Voting of annual budget today


Kathmandu, 24 Nov: Parliament will vote on the annual budget later Tuesday after Maoists stopped disruption of parliament temporarily for three days from Monday.
Twenty-two ruling coalition parties have issued whips to lawmakers to be present for voting.
Maoists are boycotting the vote.
Appropriations of 16 ministries were discussed Monday.
Chairman Prachanda and Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala discussed Monday formation of a high-level political mechanism of three major parties to end a six-month political deadlock.
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Sacrifices begin at Gadimai

Kathmandu, 24 Nov: Sacrifices began at Gadimai temple in Bara Tuesday morging despite calls to end the practice.
Sacriufuces began after the start of the main puja.
Thousands of animals and birds will be sacrificed in the next two days.
Hundreds of thousands from India and the country have flocked to the temple for the puja held every five years.
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Maoist convention postponed

Kathmandu, 24 Nov: Maoist general convention has been postpone by one year to 29 February 2011.
The party central committee took the decision Monday.
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Tibetan delegation arrives

Kathmandu, 24 Nov: A 10-member delegation led by Hao Peng, Tibet’s executive deputy chairman, arrived Tuesday for a goodwill visit.
The delegation will hold discussions with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and government ministers.
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Oldest man to attempt Everest again

Kathmandu, 24 Nov: The oldest man to climb the 8848 meters high Mount Everest will attempt to climb the world’s tallest peak for the second time.
Min Bahadur Serchan, 78, he will try to step on the highest point on earth after belated recognition of his feat by Guinness Book of Records.
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Three Maoist conditions to end deadlock

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 24 Nov: Maoist Vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai made three demands to end the current political impasse including a joint resolution in parliament to correct the reinstatement of sacked Army Chief Gen Rukmangud Katawal.
‘The bottom line of our demand is that the president has violated the constitution.
“So that is why a way should be found out, whereby that move of the president should corrected so that there is no wrong precedent set.
“Civilian supremacy or the democratic control of the armed forces should be established in the country,” Dr Bhattarai told The Kathmandu Post.
Katawal was sacked by Maoists unilaterally in a coalition government without discussion in parliament and appointed by the prime minister and not the president.
The president, who appoints the chief on the recommendation of the government, was only informed of the decision.
Dr Bhattarai called for a joint resolution to ‘correct the move of the president”
H also called for a joint mechanism to implement a comprehensive peace accord (CPA) to draft a new constitution and implement the peace process, and a ‘national unity government’.
He said a national government should be formed under Maoists, the largest party in parliament, but was ready to compromise on the demand.
“Let any government be formed, which should be guarantee the implementation of the CPA and the formation of a few constitution, If that happens then we may remain outside the government and cooperate,
The UCPN Maoist vice-chairman demanded the ‘democratization; of Nepal Army whatever the word means in the vague peace agreement between seven parties and Maoists.
Election of the army chief and officers?
Western diplomats in the capital in a recent statement described ‘democratization’ as the reorganization of the state army.
In reply to a question what democratization meant, Dr Bhattarai also said,” And since we have entered into the democratic republican era, the size and the nature of the army should be worked out in view if the geopolitical situation, And thirdly the army should be inclusive.”
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China to supply food to districts along Tibet border

Kathmandu, 24 Nov: China is supporting Nepal to address its food insecurity by providing food, sugar and salt in 10 mountainous districts bordering China, The Kathmandu Post reports.
Officials said food aid worth 300,000 yuans (Rs 3.28 million) would go to each of the 10 districts.
“This is probably the first time that China is providing food aid to Nepal,” said Lal Mani Joshi, joint secretary at the finance ministry.
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“Parties must make some compromises [including leaving government] for national understanding.”

(CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, Kantipur, 24 Nov.)