LOCAL NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

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.

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