The government, immediately after overthrowing monarchy in 2006,formed the trust with the mandate to acquire all property belonging to late King Birendra Shah family to preserve it and bring them into proper use.The decision to nationalise royal property belonging to the late King Birendra and his family was taken four nine years ago.
The trust so far acquired 5,064 ropanis (19.66 ropanies=1 hectares) of land belonging to the late king.The trust has also acquired 142,503 units of shares bought in the name of late king Birendra and his family members.Nepal Trust has been able to trace down Rs 7,000 belonging to the late royal family in the Rastriya Banijya Bank so far. This year, the government found 43,100 Pound Sterling deposited in Nepal Investment Bank and Standard Chartered Bank by the former royals. “Though the trust has acquired buildings, land and other properties in paper, we have not been able to bring them to use,” she said. According to her, a building at Maharajgunj being used by the security personnel deployed for the security of former kings, a building and an area of 15 ropanis of land at Chhauni being used by former King Gyanendra´s daughter Prerana Rajya Laxmi Devi Singh and 68 ropanis of land occupied by Tribhuvan Adarsh Secondary School in Pharping have been transferred into the name of trust in paper but the government body has not been able to use them. Similarly, a building along with a piece of 1,440 square meters of land at Chhauni being used by one Junu Thapa, some buildings and a ropani of land adjoining the Soaltee Hotel at Tahachal have already been transferred into the name of the trust. But the trust has not been able to use them. Similarly, the trust has faced problems in using land in several districts across the country as land tillers, who have been tenants for many years, have protested against the government decision to transfer the property being used by them into trust. The Office of the Nepal Trust (ONT) has made public the latest and detailed report of the total property that the trust has acquired so far by tracing and obtaining late King Birendra Shah´s assets in and outside the country.
