Govt reduces numbers of ministries to 21

Kathmandu, Apr. 18 (RSS): His Majesty's Government has reduced the number of ministries from 26 to 21 ministries.

Some of the ministries have been merged with other ministries while the works of some other ministries have been included in various other ministries.

The Ministries of Industry, Commerce and Supplies have been merged into a single Ministry while the Ministries of Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs been converted into a single Ministry.

Cooperatives has been added to the Ministry of Agriculture while the Ministry of Housing and Physical Planning has been converted into the Ministry of Works and Physical Planning.

Likewise, children has been incorporated in the Ministry of Women and social Welfare, and Sports in the Ministry of Education.

Transport Management has been incorporated in the Ministry of Labour, and Culture in the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.

No changes have been made in the ministries of Finance, Home, Population and Environment, Foreign Affairs, Land Reforms and Management, Defense, Forest and Soil Conservation, Sscience and Technology, General Administration, Information and Communications, Local Development and Health.

Partfolions changed in council of Ministers

Kathmandu, Apr. 18 (RSS):His Majesty the King has, in accordance with the constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal-1990 and on the recommendation of Prime Minister, made the changes in the portfolios in the Council of Ministers Constituted under chairmanship of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.

The constitution of the Council of Ministers and allocation of portfolios are as follows.

Ministers of State

Baldev Sharma Majgaiya --- Minister of State -- Agriculture and Cooperatives

Mrs Kamala Devi Pant --- Minister of State -- Women, Children and Social Welfare

Narendra Bikram Nemwang --- Minister of State -- Industry, Commerce and Supplies

Dilendra Prasad Badu --- Minister of State -- Education and Sports

Surendra Hamal --- Minister of State -- Labour and Transport Management

His Majesty the King has retained the portfolios of the Deputy Prime Minister and the other Ministers.

This is stated in a notice issued today by the Principal Secretariat of His Majesty the King.

Decision to install eight sspecial class secretaries

Kathmandu, Apr. 18 (RSS):His Majesty's Government has decided to install eight special class secretaries as special class secretaries at various ministries and the National Planning Commission Secretariat.

According to the Cabinet Secretariat,  Mr Mohan Dev Pant has been installed at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Dr. Muktinarayan Shrestha at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mr Hiranyalal Regmi at the Ministry of Works and Physical Planning, and Mrs Urmila Shrestha at the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare.

Likewise, Mr Khagendra Basnet has been installed at the Ministry of Education and Sports, Mr Damaru Ballav Bhattarai at the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management, Mr Barun Prasad Shrestha at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation and Culture and Mr Sriman Shrestha at the National Planning Commission Secretariat.

Meanwhile Mr Srikrishna Gautam has been installed as chief officer of the Special Police Department while Mr Padma Kumar Acharya has been sent to the reserve pool of the Ministry of General Administration.

Lack of morality cause of anomalies: Rijal

Itahari, Apr. 18 (RSS):National Assembly Vice-Chairman Chiranjibi Rijal has said that the lack of morality and a sense of responsibility among human beings has led to the increasing anomalies and aberration in the country.

Mr Rijal was addressing the 31st establishment day of Nepal Students Union (nsu) and a felicitation programme organised by Mahendra Sanskrit University (msu), Vidhyapeeth Pindeswor, nsu unit here today.

MSU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Madhav Raj Gautam said youths have a major responsibility to play for the balanced progress of our country marked by geographic, economic and social remoteness and disparity.

NC youth leader Ananda Acharya, nsu central member Basu Koirala and other speakers also expressed their views on the occasion.

At the function vice-chairman Rijal felicitated vice-chancellor Prof. Gautam by wrapping a shawl around him and also released the Nepal magazine published by Nepal Students Union.

Earlier, vice-chancellor Prof. Gautam laid the foundation stone for a residential building for professors and employees to be constructed on the premises of the Vidhyapeeth at a cost of about Rs. 550,000.

Feasibility study of six hydel projects completed

Kathmandu, Apr. 18 (RSS): Feasibility studies including detailed design have been completed for six hydropower projects and l0 years after the restoration of democracy construction work on the projects is in the final stage, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

The hydropower projects under construction during the last l0 years are the 144 megawatt (MW) capacity Kaligandaki, 12 MW capacity Modi Khola, 6.2 MW capacity Puwakhola, 20 MW capacity Chilime, 60 MW capacity Khimti and 36 MW capacity Bhotekoshi.

Khimti and Bhotekoshi are the first two power projects under construction by the private sector.

After completion of hydropower projects under construction, generation of power will increase from 320 MW to 600 MW.

Looking back at the history of hydropower in Nepal, power has been generated from only nine projects during the 90 years till 2047 Bikram year. The first project to generate power was the 500 KW Pharping project.

Then the 900 KW capacity Sundarijal, 2,400 KW Panauti, 10 MW Sunkoshi 21 MW Trishuli and 14 MW Devighat hydropower projects were implemented with bilateral cooperation.

Cooperation from more than one country and international financial institutions played an important role in the construction of the 60 MW Kulekhani first, 32 MW Kulekhani second and 69 MW mid-Marsyangdi projects.

The 12 MW Jhimruk hydropower project was implemented with the cooperation of the Norwegian government.

Minister for Water Resources Khum Bahadur Khadka told RSS that the main factors accelerating the harnessing of water resources during the 10 years since the restoration of democracy were the Water Resources Act and the Electricity Act.

He said, "these two acts have attracted not only domestic but also foreign investors in harnessing the water resources of the country."

Mr khadka noted that the acts and regulations concerning water resources should be progressively amended on the basis of the experience gained.

At present, three hydropower projects, feasibility of which had already been completed, are in the final stage of implementation, it is learnt from the Ministry of Water Resources. These are the 72 MW mid-Marsyangdi, 32 MW Chilime and 48 MW Kulekhani third.

Besides, feasibility studies on the 300 MW Upper Karnali, 300 MW Dudhkoshi, 101 MW Tamor, 35 MW Kabeli, 34 MW Likhu, 24 MW Raughat and 16 MW Budhiganga projects have already been completed.

Implementation of many hydropower projects with high dams and reservoirs have also been found to be technically and financially viable in Nepal.

Feasibility studies for the 10,800 MW Karnali Chisapani, 6,000 MW Pancheswari, 3000 MW Saptakoshi, 600 MW Budhigandaki, 750 MW West Seti, 660 MW Kaligandaki, 402 MW Arun Third, 335 MW Upper Arun, 308 MW Lower Arun and 90 MW Kankai have been completed. These are now awaiting implementation.

Countries such as Japan, Germany and Korea have expressed willingness to extend cooperation for the implementation of Kulekhani third, mid-Marsyangdi and Chameliya.

Chilime hydropower project is under construction with the participation of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) with domestic capital alone.

Snowy mountain, a private company in Australia, has taken over responsibility for the implementation of the 750 MW capacity western Seti project. 

The 60 MW Khimti, 36 MW Bhotekoshi, 20 MW Chilime and 5 MW Indrawati projects under implementation by the private sector are seen to be somewhat costlier than those implemented by NEA, except for Chilime.

Former deputy prime minister Shailaja Acharya, who also assumed the portfolio of water resources, emphasised the need for the private and governmental sectors to play complementary roles to make financial  resources available.

In her view, domestic resources should be mobilised, bilateral and multilateral cooperation sought and local bodies also involved in the feasibility study and implementation of small and medium size power projects.

Former deputy prime minister Acharya said, "all the responsible political parties should ponder harnessing water resources. A new definition of development profiles should be worked out."

CPN-UML leader Jhalanath Khanal emphasised the need for all the political parties, experts and technical personnel to sit together, hold discussions and formulate national policy and short-term and long-term programmes and implement these, adding that development of water resources is a national issue.

Member of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr Jagadish Chandra Pokharel says, "as there is potential for generation of abundant hydropower for export, Nepal should study the energy requirements of India and harness the water resources with firm commitment."

According to Water Resources Minister Khadka, Nepal's relations  with India have a direct impact on the development of water resources.  If energy is to be sold to India, the investors should also be taken into confidence, he adds.

He also pointed out the need to formulate an integrated industrial and agricultural development policy to augment the consumption of power in the country.

"Economic resources, institutional efficiency, technology, skill and experience required for the generation of hydropower are lacking in Nepal" Mr khadka said and added that effort had been made to attract the domestic and foreign private sector  to hydropower generation in Nepal.

Mr Khadka further said that the main national concern today is how to generate power and export the power generated to the foreign market.

Koirala calls students to speak against corruption

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, April 18: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has appealed to all to switch back to the yester years to sense corruption that seats deep within as the invisible enemy.

"If one travels down the memory lane and makes an attempt to figure out who he or she was, one also becomes aware of the corrupt," Koirala said. "To realise corruption, one needs to recognise oneself first."

"An analogy of my present with the past and insights into how the status has changed in terms of what I eat and how I live now gives a clue to corruption," he said.

Koirala told this while addressing the inaugural session of a discussion on achievements Nepal made in the 10 years following the restoration of democracy. The discussion was organised by Nepal Students' Union, the sister organisation of the ruling Nepali Congress.

"I have warned the ministers that they may be terminated if only I hear of them being implicated in corruption," Koirala said and appealed to NSU workers to speak up against any such immoral conduct.

"I have also told the ministers that I know them not by name, but by their performance," he said. "The ministers should be willing to walk away happily."

"I chose to take over as the Prime Minister at difficult time," Koirala said. "May be you all wonder as to why I removed Krishna Prasad Bhattarai as the Prime Minister," Koirala said. "I did not want to unseat Bhattarai, but was forced to take the tough decision in view of the increasing corruption and confusion within the party."

The evils surrounding the nation may be put to end if we succeed in restoring law and order situation in the country, curb corruption and ensure good governance with administrative reforms, he said. "I am committed to them."

Koirala expressed surprise over the way the government's decision to activate the Constitutional Council to restore law and order in the country was twisted. "Activating the Council means activating the government and the people themselves," he said.

Koirala said former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who heads a high level committee consisting of several ministers, had been told to proceed with negotiations with the Maoists. Deputy Prime Minister Ramchandra Poudel is holding talks with other parties to arrive at some conclusion to solve the four year old insurgency, which has claimed well over 1250 lives in all.

"I have instructed the Finance Ministry and the National Planning Commission to expedite development programmes in the areas where the law and order has been underestimated."

The concept of good governance, Koirala said, was thought of about a decade ago at the time of appointing an administrative reform commission, which has recommended that the number of ministries be reduced to 19 from 26. As per the recommendations, the ministries have been reduced to 21, he said.

The government has been mulling appointing regional heads to give impetus to decentralisation, he said. The difference of hierarchy amongst Chief District Officers, Police chiefs and the army chiefs at the district level have also necessitated the creation of regional heads to coordinate with all three heads.

Koirala said the Melamchi project alone would not be enough to find an end the problem of drinking water in Kathmandu Valley. He said the Asian Development Bank had advised the government to develop Kathmandu into a heritage city by relocating the valley's population for which the Bank has pledged to help implement the programme.

He said the government would force the relocation of the garment industries based in Kathmandu and extend cooperation in setting up such industries in the areas outside the capital valley.

The Prime Minister said the Asian Development Bank had hinted at foreign assistance if the government planned to build a second international airport.

The process of democratisation has already begun in the Congress party and this will be given continuity during the NSU's upcoming general convention, he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Poudel, who is one of the founding members of the NSU, appealed to all not to focus only on the negative aspects of the past decade, but also to make realistic assessments of the achievements.

"A lot has been achieved in the past though there are some dissatisfaction," Poudel said. "And, these discontents are necessary."

"All should extend cooperation to help the Prime Minister realise his commitments that are aimed at ending corruption, a fall out of morality in crisis."

Congress General Secretary Sushil Koirala said the anti-democratic elements had become active due to the erosion of values and called on the people to resist such movements.

"There is no alternative to democracy," Koirala said. "The problems surfaced in the past because democracy could not be institutionalised."

NSU's former President N. P. Saud said the gains of democracy could not reach to the people due to the shortcomings in the formulation of economic policies and their implementation.

He stressed the need to evaluate the performance of the party and the government to translate into action the words of the Prime Minister.

Congress's former General Secretary Basudev Risal said the country had its role in building able and deserving citizens and the brain drain should not insult the nation.

He said the student wing of the ruling party should remain active in promoting values.

NSU's President Govinda Bhattarai presided the function which was addressed by Dr Jeev Raj Pokhrel. Pokhrel reviewed the progresses made in the field of education during the last 10 years while NSU's central member Bishwa Prakash Sharma delivered welcome address.

Purvanchal orphanage helping kids

BY SHARAD RAJ SUBEDI

Biratnagar, Apr. 18:Thanks much to Purvanchal Orphanage, nine-year old Ona now lives a comfortable life. The orphanage found a foster home for the abandoned-at-birth child when she was just three months old. Presently, here to visit her former home with her Spanish foster parents, Ona says she wants to become a veterinary doctor when she grows up.

"I love Nepal," Ona said in English. She is also fluent in Spanish but cannot speak Nepali.

"She is an intelligent and very hard working child. She always comes first in her class," said Ona’s foster father Josef. "She has grown very attached to me, if I did not kiss her first thing in the morning and before going to bed, she gets very upset the whole day," added his wife.

So far, Purvanchal Orphanage has given 21 Nepalese children to foreign couples in Spain, Germany, Canada and Netherlands for adoption, according to the orphanage sources. "The children are given to the couples according to the legal procedure prescribed by Civil Code of the country and with full consent and recommendation from the Home Ministry and local administration offices," Sita Pokharel, the Founder President of the orphanage, said.

"We regularly check on the children given away for adoption. We either visit the families that adopt the children or they visit us here. The situation of all the 21 children are satisfactory," said Pokharel. This year Ona visited the orphanage with her new Spanish parents.

Purvanchal Orphanage was founded some thirteen years back. Presently it homes 60 abandoned children.

Additional financial help to terrorism hit citizens

Kathmandu, Apr. 18 (RSS):The present government has given top priority to controlling terrorist activities and has expressed the determination to encourage security personnel and all civil servants involved in this task.

A provision has been made for additional financial assistance and compensation to security personnel, civil servants and general public victimized by terror and dependents of the victims.

According to the Home Ministry, the family of persons killed by terrorists will from now onwards be provided a financial assistance of Rs. 150,000/ and an additional Rs. 50,000/ will be provided to the family of those killed prior to this announcement.

The families of civil servants or individuals other than police personnel killed while on duty in works and action relating to controlling terrorism or maintaining law and order will receive a financial assistance of Rs. 750,000/ and their children will also receive scholarship as being provided to the children of police personnel killed while on duty.

Meanwhile, a health coordination committee has been constituted under the convenorship of the health Minister with the secretaries of Finance, Home and Health, and directors of Bir Hospital, T.U. Teaching Hospital and Birendra Police Hospital as members in order to make necessary arrangement for the medical treatment of those injured in terrorist activities.

The victim family assistance and rehabilitation coordination committee has also been constituted under the convenorship of the Education Minister in order to provide financial assistance and rehabilitate the dependent families of those killed by terrorists and other victims. The secretaries at the ministries of Children, Women and Social Welfare, Home, Works, Housing and Physical Planning, Health, Labour and Transport Management, Land Reform and Management, and Sports and Education, and member-secretary of the Social Welfare Council are members of the committee.

Likewise, the compensation of Rs. 500,000/ being provided to the family of the police personnel killed while on duty in anti-terrorist activity has been increased to Rs. 750,000 and the families of those killed earlier will also receive an additional Rs. 200,000/.

Similarly, the children dependent on those police personnel will receive an annual scholarship Rs. 10,000 for studying at the primary level, Rs. 12,000 at lower secondary level, Rs. 14,000 at secondary level, Rs. 16,000 at the higher secondary level, Rs. 18,000 at graduate level and Rs. 20,000 at the post graduate level.

Police personnel sustaining minor injuries will be provided a compensation of Rs. 5,000 to Rs 25,000 after treatment while those dismembered will be provided Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 50,000/.

Likewise, police personnel on duty in the terrorist affected "A", "B" and "C" categories of districts will be provided an additional monthly allowance of Rs. 2000, Rs 1000 and Rs 700 respectively.

Besides this, any damage caused to the property of the police personnel deputed in the terrorist affected districts will be assessed and 50 per cent value will be provided, compensation of Rs. 3,000 to Rs 10,000 will be provided in case of damage caused to personal property of such police personnel and in case the uniform and toiletries received in accordance with the scale of police personnel is damaged by terrorist then they will be replaced.

Police personnel with good performance record in the terrorist affected districts have already been promoted as per the policy of His Majesty's Government to immediately promote such police personnel making good performance in those districts.

Donors positive toward Nepal's agenda: Acharya

Kathmandu, Apr. 18 (RSS):Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya has said that Nepal's agenda for institutional improvement in the country's state machinary and economic policy reforms have been taken very positively by the representatives of the donor countries and agencies.

Giving a telephonic interview from Paris to RSS today, Minister Acharya said promotion of understanding and cooperation among the government, civil society and the private sector is crucial to attracting more foreign assistance.

The Nepal Development Forum is meeting in Paris at present. The meeting, usually held every two years between the donors of Nepal and His Majesty's Government, has been held at an interval of four years this time.

Political instability in Nepal was the major factor behind the delay in holding the meeting.

The agendas being discussed at this forum are a little bit different from the ones discussed in the previous meetings, Minister Acharya said replying a question.

This time, Nepal's focus will be on winning the donors' trust in the policies adopted by the country and its priority areas, he added.

The donor countries and agencies are concerned about Nepal's development and the progress and prosperity of the Nepalese, he observed.

They have taken very positively Nepal's commitment to improve its economic policy, control corruption and ensure law and order, and good governance and are of the view that these commitments should be fulfilled soon so that the people can experience some relief, the Finance Minister said.

The donors wish to see increased private sector investment in Nepal's telecommunications and water resources sectors.

He also said that the donors have appreciated Nepal's commitment to encourage private sector involvement in development and reform financial strategy.

This forum meeting should not be meant for demanding more foreign money, rather it should be utilized for effective mobilization of international resources through judicious utilization of available money and other resources, Minister Acharya said, replying to a question.

Finance Minister Acharya, in his address at a dinner hosted in honour of the heads of the delegations to the Nepal Development Forum being held in Paris on the evening of April 17, requested the donor community to cooperate with Nepal in its reform agenda, create safety nets to help the marginalised people and make the reform process sustainable.

The return of democracy has brought with it enormous demand and expectations of the people, who are at the same time surging ahead ventilating their expectations and frustrations, he said, adding Nepal's institutional inadequacies and structural rigidities have failed to correctly respond to many of the voices of the people.

"Our bureaucracy needs an overhaul, the financial sector needs drastic reforms and the private sector needs to be enthused," he said.

"We have to push ahead with a decentralized system of governance, combat corruption, ensure a clean and efficient administration, redress gender inequality and spatial imbalances in development efforts," he added.

The present government is not disturbed by the enormity of the challenges ahead: it is committed to face up to them, he said, adding there is only one way to tackle the challenges-- the path of economic reform.

"Let us all find out the reasons why despite enormous amount of aid flows to Nepal, the prosperity and prospects for the teeming millions in Nepal still remains elusive," he said, proposing discussions on the weaknesses on Nepal's part and the forces that are holding back Nepal and the Nepalese people.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Acharya in course of taking part in the Nepal Development Forum meeting in Paris, the capital of France had seperate meetings today with the leaders of delegations from Norway, Asian Development Bank, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States of America.

On the occasion leaders of delegation of donor countries and agencies heartly appreciated the policy of economic development and institutional reform measures adopted by Nepal and expressed committment to provide cooperation for the implementation of the proposed reform measures.

Likewise, representatives of various donor community yesterday held extensive discussion with the Nepalese delegation led by Finance Minister Acharya on the cooperation of the donor countries in Nepal's development endeavours at the Nepal Development Forum meeting being held in Paris.

In course of the discussion, the representatives of donor countries clearly put forth their plans, suggestions and reactions regarding development assistance.

At the meeting, Finance Minister Acharya apprised the donor representatives of relevant development issues of Nepal and government efforts and commitment to enhance the effectiveness of development assistance.

Also yesterday, the Finance Minister had extensive discussions with the representatives of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank on the role of those multilateral financial institutions and Nepal's development strategy.

The donor community representatives made Nepal's socio-economic challenges and problems, and the reforms policy Nepal has to adopt to face up to these challenges the focal point of the discussion.

They also pledged continued support to Nepal's development endeavours.

Finance Minister Acharya apprised the representatives of Nepal's reform agenda and its commitment to translate it into reality.

The Nepalese delegation included National Planning Commission vice chairman Prithviraj Ligal, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to France Indra Bahadur Singh, special secretary at the Finance Ministry Bimal Prasad Koirala, senior economic advisor Tula Raj Basyal and joint secretary Madhav Prasad Ghimire.

NRB reduces interest on loans

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 18: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has reduced the bank rate from 9.0 to 7.5 per cent effective April 14.

It is almost two and a half years since NRB reduced its interest rate on loans it provides to the banking system. The central bank has then reduced the bank rate from 11 to to 9.0 per cent.

The commercial banks, agricultural development banks and Nepal Industrial Development Corporation are entitled to this facility on the refinance loans they take from the central bank after making investments in the priority sectors.

“We hope that bank rate reduction will enlarge the demand for credit in agriculture, industry and employment generation sector as it is expected to reduce the interest rate on lending,” NRB Governor Dr. Tilak Rawal told a press meet here today.

Rawal said that readjustment of the bank rate would augment the credit access facility, employment opportunities and raise the income level but failed to make a projection about the elasticity of investment.

“We just want to give a signal that the commercial banks should lower their interest rates,” he said.

The central bank has also reviewed the interest rate on the refinancing loans to the Grameen Bikash Banks as well as other institutions that offer micro-credit facilities to poor people in the rural areas. The interest rate on such loans has been reduced to 6.5 per cent which previously stood at 9.0 per cent.

Rawal said that this provision would help promote the economic activities as the micro-credit institutions could provide loans at lower interest rates, as their cost of capital would go down.

NRB has also readjusted the interest rate on the refinancing loans it provides to the commercial banks for export sector loans. The interest rate for such loans is fixed at 6.5 per cent from the previous 7.0 per cent.

This is done with a view to encourage export trade, Rawal said.

NRB last year introduced a provision of refinancing commercial banks on export sector loans at 7 per cent. Under this provision, the commercial banks provided loans to the export sector at 10 per cent. According to the revised provisions, they are to flow credits at 9.5 per cent.

This provision will make Nepalese goods competitive in the international market by reducing the cost of production, Rawal said.

Voters ID card, to be introduced in 41 constituencies

Kathmandu, Apr. 18 (RSS):Election Commission is to introduce voter's identity cards in 41 constituencies under second phase pursuant to clause 23 of  voter list act 2052, in keeping with a plan to introduce voter's identity cards in all constituencies across the country to make the election impartial.

Nationals can get the vote only with the voter's identity cards in the districts where the clause has been effected.

According to the commission, the constituencies where the identity cards be introduced include Ilam 3, Jhapa 1,3 and 6, Dhankuta 1, Morang 5,6 and 7, Sunsari 1, 2 and 4, Saptari 3, Siraha 1 and 4, Danusha 4, Mahottari 2, Sarlahi 3, Makwanpur 2, Rautahat 1, 2, 3 and 4, Bara 3, Parsa 1, Chitwan 2 and 3, Kaski 2, Palpa 3, Nawalparasi 4, Rupandehi 2 and 3, Kapilvastu 2 and 4, Surkhet 2, Banke 2, Bardiya 2, Doti 1, Kailali 1 and 4 and Kanchapur 3.

The identity cards have been introduced in a total of 13 constituencies including 10 in Kathmandu valley under first phase and one constituency in Sunsari, Kathmandu and Baidati each in the begining on experimental basis.

The number of constituencies where voter's identity cards have been introduced reached 54 so far .

The identity cards are to be issued in more 51 constituencies in 2057/58 under third phase.

The constituencies include Sankhuwasabha 1, Dolakha 2, Kabhre 2 and 3, Nuwakot 3, Kaski 1, Gorakha 1, Tanahu 2, Syanja 1 and 2, Baglung 1, Dailekh 1, Dadeldhura 1, Baitadi 2, Udaypur 1, Sindhuli 2, Jhapa 2, 4 and 5, Morang 1,2, 3 and 4, Sunasari 3, Saptari 1,2, 4 and 5, Siraha 2, 3 and 5, Dhanusha 1, 2, 3 and 5, Mahottari 1, 3 and 4, Sarlahi 1,2,4 and 5, Bara 1, 2 and 4, Chitwan 1 and 4 and Lalitpur 1.

Vitamin ‘A’ capsules administered

Kathmandu, Apr. 18 (RSS): Administration of vitamin 'A' capsules to the children an half year old to 6 of age kicked off today in 64 district across the country where national vitamin 'A' programme has been carried out phase wise by Ministry of Health, HMG.

The programme which lasts till tomorrow aims at administering vitamin 'A' capsules at ward level to around 2.78 million children with the help of 35,000 women volunteers.

The programme is also to impart knowledge about the natural sources of vitamin 'A' such as green vegetable, fruits, fishes, eggs and breast feeding.

Ministry of Health has been launching the national vitamin 'A' programme with the objectives of not to prevailing the vitamin 'A' deficiency as a problem to public health, reducing child mortality rate, preventing eye diseases by the vitamin 'A' deficiency and inculcating the habit of balance diets.

The programme has been carried out twice a year, once in the month of Baishakh and another in Kartik by the women volunteers in association with local people's representatives, government offices and local non-governmental organisations.

The districts where the programme has been implemented include Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusa, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Routahat, Bara, Parsa, Nawalparasi, Rupendehi, Kapilvastu, Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Surkhet, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Doti, Achham, Dadeldhura, Baitadi, Bajhang, Darchula, Bajura and Kalikot.

Similarly, the programme targets to cover  Julma, Dolpa, Mugu, Humla, Parvat, Arghakhanchi, Baglung, Dailekha, Myagdi, Kaski, Lamjung, Syanja, Palpa, Manang, Mustang, Tanahu, Chitwan, Makwanpur, Ilam, Dhankuta, Terhathum, Bhojpur, Panchthar, Khotamg, Taplejung, Udaypur, Okhaldhunga, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu, Pyuthan, Kathmandum Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts.

Usaid and unicef, Are assisting in the programme from its inception and Australian-aid from last year.

Donors positive toward Nepal's agenda: Acharya

Kathmandu, Apr. 18 (RSS):Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya has said that Nepal's agenda for institutional improvement in the country's state machinary and economic policy reforms have been taken very positively by the representatives of the donor countries and agencies.

Giving a telephonic interview from Paris to RSS today, Minister Acharya said promotion of understanding and cooperation among the government, civil society and the private sector is crucial to attracting more foreign assistance.

The Nepal Development Forum is meeting in Paris at present. The meeting, usually held every two years between the donors of Nepal and His Majesty's Government, has been held at an interval of four years this time.

Political instability in Nepal was the major factor behind the delay in holding the meeting.

The agendas being discussed at this forum are a little bit different from the ones discussed in the previous meetings, Minister Acharya said replying a question.

This time, Nepal's focus will be on winning the donors' trust in the policies adopted by the country and its priority areas, he added.

The donor countries and agencies are concerned about Nepal's development and the progress and prosperity of the Nepalese, he observed.

They have taken very positively Nepal's commitment to improve its economic policy, control corruption and ensure law and order, and good governance and are of the view that these commitments should be fulfilled soon so that the people can experience some relief, the Finance Minister said.

The donors wish to see increased private sector investment in Nepal's telecommunications and water resources sectors.

He also said that the donors have appreciated Nepal's commitment to encourage private sector involvement in development and reform financial strategy.

This forum meeting should not be meant for demanding more foreign money, rather it should be utilized for effective mobilization of international resources through judicious utilization of available money and other resources, Minister Acharya said, replying to a question.

Discussions at the Forum have centered a round major development challenges facing Nepal, strategy to be adopted to face the challenges and basic aspects of development, he said.

He also expressed confidence that the Paris meeting would be instrumental in boosting Nepal's development activities and poverty alleviation through the attainment of basic objectives of development.