Kathmandu, December 3:

Members of the Office of the Central Coordinator for Cantonment Management today discussed the supply and logistics aspects to be provided to the Maoist fighters

living in seven cantonments and 21 satellite camps.

The coordinator’s office held its first meeting after the government and the CPN-Maoist reached an agreement on monitoring of the management of arms and armies on November 28.

The government had set up the coordinator’s office to facilitate supply of logistics to the Maoists’ People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on November 21, when the historic Comprehensive National Peace Treaty was signed by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chairman Prachanda.

Coordinator of the office and special class secretary Shusil Jung Rana said that they mainly discussed the supply and logistics issues to the Maoist fighters in the cantonment and satellite camps.

The meeting, held at the Peace Secretariat, was also attended by Maoist deputy commander Chandra Prakash Khanal alias Baldev and a representative of the United Nations.

The government has so far decided to provide Rs 170 million for the management of cantonment, ration and logistics support to the Maoist army personnel.

But the Maoist side is learnt to have asked the government to provide them Rs 560 million for ration and logistics for its PLA personnel for a period of one year.

Sources said that the government is considering allocating an additional budget for the management of the Maoists’ arms and armies camped in seven cantonments.