Kathmandu, October 10
Lawmakers elected through proportional representation have expressed concerns over the ‘abuse’ of funds by directly elected members of the House of Representatives, who receive Rs 60 million each under the local infrastructure development programme.
Member of the National Assembly Prakash Pantha denied being a part of the local infrastructure development partnership programme consultation committee. “Why will be part of a committee which still hasn’t been able to figure out where last year’s Rs 40 million was spent. I don’t want to a part of such committee,” said Pantha when he was asked to be part of the committee.
Last year lawmaker Pantha from Tanahu-1 constituency said that he doesn’t want to be a part of the committee because directly elected member Krishna Kumar Shrestha has not been consulting with him regarding the spending of the Rs 60 million given to each constituency.
Pantha isn’t the only lawmakers who has expressed such concerns. NCP lawmaker Ram Narayan Bidari has similar views. He has been regularly been voicing his opinion regarding the issue. He has been saying that constituency should not be given such large amounts.
“I will stay in the committee and voice my opinion. If they take it, good. If they don’t, I have to go with the majority,” Bidari shares.
Bidari further adds that the fund is spent on projects which have been selected by the directly elected lawmaker. Another lawmaker Uma Regmi shares that as she hasn’t been getting funds, it’s been hard for her to go in front of people.
“People ask for good roads and restoration of temples. But I have no role in the infrastructure development of my constituency. The money is with the directly elected lawmakers, not with us who have been elected on a proportional basis,” she said.
Many lawmakers have also been expressing concerns at how the projects are being handed out to various user groups without a call for tender.
