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VOL. 28, NO. 22, Feb 20, 2009 (Falgun 09 2065)
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Sri Lanka Ambassdor on Sri Lanka's National Day |
THE CABINET MEETING on Wednesday (Feb 11) decided to appoint Ramesh Chandra Thakuri the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Thakuri will take charge of the IGP post from February 17. The cabinet took the decision to promote Additional Inspector General Thakuri to the top cop post following the expiry of outgoing IGP Hem Gurung's tenure. Also, the ministerial council made a decision to take action against those debtors who intentionally resisted from paying bank loans. In order to put the decision into action, the meeting has formed a committee led by lawmaker Hari Roka. Similarly, the cabinet has recommended the names for the ambassadors to three countries. The recommended names are Suka Dev Shah for the United States of America, Ram Sarad Raya for the United Kingdom and Suresh Pradhan for Germany.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO INITIATE action against 242 willful defaulters of bank loans. It has decided to bar them from engaging in financial transactions, appointment in public positions and has also impounded their passports. Their investments in properties, land, shares, vehicles, government treasury will also be seized to service the debt. This decision was made by the cabinet on Wednesday (Feb 11). The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) had provided the list of 301 such defaulters to the Ministry of Finance two weeks ago. The Ministry shortened the list and presented to the cabinet for action. The willful defaulters have not paid around Rs 4 billion loan of banks. The cumulative interest amount has also reached similar level. The government has also formed a five-member panel headed by Hari Roka to monitor the action against willful defaulters.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS EXTENDED THE deadline of the Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme (VDIS) by one month. Till Wednesday (Feb 11), the government collected Rs 1.04 billion as tax from VDIS – ten percent of the total income disclosed. "The tax so far raised has been encouraging. We are extending the deadline because the private sector has said that more tax can be raised if it is extended," said Finance Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai. Earlier, business community had been demanding that the government extend the VDIS deadline and make some changes, which also the government has claimed it has fulfilled. The business community, however, is still apprehensive about the tax plan on investment. They have decided to hold further talks with the government. They have also decided to form a taskforce for the purpose.
PRESIDENT DR. RAMBARAN YADAV, on Tuesday (Feb 10), authenticated the three ordinances submitted to him by the cabinet. Those ordinances include one of amending several Nepal Acts to ensure inclusion in public sector; Disappearances (Crime and Punishment); and Voters List (First Amendment). Earlier, 18 parties led by main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) and including ruling ally Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) had decided to ask the prime minister to call parliament session to discuss ordinances.
A 19-MEMBER TEAM OF Chinese People's Liberation Army headed by a Lt. General arrived in Kathmandu, Tuesday, at the invitation of Home Ministry. The team will meet with Home Minister Bamdev Gautam on Wednesday (Feb 11). Sources say the team also includes Chinese security officials who look after Tibetan Autonomous Region. Following public protest demonstrations by Tibetan exiles in Kathmandu a few months ago, China has increased its attention on Nepal-China border security issues.
MINISTER FOR COMMERCE AND SUPPLIES Rajendra Mahato has informed that the prices of petroleum products in the domestic market will be reviewed on a par with the prices of crude oil in the international market only after the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) pays its outstanding debt. Minister Mahato informed that the government has been unable to readjust the fuel price as per the international market value due to NOC's past debts. The minister said that the fuel price in the domestic market will be made at par with international market rate once the NOC clears its debt of Rs 16 billion. He added that it will take some more time to clear the impending debt.
A NINE-MEMBER PARLIAMENTARY sub-committee has been formed to investigate into the claims of irregularities that have occurred in the Mid-Marsyangdi Hydro-power Project. A meeting of the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) reached to a decision to this effect. The sub-committee, to be headed by lawmaker Prakash Chandra Lohani, has been asked to submit its findings within a month.
