House panel to constitute sub-committee

Kathmandu, Aug. 30 (RSS): The House of Representatives Natural Means and Resources Committee meeting today decided to constitute three sub-committees to monitor and evaluate enforcement of the recommendations of the committee’s annual report and the state of programmes at corporations, offices, departments and ministries that concern the committee.

The sub-committees are to present a report with recommendations by March 13, 2002.

The water resources sub-committee constituted by the meeting today is under the convenorship of Arjun Prasad Joshi with Mrs Kansi Poudel, Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana, Pradip Nepal, Mrigendra Kumar Singh Yadav and Basanta Kumar Nemwang as members.

Likewise, Bir Bahadur Lama is convenor of the land reform and management sub-committee while Mrs Kunta Sharma, Chitra Bahadur K.C., Tek Bahadur Chokhal, Dil Bahadur Lama and Subash Karmacharya are its members.

Ananda Prasad Pokharel is convenor of the agriculture and cooperatives sub-committee while the members are Gopal Prasad Koirala, Mangal Prasad Tharu, Sohan Prasad Chaudhary and Harka Man Tamang.

Committee chairman Lekhnath Acharya presided. The committee is to meet again at 8:00 am on September 4.

Pasha expresses satisfaction over Nepal’s dev

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 30: Dr. Hafiz Pasha, UN Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Assistant Administrator who is currently here on a five day visit expressed satisfaction over the development activities in the country.

Talking to the media people at UN Building here today Dr. Pasha said that a significant progress has been made towards poverty alleviation and other development activities. It is a matter of great achievement that a considerable degree of social reform in community participation in the grass root level has accelerated the pace of development, he said adding that Nepal has made progress in the process of poverty alleviation.

Dr. Pasha noted that the decentralisation and people’s participation would further help to achieve the economic objective.

Meanwhile, RSS adds: Dr. Pasha, UN Assistant Secretary General and UNDP assistant administrator, paid a courtesy call on foreign secretary Narayan Shumshere Thapa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this afternoon.

Matters of mutual interests were discussed on the occasion, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Dr. Henning Karcher, resident coodinator of the UN system, was present on the occasion.

ILO meet on garment related issues concludes

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 30: The ILO organised two-day workshop on Competitiveness, Productivity and Job Quality in the Garment industry in Nepal concluded today with discussions on the strategies needed for facing the challenges of abolition of their quota system (under the MFA) by the end of year 2004.

It was noted during the workshop that the number of people employed in the industry, which once was 100,000 has shrunk to less than 40,000 now due to increased global competition.

During the closing of the workshop, Mr. Kiran Shakha, Vice President of GAN (Garment Association of Nepal) stated that the industry is facing the competitive disadvantage of 30 to 35% cost escalation in comparison to immediate competing countries in South Asia. Such cost escalation has been largely due to the transportation costs to Calcutta port, lack of effective duty drawback facility and other costs such as interests.

It was agreed during the meeting that only way to improve competitiveness is for the government, industry and labour to take certain measures in improving productivity and reducing costs of doing business. Productivity improvement is possible through improvement in job quality and upgradation of human resources and technology.

However, the government would also require to develop a long-term strategy to sustain and further expand the industry and imployment.

Ms. Moti Shoba Shresha, Joint Secretary to the Ministry of Labour, speaking as the chief guest at the closing, pointed out that the jobs in the garments industry should not be allowed to disappear in the face of limited job opportunities for growing number of job seekers. She pledged to provide required cooperation from the Ministry of Labour in working with the industry and workers.

Earlier during the workshop, Dr. Gopal Joshi of the ILO made a presentation on the global and regional trends in the garments industry and their impact on productivity and competitiveness. He pointed out that long wages have been accompanied by low productivity in many countries.

Several countries are attempting to develop the linkages in the regional supply chain to cash in on regional growth in apparel trade. Discussion groups made presentations of various recommendations regarding the roles that could be played by the government, industry and workers, which are going to be consolidated and forwarded to concerned government ministries. The workshop was concluded with closing remarks from Mr. Ganesh Niraula from NTUC and Dr. S.Z. Sadeque, Officer-in-Charge of ILO Kathmandu.