PM KHANAL EXPANDS GOVT, BY INDUCTING UML MEMBERS IN TEAM

PM KHANAL ADDS 12 OF HIS PARTY MEMBERS IN GOVT.

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 12 April: In a delayed expansion of his government Monday
night, Prime Minister Jhalanath Khalal inducted 12 members of his
UML party in an expanded government—five cabinet members and seven
ministers.
A woman has been appointed minister with cabinet rank—most are Khanal
supporters in the party; the expanded government of UML and Maoists now has 20 members.
Khanal unilaterally expanded government after Maoists demanding the home portfolio haven’t named more members of its government team and MJFN which has decided to join government hasn’t sent a name list demanding four ministries against
three offered to the terai-based party.
President Dr. Ram Baran Yadv has been notified and the new ministers will
be administered oaths of office and secrecy Wednesday as Tuesday is
Ram Nawami—a public holiday.
The party standing committee and standing committee had authorized the government
Khanal to go ahead with the expansion.
Urmila Aryal is minister for local development, Raghubir Mahaseth minister for irrigation Gokarna Bista minister for energy, Bhanu Bhakta Joshi minister for forest and soil conservation) and Yuvraj Karki minister for general administration.
Radha Gyanwali was nominated mnister of state for education), Shatrughan Mahato
Minister of state for local development, Dal Bahadur Sunar minister of state for irrigation), Ramji Sharma minister of state for energy), Dambar Sambahamphe minister of state for general administration, Bhagawati Chaudhari minister of state for forest and soil conservation) and Lharkyal Lama minister of state for finance.
Bista, attacked by unknown people with a khukri after his appointment, is
recovering at a hospital in the capital.
Mahoto, Joshi and Karki are lawmakers.
Most the new members are politburo and central committee members.
Khanal was elected 3 February with Maoist support but has encountered obstacles from his own party and other parties to expand government.
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RIVAL GROUPS IN NC CALL MEET TOLOBBY SUPPORT

Kathmandu, 12 April: As intra-party struggle intensifies over a dispute on
dissolution of Nepal Students’ Union- student sing of the main opposition-- rival groups led by President Sushil Koirala and three-time Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba have called separate meetings of supporters in the
capital Tuesday to lobby support.
The meetings come ahead of Friday’s central committee meet
The Koirala faction has called for the dissolution of the body and formation of an ad hoc body to hold a general convention for fresh elections.
The Deuba walked out of a central committee meeting this week
protesting the plan.
The party issued a whip Monday asking all central committee members to
be present at the meeting Friday as the two sides attempt to gain control of the party leadership.
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TANKER HIT KILLS SISTER, BROTHER

Kathmandu, 12 April: A tanker hit and killed two siblings—a 12-year-old sister and and her seven-year-old brother at Hetauda in Chitwan Tuesday morning.
Tensions heightened immediately after the tanker hit.
Driver Prabhu Aryalhas been arrested.
One person died and 20 were injured, eight seriously, when a bus fell 15meters off a road in Bhajang Tuesday.
The bus was moving to Bhajang from Mahendranagar in the far-West.
Such accidents are regular daily occurrences and their prevention
hasn’t drawn attention of authorities.


LACKEYS OF FORMER MINISTER PRAKASH SHARAN STILL DRAWING NEA BENEFITS


Kathmandu, 12 April: Staff at Nepal Electricity Authority today warned advisers and board members appointed by former energy minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat not to take salaries and other benefits from NEA, The Himalayan Times reports..

Two press advisers and five legal advisers, all Mahat appointees, are still drawing salary from NEA even two months after formation of the new government.

“Political appointees have no right to take benefits after the minister leaves office. We had requested them earlier, but they turned a deaf ear. They are not only drawing salaries, but also interfering in the decision making process,” said Ajit Kumar Tamang, Senior Vice President, National Employees Organisation of Nepal (NEON), NEA committee .

Two press advisers, CB Khadka and Bindukanta Ghimire, and six legal advisers, Kumar Regmi, Rajan Adhikari, Humkanta Chaulagain, Shyam Madan KC, Jhakka Bahadur Khadka and Ram Prasad Acharya have taken salaries amounting to more than Rs 2 lakh in the last two months. The adviser’s monthly salary total to more than Rs 20,000 per person.

Unions have warned the NEA administration not to provide salaries to advisers.

The unions were further infuriated after board member Ananda Raj Batas, appointed by Mahat gave the responsibility of interviewing new staff to Binod Shah, who is also a political appointee and has worked as personal secretary to former water resources minister, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki.

“If a political appointee is given such a vital role, recruitment is sure to be biased so we warned him not to come to office from today,” said Tamang.

Nepal Electricity Authority has accumulated loss of more than Rs 19 billion and financial irregularities are said to be rampant. Besides, political interference has peaked at NEA.

“It is a matter of shame that political appointees, who should have immediately left office after the new government was formed are still continuing,” said Durga Dhakal, former NEON general secretary at NEA.
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JUJU BHAI BASHI TO PIERCE TONGURE FOR THIRD TIME
Kathmandu, 12 April: For the third consecutive year, Juju Bhai Bashi is going to take part in tongue piercing festival at the ongoing Biskaet Jatra, being held in Bhaktapur district, The Rising Nepal reports from Bhaaktapur..
On the occasion, a tongue piercing fast for three days begins from the last day of the last Nepali month of the year. The celebrated Jatra ends after the piercing of the tongue.
The nine-day festival of Bisket Jatra kicked off on Sunday by pulling chariots of Bhairahnath and Bhadrakal and the 14th April, 2011 has been dedicated for Bisket Jatra in Kathmandu Valley, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur. Men high on local alcohol drag a chariot carrying a statue of god Bhairabrath all around Bhaktapur. Along with this chariot, another chariot carrying God Ganesh, Goddesses Mahakali and Maha Laxmi are also pulled along.
Local people approach these chariots to worship the gods and goddesses. Animal sacrifices are made in a bid to please these gods and goddesses. Bhaktapur features many street dramas based on mythological tale of Bisket Jatra.
Thimi also enjoys this day with its ceremony at Bode village. The practice of this ritual is believed to reserve a special seat in heaven for a tongue-pierced festival.
Bashi, 30, said that the Jatra committee looked out for others to carry on the tradition but so far no one was attracted to tread his path.
The tongue piercing is one of attractions of the jatra. A 25-meter pole is put up and inserted into the stone yoni at Khalna Tole one of the squares in Bhaktapur. On the evening of day following New Year, when the pole crashes to the ground, New Year officially begins.
The festival is popular since the Lichhavi period. According to a legend, a man had married a princess and died of snakebite after the marriage. Later, nobody showed interests in marrying the princess thinking that it would bring them bad luck.
One day, a merchant arrived in the village and married the princess. Contrary to what was perceived nothing happened, neither to him nor to wife both. The festival is celebrated to remember the defeat of the demon.
(Tuesday is the third day of the eight-day festival.)
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