National
Local officials ‘use government vehicles to visit dance bars’
The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has instructed District Co-ordination Committees (DCC) to monitor the alleged misuse of the vehicles by local government officials and submit details.Prithvi Man Shrestha
The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has instructed District Co-ordination Committees (DCC) to monitor the alleged misuse of the vehicles by local government officials and submit details.
This decision follows a complaint alleging local government officials use government vehicles for personal use.
The ministry’s directive to the District Coordination Committees (DCC) comes after the National Vigilance Centre (NVC), an anti-corruption watchdog under the Prime Minister Office (PMO), told the ministry to take necessary action against the alleged misuse. On Friday, the ministry wrote the DCCs seeking details. Earlier, the PMO received a complaint on the misuse of vehicles by local government officials. The complaint was forwarded to the NVC.
Bir Bahadur Thapa from New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, registered the complaints at the PMO accusing local government officials of using official vehicles for personal entertainment such as visiting restaurants and dance bars.
Local governments must mention the name of the concerned local body and the district on the vehicle for transparency on the use of vehicles by local officials, Thapa has demanded. According to NVC Spokesperson Bishnu Raj Lamichhane, the letter was issued to the Federal Affairs Ministry telling it to conduct a probe and take the necessary measures to stop misuse of vehicles.
“We continue to get such complaints from officials of all three layers of the governments,” Lamichhane said.
Besides misusing available vehicles, a number of local representatives have reportedly purchased expensive vehicles for themselves, according to the Post’s local reporters.
Shivasatakshi Municipality Mayor Chandra Kumar Sharma spent Rs7 million to purchase Isuzu D-Max this year while Deputy Mayor Bhoj Kumari Nepal uses a Tata Sumo. The Indian brand costs upwards of Rs 3.3 million, depending on the variant.
Several local residents vent their ire on the lavish lifestyles of government officials. In Mayor Sharma’s municipality, four members of one family perished in a blaze in Laljhoda last Sunday. The four fire victims could not be saved because of the lack of ambulance, residents complained.
Mayor Sharma has competitors in matching elitist lifestyle. Province 1, Taplejung district’s Phungling Municipality Mayor Chhatrapati Pyakuryal uses a car that costs Rs7.1million. Ratuwamai Municipality Mayor Rabin Rai has purchased a Scorpio car costing Rs4.2 million from the municipality’s budget.
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- Shivasatakshi Municipality Mayor Chandra Kumar Sharma spent Rs7 million to purchase Isuzu D-Max.
- Deputy Mayor Bhoj Kumari Nepal uses a Tata Sumo.
- Phungling Municipality Mayor Chhatrapati Pyakuryal uses a