R&D Economic Research & Business Development
Date: August 3, 2009 Highlights
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Trade union activists affiliated to the UCPN-Maoist today barged into a press conference and assaulted Giriraj Bhandari the outgoing general manager of the state-owned industries, leaving four persons injured.
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Unified CPN-Maoist has decided to launch an aggressive movement after a few days if they are not allowed to discuss civilian supremacy in the parliament. Addressing a press meet yesterday, party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the month-long ultimatum will expire after four days if the government failed to forge a consensus on their demand.
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The student wing of the ruling CPN-UML manhandled chief of Tri-Chandra College Hari Prasad Parajuli in the accounts section this morning. He was attacked for allegedly cooperating with the police to get the All Nepal National Free Students Union cadres arrested for their alleged involvement in a shootout at the college nearly a month ago.
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The government is preparing to set up powerful intelligence body directly accountable to the Prime Minister to gather information on foreign intervention in Nepal.
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Constituent Assembly (CA) Chairman Subas Nembang has pressed the political parties and chairpersons and secretaries of the thematic CA committees to strictly follow deadlines for different tasks related to constitution making.
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The Communist Party of Maoists-Nepal (CPN-M) on Sunday criticised the governments of India and Sri Lanka for their “oppressive” campaigns against rebels in the two countries. The CPN-M said its central committee opposed such “repressions” and felt such methods used by the state against armed groups will be counterproductive.
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Paramananda Jha, who is at the center of controversy after the Supreme Court nullified his oath for the post of vice president, has turned down a request from President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to take a fresh oath in Nepali.
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Nepali Congress (NC) lawmakers and the party’s Central Committee (CC) members aired differing views on the party's proposed roadmap on state restructuring prepared by the committee led by the party's Vice President Gopal Man Shrestha.
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Maoist combatants inside Shaktikhor, Chitwan-based People’s Liberation Army (PLS) third division camp have expressed concern over the hold-up in the rehabilitation process of disqualified soldiers.
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The chiefs of six state-owned enterprises under the Ministry of Industry announced their resignation in mass on Sunday. Those who resigned on
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Sunday were Chairperson Bindu Timsina and general manager Giriraj Bhandari of the Industrial Estate Management Limited (IEML), chairperson Raj Kishore Shah, general manager Tikaram Sharma Rijal and board member Sarala K.C. of Nepal Ausadhi Ltd. •
The construction of the much-hyped Melamchi drinking water project is set to begin soon, following a nine-point agreement reached between the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works and the indigenous people agitating under the banner of Hyolmo Drinking Water Concerned Committee (HDWCC) on Sunday.
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According to a report of the Finance Ministry on public enterprises (PEs), net fixed assets of 36 public enterprises — including those under construction — reached Rs 124.89 billion at the end of the fiscal year 2007-08 from Rs 110.61 billion a year earlier.
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The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has urged the government to immediately cease raiding and sealing traders' godowns in the name of controlling price hike.
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Tourist arrivals, via air, went up by 10 percent in July, following rebound in the number of incoming tourists from major destinations. This is the second consecutive month the arrivals posted a positive growth this year.
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The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Sunday fell again by 11.3 points. The sensitive index also declined by 2.81 points. All the NEPSE sub-indices witnessed a downturn.
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Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC) has alleged the food materials provided by the World Food Programme (WFP) were responsible for the outbreak of cholera and diarrhea in the mid-western region of the country. The rotten rice and lentils that cannot be cooked even after two hours of cooking have been proved to have caused the cholera outbreak.
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Police has seized a large amount of explosives from Gaddachauki Customs, Mahendranagar on Sunday.
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At least one woman was drowned as more than 100 villages were flooded in Bihar’s Sitamarhi district after the Bagmati river breached its embankment early Saturday, officials said.
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What if you are told that you can purchase currency' worth Rs 1 lakh for just Rs 50,000? And the delivery would be made by courier or a man disguised as a postman or even better, hand-delivered to you by an angadia man? This is how fake currency was circulated in Gujarat and many other parts of India.
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POLITICS: Maoists beat up outgoing heads Trade union activists affiliated to the UCPN-Maoist today barged into a press conference and assaulted the outgoing captains of the state-owned industries, leaving four persons injured. No sooner did Giriraj Bhandari, outgoing general manager of Industrial Development Management Limited, finish speaking at least 10 activists of the All Nepal Industrial Workers’ Organisation showed up on the scene and dragged from the dias. “The Maoist cadres hit Bhandari with whatever they could lay their hands on. They smeared his face with soot and also ill-treated others present in the press meet. It was a planned, brutal attack,” Dr MB Garanja told The Himalayan Times. Bhandari, who had been taken to Kathmandu Model Hospital, was discharged later today. The press meet was organised in Balaju industrial estate to justify the rationale of en masse resignation of nine general managers, chairpersons and members of several state-run industries. Bhandari, GM, Industrial Development Management Limited; Dr Garanja, chairperson of Udaypur Cement Industries Ltd; Bindu Timalsina, chairperson, IDML; Tikaram Ghimire, GM, Nepal Drugs Ltd; Dr Raj Koshor Shah, chairperson, NDL; Sarala KC, member, NDL; Bal Gopal Thapa, chairperson, Hetauda Cement Industries Ltd; Bhola Thapa, GM, Janakpur Cigarette Factory; Shyam Giri, GM, Cottage and Small Industries Development Committee and Saraswoti Bati, chairperson. CSIDC had tendered their resignations to Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Friday. All of them were hurt in Maoist assault. “I fled the scene after they beat up anyone who came in their way,” said Garanja, adding that they had hit Bhandari on the head with helmets. The Maoist cadres, led by Rohit and Mandal, had stormed the conference hall chanting ‘Corrupt GMs quit now’. Bhandari had played a pivotal role to remove a YCL camp at Balaju industrial estate last year. The assailants managed to flee the scene before the police arrived at the site. The police had made no arrests until this evening. An official at Metropolitan Police Circle, Balaju, said a search operation was on to track down those involved in the attack. Sagar, YCL Kathmandu incharge, said the incident was the outcome of a dispute between workers and officials of the industrial outfits. He claimed that the YCL was not involved in the incident. Source: The Himalayan Times Date: 08/03/2009
Maoists for aggressive movement
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Unified CPN-Maoist has decided to launch an aggressive movement after a few days if they are not allowed to discuss civilian supremacy in the parliament. Addressing a press meet organised to make public the decisions of the central committee meeting that concluded yesterday, party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the month-long ultimatum will expire after four days if the government failed to forge a consensus on their demand. “The government would be responsible for the consequences if the party is forced to bring the people on to the streets,” he added. He claimed that the members of the Constituent Assembly who oppose military supremacy outnumber those supporting it. He said the people’s movement was inevitable and the party would fight peacefully in the cities. The party will fight for civilian supremacy, national independence, peace, new constitution and national joint government led by the party. A joint front including ethnic and regional fronts of the party and special personalities will be formed, while another broader front will be formed including all the leftists, progressive, patriotic parties, organisations and personalities who are for civilian supremacy. The party will begin the process to declare the establishment of ethnic and regional autonomous states as per the spirit of the interim constitution and expedite the formation of local bodies.The central committee leadership has unanimously elected Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ as chairman; Mohan Baidhya ‘Kiran’, Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Narayan Kaji Shrestha ‘Prakash’, were elected vice-presidents on the basis of seniority; Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ as general secretary and Chandra Prasad Gajurel and Post Bahadur Bogati as secretaries of the party. An eight-member high-level probe commission has been formed under the leadership of Baidhya to investigate into allegations against leaders and cadres living luxurious lives. The commission has to submit its report within three months. The commission includes Pampha Bhusal, Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’, Leelamani Pokhrel, Ram Narayan Bidari, Hitraj Pande and Krishna Dev Yadav. The central committee meeting, meanwhile, decided to strengthen ties with all the Marxist, Leninist and Maoist parties of the world. It also decided that the President should be directly elected by the people. Code of conduct for leaders • Central members should not demand responsibilities citing personal interest • They should behave like professional revolutionaries • Their income and expenditure should be transparent and must report to the central office every three months. • No central member should be involved with NGOs or INGOs • They should not be involved in graft, smuggling or extortion. Doing so will invite action • They should not rent an apartment away from their working area • All the properties of the members should be provided to the party • No CC member should admit their children abroad or in private and boarding schools
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• Central office bearers should take part in physical labour for a day every two months while the CC members should take part once a month. • Central members should not demand responsibilities citing personal interest Source: The Himalayan Times Date: 08/03/2009 TC head assaulted The student wing of the ruling CPN-UML manhandled chief of Tri-Chandra College Hari Prasad Parajuli in the accounts section this morning. He was attacked for allegedly cooperating with the police to get the All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) cadres arrested for their alleged involvement in a shootout at the college nearly a month ago. ANNFSU activists were staging a protest in front of the college, demanding immediate and unconditional release of their colleagues. Around 11 am, they allegedly pounced upon Parajuli while he was sitting in the account section of the college. Parajuli alleged that some 20 demonstrators threw chairs and paperweight at me all of a sudden. He claimed that some of the miscreants were ANNFSU candidates in the recently held election of Free Students Union. He sustained minor injury in the face. All Nepal National Free Students Union has claimed that its cadres were not involved in the attack on Parajuli. The police had arrested Ein Bahadur Mahar and Samik Badal — activists of the All Nepal National Free Students Union — from Durbarmarg on Friday night. On July 5, two students were seriously hurt when ANNFSU and NSU engaged in fierce clashes following a dispute over a tender notice that the college had published for the construction of chemistry department. Nepal Students Union central member, Bhim Singh Gurung, and NSU activist Ravi Thapa were hurt in the attack. Gurung had lodged a complaint against six cadres of ANNFSU and Youth Force, including Mahar and Badal, to the police. Source: The Himalayan Times Date: 08/03/2009 Govt preparing to set up Counter Intelligence Wing The government is preparing to set up powerful intelligence body directly accountable to the Prime Minister to gather information on foreign intervention in Nepal. Ministry of Home Affairs has begun procedure to set up such body after the Council of Ministers approved a proposal to set up a Counter Intelligence Wing recently, Kantipur daily reported.
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A counter intelligence unit is essential for the protection of national interest as per the recent international trend, said State minister for Home Affairs Mohammad Rizwan Ansari. This unit will be accountable to the Prime Minister, he added. The 350-men strong Counter Intelligence Unit will remain as an autonomous body headed by an Additional Chief Investigation Director within the National Investigation Department (NID) for now and be gradually developed into a separate department headed by a Chief Investigation Director. About Rs 414 million has been earmarked for the additional manpower and other overhead costs. This is the first time a separate intelligence wing is being set up to look into international matters. Earlier, attempts to set up intelligence wings to set up international matter were foiled due to foreign intervention. Late King Birendra had set up Public Relations Directorate ‘Kha’ during the people’s movement in 1990 to gather information on foreign intervention. But the Directorate was dissolved within two years due to pressure from foreign power centres, said Prabhat Shumsher Rana, the erstwhile chief of the directorate. Most other countries have two parallel intelligence bodies, one to look into the internal matters and the other to look into the external ones. In India the Intelligence Bureau (IB) gathers information on internal matters while the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) gathers information on external affairs. Likewise, in the USA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) gathers information on internal matters and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) gathers information on external affairs. Source: www.nepalnews.com Date: August 03, 20009 Follow deadlines, Nembang tells CA committees, parties Constituent Assembly (CA) Chairman Subas Nembang has pressed the political parties and chairpersons and secretaries of the thematic CA committees to strictly follow deadlines for different tasks related to constitution making. Nembang called chief whips of major political parties and chairpersons and secretaries of six committees in a meeting today to press the committees to prepare their concept papers on time. Of 11 thematic committees, only five have prepared the draft reports and concept papers and deliberations on four of them have been completed. Deliberations on the draft submitted by the committee on determining the form of legislative bodies is scheduled to begin on Monday.
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"First I got acquainted with the progress made by the six committees. Then, I clearly told them that we must accomplish the tasks within the slated timeframe as we cannot reschedule the calendar of events yet again," Nembang told myrepublica.com. The CA has already amended its calendar for five times. The final date for promulgation of the constitution is May 28, 2010. In the meeting, Nembang urged them to present the draft reports no later than August 31, as the deliberations on all concepts and draft reports must be concluded by September 6 and sent to the Constitutional Committee (CC) by September 7 as per the amended CA calendar. Chairpersons of the Committee on Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles and the Judicial System expressed commitment to submit their reports in about a week. Chairman urged the committee chiefs to seek garner support from the political parties to resolve the differences in the committee and suggested the chief whips to facilitate the committees to expedite their works. Earlier on July 23, Nembang had also urged the top leaders of the three major political parties -- UCPN-Maoist, Nepali Congress and UML -- to help expedite the constitution making process. The CA passed the calendar of events on November 16, 2008, and rescheduled it for the first time on December 29, 2008. Later, it was amended on January 6, April 13, April 29 and July 16, 2009 Source: www.myrepublica.com Date: 08/03/2009 Prachanda slams India, Lanka for fight against rebels The Communist Party of Maoists-Nepal (CPN-M) on Sunday criticised the governments of India and Sri Lanka for their “oppressive” campaigns against rebels in the two countries. The CPN-M said its central committee opposed such “repressions” and felt such methods used by the state against armed groups will be counterproductive. CPN-M chief Prachanda said the party would maintain close contacts with COMPOSA (Coordination of Maoist Parties of South Asia), which has its underground headquarters in India, and RIM (Revolutionary International Movement), an umbrella body of ultra-left militants worldwide. This is the first time that Prachanda has given a clear message that the CPN-M’s joining the peace process in Nepal three years ago does not mean giving up arms, and that it supports any armed movement outside the country. He also set a four-day deadline for the Nepal government to correct the “unconstitutional step” of reinstating army chief R Katawal. “If our demands are not met within the deadline set, we will start people’s revolt,” he said. www.indianexpress.com 7
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Aug 03, 2009
Jha rejects President Yadav's call for fresh oath Paramananda Jha, who is at the center of controversy after the Supreme Court nullified his oath for the post of vice president, has turned down a request from President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to take a fresh oath in Nepali. During a meeting with the president on Friday evening, Jha declined the request, a highly-placed political source and Jha´s close aides said. The meeting was arranged to seek a solution to the controversy after his oath in Hindi was nullified by the SC on July 24. Sources said the meeting was arranged upon the request of Jha, who, however, refused to comment on the meeting. A close aide to Jha confirmed that Jha had a 15-minute meeting with the president. The meeting was kept secret, fearing controversy it might have triggered, the source said. President Yadav, the source said, had asked Jha to take a fresh oath, but Jha turned down the request. Meanwhile, Yadav consulted his advisors and senior bureaucrats at his office on Sunday on finding solution to the oath row. The meeting decided to consult Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, president´s principal advisor on administering a fresh oath to Jha. Yadav also consulted senior advocate and former attorney general Badri Bahadur Karki on Sunday. Karki reportedly suggested the President to consult the government on the issue. Sources said Prime Minister Madhav Nepal is likely to meet Yadav on Monday. “After the meeting, we will write to the government asking for suggestions on implementing the SC verdict,” said a senior official at Shital Niwas Source: www.myrepublica.com Date: 08/03/2009 State Restructuring: NC a divided house KATHMANDU, Aug 2 - Nepali Congress (NC) lawmakers and the party’s Central Committee (CC) members aired differing views on the party's proposed roadmap on state restructuring prepared by the committee led by the party's Vice President Gopal Man Shrestha. The differences of views came during the joint meeting of the Party's Parliamentary Committee (PPC) and CC.
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After the deliberations that concluded on Sunday, Shrestha said, "My report evinced mixed reaction at the PPC and the CC. Many friends from the CC are yet to express their views. The CC will take decision in this regard soon." Forty lawmakers expressed their views during the weeklong meeting. "Friends from the Tarai and Madhes were for carving out one state from the eastern to western plains, while lawmakers representing the Himali region, Janajatis, Dalits, Tharus and Muslims had their own take," Shrestha said. He added that while some lawmakers and CC members wanted the draft endorsed in present form, some others wanted massive changes in it. Source: www.kantipuronline.com
Rehabilitation programme suspension worries PLA CHITWAN, Aug 2 - Maoist combatants inside Shaktikhor, Chitwan-based People’s Liberation Army (PLS) third division camp have expressed concern over the hold-up in the rehabilitation process of disqualified soldiers. The government had announced that the rehabilitation programme of ineligible Maoist fighters would begin from 17 July , but its unexpected suspension has put the rehabilitation process in uncertainty. “Our soldiers would be happy if only the government dealt with issues pertaining to the management, rehabilitation and integration of PLA combatants with a sense of urgency,” said Uday Bahadur Chalaune, joint commander of the third division camp. Many soldiers disqualified during UNMIN’s verification concur that the government must expedite the rehabilitation programme. “We want steady jobs so we can live on our own,” said a disqualified soldier. “We’ll make more money outside than inside the camp.” The government has been providing a monthly salary of Rs. 5,000 to the PLA fighters. Some disqualified soldiers, however, have demanded that they be integrated in the national army. “If we agree to other jobs, then there is a chance that the government will drag out the case for long in bargaining and eventually provide the disqualified soldiers with nothing,” said a disqualified soldier crusading for integration into Nepal Army. UNMIN’s verification had disqualified 4,685 PLA soldiers. They are living inside PLA camps across the country--some waiting to start anew after leaving the camp and some pushing for integration into the national army. Source: www.kantipuronline.com BUSINESS & ECONOMY: SOE honchos resign en masse
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KATHMANDU, Aug 2 - The chiefs of six state-owned enterprises under the Ministry of Industry announced their resignation en masse on Sunday. All of them were political appointees during the tenure of Asta Laxmi Shakya, the then industry minister in the Maoist-led government. Those who resigned on Sunday were Chairperson Bindu Timsina and general manager Giriraj Bhandari of the Industrial Estate Management Limited (IEML), chairperson Raj Kishore Shah, general manager Tikaram Sharma Rijal and board member Sarala K.C. of Nepal Ausadhi Ltd. Chairperson BAL Gopal Thapa Magar of Hetauda Cement Industries Ltd, chairperson Mast Bahadur Garanja of Udayapur Cement Factory, chairperson Bhola Shah of Janakpur Cigarette Factory Ltd and Chairperson Saraswoti Bati and executive director Shyam Giri of Cottage and Small Industry Development Committee also handed in their resignations. They said in a press meet that they resigned after the new minister Mahendra Prasad Yadav, from the Tarai Madhesh Democratic Party (TMDP), criticised them in public for not helping the ministry. Reading out the resignation letter addressed to Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, a letter that also contained the signatures of 10 high-ranking officials, the IEML's GM Bhandari said the ministry had asked them to present themselves in the ministry on deputation. The general manager of NIDC was asked to be present at the ministry and was removed from his post on the decision of the Council of Ministers. According to outgoing personnel, they decided to resign when TMDP was given the responsibility of the ministry. "But we didn't resign immediately because our party had instructed us not to do so, and the prime minister too asked us to refrain from resigning." Before announcing the resignation, the IEML honchos made public the achievements made by their team, which included the improvement of security in the industrial sector, the solving of the load-shedding problem problem, to some extent, and the ending of the illegal capture of IEML land by the Young Communist League. Source: www.kantipuronline.com
Melamchi construction to begin KATHMANDU, Aug 2 - The construction of the much-hyped Melamchi drinking water project is set to begin soon, following a nine-point agreement reached between the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works and the indigenous people agitating under the banner of Hyolmo Drinking Water Concerned Committee (HDWCC) on Sunday.
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The agreement was reached on the eve of the inauguration of the 26.5 km long canal construction by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Monday. HDWCC had brought a complete halt to the construction of the canal a year ago, putting forth a number of demands including altering the existing name of the Melamchi drinking water project to Hyolmo drinking water project, providing adequate compensation to those who were affected by the project, and ensuring involvement and participation of the locals. Following the agreement, the Ministry has agreed to conduct a detailed study within the next four months, forming a team that comprises experts from the affected indigenous communities on the possible effects that the project can bring, and implementing the provisions specified by International Labour Organisation Convention 169 during the construction of the project, as well as ensuring equal participation and involvement of the indigenous people of the area. “We will soon initiate the necessary legal steps to alter the name and carry out the project in cooperation and with the approval of the locals,” reads a statement by the Ministry. According to the statement, earlier the canal was set to be built at Batekatek; however, the ministry will find a new locale after consultations with donor agencies and local people to prevent the latter’s displacement. Source: www.kantipuronline.com
PEs alive and kicking, report reveals The total operating income of public utility sector’s Nepal Telecom (NT) and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) increased in fiscal year 2007-08 whereas Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Ltd (KUKL) saw a decrease in its operating income during the period. According to a report of the Finance Ministry on public enterprises (PEs), net fixed assets of 36 public enterprises — including those under construction — reached Rs 124.89 billion at the end of the fiscal year 2007-08 from Rs 110.61 billion a year earlier. “The overall increase is contributed to an increase in fixed assets of Rs 8.41 billion, Rs 2.86 billion and Rs 1.37 billion respectively by NEA, Udayapur Cement Industry and NT,” said the report. The total operating income of the three Public Enterprises during fiscal 2007-08, was Rs 32.21 billion — an increase of 12.35 per cent compared to the preceding year. As a result of setting up a separate KUKL to improve water supply management in Kathmandu Valley, and thus limiting its area of operation outside the valley, the total income of Nepal Drinking Water Corporation in FY 2007-08 decreased to Rs 241.7 million. The operating income of NEA increased by 4 per cent to Rs 15.18 billion. Similarly, total operating income of NT reached Rs 16.79 billion in fiscal year 2007-
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08. This represents an increase of 24.80 per cent over the preceding year’s Rs 13.45 billion. According to KUKL spokesperson Rameshwor Shrestha, KUKL was formed on February 13, 2008 and there was a huge amount of unpaid bills before the formation of KUKL which are due till date. “There used to be a system to waive 90 per cent even in penalty for bills not paid on time, but currently there is no such mechanism. We are requesting the Khanepani Management Board to develop such a mechanism so that dues can be recovered,” said Shrestha. The loss is mainly due to the due bills till date that is yet to be recovered, he added. The net fixed assets of Nepal Drinking Water Corporation have declined to Rs 2.48 billion, said the report, adding that it was because of the establishment of Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Byabasthapan Board, splitting Nepal Drinking Water Corporation into two parts and completing the transfer of fixed property. In the early 1960s, the government began setting up Public Enterprises (PEs) for manufacturing, providing services and utilities and for overall economic development of the country. Of the established PEs, currently 36 are operating under full or majority ownership of the government. Out of these 36, seven are in the industrial sector, six in the trading sector, seven in the service sector, and five in the social sector, three in the public utility sector and eight in the financial sector. Source: The Himalayan Times Date: 08/03/2009 Stop raiding godowns: FNCCI KATHMANDU, Aug 2 - The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has urged the government to immediately cease raiding and sealing traders' godowns in the name of controlling price hike. Issuing a press release on Sunday, the FNCCI said that the government's allegation of hoarding food grain was completely baseless. "This type of intervention does not control price rise, rather it affects the whole supply system," stated the release. Source: www.kantipuronline.com
Tourist arrivals up by 10 percent in July Tourist arrivals, via air, went up by 10 percent in July, following rebound in the number of incoming tourists from major destinations. This is the second consecutive month the arrivals posted a positive growth this year. Last month, a total of 23,266 foreign visitors came to Nepal, compared with 21,203 in the same period last year. “This increase in the arrivals establishes the fact that historically tourism has demonstrated remarkable resilience and has emerged from 12
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past crises stronger and healthier,” states a press statement issued by the Nepal Tourism Board. Ever since the beginning of 2009, there have been fluctuations in the tourist arrival figures. In the first three months of 2009, tourist arrivals fell, confirming travel entrepreneurs´ fears that global economic slowdown, which began last fall, would have harsh impact on Nepal´s tourism sector. Then in April, the arrivals went up, bucking the trend forecast by many. But again the number of incoming tourists fell by five percent in May, sending jitters among travel entrepreneurs. For the last two months, the arrivals have been increasing, pumping confidence among everyone engaged in tourism industry. Last month, arrivals from every sector, including Asia, Eupore and the Americas posted positive growth. Remarkable among these is the rise in the number of Japanese tourist. So far this year, tourist arrivals from Japan had been posting negative growths, as the country witnessed mass layoffs due to the financial crisis. However, for the first time this year, arrivals from Japan went up by 16 percent to 821 in July. Among others, arrivals from India went up by five percent to 7,664. Arrivals from the UK and the US also increased by 42 percent and 13 percent, respectively, to 1,908 and 1,720. Nepal´s major markets in western Europe like France and Spain also registered a positive growth of 14 percent and 10 percent respectively. “Europeans are becoming more optimistic about better economic prospects, as latest economic outlooks give a picture of Europe slowly rising out of the crisis,” a source at NTB told myrepublica.com on condition of anonymity. “This is reviving their confidence level and making them less thrifty.” Among others, Chinese arrivals have increased by 16 percent, along with Australia (28 percent), Canada (34 percent), Thailand (94 percent), South Korea (three percent) and Singapore (four percent). Source: www.myrepublica.com Date: 08/03/2009
MARKET: NEPSE falls 11.3 pt KATHMANDU, Aug 2 - The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Sunday fell again by 11.3 points. The sensitive index also declined by 2.81 points. All the NEPSE sub-indices witnessed a downturn. The hydropower sector was the biggest loser on the trading floor by losing 27.04 points. The finance sector, the banking sector, the development bank sector and the insurance sector fell 19.78 points, 10.46 points, 1.92 points and 3.13 points respectively. Source: www.kantipuronline.com 13
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GENERAL: WFP food caused cholera: INSEC Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC) has alleged the food materials provided by the World Food Programme (WFP) were responsible for the outbreak of cholera and diarrhea in the mid-western region of the country. The rotten rice and lentils that cannot be cooked even after two hours of cooking have been proved to have caused the cholera outbreak, INSEC told media persons in Nepalgunj Sunday. It did not elaborate how they had proven the food was responsible for the cholera. INSEC president Subodh Raj Pyakurel urged the government to test the food provided by WFP. However, regional chief of WFP Moti Thapa refuted INSEC’s report. There is nothing wrong with the food we provide, WFP always supplies quality food, Thapa said. Source: www.nepalnews.com Date: August 03, 20009 Rs 1,000 fake note produced for Rs 400 AHMEDABAD: What if you are told that you can purchase currency' worth Rs 1 lakh for just Rs 50,000? And the delivery would be made by courier or a man disguised as a postman or even better, hand-delivered to you by an angadia man? This is how fake currency was circulated in Gujarat and many other parts of the country. "After being smuggled into India through Nepal and Bangladesh, fake notes were distributed across country through the intricate angadia network," said police sources. However, as security agency officials put it, this is not a new phenomenon. However, recent raids have drawn the attention of the cops to another sinister aspect. Profile of the people who are opting to deal in fake currency is fast changing. Arrests made by Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Saturday presents a sample. The accused include DG Padwani, a BSNL employee from Godhra, Chintan Soni tuition class owner from Rajkot and Milan Soni, jeweler and share broker of Junagadh. "If you want to print a ditto currency note, you need the same security paper. The printing process is known as intaglio - two separate papers merged into one with raised surface. The thread is then woven into it. A watermark is placed at two places on both the sides. When it is printed in other countries, the cost comes to Rs 220 to 230 for a Rs 500 currency note and Rs 400 for a Rs 1,000 note. When it comes to the
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end user, it is sold at a profit between 50 to 70 per cent, depending on the market and availability," said a crime branch official involved in investigations. Another aspect under probe is where the money goes. Officials have so far traced the route. "Earlier it was believed to be used for payment of anti-social activities such as terrorism, infiltration, getting shelter and procuring weapons. What we are looking at the moment are bank balances at cooperative banks, sundry payments at petrol pumps and rural setups and black money invested in land dealings, real estate and share market," said a security agency official. According to figures disclosed by the government in Rajya Sabha this week, over 7.34 lakh fake notes of Rs 100 denomination were seized during 2006-09 (till May 31), while fakes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 seized during this period were 5.76 lakh and 1.09 lakh. BOX UV light can give away the identity According to security agency officials, prevention is better than cure. Officials said that apart from security parameters, one can go for a hand-held ultra-violet device to scan currency that looks suspicious. "Though it is not practical for a large sum of amount, one can use the light source, now available for as cheap as Rs 300 to Rs 400, to check for measures issued by RBI. It is a sure-shot way to know whether it is fake or not," said the official. RBI regularly changes the design and adds extra security measures to make it copyproof. However, with the advent of computer technology and sharp printers, counterfeiters manage to circumvent security measures that go into printing a currency note. timesofindia.indiatimes.com 3 August 2009 Police arrests two with huge explosives from Nepal- India border August 02nd 2009. - Mahendranagar, Nepal - Police has seized a large amount of explosives from Gaddachauki Customs, Mahendranagar on Sunday. The armed police force which was mobilized for cross border criminal activities has seized the explosive along the Nepal-India border. According to the police the explosive was seized from the Nandaram and Parba Sahakari of Kalikot district. The police have said that from them 406 sets of gelatin, 584 detonators and 30 rolls of safety fuse were confiscated. The police have not elaborated that who else is behind the curtain of this big amount of explosive importing from the India. The police have taken control the duo for further investigation
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Source: www.reviewnepal.com Over 100 villages flooded in Bihar as river breaches embankment PATNA - At least one woman was drowned as more than 100 villages were flooded in Bihar’s Sitamarhi district after the Bagmati river breached its embankment early Saturday, officials said. Many villages in the state’s Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga districts were also inundated. The swollen river breached a nearly 50 ft stretch of the embankment at Tilakrajpur under Runnisaidpur block in Sitamarhi, inundating several villages and affecting 20,000 people. “More villages are likely to be flooded,” a district official said. At least half a dozen people were feared drowned but district officials only confirmed that a woman had been killed. The state government has asked the local administration to start rescue and relief operations, officials said. Till Friday, the district administration and engineers claimed that there was no threat to the embankment by the rising level of water in the Bagmati river. According to official sources, the embankment was repaired and strengthened only last year. Dozens of villages in Aurai and Katra blocks of Muzaffarpur district were also flooded after the Bagmati breached its embankment at three places Saturday. It was reported that several villages in Darbhanga district were also flooded. Major rivers in north Bihar, especially the Kosi, Gandak, Budhi and Bagmati are in spate following heavy rains in their catchment areas. With heavy rainfall recorded in the catchments areas in neighbouring Nepal, the water levels of these rivers have been rising to dangerous levels for the last four to five days. “The Bagmati has crossed the danger mark at some points and the water level in Gandak also increased following water discharge into the river from Nepal,” an official of the central water commission said. In view of the rising water level in major rivers, the state government has alerted the administrations of flood-prone districts. The engineers of the water resources department have been directed to keep a vigil on vulnerable embankments. The fear of a repeat of last year’s devastating floods is haunting thousands of people in the region through which the Kosi river flows. More than three million people were rendered homeless when the river breached its bank upstream in Nepal and changed course August 2008, flooding large tracts of land. blog.taragana.com August 1st, 2009
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