Kathmandu, May 20:

The Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction said today that the government has so far released a Rs 1 billion and 8.1 million for the management of the Maoist cantonments and taking care of combatants until the second week of June.

Issuing a press statement here, joint-secretary and spokesperson at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, Ramesh Kumar Sharma, said that the government, under the Combatants and Cantonment Management Committee, has already released the said amount for the survival of the combatants, clothing, housing management and physical infrastructure for the period up to second week of June.

A cabinet decision, held on April 8, had decided to form a high-level committee headed by Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ramchandra Poudel and Minister for Information and Communication, Minister for Finance, Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture and Minister for Water Resources as members.

Giving a break-down of the expenditure, the panel said the government has released, on several occasions, Rs 46,10,67,000 to the central leaders of the CPN-Maoists for the management of the camps.

For the development of infrastructures in the cantonment sites, it released a total of Rs 29,00,00,000 for infrastructure development from various departments of the line ministries.

Likewise, 2,000 pieces of tents provided by India have also been sent to the cantonments.

The statement said Rs 9,36,00,000 has also been released to build 1,000 shelters (one shelter for 15 persons) to accommodate around 15,000 combatants.

An estimated cost for the construction of one shelter using the locally available materials has been put at Rs 1,06,000.

The amount required for the construction of 1,000 shelters has been released in advance to main cantonments and Urban Development and Housing Construction Division Offices.

The statement said the daily allowance of Rs 60 has been provided to all the registered combatants in all 28 camps since last month to meet their basic requirements.

An additional amount of Rs 4,87,00,000 has been allocated for the management of central and local-level cantonment management offices and the offices of Interim Task Force (ITF).