MPs demand passage of all bills on corruption control

Kathmandu, Apr. 5 (RSS): Participating in the special hour in the House of Representative today, MPs from different political parties called for the approval of all four bills in the on-going session of the Parliament. They also called for protecting public property and forging alliance among the political parties committed to the multi-party system.

Ramchandra Poudel of the Nepali Congress said that as the political parties and its leaders are also corrupt, this social evil is vitiating the very foundation of nation and democracy. All the four bills formulated to root out the evil should be passed by the on-going session of the Parliament, he said.

The people from all sections of the society should unite to stop the terrorists from vandalizing and setting fire to public property, Poudel said. He added, a political alliance should be forged among the parties committed to multi-party system in order to take a common political agenda down to the village level.

He also asked the government to take immediate steps to prevent the green belt around the Ring Road constructed with the co-operation of China from being encroached.

Pashupati Shumsher J. B. Rana of the RPP referred to the vandalism of public properties like power houses, VDC buildings, schools and drinking water projects. He said as there are reports of various activities taking place against the multi-party system and constitutional monarchy in the rural areas, the government should remain alert.

He also underlined the need to forge a consensus among all the political parties to resolve a string of problems being faced by the country. He said it was necessary to boost the morale of the security personnel who are involved in restoring law and order in the country. He also called for approving all the bills concerning corruption control in the on-going session of the Parliament and introducing programmes for the rights and interests of the indigenous people and backward communities.

Dambar Singh Sambahamphe of the CPN-UML denounced the vandalism of public property in several parts of the country, including Panchathar district, by the Maoist terrorists and demanded that the government re-construct all such infrastructure as early as possible.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the House of Representatives, Population and Social Committee was held here today under the chairmanship of committee Chairman Narendra Bahadur Bam.

At the meeting, clausewise discussions were held on Domestic Violence (crime and punishment) Bill-2058 and the proposed amendment and decision was taken to table the bill along with the report of the committee on it at the House.

Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Rajendra Kharel, committee members and the members presenting amendment to the bill were present at the meeting.

Finance Ministry honours top 10 taxpayers

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 5: The Finance Ministry, in its first-ever such initiative, today honoured the country’s top 10 taxpayers during fiscal year 2000/2001.

They include Nepal Telecommunications Corporation and Nepal Electricity Authority in the service sector, Rastriya Banijya Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Himalayan Bank in the banking and financial sector, Simara-based Surya Tobacco Company Pvt. Ltd., Biratnagar-based Nepal Liqueurs Ltd, and Simara’s Hulas Steel in the manufacturing industry.

The Biratnagar-based Nepal Industrial and Commercial Bank was honoured as the largest taxpayer outside Kathmandu Valley in the service or banking sector, while the individual paying the most tax was Managing Director of Yeti Travels Jyoti Lal Khanna.

NTC paid more than Rs. 700 million while Khanna paid Rs. 4.4 million.

Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat presented the certificates to the biggest taxpayers at a function at his office this afternoon.

"It is only a modest beginning; the government intends to expand and refine this initiative," Dr. Mahat said. "Taxpayers are the bread and butter earners of the government and the country, and this is a beginning to give them the due recognition."

Minister Dr. Mahat said the honoured taxpayers had not only contributed revenue to the treasury but also to the national economy. "It is hoped that this initiative will encourage other profit earners to become good taxpayers."

"The Ministry’s recognition of the taxpayers has definitely encouraged us," President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Rabi Bhakta Shrestha said. "We hope it will help generate more revenue."

Shrestha said the government as well as the private sector had to focus on controlling irregularities in revenue collection, and promised the full support of the Federation.

The President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, lauded the initiative of the government. "We are happy that the government has kept its promise to honour the top 10 taxpayers of the country."

In the current fiscal year’s budget, the government had promised to make public the names of the top 10 taxpayers and recognise them as commercially important people (CIPs). The government announced that the CIPs would get a special CIP lounge at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

Shrestha talked about the necessity to make the revenue administration more transparent and efficient.

On behalf of the honoured organisations, Director of Hulas Steel Deewakar Golchha said, "We are proud of the recognition given by the government."

"At a time when the national economy is facing a setback, strong performance by the top 10 taxpayers will serve as an example to others," he added.

He requested the government to also give the due recognition to the best performers in the field of exports, employment generation and local resources mobilisation to generate more revenue.

Impact of globalisation, IT dominate bankers’ meet

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 5: Nepal Rastra Bank governor Dr Tilak Rawal today opened the conference on ‘Strategic Management in Banking’ on the new challenges facing by the financial sector. The impact of globalisation and booming IT on banking will dominate the three-day meeting of bankers and officials from Nepal and India, according to Nepal Rastra Bank, one of the organisers.

Dr Rawal said that the banking sector needed to change with the rapid development of information technology and globalisation.

"The function of the central bank is to ensure financial stability and economic development," Rawal said. "My office has adopted a policy to influence the monetary and credit system to generate employment and price stability."

Nepal Bank has a double responsibility, he said. "On the one hand, it has to stabilise the financial sector, while on the other hand, it has to focus its attention on development activities."

"A healthy and appropriate banking policy will boost the economy through mediation, capital flow and loan distribution,’’ he added.

He said that Nepal had begun its financial reforms in the mid 80s to make its financial sector effective and competitive. There are 15 commercial banks, 19 developments, 52 finance companies, 28 cooperatives and 35 non-governmental organisations in the sector.

Professor Poonam Kumar, chairman and managing director of Mega Ace Consultancy (India) Limited, said that macro financial institutions played an important role in the credit flow and development of financial sectors in Nepal. He said the Nepalese government endeavoured to develop the country as a centre of international economic activities.

Saying that Nepal had to face many challenges for the development of the sector, Professor Kumar attributed the increasing financial activities to the economic growth of the country.

The conference will discuss the policy, system and implementation of banking management strategies, differences between leadership and management, management responsibility and credit risk management.

The impact of globalisation, deregulation, disintermediation and access to global capital markets are also on the programme.

NA approves Health Services bill

Kathmandu, Apr. 5 (RSS): The meeting of the National Assembly today unanimously passed the Health Services (Regularisation and Maintenance of Standard) Bill -2058.

Earlier, Minister for Health Sharat Singh Bhandari had tabled the bill.

Furnishing replies to the questions raised during the course of discussions, Minister Bhandari said that as complaints had been received about private health institutions, the bill had been brought to regularise and manage this sector.

Taking part in the general discussions of the bill, MP Dr. Rup Jyoti said that the bill had been greatly improved after its presentation in the special committee.

The meeting today also approved the resolution moved by Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat seeking to send back the "Finance (first amendment) bill -2058" to the House of Representatives without any suggestions.

At the meeting, chairman of the Government Assurance Committee Janardan Acharya tabled the fifth report of the committee-2058.

Likewise, the "Copyright bill 2058" that originated in and was passed by the House of Representatives was tabled along with the message at the meeting.

Meanwhile, Sukra Raj Sharma of the Nepali Congress, speaking in the National Assembly today, lauded the work by the security personnel of seizing cash and articles from the Maoists in Pokhara and handing them over to Nepal Rastra Bank.

Asking the government to be cautious, he pointed out the need to review the actions carried out following the enforcement of the state of emergency.

Akkal Bahadur Bista of the same party demanded that the government depute a doctor to perform the post-mortem of Daan Bahadur Bista of Accham who was killed two days back.

MP Roopjyoti remarked that the voice of the National Assembly should be louder than the bell that rings at the start of the Parliament meeting in the days ahead and extended best wishes to all the MPs on the occasion of the New Year 2059 B.S.

Parties to start campaign against terrorist activities

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 5:Leaders of all the major political parties today agreed to start a nationwide campaign to mobilise the public against destruction of public infrastructure by the Maoist terrorists and improve the law and order.

A meeting, called by the main opposition Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxists-Leninists) at its office in Balkhu, decided to constitute a central level committee representing all the political parties. The committee will, in turn, help constitute coordination committees in all districts.

Top leaders of the Nepali Congress, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, National People’s Front, United People’s Front- Nepal, and Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party attended.

They agreed to mobilise their parties and affiliate organisations along with the general people to consolidate the gains made by the popular movement of 1990.

All-party rallies, mass meetings and workshops will be held at the regional level as part of the campaign, a statement said.

The leaders condemned the irresponsible acts of violence aimed at destroying development infrastructure and pushing the country backwards. "This has created chaos, terrorised the common people and made life more difficult," they said.

"The destructive activities should immediately stop," said a statement signed by NC president Girija Prasad Koirala, CPN (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, RPP chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa, NPF president Chitra Bahadur K.C., UPF chairman Amik Sherchan and NWPP president Narayan Man Bijukchhe.

The meeting stressed the need to launch forward-looking socio-economic reforms, control corruption and restore peace and order, which has eluded the country so far.

The way out of the present crisis is to immediately amend the Constitution, read the statement.

The leaders noted that the country was in a critical situation and confusion reigned among the people. "This should not be allowed to worsen," they said.

"To reverse the deteriorating situation, we have decided to move ahead in a coordinated manner," Nepal, the sponsor of the meeting, said.

Leaders said they seriously discussed the current situation and agreed on the need to work together.

The government’s order to relax the state of emergency also figured during the discussion.

Lilamani Pokhrel of the UPF said that the orders "concerned us all." He said some points in the orders were not democratic.

"We’ll take it up in the Parliament," Bijukchhe said.

Talking about the meeting, Pokhrel said that it had called on the Maoists to stop their violence and attacks on development infrastructure which has caused great difficulty to the people.

"The meeting decided to hold regional meetings involving all the parties to enlist public support for our campaign against the destruction of infrastructure," Thapa of the RPP said.

The meeting did not decide on the details of the campaign, which the leaders said would be finalised and made public soon.

Govt to blacktop postal roads at bazaars first

Kathmandu, Apr. 5 (RSS): Minister for Physical Planning and Works Chiranjivi Wagle has said that the government has the policy of blacktopping the postal road at the bazaars and densely populated settlements in the first phase and then backtopping the roads in other areas.

As per the policy pursued, there was the thinking of blacktopping the postal road at Sripur, Laxmipur, from Kalika Tribhuvanbasti to Parasan VDC south of the headquarters of Kanchanpur, he said.

Minister Wagle was responding to the queries raised by MP Lal Bahadur Bishwakarma during the question hour at the meeting of the House of Representatives today.

Responding to a query of MP Urba Dutta Panta, Minister Wagle said that the government had made timely revision in the financial administration regulations and strict enforcement of the law had been ensured to prevent taking undue advantage of complicity.

Likewise, in response to another question, also of MP Panta, he said that the road boundary had been specified by act and rules, and it was also found that the road area had been encroached upon and houses and sheds built.

He said that as houses and sheds had been built knowingly by encroaching the roads, those affected by demolition could not be termed as displaced however, the government would give due compensation to those affected even while abiding by the law, he said.

In response to a question by Beduram Bhushal of the CPN-UML, he said that there was a plan to blacktop the Jeetpur-Taulihawa Road up to Mahendra Highway at the headquarters of Kapilvastu district during the fiscal year 2004-05.

Replying to another question of Bhushal, Minister Wagle said that there was a plan to construct a bridge on the Bel river along the postal road from Taulihawa, headquarters of Kapilvastu district to Bahadurgunj in the tenth plan.

Asked if there was any plan for the construction of the Lumbini Ringroad linking the Buddha site of Rupandehi and Kapilvastu districts with other tourist destinations, Minister Wagle replied that there was no such plan, however, there was a programme to name the roads under construction as Buddha Road which would be developed as a ringroad.