HM Announces Policy And Programmes of Govt. Security, Poverty Alleviation Top Priority

By Our Correspondent

Security and poverty alleviation are at the top of the agenda of the government for the coming fiscal year.

His Majesty the King addressing the joint session of the parliament on Friday disclosed the government’s policies and programmes for the coming fiscal year.

Mentioning about controlling the violent activities noticed in the country, His Majesty in the address said, ÒThe government shall work towards maintaining credible law and order by formulating new laws. Similarly, the police and the intelligence shall be well-equipped and their morale shall be enhanced by providing appropriate resources.

His Majesty stated that the processes for the same have already been started and they shall be taken up in a more effective manner.

Similarly, the government has also given high priority to curb and control corruption, commissions and revenue leakage, and that it will initiate amendments to the existing laws, enact new laws, policies and structural reforms to check such malpractice.

The emphasis on security and clean governance is quite understandable that the government of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has been saying that these two issues will be its focal points.

Regarding good governance, the policy has talked about timely reforms of the administrative machinery. One important point in the government’s policy and programme is the emphasis in making judiciary efficient and fair by the improvement in the physical infrastructure, institutional development, procedural simpli fication and efficiency enhancement of the judiciary.

On the economic front, the government will continue with its policy of giving emphasis for the development and expansion of the private sector and the government shall also increase investment in the social sector.

This may be taken as an indication that the budget to be presented in a few days time may see increased spending in sectors like education, health, family planning. The new policy has also pledged to make primary education widely accessible, increasing women’s participation in education. Similarly, communication facilities shall be extended to the people in all parts of the country.

The government shall also focus on financial sector reforms for the mobilisation of internal resources and to gradually reduce dependence on external sources.

In the agriculture sector, the government shall give emphasis to the production of export-oriented cash crops and make agriculture professional and attractive occupation.

According to the just disclosed policy and programmes, a power sector strategy shall be prepared for the development of water resources through the mobilisation of the private as well as foreign investment in the development of water resources.

The government’ s new programme has also said that while proceeding with the Pancheshwor Multi-Purpose Project, works relating to the preparation of detailed project reports of Sapta Koshi High Dam and Sun Koshi-Kamala Diversion shall be taken up. Similarly, a master plan for river training shall also be prepared.

The policy and programmes announced on Friday has been perceived as a short one, but it has encompassed most of the challenges the country has been facing.

Mixed Reaction's to Govt. Policies

By Our Correspondent

While the opposition parties have called the government's policies and programmes as lacking a clarity of vision in tackling the country's problems, business community has taken the policy to strengthen economic sector and fight corruption and leakage in positive lights.

Meanwhile, the policies and programmes announced through the Royal Address on Friday have generated mixed and diverse opinions.

Madhav Kumar Nepal, leader of the main opposition, said with a policy like this the government cannot deal with the country's problems.

Similarly, president of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Surya Bahadur Thapa said he found no newness in the policies and programmes to make a comment. Similar is the view of the party's general secretary Pashupati Shumsher Rana. He says, ÒIt’s not only an old wine in a new bottle, but the bottle itself has been cut down to half.

Narayan Man Bijukchhe Rohit, lawmaker and the president of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party calls it very short and says that it has not covered what it could have. He said the emphasis on law and order could be a ploy to bring 'black law' to suppress the Maoists. Likewise, Lilamani Pokharel, MP and the leader of the United peoples’ Front, says that the government has virtually failed to bring all the Nepalese people in the net of its policies and programmes. ÒIt has sidelined the common people.

But the ruling party MPs, businesspersons and many intellectuals have different views. Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat of the NC says, ÒThis policy and programme has boosted the morale of the police personnels in maintaining law and order situation in the country.

FNCCI president Pradeep Kumar Shrestha says the policies and programmes are positive. Similarly, Mahesh Kumar Agrawal, former president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce, said the attempt to make revenue administration lean and effective is a welcome step.

However, Anand Raj Mulmi, advisor to the Ministry of Commerce and former president of the FNCCI, blames the government for not giving special attention to the economic activities of the country that could influence the whole development process. ÒOnly political agendas have got priority in this year’s policies and programmes of the government.

But Prof. Dr. Jaya Raj Acharya, says, Òthe policies and programmes of the government are better than in the past. And they are better because they have clearly addressed the issues like law and order situation and their improvement, transparency in the administration and poverty alleviation.

9th Ministerial Level Talks On Refugees
A Crucial One To Resolve The Problem

By Sunil K.C.

The Ninth round of Ministerial level talks between Nepal and Bhutan, on the Bhutanese refugees is starting tomorrow (May 22) in Thimpu, Bhutan.

The Nepalese side will be led by Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Banstola and the Bhutanese Foreign Minister Jigme Thinely will lead the Bhutanese side.

This meeting is taking place after about nine months after the 8th round of talks was held in Kathmandu September last year. In between there were two rounds of meetings — one informal between the foreign ministers in November and another at the official level in February.

This meeting will be an important one if the door for the resolution of the refugee problem is to be opened.

Recently, there have been some positive signs coming out from Bhutan. During the visit of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ms. Sadako Ogata, to Bhutan, the Bhutanese government had reported to have told her that it was willing to solve the refugee problem.

Even there have been growing international concerns about the 10-year-long refugee problem.

Nepal’s former Foreign Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat in an article last week said that the European and the Americans are showing concerns towards the talks failing to make any breakthrough.

Dr. Mahat had led the Nepalese delegation at the 8th round of talks in September.

Dr. Mahat, in his article, said a delegation of the European parliament, after their visit to Nepal last year, had taken the refugee problem as the serious breach of basic human rights of the Bhutanese and their right to return home with honour and safety. He said the denial of these rights (by Bhutan) could invite international condemnation.

Similarly, the former Nepalese Foreign Minister also said that the US Foreign Secretary Madeleine Albright had assured him of US interest and support towards finding a solution to the problem.

However, some recent developments have indicated the knots may be lossening up, since the 8th round of talks last September. But there still are complexities and even differences.

Some of the differences, as pointed out by Dr. Mahat, are the interpretration of the refugees, their verification and the third party appeal mechanism.

Dr. Mahat has also pointed out the perception of India in his write-up, saying eminent personalities in India blame the Nepali Congress party for the expulsion of the refugees by the Bhutanese government.

He has also indicated that there may several other proposals to 'foil' the total repatriation of the refugees like, as is mentioned in the article, the splitting of the refugee population by Nepal, India and Bhutan.

He has, thus, cautioned that there should be no illusion that the limited progresses achieved in recent talks will lead to the resolution of the problem quickly. Or, that the Bhutanese government will easily give in what they have achieved with meticulous planning and skillfully avoided for 10 long years.

Meanwhile, with constant pressure and publicity, the Bhutanese government seems to have finally lowered the latch, but Nepal will need all its acumen in diplomacy and negotiating prowess to push open the door, before the refugees begin to pack their bags for their journey home.

Buddha Jayanti Observed

By Our Correspondent

The country observed the 2544th Buddha Jayanti by organizing various programmes on Thursday.

The full moon of the month of Baishakh is of special significance since Gautam Buddha, the Light Of Asia, was born on that very day in Lumbini, Nepal, 2544 years ago.

His Majesty the King, in a message to the 2544th Buddha Jayanti Celebration Committee, has stated "Let the day inspire all to translate the teachings of Lord Gautam Buddha such as truth, non violence and peace into reality for national interest of the country and betterment of mankind".

The Buddha Jayanti was also organised as Lumbini Day in Lumbini. The government has been celebrating the day as the Lumbini Day on the occasion of the Buddha Jayanti since last year.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka also organised Vesak Day Celebration in the Sacred Garden of Lumbini on Wednesday.

People Responsible For Environment Degradation

By Our Correspondent

Nepalese people themselves are responsible for the deteriorating environment of the country. So was expressed by majority of the respondent in an opinion poll conducted by the Media Services International (MSI).

The opinion poll was conducted in 12 districts of the country encompassing mountain, hill and terai sectors.

The objectives of the poll were to understand how the people feel about their living environment, to find out if they felt any change in the quality of air and drinking water over the last 10 years, to find out who do they think is mainly responsible for environmental pollution, to find out if the people were willing to make some sacrifice for better environment and to find out if they were aware of activities of government or non-government organisations involved in environment conservation.

The sample size was 1,109.

According to MSI, a resounding 70.8 per cent of the Nepalese hold nobody but themselves responsible for deterioration in the quality of the nation’s physical environment. However, 14.4 per cent feel that public could not be held responsible for the negative trend.

Asked if quality decline in physical environment had in any way resulted in disadvantages in personal terms, 57 per cent said ‘yes’, 28 per cent said ‘no’, 8.7 per cent said ‘no idea’ and 6.3 per cent did not answer, states the press statement issued by the MSI.

"Nearly 51.1 of the respondents said they felt disadvantage in the field of health, 19.8 per cent in drinking water, 19.1 per cent in production and 10.1 per cent in some other areas," the statement reads.

MSI says, ÒHalf of the 1,109 interviewers in Rasua, Kaski, Surkhet, Morang, Banke, Kanchanpur, Kathmandu, Laliput, Bahktapur, Dhankuta, Kavre and Makawanpur said the people themselves could do something to improve the environment. Those who thought the government could improve the environment constituted 42.8 per cent.

On the important issue of whether or not they were satisfied with the works being done by the NGOs in the field of environment conservation, 40.8 per cent said they were not aware of the works being done by the NGOs.

According to the poll, out of the total responsdents, 47.6 per cent had not heard about Ministry of Environment; 82.7 per cent had not heard about Environment Protection Council; 29.4 per cent believe that NGO workers were fulfilling their own personal interest; and 64.6 per cent were aware of the fact that global warming was taking place.

The poll shows that people are ready to contribute to improve the environment. 31.8 per cent out of total respondent were ready to contribute by not throwing trash, 27.2 per cent by providing all kinds of help, 26.2 per cent by working hard, 9.3 per cent by having fewer children and 5.7 per cent showing readiness paying.

The opinion poll was conducted with the cooperation of London-based Westminster Foundation for Democracy.

Sensationalism!

By Our Correspondent

Police has called the news about the abduction of a 9-year-old boy by a Sadhu as totally false and baseless.

Nepal Samacharpatra, a vernacular daily, on Friday had carried a news about a Sadhu abducting a child at Manamaiju of Chabahil, with an intention of human sacrifice.

The newspaper also said the child ran away horrified after he saw the severed heads of four children in the Sadhu's room, and that the local people then caught the Sadhu and handed him over to the police.

When contacted a police official at the District Police Office at Hanumandhoka told Sunday Despatch that he does not know of any such incident, and that the news was totally wrong and fabricated.

People who first read the news were shocked, but when they found it was wrong they said it could be just for the sake of creating sensationalism.