PM-ELECT BHATTARAI FORMING INCLUSIVE GOVT.

PM BHATTARAI TO FORM INCLUSIVE GOVT.; OTHER DETAILS

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 29 Aug.: Dr.Baburam Bhattarai will be installed prime minister at one in the afternoon Monday by President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav
Bhattarai has to appoint at least on minister for his swearing-in.
and said he won’t announce a big cabinet.
“There are 26 ministries’ state ministers won’t be appointed in all of them; they can be appointed in some large ministries.
“Ministers will be lawmakers and they will be inclusive,” the prime minister-elect told Nagarik revealing the nature of his government.
‘I’ll take all friends in and out of the party together,” Bhattarai said Twenty parties in parliament voted for the second Maoist vice-chairman to ensure his majority election Sunday.
NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel, who is also main opposition parliamentary party (PP) leader was supported by UML,the third party in parliament, RPP, RJP and independents Baban Singh.
The main opposition two-month thrust to build a democratic front with five Madeshbadi parties came apart; the front sided with Maoists.
‘A mechanism with top leaders of all parties will push peace and constitution drafting, The mechanism will be formed soon after cabinet formation, I’ll take all parties together with formation of the body,” Bhattarai said revealing his plans to run government.
“We’ll amend the budget. It hasn’t been approved The budget will be amended procedurally,” Bhattarai told Nagarik
‘First Maoists and then Madeshbadi parties are parties for change in Nepal The two parties have been confirmed by the constituent assembly,” the new government chief said of his coalition partners.
Dr, Bhattarai hopes to amend a government proposal to extend the constituent assembly by three months; a 10th amendment proposal to amend the basic law has already been registered by the outgoing government in parliament.
:This tine [three months to complete constitution drafting is not sufficient,: Bhattarai said.
The proposal will be amended, he revealed.
“….roughly six months or even more, It will take a few days,” Bhattarai told Ujir Lama of Nagarik Sunday night.
“Nepal is not a yam between two big stones as propounded by Prithvi Narayan Shah. There’ll be live relations between India and China on the basis of panchasheel,” Bhattarai said of relations between big neighbours India and China.
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INDIAN PM MANMOHAN SINGH CONGRATULATES BHATTARAI

Kathmandu, 29 Aug.: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated Dr. Baburam Bhattarai immediately after his election Sunday evening over telephone.
An invitation was extended to visit India at a convenient time.
“I have great pleasure in conveying to you the best wishes of the government and people of India n your high responsibilities and
all success in the task of consolidating democratic gains made by the people of Nepal,” Singh said in a letter.
New Delhi has been trying to build up better ties with UCPN (Maoist) by cultivating ties with Dr. Bhattarai who hasclose ties with top Indian communist leaders.
Singh said a stable and a democratic and prosperous Nepal will promote regional security and peace
‘India remains committed to providing all assistance in building a more stable, democratic and prosperous Nepal, which will add to the security and prosperity of the region.”
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NEPSE INDEX DROPS WHOPPING 9.77 POINTS

Kathmandu, 29 Aug.: Nepse index dropped a whopping 9.77 points Sunday afternoon as it became clear Dr. Baburam Bhattarai would be elected prime minister.
The market closed at 337.16 points at the end of trading on the first day of five-day weekly trading.
Nepal Rashtra Bank intervention to restrict dividend distribution to shareholders up to 30 percent from profits of last fiscal year 2067/68 contributed to fall in share prices that have again begun tumbling after recent gains.
As finance minister for nine months in the Prachanda administration, Dr.Bhattarai didn’t adopt a friendly secondary market policy.
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FATHER’S DAY MONDAY

Kathmandu, 29 Aug.: Father’s day was observed Monday.
Children remembered their dead father by offering pinda at Gokarnaeshwor Mahadeb Sthan in the capital outskirts.
Children visited their fathers and offered congratulations and showered him with delicacies and gifts.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

‘Under the circumstances, there are only two options left before the country. One option is to adopt the topics from the constituent assembly or a Nepali model of a progressive British style progressive Cambodia. There’s no point in searching for a outside model with a foreign agenda pushed by carriers .That system can’t promote national good and interest. So-called multi-partyism is dead in Nepal however much history may propound democracy or loktantra….multi-party people’s loktantric republic is dead.and only its funeral remains.

(Former Raj Sabha Chairman Dr.Kesharjung Rayamajhi, Annapurna Post, 29 Aug.)
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NTL EXPANSION PLAN

Kathmandu, 29 Aug : State-owned National Trading Ltd (NTL) has unveiled fresh expansion plan worth over Rs 2.77 billion, proposing host of new projects, ranging from petroleum products retailing to strengthening trading capacities, to transform itself into a viable government undertaking earning profit of more than Rs 26 million a year, Prabhakar Ghimere writes in Republica.

The proposed one-year plan, which was recently presented at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS), is set to get NTL´s board of director´s approval within a couple of days.

To finance its expansion plan, NTL is arranging Rs 652 million by selling of 18 ropanis of land at Teku. It plans to borrow the rest from different banks and financial institutions.

NTL is opening five petrol pumps in Kathmandu and six in major cities like Pokhara and Bhairahawa at the cost of Rs 70 million. NTL is already operating a petrol pump in Teku, while preparations are underway to start another pump in Pokhara.

It is investing Rs 32.3 million to expand its cement trade to 2,400 bags (50 kg) a day and another Rs 150 million to start trading of chemical fertilizers to intervene the market and end private sector. NTL has been selling different cement brands manufactured by state-owned manufacturers - Hetauda Cement Factory and Udaypur Cement Factory.

Similarly, NTL will mobilize Rs 110 million to maintain buffer stock of 10,000 tons of sugar, Rs 50 million to purchase goods confiscated at customs points, Rs 70 million to purchase duty-free goods, and Rs 100 million to open new outlets in commercially viable areas in the Valley -- Kalanki, Maharajgunj, Koteshwar, Baneshware and Jawalakhel.

“We have plans to invest Rs 2.77 billion. We will arrange Rs 650 million by selling our land plot to the government or other public enterprise, while the rest will be borrowed from different banks and financial institutions,” said Gopal Ghimire, spokesperson of NTL. Ghimire said the plan will be forwarded to the MoCS for approval soon.
• Opening 11 new petrol pumps across the country
• Resuming trading of chemical fertilizers
• Expanding cement trade
• Opening five new showrooms in the Valley
• Selling 18 ropanis of land in Teku
• Earning annual profit of Rs 26.2 million

Through its expansion plant, NTL, which has accumulated loss of Rs 440 million, expects to earn profit of Rs 26.2 million in 2011/12. The state-owned trading firm is also planning to sell off its old machineries, liquor and electronic goods to raise additional fund for the projects. Ghimire said NTL has goods worth Rs 280 million in stock. It has been facing loss following the government´s decision to close duty-free shops - the major source of income for the state-owned trading firm.

NTL had proposed a three-year master plan worth Rs 1.5 billion in January, floating a number of projects like opening a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) bottling plant in Tarai and 20 petrol pumps in different parts of the country. NTL management had proposed to sell its 18 ropanis of land in Teku and 50,000 units of shares of Bishalbazar Company to raise fund for the projects and its restructuring.

The proposal, however, is gathering dust at the Ministry of Finance for the last eight months.
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DETAILS OF FOUR-POINT UCPN (MAOIST) MADESHBADI PARTIES PACT

Kathmandu, 29 Aug The UCPN (Maoist) in return for the support to its prime ministerial candidate Dr Baburam Bhattarai by the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), has agreed to make changes to its last Thursday´s proposal on the peace process and constitution-writing, Gani Ansari writes in Republica.

On Sunday morning prior to the prime ministerial vote, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal signed a four-point agreement with top leaders of the UDMF, a grouping of five Madhes-based parties.


The agreement is, however, not clear what changes will the Maoists make to their proposal. The proposal, among other things, has set a 45-day deadline for completing the peace process.

Despite the agreement, the leaders have identified various contentious issues relating to the peace process -- group entry of ex-Maoist combatants, rank harmonization, role of the combatants after integration, rehabilitation package and handover of the Maoist arms and combatants.

"All the decisions pertaining to the integration of the Maoist combatants will be decided by the Special Committee provisioned in the Interim Constitution," reads the first point of the agreement.

In the second point, the Maoist party and the UDMF have agreed that no citizen will be deprived of their land ownership, besides agreeing on giving "special" relief for those affected by the Maoist insurgency, Madhes movement and Janjati movement.



"All the court cases against those involved in the Maoist insurgency, Madhes movement, Janjati movement, Tharuhat movement and Dalit and Pichadabarga movements will be dropped and they will be given general amnesty," the second point of the agreement reads.

In the third point, they have agreed to uphold universal fundamental rights, constitutional supremacy, rule of law, press freedom, accountable judiciary, inclusive democracy autonomous states with right to self-determination and competitive politics among others.

They have also agreed to enact within 15 days, an act on inclusiveness, which was dropped in 2008 when the Maoist-led government was in power.

The Maoist party has also agreed with the UDMF ensure inclusiveness in the ongoing recruitment in the army so that more Madhesi people will be able to join the army.

They have also agreed to fill the vacant positions in the constitutional bodies and diplomatic postings within 15 days since the formation of the government.
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