KATHMANDU: The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has issued a directive to government and public offices, urging them not to provide allowances to staff attending meetings during office hours and holidays.

According to Narhari Ghimire, spokesperson for the anti-corruption body, the directive aims to curb malpractices related to the allocation of meeting allowances.

Instances of unnecessary meetings being convened and allowances being granted to attendees have been observed in numerous government and public offices across the country.

It has become common for office personnel to prioritize attending meetings solely for the sake of receiving allowances, often neglecting their official duties in the process.

Moreover, instances have been noted where personnel on leave still participate in office meetings to receive allowances.

The CIAA has been consistently receiving complaints regarding such practices, prompting this directive to address the issue effectively.