Koirala Says The Govt Will Collapse By Itself
Nepali Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala on Sunday (Jan 11) said that the current Maoist-led government will collapse by itself if it continues on current path. "It is like a mango that is getting riper by the day. We do not need to do anything. It will just fall down," he said. He also said his party is not in the same boat as the Maoists are in and so "will not sink with it". Koirala made this remark in Biratnagar while rebuffing assertion of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal that all political parties, democratic or otherwise, are in the same boat the Maoists are in and that if it (Maoists) falls in any trouble then "everybody will also sink with it". The former prime minister who led the country for much of the past one and half decade of democratic period warned that if the Maoists continue with its anti-democratic activities then he will lead a broad front of all political parties and wage an intense struggle against the government it leads. Speaking to reporters at his hometown Biratnagar where he is currently taking respite from his busy schedule, the octogenarian leader also said the Maoists should immediately stop attacking religion, judiciary and the free press. Koirala also said NC is not trying to topple the government, but said there is every possibility that it might collapse due to its own fallacies. He said if the Maoist seized properties are not returned to its rightful owners within three months as promised then it will also delay the army integration process. Compiled from reports
UML CC Endorses Khanal's Political Report
The central committee meeting of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) unanimously passed the political report presented by party general secretary Jhala Nath Khanal on Sunday. The CC passed Khanal's document with minor changes, but most CC members were critical of it for calling for an update on Janata ko Bahudaliye Janabaad (people's multiparty democracy), the guiding principle of the party propounded by late Madan Bhandari, sources said. The CC members are also known to have pointed out that the general secretary's concept on restructuring of the state lacked clarity and that it should be rewritten before it is presented at the party's upcoming general convention. Khanal's document underlines two major immediate priorities -- drafting of new constitution and bringing the peace process to a success. It stresses on keeping alive the coalition with the Maoists even as the former rebels still haven't overcome "ultra-leftist hangover". The general secretary's report will be circulated to the district committees of the parties for debate. Compiled from reports
NOC Subsidy Plan On Govt Table
Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has forwarded to the government a draft manual for subsidy to targetted groups and students in cooking gas and kerosene. "NOC - with the aim of granting relief in petroleum products to lower strata of society and students - has prepared the draft on subsidy and forwarded it to the government," said NOC managing director Digamber Jha. However, gas dealers are complaining that the draft is ineffective and un-scientific. "The draft lacks a scientific mechanism," Gyaneshwor Aryal, president of Gas Dealers' Federation said adding that there should have been thorough homework before such a relief proposal. Devi Neupane, president of the authentic employees' union of NOC said the subsidy should be provided only to students of public schools and government schools. "The government need not provide subsidy to students of private boarding schools as they are well-off," he added. According to the draft, targetted groups to get subsidy are people staying on rent, students, and their families. "All residents in rural and urban areas, colleges, universities and those who live in rented houses along with certificates and necessary documents and students with identity cards are liable to get subsidy in gas and kerosene," said the draft. A single family will get Rs 100 subsidy per cylinder per month while those using kerosene will get Rs 50 per month subsidy. However, according to the draft, people getting subsidy in kerosene will not get it in LPG and vice-versa. NOC will be the authorized body to issue consumer cards and the respective Metropolitan City, Sub metro, Municipality and Village Development Committee will distribute their respective certified consumers the cards. Meanwhile, after certification from the landlord people living on rent will be able to get subsidy while students of colleges and universities will be eligible with official recognition from their respective institutions. However, students with their own houses will not eligible for subsidy. "The draft can only regulate the business but cannot control illegal activities," Aryal said adding that a committee should be formed with the participation of consumers, students, dealers and buyers to distribute the cards. According to the draft manual, students with consumer cards will get Rs 100 subsidy on the purchase of one cylinder per month. Gas dealers will have to certify the consumer with detailed information about the gas cylinder in the card, which will work as the medium for distribution of subsidy to college and university students. Aryal argued that the card system would not be effective as fake student cards cannot be regulated. "Special holograms should be used," he suggested. "Similarly, people getting subsidy should be classified according to their income level both in the rural and urban areas. Leading dailies report
Solar Power Gains At Outage's Expense
The ongoing power woes — weekly outage has hit an all-time high of 108 hours from Sunday —has led to a growing demand for installation of solar photo voltaic energy in the capital. The concept is by and large similar to solar water heater. But lack of marketing and advertising drive has failed to strike a chord with consumers all these years. "The demand is on the rise. But the pace is yet to pick up because the installation costs are quite high. At a conservative estimate, more than 30 companies are involved in this trade in urban areas. We are installing the device in one or two households daily. The cost depends on the electricity that the apparatus will generate," explained Nabin Bhujel, chairperson, Solar Electricity Manufactures' Association of Nepal. Dr Govind Raj Pokharel, an energy expert, had converted to the solar photovoltaic energy cause eight years ago. His residence — he lives at Imadol in Lalitpur — boasts of 85-watt system, which had cost him around Rs 50,000. The average cost per watt works out to Rs 400-600. "Usually, in urban households, the demand for electricity is high. Hence, the installation of the system will bring the much-needed relief," said Pokharel. Buoyed by the technology, the energy expert uses more than 10 fluorescent lamps, whose capacity range from three to seven watts, at his home. He can also watch television and work on his laptop during outage. The government has introduced sops — like exemption of sales tax, Value Added Tax and customs duty — for importing the equipment. The importers, however, have to comply with minimum standards set up by Nepal Interim Photo Voltaic Quality Assurance. Renewable Energy Test Station at Nepal Academy for Science and Technology also checks the compliance norms before consumers can lay their hands on it. "Consumers have become quality conscious since a number of cases have been reported, where fake certificates were planted to boost sales," said Pokharel. Raju Munakarmi, energy expert, Alternative Energy Promotion Centre, said the demand and supply would determine the viability of the concept. "At present, the installation work, too, has been severely hampered due to frequent power cuts," he said. Solar energy can be utilised in two ways: water heater, solar dryer and solar cooker rely on thermal system. While, the solar photovoltaic system generates electricity through silicon cells once the sun rays hit the panels. Energy is stored in a battery, which has chemical energy. Inverter connected to the device converts Direct Current into Alternate Current. The Himalayan Times daily reports
PM's Fiat To Cut Power Outages
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Sunday, instructed five ministers to take immediate steps to resolve the major problems facing the country — power shortage, closure of factories and industries, transportation sector and law and order. Prime Minister had called Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam, Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Minister for Water Resources Bishnu Paudel, Minister for Labour and Transport Management Lekhraj Bhatta and Minister for Industries Asta Laxmi Shakya to his official residence in the morning. PM instructed Paudel to initiate action at the earliest possible to resolve the problem of power shortage, said Minister Bhatta. The Prime Minister's fiat coincides with a 16-hour daily load-shedding that the Nepal Electricity Authority has enforced nationwide. The crisis has been triggered due to the receding water level in the rivers, which are generating only 230 MW, NEA said on Friday. PM instructed Minister Shakya to implement the government's decision to provide minimum wage of Rs 190 to labourers and make an immediate attempt to reopen the closed industries and stop capital flight. PM also instructed ministers concerned to resolve the dispute and maintain law and order in all the sectors, especially the industries, road and transportation, Bhatta said. Hundreds of factories and industries have been shut down due to the disputes between entrepreneurs and pro-Maoist trade unions, which have been demanding implementation of the minimum wage, and shortage of raw materials due to the transport strike. Dahal wants the Water Resources Minister to reduce load-shedding duration by checking leakage of electricity and by reviving the damaged power plants through repair and maintenance. The Himalayan Times daily reports END
VDIS Is Targeted At Tax Evaders: Dr Bhattarai
Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai on Thursday said the concept of Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme (VDIS) is targeted at those unscrupulous politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen who have evaded tax in the past. Dr Bhattarai, who was speaking at an interaction in the capital, also clarified that since the VDIS is not property tax, it will not apply to the property which has been inherited or gained with taxed income. Speaking at the same program, Surendra Bir Malakar, president, Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), however, claimed that the introduction of VDIS would not bode well to the country's business sector. "The country is in need of more investments in various business avenues. But, the VDIS is discouraging potential investors to pour their money into new venture,' he said. Kapil Ghimire, director-general of Inland Revenue Department (IRD) said people must voluntarily declare their past incomes which have not been taxed till the end of February 11. The government has already said that a 10 percent of the valuation of properties amassed with income on which taxes have not been paid will have to be paid as tax under VDIS. Compiled from reports END
500 Factories In Sunsari Halt Operations
The ongoing labor dispute has forced some 500 factories along the Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor to shut operation from Thursday. According to reports, entrepreneurs were compelled to close the industries due to shortage of raw materials caused by the transport strike and blockade at the Jogbani border point. They also said they have been unable to supply products to markets and bring in raw materials for production due to the transport strike, causing them huge losses. The workers of state-owned Biratnagar Jute Mill together with other factories in the industrial area have been organizing transport strike from the past one week demanding that they be given the daily minimum wage of Rs 190 fixed by the government. The agitating workers have also created a blockade at Jogbani border point from where most of the raw materials come to Nepal from India. "We were already incurring losses due to load shedding. But now this thing (transportation strike) has barred us from supplying products to markets," chairman of Morang Trade Organisation Mahesh Jaju told Kantipur Daily. According to him, only two percent of the factories are operational in the corridor and they too have cut down production by 90 percent. Compiled from reports
Pro-Maoist Workers Strike In Pokhara
Tourists were compelled to return from Pokhara after workers close to Maoists stopped their works in hotels and restaurants in this scenic town. They demanded minimum wage as fixed by Labour Act. Because of the news of their strike, tourists have also cancelled their bookings in Pokhara hotels. According to Govinda Raj Pahari, president of regional hotel association of Pokhara, almost all hotels were padlocked and no new bookings were received. Compiled from reports
MJF Lawmakers Ask PM To Relieve Their Ministers From Cabinet
Internal dispute in the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) has reached a new height after around three dozen lawmakers from the party registered a memorandum at the office of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday requesting him to relieve MJF ministers from cabinet. Complaining that the party's leaders in the government have been working at their whims, the MJF lawmakers asked PM Dahal to sack all MJF ministers immediately. MJF coordinator Upendra Yadav, deputy coordinator Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta, parliamentary party leader Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar and central committee member Renu Kumari Yadav represent the party in the current government. The division in the party had surfaced during the central committee meeting held in Birgunj few weeks back as Gupta and Gachchhadar opposed the Yadav's proposal to hold convention on the stipulated time. These lawmakers also plan to call on Speaker Subash Nemwang to relieve Gachhchadar as parliamentary party leader, alleging that Gachhchadar has not called a single meeting of the parliamentary party since the election. Compiled from reports
