Briefs (Spotlight Weekly)

THE GOVERNMENT HAS FORMED A TASK FORCE, on August 8, headed by the National Planning Commission (NPC) vice chairman Dr. Shankar Sharma to submit a report within four days suggesting ways to support and assist the victims of conflict. The task force is authorized to prepare an action plan to rehabilitate and provide relief to the victims. The government has allocated Rs 370 million in the current budget for the purpose of helping the victims. The task force includes Secretaries of various ministries as members.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS DISSOLVED THE Employment Promotion Commission (EPC). Claiming that there was duplication in the works carried out by the EPC and the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management, the government has decided to dissolve the former. The Ministry had recommended for its dissolution four months ago stating that the nature of work to be carried out by the EPC was similar to that of the Ministry and that there was no need to keep it.

THE ELECTION COMMISSION (EC) held a roundtable discussion with all the major political parties on Thursday (August 5) at its office. Termed as an ‘orientation and introductory’, the meeting was participated by representatives of all the major parties. During the meeting, EC officials and the party representatives discussed about the prevailing situation in the country and prospects for holding general elections. Most of the party representatives said that the EC needs to take the responsibility of all aspects of holding the free and fair polls, even the aspect of providing security. “The EC has completed its duty of gathering the voters’ list. The date of the elections has to be announced by the King as per the recommendation of the council of ministers,” said Keshab Raj Rajbhandari, chief election commissioner. At the discussion, Nepali Congress (NC) leader Laxman Prasad Ghimire said that although his party did not fear election, proper environment should first be guaranteed. Raghubir Mahaseth, a leader of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) said that the EC needs to take steps in the direction of assuring the parties of free and fair poll atmosphere.

THE GOVERNMENT IS PREPARING TO ISSUE A white paper detailing the losses of lives and destruction of properties due to the nine-year-old Maoist insurgency. The meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Thursday (August 5) decided to issue the white paper to provide accurate information to the donor agencies as well as concerned parties. ‘The government needs to approach donors for assistance in rebuilding the destroyed infrastructures. And the donors obviously want to know the actual extent of the damage. That is why the government is preparing to issue a white paper on this issue,’ said Dr. Mohamad Mohsin, Information Minister and spokesperson of the government. The cabinet has authorized Home Ministry to collect the data of destruction. Likewise, the government is also preparing to formulate definite programs for appropriate management of people displaced by the Maoist conflict.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS EXTENDED THE deadline of offering amnesty to the Maoists who surrender by another two months – up to the mid-October. The government has said that it decided to extend the deadline given the encouraging response and continued surrendering. According to the Home Ministry, till now 1061 Maoist workers have surrendered before security personnel and the administration.

THE GOVERNMENT’S PLAN TO revive subsidy in certain sectors of agriculture seems to have raised the hackles of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The ADB has demanded for a clarification regarding the government’s plan in this direction. The government had announced to revive the subsidy – which was withdrawn four years ago – in this year’s budget. ADB had pressured the government to withdraw subsidy as a pre-condition for its support in the Second Agriculture Program. Sources have said that the ADB has asked for reasons why the government re-introduced subsidy and how it would collect the financial resources required. In this year’s budget, the government has announced to provide subsidy on shallow tube-wells in Terai and on the transportation of seeds and fertilizers to 21 remote districts.

WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF ENCOURAGING industrious students, Gorkha Brewery (P) Ltd. handed over Tuborg Excellence Award 2060 to students securing top marks in the School Leaving Certificate (SLC). Top ten students of the SLC were handed over cash prizes amid a ceremony on August 8. Bishal Khanal who had topped the exam was provided with the cash prize of Rs 50,000. Other fifteen students who were among those securing top ten marks were awarded Rs 10,000 each. The company has been honoring the top students of SLC every year since 2049 B.S. "We have awarded the prize in recognition of the talents of the students," said Mohan Gopal Khetan, chairman of the Gokha Brewery.