NC. UML EMPOWERED TO DEVELOP COMMON CONCEPT ON GOVT. FORM

NC , UML EMPOWERED TO DEVELOP COMMON CONCET ON GOVT. FORM
Kathmandu, 10 Jan.: Two biggest opposition parties NC and
UML were empowered Tuesday by 14 smaller parties in
parliament to develop a common concept on a form of government a Tuesday.
Sixteen political parties have developed a front against the
Maoists in government asking it to implement past agreements to complete a delayed peace process.
The parties began meeting three days go to develop a common
concept against Maoists leading the government as efforts are
also being made to wean away five Madeshbadi parties to
isolate Maoists.
MJFN of Upendra Yadav has withdrawn its outside support
and remaining terai parties in government are dissatisfied with
Baburam Bhattarai for not implementing a four-point accord ,
including promised omass integration of 10,000 Madeshi youth in Nepal Army.
Maoists sense the opposition is now trying to isolate the UCPN
(Maoist) after leading government for more than four months.
Maoists have charged Maoists for not implementing promises,
Including a7-point agreement.
NC leader Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat declared a no-trust motion is being brought against the Bhattarai government.
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QUIICK MONEY WAS MOTIVE IN SIPHONING OFF IC
Kathmandu, 10 Jan. A high-level committee formed to investigate the high-scale misappropriation of Indian currency using fake customs clearance documents has concluded that the motive behind the fraud was to make a quick buck by selling the Indian rupee in bordering Indian markets at high exchange rates. “This is the most likely motive behind the IC embezzlement,” said a committee member, The
Kathmandu Post reports.
An investigation carried out by the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) in September had revealed that IC worth millions was transferred to India through banks by producing fake customs clearance documents on the pretext of importing goods.
The illicit trade of Indian rupee is rife in bordering areas and general public are forced to pay as high as Rs 165 for IRs 100, whereas the exchange rate fixed by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) is Rs 160. Considering the huge amount associated with the scam, the committee led by the deputy governor also explored other possible motives behind the fraud such as capital flight and claiming incentives from the Indian government for exporting goods to Nepal.
“We also investigated whether it was capital flight,” said the committee member.
“However, amid the availability of other easier options such as ‘hundi’ to transfer funds, use of such a complicated process is less likely.”
According to NRB officials, it was also unlikely that the fraud was targeted at claiming incentives from the Indian government for exporting goods to Nepal, as there are very few export items on which the Indian government offers incentives.
Regarding the nine banks through which IC was transferred to India, the panel said they should have been more cautious. “Banks failed to implement the ‘Know Your Customer’ policy properly,” said the committee member. Currently, the committee is preparing the report.
The DRI probe had found that eight firms illegally transferred more than IRs1 billion to India. The investigation has so far confirmed the misappropriation of over IRs 800 million. DRI Director General Shanta Bahadur Shrestha said the department
is now investigating additional embezzlement worth IRs 330 million.
Among the firms found involved in the fraud are Maxwell Computer, Shyam Galla Bhandar, Jaya Mata Di International, Digital World, GS Traders, Jaya Baba Amarnath, Gangotri Galla Bandar and Nitesh Brothers.
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DELAYED LABOUR REFORM PACKAGE

Kathmandu, 10 Jan.: The Ministry of Labour and Transport Management (MoTLM) may not be able to present the Labour Reform Package at the parliament by January 29 as committed by Minister Sarita Giri. Ministry sources have said that no serious efforts have been made so far on this front, The Kathmandu Post reports.
The minister made such a commitment at Sunday’s meeting of the parliamentary Labour and Finance Relation Committee.
In an effort to reform the country’s labour sector, the ministry started working on LRP some three months ago. Under the package, it seeks to amend the Labour Policy and introduce Unemployment Benefit Act, Social Security Act, Bonus Policy and Labour Commission Act.
“The ministry hasn’t carried out any serious work to prepare these laws on time,” said an official, adding that the ministry has not even completed 50 percent work. “The parliamentary committee’s directives and the minister’s commitment are impractical.”
Immediately after work on LRP began, some of the key officials involved in it were transferred and it took more than two months to replace them. “In this condition, how can the laws be presented at the parliament within a month.”
Nabin Pokharel, under secretary at the ministry, said the ministry can prepare only two laws—Labour Act and Social Security Act—by the deadline. “We have almost completed the Act on social security and once the board meeting of the technical committee is held, the Act will get final approval from the ministry,” said Pokharel.
The ministry had formed the technical committee some two months ago with representations from the Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Ministry of Finance.
According to Pokharel, the committee has almost completed the drafting of Labour Act and the recommendations provided by International Labour Law (ILO) are to be incorporated in the draft.
The ILO on November 14 had given its recommendations to be included in labour related laws. “Once, ILO’s recommendations are included, the Labour Act will also be completed, but we can’t complete the other laws by the stipulated time,” said Mahesh Baral, director at the ministry, adding that the drafting of other three Acts are yet to be started.
MoLTA officials said at least five months are required to incorporate ILO’s recommendations in remaining three acts and hold discussions with stakeholders, including the private sector.
Trade union leaders, however, said the government is cheating workers by delaying the labour laws. “No matter how much time they may take, we want the new labour laws to continue the facilities being given to workers and institutionalise new facilities recently committed by employers and government,” said Achut Pandey, general secretary of Nepal Trade Union Congress
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FURTHER DETAILS OF COLD SPELL IN FAR-WEST
Kathmandu, 10 Jan.:Far-Western hilly districts were struggling hard today to shake off biting cold and hardship with heavy snowfall in the past two days, The Himalayan Times reports from Baitadi, Dandeldhura..

In Baitadi, vehicular movement along the Bhim Dutta Highway and Khodpe-Bajhang Jay Prithvi Bahadur Singh Highway has been halted since yesterday. Hundreds of vehicles have been snowed in in Hagulte Lek of Bhim Dutta Highway and Anarkholi of Dadeldhura-Baitadi Highway, said DSP Binod Ghimire at District Police Office, Dadeldhura. Six passengers of a microbus were injured after it collided with a truck coming from opposite direction at Hagulte of Saukharka, Dadeldhura on the snowy road. In Bajhang, vehicles are stuck in Shreebhawar, Dolya Mod, Bachpani and Khodpe road sections along the Khodpe-Bajhang Highway. “We are working to resume the traffic,” said DSP Ghimire. Schools have been shut. Heavy snowfall has hit life in Kapallki, Mudbhara, Tilagi, Bagalek, Khatiwada, Gadsera, Ghanteshwor and Lanakedareshwor in Doti.

Rukum also has started receiving snowfall since yesterday night. Schools have been shut here too and mid-term tests have been postponed, said Chabi Lal, Principal of Ranmamaikot-based Putha Himalaya Secondary School. Snowfall has been reported in eastern mountain districts as well.

While life has been hit hard in the far west, the first ever snowfall of the season in highland of Makwanpur district gave a shiver of delight to locals. Simbhanjyang’s Daman area along the Tribhuwan Highway has attracted domestic tourists from Hetauda, Kathmandu and Birgunj in droves.

(With inputs from Rukum, Dipayal, Terthum, Panchthar and Makwanpur)

Valley shivers after rainfall

The Capital city shivered following sudden brief rains in the afternoon and evening on Monday. Temperature plummeted to 4 degrees Celsius. “The westerly wind is shifting towards east and it was highly active in the central region of the country,” said Rajendra Prasad Shrestha, Senior Meteorologist at Meteorological Forecasting Division. Weathermen have predicted cold days in Kathmandu and most part of the country with brief but frequent rainfalls. “There is a possibility of snowfall on high hills surrounding the Valley,” added Shrestha. According to MFD, most of the country received rainfall on Monday. It was second rainfall in Kathmandu this month. Normal rainfall for the Kathmandu Valley for January is 13.7 mm and the Valley has already received 10.2 mm of rainfall in the last nine days. December, however, was a dry month with no rain.
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MAN REFUSES TO GIVE CUSTODYOF DAUGHTER
Kathmandu, 10 Jan.: A man today ran away with his daughter from right under the nose of the Supreme Court as soon as an order was issued to hand the
daughter to mother, The Himalayan Times reports.

As soon as a division bench of Justices Prem Sharma and Kamal Narayan Das ordered that custody of a four-year-old girl, Priya, be given to the mother, Bhawani Bhatta, her husband Ram Prakas Bhatta of Changunarayan, Bhaktapur, gave the slip to a policewoman, who was tasked with guarding the father and daughter, and fled the court along with his daughter.

Ram Prakash even refused to abide by the court order when court officials rang him up on his cell and told him to do so. Citing Section 3(1) of Husband and Wife Chapter of Country’s Code, 1963, and precedents, the bench today had directed Ram Prakash to hand over the daughter to his wife Bhawani, who is currently living with her parents in Dhading. Observing that as per the existing law, the mother should be given the custody of a minor if the mother wishes so, the bench had directed Ram Prakash to hand Priya over to Bhawani in the presence of the Registrar of the Supreme Court.

Stating that her husband had forcibly taken her daughter Priya from her parental home on December 8, Bhawani had filed a habeas corpus petition at the apex court today. She also claimed that Ram Prakash had ousted her from home and that’s why she had filed for a divorce at Bhaktapur District Court seeking an end to their four years’ marriage.

In a prompt hearing, the bench stated that since defendant Ram Prakash was keeping the daughter with him going against the interest of her mother, he must return her to Bhawani and that Ram Prakash can visit the daughter.
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SRC STARTS DRAFTING REPORT ON FEDERAL STRUCTURE
Kathmandu, 10 Jan.: The State Restructuring Commission (SRC) has started drafting its report from Sunday and is planning to finalize a preliminary report by next week, instilling hope that it will complete its works by January 24, its deadline, Republica reports.

"Though we are holding discussion on some core issues, the drafting committee has started writing a preliminary report on resolved issues," said Dr Madan Pariyar, SRC coordinator.

SRC members on Sunday went out of Kathmandu for Dhulikhel to write the report in quieter environment. The members returned to Kathmandu Monday.

Pariyar said the commission is encouraged by the current work progress and will ready a preliminary report by Tuesday next week.

"We are most likely to meeting the deadline," said Pariyar when asked whether the commission will seek extension of its deadline.

In the meantime, coordinator Pariyar has demanded the government in writing to exalt his position as the chairman of the commission, according to a member of the commission.

While seeking his elevation, Pariyar has argued that the present commission has been formed under the same constitutional provision that was invoked to form a previous commission in 2009 and he should be named as the chairman of the commission because the head of the previous commission was given the status of chairman.

In 2009, the Pushpa Kamal Dahal´s government had decided to form a commission for state restructuring with Dr Ganesh Gurung as head. But the commission never saw the light of the day due to political differences.

As it received a formal demand from Pariyar, the Ministry of Culture and Constituent Assembly have sent a proposal to the cabinet to address the demand, a source at the prime minister´s office said.
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GOVGT. WRITES OFF RS 27B LOAN TO NEA
Kathmandu, 10 Jana.: The government has approved the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Financial Restructuring Plan, which is expected to give a new lease of life to the financially
teetering state utility, Prem Dhakal writes in Republica..

As recommended in the restructuring plan, the government has decided to write off the accumulated loss of around Rs 27.53 billion that has disfigured the NEA balance sheet.

“NEA´s balance sheet will get a new look after this and foreign companies that sit to negotiate with us for the development of hydropower projects and other deals will now feel more comfortable doing business with us,” said Secretary at the Ministry of Energy Balananda Paudel, who is also ex-officio chairman of the NEA board.

NEA had been virtually bankrupt due to deferred payments of over Rs 5 billion apart from accumulated loss. The cabinet decided to give its approval to the plan a few days ago after the Ministry of Finance gave its go-ahead. The plan was forwarded through the Ministry of Energy.

The government has also agreed to raise NEA´s authorized capital to Rs 50 billion from Rs 30 billion. NEA had proposed raising the authorized capital to Rs 75 billion, but since the government is in the process of forming a separate entity--National Grid Company--for power transmission, with an authorized capital of Rs 25 billion, the authorized capital has been adjusted at Rs 50 billion, disclosed Deputy Managing Director of Finance Department at NEA, Badri Nath Roka.

The funds issued for projects from foreign grants would now be converted into shares and not remain as loans. “The government has till now been giving us the money from grants as loans, but this would henceforth be converted into shares and we will have to pay dividends for that only if we go into profit,” NEA Chairman Paudel explained.

The restructuring plan also proposes to reduce the interest rate on government loans to 5 percent from the existing 8 percent, which would reduce NEA´s financial burden by around Rs 1.4 billion per year. But the Finance Ministry has only agreed to periodic revisions, taking into consideration the weighted average cost of capital, foreign exchange rate risk and opportunity cost.

“We have yet to agree on the interest rate for the current fiscal year,” Roka added.

The interest incurred during the construction of projects would also now be adjusted into equity shares, while the government and NEA would equally share the investment in foreign-funded projects.

“As per existing practice 20 percent of investment had to come from within the country and the remaining 80 percent from foreign sources. While NEA had been asked to provide 15 percent from the national side the government and NEA will contribute 10 percent each from now onward,” Roka stated.

The restructuring plan also proposes a review of the electricity tariff rate and the approval of the plan has opened the way for a tariff hike that is expected to be announced in the next couple of days.

Roka said all the adjustments, to be done as per standard accounting procedures, would bring the debt/equity ratio to the standard 70/30 from the existing 60/40.
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DETAILS OF MONDAY’S SUDDDEN SNOW, RAIN





Kathmandu, 10 Jan. : A sudden rainfall proved meteorologists wrong in their forecast of a rain-free Monday for Kathmandu valley while their forecast for other parts of the country stood them in good stead., The Rising Nepal reports.

Denizens of the valley were drenched in drizzle as they commuted without umbrellas and raincoats.
Meteorological forecasts Saturday ruled out rain in the valley while predicting snowfall and rain in the mountains.
Cloudy weather covered most parts of the nation, including Kathmandu Valley, and proved the forecasts right for the high mountains Monday.
Snowfall is forecast for Fulchoki and Shivapuri of in the rims of the valley tonight.
Tuesday’s weather would also remain cloudy in Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys, Rajendra Shrestha, senior meteorologist, said.
"Following snowfall and rain, the weather of far-west has slightly improved, with light rain in Terai and more rainfall in other parts of the country," he said.
According to our correspondent, snowfall disrupted the vehicular traffic in Bhimdutta and Dashrath Chand highways in Dadeldhura.
Transport services in Baitadi, Bajhang, Darchula, Achham and Doti came to a standstill due to snowfall.
Heavy snowfall and rain made life difficult in the upper reaches of Solukhumbu, including district headquarters Salleri and Khumbu.
Locals said most of the areas in Khumjung VDC were covered with snow though snow slightly melted in Chaurikharka and Namche.
Solukhumbu saw four to five feet deep snow covering several parts of the district, police said.
Government offices were affected due to heavy snowfall and chill, which have triggered a trouble, including food shortage in the region adjoining Mount Everest.
Shortage of foodstuffs affected the locals of Khumbu region in the district, as the thick snow was blanketing all human settlements in the region for two weeks.
Hoteliers of this famous tourist area complained that they were mostly affected due to lack of food supply.
Similarly, life of Maoist combatants in the fifth division, Rolpa, Liwang was also affected thanks to heavy rain and snowfall from last night.
After the snowfall, Dahaban and surrounding area were hit hard.
Combatants’ test examination was also affected due to the thick snowfall in Rolpa. Examination started after half an hour later than the schedule Monday. Around 875 combatants are taking part in the test before their school leaving certificate exams.
Terai witnessed two deaths, one each in Chitwan and Kapilbastu districts. A school teacher died in Dhanauratol -4, Kapilvastu, district Monday morning of suffocation in his room heated by burning coal.
Teacher of local Paradise Boarding School Bijaya Kahar, 35, died. His wife was in critical condition, police said.
Dr. Ananta Shrama of Taulihawa Hospital said her health was gradually improving.
In Chitwan, 41-year old Ganesh Bahadur Chepang died of cold Monday morning. An inhabitant of Kusum Khola of Madi, Ayodhyapuri, Chepang breathed his last on way to hospital.
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CIAA MINOTORS DEFORESTATION

Kathmandu, 10 Jan.: A team of Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has monitored deforestation in various districts of the inner-Terai, The Rising Nepal reports from Dandeldhura..
Earlier, CIAA had written to Forest Ministry regarding massive deforestation in Dadeldhura, Kailali, Doti and Kanchanpur districts and had sent a team to monitor and evaluate the situation after series of news were disseminated by various media about the matter.
The team of CIAA lead by Krishna Prasad Dhungana began inspection of community forests and furniture industries of inner terai districts from Saturday.
The locals of Jogbudha-6, Dadeldhura claimed that the members of community forests and timber entrepreneurs had buried logs of chopped timbers underground after knowing that the inspection team of CIAA was about to visit the area.
They said that the forest officers were actively engaged in hiding the timbers after the Forest Department had fired chiefs Jogbudha and Sadani range-posts for their illegal involvement in deforestation.
"Fake old-dated receipts have been created in the name of relatives and their associates after arrest warrants were released for the chairmen and alleged people involving in chopping of the community forest timbers," said a member of Hatwani community forest consumer group.
He added that the community forest committee had created 30 fake receipts of such kind stating that timbers were sold to consumers at different dates.
According to one official of the district forest office, there is no provision to provide receipts for so many consumers in a day.
The locals have alleged that the timbers were hidden by some community forest committee members in direction of forest officers after the news of CIAA team visiting for inspection was dispersed.
Dadeldhura district forest officer Krishna Wasti maintained that he was unknown about the hiding of the timbers while forest officers of other inner terai districts chose to remain silent about the matter.
The Forest Ministry fired 2 forest officers of Dadeldhura and Kanchanpur districts each for their involvement in chopping down of green trees and stopped importing of timbers from inner terai for indefinite period after a team of forest department completed its field investigation of chure region and inner terai districts.
Bijay Raj Poudel, regional forest director said that appropriate measures would be taken against the culprits after investigation.
The Forest Ministry has formed a four member investigation team in coordination of joint-secretary Krishna Chandra Poudel to prove into the matter.
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