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One reference to the misuse of government funds is the budget allocation of 30 million for the construction of the Nepal Tarun Dal building. Allocating the budget for the construction of the office of the fraternal organization of the ruling Congress is just an abuse of power and authority.
This is not the first example of exploiting national resources for party interests, but it is ironic that there is no awareness even when there is widespread anger against the political leadership. Such misuse of state power and resources is eroding public trust in public institutions. When citizens have to face neglect from the state even for their basic rights like education and health, it is a grave injustice for the same government to prioritize the plans of parties and factions. This not only breaks the trust of taxpayers, but also undermines faith in democracy.
The government has announced the construction of 'Ganeshaman Singh Smriti Bhavan' at Ravi Bhawan located in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-13 from the budget of the next financial year. However, the president of the organization, Scholar Gurung, has not only confirmed that the building is specifically for the office of Tarun Dal, a fraternal organization of the Congress, but has also expressed special gratitude to Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Deputy Prime Minister and Urban Development Minister Prakashman Singh for this. Ganeshman Singh, who was committed to politics of integrity and citizen-interest, building a building in his name and operating the office of the party organization under his name is an injustice to him too.
The practice of running development infrastructure, institutes, study and research centers to keep alive the dignity and legacy of political party leaders is all over the world. It is natural to follow it in Nepal. But there is a tendency in Nepal to allocate budget only for organizations established in the name of leaders close to the party which is in government. Moreover, the organizations that operate in this way are not used for the greater good of the society, but for the interests of the party and the leader in particular. Even in Nepal, institutions opened in the name of leaders like BP, Ganeshman, Madan Bhandari, Manmohan Adhikari, Tulsi Lal Amatya have been undermined by the relevant parties.
As natural as it is to open a foundation in the name of a leader who has contributed to the country, it is equally unnatural to narrow the scope of the organization within parties and factions. Therefore, there is a dispute about the subsidy given by the state to such organizations. In the budget of the financial year 2078/79, the Bagmati government had announced a grant of 5 million to the Madan Bhandari Foundation, but the decision had to be withdrawn after protests. But the federal government did not learn any lesson from the example of Bagmati province, so now the budget allocated in the name of Ganeshman Singh is also disputed.
The basic work of organizations opened in the name of personalities who have contributed to political and social development should be to produce knowledge and increase awareness for public interest. But the current practice is exactly the opposite. The illustration that the party office of the ruling UML is operating in the building of the establishment established in the memory of Tulsi Lal Amatya is enough. On 10 Chait 2058, the Council of Ministers granted the right of occupancy of 12 ropani 6 annas 5 paisa 3 daam land in Chaisal, Lalitpur to the Foundation. The central office of UML has been operating since 9 Baisakh 2079 in the structure of the foundation against the conditions and agreement. After the Baisakh earthquake of 2072, UML operated the party office from the building of Pasanglhamu Mountaineering Institute in Dhumbarahi. It was said that the mountain climbing establishment had taken rent from UML, but there is a clear legal provision that the government-owned land cannot be leased to a third party. But the UML, which was still in power at that time, ran the party office in the structure of the establishment against the laws of the country. Such violence by the parties in power only spreads frustration in the society.
Once again, the state should support the active organizations for study and research in every way, and arrange financial and physical arrangements. But the society should strongly criticize the activities of constructing the buildings of the fraternal organizations of the party, even operating as centers of the party factions. The state should listen to the criticism of citizens. The budget made from citizens' taxes should be made more transparent. Only then is reform and accountability strengthened. Therefore, the system of evaluation and public monitoring should be made mandatory for all institutions that receive grants and state resources. Citizens should be able to see and question the expenditure in the name of public interest - this is the undertaking of transparency, good governance and democracy.
