Only 5% rural Nepalese have access to electricity

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept. 26: Only five per cent of the people in the rural areas of Nepal have access to electricity, but the country has tremendous potential for rural energy - such as micro-hydro, solar energy and biogas.

Speaking at a consultative meeting Tuesday on the 'Decentralised Rural Energy Development Policy for Holistic Development', Dr. Ramesh Ananda Vaidya said that the government has given important place for the developmnet of rural energy in the Tenth Five-Year Plan, which starts from the next fiscal year.

The meeting was attended by about 50 experts on various aspects of rural energy, and all of them pointed out that rural energy has an important role in the social and economic upliftment as well as the poverty alleviation.

What is needed is the right policy, strategy and institutional mechanism based on the 'best practice' experiences in the country for the wide-scale dissemination of the rural energy to benefit the maximum number of rural people, they maintained.

They also stressed on the involvement of the government, private and community for the promotion of rural energy, creation of Rural Energy Development Fund Board and identification and research for developing technologies appropriate to local resources and skill, capacity developing of local people and generation of electricity for the promotion of industrial and commercial development in rural areas.

The meeting was jointly organised by the Ministry of Local Development, National Planning Commission, Water and Energy Commission Secretariat, Alternative Energy Promotion Centre and UNDP.

Exemption of tourist visa fee demanded

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept. 26: Nepalese tourism entrepreneurs have submitted a 3-point suggestion to the government after the Nepalese tourism witnessed the slide in its business.

According to the Pacific Asia Travel Nepal (PATA), the slackening of the business in Nepalese tourism and other difficulties faced by the tourism entrepreneurs in the country have been caused recently due to the ripple effects of the terrorist attacks in the USA.

A group of chairmen and other office bearers of Kathmandu’s various tourism related organisations today met with acting secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Shankar Prasad Koirala to inform him about the difficulties faced by the Nepalese tourism sector following the terrorist attacks in the USA.

Ailing tourism

Tourism entrepreneurs have proposed three kinds of suggestions—short term, mid-term and long term. The most important of all suggestions made by them is the immediate exemption of visa fee to the tourist arriving Nepal. The visa fee exemption may lure those tourists who are unable to come to Nepal due to their inability to pay the high visa sum, PATA said in its press statement issued today.

The other suggestions include 50 per cent concession in all air service charge and 50 per cent exemption in tourist entry fee in different tourist places and national parks.

The suggestion also includes the government to provide 50 million rupees to Nepal Tourism Board. The NTB must bear 50 per cent of all expenditure while organising tourism festivals in Nepal. Likewise, the long-term suggestion is the cancellation of the provision of sending an environment officers with the trekking groups visiting Nepal’s restricted areas.

Moreover, the entrepreneurs suggested that those mountaineers climbing up to 6,500 meters should be charged a minimum fee so as to lure them into Nepal, PATA added.

World Tourism Day today

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept. 26: At the call of World Tourism Organisation, the world is marking the World Tourism Day-2001 by organising various programmes at public and private level tomorrow.

The World Tourism Day that falls on September 27 every year has a slogan for the day this year. And the slogan is "Tourism: A tool for peace and dialogue among civilizations".

As part of marking the Day, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and other tourism related organisations will welcome the tourists coming to Nepal in the first international flight of the day at the Tribhuwan International Airport.

Hotel Association Nepal is providing free stay at the five star hotels to the three tourists who step first on the Nepalese soil by air. Likewise, the Restaurant and Bar Association will be serving free lunch and dinner to those tourist as an honour to them.

Similarly, Tourist Service Union is going to offer presents and accommodate free transportation facility to the lucky tourists.

Thamel Tourism Development Committee is also organising street festival. The festival highlights various Nepalese culture along with Nepalese faith healer at Thamel, the main tourist spot in the capital city.

Minister K.C. elected vice-president of WTO

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Sept. 26: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur K.C. has been unanimously elected vice-president for the 14th General Assembly of WTO for South Asia region.

The 14th General Assembly of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), which is being held in Seoul of South Korea, elected the Nepalese Minister to the prestigious post.

Meanwhile, the General Assembly of the world’s tourism governing body has elected Bangladesh as president of WTO’s Commission for South Asia region. Likewise, Nepal and Maldives have been elected as vice presidents of the Committee. Nepal has also been nominated at the credential of the WTO’s General Assembly.

Nepalese Tourism Minister K.C. is now in South Korea leading the 4-member Nepalese delegation. Minister K. C. addressed the General Assembly of the WTO today.

Hailing the role of WTO for the development of tourism worldwide, Minister K.C. said, "The World Tourism Organisation has been very effective in promoting and developing tourism along with enhancing international understanding, peace and prosperity around the world."

He also said that the role of WTO was widely acclaimed among its member states for policy coordination and programme implementation since its inception.

Referring to the recent terrorist attack at the United States, Minister K.C. said that such heinous acts were posing a great threat to world peace and development of tourism worldwide.

Addressing the function Minister K.C. also highlighted the tourism activities being launched in the country.

He informed the august gathering that Nepal’s government was prepared to launch the Destination Nepal Year programme as a national campaign to promote tourism industry in the country.

He also said that preparation for celebrating Mount Everest Golden Jubilee on 29th May 2003 was also gaining momentum. Minister K.C. reiterated Nepal’s full support and commitment to the WTO and hoped that the organisation would bring all the member states together to gear up tourism industry for the betterment of mankind and the future generation.

The second session of the general assembly of the WTO is going to take place in Osaka of Japan from September 28.

Function for book presentation

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept. 26: Everyman Millennium Book Presentation Ceremony will be held in Kathmandu on September 28 at the British Council. Each receiving institution will be given a set of 250 books from Sophocles to Shakespeare to E M Foster.

The British Millennium Commission and Everyman Library decided to shoulder a project to fund more than 1,500 sets of 250 of the great classics of World Literature - one set of book for every school in the UK and present to educational institutions in over 65 countries of the world. According to a press statement issued by British Council today, thirty sets of books are available for Nepal and they will be presented to different educational institutions. Each receiving institution will get a set of 250 books from Sophocles to Shakespeare to E. M. Foster.

The 30 set of books, comprising 7,500 in number, are worth approximately Rs. 1,500,000.

Swiss Foreign Minister to visit Nepal

BY KRISHNA SHRESTHA

Berne, Sept. 26: Swiss Foreign Minister Joseph Deiss is scheduled to visit Nepal in November this year. Talking to journalists from Nepal, India and Bhutan recently, Minister Deiss confirmed about his forthcoming visit to Nepal.

"We have a history of forty years of development cooperation with Nepal. It is probably one of the first we had at all. So, I will say that Nepal is something like a symbol of our development cooperation," the Swiss Foreign Minister said.

Foreign Minister Deiss also made it clear that Switzerland had no intention of reducing assistance to Nepal. "There is no intention to reduce it drastically. May be that from one year to another, there will be fluctuations but you cannot say that our cooperation has been diminishing," the Swiss Foreign Minister said and added that Nepal was one of the 17 focus countries of Switzerland.

Meanwhile, it is learnt from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Berne that Nepal is one of the Swiss Development Cooperation’s target countries.

For more than 40 years, Switzerland has been involved in this Himalayan Kingdom, where its assistance is concentrated in hilly areas of the high-mountain regions. Helvetas has carried out genuine and pioneering work in Nepal.

SDC activities are mainly focussed on transport infrastructure, vocational training and promotion of small businesses, sustainable utilisation of natural resources and good governance.

All party meet on Maoists' issue in Siraha

Siraha, Sept. 26 (RSS): An all party meeting was organised by Siraha district administration here yesterday to find a solution to controlling illegal activities carried out in the name of the Maoists which has been terrorising the people and obstructing development works in the district.

MP Hem Narayan Yadav, speaking on behalf of the CPN-UML, said that all the political parties should unite and counter the undemocratic activities being carried out by the Maoists at a time when talks between His Majesty’s Government and the Maoists are taking place.

Former Minister of State Padma Narayan Chaudhary said that all the political parties should work to resolve the Maoist problem in order to provide justice to the people.

Siraha DDC chairman Biseswore Prasad Marweta said that His Majesty’s Government should enhance the morale of the police administration rather than mobilising the Royal Nepalese Army to control Maoist activities.

Referring to the deteriorating law and order situation, chief district officer Bhola Prasad Shivakoti, from the chair, said that all the political parties should discourage illegal activities of the Maoists and work for maintaining rule of law.

The all party meeting decided that the political parties take steps to counter the Maoists activities in order to maintain law and order, discourage all anti-constitutional activities, carry out the works of the people speedily by ending red tapism taking place at government offices and solve the developmental problems.

Likewise, the meeting decided that the students and teachers should unite and counter illegal activities of the Maoists like forcefully closing down schools which hampers the studies of the students.

Diarrhea kills 26 goats in Jhapa

Bhadrapur, Sept. 26 (RSS): About one thousand goats have died of diarrheal disease, according to Bhadrapur Veterinary Hospital.

About 8,500 goats have been vaccinated against the disease and the disease is now under control, said Bodh Prasad Parajuli, the head of the Veternary Hospital.

The disease had spread at Damak Municipality Ward Nos. 3 and 5 and Lakhanpur, Gauradaha, Satasidham, Chandragadi, Kakarvitta and Budhabare VDCs.

Jhapa DDC launches VDP

Bhadrapur, Sept. 26 (RSS): Jhapa District Development Committee has implemented village development programme (VDP) in six VDCs under the local self governance programme.

DDC chairman Arjun Rai innaugurated the pig farm training at Gherabari and Jyamirgadhi VDCs of Jhapa district.

Twenty farmers from Gherabari and 20 from Jyamirgadhi had participated in the two day training.

DDC chairman Rai said that the training programme would help in skill development as well as earning money.

Local Development Officer Khaga Prasad Nepal and DDC advisor Prem Narayan Shrestha also expressed their views.

Under the local self governance programme, 12 farmers from Goldhap and 12 farmers from Chakchaki have already been trained on rearing pigs.

In the fiscal year 056/057, Jhapa district had produced 80,000 metric tonnes of ham and consumed 8,000 metric tonnes of ham, it is learnt from Bhadrapur Veternary Hospital.

Bodh Prasad Parajuli, head of Bhadrapur Veternary Hospital said that ham is consumed only by certain castes of people and its production is more than consumption.

Tenth Plan targets poverty Alleviation

Kathmandu, Sept. 26 (RSS): The main thrust of the tenth five-year plan is poverty alleviation by providing financial and employment opportunities to the people by utilisation of the means and resources available in the country.

The Tenth Plan will lay emphasis on the agricultural perspective plan, sustainable management of natural resources, rural development and bio-diversity, information technology, increasing private sector participation in industrial and trading sectors, social services, basic social security and demography, human resources development, empowerment of women and the poor, upliftment of and increasing employment opportunity for the backward, under-privileged and ethnic communities, consolidation of local bodies and community based organisations, balanced development of the remote areas as well as development regions.

This was disclosed at an interaction programme on the concept paper of the Tenth Plan (2059/60-2063/64) organised by National Planning Commission (NPC) at its secretariat today.

The participants of the programme pointed out that the eight-point agenda for social transformation and economic reform announced by the Prime Minister at the House of Representatives should be incorporated into the concept paper as the agenda seems to be instrumental in ensuring social justice and alleviating poverty through land reform programme.

Interaction Programme

They also suggested that the Tenth Plan should concentrate on introduction of a comprehensive agricultural development programme after conducting a study of the overall agricultural sector, raising agricultural productivity, exploring market and supporting small and cottage industries.

The fruits of development should reach the lower strata of the society in an systematic manner, priority should be given for the plan designed to eradicate poverty, agricultural publicity and research should be moved forward in an coordinated manner and the potentiality of any project should be reckoned in advance of making investment, they pointed out.

Speaking at the interaction programme, vice-chairman of National Planning Commission Prithviraj Ligal said the interaction programme was organised with the objective of paving the way for the concept paper brought forth after discussions at various levels.

Noting that the concept paper has been prepared to address the problem of poverty in an effective manner, he said the NPC has in its concept paper included the duties and responsibilities of the government in developing the social sector and remote areas of the country, empowering the local bodies, uplifting the backward communities and women.

Member of NPC Dr. Shankar Sharma briefed about the mid-term assessment of the Ninth Plan and said the main features of the tenth five year plan are reasonable objectives of poverty alleviation, emphasis on the prioritization, proper inter-relations between objectives, strategies and programmes, participatory approaches, well-defined role of the private sector and non-governmental organisation, emphasis on the regional balance, decentralisation and gender equality.

Legislators of the National Assembly as well as of the House of Representatives took part in the interaction programme.

Tatopani, Kodari deprived of communications

Chautara, Sept. 26 (RSS): Local people of Tatopani and Kodari, Business Centres between Nepal and Tibet autonomous region of the People’s Republic of China, have been compelled to go to Khasa in Tibet to make a call to their relatives as telephone lines in and around both the market places have been out of order since last four months.

Communication service have been totally disrupted in these two areas equipped with 12 VHF telephones lines since the month of Asar, 2058 B.S.

Local businessmen are facing difficulties in acquiring information about business dealings in the border areas after the telephone services at Tatopani custom area, 83 km away from headquarters of Sindhupalchowk district have been disrupted.

Similarly, a VHF telephone line set up in Listi VDC in the month of Chait, 2057 B.S. has not come into operation after an hour of its installation, the villagers say.

According to social worker Kanchhi Bhandari, telephone lines in Melamchi area have also been out of order since the last three days.

However, chief of Nepal Telecommunication Corporation Banepa branch Ram Jatan Thakur claims that the telephone lines of these areas have not been disrupted and are working.

Swiss grant assistance

Kathmandu, Sept. 26 (RSS): The Government of Switzerland has agreed to provide His Majesty's Government of Nepal a grant assistance of Swiss franc 3.28 million (approximately Rs.156.35 million) for the implementation of the third phase of the rural health development project.

An agreement to this effect was concluded between His Majesty's Government of Nepal and the Government of Switzerland at the Ministry of Finance today.

It may be recalled that Government of Switzerland has been providing financial assistance since 1992 for empowering women, children, adolescent and men of Dolakha and Ramechhap districts to enchace health conditions through participatory development process.

The present agreement for the this phase of the rural health development project will continue the Swiss assistance for a period of four years till 15 July, 2005.

The project is expected to help upgrade the existing knowledge and skill of the health workers in the periphery and project staff and make them capable of providing quality health services to the local people.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Madhav Prasad Ghimire, joint secretary, Ministry of Finance and Mrs Kaethy Schneitter, first secretary (development) cum deputy resident coordinator of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) on behalf of His Majesty's Government of Nepal and the Government of Switzerland respectively.

His Majesty's Government of Nepal has expressed its appreciation to the Governement of Switzerland for the assistance and also for its keen interest in the socio-economic development of Nepal.