Kathmandu, March 29: Nepal’s new government has made a significant decision to investigate the assets of political leaders and high-ranking officials. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Balendra Shah, the government announced this initiative on Saturday as part of a 100-point governance reform agenda.
The government stated that a robust committee will be formed within the next 15 days to examine the assets of leaders and officials who have held public office from 1990 to 2026.
This decision comes at a time when many leaders who have been in power over the past three decades face allegations of corruption, prompting ongoing demands for investigations.
According to the government, the committee aims to eradicate the culture of corruption, asset concealment, and impunity prevalent in the country.
In the first phase, the investigation will focus on the assets of key leaders and senior bureaucrats who held public office from 2006 to 2026. The second phase will examine the assets of prominent individuals in office from 1990 to 2005.
Notably, the alleged corruption among leaders was considered a major factor behind the September 2022 Jan-Gi movement, which led to the ousting of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s government.
To institutionalize actions against corruption, the Nepal Rastra Bank will also establish a digital asset registry within 100 days. This registry will include bank accounts, digital wallets, share investments, and other financial activities.
Additionally, the government announced the implementation of a risk-based indicator system to automatically identify suspicious transactions and refer them to relevant agencies for investigation.
This decision is seen as a crucial step towards enhancing transparency and accountability in Nepal.
Leave a Comment