The government has formed a three-member inquiry commission led by former high court judge Tej Bahadur Karki, comprising former Additional Inspector General of Nepal Police Puskar Karki and Sanjeev Mishra as its members to find a solution to the usury cases.

The committee will be given three months to submit a report with suggestions to resolve the cases of usury, said Minister for Communication and Information Technology and government spokesperson Rekha Sharma.

Earlier, the government had formed a commission led by Gauri Bahadur Karki, former chairman of the Special Court. The body settled hundreds of cases and submitted its report to the government upon expiry of its term. But, hundreds of other victims arrived in Kathmandu and staged protests seeking justice.

The government and usury victims, earlier on March 12, had reached a four-point agreement to this effect.

The government had agreed to form a three-member inquiry commission with a mandate to study the issue of loan sharking and submit a report recommending solutions to end the illegal practice permanently.

A Cabinet meeting on Thursday made the decision, among various others, on the heels of changes in the ruling coalition.

The meeting also decided to dissolve the National Land Commission.

Making public the Cabinet decisions in Singha Durbar on Friday, Sharma added that the newly formed commission would carry out all issues relating to land management.

Likewise, the Cabinet approved Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha’s over-a-week-long official trip to China.

Shrestha will lead a Nepali delegation to the northern neighbour from March 24-April 1. He has already stepped up consultations with officials from various ministries that oversee projects being developed under Chinese support.

National Planning Commission Vice Chair Min Bahadur Shrestha will also be leaving for Bhutan to attend ICIMOD’s Board of Governer’s meeting on April 29.