Hetauda, February 23

Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa today said the government would investigate former minister of information and communications Gokul Prasad Baskota’s audiotape scandal which incriminated him in the procurement process of a security printing press.

Speaking at a province-level security workshop jointly organised by the home ministry and Bagmati Province government in Hetauda, Home Minister Thapa held that the government would probe former minister Baskota’s audio tape scandal and conclude it legally. “Different organs of the government will investigate Baskota’s audio tape related to a scandal in the procurement process of security printing press,” he added.

Minister Thapa claimed that the government was able to maintain law and order in the country. “The government has accorded top priority to safety and security of the people and the home ministry is committed to maintaining law and order in the country,” he said.

Noting that the government had taken the last year as foundation year, Thapa argued that the country would take flight on the path of development and prosperity from now onwards. He said the government was working with the target of achieving annual economic growth rate of 8 per cent. “The review of the last two years has shown that import has gone down while export has gone up,” he stated.

On a different note, Minister Thapa said that the Parliament would pass the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact after adequate discussion and some revision. “The MCC will be passed from the Parliament in line with the suggestions provided by taskforce of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP),” he added.

He also claimed that the government was working to settle the border dispute with India at the Kalapani area.