Public officers asked to submit property details

Kathmandu, August 10

The central government has directed all the provincial and local governments to ask their public officers, including elected representatives, to submit their asset details to designated government offices.

This is the first time that the central government has issued such a directive to the provincial and local governments as per the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, 2002.

According to the PCA, the public offices should submit their asset details, including those of their family members within 60 days from the start of new fiscal, which started in mid-July.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration Suresh Adhikari said the ministry had already directed all the provincial and local levels about their duty to file their asset details at respective offices.

Adhikari said it was mandatory for the public figures to submit their asset details to the government as per the PCA.  All the details of the asset should be submitted to the National Vigilance Centre.

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration had sent a letter to respective offices in the provincial and local levels to this effect on August 5.

According to the new constitution, Nepal has seven provincial governments and 753 local levels. There are six metropolitan cities, 11 sub-metropolitan cities, 276 municipalities and 460 rural municipalities.

The provincial chief ministers should send their asset details to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. But the minister of provinces should send their asset details to the respective province’s chief ministers’ offices.

The provinces’ speakers, deputy-speakers and other members should send their asset details to respective provincial secretariats. The provinces’ advocate general should send their asset details to the respective province’s chief ministers’ offices.

Public officers of the public commission of province and the officers who are appointed by the province government should send their asset details to the respective province’s chief ministers’ offices.