BPEP-II implemented in all dists

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 21: The Basic and Primary Education Programme (BPEP-II) has been implemented in all the 75 districts with the aim of providing quality education to primary level school children aged between 6 to 10 years of age and to strengthen the management capacity of institutions at the central, district and sub-district levels.

BPEP-II intends to improve enrolment, retention, and completion rate of primary children particularly from socially disadvantaged groups (girls, socially deprived children, linguistic minorities, out-of-school children, children with disabilities, and children form small and remote communities with limited access to educational opportunities).

The five-year-long BPEP-II was started in mid-July 1999 and it was designed to incorporate as well as consolidate meritorious components of the BPEP-I and to integrate all BPEP-1 activities into regular structure of the Ministry of Education in order to ensure the institutional sustainability.

According to the mid–term review report made available by the Department of Education (DoE), the overall achievement made over the past two years have shown improvements in access of children to education thereby narrowing down the gender difference remarkably.

The overall gross enrolment ratio (GER) has come down to 119.8 percent in 2000. The Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) has jumped from 70.5 per cent in 1998 to 80.4 per cent in 2000.

"Despite these overall positive changes, there are, however, consistently low performing districts in terms of girls’ enrolment, and paradoxically most of these are located in the Terai region, which enjoy greater ease of transportation and communication," says a report of the technical panel of BPEP II.

The participants of disadvantaged groups continue to be low and it is not possible to calculate their rate of progress due to lack of a baseline data on disadvantaged children, the report states.

The principal objectives of the Basic and Primary Education Programme (BPEP) are couched into three main components: expansion of access and retention, improvement of learning achievement, and strengthening of capacity at the national, district, and community levels.

BPEP-II has adopted a basket funding approach to run this programme. The total budget for five years from the fiscal year 1999/01 to 2003/04, is Rs 29 billion.

The major source of funding is the HMG’s regular budget, which accounts for 65 per cent of its total budget. The CIP ‘basket’ funding (consisting of financial assistance from Denmark, IDA, Norway, EU, and Finland) accounts for 26 per cent of its total budget.

The DOE during this period has been able to develop competency and confidence at the central, district and sub-district levels through the district education and school improvement planning process.

Apprising about the mid-term evaluation of the programme, Yubaraj Pandey, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Education and Sports informed that the seventh amendment bill of Education Act-2028 has already been approved by both the Houses of the Parliament. "The homework to legitimate the law is in the process," said Pandey at the press conference organised by the Ministry of Education and Sports here Thursday.

The results of the National Teachers’ Services Commission examination, held in 2052, to give them permanent job status have also been published, added Spokesperson Pandey. He also said that investigation committees have been formed in every district to probe into fake and forged certificates of the teacher.

The government has also decided to allow new schools to be opened as per the requirements maintained by the school mapping process and no new school will allowed to open without the prior approval of government.

Director General of Department of Education, Chuman Singh Basnet, stating the strategy to make BPEP-II effective, said, "Decentralisation of educational planning has been considered as a major strategy to achieve the overall goals of basic and primary education."

Elaborating the strategy further, Director Singh said that the basic and primary education programme was designed to be implemented in a decentralised manner with the involvement of the users in the strategic decision-making during the planning, implementation and monitoring process of the educational activities.

Five terrorists killed, 21 held as search operations continue

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 21: Five terrorists were killed and 21 suspects arrested Thursday while the security forces continued their cordon and search operations throughout the country to completely disarm and defeat the Maoist terrorists, who have been creating a chaos in the country for the last six years in the name of so-called people’s war. The army also recovered some weapons from the terrorists.

The Defense Ministry in its press release issued today states that three terrorists died on the spot in Gorkha during the operation by the security forces. The terrorists were trying to break the security cordon. Those dead included team commander of the terrorists’ militia group Radhika Adhikary of Khoplang VDC of Gorkha, squad commander Kopila Kumal of Kumal Village and another woman bearing the same name and of the same village.

Two other terrorists–Madan Gurung and Shyam Sundar Adhikary-were also killed in a retaliatory action by the security forces when they tried to escape from custody. They were being brought to the base area for necessary investigation.

In Rolpa, security personnel have found 13 guns and explosives along with communication equipment in the jungle near Ghartigaon of the district.

Of the 21 persons, who were arrested on suspicion of being involved in terrorist activities, seven are from Kalidaha of Dhading district, five from Chitlang of Makawanpur, two from Schooldanda of Dhankuta, three from Sanglekhola of Kathmandu and one from Shantipur of Gulmi district.

Meanwhile, in Bhaktapur an explosion inside the compound of Shripadma High School damaged some windowpanes of the school as well as of the adjoining district police office. According to the district police office, it was a minor explosion and nobody was hurt.

Training on boilers operations ends

Kathmandu, Dec. 21 (RSS):A ten-day training programme for trainers for boiler safety and inspection management concluded on Thursday.

The main objective the training was to provide the participants theoretical and practical knowledge about the existing legislation and regulation for boilers in Nepal as well as other aspects that are related to a safe and energy efficient operation of boilers in industries.

Altogether 21 participants including factory inspectors from the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management, the consultants from Environmental Sector Programme Support (ESPS), personnel from Occupational Safety and Health Project (OSHP) and private enterprises had taken party in the training.

On the theoretical side, the programme consisted of legislation requirements for construction, approval, operation, maintenance and statutory requirements for boilers, water treatment and testing of feed and boiler water, corrosion, scaling, cracks and other failures along with non destructive examination methods.

The practical side consisted of inspection and reticulation on site of boilers, workshops consisting of practical aspects of boiler inspection, certification, safety and also aspects concerning cleaner production, energy efficiency, water treatment and testing, planning of maintenance and inspection, use of non destructive testing techniques, material standards and properties and industrial visits.

The programme was conducted by Energy Efficiency (a sub component of ESPS/DANIDA) and Institute of Environmental Management (a component of ESPS/DANIDA) in association with Force Institute from Denmark.

Assistant Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Prakash Bahadur Gurung chaired the closing ceremony and highlighted the importance of proper operation of boilers in the industry considering that boilers are the most hazardous equipment in the industry.

He also congratulated the organisers for having conducted such a programme for the first time in Nepal.

He said that this type of programmes should be continued in the future for the overall development and growth of the country.

'HMG firm to protect environment'

Kathmandu, Dec. 21 (RSS): Minister of State for Health Mohan Bahadur Basnet released 'environment today', the annual publication of the non-governmental organisation Environment for All (EFA)- Nepal here today. EFA is actively involved in the environment sector.

At the programme, Minister of State Basnet gave away prizes to students winning a secondary school level essay contest and certificates to schools participating in the contest.

Addressing the function, Minister of State Basnet said that His Majesty's Government is committed to environment conservation.

Chairman of the high-level Bagmati Cleaning and Sewerage Improvement Project and former MP Bidur Poudel pointed out the need for more action than words in the field of environmental protection.

Former MP and member-secretary of the Club Hom Raj Dahal lauded the efforts of youths in environment conservation.

Nepal Press Council chairman Harihar Birahi expressed the view that youths can play a key role in the protection of the environment.

President of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Suresh Acharya opined that environmental jounalism can also play a decisive role in environment conservation.

Linguist Prof. Shiva Gopal Risal underlined the need for cultivating environmental awareness among all sections of society including the students.

Senior journalist and member of Nepal Forum of Environment Jurnalists (NEFEJ) Bhairab Risal said there is lack of environmental awareness not only among the illiterates but also among the literate and educated people.

Chairman of the B.P. Koirala Cancer Hospital and senior surgeon Dr. Dhruba Prasad Sharma called on all strata of society to be active in matters concerning the environment and its protection.

At the programme presided over by EFA president Dev Raj Joshi, politicians Shiva Bahadur Khadka, assistant lecturer Dr. Surya Prasad Manandhar, journalists, students, EFA general secretary Dipak Acharya and others also expressed their views.

Kshitiz Shrestha of Bishwa Niketan Higher Secondary School came out first, Dikshya Bastakoti of Mahendra Bhavan Girls High School second and Prajwal Malla of Arniko Boarding School third in the essay contest on the topic 'the role of students in environment conservation.'

Sushma Sharma of Arniko Boarding School and Surya Bhattarai of Chhunamuna Secondary School received the consolation prizes.

'Role of journos vital in environment protection'

Kathmandu, Dec. 21 (RSS): Minister of State for Science and Technology Bhakta Bahadur Balayar has said that taking into consideration the change in climate due to environmental imbalance, projects concerning changes in climates have been undertaken with extensive study and research to mitigate the challenge.

Speaking at four-day training programme for environmental journalists organised on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of the Society of Environmental Journalist (SEJ) Nepal, he said that the role of journalists is important in the protection and promotion of the environment.

Minister of State for Agriculture and Cooperatives Laxman Prasad Mehta said that as excessive use of pesticides had a negative impact on human health and environment as well, the pesticide act had been introduced to mitigate such impact and farmers' schools have also been held in 40 districts.

Director General of the Department or Agriculture Bhairav Raj Kaini and director general of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology Adarsha Prasad Pokharel also expressed their views at the programme chaired by SEJ-Nepal central president Sanubabu Silwal.

About l00 journalists are attending the four-day programme.

KC calls for publicising tourism spots

Birgunj, Dec. 21 (RSS): Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur KC has said that prerequisites for tourism sector should be built up and the matters of attraction for tourists should be widely publicised.

Inaugurating a seminar concerning prospects and appropriateness of tourism development in the district hosted by Parsa District Development Committee (DDC) at Parsa wildlife reserve, he said that development of agriculture, water resources and tourism are essential for the development of the country.

Minister of State for Forest and Soil Conservation Surendra Hamal expressed his happiness over the set objective of making the district a destination for tourists and carrying out conservation measures and development of the community and said that HMG would carry out conservation works and develop the community in the adjoining areas.

Assistant Minister for Local Development Ajaya Kumar Chaurasiya said that Parsa district, rich in arts, culture, temples and delightful spots has the potential to become a destination for tourists.

On the occasion, MP Farmulla Mansur, chairman of Bara DDC Chhathu Yadav, Dina Prasad Gupta of the Nepali Congress, Atma Deb Upadhyaya of the Nepali Congress, and a host of other speakers said that everyone would contribute to make the district a tourism area.

From the chair, Parsa DDC chairman Janardan Singh Chhetri presented a working paper on the prospects of tourism development in the district.

'Govt won't suppress press to justify relevance of emergency'

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 21: Minister for Information and Communications Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta today said the government would not suppress the press to justify the relevance of the state of emergency in the country.

"The government respects the sentiment of the Fourth Estate and will not infringe on its rights," Minister Gupta told an interaction on "State of Emergency and Press" organised by Press Chautari Nepal here this afternoon. "The press should also reciprocate with the government's sentiment."

Minister Gupta maintained that interrogations on any newspaper or individual journalists were not meant to discourage the press. "I personally believe that any action on the press should be taken by the civil authority, and such action should not be taken without issuing a letter."

"We all should be alert to check such cases, if any," he said.

Minister Gupta said all sections of the society should be cautious at the time of emergency, adding that no one should try to cross the limits. "The activities of all, including the government, judiciary, civil society, press and human rights organisations, should be focussed to protect and consolidate the democratic system."

Minister Gupta said that the issue of foreign investment in the media requires national debate and that an appropriate law is needed to manage such investments. "The government welcomes the opinions of all sections of the society in this regard."

While making a law to manage the media, Gupta said, the country should make sure the national integrity remains intact and foreign investment becomes possible.

Nepal Press Council's President Harihar Birahi said the media had seen the state of emergency as a problem of all, adding the state could push ahead its mission effectively by winning the confidence of the Fourth Estate. "The government needs to streamline its efforts to eliminate suspicion, fear and insecurity in the people."

President of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists Suresh Acharya stressed on transparent and convincing mechanism of information release. He said the government should not take action against the journalists on the basis of their political beliefs. "Giving mental torture to journalists can prove counterproductive to the government."

He said that the FNJ disapproved of foreign investment in print media and stressed on transparency on part of all the publishing houses in the country.

President of Media Society Pushkar Lal Shrestha said the government's actions against journalists had made media people suspicious. "The media are compelled to work in an uncertain atmosphere."

He said foreign investment in media could jeopardise national sovereignty.

Freelance journalist P. Kharel shared Shrestha's views regarding foreign investment in media. In relation to the state of emergency and the role of state and other institutions, Kharel said, "Wisdom should not be subdued even at the time of emergency."

He said it was the time for the media to work harder to prove their professionalism.

CRR, refinance rate cut
NRB move to revamp business, industry

BY RAJ KUMAR K.C.

Kathmandu, Dec. 21: The latest move of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to reduce the compulsory Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) by one percentage point and the Refinancing Rate by percentage points between one and two has been welcomed as a positive step towards revamping businesses and industries in the country.

With the CRR slashed, the liquidity position in commercial banks is expected to gain a significant momentum so that an adequate capital would flow to the business and industrial sectors.

However, not all economists, industrialists and businessmen are as optimistic with the NRB’s new adjustments in its monetary policy–they think it is an imitation of India, Japan or America, which made similar changes in their monetary policy recently.

"It is, of course, a positive step to cut back on the CRR and Refinancing Rate and increase liquidity in commercial banks, but this should benefit industries and businesses in real economic terms," says Binod Bahadur Shrestha, Vice President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI)–the apex body in the private sector. "If the liquidity remains unutilised in the productive sectors, it could be counter-productive for the entire economy."

As such, the NRB has also accepted that the country is passing through a difficult time with its industries and businesses almost stagnant. Between 80 and 85 per cent of all garment and carpet industries are closed and the promise Pashmina industries showed is no more, they are in pathetic conditions now. Apart from this, the performance index of other industries such as cement and sugar is not any better either.

On the one hand, lack of transparency, corruption and mis-management have badly afflicted the country’s industries, businesses and even corporate sectors, on the other, the fragile peace and security situation has virtually paralysed the economy. It paints less optimistic picture for foreign investors.

"How can the central bank’s new measures overcome the present crisis? Is this aimed at revamping the ailing industries?" asks Prof. (Dr.) Guna Nidhi Sharma. "Our economic indicators are not so responsive."

Says Sharma: "It is just an imitation of India, Japan or America."

Liquidity in commercial banks plunged to 2.8 billion from five billion rupees within a period of 8-9 months. Yet, the level of liquidity would be enough to provide loans to industrialists and businessmen.

"NRB could have easily managed lending if it had a strong and effective monetary policy," says Sharma.

Former vice chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr. Badri Prasad Shrestha shares similar views. The liquidity of 2.8 billion rupees is enough to manage sincere reforms in industrial and business sectors, he says.

NRB’s new arrangement may not have any negative impact on the economy, but there is room for doubts as to how positive it will be, says Dr. Shrestha. "Monetary policy or liquidity are not the causes of poor industrial performance, it is ‘peace and security,’ which needs to be addressed properly."

Governor Dr. Tilak Rawal of the central bank has underlined the rationale behind the move by saying this: ‘The prime objective behind reductions of CRR and refinancing rates is to provide loans to the industrialists and businessmen at lower interest rates." Well, if that is so, will the commercial banks (except Nepal Bank Ltd. and Rastriya Banijya Bank) provide industrialists and businessmen with soft loan? Does NRB have that commitment to get the private banks to follow suit?

Many industrialists and businessmen have doubts.

Binod Bahadur Shrestha of FNCCI says the outcome of CRR reductions should be positive and industrialists and businessmen should get loans at lower interest rates. "Otherwise, it would not create a positive atmosphere the NRB expects."

NRB has slashed the refinancing rate on the convertible currency export loans by two per cent. For commercial banks, NRB has fixed new financing rate. According to which, refinancing rate on industrial rehabilitation loans has been reduced to 3 from 4.5 per cent. The refinancing rate on all other kinds of loans has been brought down to 5.5 per cent from 6.5 per cent. The bank rate on the loans of rural development bank and Nepalese currency export has been whittled down from 5.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent.

Plastic notes to be issued

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 21: Counting on costs and durability, the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has decided to start issuing plastic notes in the near future. The central bank has completed all the necessary process for the issuance of plastic notes (Kylmor paper) of the 10 rupees denomination.

The NRB will now initiate the process by calling tender for printing the notes as soon as it receives the green signal from the Cabinet.

According to Upendra Keshari Paudyal, executive director at the Note Department of NRB, the proposed plastic notes would be four times durable compared to paper notes. The cost of each paper note is around Rs 1.5, whereas a plastic note of Rs. 10 denomination would cost nearly three rupees. However, the cost of plastic notes comes to be cheaper in the long run, says Paudyal.

China, Singapore, Bangladesh, Thailand and Australia have already introduced such notes on a trial basis and new notes are proving effective.

Normally plastic notes are more durable than the paper notes, which are made of polymer sub-straits and have security threads. Apart from this, the chances of forgery and cheating are relatively less with the new notes.

"We have no plan at the moment to issue notes with other denominations," says Paudyal.

Besides, NRB will stop printing notes with denominations of 1 rupee-and 2 rupees, it is learnt.

The use of paper notes began almost 56 years ago in 2002 B.S. For the first time in the annals of the Nepalese currency system, the Sadar Mulukikhana, the then authority, had issued notes with denomination of Re 1/-, Rs 5/-, Rs 10/- and Rs 100/-. According to NRB sources, the average life span of a paper note is around five years.

Exhibition opened
All party consensus must to defeat terrorism: PM

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Butwal, Dec. 21: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that neither he nor anyone else has the authority to endorse the Maoists' demand of a constituent assembly.

"That Maoists ran away from the negotiating table and started a new spate of violence by killing innocent citizens proves that they are terrorists," said the Prime Minister, who was addressing the inauguration ceremony of the 7th National Industrial Exhibition - 2058 here today.

He said the people have fully supported mobilization of the Royal Nepalese Army and added that the government is aware and committed to holding discussion and consultations with all the political parties for the all-round development of the country.

Prime Minister Deuba pointed out the need of an all-party consensus to overcome terrorism, provide a sense of peace and security to the people, alleviate poverty, remove corruption and backwardness and control corruption in the country.

The biggest challenge facing the country today is to restore peace and security by defeating the terrorists, Deuba said and added that consensus among all political parties is of paramount importance to run social and economic programmes to abolish poverty, unemployment and caste discrimination.

The exhibition also aims to look for markets for industries, encourage indigenous products and raise public awareness for using them, inform consumers about the quality of indigenuos products, look for new technologies and attract women to industries. items produced by 172 industries, big and small, are on display in the exhibition.

The chamber had organised such an exhibition in 2045 BS for the first time, and it has been doing so annually since 2053 BS.

According to statistics, 40,000 visitors had visited the first national exhibition, while 775,000 visitors have visited the exhibitions between 2053 and 2057 making financial transactions of Rs 280 million.

The past exhibitions have enhanced the sale of turbines produced by Thapa Engineering, Organic Coffee in Palpa and Gulmi, Furniture of Butwal Steel Furniture, pashmina shawls of Kathmandu, unique bamboo products, aluminum window frames, Dhaka produced by cottage industries and artistic bamboo items of traditional handicrafts in Pokhara.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Deuba inaugurated the 28th Convention of Nepal Jaycees in Butwal this afternoon and said the announcement of a state of emergency was against terrorists and, hence, no one should support and cooperate with them.

The Prime Minister said the state of emergency has been declared in keeping with the constitutional authority.

"This is nothing but a measure taken by the government under compulsion to tackle terrorist activities like attacks on army barracks, raids on district administration offices and killing of innocent civilians," the Prime Minister said.

Deuba said the state of emergency has also been supported by friendly countries like India, China, America, Japan and others and said they have shown their willingness to help the government fight terrorism.