Bad governance blamed for Maoist problem

Ramechhap, May 5 (RSS): Leader of the CPN-UML at the National Assembly and member of the CPN-UML standing committee Yuvaraj Gyawali has said that the Maoists should stop destructive activities and surrender their weapons and come for talks.

It is not good to impose the state of emergency in a democratic country, Gyawali said, adding that the CPN-UML was not in favour of extending the state of emergency for a long period.

As the Maoist problem is a result of bad governance, corruption, politicisation of the administration and exploitation of the people, Gyawali said, adding that the problem should be resolved politically.

Stressing the need to speed up the constitution amendment process and fix a common programme, the leader of the CPN-UML urged the government to resolve the Maoist problem on the basis of a broad consensus.

UML for bigger size of development expenditure

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, May 5 The main opposition party in the House of Representatives, the CPN-UML, has said that the regular expenditure in the forthcoming budget (2059-2060) should not exceed 52 billion rupees.

The big gap between the regular and development expenditure would trigger an economic imbalance, the Communist Party of Nepal – Unified Marxist-Leninist said.

The government has announced it is going to allocate 59.60 billion rupees for regular expenditure. "The size of the economy cannot bear this hefty amount," said Bharat Mohan Adhikary, chief of the party’s finance and planning division.

It may be recalled that the government in the current fiscal year had allocated a total of 49.32 billion rupees for the regular budget.

Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat at a programme on Saturday had said that the regular expenditure would be around 60 per cent of the total budget. He had also indicated the possibility of negative budget that would decrease by 6-7 per cent in the next fiscal year.

Reacting to the Finance Minister’s views, Adhikary said " The government should cut down unnecessary expenditure.

Adhikary said that the government should introduce new programmes to improve the rural economy. However, the Finance Minister on Saturday had informed that there would be no new programmes in the forthcoming budget.

Talking to the media people at the CPN-UML’s central office, Adhikary pointed out the need to revitlise the sick industries and creat job opportunities for the people across the country.

Criticising the government and the Maoists he said, " Both of them are responsible for the severe economic downturn that the country has been passing through."

Adhikary, a former finance minister, said that three things — security expenses, size of the economy and needs of 85 per cent of the people — should be taken into consideration while preparing the budget for the coming fiscal year.

The size of the regular expenditure should be narrowed down even if the expenses on security increases. "We – the UML lawmakers — are ready to contribute our remuneration. However, the government should control corruption and unnecessary expenses," he added.

Adhikary further said that the government should take a "broad step" for crisis management. He asserted " the size of the development expenditure ought to be bigger than the regular expenditure. Besides there should be revenue surplus too."

In the last eight months of the current fiscal year, the regular expenditure has exceeded 27.88 billion rupees whereas the development budget is around 9.39 billion rupees, according to the UML press release. "It is the first time that the gap has become so big," the press release says.

Sindhuli DDC to pay Rs 200 to regular paper

Sindhuli, May 5 (RSS): Sindhuli District Development Committee has decided to provide Rs. 200 per issue to any regular newspaper.

A meeting held under the chairmanship of DDC chairman Ramesh Karki decided to provide the sum for publishing awareness advertisements at the request of FNJ district unit.

The assistance will help in the development of newspapers, DDC member Shankar Sharma said.

Blood donation

Kathmandu, May 5 (RSS): The Chhetrapati Free Clinic organised the 12th blood donation programme here recently.

The clinic established in 2013 B.S has been organising free health camps, free cataract surgery and blood donation programmes to help the poor and the elderly.

Thapa, Tamrakar to be awarded

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, May 5: The Gorkhapatra Corporation Employees’ Union, 2052 has decided to present the "Jaya Prithvi Bahadur Singh Excellent Award" of 2058 B. S. to two employees of the corporation, Top Bahadur Thapa and Purushottam Tamrakar.

The award will be presented to Thapa and Tamrakar at the 102nd anniversary function of Gorkhapatra daily on Tuesday (May 7). The award carries a purse of Rs. 10,000 and each of them will receive Rs. 5,000 and a letter of appreciation.

Born in 2032 B. S., Thapa joined the corporation seven years ago as a newspaper distributor. Tamrakar, 51, a senior mechanic has been serving the corporation for the last 26 years.

The award, instituted by the Union this year, is named after late Jaya Prithvi Bahadur Singh, the first editor of Gorkhapatra. He made significant contributions in the development of education and journalism in Nepal.

The award is given to two employees every year to encourage boost their morale. A revolving fund of more than Rs. 100,000 has been established for the award.

Maoists’ sincerity for talks demanded

Kathmandu, May 5 (RSS): SAP-Nepal hosted an interaction programme here today on "Solution to Emergency: Prospects and Challenges" in a bid to find a way out of the prevailing state of emergency in the country.

Participants at the programme expressed their views on the state of emergency, its impact on development activities, mobilisation of the army, the condition of civil rights and the impasse in the political dialogue.

Stating that the government and the Maoists should hold talks to do away with the prevailing state of emergency, they underlined the need for the Maoists also to come forward sincerely for dialogue.

Those expressing their views at the interaction programme included former minister Shailendra Kumar Upadhyaya, member of the National Human Rights Commission Susheel Pyakurel, MPs Kamala Pant, Dr. Mangal Siddhi Manandhar, Radhakrishna Mainali and Jhalanath Khanal, CPN-ML convenor C. P. Mainali, president of Nepal Magar Association Gore Bahadur Khapangi and journalists Malla K. Sundar, Kedar Khadka and Shobha Gautam, among others.

Vice-president of SAP-Nepal Dr. Ganesh Man Gurung presided over the meeting.

Literary, musical programmes held

Pokhara, May 5 (RSS): Academician Mukunda Sharan Upadhyay recently inaugurated a review meeting on contemporary Nepali literature organised here by the Abalokan Literary Academy, Pokhara.

At the programme, litterateur Saru Bhakta and lecturer Khumlal Poudel commented on the working paper presented by Ram Chandra Pokhrel on contemporary Nepali Drama experiment and tendency and lecturer Ramnath Ojha on contemporary Nepali essays and tendency.

At the function presided over by academy vice chairman Yama Kant Timilsina, various other speakers, including Rajparishad member Ganesh Bahadur Gurung, campus chief Mahendra Bhushan Thapa, Rajesh Ghimire and Giridhari Pokhrel, expressed their views.

On the occasion an one-act-play ‘Antim Sanhar’ written by Krishna Udasi was also released.

Similarly, folk singer Saroj Gopal Bajracharya inaugurated a Samata musical programme organised by the Pokhreli Youth Culture Parivar.

At the function presided over by Parivar president Som Bajracharya, various other speakers, including advisor Tirtha Shrestha and music training centre president Krishna Bahadur Shrestha, also expressed their views.

At the programme folk singer Hari Devi Koirala, Saroj Gopal Bajracharya, Tilak Bam Malla and Khim Bahadur Gayak also recited their poems.

Funds raised for soldiers

Kathmandu, May 5 (RSS): Army Officers Wives Association (Royal Nepal Army) staged a cultural show at the Tribhuvan Army Officers Club here today to raise funds for the welfare of the families of the brave soldiers laying down their lives for the sake of the country.

Chief of the Army Staff General Prajjwal Shumsher JB Rana and other generals were present at the programme.

‘Revolution based on violence cannot succeed’

Nuwakot, May 5 (RSS): President of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Surya Bahadur Thapa has said that a revolution based on violence and killings will never succeed.

Inaugurating the third district convention of RPP Nuwakot district committee here today, former prime minister Thapa said that it is an illusion on the part of the Maoists to think that they are spearheading a revolution by terrorizing the people, committing murder and violence, plundering state property and destroying development infrastructure.

RPP central vice-president Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani remarked that the country has been pushed to the present sorry state of affairs since the political party leaders concentrated only on their personal benefits at the cost of national welfare and interest following the restoration of democracy.

At the programme presided over by RPP Nuwakot district president Dhan Raj Khadka, acting chairman of Nuwakot DDC Narayan Prasad Khatiwada, ex-minister Niranjan Thapa, Raju Thapa of the Nepali Congress and others also expressed their views.

Speaking with local journalists here today, Thapa said that there was no need to express negative views on the Prime Minister’s visit to the U.S.

He expressed the confidence that the visit would prove fruitful in combating terrorism.

He said that against the background of the retreat of terrorism in the world, RPP believes that the present problems faced by the country could be resolved only with mutual understanding among the political parties abiding by the constitution.

Unity of political, social forces must to end crisis

Bhaktapur, May 5 (RSS): Former prime minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand has said that the political as well as social forces should unite to bring the Maoists for talks.

Inaugurating the third RPP district convention here today, Chand said that all the political parties should free themselves from narrow-mindedness in order to resolve the present problem of the country.

Democracy is a political system based on norms and values, Chand said, adding the country belonged to everyone.

RPP general secretary Pashupati Shumshere J. B. Rana stressed the need to formulate a strict law to nationalise property earned illegally.

Stressing the need to carry out political activities under the state of emergency, Rana said that the RPP was engaged in finding a solution to the serious problems of the country.

RPP co-general secretary Khemraj Pandit said that all the Nepalese should be serious about ending murder, violence and terror and safeguarding the nation.

At the function chaired by RPP Bhaktapur district president Surendra Pratap Shaha, member of the RPP central committee Baburam Poudel, NC Bhaktapur district president Radheshyam Jonchhe, CPN-UML district secretary Rajendra Man Shrestha, RPP Constituency No. 2 president Sanu Kaji Hekka and others also expressed their views.

Tanahu schools reopen

By Our Correspondent

Damauli, May 5: All the private and boarding schools, which have been closed down since last year in Tanahu due to the pressure from the Maoist terrorists, have opened.

But guardians fear the schools may close down any time.

Earlier, out of 52 such schools, only the Kankai Residential School was operating.

The pressure of students on the government schools has not decreased despite the resumption of classes in the private schools.

In Itahari RSS adds: District Education Officer Bijaya Kumar Gupta inaugurated a workshop on "Child participation in the enhancement of education standard" organised by Sunsari DDC with the cooperation of UNICEF field office, Biratnagar here on Saturday.

Headmasters and teachers from 15 different schools, resource persons and members of child rights awareness groups constituted by UNICEF took part in the workshop.

The day-long workshop concluded with emphasis on positive education based on the psychology of children and other teaching methods for quality enhancement of education.

In Bhaktapur, the Health and Education Research and Services Centre organised a day-long free health camp at Araniko Secondary School, Dhadhikot on Saturday.

Some 500 people from Balkot, Sirutar, Gundu, Dhadikot and Katunje VDCs underwent free check-up and received free medicines at the camp.

Masked men loot property in Chautara

Chautara, May 5 (RSS): A group of unidentified masked persons looted goods and property worth approximately Rs 300,000 from the house of Resham Prasad Gautam in Sano Sirubari VDC-3 of Sindhupalchowk district on Saturday night, it is learnt from the family sources.

It is learnt that the masked assailants entered Gautam’s house at 8 p.m on saturday when the family members were watching television, switched off the lights and manhandled the family. They then asked for the keys from 74-year-old Rabi Lal Gautam by threatening him with a machete.

The assailants also roughed up a 65 year old woman from the neighbourhood who had come there to watch television and looted ornaments and cash which she had kept in her money-bag.

They also beat up teacher Raj Kumar Yadav who was also watching television. Yadav fled and called the villagers.They freed Resham Gautam, who was kidnapped by the assailants, from a place 500 metres away from his house.

The gangsters had also threatened to blow up the house. They had used a banana stem to threaten the family.