CRI Delegation calls on PM

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KATHMANDU, Apr. 10: A seven-member delegation of the China Radio International (CRI) led by its First Deputy Director Chen Mini paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand at the latter’s office Singhadurbar, today.On the occasion, the delegation while familiarising the Prime Minister about various activities of CRI expressed their willingness to increase cooperation with their radio listeners in Nepal.Prime Minister Chand thanked the radio for such activities so as to strengthen the traditional relations existing in the people’s level between Nepal and China.The radio which was established in 1941 has been broadcasting programmes in 43 different languages each day. Radio China has also been broadcasting programmes in Nepali language since 1975.

Syangja team meets chand

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KATHMANDU, Apr. 10:A ten-member delegation from Syangja district led by the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Syangja district vice president Madan Karki met with Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand today and put forth 12 various demands including the immediate extension of the incomplete electricity lines in the district and repair of the Thula Tal Irrigation Project.RPP central member Toran Bahadur Gurung and former central member Chandra Bahadur Gurung were also with the delegation.Also today, an 11-member delegation from Mahottari district led by former minister Bhoj Raj Ghimire called on Prime Minister Chand and presented various 11-point demands relating to the development and construction works in the district.

Oath of office administered

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KATHMANDUI, Apr 10: In the presence of Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand, chairman of Rajparishad Standing Committee Parashu Nrarayan Chaudhary administered the oath of office and secrecy to the members of Rajparishad Shesh Sarajul, Hitkarbir Singh Kansakar and Ganga Prasad Subedi at a function held here today.Also present on the occasion were members of Rajparishad Standing Committee Dr. Swami Prapannacharya, Bhadra Kumari Ghale, Bir Bahadur Lama, Kul Raj Sharma, Ganesh Bahadur Gurung, Chakra Bahadur Shankar and Yagya Prasad Acharya.Earlier, the committee had met under the chairmanship of chairman Chaudhary.

Ramnawami being observd today

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KATHMANDU, Apr. 11: The sacred Hindu Festival of Ramnawami is being observed today with great devotion by performing worship of lord Rama all over the Kingdom of Nepal.

A great fair takes place at Ramjanaki temple in Janakpurdham today. Devotees from Nepal and Indiathrong the temple since early morning.In memory of the birth of Lord Ram on the very day in Ayodhya of India during the Treta Yuga, recitation of Ramgita, the Adhyatma Ramayan and those written by Balmiki, Tulsidas and Bhanubhakta takes place after taking a holy dip in the sacred rivers and ponds and Lord Ram is worshipped throughout the night.According to the ‘Bratark’ religious scripture, this brings the devotees what they desire in life and are believed to go to heaven after all the sins are eliminated in their new life.According to the scripture, Ramnawami festival is observed in memory of Lord Ram who was born as the tenth incarnation of Lord Bishnu and the eldest son of Dasarath, the King of Ayodhya and married Sita, the daughter of King Janak of Mithila and killed the demons and obediently acknowledged the commands of his father to give a right path to the whole of mankind.

Govt working honestly to build permanent peace: Pandey

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KATHMANDU, Apr. 10: Minister for Information and Communications and General Administration Ramesh Nath Pandey affixed the first cancellation marks on a postage stamp issued by the Department of Postal Services on the occasion of the golden jubilee of Nepal Chamber of Commerce at a programme here today.

On the occasion, Minister Pandey, praising the role played by the Chamber in Nepal’s economic development, said that the Chamber has also contributed a lot in establishing peace in the country.
Stating that His Majesty’s Government is honestly working to maintaining permanent peace in the country, he said all the peace-loving people were behind the government in restoring lasting peace.
Not only in Nepal, the Nepali postage stamps have a distinguished place the world over, Minister for Information and Communications Pandey said and in this connection recalled the unparalleled contribution of His late Majesty King Mahendra in strengthening the postal services in Nepal.
Besides depicting Nepal’s independent existence in the world the postage stamps also help in enhancing Nepal’s attraction to the outside world, he said and pointed out the need for improving the standard of the postage stamps.

Minister Pandey also on the occasion inspected the International Chamber of Commerce and Nepal National Committee at the chamber building and acquired information on the activities of the committee.

Earlier, Director General of the Department of Postal Services Shreedhar Gautam spoke on the technical aspects of the postage stamps issued on the occasion.

From the chair, president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce Rajesh Kaji Shrestha expressed the commitment that the Chamber would do its level best in maintaining permanent peace in the country.
Second vice president of the Chamber Surendra Bir Malakar also expressed his views.

One million copies of the Rs. 5 denomination ‘Chamber of Commerce Golden Jubilee’ stamps have been issued.

Meeting reviews agro projects

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KATHMANDUI, Apr. 10 : A review meeting of the projects under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives during the fiscal year 2002/2003 and the issues to be presented in the ministerial level development problem resolution committee was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Badri Prasad Mandal.

On the occasion Deputy Prime Minister Mandal stressed the need to complete the progress of the priority project in time.He said the budget of the agriculture sector should not be cut off and enhance the capacity of the local level bodies.Member of the National Planning Commission Dr. Yubraj Khatiwada and officiating secretary Ramchandra Prasad Agrahari also spoke of the need to complete the projects in time.

About 70 project chiefs and the officials of the Ministry were present at the meeting.

Minister Ojha lauds China’s co-operation in education

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KATHMANDU, Apr. 10: A 51-member delegation from the People’s Republic of China which has arrived here for an educational visit and institutional linkage programme called on Minister for Education and Sports Devi Prasad Ojha at his office today.

On the occasion, Minister Ojha expressed the belief that this visit of the high level Chinese delegation would further help in consolidating the very cordial relations between Nepal and the People’s Republic of China.Stating that the increasing interest among the Nepali students for pursuing their higher studies in Chinese Universities and institutions of higher learning was encouraging, he opined that mutual relations between the educational institutions of both countries and student exchange programme has widened the way for the future.He said that the government of China has extended support in Nepal’s development with keen interest and that the scholarship and technical co-operation extended to Nepal in medicine and engineering sectors has been fruitful.

Vice president of the China Scholarship Council expressed happiness at having the opportunity to study the works carried out in the field of higher education in Nepal.

He said the Chinese universities have benefited with the increasing interest towards Chinese universities among the Nepali students.The delegation comprising of high level officials of the China University and the Ministry of Education is to organise an educational exhibition here depicting the academic activities of the different Chinese Universities included in the delegation.

Instant visas to Nepalese flying to Malaysia

By Ballav Dahal

Kathmandu, Apr. 10: No sooner did the Malaysian government announce that it would issue visas immediately to Nepalese upon arrival there on Nepal’s national flag carrier, then His Majesty’s Government here has begun the process of issuing travel permits.

“The Department of Immigration is likely to issue permits to RNAC passengers going to Malaysia from Tuesday (April 15),” said Managing Director of the national flag carrier Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) Mohan Prasad Khanal. “We have already written to the Ministries of Home and Foreign Affairs regarding this.”

During RNAC’s inaugural flight to Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, last week, the Malaysian government had announced a 14-day visa for Nepalese travellers on arrival. It also decided to grant visas for Nepalese going to Malaysia for employment.

As per an understanding, RNAC needs to make available descriptions of Nepalese travellers and workers to Malaysia 72 hours before landing there. While going to Malaysia, the workers will need to carry documents provided them by their employers in Malaysia.

Khanal said that the Malaysian government’s decision to issue visas immediately for Nepalese travelling by RNAC was encouraging both for the airlines as well as for the workers.

More than 80,000 Nepalese currently work in Malaysia, and the figure is likely to increase to around 200,000 within a few years. Malaysia has recognised Nepal as a major source of labour since 2001 when around 54,000 Nepalese went to work there. Nepalese are mostly engaged in construction activities, farming and in shopping centres.

Lalit Bahadur Thapa, Director General of the Department of Labour and Employment Promotion, said that the department has taken initiatives to promptly grant travel permits to Nepalese going to Malaysia.

Thapa, who was recently in Kuala Lumpur to see the possibility of sending more Nepalese workers, said that Malaysia would be one of the biggest employment providers to Nepalese in the near future.
Malaysia at present has become easily accessible with RNAC and Qatar Airways operating four flights a week between Kathmandu and Kuala Lumpur. “Nepalese workers have a positive image in Malaysia,” he said, adding, “government officials as well as employers are satisfied with our workers’ performance.”

He said that the Malaysian government was ready to address all the problems of the Nepalese workers. “Although Malaysia has no policy to transfer workers from one company to another, concerned officials have assured that they would consider the matter,” he said.

He said talks were held with Malaysian officials about supplying semi-skilled and skilled manpower apart from unskilled ones. More than US$ 10 million is remitted to Nepal every month by Nepalese workers in Malaysia.

Nepal and Malaysia are in the process of establishing their respective embassies at the charge d’ affaires level in Kuala Lumpur and Kathmandu to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries.

Bharat Singh Thapa, President of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, said that most of the Nepalese working in Malaysia make good income. “We expect Malaysian employers to meet more of the workers’ demands in the future.”

However, Thapa said that the provision of deducting 100 Malaysian rinngit (about Rs. 2,000) in government taxes from the salary of workers affects them.

Foreign remittances have become the major source of foreign exchange earnings and contributes heavily to Nepal’s economy. Since the last 10 years, more than 309,300 Nepalese have been working in 55 countries. According to official figures, Malaysia is the second largest absorber of Nepalese labour after Saudi Arabia.

Security arrangement for Bisket Jatra

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BHAKTAPUR, Apr. 10: Better security arrangements have been made for the traditional Bisket Jatra Festival observed in Bhaktapur.

A meeting involving the chief of the district-based security bodies, representatives of political parties and officials of the Guthi Sansthan has decided to boost the security measures in view of possible untoward incidents that might take place in course of the festival, the District Administration Office, Bhaktapur has stated.

The Bisket Jatra is celebrated on the last day of the year which is coming to an end with the erection of a 55 feet long pole on the chariot dedicated to the God Bhairav and Goddess Mahakali which is then taken in a colourful procession accompanied by musical band from local Nyatapol temple.
The pole is pulled down the next day on the first day of the new year.

Reassess shortcomings, political parties urged

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KATHMANDU, Apr. 10: Leftist leaders taking part in a colloquium organised by the United Left Front Nepal on the occasion of the historic United People’s Movement day today have stressed the need for unity among all the left forces in order to protect the achievements of the 1990 People’s Movement and to find a progressive way out of the current crisis-ridden political situation in the country.
President of the People’s Front Nepal Amik Sherchan said that the current situation of uncertainty has resulted as the political parties failed to work in keeping with the national needs and people’s aspirations.

He emphasised the need for the political parties to evaluate their shortcomings.

Member of the CPN-Maoist talks team Matrika Yadav said that a common agenda should be set for the peace talks and the talks should not be merely a government-Maoist affair but it should also include all the classes of the society.

He added that not an all-party government but an all-sides government with the representation of the marginalised, oppressed and downtrodden classes and the indigenous communities should be formed for seeking a progressive way out of the present impasse.

Central member of the Nepali Congress Chakra Prasad Banstola, noting that there can be no alternative to democracy, said although the political parties have ideological differences amongst them, they should forge a common consensus for finding an outlet for the national problems.
Central member of the CPN-UML Raghu Pant said that before going for Constituent Assembly, a survey should be conducted to know the percentage of people in favour of Constituent Assembly.
He said a round-table conference was not needed and that a progressive political way out could be found out through Constitutional amendment too.

General secretary of the CPN-United Bishnu Bahadur Manandhar said that the government-Maoist talks should not be delayed, a package programme should be announced for the people and a progressive way out of the current impasse found through talks.

Sonam Lama of the CPN-Unity Center (Masal) said that the country was in need of peace and therefore it was necessary to give up violent means and national consensus forged through talks.
Leftist intellectual Shyam Shrestha pointed out the need for the state to provide education and health services to all classes and communities.

At the programme presided over by convenor of the CPN-ML (Reconstituted) C.P. Mainali, president of the CPN-Marxist Prabhu Narayan Chaudhari and left leader Nanda Kumar Prasai also expressed their views.

‘IPRs essential for Nepal’s progress’

By Raj Kumar K.C.

Kathmandu, Apr. 10: Professor James P. Chandler, an international expert on intellectual property rights, says Nepal has tremendous potential for economic growth if its enormous biodiversity and cultural heritage can be well patented.

No nation in the world can achieve economic progress without an effective intellectual property rights (IPRs) system, he said. “And this has become more important for Nepal in the context of joining the world trade regime.”

Talking to the media and legal experts about how Nepal can benefit from patenting its biodiversity and natural resources, Prof. Chandler said, “It is quite possible. But you should create ownership in order to sell your products. If not, you cannot do so.”

administration and local bodies is important for the effective implementation of intellectual property rights, he said.

Sharing ideas with legal experts in the capital, Prof. Chandler called for the formulation of new laws on intellectual property rights and patent rights. It is high time Nepal gave impetus to this issue, he said.
Answering a query about the protection of citizens’ rights in poor countries, he said there were national and international bodies to safeguard their interests. But one can easily claim rights of ownership if we have an effective intellectual property system and patent rights laws, said Prof. Chandler.

There is a mechanism to protect intellectual rights. Besides, there is the WTO to look after any violation of norms, he added.