THREE CHILDREN STONED TO DEATH IN MAKWANPUR BY FATHER IN MOTHER'S ABSENCE

FATHER STONES TO DEATH HIS THREE CHILDREN IN MAKWANPUR
Kathmandu, 17 Feb.: Three children were stoned to death by their own father at Faparbari-5 in Makwanpur overnight.
Bhakta Bahadur Rumba, 35, killed Anita, 7, Sunita, 10 and Laxmi, 13.
were to death when mother the children’s mother was attending a wedding party away from home
Rumba has been arrested.
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CLEAR POLICY HINDERS FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION
Kathmandu, 17 Feb.: The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has not been able to allocate microwave frequency to telecom operators in the absence of a specific policy of the Ministry of Information and Communications. Ncell and Smart Telecom have been hampered from expanding their services due to lack of microwave frequency, The Kathmandu Post reports.
The NTA does not know whether to allocate this type of frequency as the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the government to go for an auction when allocating frequencies, including 3G, in the future. As microwave frequency needs to be taken frequently whenever a telecom operator expands its services, PAC’s direction has come as an obstacle. “The frequency distribution committee under the ministry should make it clear whether we can allocate microwave frequencies to telecom operators,” said Bhesh Raj Kanel, chairman of the NTA. “This is not a type of frequency that can be auctioned, and PAC’s direction has confused us.”
Microwave frequencies or links are used for establishing connection between two base transcriber stations (BTS) when there is no optical fibre connection to link them. Currently, Ncell and Smart Telecom are not getting microwave links for their service expansion due to the NTA’s indecision.
The delay in allocating such links to operators is affecting their service network expansion and the government’s revenue collection. Telecom operators depending on the MHz and bandwidth used for connecting their BTS have to pay a frequency fee Rs 4,000 to Rs 40,000.
Meanwhile, the NTA has also recommended to the Radio Frequency Policy Determination Committee to give it a “policy-level decision” to assign microwave frequency. The committee is the supreme body headed by the Communications Minister to fix and allocate radio frequency for different services.
Likewise, the telecom regulator has also sought specific guidelines regarding PAC’s direction on frequency distribution as the parliamentary committee has told the NTA to halt distribution of cellular frequencies without an auction. The PAC report concluded that there had been huge embezzlement while allocating frequency without free competition. There is no law as well whether frequencies should be allocated on a free competition basis.
Meanwhile, a taskforce formed to carry out a study on rural telecom service and use of Rural Telecommunications Development Fund (RTDF) has submitted its report. The study report was handed over to Communications Minister Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta on Sunday.
The report has recommended to the government to form a high-level committee under the coordination of the NTA chairman and including high-level officials from the National Planning Commission and the Ministry of Finance for identification of national priority rural telecom work and use the RTDF. Currently, the NTA has more than Rs 4 billion in the fund which law has to be utilised for making telecom related services accessible in rural areas.
The NTA for the last three years has been planning to use the RTDF for expanding optical fibre links to all 75 districts. The recommendation of the report is likely to put on hold the long planned district optical fibre project, according to NTA officials. Currently, the regulator’s optical fibre project is under consideration at Ministry of Information and Communication.
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ARMY PROPOSAL RAISES OPPOSITION EYEBROWS

Kathmandu, 17 Feb.: Following controversy over the alleged agreement between the UCPN (Maoist) and the Nepal Army over the integration of combatants, there has been conflicting claims from the key stakeholders over the new 'flexibility' of the
Army, The Kathmandu Post reports.
There are two schools of thought on a convergence of minds between the Maoists and the Army regarding the action plan for integration process. First, the reported consensus is a trial balloon thrown by the Maoists and a segment of the Army to see other parties' reaction and the second is that the deal is real give-and-take between the Maoists and the NA leadership.
Earlier this week, Army Chief Chhatra Man Singh Gurung had briefed the prime minister that the Army was ready to integrate 6,500 combatants. He had also pledged that the Army was ready to provide concession on the duration of the bridging course and training.
"I cannot believe in what I have read in newspapers. If the Army's recommendation is true, this is highly objectionable," said Nepali Congress leader and Special Committee member Ram Sharan Mahat. "The Nepal Army has no authority to determine the number of combatants to be integrated. It should limit itself to define the norms of entry and test combatants' eligibility for serving the national army."
"Awarding of total numbers and ranks before testing the combatants' eligibility is like putting the cart before the horse," added Mahat. He said concession on training is against the spirit of the November-1 deal that calls for relaxation only on age, marital status and education.
NA sources claim there is a sharp division inside the Army Headquarters over the recent recommendation made by Gen Gurung. It has been learnt that second-in-command Lt Gen Gaurav Shumsher Rana was not taken into confidence while preparing the recommendations.
The flexibility is the result of Gen Gurung's desire to see the completion of the peace process within his tenure, argued a general close to the Army chief.
"The proposal upholds the bottom line that none of the combatants to be integrated into the Army would get a rank beyond major. We are flexible to shorten training period because many of the combatants have already gained some basic skills," said a general.
The Directorate General of Military Operations led by Maj Gen Daman Ghale drafted the plan to execute integration. Gen Gurung has opted for a flexible stand on combatants to ensure the elevation of Ghale (his brother-in-law) to the rank of lieutenant general, claimed another general.
Gen Gurung's proposal to create two additional positions of lieutenant general is pending at the Defence Ministry. Sources claimed the Army leadership is negotiating with the Maoists to create two additional top ranks within March.
Gen Ghale will be the contender for the rank of lieutenant general after Major General Pradip Jung Thapa retires on March 12. "The creation of additional positions of lieutenant general would be unfortunate. That will breach the line of succession of the military leadership and weaken the Army," said a hard-line general.
Gen Rana will replace Gurung after his retirement. He was a key person to negotiate the post-UNMIN monitoring arrangement and was taken into confidence while submitting an integration roadmap during the tenure of former PM Madhav Kumar Nepal.
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INDIA TO EXPORT 75 MW ELECTRICITY IN 6 MONTHS
Kathmandu, 17 Feb.: The first meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Ministerial Commission on Water Resources (JMCWR) held in New Delhi has ended with a 10-point agreement on cooperation of water resources, The Rising Nepal reports..
During the meeting, the Indian side agreed to provide an additional 75 MW power to Nepal within six months by completing the short-term strengthening scheme of the existing transmission links.
The commission also agreed to explore the possibilities of expediting the work for the export of some amount of power to Nepal at the earliest possible. Further, the commission also agreed to expedite the process of implementing the medium-term work for additional power supply to Nepal.
Talking to journalists at the Tribhuvan International Airport upon his return home from New Delhi on Thursday, Minister for Energy Posta Bahadur Bogati said Nepal would take the initiative to import additional 125 MW of electricity from India within a year.
He said that the meeting of the commission was fruitful for forwarding the pending issues on usages and development of water resources.
The meeting expressed satisfaction that experts from both sides were in favour of resolving the issues on the basis of mutual benefits through developing various mechanisms, he said.
He said that the meeting, however, did not touch upon the debated issues between the two countries. "The commission agreed to hold discussions on such issues later on," he said.
Both sides also agreed to accelerate the setting up of the Pancheshwar Development Authority (PDA) at the earliest for implementation of the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project.
The JMCWR noted with satisfaction that the Share Holders’ Agreement for the Nepal portion of the 400 kV Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar line is being expedited by Nepal.
He informed that both sides agreed to expedite the completion of DPR of the Sapta Kosi High Dam Multipurpose Project and the Sun Kosi Storage-cum -Diversion Scheme by February 2013.
The meeting noted difficulties being faced in carrying out various works of the Kosi and the Gandak Projects and the efforts were being made to address the same.
The meeting noted the concerns of Nepal regarding the payment of compensation for land and damage of crops. The commission directed the Joint Committee on Water Resources (JCWR) to look into the problems.
JMCWR agreed to examine the possibility of facilitating duty free movement of materials and equipment to Nepal for the repair and maintenance works under the Gandak Project through appropriate arrangement, Minister Bogati said.
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HAS DETAILS OF 8-POINT MEMORANDUM OF MINISTER GUPTA TO PRESIDENT

Kathmandu, 17 Feb : Information and Communications Minister and Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Ganatantrik chairman Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta Thursday met President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav and handed him an eight-point memorandum, The Rising Nepal reports.
The meeting held at the presidential residence (Rastrapati Bhawan) at Shital Niwas discussed Minister Gupta’s remarks that had sparked off controversies.
After the meeting, Minister Gupta told the media people that he handed over the memorandum from his party and talked about the problems faced by Madhesi people.
He said, "I explained the grief of Madhesi people verbally and in writing to the president. I also informed the President on issues of Madhes."
Minister Gupta met President Dr. Yadav to explain about his remarks to the prime minister last week.
He said that the president was serious about the issue of nationality and told him that all the problems and issues of Madhes and Hills should be resolved through the constitution and the Constituent Assembly.
"All parties and leaders should follow the constitution and make remarks within its bounds," Gupta quoted the president as saying to him.
Gupta said that the party’s involvement in the government was not an end to the discrimination as major political parties were not positive towards the issues of Madhes.
He said, "The three parties are not positive to resolve the problems of Madhes although Madhes-based parties are ready to extend positive support to conclude the peace and constitution drafting processes."
According to him, the memorandum tried to assure the president that the earlier agreements of Madhes-based parties and major three parties were implemented.
He said that the Madhesi people were cheerless due to unfair politics of major parties.
Likewise, the memorandum said that the relations between Madhes and the regime were growing further apart and Human Rights Commission, Election Commission, Public Service Commission and other constitutional bodies were not serious to address the issues of Madhes.
The memorandum also said that the report of the State Restructuring Commission was not acceptable for the Madhesi people and Madhes was ready for the final revolution.
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PM ASKS ADB TO INCREASE INVESTMENT

Kathmandu, 17 Feb. :Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has urged the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to increase investment in Nepal, RSS reports.
At a meeting with Vice-Chairman of the ADB, Xiayou Zhou in Singha Durbar on Thursday, Prime Minister Dr Bhattarai urged Vice-Chairman Zhou for the investment in the projects the government announced recently, said Kailash Pokhrel, Joint Secretary at Finance Ministry.
Saying that the ADB was ready to increase investment in Nepal, Vice-Chairman Zhou put forth queries about various 31 projects that the ADB has the investment.
He further assured the Prime Minister that the progress in the ADB-funded projects in Nepal was satisfactory and would increase investment in the days ahead.
The ADB has been investing in hydro power, health, education and development activities in
Nepal.
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