MINISTER FOR WORKS AND PHYSICAL PLANNING Hisila Yami has unveiled her Ministry's plan of constructing the east-west highway across the northern hilly region. At a press meet, Wednesday, Yami also came out with plans ranging from short and medium to long-term (1 to 3 to 20 years). She informed that the government aimed to connect with road the headquarters of Bajhang, Bhojpur, Sankhuwasabha and Jajarkot districts within this year. The Ministry's plan also includes improving postal roads and roads in Inner Terai and hilly regions. The plan includes building 30 bridges and 4200 km of roads. It also includes plans to link Humla, Manang and Khotang district with roads. It also aims building tunnel way linking capital valley with Terai as well as building ropeways and railway lines. The plan aims to complete Melamchi project on time and build 80 new drinking water projects; expand ring road and create 15 model villages and 3 model cities during the period. Likewise, the plan envisages constructing half a dozen north-south roads linking India and China. The plan will have to be adopted by the cabinet before it can be put into implementation.
WITH THE AIM OF CONTROLLING the Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) among children, the government, UN World Food Program (WFP), PSI, Micronutrient Initiative and private sector have joined hands to come up with a new, delicious, affordable, naturally fruit flavored, child nutrition product called Champion. "The Champion Fortified Complementary Food– has just been launched in Nepal. The product – packaged in a colorful tiger-design box - aims at improving the nutritional status and health of children throughout Nepal," states a press release by WFP. "The need for an affordable alternative to expensive commercial complementary food brands is long overdue as currently over 8/10 Nepali children within the 6 to 12 month age range suffer from a condition known as iron deficiency anemia (IDA). IDA severely affects the health, nutritional status and development of children throughout Nepal and without sufficient intake of iron through supplementation or healthy eating can lead to the long term health effects of irreversible cognitive and physical development problems and life-long reduced intellectual capacity."
THE MINISTRY OF WORKS AND PHYSICAL PLANNING has informed that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has shown interest to renew the funding commitment and carry on with the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP). In reply to the letter sent by Minister Hisila Yami, the ADB has agreed to send its mission team to study about the issues related with the project, the Ministry said. The team could arrive in the country in the first week of July, reports say. The fate of million dollar drinking water project had become uncertain after ADB – its principal donor – had said it might not renew the funding commitment, which expires on June end, until the government fulfils pre-conditions. The dispute had arisen after Minister Yami refused to allow Severn Trent to take over the management of valley's water distribution system even though the earlier government had approved the same. Subsequently, the Severn Trent withdrew from the project.
FOLLOWING THE REFUSAL BY FORMER Chief Justice Biswo Nath Upadhyaya to head the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has requested another former CJ Kedar Nath Upadhyaya (Upadhyaya duo are brothers) to head the same. PM met with Kedar Nath on Wednesday (June 20) at Baluwatar and made the request to which the latter replied that he will accept the offer only if other members of the NHRC are chosen from among independent persons. Meanwhile, PM also held meeting with Speaker Subas Nemwang to discuss about filling up vacant positions in constitutional bodies through the Constitutional Council (CC). Apart from PM, CJ and Speaker, the CC has three other PM-nominated ministers as members. PM Koirala has recently nominated ministers Ram Chandra Poudel, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Pradip Nepal as CC members.
THE GOVERNMENT IS LAUNCHING the scheme of full-time insurance for overseas workers worth Rs 500,000. According to Minister of State for Labor and Transport Management Ramesh Lekhak, workers are under risk due to lack of insurance as many of them face various accidents. Currently, most workers only have insurance covering 'duty hours.' Around 500 Nepalis go overseas everyday and send Rs 100 billion as remittance every year. As the incidents of their accidents and deaths have increased, the government is preparing to implement compulsory insurance from mid-July. In Qatar alone, one Nepali worker dies every three days on average. With this scheme in effect, families of even those who die of natural causes will receive insurance amount. The fund for insurance will be collected through 2 percent service fee that will be gathered from each worker. "Although this provision was in place since long time, it had not been enforced. This time this will be enforced through budget announcement," said Keshar Bahadur Baniya, director general of Department of Labor and Employment Promotion
