KATHMANDU: Contrary to federal and provincial laws, people’s representatives of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) have added the facilities to the already prescribed list that they were getting.
The KMC has added more services and facilities for the people’s representatives, including mayors and deputy mayors, under new titles than those prescribed by the law.
KMC, meanwhile, argues that this Act has been introduced to increase the efficiency of the local government by making the service facilities organized, fair, appropriate and transparent.
The metropolis claims that the law was introduced based on Section 12 of the Local Government Act, 2075 and Section 102 of the Local Government Operation Act, 2074, issued by the Bagmati Provincial Assembly.
Section 102 of the Local Government Operation Act 2074 provides that rural municipalities and municipalities can make laws on matters within their jurisdiction.
However, the city and village councils do not have the right to determine the service facilities of local people’s representatives.
Similarly, in Section 12 of the Local Level Officials and Members’ Facilities Act, 2075 BS, issued by the Bagmati Province Assembly, it is said that the concerned assembly can determine the facilities based on the financial resources and capabilities within its jurisdiction, considering the facilities as the maximum limit.
People’s representatives of KMC have, however, added services and facilities by creating a new title.
As in the Act on facilities for local officials and members, housing facilities for public representatives are not specified.
But the KMC has arranged housing facilities for the mayor and deputy mayor.
Currently, the metropolis does not have its own residential building for the residence of the mayor and deputy mayor.
It is mentioned in the Act that in the absence of a private house, a mayor and deputy mayor will be provided with the amount specified by the executive for the house rent.
During the previous tenure, the then Mayor Bidya Sunder Shakya and Deputy Mayor Hari Prabha Khadgi did not take the housing facility.
Likewise, the KMC has also added facilities such as scholarships, health insurance, clothing allowance, etc.
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