SAC took a decision to this effect after consulting the Nepal Army (NA) top brass on Monday.[break]
The SAC had invited Minister for Defense Bishnu Poudel and Chief of Army Staff Chhatra Man Singh Gurung to a meeting to take stock of the latest developments in the NA including its “democratization” process.
UCPN (Maoist) members of the SAC had complained that the NA has not yet been democratized and made an “inclusive institution."
In reply, Gurung said that it would be wrong to argue that NA is not an inclusive institution.
According to him, the NA has allocated 45 percent of recruitment to the minorities and left 55 percent for open competitions.
He also argued that the allegation that the NA Welfare Fund is being misused in baseless. “The fund is being run in a transparent manner,” he said. Gurung informed that the NA deposits worth Rs 400 million is tied up in troubled finacnial institutions.
During the meeting, Gurung informed that the UN has increased the monthly perk for personnel in UN Peacekeeping Missions by seven percent. The monthly perk for a solder in UN Peacekeeping Mission is USD 1028 at present. He also informed that the NA is preparing to send its soldiers to Iraq and Sudan under the UN flag.
Defense Secretary Nabin Ghimre stated that 47 percent of the NA personnel stay in bunkers and informed that NC needs two billion rupees for the construction of barracks for them. “However the Ministry of Finance has agreed to allocate one billion rupees this year,” he said.
Related story
NA ‘under-represented’ at UN peacekeeping command levels
