The list of MPs receiving a monthly housing allowance despite living in their own private bungalows — obtained from the Parliament under the RTI Act — shows how corrupt and morally bankrupt some of our lawmakers are
Makar Shrestha: Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal
Five months ago, we asked the Secretariat of the Federal Parliament for a list of MPs receiving housing allowance. We wanted to find out if even those MPs who own houses in the capital city are receiving housing allowance, as in the past.
But the parliament secretariat refused to disclose what should have been easily available in the public domain. So, we filed a Right to Information (RTI) petition on 20 June 2018, but the parliament secretariat refused to comply. It was only when the National Information Commission (NIC) intervened that the parliament secretariat provided us with the closely-guarded list on 30 October 2018. And voila! The list showed us how corrupt and morally bankrupt some of our lawmakers are.
The list contained names of as many as 30 MPs who have been pocketing monthly accommodation stipend despite having their own private houses in the Kathmandu valley. And they are not just little-known lawmakers but also famous industrialists, businessmen and top political leaders.
The parliament secretariat deposits housing stipend along with salary and other allowances into their bank accounts every month. To avail housing stipend, every lawmaker has to fill out a form declaring whether they live in rented apartments or in own private residences. But 30 MPs have lied to the parliament secretariat to receive what is only meant for those lawmakers living in rented houses.
Those MPs who do not have their own houses in the Kathmandu Valley are entitled to a monthly housing allowance of Rs 18,000. Even those who have their own houses here are entitled to a monthly home repair allowance of Rs 9,000. But some landlord MPs have declared that they live in rented houses just to get an additional Rs 9,000.
A parliament secretariat employee told us: “I have been to the houses of some MPs who have been enjoying monthly accommodation allowances. They are lying blatantly, but we cannot do anything about it.”
These MPs are not from just one but all national parties. As many as 13 MPs from the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) make the list of MPs pocketing housing stipend despite having their own bungalows. The main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) is not far behind with as many as 12 MPs in the list. Three MPs from Rashtriya Janata Party (RJP), one from Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) and one independent lawmaker also make the list. Apart from these 30 members of the Lower House, two more MPs from the Upper House have also lied to claim housing stipend.
The parliament secretariat’s spokesperson Rojnath Pandey says only those MPs who do not own houses in the Kathmandu Valley are entitled to housing stipend. He says: “We will see if anyone lives in their own houses but are still pocketing housing allowance.”
Who all are in the list?
NC MP Bhimsen Das Pradhan is a permanent resident of Kathmandu-27. He was elected from the Kathmandu 6 constituency last year. As Defense Minister, Pradhan declared his assets on 4 September 2017, disclosing that he owns a house in Kathmandu. But he has been regularly taking housing stipend since February this year.
When asked, he said: “I have a house in Jyatha. But that was too congested for me when I became Defense Minister. I needed space for my body guards as well. So I moved to the house of my mother-in-law in Chhetrapati, shifting her to a rented house. I take housing stipend because I need to give it to my mother-in-law.”
UML MP Subash Chandra Nembang lived in a government residence in Baluwatar when he was Chair of the Constituent Assembly, and then Speaker of the House after the new Constitution was promulgated. Nembang, elected from the Ilam 2 constituency, then moved to a rented house behind the Russian embassy, which he later himself bought. He still lives there. He told us: “The parliament secretariat had asked me to fill out a form declaring whether I own a house in Kathmandu. I had mentioned that I have bought a house with a bank loan. I am not sure how the parliament secretariat processed my information.”
RJP coordinator Rajendra Mahato is also receiving housing allowance despite having his own house in Kathmandu. On 14 November 2011, when he was Health Minister, he had mentioned in an assets declaration form that he owns a house in Kathmandu. He told us that he owns a house in Kathmandu, but there is not much parking space. FSFN MP Sarita Giri has a house in Bishalnagar, but she is also accepting monthly accommodation allowance.
RJPN MP Laxman Lal Karna, elected from the Parsa 4 constituency, has a house in Bansbari. But he is taking a monthly housing stipend. Umesh Shrestha, chosen by the NC as an MP under the Proportional Representation (PR) system, is the owner of Little Angeles School in Hattiban, Lalitpur. He lives in his own house in Jhamsikhel. He told us: “Why would I receive a housing stipend? I have my own house.” But the parliament secretariat has a receipt that confirms he is also receiving housing allowance.
Chitralekha Yadav, an NC MP under the PR sysem, lives in her own house in Bhainsepati, which she also showed in her assets declaration form when she was Education Minister. She said: “I live in a private house, but I don’t know if I can call it my own property. I built it for my daughter. I will gift it to her.”
NCP MP Yogesh Bhattarai, elected from the Taplejung constituency, lives in his own house in Anamnagar. He claims that he has not taken housing stipend. But his name also features in the parliament secretariat’s list of MPs receiving housing allowance.
Dibyamani Rajbhandari, an NC MP under the PR system, is the owner of what he calls ‘Newa Villa’. He had organised a tea reception in this very house just before Tihar festival. The parliament secretariat’s ecords show that Rajbhandari, a businessman, is also pocketing monthly housing allowance. However, he claims that he has not taken this money. “If my name is in the list, that must be a mistake by the parliament secretariat,” he says. “I have mentioned in the form that I have a house in Kathmandu.”
NCP MP Pampha Bhusal lives in her own house in Kusunti, and she does not hide it. But she is also receiving housing stipend. NCP MP Narayan Khadka, elected from the Udayapur 1 constituency, is receiving housing stipend. But when he was required to fill out an assets declaration form while serving as Urban Development Minister in 2014, he disclosed that he has a house in Bhadrakali.
NCP MP Goma Devkota, Nabina Lama, Yagyaraj Sunuwar, Ramkumari Jhakri and Rameshwor Ray Yadav are also in the list. Devkota and Lama own houses in Pepsikola of Bhaktapur. Sunuwar and Yadav have houses in Imadole of Lalitpur. Jhakri has a house Sankhamul, Kathmandu. Sunuwar and Yadav were elected from Okhaldhunga and Sarlahi respectively, Devkota, Lama and Jhakri were nominated under PR quotas. Karma Ghale, Ram Bahadur Bista and Bahadur Singh Lama were nominated as MPs under the PR system, and they are also pocketing housing money.
When asked, Jhakri explained: “I do not own a house. Nor does my husband. We live in a joint family house. If this is against the law, I am ready to return the money.” Sunuwar said he was indeed living in a rented house in Kirtipur and moved to his own house just two months ago. “I was busy in my constituency, so I could not inform the parliament secretariat immediately.”
Chhakka Bahadur Lama, an independent MP elected from the Humla 1 constituency, owns a house in Kathmandu. So do NCP MPs Dal Bahadur Rana and Parbat Gurung, elected from the Palpa 1 constituency and Dolakha respectively. But they all are taking housing allowance.
Motilal Dugad, also an MP nominated by the ruling NCP under the PR system, is a famous industrialist. He was first asked to comment on whether the government must provide housing facilities for MPs, and his reply was: “I have my own house in Naxal. But those MPs who do not have their own houses in Kathmandu face multiple problems. So the government must provide accommodation facilities for them.”
One month later, asked why he too is taking housing allowance despite having his own house in Naxal, he said: “Everyone knows I am from Biratnagar, and I live in a rented house in Kathmandu. The property that I have in Naxal is my office.”
NC MP Amaresh Kumar Singh lives in his house in Bhainsepati, but he is taking housing allowance. Same is the case for NC MP Kishor Singh Rathore, who owns a house in Baluwatar. NCP MP Birodh Khatiwada, who often blasts his own party in the House, says he has a house in Lalitpur, but he is also in the list.
Two weeks after we received the list of MPs taking housing allowance despite having their own private residences in Kathmandu, the parliament secretariat’s Information Officer Keshav Aryal called us to say that the list needs to be revised because some MPs want to return the money.
According to Aryal, Karma Ghale, Narayan Khadka, Dibyamani Rajbhandari and Bahadur Singh Lama of the NC are returning whatever amounts they have received so far in housing allowances. Subash Chandra Nembang, Parbat Gurung and Goma Devkota of the CPN, Sarita Giri of the FSFN and independent MP Chhaka Bahadur Lama are also returning accommodation allowances.
A parliament secretariat source told us: “Some MPs have applied to correct information provided by them to us, after we were forced by the RTI Act 2007 to divulge details about lawmakers receiving housing allowance.” Krishna Hari Banskota, Chief Commissioner of the NIC, says: “This is the power of the RTI Act, and it will help promote good governance in Nepal.”
Parliamentary committee chairs make the list, too
Some of the lawmakers receiving housing allowances despite having their own houses in Kathmandu are not just members of the House, but they are also Presidents of parliamentary committees. One of them is NC NP Bharat Shah, President of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament. He told a PAC meeting on 5 September 2018: “My house in in Guheshwori, just three kilometers from the airport. But the taxi charges me Rs 700.” His statement has been in the record of Parliament, but he is also receiving housing allowance. He told us: “I sold my old house, and my new house is still under construction. So I am living in a rented house.”
Parshu Ram Meghi Gurung, President of Legislation Management Committee of the Upper House, is taking accommodation allowance though he lives in his own house in Chunadevi. When asked, he said: “I don’t know about it, but I will now enquire.”
Tara Devi Bhatta, President of the Sustainable Development and Good Governance Committee of the Upper House, lives in a Bhainsepati house registered in her son’s name. But she is also taking housing allowance. Parliamentary committee presidents receive a monthly housing stipend of Rs 25,608.
Living in minister quarters, receiving housing allowance
Barshaman Pun is now serving as Water Resources Minister. His wife Onsari Gharti Magar, former Speaker, is now just an MP. She lives in the minister quarters with her husband. But records show she is receiving housing allowance.
MP Satya Pahadi also lives in the minister quarters with her husband Shakti Basnet, who is Forest and Environment Minister. She is also taking housing allowance. The ruling party NCP’s Chief Whip Dev Gurung’s wife Yashoda Gurung is also an MP. But both are receiving separate housing allowances. While Dev Gurung receives a monthly housing stipend of Rs 25,608 as Chief Whip, Subedi receives Rs 18,000 every month.
The parliament’s records show many leaders live in rented houses, including NCP co-Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, NC’s Bijaya Gachhadar, Pradipa Giri, RJP’s Mahanta Thakur and Mahendra Raya Yadav. NCP’s Dev Gurung, Agni Sapkota, Khaga Raj Adhikari, Janardan Sharma, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and Devendra Poudel are among the MPs who do not have their own houses in Kathmandu. The NC’s whip Pushpa Bhushal, Umakanta Chaudhary, former Prime Minister and Naya Shakti Nepal’s coordinator Baburam Bhattarai and President of the parliamentary committee of Industry, Commerce and Consumer rights Bimal Prasad Srivastav also do not have houses in the valley.
Rs 5 million for housing allowance
A total of 308 members of the federal parliament (both the Upper House and the Lower House) are receiving accommodation and house repair allowances. Of them, 79 MPs receive a monthly house repair stipend of Rs 9,000 while 229 MPs receive Rs 18,000 every month for house rent. The parliament secretariat has to dole out Rs 4,926,593 every month only for accommodation and house repair allowances.
As per the law about facilities for the MPs, it would be the government’s responsibility to provide official residences for lawmakers. And, until the government manages official residences for them, they will be given a monthly housing stipend. However, those who have their own houses in the Kathmandu Valley will be given just half the amount for house repair and maintenance.
The leader of the main opposition party and leader and Chief Whip of the ruling party are entitled to a monthly housing stipend of Rs 25,608. Chief Whip of the main opposition party, whip of the ruling party and parliamentary committee presidents are given a monthly housing allowance of Rs 24,268. But MPs receive just a monthly allowance of Rs 18,000.
“Claiming government facilities by submitting false details is corruption”
-Experts say claiming government facilities by submitting false details is corruption. Ex Joint Secretary and advocate Sher Bahadur Dhungana, who served National Vigilance Centre for a long time, says: “It is a clear case of corruption if an MP receives an accommodation allowance despite having his or her own house in the Kathmandu Valley.”
Federal Parliament Secretariat
-Gauri Bahadur Karki, former Chief of the Special Court, says MPs have violated the law drafted and passed by themselves by submitting false details to receive housing allowance. “Presenting false details is tantamount to submitting forged certificates,” he says. “It is also a case of moral corruption.”
What does the law say about it?
AS per the Prevention of Corruption Act 2002, misappropriation of government property by submitting false information is corruption. The article 16 (1) of the Act states: “Whoever, with the intention of securing a position of a public servant, or of being continued in such a position, or of securing any position or of getting any benefit or facility, gives false particulars regarding his educational qualifications, name, names of the father and grandfather, age, caste, surname, address, nationality or qualification, or gives false description in other matters, or submits false certificate relating thereto, shall be liable to a punishment of imprisonment for a term from six months to one year and of a fine from ten thousand to twelve thousand rupees, depending on the degree of the offense committed.”
