Milk wasted as purchase halts during Bandh

Rajbiraj, Apr. 27 (RSS): Local people of Bagdhuwa and Jandol VDCs have been compelled to throw milk they had produced since April 23.

The two VDCs, well known for producing quality milk in a larger amount throughout Saptari district produce about 6,000 litres of milk a day.

As co-operatives refused to buy milk during the 5-day Nepal bandh, some 400 milk producing farmers of the two VDCs were compelled to throw the milk.

The Adarsha multi-purpose milk production co-operatives and the Janata multi-purpose co-operatives used to buy milk at the rate of Rs. 19.20 per litre.

Adarsha co-operative is not in a position to buy milk exceeding 2,300 litres it has capacity for, its assistant manager Durga Datta Adhikary said.

Nobody from Dairy Development Corporation has come to collect the milk being stored by such co-operatives as of now.

No doctor in Gorakha hospital

Gorakha, Apr. 27 (RSS): Post-mortem could not be performed on the body of Leela Man Pariyar who died four days back as there is no doctor at the Gorakha Hospital.

There is not even one doctor at the Gorakha Hospital for the last one month.

The family of the deceased claims that he sustained injuries when he was injured by Madan Pariyar of Dhading Salyantar and died on the way to hospital.

This is the fourth case in which post-mortem could not be performed on time due to the lack of a doctor at the hospital.

Rural bank disburses Rs. 2.77 B

Itahari, Apr. 27 (RSS): The eastern region Rural Development Bank has disbursed collateral-free loans to the tune of Rs. 2.77 billion to the targeted groups as part of its policy of disbursing loans to certain targeted sectors under the poverty alleviation programme.

Out of the total loans disbursed by the bank, the bank has so far disbursed loans totalling Rs. 369.8 million to 50,337 women creditors from 259 village development committees (VDCs) in Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Siraha, Saptari, Udayapur, Ilam and Dhankuta districts of eastern Nepal, it is learnt from executive director of the bank Deepak Sharma.

The bank has invested 50 per cent of its total loans in agro-business, 48 per cent in service sector and two per cent in small and cottage industries.

More than 302,000 people have directly or indirectly benefited from the poverty alleviation programme of the bank which has a 96 per cent loan recovery rate.

Similarly, 50,337 women creditors have paid back the loans to the bank.

People seeking passport increase

Dhankuta, Apr. 27 (RSS): The number of people taking passports has increased profoundly in Dhankuta district following the imposition of the state of emergency in the country compared to the past.

Dhankuta district administration office which started issuing passports to the applicants since five years back used to issue over 250 passports on an average in a month.

But the number of people applying for passports has increased two-folds since the enforcement of the state of emergency, the district administration office has stated.

Following the state of emergency which was clamped in November, 2001, 141 passports have been issued in December alone, 421 in January, 299 in February and 27 in March, according to the district administration.

Similarly, the district administration office issued 246 passports in the month of April alone.

Altogether 7,341 persons have obtained passports from the district administration office.

Fair transport accord with India sought

Kathmandu, Apr. 27 (RSS): The transport operators have pointed out the need to undertake detailed studies and research on operating transport services for Indian tourists and goods.

At a press conference organised by the Federation of Nepalese Entrepreneurs here today, its office bearers demanded that the government not to sign any agreement with India in connection with Indian vehicles coming to Nepal which is detrimental to the interest of Nepalese.

At the press conference, the central president of the federation Bishnu Shivakoti disclosed that a memorandum of five-point demand had been submitted to the Prime Minister stating that when Indian vehicles enters Nepal unhindered, it was difficult for the Nepalese entrepreneurs to compete with them and their very investment was at stake and therefore the government should be serious on this matter.

At present, there is a provision for the Indian vehicles to remain in Nepal upto 72 hours but the Nepalese transport operators are suffering because of the provisions made for depositing Rs. 50,000, insuring and obtaining permission from the Embassy of India.

Pointing out the need to sign a treaty and agreement in the interest of Nepal and the Nepalese, the entrepreneurs have called for consultations with them before holding talks.

The memorandum circulated at the press conference has strongly opposed the frequent Nepal bandh and transport strike and called for seeking political solution to the problem.

They alleged that a pre-condition has been set by India to sign a Transport Treaty and agreement under which the government of India will provide railway services up to dry port in Nepal thereby affecting the Nepalese transport sector which provides employment to about two million Nepalese and in which about Rs. 30 billion has been invested.

The memorandum opposes the proposed treaty concerning transport to be signed between Nepal and India next week and demands that the treaty should not be signed without conducting a detailed study in this regard.

The transport entrepreneurs have also demanded exemption of the interest on hire purchase loans taken by the entrepreneurs, compensation for the damages caused to vehicles run at the request of the government prior to and after restoration of democracy in the country, and the formation of an act and regulation amendment committee for massive changes in the transport management act and regulations.

Economy ailing: Dr. Rawal

Kathmandu, Apr. 27 (RSS): Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Dr. Tilak Rawal says that although the country’s present economic situation stands satisfactory on the basis of financial indicators, it was far from encouraging.

Speaking at a programme organised to mark the 47th anniversary of NRB here today, Dr. Rawal said at present the general expenditure has increased by seven per cent while development expenditure has witnessed a decline of 10-12 per cent.

Although revenue growth has decreased to some extent in comparison to previous year’s figures and it currently stands at four per cent, the situation is not discouraging, Dr. Rawal added.

It is the main responsibility of NRB to maintain economic stability in the country, the NRB governor said, expressing the view that the present economic crisis will be resolved once the financial sector improves along with improvement of the internal security situation in the country and external situation.

Issuing directives to the NRB employees’ unions, governor Dr. Rawal called on the unions to maintain fiscal discipline and keep away from politics.

Pointing out that the union office-bearers should also show respectable conduct, he stressed the need for translating the good provisions in the acts into practice.

Former governor and member of the National Planning Commission Dr. Hari Shankar Tripathi observed that the fiscal autonomy granted to NRB is a big achievement in the banking sector.

On the occasion, governor Dr. Rawal gave away souvenirs and certificates to employees completing 25 years of service at the bank.

Similarly, Dr. Rawal gave away certificates and cash awards to writers who contributed various literary and economic articles for the competitive literary and economic writing organised by the bank.

President of NRB employees’ association Ram Prasad Upreti and president of NRB chapter of the Financial Institutions Employees’ Association Khem Raj Bhetuwal also expressed their views at the programme.