The metered rate victims have expressed confidence that the 9-point agreement reached with the government will be fully implemented.

Awadhesh Kushwaha, who participated in the talks on behalf of the metered rate victims, told reporters that he is confident that the 9-point agreement will be fully implemented. He said that there are points including the formation of a monitoring committee at the district level as per the agreement, and that a draft law will now be prepared and announced at the cabinet meeting.

A 9-point agreement was reached on Friday between the metered rate victims and the government, who have been protesting for 9 days. As per the agreement, the government has committed to taking a proposal to declare metered rate an economic crime to the Council of Ministers and enacting a special law to control it.

Agreement to declare meter badges an economic crime, 9-day protest postponed

After the 'Foot Justice March' that started from Tritiyagachhi in Janakpur, Dhanusha on Asad 25 reached Nijgadh, Bara, on Asad 32, Home Minister Sudhan Gurung and the victims' representatives agreed to form a negotiation team in Kathmandu. As per the same agreement, a 9-point agreement was reached after discussions between the government team led by Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Pushkar Sapkota and the victims' negotiating team in Kathmandu on Thursday.

The agreement was signed by Secretary Sapkota on behalf of the government team and Awadhesh Kushwaha on behalf of the victims. As per the agreement, the government will declare meter badges as an economic crime and take a proposal for its complete abolition to the upcoming Council of Ministers meeting. Once the proposal is approved, documents such as fake tamasuk, sight mortgage, tchinuwa pass and compulsory checks will automatically be invalid and cancelled.

Similarly, the Ministry of Home Affairs will prepare a draft of a special act on metered rate control within 3 months. The proposed act will include the formation of a separate tribunal to hear metered rate cases, return of the victim's property and appropriate compensation.

According to the agreement, legal source of funds and proof of banking transactions will be mandatory in the verification of loan transactions through the ward office. It is also mentioned that strict legal action will be taken against those who use money earned through corruption or other criminal gains as metered rate.

The new law will define as crimes the acts of making documents of more than the actual amount, adding interest to the principal, not allowing the debtor to repay, charging high interest, threatening, physical or mental abuse, forcibly signing blank checks or papers and destroying property.

It has been agreed that forensic examination of documents, tracing of the source of assets and investigation under the Money Laundering Act will be carried out for the investigation of metered-billed victims. The government has also expressed its commitment to remove legal obstacles to ensure that victims get justice in cases pending in court.

A high-level coordination committee and a separate desk will be established at the center under the coordination of the Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers to address the complaints of victims. A facilitation committee will be formed in the district under the coordination of the Assistant Chief District Officer with 3 representatives of the victims and arrangements will be made to resolve all complaints within 6 months and a committee led by the Chief District Officer will monitor it.