|
|
Nepal weighing pros and cons before joining WTO: PM
Kathmandu, Apr. 4 (RSS) Organised by the Trade Promotion Centre, the trade
fair aims to identity Nepalese exportable products and develop and promote Nepal's export
trade thereby providing a bulwark of Nepal's economic development. At the five-day fair there are 99 stall displaying
agricultural products, industrial goods, handicrafts and Nepal's present export items as
well as those having potential for export in the future. In his inaugural address, Prime Minister Koirala
said,"We, like other nations of the world, need to strive for economic development of
the nation with our entry into the new millennium." "It is imperative to protect, promote and
encourage our export trade so as to give a definite direction to the country's productive
sector and there is no two opinion about it," the Prime Minister noted, adding:
"This will broaden the base of production and service sectors particularly linked
directly or indirectly with exports." "The country's productive sector can neither
flourish nor be durable until domestic labour and skill scattered over the country,
original product and production potentialities are brought in line with productive front
and system," Premier Koirala said. If this sector is to be made self-reliant it will
be necessary to revive and promote rural cottage industries flourishing in the villages,
though fraught with extinction in many areas, he said. We should start thinking right now on how to
develop the potential to tackle the challenges that might crop up after the country would
get the membership of the World Trade Organisation, and His Majesty Government was quite
serious about this matter, he said, adding that co-operation from private sector
industrialists was quite essential in this task. On the one hand, the industrialists and
entrepreneurs of the country can judge for themselves what trade prospects the items
and services on display at the trade fair hold out, while on the other, the foreign
visitor and traders' reaction, interaction and their express opinion at the fair can serve
as guidelines for improving Nepal's exportable products and their promotion, he
said. On the occasion, Minister for Industry and Commerce
Ramkrishna Tamrakar said that the trade fair would play significant role in the
identification and diversification of export items and trade. We could put up a good impression in the world if
we protected and promoted our natural assets and culture and traditional industries, he
added. Minister of State for Industry and Commerce
Narendra Bikram Nemwang said it was necessary to make export trade strong and effective as
this would pave the way for economic development of the nation. Commerce secretary Mohan Dev Panta said necessary
efforts were under way to chalk out strategies to promote export trade on a durable basis
through joint endeavours of the government and private sector. Fncci chairman Pradip Kumar Shrestha presided over
the function. Trade Promotion Centre executive director Hari
Adhikari shed light on various aspects of Nepal's export trade. Their Majesties grace Ghode Jatra Kathmandu, Apr. 4 (RSS): His Majesty presented prizes to the leaders of
three teams for best performance. His Majesty was accompanied by Her Majesty the
Queen. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and other
members of the Royal Family were also present on the occasion. Also present were Prime Minister Girija Prasad
Koirala, Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya, National Assembly Chairman Dr. Mohammad
Mohsin, Raj Parishad Standing and Committee Chairman Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi. Charger horse jump, musical ride, fire jump and
show jump were some of the highlights of the programme. The ministers, the heads of the constitutional
bodies, mps, the heads of the diplomatic missions, high ranking government, army and
police officers were also present at the programme. Large number of people thronged Tundikhel to watch
the Ghode Jatra programme. Govt to decide on Melamchi before next donor's meet BY NAVIN SINGH KHADKA Kathmandu, Apr. 4: "We will make a decision trying to satisfy all
the donors of the project before the next donors' meet," said Khagendra Bahadur
Basnet, Secretary at the Ministry of Housing and Physical Planning. The Melamchi ball reached the government's court
last month after the donors, in their fourth meet here, revealed steep differences on
whether the tunnelling component of the US$ 400 million project should have the hydropower
or not. The disagreement among the donors -- particularly,
the Norwegian Government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) -- on the hydropower chapter
erupted after the Melamchi Water Development Board's two consultants, Norplan and Nippon
Koei, offered differing designs of MWSP's diversion scheme -- designed to bring in 170
million litres of Melamchi waters in a day through a 28 kilometre long tunnel by 2004. Norad has committed US$ 24 million grant for the
diversion scheme while the ADB is expected to fund the major chunk of the MWSP's bulk
water distribution component -- estimated to cost US$ 60 million. Funded by Norad (the Norwegian Aid Agency), Norplan
last September submitted MWSP's detailed designing including the hydropower plant planned
to produce power between five MW to 25 MW. Operating under the ADB's assistance, Nippon Koei
reviewed the detailed design and claimed that around US$ 40 million extra will have to be
doled out for the Norplan-designed pressurised tunnel -- the basic requirement for the
hydropower plant. The Japanese company rather prescribed a free flow
tunnel without hydropower plant estimated at US$ 100 million. Already facing shortage of US $17 million, MWSP got
further entangled in the hydropower plant debate causing delays on donors' final
statements -- expected during the last donors' meet on February. Two months down the line, the major donors' stands
remain. "The disagreement on the hydropower issue is still there," said Ingrid
Ofsted, Charge d' Affaires of the recently opened Norwegian Embassy here. According to Richard Vokes, Resident Representative
of the ADB, the hydropower component has been found not to have added benefit to the
project as hoped earlier. The only point the differing donors meet half way
at is the ongoing technical level discussion involving the consultants. "It seems
they have come closer now," said Ofsted. "With the help of the technical
expertise of the different consultants, the government should go along the line that
suggests the cheaper option." Agreed Richard Vokes, Resident Representative of
the ADB: The cost benefits of the two options should be worked out. And for that, the
technical level discussion should take place. With the clearly divided between lines the major donors on the hydropower component, however officials certainly will have to talk tough while making a choice -- hydel plant or not. "Since the donors themselves have asked the government to take a decision, it has to be made anyway," said Basnet. Norway abstains from donors' meet in Manila BY A STAFF REPORTER Kathmandu, Mar. 4: The letter read that Norway was not keen on
attending the meeting since the fourth donors meet held here in February this year had
already asked the government to make a decision on how to go about the US$ 400 million
drinking water project -- whether to include the hydropower component or not. "Norway has clarified that it abstained from
the meeting since it (the meet) was not going to discuss anything new," said
Khagendra Bahadur Basnet, Secretary at the Ministry of Housing and Physical Planning that
received the carbon copy of the Norwegian official letter to ADB -- the organiser of the
meet. Only two MWSP donors -- ADB and Japan Bank of International Co-operation -- attended the meeting, according to Richard Vokes, Resident Representative of the ADB. The multilateral agency has been co-ordinating among the Melamchi donors. Gurkhas to seek int'l support for their plea BY A STAFF REPORTER Kathmandu, Apr. 4: Since last five-years the retired Gurkha soldiers
are campaigning in Nepal for equal treatment to the Gurkhas at par with their British
counterparts in the British Army in pension and other welfare benefits. This is the first
time they are taking their plea to international platform. Nevertheless, the issue captured international
attention when a Gurkha soldier was killed in Kosovo mid last year and British newspapers
highlighted the unequal amount of death gratuities their government was providing to the
family of the Gurkha soldier and his British counterpart. Later in October 1999, the
British government raised payments to the families of Gurkha soldiers killed in service to
match the amount received by a British soldier responding to a recommendation made by the
Ministerial Working Group on Gurkha Pensions and Gratuities chaired by British Armed Force
Minister John Spellar. "We are taking the issue to international
platform because we have lost faith that the governments of Nepal and Britain are serious
to find a solution diplomatically," said Padam Bahadur Gurung. He also flayed both
the Nepalese and British governments for failing to follow the suggestions forwarded by
their respective parliaments for resolving the unequal-treatment issue. The Human Rights
and Foreign Affair Committee of Nepal’s dissolved House of Representatives had
suggested that the Gurkha issue was a national issue and should be resolved
diplomatically. "The recommendation has not been tried by the government so
far," charged Gurung. On the other hand, the British Ministarial Working
Group formed to deliberate and report on Gurkha pensions by the end of last year was
dissolved with the announcement of a hundred per cent increase in Gurkha pensions in the
last week of December 1999. The British government decision drew a harsh criticism from a
fraction of campaigning Gurkhas in Nepal. After attending a Human Rights Commission Meeting,
two of the team members, GAESO President Gurung and Sociologist Dr. Om Gurung, will visit
universities in six European nations to attract support from Western intellectual circle,
according to a press release issued by GAESO. And on their return to Nepal, veteran Human
Rights activist Rhishikesh Shah will visit United States to discuss the Gurkha issue with
international rights lawyers and activists. Acharya stresses economic reforms to reduce poverty BY A STAFF REPORTER Kathmandu, Apr. 4: "Poverty reduction through economic reforms
should be the topmost priority of any government regardless of political ideology,"
he said at a seminar on "Economic Policies and Change of Government" jointly
organised here today by Tradex ñ2000 and Alliance for Democracy and Human Rights (ADHR).
"Even if a government changes, it cannot afford to deviate from this basic principle
although the strategies to this end could be different." Minister Acharya said that the government needed
massive investment for the development of countryís infrastructure, including road,
electricity, education, health and safe drinking water. "We need to look for the
possible factors for the growth of Gross National Products (GDP) that plays crucial role
in meeting the targets of poverty reduction and infrastructure development." Agriculture, one of the most important sectors for
the countryís economic development, could be exploited to generate income and create
employment opportunities, he said. "Since the government alone will not be able
to meet with this huge amount, private sectorís role in mobilising savings would be of
utmost importance in this regard," he said. "For this, the government has to
create a favourable condition to encourage national as well as foreign investment and open
up the markets for free competition in the country." However, the growth of GDP alone would not reduce
the poverty that is deeply rooted in the rural parts. About 90 per cent of the rural
people live under poverty, he said. "The government has to expand its investment in
producing skilled human resources, education, health, drinking water and rural
infrastructure development. The short-term growth would trickle down unless the government
diverted the structure of its investment to these sectors." Stressing the present need for privatisation of the
state-owned organisations, he said the government couldnít afford to invest the money
needed for the infrastructure development in factories and industries that produce
cigarette or shoes. "The private sector is all out there for this. Privatisation is
not an escape for the responsibility but a choice of priority to provide people with
social justice through some developmental activities. And we need to forge an all party
consensus for this." Pointing the role the banks could play in economic
reforms, Acharya said that they have to be made competitive by introducing modern
information technology. "Large companies have taken loans from the banks but have not
paid back them in time. We will stop such malpractices but the civil society too can have
its role in it. Presenting a paper on "Foreign Investment
Under Multi-Party System in Nepal" at the seminar, Professor Hari Basha Jha said that
Nepal could economically prosper if she crated a favourable environment to attract foreign
investors in the country. Commenting on the paper at the function chaired by
ADHR President Bimal R. Pandey, Prof. Dr. Mohan Prasad Lohani, Nepal Chamber of Commerce
President Mahesh K. Agrawal, Jagdish K. Agrawal and Tradex ñ 2000 President Bhaskar Raj
Rajkarnikar said that the gap between policy making and its implementation was the major
hindrance of Nepalís economic development. Crown Prince to open exhibition BY A STAFF REPORTER Kathmandu April 4: Dr Himat Singh K.C president and Durba Prasad
Acharya General Secretary of NFA disclosed it in jointly addressed press conference here
today. The exhibition will be organised for two days and
about 30 governmental, non governmental and seamy governmental organisation will
participate. To enhance the knowledge of general public on the forest will be the aim of
the exhibition. It is expected that about ten thousand persons will visit the exhibition. ‘Export sector should be givn priority’ Kathmandu, Apr. 4 (RSS): Most of the participants of workshop concerning
strategy for the development of export of Nepal organised by the Nepal-USA Chamber of
Commerce and Industry pointed out the need to formulate export strategy and move ahead. Inaugurating the workshop, vice-chairman of the
National Planning Commission (NPC) Prithvi Raj Ligal appreciated the role played by the
Nepal-USA Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the economic development and export trade of
Nepal and said that the export strategy should be formulated sector-wise and item-wise. There was a plan to gradually improve the policy
and rules including foreign exchange effecting the export trade of the country, he said
adding that the export policy would be soon made public. First vice-president of the Federation of Nepalese
Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Ravi Bhakta Shrestha said that a lot had to be
done at the governmental and the businessmen's level and it had become necessary to
implement the policy and rules concerning export promotion. Member of the Nepal-US Chamber of Commerce and
Industry and Industrialist Padma Jyoti said that special attention had to be paid to the
environment of investment, taxation, economic activities and skill development for
enhancing the pace of economic development of the country. Vice-president of Nepal-USA Chamber of Commerce and
Industry Sunil Shakya expressed his views on the appropriateness of the workshop at the
inaugural function presided over by its president Narendra Kumar Basnet. According to an information given at the workshop,
woollen carpets, Pashmina shawls, readymade garments and handicraft items are exported
from Nepal. Most of the ready-made garments produced in Nepal
were exported to the USA and Germany was the largest market of Nepalese carpets, it was
informed at the workshop. Member of the Nepal-USA Chamber of Commerce and
Industry and industrialist Suraj Baidya presented a working paper on "opportunities
of the private sector in the export trade and need for changes", joint secretary at
the Ministry of Commerce Chandi Prasad Shrestha on "export policy of HMG" and
Miss Olyand Gibs on export "policy and the international experience" at the
workshop. Nepal Rashtra Bank Governor Dr. Tilak Rawal
presided over the first session and secretary at the Ministry of Commerce Mohan Dev Panta
the second session of the workshop. About fifty persons including high ranking
officials of HMG, experts of the private sector, businessmen and journalists attended the
workshop. Bastola dicusses refugee issue with Ogata Kathmandu, Apr. 4 (RSS): During the meeting, Minister Bastola appreciated
the contributions of Mme. Ogata for the cause of refugees throughout the world. Appreciating the assistance and cooperation of the
unhcr, Mr Bastola said that without which the care and maintenance of the Bhutanese
refugees would have been very difficult. Mr Bastola also briefed Mme. Ogata about the status
of the negoitiations currently going on between Nepal and Bhutan. UN high commissioner for refugees stressed the need
of an early resolution of the Bhutanese refugee problem through conclusion of an
agreement. Likewise, Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra
Prasad Bastola met Mr Thorbjorn Jagland, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway and
exchanged views on the state of bilateral relations existing between the two countries. On the occasion Mr Bastola appreciated the
cooperation and assistance being extended by Norway to Nepal especially in the field of
hydro power sector. Mr Bastola urged the Norwegian Minister for Foreign
Affairs to extend their increased assistance to Nepal. Norwegian Minister Jagland expressed the
willingness of the Norwegian government to cooperate with His Majesty's Government of
Nepal. Meanwhile, Mr B. Mackineley, director general of
the International Organization for Migration called on Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra
Prasad Bastola yesterday and briefed him about the activities and programmes of the
international organization for migration. On the occasion, they also discussed the issue of
the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. Mr mackineley expressed the willingness of
the International Organization for migration to cooperate with Nepal in different areas
like trafficking of women, migration awareness programme, etc. SJM oppsed to Maoists, says Pokharel Kathmandu, Apr. 4 (RSS): In its suggestions, the delegation has stressed the
need for the government to recognize the people's war as a political problem, abide by the
constitution to the letter and spirit, stop state terrorism, take concrete measures to
preserve nationalism and resolve the problem of livelihood, poverty, unemployment, price
hike and economic disparity, control smuggling, corruption and commission mongering. Suppression and use of force do not help resolve
the problem, the delegation said. Talking to journalists after the meeting, committee
convenor and ex-prime minister Deuba said all political parties, human rights activists
and the people in general are of the view that the government and the maoists should not
resort to killing and other forms of violence. Dialogue is the only right way to resolve
the problem, he added. Disclosing that a few days back a representative of
the Maoists had met him to discuss matters concerning the building of a favourable
environment for dialogue, he said immediately after the meeting there was a change of
government and the preparation for dialogue could not be continued. He also told reporters that he will meet the prime
minister soon and discuss the issue. Replying to a question regarding the Nepal Bandh
called by the Maoists on April 6, Mr Deuba said "I hope the maoists will exercise
their constitutional rights by organizing the Nepal Bandh in a peaceful manner." On the occasion, SJM general secretary and MP
Lilamani Pokhrel said his party is opposed to the Maoist people's war. He described the people's war as an outcome of the
faulty views, thinking, ideological and political understanding and modus operandi, he
added. Workers of other parties and the people in general
should not be framed up in the name of suppressing the maoists, he said, adding Ganeshman
Singh peace campaign should not be used as an opportunity to give jobs and money to party
workers. He also stressed the need to implement the
agreement reached between the group of nine leftist factions and the government and
withdraw the bill designed to amend some Nepal acts concerning internal administration. Committee convenor Mr. Deuba and member-secretary
Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, and SJM president Amik Sherchan, general secretary Lilamani
Pokharel and central secretariat member Dil Bahadur Shrestha were present at the meeting. Security stepped up on eve of Nepal Bandh Kathmandu, Apr. 4 (RSS): At a press conference held at the Home Ministry
today, Home Secretary Pokherel said since the leaders of the organizers are underground
they might not come out to demonstrate. So it seems that there will be no problem in
opening shops and driving vehicles, he added. As the security personal of ward police offices
will not be adequate to ensure security, security personnel have been mobilized in such a
manner that the distance between one security personnel and the another is not too long,
he said, adding more security personnel have been mobilized in sensitive areas and
arrangements have been made for the security personnel to reach the incident site within
five minutes after being informed about any incident. Replying a question, Mr Pokherel said all security
organs will be mobilized to ensure security since the Nepal bandh is likely to affect
national security. As the CPN (Masal) has informed the Home Ministry
about its programme scheduled for April 6, the Home Ministry will provide full security to
the programme, the home secretary said. He also made it clear that if a riot took place or
seemed most likely in any place it will be declared a riot-hit area at the recommendation
of the security committee of the district concerned and in such place the powers of the
cdo will be delegated to the police. His Majesty's Government has been providing
compensation to the victims of terrorism to a certain extent, he said, adding terrorist
activity has caused a loss of property worth about Rs. 110 million. In view of the Nepal Bandh police have carried out
searches, interrogation and investigation. Voters' identity cards to be given in Dolakha-2 Charikot (dolakha), Apr. 4 (RSS): This information was given at a two-day seminar of
assistant name registration officers on registration and updating of the voters' list
organised here recently. According to the district election commission
office, arrangement for distribution of the voters' identity cards in constituency-2 of
the district would be complete by the time of the local election. There are two electoral
constituencies in the district. Inaugurating the two-day seminar, district
development committee (DDC) chairman Lal Kumar K.C. said that free, fair and peaceful
elections were the hallmarks of a democracy. Basanta Raj Joshi of the cpn-ml, Barma Lama of the
Nepali Congress, deputy mayor of Bhimeshwar Municipality Shanta Bahadur Basnet and chief
district officer Khagendra Dev Joshi also shed light on the importance of free and fair
elections for the consolidation of democracy in the country. VDC secretaries and office-bearers took part in the
seminar in their capacity as the assistant name registration officers. Nepalgunj, Apr. 4 (RSS): Chief district officers of Rupandehi and
Kapilbastu, superintendents of police of the two districts and senior superintendent of
police of Lumbini zone represented HMG at the meeting which was also attended by
representatives of Bheri and Rapti Zonal Transport Entrepreneurs Association and Western
Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs Association. Some miscreant had set the buses on fire on January
27 and subsequently, Bheri Zonal Transport Entrepreneurs Association called the Transport
Strike on Tinaukhola (Butwal)-attariya sector of the Far Western Region, demanding
compensation for th damages. The buses bearing the number plates Na. A. Kha.
8736, Me. A. Kha. 546, and Lu. A. Kha. 1616 and a Sajha bus bearing the number plate Ba.
A. Kha.M 4896 are reported involved in the incident. The damage will be assessed by government technical
personnel. The amount will be borne by the insured companies as all the four buses were
reportedly insured. Two babies burnt to death in Palpa Tansen, Apr. 4 (RSS): His 6-year-old son who sustained injuries has been
admitted at the Palpa Mission Hospital for the treatment. Fire which is suspected to have been spread by his
own children destroyed property worth Rs. 200,000, it is learnt. Meanwhile, Nepalgunj, with the advent of summer and
windy weather the fire incidents are posing greater danger in banke district. A fire gutted 3 houses, 3 cow-sheds, grains,
clothing and other household goods at the Pedani village in mahadevpuri VDC, ward No. 8. The loss is estimated at worth Rs. 300,000. Rs.
200,000 of which was suffered by Tol Prasad Kafle alone, according to Ranjit Bahadur
Shrestha of Nepalgunj fire brigade. The fire was brought under control with the help of
fire brigade. The same day, 3 houses were destroyed and 3
domestic animals perished in a fire at Betahani VDC, ward No.2. Two hutments, one at Nepalgunj Municipality, ward
No. 17 and another at ghodegoan in Paraspur VDC were gutted by two incidents of fire on
March 31 and 2 respectively, it is learnt from the fire brigade.
|
|Editorial| |Economy| |Features| |Local| |Letter| |Past|
| Send your comments and letters to the
editor at gopa@mos.com.np 1999 © Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd. P.O. Box 876, Durbar Marg, Kathmandu, NEPAL. Tel : 977 1 220 773, 243566, Fax: 977 1 225 407. Reproduction in any form is prohibited without prior permission. No part of the articles which appear in the internet version on THE RISING NEPAL may be reproduced without the permission of Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd. For reprinting rights, please write to US. Send us your feedback: CONTACT US ABOUT US HOME |
