Lalitpur, Mar. 25: Speaker Taranath Ranabhat has said legislation concerning women’s rights and well-being should be formulated in such a manner that it does not violate social norms and values.

Speaker Ranabhat was inaugurating a seminar on the existing legislation concerning women’s rights and the need of improvement organised jointly by the National Assembly Social Justice and Gender Mainstreaming Programme and the UNDP here today.

Stressing the need to ensure that women are not deprived of the rights provided by the state and society, he said education comes first when it comes to promoting awareness among women.

At a time when a lack of awareness has come in the way of women’s empowerment the need to increase the women’s literacy rate has been strongly felt, he said.

Parliament and its members are sensitive to matters concerning the rights of women and children, he added.

CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said women’s empowerment and awareness will continue to be limited to slogans unless a drastic attitudinal change is  brought about.

He stressed the need of an effective movement to end discrimination against women and wipe out the remnants of feudalism from the society.

Opposition party leader in the National Assembly Yuvaraj Gyawali spoke of the need to strengthen women economically so as to enable them to claim their rights.

President of Nepal Peasants and Workers Party and mp narayan Man Bijukshe stressed the need for extensive discussions on any bills before their passage by parliament and said it is equally important to monitor whether the bills passed by parliament are properly implemented.

MP Basudev Risal described the outmoded social practice, discriminations and inequality as impediments to women’s upliftment, while Samyukta Janamorcha mp Lilamani Pokhrel called for strict legislation to control women trafficking and flesh trade.

MP Rajeshwor Devkota said given the present social fabric and need of the time the demand for women’s inheritance right is quite irrelevant. He stressed the need for strict legislation to control sexual exploitation and women trafficking.

NC central member Miss Shailaja Acharya was of the view that unless women move ahead unitedly it will be very difficult for them to enjoy equal rights in a male dominated society.

CPN-ML President Mrs Sahana Pradhan stressed the need for women’s inheritance right and for effective measures to control evil practices like child marriage, polygamy and women trafficking.

Undp resident representatives Dr Henning Karcher stressed the need for equal participation of women in development activities and said that women should be given equal rights in every sector in order to encourage their participation in development.

MP Mrs Ambika Pant pointed out the weak implementation aspect of women related legislation as a barrier to women’s empowerment.

From the chair, mp Jivanprem Shrestha hoped that the seminar would provide important input to the bill designed to amend the civil code.

Mp shanta Gyawali and various others also expressed their views on women’s rights.

Experts concerned are scheduled to present working papers on various topics like women’s reproductive right, enheritance right, child exploitation, child marriage and divorce during the two-day seminar.

The seminar is being attended by members of both Houses of Parliament, lawyers, human right activists and ngo representatives.

Kathmandu, March 23:Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who was sworn in yesterday heading a 25-member cabinet, has said maintaining peace and law and order in the country is the topmost priority of his government.

“I have taken the mantle of the PM to fight the challenges, including poverty, violence and unemployment, prevailing in the country,” he said at a press meet held at Singha Durbar today. “We have the responsibilities of fulfilling people’s aspirations for which they have given Nepali Congress the mandate for five years.”

Referring to the Maoist rebels who have been carrying out violent activities nation-wide for over four years, he said: “The door for peace talks is always open but they have to give up the arms before sitting for dialogue.”

Premier Koirala said that he would soon launch a reform campaign to streamline the administration for good governance and to make it fair and transparent. Koirala said the number of ministries would be reduced to 19 as advised by a panel, which he formed in 1991, the year he took the mantle as the first elected Prime Minister.

This would be done on the basis of the report of the Administrative Reform Commission and the action plan of the Administrative Reform Task Force appointed this year, he said. “We will reduce the number of ministries as per the necessity and make the internal monitoring effective and result-oriented to prevent financial irregularities.”

Checking corruption would be another of the present government’s prioritised issue for which a Bill would be passed demanding transparency in the activities of public offices and political parties. “We will curb the unauthorised possession of property by formulating strong legislation. Such illegal property of all individuals, regardless of social and political status, will be nationalised,” he said.

In order to strengthen democracy and guarantee people’s fundamental rights the government, Koirala said, would constitute the Human Rights Commission as soon as possible. “It’s at the top of my agenda,” Koirala told journalists as well as both sessions of the House.

Responding to a query whether or not he would allow the Indian security personnel at Tribhuvan International Airport, PM Koirala said that the issue would be solved diplomatically. “Such issues should not be publicised.”

On when work on the Kathmandu Hetauda Fast Track Road Project will begin, Koirala said: “I will tell the details about the progress later on.”

Koirala also addressed the House of Representatives, which sat today after former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai resigned on March 16, which was carried live on Nepal Television and Radio Nepal. Koirala delivered the same speech at the National Assembly, which sat in the afternoon. Here follows the translation of the text carried by RSS:

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said that laws will now be made under which any property having no legitimate sources of income will be considered illegally acquired and be confiscated.

“It is necessary to strengthen and make effective the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority in order to combat corruption effectively,” Koirala said. “The government will make necessary amendments in the existing laws and get them passed in the Parliament,” he said.

The government would launch effective campaign to end the activities of violence and killing by Maoist terrorists, Koirala said.

“Maintenance of peace and order and security for people’s life and property is the primary duty of the government,” the Prime Minister noted, saying firmly that “if Maoist terrorists or other elements challenge the open and constitutional environment under which one can put one’s fact democratically and peacefully before the people and win their confidence, then the government has to control it.”

“The government is the guardian of the citizens, and as their guardian it has to listen to their discontents and angry reactions and find ways to resolve the problem through dialogue, discussions and deliberations, Prime Minister Koirala said.

The government, he said, would be ready to have talks with the Maoists if they acted according to the framework of the constitution, giving up violence and laying down their arms.

The Prime Minister also pledged employment for the families of the people, political party workers and police personnel who were killed as a result of the Maoist violence and terrorist activities, schooling for those orphaned or necessary assistance for others.

The government would pay its attention to the suggestions and counsel given by the high level committee formed under the chairmanship of former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on resolving the Maoist problems.

Premier Koirala said that an administrative reform campaign would be launched on the basis of the report of the Administrative Reform Commission and the action plan of the Administrative Reform Task Force in order to streamline the administration for good governance.

For this purpose, a move had already been started to cut down the number of ministries, depending on the nature of their works and necessity; internal follow-up measure would be made more effective and result-oriented to prevent irregularities of all kinds, including administrative delay at the offices of public concern, he said, adding that congenial atmosphere would be created to prevent politicisation of the bureaucracy and the government would be alert about checking any exploitation on matters of transfer and promotion of the government servants.

For this purpose, the government expect co-operation from all political parties and civil society in enhancing the efficiency of the administration and making it people-oriented and free from politics, Prime Minister Koirala said.

Besides, the government would complete the long-awaited task of constituting a human rights commission as a matter of high priority, he added.

A specific code of conduct would be made and strictly implemented for those who were appointed to elected and nominated posts or got political appointments so that they might conduct themselves according to their posts and shun misusing the facilities received therefrom, the Prime Minister said, adding that provision would also be made under which those not abiding by the code of conduct might be liable to legal action as well.

In this context, the Prime Minister urged all the parties represented in the Parliament to help finalise as soon as possible several bills lying under consideration of the house in order to help in this direction.

A system of internal supervision would be built up at the offices of daily public concern, particularly the district administration offices, customs, tax, survey, land reform, telephone and electricity tariff offices, police offices, to create a congenial atmosphere for efficient execution of people’s works and to ensure that there would be no room for any administrative delay, irregularities and possibility of exploitation, Premier Koirala said.

Necessary follow-up measures would be taken to complete works relating to development projects on time in a standardised and well-regulated manner, and in order to arrange such work in favour of the people in general, a definite trend would be established to generate public awareness and seek their co-operation jointly with the chief political parties in the districts.

In this connection, measures would be taken on the basis of the report presented to His Majesty’s Government on Chaitra 9 by the Corruption Control Recommendation Committee and the suggestions made in the past by the other committee on corruption control formed by Nepali Congress government, he said.

“In a democracy, election is indeed a medium that articulates public opinion in a healthy and planned way,” Prime Minister Koirala said.” “Electoral process will be reformed on the basis of the experiences and practices made thus far since the restoration of the democracy in the country.”

Necessary legal provision would also be made to empower the Election Commission so as to make laws which will help make financial activities of political parties transparent, extend provision of identity cards, curb extravagant election expenses, check the possibility of criminal tendency during elections, he said.

The problems of policy implementation and programme execution regarding economic development and poverty alleviation in the country over the last ten years would be extensively reviewed to find out any shortcoming in that direction and the government would take initiatives to reach at the root cause of the problem and find solution to them through open discussion with chief political parties and civil society, he said.

“Since the Parliament is the most important of all democratic institutions in the country, it duly guides all other institutions on their path. Besides, it is the Parliament that directly exercises or manifests the chief power and rights inherent in the people”, the Prime Minister said.

“The need of the hour is a Parliamentary exercise commanding the popular faith and trust, in order to translate into practice a responsible system of governance and ascertain popular participation in the governance,” he noted.

“Only when the Parliament is able to call forth this power can it correctly guide other institutions of the country,” he said, adding, the present government wanted to resolve the problems confronting the country in an open manner and through mutual confidence.

He expressed the confidence that co-operation in this connection would be forthcoming from the legislators through the speaker of the house.

The Prime Minister said the government of the Nepali Congress would be geared towards resolving the problems of corruption which remain as human anomalies and weaknesses, by adopting concrete measures rather than making it as a topic of obscure debate.

The government will take a lead in coming to conclusion on the Bill for management of the political parities and their facilities which was presented at the last session which had been given commitment by the Nepali Congress and other main political parties aimed at controlling corruption, the Prime Minister noted.

This Bill will not only manage the internal democracy of the political parties but also create an atmosphere leading to the regularisation and transparency of all their economic activities, he added.

“This will provide for auditing of the income and expenses of the political parties and that the names of the donors will have to be made open to all,” Koirala further said.

The Prime Minister said the Nepali people had aspired since the third general election-2056, among others things, freeing the country from fear by protecting it from the scourge of violence, murders and terror, protecting the country form the vicious circle of corruption and economic irregularities, bringing impartiality and transparency in the all the administrative machinery and freeing the people, from administrative delays, harassment and financial exploitation while they gave the responsibility of running the country to the Nepali Congress.

Therefore, as a majority party in Parliament the Nepali Congress has to review and re-examine whether these promises put forward by the NC has been fulfilled, the Prime Minister concluded.

Rajbiraj, Mar. 23 : CPN-UML standing committee member and the leader of the main opposition in the National Assembly Yuba Raj Gyawali, addressing a protest meeting organised by the cpn-uml saptari district committee here today, has accused the government of failing to control price hike, terrorism and corruption.

Mr. Gyawali expressed the view that the political, social and economic status of the people could be raised if we are able to utilise the natural resources and means existing in the country.

Member of the cpn-uml sagarmatha zonal coordination committee Suman Raj Pyakurel said the cpn-uml is struggling for the security of the people as well as safeguarding democracy.

At the meeting presided over by the cpn-uml district committee secretary Diwakar Devkota, various other speakers including party deputy secretary Manpur Chaudhari and member Danalal Chaudhari also expressed their views.

Kathmandu, March 23:Nepali Congress leader and former Deputy Prime Minister Shailaja Acharya today has announced her candidacy for the presidency of Nepali Congress in the coming Tenth General Convention of Nepali Congress to be held in October.

She has appealed for cooperation from her senior leaders including former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai as well as her colleagues and counterparts. “I appeal to Party leader Bhattari for his blessings and am sure of NC worker’s and public support,” said the NC leader who has held the position of NC Vice-President earlier.

“My campaign shall begin in Baishakh new year from Sundarijal jail which is a sacred site symbolising our movement,” the second generation NC leader said. “After the demise of democracy in 2017 BS, B.P. Koirala and other political prisoners were kept in Sundarijal jail. That house harbours the soul of Nepali Congress, and I want to give the party a revival of its spirit,” she said.

When asked when does she think the process of succession of the second generation of party leadership will start, Acharya said she has been told to takeover as the Acting President of Nepali Congress by the Party President Girija Prasad Koirala. “Therefore, in a way the process of hand over has already begun,” she said.

“Two distinct streams can now be seen in Nepali Congress— One is that of a faction which believes in power mongering and groupism while another is of those who are still dedicated to the fundamental values and norms that Nepali Congress stands for,” Acharya said, adding that she wants to give the latter stream a new leash of life.

“It was for such a Nepali Congress which stood for values that B.P. Koirala and Ganeshman Singh devoted themselves while thousands other sacrificed their lives,” she said expressing her serious concern that this tradition of value based politics is today endangered.

“My candidacy is meant to bring the message of unity at the face of groupism that we see in the party today. A leadership that is weak morally cannot combat the challenges of terrorism and anti-democratic forces that the nation is facing,” she said.

Kathmandu, March 23:Come April 13, and Dolakha’s 14 year old Tembachhiri Sherpa will set out on an expedition who aspires to be the youngest climber atop the tallest peak in the world, Mount’s Everest.

Tembachhiri will be accompanied by his father Chhawa Sherpa and his brother Chhiring Sherpa, both of them mountain guides. Other members of the expedition include his instructor Dangima Sherpa, Phurbachhiri Sherpa and Ram Krishna Shrestha.

The expedition is to be led by Bhakta Bahadur Thakuri, who has almost two decade long experience in mountain climbing and has climbed as high as 6,500 metres.

The expedition team is scheduled to reach the peak of the 8,848 metres tall mountain on April 17 and install Lord Buddha’s idol there coinciding with 2,544 anniversary of the God of Peace.

A class seven student at Kathmandu based Pashupati Secondary School, Tembachhiri told a press conference here this afternoon that he always cherished a dream to be the youngest climber atop Everest since he knew about the world’s tallest peak. He showed confidence that he would set the record.

“I am excited about the expedition; it has aroused in me a sense of delight,” said Tembachhiri who feels proud of being a Nepali.

Asked about his aim in life, Tembachhiri said that he wanted to be a good mountain guide in future.

Tembachhiri’s father, 44, also will be making his first attempt to the Everest for the first time along with his two sons. He showed confidence that the expedition would end successfully.

Tembachhri’s brother, 17, said that he too was excited about the expedition which he hoped would be successful.

Tembachhiri’s mother Lakpa Diki Sherpa showed happiness over the expedition that could bring fame to her husband and two sons. She, however, is not free of worries about the outcome of the challenging endeavour.

Pokhara’s Arbin Timilsina, 15, was compelled to abandon his expedition last season due to oxygen shortage and sore eyes when he was less than 100 metres away from the peak.

The expedition named ‘Everest Expedition 2000: New Record’ is being organised by Dolakha Trust, Nepal

Govinda Chitrakar, the Trust advisor, said that the expedition was organised with a view to spread the message of peace in the world rent by violence.

The climbers will set up Lord Buddha’s idol atop Mountain Everest wishing world peace, Trust President Dwarika Man Shrestha said. The idol to be set up at the top of the world is to be provided by Chitrakar Society.

Kathmandu, Mar. 23:Incidents of theft of telephone cables in the capital is on the rise since the last few days but as the concerned body is indifferent in this matter and the clients have to suffer.

The incidents of theft of cable started at Shankhamul and Buddhanagar about two weeks back.

At present, more than 460 telephone lines of these localities have been stolen, according to chief of Chabahil exchange office of the Nepal Telecommunicatin Corporation (ntc) Krishna Ghimire.

As a result of the theft of telephone cable at Thapagaon on March 21, about 65 telephone lines have gone dead. When telephone cable was being stolen at Buddhanagar, local people shouted but the thief ran away.

According to Mr Ghimire, street children might be involved in this kind of theft.

Likewise, telephone services have been disrupted in the area in front of Manakamana Cinema Hall at Bijuli Bazaar due to theft of the telephone cables, according to the local residents.

In the same manner about 1,200 metres of cable was stolen at the Nayabasti of Purano Naikap Bhanjyang vdc about a week back. Telephone cable was stolen in the area about three months back, according to Basudev Shrestha, a local resident. He is of the view that drug addicts might be involved in the theft.

When contacted in this connection, ntc spokesman Madhusudan Karmacharya said that as the houses in Kathmandu were not built in a planned manner, it had become difficult to lay secondary cables underground. Ntc has to develop a planned system of cable distribution to prevent this kind of incidents, he added.

He is of the view that the theft may be due to value of copper in the telephone cable.

Kathmandu, Mar. 23: Speaker of the House of Representatives has wished the present council of Ministers a success in fulfilling the promises it made to the people as well as in providing the Nepalese people with opportunities to enjoy a bright future.

Welcoming the newly elected Prime Minister and ministers at the meeting of House of Representatives today, Speaker Ranabhat also wished the council of ministers all success during its tenure of office.

At the House today, the Child Labour (prohibition and regularisation) Bill-2056 bs and the Land Measurement Act (8th amendment) Bill-2056 which were returned by the National Assembly without any changes were tabled, along with its message, by the secretary of the House of Representatives.

The next meeting of the House is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Monday, March 27.

Meanwhile, National Assembly Chairman Dr. Mohammad Mohsin, at the meeting of the National Assembly today, congratulated the newly appointed Prime Minister and other members of the council of ministers, and wished them success in the consolidation of democracy, and resolving the national issues and the problems of livelihood of the people.

At the meeting, Dr. Moshin read out the communication received from the Royal Palace concerning the formation of the council of ministers.

The National Aseembly will meet again on March 28.

Kathmandu, March 23 :The Mountain Air Pvt. Ltd., a new airlines, is operating its flight services beginning first week of April.

The Mountain Air will operate flights to Pokhara, Biratnagar, Bhadrapur, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj and other areas in the hill sector, executive chairman of the Airlines Pragyan Shumsher Rana informed a press conference here on Wednesday.

The airlines will operate flight services with its two aircraft.

The airlines has already acquired the 19-seater modern American Beach Aircraft 1900c on lease-cum-purchase basis and it intends to give reliable, safe and quality service to passengers, managing director of the Airlines Shibendra Basnet said.

The airlines has provided direct employment opportunities to 175 persons. Twenty-nine airlines service companies have been registered in Nepal after His Majesty’s Government adopted the open aviation policy ten years ago.

However, only 18 airlines including Mountain Air are in operation at present.

Rajbiraj, March 23 : A meeting was convened under the chairmanship of chief district officer Balkrishna Prasai here recently to ensure effective supply and fair distribution of kerosene in Saptari district.

The meeting categorised consumers for the convenience of the petroleum dealers and it decided to provide kerosene to employees at the rate of 15 litres per month per person, a maximum of ten litres per person per month to campus students and students of technical institutes.

It was decided at the meeting that the Dealers’ association would arrange for a card system for government employees, students and the VDCs. It would also monitor and initiate action against dealers engaging in black-marketing, hoarding and deflection of kerosene to India.

Assistant chief district officer Bharatmani Bhattarai, Mayor of Rajbiraj Municipality Jagarnath Das, Deputy-Mayor Lalit Kumar Shrestha, chairman of the District Consumers’ Forum Shatrughan Prasad Dube and chairman of the Petroleum Dealers Association Chhotelal Saha were present at the meeting.

Kathmandu, March 23:A football tournament comprising senior division football teams of Kathmandu will be held from April 14 to 22, this year to commemorate late Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the first Nepalese woman to scale the Mount Everest.

The winners of the Late Pasang Lhamu Memorial Football Tournament to be played under knock-out basis will receive fifty thousand rupees while the runners up will get Rs. 25,000 rupees in cash prizes, the organiser of the tournament, Nepal Trekking—Travels-Rafting Workers Union (UNITRAV) told the media this afternoon.

The best player and highest goal scorer of the tournament will get ten thousand rupees and a gold chain each in prize. The tournament is expected to cost about six hundred thousand rupees to the organisers.

Nine senior division clubs of Kathmandu have already applied to play in the tournament while five others have consented to play in the weeklong tournament to be held at national Dasharath Stadium. The teams who have enrolled their names for the participation are: Manang Marshyangdi, Kathmandu Club, Bansbari Club, Friends Club, RCT, Naxal Yuva Mandal, Sankata Boys, Jawalakhel and Three Stars.

“The tournament is being organised in commemoration of brave woman who acquired the distinction of being first Nepali to climb Mount Everest but was killed while returning from the highest peak of the world ” the organisers said.

The tournament is an emotional tribute to the brave lady from UNITRAV, said UNITRAV’s Secretary Deepak Poudel who is also co-ordinating the tournament. The tournament will be held every year from now, Poudel added.

He said that All Nepal Football Association has given its consent for the tournament and is providing its technical assistance to the organisers, Poudel said.