1,200 KG HASH SEIZED IN DECADE'S BIGGEST OPERATION

10 TRAFFICKERS ARREST IN BIGGEST OPERATION

Kathmandu, 25 March: Ten traffickers were arrested and 1,200 kg hash worth Rs. 16 million in the local market was seized in Operation Dhashinkali in the Valley—the biggest in decade, police said.
The worth of the drug is much higher in the interntional market.
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PRIME MINISTER SUMMONED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE

Kathmandu, 25 March: Parliament’s state affairs committee Thursday directed Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal to fill in vacancies in constitutional bodies, including the election commission, CIAA and Public Service Commission.
Without chiefs of the bodies for years, their work has been obstructed,
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NEPALI GURKHA GETS BRITAIN’S SECOND HIGHEST GALLANRTY AWARD

Kathmandu, 25March: Dip Prasad Pun of British Gurkhas has been awarded the Gallantry Cross, Britain’s second highest military award.
Pun received the award for fighting off a Taliban attack at Herat province in Afghanistan singly.
He fired 400 rounds of bullets and lobbed 17 grenades against the attackers.
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FIRE IN BALAJU INDISTRIAL ESTATE

Kathmandu, 25March: Damage caused by fire at Quality Feed Industries in Balaju Industrial Estate in not known, Balaju police said.
The fire started at the store.
Police and locals helped extinguish the fire.
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STREAMLINING CAN AID NEPALI TRADE

Kathmandu, 25 March: Trade can be led through streamlining at the political level to ensure political commitment for development, at policy level to better place trade priorities in development plan, and at implementation level for coordinated efforts to develop sectors to become more competitive, said the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS), The Himalayan Times reports.

Dialogue with stakeholders such as government agencies, private sector and development partners to reflect trade priorities in their agenda for development can also mainstream trade, said the ministry officials in their paper presented during the four-day UNCTAD Regional Workshop on Productive Capacities, Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction in Asian and the Pacific LDCs that concluded here today.

The workshop was organised from March 22- 24 to focus on the role of trade in national development, trade scenario in LDCs and Nepal, and role of government and other stakeholders.

Efforts can be made to mainstream trade in Nepal. The recently launched Nepal Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS 2010) provides the analytical underpinnings for trade mainstreaming.

Identification of main constraints to effective integration of the economy with the global market, Action Matrix identification for action, ensuring proper market access, building domestic support institutions, strengthening the supply capacity of exporters, especially in selected sector, and mobilising Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) are some of the moves that Nepal has aimed at.

The key to success is the involvement of government and other stakeholders.

According to trade experts, a single ministry (MoCS) alone cannot drive the agenda of trade promotion. “Many factors, sectors and actors are directly or indirectly associated with trade,” ministry officials said.

Product development like that of tea, cardamom, lentils, industries like pasmina, handmade paper, wool products and silver jewellry and services like tourism, health, education, ICT, hydropower and labour are some of the factors along with trade related infrastructure like transport and transit facilities and other cross-cutting issues like SEZ/EPZ, FDI, SME development package and incentives to export oriented industries can help boost the trade in the country, the ministry said.
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