Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The government has decided to make amendments to existing laws to criminalize the lending of money at extremely high interest rates.
A cabinet meeting held on Tuesday decided to make amendments to the National Criminal Procedures (Code) Act, 2017 to include the provision. Government sources say as many as four acts will also be amended.
Hundreds of land shark victims have descended on Kathmandu to draw the attention of the government toward their plight. They walked all the way to Kathmandu from Bardibas of Mahottari, and are currently staging protests in Kathmandu. Among others, they have demanded that the government arrange cheaper loans, make informal loan contracts locally known as tamasuk invalid, and take action against unscrupulous lending.
Earlier on the day, the government formed a three-member committee led by a joint secretary of the home ministry to hold talks with the representatives of the victims.
