KATHMANDU: Youth and Sports Minister Ganesh Nepali on Sunday said that a probe committee will be formed to clear any doubts on the financial irregularity during the fifth National Games. Minister Nepali made the commitment during an interaction with the mediapersons here at the National Sports Council (NSC).

The Nepal government had released Rs 250 million to organise the National Games in April. According to reports Rs 165 million was spent during the Games which prompted many to smell rats. Responding to the mediapersons, secretary at the Youth and Sports Ministry Shyam Prasad Mainali said that he did not smell any wrong doings at the moment. “People keep making charges but we need to be absolutely sure before making any comments on such matters,” added Mainali.

The charges surged up after CPN-UML appointed Member Secretary Jeevan Ram Shrestha resigned from the office recently. The ministry appointed Bishnu Prasad Lamshal, joint-secretary at the Youth and Sports Ministry, as the acting member secretary on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Minister Nepali also revealed that the new member secretary will be appointed within the next two weeks. “We are sorting out matters between the political parties and I am sure it will be solved within two weeks,” said the minister. Nepali also said that Lamshal was appointed to avoid deadlock in the Nepali sports.

“Since the 11th South Asian Games is just 165 days away, his (Lamshal) appointment would ease the workload for the next member secretary,” added Nepali. The SA Games is scheduled for January next year in Bangladesh.

Lamshal said his priority at the moment is to form a SA Games preparation committee. “We will determine on the number of events to participate in the SA Games. We will also come up with closed camp training programmes,” said the acting member secretary. Lamshal is scheduled to meet NSC departmental heads on Monday and national associations the following day.