Armed groups kidnap five persons in Jhapa, Khotang

Biratnagar, Oct. 12 (RSS): A group of unidentified armed persons have kidnapped two persons from Jhapa district and three persons from Khotang district, according to the eastern regional police news room.

According to the eastern regional police news room, a group of about 25 armed persons had kidnapped Gopal Raut and Bhola Dhungel, both residents of Rajgadh Village Development Committee of Jhapa district on Wednesday night and taken them to an undisclosed place in the jungle.

Likewise, a few unidentified persons kidnapped Headmaster of Kalika Secondary School Devi Prasad Rijal and two teachers Narayan Rai and Dhruba Rai from Nerpa VDC of Khotang district and released them Chirudanda VDC yesterday.

A search is being conducted by the police to nab the kidnappers.

Meanwhile a few unidentified persons looted property worth Rs 100,000 from the house of member of the RPP central committee Kedar Rai located at Tamku VDC-2 of Sankhuwasabha district recently.

Meanwhile in Mahottari, two unidentified assailants have looted Rs. 107,000 from Ram Sagar Mandal, headmaster of Raghunathpur Lower Secondary School of Mahottari district.

Two persons fled with the amount after breaking the Dicky of his motorbike which he had parked at Jaleshwar municipality to meet one of his relatives there.

Mr Madal had kept the money inside the Dicky after withdrawing it from Rastriya Banijya Bank, Jaleshwar branch to distribute remuneration and Dashain allowance to the teachers.

Police are investigating the case.

In Siraha, the ilaka police office, Lahan has arrested Ram Kishun Koiri, an Indian citizen, for obtaining citizenship certificate and Lahan municipality-4 ward chairman Ram Lakhan Koiri Mahato for assisting the former in obtaining the citizenship certificates by recommending the issuance of citizenship certificate.

It is revealed that ward chairman Ram Lakhan had taken a bribe of Rs. 10,000 for recommending him as his own brother to obtain citizenship certificate on the basis of ancestry.

Govt, private sector ties emphasised

Pokhara, Oct. 12 (RSS): Minister for Finance Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat has said that non-governmental organisations, the private sector, civic society and local bodies should be dedicated to the development of the nation under the leadership of the government.

Inaugurating the annual convention of the Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry here today, he said that no problem would be resolved by scolding or accusing one another.

He said that as the relationship between HMG and the private sector is one of inter-dependence, a conducive atmosphere had been created for the growth of business and industry.

Stating that a difference in the conduct of the Maoists has been discerned recently but unless they stop forcibly raising funds, taking people's actions and carrying out abductions, they cannot be termed sincere.

Acting president of the federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries Binod Bahadur Shrestha said that resources should be mobilised through the joint effort of the private sector and local bodies to accelerate the development process.

President of Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry Basant Udas presided over the function.

On the occasion, Dr. Mahat also gave away medals, cash prizes and certificates to Tara Manadhar, Dhananjaya Parajuli and Shrijana Gurung for securing top marks in the post-graduate, graduate and proficient level examinations in management at campuses in Kaski district.

Dashain Mahotsav launched

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Oct. 12: The Dashain Mahotsav 2001 kicked off today at the Bhrikuti Mandap to celebrate the coming up Dashain, Nepal’s biggest festival.

The 9-day event is organised by the House of Rajkarnicar and is sponsored by Mt. Everest Brewery, Himalayan Distillery, Bottler’s Nepal, Everest Ice Cream, IIFT (New Delhi), Deluxe Radio Service, Mayos Instant Noodles and Nepal Samacharpatra, is open from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM each day.

Expecting more than 1,00,000 visitors, the Mahotsav is being participated by 149 companies of Nepal and one from India. There are various consumer items such as foodstuff, clothes, shoes and other consumer items on sale and varieties of food and delicacies.

The organiser says this festival will be a popular forum for consumer product promoter because of the participation of almost all the big business and commercial entities of the country.

The exhibitors include Golcha Organisation, Chaudary Group, Mayos Instant Noodles, Wai Wai Instant Noodles, Dabur Nepal, Emami, Revlon, Shehnaz Hussen, Personi, Florena, Phillips, Century Masala, Himalayan Distillery, LG Television, Wean Co-operative, Sanota Cosmetic, Dugar Spices, Bansbari Leather Shoes, Whirlpool, Samsung, Aarati soaps, Mahashakti Soaps, Capital On-line, DTI Group, Hulas Biscuit, Today Milk, Farline, Nidhi Tea, Nepal Tobacco and Pearl Time.

"The Dashain Mahotsav 2001 is the biggest event of it’s kind in terms of number of exhibition," says Birendra Rajkarnikar, Managing Director of House of Rajkarnikar.

"This Mahotsav provides great opportunity for the new and up-coming performers whether in music, dance, modelling or sports to show their skills," he added.

As in the past, there are more than 27 programmes along with the food festival during the nine days of the Mahotsav.

New attractions such as Kids Motor Ranch, Mr. Junior Contest, Duet Dance contest, Gandharva Music Contest are going to be added in this Mahotsav are being added to the past favourites like Body of the year, Women’s craft show and Baby and Toddler Shows. Also Kathmandu’s popular restaurants will be serving a variety of international food items every day.

He also said that the objective of the Mahotsav is to promote Nepalese arts, culture and craft as well as to provide fun and entertaining activities for tourists visiting Nepal at the time.

'Weak bureaucracy cause of dismal performance'

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Lalitpur, Oct 12; Lack of political commitment, poor interactions between the government and the civil society, weak governance and the attitude of civil servants are major determinants for worsening Nepal's bureaucracy. Unless these problems are solved, it is said the reforms in the Nepalese bureaucracy always remain matter of distant dream.

However, experts in the Nepalese bureaucracy believe that no reform measures have been materialized so far. Despite recommendations of several administration reform committees, the Nepalese bureaucracy has not been effective and efficient to a desired extent, they say.

Having realized this, the Ministry of General Administration, the central authority of staff agency in the civil service, is going to introduce some reform measures for maintaining transparency and creating sense of accountability among the civil servants.

The Ministry is initiating process of gradual reforms, Mukund Prasad Arjyal, Secretary at the Ministry of General Administration informed this at a press meet here today.

Talking to media people at the Ministry, Secretary Arjyal said that the Ministry is committed to make the governance reform programme more effective so that the prime objective of economic growth and poverty alleviation could be achieved. To achieve the national objective of poverty alleviation and higher economic growth, he said bureaucracy should be efficient and transparent. Therefore, according to Arjyal the Ministry is in the process of introducing several reform measures by improving the system of record keeping and conducting training programmes for the civil servants. On top of that necessary steps will be taken to curb unproductive expenses, corruption, irregularities.

In order to make civil service more efficient, the government had increased the salary and perks of the civil servants and whittle down nearly four thousand staff in the last fiscal year.

His Majesty's government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) are working together to gear up the reform process in the civil service. ADB's technical assistance has greatly helped identify the priority areas for reform, Secretary Arjyal said.

The total cost for reform will be around US dollar 1.5 million, and it is estimated that the ADB will bear US dollar 1.35 million and the remaining amount will be borne by the government. PDP Australia Ltd. has got the contract, according to the Ministry. The 18 month long contract is being assisted by METCON, the Nepalese contractor.

The Secretary also informed that the process of receiving US dollar 30 million loan from ADB is in the final stage.

While talking to the media people he underlined the need for amendment in the Civil Service Act -2049 BS for a desirable reforms in the Nepalese bureaucracy. He also stressed the need for transparency to make the civil service more efficient and accountable.

While asked about possibility of reforms in the civil service as per the existing Civil Service Act, he said a lot of changes in the Civil Service Act 2049 is essential for making those changes. Changes are not possible within the existing framework, he added.

Replying to a quarry whether the bureaucracy is confident to run country's administration, he categorically said ' it is lacking.' However, he said the reform measures will also be implemented in the Agriculture, Health and Education Ministries.

Experts call for change in communication policy

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Oct 12 : Politicians, media experts and academics today strongly emphasised the need for significant changes in the Communication Policy to broaden the areas of print and electronic media in changed context. A sea change has been witnessed in the field of media in the span of past ten years, but no amendment have been made in the concerned laws, they said adding ' it is a high time' to do something for its development.

Speaking at a seminar on ' Need of High Level Commission for Media organised by Press Chautari, participants from various walks of life pointed out the need for formation of a high level commission for media gear up process of institutional development of media sector. After the restoration of multiparty system in the country media is the only sector that is presumed to be budding, but it has to be regulated. The role of media is highly sensitive in building public opinion, therefore, it's role should not be undermined, they said.

Addressing the function, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) Madhav Kumar Nepal pointed out the need for a regulatory mechanism in the media so as to move this towards a right direction. Like in other sectors such as human rights and women, a high level commission in media is very essential to look after it. The media can play a vital role in building a society; hence it is the need of the hour to think upon its institutional development. There are four different thoughts prevailing in the society, said Nepal adding that ' firstly, the reactionary or revisionist who do not want the society to go head, secondly, non reformists who do not want change and thirdly ultra- reformist and lastly the reformist. The media should recognize them, he said.

Narahari Acharya, leader of the Nepali Congress, stressed the need for amendment in the Press Council Act so as to accommodate the electronic media as well. The Press Council Act in today's context does not cover the entire periphery of the media. Running print media by the government in democracy could sound odd, it has to be taken into consideration, he said and added that the formation of a high level commission for media would help the Nepalese media to a great extent.

Kamal Thapa, spokesman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) said that unwanted commercialisation and involvement of 'Mafia' in the media could jeopardise its future. Media should itself develop self -regulatory mechanism, he added.

Pramod Dahal, general secretary of Press Chautari highlighted the objectives of the seminar.

Later Raghuji Pant, Kashi Raj Dahal and Yuba Raj Pandey presented their working papers on which various people commented.