KATHMANDU: The Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers of Bagmati Province has said that Chief Minister Indra Bahadur Banaiya has been consistently adopting austerity and expenditure-cutting measures since assuming office.
In a press statement issued on Friday by the Chief Minister’s personal secretariat, it was stated that CM Banaiya has been directing government bodies to ensure financial discipline, frugality and transparency, while also implementing the same practices personally.
According to the statement, the Chief Minister has been managing expenses related to the official residence and vehicle fuel from his own resources. It also claimed that staff members at the Chief Minister’s secretariat have been working without claiming travel allowances so far.
The secretariat further recalled that CM Banaiya had announced that the allowances he receives as Chief Minister would be used to construct houses for impoverished families. As part of that commitment, houses have already been built and handed over to two families in Manahari and Kailash rural municipalities, while another house is currently under construction in Raksirang rural municipality.
The statement accused certain individuals and groups of attempting to undermine these initiatives by spreading negative narratives through social media and sections of the media.
Referring to reports regarding the Chief Minister’s use of a helicopter to attend a program in Siraha on Thursday, the secretariat said misinformation was being circulated. It clarified that CM Banaiya had attended the Sixth Climate Conference in Melamchi-9, Gufa Danda of Sindhupalchok, earlier the same day, and needed to reach Siraha thereafter.
As road travel was not possible, the helicopter was used out of compulsion and entirely at personal expense, the statement said, stressing that no government funds were misused during the trip.
“Presenting such unavoidable travel in a misleading manner without understanding the facts has drawn our serious attention,” the statement read.
Emphasizing that CM Banaiya remains vigilant against any misuse of public funds, the secretariat warned that spreading misinformation on social media constitutes a cyber offence and urged the public and media to refrain from disseminating unverified content.
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