Kathmandu, Feb. 25: Minister of State for Information and Communications Govinda Bahadur Shaha has spoken of the need for Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (ntc) to operate internet facility to advance its work effectively in an age of competition.

Mr Shaha, while inaugurating the third regional session of the Nepal Telecommunication Corporation Employees Union, Kathmandu today, said to make telecommunication services more people-oriented by changing its modus operandi is the main challenge of today.

Stating that competition between employees, management and the union will ruin the corporation, the Minister of State noted that everyone should be cautious of it.

On the occasion, Mr Shaha also gave away letters of appreciation to those contributing to the union’s activity and to those who donated blood at a function organised by the union.

Ntc general manager Balaram Pradhananga said some timely changes have been made in the management to face up to the new challenges in the changed context.

President of the Nepal Trade Union Congress Laxman Bahadur Basnet, chairman of the union Mahendra Prasad Yadav and others also expressed their views at the function chaired by acting president of the ntc kathmandu regional committee Birendra Lal Joshi.

Kathmandu, Feb. 25 : Chairman of King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (kmtnc) His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah chaired the twenty-fourth meeting of the governing board of trustees of the trust held at the Annapurna Conservation Area Project office, Pokhara today.

The meeting was convened primarily to review kmtnc’s conservation policies and priorities in the context of ongoing programmes as well as future strategy, according to a kmtnc press release.

Prior to the meeting, a brief session was arranged for the board members on the current activities of the trust.

The meeting was attended by both national and international trustees of kmtnc.

In his opening address, hrh prince Gyanendra spoke of the need to effectively tackle the uncertainities of  the environment with a multi-dimensional and disciplinary approach. As a result, without the answers to the constant necessities of humanity, we would hardly be doing any justice for the environs.

Men, matter and material all make up an ecosystem that needs continous and sustained nurturing, His Royal Highness said, adding that it calls for greater consultation and cooperation among the government and non-government organisations.

His Royal Highness said “It compels more interaction, coordination and alliance between likeminded environmental groups, private assembly and local stakeholders.”

On the contrary, systems need to be rebuilt whereby checks and balances in nature are not removed and humans not deprived of a safe livelihood, hrh prince Gyanendra said, emphasizing the need to accord priority to the establishment of new connectivity and corridors for easy and free movement of the species.

Kathmandu, Feb. 25: Her Royal Highness Princess Sruti Rajya Laxmi Devi Rana honoured famed singer Tara Devi with “Nai Sur Samman” (award) at a function here today.

Her Royal Highness the Princess, on behalf of 27 lyricists, presented her an address of felicitations and released a book entitled “Ukali Orali Haru Ma Tara Devi.”

The Nai Sur Samman (award) carries a purse of Rs. 25,000 along with a copper plaque.

Tara Devi who made her debut (in Radio Nepal) as a singer in 2015 B.S. has now more than 4,000 songs to her credit.

A new song of Tara Devi, who sang it after an interval of 10 years on Feb. 13, was also released today.

The book released today contains articles on Tara Devi written by the 27 lyricists.

Nai Publications president Mrs Indira Prasai, member-secretary Narendra Raj Prasai and president of Laxmi Prasad Devkota Foundation Prof. Ghataraj Bhattarai also highlighted the contribution of Tara Devi to the enrichment of Nepali songs.

Kathmandu, Feb. 25: Deputy Leader of cpn-uml Parliamentary Party k. p. sharma Oli said the party would in the next session of the Parliament raise strong voice in matters of national issues like price rise, law and order, corruption, etc.

Speaking at an interaction programme on “role of the opposition in the coming 17th session of the Parliament” organised by Sanrachika Samuha here today, Mr. Oli said the Nepali Congress government has not been able to provide any relief to the people and every matter of equal right including women’s property right will be forwarded in the Parliament.

rpp general secretary Pashupati Shumsher Rana said due to mutual differences within the party the Nepali Congress has not been able to fulfill the promises it made to the people and that the rpp would raise this issue in the Parliament.

President of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (nwpp) Narayan Man Bijukchhe said matters relating to the declaration of Bhaktapur as a cultural city, hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane, equal property rights, corruption, etc. will be raised by the party in the parliament.

Leader of Rastriya Janamorcha Chitra Bahadur k.c. said the party will in the parliament raise issues of political, socio-economic, development, law and order, corruption, etc.

Kathmandu, Feb. 25: The Rastriya Prajatantra Party has said the brutal murder of Syaule vdc chairman Asha Bahadur Tamang in Sindhupalchowk district has deeply grieved the party.

In a statement today, the party stated that the murder of Tamang has caused a great loss to the party and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.

The party also demanded that compensation be provided to the victim’s family, the killers punished and peace and security guaranteed.

Kathmandu, Feb. 25: A delegation led by president of Hotel Association of Nepal (han) Narendra Bajracharya called on Japanese Ambassador Mitsuaki Kojima yesterday and held discussions on matters relating to increasing attraction of Japanese tourists to Nepal.

Kathmandu, Feb. 25: The National Youth Council and an executive committee of the council have been formed in keeping with the decision of His Majesty’s Government (Council of Ministers), according to the Ministry of Youths, Sports and Culture.

The council has the Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture as chairman, Homraj Dahal, Sindhuli as vice chairman, Raju Raj Joshi, Kathmandu as treasurer, Shyam Sunder Prasad Shaha, Mahottari as member-secretary.

Similarly, the members of the committee appointed by the chairman are Nagendra Regmi, Bardiya, Abhimanyu Joshi, Parbat, Manav Sainjuwal, Jumla, Padam Bogati, Kanchanpur, Hema Dhungana, Morang, Yagya Raj Angdambe, Ilam, Tejendra Khanal, Okhaldhunga, Ganga Bahadur Karki, Dolakha, Yagyamurti Acharya, Arghakhanchi, Bishwonath Koirala, Sindhuli, Karna Bahadur Malla, Dadeldhura, Pyarelal Rana Tharu, Kailali, Rajita Rai, Okhaldhunga, Ganesh Rajbanshi, Jhapa, Himal Karki, Udayapur, Binaya Shrestha, Chitwan, Hariman Lama, Kathmandu, Birendra Kumar Upadhyaya, Mahottari, Yagya Gurung, Surkhet, Kuber Shaha, Dang, Rewati Prasad Bhattarai, Dang and Maniklal Gharti, Rolpa.

The ex-officio members of the council are the member of the National Planning Commission looking after youth section, the Vice Chancellor of Tribhuwan University, and secretaries of the ministries of youth, sports and culture, home, women and social welfare, local development, labour, finance, health and education, member-secretary of the National Sports Council and the president of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Likewise, the executive committee of the council has been constituted under the chairmanship of Homraj Dahal (ex-officio) with Rajuraj Joshi and Shyam Prasad Sunder Shaha as ex-officio treasurer and member secretary respectively.

The members of the committee are Mahesh Thapaliya from the Eastern Development Region (Sankhuwasabha), Lalkishore Shaha from the Central Development Region (Dhanusha), Ram Prasad Acharya from the Western Development Region (Baglung), Surendra Hamal from the Mid-Western Development Region (Banke) and Jagat Prasad Joshi from the Far Western Development Region (Bajhang).

The other members of the committee are Mahalaxmi Upadhyaya from among women, Sushil Man Sherchan from among the nationalities and Rajendra Gopal Singh from among the ngo’s.

Kathmandu, Feb. 25: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organised a briefing today for ambassadors and representatives of the embassies of European countries on the official level meeting on the Bhutanese refugees problem held in Thimpu recently

The diplomatic representatives were also informed that the next meeting of the officials will be held in Kathmandu in the first half of March 2000.

Kathmandu, Feb. 25: Rpp parliamentary Party has decided to raise strong voice against revenue leakage, politicisation of the administration, mockery of the principles of rule of law, law and order situation, the Maoist problem and other buring issues of of the country and people during the 17th session of the Parliament.

A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of the Rpp parliamentary Party held under the chairmanship of rpp president and leader of the rpp parliamentary Party Surya Bahadur Thapa at Singha Durbar today.

The meeting also reached a conclusion at the revenue allocated for the B. P. with the poor programme and Ganesh Man Singh Peace Campaign and the procedures for spending the funds were against the spirits of the local self-governance act and local bodies regulations.

Kathmandu, Feb. 25: The one-day Nepal-usa bilateral economic cooperation programme consultation meeting concluded at the Ministry of Finance today.

During the consultations, the progress of on-going projects weas reviewed, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Likewise, discussions on various aspects for smooth implementation of the projects financed by the U.S. Government, and areas and strategy for future cooperation were also held at the consultation meeting.

It may be recalled that the U.S. Government has been providing financial and technical assistance in the field of agriculture, forestry, health and family planning, hydropower development, women development and irrigation.

Mr Madhav Prasad Ghimire, joint secretary at the Ministry of Finance, hmg, and Ms. Joanne T. Hale, usaid-director for Nepal led the consultation meeting on behalf of their respective governments.

Officials from the concerned ministries and departments as well as usaid were also present at the consultation meeting.