Kathmandu, December 9

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today said that the government was committed to strictly implementing its policy of zero tolerance towards corruption to maintain good governance, accountability and transparency in the country.

Addressing a special function co-organised by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Minister and the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority in Kathmandu on the occasion of the International Anti-Corruption Day, he said, “If all responsible persons holding public post carry out their functions, duties and powers in an accountable manner by maintaining self-discipline, the fight against corruption can lead to a success. Effective implementation of the existing policy and legal frameworks against corruption will open the door to prosperity.”

Stating that corruption had become a social phenomenon, CIAA Chief Commissioner Navin Kumar Ghimire stressed the need to develop the culture of integrity from home, family, society and educational institutions. He also highlighted the activities of the anti-graft body against corruption.

“Corruption will only weaken the foundation of democratic institutions and hence concerted efforts of the government, CIAA, civil society, media and all other sectors can help the nation achieve success in prevention and control of corruption by bringing to book the guilty,” Ghimire said.

Chief Secretary Lok Darshan Regmi said corruption was the biggest hurdle to good governance and development and pledged to extend all support to the CIAA in the fight against the corruption. According to the CIAA, it received as many as 11,758 complaints related to corruption and financial irregularities in the first quarter (mid-July to mid-October) of the fiscal 2018-19. It received a total of 4,670 complaints in the first quarter of this fiscal and 7,088 complaints were carried forward from the previous fiscal totalling 11,758 till mid-October.