Insecurity affects loan repayment

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PANCHTHAR, Dec 12:Even after the government’s announcement of exempting interest on loans amounting below ten thousand rupees, borrowers seem quite reluctant to repaying such loans owing to security reasons. With the deadline for repaying such small loans about only seventeen per cent farmers in this district have paid back the loans to the Agricultural Development Bank, Fidim branch.

About one thousand farmers in the district have taken such loans and the number of the loans is about two thousand, according to the bank. Till now only 339 borrowers have made the repayment with which the number of paid loans has come to 351. The bank expects repayment from only about 500 farmers before the deadline, which is now less than a month.

The bank officials attribute the low number of such repayment to the deteriorating security conditions. It is quite difficult to reach the farmers to getting back the amounts, according to bank sources. The bank had formed several monitoring teams for the loan repayment, but the team could not reach the farmers due to insecurity. But no team was able to reach the villages to collect the investments, said Hari Poudel, loan officer at the bank.

Govt forms committee to promote foreign employment

By Sameer Ghimire

KATHMANDU, Dec 12:The government has formed a five-member committee to recommend promotion measures and necessary regulations for foreign employment, following the recent slump in the national economy that has slashed a sizeable proportion of the domestic employment.

The Ministry of Labour and Transport took the constituting the committee, after it was pressurised from various sectors to promote and regulate the foreign employment, which has become a major source of the national income in recent times.

The government has appointed Lalit Bahadur Thapa, Director General of the Department of Labour as the co-ordinator of the formed committee and Sita Ram Upreti, Rohini Kumar KC, Kumar Joshi and Bharat Bahadur Thapa as members. The newly formed committee has been asked to submit its report within the next fifteen days.

The committee is set to recommend the government on the areas of promoting foreign employment and its regulations. The committee at present is busy with making an in-depth study of the present scenario of the foreign employment, before providing the recommendations to the government. "We are up to the task to complete our responsibility within the set deadline," says Lalit Bahadur Thapa, co-ordinator of the committee.

The committee is supposed to provide the recommendations on several areas to introduce the regulations of foreign employment and its promotion. As the committee is working in full swing, the report is likely to be submitted to the government before the assigned period, says a government official.

The committee is likely to recommend the government to project the total number of workers each year for jobs abroad. "The government can evaluate its policies and regulations if it projects the total number of people seeking foreign job each year," said Bharat Bahadur Thapa, member of the committee.

At a time when a large number of youths have failed to go for foreign employment due mainly to lack of training, the committee is all set to suggest the government to provide training to the aspirants before they leave the country for jobs abroad. Earlier this month, Minister for Labour and Transport Kamal Chaulgain had declared the government’s willingness to allocate funds to the private sector for providing such training.

Likewise, the committee is likely to recommend the government to explore opportunities in other countries, besides the present nineteen nations that are permitted by the government for foreign employment. The government, however, formed an "Economy Diplomacy Committee" a month ago, which is expected to initiate steps for the diplomatic relation with several countries to promote foreign employment, among other duties of the committee.

When a large number of Nepali labourers working abroad are said to be suffering due to the absence of representative from the government, the committee is likely to recommend for such representation as well.

"We are going to suggest the government to employ labour attaché to those countries where there are more than 5000 Nepalis," said another member of the committee, requesting anonymity.

Besides, the committee is also set to recommend on the welfare of a large number of Nepalis working abroad. According to Thapa, the government will be suggested to form Worker’s Revolving Relief Fund for the welfare of the workers.

"The proposed fund, among others, can be used in providing immediate compensation amounting to Rs 1,00,000, if any worker dies abroad," he added. The money, however, would be collected from each outgoing worker for foreign employment.

Owing to the failure of a large number of workers to move abroad due to the ongoing hassles at the immigration office at the international airport, the committee will also suggest the government to resume labour desk at the airport.

"The labour desk would be helpful in sorting out any problems regarding outgoing Nepali labourers, which the immigration office is reluctant to perform in the same base till now," said Thapa.

Fruits find no market

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DIPAYAL, Dec 12:Despite increased production of orange and other citrus fruits, the farmers of Rupal VDC of Dadeldhura district are worried due to lack of market. As there is no scope for selling the fruits in the local market, and as transportation to other cities is not viable due to various reasons, the farmers are compelled to watch the fruits rot.

In the previous years, some of their products could be sold to the government employees. But as the government offices are closed due to insecurity, there are no buyers, laments Gopal Bahadur, a local farmer.

Rupal, a relatively remote village in the district, has a climate conducive to the farming of citrus fruits. The farmers here place high hopes on the prospects of orange farming. Each household grows up to 30-40 trees of citrus fruits in this village and an individual tree produces up to three thousand oranges in a year.

"If done in more commercial way, the orange farming has great prospects here," says a local farmer. "It is only because of the lack of markets, we are lagging behind."

ADB approves $ 30m loan assistance to Nepal

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KATHMANDU, Dec 12:The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a loan of US $ 30 million equivalent for improving essential infrastructure and services in nine urban areas of Nepal. The loan comes from its concessional Asian Development Fund, with a 32-years term, including a grace period of 8 years, according to a press hand out issued by the Bank.

The Urban and Environmental Improvement Project will target towns in the central region with populations ranging from 12,000 to 89,000 and will focus on institutional strengthening, infrastructure improvements and poverty reduction.

"As the first decentralised urban project for Nepal, it is blazing a small trial for smaller projects to follow," says Keiichi Tamaki, an ADB Urban Development Specialist.

According to the release, interest is to be charged at 1 per cent per annum during the grace period and 1.5 per cent per annum subsequently.

The project that will cost a total of US $ 37.5 million will be executed by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works. It will need a financial assistance worth US $ 4.4 million from the government and the rest US $ 3.1 million is expected to be generated from the project towns and private sector participation.

"The project is taking a least-cost approach and harnessing synergies between the main urban areas and the surrounding rural areas within the municipalities wherever possible," Tamaki adds.

About 320,000 residents in the nine urban areas will benefit from improved personal hygiene, sanitation, and overall better quality of life as a result of the project, according to the statement.

Show more efficiency, TIA officials told

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KATHMANDU, Dec 12:Assistant Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabi Bhakta Shrestha has directed the concerned authorities to eradicate managerial hurdles prevalent in the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) and to guarantee providing efficient services to the domestic and international passengers thronging the only international airport of the country everyday.

The assistant minister made the direction during a visit to the airport accompanied by tourism entrepreneurs and media persons in response to the complaints of various obstacles facing the air-travellers.

"From the entry to the departure from the airport, let no passenger face any hurdle," Shrestha told the heads of all concerned authorities.

Lengthy procedures, particularly at the immigration has been seen an eternal problem to the air passengers. And, this has basically affected incoming tourists, who right from entering the TIA are worried about paying the immigration fees.

For the immigration fees alone, tourists have to stand in queue for three times. Moreover, the officials generally expect some monetary rewards from the tourists. When the tourists are lining up in front of the Hotel Association counter, the pre-paid taxis start pulling them to sit in the taxis.

Speaking to the reporters after the visit, Shrestha expressed commitment to work for the ending the mismanagement in the airport, in line with the policy of the present government.

IB reveals performance of insurance industry

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KATHMANDU, Dec 12 : Insurance Board (IB), the body overseeing insurance sector, released the annual business and performance of the insurance industry for the fiscal year 1999/2000 on Wednesday.

The report, which was submitted to Finance Minister Dr Badri Prasad Shrestha yesterday, was released two years later than the usual schedule. The delay in preparing the report was largely due to the failure of the state-owned insurer, Rastriya Beema Sansthan (RBS) in issuing its financial statement on time, said government sources.

The RBS has not audited its financial statement for the last eight years. Though delayed in releasing, the report of the IB reveals that the insurance industry, which is regarded as one of the sensitive sectors of the economy and among the key financial sector across the globe, are yet to make a significant contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP).

The contribution of the industry to the national economy during the fiscal year 1999/2000 was mere Rs 1.79 billion, which was 0.81 per cent of the total non-agriculture GDP of the year.

However, the premium mobilised during the year was higher by 18.63 per cent than that of the previous year, states the report. The growth of the life insurance business during the year was about 10 per cent and touched Rs 449.4 million. This has been put at 0.22 per cent of the total non-agriculture GDP of the year.

During the year, the ratio of the life insurance premium to gross national saving remained at 0.69 per cent, states the report.

Likewise, the business of the general insurance grew about 7 per cent during the year as compared to the previous year and touched Rs 1.30 billion. It is said that it has contributed 0.59 per cent to the non-agriculture GDP of the year.

Among the two life insurers operating in the country then, business of the state-owned RBS comprised 78.90 per cent of the total business, while business of National Life and General Insurance Company (NLGIC) comprised 20.43 per cent of the total life insurance business.

The income of the life insurers during the year has been stated to be Rs 899.7 million out of which the profit of RBS alone was Rs 759.7 million. During the year, the RBS and NLGIC paid Rs 180.4 million in claim settlement and policy withdrawal by the policyholders.

During the year, life insurers paid Rs 34.3 million, which is 6.94 per cent of the total premium mobilised to reinsurers abroad in reinsurance premium.

Meanwhile, the income of 11 general insurers operating in the country during the year was Rs 1.17 billion. The claim settlement of the general insurers during the year was Rs 244.8 million.

First quarter evaluation meet concludes

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KATHMANDU, Dec 12:The meeting for first quarter evaluation of current fiscal year and Ministry-level Problem Solving Committee concluded here today under the chairmanship of Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Mahesh Lal Pradhan, states a press release issued by the Ministry.

Addressing the meeting, Minister Pradhan emphasised on strong need for the ways of gradual solution to the multifarious problems facing the country at present. It is equally urgent to ensure the success of the government plans formulated for the public welfare, he said.

Minister Pradhan urged all the concerned to rise above personal interests and work for the interest of the majority of the people. "The public has numerous exceptions. All should contribute from their respective parts to substantiate the efforts of eradicating public miseries."

Also addressing the meeting, Jagat Bahadur Gurung, Assistant Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies underlined the need for transparency and accountability for any programme focusing public welfare. Dr Yuva Raj Khatiwada, member of National Planning Commission (NPC), Lava Kumar Devkota, secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, joint secretaries of NPC and the ministry were also present during the meeting, according to the press release.

Govt committed to expand employment for rural women

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KATHMANDU, Dec 12:Dr Yuva Raj Khatiwada, member of National Planning Commission (NPC) has expressed the government’s commitment to expand employment opportunities for women in remote districts.

Speaking at an inaugural wrap-up meeting of final project evaluation of Expansion of Employment Opportunities for Women (EEOW), jointly organised by International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Japan Asian Regional Programme (JARP), Khatiwada said that the difference in development can be easily seen with the upliftment in the living standard of women.

"Empowering women is a necessary factor for the speedy development of any country," he added. He also pointed out the need of expanding the non-governmental activities for empowering women of the remote areas.

Highlighting the positive approach of EEOW, Leyla Tegmo Reddy, country director of ILO- Nepal pointed out the need of expansion of such programmes to empower women community of the country. "The development of any country could be different if women are empowered by making them aware and providing the basic training," she remarked.

Likewise, Yoshiyuki Fukuzawa, Chief Technical Advisor of Japan Multi-bilateral Programme, stated that the project for strengthening women could be highly significant in the development of a country. "I have noticed a drastic change in those women who are involved in these projects," he added.

During the programme, several women from the remote parts of the country shared their experiences. "Our life has changed and improved with the initiation of these projects involved in empowering women," they stated.