Oil heads Nepal Afro-Asian people's unity body

Kathmandu, Nov. 21 (RSS): A general meeting of the Nepal Afro-Asian People's Unity Committee which concluded here recently has reconstituted a 19-member working committee under the chairmanship of House of Representatives member K.P. Sharma Oli.

Shailendra Kumar Upadhyaya is co-president of the working committee.

Similarly, Surya Lal, Hiranya Lal Shrestha, Laxman Bahadur K.C., Babu Kaji Basukala, Rajeshwar Nepal and Bhim Bahadur Tamang are the vice-presidents, Dr. Pradip Khadka is general secretary, Gopal Pokharel Bibash deputy general secretary, Phanindra Pant secretary, Rama Silwal treasurer and Niroj Maskey joint treasurer of the reconstituted working committee.

Likewise, the members include Dr. Ganga Bahadur Thapa, Kalyani Shaha, Shankar Lal Shrestha, Ganga Krishna Thapa, Muna Shaha and Khadga Bahadur Thapa.

As per the constitution of the committee, the executive can nominate 25 per cent of members representing different sectors at a later date as per need, a press release issued by the committee states.

On the occasion, the general meeting dropped the provisions for the presidium, the national council and the district committee from the old constitution and adopted a resolution on the Bhutanese refugee problem in Nepal, the reunification of the Korean peninsula and the peace bid between Palestine and Israel.

Nepal-Finland consultation concludes

Kathmandu, Nov. 21 (RSS): The two day annual bilateral consultation on Nepal-Finland economic cooperation concluded in a cordial and friendly atmosphere here today.

Finland government has pledged to continue to support Nepal's development endeavor.

Progress of ongoing projects was reviewed and possible areas of future cooperation were also discussed on the occasion.

Based on the past experience of successful implementation of projects in the areas of drinking water, mapping and education, Finland has indicated its keen interest to continue its support in these areas.

The future Finnish assistance to Nepal thus would be with the agreed stategy for Finnish-Neplaese Development Co-operation, support to human rights and good governence are other major themes of the co-operation programme.

An agreed minute was singed at the conclusion of the consultations by Dr. Bimal Prasad Koirala, secretary, Ministry of Finance, head of the Nepalese delegation and Mr. Sauli Feodoraw, deputy director general (Asia and Oceania), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and head of the Finnish delegation on behalf of their respective governments.

Earlier an agreement on the stengthening of environmental administration and management at the local level was signed and exchanged today between His Majesty's Government and the government of Finland at the Finance Ministry.

The government of Finland has agreed to provide a grant assistance of Finnish marks (Fim) 16,3827 million (approximately Rs 17 crore 99 lakh) to His Majesty's Government of Nepal (HMG/N) for this project.

Dr. Bimal Prasad Koirala, secretary, Ministry of Finance and Mr. Sauli Feodoraw, deputy director general (Asia and Oceania), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland singed he agreement on behalf of their respective governments.

The project aims to contribute to protection of the environment and to environmentally sustainable rural, urban and industrial development and utilization of natural resources in the project area by strengthening and inproving local level environmental administration and management capacities and practices.

The project will cover three muncipalities and seven VDCs of the Morang and Sunsari districts.

The project will strengthn and develop the skills, capacities and facilities of the staff of these municipalities and VDCs to iplement enviromental monitoring, planning and management activities under their jurisdictions, with special emphasis on urban and industrial environmental issues.

His Majesty's Government has expressed its sincere appreciation and gratitude to the government of Finland and leader of the Finnish delegation Mr. Feodoraw for their understading of Nepal's development issues and for keen interest shown in enhancing the level of cooperation among two development partners.

Govt to provide relief to farmers

Kathmandu, Nov. 21 (RSS): HMG has decided to take various steps to provide relief to the small farmers of the country this year through the Agricultural Development Bank taking into consideration the unfavourable conditions created by adverse weather condition, prices and production.

In a press communique issued by the Ministry of Finance here today, provision has been made to waive of the remaining interest if the interest equal to the principal has been paid for loan up to Rs 30,000 for one or more objectives.

This is the first time that a provision has been made for waiving such a big amount of interest of the farmers.

The decision to waive of the interest would provide immediate relief to the small farmers thereby helping in bringing about favourable changes in their economic conditions for the long-term perspective resulting in taking them out of the vicious cycle of poverty, the press communique states.

If the person taking loan wishes to take back the collateral taken over by the Agricultural Development Bank through auction upto Asar, 2057, a provision has been made to exempt 50 to 75 per cent of the interest to be charged after taking over the collateral.

This decision will be useful for the farmers whose collateral had been auctioned because of their inability to pay back the loan in time due to various reasons including natural disasters and there is no possibility of paying the whole sum of interest from the output this year also.

Also, this provision is expected to play an important role in far-reaching improvement in the economic condition of the farmers.

This provision will be beneficial to both the old and new loanees among the farmers, it is believed.

These decisions will be introduced with immediate effect.

It is expected that the implementation of these provisions will have positive impact in the functioning of the Agriculture Development Bank.

The statement has called upon the loanee farmers who want to take advantage from these provisions to be in touch with the Agriculture Development Bank.

It has also been informed that the other facilities of rebate given by the ADBN within the specified time limit will continue as it is.

NZ minister assures of support to carpet industry

Kathmandu, Nov. 21 (RSS): Visiting Minister of Trade Negotiations of New Zealand Jim Sutton said that the government of New Zealand has decided to exempt all forms of taxes levied on goods exported to New Zealand from the least developed countries.

Stating that the decision will benefit Nepalese products as Nepal has been included in the list of countries entitled to the special concession, Mr Sutton disclosed that Nepali readymade garments to be exported to New Zealand will be exempted 19 per cent customs duty.

Minister Sutton was addressing a meeting of the mediapersons here this evening.

New Zealand is the best wool producing country and 90 per cent of the carpets produced in Nepal use wool yarn produced in New Zealand, Mr Sutton said, adding that China comes first in the sale of carpets in New Zealand and Nepalese carpets in the fifth or sixth position.

He also said New Zealand is a good market for Nepali readymade garments.

Minister Sutton said that the objective of his visit is to extend New Zealand's official support to Nepali carpet industry and further strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries.

New Zealand is assisting Nepal to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), he added.

Ambassador of New Zealand to Nepal Adrian Simcock was also present on the occasion.