Local Offices Divert Public Revenue for Personal Use

Bara. Ward offices within the Jeetpursimra Sub-Metropolis have been found to be spending public revenue collected for the municipality for private purposes. Ward offices collect cash revenue for services such as land-use recommendations, land revenue, personal event registration, kinship certificates, land boundary certifications, and organization renewals.

The arrangement is that the concerned ward office must deposit this amount into the municipality's bank account within 24 hours. However, with a few exceptions, most ward offices do not deposit government revenue for months and spend it for private purposes through mutual understanding, according to the sub-metropolis.

Based on the data collected on Monday (Baishakh 16), among the 24 ward offices, Ward No. 16 alone has the largest pending revenue amount of Rs 648,896.

Similarly, Ward No. 8 has Rs 269,000, Ward No. 9 has Rs 316,000, Ward No. 19 has Rs 585,000, Ward No. 20 has Rs 285,000, Ward No. 24 has Rs 320,000, Ward No. 21 has Rs 136,000, Ward No. 13 has Rs 122,000, Ward No. 5 has Rs 181,000, and Ward No. 14 has Rs 84,000 in government revenue pending deposit.

Ward No. 12 appears to be prompt in depositing revenue within the municipality. Only Rs 520 in revenue from this ward is found to be pending.

Some ward offices were found to deposit revenue just before the end of office hours on Monday, upon learning that information was being collected for news reporting. The sub-metropolis provides a monthly budget of Rs 15,000 to ward offices for miscellaneous expenses, and necessary physical materials are sent directly by the municipality.

Based on this, a serious question arises as to why ward offices do not deposit the government revenue collected from service recipients for months. The municipality's revenue branch states that elected representatives and employees spend the money for private purposes and deposit it only after the municipality follows up.

Suden Chaudhary, head of the planning branch of the sub-metropolis, said that repeated reminders have been issued to deposit the government cash revenue collected at the ward into the municipality's account within 24 hours.

“We have instructed them to deposit the revenue within 24 hours except on holidays, but some wards do not deposit it for months,” Chaudhary said. “Although we cannot take action against those who do not deposit government revenue on time, we have sent them letters to follow up.”

Section 28 (1) of the Municipality's Financial Procedures and Financial Accountability Act, 2076, mandates that the responsible person must deposit government cash amounts in their charge on the same day or the next day, and physical goods within 7 days, and create records.  

Otherwise, if the revenue amount is delayed in deposit, there is a legal provision to impose a 10 percent fine on the total amount and pay it. More than Rs 30 million in revenue is collected annually from the 24 offices of the sub-metropolis alone. The revenue branch states that the delay in depositing this amount into the municipality's account on time causes problems in the payment of small projects.

The sub-metropolis has collected Rs 117.344 million in revenue by Baishakh 14 of the current fiscal year.

Ward Chairman Sanjay Patel of Jeetpursimra Sub-Metropolis Ward No. 10 said that the ward office's revenue is spent on donations for fairs and festivals, and relief and financial assistance to the poor and disadvantaged.

“We have to entertain ministers and leaders who visit the ward with tea and snacks, and donate to weddings in the village. There is no certainty when the representatives' allowances will arrive. Expenses are met from that revenue,” said Ward Chairman Patel. “Even if the revenue is used for a few days, it is deposited back later.”

Legally, the ward secretary or the revenue collecting employee is responsible for the ward's government revenue, but the ward chairman has the final say on whether the amount is deposited on time and for what purpose it is spent.