BRIEFS (Spotlight Weekly)

The European Community (EC) is to provide a grant assistance of about Rs 1.42 billion for the implementation of the Basic and Primary Education Program, Phase II. An agreement to this effect was recently concluded in Brussels between Nepalese and EC's officials. The five-year long program is expected to benefit about 3.3 million children in the government-aided schools and 300,000 children in alternative schools. Upon completion of the program in 2004, net enrolment ratio and primary cycle completion ration are expected to reach 90 percent and 75 percent from the present level of 79 percent and 41 percent respectively, officials said. A consortium o f bilateral and multilateral donors including the World Bank and DANIDA supports the core investment program of BPEP II.

THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM (WFP) HAS agreed to provide an assistance of US$ 7.012 million (equivalent to Rs 479.64 million) to Nepal government for the year 2000. The sum will be utilized to procure food commodities and non-food items to be utilized for the Bhutnaese refugees residing in seven camps in eastern Nepal. Foreign Secretary Murari Raj Sharma and WFP Representative in Nepal Douglas Casson Coutts signed on the letter of understanding on behalf of Nepal government and WFP respectively.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS FORMED a 19-member high level "Landless Settlers' Problem Resolution Commission' under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Land Reforms and Management Dr. Gangadhar Lamsal. The Commission will work toward resolving the problem of landless settlers and unorganized human settlements throughout the kingdom within a period of three years, the Ministry said

EARTHWORK AND ALLIED CONSTRUCTION of temporary track is going on for the Surkhet-Jumla Karnali highway now under construction. The 220-km long highway is scheduled to be completed in the year 2004. The Nepal government has spent Rs 342.41 million while the loan equivalent to Rs 488.31 million from Asian Development Bank has been spent for the construction of the road by the end of 1998/99. The total project cost of the road is estimated at Rs 2487 million. The highway will have 24 big and 17 medium sized bridges.

THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO revise its policies and standards on emission of vehicles running in the streets of the capital and to give a complete solution to the existing environmental problems. Minister of State for Poulation and Environment Bhakta Bahadur Balayar said that following the removal of the diesel-operated three wheelers from the capital, the government is planning to fix emission standards for other vehciles as well. The government had recently banned movement of diesel-run three wheelers from the Kathmandu valley, Pokhara and Lumbini.

THE EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND is to provide a loan of Rs 800 million to the 20 KW Chilime hydropowr project. Administrator of the Fund S. B. Shrestha, executive director of Nepal Electricity Authority Dr. Bhola Nath Chalise and managing director of Chilime hydropower company Dr. Damber Bahadur Nepali signed on an agreement to this effect here last week. The Rs 2.32 billion project is expected to be completed within the next two years. The NEA owns 51 percent share in the company and equity shares will be issued very soon.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS FORMED TOWN Development Committees (TDCs) in 16 out of 75 district committees. The Committees have been formed as per the decision of the Ministry of Housing and Physical Planning.

Kathmandu Metropoliton City has established "sister city relations" with Minsk, the capital city of Belarus. KMC mayor Keshav Sthapit and first deputy minister at the Ministry of Education of Belarus, professor Dr. B. M. Khrustalev signed on a protocal last week. Both the parties agreed to strengthen relations between them and exchange experiences between the Kingdom of Nepal and the Republic of Belarus in the field of economy, health, culture, business activities, urban planning and development.

International Nepal Fellowship (INF), an international non-governmental organization, has been providing consultative and treatment services to the drug and alchohol addicts as well as their families for the past four years. INF, which has been launching its programs through Naulo Ghumti in Pokhara, will launch its programs through an institution called Paluwa Parmhasa Sewa Kendra, Pokhara from now onwards beginning the World AIDS Day, 1999.