PADT amendment plans to boost transparency
KATHMANDU: Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has plans to amend PADT Act 2043 BS, making all offerings transparent and increasing the salary of staff.
The Act that was formulated at a time when Nepal was a Hindu state will now be amended in accordance with the tenets of republicanism and secularism.
A 10-member committee under former Supreme Court justice Kedar Nath Acharya was formed through a cabinet decision.
However, with the Ministry f Culture ordering inclusion of the main priest, manager and accountant of Pashupatinath Temple in the committee the committee has yet to take full shape, said Narottam Baidya, treasurer at PADT, adding that the committee would be getting full shape soon.
The existing act was slightly changed following the historic movement of 2006. The government has replaced the monarchs role as patron of Pashupati Area Development Trust with the prime minister and the queens role as chairperson of PADT has been replaced by the Culture Minister.
But the Act is yet to be updated in accordance with the changed context of secularism and republicanism, claimed Baidya.
It is reported that millions of rupees is collected from offerings every year. However, PADT has no records. There is no transparency in the bhetis offered by devotees due to unclear provision in the existing Act. PADT does not have any record of offering collections on a monthly or yearly basis, said PADT officials.
Baidya said the new amendment will ensure transparency of the money offered by devotees. Everyday, the income will be recorded, he said. The staff will be paid handsomely and the income will be spent on management and holy deeds such as charity and welfare.
At present, there is no specific salary system at PADT for priests and store keepers. They take whatever is offered by the devotees, said Baidya. We will manage the income and pay tax to the! governm ent once the amendment is implemented, he added. The main priest gets one muri of rice every day as salary and other priests, around 75 muris annually, at present.
The new amendment will recognise PADT as an autonomous body with full freedom, restricting political intervention and appointments. The government will play a supportive role by providing security and maintaining peace at the shrine, said Baidya.
According to PADT, the amendment draft will be completed within six months and submitted to the government.
The government will approve it in another six months, said Baidya. The amended Act will come into effect in about a year.
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