Pokhrel receives Dharanidhar Honour

Biratnagar, Feb. 7 (RSS): On the occasion of the 11th birthday anniversary of poet Dharanidhar Koirala, Royal Nepal Academy and Biratnagar, Sub-metropolis jointly organised a competitive poetry symposium here yesterday.

On the occasion linguist and professor Balkrishna Pokhrel was felicitated with the Dharanidhar Honour-2058 for his more than five and half decades of invaluable contribution to Nepali literature.

Member-secretary of the Royal Nepal Academy (RNA) Dr. Tulsi Bhattarai said that the late Dharanidhar Koirala was a international personality and an experienced writer of textbooks.

On the occasion professor Pokhrel said the honour provided to him will inspire him to work more actively.

Critic Dr. Narendra Chapagain said that late Dharanidhar Koirala had made invaluable contribution to safeguard Nepali language and literature.

In the competitive poetry symposium participated in by 24 youths, Seema Ahbhash, Parsuram Ojha and Min Kumar Nabodit Shrestha received the first, second and third prizes respectively while Manju Sharma and Bharudas Surana received the consolation prizes.

Likewise, Pramod Khatiwada, Asha Koirala and Sapna Maharjan received first, second and third prizes respectively in the children competitive poetry symposium while Krishna Prasad Dhungana won the consolation prize.

At the poetry symposium chaired by chairman of the Dharanidhar Award Academy Krishna Raj Koirala, academy members Shanker Subedi "Utsa" and Amrit Lal Shrestha had delivered the welcome speech and given an introduction of recipient of the Dharanidhar Honour-2058.

On the occasion singer J.B. Tuhure and poets Mahesh Marseli, Toya Gautam and Achyut Ghimire had presented songs and poems.

BPKIMS decides to train docs for family medicine

Itahari, Feb. 7 (RSS): B.P. Koirala Institute of Medical Sciences (BPKIMS) has decided to train responsible medical doctor for family medicine instead of medical doctor for general practice.

With the formulation of new curriculums, the institute has, so far, trained two batches of medical practitioners and has now completed all preparations to run new classes of post graduate in family medicine in a bid to fulfill the shortage of capable technical manpower in the country, vice-chancellor of the institute Dr. Shekhar Koirala said.

A workshop organised by the institute for training highly skilled medical practitioners will chalk out the new curriculum for post graduate level family medicine.

According to Family Medicine Department chief Prof. Owen Lewis as the term general practice is vague and creates confusion among the general people, the workshop has come up with a new name to distinguish it from the present term general practice and to acquaint the general people with the diseases which falls under family medicine.

After studying the curriculum of family medicine, one will be capable of working in the fields of surgery, pediatrician, gynecology and obstetrics and such a medical practitioner with MBBS degree needs to study for three years to be eligible for this title.

Under the new curriculum, one must practice in the hospital outside the district or with other private practitioners to gain practical knowledge on this subject.

Dr. Lewis expressed the conviction that the new curriculum will help to overcome the problem being faced by the general people who are compelled to approach another medical practitioner after failing to recover from illness.

The workshop also has formed an editorial committee which will submit its report on the scope and principles of the new curriculum for post graduate in family medicine.

Need to make VDIS transparent stressed

Nepalgunj, Feb. 7 (RSS): The participants of the one-day interaction programme on the policy, objective and challenges of the Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme (VDIS) launched by His Majesty's Government organised by Nepalgunj Chamber of Industry and Commerce have stressed the need to make the VDIS more transparent.

Speaking at the interaction programme participated in by the businessmen, industrialists, legal practitioners and the representatives of the political parties of Nepalgunj, legal practitioners Salauudin Aktar Siddhiqi and Govinda Bandi expressed the view that it was inappropriate to seek voluntary disclosure of income from taxpayers who have already disclosed their income.

NC Banke district president Krishna Man Shrestha said that the government should have a clear perspective while introducing a programme for increasing the number of taxpayers.

Secretary of the CPN-UML Banke district committee Bharat Lal Adhikari said that VDIS would discourage the regular taxpayers. The income of the persons holding high position should be first investigated, he added.

At the function chaired by president of the Nepalgunj Chamber of Industry and Commerce Achyut Prasad Prasai, chief of the Banke district internal revenue office Rajendra Man Shrestha, industrialist Gaurishanker Gupta, economist Kaman Singh Bohara, member of Banke District Traders' Association Padma Bhusal and auditor Ramchandra Subedi also expressed their views on VDIS.

On the occasion legal advisor of the Banke District Chamber of Industry and Commerce Kumar Sharma Acharya had presented a working paper on the policy, objectives and challenges of the government's Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme.

National economy facing crisis: Experts

Pokhara, Feb. 7 (RSS): Advisor to the Prime Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that the economy of the country would have been in the doldrums if the state of emergency had not been declared in the country.

Speaking at the interaction programme on the impact of the state of emergency on the national economy organised here today on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the Pokhara Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said that His Majesty's Government is ready to resolve the problem through talks if the Maoists still come forward by discarding weapons and shunning violence.

The economic recession in Nepal is also an outcome of the recession internationally, he said adding that the economic development of the country is only possible through the development of the private sector.

President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers and Commerce and Industry Rabi Bhakta Shrestha said the national economy is passing through a state of crisis and this is due to the political instability.

At the programme presided over by president of the chamber Basant Udas, various other speakers including Pokhara sub metropolis mayor Krishna Thapa, federation ex-president Ananda Raj Mulmi and first vice president Shivalal Malla also expressed their views.

57 medicines added to essential drugs list

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Feb. 7: The Ministry of Health has added 57 medicines and removed 16 in its third revision in the national list of essential drugs, which now includes a total of 303 medicines.

The government has reviewed the list thrice since Nepal became a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) 15 years ago. The list is prepared on the basis of the usefulness of the medicines for the most common diseases

For the first time the list has included important medicines used for primary health care.

In view of the increase in the use of antibiotics, the government has revised the national policy of 2051 B.S. for the first time and has listed 54 antibiotics.

A press release issued by the Department of Drugs Management said, the sale and purchase of the medicines have to be made according to the latest list.

The department of medicines will publish the list in the form of a book, the release says, adding that this will be sponsored by the USAID and the United States Pharmakophia (USP).

The government approved the list two weeks ago.

Celebrating Chinese New Year

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Feb. 7: The Radisson Hotel is celebrating the Chinese New Year with Chinese settings. The Hotel’s garden is refurbished to look like a Chinese marketplace. From tomorrow till February 12, for three hours from 12 to 3, there will be food stalls offering Chinese food, wooden benches and tables to sit down. The Chinese new year falls on February 12.

The Hotel says it has chosen foods from the Hunan province in western China because the food is quite similar to Nepalese food with ginger, garlics and chilli. They are not very fancy but common food that people of Hunan eat in their everyday life like noodles, soups, momos and curries of duck and chicken. The price is also modest with Rs. 678 where one can have all the food on the offer.

Apart from the Chinese food there will also be stalls selling organic food and teas - Nepalese, Darjeeling and Chinese. Raaj Waiba of Tea World, which will have a tea stall says the customers would find several varieties of quality teas at a reasonable price. However, the celebration of Chinese festival may also be taken as preparation for the Chinese tourists Nepal expects after the tourism agreement between the two countries.