Win people’s faith with service: Nepal

Kathmandu, Apr. 17 (RSS): Leader of the main opposition at the House of Representatives and CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal inaugurated the 6th Town Council of Kathmandu Metropolis here today.

The Council will approve the annual programme of Kathmandu Metropolis and income and expenditure budget for the FY 2058/59.

In his inaugural address, general secretary Nepal called on the peoples’ representatives of the local bodies to shoulder their responsibilities in such a manner that they are able to win the confidence of the people in conformity with democratic norms.

He also suggested that local resources be utilised optimally by charting out short-term, medium-term and long-term plans and programmes.

Urging the Maoists to come to a negotiating table by giving up the frequent calling of Nepal Bandh, destroying development infrastructures and violent activities, Nepal said both the government as well as the Maoists should move ahead in a responsible manner.

Nepali Congress central member and MP Dr. Ram Baran Yadav underlined the need for all the political parties to set aside differences and to come up with a common agenda for the existence of democracy and the country.

Image of Nepal will be enhanced if Kathmandu Metropolis maintains its environment clean, he said, adding that the local bodies should garner public support while carrying out development works.

CPN-UML standing committee member Keshav Prasad Badal warned that if the tenure of the local bodies is not extended or fresh election not held, this will invite new problems.

Kathmandu Metropolis mayor Keshav Sthapit, from the chair, said Kathmandu Metropolis is moving towards self-reliance and autonomy vis-à-vis winning the trust of the donor agencies.

Deputy mayor Bidur Mainali asked the government to provide an allowance of Rs. 3,700 to the elected members.

Elected members of Kathmandu Metropolis from Nepali Congress party had boycotted the inaugural function.

Barsharam Bhandari, one of the member of the metropolis from Nepali Congress party reiterated that they would not budge from their stand of endorsing the unnecessary expenses of the metropolis.

An income and expenditure budget of Rs. 1.3881 billion for FY 2058/59 will be presented to the Town Council.

HM prorogues House session

Kathmandu, Apr. 17 (RSS): His Majesty the King has prorogued the twenty first session of Parliament from 8:00 p.m. today.

A letter to this effect received from the Royal Palace was read out by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Chitra Lekha Yadav and National Assembly Chairman Mohammad Mohsin who chaired the respective meetings of the two Houses of Parliament today.

HM greets Mugabe

Kathmandu, Apr. 18 (RSS): His Majesty the King has extended cordial felicitations to Robert Mugabe, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, on the occasion of the Independence Day of Zimbabwe.

In a message, His Majesty has expressed best wishes for the President’s personal health and happiness as well as for the progress and prosperity of the people of Zimbabwe.

Best wishes conveyed

Kathmandu, Apr. 17 (RSS): By command of His Majesty the King, chief of the Royal Household Sardar Sharada Prasad Pradhan went to the residence of Israeli ambassador Avraham Nir at Lazimpat and extended best wishes on behalf of His Majesty on the occasion of the 54th Independence Day of the State of Israel.

PM attends reception

Kathmandu, Apr. 17 (RSS): Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba attended a reception hosted by Israeli Ambassador Avraham Nir here today on the occasion of the 54th Independence Day of Israel. The Chief Justice, the National Assembly Chairman, the Rajprishad Standing Committee Chairman, the leader of the opposition party in the House of Representatives, Ministers, Ministers of State, Assistant Ministers, MPs, heads of constitutional bodies, heads of diplomatic missions, industrialists and businessmen and journalists were also present on the occasion.

Resolution approved

Kathmandu, Apr. 17 (RSS): The meeting of the House of Repesentatives today approved a resolution moved by Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Narendra Bikram Nemwang seeking to send the bill concerning amendment of some Nepal Acts, 2058, to the committee concerned for clause-wise discussions.

At the same meeting, chairman of the Population and Social Committee Narendra Bahadur Bam tabled the Human Trafficking and Selling (Prevention) Bill 2058 along with the report of the concerned committee.

The meeting approved a resolution tabled by chairman of the House of Representatives Regulations Amendment Draft Committee Tek Bahadur Chokhal seeking to extend the term of the committee.

Deputy Speaker Chitralekha Yadav, who was presiding over the meeting, informed the House that the term had been extended until the conclusion of the 22nd session.

At the meeting, the secretary at the House of Representatives tabled the message of the National Assembly stating that the Copyright Bill, 2058, had been send back with suggestions.

He also tabled the message of the National Assembly stating that the National Loan Bill, 2058, and the bill concerning Chartered Accountants (First Amendment), 2058, have been sent back without suggestions.

Likewise, he further tabled a message of the National Assembly stating that the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) (Second Amendment) Bill, 2058 and the Corruption Elimination Bill, 2058, had been sent back with modifications.

At the meeting, the secretary informed the House that
the National Assembly had approved the Foreign Exchange (Regulations) (Second Amendment) Bill, 2058 and the bill concerning Institutions for Financial Arbitration (First Amendment), 2058, passed by the House of Representatives.

Likewise, he also said that a message had been received from the National Assembly stating that the bill concerning special courts 2058 had been sent back without amendment.

Koirala calls on Vajpayee

Kathmandu, Apr. 17 (RSS): Nepali Congress president and ex-prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who is in India on a five-day unofficial visit, called on Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi yesterday.

During the meeting, the two leaders held talks for 45 minutes on exchange of cooperation including resolution of the burning issues in both countries.

NC president Koirala also met with Defence Minister George Fernandez, Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh, BJP president N. Krishnamurthy and New Delhi chief minister Sheela Dixit, separately.

During the meetings, they discussed issues including promotion of the Nepal-India social, religious, political and cultural relations handed down by history as well as elimination of violent activities in both countries.

BJP president Krishnamurthy hosted a dinner yesterday in honour of NC president Koirala.

Present with the delegation was Koirala’s daughter Sujata Koirala.

Budget size likely to be smaller

Kathmandu, Apr. 17 (RSS): Minister of State for Finance Bharat Kumar Shaha has said that the budget for fiscal year 2002-03 may be smaller than the that of the current fiscal year.

Minister of State Shaha said that as the economic condition of the country was far from satisfactory, the government was for formulating a budget that was sustainable and based on ground realities.

He was releasing a book, "Budget Ra Yasko Karyanwayan Prakriya (budget and its implementation process)," authored by Laxmi Prasad Paudel and Durga Nidhi Sharma.

Stating that the all security bodies concerned with ensuring law and order had to be mobilised because of the Maoist insurgency, he said there had been a dramatic rise in the general expenditure and HMG had only Rs. 1 billion as balance in its accounts.

He stated that the development budget for the next fiscal year could be around Rs. 40-41 billion and the regular budget around 56-57 billion.

HMG had presented a budget of almost Rs. 100 billion for the current fiscal year, 2001-02.

Authors Sharma and Paudel shed light on the book released at the programme chaired by professor Dr. Bhimdev Bhatta.

Nearly 29 M Euros as grant from Germany

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 17: Germany committed a grant of 28.95 million Euros to Nepal for 2002 and 2003, focussing on three priority areas – health and family planning, the promotion of local self-governance and civil society, and the promotion of renewable energy.

Of the total amount, 8.5 million Euros have been earmarked to provide improved health services for disadvantaged people.

The second priority area of the grant is to reinforce and support local government bodies to promote local self-governance and civil society.

According to the German Embassy, over 90 per cent of the projects are aimed at poverty reduction. One purpose of the grant is to develop Nepal’s potential in the field of renewable energy. "A contribution of 7.5 million Euros has been earmarked for the promotion of small biogas plants for cooking and lighting in peasant households," a spokesperson for the German Embassy said. The target is to produce 100,000 such units by 2003.

Nepal is said to have one of the most successful biogas programmes in the world.

Germany is providing 2.3 million Euros for rapid-impact measures in response to Nepal’s difficult political and economic situation.

Germany’s help to Nepal comes indirectly through non-governmental and multilateral organisations. The annual payments to the European Union, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) amount to 11.7 million Euro.

Kandel tells House about Barpak attack

Kathmandu, Apr. 17 (RSS): Minister of State for Home Devendra Raj Kandel, making a statement of public importance at the National Assembly today, said that nine policemen in the service of the state died tragically in a skirmish with a gang of armed terrorists at the police post at Barpak VDC of Gorkha district at about 18:30 hours on the evening of April 15.

Altogether l0 persons, including a sub-inspector, two assistant sub-inspectors, three head constables, three constables and a local man, Min Bahadur Ghale, were killed in the incident while another local man, Santa Bahadur Ghale, received minor injuries, Minister of State Kandel said.

The terrorists looted eight 303 rifles, a revolver and four pistols from the police post, he said, adding that the security forces were now carrying out an extensive search around the area.

NA approves proposal

Kathmandu, Apr. 17 (RSS): The National Assembly at its meeting today unanimously approved a proposal put forth by the Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare seeking to send the ‘Domestic Violence (crime and punishment) Bill—2058’ to special committee for clause-wise discussions.

MP Tilak Prasad Neupane is chairman of the National Assembly special committee while the other members of the committee are Mrs Gaura Koirala, Mrs Goma Devkota, Devendra Ghimire, Mrs Ambika Panta Chapagain, Ram Jiwan Singh, Balaram Gharti Magar, Mrs Chanda Shaha and Mrs Yangkila Sherpa.

Also at the meeting, the National Assembly’s government assurances committee chairman Janardan Acharya presented the committee’s follow-up and evaluation first report-2058.

NC-PP meet tomorrow

Kathmandu, Apr. 17 (RSS): A meeting of the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party working committee will take place at 2 p.m. Friday, April 19, and that of the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party at 3 p.m. the same day, at the Prime Minister’s residence at Baluwatar, the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party office stated today.

Grief expressed

Kathmandu, Apr. 17 (RSS): Rastriya Prajatantra Party has expressed profound grief at the demise of Gagan Jung Bahadur Singh, founder member of the party in Bajhang district, and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul. It also conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

Astrology academy inaugurated

Kathmandu, Apr. 17 (RSS): Raj Parishad Standing Committee chairman Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi inaugurated a Chinese-Tibetan Astrological Academy at a function organised here today.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Rayamajhi said at a time of advanced development in science and technology, astrology still has the same significance as before.

At the function presided over by Academy patron Dr. Mangal Raj Joshi, various other speakers including academy advisor Ganesh Bajra Lama shed light on the objectives of the Academy.

Govt makes special security arrangements

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 17: The government has made special security arrangements and mobilised all its security apparatus to maintain peace and order, and to prevent any kind of vandalism and arson.

The Home Ministry said today that the security forces have been authorised to shoot if necessary to stop disruptive activities.

The Ministry has advised the population not to listen to rumours, and to go about their day-to-day work without fear. It has encouraged businesses, schools and factories to open as usual and has requested the public transport to operate normally.

The Ministry has asked the people to contact the local security forces if they need additional security.

The government has promised compensation for any terrorism damage sustained during normal operations.