NINE EASTER DISTRICTS CLOSED DOWN SECOND CONSECUTIVE DAY MONDAY

SECOND DAY STRIKE CLOSES DOWN NINE EAST DISTRICTS
Kathmandu, 12 Dec.: A continuous strike Monday brought life to a standstill in nine hill and terai districts in the East.
A group of Federal :Limbuwan State Council launched an indefinite strike Sunday demanding representation in a recently formed state reorganization commission, implementation of past agreements to call off strikes/
Movement of traffic on highways has been affected while schools and industries have been forcibly closedown in the region.
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PAC SUMMONS COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER AND DEPUTY
Kathmandu, 12 Dec.: Parliament’s public accounts committee (PAC) has summoned Communication Minister Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta and his Deputy Minister of State Sarita Giri for a hearing Monday,
The PCA is probing what has been called improper awarding of licenses to the telecom service providers.
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RBB WORK PLAN FOR STRENGTHENING STATE BANK
Kathmandu, 12 Dec.:Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) is preparing a short-term strategic plan in next two weeks, The Himalayan Times reports.
The bank aims at strengthening the bank’s role in social and economic development, it said, adding that the government bank organised a seminar to frame a prompt working plan involving the newly appointed executive committee members, bank’s managerial level employees and head of departments.
“The overall efficiency of the bank has to be developed by making each department efficient in a planned way,” said the bank’s chairman Narahari Dhakal during the seminar, adding that the the executive board has to focus on fundamental issues of the bank instead of being involved in micromanagement of the daily proceedings.
He instructed the participants to work on modernisation, branch expansion, asset and liability management, information technological infrastructure, human resource among others to improve the bank’s standing.
The seminar was attended by executive board members Bal Chandra Shrestha, Pitri Bhakta Pokharel, and Laxman Neupane, deputy general manager Krishna Prasad Sharma and 16 other managerial level employees of the bank.
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PAC SUSPECTS IRREGULARITIES IN LICESING TELECOM SERVICE PROVIDERS
Kathmandu, 12 Dec.; Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sub-committee suspected foul play by the officials at the Ministry of Information and Communication and Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), while providing licences to the telecom service providers.The Himalauan tes reports..
“Lack of uniformity in the classification of telecommunications services due to inconsistent policy has created problems in the telecom sector,” the preliminary report of the subcommittee of PAC under Legislature Parliament said, adding that there is no consistency, uniformity and scientific base in the Authority’s definition of telecom services. “Even the ministry has failed to define basic telecom services in a reliable way that could give level playing field to the service providers.”
“The regulatory authority of the telecom service providers itself has ambiguity whether to define service on the basis of technology or on the basis of nature of services.”
There is also no clarity on the definition of basic telecom services, GSM cellular mobile service, limited mobility, rural telecom service and international trunk service, the preliminary report added.
The committee report stated that the authority first provided limited mobility service to UTL and then again gave roming service facility making it a ‘defacto mobile operator’, which has created policy inconsistency. “The authority has failed to provide level playing field by providing limited mobility facility to a particular telecom service operator,” the report concluded.
Moreover, the Authority granted licence to operate limited mobility facility to STM Telecom, Smart Telecom and Nepal Satellite claiming it as basic telecom services, it said, adding that but it also waived the licence fee.
The subcommittee has clarified that the authority has granted licence to STM Telecom to operate its services throughout the country even if it is rural telecom service provider. “It is an apparent breach of the notion of rural telecom services.”
Sub-committee summons minister
The PAC sub-committee that was formed to study VoIP and frequency issues decided to summon minister for information and communication Jay Prakash Gupta to grill on the issue. It has also asked state minister and secretary to appear before it on Monday. Concluding that the minister could answer on the controversial issues raised in its preliminary report, it asked minister to appear before subcommittee on Monday.
‘Policy corruption’
Recommendation of Nepal Telecommunications Authority to provide licence to operate rural telecom service throu-ghout the country is a policy and financial corruption, a source at the authority claimed, adding that it will hurt the revenue. “The authority has been influenced by rural telecom service providers as it has recently recommended Ministry of Information and Communication to implement integrated licence system for uniformity in licensing. However, spokesperson at Nepal Telecommunications Authority Kailash Prasad Neupane claimed that motive of authority is to implement uniformity in telecom policy.
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STAY PREPARED FOR MOVEMENT MPRF-R TO CADRES
Kathmandu, 12 Dec : Stating that the major political parties have neglected Madhes-based issues, leaders of the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Republican (MPRF-R) have asked party cadres to stay prepared for yet another movement, Gani Ansari reports in Republica.

MPRF-R leaders gave such instruction to the party´s leaders and cadres at a two-day orientation program that concluded on Sunday in Dhulikhel.

“As the major political parties are indifferent to Madhes-based issues, we instructed party cadres to prepare for yet another movement in order to safeguard the achievements of the Madhes movement,” MPRF-R General Secretary Atmaram Sah told Republica.

He said the leaders expressed doubt over country turning federal following the remarks made by coordinator of the State Restructuring Commission Dr Madan Pariyar. Pariyar had said that north-south division of the states would be appropriate for the country

MPRF-R, a constituent party of United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), has been criticizing the Madhesi alliance for failing to exert pressure on the government to implement the four-point agreement reached between the Maoist party and UDMF on August 29. The present government was formed following the four-point deal.

Sah said they held the two-day program in order to brief the leaders and cadres about progress on Madhes-based issues in the four-point agreement.

“We conveyed that we will keep on exerting pressure from parliament, but if we failed you (must be ready to take to the streets,” Sah told party cadres.

Earlier, a central committee meeting of MPRF-R had warned that the party would be compelled to reconsider its participation in the government if the government remained indifferent to Madhes-based issues.
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GOVT. SUBSIDY FOR SEEDS,ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Kathmandu, Dec 12: In a bid to enhance the competitive strength of Nepali farmers by bringing down farm production costs, the government has unveiled subsidy for small farmers on organic fertilizer and improved seeds, Republica reports.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC) has approved two guidelines for proper management of production and distribution of these crucial agriculture inputs that hold significant chunk in farm production cost.

The government, through the budget for the current fiscal year, has announced to provide subsidy in organic fertilizers and improved seeds.

“Though we had been encouraging farmers to use improved seeds and switch to organic farming, this is the first time that we are providing them subsidy on these inputs,” said Dr Hari Dahal, spokesperson of the MoAC.

The government has set aside Rs 100 million to provide subsidy on organic fertilizers, Rs 60 million on equipment to produce chemical fertilizer and Rs 10 million for organic certification. It re-introduced subsidy on chemical fertilizers a couple of years ago after a gap of more than a decade.

Around 10 private companies are already involved in the production of organic fertilizer, mainly vermicompost that is priced between Rs 10 and Rs 25 per kg depending on quality.

The guideline on subsidy of organic fertilizers has designated Agriculture Inputs Company (AIC) to procure and arrange distribution of organic fertilizers which should be produced with the composition of standard quantity of nutrients. The state-owned company have to procure vermicompost fertilizer from producer companies and distribute it to farmers through its network and farmers´ cooperatives.

“The subsidy amount on fertilizers will be fixed by a high-level committee that will be led by agriculture secretary on the basis of procurement price. The committee will also be responsible for monitoring implementation of the subsidy,” added Dahal.

Similarly, the guideline makes state-owned Nation Seeds Company (NSC) responsible for arranging production and proper distribution of improved seeds to the farmers. The company will procure improved seeds from farmers´ groups, farmers´ cooperatives and private firms. The government has allocated Rs 100 million to provide subsidy on seeds in the current fiscal year.

“Farmers who own less than four bighas of land in Tarai and 40 ropanis in hilly districts are eligible for the subsidy. They will get 25-50 percent of the total cost depending on seed varieties as subsidy,” Dahal added.
A committee to be led by agriculture secretary will fix the subsidy amount on seeds. The MoAC, the Department of Agriculture as well as regional and district agriculture offices will monitor implementation of subsidy distribution.

The ministry is prioritizing cereal crops like paddy, wheat, maize and millet as well as cash crops like lentils, gram, pea and mustard for the subsidy.

According to MoAC, the demand for improved seeds hovers around 210,000 tons a year and farmers are getting only a fraction of it.
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INTERVIEW IN REPUBLICA

'CHINA HAS GEO-STRATEGIC INTEREST IN NEPAL BECAUSE OF TIBET'

Hu Shisheng is the deputy director at the Institute of South and Southeast Asian Studies in the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), Beijing. As a renowned expert on China´s foreign policy, the Chinese and Indian media often quote him on the issues of China-South Asia relations. Purna Basnet, special correspondent of Republica in Hong Kong, spoke to Hu recently about Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao´s visit to Nepal on December 20.

What is the significance of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao´s visit to Nepal in over a decade?

Nepal is an important neighbor of China, especially in view of the stability and development of Tibet. The visit is unique as this time the Chinese premier is visiting only one country in South Asia, not clubbing with other South Asian countries. It shows how significantly Chinese government values its relations with Nepal. And this visit is happening at a time when Nepal´s peace process has made substantial progress.

What will be the main agenda of the visit?

China wishes to see political stability and unity in Nepal and logical and happy ending of the peace process. In addition, China wishes to see economic vibrancy in Nepal. Similarly, the Sino-Nepal relation will also feature in the agenda of the visit.

China has requested Nepal to sign a new peace and friendship treaty. Is there any plan to take concrete step in this regard?

It is a politically sensitive issue. The time is not ripe for signing the agreement.

Do you think that China will announce an increment in its annual grant to Nepal during the premier´s visit?

Most probably.

What would be the Chinese interest in increasing investment in Nepal?

Nepal has three abundant resources: water resources, natural beauty and cultural resources, particularly, Buddhist culture. However, these resources have been tapped only marginally. The increase in Chinese investment could help Nepalese people to become economically independent. A prosperous and stable Nepal serves China´s interests.



Do you think Nepal could act as a bridge between the two giant markets--India and China?

Nepal is located between two giant markets. Nothing can prevent Nepal from enjoying the benefits of being located between the two economies. Just imagine, in 20 about 54 millions Chinese tourists traveled outside of China. If facilities and infrastructures are improved, millions of Chinese will visit Nepal and other South Asian countries. Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, alone has the potential to attract a huge number of Chinese pilgrims.

Some experts say China´s interest in Nepal is geo-strategic. What is your take on this statement?

Frankly speaking, the answer is yes. Mainly in view of Nepal sharing a border with Tibet. Besides, geo-economic reasons are equally important. Nepal could be the golden bridge connecting the two giant markets. In future, if China and South Asia are integrated by physical connectivity and institutional mechanisms via Nepal, the huge population living in this vast territory could benefit a lot. If that happens, all the people of the region, especially the Chinese and Indians, will have to thank Nepal.

Chinese ambassador to Nepal, Yang Houlan warned that China has information that Nepal is turning into a playground for anti-China activities. How has Beijing taken his statement?

I personally believe that Yang´s remarks are more concerned with the Tibetan issue. For a long time, anti-China forces have carried forward their anti-China activities wantonly taking advantage of Nepal´s political instability.
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