HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

HMG firm to solve Maoist issue peacefully
Deuba opens Mustang Festival

Mustang, Oct. 5 (RSS): Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today inaugurated the Mustang Festival-2001 organised at Jomsom, the headquarters of Mustang district.

The festival has been organised with the objective of promoting domestic and foreign tourism in this hilly district popularly regarded as a store house of cultural and natural heritage.

Located at altitudes ranging from 1,372 to 8,167 meters from sea level Mustang district spreads over an area of 3,563 square kilometers.

The famous temple of Muktinath, Damodar Kunda or lake, Lurigumba Monastery, Chosera village and Lomyanthan are the main attractions of the district.

In his inaugural speech, Prime Minister Deuba disclosed that the government has begun working on preparations for a new strategy aimed at bringing socio-economic changes, putting an end to regional disparity and wiping out backwardness from the country within the next 25 years.

For this purpose the government expects active participation and cooperation from the Nepali people, he added.

Describing democracy as a system with people’s participation, Mr Deuba said as the present government is a democratic government it wants to move ahead in the campaign of nation building hand in hand with the people.

Mr Deuba said the present government is committed to peaceful resolution of the Maoist problem and urged the Maoists to stop terrorising people and collection donations forcibly.

The Nepali people will acknowledge the Maoists if they give up violence, help move the nation building campaign ahead and peacefully join the mainstream of national politics, he added.

He also expressed confidence that joint effort on behalf of the government and the people in the promotion of Nepal’s diverse geographical, social, religious, lingual and ethnic heritage would boost the national economy.

MPs Romi Gauchan and Srimaya Thakali pointed out the need for the government to give attention to the overall development of the district and introduce concrete programs for promotion of domestic and foreign tourism.

MP Arjun Prasad Joshi pointed out the need for the government to develop the district as a model in the development of remote districts.

Advisor to the Prime Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat expressed the view that construction of a North-South Highway could provide a market for local products and thereby enhance the living standard of rural people.

CDO Ram Sharan Chimoriya, director of Nepal Tourism Board Kanchan Joshi, DDC vice-chairman Pema Tsering and representatives of different political parties also expressed their views at the programme chaired by DDC chairman Nirmal Prasad Gauchan.

Various types of local sports, an exhibition, a cultural programme and health and educational publications are part of the three-day festival organised by Mustang DDC with the cooperation of Nepal Tourism Board.

The festival is expected to attract some 100,000 foreign tourists and around 5,000 domestic tourists.

Earlier, Prime Minister Deuba inaugurated the new building and concrete runway of Jomsom airport.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Deuba disclosed that as per the government’s policy of bringing road transport to every district headquarter, road transport will be extended to Jomsom also within the next three years under the initiative of the Royal Nepal Army.

DDC chairman Nirmal Kumar Gauchan presided.

Also today, at a meeting with office chiefs of the district, Prime Minister Deuba directed the office chiefs to serve the public in a prompt and efficient manner and strengthen the security bodies with people’s participation.

Prime Minister Deuba is scheduled to return to the capital tomorrow.

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