UCPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged Constituent Assembly (CA) chairman Subas Nemwang to resolve the current deadlock ailing the Constitutional Committee (CC) at the earliest.

UCPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Dahal met Nemwang on Wednesday evening and stressed the need for resumption of regular meetings of the CC for finalising the draft of the new statute.

According to a Dahal’s aide, the Maoist strongman told Nemwang that the committee formed for preparing the first draft of the constitution should be functional at the earliest.

The committee has not been able to hold its regular sitting following continuous protests from some lawmakers demanding guarantee of rights of marginalised communities.

In response, chairman Nemwang is learnt to have assured Dahal that the concerned parties of the agitating lawmakers would be able to convince them to let the draft committee proceed into normal business, informed the source. nepalnews.com

Constituent Assembly (CA) members B.P Yadav of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum and Gayatri Sah of Nepali Janata Dal, who are facing charges of misuse of their diplomatic passports, have been suspended with the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filing cases against them at the Special Court on Wednesday.

Gayatri Sah and B.P Yadav

The anti-graft body filed cases against the two lawmakers and seven others suspected of assisting them in renting their passports for hefty sums. In the case filed under the Corruption Control Act 2059, the CIAA has demanded five years jail and Rs 50,000 fine for each of the two lawmakers.

In its case file, the CIAA also demanded recovery of Rs.16.2 million that had been transacted by the accused in the passport scam.

Others implicated in the high-profile passport misuse case are CA member Sah’s father Hari Charan Sah, who heads the Nepali Janata Dal, his aide Santosh Raj Upreti, head of the Immigration Department Khadananda Dhakal, section officers Shyam Babu Bhandari and Bhumi Nanda Bhandari, computer officer Indra Kumar Sunar and junior officer Devi Dutta Khatri. The CIAA has demanded two-year jail and Rs 50,000 fine for each of the seven accused.

CA members Yadav and Shah are currently in police custody while other accused are at large.

They were rearrested by the CIAA on Friday as soon as the Kathmandu District Court approved their bail plea. nepalnews.com

The Chinese delegation led by Li Guang, Chief of Foreign Economic Cooperation Office of Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Commerce, held discussion with representatives of Nepal-China Chamber of Commerce & Industry (NCCCI) for the development of economy and trade relationship between the two countries on Wednesday in the capital.

Though the trade relation between China and Nepal has a long tradition, there is need to further boost trade relationship by transformation, press statement issued by NCCCI quoted Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, president of NCCCI as saying.

During the meeting, the Chinese delegation also called for joint investments on hydropower, minerals, herbs and medicine, banking, technologies and tourism, among others, said Shrestha assuring of support to make investment friendly environment in Nepal.

Similarly, Li Guang also said that as Nepal has been importing goods from Chengdu, Nepal also should export its products to Chengdu to balance of trade between the two parties.

Guang also invited Nepali business entrepreneurs to participate in the upcoming China (Chengdu) – South Asia Fair and Seminar for Economic and Trade cooperation Projects scheduled for June.

He further said that during the Seminar Nepal and China are set to hold discussion on the possibility of joint investment in the various projects in Nepal. nepalnews.com

A senior leader of CPN (UML) has claimed that Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal has become “half Maoist” already.

Pradip Nepal, who is the politburo member of the CPN (UML), said that although Khanal is UML party chairman and heads the government led by the party, he is actually a “Maoist prime minister” at heart.

Nepal, who was speaking at a press meet organized by Press Chautari, Sunsari in Itahari Wednesday afternoon, leveled this allegation against his own party chairman as he believes Khanal defied party’s clear orders not to allot home ministry portfolio to the Maoists.

Pradip Nepal even went so far as echoing the views of other senior UML leaders K.P Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal, saying that action must be taken against Khanal for his open misdemeanor.

Maintaining that no one — neither party activists nor party leader or chairman — who against party’s decision would be spared, Nepal said that since the politburo doesn’t have the authority to indict the chairman, the Rastriya Pratinidhi Parishad of the party will take necessary steps to initiate action against Khanal on the recommendation of the party’s powerful Central Committee. nepalnews.com

The State Affairs Committee (SAC) under the Legislature Parliament has directed the government to abide by the existing acts and norms while taking crucial decisions on the appointment, promotion and transfer of civil servants.

A meeting of the parliamentary committee held at Singha Durbar Wednesday afternoon issued such an instruction to the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Physical Planning and Works after concluding that there were irregularities in the appointment, promotion and transfer of civil servants at the aforementioned two ministries. The committee has also asked the two ministries to submit a detailed report on all promotion and transfer of civil servants within the next 15 days.

The parliamentary committee has also directed all concerned ministries to adopt “transparent mechanism” while taking major decisions on the appointment, promotion and transfer of civil servants so as to create an environment where there is no possibility of any “political pressure” for the same.

Ram Nath Dhakal, chairman of SAC, said the committee has also called for a probe into all decisions of appointment and promotion of civil servants at the Ministry of General Administration in the past one year and annul them if they are found to be against existing law and norms.

The members of the parliamentary committee had at the meeting also expressed their serious concern over the increasing instances of transfer and promotion of civil servants under political pressure.

However, the ministers and secretaries of agriculture, physical planning and general administration ministries who were grilled during today’s meeting had denied allegations that civil servants were being forced to tender their resignations, have been transferred without following due process or that there has been any political pressure for the same. nepalnews.com

Western Regional Hotel Association has expressed deep concern over the recent series of strikes called by political parties and various organizations despite their committment not to organise any kind of strikes and bandhs that could adversely affect the tourism industry.

Issuing a press statement, the association expressed that such strikes will drive away tourists and potential investment in the tourism sector apart from sending negative impression to the outer world.

It also said that the strike called by Khas Chhettri Society on Wednesday in Gandaki, Dhaulagiri and Lumbini zones has adversely affected the tourism sector in the region as organisers have even obstructed the vehicles with “green plate” carrying tourists.

The association also termed the series of strike as unfortunate as political parties and various organisation dishonored their previous commitment of not organising any kind of Bandhs.

The association also urged the political parties and organizations not to organise such programmes which would affect the tourism industry and cripple normal life of people.

Meanwhile, the Khas Chhettri Society has vandalized the noodles industry in Pokhara during the course of their strike today. nepalnews.com

The second meeting of Nepal-Tibet Trade Facilitation Committee (NTTFC) on trade talks between Nepal and China concluded in the capital on Tuesday.

The meeting that kicked off on May 9 focused its discussion on the issues like effective implementation of zero tariff facility in custom, development of infrastructure in the main border points, promotion of Chinese investment in trade, removal of non-tariff barriers, development of trade ability, easy imports, among others, according to Toya Narayan Gyawali, joint secretary at Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS).

The China has also shown interest to provide zero tariff facility to Nepal and also agreed to settle trade related hassles witnessed in the border points during the imports of goods, said Gyawali.

Gyawali also informed that both the countries have also decided to form a working committee at the border points to ease the trade activities and custom related problems.

China has also shown interest to open the branch of Chinese banks in Nepal as per the plea of Nepal to ease the financial transaction, said Gyawali.

The two-day meeting has also signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) for Nepal-Tibet Trade Fair to be held in Kathmandu from November 2 to 6. nepalnews.com

Tourism Crisis Cell including tourism associations have urged all not to organise any strikes at least during the Nepal Tourism Year-2011.

Organising a press meet in the capital on Tuesday, tourism entrepreneurs requested political parties not to organise strikes as it will adversely affect the economic activities in the country.

The tourism entrepreneurs also said that such strikes would generate fear among the international visitors.

Following the strike called by ethnic organisation, Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities on Friday, entrepreneurs urged the strike organisers to withdraw their strike for the success of Nepal Tourism Year.

Tourism Crisis Cell including representatives of Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN), Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA), Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO), PATA, Nepal Association of Rafting Agents (NARA) among others were present in the press meet. nepalnews.com

The government of Australia has pledged Rs. 3.46 billion for Health and Education Sector Reform Plan covering a five-year period.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Australian ambassador to Nepal, Susan Grace, and secretary Krishna Hari Baskota of the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday.

Australia is funding in School Sector Reform Plan for Rs. 1.46 billion over the period 2009-2014 to assist Nepal reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development by providing more girls and boys access to better education, and bringing out-of-school children into schools, according to the press release issued by Australian embassy.

Similarly, through the Nepal Health Sector Program (2010-2015), Australia is providing NPR 2 billion over the next five years as part of an International Health Partnership which will increase the quality of essential health care services to all Nepali people – particularly the marginalised and underprivileged.

Australia’s support to education and health is to assist Nepal to achieve its Millennium Development Goals, including: reducing malnutrition (MDG 1); achieving universal primary education (MDG 2); and promoting gender equality and empowering women (MDG 3); further reducing childhood mortality (MDG 4); and improving maternal health (MDG 5), as well as strengthening Nepal’s health and education systems to deliver more equitable, inclusive and accessible services, reads the press statement.

In financial year 2010-11, Australia is providing an estimated AUD18.4 million in official development assistance to Nepal. nepalnews.com

Prime Minister and CPN (UML) chairman Jhala Nath Khanal met his party’s senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal as part of an exercise to improve relationship between them which has increasingly become bitter of late.

PM Jhala Nath Khanal

Madhav Kumar Nepal
PM Khanal reached Nepal’s residence in Koteshwor today morning to clear the air on various issues they stand opposed to each other including early budget, cabinet expansion and the growing ties with UCPN (Maoist).

During the meeting, PM Khanal is learnt to have urged Nepal to extend his support to resolve the growing dispute and rift inside that vexes UML and complete the ongoing processes of peace and constitution drafting.

In response, Nepal expressed his objection over PM Khanal’s tendency to run the government without seeking any consultation from the senior members of his own party. He also asked Khanal to immediately call the party’s crucial Central Committee meeting that was put off indefinitely without citing any reasons.

Nepal along with another senior UML leader K.P Oli are miffed with Khanal right from the day he assumed the post of prime minister after forging a secret seven- point deal with Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal without the knowledge of top leadership of his own party.

Since that day, the Nepal-Oli camp has been very vocal in criticizing each and every move of the government led by their own party including its decision to bring early budget and complete the important task of army integration as per the integration model presented by Nepal Army.

Both Nepal and Oli were conspicuously absent in yesterday’s crucial meeting between top UML and Maoist leadership which decided to extend CA tenure and present early budget after forging consensus with other parties.

PM Khanal had also met Oli few days ago and requested the latter to extend his support in the running of the government. nepalnews.com