LOKENDRA BISTA EPISODE. BLAME GAME STARTS

SUSHIL KOIRALA SAYS CONSTITUTION ONLY AFTER MANAGEMENT
OF MAOIST FIGHTERS
Kathmandu, 7 March: Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala has said that the new constitution would not be drafted until and unless the management of former Maoist combatants was completed, RSS reports from Biratnagar..

Speaking at a press meet organised by the Nepal Press Union, Morang in Biratnagar today, NC president Koirala said that drafting of the new constitution was possible only after the completion of the peace process.

"The Nepali people who suffered the autocratic rule in the past will not accept the totalitarian tendency of the Maoists", he added.

Accusing the UCPN (Maoist) of trying to tarnish the image of the Nepal Army and claiming the post of Brigadier General for its fighters, he stressed that the NA should be kept free from political interference.



Responding to a query by journalists about his views on the form of governance, the NC President said the 'parliamentary system' was the only system suitable in the context of Nepal.
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LOKENDRA BISTA EPISODE; BLAME GAME STARTS
Kathmandu, 7 March: Finance Minister Barshaman Pun has said that Nepali diplomatic missions should take lesson from a 'visa scandal' related to Tourism Minister Lokendra Bista Magar, RSS reports.

Talking to journalists at his office on Wednesday, Minister Pun said the situation was a result of the weaknesses of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Immigration.

The red passport along with visa note issued in the name of Minister Magar was not sent to the Germany Embassy, Pun said.

According to media reports on Monday, Minister Pun was stopped by the UAE Officials in the Abu Dhabi airport for some hours as he did not possess a transit visa. He was on way to Berlin, Germany for attending a conference there.
(Note: Both foreign ministry and finance ministry are controlled by Maoists
leading government)
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EURO 10 MILLION GERMAN ASSISTANCE
Kathmandu, 7 March: The German Government has agreed to provide a grant assistance of Rs. 1056 million (equivalent to Euro 10 million) to the Nepal Government for the implementation of the ongoing Nepal Health Sector Programme II (NHSP-II), RSS reports.
The assistance amount would be allocated through the KFW Bank, Germany, said the Finance Ministry in its press release today. Lal Shankar Ghimire, Joint-Secretary at the Finance Ministry and Mr Uwe Ohls of KFW signed on the agreement to this effect from their respective governments today. Finance Minister Barshaman Pun was also present on the occasion.
The Programme has also been supported by the World Bank, DFID, AusAID, GAVI and other development partners under the concept of Sector Wide Approach (SWAP).
Its main objective is to improve the health and nutritional status of the Nepali people especially of the poor and deprived by improving health care services. The programme will be executed by the Ministry of Health and Population
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Barshaman Singh Pun discussed future German assistance with the visiting German team.
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EDUCTION MINISTER WORRIED
Kathmandu, 7 March: Minister for Education Dina Nath Sharma has expressed his concerns over the 'deteriorating quality' of education in the country, RSS reports from Dhading.
Inaugurating the newly constructed seven-room building of Chandrodaya Multiple Campus based in Benighat VDC in Dhading district on Wednesday, Minister Sharma said that many people in the country were unemployed despite acquiring academic degrees.
"The existing weak education policy is responsible for an increasing problem of unemployment in the country", said the Education Minister, stressing the need of change of such policy as per the demand of time.
Though billions of rupees was being spent in the education sector by the government, non-government and international sectors, academic institutions in Nepal have not seen progress as per the expectations, he added.
Stating that strike in the education sector has had a negative impact on children's future, he urged the teachers to return to duty as the government was ready to revise the education policy and address their demands through a due process.
The building was constructed with the assistance of the Cooperative Youth Organization Nepal (COYON) and the Hanuman Anulus Italy, an NGO. RSS
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