PM INSPECTING SIRAHA FIRE DAMAGE Kathmandu, 16 May Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai is paying a flying visit Wednesday to inspect the damage caused by the worst fire this dry reason destroying the entire village of 1,500 hutments by fire in Auraha Siraha central terai. He’s accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachedhar. Three women and two children were injured n Tuesday fire that spread in gusty conditions. Police put initial property loss at Rs.1.5 billion. The homeless and being looked after in open fields and school compounds. An appeal has been made not to obstruct relief work by bandhs. nnnn . TOP DRUGS DEALER WAS A JOURNALIST Kathmandu, 16 May: Devendra Bikram Rokka who was recently arrested for operating an international drug racket, was found to be a member of Federation of Nepali Journalists, Lalitpur Chapter, The Himalayan Times reports. This came to light after FNJ Central Secretariat today decided to cancel Rokka’s general membership of the umbrella organisation of journalists. An FNJ press statement informed that the 53-year-old drug dealer’s FNJ membership was cancelled for indulging in activities that injured the prestige of FNJ. “FNJ decided to this effect as per Section 30 (a) of the FNJ statute on the recommendation of FNJ Lalitpur Chapter after Rokka was arrested for producing and distributing hashish,” read the statement. Narcotic Drug Control Law Enforcement Unit, New Baneshwor, on May 7 had arrested Rokka, who was operating a high-tech drug refinery at his house in Sitapaila. He had expanded his hashish network to Europe, America and Canada in the last decade. Police also rounded up three of his associates — Govinda Kumar Rokka (48) and Nagendra Thapa (30) of Baglung and Manajeet Gharti Magar (60) of Rukum — with 136 kg hashish ready for export to Goa via Birgunj customs point. Rokka and his men have been charged under the Narcotic Drug (Control and Punishment) Act. nnnn CASH CROP PRODUCTION TO RISE Kathmandu, 16 May: The country will witness production of vegetables, fruits and flowers worth around Rs 248 billion in current fiscal year pushing cereal crops to the second position in the total contribution to the Agriculture Gross Domestic Product, The Himalayan Times reports. “Unlike the contribution of cereal crops to the total agriculture output earlier, horticulture — high value cash crops including vegetables, fruits and floriculture — is projected to contribute more in the current fiscal year,” according to spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Dr Hari Dahal. “The country will witness production of cereal crops worth only Rs 185 billion as against production of horticulture worth around Rs 248 billion in the current fiscal year.” The country could also witness livestock production of around Rs 124 billion, Dahal said, adding that the total contribution of agriculture to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to cross Rs 655 billion in the current fiscal year as compared to Rs 449 billion in the last fiscal year. The Central Bureau of Statistics has projected Gross Domestic Product to be at Rs 1558.17 billion for the current fiscal year. “The agriculture sector — the largest contributor to the Gross Domestic Product — contributes Rs 670.38 billion, the national data centre said in its preliminary projection, adding that agriculture contributes 35.68 per cent to the total GDP. “Due to changes in the production trend, cereal crops are fast losing out to horticulture which means that farmers are attracted towards high value cash crops instead of cereal crops,” Dahal added. “It has also contributed to poverty reduction.” Cereal crops that has a contribution of 36.36 per cent to the Agriculture Gross Domestic Product (AGDP) is estimated to come down to 28.25 per cent, whereas horticulture that has a contribution of 16.7 per cent will more than double its contribution to 37.84 per cent to the AGDP, according to the preliminary estimation of the ministry. “Similarly, the contribution of livestock will come down to 19.04 per cent from the current 25.68 per cent to the AGDP,” added Dahal. Vegetable production has increased by 6.2 per cent to 3.40 million metric tonnes in the current fiscal year as compared to 3.20 million metric tonnes in the last fiscal year. Similarly, fruits production has also increased by 6.5 per cent to 885,521 metric tonnes from last fiscal year’s 725,000 metric tonnes, whereas potato production has gone up by seven per cent to 2.68 million metric tonnes from last fiscal year’s 2.59 million metric tonnes. Despite a lower contribution to the AGDP, cereal crops will witness a record production of 9.4 million metric tonnes in the current fiscal year. But the area of production for cereal crops has decreased, despite the increase in total production. “Despite an increase in the production of cereal crops, the production area — of key cereal crops like wheat, maize and barley — has come down,” said Dahal, adding that with increase in production of horticulture produces, its area of production has also increased as compared to the last fiscal year. However, the increase in production has not been able to bring vegetable prices down. “Due to the lack of reliable market chain, information and monitoring, consumers are compelled to pay higher prices for vegetables and farmers are also not getting the standard price for their agriculture produce,” he said, adding that middlemen are meanwhile making huge profits in the absence of an effective market monitoring mechanism and market places. “It calls for the Horticulture Development Board like Tea and Coffee Development Board to better regulate and promote the market, Dahal added. nnnn KATHMANDI-HETAUDA TUNNEL LINK Kathmandu, 16 May: Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai on Monday said that the country was at a crossroads to start creating its own history by beginning economic revolution so as to build a New Nepal, The Rising Nepal reports.. Addressing a gathering organised to sign an agreement between the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works and Nepal Purbadhar Bikas Company Limited, an infrastructure development company, at the National Planning Commission (NPC) Secretariat at Singh Durbar, Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai said that it was one of the first projects being constructed under the public-private partnership with the people’s mobilisation. He said that the project was a landmark to kick off the initiatives of building a New Nepal. Prime Minister Bhattarai assured the private sector that there would be no problem while implementing the project. "There were only talks, now the time has come for us to show by doing something," he said asking the private sector to remain committed and serious on their part. Stating that the government was committed to completing the process of drafting a new constitution by May 27, he informed that the process of starting large projects is underway. He also urged the government officials, private sector and the people to make the project a landmark project that could help boost the investment climate in the country and also help enhance the morale of foreign investors. Vice-Chairman of the NPC Dipendra Bahadur Kshetri said that the project was started clarifying some legal and policy level hindrances to start BOOT model. He hoped that the project would be a success model. Kush Kumar Joshi, Chairman of the Nepal Purbadhar Bikas Company Limited, said that the construction of the Kathmandu-Hetauda road would turn out to be economic and efficient for the country. The 48-km Kathmandu-Kulekhani-Hetauda Tunnel Highway will have around 3-km long tunnel. The Ministry of Physical Planning and Works and the Nepal Purbadhar Bikash Company Limited have signed the preliminary agreement at the NPC hall at the presence of Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai. The total cost of the project is estimated around Rs. 20 billion. With the completion of the road, it will take around one hour to reach Hetauda from Kathmandu. There are two to three alternative ways at present to reach Hetauda from Kathmandu. All these roads take around 7-8 hours. Joshi said that the road would turn a life line for the country if it was completed within the stipulated timeframe. He informed that it will take around six months for the feasibility study of the project and around three and a half months to complete the whole project. nnnn