Naya Nepal Naya Blog

Altogether four billion six hundred and ninety-six million seven hundred eighty-four thousand and eighty-one rupees have been released for the monthly allowances and salary of the Maoist combatants following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government and the UCPN (Maoist).

At present, five thousand rupees per month per person is provided to the combatants. Similarly, each combatant is provided Rs. 60 per day in places with road transport facilities and Rs. 75 per day to combatants living in cantonments in remote districts as subsistence allowance. Initially, the monthly allowance was fixed at Rs. 3,000 only.

Accounts officer at the Office of the Central Coordinator of the Cantonment Management at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, Bishnu Wagle said, so far Rs. 3.13 billion has been released under the monthly allowances head while Rs. 1.29 billion has been released under the subsistence allowance.

The data shows that in some years the subsistence allowances has outstripped the monthly allowances.

Ninety-two million and five hundred and fifty-six rupees have been spent under the monthly allowances in fiscal year 2006/07, Rs. 514 million and 488 thousand in fiscal year 2007/08, Rs. 1.855 billion in fiscal year 2008/09 and Rs. 938 million and 954 million in the current fiscal year 2009/10 under the monthly allowances.

Similarly, Rs. 173 million and 920 thousand was spent as the subsistence allowance in fiscal year 2006/07, Rs. 510 million and 751 thousand in fiscal year 2007/08, Rs 547 million and 544 thousand in fiscal year 2008/09 and Rs. 522 million and 193 thousand in fiscal year 2009/10 as subsistence allowance.

Accounts officer Wagle said although the expenses for the Maoist combatants are audited every year, distribution by the local offices by political instructions will also be considered as official expenses.

Deputy Secretary at the Office, Govinda Khanal said a total of Rs. 1.45 1 billion has been released for the allowances and subsistence allowance for the Maoist combatants until mid-May of the current fiscal year.

The total number of Maoist combatants verified by the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) is 30,852. They have been kept at seven main camps and 21 satellite camps throughout the country. The number of combatants in the cantonments is said to have dwindled over the years.