Koirala Unhappy Over Ordinances
President of the Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala Thursday (Jan 29) accused the Unified CPN (Maoist) of trying to destroy the parliamentary system. "The promulgated ordinances are controversial. They should have been brought earlier. It is an attempt to destroy the parliamentary system," he told journalists after attending a program organized at party office in Sanepa to observe the Martyrs' Day. The octogenarian leader also criticized the recent address of the Prime Minister to the nation. In a query on whether he liked the PM's address, Koirala said, "I don't know which address you are talking about. I don't care about these issues." A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday had promulgated the Investment Board Ordinance-2065, Ordinance to Declare Special Economic Zone -2065 and Public Service Ordinance. Koirala who has been accusing the Maoists of demolishing parliamentary system has not attended many important parliament sessions himself. Compiled from reports
Nepal-India Agree To Establish Four Integrated Checkpoints
Nepal and India have signed an agreement to set up four Integrated Check-Posts on both sides of the border so that bilateral trade and passenger traffic could be easier. As per the agreement, the Integrated Check-Posts would be established in four major transit points between Nepal and India: Birgunj-Raxual, Biratnagar-Jogbani, Bhairahawa Sunauli and Nepalgunj-Rupaidiya. The Indian Embassy in a statement said state-of-the-art infrastructure, facilitating integrated customs and immigration for smooth cross-border movement of people and goods would be established in these checkpoints. "In response to the request of Government of Nepal, Government of India has agreed to provide full technical and financial assistance for the new infrastructure to be established on the Nepalese side," the embassy said. Detailed Project Report for the Integrated Check-Posts at these border points has been completed by the project consultants, M/s RITES Ltd. at a cost of Rs. 40 million provided by Government of India. Two-thirds of the total trade between India and Nepal takes place through the Raxaul-Birgunj border point where the Integrated Check-Posts would be developed under Phase-I of the project, while the remaining three border points would be taken up under Phase-II. A bilateral Project Steering Committee co-chaired by Secretary (Border Management) of Government of India, and Secretary (Physical Planning & Works), Government of Nepal has been set up for coordination of activities and speedy implementation of the project on the two sides.
The third meeting of the Project Steering Committee was held on Thursday (January 29) at Birgunj, during which both sides informed each other of the preparatory work already done and discussed the roadmap for fast-tracking future works for the Integrated Check Posts. The meeting also approved the Detailed Engineering Report prepared by RITES Ltd. for the Integrated Check-Posts at Raxaul and Birgunj. The works on the Nepal side will cost approximately Rs. 2 billion and on the Indian side, approximately Rs. 1.92 billion. Compiled from reports
VDIS Will Achieve Its Set Target: IRD
Director of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) Bishnu Nepal has on Wednesday (Jan 28) said that the government is fully confident about collecting Rs 1 billion in revenue through the Voluntary Declaration of Income Scheme (VDIS) by February 11. While speaking at an interaction program held in the capital, Nepal also informed that the total amount of collected so far under the scheme stands at Rs 11 million, which is 1.1 percent of the target. Speaking at the same program, Director General of the IRD Kapil Dev Ghimire said that the VDIS is applicable for those who have not paid tax on their incomes. Ghimire also divulged that the IRD has so far identified more than 10,000 prospective tax payers. President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce Surendra Bir Malakar, however, expressed dissatisfaction over practical aspects of the VDIS. He also made it a point to argue that the government is not serious towards addressing the legitimate concerns of private sector. Compiled from reports
'Govt Trying To Intimidate Army'
In what would further fuel the ongoing row between the Ministry of Defense and Nepal Army (NA), Nepali Congress (NC) Vice President Ram Chandra Poudel has said that the Maoist-led government is trying to intimidate the national army. "Instead of being a guardian to the army, the government is only trying to intimidate them," Poudel said, clearly referring to Tuesday's (Jan 27) statement of Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa who had warned of dire consequences if the NA didn't obey government directive to stop fresh recruitment. Poudel, who was speaking at a program organized at Pashupati Multiple Campus in the capital, said that the actions of the government clearly shows that the Maoists, which leads it, haven't changed their "rebel attitude". The NC leader claimed that the former rebels still believe in arms and not democracy and because of this the weapons kept in the cantonments need to be submitted to the government. Poudel also accused the Maoists of inching towards, as what he called, "neo-feudalism". Compiled from reports
Defense Minister Asks NA To Stop Recruitment
Minister for Defense Ram Bahadur Thapa on Tuesday (Jan 27) warned of serious consequences if the state army did not stop new enlisting defying the government's directives. Also a former Maoist commander, Thapa charged that some elements are trying to exaggerate the controversy over new recruitment in the Nepal Army (NA) with the help of foreign diplomats despite the government's attempts to solve the problem. "We have to be sensitive about recruitment," he said, "Some people are trying to play. I have got to know that there have been 'diplomatic races' as well."
Speaking at the meeting of the Preservation of National Interest Committee (PNIC) under the Constituent Assembly (CA) Tuesday, the Defense Minister claimed that the government's directive to stop new recruitment in the NA has been misinterpreted. He further claimed that attempts have been made to increase controversy between the Defense Ministry and the army headquarters. Stating the NA has to abide by the government directives unconditionally, Minister Thapa said, "If it doesn't, it's not democracy." Compiled from repots
Bhattarai Accuses UML Of Trying To Weaken Coalition Govt
Even as the Maoist-led government faces increasing criticism for its poor performance the blame game between coalition partners seems far from over. Leaders of the two main ruling allies, Unified CPN (Maoist) and Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), continue to engage in war of words, each blaming the other of acting against the coalition spirit. "The UML is trying to make hole in the boat it is boarding," Finance Minister and senior Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai said, adding "And it is creating obstructions in the government's works." The UML is not happy despite getting plum berths in the cabinet, he further said. Addressing a program in Tehrathum district on Tuesday (Jan 27), Bhattarai claimed that the government has not been able to adequately implement the budget 08/09 as the UML is creating hurdles in forming the local bodies. Bhattarai's remarks come a day after a bitter argument with senior UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal during a program organized by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu with Nepal asking Bhattarai to stop making irresponsible comments against his party. The Maoist leader shot back saying that Nepal's recent statements on Maoist combatants were unacceptable. Compiled from reports
Experts Say Ethnicity-Based Federalism Won't Work
Members of the 1990's constitution drafting committee have advised the political parties not to consider ethnicity or linguistic specialty as the basis for creating federal units. Participating in a discussion organized by Constitutional Committee of the Constituent Assembly on Monday (Jan 26), the constitutional experts stressed the need to reflect the aspirations and demands of all sides in the constitution in order to make an inclusive federal Nepal. They said that ethnicity-based federal system can sow the seeds of disintegration of the nation. They said the new constitution must guarantee rights of all people to ensure that people of Nepal need not have to take to streets for rights and freedom again. Former justice Laxman Prasad Aryal, one of the drafters of the 1990 constitution and head of the interim constitution drafting committee, advised the CC to go for wider participation of the people in the constitution-making process. Another constitutional expert, Surya Nath Upadhyaya, maintained that Nepal's new constitution should be an example to the world. Similarly, Bharat Mohan Adhikari of CPN (UML) advised for a stronger, powerful, transparent and independent judiciary. The CC has said a preliminary draft would be prepared after discussion with experts and it would be distributed for wider discussion across the nation. Various committees under the constituent assembly have started discussion with experts and are collecting feedbacks from ordinary citizens. Compiled from reports
Saptakoshi Reverted To Original Course
The Saptakoshi river, which had flooded the settlements of Sunsari and Bihar of India after breaching the embankment at Paschim Kushaha, five-and-half months ago has been reverted back to its original course. The river started flowing in its original course from Monday (Jan 26) evening after a team of more than 500 workers built cofferdams using sand sacks, concrete and galvanised wire. Out of 11,447 cusecs of water in Koshi river, 10,700 cusecs have started flowing through the barrage. Technicians have expected to divert the remaining volume of water which is flowing through pilot channels along the embankment towards the barrage by Tuesday evening. After breaching the embankment at Paschim Kushaha, Saptakoshi had flooded the neighboring villages of Nepal and India rendering thousands of people homeless. The East-West Highway was obstructed and many people had lost their lives. The river was tamed according to an agreement reached between the Nepalese and Indian governments. The Indian government had contracted the job of taming the river to Vashishta and Vashishta, an Indian construction company. Compiled from reports
Government Declares 2011 As 'Nepal Tourism Year'
The government has revealed various action plans to celebrate 2011 as 'Nepal Tourism Year' with an objective to increase tourist arrivals above the 1 million mark.
In press meet organized Sunday (Jan 25), minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Hisila Yami said, "We will launch campaign of Nepal Tourism Year nationwide by improvising based on the experiences from Visit Nepal Year 1998." In an attempt to promote Nepal as a tourist destination and lure maximum tourists, the government has made arrangements to waive the visa fee for 2011. It has also planned to start air services to Nepal from Riyadh, Lhasa, Guangzhou, Frankfurt and London by the end of 2010 in order to provide better air connectivity. Flights to and from Mumbai, Shanghai and Tokyo are starting this March. In the press meet, the government also revealed its plans to launch special promotional packages in the USA, Europe, Japan, Australia, South East Asia, Middle East Asia and neighboring China and India through high level Nepalese delegation teams in order to meet the target of more than 1 million tourist arrivals. Earlier, the government had announced the plan to 2011 as 'Nepal Tourism Year' through the budget speech. The cabinet has also formed a steering committee coordinated by the minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Hisila Yami and including stake holders from various sectors. Leading dailies report
