GULMI, August 4: The illegal 'Dhukuti' loan scheme is flourishing in Gulmi district.
Many people are participating in such schemes operated in district headquarters Tamghas and commercial centers of rural villages.
Sources say transaction worth millions of rupees is done through such schemes which see participation of people from all walks of life - from commoners to businessmen. More than 100 Dhukuti schemes are in operation in different parts of the district having daily, weekly, quarterly or yearly maturity period. Some schemes handle millions of rupees at a time.
Businessmen, homemakers, foreign returnees, jobholders, former police personnel, among others, are involved in such schemes. Though there are ample examples of Dhukuti operators going bankrupt, Dhukuti schemes are flourishing, posing new challenges for security personnel.
Many Dhukuti operators have left the place after becoming bankrupt, while some has lost their lives.
Arjun Acharya, manager of Maitri Multipurpose Cooperatives Ltd, said that such illegal transactions should be stopped. “The government has not authorized Dhukuti schemes. So such illegal schemes should be controlled,” he added. Acharya further added that wrongdoings of such Dhukuti schemes also make negative impact on bank and financial institutions.
Similarly, Yogendra Rayamajhi, chief of Tamghas branch office of Global Bank Ltd, told Republica that Dhukuti schemes make impact on interest rate, deposit mobilization and disbursements of bank and financial institutions. “Illegal instruments like Dhukuti schemes affect nation's financial and monetary status,” he added.
Chief District Officer of Gulmi, Krishna Prasad Dhungana, said that no complaint has been lodged at the administration office against Dhukuti scheme. “We have no information about the operators and participants of Dhukuti scheme,” he added.
Police also say that no complaint has been registered against operator or participants of the Dhukuti scheme. “However, we know that Dhukuti schemes are in operation in different parts of the district,” he added.
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