Globalisation good for Nepal: Experts

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Lalitpur, Mar. 28:Nepal’s integration with global economy is essential for the national economic growth and poverty reduction, experts said at a national workshop today.

Nepal has no alternative but to adopt globalisation and liberalisation for the promotion of domestic economy, they said at the two-day workshop on “Globalisation and Sustainable Human Development” jointly organised by National Planning Commission (NPC), UNDP and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) here today. “Nepal cannot achieve sustainable human development by isolating herself from the international economic community.”

They said Nepal would benefit from the globalisation of its economy in various ways and suggested that Nepal had to prepare herself before joining the international economic track.

They also pointed out some prerequisites Nepal has to have before enlisting to the global net. Good governance, stability of macro-economy and necessity policies to support sustainable human development would be desirable for this, they added.

Inaugurating the programme, Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya said that Nepal accepted liberalisation and globalisation as the hallmark of her economic policy since the 1990s.

By amending and revising Acts and thus providing a competitive and liberal climate, the government undertook reforms in the financial sector so as to enhance domestic economic activities and to attract foreign investment, he said.

Acharya said that the current Ninth Plan has embraced poverty alleviation as its major development objective.

“Integration with the global economy means an openness to international flows of goods, services, capital, labour, technology and ideas which spur economic growth and assure general good health of a nation,” he said.

From the chair, NPC Vice Chairman Prithwi Raj Ligal said that the workshop would identify the constraints that obstruct Nepal’s integration with the global economy. “We will correct the past shortcomings and review our policies regarding globalisation.”

He said that the new round of policies would also include agriculture and other social sectors, including education, health and population.

Welcoming the guests earlier, NPC Member Dr. Shankar Sharma said that economic growth rate under liberalisation is greater than in closed economy. He said that the workshop would focus on how to utilise the opportunities provided by liberalisation to achieve sustainable human development.

Dr. Sharma informed that the international conference of the least developed countries being organised by UNCTAD in May 2001 would also contribute to speed Nepal’s integration with the global economy.

Dr. A. R. Khan, Co-ordinator and Professor at the University of California, said Nepal’s geographical situation and her open border with the giant neighbour India were the major constraints Nepal had in joining the global economy. “Because of this Nepal will not be able to integrate with the global economy unless India does. It is beyond Nepal’s power,” he said.

However, he made it clear that it was not due to Indian policy.

Dr. Khan suggested that Nepal invoke regional co-operation to overcome the constraints.

He said that Nepal’s economic performance in the recent day were not satisfactory though post globalisation period had seen some positive results in this sector. “But time has not lapsed. If integrated with the global economy, the economic growth rate that has currently declined will rise again.”

UN Resident Representative Dr. Henning Karcher said that globalisation, an ongoing process, would provide Nepal with opportunities to develop her economic activities. “For globalisation to achieve maximum benefits to the people, it is essential to look beyond achieving a global market structure driven calculations that bring only short-term benefits.”

UNCTAD Senior Programme Manager Dr. Jagadish Saigal said that the objective of the workshop was to enhance the capacities of developing countries to manage their integration with the global economy that would help them achieve sustainable human development of their respective countries.

Govt regulates use of vehicles on holidays

Kathmandu, Mar. 28 (RSS):His Majesty’s Government has made new arrangements regarding the use of government vehicles.

As per the new arrangement, the Chief Justice, the Speaker, the National Assembly Chairman, Raj Parishad Standing Committee Chairman, the Opposition Leader in the House of Representatives and the ministers have to use the government vehicles other than those provided to them by the government in connection with official work on a public holiday at the centre, they have to obtain permission from the secretaries or office bearers holding equivalent post in the respective bodies (any ministry, secretariat, commission or other central level bodies) for using their official vehicles.

Likewise, if the vehicles of corporations or other state-owned bodies   have to be used for official work at the centre on a holiday, permission should be taken from the secretaries of the ministries concerned, according to a spokesman of the Home Ministry.

At the district level, if government vehicles and the vehicles of corporations and other state-owned bodies should be used for official work on a holiday, permission should taken from the chief district officer.

The new arrangement stipulates that vehicles pass should be displayed on the windscreen of the vehicles allowed to operate on holidays and if it’s a motorcycle the riders should carry such pass with them.

Such vehicle pass should bear the name of the organisation/office to which the vehicle belongs, the name of the office which provided the pass, the name of the user, the type of  the vehicle and the date on which the vehicles is used.

If it is at the central level the pass should be signed by the secretaries or office bearers holding equivalent posts in the ministry, commission and secretariat concerned, and if it is at the district level it should be signed by the chief district officer.

If any government vehicles are found plying on the streets on holidays without such vehicle pass the traffic police or other police personnel can take such vehicles under their control and turn them over to the Home Ministry if it is at the centre, and to the CDO if it is in the district.

If anyone other than the authorised persons are found using government vehicles or the vehicles of state-owned corporations or committees on holidays they will be tken under control by the traffic police or other police personnel, said the Home Ministry spokesman.

For proper implementation of the new arrangement, the Home Ministry has made necessary arrangements and issued instructions to local administration and police units. The Home Ministry has also requested other ministries for implementation of the new provision.

ACAP registered as  Expo 2000 project

Kathmandu, Mar. 28 (RSS): Annapurna Conservation Area Project (acap) of the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation has been registered as the “Expo 2000 project”.

Around 2000  projects from all over the world had submitted proposals for consideration in Expo 2000.

Dr. Christian Ahrens, manager of the projects around the world, Germany, for Expo 2000 said that ‘ the selected projects are the most interesting and most sustainable projects of the present time- really practical examples to take hold of .”

Expo 2000 opens its gate on  June 1, 2000 in Hannover, Germany.

Over 190 nations, international institutions and organisations will be taking part in the Expo 2000. About 50 of them have their own pavilion. Nepal has been crafting the Himalayan Pavilion or Expo 2000. The Expo 2000 will reflect the expo theme of “Humankind- Nature-Technology: A New World Arising.”

Annapurna conservation area is the first protected area in Nepal, which is managed by a ngo, the King Mahendra Trust for  Nature Conservation since 1986. It is the  largest protected area in Nepal covering 7629 sq. km  and it promotes community based conservations programme in 55 village development  committees of five districts in western Nepal.

Acap is considered as one of the most promising  integrated conservation and development  projects in the world.

Annapurna conservation area is home for the endangered wildlife species like snow leopard, lynx, musk deer, Himalayan tahr and Tibetan Argali.

Around 120,000 people live and practice traditional agriculture within the conservation area.

This is also one of the most popular trekking destinations in Nepal attracting some 67,371 trekking tourist in 1999.

Together with acap, biogas programme, Churia forest development, promotion of the  Nepalese Chamber of Industry and Commerce, promotion of improved water mills for energy production in Nepal, promotion of village communities through cotton planting and rural energy development programme have been registered as “ Expo 2000 project” from Nepal.

Sarlahi’s sugarcane farmers discouraged

Sarlahi, Mar. 28 (RSS):Biswonath Singh of Balara VDC Ward No. 7. in Sarlahi district has been discouraged to grow sugarcane next year because of the failure to transport sugarcane grown in five bighas of land to the sugar mill.

Mr Singh has been growing sugarcane in his land as well as leasing land from others. Generally sugarcane should be cut within the month of Magh ( Feb ) and reach the sugar mill through various sugarcane weighing spots and be paid for it in time, but delays on it have hampered it all.

Mr Singh says -  if the sugarcane is not transported until Jestha this year it will cause a negative impact on the sugarcane and other crops next year.

The people of Sarlahi have been attracted to sugarcane farming as it is easy to grow and more beneficial for them from the financial point of view.

The ripe sugarcanes which had to be cut and transported two months ago are left to dry in the  field so far. As the sugarcanes which have already been cut are lying in the weighing centers and farms, it causes drastic loss of weight and loss to the   farmers, a  farmer of Balara Mani Bhushan Singh says.

According to Mr Singh, the  farmers have been discouraged  to grow sugarcane because of the delay caused in the transportation than in cutting of the sugarcane.

Hathiyoul VDC chairman Biswomohan Singh says the sugar mills should be efficient in their works as the mills established with tens of millions of rupees can even face closure if the farmers stoped growing sugarcane.

Sugar mills should make financial contributions to farmers for  the development and extension  of sugarcane farming but the situation here is different, says ex-chairman of Bauharawa VDC Ram Dinesh Sharma.

He says - sugarcane farming is easy  as it gives crops for four years after planting it once.

If cutting of sugarcane is done in time, second crops like mustard, musuro and  mung pulses, and alas can be grown in the same field.

The farmers  here have been growing sugarcane in three bighas out of every five bighas of land.

According to industrial  officer of the Malangawa Cottage and Small Scale Industry office Krishna Bahadur Karki, more than 85 per cent of the people are engaged in sugarcane farming here. The scenes around here is mainly of sugarcane farms.

There are two sugar mills in Sarlahi district. The Hariyon Sugar Mill has a capacity of crushing 25,000- 50,000 quintals of sugar cane a day. The other Bachchababu Khan Khandsari Sugar Mill is located at Pipariya, Pirari which has a capacity of crushing   1,000 quintals of sugarcane a day, acording to engineer of the mill Chandrika Prasad Saha.

Likewise, the Khandsari Sugar Mill has a production capacity of 30- 35 quintals  of  sugar a day. More than 200 workers and 25 staffs have been employed in the mill.

The sugarcane from Sarlahi is also transported to Garuda  Sugar Mill of Rautahat district and  Ramnagar Sugar Mill of Mahottari district which have considerable capacity. But Biswo Mohan Singh of Chhatauna alleges that the payment for the sugarcane transported from here is not made in time.

Every year the price of sugar has increased but not  the price of sugarcane. The sugar mills have been paying the farmers Rs 122 for a quintal of sugarcane these days.

In  each of the 99 VDCs in Sarlahi district, there are 3/4 spots fixed for weighing sugarcane but the weighed sugarcane have been languishing for lack of transport facilities.

At the weighing stations, only 2 or 3 trucks come to transport sugarcane every ten days when at least five trucks a day is required to transport sugarcance.

Arun Singh of Balara ward No 8 says the sugarcane of the affluent  and sycophants are transported first and paid while others  have to wait a long time for their turn.

As a result of the sugar mills, the transportation facilities have increased   in the inner villages as trucks, trailers and buses come where nobody even thought of  building roads.

The farmer whose land is used for installation of the weighing machine are paid rent for use of the land and one of the family members is employed as chaukidar.

There is no difficulty in transporting and making payment for the sugarcane in the Riga Sugar Mill located at the bordering town of Sitamadhi, India, Dharma Dev Pandey of Basbitta says.

The local people have lodged a complaint over the pollution caused around the mill area as a result of the  use of sulfur in the juice of sugarcane in order to make the sugar grains bigger.

Maoists’ extremism not in country’s interest: Nepal

Kathmandu, Mar. 28 (RSS):Opposition Leader in the House of Representatives Madhav Kumar Nepal said at the House of Representatives today that the cooperation of the people in yesterday’s successful Nepal Bandh called by the cpn-uml is the manifestation of the people’s voice against the existing aberrations, lawlessness and anarchy in the country.

Taking special time at the House of Representatives today, Mr Nepal thanked all who cooperated in making the Nepal Bandh a success and said that the manhandling by police of cpn-uml workers including the deputy leader in course of the bandh and the formation of committees by the Nepali Congress in Mahottari and Tanahu to counter the Nepal Bandh makes one doubt the Prime Minister’s intention to build consensus with the opposition parties.

Describing rampant corruption as the biggest enemy of the country and the people, he said if the Prime Minister really means what he is saying about the government’s commitment to control corruption, cpn-uml welcomes this commitment.

Stressing the need to keep the administration free from politics and make qualification and efficiency as the basis for any appointment and promotion so as to establish good governance, he said if the government is committed to this task, the cpn-uml highly welcomes it.

The dictatorship of  the people’s democracy that the Maoists are striving for will never materialise in Nepal, Mr Nepal said, adding that such activity might make Nepal another Afghanistan and Somalia.

The extremism of the Maoists is never in the interest of the country and it is imperative on the part of one and all to bear in mind that multiparty system has no alternative, the Opposition Leader said.

Holding government’s failure to provide security and congressisation of the administration as the reason behind the growing Maoist activity, he said the government should not harbour any prejudice against the Maoist; it should rather try to build an atmosphere of trust.

He also stressed the need for the government to pay serious attention to resolving the Bhutanese refugee problem and addressing various serious issues like Kalapani, border related matters and the issues of domicile Nepalese.

He also alleged that his interview published by rss yesterday was concocted.

Govt for privatisation of Gorkhapatra: Gupta

Kathmandu, Mar. 28:The government has renewed commitments to loosen up its hold on the state media and to maximise private investments in the communications sector.

The government intends to grant increased autonomy to the state owned electronic media and push the privatisation process of the Gorkhapatra, said Communications Minister Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta. “The government will also call the private sector to operate basic telephone services, just like Nepal Telecommunication Corporations.”

Gupta’s view on the privatisation of Gorkhapatra Corporation corresponds with the manifesto of the ruling Nepali Congress Party, which is against controlling the press. All Congress Communications Ministers, however hold different views on whether or not the government should publish newspapers.

Gupta’s statement contradicted the views of former Communications Minister Ramchandra Poudel, who, in an interview with this daily, said the government should have its mouthpiece.

“The Nepali Congress manifesto has expressed firm commitments to privatise Gorkhpatra,” Gupta told the Reporters’ Club. “I am fully committed to implement that policy,” he said brushing aside doubts whether the government’s policy towards the two state dailies would shift back and forth again.

Gorkhaptara, already on the privatisation list, is under the preview of the Privatisation Cell at the Finance Ministry and “its privatisation process will be revived,” he said emphatically. “When I was the Communications Minister before, I had assigned a Deputy General Manager to oversee the privatisation process,” he said.

Gupta also said the government would not protect NTC, so far the sole agency to operate telecom services. The private sector has already been invited to operate telephone services under WLL  (Wireless Local Loop) system, which requires private operators to rely on NTC’s exchange system.

Gupta also fielded a number of queries concerning the government’s policy agenda. The agenda of the government is what the Prime Minister briefed the House recently, Gupta said.

The government’s priority lies in maintaining law and order situation, curbing corruption and ensuring good governance with administrative reforms, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala told the House of Representatives in a televised address. That address was carried live on Radio Nepal as well.

Gupta dismissed there were any differences of opinion within the ruling party over Maoists. “The Congress party considers Maoists as those who are influenced by terrorist activities to finish off the parliamentary system,” he said. “That naturally how the government looks at the Maoists. There is no difference and there should be no confusion about that.”

The Minister also called on the press to play a more responsible role to help government contain the Maoist activities that have claimed over 150 lives since early February 1996. “The press should not support any such terrorist activities,” he said. “If they don’t act responsibly, the government will have to check it.”

The Minister said the Prime Minister would shortly be meeting with members of the high level Committee headed by former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, which has started indirect negotiations with the Maoists. Earlier this month, the Deuba committee is said to have met someone known as Ashok.

Meanwhile, RSS adds Minister for information and communications Gupta has said that the role of the Press Council is vital in making the field of journalism more well-planned and dignified.

Minister Gupta, speaking at a reception hosted in his honour by Nepal Press Council here today, pointed out the need to hold extensive discussions to reform the law concerning communications so as to deal with the various problems and challenges being faced in this sector.

Stating that there are many problems in the field of the press and journalism in Nepal, he said these problems are the same as were faced a few decades ago but the contents despatched by the press and their impact had completely changed.

 The press should have clear views on matters such as the problems confronted in the healthy and quality development of journalism and the impact on the people, Minister for Information and Communications Gupta said adding that all concerned should ponder over making the press lively and dignified.

He said “the Press Council should function more effectively for the development of journalism”.

Minister Gupta said that dealing with the problems facing the press was complicated but the government is committed to the development of a free press within the limited means  and resources.

President of Nepal Press Council Harihar Birahi said the Press Council has always been making efforts to make journalism healthy, free and professional and pointed out the need for the government to gradually increase the facilities provided for the professional development of journalism.

Development of the Press Council will take place if there is professional and qualitative development of journalism and the government should be serious about the overall development of journalism, he added.

‘River basinsbasis of water resource dev’

Kathmandu, Mar. 28 (RSS):Water resources development should be based on the integrated and equitable development of each river basin such as the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin as the fundamental planning entity, and only then will we be able to develop water resources in a way that can maximise the net benefits.

This was stated by National Planning Commission member Dr Ramesh Anand Vaidya in remarks at the thematic sessions and regional meetings of the ministerial conference of the Hague on water security in the 2lst century held from March 2l to 22.

Dr Vaidya said the annual internal renewable water resource per person in this region is declining rapidly and getting close to the water stress level of 1700 cum per person, adding that although Nepal is regarded as endowed heavily with this resource, the number for this country is only slightly higher than the global average.

Asking whether the scarcity of water should be the key consideration in decisions pertaining to the allocation of water for various uses and whether the use of this consideration in setting prices for these uses  would  help efficient use of water, he said there are a number of goals related to the use of water including food security, energy supply, navigation, drinking water and sanitation and the environment.

Calling for a move away from the infrastructure focus of the past to a focus on water as a unitary resource irrespective of type of use, he said regarding financing policy that given the current priorities of the international development banks, there is a need to explore in detail the avenues for raising funds from the private sector, both domestic and international.

The primary goal of private financing is to provide service in a cost-efficient way, and to achieve this goal, government and the private sector would have to work together for risk management, he said. The private investor can be attract only when a conducive business environment is created.

On subsidy policy, he said it is necessary to look at both the food and energy policy, and for successful implementation of hydropower, it may be necessary to attract private capital, which can only come if there is   a fair rate of return on investment.

This could mean it may no longer be possible to subsidise food prices across the board indirectly by subsidising electricity prices for pumping up ground water for irrigation, he said.

Alternative food policies may have to be developed and cooperation sought from the concerned ministries so that food subsidies could be provided to target groups below the poverty line, he added.

Pointing out that over the last five years, Bangladesh, India and Nepal   have made several breakthroughs and signed path-breaking treaties in their negotiations for water­-sharing and the development of water resources in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin, he said although Nepal covers only 8 per cent of the land area and the development of water transportation is not easy in this country, it is well endowed in terms of water resources.

Nepal’s strength lies both in terms of the head over which the water falls and the volume of water that flows through, the three river systems of the Gandaki, Kosi and Karnali contribute about 71 per cent of the dry-season flows and 41 per cent of the annual flow of the Ganges, he said.

In the sub-region of the gbm basin, development efforts in water resources would, in addition to flood control in the region, help irrigate the fertile plains of india, improve the waterways of Bangladesh, and generate hydropower in Nepal to help meet the energy needs of the region.

However, it would be possible to raise capital in the financial markets only if the system boundary of multipurpose projects in Nepal could be expanded to include the benefits occurring in neighboring countries. It would be necessary to look at the flood control and irrigation benefits as internal within a system boundary and not as positive externalities of the projects in Nepal, he said.

Planned vegetable markets coming up in Pokhara

Pokhara, Mar. 28 (RSS): Well-planned fruit and vegetable markets are   among the various provisions necessary for people in the expanding urban areas.

Considering the necessity of vegetable markets, the small markets infrastructure development project launched by hmg has completed the construction of a wholesale fruits and vegetable market at Pokhara.

The wholesale market has been constructed on 2.3 hectares (46 ropanis) of land at ward No. 9 of Pokhara Submunicipal Corporation provided by the Pokhara valley town development committee at a cost of Rs 27,000,000 received as grant cooperation from the United Nations Capital Development Fund (uncdf).

Income earned from the market will be deposited in the fund of the pokhara agricultural produce market board of directors and utilised for repair and maintenance and to meet administrative expenses, according to assistant planning officer of Kaski District Agriculture Development Office Tanka Giri.

The fund may also be used for setting up collection centres necessary for the wholesale market and for the construction of wholesale and retail market outlets at other places, it is learnt.

All preparations in connection with opening the wholesale and retail vegetable market from new year’s day 2057 have been completed.

The four-year period of the agreement reached between hmg and uncdf for organising the wholesale and retail vegetable market in Nepal ends next month.

During this period, the small market infrastructure development project has completed the construction of wholesale and retail vegetable markets of “a”, “b” and “C” categories at 19 places in the central and western regions including Pokhara.

Only the market at Pokhara falls in the “A” category. The markets at Janakpurdham, Dhalkebar, Bardibas, Lalbandi, Nabalpur, Narayanghat, Sauratha in Rauthat, Jiri, Charikot, Panchkhal, Dhusa and Dharke in Dhading, Hadikhola in Makwanpur, Tinpiple and Tamaghat in Kabhre, Damauli in Tanahu and Lagankhel, Lalitpur are of “b” and “C” categories, it is learnt from the project. 

The project has classified the markets into “a’, “b” and “C” on the basis of incomes over Rs 1.5 million, between Rs 500,000 and Rs 1.5 million and less than Rs 500,000.

In line with the agreement, undcf had provided a grant of us dollars 3.64 million for the construction work and hmg invested to the tune of dollars 0.072 million.

The concerned body is making efforts for mobilising grant cooperation for the second phase construction of well-planned markets at other places of the Kingdom, it is learnt.

Construction work on the fruits and vegetable market at Kalimati in Kathmandu was completed a few years back with the cooperation of undp.

Local bodies and organisations in Biratnagar also made some effort to establish a vegetable market at gudribazaar in Biratnagar. But there has been difficulty due to overcrowding, it is learnt.

Ojha opens meet on geo-information system

Kathmandu, Mar. 28 (RSS):Minister for Land Reforms and Management Siddha Raj Ojha has said that while formulating laws concerning geo-informatics systems, there should be proper standards, security, austerity over costs and uniformity of statistics.

Inaugurating a seminar concerning law relating to geo-informatics systems here today, Minister Ojha noted that such law would be practical and people-oriented if matters such as easy access by the people and simple procedures could be considered as the basis.

Expressing the view that sustainable development could take place through proper use of land in a predominantly agricultural country such as ours, he said the findings of the seminar would be useful to the government in formulating law relating to appropriate systems.

On the occasion, Minister of State for Land Reforms and Management Gopal Rai laid emphasis on the need for a system to be scientific and transparent and said that if the civil servants fulfil their roles honestly, the target set by the government could be attained.

Chief Secretary Tirtha Man Shakya, who chaired the function, said that the amount of land required for forests, agriculture and residential purposes should be established and new records maintained in a planned manner.

Secretary at the Ministry of Land Reforms and Management Yoddha Shaha said that a geo-information system would be introduced from next year onwards.

Twenty-one persons including officials of the Ministry and legal experts are attending the two-day seminar.

The Ministry of Land Reforms and Management launched a geo-information system project in 2052 bikram year with the objective of formulating laws relating to computer-based geo-informatics in order to implement programmes for increased agricultural output, poverty alleviation, environmental conservation, proper and better utilisation of land and to link all land revenue and survey offices to the computer system.