Hefty salaries, lavish allowances at Nepali missions abroad
Summary
Nepali diplomatic staff at foreign missions, particularly in Lhasa and New York, have been illegally claiming hefty allowances for family members not accompanying them, leading to financial irregularities and calls for recovering the funds.
Key Points
- Nepali diplomatic staff in Lhasa have been illegally claiming educational and family allowances for family members not accompanying them, violating regulations.
- Deputy Consul General Bishnu Prasad Gautam received Joint-Secretary-level allowances in New York without holding the official position, with no repayment yet made.
- Nepal spends approximately Rs 4.50 billion annually on 40 foreign missions, mostly on salaries, allowances, and benefits for diplomatic staff.
- Auditor General and parliamentary committees have recommended recovering unlawful allowances, but malpractice in claiming arbitrary benefits continues to rise.
