Kathmandu, April 18

The government has approved the Traffic Police Incentive Allowance Management Directive, 2019, clearing the deck for traffic cops to enjoy an allowance up to 40 per cent of their monthly salary.

Minister of Communications and Information Technology Gokul Prasad Baskota, who is also the government spokesperson, said the meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Monday had decided to this effect.

Speaking at a press meet organised at his office in Singha Durbar today to announce the Cabinet decisions, he said that the directive stipulates a provision for incentive allowance to traffic police personnel.

Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs had written to the Ministry of Finance, requesting the latter’s consent on providing monthly incentive allowance to traffic police personnel.

As per the directive, the government will provide incentive allowance ranging from 10 to 40 per cent of their monthly remuneration. Only personnel ranking from helper to deputy superintendent of police will be entitled to the incentive.

DSP and inspector will enjoy incentive allowance of 10 per cent, sub-inspector and assistant sub-inspector, 20 per cent each, and head constable, constable and helper, 40 per cent each of their monthly pay.

Currently, the monthly salary of DSP is Rs 34,220, inspector Rs 30,500, SI Rs 23,500, ASI Rs 22,140, head constable Rs 18,340, constable Rs 17,230 and helper Rs 16,230.

According to the MoHA, the incentive allowance for traffic police was proposed, bearing in mind, the nature of their duty and the hazards associated with it.

However, traffic cops working in districts other than Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur will not be entitled to the proposed incentive allowance.

In June 2017, the MoHA had scrapped the provision of providing traffic police a 15 per cent share of the revenue they collected from vehicle owners in fines after it drew strong criticism from all quarters.