Kathmandu, February 3:

The Commitment Implementation Monitoring Special Committee (CIMSC) - a parliamentary body - today instructed Dr Bhoj Raj Ghimire, chief secretary, to provide details in writing on the progress of the PM’s recent commitments within February 13. The move comes after Dr Ghimire failed to give satisfactory response to the panel members’ persistent queries.

The Prime Minister’s Office and Council of Ministers have been urged to give details about the seizure of property in writing. Earlier, the PM had agreed to the nine-point charter of demands put forth by the main opposition Nepali Congress in parliament. It included return of seized property and dissolution of the paramilitary structure of the Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League (YCL).

Dr Ghimire today briefed the CIMSC on the status of the property-seized reports.

But, the CIMSC members found faults with Dr Ghimire’s report. The latter had claimed the process of returning seized property has already been completed in 36 districts.

“The progress report that was obtained from Chief District Officers just a day before is yet to be compiled,” he said. “However, as a civil

servant, I’m not in a position to elaborate on the dissolution of the paramilitary structure of the YCL. It is purely a political matter,” said the chief secretary.

Nepali Congress members — Bal Krishna Khand and Jagadishwor Narsingha KC — opposed Dr Ghimire.

“It is the duty of the government to implement the PM’s commitments made at the CA twice. If the civil servants cannot respond, the PM and the Home Minister should be asked to clarify,” they said.

Home Secretary Dr Govinda Prasad Kusum informed that property seized from former PMs Surya Bahadur Thapa, Lokendra Bahadur Chand and other prominent leaders had been returned.

Tana Gautam, secretary, Ministry of Industries, said that the property held at industrial estates in Balaju and Nepalgunj had also been vacated. “However, other industrial estates like Pokhara, Patan, Dharan, Sindhupalchwok and Chobhar in Kathmandu are still in the Maoists’ grip,” said the senior official.

The Army Integration Special Committee (AISC) will hold its second meeting on Thursday. The Terms of Reference (ToR) of local peace committee will be finalised after consultations with major political parties.

The chief secretary informed that the government had made financial arrangement to accomplish the past projects. Under the ‘New Nepal Programme’, it will open cooperative shops in all the VDCs.

Incidentally, only five of the 11 CIMSC members attended today’s meeting, chaired by the CA chairman.