The government’s lackadaisical approach has left temporary police, also called Myadi Prahari, hired for local level elections at their wits’ end. They are facing a hard time, as they have not been paid a single penny even a week after they started their training. While their drills have been affected, they are struggling to manage food and lodging.

The government has hired 75,000 individuals as temporary police, and since April 7 they are undergoing 13-day training at district police offices. They have been hired as backup for Nepal Police and are supposed to help in arranging lines at voting booths during the elections set for May 14.

Police chiefs of many districts said that these temporary recruits undergo exhaustive drills every day and their diet has been compromised for the lack of budget. So far these hirees have been managing food and other stuff either on credit or brining them from home.

“They are facing a hard time managing food and lodging,” said DIG Ganesh KC, chief of Central Regional Police Office, Hetauda. “They have been asked to go home if they are from nearby areas. Some are putting up at our police units, while others are managing on their own.”

According to DIG KC, those who are unable to afford daily meals have asked police offices to help arrange food and lodging at restaurants and hotels on credit.

The problem is even bigger in Hill districts where people from the far-flung areas have been selected and the training is conducted at the district headquarters and some police units. These recruits either have to make hours-long round trips or must stay in hotels in the district headquarters, for which they need cash.

Rasuwa is a case in point. Many who have been selected to work as temporary police are from places as far as a day’s walk from the district headquarters. Since police personnel in the district themselves are living in tents, these recruits are left with no option than to stay in hotels in Dhunche, the district headquarters, where they have to shell out money from their pockets.

“Some have taken loans,” said DSP Phanindra Prasain, chief of Rasuwa District Police Office. “They come and ask about the money almost every day; I don’t have any answer.”

The problem is no different in Kathmandu.

“They are having a hard time,” admitted SSP Chabilal Joshi, chief of the Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu.

He, however, hoped that the problem would be resolved within a few days. Since the Cabinet has already approved the budget, the Nepal Police Headquarters will soon release the funds,” he said.

According to estimates, around Rs 3 billion will be required for 75,000 temporary cops for their 55-day work. The date of recruitment starts from April 4.

Each temporary cop will get a monthly remuneration of Rs 17,230 besides rations.

Bal Krishna Panthee, spokesperson for the Ministry of Home Affairs, said Rs 2 billion has already been released by the Ministry of Finance.

“Following concerns and complaints, we have directed subordinate units to make some arrangements so that these recruits could manage food and lodging on credit for now,” he said, adding the headquarters would soon write to the Ministry of Finance for additional budget.