Prime Minister and Unified CPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday clarified that the party’s youth wing Young Communist Democratic League (YCDL) is a political group and must not be construed as a paramilitary outfit as opposition parties claim it to be.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal
“YCDL is only a political group and is engaged in development works. It is not a paramilitary outfit,” PM Dahal’s press secretary Om Sharma quoted PM Dahal as saying to a delegation of German Parliament after the latter queried about YCDL.

In the meeting with the delegation led by Vice President (Deputy Speaker) of the German Parliament Dr Wolfgang Thierse at his official residence in Baluwatar, PM Dahal assured that the minor differences seen among the political parties regarding issues to be mentioned in the new constitution will be resolved through consensus and that the army integration will be carried out as per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), Sharma told media persons after the meeting.

Sharma said the German delegation also queried about the constitution writing process, army integration including government’s effort to find missing persons.

Emerging from the meeting, Dr Thierse pledged Germany’s support in the process.

The four-member German Parliament delegation arrived in the capital on Wednesday for a three-day visit. nepalnews.com Feb 05 09

Minister for Finance Dr Baburam Bhattarai on Thursday emphatically said that the government will in no way extend the deadline for the Voluntary Declaration of Income Scheme (VDIS).

The VDIS, which was announced by the government in its budget for this fiscal year, is due to expire on February 12.

While talking with journalists before leaving for an official visit to Japan, Dr Bhattarai said, “The deadline set by the government regarding the VDIS to show income scheme is enough. So there is no need to further extend it.”

He also expressed confidence that the program will achieve its set target.

Earlier, representatives of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) and Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) urged the finance minister to withdraw the VDIS.

The private sector is reluctant to pay tax under VDIS saying that the government has not been serious in addressing the problems of the sector and the scheme could discourage investment. nepalnews.com nd Feb 5 09

The World Food Program (WFP) has said that there is an indication of poor to moderate winter crop yield in some parts of the Mid/Far-Western hills and mountains due to insufficient rainfall, according to media sources.

A report released by the WFP stated, “If no rain occurs in February, production could considerably decrease, further deteriorating the food security situation from June onwards,”

Over 26,000 people are highly food insecure in Dolpa, Jumla and Mugu districts where cases of acute child malnutrition have been reported.

Several areas in the hills and mountains of the Mid/Far-West are highly or moderately food insecure because of the poor to moderate summer crop production – making people more dependent on purchased food.

Though food security has improved in flood-affected areas of western Terai, 40,000 people are still highly food insecure and need support for their rehabilitation, the WFP report further added. nepalnews.com Feb 05 09

Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) will celebrate this year’s Lhosar festival by organising ‘TAAN Lhosar Dinner Ball 2009’ at Direction Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC) in United World Trade Centre, Tripureshwor, on February 28.

According to TAAN, the programme will exhibit cultural performances from renowned artists and a dinner. All the member agents of TAAN are expected to participate in the annual event of TAAN.

TAAN has been celebrating Lhosar, the New Year festival of different indigenous communities living in mountains and hills, by organising cultural programme.

Last year, TAAN had organised a street festival, showcasing cultural richness of different ethnic communities in the country, at Thamel, a popular tourist hotspot in Kathmandu. nepalnews.com Feb 5 09

A senior leader of the ruling Unified CPN (Maoist) said Thursday that nobody can hold back the “people-centric works” being undertaken by the government.

“If anybody still tries to prevent the government from engaging in people-centric works, then we will push it through by all means,” said Narayankaji Shrestha, a Central Secretariat member of Maoist party.

The remarks by Shrestha who recently merged his party CPN (Unity Centre) with the Maoists comes at a time when the Maoist-led government is trying to push through controversial ordinances on disappearance and truth and reconciliation.

Leading human rights organisations Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have asked the government to seek the approval of the CA when it enacts the laws.

Shrestha, who was speaking at a programme organised by Tamuwan State Council in Pokhara, said that the government will not tolerate anyone trying to hinder its work to build “a fully sovereign and prosperous” country.

When his own party’s youth wing the YCL and Maoist affiliated trade unions have been openly defying the government orders, he said that the Nepal Army (NA) should abide by the orders of the civilian government and stall its recruitment plans. He also stressed on the need for integrating Maoist combatants into the NA as per the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA).

However, he said if no consensus is reached on the issue of army integration, then there is no alternative to increasing the strength of the People’s Liberation Army, which is currently de-mobilized in UN monitored cantonment, to 32,000.

Recently, Maoist People’s Liberation Army (PLA) chief, Nanda Kishor Pun ‘Pasang’, had warned that the PLA, too, would start recruiting combatants if the NA does not stop its recruitments. nepalnews.com ag Feb 05 09

Nepal started its campaign for ACC Under-17 Elite Cup with a convincing 104 run win over Qatar.

In the match played at the Pulchowk Engineering Ground, Nepal elected to bat first and posted a massive 208 runs with the loss of eight wickets in the stipulated 40 overs.

Nepalese wicket keeper appealing for a LBW against Qatar in the Elite Cup Cricket tournament, Wednesday, Feb 04 09. Nepal won the match by 104 runs. nepalnews.com/NPA

Nepalese wicket keeper appealing for a LBW against Qatar in the Elite Cup Cricket
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Openers Kirten Gurung with 38 runs and Sagar Pun with 23 runs gave Nepal a formidable start.

Then skipper Prithu Baskota who made 38 runs together with Nischal Chaudhary’s 34 and Akash Singh Pariyar’s 22 runs helped Nepal post a healthy total.

Qatar never looked confident chasing the target of 209 runs and was bundled out for a mere 104 runs in 23.5 overs under some magnificent bowling from Nepal.

Nepali bowlers Krishna Karki and Bhuwan Karki spelled disaster for Qatari batsmen with their brilliant spell as they claimed three wickets each while Pradeep Airee took two wickets.

At one time Qatar skipper Samur Sajhad seemed to be the only person battling Nepal’s bowling might, top scoring with 72 runs off 84 balls while rest of his team mates were sent to the pavilion on regular intervals. Sajhad was later announced the man of the match for his defiant batting performance.

Nepal will play their next league match against Hong Kong on Saturday.

In other league matches, Hong Kong beat Singapore by seven wickets while Bahrain won the match against Kuwait by 125 runs at TU ground, Kirtipur.

Nepal is in group A along with Singapore, Hong Kong and Qatar. nepalnews.com Feb 05 09

The Constitutional Committee of the Constituent Assembly has finalised the questionnaire for collecting opinion and suggestions from people for the new constitution.

A meeting of the committee held at its office in Singh Durbar Thursday morning finalised the set of questions to be asked to people by lawmakers during their visit to the districts. The committee has already set up 37 teams of CA members who will tour around the country from the third week of February to collect public opinion.

The committee also consulted legal experts regarding the provisions in new constitution. Supreme Court Justice Ram Kumar Shah, civil society activist Devendra Raj Pandey and Nepal Bar Association Bishwo Kant Mainali participated in a discussion with the CC members.

The committee is scheduled to prepare the first draft of the constitution by early March which will be discussed among the public and the experts.nepalnews.com ia Feb 05 09

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has said that it made significant improvements to its portfolio of loans and grants in Nepal in 2008.

According to a press statement issued by the ADB on Thursday, the bank’s contract awards and disbursement to Nepal reached $145 million and $127 million respectively for 2008. “Additionally, no projects were at risk at the end of 2008, a remarkable level compared to 14 percent in 2007 and 17 percent in 2006,” the release quoted ADB country director Barry J. Hitchcock as saying.

The bank also expressed commitment that it would continue its development
support to the country maximising the opportunities opened by the increased development space.

In 2008, all of ADB’s assistance to Nepal was in the form of grants, with $ 8.0 million approved for the education sector, $ 25 million for information and communication development and $ 106.3 million for local governance and community development. “The portfolio as of 31 December 2008 comprised of 18 loans worth a net $586 million, 10 investment grants worth $332 million, and 33 ongoing technical assistance projects, totaling $ 29 million.”

The bank also launched a new publication titled “Voices from the Field: On the Road to Inclusion”. The publication features wide-ranging feedback from consultations held with Nepalese stakeholders in 2008 as part of a midterm review of ADB’s current partnership strategy which runs until 2009. nepalnews.com nd Feb 5 09

The Manipal Teaching Hospital in Pokhara has resumed its services from Thursday after three days of row due to demonstrations by hospital staffs.

Services have been resumed after staffs agreed to return to work with assurances from the hospital management to consider their demands.

The management has agreed to increase staffs salary by Rs 1,600, maintain
provident fund and recruit the temporary staffs who have worked for more than 240 days as permanent, among others.

All Nepal Health Workers Union (ANHWU), an organisation affiliated to the Unified CPN (Maoist) and Manipal Non-Teaching Staff Union had been agitating for fulfillment of their 11-point demand since Monday. nepalnews.com ia Feb 05 09

The Bhantabari- Laukahi section of the East-West highway has opened after six months following the maintenance of Koshi Barrage damaged by floods in August.

Vehicles have started plying on the highway from Thursday morning connecting Eastern Nepal with the rest of the country.

The river, which had flooded the settlements of Sunsari and Bihar of India
after breaching the embankment at Paschim Kushaha, six months ago had beenreverted back to its original course on January 26. The resumption of the highway is expected to provide relief to people of Eastern Nepal who had been facing great difficulty while traveling to and from other parts of the country.

Travelers were forced to cross Koshi River several times by boats between Bhantabari and Laukahi before they could catch a bus. Alternatively, people had to travel more than 24 hours via Bihar of India risking the chance of being looted on the way. nepalnews.com ta Feb 05 09