April 30: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has said he has no idea about the decision to allocate money from the state coffers to the disqualified ex-Maoist combatants. The finance ministry has not taken any official decision in this regard, the state-owned RSS quoted the finance minister as saying.    
National Youth Association, Nepal had submitted a seven-point memorandum to the finance minister citing the government’s decision to provide Rs 200,000 each to ex-Maoist combatants who were disqualified during the peace process.    
Receiving the memo, the finance minister said although the budget speech for the current fiscal year incorporated the issue of the management of the disqualified people's liberation army soldiers, the ministry has not decided to provide them the amount.    
"The issues of disqualified ex-Maoist combatants has reached the court. The budget has also mentioned it. No decision has been taken over the matter since I assumed the office. I have no idea about the work procedure said to be endorsed by the Council of Ministers to proceed ahead on this matter," he said.    
He took time to urge one and all not to doubt over the misappropriation of funds from the state coffers by the government. "I urge all not to doubt that the government will misappropriate funds from the state coffers in the name of disqualified combatants," he said.    
The minister from the Nepali Congress shared with the delegation that the NC was also concerned about this matter.    
In the memo, the association said, "Our serious attention has been drawn to the Working Procedure prepared by the Home Ministry and presented before the Council of Ministers on April 19 in a bid to provide Rs 200,000 each to the disqualified Maoist combatants."    
The decision to provide the money to the ex-Maoist combatants has drawn widespread criticism from all quarters.