An investigation by the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has disclosed that cabinet ministers as well as state ministers have been using multiple vehicles for the last nine months, violating existing legal provisions.[break]
As per the Act on Ministers´ Salaries and Facilities-2053, a government minister is entitled to one vehicle, but most of them have been found using up to three vehicles each.
"The investigation has disclosed that most of the ministers are misusing public vehicles. The committee is taking steps to curb the rampant misuse of vehicles," said PAC Secretary Som Bahadur Thapa.
A month ago, the parliamentary committee had sent letters to the ministries, corporations, departments and branch offices of the ministries to furnish details of government vehicles used either by themselves or given to others for use. Of the 44 ministers, only 11 have so far submitted the details to the committee.
According to the report, a copy of which Republica has obtained, Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar and Ministers Rajendra Mahato, Damber Shrestha, Sarvendra Nath Shukla, Prem Bahadur Singh and Prakash Sharan Mahat have been found misusing vehicles.
Similarly, State Ministers Jeetu Gautam, Dilli Bahadur Mahat, Man Bahadur Shahi, Sanjaya Kumar Shah and Govinda Chaudhari are using up to three vehicles each.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Planning and Works Gachchhadar has been using three vehicles -- Ba 1 Jha 7110, Ba 1 Jha 6602 and Ba 4 Cha 6657, while Minister for Commerce and Supplies Mahato has been using two vehicles -- Ba 1 Ya 946 and Ba 1 Jha 8462.
Likewise, Minister for Law and Justice Prem Bahadur Singh has been using Ba 1 Jha 5527, Ba 1 Jha 8672 and Ba 1 Jhha 7793.
Minister for Land Reforms and Management Dambar Shrestha has been using three vehicles --Ba 1 Jha 5217, Ba 1 Jha 6863 and Ba 1 Jha 7740. Minister for Education Shukla has also been using three -- Ba 1 Jha 8321, Ba 1 Jha 6096 and Ba 1 Jhha 6734, while Energy Minister Mahat has been using two -- Ba 1 Jha 1026 and Ba 3 Cha 4052.
State ministers are also misusing government vehicles on a massive scale. State Minister for Education Govinda Chaudhari has been using three vehicles -- Ba 1 Jha 8321, Ba 1 Jha 6096 and Ba 1 Jha 6734, as has State Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Dilli Bahadur Mahat -- Ba 1 Jha 5526, 7083 and 7641.
Likewise State Minister for General Administration Gautam has been using two vehicles -- Ba 4 Cha 9124 and Ba 1 Jha 4639, State Minister for Land Reform and Management Man Bahadur Shahi three vehicles -- Ba 1 Jha 4622, 4094 and 5224. Vehicle number Ba 1 Jha 4094 is currently out of order.
State Minister for Physical Planning and Works Sanjaya Kumar Sah has been using three vehicles -- Ba 4 Cha 5766, 1503 and 6663. Land Reform and Management Secretary Chhabi Raj Panta is found to be using two vehicles -- Ba 5 Cha 2986 and Ba 1 Jha 6865.
Such vehicles have been used by ministerial aides or near and dear ones. Sources say that most of the ministers are misusing vehicles, but the PAC is yet to receive the details.
Who is using how many?
Name of ministers(Number of vehicles being used)
1. Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar (3)
2. Sarvendra Nath Shukla (3)
3. Rajendra Mahato (2)
4. Prem Bahadur Singh (3)
5. Dambar Shrestha (3)
6. Prakash Sharan Mahat (2)
Name of state ministers(Number of vehicles used)
7. Govinda Chaudhari (3)
8. Dilli Bahadur Mahat (3)
9. Jeetu Gautam (2)
10. Man Bahadur Shahi (3)
11. Sanjaya Kumar Shah (3)
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