Rs 3 bn to Maoist combatants: World Bank

Kathmandu, Aug 6: The World Bank is to provide Rs 3 billion from its Emergency Peace Support Programme to provide Rs 100,000 relief to the families of each person killed during the Maoists insurgency, local media reports said here today.

Maoist combatant will receive around Rs 40,000 in lump sum, Kathmandu Post quoted a press release issued by Peace and Reconstruction Ministry. The amount received from WB as grant will be spent for paying allowances for the last 13 months to the Maoist combatants who are in 27 UN-monitored cantonments, the release said.

The Maoist combatants are entitled to get Rs 3,000 every month as per the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed by the government and the Maoists, it added.

Payment of the allowances has long been one of the major concerns raised by the Maoists during their meetings with other ruling parties but the Finance Ministry had been releasing partial amounts citing lack of necessary budget, it said.

UNI