SLC EXAMS BEGIN TUESDAY

NC MEETS IN BIRGUNJ TO DISCUSS CONSTITUTION, FEDERAL STRUCTURE

Kathmandu, 19 March: Main opposition NC central region
meet began in Birgunj Monday to discuss promulgation of a constitution and adoption of an official party position on a future provincial state.
The party hasn’t adopted a formal party position on a federal structure
even with less than 70 days remaining to promulgate a
constitution.
Representatives of nine central districts and 200 plus delegates,
including central leaders are participating.
Two regional meetings scheduled in the far-West have been canclled, the party said.
NC leaders assembled in Birgunj after a eastern regional meet.
been cancelled.
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ANNUAL SLC EXAMINATIONS BEGIN TUESDAY

Kathmandu, 19 March: All preparations have been completed
for annual SLC examinations that begin Tuesday, education
officials said.
Altogether 528,257 students are appearing at 1,748 examination centers.
Cheaters, students and invigilators, will be penalized on the
spot this year under public security act.
This year’s SLC examination could be the last with plans to
High school from 10 to 12 grade.
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FERTILIZER SHORTAGE LOOMS LARGE
Kathmandu, 19 March: Farmers across the country are likely to face shortage of chemical fertilizers during peak paddy and maize plantation season this year as the government is running out of its fertilizers stock, Bhoj Raj Poudel writes in Republica..

The shortage will hit production of major crops, especially in the Tarai region.

“The country will definitely face shortage of the key agricultural input in the peak season as our stock is almost depleted,” Dr Hari Dahal, joint-secretary and spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC), told Republica on Sunday.

Anticipating surge in demand, the Agriculture Inputs Company (AIC) last month had requested the government to release Rs 3.21 billion to purchase additional 100,000 tons for this fiscal year, a senior MoAC official said.

“But the finance ministry turned down the request, stating that there was no fund under the heading for the fiscal year,” agriculture and cooperatives minister Nandan Kumar Datta said.

Rajan Khanal, spokesperson of the finance ministry, confirmed that the ministry had refused additional budget for AIC.

The government had allocated Rs 3.10 billion to AIC in the current fiscal year to purchase and distribute chemical fertilizers to farmers at subsidized rates. “Of the total 150,000 tons that we procured this year, we have already distributed 111,000 tons. We have only about 39,000 tons in stock,” the official said.

Dahal said shortage of chemical fertilizers will hit crop production. “Tarai region will be hit the most because the region consumes more than 60 percent of the fertilizers that the country imports,” he said, adding that the shortage will mainly hit paddy and maize plantation.

Interestingly, the finance ministry that refused additional fund to AIC in the current fiscal year has allocated Rs 4 billion to procure chemical fertilizers in the next fiscal year.

“If the government cannot meet the demand, farmers will be compelled to rely on fertilizers smuggled from India,” officials of MoAC said, requesting anonymity.

Nepal imports chemical fertilizers mainly from India, Turkey and Egypt. Statistics shows demand for chemical fertilizers is increasing at a fast pace. Nepal imported 121,830 tons of chemical fertilizers in 2010/11, which is almost 37 percent more than what the country
imported in 2009/10.
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