BIG THREE TO MEET SUNDAY TO BREAK DEADLOCK

BIG THREE SCHEDULED TO MEET SUNDAY

Kathmandu, 11 March: The Big Three are scheduled to meet again
Sunday after they last met Friday.
UCN (Maoist), NC and UML top three leaders present their reports on responsibilities assigned them to speed differences on issues that have been stumbling blocks to break a prolonged deadlock to complete the peace process and constitution drafting.
Maoist Chairman Prachanda has been authorized to prepare a report on integration of former Maoist PLA fighters in state army, NC
President Sushil Koirala on establishments of truth and reconciliation and disappeared commissions and UML senior leader of differences on constitution drafting process
A constitution has to be by 28 May to institutionalize a declared republic.

MAIN CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE MEET UNDERWAY

Kathmandu, 11 March: The main constitution drafting chaired by Nilambar Acharya meeting in underway Sunday to discuss a report of a Prachanda sub-committee that has detailed report of its discussions on differences to be incorporated in a constitution.
The Acharya committee hopes to endorse the Prachanda sub-committee report amid questions raised by a Maoist hard-line group on previously agreed topics.
This has put hurdles in endorsing the Prachanda sub-committee suggestions which hasn’t dealt with major themes like forms of governance, election system and other topics to complete a constitution draft
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Speaker Subash Nemwang told Prime Minister Baburam Bhatarai
Friday a business schedule to complete a draft will again have to be
changed without an agreement
A deadline to resolve differences on themes for a constitution has to
be settled by Tuesday.
Meanwhile, small parties in parliament also meet Sunday to pressurize the Big Thee to resolve their differences.
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MEDIA GOOGLE
“There’s no room for improvement in the country where people are
freed for grave crimes like murder, abduction and rape “
“RPP-Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa,Kantipur, 11 March)
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SUCCESS STORY KINDLES HOPE IN A MOTHER
Kathmandu, 11 March:The successful surgery on Bhavana Thami, whose face was covered in black spots and hairs, at Kathmandu Model Hospital in the Capital recently, has delighted four members of a Budathoki family at Kasera in Khare, Dolakha district. Troubled with hair on the face and ears, they hope their abnormality is curable
like hers, Rajendra Manandhar writes in The Kathmandu Post from Dolakha..
Four members of the family—Devi Budathoki, 37, her daughters Majura, 11, and Mandira, 3, and son Niraj, 9—have hair on their face, ears, neck and some parts below since birth. However, Devi’s another child and husband Nar Bahadur have a clean face. The victims said that villagers often make fun of them at sight, which is a matter of worry for other family members as well.
Nar Bahadur said that their first child was born with a clean face, but worries gripped the family after other children were born with hair on parts that are usually clean. Devi said her children hesitate to go to school fearing mockery of their odd faces by their peers.
“Even if we send them to school forcibly, they come home weeping, narrating how they were treated by their friends,” she said. Devi said that people flock to see them on occasions in the village, further discouraging them to go outside the household.
Nar Bahadur said that he took the victims to a hospital three years ago. Thereafter, the hospital did not call them again. “It would be to our great relief if the children were cured of the problem,” he said.
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NO BIDS FOR GAST TRACK PROJECT
Kathmandu, 11 March: Although the government has categorised the Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track under the national pride project, it has failed to invite bidders for its construction for the last one year.
The bidding process has not moved ahead since the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) directed the government in March, 2011, to ensure at least 10 percent local investment in the project.
The PAC directive’s contracdiction with the Act related to the build-own-operate and transfer (BOOT) model, which does not have a compulsory provision for ensuring Nepali firms involvement in a BOOT project, has confused the government.
Also, the provision in the Private Financing in Build and Operation of Infrastructures Act 2006 and its Regulations 2007, which says only the firms having experience in carrying out BOOT projects can participate in the bidding, has made it difficult for Nepali firms to take part in the bidding.
“We are not against local investment in the Fast Track project,” said Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW). “But the contradiction of PAC directive with the Act has confused us, delaying the project.”
The government had to cancel its call of Expression of Interest (EoI) last year after the PAC directive. The first EoI called in 2008 is still valid and those participating in the first EoI can be selected for final evaluation. “Despite the contradiction of PAC directive with the Act, we can still ensure participation of Nepali investors through a Cabinet decision,” said Sitaula.
The ministry is now waiting for a clear way out from PAC to break the impasse. The government’s Immediate Action Plan for Economic Development and Prosperity’ announced on Jan 26 has targeted to call investment proposals for the project by mid-July.
A total of seven international firms, including Gammon India, Land Mark Worldwide of South Korea and Reliance Infrastructure of India, had applied in the two EoI calls in 2008 and 2011.
This time, the ministry plans to call EoI that would also allow Nepali firms to submit application in consortium with international firms. The private sector, including the Non Resident Nepalis (NRNs), has been expressing interests in investing in the project that is estimated to cost around Rs 80 billion.
Situala said they would publish a four-month notice after PAC and the Cabinet find a clear way out.
PAC was scheduled to give its decision early this week, but it is yet to meet on this issue. It is likely to come up with a concrete decision within a week.
PAC Secretary Som Bahadur Thapa said the committee would hold a meeting within this week.


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EVACUATION OF 6th DIVISION SATELLITE CAMP COMPLETE





Kathmandu, 11 March :
As part of the work to bring the former People’s Liberation Army militia into major and a few satellite camps, the task of evacuating satellite camps under the 6th Division concluded on Saturday, The Rising Nepal reports.
According to secretariat member of the Army Integration Special Committee (AISC) Dr. Deepak Prasad Bhatta, the task of vacating PLA combatants from Gomi and Khaltepani satellite camps of the 6th division concluded.
The AISC team had reached there Thursday.
In Gomi and Khaltepani satellite camps under the 6th Main Division of Surkhet, there were 429 PLA combatants with 15 sets of weapons and 380 PLA combatants with 15 sets of weapons respectively.
Bhatta said that PLA people of Goma camp were transferred to Lekhpharsa camp and those of Khaltepani were moved to 6th Main Division at Dasarathpur of Surkhet.
Only 28, out of the 30, sets of weapons had been handed over to the 6th division from the two evacuated camps. Two sets were taken by commanders of the two camps for their security.
Altogether, 68 sets of socket bombs were made defunct from the two evacuated camps and Armed Police Force has been given the responsibility of these vacant camps.
Meanwhile, coordinator of the AISC Balanada Sharma said that the task of evacuating PLA combatants from Rasauli and Vatiya satellite camps under the 3rd main Division of Chitwan district was still underway till Saturday.
"Perhaps, PLA of Rasauli camp can be vacated till late Saturday. However, their arms would be vacated on Sunday," Sharma said.
The Rasauli camp under the 3rd Main Division has 750 PLA and 28 sets of arm.
The AISC informed that the vacating process of Vatiya satellite camp which should be done under the Third Main Division would be completed by Monday.
In the meantime, PLA vacating process in Sainamaina satellite camp under the Fourth Main Division of Nawalparasi district concluded.
According to the AISC member Sadananda Kurmi, altogether, 268 PLA and 15 sets of arm had been taken to the main division in Jhaltung Danda.
Altogether 292 PLA and 15 arm sets of the Ramnagar satellite camp are all set to be transferred to Hattikhor satellite camp of Kawasoti.
Likewise, the vacating process in two satellite camps under the Fifth Main Division at Dahaban of Rolpa district is underway.
AISC team has already initiated the vacating process from satellite camps in Sangram, at Bijauri of Dand and Tila and Ugha satellite camps of Rolpa district.
Coordinator Sharma informed that the vacating process has also been started in the first Main Division in Ilam, Second Main Division in Sindhuli, and the Seventh Main Division of Kailali district.
Meanwhile, PLA cantoned in Sahajpur satellite camp and their arms are all set to be transferred to the Sixth Main Division of Talabandi.
The AISC initiated the work to centralize PLA of altogether seven main divisions and 28 satellite camps into seven main divisions and 15 satellite camps as per its decision made earlier.

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NEW SECURITY POLICIES TO BE MORE COMPREHENSIVE

Kathmandu, 11 March:
Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai Saturday said that the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) should be made capable of providing constructive suggestions to the government during the critical situation of the nation, The Rising Nepal reports.
"The Council has fulfilled its responsibility on most occasions," Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai said inaugurating the 11th anniversary of the secretariat of the Council. "The government will remain effortful to amend the structure and terms of reference of the Council."
He said by security, the broader national security should be understood.
"The security policy of the nation will incorporate the concept of broader national security as new issues have emerged around the world regarding security matters," he said.
Prime Minister Bhattarai said that the new national security policy would incorporate the security issues, politics, economics, diplomacy, information and environment.
The Council secretariat should provide suggestions to the government and the Council by considering the varieties of issues related to national security.
The programme was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hridayes Tripathi, chief secretary, chief of the army staff and high level security officers.
The Council Secretariat was established in 2058 BS.
As per the provision of the Interim Constitution 2007, Prime Minister is the chair of the Council.
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