Even when he was Home Minister for a short time 10 years ago, Narayankaji Shrestha did not take money under this title (Photo: Saroj Baizu).
With the abolishment of provision where Home Minister and Home Secretary could make hefty spendings in the name of ‘spy mobilization’, around 15 million Rupees will be saved annually.
The former Home Minister and Home Secretary used to spend arbitrary sums of money for the same.
The cabinet meeting held on Monday dismissed this arrangement.
Along with this, the arbitrary spending in the name of spy mobilizing operation will be stopped.
Narayankaji Shrestha, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, decided to cancel this provision on the same day he took charge of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
This decision was taken by the Council of Ministers on his proposal on Monday.
“There is a need to make it a little more responsible as it was being spent before.” Home Secretary Binod Prakash Singh said, "However, the decision was taken because the way it was being spent now is not right."
Talking to Nepalkhabar after the cabinet decided to cancel the expenditure in the name of undercover agentsmobilization, Home Secretary Singh said, "We have to look at both legal and practical aspects. The spending minister and the home secretary should also be held accountable. If only the expenses in the name of spymobilization had been properly utilized, such a decision would not have been necessary.”
Home Minister Balkrishna Khand and Home Secretary Teknarayan Pandey spent more than 15 million Rupeesin the last fiscal year alone in the name of spy mobilization.
It has been found that the Home Secretary has spent more than the Home Minister.
While the Home Minister spent 7.6 million, it was found that 9 million 297 thousand rupees were spent in the name of Home Secretary.
There is no data on where and how this money was spent.
The unnecessary spending of fund in the name of ‘spy mobilization’ has been continuing since 1990. Meanwhile, all the Home Ministers and Home Secretaries have been making arbitrary spending the same way.
Minister Narayankaji Shrestha had not made any expense under this operation, even when he was Home Minister for a short time 10 years ago.
Similarly, the former Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane also did not spend in the name of undercover agentsmobilization, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Home Minister gets Rs 50,000 and Home Secretary Rs 25,000 at one time. If more than this is to be taken at one time, it has to be passed by the Council of Ministers.
However, government has been changing this decision time and again. Sometimes it was decided to take up to 500 thousand rupees at a time. Since the Council of Ministers makes the decision, it is seen that this decision can be changed any time.
The Auditor General had instructed to control it last year. Ministers and secretaries in the Home Affairs Ministrywere criticized for increasing the abuse of this provision, which started with the intention of deploying spies to obtain confidential information.
There were accusations that the amount taken in this way was distributed to the workers and that they took it for their personal use.
The Auditor General has also raised questions and instructed to stop the same.
