The Indian government has pledged assistance worth NRs 39, 77,012/- for the construction of school building of Shree Janata Rameshwar Memorial Madhyamik Vidyalaya Brahampur Saptari that includes 8 classrooms and related facilities.
A press statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said the Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, laid the foundation stone of the school building on Monday.
About 1000 students of this school, coming from Saptari and adjoining areas, will benefit from improved environment of learning.
“The implementation of this project would improve the educational infrastructure for the people of the district of Saptari to a large extent,” the statement added.
“Currently 131 projects are under implementation or being processed for consideration with a commitment of over NRs. 14 billion in 61 districts,” the statement added.
The Indian government has been stalling military assistance to Nepal from February 1, 2005, but has been continuing other assistance.
Madhav Kumar Nepal (File Photo)
A day after King Gyanendra called on the parties to forget bitterness of the past and come forward for dialogue, the royal government has issued order to continue the “house arrest” of general secretary of the CPN (UML), Madhav Kumar Nepal, by two months.
According to the UML central office, the District Administration Office of Kathmandu has already handed over the order to the UML leader.
The UML leader was placed under house arrest on January 20—the day the government imposed a day-long curfew to thwart a peaceful meeting being organized by the seven party opposition alliance in the capital.
Meanwhile, UML standing committee member and former deputy prime minister Bharat Mohan Adhikary was freed from house arrest this afternoon.
Five senior opposition leaders were placed under house arrest on the same day. Of them, the government has already lifted the order of house arrest against former premier and Nepali Congress president G P Koirala, former Home Minister and UML leader K P Sharma Oli and president of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party Narayan Man Bijukchhe.
“Let us listen to others, put across our views, do away with discord and enhance mutual understanding; let us consolidate peace and democracy,” His Majesty said in his message to the nation on the occasion of National Democracy Day on Sunday.
A regional meeting of officials from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries kicked off in Kathmandu on Monday to discuss the modalities to set up the SAARC Development Fund (SDF).
Addressing the meeting, Md. Sufiur Rahman, director at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu, said the 13th SAARC summit held in Dhaka had entrusted the Finance Ministers to make recommendations on the operational modalities of SDF.
“However, understanding of a truly regional fund, its mobilization, operational modalities etc. have not been very clear, as SAARC member states have limited experience in capacity to handle big projects,” said Rahman.
According to officials, the workshop—funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB)– will focus on thematic aspects of creating a regional fund as well as legal and governance matters specific to operatioanlisation of the SDF.
The three windows of SDF include social window, financial window and infrastructure window.
Addressing the programme, country director of the ADB in Nepal Dr Sultan Hafeez Rahman said SDF was a major milestone for SAARC. He said ADB was happy to be able to support such an initiative.
Established as SAARC Development Fund (SADF) in 1995 as the mechanism for funding regional projects, it was later advised that the Fund be reconstituted into a new entity, SDF, to undertake all development funding by SAARC.
Officials from the SAARC member countries are taking part in the three-day workshop.
The government on Monday has freed at least 15 leaders of the opposition seven-party alliance from security detention.
CPN (UML) leaders Yuba Raj Gyawali, Ishwor Pokhrel, Keshav Badal, Bhim Rawal and Rajendra Shrestha and Nepali Congress central leaders KP Sitaula, Meena Pandey, Dr. Sashanka Koirala, Bal Dev Sharma Majgainya, Binay Dhoj Chand and student leaders Bishwo Prakash Sharma and Kundan Raj Kafle were also released.
Similarly, Nepali Congress (Democratic) leaders NP Saud and Uma Adhikari were also released.
The leaders were arrested on different dates from Kathmandu during protests against the February 8 municipal elections.
Economists and industrialists have said that immediate implementation of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) projects was required to revive the exports of the country.
In a concept paper about SEZ presented at the seminar entitled ‘Special Economic Zones and Revival of Nepali Exports’, jointly organised by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and Action Aid Nepal on Monday, economic analyst Jagadishwor Nath Shrestha said that adoption of the SEZ would minimise the imbalance in the foreign trade of the country.
He said because Nepal has entered into the open global market by joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO), its prime focus should be to build competitive industries, produce quality goods and timely delivery of products to the customers, which he claimed would be simplified by the projected SEZs.
General Secretary of Nepal Garment Association (NGA) Uday Raj Pandey said that implementation of SEZ and Inland Clearance Depot (ICD) should go together if the government aims at increasing the export of Nepali products. He said the weak competitive strength of Nepali industries has to be improved by attracting foreign investment so that their products would be able to compete in the international market.
Senior Consultant of Federation of Nepalis Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI), Dr Chiranjibi Nepal, however, said that proposed SEZ concept was not economically viable at the time industrial estates have failed to attract massive industrial development. He said laws on customs, tax and labour needed to be amended before SEZ comes into force.
Acting Director General of the Commerce Department, Shanti Ram Sharma, said that the government has not been able to adopt the laws regarding SEZ because it overlaps and conflicts the existing income tax policies.
SEZ were proposed in the budget speech of 2001/02 in four places – Bhairahawa, Birgunj, Panchkhal (Kavre) and Devighat (Nuwakot). It is estimated to cost around Rs 3.88 billion which is expected to be covered from among industrial groups interested to come under the project.
Once set up, investors in SEZs will be granted a liberal tax regime with exemption of varying degrees in income tax, excise duty, VAT and other duties. The SEZs will have facilities of investment, immigration, banking, export-import, foreign workers employment provided they export at least 80 percent of their production.
From left to right : Ian Martin, Sher Bahadur Deuba and Madhav Kumar Nepal (File photo)
From left to right : Ian Martin, Sher Bahadur Deuba and Madhav Kumar Nepal (File photo)
Chief of the Nepal Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) met CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and president of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday.
During the one-hour-long meeting at the Nepal’s residence in Koteswor, the UML general secretary, who is currently under house arrest, and OHCHR chief Martin discussed the current human rights situation in the country, according to Yadav Sharma, member of the party’s foreign department.
Martin also met former prime minister and president of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) Sher Bahadur Deuba at the latter’s residence at Budanilakantha and discussed the current situation of the country.
His Majesty King Gyanendra (File photo)
His Majesty King Gyanendra, in a message to the nation on the occasion of the 56th Democracy Day, has called on all willing political parties to come forth to fully activate the stalled democratic process in the greater interest of the nation.
“Let us listen to others, put across our views, do away with discord and enhance mutual understanding; let us consolidate peace and democracy,” the King said, stressing that those who have been misguided should shun violence and destruction and enter the mainstream of peace and multiparty democracy.
In his message given at a time when leaders of various political parties and rights activists and are in detention for demanding restoration of democracy in the country, the King said despite the apparent adverse environment, the Nepali people have demonstrated their faith in the power of the ballot during the recently held municipal elections.
The nation seeks solidarity amongst all who have faith in multiparty democracy to formulate a mechanism which ensures that peace and democracy are never again jeopardized, the King said adding ‘Democracy could be re-energised with the activation of all representative bodies through the electoral process in the coming days as well.’
Meanwhile, in his message issued on the occasion of Democracy Day, President of Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala has said that Nepali people has the responsibility of restoring people’s sovereignty.
He added that all should take seriously that the country will remain no longer in the absence of democracy and said democracy and nationality are complimentary to each other.
He said that the movement of the people would take rest after receiving its stipulated objectives.
In a message on the occasion of the Democracy Day, the CPN-UML has ruled out dialogue and politics of consensus with the King. The party has reiterated its stance of bringing an end to what it said was “autocratic monarchy” and going for elections to a constituent assembly.
Chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Pashupati SJB Rana, in a message on the occasion of Democracy Day, has suggested a joint effort from all democratic forces to end the existing turmoil in the country.
“The obstructed democratic process can end if all the constitutional forces make joint efforts towards a logical and peaceful ending,” Rana said.
Meanwhile, former prime minister and chairman of the Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) Surya Bahadur Thapa has drawn the attention of the “concerned parties” to make use of the Supreme Court (SC) decision on RCCC in making a consensus among the constitutional forces to end the current political as well as constitutional deadlock.
Former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai (File photo)
Former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai (File photo)
Former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has called on the democratic forces to unite to restore people’s sovereignty in the country.
The only remaining founding member of Nepali Congress, addressing some two dozen leaders at his residence on Saturday, Bhattarai demanded that the King should hand over executive power to the people.
He, however, objected to the demand of reinstatement of the dissolved House of Representatives, according to reports.
Bhattarai also urged the leaders of Nepali Congress (NC) and Nepali Congress-Democratic (NC-D) to work for unification of the party at this critical political situation.
He asked NC President Girija Prasad Koirala and NC-D President Sher Bahadur Deuba to initiate the process of party unification.
“Democracy will be restored in the country only after the NC is unified,” he said.
Soon after his release last week, Deuba in a press meet said that he was in favour of an honourable unification of the party.
Deuba had launched the breakaway NC (Democratic) party four years ago after dissolving the parliamet.
Queen Komal (File photo)
The 56th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Komal is being celebrated throughout the country today amidst various programmes.
Her Majesty the Queen was born on February 18, 1951 in Kathmandu as the second daughter of late Lieutenant General Kendra Shumsher JB Rana and late Mrs Shree Rajya Laxmi Rana.
The early education of Her Majesty Queen Komal took place at St Helen’s Convent, Kurseong ( India) and at St Mary’s School, Jawalakhel. Her Majesty has a certificate in Music from Kalanidhi Sangeet Mahavidhyalaya, Kathmandu.
Her Majesty was married to His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev in 1970, and Their Majesties have a son and a daughter.
Her Majesty the Queen has accompanied His Majesty the King on most of His Majesty’s visits abroad.
Their Majesties the King and Queen currently are in Pokhara on an unofficial visit of the region.
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal has expressed deep concern over the death of joint regional administrator of the eastern region, Prem Prasad Sapkota, in Maoist captivity in Dhankuta, Friday.
The Biratnagar regional office of the oHCHR has deployed a team to Dharan to observe the handover of the body to the authorities by Nepali NGO and human rights workers.
“OHCHR-Nepal understands that an autopsy will be carried out in Kathmandu in order to determine the cause of death, and will monitor the results of this autopsy,” the statement said.
“This is the moment when the leadership of the CPN (Maoist) must give clear and public instructions to its cadres to end all abductions of civilians, must release any other civilians still held after being abducted, and must ensure that those instructions are followed,” Chief of the OHCHR in Nepal Ian Martin said.
Similarly, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has launched a probe into Sapkota’s death.
Meanwhile, various human rights activists on Saturday urged the Maoists to make public their view on the suspicious death of Sapkota while in their captivity at Rajarani area of Dhankuta.
Speaking at an interaction in the capital, they also charged the Maoists violated all international humanitarian laws and the Geneva Convention by abducting the unarmed Sapkota.
NHRC member Sudip Pathak, human rights defenders Kapil Shrestha, Subodh Pyakurel of INSEC, Gopal Krishna Siwakoti and Birendra Keshari Pokhrel said the Maoists should take the moral and judicial responsibility for Sapkota’s death.
Sapkota was suffering from asthma, so why did the Maoists abduct him and continue to keep him in captivity without providing him any medicine, they asked.
Likewise, the Himalayan Times daily quoted Rita Sapkota, the wife of Sapkota as saying that Maoists’ apathy of her husband’s health led to hia death.
“My husband used to take medicine regularly and lack of them in Maoist custody led to his death,” a shell-shocked Rita said, adding, “Though my husband had to go through an ordeal, I pray nobody else will have to face the same again.”
Sapkota, 57, was abducted on February 7 along with 14 other government officials and security personnel during the Maoist attack in Dhankuta. He was suffering from hypertension, diabetes and asthma, died in Maoist captivity on Friday.