PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ASKS GOVT. TO RECOVER CASINO DUES

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE DIRECTS GOVT. TO RECOVER CASINO DUES IMMEDIATELY

Kathmandu, 18 April: Legislature-Parliament, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the government to recover the arrears immediately, RSS reports.
The committee's meeting held at Singha Durbar today instructed the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation to recover the arrears from the casinos that have not paid the royalty to the government by giving them more time.
PAC chairman Ram Krishna Yadav said the meeting concluded that the government has done an illegal activity by allowing the operation of 'electronic gaming' throughout the country and also issued directive to the bodies concerned to immediately stop it.
It also directed the government to implement the earlier directive the PAC had issued to the effect that the illegal acts taking place in the name of casino through electronic machines and casinos be stopped. The PAC had concluded at its previous meeting on December 29, 2010 that these activities were operating without formulating the related regulations and guidelines.
The PAC meeting today also heard that the Revenue Investigation Department submitted the royalty amount collected from six casinos until December 15, 2011 and that it was yet to submit the royalty amount collected from three casinos.
The casinos that paid the royalty amount to the government are the Everest Casino, Casino Tara, Casino Shangri-la, Casino Grand, Casino Venus and Casino RAD.
It is said the Casino Royal is yet to pay Rs. 45.6 million, Casino Nepal Rs. 169.3 million, Casino Fulbari Rs. 67.9 million and Casino Anna Rs. 118.3 million in royalty to the government.
Although an amount of Rs. 166.5 million has come in the state's coffers as royalty, Rs. 402.2 million still remains to be recovered.
At the PAC meeting today, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation had briefed the committee members on the works carried out by their ministries.
Finance Minister Barshaman Pun said action should be taken against casinos not paying the arrears and that his ministry was for creating conducive environment for casinos who want to pay the arrears and to regulate those not doing so.
Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Lokendra Bistamagar said it was at the initiation of his ministry that Rs. 190.9 million royalty could be realised from the casinos. He said the arrears could not be realised from casinos due to the lack of clear-cut policy and regulations and stressed on reforming the regulations.
Lawmaker Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani of the Rastriya Janashakti Party said the government itself should take the initiatives for regulating the casinos.
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DETAILS OF MAOIST FIGHTER CHOICES IN NAWALPARASI
Kathmandu, 18 April:: Most of the Maoist PLA combatants at the Fourth Division camp in Nawalparasi, who had opted for army integration before have now chosen voluntary retirement, RSS reports from Parasi.

According to associate commander at the PLA Fourth Division, Basudev Ghimire (Powell), of the 1,282 combatants who had opted for army integration in the first time, 798 combatants have now opted for voluntary retirement and 484 have chosen army integration.

A total of 350 combatants from the main camp of the fourth division, Jhayaltungdanda and 448 combatants from satellite camp, Hattikhor, have opted for voluntary retirement.

The second phase categorization of the combatants at the fourth division concluded on Tuesday.
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48 JCOs COMMISSIONED BY ARMY CHIEF
Kathmandu, 18 April: Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS), General Chhatra Man Singh Gurung conferred insignia and the post of Commissioned Officer on 48 personnel completing the 'JCO and Hudda Officer Cadet Training' at an investiture ceremony held at the Army Academy of Kharipati on Wednesday, RSS reports from Bhaktapur..
On the occasion, CoAS Gurung conferred the post of Second Lieutenant or Commissioner on the 48 personnel completing the training.

Speaking on the occasion, Army Chief Gurung said the Maoist combatants, their arms and containers as well as the logistics at the camps have now come under the Nepal Army's jurisdiction.

He said that the Nepali Army played a crucial role in taking the country's peace process to its logical conclusion and stressed on the need for an effective leadership for mobilising the national army's capacity by facing the complex security challenges in the present context.

The Chief of Army Staff reiterated that the newly commissioned army officers too have the challenging responsibility of handling the leadership of the lower ranks and directed them to work for protecting the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and the national unity.

He also instructed the newly commissioned officers to put into practice the responsibility given by the government in a judicious manner by demonstrating the highest discipline, professional skills, and apolitical character.

On the occasion, CoAS Guriung also observed the march-past and PT display. He presented a sword to Bhim Bahadur Bhujel who was adjudged the outstanding trainee among the trainee personnel from the Nepal Army's Nuwakot, Kerung, Makawanpur and Nalapani companies.
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