Kathmandu, Mar. 31:The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (unctad) secretariat is to organise a regional expert level meeting in Kathmandu in coordination with the hmg, National Planning Commission from April 3 to 5 in connection with the third United Nations Convention for the least developed countries to be held in brussels from May 13 to 20, 2001.
The three objectives of the conference are to assess the results of the programmes launched at the national level in the 1990s especially to review the implementation of the international cooperation in the development assistance, loans, investment and trade, to consider the progressive adjustment and ways for sustainable development of the economy of the least developed countries and to consider the clauses on structures and adoption of the national and international policies.
The meeting will discuss and reach conclusions on the common problems faced by the least developed countries in the regional experts level meeting to be participated in by representatives from 14 least developed countries, international organisations and national experts.
The meeting is to be inaugurated by Minister for Industry and Commerce Ram Krishna Tamrakar.
Kathmandu, Mar.31:Khimti I Hydropower Project became the first medium-size private sector hydel project to produce power Thursday as one of its five turbines began to generate 12 MW electricity, a press statement of Himal Hydropower Project, one of the owners of Khimti, said here today.
“All the five units are scheduled to be on line before the end of May thereby adding 60 MW of power capacity in the national grid,” the statement further added.
Each of its five turbines has the capacity to generate 12 MW electricity thus making the project with 60 MW of installed capacity, according to Binod P Khanal of HPL.
Of the total project cost US $ 139 million, the owners – HPL, Stratkraft SF, ABB Kraft AS, and Kvaerner Energy AS – invested US $ 34 million while the balance has been funded by the Asian Development Bank, Ekspportfinans AS, International Finance Corporation, Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation (NORAD) and the Nordic Development Fund (NDF).
Butwal Power Company, a government property, has promoted the HPL while the three other owners of Khimti are Norwegian companies.
Construction work of this run of the river project in Dolakha and Ramechhap Districts began in 1993. The major structures of the project include the Headworks (Intake, Desanding basin), 7,900 metre long head-race tunnel with four construction adits, 1,000 metre long penstock tunnel, 1,470 metre long tailrace and a 900 metre long access tunnel to the underground power house.
HPL claims that the Khimti Project holds the record for achieving the highest national tunnelling productivity. “It has the longest head-race tunnel and penstock in the country.”
The hydropower project plans to begin its commercial operation before mid July 2000. Hydropower experts say the price of per unit electricity generated by Khimti has reached seven Cents. The private hydropower project had signed the Power Purchase Agreement with Nepal Electricity Authority in 1995 with the agreed per unit electricity price at 5.94 Cents.
Kathmandu, Mar. 31:Chairman of the Centre for Studies on Democracy and Good Governance (csdg) Hridayesh Tripathy presented a report of the three phase studies carried out by the centre to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at the latter’s office today.
Directors of the centre Madhav Kumar Nepal and Pashupati Shamsher J. B. Rana and member of the centre’s steering committee Dr. Mohammad Mohsin were also present at the report presentation programme.
Prior to presentation of the report, Mr Nepal said the centre has been set up with the joint efforts of general secretaries of all political parties with a view to promoting democracy and good governance.
Another director of the centre Mr Rana noted that the main objective of the centre is to pursue consensus in issues of national importance among different political parties.
Centre’s director Achyut Bahadur Rajbhandari noted that the centre studied an impartial and neutral civil service, promotion of accountability in civil service and a self-regulartory transfer and promotion system for the civil service and reached a concrete conclusion.
The report recommended that the scope of civil service should be determined, the Public Service Commission and the House of Representatives State Affairs Committee may inquire into issues involving employees going beyond the bounds of neutrality, good governance act and civic society act should be worked out, transfers of employees made in keeping with scheduled plans and a civil service council formed to recommend transfers of high-ranking officials.
Kathmandu, Mar. 31: His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuk of Bhutan has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment to the high office of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.
In a congratulatory message, His Majesty the King has expressed confidence that Nepal will achieve greater peace, progress and prosperity under Mr Koirala’s able leadership.
Wishing Mr Koirala good health and happiness, and every success in discharging his high responsibilities, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuk has expressed confidence that the close ties of friendship and cooperation between Nepal and Bhutan will be further strengthened in the years ahead.
Mr Sangay Ngedup, head of the government and chairman of the council of Ministers of Bhutan has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment as Prime Minister of Nepal.
Mr Ngedup has expressed confidence that under Mr Koirala’s able and dedicated leadership, Nepal will achieve greater peace, progress and prosperity in the years ahead.
Wishing Mr Koirala every success in discharging his high responsibilities, Mr Ngedup said that he looked forward to further strengthening the traditional ties of friendship and cooperation between Nepal and Bhutan.
Likewise, Mr Mikujas Dzurinda, Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.
In a message of congratulations, the Slovak Prime Minister has hoped that the freindly relations between Slovakia and Nepal will continue to grow to the mutual benefit of the peoples of the two countries.
Mr Dzurinda has also wished for Mr Koirala’s success, good health and happy well-being.
Kathmandu, Mar.31:Unlike what the officials had said yesterday, the Nepal-India talks on the resumption of the Indian Airlines flights remained inconclusive even for the fourth day today with no meeting having taken place between the two sides today.
The Nepali delegation members, who were waiting at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) headquarters till late evening, finally said that the Indian side had decided not to meet today.
“Even if we did not meet in person, we have been in touch with the Indian team,” said Hari Bhakta Shrestha, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, who heads the Nepali delegation. “Since we could not meet today, we have tentative plans to meet tomorrow.”
Till yesterday, the Joint-secretary level talks between the two neighbouring countries, that began last Monday, had taken place at the CAAN Headquarters.
The Nepali delegation members had told reporters yesterday that both the sides had extensive discussion on several issues related to the IC flight resumption and that the press would be handed out copies of the agreements reached.
Shrestha, however, told newsmen today that the talks were still in the process of refining different issues. “We discussed these issues over the telephone today.” He would no elaborate further.
Despite repeated efforts, the Indian delegation team could not be contacted for immediate comments.
India sent a three member team headed by Sunil Arora, Joint Secretary at the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry, to hold talks with Nepal on the Indian Airlines flight resumption three months after the Indian national flag carrier suspended its inbound flights following the IC 814 hijack on December 24 last year.
The Indian Airlines Airbus was hijacked in the Indian aerospace around half an hour after it took off from the Tribhuvan International Airport.
Kathmandu, March 30:Member secretary of Nepal Sports Council Binod Shanker Palikhe gave away certificates to the participants at the concluding ceremony of three day South Asian Weightlifting Coaching and Referee Course here Thursday.
Addressing the programme, Palikhe said that such a kind of course would help to organise junior men and women weightlifting championships to be held in 2002 in the nation. “I’m ready to extend any cooperation if need,” he further added.
Meanwhile, President of Nepal Weightlifting Association said that this type of programme would encourage the athletes, referees as well as the judges. General secretary and the chief trainer of Nepal Weightlifting Association Partha Sarath Sen Gupta also spoke on the occasion.
A participant from Bangladesh expressed that the programme helped them to acquit more knowledge on this field.
Chief trainer of the programme, Myrddin John said that he was very much pleased with the participants. He further said, ‘Nepal would be able to hold world championships if they continue their efforts this way.”
On the occasion, Member Secretary Palikhe gave away the souvenir to the chief trainer John.
Biratnagar, March 30: Nepal Bank’s some sub-branches located in Eastern hill and Terai areas have been shifted to the district headquarters and town areas because of low financial transaction and security considerations.
According to the Banks Regional Office chief Mukunda Karmacharya, the Chatara Banking Office (Sunsari) of the Bank has been shifted to Chakraghatti and its banking office located at Dharan Industrial District to City Bank Dharan.
Likewise, Chyanthapu (Phidim) Banking Office has been shifted to the district headquarters and Teherathun Office at Athrai to the Tehrathum district headquarters.
Its banking office at Magalbare in Ilam district has also been shifted to the district headquarters Ilam and Siraha Maheshbari Banking Office to Lahan in view of the growing activities of the Maoist and lack of adequate security arrangement, according to the Bank.
Itahari, March 30: The Transport Management Office, Itahari, has collected more than Rs. 12,023,000 in revenue since the Department of Transport Management adopted the new policy of surveillance on all means of transport and collecting of revenue from vehicle use.
The office which collected revenue worth Rs 3,590,387 in the corresponding period last fiscal year has been able to collect Rs 8,432,672 by March 23, 2000.
According to head of the Office Loknath Dhakal, the revision of number plates for various kinds of vehicles is the reason for the increased revenue collection.
Revenue and tax were collected from 10,893 out of the 15,366 vehicles registered at the office and the number plates changed as per the rules, Dhakal said.
The number of registered personal, government and corporation owned motorbikes is 9,361 and the numbers of 7,654 of them have been changed.
According to Kapil Regmi at the Registration Section of the Office, the numbers of 200 to 600 means of transport are changed daily and the revenue collected is from Rs 100,000 to Rs 600,000.
As there is overcrowd in the Office, registration has been going on in the mornings and evenings also, it is learnt.
According to Ram Babu Dhakal, an accountant at the office, motorbike owners who had not paid revenue for the last 18 years are now compelled to pay.
The number of vehicles which need to change number is 4,473 and all vehicle owners are expected to come in time for their number revision.
Pokhara, March 30:The Small Market Infrastructures Development Project has completed the development of physical infrastructures for fruit and vegetable wholesale market in Pokhara.
Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan Corporation made available 46 ropanies of land at Ward No. 9 of the town for the development of the wholesale market.
The planned market is the first “A” grade market built by the project with the United National Capital Development Fund ‘s grant assistance of about Rs 27 million.
The market complex with seventy-two shops and eighteen open halls is expected to come into operation from the Nepalese New Year Day (April 13) and necessary preparation is under way for the same.
The shops will be made available to wholesalers and the open halls to various farmers groups and co-operative enterprises.
The market complex has such facilities as electricity, telephone, approach roads, management office, assembly hall, guard quarters, bazaar information centre, and sewerage and drainage system.
The plan is to extend the buildings to three storeys. necessary arrangement is also under way to provide with such facilities as computers, telefax, four solid waste disposal containers, according to the project.
The earning from the market will be deposited in the fund of Pokhara Agricultural Products Market Management Committee. The fund will be used to carry out repair and maintenance work and meet its administrative expenses.
The four-year agreement between His Majesty’s Government and UNCDF on planned development of fruit and vegetable wholesale and retail market in Nepal expires in a month.
During that period, the Small Bazaar (market) Infrastructures Development Project has constructed fruit and vegetable wholesale and retail markets of ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ categories in various parts of the country, according to the Project.
Kathmandu, March 30:The Ministry of Commerce is to organise an Export Promotion Conference-2000 with a view to improving Nepal’s economic relations and promoting her export trade and foreign investment in the country.
The three-day conference beginning in Kathmandu on April 5 will aim to promote foreign investment for sustainable development and tourism, stabilise market for chief exportable products like carpet and readymade garment, explore viable market for other exportable products and make strategies for Nepal to get maximum benefit from the proposed free South Asian Free Trade Zone.
As Nepal is seeking the membership of World Trade Organisation (WTO), the conference will also aim at preparing opinion in favour of Nepal in that connection.
At a press conference held here Wednesday in that connection, Minister for Commerce and Industry Ramkrishna Tamrakar said the conference would shed light on Nepal’s economy and economic policy and the government policy commitment to the sectors concerned.
The export promotion conference will bring together 400 delegates including 150 from abroad.
The honorary Nepalese consuls general and consulates abroad, Kathmandu based-honorary consuls and trade delegations of thirty countries, bilateral chambers of commerce and industry, friendship associations, importers and exporters, joint investors, distinguished persons in trade and industry, representatives of Nepalese business community and diplomatic missions and high level government officers will also attend the conference.
The conference will be the first attempt to bring together 44 Nepalese honorary consuls general and consuls stationed in thirty-four countries and involve them in direct discussions with Nepalese and foreign officials concerned with Nepal’s foreign trade, investment and tourism sectors.
If the participants will be willing to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on trade and investment with Nepal, the conference will also provide an opportunity for the same.
Meanwhile, a delegation of FNCCI led by its second vice chairman Diwakar Golcha left here Wednesday for New Delhi to hold talks with Indian authorities on the adverse impact the recent Indian budgetary proposals on Nepal’s exports.
The delegation also includes FNCCI Export Promotion Committee president Kishore Kumar Khanal, Social Services Committee president Shashi Kant Agrawal, general secretary Badri Prasad Ojha and Managing Director of Nepal Lever Ltd. Sandip Ghosh.