Maoists indicate they are serious they are serious for talks : Deuba

The previous government headed by Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has formed a High Level Recommendation Committee under former Prime Minister and NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba as coordinator to submit suggestions to the government and to take the initiative to hold talks with the CPN (Maoist) for settling the Maoist problem. Deuba, who has been making efforts to create a conducive environment for the talks with the Maoists, is optimistic that the talks will be held in the near future. Amid speculations and doubts about the talks with the Maoist leaders, Deuba, in an exclusive interview with The Rising Nepal, The Gorkhapatra and Sunday Despatch, said that the government, ruling party, opposition parties and the Maoists are in favour of solving the problem through talks.

On Friday, Deuba spoke to Ballav Mani Dahal at his residence regarding the progress made so far for the talks.

At what stage is the process of holding talks with the CPN (Maoist)?

Before talking about the process, I would like tell you about its background in brief. During Krishna Prasad Bhattarai's premiership last year, a high level committee was formed under my convenorship to make recommendations to the government to solve the Maoist problem. I held wide-ranging discussions with the major political parties, human rights activists and intellectuals. The conclusion was that the on-going violence and killings must stop on both sides through dialogue. After taking permission from Kishunji, I wrote to the Maoist leader Prachanda who responded positively. However, the process could not move forward as a new government was formed.

Now Prime Minister and President of the Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala has told me to go ahead. I have received another letter from Prachanda which I have submitted to Prime Minister Koirala.

- Would you tell us about the content of the letter in detail?

I cannot. However, the letter indicates that the Maoist leaders are in favour of holding talks with the government. In the letter, they have told the government to fulfill minimum requirements to create a conducive environment for the talks.

- It was said that you were not given authority to hold talks with the Maoists.

I wrote to the Maoist leaders after the Prime Minister told me to do so. The Prime Minister had said in public that the government had given me full authority to do the needful.

- What preparations are being made?

I think, the government is doing the necessary homework.

- Could it be that the Maoists by wanting to hold talks are trying to find recognition as a political force?

They have publicly stated that they want to solve the problem through talks. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt.

- Will there be a mediator?

All the political parties, human rights activists, civil society and others will have to extend all necessary support.

- Is there any difference among the leaders of the Nepali Congress regarding the talks?

The issue is being discussed at the Central Working Committee meeting of the party. There is no difference among the leaders.

- The Maoist leaders are said to be against a constitutional monarchy and multiparty democracy. Have they forwarded such conditions?

Talks cannot be held on such issues. Our party believes in constitutional monarchy. Personally, I also respect monarchy. So far as the issue of the demand for a constitution assembly is concerned, we had given up the idea in 2013 B. S. The demand for the formation of a constitution assembly in a monarchical country is not appropriate. The Maoist leaders have just demanded for fulfilling minimum requirements for the creation of a conducive environment for the talks.

- Both the Maoists and the government have to abide by the Geneva Convention.

This is not a battle between two countries. It is a question of implementing humanitarian laws. In a democratic setup, people are not arrested without reason. They are also not tortured.

- Do you have telephone contacts with the Maoist leaders?

I have no such contacts.

- How have you been contacting them?

I do not want to speak about it.

- Who will be participating in the talks on behalf of the Maoists?

This has yet to be finalized. But Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai is likely to participate.

- What is the role of former Prime Minister Bhattarai in solving the Maoist problem?

He wants to see the problem solved. He has been serious about it from the very beginning.

Proactive foreign policy suits Nepal: Dr Mahat

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, June 24: Former Foreign Minister and Nepali Congress lawmaker Ram Sharan Mahat today suggested that Nepal needed to pursue an activist foreign policy leaving behind the reactive policy.

Mahat’s statement came in the wake of comments from other parliamentarians that five villages in Banke district had been inundated after India constructed a dam across the border in the Rapti river.

"Had we been able to raise our voices against the Indian move before the construction started then we could have avoided the loss," he told the House of Representatives meeting while discussing on the appropriation heads under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In an apparent reference to the "Nepal Game Plan" report that appeared in the website of India Today, Mahat said the Nepalese intelligence must speak out regarding the authenticity of the report.

"The government must react at the official level towards the report if it is incorrect," he said.

Nepal needs to do some planning to define its foreign policy priorities in the changed context of the unipolar world order, Mahat said.

Mahat said since Nepal has prioritised economic diplomacy as an important tenet of its foreign policy, the indicators for the same must also be defined.

Budget has not been earmarked for consolidating the Foreign Ministry through training programmes for the officials. The training part cannot be neglected because without proper orientation and training the officials will not be able to develop competence, he said.

Mahat said the newly recruited officials at the Ministry lacked communication skills and competence to acknowledge the essence of diplomacy in the changing context of the world.

He also suggested that a separate service commission be set up for foreign services making a thorough review of the testing patterns and subjects for new entries.

Nepal must this time vie for the chairmanship of the UN General Assembly and the Economic Social Council and should lobby for its interest in the international community, he said.

Denouncing the claims of some parliamentarians that the government had failed to show any progress on the Bhutanese refugees problem, Mahat said, "We have moved ahead to address the issue and it is likely that the problem will be resolved after some vital steps are completed."

He said that the government must open dialogue with India for the review of 1950 treaty and to resolve the territorial dispute of Kalapani.

Efforts should be made to hold the SAARC Summit at the earliest possible. Talks must be held with India to remove the 5 per cent duty, which it has imposed on Nepalese exports. This is against the agreed terms and conditions of the Nepal-India trade treaty, he said.

CPN(UML) lawmaker Raghuji Pant said the government had not formulated a foreign policy, which could protect and promote the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

He said the issue of reviewing the 1950 treaty with India had not been accorded priority. The issue of Kalapani has also remained stagnant and the government has not done anything to hold talks with India to remove the five per cent duties being imposed on Nepalese exports, Panta said.

He said sealing of the border with India and issuing of passports for Indians should be done to protect Nepal’s interest.

Pashupati Shumshere Rana of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party said the country must formulate a foreign policy in keeping with the changed global order and must not allow activities to take place from its soil against any neighbouring country.

The foreign policy must also be oriented to define the country’s national security policy, he said.

Lila Mani Pokharel of the United Peoples’ Front Nepal charged the government of supporting India’s strategy of making the South Asian region its hegemony.

He said Nepal had been facing a lot of intervention in its domestic front from India.

Chitra Bahadur K.C. of the Rastriya Janamorcha said Nepal must maintain equal distance with India and China. He maintained that India had been interfering a lot in Nepal’s domestic policies.

Badri Prasad Mandal of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party said since Nepal’s relation with India carried a lot of significance, the government should exercise prudence while defining its foreign policy priorities.

Accelerate campaign against drug abuse, stresses Joshi

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, June 24: Home Minister Govinda Raj Joshi addressing a symposium said that anti-drugs campaign should target the young people because they are the most vulnerable group. Brahma Kumari Rajyog Sewa Kendra (BKRSK) in assistance from Drugs Demand Reduction Project today organised a symposium to discuss about the situation of drug abuse and ways of fighting the problem.

Joshi also said that the problem of excessive use of hallucinogenic products in Nepal is mainly due to lack of education. He also hoped that the parliament would soon pass an anti-alcohol law that will bar sell of alcohol to underage people.

According to the Home Minister data, Nepal had a total of 30,000 drug addicts in 1999. Majority of the addicts belongs to 15 to 30 year age-bracket. Studies show that marijuana is produced in central and far western high hills and Terai plains. Last year police confiscated 4,059 kilos of marijuana, 1,316 kilos of hashish, 1.44 kilos of opium and 1.1515 kilos of heroin. Police also confiscated a large amount of smuggled liquid medications with considerable amount of buprenorphine and codeine, which are banned to be sold without doctors' prescriptions.

Dr. Chop Lal Bhushal of Drugs Demand Reduction Project claimed that the number of addicts calculated by the government is far less than the real number. "Our studies show that the number of drugs addicts in Nepal stand anywhere between 50,000 to 60,000," Bhusal said. The number of addicts claimed by Bhushal is double the number calculated by the government. "Addiction is a kind of disease that can kill not only the addicted person but his family and community," he said adding that addiction has strong and preventable psychological and social reasons.

In Nepal, illegal import of hallucinogenic products was first traced back in 1970s and two decades later in early 1990s seriousness of problem was recognised. Globally, the systematic drugs trafficking on narcotics is believed to have started in 1950s.

"Today, systematic drug cartel has developed into unstoppable force that is encouraging corruption and violence around the globe. In comparison, the funds set aside to fight the illegal narcotics trafficking by governments is a meagre amount," he said.

Available data shows that annual profit made on narcotics trade stands at US$ 500 billion. According to United Nations Drug Control Programme, 90 per cent of world profit made on drugs trade is pocketed by the traffickers, 6 per cent of it goes to farmers and 2 per cent is shared by labourers involved in refinement of drugs. UN's Narcotics Control Board claims that annually 240 tonnes of opium is produced in the world.

"Drugs problem is becoming epidemic," SSP Ravi Raj Thapa from the Nepal Police Headquarter said. He blamed emerging "materialistic attitude and mentality" for rampant narcotics trade.

Amik Sherchan of United People's Front, Bhim Acharya of Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist, Bala Ram Gharti Magar of Rastriya Prajatantra Party and NP Saud of Nepali Congress expressed their party's commitment to stop the trade on drugs.

'IT holds key to progress'

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, June 24: National Planning Commission Member Dr. Shankar Sharma today said that the government was committed to develop tourism and information technology (IT) sectors that held good prospects in terms of national development.

The government is working with the private sector to address the problems facing these sectors and devise appropriate policy to harness the potentials they hold, Sharma said addressing a talk programme on Human Resource Development in Nepal in the New Millennium here this afternoon.

Citing the ongoing second infrastructure development project in tourism and the open sky policy in communications, Sharma said that the government had given due importance to these sectors. "The government is running various programmes to develop human resources in tourism and IT sectors."

HAN (Hotel Association of Nepal) President Narendra Bajracharya however said that the government had not given due importance to tourism development. "There is no incentive to tourism industry," he said.

Bajracharya said that the government was not likely to attain its prime objective of poverty alleviation unless it gave due priority to tourism development that occupies about 20 per cent of country’s foreign currency earnings and provides direct or indirect employment to about 4.5 million people.

Bajracharya stressed on education and training for the development of tourism industry.

President of Computer Association of Nepal Rajib Subba stressed the need to recognise IT as a service industry. "We have missed the industrial revolution and green revolution but we must not miss IT revolution."

Subba said that human was the prime capital in the present day digital world and called for human resource development initiatives on part of the government.

Organised by Nepal AOTS Alumni Society (NAAS) as a part of observing its 10th anniversary, the programme was attended, among others, by AOTS-Japan’s President Kanichi Ito and AOTS-Dhaka’s representative.

NAAS is a non-profit organisation of the ex-trainees of the AOTS, Japan. It was established in 1991 with human resource development in management and technical fields as its main objective.

Govt media accused of inaccuracy

Kathmandu, June 24 (RSS): Some MPs at the House of Representatives today accused the official media of not properly covering the news of parliamentary proceedings, particularly the speeches of the MPs.

CPN-UML's Prem Bahadur Singh complained that official media including the Gorkhapatra reported that he raised the issue of food crisis in Kailali. Actually he had raised the issue of food crisis in Kalikot, Bajhang, Bajura, Mugu, Humla and other hailstone affected districts, Mr Singh said.

NC's Shiva Raj Joshi (Dailekh) stressed the need for the Ministry of Information and Communications to see to it that RSS, NTV, Radio and other official media properly cover the parliament news.

Jagannath Khatiwada of CPN-UML accused the official media of not giving full coverage to the speeches of MPs at parliament. Since parliament is the only forum where MPs can raise the issues of their constituencies, the media must report what they say.

13 killed in Tanahu landslide

Kathmandu, June 24 (RSS): Thirteen people were killed when their houses were burried in a landslide caused by torrential rains at Risti, Kyamin and Mirlung village development committees last night, according to the Tanahu district police office.

The deceased have been identified as Juthimaya Lama, a resident of ward No. 6 Barlachi of Kyamin VDC and five members of his family and two others of the same VDC, Purna Bahadur Gurung and his son and daughter of ward No. 4 of Mirlung VDC, and Khemraj Mishra, 60, and his son Ashish Poudel of Risti VDC.

Meanwhile Deputy Prime Minister Ramchandra Paudel has expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and property caused by landslides in Tanahu, Lamjung and Kaski districts in the past few days and extended heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved families.

In a condolence statement issued here today, Mr Paudel said His Majesty's Government will make every efforts to provide assistance to the affected families.

Mr Paudel also appealed to all to extend cooperation to the affected families at this hour of grief.

‘Resolve problems of Kamaiyas & landless settlers’

Kathmandu, June 24 (RSS): The House of Representatives at its meeting the other day discussed the appropriation heads concerning the Ministry of Land Reforms and Management.

Speaking on the occasion, Bharat Kumar Shaha of the Nepali Congress demanded that a concrete policy should be devised for resolving the problems of landless settlers, priority given to surveying the land belonging to VDCs, programmes aimed at freeing Kamaiyas or bonded labourers implemented more effectively, and tax collected strictly from the land exceeding the ceiling.

CPN-UML’s Tukraj Mishra spoke of the need to put an end to dual ownership on land, enforce the Badal Commission Report, map the border areas in a scientific manner to keep its record and change the guthi land in various VDCs of Tanahun district into Rainkar.

NC’s Prakash Bahadur Gurung said a revolutionary land reforms programme should be implemented to streamline land-related problems, genuine landless people identified and their problems solved, and the landless people of Kaski district provided land outside the city area.

Hridayaram Thani of the same party noted that the government should pay attention to mapping the land in Birendranagar in Surkhet, and an effective policy devised to resolve land problems.

NC’s Shivraj Joshi (Dailekh) observed that special priority should be given to plotting the land, landownership certificates provided to tenants and landless people’s problems resolved.

Damberbirsingh Sambahanfe stressed the need to implement the revolutionary land reforms programme, implement the report of the Badal Commission, identify genuine landless people to solve their problems once and for all, and stop corruption in land revenue offices.

Krishna Kishore Ghimire of the Nepali Congress that provisions allowing concessions to those who plot the land and implementation of a well-managed irrigation system and an integrated land information system stated in the budget are most welcome, adding that emphasis should be given to career development of kamaiyas in order to free them from the shackles.

Ananda Prasad Pokhrel of the CPN-UML accused the government of hesitating to make tillers owners of the land and depriving farmers of their tenancy rights.

Umakanta Chaudhary of the NC complained that in several VDCs of Bara constituency No. 1 land-mafias have claimed hundreds of bighas of land, the guthi land is yet to be managed and land ownership certificates have not been given to those who have been living for generations.

CPN-UML’s Lalbabu Pandit said disintegration of land has reduced productivity, tenancy problems should be resolved within a certain period of time, the land claimed by land-mafias made public, the provision of land ceiling strictly implemented and the Guthi land managed.

Damodar Bastakoti of the Nepali Congress observed that the people with means and resources have occupied the land of the helpless and the government’s programmes should be in the interests of the poor and the helpless.

CPN-UML’s Bir Bahadur Lama pointed out the need to implement the report of the Badal Commission and earmark the fund for building a land revenue office in Makwanpur district.

NC’s Tanka Prasad Rai expressed confidence that the land reforms policy to be brought about by His Majesty’s Government will be successfully implemented, the progressive tax system will help expedite the land reforms drive and the integrated land act will be in favour of the people.

Krishna Lal Maharjan of the CPN-UML suggested the shortcomings dogging land reforms should be gradually corrected, land-ceiling should be practical, dual land ownership ended, a concrete policy worked out to resolve the Guthi land problems and attention given to stop corruption in land revenue offices.

NC’s Ramnath Adhikari said it is high time that we assessed the success of the land reforms programme enforced way back in 2015 BS, adding, programmes such as geo-information system, mapping, freeing of kamaiyas, etc are positive.

Janakraj Giri of the Nepali Congress expressed the view that many programmes brought about by the land reforms and management ministry are revolutionary, demanding that a land revenue office be constructed in Bajura district, and land provided to landless people in the hilly districts.

Shiv Prasad Humangain of the same party remarked that the Congress party has all along been fighting for the sake of farmers against the feudal system and wants the kamaiya problem solved.

Keshav Thapa of the Nepali Congress laid stress on the need to utilize land to develop agriculture, resolve the problems of kamaiyas and landless squatters immediately as these have turned into begging bowls for political parties, and end corruption in land revenue offices.

Dilliraj Sharma of the same party noted that kamaiyas should not only be relieved of their loans but their landowners should also be penalised, and mapping of land should be made scientific.

NC’s Sushila Swanr spoke of the need of uniformity in land distribution, plotting the land, mapping of the land in a scientific manner and allocating enough budget for removing the kamaiya system.

Kailashnath Kasaudhan, also of the NC, demanded that disintegration of land should be discouraged, irregularities in land revenue offices controlled, genuine problems of landless peoples identified and their problems solved, and the people living in Chisapani of Banke-3 provided landownership certificates.

RPP’s Brijesh Kumar Gupta and Govinda Bikram Shaha noted that agriculture is yet to be modernised, the landless peoples problems resolution commission should be made more effective, those who have left their land uncultivated have not been brought to book in spite of the law and land in the hilly region has been left untilled because of law and order problem.

Shiva Bahadur Deuja and Sohan Prasad Chaudhary of the CPN-UML observed that without farmers’ development the country’s development is not possible, the Badal Commission Report should be made public. The employees of the land revenue offices take bribes to relieve the landlords.

NC’s Ramjanam Chaudhary noted that if the central and district members of the landless squatters problems resolution commission become inactive, the party’s election manifesto cannot be implemented and it is unfortunate that forests are being destroyed in the name of landless settlers.

Arjun Prasad Joshi of the Nepali Congress said that the Opposition has been talking of revolutionary and progressive land reforms, the government of the Nepali Congress had pursued the policy of the tenants have the rights over the land tilled by them and suggested the adoption of modern agriculture techniques, introduction of land utilisation policy, activating the landless squatters commission of various districts and enhancing the physical facilities of the survey, land revenue and land reforms offices.

Mrs Urmila Aryal of the CPN-UML said that 33 percent of the arable land was possessed by six percent of the people, attention had not been given to the protection of agriculture and small industries, and in the absence of land utilisation policy, the arable land was being filled up with houses.

Rajendra Kharel of the Nepali Congress said that none of the government so far could carry out land reforms in the true sense and pointed out the need for the protection of streams, rivulets and public land.

Birodh Khatiwada of the CPN-UML said that instead of punishing those keeping bonded labourers, money had been allocated for them on the pretext of debt relief, and that the Landless Squatters Problems Commission was becoming active only in the time of elections.

Narayan Sharma Paudel of the Nepali Congress referred to the context of the revolutionary programmes such as land for the tenants also and debt relief for the bonded labourers introduced by HMG, and demanded relief to the people of Chitwan district displaced by soil erosion.

Ganga Prasad Nepal of the CPN-UML that as the land distribution system was traditional and feudal, it should be made scientific, and the report of the high level land reforms commission prepared with Keshav Badal as the convenor should be made public and implemented.

Savitri Bogati of the Nepali Congress said that unless land was improved, agriculture development could not be visualised, fragmentation of land should be adjusted, and debt relief programme for bonded labourers was effective.

Sherdhan Rai of the CPN-UML alleged that the government had not introduced clear and specific programmes for land reforms and management having direct bearing on the economy of the country and economic status of the people.

Kashi Paudel of the Nepali Congress said that the government had presented a very good programme concerning land reforms and emphasised the need to take stern action against those involved in irregularities in land revenue which is used to run the affairs of the state.

Til Kumar Menyangbo of the CPN-UML said that as the programmes introduced by the government was unclear and ineffective in resolving the problems related to the land revenue, the programme seems to be for show only like the tusk of an elephant.

Kunta Sharma of the CPN-UML said that there was no policy on land utilisation concerning land reforms, and the land meant for horticulture, growing crops and housing was not defined clearly.

Ghanendra Basnet of the CPN-UML said that it was necessary to link agriculture with industries and trade to raise the productivity of land, and bring in policy to introduce land utilisation policy, integrated land information system, and start maintaining records of land in scientific manner.

Laxman Prasad Mehta of the Nepali Congress said that the budget had various praiseworthy programmes such as debt relief for bonded labourers, central integrated land information system, landless squatters commission but unless the citizenship issues was resolved, genuine landless squatters would not be receiving the land and attention should be given to this aspect also.

Chandramani Kharal of the CPN-UML said that as the country had sufficient technical manpower, they should be mobilised, and land related policy and programmes should be introduced.

Hari Narayan Chaudhari of the Nepali Congress said that the problem between the landlords and the tenants should be resolved and land information system should be introduced in a scientific manner.

Hem Narayan Yadav of the CPN-UML said that the ceiling on land should be enforced effectively and the citizenship issued should be resolved to solve the problem of the landless squatters.

Hari Bhakta Adhikari of the Nepali Congress said that emphasis should be laid on land planning and management, records of land maintained and package programme on agriculture introduced.

Tara Samayangya of the CPN-UML said that unless the land was owned by majority of the farmers, agricultural productivity cannot be raised, and provision of rehabilitation and employment should be made for bonded labourers instead of debt relief program.

Meanwhile, Netralal Shrestha of the RPP, Hridayesh Tripathi of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party and Lilamani Pokhrel of the SJM presented separate proposals for reducing Rs 100 on the expenses of the Ministry of Land Reforms and Management at meeting of the House of Representatives.

Presenting the proposal MP Shrestha of the RPP accused the government of aggravating the problem of landless squatters and benefiting its workers through political appointment.

He stressed the need of equitable land distribution, identification of the genuine landless, plotting of the land, physical improvement of the land tax offices and effectiveness of the central integrated land information system.

Stating that the landless problem would trigger encroachment of forest land thereby destabilising the environment, MP Shrestha drew the attention towards the registration of the land occupied by organisations and schools, debt relief of the kamaiyas and their emancipation, and making the tillers the owners of the land.

Presenting the proposal for reduction in the expenses of the Ministry, Hridayesh Tripathy of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party said the works of the Ministry of Land Reforms and Management should be carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, the slogan of revolutionary land reforms has not been implemented, the landless farmers are under the poverty line and the landless squatters problems are political rather than economic. He alleged that the landless squatters problems resolution commission has been the stronghold for corruption and irregularities.

Similarly, presenting the proposal to curtail the expenses of the Ministry, Lilamani Pokherel of the Samyukta Janamorcha said the land policy of Nepal has not been people- oriented, the land tillers should have the ownership, the slogan of the tiller being the land owner should be implemented, agriculture, industry and commerce has been affected by the land policies, the feudal land-ownership should be ended, contradiction has been emerging because of the feudal land-ownership and the small farmers have been displaced by the multinational companies.

He said one million people are landless, the rich have left the land without cultivating it thereby hampering agro production worth Rs 20 billion, the classification of land has been wrong, and no concrete programmes for kamaiya emancipation has been brought.

Taking part at the discussion Parsuram Meghi Gurung of the CPN-UML said the land information system should be made orderly, integrated land reforms policy should be brought and the appropriated amount for agriculture is inadequate. He claimed that the landless squatters problems resolution commission cannot resolve the problems of the landless.

Mohan Bahadur Basnet of the NC requested to establish landless squatters problem resolution commission in Sindhupalchowk district, and demanded allocation of budget for repair of the land tax office. He said the programmes brought by the present government were positive and called its implementation.

Pari Thapa of the Rastriya Janmorcha said the political parties are using the landless problem as a vote bank rather than resolving it, and the debt relief amount set aside for the kamaiyas will not benefit them but will only benefit the rich. He drew the attention of the government towards the Tharu people of the west who are extremely backward.

CPN-UML’s Suresh Kumar Karki and Subhas Karmacharya said interests of genuine tenants have not been preserved, more than 70 per cent of the people have only one hectare of land each, land ownership certificates distributed to landless settlers are not accepted in banks, unless a revolutionary programmes is put in place, the slogan "land for the tiller" is not possible, no one seems worried about the Guthi problem and attention should be given to the betterment of the Tharus who have been working in Terai for generations.

NC’s Narayan Prakash Saud, Ramesh Lekhak and Ajaya Pratap Shaha spoke of the need for the government to bring in concrete policies for land reforms, solve land-related problems by resurveying the land, stop deforestation in the mid-western region, provide jobs to the bonded labourers, simplify the land-related laws, identify genuine landless people and plot the land.

PEs weak due to incompetent management: PM

Kathmandu, June 24 (RSS): Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said that the task of national development could materialise only through co-ordination and concerted effort between the government and the private sector.

Prime Minister Koirala was inaugurating a seminar on the state of health services in the country and interrelationship between private and government hospitals here today.

Referring to the need for planners to make on the spot study of the geographical and economic conditions of the country while laying out plans, he pointed out that public enterprises are financially weak because of incompetent management.

He suggested that the private sector also launch programmes targeting rural people in view of the shortage of the health personnel in such areas.

Directives were issued to the finance minister and planners to come up with an ambitious and concrete budget, he said adding that if the goals and programmes envisaged in the proposed budget are met and executed, the need for seeking loans and grants from donor agencies would not remain for long.

At the seminar organised by the Association of Private Health Institutions Nepal as a part of its second general meeting, Dr. Yagya Bahadur Karki, Dr. Biswambhar Pyakurel and Dr. Madan Kumar Dahal presented working papers pointing out the need for suitable policy to encourage private sector involvement in health services in view of only 5 per cent of the budget being invested in this sector.

They also said that Value Added Tax should not be enforced immediately without first studying the income of institutions involved in the health sector.

Association chairman Dr. Bhola Rijal presided over the seminar at which Dr. Sachche Kumar Pahadi and Basanta Kumar Choudhari threw light on seminar objectives.

MPs press govt to tackle issues

Kathmandu, June 24 (RSS): MPs of the House of Representatives drew the attention of the house towards contemporary issues of the country as well as their respective constituencies by taking time from the Speaker as soon as the meeting of the House of Representatives began here today.

Dilliraj Sharma of the Nepali Congress pointed out the need to set up a slaughterhouse in a place where water is available in abundance as the present places for slaughtering animals in the Kathmandu Valley is extremely filthy.

Birodh Khatiwada of the CPN-UML said a serious problem has been created as the Landless Squatters Problems Resolution Commission has been destroying the leasehold forest developed by the people in 5-6 hundred Ropanis of land under the Manahari VDC in Makwanpur district and demanded a practical solution to the problem.

Ganga Prasad Nepal of the CPN-UML demanded distribution of land ownership certificates to the people who have been settling in the public land for years in Sindhuli district.

Ramhari Dhungel of the Nepali Congress demanded immediate supply of foodgrains and seeds to Ramechhap district and drew the attention of the concerned authorities to control the soil erosion caused by the swollen Ranajaur and Bhotouli streams.

Devilal Thapa of the CPN-UML said people have been facing big problem as air services have come to a standstill since the last 16 days due to the blacktopping of the Jumla Airport and complained that the grievances have not been heard by the concerned body for alternate flights despite frequent demand.

MPs Chandra Bahadur Shahi and Nara Bahadur Budhathoki of the same party also made similar complaints.

MP Shahi said the people of Mugu, Jumla and Kalikot have been stranded in Nepalgunj and Surkhet due to the closure of air services in Jumla and added that the MPs of the region have been raising the issues of foodgrains crisis and air services but the government has not heeded to the issues raised by the MPs.

Similarly, MP Budhathoki said the government has not shown any concern on the demand of operation of the air services to Karnali zone of the mid western development region which has lagged behind in many respects.

Sarbadhan Rai of the Nepali Congress said Maoist attack has taken place in Ainselukharka of Khotang district after few days of killing three policemen by the Maoists in Junbesi police post in Solukhumbu and demanded strengthening of law and order there.

Om Prasad Ojha of the CPN-UML said the education sector has been in disorder as no process has been begun so far after more than one year of the commitment to make permanent the temporary teachers whose number exceeds 50,000 in public schools.

Rishikesh Gautam of the Nepali Congress drew the attention of the Home Minister towards the feeling of insecurity in the people of bara district from increasing dacoity and looting.

Dr. Mangal Siddhi Manandhar of the CPN-UML called for construction of a bridge at Dharmapur in Dharmasthali VDC in Kathmandu where the temporary bridge was washed away by the flood, repair of the Kathmandu-Swoyambhu Road and establishing a police-post at ward No. 18, Tamsipakha as untoward incidents have been increasing in broad daylight.

Mohan Bahadur Basnet of the Nepali Congress said the Maoist terrorist activities have been increasing day by day causing a great loss and called for its resolution by all the parties by uniting as a single block.