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Date: October 12, 2009
Highlights •
Officials at the Home Ministry on Sunday informed that home secretary-level talks between Nepal and India would be held in the capital on November 6.
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Nepal and India are all set to gear-up efforts to activate the bilateral mechanism with a series of crucial meetings on security, water resources, commerce, and trade.
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Prior the Unified Maoists’ Party powerful delegation left to China, Pushpa Kamal Dahal clearly hinted that there is the marked shift of power from New Delhi to Beijing as far as the control over Nepali politics is concerned.
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Unified CPN (Maoist) on Sunday said it has taken strong exception to Defence Minister Bidhya Bhandari's recent statement at the parliament's State Affairs Committee that provisions in the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) had hindered the works of the Nepal Army and that the CPA should be reviewed.
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Notwithstanding what his party chief had said earlier, Maoist vice president Dr Baburam Bhattarai said on Sunday said that the chances of political parties reaching a consensus to end the political deadlock was getting slimmer by the day.
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Talking to reporters in Syangja, Mr. Jhala Nath Khanal said that the constitution drafting delay is mainly happening due to the Maoists’ Party obstinate behaviour.
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Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has expressed “deep concern” about the number of army personnel injured during the Maoist insurgency. NA sources said the PM expressed his concerns during his inspection visit to the NA´s Rehabilitation Center for the Disabled at Airahiti on Sunday.
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President Ram Baran Yadav has appointed Shankar Sharma as the Nepali ambassador to the United States and Gyan Chandra Acharya as Nepal's permanent representative to the United Nations on Sunday as per the recommendation of the Council of Ministers.
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In a demand that may have strategic geopolitical implications for India, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has asked China to extend the Beijing-Lhasa railway line to Kathmandu.
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Dispute has surfaced within the top echelons of the Non Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) with a candidate for chairmanship contesting the claim of a rival candidate of being elected unopposed.
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Announcing the launch of the new Visa Credit card, BoK said that a portion of the fees from the card will be used to support the fight against climate change
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through programs of National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC). The card is also valid in India, the bank said. •
The Namuna Dairy Producers' Cooperative Limited in Bihu VDC of Baglung distributed bonuses worth Rs 1,159,000 to its 122 shareholders and 35 nonshareholding members involved in the dairy trade.
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Some 500 Nepali information technology (IT) engineers could get an opportunity to work in Japan under special visa for skilled manpower, if an initiative taken by a Tokyo-based Nepali company materializes.
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The Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries (FNCSI) is going to organize a cottage and small industries expo and national industrial exibition from December 10 to 14 at Bhrikutimandap here.
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International fast food chains Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Pizza Hut are both set to open their outlets in Nepali capital Kathmandu after the festival of Tihar in October.
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Trekking Agencies´ Association of Nepal (TAAN) and All Nepal Tourism Workers´ Association (ANTWA) inked a five-point deal on Sunday, raising the daily wage of trekking workers by Rs 150 a day on tea-house trekking and Rs 100 a day on camping trek with immediate effect.
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Jasin Dhobi, 45, of Sinarjauda -2, Janakpur is counting days to harvest Eucalyptus saplings that he planted two years ago.
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Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index continued to nosedive as the maturity date of margin lending provisioned by the Nepal Rastra Bank last year approaches, prompting investors to sell off their stocks. As per the new provision, lending against the share deposits has to be renewed every year.
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Like other commodities, the jewelry business also witnessed slack during this Dashain, primarily due to shortage of cash and increasing in the price of yellow metal just before the Dashain festival began.
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The Value Added Tax (VAT) imposed by the government in the fiscal year 2060/61 has taken a heavy toll on Nepal's rice, oil and pulses industries.
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Procedure for the discharge of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (UCPN-M) People's Liberation Army (PLA) combatants, disqualified by the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), has commenced officially on Sunday.
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The government has been dragged to court for forming Hajj Committee ‘against the spirit of directives’ of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Legislature-Parliament. PAC had directed the government to form a sevenmember committee to prevent possible financial irregularities.
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In order to investigate into the Kanchanpur jailbreak and to bring the guilty police personnel to book, a special police court has been formed here. Altogether 13 inmates had fled the Kanchanpur district prison on September 28.
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Demanding that the government paid due heed for developing visually impaired-friendly traffic signals, Nepal Association of the Blind (NAB) is observing the World White Cane Safety Day on 15th October.
POLITICS:
Nepal-India home secy talks in Nov Officials at the Home Ministry on Sunday informed that home secretary-level talks between Nepal and India would be held in the capital on November 6. A jointsecretary level meeting on various security issues would be held before Home Secretary Dr Gobinda Kusum and his Indian counterpart GK Pillai will sit for the two-day talks. It has been learnt that the Nepali side has proposed joint-secretary level meeting of the two countries for November 4-5 in Kathmandu. According to Home Ministry officials, modalities for strengthening bilateral cooperation in combating terrorists, criminals and other hostile elements detrimental to the interests of India and Nepal would be discussed in the meeting. “We are still chalking out agendas to be discussed in the meeting,” said a top Home Ministry official. The meeting holds significance in the light of Special Security Plan that the government has launched in various districts, especially those bordering India, and the recent spurt in Maoist activities in various parts of India. India has accused Nepali Maoists of supporting their Indian counterparts. Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Friday had accused Nepali Maoists for the killing of 17 policemen in Gadchiroli area on Thursday. The meeting is part of institutional mechanisms building measure between India and Nepal in the area of security cooperation. These include the home secretary-level talks, Bilateral Consultative Group on Security Issues, the Joint Working Group on Border Management and the District Coordination Committees. Source: www.myrepublica.com Date: 2009-10-11
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Nepal, India to strike balance Kathmandu - Nepal and India are all set to gear-up efforts to activate the bilateral mechanism with a series of crucial meetings on security, water resources, commerce, and trade. Both sides had agreed to activate the bilateral mechanism to resolve issues at the earliest during Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal’s visit to India in August, According to Commerce Secretary Purushottam Oja, Nepal and India will sign a revised Trade Treaty--initially signed in New Delhi during Prime Minister Nepal’s visit--in October. According to a source, Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma is arriving in Kathmandu to participate in the fourth South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) ministerial meeting slated for Oct. 28. Nepal hopes a new Trade Treaty will be in place then. After the SAFTA meeting, Nepal and India are all set to hold a secretary level meeting of the home ministries of the two countries on Nov. 6 and 7 in Kathmandu. “Before the secretary level meeting, a meeting of the joint working group led by the joint secretaries of the home ministries will have to finalise the agenda of the secretary level meet.” said a Foreign Ministry official. A meeting of the Joint Commission on Water Resources (JCWR) led by the Energy Secretary of Nepal and Water Resources Secretary of India is also on the cards. “The proposed dates for the meeting in to be held in Pokhara are Nov. 9 and 10. However, a bilateral ministerial level meeting has not been confirmed yet,” said Anup Uphadhya, spokesperson of the Ministry of Energy. Establishing a proposed Pancheswor Development Authority, inundation and a dozen other issues are ready as agendas, he said. Both countries are preparing to sort out issues related to trade, transit, commerce and other bilateral economic relations in November. A meeting between the joint secretaries of the commerce ministries is scheduled for Nov. 9 and 10 to be followed by a secretary level meeting on November 11, said an official of the Commerce ministry. Source: www.ekantipur.com Date: October 12, 2009 China Visit to help resolve Nepal Political imbroglio: Prachanda Prior the Unified Maoists’ Party powerful delegation left to China, Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda, the party chief talking to journalists at the international airport, October 11, 2009, clearly hinted that there is the marked shift of power from New Delhi to Beijing as far as the control over Nepali politics is concerned.
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However Prachanda’s detractors may think the otherwise as the leaders of so-called pro-India parliamentary parties have just begun visiting New Delhi forwarding this or that reason. Nepali Politics is thus clearly divided between North and South. Will it maintain a balance or will such dangerous games invite further instability in Nepal is something to be carefully watched in the days ahead? He clearly pointed that his China visit will help Nepal resolve the current political dispute. The Unified Maoists’ Party Delegation had left for Beijing at the invitation of Communist Party of China. But will New Delhi allow this shift? This is the Himalayan question indeed. “The objective of our visit to China is to look for solutions for unlocking the current political deadlock however, we will make sure that it will not hurt the overall interest of the nation”, he beamingly declared. “We will never compromise on our National Interests”, he added. “I also request you all to take this visit in a normal manner”, he requested the journalists. “The visit will also help us draft constitution on time and bring logical conclusion to the peace process.” This does mean that Beijing is now interested in Nepal’s peace process and the constitution draft. Both China and India are here to stay in Nepal for long time to come, analysts opine. He also hoped that within a week period, upon his return home, the Nepali politics will restore stability with high level government steering committee taking a formal shape. It is learnt through the Maoists sources that the delegation has already landed in Beijing via Chengdu. “This will be one of the highest level meetings that have ever taken place between the two communist parties of Nepal and China”, declared Prachanda. “This visit will not only enhance ties between the two parties but will also contribute to strengthen Nepal-China age-old relationship”, Prachanda said. “Your heart point South but your steps head to the North”, a journalist asked Prachanda. The Maoists chief replied, “It is a wrong allegation and calculation....our declared policy is to maintain close relations with both our neighbours, India and China and we want a new era of peace and prosperity ushering in our county”.
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“We are ready to visit India, if invited�, said Prachanda who apparently hinted that he would rush to Delhi if invited. Prachanda has perhaps already forgotten those good old days when he was provided nice shelter and free food by the New Delhi regime. Has he? How could he forget NOIDA, New Delhi? Source: www.telegraphnepal.com Date: October 12, 2009
CPN-M slams Defence Minister's remarks Unified CPN (Maoist) on Sunday said it has taken strong exception to Defence Minister Bidhya Bhandari's recent statement at the parliament's State Affairs Committee that provisions in the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) had hindered the works of the Nepal Army and that the CPA should be reviewed. Organising a press conference, Maoist vice chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai said the Defence Minister's remarks were "ill-motivated, irresponsible and objectionable". He said her remarks were against the spirit of the CPA and the Interim Constitution. "The puppet government has been taking one decision after another which violate the CPA and the constitution," he said, "Nowhere in the world have peace agreements been reviewed. It is beyond our understanding if she is saying this consciously." By dissolving the Land Reform Commission and a number of other commissions formed by the erstwhile government the UML-led government is going against the political agreements reached in the past, Bhattarai said, adding that these unilateral moves would not be acceptable to the Maoist party. The Maoist leader also accused Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal of siphoning off the state coffer by distributing money to his party cadres. "Even through the budget has not been passed, the Prime Minister has emptied the [relief] fund in just two months by handing out money to his cadres." Source: www.nepalnews.com Date: 11 October 2009 Chances of consensus slim: Dr Bhattarai Notwithstanding what his party chief had said earlier, Maoist vice president Dr Baburam Bhattarai said on Sunday said that the chances of political parties reaching a consensus to end the political deadlock was getting slimmer by the day. “Looking at the political developments till today, the possibility of consensus among the political parties appears slim. It appears it would be essential for us to launch 6
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another mass movement after Tihar festival,” said Dr Bhattarai at a press meet organized at the party´s parliamentary office. Dr Bhattarai is the coordinator of the Maoists´ United National People´s Movement, Nepal. Dr Bhattarai maintained that the ruling political parties should acknowledge that the president´s move (to reinstate former Army Chief Rookmangud Katawal) was unconstitutional. He stated that the constitution should undergo an amendment so that it may not set a precedent. “However, the parties are not even ready to pronounce the first letter of the word president,” he said. Just before setting out on a weeklong visit to the northern neighbor Sunday morning, Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had told the reporters at the Tribhuvan International Airport that the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-UML had assured him that the deadlock would end by Oct 20. The Maoist chairman had also said the political parties would form a high-level political mechanism to expedite the peace process once the consensus is reached on the Maoist demand for “civilian supremacy”. Current govt against the CPA Speaking at the press meet Dr Bhattarai claimed that the recent statements made by Defense Minister Bidya Bhandari were intended to derail the peace process and invite conflict. “Defense Minister Bidya Bhandari´s written statement at the Parliamentary State Affairs Committee demanding amendment to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and Agreement on Monitoring of the Management of Arms and Armies is extremely irresponsible, ill-intended and objectionable,” said Dr Bhattarai. The Maoists have also objected to the government´s “one-sided decision” to dissolve the high level Land Reforms Commission, which, the party has stated, was formed as an integral part of the CPA. Dr Bhattarai also demanded that local bodies be formed on the basis of votes the political parties garnered during the CA elections. “If the government does not form local bodies on that basis, our party would form local bodies on its own.” He said it would be a violation of the CPA and the interim constitution to form the local bodies without Maoists´ consent. Source: www.myrepublica.com Date: 2009-10-11 Nepal Maoist Delaying Constitution Draft: Khanal The United Marxist Leninists Party Chairman has landed in Syangja, October 11, 2009 to inaugurate the UML’s Syangja District Convention. Talking to reporters said Mr. Jhala Nath Khanal said that the constitution drafting delay is mainly happening due to the Maoists’ Party obstinate behaviour.
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He also urged his party cadres to resist the Maoist Party’s erratic policies and demands. He also said that unless the major political partners of the peace process, the UML, Nepali Congress and the Maoists arrived at a consensus and forged unity, neither will the constitution drafting process will be complete nor the CA body will have its significance. Source: www.telegraphnepal.com Date: October 12, 2009
PM touched by war-injured army men Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has expressed “deep concern” about the number of army personnel injured during the Maoist insurgency. NA sources said the PM expressed his concerns during his inspection visit to the NA´s Rehabilitation Center for the Disabled at Airahiti on Sunday. “He was more concerned about the number of army casualties during the war times,” a NA source said. The PM met with some 25 disabled people who sustained disability due to bullet injuries and mine blasts during the insurgency. The PM was briefed by the Commandant of the Center Brigadier General Dr Bachchu Ram KC. Nepal inspected the Artificial Limb Center (ALC), Paraplegic Homes and Physiotherapy Section of the center. Earlier, Nepal also paid an inspection visit to the Nepal Army Headquarters. He was given an introductory briefing on the NA and its activities and also on other contextual issues, a press release issued by the NA Directorate of Public Relations said. This is the PM´s first visit to the Army Headquarters after assuming the office. Expressing satisfaction over the army´s role and responsibility, the PM said the NA needs to adapt itself with the changing times. He instructed the NA leadership to initiate reforms within the institution in order to adjust to the changing context of the country, the release added. The PM was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar, Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala, Defense Secretary Nabin Ghimire, PM´s political advisor Raghu Pant and press advisor Bishnu Rizal. Meanwhile, the PM along with the DPM and FM paid an inspection visit to a rehabilitation center run by Armed Police Force run at Balambu. Source: www.myrepublica.com Date: 2009-10-11
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President appoints envoys President Ram Baran Yadav has appointed Shankar Sharma as the Nepali ambassador to the United States and Gyan Chandra Acharya as Nepal's permanent representative to the United Nations on Sunday as per the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. The cabinet meetings on August 3 and September 4 had recommended the names of Sharma and Acharya, respectively. Later, the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee had approved their names. Sharma is a former vice chairman of National Planning Commission and Acharya is secretary at the foreign ministry. Source: www.nepalnews.com Date: 12 October 2009 POLICY: Extend Tibet rail line to Kathmandu: Nepal to China Kathmandu, Oct 11 (PTI) In a demand that may have strategic geopolitical implications for India, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has asked China to extend the Beijing-Lhasa railway line to Kathmandu. "The economic ties between Nepal and China could be taken to a new height if the railway line that has reached upto Lhasa from mainland China could be extended upto Kathmandu, and economic infrastructure could be developed on the Himalayan transit points between Nepal and China," Prime Minister Nepal noted. The 1956 km long Qinghai-Tibet railway is a high altitude line that connects Xining in Qinghai to Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous region. This railway is the first to connect China proper with the remote Tibetan region. Nepal is committed not to allow anti-China activity from its soil, the Prime said. Source: www.ptinews.com Date: October 12, 2009 Dispute in NRNA over election Dispute has surfaced within the top echelons of the Non Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) with a candidate for chairmanship contesting the claim of a rival candidate of being elected unopposed. The other two candidates, however, said that the election was as per consensus. Devman Hirachan told myrepublica.com Monday morning that he has not withdrawn from the contest as reported by a TV channel. Earlier in the morning, Avenues TV reported that Ram Pratap Thapa has been elected unopposed to the post of chairman
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of the NRN Association for its two-year term. The TV station said the other two contenders -- Bhim Udas and Hirachan -- had withdrawn their candidacies. Thapa, however, refuted Hirachan´s claim. "All three candidates had agreed not to hold election and I have been elected unopposed." Udas partly agreed with Thapa saying there was agreement to have Thapa as new chairman "but he was not elected unopposed as claimed". Hirachan said that a committee formed under outgoing chairman Upendra Mahato to forge consensus over the new chairman decided to hold a lottery to select the new chair. "They did this last evening after we left the meeting," he dded. "I do not accept the method or the result." He further said that he would decide on his next move only after consulting other NRNA officials. Thapa is based in Germany, Udas is World Food Program (WFP) country director in Lesotho in Africa and Hirachan has business in Japan. The three-day NRNA convention is set to kick off in Kathmandu on Tuesday. Source: www.myrepublica.com Date: 2009-10-12 BANKING: Kasthamandap Dev Bank turns 3 Kasthamandap Development Bank completed two years of operation on Sunday. Issuing a statement, the bank said it had managed to open eleven branches in different parts of the countries apart from its headquarters in New Road, Kathmandu. The bank said it had managed to steadily increase deposits and loans and had also operated in profit right from its beginning. The bank also operates evening counter services and provides ATM and other ´modern´ banking services targeted at all classes of clients, it said.
BoK launches Visa credit card Bank of Kathmandu (BoK) has started issuing BoK Visa Credit Card, it said in a statement Sunday. Announcing the launch of the new card, BoK said that a portion of the fees from the card will be used to support the fight against climate change through programs of National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC). The card is also valid in India, the bank said.
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BoK currently offers banking service through 31 POS through out the country and has ATMs in 27 locations. Source: www.myrepublica.com Date: 2009-10-11
Cooperative distributes bonus Baglung - The Namuna Dairy Producers' Cooperative Limited in Bihu VDC of Baglung distributed bonuses worth Rs 1,159,000 to its 122 shareholders and 35 nonshareholding members involved in the dairy trade. The cooperative distributed a minimum of Rs. 700 to a maximum of Rs. 47,740 in bonuses to farmers during its eighth general assembly. The cooperative also awarded farmers who produced the highest amount of milk. It also felicitated Tikaram Poudel and Rabilal Chapai for providing land worth Rs. 60,000 free of cost for the construction of a milk collection centre. It also awarded four women's groups and a youth group. The cooperative sold milk worth Rs. 3,438,604 in the last fiscal year. Source: www.ekantipur.com Date: October 12, 2009
BUSINESS & ECONOMY: Nepali IT brains may find jobs in Japan Some 500 Nepali information technology (IT) engineers could get an opportunity to work in Japan under special visa for skilled manpower, if an initiative taken by a Tokyo-based Nepali company materializes. The company -- New IT Venture Corporation -- has taken initiatives to collaborate with the Japanese IT companies to hire Nepali engineers. Japan has lately been facing acute shortage of IT manpower and its industrial corporations are currently recruiting IT engineers through India´s reputed IT companies to meet the growing demands in the world´s second largest economy. “There is a tremendous employment opportunity for Nepali IT engineers as supply from India alone is not sufficient to meet the demand there,” said Dev Man Hirachan, president of the corporation. He said his firm has approached Japanese firms to recognize Nepal as an alternate IT engineer source country, promising that his company will serve as a mediating agency, facilitating them to acquire best minds from Nepal.
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"Like Indian IT companies, we have also committed to arrange six-month orientation on Japanese language and culture to selected IT engineers prior to their placement in Japan´s industrial enterprises,” he said. The corporation is also collecting data about the number of Nepali IT engineers. Despite the huge demand, only a few countries are presently exporting IT engineers to Japan. India is the largest supplier. According to conservative estimates, around 30,000 Indian IT engineers are working with different firms in Japan. If the Japanese firms agree to hire Nepali IT engineers, it will instantly open job opportunities for about 500 IT engineers, Hirachan said, adding that his company would complete the process of sending Nepali IT engineers to Japan within a year. “To start with, we will send a group of five Nepali IT engineers to Japan based on the demand of local firms,” Hirachan, who is also a leader of Non-Resident Nepalis´ Association, said. Japanese companies are offering lucrative salary, ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 per month, to IT engineers depending on their skills.
JITCO officials coming in December Meanwhile, Babu Ram Acharya, secretary at the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management (MoLTM), said officials from Japan International Training Cooperation Organization (JITCO) are visiting Nepal in December to give orientation to the government-authorized recruiting agencies about the process of recruiting process and requirements of Nepali industrial trainees to Japan. The government has designated 172 agencies, including Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries, to send industrial trainees to Japan. Six Nepali women industrial trainees have already joined Japan´s garments industry and about 36 more workers will soon leave for Japan to work in agriculture sector. Source: www.myrepublica.com Date: 2009-10-12
Cottage, SSI expo by FNCSI The Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries (FNCSI) is going to organize a cottage and small industries expo and national industrial exibition from December 10 to 14 at Bhrikutimandap here. “Participants from 50 districts will be taking part in the expo,” said FNCSI president Lata Pyakurel. She added that the expected amount of business is about Rs 3 million. There will be 200 stalls exibiting goods produced by small and cottage industries.
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During the fair, many kinds of entertaining programmes will be conducted. Live performances by celebrities, cultural fashion shows, food fair and concerts are on the list. This year, products like showpieces made of wood, stone,iron, ceramics, carpets, goods made from refined jute, allo, lokta, pashmina, Nepali handicrafts, herbs, agriculture-based products, decorative items made from bamboo, drinks made from fruits and many other items will be exibited. According to Pyakurel, this kind of event is necessary as it provides a platform for cottage and small industries to exibit their products and develop marketing network. She added that the expo will help the small scale enterpreneurs establish direct contact with customers and elaborate their services as well. Last year, more than 200,000 people visited the expo and Rs 2.5 million worth of business was conducted. This year, the federation has targetted a turnout of 250,000 people. Source: www.thehimalayantimes.com Date: 2009-10-11
KFC, Pizza Hut to open outlets in Nepali capital KATHMANDU, Oct 12, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) - International fast food chains Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Pizza Hut are both set to open their outlets in Nepali capital Kathmandu after the festival of Tihar in October. "We're importing the equipment from India, China and Thailand. We plan to open in a fortnight," the Nepali English newspaper The Himalayan Times on Monday cited Suranjan De, CEO of Pepsi Nepal, the brain behind the fast food revolution in the country as saying on Sunday. "We've hired the staff locally. They're currently undergoing training at our outlets in India. We'll ensure that both the quality and taste are at par with our exacting global standards," Suranjan said. According to the report, both the equipment and basic ingredients of the famous fast food will to be imported and the price will be slightly higher than that of India, but Suranjan said it will be affordable for locals. Both the brands of the Pepsi are aiming to target the well- heeled young adults and teenagers in Nepal and foreign tourists. Source: www.tradingmarkets.com Date: October 12, 2009
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TAAN, workers' association ink deal Trekking Agencies´ Association of Nepal (TAAN) and All Nepal Tourism Workers´ Association (ANTWA) inked a five-point deal on Sunday, raising the daily wage of trekking workers by Rs 150 a day on tea-house trekking and Rs 100 a day on camping trek with immediate effect. Both the sides also agreed to form a task force of concerned stakeholders to address other demands of workers, including clothing bank, insurance and permanent appointment, in a package. "The task force will submit its report by December 15 and its recommendations would be implemented from January 2010. A representative of Ministry of Labour and Transport Management will also be included in the task force," TAAN president Sitaram Sapkota said, after signing the agreement. Following the agreement, ANTWA has called off its protest programmes. Source: www.myrepublica.com Date: 2009-10-11
Masala tree spells economic boon for landless SARLAHI: Jasin Dhobi, 45, of Sinarjauda -2, Janakpur is counting days to harvest Eucalyptus saplings that he planted two years ago. District Forest Office, Dhanusha had initiated the plantation, where 12 landless households of Sinarjauda VDC were given an opportunity to plant Eucalyptus (masala) saplings. "The officers from the District Forest Office Dhanusha negotiated and we provided the land on lease for the plantation," said Surendra Lal Karna, Principal Sinarjauda Primary School. Eucalyptus, one of the fastest growing has a high demand in market for they are used as electricity transmission poles. "The tree is almost to harvest in five to seven years and a single tree pole costs around Rs.1500,"said Ganesh Roy, Regional Coordinator of the Project Biodiversity Sector Program for Siwaliks and the Tarai (BISEP-ST) under the Department of Forest. According to BISEP-ST more than 800,000 saplings of Eucalyptus saplings had been distributed in Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Makwanpur and Chitwan over the past decade. "Conservation is not possible until and unless alternative source of earnings are provided to the needy people so we focused mainly on the poor landless communities and Eucalyptus was the most appropriate plants," said Debesh Mani Tripathi, planning officer BISEP-ST. Meanwhile, Nanuwati Devi Sada of Musahar Tole of Govindapur -1, was all cheers while looking at the well grown Eucalyptus trees.
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"I don't have any land and these 30 growing trees are keeping me hopeful to build one good shelter for my family." She expects to earn Rs.50, 000 by selling those trees. Hari Narayan Chaudhary of Laxmipur VDC, Mujarwa, Sarlahi earned Rs 100,000 after selling 100 trees last year. He has more than two hundred trees and three hundred saplings in the field, this year. In the meantime, the government has focused on the use of public land for the poor communities, however, the private land owners are also being attracted in the plantation as it has turned out to be a major source of income for many in the eastern Tarai. Source: www.thehimalayantimes.com Date: 2009-10-11
MARKET: Nepse hits 16-month low Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index continued to nosedive as the maturity date of margin lending provisioned by the Nepal Rastra Bank last year approaches, prompting investors to sell off their stocks. As per the new provision, lending against the share deposits has to be renewed every year. The benchmark Nepse, which also measures the confidence of investors in the capital market, plunged 0.83 percent or 5.04 point to close at 599.33 points on Sunday, the lowest closing in 16 months. But in term of yearly close, Nepse´s drop is the lowest in five years. Stock analysts also said mandatory provision introduced by the government for all individuals to register with Permanent Account Number (PAN) also discouraged share investors. Nanda Kishore Mundada, president of Nepal Stock Brokers Association, said increasing number of share in the capital market and huge number of upcoming rights shares and bonus shares in the market also prompted investors to sell shares, resulting in the loss in Nepse. During Sunday´s trading session, sub-indices of the most of the trading groups dropped except for Development Bank group. Banking, a heavyweight group in the country´s sole capital market, and Hydropower group, saw their sub-indices decline by 6.2 points and 1.35 points to reach 582.76 points and 826.34 points respectively. Indices of Finance and Insurance groups also sank 3.19 points and 0.13 points to 630.95 points and 608.94 points respectively. Similarly, the Others group also shed 7.04 points to close at 639.15 points. However, Development Bank group gained, albeit marginally, by 0.85 points to reach 654.5 points.
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Total market capitalization -- total worth of registered shares - touched Rs 420.19 billion. Total turnover reached Rs 46.98 million on Sunday with 67,656 units of shares and 67 scrips changing hands through 620 transactions. Source: www.myrepublica.com Date: 2009-10-11
Dashain Sale: Jewelry trading hit by cash shortage, price rise Be it marriage, festivals or other social functions, jewelries are prime attraction for many people. Gold, and lately diamond jewelries, top purchase list of many people during festive seasons, mainly Dashain and Tihar. Like other commodities, the jewelry business also witnessed slack during this Dashain, primarily due to shortage of cash and increasing in the price of yellow metal just before the Dashain festival began. According to Tej Ratna Shakya, chairman of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers Association (NEGOSIDA), the main reason behind the slowdown in jewelry business was the rise in the price of gold and cash shortage that gripped the country ahead of the festival season. The price of the yellow metal was Rs 28,000 per 10 gram on September 2. But the price increased to Rs 29,860 per 10 gram on September 17, a week before the Dashain festival. “The significance rise in price discouraged buyers which ultimately resulted in slowdown in business,” Shakya said, adding that the jewelry traders had expected good business during the festival because of stable price and favorable security situation in the country. Shakya rued the acute shortage of cash and increment in gold price ahead of the festival poured cold water on their hopes. NEGOSIDA had targeted to sell an average of 20 kg gold per day during the Dashain festival against average daily sales of 15 kg on normal days. But the sales nosedived to almost half of the target. According to Shakya, gold traders had sold an average of 12 kg of gold a day during the Dashain festival last year. Nirmal Krishna Shrestha, the owner of Gems Ornament Emporium, New Road, is one among many such jewelry traders who faced difficulty in dealing with his customers due to cash shortage. “We faced difficulties in dealing with customers as many banks had limited the amount of withdrawal during the festival,” Shrestha said. Though most of the customers wanted to transact using checks and through bank deposits, we weren´t used to such practice, he added. Shreshta, however, said that they did not witness slack in their business during the festival.
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Manish L Pradhan, the director of Asri Jewelers in New Road, echoed Shrestha. Business at Asri, too, seems to have been affected by cash crunch. Asri, whose main focus is on diamond jewelries, however, witnessed surge in demand of diamond jewelries. “Of late, people have started going for diamonds, mostly for fashion reasons, and ornaments studded with stones are becoming even popular,” Pradhan informed. Despite note shortage, this Dashain saw rise in the business of lighter, gold-plated and studded jewelries. Shakya informed that the business of gold-plated jewelries make up more than 25 percent of total gold business and the business volume is increasing every year. Despite slack in business, there were some traders who took the festival as an opportunity to announce special offers and discount schemes on the sale of jewelries. They had offered discount on working charge, free silver coins on the purchase of gold, discount on selected diamond jewelries among others schemes. While some traders term such discount galore as a way to survive in competitive market, others term it as superfluous. “The discount offers hold no ground and they are the ways to cheat customers,” Shakya said. He also said customers should be aware whether or not the traders offering attractive discounts are selling authentic products. “Many charge hefty price and offer discounts,” Shakya said, adding: “Investment in gold is a lifetime investment. We request people to purchase only from authentic places.” Source: www.myrepublica.com Date: 2009-10-12 VAT takes toll on rice, oil industries The Value Added Tax (VAT) imposed by the government in the fiscal year 2060/61 has taken a heavy toll on Nepal's rice, oil and pulses industries. The imposition of VAT on industries producing rice, oil and pulses has pushed them to a decline, owing to price hike in such products, according to Association of Rice, Oil and Pulses Industries. The swelled VAT has debilitated domestic industries to the extent that they are facing difficulty to compete with the imported low quality and adulterated mustard oil from the border market, the association bemoaned. It has criticised the government for levying a 13 percent VAT on a daily essential commodity like mustard oil. If the government does not deem it proper to annul the increased amount of VAT, the local industries will have no other option than dumping their produce to store houses, further bemoans the association.
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The association officials have pointed out that the basic reason behind the Nepalese oil price getting dearer than the Indian oil was that the decision of Indian government to exempt VAT in the mustard oil. There is a huge difference of Rs. 30 between Nepali and Indian oil in the domestic market. The recent Manufacturing Production Index (MPI) of the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reveals that the MPI had taken a steep nosedive due to the decline in the production of vegetable ghee and oil. These products account for 15.78 percent share in MPI. Source: www.nepalnews.com Date: 11 October 2009
GENERAL:
Discharge of disqualified combatants starts in Nepal KATHMANDU, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Procedure for the discharge of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (UCPN-M) People's Liberation Army (PLA) combatants, disqualified by the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), has commenced officially on Sunday. A team including Peace Minister Rakam Chemjong, UNMIN Chief Karin Landgren and UCPN-M deputy commander Chandra Prakash Khanal “Baldev� has reached the PLA second division cantonment at Dudhauli in Sindhuli in central Nepal, as a part of the discharge procedure. According to eKantipur.com, during the first phase of the discharge procedure, the disqualified fighters will be given information about when to venture out of the cantonment followed up by the establishment of a "temporary cantonment" and finally their rehabilitation in the society. The government plans to complete the task of rehabilitating the minor combatants within mid-December. The UNMIN disqualified 4,008 UCPN-M fighters during the verification of the fighters back in 2006. Earlier, the process for discharging the disqualified combatants had gained momentum after the UCPN-M finally agreed to implement a special Action Plan that the Peace Ministry had prepared in consultation with the party. Among others, the plan includes schemes to support the discharged persons for higher education, vocational training, including short-term technical courses, and loan
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facilitation for those who want to start businesses, according to Peace Secretary Punya P. Neupane. "We will immediately start recording the profile of each fighter to be discharged and offer them opportunities as per individual choice and qualification," said Neupane. As part of the rehabilitation process, all 4,008 disqualified combatants will be integrated in the society after completing internationally-approved procedures with technical and financial assistance from the UNMIN Source: news.xinhuanet.com Date: October 11, 2009
Govt dragged to SC over Hajj row Kathmandu - The government has been dragged to court for forming Hajj Committee ‘against the spirit of directives’ of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Legislature-Parliament. PAC had directed the government to form a seven-member committee to prevent possible financial irregularities. The government had formed a 20-member Hajj committee last Tuesday against the PAC directives. Two members of the Muslim community—Mahamud Alam and Masaruddhin Ansari— on Sunday lodged a writ in the Supreme Court (SC) demanding the committee’s annulment. Prime Minister, office of the Council of Ministers, the home and finance ministries is made defendants in the petition. Notably, members of the committee are affiliated to various parties, including the CPN-UML, Madheshi Janaadhikar Forum (Loktantrik) and the Nepali Congress. Four weeks ago, the Home Ministry had appointed Maulana Abdul Jabbar Manjari of Nepalgunj as the committee’s chairman following prime minister’s ‘recommendation’. This is the first time the government is dragged to court over the issue even as Hajj committees in the past were also not free from controversy. In view of the financial irregularities in the past, the PAC had recommended the government to downsize the Hajj panel to ensure effective and transparent functioning. The petitioners have claimed the appointment of committee members on the basis of political connection would promote irregularities. “The Hajj Committee should be formed as per the Islamic values,” the writ petition reads. It may be noted that the PAC had ordered the government to recover millions of rupees from former Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam, former Hajj Committee president Taj Mohamad Miya and other members, who had embezzled Rs 15 million, according to the probe.
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The Hajj Committee, which is entrusted to take Nepali pilgrims to holy cities of Mecca and Medina, also makes financial decisions and travel arrangements. Some 500 Nepali pilgrims visit the holy cities every year. NOTE OF DISCORD Government flouting the directive of Public Accounts Committee angers the Muslim community. A writ filed at the apex court demanding annulment of the governmentformed Hajj committee. Source: www.ekantipur.com Date: October 12, 2009 Errant cops face special court’s action MAHENDRANAGAR: In order to investigate into the Kanchanpur jailbreak and to bring the guilty police personnel to book, a special police court has been formed here. Altogether 13 inmates had fled the Kanchanpur district prison on September 28. In the wake of the incident, sub-inspector Bhim Bahadur Bam and other five constables have been suspended. Kanchanpur SP Madhav Prasad Nepal informed that they formed the special court to take action against the police personnel on duty during the incident. District government lawyer Narendra Bahadur Chand is the coordinator of the court. Keshavraj Joshi, an officer at District Administration Office(DAO) and Karna Bahadur Chand, police inspector, are the other two members of the court. The special court will recommend action against the suspended police personnel. However, a separate court will be formed at Regional Police Office to mete out action against SI Bam. Along with Bam, police constables Prakash Bahadur Singh, Sonu BK, Suresh Singh Dhami, Krishna Bahadur Mahat and Rabindra Bahadur Shahi have been taken into custody for further investigation. Meanwhile, DAO source also revealed that action would be taken against jailer Dhan Bahadur Chand as per the Prison Act. A high level probe committee formed under the coordination of Shankar Koirala, joint Secretary at the Home Ministry has already returned to Kathmandu after gathering information. Of the 13 fleeing inmates, four have already been re-arrested. Source: www.thehimalayantimes.com Date: 2009-10-11
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Visually-impaired call for user-friendly traffic signals Demanding that the government paid due heed for developing visually impairedfriendly traffic signals, Nepal Association of the Blind (NAB) is observing the World White Cane Safety Day on 15th October. Amrit Rai, director, NAB, said that they were celebrating the day to attract attention toward the plight of the blind people since they are totally ignored. “The government is not serious towards the plights being faced by the visually-impaired although they are frequently lobbying for the same in the ministries concerned,” he added. “The government should make the traffic rules friendlier to the blind people as well in order to ensure such persons’ easy mobility at the thoroughfares,” he said, demanding that authorities installed proper sound system at the traffic lights. “The unmanaged shops at the pavements are another nuisance for the blind people lately.”Rai also added that they planned to distribute pamphlets and leaflets to urge the public to be sensitive towards them. Simultaneous programmes in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and Kavre are also scheduled on the day. Around 300 people, including the visually-impaired, will be mobilised to help man the valley traffic. Source: www.thehimalayantimes.com Date: 2009-10-11
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