The Special Committee for Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist fighters on Thursday decided to direct government banks to make payments of the account payee cheques given to Maoist combatants opting for Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) only if they appear in person with their identity cards.

A meeting of the prime minister-led committee decided to give such instruction to three government banks - Nepal Bank Limited, Agriculture Development Bank and Rastriya Banijya Bank - contracted to provide money to combatants choosing VRS. The banks have also been requested to make payments to combatants only after a week.

The decision comes in the wake of reports that pay cheques are being snatched from the retiring combatants by the commanders of the Maoist army to force the former to share money with them. On some occasions, the former combatants are also forced to sign blank cheques.

The Committee is holding a meeting with representative of the three government banks Friday to inform them about the decision.

Similarly, it has decided to probe the reports of seizure of cheques after receiving more than 30 complaints lodged by the combatants since the discharge process of former combatants choosing  VRS started on February 3.

The Committee has decided to set up an effective communication mechanism for Maoist combatants to hear their grievances and take necessary action to solve them, according to Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun, who is also a Maoist representative in the Committee. nepalnews.com