Kathmandu. KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Information and Communications has formed a committee to investigate into the alleged financial irregularities, procedural weaknesses and violation of financial discipline in public service broadcasting institutions.

The Ministry has formed the committee to carry out an independent and fact-based study based on the complaints received at various bodies, reports of the Office of the Auditor General and also on matters of public concern.

The committee is led by Engineer Dr Abhash Maskey. Umesh Rupakheti, Tikaram Karki and Nabin Kumar Mishra are the members of the committee. According to the ministry, public service broadcasting companies have been entering into lease agreements with foreign satellite bandwidth service providers since 2002 till now.

Questions have been raised on the decision to add channels from time to time, convert from Standard Definition (SD) to High Definition (HD), make supplementary agreements and purchase equipment.

Complaints related to these issues were received in various agencies. Similarly, the annual report of the Office of the Auditor General, the materials published in the media and the complaints received through various media have raised the issues of procedural irregularities, creation of unnecessary financial burden, agreement without competition, violation of financial discipline and conflict of interest.

The ministry has formed a committee with the mandate to study all these issues and submit a report with suggestions within 21 days. The Ministry has given the committee the responsibility to study the past agreements related to the procurement and management of satellite services, service expansion, technology transformation and equipment purchase process and submit a report with necessary suggestions.