KHOTANG, July 14: There are many cases where the officials of various consumers committee have been caught embezzling millions of rupees meant for development projects. Such irregularities have given a bad name to the consumers' committees.
However, a consumers' committee of Halesi Tuwachung Municipality in Khotang district has proved that not all such committees are the same by returning the surplus budget after the completion of a project. This consumers' committee which was entrusted with the responsibility of constructing the entry-gate of the historical site Halesigadhi based in Halesi Tuwachung-5, Durchim, has returned the money remaining after the completion of the project.
Consumers' committee surprises many, returns unspent budget
On Thursday, chairperson of the committee Angrangsi Rai and member of Holesing Samuha Bhupendra Kumar Rai reached the municipality office and handed over a cheque of Rs 87,740 to Mayor Iwan Rai. Chairperson of the committee Rai informed that the left over amount has been returned to the municipality. "There are people who do everything to be in the consumers' committee with the ill intention of misappropriating funds," said Chairperson Rai, adding, "It is not right to misuse the funds collected from the people."
When Chairperson Rai reached the municipality office, many people speculated that he was there for another project as the fiscal year is just about to end. "When they said they had come to return the remaining amount, our eyes were left wide-open," said Anil Kiranti, chief administrative officer of the municipality. In fiscal year 2017/18, the municipality had sanctioned a budget of Rs 1 million for constructing the entry gate in Rawachung where the son of Holesing, the first tribal ruler of Halesi, built a palace some 350 years ago. Visitors can still see the remnants of the old palace there.
The consumers' committee had collected Rs 250,000 for the project through donations, out of which Rs 87,740 was saved after the completion of the project, informed Mayor Rai. "What happened on Thursady proves that that honesty is not dead," said Mayor Rai, adding, "This can be a lesson for many."
Caption: Chairperson of Consumers' Committee Angrangsi Rai (left) handing a cheque for the remaining amount to Mayor Iwan Rai.
