Kathmandu, Aug. 14 -- Amid ongoing controversy over Public Service Commission's hiring of staff for the local level, the Province 5 government has taken a major step towards recruiting staff on its own.

The Province 5 has created its Provincial Public Service Commission and appointed Dilaram Bhattarai as its chairman. The move means the provincial government can hire staff for the province and local units on its own.

Ramesh Pokharel, chief of the High Court in Dang, administered the oath of office to Bhattarai on Tuesday.

"Bhattarai has been appointed for a six-year term. The other two members of the commission are yet to be appointed," said Yamkanta Pandya, information officer at the Chief Minister's Office of Province 5.

Meanwhile, ...