Committee formed to probe PSB satellite procurement case

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, June 6: The Ministry of Information and Communication has formed a committee to study and investigate alleged financial irregularities, procedural weaknesses, and breaches of financial discipline related to the procurement of satellite equipment for Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) Nepal.

The Ministry has said that the committee has been formed to carry out an independent and evidence-based study for internal reference purposes, taking into account complaints received by various bodies, reports from the Office of the Auditor General, and matters of public concern.

Engineer Dr. Abhas Maskey has been appointed as the coordinator of the committee. The members include Umesh Rupakheti, Tikaram Karki and Nabin Kumar Mishra.

According to the Ministry, the Public Service Broadcasting has been repeatedly entering into lease agreements since 2002 with foreign satellite bandwidth service providers to broadcast its channels via satellite. 

Questions have been raised from time to time regarding these agreements, including the addition of channels, conversion from standard definition (SD) to high definition (HD), supplementary agreements, and decisions related to equipment procurement.

Complaints related to these issues had been received by various bodies. Similarly, annual reports of the Office of the Auditor General, materials published in the media, and grievances received through different channels have raised concerns such as procedural irregularities, unnecessary financial burdens, non-competitive contracting, breaches of financial discipline and conflicts of interest.

The Ministry has mandated the committee to submit its report with recommendations within 21 days. It has also tasked the committee with studying past agreements related to satellite services procurement and management, service expansion, technological upgrades, and equipment procurement processes, and submitting a report with necessary recommendations.