KISH BANK LTD. CONVEMES SPECIAL GENERAL MEETNG TO DISCUSS MERGER WITH FOREIGN STRATEGIC PARTNER

KIST BANK LTD. CONVENES SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING TO DISCUSS MERGER

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: Kist Bank Ltd. has convened a special general meeting 19 October to empower the board to discuss
merger with an unnamed foreign strategic partner, an announcement said Thursday.
The meeting has been called to empower management to signed
a memorandum of understanding with the partner.
Although the partner wasn’t identified, a published report earlier said India’s Punjab National Bank, is negotiating to acquire majority 51
percent in the Bank.
Punjab National Bank has minority stake in Everest Bank Ltd.
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NEW POLICE CHIEF TAKES OVER IN THE CAPITAL

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: SP Rajendra Shrestha took over charge Wednesday at Metropolitan Police Range, Hanuman Dhoka.
He took charge from SP Kedar Rijal.
Rijal was replaced after this week’s after a Muslim leader was shot dead this week in the capital.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Madeshis are patriots but Bhandari’s remarks have made them look like
separatists.”

(MJFN Chairman Upendra Yadav, Republica, 29 Sept.)
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BID TO EMPOWER NVC RILES CIAA, PARTIES
Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: The government is doing groundwork to make the National Vigilance Centre more powerful in a bid to what it says bring ‘political corruption under the legal net’, Ananta Raj Luitel writes in The Himalayan Times reports.

“The bill to this effect is still under consideration,” said Trilochan Upreti, Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. “The proposed idea is to empower NVC to investigate cases of political corruption — an attempt to develop it somewhat like the Central Bureau of Investigation of India.”

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai had hinted about strengthening the anti-corruption body in his immediate relief programme.

The bill with the proposal to equip NVC with some additional jurisdiction — technical audit, monitoring and more activities against corruption — was presented by the Nepal Law Commission at the Jhala Nath Khanal-led Cabinet a few months ago. But the incumbent government has moved a step further to propose empowering NVC to look into political corruption as well.

According to NVC Spokesperson Arjun Prasad Khanal, the government has also proposed giving NVC the authority to protect public properties and monitor public offices. NVC can also issue an order to public institutions. Currently, NVC has been working under Section 37 of the Corruption Prevention Act, 2002 as an institution directly under the prime minister.

Maoist lawmaker Eak Raj Bhandari said the government was mulling over developing NVC as a strong anti-graft body because the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority ‘failed to rein in corruption’.

“The move will help bring political corruption under legal net,” said Bhandari.

But CIAA Spokesperson Ishwori Prasad Paudel accused the government of hatching conspiracy to weaken the anti-graft watchdog. “The proposed jurisdiction (of NVC) is duplication of CIAA’s jurisdiction, and the government cannot do so unless the constitution is amended,” said Paudel.

CPN-UML leader Pradip Gyawali said the government bid is ‘ill-intended’. “This is against the spirit of the constitution. The government is planning to suppress political opponents,” said Gyawali. So said Nepali Congress lawmaker Ramesh Lekhak. “We have CIAA working against corruption as an umbrella institution,” said Lekhak.
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PMO EARS ALL SET TO HEAR

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: A control room has been set up at the Prime Minister’s office to keep the Prime Minister abreast of burning
issues and the people’s concerns, The Himalayan Times reports.
The high-level mechanism instituted on Monday has three
officers and supporting staff under the supervision of a
secretary at the PMO.
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