Kathmandu, May 8: Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya has said that all the challenges of the national economy will be examined seriously and presented in the forthcoming budget.

Talking to rss at his residence today, Minister Acharya said the Finance Ministry is working on the budget of the next fiscal year to be presented to the parliament in the second week of Jeth, 2057 B.S.

Mr. Acharya said that the new budget will remain fully committed to implementing the massive economic, institutional and policy reform programme announced by the present government with the objective increasing the economic growth rate, enhancing the development momentum and improving the overall economy of the country.

The work of improving the law and order situation in the country and providing the people the sense of security has been placed by the government in the top priority list, he added.

In reply to a query, the Finance Minister said the new budget will give top priority to poverty alleviation programme inorder to move the people towards prosperity.

The main development challenges of the country will be indentified, he said adding that the new budget will present the strategies to be adopted in this connection.

Stating that corruption control, improvement of local governance, administrative reforms, good governance and decentralisation programmes will be made more effective, Mr. Acharya said that priority will be given to extending the fruits of development to the people.

Mr. Acharya said the government is equally sensitive about developing reliable infrastructures for development of the country by making the development process more dynamic and sustainable and strengthening the economy.

In reply to another query, the Finance Minister said the present government is sensitive about enhancing social unification and providing economic justice through development of the remote areas, women empowerment, social and economic welfare of the backward communities and development of civic society.

To question concerning privatisation, he said government role alone should not be made crucial for economic development efforts, rather attention should be paid to effectively mobilising the private sector, economic liberalisation process and direct foreign investment as the main agents of development.

The Finance Minister also expressed his commitment to enhance government’s role in revenue mobilisation, management of expenditures, fiscal reform, social and economic development and the overall fiscal management.

The government will pay equal attention to financial sector reform so as to ensure a vibrant and competitive fiscal sector in the country.

The forthcoming budget will aim at investment promotion, increasing investment in social service sector and bringing the regions and communities lagging behind due to unbalanced development to the development mainstream, he said.

Kathmandu, May 8: Indo-Nepal Foreign Minister level official talks was held at New Delhi, India today. Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra Prasad Bastola led the Nepalese side while the Indian side was led by Indian Minister for External Affairs Jaswant Singh.

During the talks various aspect of Indo-Nepal relations were reviewed and matters of bilateral cooperation discussed.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Bastola presented Nepal’s views on different bilateral issues like Kalapani and Indo-Nepal Treaty 1950.

While discussing the Indo-Nepal Trade and Transit Treaty, Mr Bastola put forward Nepal’s demand that Nepalese goods exported to India should be exempted the special additional duty levied by the Indian Government.

He also requested Indian authorities to take immediate steps towards giving continuity to the Fulbari transit route as the term of notification relating to its use expires on May 30, 2000.

Both the foreign ministers agreed to intiate meetings of various bilateral mechanism constituted to study the problems arising in Indo-Nepal relationship and present suggestions for resolution and take concrete steps towards resolving the problems.

It was also decided to hold foreign secretary level meeting in this connection in the near future.

Discussing the three alternatives put forward by Nepal concerning the Prime Minister’s visit to India, the Foreign Ministers directed their respective foreign ministries to finalise the date for the visit.

The Indian External Affairs Minister also directed concerning bodies of the Indian Government to take necessary steps towards giving continuity to the Fulbari transit route.

Regarding the issue of special additional duty, Mr Singh gave assurances to take intiative to put an end the present state of confusion after discussing it with the Indian Finance Minister taking into consideration the provisions of Indo-Nepal Trade and Transit Treaty.

Expressing satisfaction over the positive results of the talks held on matters relating to resumption of Indian airlines service to Kathmandu, both the foreign ministers gave directions to their respective bodies to immediately publish the date for resumption of Indian airlines services.

Both the foreign ministers agreed to hold Indo-Nepal high level task force meeting in the near future to identify new areas of Indo-Nepal cooperation and select the projects.

The Indian External Affairs Minister accepted an invitation to visit Nepal extended by Minister Bastola to attend the inauguration of 22 bridges along the East-West highway.

Indian Minister Singh also gave assurances that the Indian Government would give serious attention to the problems of Nepali workers and Nepali students in India and new Nepali origin Indians.

Acknowledging that water resources plays a vital role in Nepal-India cooperation, both the ministers stressed the need to speedily implement the agreements reached in this connection and to identify new areas of cooperation.

During the talks, discussions also took place on the Bhutanese refugee problem.

Royal Nepalese Ambassador to India Dr. Bhekh Bahadur Thapa and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs took part in the talks on behalf of Nepal while foreign secretary Lalitman Singh, Indian Ambassador K. V. Rajan and officials of the Ministry of External Affairs took part in the talks on behalf of India.

The foreign ministers also agreed to implement the points raised during the meeting held between Minister for Foreign Affairs Bastola and Indian Minister for Water Resources C. P. Thakur this morning.

The hour long talks between Mr Bastola and Mr Thakur had focussed on proper utilization of water resources for mutual benefit.

They also stressed the need to speed up the implementation of the Mahakali Treaty and the steps to be taken to check floods and inundation.

During the talks, special reference was made to inundation caused in Banke district by the embankment built at Laxmipur of India as well as the Lalbakaiya, Bagmati, Kamala and Khado rivers.

Indian Minister for Water Resources Thakur said that he was ready to visit Nepal and hold bilateral talks for providing momentum to cooperation in the water resources sector.

Both the foreign ministers agreed to direct the water resources secretaries to discuss various matters concerning cooperation in the water resources as well as its problems and to present suggestions to their respective governments.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra Prasad Bastola paid a courtesy call on Indian President K. R. Narayanan today.

On the occasion Mr Bastola handed over the messages sent by His Majesty the King and the Prime Minister to the Indian President.

Mr Bastola also met leader of the Indian Opposition Party Mrs Sonia Gandhi and discussed bilateral issues and matters of mutual interest this afternoon.

Royal Nepalese Ambassador to India Dr. Bhesh Bahadur Thapa was present on both the occasions.

Earlier today, Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra Prasad Bastola reached New Delhi at 21:30 hrs yesterday on a four day official visit to India at the friendly invitation of Mr Jaswant Singh, Minister of External Affairs of India, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Minister Bastola was welcomed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport by Royal Nepalese ambassador to India Dr. Bhekh Bahadur Thapa, Indian ambassador K.V. Rajan, joint secretary (north) of Ministry of External Affairs Mrs Meera Shankar, Royal Nepalese Embassy officials and protocol authorities of the Government of India.

Kathmandu, May 6: Captain Bal Gopal Maharjan helped Rani Pokhari Team make a leap towards the Martyrs Memorial League title with two successive victories while Three Stars remained in the contention after forcing a 2-2 draw against Naxal Yuva Mandal.

Maharjan’s lightening goal towards the fag end not only gave his team the second win from as many games of the league being participated by 12 senior teams of the Kathmandu Valley but also pushed arch rival New Road Team into the shadow for their hunt for the coveted title.

Having played 1-1 draw towards the injury time of the second half, the RCT captain hammered home a close range volley from the right side of the NRT post after collecting a cross from defender Narayan Manadhar. The shot did not give any chance to agile NRT custodian Surendra Shrestha.

However, the NRT team looked solid in the beginning and took the lead just eight minutes of the start of referee’s whistle. Hari Thakuri scored a gem of the goal following his solo act that included the class dribbling past four RCT defenders.

RCT, however, were unlucky not to have scored the equalizer despite making many attacks. In the very second minute, Raj Kumar Shrestha missed an easy chance while in the 35th minute Nirajan Rayamajhi good free kick shot was brilliantly saved by NRT keeper. Milan Shrestha hit a pass from Maharjan direct into the far post in the 37th minute.

RCT, have to wait forty minutes of the first half. Raj Kumar Shrestha gave reply to Hari Thakuri by executing the same movement as Thakuri did for the much-needed equalizer. Raj Kumar took the possession of ball at the 25 yard and dribbled past three NRT defenders to take a powerful shot which too good for the full stretching NRT keeper. The RCT boys dominated second half but could not score despite their strikers Nirajan, Milan, Raj Kumar and Maharjan came very close to scoring.

In the first match of the day, Three Stars Club and Naxal Yuva Mandal played 2-2 draw. Three Stars Club took the lead in the 27th minute through a goal from Surendra Tamang who was supplied a header by captain Deepak Amatya. Tamang , who saw the Naxal Yuva keeper advancing beat him and lobbed the ball past him to gain a lead.

Nevertheless, Naxal boys managed to pull off an equalizer in the 40th minute when Umesh Thapa tapped the ball inside net after beating the wrong-footed Three Stars keeper Manik Shakya.

Naxal team’s Suresh Thapa garnered the lead for the team in the 55th minute after Three Stars keeper failed to control a ball. Thapa capitalizing on the blunder of Shakya struck for the lead.

However, their happiness was all gone in the 80th minute. Free-kick specialist Deepak Amatya sent the ball into the net following a foul caused by Naxal’s Sanjin Pandey just outside the penalty zone.

Kathmandu, May 6: Former finance minister and chief of the CPN-UML Central Planning and Follow-up Department Bharat Mohan Adhikari has said indications of the economy being improved have become a far-off thing in the present context.

Mr Adhikari made this remark at a press meet organised by the department here recently with a view to disclosing the party’s views on the present economic situation of the country, the recent meeting of Nepal Development Forum held in Paris and the next budget.

His party is fully opposed to the improvement agenda brought about by the government with a view to mitigating poverty without consulting any responsible political parties or concerned bodies and this is bound to further deepen the economic crisis in the country, he added.

A press release circulated on the occasion states that experiences of the past decade in terms of the economy should be taken as a basis for the next annual budget, investment increased in agriculture, irrigation and works of local development, programmes worked out to create jobs and increase productivity and the drive for industrialisation should be given priority.

A policy aimed at streamlining the banking and fiscal sector should be framed so that it can prop up trade, agriculture and irrigation, dependency on foreign aid decreased, the next budget should be such that it should be able to remove the existing anomalies and clear and concrete programmes should be brought for uplifting the neglected communities.

Kathmandu, May 6: A delegation headed by president of the Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal Jiptshering Lama met Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya at his office recently.

On the occasion, the delegation demanded that arrangement be made for deducting 1.5 per cent as income tax while making payments, all provisions concerning value added tax (VAT) implemented in all offices and arrangement made for allowing the District Comptroller’s Offices to register tax in districts where VAT offices have not been established yet.

The delegation also demanded that arrangements should be made for imposing only one per cent tax in tripper trucks and other spare parts, customs duty waived on utility vehicles to be imported by contractors once in ten years and the practice of getting works done through users’ committees removed.

A delegation of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce Rajesh Kaji Shrestha met vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission Pritivi Raj Ligal recently and discussed matters relating to increasing private sector participation in overall development of the country.

on the occasion NPC Vice Chairman Ligal said that His Majesty’s Government has pledged to move ahead with the private sector.

Expressing the view that the private sector could help the government by providing suggestions to be included in the budget of the Fiscal Year 2000/2001 in time, Mr Ligal said that the NPC would take positive steps to solve the problems encoutered by the industry, trade and export promotion sectors.

His Majesty’s Government has plans for making reforms in revenue and financial transactions, Mr Ligal said, expressing confidence that necessary suggestions would be received from the Nepal Chamber of Commerce for improvements in the private sector.

President of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce Rajesh Kaji Shrestha said that the commitment made by the government to move ahead with the cooperation of the private sector would have a positive impact on the overall economic prosperity of the country.

Stressing the need to formulate a long term policy and make amendments in existing laws and regulations for expansion of industries and trade as well as to attract joint investments, Mr Shrestha informed the NPC vice chairman about the problems faced in promotion of exports, implementation of financial institutions, industrialisation and the private sector and hoped that His Majesty’s Government would take necessary steps to overcome them.

Meanwhile in Kankerbhitta, Minister of State for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Narendra Bikram Nemwang inaugurated the consumers’ store of Mahendranagar Cooperatives and Unveiled the Cooperative’s Souvenir-2057 B.S. at a function here recently.

On the occasion, Mr Nemwang said that the responsible politicians should rise above political and selfish interests and unite to uplift the living conditions of the rural people.

At the function chaired by chairman of the Cooperatives Krishna Prasad Uprety, Mayor of Mechinagar Robin Koirala, president of the District Cooperative Association Tulsi Dhakal, chairman of Bahundangi VDC Nilkantha Tiwari, Agriculture Development Officer Dwarika Prasad Dahal. Chairman of Multipurpose Cooperative Ramchandra Uprety, chairman of the Water Users’ Committee Buddhinath Paudel, NC No. 3 regional president Ram Kattel, secretary of the CPN-UML Mechinagar Committee Kul Prasad Tiwari, Dilli Ghimire of CPN-ML and Gauri Lal Shrestha of RPP threw light on various aspects of the cooperatives.

On the occasion, minister of state Nemwang handed over wheel chairs to Mitha Thapa of Mechinagar and Hira Devi Neupane of Chandragadi on behalf of NC Mechinagar Committee.

Kathmandu, May 6: It is said the increasing pollution caused by solid waste in the Kathmandu valley could be managed by using the municipal waste to generate electricity for lighting purposes.

Ang Kim Leng, managing director of the Metrowaste Management, a Malaysian company, disclosed at a programme here on Friday. Mr Leng claimed that the solid waste collected from the city could be used to generate electricity by means of a mobile incinerator. He said the incinerator plant yields only five per cent ash and this ash could be used in road construction. This technology would help resolve the ever-increasing problem of managing solid waste in the city and to generate electricity, Mr Leng added.

The Malaysian Company is learnt to have made a proposal for installing a 400 metric tonnes per day municipal waste incineration plant with power generation of 4 megawatt. The company only needs 2 hectares land on rent for installtion of the plant ,it is learnt.

It is said the company would itself bear the Rs 1 billion installation cost of the project. The company intends to recover the project cost by taking certain charge on the solid waste brought for incineration and sell the electricity generated from it as a source of income.

One of the advantages of the technology is that it minimizes foul smell from the solid waste and also the air issuing out of the incinerator plant is non-toxic and pollution-free, Mr. Ang Kim Leng said. Minister of State for Local Development Suresh Malla, Representative of the National Planning Commission and environmentalists were present at the programme.

Itahari, May 6: A day-long road painting workshop entitled “Nepalese art in the 21st century” was organised in Dharan Friday with the objective encouraging deviant youths in society towards creative activities.

Mayor of Dharan Municipality Manoj Kumar Myangmo inaugurated the 700-metre long road painting workshop organised by Sunsari Fine Arts Academy.

On the occasion, Mayor Myangmo said that the painting workshop would encourage the youths who have deviated from normal society to realise their latent talents.

Landscape painting in abstract and concrete art form and scenery were painted by various artists including school children from 16 schools from Dharan area and journalists.

Kathmandu, May 6: The nine left parties at a press conference here Friday condemned the killing of Nepalese by the tribal rebels in the north-eastern Indian State of Assam and demanded His Majesty’s Government constitute an independent inquiry committee immediately.

Protesting the killing of the Nepalese, the nine left parties also demanded stern action against the aggressors, appropriate compensation measures for the families of the victims, provision of adequate security to Nepalese in India, an end to all forms of ill-treatment against the people of Nepalese origin and initiation of dialogue with the Indian government for protection of the human rights of the people of Nepali origin in India.

In this connection, the nine left parties also met Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and handed him a memorandum to him. Similarly, a letter of protest has also been submitted to the Indian Embassy Friday.

It was disclosed on the occasion that an extremist group had killed eleven Nepalese and set fire to more than 20 houses at Uglapher Village, Karbialong district in Assam on April 20. Similarly, eight more Nepalese were also said killed again on april 28 in extremist violence.

Bhadrapur, May 6: A five-member committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of assistant CDO of Jhapa Beni Madhav Gyawali to settle a dispute over land used by Kisandehi maternity home. The land has been handed over to Mechi Zonal Hospital.

A meeting of social workers, industrialists and representatives from the Hospital Development Committee held here under the chairmanship of CDO Dilli Raj Joshi assigned the committee the task of coming up with a permanent solution to the dispute within a period of seven days. The dispute centers around the cost of the land involved and substitute land. The staff of the hospital are using the maternity home as living quarters along with a two-storey nurses’ quarters constructed on land occupied by the maternity home. Her Majesty Queen Mother Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah had inaugurated the maternity home constructed by the late Satya Narayan Agrawal, father of Mechi Hospital Development Committee chairman Mohan Lal Agrawal. For the purpose land near the hospital was purchased in 2019 BS at the rate of 1,000 per kaththa from the late Kanhaiya Lal Agrawal.

The heirs of Kanhaiya Lal are seeking payment of the current market price for the land or allocation of substitute land as payment as per the previous price has not yet been made.

The dispute arose after they sold part of the land still under their ownership and construct work started on a building on it.

The parties differ over the cost of the land. Mohan Lal Agrawal has offered Rs. 200,000, but the heirs of Kanhaiya Lal are not ready to accept a price below Rs. 500,000. Ownership of the land has not yet been transferred to Mechi Zonal Hospital.

Buildings erected on the land for the maternity home and the staff quarters are in ruin as construction work initiated by the hospital development committee and HMG could not be completed on time.

In Bhaktapur, the over nine months old dispute between the Nagarkot Transportation Management Committee and the Bhaktapur minibus services committee over operating buses on the Kathmandu-Nagarkot route ended friday after a truce between the disputing parties.

The dispute was finally settled at a meeting of transport entrepreneurs from both the committees, representatives of various political parties and the representatives of the federation of transport entrepreneurs. The meeting was chaired by chief district officer Dhurba Raj Wagle. The meeting also constituted a district transport management committee with the representation from the district administration, police and the registered public transport operators in the district. Any buses operating the route are issued the route permit only at the recommendation of the district transport management committee.

Similarly, the meeting decided to run six buses of the Nagarkot Transportation Committee and 18 buses of the bBhaktapur minibus service committee on the route in a day.

Likewise, the two old buses of the Nagarkot transportation committee have been permitted to operate on the local Biruwa-old bus park route.

He dispute over the bus route surfaced some nine months ago after Bhaktapur minibus service committee did not allow the eight buses of the Nagarkot Transport Committee to ply the Nagarkot-Kathmandu route.

It is learnt that while Bhaktapur Minibus Services Committee charges Rs 18 as transportation fare per person on the Nagarkot-Kathmandu route, the Nagarkot Transport Committee has been charging Rs 16 per person for the same distance for the convenience of the passengers.

Rajbiraj, May 6: Chief judge of the Appellate Court of Rajbiraj Sharada Prasad Pandit, speaking on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of Bramhakumari Raj Yog Sewa Kendra Rajbiraj, said it is the duty of all to bring peace by eliminating the chaos in the world.

He stressed the need to discourage killings and terrorism through the brotherhood of mankind. District judge Tej Bahadur K.C. said religion and science are complementary to each other and lauded the role played by the centre to make mankind well mannered and make people feel a sense of peace.

At the function presided over by director of the centre Bramhakumari Rajdidi, various other speakers including ex-judge of the Supreme Court Babar Prasad Singh, additional district judge Narayan Prasad Shrestha, CDO Bal Krishna Prasain, DDC member Bikeswor Bimal, president of the Nepal Red Cross Society, Saptari Jogendra Bhagat, industrialist Sumermal Dugad, journalist Shivahari Prasad Bhattarai and Bramhakumaris Gitadidi and Gangamala also expressed their views.

Meanwhile in Kathmandu, outgoing chairman and general manager of RSS Purandar Ghimire and Dev Prakash Tripathi were bid farewell and incoming chairman and general manager Ganesh Ballabh Pradhan and Indra Bahadur Shrestha welcomed amid a function organised jointly by Nepal journalists Association RSS unit and RSS employees union Friday.

On the occasion, newly appointed chairman Ganesh Ballabh Pradhan said that if this organisation succeeded in disseminating quality news, it would not only help foster relations within the journalism sector but also consolidate and strengthen relations with government and the people.

Referring to the need for seriousness on the part of government to sustain and expand the rss network, he said he would be effortful at all times to bring about sustained development at RSS.

Newly appointed general manager Indra Bahadur Shrestha noted that emphasis should be laid on discipline in the organisation’s finances for its further advancement.

He further said he would mobilise the limited means and resources available to the institution and improve its news presentation style in keeping with the times. He also called for cooperation from RSS staff.

Member of the RSS board of director Ramesh Toophan pointed out the need of fair and competent management.

Referring to RSS as a unique entity which has gained a special position in the journalism sector, outgoing chairman Ghimire expressed his commitment to remain active at all times for the development of this institution.

Out going general manager Tripathi said that the government’s vision about RSS should be clear for its sustainable development.

President of NJA RSS unit Kamal Pradhan said that the unit and employee union were always ready for the professional development.