Maoists should not terrorise people, says Oli

Butwal, Oct. 5 (RSS): Deputy leader of the CPN (UML) Parliamentary Party KP Sharma Oli has said the Maoist policies are wrong and their conduct is terrorist.

Mr Oli, inaugurating the fourth Rupandehi district convention of the party at Siddharthanagar today, noted that the Maoists should not terrorize the people.

Stating that their demand for a republic is impossible as well as impractical, he said the "people’s war" is a result of ultra-leftist thinking.

UML central member Bishnu Paudel, Lumbini Zonal secretary Ram Nath Dhakal and others also spoke at the function.

Meanwhile, the CPN (UML) has condemned and protested against the attack by terrorists on the legislative building of Jammu-Kashmir State of India.

A press release issued by the party today has expressed condolences to the Indian people.

‘Poverty main cause of social unrest’

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Oct 5:Minister for Finance Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat has reiterated the need for concerted efforts to battle poverty by creating more economic opportunities and urged all business communities to accelerate economic activities. The main cause of violence, insurgency or social unrest is poverty, hence programme for poverty alleviation is vital to root it out, he said.

He strongly noted that the government would not turn deaf ears if anybody were found involved in corruption. On top of that strict measures will be taken to whittle down irregularities, he added.

While addressing the sixth annual general meeting of Nepal Britain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NBCCI) Minister Dr. Mahat stressed the need to boost export of Nepalese goods to European market by enhancing productivity. Nepal has comparative advantage in various sectors, and it could be a safe and reliable place for foreign investment. And more investment from Britain could help accelerate our economic growth, he added.

Regarding the tax administration, he said the government is striving for making tax administration more effective and transparent by implementing new Income Tax Act, which is in the process. However, the business community should be equally conscious and effortful to make tax administration more timely and scientific, Dr. Mahat added.

Transparency in private and government sectors is vital; he said and urged all to promote transparency.

British Ambassador Ronald P Nash, while addressing the function said peace and security is vital for industrial development and expressed hope for peaceful solution from the government and Maoists talks.

British Ambassador Nash said that industrial development is vital for accelerating Nepalese economic growth.

President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Ravi Bhakta Shrestha also stressed the need for peace and security to boost industrial growth.

President of NBCCI Rajendra Kumar Khetan, in his welcome speech said bilateral trade between Nepal and the United Kingdom is gradually increasing. The government seems to be serious towards facilitating industrial security. The ongoing talks between the government and the Maoists would lead to the peaceful solution. The security has improved significantly during the last few weeks, he said.

A.K Sengupta, general secretary of NBCCI while extending vote of thanks pointed out the need to maintain transparency in the government offices as well.

According to NBCCI, Nepal’s export to the UK is continuously increasing in terms of volume as well as share in the total export volume. During the fiscal year 1999-2000 Nepal’s export amounted to N Rs 1.6 billion, which was 2.3 per cent of the country’s total export.

The British tourist arrival remained more than 30,000, which would be more than seven per cent of total arrival.

Transport services resume in Tulsipur

Nepalgunj, Oct. 5 (RSS): The transport strike called by the Rapti Zonal Transport Entrepreneurs Association to demand compensation as more than 100 buses were vandalized at Tulsipur bus park upon the death of two students after being hit by a bus on Saturday in Tulsipur Municipality of dang district ended and transport services resumed since yesterday.

Due to the strike buses were stranded from Kohalpur to Chanauta along the Mahendra Highway.

The regional meeting of the transport entrepreneur associations of the West of Narayani Zone has decided to start the services as it would take time to evaluate the losses and that the Dasain and Tihar festivals are very near, member secretary of the Bheri Zonal Transport Entrepreneurs Association Deknath Gautam said.

The meeting also demanded that HMG provide the compensation by November 22 otherwise they will again call another strike.

All the day and night bus services resumed yesterday.

Nepal can attract more Japanese tourists, says KC

Kathmandu, Oct. 5 (RSS): Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur K.C. returned here today after attending the 14th General Assembly of World Tourism Organisation (WTO) being held in Seoul, the capital of Republic of Korea and a visit to Japan.

Talking with the media persons at the VIP lounge of Tribhuwan International Airport Minister K.C. disclosed that the General Assembly had agreed to chart out a master plan for the development of Nepalese tourism industry and to send a technical team for technical support in the near future.

At the WTO general assembly, participated in by the Ministers from 60 countries and representatives from 122 countries, extensive discussions were held on how world tourism market can be protected after the Horrific attack made in the USA, he said, adding views were exchanged on how Nepal Destination Year-2002 can be organised in an effective manner.

"I saw tremendous potentials for attracting Japanese tourists to Nepal during my visit to Japan," he said, adding "positive responses have been received from the Japanese officials on opening up Tokyo airport for Nepal."

The Minister said that the tour operators will be asked to project and publicize Nepal in the Japanese tourism market by increasing the flights to Japan.

The 15th general assembly of the WTO will he held in China in 2003, he added.

Minister K.C. had left for Seoul heading a four-member delegation on September 21. Other members of his entourage also returned today.

Minister K.C. Was welcomed by officiating secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Shankar Koirala and other officials of the Ministy at the Tribhuwan International Airport.

Take Govt-Maoist talks to logical end: Ranabhat

Kathmandu, Oct. 5 (RSS): Speaker Taranath Ranabhat has called on both the government and the Maoists to make most out of the present atmosphere to develop the country by ensuring political stability and good governance.

Mr Ranabhat, who was speaking at a function on the self-reliance in the context of Nepal organised by the self-reliant youths forum here today, spoke of the need for all political parties and civil society to take the talks to a logical end.

CPN (UML) MP Ishwor Pokhrel noted that how we can be self-reliant is really a question that merits attention.

CPN (ML) leader Chandra Prakash Mainali spoke of the need to become committed more to works than to speech.

Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and various other speakers also spoke at the function chaired by chairman of the forum Ishwor Man Dongol.

Meanwhile, Speaker Taranath Ranabhat inaugurated the second general meeting of Pokhareli Didibahini Samuha, Kathmandu and a blood donation programme organised by the group here today.

On the occasion Speaker Ranabhat felicitated the newly elected national president of Reiyukai Nepal Shobha Joshi (Kaski) by wrapping a shawl around her.

Altogether 50 persons donated blood on the occasion.

President of the group Sharada Baidhya presided.

GTZ’s ISCL project term extended

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Oct. 5: The GTZ-run project for the improvement of the situation of child labour made public its working report amidst a function this evening.

After the completion of its three-and-a-half-year-long project for improving the economic, academic and social condition of the forced child labour, the Improvement of the Situation of Child Labours (ISCL) of the GTZ, has decided to extend its project term till March 2003.

Started in 1998 for the improvement of the situation of the child labours, the ISCL has been launching various programmes in districts like Doti in the Far-west Development Region and Sindhupalchok in the Central region and in the Kathmandu Valley as well.

The project, jointly with the government, is working in those areas to raise awareness for the abolition of all forms of child labour by 2010 and the worst forms of child labour by 2007. The project has focussed on community-based child development programmes, economic promotion and community development.

"We have identified poverty and ignorance as the root causes behind all sorts of backwardness," project experts said adding "And now, we think we will be able to focus our activities in meeting the challenges."

However, the success of our proposed plans rest heavily on monetary resources that we have not yet been able to receive," an official at the ISCL said. The ISCL is expecting to get Rs. 10 million for the proposed plans for improving the situation of child labours in Nepal.

The ISCL has so far established some child care-cum-education centres for children who had worked in carpet factories, community based child care centres and has also established a number of education centres in cooperation with NGOs. These centres have benefitted nearly 322 children.

Meanwhile, monitoring officers of the project said that the Maoists’ forceful collection of money and their unnecessary infringement on the project activities have caused a slow pace in running the project activities. "But after they realised that we were working for the best of children and the society they let us work and now we have no problems," said Tarun Adhikari, a monitoring officer of the project.