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Nepal 'to scrap' royal allowance Nepal royal allowance is scrapped
(19 minutes later)
Nepal's government has decided to stop paying all allowances to King Gyanendra and other senior royals, reports say. Nepal's government has stopped paying an allowance to King Gyanendra and other members of the Royal Family.
The measure is said to be included in the budget to be announced on Thursday. Last year they received about $500,000 (£250,000).
The king and senior royals received $500,000 last year. Finance ministry officials were quoted saying 700 royal household staff would still be paid. But the king has lost popularity and political support since he was forced by mass demonstrations in 2006 to give up his executive powers.
The future of the embattled monarch has been in question since mass protests forced him to end 15 months of direct rule in April 2006. Nepal's government is determined to further reduce King Gyanendra's influence and status, and has made him pay tax for the first time.
That paved the way for Maoist rebels to end a decade-long armed rebellion and embrace multi-party democracy. There was simply no mention in this year's budget to his family's annual allowance. It has been unceremoniously scrapped.
Low profile Instead the finance minister, Ram Sharan Mahat, preferred to focus his speech on putting money into the organisation of elections for a national assembly planned for November.
Many of Nepal's new political leaders, including the former Maoist rebels, now want the monarchy abolished. Anti-monarchy feelings
The king has already lost his powers as head of state and head of the army. Its members will have the job of deciding the fate of the king.
He has been forced to pay tax for the first time, and ordered to keep a low profile, as well as being barred from traditional ceremonial duties such as gracing religious functions. Popular protests swept Nepal last spring
On Saturday, government ministers and foreign diplomats boycotted ceremonies marking the king's 60th birthday. Many government leaders want to abolish the 240-year-old monarchy for good, not least the former Maoist rebels, who continually accuse royalists of trying to sabotage last year's peace agreement which saw them abandon their decade-long armed struggle.
A constituent assembly due later this year is to decide what role, if any, the king plays in public life. It has been a bad week for the king, who turned 60 on Saturday. Young communists, some armed with sharpened sticks, scared many of his supporters from attending the party, and the government told foreign diplomats to turn down their invitations.
The king does not depend on allowances from the state and is thought to have a sizeable personal income, including shares in hotels and businesses. Since massive street protests forced King Gyanendra to withdraw from politics last year, he is no longer head of state or head of the army.
He is being forced to pay tax for the first time, the government plans to privatise his properties and his head no longer adorns the bank notes.
But Nepal is a traditional country and many people still revere the man, and the monarchy.But Nepal is a traditional country and many people still revere the man, and the monarchy.