PressAdda
Kathmandu — Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal has stated that individuals who fail to return government-provided facilities are being monitored.
His remarks came shortly after an Onlinekhabar report titled “Former National Assembly Chairperson Hasn’t Returned Vehicle Even After 19 Months of Term Completion”. Responding via social media, Minister Khanal wrote:
“The Ministry of Finance is continuously monitoring whether former officials who are forcibly enjoying facilities not granted by law have returned them or not.”
The Parliamentary Secretariat had already sent a letter to former National Assembly Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timilsina in Chait (March–April), requesting the return of the vehicle used during his tenure. However, Timilsina has yet to return the vehicle.
The Secretariat is now engaged in discussions regarding vehicles and other benefits provided to former speakers.
Recently, the Ministry of Finance decided to enforce the return of facilities provided to retired political and administrative officials. It has formally communicated with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Defense to retrieve vehicles, goods, aides, and security personnel that are being used beyond legal provisions, and to halt other services and benefits.
This decision follows a Cabinet meeting held on Asoj 5 (September 21), which resolved to reduce unproductive expenses and promote fiscal discipline. Based on that resolution, the Finance Ministry initiated the process to reclaim facilities from retired officials.
As part of this, the Federal Parliamentary Secretariat has begun internal discussions on reclaiming vehicle privileges from former political officeholders.
According to Secretariat spokesperson Ekram Giri, the vehicle and other facilities provided to former speakers were based on Cabinet decisions. However, questions have arisen about whether the Finance Ministry’s directive can override those decisions.
Giri clarified that, in the case of the National Assembly Chairperson, the Secretariat is unaware of any specific Cabinet decision similar to that for former Speakers of the House of Representatives.
He added that the Secretariat’s administrative wing does not currently provide any form of service or facility to former officials.
