2nd Impression The Telegraph

S E C O N D I M P R E S S I O N

N.P. Upadhyaya

A beggar is a beggar. Dress doesn't matter for a beggar. It is perhaps the begging habit or addiction of begging that makes a man, a group or a nation beggar.

A beggar is a beggar even if he is dressed up in a black tie or suit. It is his or habit of begging that makes him or her a beggar.

Nepali ministers or for that matter the prime ministers were beggars, are beggars and will remain as beggars till the end of this civilization.

I have listened to some diplomats saying that Nepali ministers approach them as and when some projects are expected to come to Nepal. I can imagine how the Nepali ministers talks on would-be shady deals with the diplomats whose nation is awarding a project to this country and that too in the name of the down-trodden people living in the villages.

Long time back, one Nepali beggar minister was sacked by King Birendra when the monarch knew that his minister while on an official trip to Beijing asked for some gifts from his Chinese hosts. The King upon learning of this sad episode, immediately sacked the minister.

Likewise, one Nepali minister was sent to Bangkok for a seminar of national importance. However, the minister preferred not to attend the seminar but enjoyed massage in some Bangkok shops.

The list could go on and on.

However, my attention today is to provide some glimpses to our valued readers as to what extent Nepali ministers could go on begging? What is their begging limit? What facilities they would wish to possess for themselves while being in power? The hunger for begging has no limits.

To recall, the Deuba establishment only the other day increased the perks and the facilities of its ministers from whatever they used to have in the not distant weeks in the past.

With the increased facilities the ministers, state ministers and the assistant ministers have been told that they can enjoy this much from the State coffer immaterial of the fact that its impact would be surely on the common men.

Position	Monthly Salary	Fuel	Miscellaneous	Secretariat expenses
Prime Minister	25,000	14,809	10,000	28,620
Deputy P.M	22,000	11,337	4,000	34,310
Minister	19,000	9,888	3,500	34,310
State Minister	17,000	8,646	3,000	23,180
Assist. Minister	16,000	8,646	2,500	23,180

This is not all. Apart from these legal allowances, the ministers pocket money for house rent to the tune of 25, 000 with additional 1500 as repairing expenses. The state minister gets 20,00 for house rent and 1500 as repairing cost. The assistant minister receives 17000 as house rent and 1500 for repairing purposes.

Fortunately, the expenses doesn't come to an end here. The ministers have been enjoying the payments of the water, telephone and water supply bills as per the bills. In addition to all these, each and every minister gets rupees 2, 00, 000 for acquiring quarters for each term in the government.

Since I could not have the courage to compile the total amount that is being siphoned into the pockets of the ministers, I leave it to the readers to calculate as to how much the state is paying to keep our ministers happy.

I have excluded the commissions and several kick-backs that usually come across the ministers while finalizing deals that at times go to the tune of astronomical amounts.

The beggar ministers are sure to make us all the Nepalese beggars in due course of time. This is for sure. Take it for granted. Our fate is not that bright.