Briefs (Spotlight Weekly)

King Gyanendra and Queen Komal leaving for the state visit to India

INDIAN AUTHORITIES have arrested and handed over nine Maoist rebels to Nepal. Minister of State for Home Devendra Raj Kandel confirmed that India had handed them the rebels after arresting them in Rupaidiha, an Indian town across the Nepalese border town of Nepalgunj. He did not give details. Reports say top Maoist leaders are taking shelter and are operating freely in Indian towns across the common, open border between the two countries. Indian authorities had handed over half a dozen Maoist guerrillas to Nepal a few weeks back after arresting them in Lucknow where they were undergoing treatment for bullet injuries.

THE CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL Development Agency (CIDA) has agreed to provide assistance of Rs. 2.2 million to the National Women's Commission (NWC) to ensure that the voices of women from across the country are reflected in the commission's act and strategic plan. Carla Hogan Rufelds of CIDA and Dr. Durga Pokhrel, chairperson of the NWC, signed an agreement to this effect here Thursday. Earlier, the Nepalese government provided Rs. 2 million to the commission. The government set up the commission, largely seen as an advisory body, on International Women's Day earlier this year.

THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT HAS provided solar electrification worth around Rs. 25 million in two villages, including 296 houses in Bhadgaon Arkhale of Gulmi and 135 houses in Sarang Danda of Panchthar districts. The Indian Embassy said Friday that each of the homes will now receive 75 watt of lighting system that consists of four lighting instruments of 12 watt each, a panel and a maintenance free battery. The project has already been formally inaugurated and handed over to the local authorities. Around 3,500 people in Bhadgaon Arkhale and 2,500 people in Sarang Danda will benefit from this program, the embassy said. Reports say nearly 25,000 solar systems have already been installed in Nepal and additional 10,000 are set up every year. The estimated 1,000 technicians employed directly or indirectly by the industry have been trained locally.

THE DEFENSE MINISTRY has said up to 50 Maoist rebels might have been killed during the latest gunbattle at Khara in the mid-western district of Rukum on Thursday. One soldier died and another was injured when rebels attacked a military patrol. The ministry made the estimation on the basis of the nature of the battle and reports that rebels took away their dead comrades. It did not say how many bodies of rebels were recovered. Meanwhile, three rebels were killed when they allegedly tried to escape from a security cordon in mid-western district of Dang on Saturday, Kantipur daily reported quoting security sources. The ministry said nine more rebels were killed elsewhere during search operations on Friday.

A FOUR-MEMBER Indian Army training assistance team visited training establishments and field units of the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) to review ways of boosting cooperation, a press statement issued by the Indian Embassy said Monday. The Indian army team, led by Major-General A.S. Bahja, also called on Chief of Army Staff Gen. Prajwolla Shumsher Rana and other senior RNA officers. The team arrived in Nepal in the aftermath of the visit of chief of army staff of Indian Army, General S. Padmanabhan last month.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS dissolved and converted the Agriculture Inputs Corporation (AIC) into Agriculture Inputs Company Limited (AICL) and the National Seeds Company Limited (NSCL). While the AICL will deal with fertilizer the NSCL will look after seeds business. A cabinet meeting on June 6 took the decision.

THE HEARINGS ON a number of writ petitions seeking the reinstatement of the House of Representatives kicked off at the Supreme Court Wednesday. The petitioners include 56 former legislators of the ruling Nepali Congress, five others from the left parties and a group of advocates including Shyam Kumar Khatri. Senior advocates Mukunda Regmi and Kusum Shrestha and advocates Harihar Dahal, Radheshyam Adhikari, Ram Kumar Shrestha, Navaraj Subedi, Chandeshwor Shrestha and Sindhunath Pyakurel are to plead on behalf of the petitioners. Similarly, senior advocates Ganesh Raj Sharma, Motikaji Sthapit, Sher Bahadur K.C. are to plead on behalf of the prime minister and other defendants. The Supreme Court Bar Association has named senior advocates Daman Nath Dhungana, Mohan Krishna Kharel, Biswokant Mainali, Badri Bahadur Karki and Prem Bahadur Khadka as amicus curiae.

FINANCE MINISTRY officials are preparing to bring out budget estimates for the next fiscal year 2002-03, reports said. This year, the overall expenditure is expected to cross Rs. 100 billion mark, mainly due to the surge in the regular expenditure fueled by the security expenses. The regular expenditure is expected to be around Rs. 57 billion, including Rs. 1 billion for conducting the mid-term polls on November 13. The development expenditure will be only around Rs. 43 billion. This will be Nepal's first budget in which regular expenditure would exceed development spending. The overall security expenditure, including the package for modernizing the Royal Nepal Army is expected to be around Rs. 15 billion, 40 percent higher than last year's allocation.