Nepal

[AsianDragons]

Hey Hakz2007 is back

[hakz2007]

I am fasting that's why I'm inactive until the end of Ramadan.

Nepal's central bank calls time on ex-king's face

KATHMANDU (AFP) – More than two years after Nepal's last king stepped down from the throne, his face is finally to disappear from the country's banknotes, the central bank said Thursday.

Nepal replaced former king Gyanendra's face with a picture of Mount Everest on all new currency in 2007 after parliament voted to abolish the 240-year-old Hindu monarchy.

But old notes bearing the portrait of the unpopular former monarch have remained in circulation.

Central bank spokesman Gopal Kaphle said the old notes would be phased out by the end of the current Nepalese year, which falls in mid-April 2011.

"We are trying to circulate clean notes. The old notes will be replaced by new notes, and we are getting rid of notes with a picture of the former monarch," Kaphle told AFP.

Former king Gyanendra left the throne in June 2008 when the then Maoist-led government declared the country a secular republic.

Revered by supporters as a living incarnation of a Hindu god, he lost the support of many Nepalese when he seized direct rule in 2006 following Maoist protests.

The Maoists waged a 10-year insurgency against the monarchy before winning elections in 2008 and forming a government.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100819...20100819161801

[hakz2007]

Communities helping Nepal meet millennium goals

KATHMANDU (AFP) – Despite years of civil war and political instability, Nepal is on track to meet several of its Millennium Development Goals, with major strides forward on maternal and child mortality.

Landlocked Nepal remains one of the world's poorest countries, with high rates of unemployment and an average annual income of just 472 dollars.

But more than nine out of 10 primary school age children are now in education and 86 percent of people aged between 15 and 24 can read and write, according to a 2010 progress report by the government and the United Nations.

With another five years to go, the government and the United Nations say Nepal is likely to achieve, or partially achieve, five of the seven goals laid out in 2000.

Among the achievements highlighted in the report are a fall in maternal mortality rates from 850 per 100,000 live births in 1990 to an estimated 229 this year, a reduction of 73 percent.

Jagadish Chandra Pokharel, vice-chairman of the Nepal Planning Commission, said community organisations were the key to its success in reducing the number of deaths in childbirth and getting more girls into school.

"The government has provided simple things like basic birthing kits, but the role of community groups in educating people and raising awareness has made all the difference," he said.

Most women in Nepal still give birth at home, but since January 2009 they have received cash incentives to go to a hospital or local clinic, with the amount rising according to the distance they have to travel.

"The government has made maternal mortality a priority and there have been a number of innovative schemes, along with a gradual reduction in poverty levels in Nepal," said Sarah Sanyahumbi, head of Britain's Department for International Development in Nepal.

"But there is a long way to go. One woman still dies every four hours due to childbirth."

Development in Nepal was severely hit by the 10-year civil war between Maoist rebels and state security forces that ended in 2006.

The initial optimism that greeted the end of the war four years ago has faded as a series of governments has failed to provide access to basic services such as electricity and clean water, and deep inequalities persist.

"Two thirds of the way towards the 2015 MDG finishing line, the country should focus on eradicating inequality and social exclusion to achieve the MDGs and to sustain peace," said the UN in its progress report.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100919...20100919071405

[hakz2007]

Nepal, Tibet sign MoU to promote tourism

Kathmandu, Sep 18 (PTI) In order to boost tourism ahead of Nepal Tourism Year 2011, the Nepalese Government and Tibet Autonomous Region of China have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that aims to attract one million including 100,000 Chinese tourists to the country.

The MoU was signed in Tibet's capital Lhasa at the end of a two-day, fourth meeting of Nepal-Tibet (China) Joint Tourism Coordination Committee meeting, according to Nepal Tourism Board.

The MoU provides for the operation of buses between Nepal and Tibet, allowing regular Nepali helicopter and charter services in the sacred Mansarovar area, promoting Nepal Tourism Year 2011 in Tibet through media and hoarding boards at major crossroads, and providing Tibet visa to international tourists from Nepal and operating more Chinese airlines in between Lhasa-Kathmandu, among others.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/962765_N...omote-tourism-

[LuvKhm3r]

sorry, off topic.....is there a Nepla Forum?

[hakz2007]

none

[hakz2007]

Gold to be sold in Nepal every Tuesday

KATHMANDU, Sept. 27 (PNA/Xinhua) -- The domestic bullion market that has remained dry on the back of the black marketing is likely to get relief after Tuesday. Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has decided to sell gold every Tuesday.

As per the new provision introduced by the central bank, it was supposed to sell gold since last Tuesday through auction. However, traders reaching NRB had to return empty-handed as they were not able to buy gold due to the central bank's preparatory works.

Spokesperson Gopal Kafle for the NRB was quoted by Monday's eKantipur.com as saying "we will be selling minimum 1 kg of gold to each trader on Tuesdays from the NRB branch at Baluwatar."

The central bank on Sept. 17, had issued a directive to sell 1, 000 kg of the yellow metal to traders from its reserves to ease the shortage and control black marketing. As per the directive, it will sell 100 kg of gold and silver as demanded on Tuesday afternoon.

The traders wanting to buy the gold and silver from the auction will have to deposit money along with the paperwork in the Gold and Silver Account of NRB at Machhapuchchhre Bank.

The central bank has also made a provision of 25 kg gold for those traders who do not intend to buy gold through the bidding process. According to the NRB, such traders can buy gold every week paying the highest price set in the auction.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=...d=3&rid=303081

[hakz2007]

NASA launches Himalayan monitoring system in Nepal

KATHMANDU — A new system that will allow scientists to monitor the impact of climate change in the Himalayas using images from NASA satellites was launched in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on Tuesday.

Around 1.3 billion people depend on the water that flows down from the Himalayan glaciers, which experts say are melting at an alarming rate, threatening to bring floods and later drought to the region.

But relatively little is known about the impact of climate change on the vast region, which environmental campaigners describe as a "third pole" because of its huge water reserves in the form of ice and snow.

The web-based system, called SERVIR, will allow scientists, governments and aid agencies to access satellite images of the Himalayas, giving them early warning of floods and other disasters and aiding research on climate change.

A NASA statement said SERVIR, launched in partnership with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, could be used to address threats to biodiversity as well as risks from flooding, forest fires and storms.

"The whole of the Himalayan region is something of a black hole for scientists and we hope to use this system to bridge the data gap," said Basanta Shrestha, a senior ICIMOD executive.

"We can use this to monitor the dynamics of the cryosphere (ice systems) in the light of climate change, which is very important in terms of both disaster management and future water availability."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...f3cefc25f2.591

Nepal to receive USD 32.6 m TB aid

KATHMANDU: The government and the Global Fund (GF), an international health financing institution, have signed a grant agreement of USD 32.6 million to support TB programmes in Nepal. The signing of the agreement was arranged by Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM).

Issuing a press statement, the CCM also said the signing of another grant agreement is in process to support malaria programmes in the country. The GF is disbursing the financial assistance in response to Nepal’s appeal made last year in that regard.

The supported program in TB aims to increase the TB case detection rate to 82 per cent nationally and at least 70 per cent in all districts by 2015 with a target to achieve and maintain the treatment success rates of 90 per cent by 2015 nationally and 85 per cent minimally in all districts, said the release.

Under the GF support, Nepal has been implementing the preventive and treatment services in TB, HIV and Malaria sectors.

The GF is one of the major funds for the Health intervention in Nepal.

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/ful...sID=260669&a=3

[hakz2007]

5 districts get new lease of life with sajiwan farming

With the financial assistance from the Finnish Embassy, the farming was started under the three-year sajiwan farming extension programme.

DAMAULI: With a view to motivating farmers for Sajiwan (Jatropha) farming, commercial sajiwan farming has been started in five districts in the country.

The Sajiwan Research and Training Center, Chitwan has transplanted around 400,000 saplings of sajiwan in Gorkha, Tanahun, Kaski, Chitwan and Makwanpur to promote the farming, according to botanist Dr. Khem Raj Bhattarai of the center.

The oil from Sajiwan seeds can be used in various machines and that energy consumption can be reduced from it.

The center is also expected to produce biodiesel using the farming.

The Everest Biodiesel Company and Development Center Nepal will help to collect seeds of sajiwan and sell them, said centre’s programme officer Dilli Prasad Rijal.

With the financial assistance from the Finnish Embassy, the farming was started under the three-year sajiwan farming extension programme, said Rijal.

Presently, around 1,500 farmers are involved in this farming.

http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullNew...&NewsID=261982

Jamara helps make more money

Sweets kept outside the a shop in Maisthan of Birgunj on Sunday.

BIRGUNJ: The priests and the members of the general public here are earning money by selling Jamara during the Dashain festival.

Jamara is the tender shoots of barley and maize that is worn behind the ears as an auspicious item on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami, the greatest festival of the Nepali Hindus.

Shakuntala Devi, a local woman, said she sold Jamara shoots worth Rs. 10,000 at the Gahawamai Temple here since early morning today.

Devotees coming to offer worship at the temple of goddess Gahawamai also offer Jamara to the goddess.

She said she sold Jamara by making them into bundles of different sizes ranging from Rs. 10 to Rs. 100.

Similarly, priests and other people also sold Jamara and earned money, it is learnt.

http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullNew...&NewsID=261994

[hakz2007]

Nepal ’s Youth Tiger Ambassadors in Russia to attend Tiger Forum

Prior to the International Tiger Conservation Forum which is being hosted by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin from 21-24 Nov in St. Petersburg, Russia, WWF Nepal has sent its Youth Tiger Ambassadors who will represent Nepal at the International Youth Tiger Conservation Forum, being held in parallel to this high level government meeting on tiger conservation.

The International Tiger Conservation Forum is expected to be a most significant meeting for tiger conservation with participation by Heads of States of tiger range countries. The Forum will prepare the Global Tiger Recovery Program to double the number of tigers in the wild by 2022 (the next Year of the Tiger).

WWF Nepal has selected two students, Kabita Kunwar and Pradeep Rijal who will represent Nepal at this Youth Forum. The Youth Ambassadors will visit Siberian tiger trails and get a first hand account of the state of wild tiger populations in Russia and measures being taken for their conservation. They will also develop a Youth Declaration on tiger conservation, which will be presented to the Tiger Forum, via video- conference between Vladivostok and St. Petersburg .

According to a statement issued by WWF Nepal, Kabita Kunwar hails from Jagatpur, situated in the Buffer Zone of Chitwan National Park, home to the highest tiger population in Nepal . She is a Grade 11 student of Orchid Science College , Chitwan and an active member of the WWF Eco Club. Her Eco Club led a massively successful Signature Campaign to raise awareness on Rhino and Tiger Conservation in 2006. “The Earth is home to every living being. Human beings should take responsibility for the conservation of wildlife as they are the ones who are now destroying the habitats of wildlife like tigers. I see the Youth Tiger Forum as a great opportunity to raise my voice in the world for the preservation of tigers and other biodiversity,” said Kabita, before leaving for Russia.

Pradeep Rijal, from Thakurdwara, situated in the Buffer Zone of the Bardia National Park , is a Bachelors level student of Madya Paschim Multiple Campus, Nepalgunj. The Eco Club he was leading received the prestigious Abraham Conservation Award in 1999. “I have been devoting my time to preserve tigers since my childhood. I have great interest in this area. I want to conduct research in this field as well. So, I am looking forward to participating in the Youth Forum so that I can collect invaluable
experiences and knowledge,” said Pradeep.

At the Youth Forum, the two Nepali Youth Tiger Ambassadors will make a presentation on present tiger conservation status in Nepal and also perform a special play titled “Greed of Wealth” based on tiger onservation efforts in Nepal, according to the WWF statement.

The International Youth Forum organized by WWF will take place from 18-24 November 2010 in Vladivostok , home to the Amur tiger, at the same time as the high level meeting. Youth from various tiger range countries will participate in this Youth Forum and help draw further attention to the importance of tiger conservation and convey the concern of the future generation on the plight of this species.

http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index....ger-forum.html

[hakz2007]

Kathmandu-Lhasa bus service likely to resume

With Nepal Tourism Year 2011 just around the corner, the Kathmandu-Lhasa bus service, which was suspended more than three years, is very likely to resume within a month.

According to Wednesday's Republica Daily, once this service comes into operation, Chinese tourists are expected to get to Kathmandu more easily from Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China by surface transport.

"We are very hopeful of restarting the Kathmandu-Lhasa bus service by the very first month of 2011, keeping the tourist year in mind," Anil Gurung, acting director general of the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), told Republica.

According to Gurung, work is going on smoothly in maintaining the partly-damaged road linking Kathmandu to Zhangmu or Lhasa as it is well- known in Nepal.

However, Hong Mei, a Chinese national who won the contract to operate the bus service from Kathmandu to Lhasa said: "We are trying to operate our service within this very month." Initially, two buses from Kathmandu and two from Lhasa will be ferrying Chinese tourists. But the number of Nepali tourists to visit Lhasa by bus will be less than the Chinese tourists to visit Kathmandu.

According to Hong Mei, tourists will be charged 70 U.S. dollars per person for traveling to Lhasa by bus.

http://chinatibet.people.com.cn/7225687.html

[hakz2007]

Nepal launches telemedicine service

KATHMANDU: Nepal Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has launched a landmark telemedicine service in the country in an effort to boost health care in the rural areas with the financial and technical assistance from India.

The SAARC telemedicine centre has been established with an assistance of Rs 3.05 Crores from the Government of India under the SAARC telemedicine network project, according to Indian Embassy here.



Telecommunications Consultants India Limited ( TCIL), a prime engineering and consultancy company under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, is the implementing agency for this prestigious project.

The assurance for the telemedicine service to Nepal was conveyed by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the 13th SAARC Summit held in Dhaka in 2005.

The MoU for the implementation of the project between India and Nepal was signed in June 2009.

Prime Minister Nepal said yesterday the service will prove beneficial for the rural population as it would provide comfortable and easy excess to health services to the people living in remote districts.

It has been difficult to take quality and affordable health services by establishing infrastructure due to geographical and technical problem, he said inaugurating the telemedicine service and SAARC telemedicine programme in the capital.

He said the government has been committed to provide primary health services to the rural population.

Indian Ambassador in Nepal Rakesh Sood, who was also present on the occasion, said the telemedicine service will help in providing quality service among the rural people.

"The Government of India is happy to establish the SAARC telemedicine centre that extends the geographic reach of medical care and provide people in remote and rural areas access to medical specialists," said the Indian Ambassador.

The telemedicine service will have the Central Coordination Desk at Patan Hospital in the capital. The service has now commenced in district hospitals in 25 mountainous districts across the country.

The programme initiated by the Ministry of Health and Population is expected to benefit rural people who have been deprived of quality health services due to geographical and technical difficulties.

Minister for Health and Population Umakanta Chaudhary said the programme will be effective to take specialist service to the rural areas.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/t...ow/7340625.cms

[hakz2007]

French cheese maker finds a niche in Nepal

Reporting from Chandeshwori, Nepal — Francois Driard enters a cave dug into the steep Himalayan hillside, scares off a mouse and, in a twice-weekly ritual, wipes mold from several plate-sized wheels of cheese sitting on crude shelves against the wall.

Voila! High-end French cheese has reached a new level, literally, with Driard's farm an hour from Katmandu, where the 32-year-old has become what he believes is the only French cheese maker in the Himalayas.

He acknowledges that it's not the by-the-book operation you'd find under Europe's rigorous hygiene and certification requirements.


"If it's too clean, there's no life," he said. "Well, no real danger of that here."

Raised in a Parisian suburb of sidewalks and shopping malls, Driard knew nothing about cheese making until a few years ago. Now he's getting rave reviews from mostly foreign customers in one of the world's poorest nations. Trekking companies even carry his cheese up Mt. Everest to serve on expeditions.

"He's quite famous, the French cheese king of Katmandu, and his cheese makes life more comfortable," said Henrik Hansen, a Dane working for the United Nations in Nepal. "I was in Yemen before, where it's difficult to get anything but Kalashnikovs."

Driard's first interest was living in Nepal, with cheese production a pungent afterthought. A few years out of French business school, after taking time off to read and working three years writing business articles, he decided to act on his loathing for offices.

The entrepreneur, with deep-set eyes, brown hair and a roundish face, had been coming to Nepal on vacation almost every year since he was 18, and had picked up Nepali living with a local family. So he tried to figure out a way to move back for good.

Over the years, he'd noticed more and more once-unavailable Western products appearing on shelves in Katmandu — personal-hygiene items, wine, pistachios. One niche remained unfilled: the raw, smelly cheese he gorged on back home.

The traditional 19th — even 18th — century technology used in making cheese would work well in an area with bad infrastructure and frequent power outages, he reasoned.

Unabashed by his artisanal ignorance, Driard hitchhiked around France, especially the Chaine des Puys region, knocking on doors and asking cheese makers to divulge their family secrets.

You'd think they would have told him where he could stick their cheese. But because he was setting up in far-off Nepal, and presented no immediate threat to their business, people were generous. Many loved the idea of their traditional methods being used to push back at the plastique-tasting supermarket cheese in other countries.



Driard admits to a certain impatience, which created another problem. "Here's something they've spent generations doing just perfectly," he said, "and I'm trying to get them to tell me everything in 20 minutes."

Within a few weeks, however, he had the basic idea. Although it's an exacting process, he said, it's hardly rocket science.

He spent three months searching for a suitable farm, which he bought with Nepalese partners. (Foreigners can't buy land in Nepal, although a company can.) Then he spent more time trying to get a business visa the official way before giving up and paying a "fixer," who had it in a week.

"In Nepal, you can make your reality," he said. "In France, you need six weeks' obligatory training, licenses, bureau approval for everything. It's endless."

The one-acre farm has a three-bedroom stone farmhouse and a shed full of cows surrounded by a landscape of terraced fields, thatched roofs and marigolds. Ducks quack and goats frolic, even though, Driard said, "I hate goats. They eat everything."

The village is a lush mountainside community of farmers tending modest fields. But upscale houses, cellphone shops and other tendrils of development are creeping in from the capital.

Driard has trouble sitting still and spends a lot of time in Katmandu, leaving much of the manure shoveling, milking and feeding to hired hands who, in a bit of management-speak carryover, he refers to as his "team."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,3643649.story

[India101]

Rs. 800 million, 17-Story Tower will be the tallest building in Nepal

The JSB Financial Tower in Kamaladi will be the tallest building in Kathmandu when completed. Developed by Krishi Premura Properties, the 17-storey commercial complex will have a total area of 170,000 sq ft.

The building is situated at Kamaladi, one of the capital’s prime commercial locations, and is divided into three blocks—retail outlets, commercial spaces and penthouses.

The first three floors of the tower will house retail outlets, nine floors will be set aside for offices of banks, financial institutions and multi-nationals. The top five floors will contain penthouse apartments.

“The retail outlets will feature high-end brands,” said Pravin Naulakha, manager of the JSB Financial Tower.

The JSB Financial Tower stands apart for two reasons—location and design. It is coming up in a leading commercial location containing banks and financial institutions. With the Kamaladi-Durbar Marg area turning into a financial hub of the capital, the tower has targeted banks and financial institutions as its prospective tenants.

Designed by architect Debesh Raj Bhattarai, the tower will provide the entire range of financial services under one roof. “It will be an eye-opener for Nepal,” said Bhattarai. “It’s a contemporary design which we see abroad.” Emphasis has been given to green energy in the building, he added.

All the five penthouses have been designed with spacious living and dining rooms, common bathrooms, spacious bedrooms with attached changing rooms, attached bathrooms in each bedroom and a Jacuzzi in the master bedroom.

The tower, according to architect Bhattarai, will have three-layer basement parking space which can accommodate more than 200 vehicles. The tower is equipped with high-speed wireless and optical fibre connection ideal for video conferencing and high data transmission. There will be four passenger elevators in the tower.

Formal bookings for the tower will start within a month, said Naulakha. The tower is expected to be completed within two years from the start of construction. According to Naulakha, Rasuwa Construction Co. is the main contractor of the Rs 800 million project.

Link

[hakz2007]

like the design

[hakz2007]

Nepal Bans Smoking In All Public Places

Nepal has placed a ban on smoking in public areas with the 2010 Tobacco Control and Regulatory Act coming into effect from August 07, 2011.

According to the regulation, those caught smoking at public places will have to pay a fine and civil servants indulging in smoking at public areas will be accountable to departmental action.

More : http://newstonight.net/content/nepal...-public-places

Nepal to take on USA Tuesday

KATHMANDU Aug 9: Nepal will take on the United States of America (USA) in the last match of the ICC U-19 World Cup Qualifiers on Tuesday at the Limavady Cricket Club, Northen Ireland.

Nepal currently stands second in the points table with 12 points from eight games while the USA is in the fifth place with eight points. Nepal has already qualified for the U-19 World Cup while USA has not qualified yet.

More: http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/in...&news_id=34475

‘Nepal king ordered destruction of Buddha statue’

Kathmandu, Aug 8 (IANS) A former Nepali minister Monday said then King Birendra of Nepal had ordered the demolition of a Buddha statute.

Veteran politician Homnath Dahal, who was local development minister when King Gyanendra seized power in 2005, said his predecessor King Birendra ordered the army to knock down a statue of the Buddha built in western Nepal.

Dahal, a member of the opposition Nepali Congress party, said he was a journalist in the 1990s when the shocking incident occurred and he reported it in the ‘Rastriya Pukar’ publication.

More: http://www.inewsone.com/2011/08/08/n...a-statue/67554

[pbkdnap]

Nepal
MAP



SOURCE

[pbkdnap]

ADB‚ Japan launch new projects

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Japan today teamed up to help Nepal reduce child malnutrition, develop new livelihood opportunity for the poor populace and promote greater access to clean energy for poor rural women.

The three projects will be funded by grants totaling $7.7 million from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) and administered by the ADB.

“From 2001 to August 2011, Nepal has been the beneficiary of ten Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction projects worth more than $17.05 million,” country director of Asian Development Bank (ADB) Barry J Hitchcock said, adding that the additional three programmes will benefit the most vulnerable and often excluded groups.

Reducing Child Malnutrition through Social Protection will help Nepal improve planning and delivery of its social protection programmes, whereas Support for targeted and sustainable development programme for highly marginalised groups will provide assistance to develop new livelihood opportunities and

improve income in the poorest and the most disadvantaged communities. Similarly, Improving Gender-Inclusive access to clean and renewable energy — a sub-regional project — will promote greater access to clean energy for poor rural women in Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

“Despite Japan’s rising expenditure for reconstruction of earthquake and tsunami in Japan, we are firmly determined to continue providing all possible assistance for the welfare of Nepal,” ambassador of Japan to Nepal Tatsuo Mizuno said, during the launching of the projects.

Japan has helped Nepal upgrade Kathmandu-Bhaktapur road under its grant aid ODA and also constructing 160-km Sindhuli road that is expected to complete in future, he said, adding that the road will help local people generate income and reduce poverty.

Finance secretary Krishnahari Baskota and Local development secretary Sushil Ghimire, on the

occasion, thanked Japan government and ADB for their consistent help in Nepal’s development.

source

[pbkdnap]

PM to skirt contentious issues‚ claims DPM

KATHMANDU: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha has said that getting cases against Maoist leaders in Indian courts annulled is the government’s top priority.

Talking to The Himalayan Times today, Shrestha said Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai would take up the issue with Indian PM Manmohan Singh during their meeting on the sidelines of the 66th UN General Assembly in New York next week and his visit to India, likely early next month.

“It’s a matter of prime concern,” Shrestha said.

Cases against as many as 11 Maoist leaders, including two politburo members, were being heard in absentia by a district court in

Patna, on the charges of their being involved in activities against ‘sovereignty of India and Nepal’.

Regarding past pacts and agreements between the two neighbours, DPM Shrestha admitted that Maoists had some “misunderstanding” with India and would like to resolve it diplomatically. He said 1950 Treaty would not be raised during the PM’s India visit, as it demands more groundwork and broad consensus among Nepali stakeholders.

“The main focus will be how to garner support and assistance from international community, including immediate neighbours, to conclude the twin tasks of ending peace process and promulgating a new constitution before November 30,” he said.

According to him, India’s long-standing demands of an early agreement on mutual-legal exchange and extradition treaties and signing on a strip map with Nepal were unlikely to be met during PM’s upcoming India visit, whose date is yet to be finalised. He said these were sensitive issues and would be addressed better in post transitional period.

The first-ever Maoist foreign minister said the government had maintained good relations with India and China, based on the principle of ‘equi-proximity’. He added that Nepal would sincerely address the “genuine security concerns” of India and China and expects reciprocity from them.

He added that the government would soon initiate the process to appoint new envoys to the countries, including India and China, where ambassadorial posts had been lying vacant. He said the envoys whose tenures were yet to end would continue to hold their posts.

He added that labour attachés would be sent to Nepali embassies in the Gulf countries to address the woes of Nepali migrant workers there. Labour and foreign ministries are yet to come to an agreement on whether the labour attachés should be deputed in the diplomatic missions or not. Files of at least six new labour attachés forwarded by the labour ministry have been lying at the foreign ministry for its approval.

source

[pbkdnap]

Bhattarai adds six ministers to Cabinet

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai today made third Cabinet expansion in less than three weeks of assuming office on the backing of Madhes-based parties.

With the induction of six more ministers from the four parties the number of the council of ministers has reached 21. Ironically, the PM had said his Cabinet would be a small one.

The PM administered the oath of office and secrecy to Sharat Singh Bhandari, Lekharaj Bhatta, Gopal Kirati, Anil Jha, Brijesh Kumar Gupta and Hem Raj Tated in the

presence of President Dr Ram Baran Yadav in Shital Niwas.

Bhatta and Kirati represent UCPN-Maoist and they were also in Pushpa Kamal Dahal led government in 2008. Leaders of United Democratic Madhesi Front, Bhandari and Tated, belong to MJF-Democratic, Jha is the chairman of the newly formed Federal Sadbhawana Party, the breakaway faction from the Sadbhawana Party-led by Rajendra

Mahato, and Gupta represents Tarai Madhes Democratic Party.

Dr Bhattarai had appointed Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, chairman of MJF-Democratic, the largest party of UDMF, as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs on August 29. In the second expansion on September 4, 13 more ministers were inducted from parties in the UDMF, besides UCPN-M.

New incumbents

• Sharat Singh Bhandari: Defence Minister

• Lekharaj Bhatta: Commerce and Supplies Minister

• Gopal Kirati: Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly Parliamentary Affairs and Culture Minister

• Anil Jha: Industry Minister

• Brijesh Kumar Gupta: Law and Justice Minister

• Hem Raj Tated: Environment Minister

source