Kathmandu, Mar. 26 : Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya has spoken of the need to carry out economic development activities through wise utilisation of government means and resources.

Minister Acharya, who was speaking at an interaction programme organised by the Reporters Club Nepal here today, called for a political commitment among all political parties to economic upliftment of the country.

Stating that the present government is committed to generating more employment and income generation opportunities so as to alleviate poverty, he stressed the need of effective monitoring system for controlling irregularities.

Political interference in state-owned public corporations has resulted in a sharp decline in production thereby demoralising the employees, he said, stressing the need to check such political interference and make the administrative machinery more effective.

Stressing the need to involve Nepalese technicians in development projects, Minister Acharya said we should shun a tendency to depend on others in every sector.

At a time when the country has seen an economic depression, investment promotion is indispensable for attaining high growth rate, he observed.

If we are able to increase the country’s economic growth rate to 7 percent it would help much in poverty alleviation, he said.

Stressing the need for internal savings and proper utilisation of foreign assistance, he said investment should be made in agriculture, irrigation, communications technology, hydropower, human resource development and tourism to boost the country’s economy.

With more and more business companies getting registered with vat offices revenue collection is likely to increase.

Club president Rishi Dahmala Presided.

Kathmandu, Mar. 26 : Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya inaugurated a day-long interaction on “legal provision for completion of time-limit for litigants” organised by Kathmandu District Court and District Bar Association here today.

The programme was organised with the objective of holding interaction with the lawyers, people’s representatives and others concerned on removing hurdles and constraints seen in the existing legal provision concerning time-limit.

Taking part in the programme are chairmen and representatives of 57 vdcs of Kathmandu district, ward chairmen of Kathmandu Metropolitan City and Kirtipur Municipality and Tameldars of the district.

On the occasion, Chief Justice Upadhyaya said that all concerned with the provision of time-limit should execute their responsibility sincerely; for any shortcoming on their part in this sensitive matter would put a question mark on it.

Stating that indifference to laws would not help materialise the concept of the rule of law nor would it help establish the democratic norms, values and ideals, he noted that the co-operation of the People’s Representatives without any prejudices would help simplify the  process of time-limit completion and administration of justice.

President of Nepal Bar Association Harihar Dahal said that the process of time-limit should be kept away from politics  and the role of the people’s representatives in this connection should be honest and co-operative.

Chief Judge of Appellate Court, Patan, Min Bahadur Rayamajhi said that if Tameldar and public representatives colluded and did not keep a party concerned informed on time this would lead to unilateral verdict which was likely to throttle justice.

District Judge Bhola Prasad Kharel and associate professor Madhav Acharya also expressed their views at the programme chaired by president of Kathmandu District Bar Association, Kedar Karki.

Itahari, Mar. 26 : Three persons associated with the cpn (maoists) and All Nepal National Free Students Union (annfsu) and involved in terrorists activities have been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.

The single bench of the district court, Sunsari, Ekaraj Acharya, awarded the punishment on March 22 on  the basis of the evidences against the accused.

The three of them were remanded to judicial custody at the Biratnagar jail for crime against the state.

Among the three, Kiran Rai was involved in an explosion at Bhojpur and Geeta Subba was arrested for possessing arms and explosives at Dharan.

Likewise, Omprakash Dhakal and Dhyan Bahadur Rai who were detained at Dhankuta prison have been acquitted for lack of sufficient evidences against them, it is learnt from the court.

Kathmandu, Mar. 26: Around 80 per cent of the children in the target group were adMinistered polio drops till 3:30 pm today under the special polio vaccination campaign in various parts of the country.

A target has been set to administer polio drops to about 2.5 million children below five years of age in 33 districts of the country including 20 in the Terai, four in inner Terai, six in the mountainous and hilly regions in the east and west border and three districts in Kathmandu valley.

Altogether 11,222 health workers and 40,000 volunteers are directly involved in the vaccination programme run through 9,792 vaccination centres in 1,532 vdcs and 41 municipalities.

Office-bearers from local ddcs, metropolis and sub-metropolis, municipalities, vdcs, social workers, government and corporation employees, ngos, teachers, Nepal Police, Royal Nepalese Army also provided their cooperation in making the programme successful.

Under the programme a “door-to-door” visit programme will also be organised tomorrow for children who missed today’s programme. Some 31,628 volunteers and health workers will go from door to door and administer polio drops to those left out today.

Prior to this, the special polio vaccination campaign was organised on Jan. 23 and Feb. 27, 2000.

In Birgunj, Minister for Science and Technology Surendra Prasad Chaudhary inaugurated a polio surgery camp here today.

The camp was jointly organised by the Sri Krishna Pranami Sewa Samiti and Marwadi Sewa Trust Birgunj.

On the occasion, Mr Chaudhary said social workers command more respect and prestige from the people than politicians.

Stating that man reaps what he sows and organising such camp is a noble work, he said His Majesty’s Government has given top priority to polio eradication.

Dr Adinarayan Rao, Dr Bapi Raju and others also expressed their views on the occasion.

Operations will be performed on some 400 polio patients in the camp, and a team of 20 doctors is at work. Local doctors will monitor the condition of the patients who will undergo surgical operations.

Okhaldhunga, Mar. 26 : Okhaldhunga ddc organized a programme to discuss the problems encountered in the implementation of district development programme and their resolution today.

The programme was jointly inaugurated by Minister of State for Land Reforms and Management Gopal Rai, mp homnath Dahal and undp assistant resident representative Dr Bhesh Dhamala.

At the inaugural function, Minister of State Rai stressed the need for strong leadership and selfless commitment for the country’s development.

Mp homnath Dahal appreciated undp’s programmes aimed at poverty alleviation, while ddc chairman Prem Narayan “Premi” hoped that such programme would help thrash out problems encountered in district development programmes.

Undp assistant resident representative Dr Dhamala said in addition to the programmes already in the pipeline, undp is ready to launch rural energy development programme also if the ddc expressed its willingness in writing.

Energy development advisor of rural energy development programme Satish Gautam spoke about the kinds of infrastructures needed for rural energy development.

Kathmandu, March-26: Home Minister Govind Raj Joshi has said in today’s context it is the wish of the people that the government give top priority to maintaining security and peace.

Mr Joshi, while addressing a gathering of senior police officers of the valley here today, noted that people’s expectations can be met only if we all discharge our duty from our respective places and only this can significantly contribute to the development of the country.

Stating that the police should make efforts to resolve emerging problems by making most of the limited means and resources at our disposal, Home Minister Joshi remarked that the environment should be such that criminals and rouges are afraid of the police.

He also spoke of the need of unity and commitment to bring under control criminal activities.

Appreciating the role of police personnel who are performing their duty at the risk of their own life, he noted that the police should work with a feeling that there is somebody to protect them.

The Home Minister stressed the need for the police to take initiatives to prevent possible criminal activities from taking place and head for the site in case such incidents occur.

Police employees, members of the general public and political workers have lost their lives in violence, said Mr Joshi, adding, His Majesty’s Government is making preparations to rehabilitate the families of those who lost their lives and for health, education and jobs of their children.

The government is considering increasing financial assistance to Rs 750,000 given to police employees who sacrifice their lives for the sake of the nation and the people, he added.

Home Secretary Padma Prasad Pokharel said the problem which has emerged now is not the problem of police only but of the entire administration.

Igp Achyut Krishna Kharel observed that police personnel who are ready to lay down their lives for the nation should deserve honour.

Opportunities for career development will be provided to police employees who accomplish challenging tasks, he further said.

Kathmandu, Mar. 26:His Majesty the King has felicitated President of Bangladesh Justice Shahbuddin Ahmed on the occasion of the Independence Day of Bangladesh.

In a message of felicitations, His Majesty has extended best wishes for the president’s personal health and happiness as well as for the continued progress and prosperity of the people of Bangladesh.

His Majesty has also expressed confidence that the cordial and friendly relations existing between Nepal and Bangladesh will grow further in the years to come.

Kathmandu, March 25: Everest Exhibitions (EE) is to organise Tradex -2000 in Kathmandu beginning March 30. The fifth annual industrial and commercial fair will last for six days.

The organisers said that they always tried to make the fair a consumer-oriented event in the past in line with the nature of Nepalese market adding that the forthcoming fair would be a landmark in trade and commerce sector.

The fair, according to an EE press release, would display traditional as well as modern consumer goods. Besides, it would feature a competitive show of two wheelers and four wheelers. Modern gardens in Nepalese tradition would be another aspect of the fair, which the organisers expect, would attract women.

The fair would also feature the selective exhibition of decorative items, construction materials and industrial products. The fair that aims at promote and popularise new products from home and abroad will spread in about 100 stalls.

EE said that they had made necessary arrangements for communication service, advertising and marketing agencies, official travel agency and carrier service as well as insurance and entertainment programmes

Lalitpur, Mar. 25:The Sesh-Hira Foundation felicitated couples completing 70 years of their conjugal life at a function organised on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the foundation and the 75th birth anniversary of foundation patrons Sheshraj Dali and Hira Devi Dali today.

The couples felicitated on the occasion were Sheshraj Dali and Hira Devi Dali, Dambar Bahadur Basnet and Narmada Basnet, Tulsiram Khatiwada and Tulasa Khatiwada, Chirikaji Awale and Sanukaji Awale, Dayabir Singh Kansakar and Chandralaxmi Kansakar, Chandra Kumar Bajracharya and Mainju Bajracharya, Narayan Prasad Bhattarai and Lokkumari Bhattarai, Keshavdev Bhattarai and Bishnudev Bhattarai, Nandaratna Shakya and Bekhalani Shakya and Liladhar Devkota and Vedkumari Devkota.

Vice chancellor of Royal Nepal Academy Mohan Koirala presented prizes and letters of honour to the senior couples.

On the same occasion, Mr Koirala presented honorary membership of the foundation to Japanese citizen Prof. Dr. H. Soman for his contribution to reproductive health, Kiriti Sanu Padak or medal to Uma Mishra who stood first and the first-division holders in master’s degree chemistry in 2054/55 bs, and prizes, medals, and certificates to winners of the essay competition and Gopal Maharjan of Rudrayani Higher Secondary School who secured the highest marks in slc examinations of 2055 bs from among students of Khokna and Bungmati.

Chairman of the function Dr Mangal Raj Joshi presented letters of appreciation to doctors and health personnel in recognition of their special contribution to health camps run by the foundation.

Speaking on the occasion, patron of the foundation Sheshraj Dali said the programme of honoring senior couples was launched with a view to raising awareness in children to take good care of their parents.

A host of other speakers including vice chancellor Koirala, Dr Joshi, foundation chairman Dr Vishworaj Dali, vice chairman of the foundation Dr Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha, member-secretary Rajesh Raj Dali and Keshav Dev Bhattarai had expressed their views on the occasion.

At the function, patron Sheshraj Dali presented a cash of Rs 50,000 to the foundation.

Butwal, Mar. 25:The two-day third Nepal National Hindi Conference organised in Lumbini, Siddharthanagar concluded today by adopting a 37-point declaration.

The conference pointed out the need to include Hindi in school to university level curriculums.

The conference also stressed the need to formulate concrete policies and plans for developing the script,  literature, grammar and dictionary of all the languages spoken in the country so as to encourage and preserve all languages in a multilingual country.

The declaration calls for, among other things, more time for Hindi in the electronic media, inclusion of Hindi in the curriculum of the Public Service Commission,  publication of works in Hindi impartially by the Sajha Prakashan and the Royal Nepal Academy and publication of a Hindi edition of the Gorkhapatra.

The declaration also calls for positions in the Royal Nepal Academy to well known Hindi scholars and recognition of great Hindi literary figures as national heros.

About 100 litterateurs and academics from all over Nepal had participated at the conference organised by the Janakpur Boudhik Samaj.

The next fourth Nepal National Hindi conference will be organised in Nepalgunj on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the  National Democracy Day.

Meanwhile, a grand poetry symposium was organised under the joint auspices of the Indian Embassy and the Boudhik Samaj in Siddarthanagar today on the occasion of the third Nepal National Hindi Conference.

At the symposium, a host of poets and poetesses including Rajeswor Nepali, Sanjita Sharma, Suraju Chaudhari, Jayanarayan Jha Jigyasu, Prof. Hare Krishna Saha, Bunda Rana, Kapil Lamichhane, Sitaram Agrahari Prakash, Ganga Prasad Akela, Shyamananda Singh and Himanshu Chaudhari recited poems.