All-party meet urges to push talks ahead

Kathmandu, Sept.7 (RSS): An all-party meeting organised in Singha Durbar today agreed to make the forthcoming government-Maoist talks successful through discussions on resolving problems facing the country.

Stressing the need to abide by the points of consensus reached between the two sides, the meeting strongly urged both sides to advance the process of talks by stopping actions involving force, stated a press release issued at the end of the all party meeting today.

Talking briefly to journalists, deputy leader of the Main Opposition Party KP Sharma Oli said his party is of the view that the government and the Maoists should arrive at conclusion as early quickly as possible. It will not be in the interest of anyone to prolong the talks.

Both sides should honestly the conditions discussed in the first round of talks, said Mr Oli, adding that the Maoists should immediately stop acts threatening and terrorising the people.

RPP vice chairman Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani observed that the government and the Maoists should hold talks within the ambit of the constitution, while CPN (ML) general secretary Bam Dev Gautam spoke of the need to take the talks to a success at all costs.

RPP central member Rabindra Nath Sharma remarked that the country will be pushed into further crisis if the Maoist problem is not solved now, CPN (UML)’s Bharat Mohan Adhikari spoke of the need for the government to come up with programs likely to win the people’s hearts.

Participating in the meeting were convenor of the government talks team Minister for Physical Planning and Works Chiranjivi Wagle, Minister for Water Resources Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, Amod Prasad Upadhyaya and Mahesh Acharya, Ram Chandra Paudel, Narahari Acharya, Chakra Prasad Bastola, Arjun Narsingh KC, Krishna Sitaula and Laxman Ghimire of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML’s KP Sharma Oli, Bharat Mohan Adhikari and Amrit Bohora.

Similarly, RPP’s Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani, Rabindra Nath Sharma and Padma Sundar Lawati, Badri Prasad Mandal and Rajendra Mahato and Sunil Prajapati of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party also participated in the meeting.

There were not any representatives of the Rastriya Jana Morcha and Samyukta Jana Morcha.

Peace rally for success of Govt-Maoists talks to be held

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept 7 Industrial Relations Committee(IRC) has decided to organise a peace rally on Sept 14, for the success of the government -Maoists talks. In the meeting held at its central office today, the IRC has decided to appeal all to take part in the rally. According to a press release issued by IRC today, the Federation of Nepalese Chaambers of Commerce and Industry, Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, Nepal Association for Tour Operators, Nepal Bankers’ Association, Handicraft Association Nepal, Nepal Incentive and Convention Nepal, Nepal Freight Forwards Association, PATA Nepal Chapter, Nepal Mountaineering Association and Restaurants and Bar Association are taking part in the rally.

Meanwhile, in Syangja, Syangja district development committee has decided to organise a meeting of the elected people’s representatives at Syangja Bazaar on September 16 and 17 to protest against the Maoists activities taking place in the district.

The Maoists have been pressurizing the people’s representatives of majority of the VDCs to resign from their post and forcefully collecting donations from the people

Syangja district development committee has demanded that such activities of the Maoists should be stopped immediately.

Income Tax Bill vague: FNCCI

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept 7 After series of discussion over the newly Income Tax Bill -2058 which has been tabled for discussion in the running session of the Parliament, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has reacted over its provision citing the reason of absurdity, duality of meaning and vagueness of the Bill. The FNCCI states that an adverse situation in the business and industry is inevitable if the Bill is passed without any amendment. Raising 100 different points related to the Bill, the FNCCI has demanded corrections to make it more simple.

In its press release, the FNCCI has stated that the practical complaints of customers have been overlooked and the existing facilities that the industrialists were enjoying have been scrapped in the Bill.

The new Bill according to the federation has created complications in depreciation and calculation of income sources. Instead of making the income tax process easier, it has created confusion as a result of which paying tax would be more complicated such as the sentence like fifty per cent capital and fifty per cent revenue income is really vague. The newly tabled bill has ignored action against a tax officer if he/ she goes against the provision of the Act. Besides, the Bill has not mentioned whether there would be an improvement about Ability to Pay and making of Rules.

The FNCCI has also put forth its views that there should be a provision to settle debate within the period of three months and pointed out that the Clause 74 in the Bill has deprived taxpayers from legal rights. On top of that the Bill has failed point out the condition in which tax payers get rebate. The Clause 105 and 111 are contradictory and the provision regarding book keeping is very complicated and unreliable. Besides, the Bill lacks the provision regarding the settled case and the provision regarding penalties is not pragmatic.

The FNCCI further states that the Bill has failed to define the Fiscal Year and the provision related to advance tax is impractical. The Bill has given priority to tax evaders and tax officers, the statement says. The Bill has neglected the recommendations of the private sector. The FNCCI also demands to make Bill more scientific and simple so that everybody could understand. The Bill has not mentioned the authenticity of information sent through Fax or Email. Can everybody has that access? The FNCCI has questioned.

The press release furthers states that it would be unfair to fix the interest rates in the Act. On top of that the Bill has not done social justice to the tax payers. The Bill has not mentioned about the taxation on capita loss and it is totally centralised to the authority of the tax office. The FNCCI further states that there should be an amendment on the Bill so as to make the tax administration more reliable and easy. Otherwise the Act will create confusion among tax payers and business.

‘Consensus must on land administration’

Kathmandu, Sept.7 (RSS): Speaking during special hour at the House of Representatives today, CPN (UML)’s Bharat Mohan Adhikari said that the Nepal-India trade treaty should be renewed to the best interests of both countries and the government should resolve the problems in this regard through discussions at the political level.

Mr Adhikari spoke of the need to forge a central all-party consensus to resolve the problem of land distribution to the landless squatters and the landless people.

Ramchandra Paudel of the Nepali Congress spoke of the need to establish peace at all costs in the country and urged the Maoists to stop their forcible actions.

The radical land reforms programme is aimed at building a modern society by making leap forward from the state semi-feudalism and statusquo.

Mohan Bahadur Basnet of the same party informed the house that the Barhavishe-Tatopani section of the road in Sindhupalchowk has been obstructed due to floods and landslides and spoke of the need to provide relief to the affected families.

NC’s Mahendra Yadav Madhukar complained that riot police have given trouble to the people in Saptari district, while Pradip Kumar Gyawali of the CPN (UML) said both sides should be honest and understanding to bring the Maoist peace talks to a solution.

Dilliraj Acharya of the Rastriya Jana Morcha spoke of the need to provide relief and compensation to the families of those who have lost their lives due to floods and landslides in Arghakhanchi district.

CPN-UML’s Gokarna Raj Bista drew the government’s attention towards providing help to the people affected by floods and landslides in Gulmi district.

Nepal, India agree to complete border works

Kathmandu, Sept. 7 (RSS): The 24th regular meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Technical Committee concluded here today with a committment to immediately complete the border-related works with mutual cooperation from both sides.

A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry following the meeting states that an agreement was reached at the meeting to work with more efficiency in order to complete the border-related works well in time.

The meeting did a progress review of border-related works completed last year and finalised the programmes to be carried out in the forthcoming field season.

The meeting also agreed to mobilise joint teams for field work at a favorable time next month.

As per the decision of the 20th technical committee meeting, the DMS and CDOs of the respective countries are to make a joint inspection of the condition of the border pillars in their respective areas and present a report within September to the bodies concerned prior to beginning the field work, it was also agreed at the meeting.

The meeting decided to renovate or reconstruct dilapidated or missing border pillars on the basis of the report, the statement further says.

The technical level border committee has been working to prepare a modern border strip map of the Nepal-India border, renovate and keep records on worn out border pillars and construct new pillars where this was felt necessary.

Director General of the Department of Survey Babu Ram Acharya led the Nepalese side at the two-day meeting while the Indian side was led by Surveyor General of India A.K. Ahuja.

People concerned about talks with Maoists: Nepal

Kathmandu, Sept 7 (RSS): Leader of the Main Opposition and General Secretary of the CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal said that his party wished for the success of the ungoing talks between His Majesty’s Government and the Maoists.

Inaugurating the convention of the CPN-UML Bagmati Zonal workers here today, Mr Nepal said that the people have started expressing concern and doubts over the prolonged second round of talks between the government and Maoists.

Stating that the people cannot be taken into confidence through violent means, Mr Nepal said that the people’s confidence should be gained political means.

The convention was chaired by CPN-UML incharge of Bagmati Zonal Committe Surendra Pandey.

Ministers reply to MPs’ queries

Kathmandu, Sept 7 (RSS): Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Mahesh Acharya said that the quality of food crops and soil of the districts lying in the very remote Himalayan region are being tested with the objective of increasing agricultural production taking into consideration the foodgrain crisis taking place in these districts.

Replying questions raised by the MPs at the House of Representatives, Minister Acharya said that the seed and crop examination programs are being implemented in five districts of Karnali Zone through the Jumla agriculture research centre for production of paddy, fruits and potatoes.

Mr Acharya said that agriculture inputs corporation had been providing fertilisers and other agricultural goods to Dailekh district while programmes are being launched in Bhojpur district to encourage the farmers to cultivate tea.

At present His Majesty’s Government has no plans of setting up a fertiliser factory in the country, Mr Acharya said, adding that arrangements had been made to import good quality fertilisers supply it to the farmers.

MPs Nara Bahadur Hamal, Sherdhan Rai, Gorakh Bahadur Bogati and Til Kumar Meyangbo had asked the Minister questions.

Meanwhile, Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadyaya has said that His Majesty’s Government would provide permanent status to the schools on the basis of the results of the school mapping from the fiscal year 2059/60.

Replying questions raised by MPs at the House of Representatives today, Minister Upadhyaya said that the government had provided the schools with a grant assistance foe administrative expenditures and that the school management committees had to make arrangements for administrative staffs with the grant assistance.

In reply to a query, Mr Upadhyaya said that the posts of teachers had been maintained in the fiscal year 2057/58.

CPN-UML MPs Nara Bahadur Hamal, Fatik Bahadur Thapa and Chandra Bahadur Rayamajhi had asked the Minister questions.

Likewise, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur K.C. presented the Copyrights Bill-2058 to the House of Representatives today.

Meanwhile, Lilamani Pokharel of the Samyukta Janamorcha (SJM), Ishwar Pokharel of the CPN-UML and Buddhi Man Tamang of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), at the meeting of the House of Representatives today, presented separate resolutions seeking curtailing of Rs 100 from the appropriations bill concerning the Home Ministry.

At the meeting, Mr Pokharel of the SJM, Govinda Bickram Shah and Buddhiman Tamang of the RPP, Rajendra Prasad Panday of the CPN-UML and Pari Thapa of the Rastriya Janamorcha (RJM) presented separate resolutions seeking curtailment of the budget for the Ministry of Local Development by Rs 100.

Tabling the resolution on curtailing expenditure for the Home Ministry, MP Pokharel said that thought the budget of the Home Ministry had been increased by 5.4 per cent, the internal administration had not been able to guarantee law and order to the public at large, and as a system of concentrating means and resources in the urban and easily accessible areas had been developed against the spirit of decentralisation, society had reached a stage of lawlessness.

Presenting the resolution on curtailment of expenditure at the Ministry of Local Development, Mr Shah of the RPP said that numerous plans and programmes introduced for local development could not be implemented effectively, the achievements made by the Bishweshwar With The Poor Programme were not evaluated properly, and the special area development programme and integrated internal security and development programme could not be implemented effectively either.

Mr Panday of the CPN-UML also presented a curtailment resolution concerning the same Ministry and said that the Ministry of Local Development, the backbone of local development, had not been effective, the government was not functioning in line with the provisions of local self-governance, the local bodies could not be brought in line with the principle of decentralisation, and acts and rules in contravention of the act had not been amended.

Mr Pokharel of the CPN-UML, presenting a motion on curtailing expenditures for the Home Ministry, said the National Investigation Department had lost its relevence by becoming a recruitment centre for political programmes, the Departments of Special Police and immigration could not show the rationale for their existence, the condition of the prisons had not improved, the border administration had not been separated from the district administrations, the police administration could not be oriented towards the people and even armed constabulary could not ensure law and order in the country.

Mr Tamang of the RPP, presenting the rationale behind his motion on curtailing the expenditures of the Home Ministry, referred to the complexity of responsibility for a sensitive Ministry such as the Home Ministry and said that as a result of the Maoists, the grip of the Ministry over the country had not been effective, there was dual governance in the country, one by the government and the other by the Maoists, and as there was no coordination between the security council and the government’s security committee, the law and order situation was far from satisfactory.

Pari Thapa of the RJM, presenting the motion on curtailing the budget of the Ministry of Local Development, said that the programme on horticulture and livestock raising left out from the special programme for the 22 districts of the Himalayan Region should be included, market arrnagements should be made for the remote regions, and development grants to be provided to the DDCs should be free from political prejudice.

Govt to act stern if violence continues

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept. 7: Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka today said the government had worked out a plan to restore peace and stability in the country and would move ahead accordingly in case the Maoists ignored its calls to stop their unlawful activities.

"The government has been very liberal towards the Maoists as it wants to resolve the issue peacefully," Khadka told an interaction programme here today. "But there is fear and uncertainty in the country as the Maoists have not responded positively to government’s liberal attitude and continued their unlawful activities."

"The government has not used force because talks are underway," Khadka told the programme organised by the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The government and the Maoists held the first round of peace talks last week in which both sides had agreed not to use force to pave way for a peaceful resolution of the six-year long problem. However, the Maoists have not stopped their unlawful activities despite the repeated appeals from the government.

"Be patient till the second round of talks are held. The government will decide what it should do according to their response in the second round of talks." The second round of talks are expected to take place within a few days.

He said the government would take strong action if the Maoists did not stop unlawful and violent activities like forceful collection of donation, threats, intimidation, kidnap, loot and setting industries ablaze.

Khadka said he had already instructed the police and other authorities to remain prepared for action in case the Maoists do not put an end to violent activities.

He said the government had prepared a plan to tackle the rally and mass meeting of the Maoists in the capital on September 21. However, he did not specify the details of the plan. He also called for the co-operation of the businessmen to help government check the unlawful activities. "Inform me directly if you get threats."

"The country is facing uncertainties at this time but I want to assure you that the government is with you," Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat said.

Dr. Mahat said that the country’s economy was hard-hit by the unlawful and violent activities of the Maoists. "They talk of poverty alleviation and economic development. But they are involved in activities that have shattered the national economy. They talk of people’s democracy. But what kind of people’s democracy is this?"

"The government has behaved patiently as the people wanted a peaceful solution of the Maoist problem. But how can the government keep quiet if they go on threatening people for donations and terrorise them with the use of force?"

Dr. Mahat said that the government was committed for the economic development of the nation, adding there was no plan to modify the economic policy. He said the land reform programme aimed at breaking the feudal mode of production providing land to the productive hands.

He said the government would not put a ceiling on property and suggested the businessmen not to panic. "The government will however launch an investigation to contain unaccounted-for income and to check tax evasion."

Dr. Mahat termed the proposed Income Tax Bill liberal and progressive and said the business community’s criticism on it was invalid. "The government is still ready to make changes in the Bill if the businessmen do have genuine concerns. But criticising its language does not make a point."

Earlier, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Rabi Bhakta Shrestha said the industrialists were not in a situation to operate the industries due to security problems and demanded for a clear response from the government about law and order situation.

The industrialists and businessmen said words alone were not enough to restore peace and asked the government to take necessary steps to create a favourable situation for the industries.