Ceasefire revitalises economic activities: Dr. Sharma

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KATHMANDU, March 16: Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr. Shankar Prasad Sharma has said that economic activities and development and construction works have automatically increased in the country following the ceasefire between the government and the Maoists.

Speaking in the 'Chintan Manan' programme broadcast over Nepal Television yesterday, Dr. Sharma said development-construction works stalled due to violence and insecurity as well as projects carried out at the community level in the district and Village Development Committees, but which had been impeded due to the same reason, have gradually come into operation. Stating that the outline of programmes necessary for the current fiscal year had already been prepared as soon as efforts for peace were undertaken, he said the government was working to bring forth relief programmes for the victims of war very soon.

He said besides the reconstruction of bridges and electricity and communications infrastructures, the decline seen in tourist arrivals was also gradually decreasing. Likewise, he said since the supply of food grains and medicine to the remote mountainous districts of the Mid and Far-West Development Regions, which was interrupted due to insecurity, has also resumed, the people of these regions are now feeling relief.

Dr. Sharma also maintained that the number of Small Infrastructure Development Programmes implemented in all the 75 districts across the country under the supervision of the local development officer and the development construction works carried out at the community level by the VDCs has been upgraded.

First priority has been given to programmes in remote districts and programmes of extra income, he said and added that initiatives are also being made to implement large development and construction projects in coordination with donor agencies.

PADT to formulate code of conduct

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KATHMANDU, March 16: The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) is going to formulate the necessary code-of-conduct regarding the salary and other facilities given to the Bhattas and Bhandaris of the temple and to end the monopoly over the Bheti (cash offerings and donations made by devotees visiting the temple).

According to PADT sources, a meeting of the board of governors of the trust will be held soon for undertaking necessary home work regarding the code of conduct as per the Supreme Court directive requiring that the income from cash offerings and donations made by the devotees at the temple be spent in a transparent and responsible manner. Spokesperson of the PADT Shyam Shekhar Jha says the PADT welcomes and respects the Supreme Court directive. He said the cash offerings and donations would be spent in the development of the Pashupati Area.

He made it clear that although the PADT regulations had provisions that the Bheti (cash and coin offerings) offered by the devotees should not be misused and anyone indulging in such activities would be liable for action, this did not come into practice.

TU results

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KATHMANDU, March 16: The Tribhuvan University (TU) Examinations Control Division, Balkhu, today published the results of the three-year bachelors level first year examinations held under the faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2059 BS.

Likewise, the TU Institute of Engineering, Examination Control Division, has published the results of the diploma level, second part first and third year re-examinations of all programmes held last Magh and bachelors level first year second part re-examinations of all programmes also held last Magh.

Three Maoists released

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SARLAHI, March 16: Three inmates of Sarlahi district jail who had been incarcerated there on the charge of being Maoists were released today. Those released from jail are Aiman Singh Tamang and Aitsingh Sangbo of Mohattari Khayamara and Mukunda Pulami of Sarlahi Hajariya.

The three who were arrested about a year ago were released under a habeas Corpus order issued by the Appellate Court Janakpur, according to CDO Ratna Raj Pandey.

Samata Party committee meeting held

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KATHMANDU, March 16: The Nepal Samata Party Working Committee met here today under the chairmanship of party vice-president Pasang Goparma.The meeting demanded that in view of the role of the party president in bringing about the present situation in the country two women and three men from the party should be included in the follow-up team mentioned in the code of conduct recently made public by the government and the Maoists.