LONDON: The United Kingdom (UK) government has made an official response to a letter concerning the demands of the ex-Gurkhas on the initiative of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) UK Chapter.

A joint letter was dispatched to the Defense Ministry of the UK last April 6 on behalf of five organizations pitching the rights of ex-Gurkhas on the initiative of NRNA Chapter vice-chairperson Prem Gaha Magar.

The two-page long response has noted that the UK government has been annually providing pension amounts of around 20 billion Indian Currency to the ex-Gurkhas.

Likewise, the letter also stated that the government has set up the Gurkha Welfare Fund and made payments for primary health treatment since 2019.

It is also noted in the reply letter that the UK government was ready for holding dialogue for addressing the problems of Ex-Gurkhas and routine communications were being held between the British Ambassador in Nepal and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal to that end.

Dialogue to this effect can be expedited through British Embassy in Nepal, the letter reads. It may be noted that the Prime Ministers of Nepal and the UK had already held a discussion on the document prepared by the UK Defense Ministry regarding the management of Ex-Gurkhas issues in 2019.

NRNA UK Chapter vice-chair Magar said that now is the time for the Nepal government to put in place a concrete decision for the resolution to the ex-Gurlahs problems as per the letter of the UK government.

He further informed that they would submit a memorandum to the government of Nepal through its London-based Embassy in a couple of days demanding the formation of a dialogue team on behalf of the Nepal government. RSS