KATHMANDU, March 22 -- The move is against government's austerity measures to tackle impending financial crisis

At a time when the government is struggling to tackle the impending financial crisis, the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government has expedited the process to dole out over Rs 9 billion to the party cadres and their families in the name of providing relief to the martyrs.

Prime Minister Dahal, who also holds the portfolio of the Ministry of Finance, has cleared the way to distribute over Rs 9 billion from the state coffers by publishing a list of those killed in the course of the decade-old Maoist conflict as martyrs. Those receiving state bounty also include the Maoist combatants who were disqualified by the United Nations Mission ...