Valley
NOC Chief Khadka gets the boot
Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) Chief Gopal Bahadur Khadka, who has been embroiled in many controversies including NOC's land acquisition deal, has been sacked on Monday.Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) Chief Gopal Bahadur Khadka, who has been embroiled in many controversies including NOC's land acquisition deal, has been sacked on Monday.
A Cabinet meeting held this morning decided to sack NOC General Manager Khadka for his alleged involvement in financial irregularities while purchasing land plots to expand fuel storage facilities across the country.
Minister for Information Mohan Bahadur Basnet said the decision to relieve Khadka from his post was taken following recommendation by various parliamentary committees.
Khadka-led NOC has been accused of misappropriating millions of rupees from the state coffers while buying land at four places in the country.
NOC had purchased land as part of its plan to expand oil storage facilities in all seven provinces of the country to maintain fuel stock for at least 90 days, as existing storage plants hold fuel stock sufficient for only a week.
NOC has been accused of misappropriating funds amounting to Rs800 million while buying land worth Rs1.61 billion in four places: Bhairahawa, Chitwan, Sarlahi and Jhapa. NOC began the process of purchasing land following the government’s instruction to boost fuel stock.
The state oil monopoly has been accused of inflating the price of land plots while purchasing them. It has been charged with misappropriation of funds totaling Rs568 million on purchase of land in Chitwan and Jhapa districts alone. Similarly, it has been charged with misappropriating Rs150 million and Rs80 million respectively on purchase of land in Bhairahawa and Sarlahi districts.
Since the time the scam was reported, three different parliamentary bodies—Finance Committee, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Welfare Committee, and Public Accounts Committee— launched investigations into the matter.