Kathmandu, July 17 -- The federal government has decided to restore personal secretaries for members of the federal parliament, a move that has reignited debates over fiscal responsibility and nepotism in public administration.

Under the decision, members of both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly will once again be allowed to appoint a personal secretary with a salary equivalent to a gazetted third class officer of Nepal government.

The Minister for Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, Sobita Gautam, confirmed that the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved the proposal to amend Schedule 2 of the Act Relating to Remuneration and Facilities of Office Bearers and Members of the Federal Parliament, 2016. The amendment...