Government to release palace staff salary on monthly basis

Kathmandu, Aug 28 (UNI) Ministry of General Administration has rejected the palace request to release the salary of 723 staff on a quarterly basis working in the palace, media reports said here today.

''The finance ministry replied to us today, recommending not to release the budget on a quarterly basis as sought by the palace. It also suggested to us to release the salaries of palace staff only after approval from the cabinet," Kantipur quoted Yuv Raj Pandey, secretary of the ministry of general administration, as saying.

The ministry is also going to turn down a palace request for release of salary and allowances for 51 staff, including King Gyanendra's Principal Secretary Pashupati Bhakta Maharjan and chief administrator Sharada Prasad Pradhan, who were removed from service by the government last March as they had already crossed the retirement age of 58.

Despite the government decision, the employees continue in service and their names featured in the payroll sent to ministry early this month, the paper said.

The palace employees, who have been brought into the reserve pool at MoGA, have not been paid their salaries and allowances for the last one month due to confusion over how the money should be released.

In previous years, the government used to release the budget for the palace, including salary and allowance to palace staff, in one lump sum.

Following the popular movement of last year, the king's power has been cut down and now the monarchy has been suspended.

The government has also decided to nationalise the palaces and forest areas across the country including the Narayanhity Royal Palace in Kathmandu occupied by the king.

The future of monarchy will be decided by the election of constituent assembly slated for November 22 this year.

UNI