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Govt provides Rs 70m to Maoists for management of cantonments

The government has provided Rs70 million to the Maoists for management of their People’s Liberation Army (PLA) camps around the country.

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Situala told media persons at the Singh Durbar Thursday that the amount has been handed over to the Maoists as the first installment for management of cantonments in seven districts.

Long term management of the cantonments would require a big budget and the amount released today is meant for making immediate arrangements like food and other supplies, he said.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers had on November 9 decided to provide budget for management of PLA camps established in seven districts around the country.

Meanwhile, the Camp Management Central Coordinator's Office (CMCCO), a body formed by the government to look after the management of the Maoist camps, started its works from today. The CMCCO headed by western regional administrator Sushil Jung Rana has its office at the building of the Peace Secretariat at Singha Durbar.

A ‘direction committee’ headed by the Prime Minister and ‘implementation committee’ headed by the chief secretary of the government have also been formed to assist the camp management process. The government has also decided to form ‘camp management committees’ in seven districts – Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Surkhet, Rolpa, Kailali, Ilam and Sindhuli – where PLA camps have been established.

The PLA has 35,000 combatants, according to the Maoists. nepalnews.com mk Nov 23 06