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Crown Prince Paras gives away prize to winner of 16th Tribhuwan Memorial Gold Cup Football tournament. |
KING GYANENDRA, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE Article 127 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990, issued an order releasing annual reports of Auditor General, Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority and Public Service Commission. The annual reports of these constitutional bodies could not be released for the past three years in absence of the parliament. Their reports had to be presented to the parliament. By invoking the Article 127, the King has released their reports of 2058/59, 2059/60 and 2060/61.
THE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF (COAS), Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) General Pyara Jung Thapa said that the RNA was not only engaged in maintaining security but also in development, disaster relief operations and world peace efforts. In an address he gave on the occasion of Army Day – which coincides with Shivaratri festival – General Thapa said that protection of human rights is the main priority of RNA. He said that the RNA was committed to the universal principles of democracy and rule of law. He also said that RNA wants to have productive relations with the media. Meanwhile, King Gyanendra graced the Army Day celebrations organized by the RNA at Tundikhel on Tuesday (March 8).
THIS YEAR’S SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATE (SLC) examinations would begin from March 27 till April 5. According to the Office of Examination Controller, a total of 3,13,216 students will appear for the examinations. Birendra Kumar Singh, Examination Controller, said 2,44,761 students will appear as regular examinees while 68,400 will appear as compartmental examinees. A total of 948 examination centers have been set up across the country for the purpose.
INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO NEPAL Shiva Shankar Mukherjee has said that Indian assistance aimed at providing constructive development assistance to Nepalese people will continue. Laying the foundation of Adarsha secondary school in Ratauli VDC of Mahottari district, envoy Mukherjee said: “The traditional people-to-people level relations will not be affected by any circumstances.” He added that the schools project showed that Indian assistance aimed at directly benefiting Nepalese people would continue despite political changes. Indian government is providing assistance worth Rs 18.8 million for the construction of school building.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO STOP the practice of providing two-day off for civil servants stationed in Kathmandu Valley. Beginning Nepali new year in Baisakh (mid-April), the government offices in the valley - like their counterparts outside the valley - will have six working days. The time of working hours, too, will be changed. From mid-April the working hours in government offices will be as thus: 10:00 am till 5:00 pm (from Sunday till Thursday) and 10:00 am till 3:00 pm (on Friday).
THE WORLD BANK HAS INFORMED on March 9 that it does not intend to process the Second Poverty Reduction Strategy Credit (PRSC II), a proposed second tranche of budgetary support, during the current Nepali fiscal year, which ends on July 15. Issuing a press statement it said, "The agreed reforms have not been completed and there is not rime to process the PRSC II in fiscal year 2005 now." The bank's lending operations are closely linked to macro-level and sector-level reforms, which are now tied to the Tenth Plan or Nepal's PRS. Ken Ohashi, country director of World Bank-Nepal, said it was too early to speculate whether the bank should consider the PRSC II for the next fiscal year. "Besides monitoring reforms, its effective implementation and the security situation, we will also have to assess the evolution of public expenditure patterns in fiscal year 2006," he said. The WB has reiterated that its continued assistance would depend on demonstrated commitment and capacity to implement reforms. The WB board also expressed concern about the security situation in Nepal and the government's ability to implement projects. The board also raised concerns about the government's ability to continue implementing difficult reforms in the absence of representative mechanism to build broad-based consensus.
THE THIRD MEETING OF THE DIALOGUE COMMITTEE of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Technical and Economic Cooperation) ended after approving the rules of the group is scheduled to be held in April in Myanmar. The BIMSTEC members have already agreed to go for free trade area beginning July 2006. Initially, the free trade will cover only products but after 2007 even services and investment will come within the process.
GREEN NEPAL PARTY (GNP) attended a conference of Green Parties of Asia Pacific held recently in Kyoto, Japan. At the conference, the party expressed concern about the Climate Change and their impact on poor countries like Nepof the group is scheduled to be held in April in Myanmar. The BIMSTEC members have already agreed to go for free trade area beginning July 2006. Initially, the free trade will cover only products but after 2007 even services and investment will come within the process.
GREEN NEPAL PARTY (GNP) attended a conference of Green Parties of Asia Pacific held recently in Kyoto, Japan. At the conference, the party expressed concern about the Climate Change and their impact on poor countries like Nepal. GNP representative Hemanta Luitel presented a paper on the subject. He urged developed countries to come forward with willingness and commitment to mitigate the process of global warming. The GNP also calls on the government of Nepal to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
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