Kathmandu, Feb. 11: The Russian Centre of Science and Culture and the Nepal-Russian Literary Society jointly organised a literary progamme on the occasion of the 110th birth anniversary of poet and litterateur of the former Soviet Union Boris Pasternak, a Noble Prize winner here today.

Mr Pasternak, in his work Dr Zhivago, has given a message that social change is not possible through a socialist revolution.

The work was awarded Noble Prize for literature in 1958, but he declined to receive the award under the then Soviet government’s pressure.

The novel was published in 11 other languages including English though it was banned within the Soviet Union.

Speaking on the occasion, chief guest and novelist Dhanush Chandra Gautam said many world renowned litterateurs including Pasternak had to face problems and hassles when they tried to present a true picture of their country and people’s aspirations in their works. Various other persons also expressed their views at the function chaired by general secretary of the Nepal Vidwat Parishad Dwarikaman Singh.

Kathmandu, Feb. 11: Foreign secretary Murari Raj Sharma has stressed the need for integreting the activities of the South Asian countries and making it more effective for poverty alleviation.

Speaking from the chair at the two-day seminar on “poverty alleviation strategy in South Asia through social mobilization” organised jointly by the National Planning Commission (npc), Sapros and Sapna, a Sri Lankan non-governmental organisation here today, Mr Sharma said that joint efforts should be made for poverty alleviation in the South Asian region where one fifth of the world population and half the poor population live.

Stating that the South Asian region should not only contribute to world politics but also to the world economy, Mr Sharma said that poor people should be involved in policy making and development works for this purpose.

Stating that the Ninth Plan has given top priority to poverty alleviation, Mr Sharma said that the necessary programmes, plans and strategies had to be formulated to achieve the set targets of the Ninth Plan.

Presenting a working paper on strategy for poverty alleviation, Dr. m. ali stressed the need to build infrastructures to make the poor people productive and to ensure market access.

It is absolutely necessary to increase production for poverty alleviation, Dr. Ali said, adding  that the local governments should be involved the mainstream of the society for this purpose.

Presenting a working paper on the experiences of decentralisation and poverty alleviation in the Indian state of Kerala, Dr. s. madhu said that the Indian state of Kerala was ahead of other Indian states as a result of the progress made in the fields of education, health and economy.

Stating that a three tier Panchayat system comprising gram (covering 30,000 people), block (covering 10 gram Panchayats) and Jilla Panchayat exists in Kerala, Dr. Madhu said that decentralisation of powers varies in different Indian states.

Bharatpur, Feb. 11:Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has said the role played by the Fourth Estate following the restoration of democracy in keeping the people informed and its contribution to fostering democracy undoubtedly stands worthy of appreciation.

In a message to the national convention of the Editors’ Society Nepal here today, Mr Bhattarai expressed the hope that the society will focus its activity on promoting democracy vis-a-vis the country’s reality and wished the convention success.

In a similar message today, former prime minister and Nepali Congress central president Girija Prasad Koirala has said the convention will hold wide-ranging discussions on the relevance of journalism, solving problems dogging this sector, media’s role in democratic stability and the role of press in foreign policy, and thus contribute to the formation of a national policy.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Information and Communications Ram Chandra Poudel has said public awareness for human rights has increased tremendously in the past 10 years of democracy, but there is no corresponding rise in observing ones’ own duty.

Mr Poudel, while inaugurating the national convention of the Editors’ Society Nepal here today, observed that we should sacrifice our personal interests for the sake of national interests in order to further strengthen the unification process initiated by Prithvinarayan Shah the Great.

Stating that without development democracy cannot last and development is today’s main challenge, he highlighted the crucial role of the press in removing corruption and other anomalies.

The Deputy Prime Minister also urged the press to build public opinion for fighting distortions and aberrations and spoke of the need of people-oriented and impartial journalism.

NC spokesman Narahari Acharya remarked that only healthy discussions and thoughts can lead the nation to progress and prosperity.

MP Homnath Dahal hoped that the convention will come up with concrete conclusions, while mp Rabindranath Sharma noted that journalists should caution the government and keep the people informed.

PM’s press advisor Kishore Nepal said the convention will find solutions to the editors’ problems, while president of Federation of Nepal Journalists Suresh Acharya noted that journalists should be allowed to put forth their views and opinions openly.

President of Nepal Press Union Kulchandra Wagle, senior journalist Hiranyalal Shrestha and Chitwan ddc chairman Bishnu Ghimire also spoke at the function chaired by chairman of the society Govinda Biyogi.

On the occasion, industrialist Gajananda Vaidya promised to donate Rs 1.5 million for the construction of society’s office building and library.

Similarly, publisher of the “Saptahik Chitwan” Viradevi Sharma also promised to donate Rs 10,000 on behalf of the weekly to the society’s revolving fund.

Kathmandu, Feb. 11: Member of the National Planning Commission (Npc) Dr. Jagadish Chandra Pokharel has said that the government should seriously take into consideration the wishes of the people in general while formulating any project.

Dr. Pokharel made this remark while inaugurating the four-day project management training organised by the School of Environmental Management and Sustainable Development (schems) and Canadian Center of Environmental studies and Cooperation (CICE) here today.

Convenor of the training Raghav Raj Regmi said that training on project, programme and evaluation would be organised for the officials of governmental, non-governmental and other sectors.

Speaking from the chair executive director of Schems Professor Santa Bahadur Gurung  said that schems had been organising training programmes with the objective of making the private sector extend cooperation to the government in development works.

Schems dean Dr. Ram Bahadur Khadka and the representative of CECI Francois Vitej also expressed their views. Fourteen officials of the governmental and non-governmental organisations and other sectors are taking part in the training.

Kathmandu, Feb. 11:His Majesty’s Government has taken decisions allowing district development committees to sell sand, soil, slate, crush stones, etc from their areas after fixing their prices.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Local Development today, the concerned ddc should provide 35-50 per cent of the amount thus collected to the concerned vdc and municipality. The decision has been taken in accordance with clause 218 of the local self-autonomy act.

Biratnagar, Feb. 11: Preparations for construction of agricultural roads in Morang district are under way in line with the 20-year agricultural policy put forth by His Majesty’s Government.

For this purpose, a budget of Rs. 3,200,000 has been allotted so far. It is estimated that the whole project will be completed at a total cost of Rs.  31,900,000.

A proposed road which aims at linking up with Katahari, Jamunagachhi and Jhoraghat in constituency No. 1 of Morang  for making market access for local agro-based products easier will be 13 kilometres long.

For this year, a total of Rs. 1,200,000 has been released to start construction work on the road which will cost about Rs. 12,000,000, an engineer at the ddc deep Kumar Das said.

Similarly, a total of Rs. 1,000,000 has been allotted for the construction of the 11 kilometre agricultural road which will extend from Amagachhi to Ghandhi Ashram. This road will cost Rs. 10,400,000.

A total of Rs. 1,000,000 has also been released for this year for the construction of a 9-kilometre road which will link Kaseni to Belbari. It will cost Rs. 9,500,000.

Kathmandu, Feb 11: The Supreme Court has issued a show cause notice in response to a case filed against the proposed approval to be given by the insurance committee to the life insurance company of the united states for opening a branch in Nepal for selling life insurance policies.

The show cause notice was issued by the single bench of Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya.

Only two companies are now allowed to sell life insurance policies in Nepal at present  and two other  Nepalese companies are seeking similar license. It is  against this background that approval for the American company is being sought.

The case has been brought by advocate Bharat Mani Gautam who contends that the Nepalese insurance industry should be given priority while seeking to bring in  foreign capital and know-how. Advocates Dinesh Tripathi and Motiraj Gautam have pleaded on behalf of the writ petitioner.

Kathmandu, Feb. 11: Minister of State for Education Rajendra Kharel has said that the all round development of the country is only possible if we bring development to the education sector.

Mr. Kharel, who was addressing a function organised on the occasion of the l0th anniversary of Baneswor Campus said intellectuals in society should play an important role in the development of education.

He also gave away prizes and commendation letters to students winning in extracurricular activities and excelling in examinations and to those contributing to the campus in various ways.

On the occasion, member of the campus governing committee and mp ram Man Shrestha said cooperation from all is indispensable for giving stability to the campus and teachers working there.

Michael Rao of Handberg University in Gemany said the education system in Nepal is good and the efforts of all the teachers and students play a decisive role in the success of any campus.

Campus chief Kedar Neupane said the campus has made arrangements for study at graduate level in the humanities and management and a building of its own is under construction at a cost of Rs. 10 million.

At the function presided over by chairman of the campus governing committee Haribol Bhattarai, various other speakers including deputy mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Bidur Prasad Mainali, assistant campus chief Gopal Prasad Banskota, registrar at Kathmandu University Dr. Sita Ram Adhikari, member secretary of the University Grants Commission Hom Nath Bhattarai, chairman of the Public Campus Association  Prem Narayan Aryal, president of Nepal University Teachers Association Bhagawan Das Pradhan, lecturer at the campus Kul Prasad Parajuli and campus union president Harka Bahadur Deuba also expressed their views.

Lalitpur, Feb. 11 : Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Communications Sriram Poudel laid the foundation stone of a hymns pavilion to be constructed at the premises of Pancheswar Mahadev at Kusunti on the occasion of Shree Panchami yesterday.

For the purpose, land was purchased at a cost of Rs. 428,600 left over from  funds accumulated for kotihom rites carried out there earlier and donations from devotees. The structure will be completed at a cost of Rs. 299,995.

An idol of the deity Mahadev had been unearthed at the site two years ago through divinations by Mata Kalyani Thapa.

On the occasion, secretary Poudel said that people can take solace through such social activities against a background of growing disorder and injustice in society in parallel with the unimagined developments achieved through science and technology.

He further said that yoga and other activities conducive to morality and mental development should be carried out at the pavilion.

During the function, Laxmi Bhusal of Radio Nepal’s agriculture programme and chairman of the construction committee Puskar k.c. also expressed their views.

Janakpurdham, Feb. 11: A black cow that mostly loiters at the premises of Janaki Temple here has calved 20 times and is going to deliver again.

Cows normally calve eight or nine times during their life, but this cow  which calves every year is an exceptional case, sage at the temple Ramtapeswar Das said.

She is worshipped daily at the temple premises.