NC finalizing its response to Madesh front

Kathmandu, 1 Aug: To gain the support for Vice-president Ram Chandra Paiudel, the party’s candidate for prime minister, a meeting of NC office bearers Sunday began finalizing its response to 16 demands of a four-party front of terai parties.
The front with 89 seats in parliament says it will extend support to the party that supports its 16-point demand, including the right to self-determination and One Madesh, One Pradesh.
Maoists submitted their response to the front Saturday rejecting demand for One Madesh, One Pradesh.
NC is presenting its response to the front later Sunday; the four parties will Sunday decide whether to participate in Monday’s vote or abstain after analyzing the responses of the Maoists and NC.
The NC also doesn’t favour a demand for one Madesh, One Pradesh.
A runoff election for prime minister is being held Monday after two inconclusive rounds of vote.
Paudel is challenging Maoist Chairman Prachanda in the vote which again is expected to be inconclusive.
UML says it will abstain in the vote forcing runoff vote; other candidates can’t enter the election fray.
UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal has asked both candidates to withdraw in favour of a national consensus government.
But influential UML politburo member KP Sharma Oli Saturday called on the party to convene a central committee to reconsider the party position to abstain in the vote and support the NC candidate.
Oli said the party shouldn’t align with Maoists whom he called a terrorist group.
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Police post attacked in Ilam

Kathmandu, 1 Aug: Limbuwan State Force, a previously unknown group,
attacked a police outpost at Chisopani, Nagarik reports from Ilam
Force military commander Khambeksa his group seized two rifles, one mouser and a radio set.
CDO Bikram Chand said the outpost wasn’t attacked; a group of about 15 persons surrounded the outpost at six in the evening and threw leaflets.
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Former Crown Prince Paras in Bara

Kathmandu, 1 Aug.: Former Crown Prince Paras Saturday inaugurated a building of the Nerani secondary school at prastoka-5 in Bara.
He was greeted by supporters who chanted pro-monarchy slogans.
He offered prayers at Ramjanaki temple.
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Kul Chandra Gautam appointed special advisor

Kathmandu, 1 Aug. : Kul Chandra Gautam has been appointed special advisor of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to ensure his election as the president of the UN general assembly, Nagarik reports.
Nepal has requested member states to support his candidature.
Gautam, a retired assistant secretary general of the UN without political background, was appointed to ensure his election.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

NSLMB to merge with Nepal Bangladesh Bank Ltd

Kathmandu, 1 Aug: Nepal Sri Lanka Merchant Banking and Finance Ltd (NSLMB) is to merge with Nepal Bangladesh Ltd., an official announcement said.
A special general meeting of NSLMB has been convened on 16 August to approve the merger.
The meeting will empower the managing committee to push the merger.
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Maoist attempt to entice support of terai parties

Kathmandu, 1 Aug: Lawmaker Anil Jha has alleged that the UCPN(Maoist), has been trying to tempt lawmakers with offers of up to Rs 20 million to vote in favour of Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s prime ministerial candidacy in the runoff election, Republica reports.
“Maoist colleagues themselves have said that they have been trying to garner votes by paying up to Rs 20 million each,” Jha told Republica.
He, however, did not name the Maoists in the campaign to offer such huge amounts to lawmakers.
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National health plan readied

KATHMANDU, Aug. 1 -
With a view to increase access and provide quality healthcare to the country’s urban poor, the Ministry of Health and Population (MoPH) has readied the National Urban Health Policy (NUHP), beginning this fiscal year, The Kathmandu Post reports..

The five-year policy aimed at providing accessible, affordable and reliable primary healthcare facilities to people living in town was prepared jointly by the Ministry of Local Development and MoPH. Both the Ministries will jointly launch urban-poor-centred programmes as per the policy for the period 2010 to 2014.

Despite the fact that there is the highest concentration of doctors and health facilities, the poor in urban areas are deprived of basic health services, according to Dr. Bhim Singh Tinkari, chief of Primary Health Care Revitalisation Division, under Department of Health Services.

“Therefore, MoHP is introducing this policy to delivery primary health services to poor people in 58-municipalities across the country,” said Dr. Tankari.

He also said that Child Health Division under Ministry of Health and other organisations assisting health services namely World Health Organisation, United Nation Child Fund (UNICEF) had often raised concern for not being able to outreach of immunisation programme among urban poor due to lack of clear policy and structure reaching to them.

As per data provided by MoHP, in 1981, of the total population of the country the urban population was 6.4 percent, whereas the population in 2001 reached 13.9 percent.

Of which 25.2 percent of the total urban population are poor. Similarly, the 45.6 percent of urban households have no sanitary system and 55 percent have no appropriate garbage disposal system.

At least 4.3 million populations of 58 municipalities (15 percent of the total population of the country) including in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, covering 43 districts do not have luxury of receiving preventive and primary health care services provided either free to the rural population, according to official at MoPH.

Under the Free Essential Health Care Services, the government has been providing 40 essential drugs at district hospitals, 32 at health post and 22 at sub-health posts since 2007.

According to NUHP, each ward will have at least an Urban Health Centre and one urban health volunteer. Similarly, the centre will procure free essential drugs as provided in sub-health post in rural areas.

“The services of the centre mainly will focus on poor, marginalised slum population and population living in squatters living across 58 municipalities of the country, emphasising on immunisation, leprosy, polio,” said Dr. Tankari.
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