Kathmandu: A parliamentary special committee, formed to investigate alleged misappropriation of cooperative funds, has submitted its report to the House of Representatives (HoR). The seven-member committee, chaired by Surya Bahadur Thapa Chhetri, was established on May 28 in response to widespread concerns over significant financial mismanagement within the cooperative sector.

Chairperson Chhetri presented the report, which was developed after 66 meetings and consultations with 451 individuals, including 47 cooperative proprietors, since the committee commenced its work on June 5. The investigation involved questioning key figures and analyzing various cooperative operations.

Despite issuing summons to 29 individuals for interrogation, only a few responded, including GB Rai. The committee also held talks with different authorities to discuss the challenges and opportunities within the cooperative sector.

The report highlights numerous irregularities within the cooperative system, including fraudulent account holders and falsified documentation involving fake marriages and divorces aimed at deceiving cooperatives. It suggests 14 regulatory measures and offers eight specific recommendations related to Gorkha Media Network, one of the implicated institutions.

Chairperson Chhetri emphasized the sector's decline but noted its potential for contributing to the national economy, calling for collective efforts to revive cooperatives. He also urged that the report's 18 chapters, outlining facts and issues, be implemented.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire instructed the Parliament Secretariat to forward the report to the Government of Nepal for necessary action. Additionally, Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung, on behalf of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, presented the 'Annual Report of the National Information Commission, Fiscal Year 2079/80' to the HoR.

Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajaya Kumar Chaurasiya tabled a series of questions and answers from various ministries, while lawmaker Sita Mijar presented the Annual Report of the Industry and Commerce, and Labour and Consumer Interests Committee-2081.

The session also addressed the allocation of additional ministerial portfolios, as communicated by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.