Retaining fertility of soil important, says Singh

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 11: It is estimated that Nepal loses over 240 million cubic meters of top fertile soil annually as a result of which 10,000 hectares of land in the trans-Himalayan region have started showing signs of desertification and almost half of the population face food shortage for 3-6 months in a year.

This revelation was made at the workshop "Land Degradation, Drought and Sustainable Land Management," organised by the Ministry of Population and Environment (MOPE) in collaboration with the Secretariat of United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), here today.

The workshop has been organised to formulate the National ,Action Programme (NAP) to implement UNCCD in Nepal, for the effective coordination of NAP chapters. It is also focus on creating awareness among the people about land use and protection so that it can be saved from degradation, which affects the quality of land and adversely affects farm output thereby increasing poverty.

The Nepal signed the said convention on October 12, 1995 and ratified the Convention as the 52nd member in 1996. Nepal has been working for the implementation of UNCCD in the South Asian region. with the Ministry of Population and Environment as the UNCCD national focal point.

Threat of desertification

The convention has been implemented in this region through Thematic Programme Networks (TPNs) and three of six planned networks are already in operation, hosted by China, India and Iran respectively and the three remaining planned networks would become operational by the end of 2002, according to the statement of the Secretariat of UNCCD.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Population and Environment P.L. Singh said that in order to mitigate the problems of land degradation and natural resource depletion, the government has promoted people-centered natural resources management activities to benefit the people who are the primary victims of land degradation and emerging water scarcity.

Minister Singh also said that Nepal sees the UNCCD as extremely relevant to the country as it focuses on poverty alleviation through partnership approach and addresses land degradation problems so that the fertility of the soil is retained. If we do not maintain a balanced interrelationship between human life and natural resources, we must be prepared to face disaster, he added.

Speaking from the chair. Prithivi Raj Ligal, Vice-chairman of National Planning Commission, stressed on the need for the local people to engage themselves for checking land degradation while meeting their basic needs.

He also said that controlling land degradation will help reduce poverty level to 10 per cent from the present 42 per cent of the total population.

Checking land degradation is very urgent as the majority of the people are engaged in agricultural activities. For this plans and programmes must be formulated accordingly together with effective implementation.

"It is very necessary to review, revise and reformulate NAP's incorporation into their national, social and economic development plan in the new century," said Yang Youlin, Deputy Regional Coordinatior, Asia Regional Co-ordination Unit, UNCCD.

The workshop is to run until tomorrow.

Protect consumer rights, says Khadka

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 11: Minister for Industries Commerce and Supply Purna Bahadur Khadka has urged all to be honest towards fulfilling the provision as mentioned in the Consumer Protection Act and Regulations.

Minister Khadka while chairing the fifth meeting of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) at the Ministry today, stressed the need to provide necessary services to industrialists and traders by the government and non-government offices from a specific place.

For effective supply of goods and prompt delivery of services to the general public, Minister Khadka also gave necessary directives to the concerned department to frame short term, medium term and long-term plan of actions.

Minister Khadka who is also the chairman of the Council stressed the need for protection of consumer rights.

On the occasion member secretary of the Council Krishna HarI Baskota presented the progress report of the fiscal year 2057-58. Baskota also presented an agendum for the implementation of the Supply Inspection Directives and Consumer Directives.

Member secretary Baskota also presented a quarterly report and plan of actions for assuring effective supply and monitoring system.

The meeting also decided to form a sub committee under the convenorship of the member secretary of the Council.

The Ministry of Industry Commerce and Supply, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Consumers' Forum Nepal and other concerned department at the Ministry will represent the sub committee.

The Council has given directives to the sub-committee to look after the standard of goods, to press concerned authorities for the inclusion of consumer education in the curriculum. Besides the sub committee will set the provision for selling goods in economical rate, compulsion of price list and to make provision for elimination of syndicate system.

The Council as mentioned in the Act has asked to take measures to control the supply of low quality goods.

Besides the Council has given directives to the Sub-committee to work out the following areas like discouraging collection of unauthorized fees in various forms and taking corrective measures to maintain supply of quality goods.

The next will be held on Thursday under the chairmanship of the Minister.

In today's meeting chairman of Development Committee in the Parliament Tanka Prasad Rai, Assistant Minister for Industry Commerce and Supply Prakash Gurung and Secretary at the Ministry Bhanu Prasad Acharya were also present.

Meanwhile, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Purna Bahadur Khadka has said that in view of the present difficult situation in the country it becomes the duty of public corporations to provide prompt services to the people, according to RSS.

Minister Khadka, who was issuing directives to the chairmen and general managers of public corporations at a meeting held here today to discuss the problems facing corporations under the ministry, stressed the need for them to provide more facilities to their clients through the development of a time bound plan of action, and to take up the challenge of making some progress within three months.

Stating that the government has taken various decisions to guarantee peace and security during the emergency period, he stressed the need for the corporations to maintain fiscal and administrative discipline and work with greater commitment and efficiency for better results.

He also stressed that any corporation or industrial entity outside Kathmandu Valley which has set up a liaison office in the capital and is organising board meetings here, should immediately stop that practice.

Assistant Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Prakash Bahadur Gurung was of the view that patchwork policy and plans of action do not result in sustainable development at corporations. He also stressed the need for the heads of corporations to come up with new vision and programmes, and honestly fulfil their responsibilities.

Secretary at the Ministry Bhanu Prasad Acharya spoke of the need to curb irregularities at the corporations.

High level Board of Investment formed

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 11: His Majesty's Government has formed a high level Board of Investment (BoI) under the chairmanship of Prime Minister today. The Board has been formed with a view to promote investment and make it more transparent and reliable.

The Minister for Industries Commerce and Supply is the vice-chairman of the BoI.

According to the Ministry of Industries Commerce and Supply other members of the BoI are Minister for Finance, Minister for Water Resources, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Vice chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Chief Secretary, Governor Nepal Rastra Bank and the President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).

At the recommendations of the Vice-chairman of the BoI, there is a provision of nominating three persons for the period of two years, by the Prime Minister.

Secretary at the Ministry of Industry Commerce and Supply is the Member secretary of the BoI.

If required the Board can invite other ministers, officials, experts and renowned persons to it's meeting.

According to the Ministry, other objectives of the newly formed Board are to formulate new policies by reviewing the existing investment policy, to maintain coordination between various government and non government organizations for the promotion of investment, to identify the areas of priority sector for investment promotion, to monitor the activities related to the investment promotion and to give directives to the concerned department to gear up investment.

It is believed that the formation of the BoI would help facilitate investment to a great extent. This is the first high level committee to address the issue of investment and attract more foreign direct investment for country's economic development.

Army arrests Maoist terrorists

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Dec. 11: The Royal Nepalese Army, in the course of its massive search operation, arrested ten Maoist terrorists in different places Monday, according to the Ministry of Defence. The security personnel arrested four persons from Motipur Village Development Committee (VDC) of Kapilvastu, two persons from Nuwagaun in Rolpa and four persons from Samundradevi VDC in Nuwakot. The security personnel have initiated necessary action against the terrorists, the Ministry said.

Chaudhary inspects Gorkhapatra
'Readers evaluate papers on basic of contents'

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, December 11: Minister of State for Information and Communication Hari Narayan Chaudhari today called upon the employees of Gorkhapatra Cooperation to move ahead unitedly for the progress and prosperity of the oldest publication house of the nation.

“The journalists and employees are contributing on the 100-year asset of the country and they should further do contribution to the Corporation,” told the State Minister Chaudhary to a gathering of Corporation’s employees. Chaudhary was on a inspection visit of the Corporation.

Saying that intelligence is great thing, which the journalists of the Corporation are exhibiting, he asked employees to maintain high moral standard and be competitive with other publications.

Chaudhary further said that it was the contents not the colour that determined the success and failure of the newspapers. “Readers evaluate the papers on the basis of their contents.”

He said that discipline and cooperation and coordination between the management and employees would ensure the success of the Corporation.

State Minister also assured that he was ready to extend any cooperation to further enhance the image of the Corporation and build it financially strong.

Chairman of the Gorkhapatra Corporation and Joint- Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communication Hari Prasad Nepal said that the asset of the Corporation is its employees and they should extend their talent and skill for the upliftment of the institution.

Nepal opined that the Gorkhapatra Corporation has best manpower of the journalism sector and they should play the role to make the publication more readable, competitive and standards.

He said that the new management would work by taking consultation with the employees of the Corporation.

General Manager and Editor-in-Chief of Gorkhapatra daily Kishor Nepal said that the time has come for Gorkhapatra to extend its cooperation to the government in the present time of the State of Emergency.

Gathering organised

He informed that the management had already finalized the process to purchase the colour machine in the Corporation and every transaction related to it would be done in transparent manner.

He said that the journalists should not suffer from the inferiority complex. He asked the employees to exhibit creativity and not to raise complaints for the upliftment of the Corporation.

Gorkhapatra is still the only publication house to disseminate factual and true information to the public, said Nepal, adding, “Nobody would erase the glorious history of the Gorkhapatra.”

He said the journalists should not seek to depend on others but they must be devoted to bring out quality publication.

Editor-in-Chief of the Rising Nepal Lok Deep Thapa, delivering the welcome speech, said that the Rising Nepal and Gorkhapatra had important role in disseminating the right information in the time of emergency. "In this regard, the journalists of these dailies have been playing laudable role."

President of Authorized Union of Employees of the Corporation Bikram Babu Rai said that the cooperation from all is essential for the development of the institution and its employees. Rai said that the Ministry must work towards providing government advertisement to the Corporation’s publication.

Team meets US official

Kathmandu, Dec. 11 (RSS): A Nepalese business delegation led by Sunil Shakya met with Mr Donald A. Camp, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia here today and apprised him of the problems that have surfaced in manufacturing and tourism industries.

Pointing out the need to increase American investment in manufacturing industries, the delegation asked the US government to provide Nepalese garment industries concessional and duty free access to the US market for its very existence.

Nepalese garment export to the USA which constitutes 35 to 38 per cent of the total export has been witnessing a downward trend since the last few years.

In view of the flushing out of greater chunk of the government' development budget in tackling the present crisis crippling the country, the delegation called on Camp to extend additional assistance to patch up the deficit as far as possible.

The delegation also asked the US government to provide overseas employment for Nepalese nationals in the USA and pressurise HMG to privatise the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation in order to promote foreign investment in the tourism sector.

According to the delegation, Camp responded positively and called for lobbying in the USA to protect the Nepalese garment industry and attract US investment in Nepal.

The business delegation included Narendra Basnet, ex-president of Nepal-USA Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kiran P. Saakha, vice-president of Nepal Garment Association and Prasidha B. Pandey, managing director of Shangri-la group.

New Russian envoy calls on Speaker

Kathmandu, Dec. 11 (RSS): Newly appointed Russian Ambassador to Nepal Valery V. Nazarov paid courtesy calls separately on Speaker of the House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhat and National Assembly chairman Dr. Mohammad Mohsin at the Parliament House at Singha Durbar today.

Consultations on matters of mutual interest were held on both the occasions.

Parliament general secretary Dr. Ishwar Prasad Upadhyaya, House of Representatives secretary Surya Kiran Gurung and National Assembly secretary Radheshyam Bhattarai were present during the meetings.

Govt to construct parks at Teenkune, Maitighar

Kathmandu, Dec. 11 (RSS): His Majesty's Government is to construct public parks at Teenkune and Maitighar in Kathmandu in the context of developing choks and public areas in the valley as parks in view of preparations for the 11th SAARC Summit and planned urbanisation and enhancement of the beauty of the valley.

In this context, preparations are already under way for the construction of a public place at Teenkune of Sallaghari in Bhaktapur, it is learnt from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works.

The Ministry has already issued directives to the Department of Roads to coordinate with Bhaktapur Municipality for immediate demolition of various houses and sheds at Teenkune belonging to the department and to initiate work in this regard, it is learnt.

Meet reviews projects of local development

Kathmandu, Dec. 11 (RSS): An annual review and meeting of the problems resolution committee for programmes conducted during 2057/58 B.S. under the Ministry of Local Development were held here today.

At the meeting, it was disclosed that most projects run by local bodies were left incomplete, the expenditures made amounted to 70 per cent, and satisfactory progress was made in infrastructure projects.

Failure in abiding by the rules and regulations, excessive increase in administrative expenses, low physical progress, little enthusiasm in land tax collection and irregularities in filling vacancies were reported at the meeting during which a report on follow up programmes for18 DDCs monitored in 2057/58 by the local development ministry was presented.

Assistant Minister for Local Development Ajaya Kumar Chaurasia called for efforts from every quarter for the resolution of the problems.

Member of the National Planing Commission Dr. Jagadish Chandra Pokharel said the Ministry should carry out effective follow up on the programmes of local bodies as a greater role has been given to decentralisation in the base paper of the l0th Plan.

Secretary at the Ministry of Local Development Udayaraj Soti stressed additional efforts for a timely review next time.

Japanese envoy calls on Dr. Mahat

Kathmandu, Dec. 11 (RSS): Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Zenji Kaminaga called on Minister for Finance Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat yesterday.

During the meeting, matters pertaining to mutual relations between the two countries were discussed.

Similarly, governor of the Bank of Uganda Emmanuel T. Mutebile called on Dr. Mahat and apprised him of the economic status of Uganda and the programmes adopted by that country for poverty alleviation.

On the occasion, country director of the World Bank Kenichi Ohashi was also present.

Launch regional programme with clear policy: Deuba

Kathmandu, Dec. 11 (RSS): Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has stressed the need for all to work with mutual cooperation and goodwill to face the common problems and challenges of the South Asian countries.

Prime Minister Deuba made this remark today while inaugurating the conference of the South Asia Foundation set up by the representatives of the SAARC member countries with the objective of extending educational, scientific, social and cultural activities to the rural areas through the medium of information and technology, and developing cordial relations between the civil societies and the governments of the SAARC member countries.

Stressing the need to launch regional programmes with a clear policy between the member countries and civil societies to reduce the problems of health, illiteracy and poverty, Deuba said, adding that SAARC could serve as an appropriate medium for this purpose.

SAF meet opened

The forthcoming 11th SAARC summit conference will give priority to identifying the problems for economic cooperation, poverty alleviation and sustainable social transformation in the deprived sectors, Deuba said, adding that Nepal in her capacity as a host nation will remain committed to making the summit conference meaningful.

Royal Nepalese Ambassador to India Dr. Bhekh Bahadur Thapa said that the first priority of the South Asia Foundation (SAF) will be extend the SAARC activities to the younger generation and rural areas and generate widespread awareness through the medium of modern information technology.

Dr. Thapa said that development will be possible only if every section of the society carries out works together.

Goodwill ambassador of UNESCO and founder of the South Asia Foundation Madanjit Singh said that the foundation was thinking of disseminating news relating to cultural, scientific and social aspects to the lowest level through 31 languages spoken in this region.

The two-day South Asia Foundation conference is being attended by 80 persons from the SAARC member countries.

The delegations from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are being led by Kamal Hossain, Lynopo Sangaya Ngedup, Inder Kumar Gujrel, Ibrahim Hussain Zabi, Dr. Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, Javed Jabbar and Lashman Kadirgamar respectively.

'Poverty alleviation projects should get priority: Mahat

Kathmandu, Dec. 11 (RSS): Minister for Finance Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat says that while providing health, education, communication and transport facilities to the rural people, emphasis should be given to projects that can materialise poverty alleviation, the main thrust of His Majesty's Government.

Minister Dr. Mahat made this remark while inaugurating a weeklong workshop cum training on "Public expenditure management reforms and introducing the medium term expenditure framework in Nepal" jointly organised by National Planning Commission (NPC) and Ministry of Finance (MoF) here today.

Given the rise in expenditures of the state every year, public expenditure needs to be managed in such a manner that priority sector receive greater portion of such expenditure, he said, adding that HMG has rolled back all unproductive programmes since this year.

Referring to the government policy regarding privatisation of the sick public enterprises in phase-wise manner, Dr. Mahat said arrangements for monitoring and evaluation have been made effective in order to implement the prioritised projects for which tender has been called for.

Noting that special strategies are being framed to address the problem of poverty, vice-chairman of NPC Prithviraj Ligal said the tenth plan has given attention towards reducing cost of projects and enhancing accountability of the local bodies.

Ligal said that follow-up and evaluation are essential to assess whether the target of the government's programme relating to the basic needs such as agriculture, health, education and transport has been met or not.

NPC member Dr. Shankar Sharma opined that as public expenditure needs to be increased to eradicate poverty, institutional set-up of the government entity should be well-managed to garner investment in the priority sectors.

Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Dr. Bimal Koirala stressed the need to strike a balance between revenue and expenditure in order to boost national economy.

Dr. Sanjay Pradhan of the world bank remarked that tangible outcome can be achieved if the state injects its resources in the priority sectors, maintains transparency in its implementation and curbs corruption.

The representatives from various ministries as well as consultants are taking part in the workshop.