Foundation set up for ethnic communities

Kathmandu, Mar. 6 (RSS): His Majesty’s Government has established a national foundation for the upliftment of indigenous/ethnic groups under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister. The foundation will function as an autonomous body.

The foundation has been established with the objective of facilitating social and cultural development and upliftment of various indigenous/ethnic groups, ensuring their equal participation in national development mainstream and paving the way for the all round development of indigenous/ethnic groups through the formulation and implementation of programmes relating to their social, educational, economic and cultural development and upliftment.

The foundation also aims at preserving and promoting the languages, scripts, cultures, art and history of indigenous/ethnic groups, helping them bring their indigenous skills, technology and expertise to commercial use by preserving and promoting them, ensuring their participation in the country’s development mainstream by maintaining and promoting cordial relations, goodwill and harmony among various indigenous/ethnic groups, and between indigenous/ethnic groups and other communities, and facilitating the building of an egalitarian society through their social, economic, religious and cultural development and upliftment.

The governing council of the foundation will have the local development minister or minister of state as co-chairman and one vice chairman.

The foundation members will include six from among the members of the House of Representatives representing indigenous/ethnic groups and three from among the members of the National Assembly representing indigenous/ethnic groups, the vice chancellor of Royal Nepal Academy or a person appointed by him, one member of the National Planning Commission who takes care of matters concerning indigenous/ethnic groups, the secretaries at the ministries of local development, finance, culture, tourism and civil aviation and education and sports, one representative each from recognised organisations of indigenous/ethnic groups no matter whether they are affiliated to the federation of indigenous/ethnic groups, two women each from the indigenous/communities of five development regions who have made significant contribution to their upliftment, two from among the industrialists, businessmen and donors from indigenous/ethnic communities, two from among experts in matters concerning indigenous/ethnic groups, and one first class officer of the local development ministry.

The governing council will have one member secretary.

The governing council will approve the foundation’s programmes and budget, formulate policies concerning indigenous/ethnic groups and issue necessary instructions.

A four-member executive committee to be formed under the chairmanship of the council vice chairman will implement the foundation’s programmes and the governing council’s decisions, and run every day administration.

The national foundation for the upliftment of indigenous/ethnic groups has listed a total of 59 indigenous/ethnic groups.

According to the Local Development Ministry, the National Ethnic Groups Development Committee Formation Order 2054 B.S. will be abrogated after the establishment of this national foundation, which will thereafter carry out all activities previously being carried out by the committee.

Ministers provide clarification on bills

Kathmandu, Mar. 6 (RSS): The National Assembly meeting today agreed to discuss the Seeds (First Amendment) Bill 2058 and the Police (Sixth Amendment) Bill 2058 as proposed by Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Mahesh Acharya and Minister of State for Home Devendra Raj Kandel respectively.

Replying to questions raised during the discussion on the Seeds Bill, Minister Acharya said the bill has been designed to ensure quality control for seeds, make the private sector dealing in seeds more responsible, protect indigenous seeds and to control the import of sub-standard seeds.

Earlier, taking part in general discussions on the bill, MPs Dr. Rup Jyoti, CPN-UML’s Surendra Pandey, Laxmi Das Manandhar and Bachaspati Devkota and NC’s Ganga Datta Joshi stressed the need to promote seeds through cooperatives, protect locally produced seeds and produce quality seeds.

Likewise, answering questions raised in course of the discussion on the Police Bill, Minister of State for Home Devendra Raj Kandel said the bill is meant for timely amendments to the existing Police Act in order to make necessary provisions regarding proper education for the children of police personnel and for the wellbeing of such personnel.

Earlier, taking part in general discussions on the bill, CPN-UML’s Bachaspati Devkota and Urba Datta Pant, and MP Ramesh Nath Pandey complained about discrimination in the police administration and the government’s failure to provide immediate relief to deserving police personnel and their families. He also stressed the need to boost the moral of police personnel in the present context of worsening law and order.

The National Assembly next meets at 1:00 P.M. on March 8.

Ranabhat meets Indian Vice President

Kathmandu Mar. 6 (RSS): Speaker Taranath Ranabhat called on the Vice President of India at the latter’s office in New Delhi today.

During the meeting they held discussions on matters of bilateral interest.

Assistant Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Nagendra Raya and Royal Nepalese Ambassador to India Dr. Bhesh Bahadur Thapa were also present on the occasion.

Two terrorists killed in search operations

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Mar. 6: Security forces killed two terrorists in course of their action on Tuesday.

The Defence Ministry in its press statement said the forces killed one terrorist each in Salyan and Lamjung districts yesterday. According to the Ministry, these terrorists were actively involved in attacking the police posts and administrative offices in the past.

The Ministry said police sergeant Mohan Bahadur Shah died Tuesday in an encounter between the security forces and the terrorists in Omgadh of Jumla district. Constable Maniram Pun who sustained injuries in the same encounter has been airlifted to Nepalgunj for treatment. The Ministry said the loss on the terrorist side could not be confirmed.

The Ministry said the public in Palpa district handed over 19 guns to the security forces on the same day.

Pay any price to ensure peace: Joshi

Kavrepalanchowk, Mar. 6 (RSS): Joint general secretary of the Nepali Congress Govind Raj Joshi has said that the government should be committed to paying any price for guaranteeing peace to the people in view of the seriousness of the obtaining situation.

He was addressing party workers at a meeting organised by the NC Constituency No. 2 committee Kavre, here today.

Joshi said as terrorists are successful nowhere in the world, it is certain that the Nepalese terrorists will also be defeated.

Central member of the party Chakra Prasad Banstola said talks are only possible if arms are laid down and the terrorists should ultimately come to the negotiating table.

MP and secretary of the NC organisational department Shiva Prasad Humagain called for unity among government, party and opposition as the terrorists have been troubling the people.

Also speaking at the programme were Banepa deputy mayor Kanchan Bade Shrestha, regional members Shankha Buddha Lama, Bidur Banjara and Achyut Poudel, general convention representative Ram Kumar Mulmi, district member Krishna Buddha Bajgain and Nepal Women’s Association president Chandra Laxmi Tamrakar.

Nepal-India meeting on inundation ends

Kathmandu, Mar. 6 (RSS): The 12th meeting of the standing committee on inundation problem between India and Nepal (SCIP) concluded here yesterday without reaching any conclusions.

At the talks, the Nepalese team was led by director general of the Department of Irrigation Sharada Prasad Sharma and the Indian team by chairman of the Ganga Flood Control Commission A. K. Das.

The joint team had made an on the spot inspection of the Marchawar area of Rupendehi district where inundation problems have been created by construction of the Lotan-Rasiyal-Khurda Dam.

The 3rd meeting of the sub-committee on embankment construction also concluded here.

The Nepalese team was led by Madhusudan Poudel, deputy director general of the Department of Irrigation and the Indian team by A. K. Ganju, member of the Ganga Flood Control Commission.

The members of the sub-committee also inspected the embankment being built with the cooperation of India along the Lalbakaiya river in Rautahat district and discussed matters relating to immediate works to be undertaken to minimise the problem of inundation caused by the Lalbakaiya and Bagmati rivers.

Forest committee

Kathmandu, Mar. 6 (RSS): The Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation has formed a committee under the convenorship of deputy director general of the Forest Research and Supervision Department Ananta Vijaya Parajuli to look into the alleged loss caused to the Laljhadi Makuratal Jungle at Baisi Bichuwa VDC of Kanchanpur district.

Members of the National Assembly had raised questions in this regard at a recent meet of the Upper House.

The committee includes a gazetted second class forest preservation officer at the Department of Forests and an officer of the district administration office, Kanchanpur as members, according to the Ministry.

Women MPs meet PM

Kathmandu, Mar. 6 (RSS): A delegation comprising women MPs of both the Houses of Parliament called on Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba at the latter’s office at Singha Durbar today.

The delegation laid emphasis on providing a holiday to women on the occasion of the International Women Labourers’ Day, formation of National Women’s Commission, constituting of a separate parliamentary women’s committee to look into the interests and affairs of women and enforcement of the civil code tenth amendment bill on priority basis after its passage.

Help to save forest, says Shrestha

Lalitpur, Mar. 6 (RSS): Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Gopal Man Shrestha inaugurated the central plan formulation seminar of fiscal year 2059/60 B.S. under the ministry here, today.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Shrestha pointed out the need for forest technicians to launch programmes that aid in preserving forests, wildlife and valuable herbs and in poverty alleviation as well as tourism promotion.

From the chair, Minister of State for Forest and Soil Conservation Surendra Hamal said at a time when there is a resource crunch, we should formulate plans that help make us self reliant by giving continuity to forest management and community programmes.

Forest and Soil Conservation Ministry secretary Chandi Prasad Shrestha called on the departmental heads to select plans in a practical manner with a view to necessity and priority because of the limited budget this year.

Also speaking on the occasion were joint secretary at the Finance Ministry Dr. Madhav Ghimire, regional forest director Chakra Man Shakya and chief planning officer Sharad Kumar Rai.