Pokhara, Mar. 2: Minister for Local Development Chiranjivi Wagle inaugurated a western regional seminar on the “Participation of Dalits in the Task of Nation Building: Today’s Challenge” jointly organised by the Ministry of Local Development and the Committee for the Development of Downtrodden and Neglected Communities here today.

The seminar aims at integrating, and developing and expanding all programmes already launched or to be launched in keeping with the government’s commitment to bring all the neglected and downtrodden communities into the mainstream of economic and social development.

Ninety-five persons including government prosecutors, Dalit intellectuals and experts, and ldo’s from 16 districts of the western development region are taking part in the two-day seminar.

On the occasion, Mr Wagle said caste discrimination widespread in society cannot be justified, adding man is great by his talent and thinking.

Stating that removal of ill-traditions and outmoded views still rampant in society is the main challenge of the day, he expressed confidence that such things will disappear if we rectify wrong trends and practices.

Various other speakers including mp sukraraj Sharma and central president of the Nepal Tarun Dal Balkrishna Khand also expressed their views at the function chaired by committee chairman Ganesh Bahadur Pariyar.

Meanwhile, central chairman of the b. P. With the Poor programme and Minister for Local Development Chiranjivi Wagle has said the programme basically aims at making the poor and disadvantaged sections of society self-reliant by helping them to create self-employment.

Mr Wagle, while inaugurating a two-day introductory seminar of chairmen of the B.P. with the Poor Programme district coordination and monitoring committees and programme convenors at the local town development training centre today, noted that the programme will go a long way in removing poverty and deprivation through the proper utilization of means and resources.

His Majesty’s Government expects cooperation to fight against poverty which is the common enemy of all, he noted.

Mp sukraraj Shastri spoke of the need to provide water, electricity and jobs to remove poverty from the country.

Central vice chairman of the programme Haribol Bhattarai noted that the country’s development is not possible unless poverty and backwardness is removed.

Various other speakers including central president of the Nepal Tarun Dal Bal Krishna Khand and general manager of the Agricultural Development Bank Devendra Pratap Shaha also spoke at the function chaired by chairman of the B. P. With the Poor Kaski coordination and monitoring committee Soviet Bahadur Adhikari.

A total of 48 persons are taking part in the seminar aimed at ensuring participation of disadvantaged families in socio-economic activity and thereby improving their standard of life.

Kathmandu, March 2: Minister for Industry Omkar Prasad Shrestha talking to journalists at a press meet organised by the Ministry of Industry, Thursday.

Kathmandu, Mar 2:The government is to launch a plan to boost up the country’s industrial sector that has lately undergone serious setback due to the market domination of foreign goods.

The Industrial Perspective Plan that is still in the pipeline would incorporate the concepts of liberalisation and transparency in the areas of investment and export, Industry Minister Omkar Prasad Shrestha said at a press meet held at the Ministry this afternoon. This would also ease the difficulties prevalent in Nepal’s industrial scenario, he said. “We are working out for the preparation of the proposed plan which will complete within a couple of months’ time.”

Stating that frequent changes of legislation in the past had an adverse effect on the industrial development of Nepal, Minister Shrestha said that the government was determined to concretise the industrial policy through some amendment of the present Industrial Act and other related Acts. He expressed the hope that the proposed amendment would correct the past shortcomings. “The present amendment aims at improvising and liberalising the industrial sector of the country,” he said.

Shrestha said that the government was out to attract foreign investment that would reduce labour displacement and ensure technology transfer in the country. “We are studying about the prospects of attracting foreign investors in the country on the basis of Fast Track System.”

Responding to a query, he said that the state-owned industries that were functioning well would not be privatised. “Instead we will enhance their capacity with some more investment and technical reforms that will enable them to meet the target of their production.”

He, however, did not deny the prospects of privatising those industries that had poor performances. “We are studying and working out for the privatisation of those industries if need be.”

Kathmandu, March 2:Following Asian Development Bank’s Country Programming Mission’s week plus long visit to Nepal and its consultation with the government, the two parties today reached an agreement in which the Bank pledged a loan and technical assistance totalling over 300 million US dollars for the period of 2001-2003.

The Mission visited Nepal from February 22 to March 2. The consultations, according to ADB, focused on confirming the government’s commitment to various projects and prioritising ADB Nepal’s operational programme for 200 -2003. It also discussed a framework for the Poverty Reduction Partnership Agreement and ADB’s new performance based allocation system that would link the level of future lending to Nepal’s progress in addressing major country performance issues.

The Mission also met with other donors and representatives of various non-governmental organisations and the private sector, a press release issued by the Bank said.

ADB’s proposed lending programme for the period comprises 11 projects totalling 295 million US dollars. The technical assistance programme with its focus on institutional strengthening and capacity building comprises 27 TAs averaging about five million US dollars annually.

The 11 projects and 27 TAs in the programme include assistance for agricultural productivity and diversification, irrigation, water supply and sanitation, education, rural infrastructure, environmental management and improvements, road improvements, financial and corporate governance, and civil service reform.

With the annual indicative planning figure for Nepal set at around 80 million US dollars, the actual lending levels would depend on Nepal’s achievements in key performance areas and also in meeting criteria set for sector involvement. In line with ADB’s policy, future lending to Nepal would be linked to progress in addressing the major country performance issues that would improve the environment for private and public investments to generate and sustain development impact.

The Bank said that human development, fiscal performance, civil service reform, governance, and portfolio performance had been identified as five performance areas. The performance standards also were set for further monitoring and evaluation of achievements.

The Mission and the government discussed the country’s performance to date in the five key areas and concluded that the performance was average and was consistent with the average annual allocation of around 80 million US dollars.

The Bank said that about 45 per cent of 2001-2003 lending for Nepal would be for projects that would directly address poverty reduction primarily in the social infrastructure and agriculture sectors, while the remainder support pro-poor growth.

Identifying lack of efficiency, predictability, transparency, and accountability as a major barrier to poverty reduction, the Mission emphasised the importance of improved governance in both the public and private sectors, the press release stated.

ADB began operating as a multilateral development financial institution in 1966 from its headquarters in Manila, the Philippines. ADB currently has 58 members, 42 in the Asia and Pacific region and 16 from outside. The Nepal Resident Mission has been assisting the government in project implementation and in the formulation for the operational programme for ADB’s assistance. Currently there are 19 ongoing projects for a total of 480.4 million US dollars.

Chitwan, Mar 1 : In seesaw battle Jhapa  edged past Chitwan 2-1 while Parsa   stunned Jawalakahel Youth Club 2-1 in the ongoing Khukuri club,  Wednesday.

Narendra Limbu  gave Jhapa a lead in the 18th minute, stunning the Chitwan boys. Self shocked Chitwan tried their best to level the score but their efforts went all in vain. Ridding high  on the lead, Jhapa boys made more aggressive moves   attacking from all sides of the ground.

In the 45th minute,  skipper Parbat Pandey consolidated the lead putting Jhapa on the safe. But after the lemon break, Jhapa boys failed to  keep up the same spirti as they had shown earlier.

On the other hand, Chitwon boys displayed more fire  after the lemon break but due to the lack of cohesion among the strikers their game fizzled in the middle.   Though till the end, the Chitwan boys  tried hard to curtail the lead but their efforts failed to materialize.

In the group B,  Jawalakhel Youth failed to play as expected while the Parsa  much better than crowds expectation. Both teams were locked horned in a first. From the beginning of the word go, Parsa boys displaying better game play managed to launch moves into the Jawalakhel’s  well guarded citadel.

After the lemon break, Jawolakhel boys  took the lead through Megraj KC in the 4th minute. Though the joy in the Jawalakhel camp was short lived as Bishal Rana level the score  in the 15th minute pushing the  game either way.

Both teams tried hard to extend the lead on their sides but displaying better game, Parsa took hold of the game and also seemed to score in  any time. Finally, Santalal Choudhary consolidated the lead in the 44th minute which  turned to be a match  later.

In  Nepalgunj, Sankata Boys Sports Club of Kathmandu outplayed Banke 4-2. Star studded Sankata  outfit had to come with one goal deficit in the first half to beat  Banke in the second half.

Banke took the lead in the 4th minute through Dipendra Shahi. On the other hand going down in a early goal, Sankata boys   failed to play an original game.   Balgopal, Naresh Shrestha and Sunil Tuladhar with international experiences failed   to play as it expected. All these players failed to click  when needed most.

Though after the second half,  Sankata  boys displayed a vastly improved game. And  launched more aggressive moves with the strikers  working tandems in pressing the attacks. Sunil Tuladhar restored the parity in the 5oth minute while Kalyan Khadgi consolidated the lead within a minute whereas Balgopal extended the lead  again in the 54th minute. Self shocked, Banke  boys went all out . And their hard works caved in as  Shyam Thapa lowered the margin in the 76th minute giving a needed moral boost but Balgopal again extended the lead in the dying minutes giving no chances Banke to fight back.

Kathmandu,  Mar 1: As expected, one of the best drilled team seen in the ongoing   WFC-Mangladevi  soccer championship Mahendra Police Club (MPC) outgunned Pashupati Yuwa Club of Makwanpur 7-0 in a  fashionable manner  while  Youth Sports Club of Kailali defeated Tarun Club of Morang 3-1 at the National Dashrath Stadium, Wednesday.

MPC player Pema Tamang (Jersey no. 9) striking a sure sixth and her hat-trick shot to Makawanpur in ongoing Mangaladevi Soccer Championship at Dasarath Stadium, Wednesday.

MPC successively attacked the rival’s post from the outset of the game using both the flanks. The attacks made by MPC women were so fierce that Makwanpur defence    had to run for the money.

Seizing  the rival’s defence napping, Manju Shrestha put MPC on the lead in the 7th minute. As the game progressed, MPC girls totally took the game well under   their command .  Pema Lama leading the charge in the front and she was well supported by her colleagues in making the raids.

Seeing  the  MPC   girls putting the pressure on their citadel,  Makwanpur girls  went out all the level the score but due to the lack of poor game play and lack of depths among the strikers all went in vain.

On the other hand, MPC girls as the time flew by made more threatening calls and the attacks were so much fierce that the girls seemed to extend the lead in any time. Shukar Rai extended the lead in the 37th minute putting  Makwanpur in the deep trouble.

After the lemon break, the scenario did not turned much as the MPC launched more aggressive moves putting the rival’s defence to stand on their toes.

Finally Pema  Rai tore  apart the rival defence and slammed home extending the lead in the 48th. She latter went to scored the hat-trick in the 51 and 56th minutes and also had helped to score the  seventh goal of Kiran Bajaracharya in the dying minutes. Shukar Rai also had scored  her second goal in the 53rd minute.

Tarun Club of Morang went down fighting Youth Club of  Kailali.   Both the teams displayed  well organised game play. Though, Kailali girls were relatively better organised. Both the teams missed couple of given opportunities in both the ends.

Kailali girls  took the lead through Sita Thapa  in the 9th minute .  In the second half, playing relatively better  than the rival in all departments, Kailali took the game well under their command. Again in the 51st minute, Sita consolidated the lead .

On the other hand, Morang determination to curtail the lead seemed to be on the offing as they also made series of raids on the rival’s post. In the 55th minute, Jamuna Gurung gave a much needed moral boost to fight back for Morang. However, things did not turned as expected for Morang girls as Chandra Bhandari extended the lead for Kailali in the 74th minute.

Kathmandu, March 1: Nabin Suwal won the final of the preliminary round Wednesday at Eshani Club to reach the final round under the All Nepal Carlsberg Snooker Championship, organised by Gorkha Brewery Ltd in association with Billiards, Snooker and Pool Association of Nepal.

Suwal had a poor final to begin with as he dropped the opening frame, 50-72 to Ramesh Bhattachan but he was a different player altogether going into the next frame.

Bhattachan apart from occasional flare otherwise failed to match the exemplary skills of Suwal, who put back the score at square one with 57-35 win the second frame. Suwal hardly looked back thereafter, taking the last four frames quite comfortably to join the final round remaining undefeated.

The score of the last four frames read 54-40, 80-26, 65-44, 63-56 in favour of Suwal. He received the winner’s certificate as well as a cheque of Rs. 5,000 while the cash reward of Rs. 2,000 for registering the highest break of the venue was collected by Bhuvan Shrestha, who scored a break of 37 points.

At Club de Pokhara, Pradeep Adhikari, ranked number one thee surprisingly fell to Milendra Gurung in the pre-quarterfinals.

Adhikari was leading by three frames to one and was well at the doorstep of next phase, but Gurung stunned him by taking the next three frames in succession. In the other exciting match, Laxman Gurung, despite taking a healthy 2-0 lead failed to sustain same level of game and ended up losing the match 2-4 to Suraj Shrestha.

Meanwhile, experienced Basanta Gauchan continued his winning form by defeating his novice rival Ashok Gurung by virtue of 4-2.

Chandra Prasad Gurung was another casualty, going down without any resistance to Deepak Bishwokarma by a score of 4-0.

Others to March into next round were number two seed Laxman Gurung who beat Sagar Sherchan by 4-2. Likewise, Nabin Pun beat Prakash Gurung by 4-0, Lokman Gurung put off the challenge of Khush Bahadur Gurung by same scoreline while Hom Bahadur Nepali had an easy 4-0 walk through against Jasram Gurung.

Kathmandu, Mar. 1: Minister of Industry Omkar Prasad Shrestha, addressing the inaugural session of the second South Asia Print Congress (SAPC) today that the government recognises private sector development as a key element in the process of industrialisation. Assuring government assistance and co-operation for the interested foreign investors, he claimed that the liberal industrial policy adopted by the government is “flexible enough to accommodate the interest of the investors”.

Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Pradeep Kumar Shrestha said that “lack of co-ordination and co-operation” among the South Asian countries is preventing the region from getting itself noticed on global economy and business scenario. “Apart from sharing many cultural similarities we are also in similar stages of economic development,” he said. He also hoped that the congress would be fruitful for the printers of the region to get acquainted with the common problems and issues and benefit from sharing experience.

With a claim that the congress was a platefrom for developing a common South Asian prospective, co-operation and fellowship among printers of SAARC region, SAPC Steering Committee Chairman Vivek Chhabra said the print industry have great role to play in the new millennium which is also known as the “Knowledge” millennium.

DK Roy, President of All India Federation of Master Printers, said that education was key to eliminating development problems of the developing countries. “We are proud that we are engaged in printing which imparts education to the masses,” he said.

SAPC Steering Committee Co-chairman Bikash Sarkar pointed out the need of enriching human resources to strengthening the technical know-how of the region. “Apart from importing technology, to develop our industry we have to reinforce the strength within us to solve our problems on our own,” he said.

Suresh Bahadur Malla, Chairman of the SAPC, welcomed the participants and delegations to the four-day congress.

Kathmandu, March 1: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Information and Communications Ram Chandra Poudel inaugurated a joint WHO-UNICEF meeting of Health Secretaries of polio-endemic SAARC and border countries on Cross-Border management of Poliomyelitis Eradication at a function here this morning. In the context of global initiative to eradicate poliomyelitis by the end of the year 2000, with certification by 2005, the meet of Health Secretaries of SAARC and border countries has been regarded as a notable event.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Poudel said that the global effort to eradicate polio would not be possible until all countries join hands and unite against the disease. Stressing on the need of concentrating on rural areas for the complete eradication of polio where a large number of the populace still suffer from the lack of knowledge and means, the Deputy Prime Minister said that due to massive migration in bordering areas of Nepal, the task of elimination of the disease is still onerous.

Member of the National Planning Commission Dr. Nirmal Prasad Pandey highlighted on the need of adopting clear strategies to eliminate polio and emphasized on the need of controlling cross-border migration.

Secretary of the Ministry of Health Shree Kant Regmi said that in the past few years, the polio eradication campaign has seen extraordinary acceleration, especially in the countries of South Asia, that have demonstrated remarkable commitment to intensified immunisation and to improved surveillance. “Nepal joined in this initiative with the introduction, in 1996, of yearly national immunisation days (NIDs); since then we have successfully conducted NIDs for 4 consecutive years”, he said.

SAARC Secretary General Nihal Rodrigo said that SAARC ever since its inception has been giving high priority to the protection and promotion of  child welfare. “The technical committees concerned with health and children’s issues have designated common dates for region-wide campaigns against polio which are proceeding successfully”, he said.

Delivering the welcome speech, Regional Director of UNICEF regional office in South Asia Nigel Fisher stressed on the need of the commitment of people from all walks of life, “because the capacity to reach the most improverished or isolated children must be matched by parental awareness of, and demand for, immunisation”.

“The past decade has witnessed significant achievements in several regions of the world resulting through widespread mobilisation of society to eradicate polio”, he said.

Dr. Samlee Plianbangchang, Deputy Regional Director of WHO Southeast Asia regional office also spoke on the occasion.

It has been disclosed that Nepal reported 34 cases of polio during 1999 compared to India with 2,645 cases, Bangladesh with 335 cases and Pakistan with 466 cases in the SAARC region.

Kathmandu, Mar. 1: The deputy leader of the CPN UML Parliamentary Party K.P. Sharma Oli has said that the country faces a grave situation because of the problems including the law and order.

Delivering   his welcome speech at the meeting of the House of Representatives which began here   today, Mr. Oli  said the government has acted against the  democratic values and norms  and that the  national economy is  in a dire strait.

Mr Oli   accused the government  of neglecting the controlling of the commission seeking and corruption  and added that as  there are weaknesses in all the   sectors  including law and order, employment, land reforms, industry and education, how can the government give a good governance, he questioned.

Democracy has no alternative, but there is no feel of it to the people, the rightist elements are calling for grabbing the rights of the people  and the extremist lefts are out in violence, he said, adding that the government should defeat these elements by warding off pessimism among the people.

Mr. Oli said the government is not sensitive in any of the issues including the foreign affairs, the Karmapa scandle, and the plane hijacking, adding that  no consensus  is sought in the issues of national interest  and  that the government is directionless  like a cart  stuck  in the mud.

Deputy leader of the main opposition Mr. Oli  accused the government of congressisation in the campaigns of Bisweswor With the Poor, the Women’s Awareness, the Ganeshman Shanti Abhiyan, works have been done against the spirit of decentralisation and  suppressing the opposition party workers.

He said the CPN UML has launched an agitation against corruption and violence and added that the government should move the nation ahead in the path of good governance and economic development by ending the confusion seen in the country.

President of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Surya Bahadur Thapa said the constitution is being criticised now, the killings, violence, and incidents of fire have been increased from the police, the society is terrorised by the Maoist violence, there is no care for the human rights, and the law and order situation is very weak, adding that  political corruption has increased, the administrative machinary is stagnant, the economic situation is vulnerable and that donor nations and organisations  have lost confidence in our economic policies.

He said the rift between  the two top NC leaders have made the country’s politics at stake adding that  as the agreement between the two NC leaders causes an impact on the  nation’s state of affairs, this can’t be called a private affair and that the agreement should be made public to the people.

Mr. Thapa also said the programmes of Bisweswor With the Poor, the Ganeshman Singh Shanti Abhiyan and Women’s Awareness  Programmes have been used as  private  fund for the NC workers.

He further said we can’t  stay onlookers to the misutilisation of the budget appropriated by the parliament.

President Thapa  said the people are obliged to become Maoists due to the government attitude of wrong doings and irresponsible acts.

Mr Thapa said  the Congress has not brought about changes in its policies  so as to free the country from the  present grave situation and  acted as per the aspirations of the people  adding  that if the leaders of the ruling party give the impression that they are really serious about the people, the country and democracy   and  takes the political parties into confidence,  we can  really achieve national consensus.

Leader   of the Parliamentary party of the  Nepal Sadbhawana Party Badri Prasad Mandal said a number of incidents have  taken place between the 16th and the 17th session including the hijacking of the plane, increasing unemployment,  extreme price hike, killings of innocent persons  in the pretext of Maoist problem, the  weak law and order situation. The ruling party witnessed a tremor within itself  but the people is asking where the nation is heading towards, he added.

He said the present government has not been the people’s government despite its formation on the basis of majority, there has been Congressisation in all the sectors including administration, police, education,  adding that as corruption can’t allow the country  to develop we should  not hesitate to imprison the corrupts from   the top level  to the  bottom.

Chitra Bahadur K.C. of the Rastriya Jana Morcha expressed concern over the non implementation of the agreement between the nine left parties and government and said  his party   does not agree with the Maoist activities. The maintenance of law and order which can be settled by parliamentary system have not been solved. Corruption and   unemployment  have not been checked.   This compels  the nine left parties to resort to street protests, he added.

Mr K.C.   Said the MPs have not been positive in the eyes of the people due to their past activities,  and called for the proper implementation of the Constitution.

MP Narayan Man Bijukchhe demanded that the report of the joint parliamentary committee on revenue leakage, the committee report on election manipulation, and the agreement reached between the nine left parties and the government be implemented, and called for impartial implementation of the Ganeshman Peace Campaign, the B. P. With the Poor, the Youth Self-employment Programme and the Women’s Awareness Programme.

He said the meaning of democracy is not only  majority but also the  respect for the opposition parties and added that  democracy should be made a way of life style.

Kathmandu, Mar. 1: Nepal, long known as a predominantly agricultural country, is turning into agricultural produce importing country because the output produced by the farmers is sufficient only for them, productivity has not increased and agricultural production has not been commercialised.

The Gross Domestic Production (gdp) of agricultural sector which was 40.1 per cent in 1999 has been estimated to decline to 37 per cent in 2002. Almost 72.6 per cent of the development budget of the country has been spent in the agricultural sector.

It has been realised that the agro-based produce of the country should be easily accessible to the domestic and foreign market and the output should be in proportion to the demand.

It has been felt that some development has taken place in the agricultural sector since the 90s.  The gradual development of the sector has been attributed to the economic liberalisation policy pursued by the country, involvement of the private sector, and the interest shown by the foreign donor community.

After the private sector, which feels that a conducive policy for the development of agriculture is necessary, extended cooperation for the development of agriculture and the process of improvement is on.

Likewise, demands are being made for the access to technology and imparting training to the persons working in this field. It has also been felt that the foreign donor agencies should evince interest to work together.

Participants at the interaction programme on “Agriculture Enterprises Centre (aec), moving ahead in partnership” organised by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (fncci) and aec here today emphasised that the overall development of agricultural sector is not possible only through one institution.

They stressed that the partnership of the government, foreign donor community and private sector was necessary in this task.

The participants also referred to the progress made by the aec in the field of  horticulture, medicinal herbs, vegetable seeds, floriculture, apiculture, livestock, cultivation of tea and coffee and growing of off season vegetables.

Addressing the programme, Minister for Agriculture Chakra Prasad Bastola said that Nepal should choose between agriculture and industries for its development.

Even in the present context of the inability of the country to take all the agricultural produce to the world market, priority had to be accorded to the agricultural sector for poverty alleviation, he added.

Minister bastola said that along with the development of new tourism spots, agricultural production should also be increased.

Stating that agricultural production of international standard could not be produced without utilising high technology, he said that training and skills were required for this purpose.

National Planning Commission (npc) member Hari Shankar Tripathi said that 20-year Agricultural Perspective Plan had been introudced to support programmes such as poverty alleviation. The participation of the private sector is necessary to boost agricultural production, he added.

Fncci president Pradip Kumar Shrestha said that the private sector was moving ahead to increase the agricultural output.

Aec chairman Suraj Vaidya also expressed his views on the occasion.