Sep 02, Kathmandu - The decision of the House of Representatives to link civil servants with the Social Security Fund has been overturned in the National Assembly.

The Federal Civil Service Bill, passed by the Legislative Management Committee of the National Assembly on Tuesday, states that a contribution-based health insurance scheme will be implemented by linking it with the Health Insurance Board established in accordance with the prevailing law on health insurance.

Section 52 of the bill initially introduced by the government contains a provision regarding the implementation of a health insurance scheme. It states, "The Government of Nepal shall implement a contribution-based health insurance scheme for the medical treatment of civil servants and family members of civil servants by linking it to the Social Security Fund established in accordance with the prevailing law."

Making some amendments to it, the House of Representatives added the words 'Social Security Fund' and 'Citizen Investment Fund'.

If the act had been enacted accordingly, a contribution-based health insurance scheme would have been implemented for the medical treatment of civil servants and their family members, affiliated with the Social Security Fund or the Citizens' Investment Fund.

The National Assembly has reversed the decision of the House of Representatives and replaced the words "with the Social Security Fund established under the prevailing law" in Section 52 of the bill with the words "with the Health Insurance Board established under the prevailing law relating to health insurance."