Kathmandu, Dec 19: The State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives has instructed the Government of Nepal to make a recovery of tax that Ncell, the private telecommunications service provider in the country, owed to it.
A meeting of the Committee today issued directives to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.
The meeting directed the government to not allow the transactions of Company shares until the Committee formed to investigate the matter about the sale of company shares submits the report.
Committee President Ramhari Khatiwada said the meeting asked the government for amending the Telecommunications Act and Regulations, making them compatible with time.
In addition to this, the government has been directed to assess the capacity and business experiences of buyers during the sale and purchase of shares of big companies like the Ncell.
Similarly, the meeting decided to seek information regarding the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA)’s response to the sale of Ncell share, directing the government to make necessary amendments to bring the Ncell under the government ownership.
PM Dahal argues NTA’s jurisdiction will not be affected by formation of probe committee
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that the formation of and study to be carried out by the investigation committee related to the sale of shares of Ncell, the private sector telecommunication service provider, will not affect the works and jurisdiction of Nepal Telecom Authority (NTA), the regulatory body.
Responding to the queries related to the sale of Ncell shares put by lawmakers in the meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the House of Representatives today, he said the probe committee was formed with the advice, suggestions and coordination of the regulatory body.
The PM reiterated that the investigation committee was constituted after holding adequate discussions and on the basis of common conclusion.
Stating that the works of the probe committee will not in any way interfere with and impact the authority of the regulatory body, he believed that the regulatory body shall fulfill its responsibility.
Prime Minister Dahal also urged not to make any unnecessary comments regarding the coordinator of the investigation committee.
To the question why the need for forming investigation committee when there is already the regulatory body there giving approval on the sale and purchase of the shares, he made it clear that the committee was formed to investigate into this scam on the matter of revenue evasion and handover of the ownership to the government.
Lawmakers had put various questions to the PM on the occasion.
