Gajendra Narayan Singh passes away

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu Jan. 23: Gajendra Narayan Singh, the founder and National President of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) as well as the National Assembly member passed away this afternoon following several cardiac attacks at a local nursing home.

Singh, 73, was admitted at the Norvic Health Care Centre yesterday (Wednesday) evening after he complained about heart problems. He suffered heart attacks three times and breathed his last at 2:35 P.M. Singh suffered the first cardiac attacks at 10 P.M. last night and the second and third at 9: A.M. and 1 P.M. respectively. His condition was said to have been deteriorated following this morning’s attack.

The NSP National President had been suffering from multiple diseases - diabetes, high blood pressure and heart ailment for the past few years. He is survived by his wife Anandi Devi.

According to NSP sources, Late Singh’s body will be kept at the Party’s Central Office at Shanti Nagar of Baneshwor till tomorrow morning. The body then will be taken to Open Theatre at Tundikhel where it will be kept from 8 to 11 A.M. for the visitors to pay their last homage to the deceased leader. And then the body will be flown to Rajbiraj of Saptari where the last rites will be performed.

Born on Chaitra Ram Nawami day in 1985 B.S. at Koiligadi Village Development Committee of Saptari district, Singh, who did his I.A. from Varanasi of India, began his political career as the Nepali Congress activist in 2003 B.S.

He became Nepali Congress Saptari district Vice-President and President and assumed different party posts from 2007 B.S. to 2033 B.S. He was first imprisoned in 2006 B.S. and spent seven years in jail.

In 2018 B.S., he went into exile in India and stayed there for eleven years. He later became Nepali Congress’s eastern region coordinator in 2034 B.S. and campaigned for the establishment of the multiparty democratic system in the national referendum held in 2036 B.S.

Singh later constituted Nepal Sadbhavana Council in 2042 B.S. and became the national coordinator of the council. One year later, he was elected as Rastriya Panchayat member in 2043 B. S.

After the decision to transform the Council into Nepal Sadbhavana Party was taken into effect in the Baisakh of 2047 B.S., he became the National President of the Party and continued to preside over the Party in the capacity of National President following approvals of the Party’s first, second and third conventions held in 2047 B.S., 2050 B.S. and 2054 B.S. respectively.

He was elected the member of the House of Representatives in 2048 B.S. and 2051 B.S. from the Saptari’s constituency No. 2 and was the NSP parliamentary party leader. Singh was appointed Minister for Supply, Minister for Local Development, Minister for Science and Technology and Minister for Industry during the coalition government formed after 2052 B.S. After losing the general elections in 2056 B.S., he was elected member of National Assembly.

RSS adds: Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) has published a statement here wishing eternal peace to the departed soul of Party President Gajendra Narayan Singh who passed away today and expressing condolences to the grief-stricken family.

The party has directed all its units across the country not to conduct any party activity from January 24 to 26 and to lower the party flag to half mast from January 24 to February 6.

HM grants assent

Kathmandu Jan. 23 (RSS):  His Majesty the King has given assent to the bill designed to prevent Power Pilferage 2058 and the Bill (2058) designed to amend the Insurance Act 2049 passed by both the Houses of Parliament and submitted to His Majesty for Royal Assent.

This is stated in a notice issued today by the Parliament Secretariat.

Her Majesty leaving for London today

Kathmandu, Jan. 23 (RSS): Her Majesty Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah is scheduled to leave for London tomorrow for a medical check-up.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Himani Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah and other members of the Royal Family, who left for London this morning in connection with Her Majesty’s health check-up, have reached Doha, Qatar.

Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were welcomed at Doha International Airport by Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Qatar Shyamananda Suman and other Royal Nepalese Embassy officials and employees.

Likewise, Qatar’s Amiri Diwan and high ranking protocol officials also welcomed Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

Crown Prince leaves for London

Kathmandu, Jan. 23 (RSS): His Royal Highness Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev left here today for London, the capital of the United Kingdom in connection with the medical check up of Her Majesty the Queen.

HRH the Crown Prince is being accompanied by Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess Himani Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah and other members of the Royal Family.

Her Majesty Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah is scheduled to leave for London tomorrow for medical check up.

Their Royal Highnesses were accorded a warm farewell by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya, Speaker Taranath Ranabhat, Chairman of the National Assembly Dr. Mohammad Mohsin, Chairman of the Rajparishad Standing Committee Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi and British Ambassador Ronald Peter Nash at the VVIP lounge of Tribhuvan International Airport.

We lose popular politician: Gupta

Kathmandu, Jan. 23 (RSS):  Minister for Information and Communications Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta has expressed profound grief at the passing away of president of Nepal Sadbhavana Party and MP Gajendra Narayan Singh and said that in his demise Nepal has lost a true patriot and popular politician.

In a condolence message Mr Gupta said he was deeply shocked on hearing of the demise of freedom fighter and senior politician Singh, adding that the late Singh has left an indelible mark as a personality fighting for the progress and prosperity of all the oppressed and downtrodden people of Nepal including those of the Terai Region.

Paying rich tributes to the late Singh as a person practising simple living and high thinking, Minister Gupta has wished eternal peace to the departed soul and extended sincere condolences to the bereaved family.

Poudel blames Maoists for emergency

Dailekh, Jan. 23 (RSS):   Former deputy prime minister and member of the Nepali Congress central working committee Ramchandra Poudel has said that the state of emergency had been declared in the country as the Maoist terrorists had jeopardised national security by unilaterally flouting the peace talks and attacking the Royal Nepalese Army and other security forces in the country.

Mr Poudel expressed this view at an all party meeting held at the Dailekh District Administration Office today.

The state of emergency will not come to an end until the Maoist terrorists are brought under control, Mr Poudel said, adding that the sustainable economic and social reform programmes will benefit the country only after the restoration of law and order in the country.

The former deputy prime minister is on a visit to Dailekh district to make an evaluation of the effects of the state of emergency here.

Clarification at PAC meet
Foreign aid to be put under national accounts: Dr. Mahat

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan. 23: Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament today that Finance Ministry was doing homework to bring foreign assistance from bilateral donor agencies into the national accounts.

"Within a couple of years, we will be able to bring the financial activities of all our 30 bilateral donor agencies under the framework of national budget by requesting them to help us in being more transparent," said Dr. Mahat.

Dr. Mahat also informed that in the forthcoming meeting of Nepal Development Forum (NDF), Nepal was going to propose the bilateral donors to help Nepal further by becoming transparent. The NDF meet is slated to be held in Nepal for the first time from February 4.

Dr. Mahat was furnishing replies about the government’s activities regarding the misuse of foreign assistance due to the lack of a regulatory mechanism.

The PAC had summoned Finance Minister Dr. Mahat, Finance Secretary Dr. Bimal Koirala and Auditor General Bishnu Bahadur K. C. to discuss the ways for bringing foreign aid assistance under the umbrella of national budget so that it could be transparently utilised.

With the European Community (EC) run projects denying their accounts audited by the Office of the Auditor General during the recent years, the PAC opened the floor about streamlining the bilateral aids. The EC has been running seven different projects in health, education, veterinary, and population and development activities in the country for the past few years.

"At a time when almost two third of the bilateral financial aid goes back to the countries of origin with the experts and large sum is spent on salaries and allowance with lack of accountability in overall financial dealings, the government should immediately think of introducing audit system and streamlining the aid in the national budget," Auditor General K. C. said.

So far, there is no clear-cut provision for auditing the projects running under bilateral aid and such aid agencies themselves have been regulating the financial aspects. Although the PAC had directed the government to bring the foreign aid under national budget back in 1996, no policy has been brought out in this regard. The Financial Directives of 1998 also talked about the need of introducing such policy.

"Aid history is not that old in Nepal. But we have been able to regularise the foreign aid compared to other countries in Asia," Dr. Mahat said.

"There is no such problem with the multilateral donor agencies like World Bank and Asian Development Bank because they themselves need to be transparent and are accountable as well. But when it comes to the bilateral donor agencies, we are holding dialogues with them about coming into aid recipient Nepal’s budgetary framework," Finance Secretary Dr. Koirala briefed the meeting.

"During the past four years, we were able to bring many foreign aid agencies in the national accounts framework," Dr. Koirala said. In the past there used to be no clause about audit in the agreement letters. But now the audit comes at the forefront in such agreements, he added.

He also said that the Ministry was holding dialogues individually with bilateral donor countries/agencies like Denmark, Norway and USAID. "We have also requested the European Community to help us by coming into the national accounts framework."

The PAC is meeting tomorrow morning to further discuss about it.

Four terrorists killed in army action

By a Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan. 23: Four terrorists were killed and seven arrested as the security forces continued their operations across the country on Tuesday and Wednesday. The forces have detained 41 suspects for investigation and recovered 23 guns, said the Ministry of Defensce today.

Three terrorists were killed on the spot in retaliatory action by security personnel patrolling Bhalupahad area of Syangja district this morning.

The terrorists had launched a sudden attack on the security forces by laying down an electric ambush, the Ministry stated. Three guns and pistols, 20 socket bombs, three-knot-three round 20, safety fuse and electric wires used to set up the ambush were recovered from the site.

In another encounter Tuesday, security forces killed an armed terrorist, Nim Prasad Paudyal, as his gang mounted an assault against the army with socket bombs at Chuja village of Pyuthan district. Paudyal was the village-level chief of the terrorists.

The security forces also seized a large quantity of arms and ammunitions and terrorist literature during their operations across the country.

According to the Ministry, the security forces arrested two terrorists along with terrorist documents from Bhirgaun in Dhankuta district.

Likewise, two terrorists, including the village-level chief, were arrested from Dandagaun area in Jajarkot district along with some documents.

In Taplejung district, two terrorists were nabbed and eight guns, explosives, detonators, two mikes and documents were confiscated from Limbudin and Angkhop VDCs.

Similarly from Tikapur in Kailiali district one terrorist was arrested and eight guns and explosives were seized.

Among the 41 arrested suspects, 11 were from Bhajni area in Kailali district, one each from Ishaneshwore and Dhamili Kuwa of Lamjung district, eight from Ramnagar of Chitwan, seven from Kawasoti of Nawalparasi district, four from Shikharpur of Makwanpur, two from Joshipur of Kailali and one from Kharipati of Bhaktapur. They are suspected to have given information, food and shelter to the terrorists or helped them financially.

The press release stated that the security forces found fresh blood, bombs and electric wires at Tirbang area of Baglung district in the army action against terrorist who attacked the forces while they were patrolling the area. Search for the wounded terrorist is on. No damage was caused to the security forces in these incidents, the statement said.

Nepal, India relations are healthy: Envoy

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan. 23: The Indian Ambassador to Nepal Dr. Indu Prakash Singh praised Nepal’s organising capacity during SAARC Summit, at a press conference organised by Reporters’ Club in Kathmandu, Wednesday.

"The way SAARC was managed is quite praiseworthy, arrangements were magnificent," he said. "There are two currents in Indo-Nepal relations visible and invisible, bonds of geography, culture and family relations make relations of two countries strong," he said.

While answering a question he said, "It is natural that neighbours take interest in each other matters, there is nothing secret and mysterious in Indo- Nepal relations."

"India’s interest in Nepal are healthy, positive and constructive and so are our relations," said he.

While answering a question on Indo- Nepal Trade Treaty he said, "Though India has a bit problems, Nepal’s interests will not be hampered, there will be no adverse economic impact on Nepal."

Replying a question on Indo- Pak relations, he said, "Situation is better after SAARC Summit held in Kahmandu. India welcomes a developed and prosperous Pakistani state. India is ready to act on list provided by Pakistan but situation should be improved on surface."

Regarding terrorist attacks in Jammu and Calcutta, he said, India is tired of fighting terrorism and loosing patience. India needs Pakistan’s cooperation to check terrorist activities. There is no warlike situation between India and Pakistan."

"There is close cooperation between Border Security Forces of India and security forces of Nepal to check Maoist terrorist activities in border areas," he said.

"If Nepal joins WTO it would not affect bilateral trade of India and Nepal. Nepal has vast water resources, India is ready to provide all types of assistance to Nepal in utilising its water resources for mutual benefit.There is not much trade deficit in India-Nepal trade." he said.

Regarding photo identification for air travellers between two countries, he said, "Genuine travellers should not be harassed to promote tourism and good neighbourly relations."

The programme was chaired by Reporters’ Club President Rishi Dhamala.

Madan Krishna to quit Nagad Panch Lakh show

By a Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan. 23: The famous comedian-cum-anchor and probably his famous programme, Nagad Panch Lakh (NPL) will go off from Nepalese small screens from next Saturday as the organisers were alleged to have failed to pay the prize money to the contestants of the Nepal Television’s popular quiz show.

The NPL anchor man Madan Krishna Shrestha, also a famous comedian, decided to quit the programme after a news report carried by a leading daily stated that the NPL organisers had failed to give the contestants prizes they won in the various episodes of the show, regarded as the Nepalese version of Star TV’s quiz show, "Kaun Banega Crorepati", which itself is the imitation of an English TV programme, "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire."

"When I confirmed that Jagadish Joshi, one of the contestants who had won Rs. 10,000 in the show was not given the prize he won, I have decided to quit as anchor," Shrestha told The Rising Nepal.

Shrestha, who signed an agreement with Media Cooperative International Advertisement (MCIA) to anchor 52 episodes of the programme has decided to quit after anchoring only half of them. According to Shrestha, he had signed the agreement with the organisers in which he had made his commitment that he would leave the programme if the organisers failed to pay the contestants and the technicians of the programme.

"I have informed the organisers before signing the contract last year that I would quit the programme if they (organisers) fail to pay the contestants and the technicians," Shrestha said.

After the cheque given to him by NPL organisers bounced, Jagadish Joshi, a graduate level student at Trichandra College disclosed through one of Kathmandu based dailies on Wednesday that the organisers did not give the prizes to the contestants .

Even the staff at Pranima Studio where the shooting of NPL is held agreed that the organisers gave cheques to Joshi and other contestants without having sufficient amount of deposits in their bank accounts.

But one of the staff of the Studio tried to defend the reasons why the cheques could not be cashed. "The advertisement agencies often give us cheques which usually bounced back and we do the same to the contestants. But our intention is not to cheat the contestants," said Shyam Rokka, a staff of MCIA at Pranima Studio.

Not only that the organisers have not given the contestants the prizes but also they have failed to pay Shrestha along with other technicians.

"They have paid me the sum that amounts only for three episodes till now though I have already anchored in 26 episodes," Shrestha disclosed.

The staff available at Pranima Studio failed to mention the number of the winners of NPL and the amount of prizes the different contestants have received till now.

Shrestha is angry not because the organisers did not pay him but because they have not paid those contestants who won these prizes.

"The organisers should give prizes to those who appeared and sat on the hot seat and won," Shrestha complained and added that he would never run the programme produced by the same organisers. However, he said he would continue to do the programme if new organisers start producing the same programme.

When Star Plus’s big show KBC became immensely popular among the Nepalese audiences, MCIA started producing NPL which NTV has been airing every Saturday evening from August 4, last year.

Though NPL could not become as popular as Star Plus’s KBC among Kathmanduites, it has become immensely popular outside the Kathmandu Valley and among the Nepalese living in Darjeeling and Sikkim, India and in Hong Kong.

NTV aired its 25th episode last Saturday. According to Shrestha, shooting of the 26th episode which is not a regular episode but a feedback show has been completed.

But within six month of its inception, NPL has faced the biggest problem. It is not sure whether the organisers will continue the programme in the absence of Madan Krishna Shrestha as an achor.

PM ensures CIAA all help to control corruption

Kathmandu, Jan. 23 (RSS): The Council of Ministers and the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) held informal discussions on measures to be pursued for corruption control in order to ensure good governance in the country.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said in a democracy, government is accountable to the people and it is the duty of government to ensure good governance.

The government is ready to provide any help to CIAA for control of corruption, he said.

On the occasion, CIAA chief Suryanath Upadhyaya also spoke.

Last respects paid to NSP leader Singh

Kathmandu, Jan. 23 (RSS): Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said he is stunned by the sad news of the demise of founding president of Nepal Sadbhawana Party (NSP), MP of the National Assembly and a senior democratic leader.

His contributions for over five decades including in the establishing of democracy in the country in the 2007 B.S. revolution will be long remembered in Nepali politics, PM Deuba said adding that his demise has left a vaccum in Nepali politics.

He also prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Deuba today went to the office of Nepal Sadbhawana Party in Shantinagar, New Baneshwor and offered floral tributes to the body of NSP national president Gajendra Narayan Singh.

Meanwhile, His Majesty’s Government has decided to offer pay last respects to national president of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party, former minister and member of the National Assembly Gajendra Narayan Singh who died of cardiac arrest in Kathmandu this afternoon, the Home Ministry said.

Meanwhile, president of the Nepali Congress and ex-prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala paid a floral tribute to the body of late Gajendra Narayan Singh at the office of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party (NSP).

CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal also offered tribute to late Singh, there.

Also offering tributes to late Singh were Minister for Information and Communications Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta, Minister for Water Resources Bijaya Kumar Gachhchhedar and various party members.

Earlier, RPP president Surya Bahadur Thapa and CPN-ML general secretary Bamdev Gautam went to Norvic Escort Heart Centre and paid tribute to late Singh.

Nepali Congress president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala has, in a press statement, expressed shock at the demise of Nepal Sadbhavana Party chairman Gajendra Narayan Singh and wished peace for the departed soul. He has also extended condolences to the members of the bereaved family and Nepal Sadbhavana Party.

In his statement party president Koirala said the contribution made by the late Singh in the establishment and restoration of democracy in Nepal would be remembered always in the history of Nepal’s democratic struggle.

He also said that late Singh had taken part in the first Satyagraha in 2004, played an important role in the revolution in 2007 led by the NC and had sufferred torture and imprisonment.

His demise is the demise of an indefatigable warrior fighting continuously for the sake of democrcy, he added.

Likewise, the central office of the Nepali Congress has published a press release here today stating that the demise of Mr. Gajendra Narayan Singh is an irreparable loss in the endeavour for making the democratic system further efficient.

The press release signed by the press chief of the party Purushottam Basnet further states that the Nepali Congress expresses profound grief, pays homage to him and conveys condolence to the bereaved family and Nepal Sadbhavana Party.

Recalling his long contributions in the democratic movement, the NC pays respects to him and will close the party office tomorrow and fly the party flag at half mast.

CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal has issued a condolence message here today stating that his party was stunned on hearing of the sudden demise of president of Nepal Sadbhavana Party and MP Gajendra Narayan Singh due to cardiac arrest and paying him heartfelt tributes as well as extending condolences to NSP leaders and activists and members of the bereaved family.

In the message, Mr Nepal has also said that the country has lost a responsible politician in Mr Singh’s demise.

The contributions of the late Singh in national politics goes back a long way and he played an active role in the restoration and strengthening of democracy in the country, the general secretary said adding that Mr Singh was striving to foster common understanding among the responsible political parties of the country at a time when the country was passing through a critical phase.

CPN (ML) general secretary Bamdev Gautam has expressed grief over the death of national president of Nepal Sadbhawana Party and MP Gajendra Narayan Singh today and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

Stating that the late Singh who has carved a niche for himself in the democratic movement of Nepal has been established as an untiring leader, Mr Gautam noted that in his absence people will feel a void in politics for a long time to come.

Nepal Press Council president Harihar Birahi has published a statement expressing profound grief at the demise of president of Nepal Sadbhavana Party and democratic leader Gajendra Narayan Singh and said that the late Singh was committed to defending press freedom.

In the message he has wished eternal peace to the departed soul and expressed condolence to the bereaved family.

Similarly, different organisations have prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul of national president of Nepal Sadbhawana Party and MP Gajendra Narayan Singh and expressed heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family.

The Ex-MPs’ Club in a statement today stated that the death of Mr Singh has shocked all the people of the country.

The Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) in a similar statement said the death of Singh has caused a great loss to the democratic and human rights movement.

NDF-2002 Pre-Consultative Meet

NRB draws flak from experts Anomalies in financial sector blamed

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan. 23: Country’s prominent economists, industrialists and experts in the financial sector blamed Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) – the central bank in the country for failing to regulate proper mechanism to control anomalies in the financial sector. It is NRB, that is responsible for triggering irregularities in state owned banking institutions and joint venture banks, they noted.

Dwelling upon the policy paper on Financial Sector Reform presented by Governor of NRB Dr. Tilak Rawal during pre-consultative discussion of the Nepal Development Forum (NDF) –2002, they remarked that the country’s financial health is deteriorating each second in the absence of clear financial policy.

On the one hand joint venture banks are reaping profit by making investment in the urban areas, on other state-owned banks such as Nepal Bank Ltd and Rastriya Banijya Bank are running into loss because of bad loans and
mis-appropriation of funds. Privatisation of these two banks is going to solve the problem unless reform measures in the financial sector is implemented in an effective manner. Besides, the role of NRB, the major authority in the financial sector should be effective to control irregularities in the banking and financial sectors, they said.

Presenting the policy paper Dr. Rawal said that the large intermediaries cost and inefficiencies in the financial system have remained the major drawbacks of the Nepalese financial structure though the financial intermediation indicators and other related parameters indicate positive development.

He admitted that not only RBB and NBL are in precarious position financially, a weak accounting and auditing practice has further meant that the timelessness and reliability of financial data, particularly from these banks, are well below the expectation. Accounting is also weak in the corporate sector, making the business environment along with the lending decision difficult for the banks.

However, he said the Nepalese system has achieved rapid strides in terms of institutions, products and pricing during the nineties.

MP Pashupati SJB Rana while commenting the paper of Dr. Rawal pointed out need for generating rural economy. The economic development is not possible by ignoring the rural economy, said Rana.

Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, an economic advisor of the Prime Minister said that strong financial reform was vital to accelerate faster economic growth.

Prof. Bishwombhar Pyakurel stressed the need to focus on vital economic issues.

Similarly, Lawrence De Miller of IMF suggested to take strong measures to overcome anomalies in the financial sector.

Dr. Minendra Rijal also noted that the reform measures in financial sector are essential to revive the ailing economy.

Chairman of the session MP Subash Chandra Nembang affirmed that given the deteriorating situation of the financial sector in the country, the government should take early reform measures to tackle the problem.

In a separate programme rural development experts discussed the various aspects as to why the government has not been able to uplift rural economy even after the restoration of democracy. Member of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Jagadish Chandra Pokhrel while presenting the policy paper on rural development, noted that much efforts are needed to gear up the rural economy.

Commenting the paper of Dr. Pokhrel, C.P Mainali blamed the government of ignoring the development of rural sector.

MP Chitra Bahadur K.C said that the focus should be laid on rural sector for real economic growth.

MPs Lekh Nath Acharya and Narendra Bahadur Bam had chaired the programme.