ONE KILLED, 36 INJRED IN NAWALPARASI BUS ACCIDENT

ONE DEAD, 36 INJURED IN NAWALPARASI BUS ACCIDENT
Kathmandu, 10 Dec.:One person died and 36 others were injured when a but hit a stationary truck at Danda in Nawalparasi on thealong Mahendra Highway on Friday night.
Seven are seriously injured.
The injured are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Bharatpur.
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GOVT. RESTS ON ITS HONEYMOON LAURELS
Kathmandu, 10 Dec. While unveiling its honeymoon period achievements today, the government today was over the moon, as it said it was a honey of a government, The Himalayan Times reports.

The Baburam Bhattarai-led government on Tuesday completed its 100 days and to mark the period, it organised a press conference at Singha Durbar where it said the ‘government was successful in meeting its goal on peace process, state restructuring, good governance and corruption control and improving international relations’.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, who was accompanied by some other ministers, made public an 81-page booklet titled Hundred Days of Expectation, Confidence and Positive Thought.

“The situation on good governance is not still satisfactory, and we need to do more,” said Shrestha, as he defended charges of corruption, irregularities and haphazard transfers of civil servants by ministers. “But the government was successful in garnering political consensus on various national issues, mainly on the peace front,” said Shrestha. “Management of Maoist combatants and returning of seized property are successfully moving ahead. The parties are closer on finding consensus on Truth and Reconciliation and Inquiry on Disappearances bills.”

He also hailed formation of the State Restructuring Commission and implementation of relief packages. “Under the immediate relief packages, a majority of 243 activities, including management of transition period, providing subsidy, smooth supply of goods, maintaining law and order, public service delivery, power cut issue and drinking water, have already been implemented,” said Shrestha. The government was able to take both the neighbouring countries — India and China — into confidence and improve relations with other countries, said the DPM.

In its booklet, the government has said PM’s India visit, signing of Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao’s upcoming Nepal visit are major achievements. NCERNS.
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GOVT. TRANSFERS RAISE CONCERN

Kathmandu, 10 Dec.:: The parliamentary State Affair Committee (SAC) today decided to hold a comprehensive meeting with ministries on the recent transfer, promotion and deputation of staffers, which are said to be inconsistent with the law, The Himalayan Times reports.

The committee decided to hold such a meeting with government secretaries on December 18 after bureaucrats, including Chief Secretary Madhav Prasad Ghimire, expressed inability to check these anomalies at today’s meeting.

After today’s meeting, SAC chairman Ram Nath Dhakal said, “The officials tasked with implementing government policies are expressing helplessness. This is a really serious issue.”

SAC had also summoned Minister for General Administration (MoGA) Raj Kumar Yadav and State Minister Sunita Kumari Mahato for discussions on complaints and reports that irregularities in transfer of officials.

After today’s discussions, SAC directed Minister Yadav to furnish the details of transfers effected in the current fiscal within three days. The directive demands employees’ details, including names, posts and dates of transfer.

At the meeting, Chief Secretary Ghimire said he was compelled to stay as a mute bystander in the transfers as the ministry concerned and the general administration ministry are tasked with transfers and deputations.

MoGA Secretary Pratap Kumar Pathak informed that the government has approved the transfer of 750 civil servants so far. He said the ministry is yet to go through a huge number of transfer applications coming from different ministries. Pathak said there have been inappropriate demands for transfer, especially from the ministries of Physical Planning and Works, Forest and Soil Conservation, Education, and Agriculture.

CIAA Secretary Bhagawati Kafle informed that the authority has been receiving complaints against irregularities in transfer and deputation of civil servants. He said that the health service sector is on top when it comes to such irregularities.

Bureaucratic shakeup at a glance

• So far, this government has transferred 750 of its staffers

• MoGA is yet to okay a huge number of transfer applications

• Inappropriate demands for transfer come mainly from Physical Planning and Works, Forest and Soil Conservation, Education and Agriculture and Cooperatives ministries

• Health service on top when it comes to transfer irregularities
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