Kathmandu — Forest and Environment Minister Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, his younger wife, and his personal secretary have traveled to Norway using funds from the core fund of the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC).

Despite the program being a regular discussion event where only one NTNC representative was expected to attend, Minister Shahi Thakuri took along his wife Basana Shahi and personal secretary Bhim Bista. They were accompanied by NTNC’s Member Secretary Dr. Naresh Subedi and official Dr. Madhu Kshetri. The group departed the previous Friday and returned last Thursday after a week-long visit.

The trip expenses were managed from the remaining funds of the NORPART Project, supported by the University of Inland Norway. The project, in collaboration with Kathmandu University and NTNC, had been facilitating academic and research activities involving Nepali and Norwegian students. Currently, three Nepali students are pursuing PhDs under this program.

Following the misuse of remaining project funds for the Norway visit, even the organizing university raised concerns. Originally, the university had invited just one NTNC representative to attend the project's closing event, but Minister Thakuri attended instead.

Sources say all expenses—including flights, hotels, meals, and extra allowances—were covered by NTNC's core fund, not by the project or any individual. Each member of the delegation received separate per diems in addition to other covered expenses.

Although Minister Shahi Thakuri attended the event as NTNC Chairperson, both NTNC officials and university representatives questioned the inclusion and funding of his wife and personal secretary. The university had organized the program for just one day, and a scheduled meeting with Norway's Minister of Environment was canceled. The discussions concluded within a few hours.

NTNC’s Member Secretary Dr. Naresh Subedi, who is also the head of the NORPART project, claimed the trip was productive and that the minister’s wife bore her own expenses. However, Nature Khabar sources say this claim is false: all costs, including for the minister’s wife and secretary, were paid by NTNC, while the university only covered the expenses of a single NTNC representative.

This has led to growing dissatisfaction within the organization. “Minister Shahi and Secretary Subedi misused this visit as a personal and family trip,” a source said.

Dr. Subedi, whose 16-month term as member secretary is set to end in four months, had led the planning and organization of the trip. The authority to appoint or remove the member secretary lies with the Forest Minister.

Professor Morten Odden from the University of Inland Norway had invited NTNC representatives to a discussion and site visit to the Wild Reindeer Centre and Arctic Fox Breeding Centre in Oppdal, Norway.