PM to lead team to SAARC

Kathmandu, Dec.24 (RSS): Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is to lead the Nepali delegation to the 11th SAARC Summit being held in Nepal from Jan 4 to 6, 2002.

The members of the delegation are Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Arjun Jung Bahadur Singh, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to India Dr Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Bal Bahadur Kunwar, member of the National Planning Commission Dr Shanker Sharma, Chief Secretary to His Majesty’s Government Tirthaman Shakya, Finance, and Industry, Commerce and Supplies Secretaries, Acting Foreign Secretary and other officials.

Similarly, Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat will lead a Nepalese delegation to the 22nd meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers to be held on Jan 2 and 3.

The members of the delegation are Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Arjun Jung Bahadur Singh, the Royal Nepalese Ambassadors to India and Sri Lanka, member of the National Planning Commission Dr Shankar Sharma, the Chief Secretary of His Majesty’s Government and secretaries at the Ministry of Finance and the Industry, Commerce and Supplies Ministry and other officials.

Likewise, acting secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Madhu Raman Acharya will lead a Nepalese delegation to the 27th session of the standing committee to be held from Dec 30 to Jan 1. The members of the delegation will be the Finance, and Industry, Commerce and Supplies secretaries and other officials.

Joint-secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Gyan Chandra Acharya will lead a Nepalese delegation to the 22nd meeting of the programme committee being held on Dec 28 and 29. The members of the delegation will be high-ranking officials of His Majesty’s Government.

Bhutan firm to solve refugee issue: Thinley

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec.24: Both Nepal and Bhutan are fully committed to find a solution to the refugee problem to the satisfaction of the two nations as well as that of the people in the camps in eastern Nepal, Bhutanese Foreign Minister Jigme Y. Thinley said from Thimpu, when contacted by The Rising Nepal over the phone.

Officials of the Nepal-Bhutan Joint Verification Team (JVT) completed verification of refugees in the Khudunabari Camp – one of the seven camps in eastern Nepal – earlier this month. They have now gone back to their respective capitals to report to their governments.

But Thinley said that he was yet to be briefed by the Bhutanese JVT officials. "I was touring eastern Bhutan till yesterday," he explained.

During the telephone conversation on Sunday, Thinley termed the completion of refugee verification at the Khudunabari Camp a major step. He said that the JVT would also categorise the verified refugees and that they would be repatriated once Nepal and Bhutan reach into an understanding on how to treat the categorised refugees.

After deciding to categorise the refugees into four groups in 1993 when they held the first Joint Ministerial Level Committee meeting, Nepal and Bhutan later developed serious differences on their positions to deal with the categories. Bhutan, citing its legal provisions, insisted that it would take back only the Bonafide Bhutanese category, while Nepal maintained that all refugees except the non-Bhutanese category should be repatriated.

The differences even surfaced during the bilateral secretarial level talks held here earlier this year even as the JVT had almost finished the verification of the Khudunabari Camp.

The 10th round of talks earlier this year had decided to conduct verification and categorisation processes at the Khudunabari Camp – as a test case.

"Since we have briefed the government about our findings during the verification, we are planning to go back to the JVT office in Jhapa this week," said Sushil Rana, who heads the Nepalese team in the JVT. "After that, we would be waiting for the Bhutanese response and thereafter we would jointly start categorisation simultaneously as the two governments would be working on harmonising their positions on the four categories."

Answering a question if the verification and categorisation of refugees would be futile until Nepal and Bhutan could strike a deal on who of the verified refugees should be taken back, Thinley said that the differences can be sorted out bilaterally. "Every step is important while dealing with this crisis. There is always a starting point to deal with issues like this."

When asked about the refugees’ complaints that the Bhutanese Government has resorted to resettling its northern citizens on the lands they (the refugees) had left behind, Thinley flatly denied the charge. "That is totally wrong. Of course we are doing the resettlement but that is purely for agricultural development like it happens anywhere in the developing world."

Around 100,000 Bhutanese refugees have been languishing in the seven UNHCR-maintained camps in eastern Nepal since 1990 when, they claim, they were forcefully evicted from their homelands in southern Bhutan.

MAC estimates fall in paddy output

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 24: The production of paddy in the country is estimated to fall by 1.91 per cent from that of last year, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives (MAC). This year’s production of paddy is estimated to be 4,136,000 metric tons.

The Ministry attributes the fall in production to reduction of land used for the paddy plantation. This year 1,517,000 hectares of land was brought under paddy cultivation – a reduction of 2.76 per cent from last year.

The adverse weather, the unusually long dry spell during monsoon in the eastern region is mainly blamed for the decrease in the area for paddy farming. This year 54,000 hectares of land remained uncultivated in the Eastern Region.

Agro-experts also blame marginal decrease in output in the Eastern Region for the reduced production. Eastern Region occupies a major portion of agriculture land for the production of paddy in the country. The productivity of the paddy is calculated 2.73 metric ton per hectare of land.

However, the Ministry had not expected the drop in paddy production in the overall despite the dry spell in eastern country, said Narayan Prasad Regmi, the Ministry’s spokesman.

"For the compensation of this year’s loss, the Ministry has targeted to increase the yield to 50,0000 metric ton next year," Regmi told The Rising Nepal.

The Ministry has provided subsidies to the farmers of the eastern region affected by the dry spell during monsoon. Subsidies will be granted in the seeds and irrigation for winter crops.

However, the authority has some consolation that the production of maize is estimated to increase by 1.8 per cent compared to last year. The yield of maize is estimated to reach 1.51 million metric tons an increase from the earlier estimation of 1.484 million metric tons. The area under maize cultivation was 826,000 hectares.

Like the previous years, the production of millet continued to decrease this year also. The crop output is estimated to go down by 0.10 percentage to 282, 570 metric tons. Last year’s yield was 282,852 metric ton.

Two terrorists killed, 43 arrested in operation

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 24: Two terrorists were killed in separate encounters with security personnel, 43 suspects arrested and some weapons recovered in the search and cordon operations in various parts of the country Sunday.

The Defence Ministry in its press release issued today said one terrorist died in an encounter between the joint security forces and armed rebels in Katakpur of Kailali district in Far West Nepal.

The second terrorist was killed in Chaurjhari area of Rukum when he tried to flee breaking the security cordon of the security personnel. And along with a wounded terrorist, 19 others were arrested during the search and cordon operation in Rukum.

The Ministry said, during an operation in Pathariya of Kailali, security personnel arrested four terrorists with five different kinds of weapons.

Similarly, in their operations, security forces have arrested 20 suspects for necessary investigation in different parts of the country. Among them four each were arrested in Kailali, Darchula and Sunsari districts, two in Kulekhani of Makawanpur, two in Deurali of Gorkha, one each in Baraja and Katmila of Baglung, Simpani of Rolpa and Nagdhunga of Kathmandu.

Bhandari stresses efficiency of Salt Trading

Kathmandu, Dec. 24 (RSS): Health Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari has stressed the need for the Salt Trading Corporation to work more effectively so as to make daily essentials easily available.

Minister Bhandari said this at the Hem Bahadur Malla Memorial Function organised by the corporation here today.

Bhandari also distributed prizes to corporation employees for best performance and various scholorships to employees’ children who secured highest marks in last year’s SLC examinations.

On the occasion, Assistant Minister for Industry and Commerce Prakash Bahadur Gurung lauded the late Malla’s role in promoting the Salt Trading Corporation and stressed the need for the latter to make its services more people-oriented.

The late Malla had served at the corporation in various capacities.

Interaction Programme
Govt to take action against tax defaulters

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Dec 24: His Majesty’s Government has announced to take stern action against those who fail to pay the tax under the provision of voluntary disclosure of the taxable income by January 13, 2002.

The Budget Announcement of Fiscal Year 2058-59 has aimed to bring the potential taxpayers within the tax bracket under the provision of voluntary disclosure of income sources. The government will seize the property if anybody disobey the announcement, says Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Dr. Bimal Prasad Koirala here today.

Speaking at an interaction programme at the Ministry, secretary Dr. Koirala clarified that all the people who come within the tax net should pay it before January 14. After this, according to Dr. Koirala the government is firm to take severe action against those who violate the rules.

Irrespective of any social position or political influence, every body who comes within the tax net should pay the tax according to the existing Income Tax Act-2031 asserts Koirala. Asked whether politicians would come within the net, he said "No body will free those who fail to pay the tax as per the law." Moreover the collection of tax will be initiated from the employees at Revenue Administration.

Since this programme is more legal, but it is compulsive, hence there will be no extension of the due date for the tax settlement, he said. His Majesty’s Government has targeted to generate the revenue of one billion rupees.

The Inland Revenue Department has already gathered information about five hundred people who come within the tax bracket.

According to Bidyadhar Mallik, Director General at the Inland Revenue Department, people have started paying tax. We have experience of the past that the people with taxable income are showing overwhelming response, Mallik said.

As per the Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme (VDIS), the incomes that do not come under this provision are - parental property, income on agriculture or farming, earnings in abroad, any income that is declared non taxable according to the Act and income after the payment of tax.

The Inland Revenue Department issues the Code number, according to which the record taxpayers are maintained.

If a revenue inspector feels it essential to review the income sources, it can be done on the basis of Code number.

In today’s interaction programme, people from various organisations pointed out the need for more homework before the implementation of the new provision and suggested for extension of the due date.

Suresh Kumar Basnet, general secretary of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Jagadish Agrawal of the Federation of the Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and vice president of Priavate and Boarding Schools (PABSON) Sitaram Maskey expressed their opinions on the occasion.

Idea of broader democratic alliance wrong: Bhattarai

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Dec. 24: Former Prime Minister and leader of the Nepali Congress Krishna Prasad Bhattarai said that nobody had the right to oust or topple the parliamentary system in a non-parliamentary manner.

In an exclusive interview to the Nepal Television this evening, Bhattarai, one of the founding leaders of the Nepali Congress, said time has come for all the political parties in the parliament to show their commitment towards safeguarding democracy and multiparty system.

Talking about the recent move for a broader democratic alliance, Bhattarai called the idea of a broader democratic alliance among the political parties as a wrong one for addressing the country’s problems.

"Since the Nepali Congress is an able party and has a majority in the parliament, the question of broader democratic alliance is illogical and irrelevant."

Furnishing to a query about NC President Koirala’s recent move for a broader democratic alliance, Bhattarai said that it was nothing but his arrogance.

The country now faces no such danger to have a broader democratic alliance, Bhattarai said.

"He (Koirala) seems to have forgotten the background of the Nepali Congress," Bhattarai said and added that he must understand how a majority government in a country with a constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy functions.

"If we cannot run the parliamentary democracy it would be the fault and the incompetence of the leadership of the Nepali Congress. So, we must not let such a situation to emerge," he said.

Bhattarai refuted Koirala’s idea saying it was not honest on his part because he did not talk about such an alliance when he was the Prime Minister of the country. "To raise this issue when there is another man of his own party heading the government shows his insincerity."

Regarding the Maoist terrorist problem, Bhattarai said that a peaceful negotiation was the only way of finding a peaceful solution and for that the Maoists must show their honesty.

Even the incumbent Prime Minister has a similar view towards solving the Maoist problem, Bhattarai said, continuing that for a negotiated settlement of the problem, they must lay down their arms. However, he said he has repeatedly asked the Prime Minister to work in such a way so that the period of emergency would not be elongated.

He, however, blamed the Maoists for the declaration of the state of emergency. "The violent attacks by the Maoist terrorists forced the government to declare the state of emergency. If I were the Prime Minister I would have taken even harsher means to deal with them," he said.

Leaders for national consensus to solve crisis

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Dec. 24: Leaders of different political parties today said that they felt the need for a national consensus and broader democratic alliance to solve the current crisis facing the country.

At an all-party meeting called by President of the Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala here this morning, the leaders had an elaborate discussion about Koirala’s 14-point proposal submitted to the Parliament when he was the Prime Minister.

The leaders also agreed to sit for a next round of meeting to discuss on other issues, which they said need to be addressed for consolidating democracy and maintaining good governance.

The leaders said that they were all ready to help the government and forge an alliance for mitigating the problem faced by the country.

Talking to the journalists after the conclusion of the meeting, NC President Koirala said that there was no conflict among the leaders about his proposal of national consensus and broader democratic alliance among the parties. "However, the modality of the broader democratic alliance would be finalised only after all the parties agree with that," he said.

Leader of the CPN-UML Bharat Mohan Adhikari said that the main opposition party is positive towards the efforts initiated by NC president Koirala in his bid to forge a national consensus among the parties for addressing the political, economic and social problems, which have marred the country.

"However, we could not discuss on the modalities of the national consensus among the political parties today. We will have this kind of meeting for the purpose after President Koirala gets a fresh mandate from his CWC members," Adhikari said.

General secretary of the NC Sushil Koirala told the reporters that the NC was going to call a meeting of the party’s Central Working Committee to notify the congressmen about the decisions of today’s all-party meet.

However, there are also skepticism about the utility of the meeting. One UML MP, Pradeep Gyanwali, wondered about the significance of the meeting and said the meeting failed to reach to a substantive conclusion.

Asked about his party’s stand in this regard, president of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Surya Bahadur Thapa, meanwhile, said that his party was always in favour of national consensus and that his party would extend full support to Nepali Congress in this regard.

Along with party president Koirala and general secretary of the NC Sushil Koirala, NC treasurer Mahantha Thakur, co-general secretary Govinda Raj Joshi and NC CWC member Chakra Prasad Bastola were present at the meeting. MP Bharat Mohan Adhikary and Amrit Kumar Bohara were present on behalf of the CPN-UML.

Other leaders present in the meeting included, RPP President Surya Bahadur Thapa, general secretary of the CPN-ML Bam Dev Gautam and leader Radha Krishna Mainali, MP Badri Prasad Mandal from Nepal Sadbhavana Party, Chitra Bahadur K.C. and Nawaraj Subedi from National Peoples’ Front, Narayan Man Bijukchhe from Nepal Workers and Peasants Party and Amik Sherchan from United Peoples’ Front. National Assembly MP Ramesh Nath Pandey was also present in the meeting.

Upadhyaya stresses review of past education policy

Kathmandu, Dec. 24 (RSS): Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyaya has said that technical and vocational education should be stressed for creating a society based on knowledge and skill and resolving the problems of poverty and unemployment.

Speaking at an interaction programme hosted here today by the University Grants Commission with reference to the formulation of the bases for policy and programmes to be pursued in the realm of higher education during the l0th plan period, Minister Upadhyaya said that as the state has not realised returns in proportion to the investment made in the educational sector, it has become necessary to review past educational policy.

Minister of State for Education and Sports Narayan Prasad Saud stressed the need to review the educational policy pursued in the Ninth Plan and said that as the challenges facing the country could not be overcome through the conventional system of education, the academic community should concentrate on imparting practical education in consonance with the changing times.

Member of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr. Nirmal Prasad Pandey said that educational policy should be formulated with clarity of vision and in line with the need of society and the country in order to make the l0th plan practical and fruitful.

Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Prof. Dr. Devendra Raj Mishra called for advice and suggestions on educational policy stating that this has a direct bearing on civilisation, culture and development and should be
based on knowledge, science, technology and skill.

Prof. Dr. Man Prasad Wagley, Shiva Raj Lohani and a host of other speakers also expressed their views at the interaction programme.

NOC urges people to help end troubles

Kathmandu, Dec.24 (RSS):Nepal Oil Corporation has urged the people for help by immediately providing tip off to a nearby office of the corporation if any one is found to be taking out oil from tankers and said that those who want to contract out their tankers or to obtain dealership will be appointed as dealers within 24 hours of them submitting necessary documents.

The corporation also urged the people to cooperate by immediately contacting its executive director if any employee is found to be giving unnecessary troubles to consumers or creating hassles or delaying works intentionally.

The NOC in a press relese today also made a request to the people to inform the executive director at the corporation’s central office if refuelling in aircfrats is not done within a certain timeframe except in the case of companies having to pay arrears, and also the office of standards or regional office of NOC if petroleum products are not up to mark

The clients may also file complaints in a complaint box if any irregularities come to their notice and the dealers are mandatorily required to put up the price lists of petroleum products.

The NOC also said it has been providing quality petroleum products to consumers through dealers across the country and is fully conscious of its responsibility of providing petro-products more effectively in the coming days.

It will also make available petroleum products at the rates fixed by the corporation itself in remote areas where the local administrations have not fixed the prices, it is stated.

NTUC decides to postpone district level conventions

Kathmandu, Dec. 24 (RSS): Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC) has, in view of the present situation in the country, decided to postpone its district conventions and conventions of affiliated organisations earlier scheduled to be organised in connection with the union’s Feb. 23-25 general convention.

A meeting of the NTUC district presidents and the presidents of affiliated organisations yesterday criticised the government for initiating the process of amending the existing Labour Act in contravention of the procedures specified by the relevant law and demanded that the government make a proposal for the amendment through the national labour advisory committee.

The meeting also raised objection to the abrupt closing down of public corporations and industries thereby causing great inconvenience to the employees.

Seminar on child labour held in Pokhara

Kathmandu, Dec. 24 (RSS): A workshop cum seminar on the elimination of child labour on a phase-wise basis kicked off at Pokhara Sunday under the joint aegis of ILO/IPEC and Federation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Employer Council.

Inaugurating the seminar, first vice-president of FNCCI Binod Bahadur Shrestha noted that there should be a multi-dimensional strategy to eradicate child labour, a social evil prevaling in the Nepalese society.

Ex-president of FNCCI Ananda Raj Mulmi said FINCCI is sensitive towards the plight of child labourer for which additional programme will be introduced in phase-wise basis on the part of Employers’ Council to contain the problem.

Vice-president of FNCCI Employers’ Council Ravindra Shrestha made it clear that the council would take appropriate measures to contain the problem of child labour after analysing its magnitude.

Yadav Amatya, country programme manager of ILO/IPEC called for ending the worst form of child labour from the country keeping in view its adverse impact on human resources development of the country.

Altogether 45 representatives from Pokhara Sub-Metropolis, Lekhanath Municipality, Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Lekhanath Chamber of Commerce and Industry, UNICEF and Save the Children Fund, UK are taking part in the seminar.