicants.
The move was spearheaded by Kulman Ghising, the NEA Managing Director who also held the responsibility of the Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation when the proposal was passed. According to a notice issued by the Authority on March 29, 2026, the recruitment is being executed under Clause 11 of the "Procedure for Providing Relief Assistance to Persons Injured in the J-E-N-G-I Demonstration and Movement." The NEA has now opened a 35-day window for any additional claimants to come forward before the appointments are finalized, effectively integrating social reparations into the utility’s operational structure.
While the NEA’s action is framed as a humanitarian and restorative measure, it highlights the complex role of Nepal’s state-owned enterprises as instruments of social policy. By absorbing the families of "martyrs" into its workforce, the NEA is fulfilling a mandate that goes beyond power generation and distribution. This practice of using public sector employment as a form of compensation is a recurring theme in Nepali governance, often used to stabilize political tensions in volatile regions like Madhesh, where the Janakpur protests originated.
However, the reliance on contractual appointments suggests a cautious approach to the utility’s long-term payroll obligations. By capping the entry at three levels and utilizing contract-based terms, the NEA management appears to be balancing political directives with the need to maintain some semblance of fiscal discipline. The utility has been under pressure to improve its technical and commercial efficiency, and while 27 positions are statistically minor for an organization of its size, the precedent of using the NEA as a "relief agency" remains a point of debate among fiscal conservatives in Kathmandu.
The broader economic context in Nepal adds another layer of scrutiny to this development. The government, currently led by Prime Minister Balen Shah, has recently unveiled a "shock therapy" economic reform agenda aimed at streamlining public bodies and improving the efficiency of state-owned industries. The NEA’s move to expand its headcount for social reasons may seem at odds with a reform roadmap that proposes abolishing dozens of public bodies. This tension between political necessity and economic rationalization will likely define the utility’s administrative trajectory as it navigates the demands of a new, reform-oriented administration.
The 35-day claim period serves as a final administrative safeguard, ensuring that the benefits reach the intended recipients without triggering further local disputes. As the NEA moves forward with these appointments, the focus will shift to how these new employees are integrated into the utility’s regional operations and whether this model of "employment as relief" will be extended to other state-owned entities facing similar political pressures.
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