FINANCE MINISTER PUN PREDICTS FULL BUDGET WITH CONSENSUS Kathmandu, 24 June:: Finance Minister (FM) Barshaman Pun has said that complete budget would be brought through consensus as the government was compelled to announce the budget with the help of ordinance, RSS reports . Taking part in a discussion programme organised by the Society of Economic Journalists Nepal on Sunday, Minister Pun ruled out the possibility of budget on the vote of account. "Budget is not only the issue of the finance minister and the government, rather it is a regular economic process and should be continued", stressed the Finance Minister. The Finance Minister's statement came in that context that the opposition parties have been claiming that the incumbent government has no legal ground to bring the complete budget. Stating that President Dr Ram Baran Yadav has suggested to the government to announce the new budget through consensus without affecting the upcoming CA elections, the Finance Minister pledged to garner support from the parties for the budget announcement. The new budget will be complete and brought in time no matter which party leads the government; he said, adding that the government was committed to giving continuity to old programmes in the government. Minister Pun assured of political consensus while including new programmes in the budget. Stating that revenue collection and economic indexes are on the positive direction, the Finance Minister vowed to focus on the implementation aspect of the budget. Nnnn PM AIDE POUDEL SAYS HIS BOSS WON’T STEPDOWN Kathmandu,24 June:: Political Advisor to the Prime Minister, Devendra Poudel, has said Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai would not step down merely because of the pressure from some political parties, RSS reports from Nawalparasi. Also a leader of the UCPN-Maoist, advisor Poudel claimed that the present government was a legitimate one. He said this while speaking at a press conference organised to make clear the party cadres about the party spilt at Parasi on Sunday. nnnn SUSHIL KOIRALA SAYS TIME TO CONSOLIDATE DEMOCRACY Kathmandu, 24 June:: Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala has said it was time to consolidate democracy by defeating the undemocratic forces in the country. At a programme organized by the newly reconstituted Nepal Women's Association, sister organization of the party, to exchange best wishes in the capital on Sunday, President Koirala claimed that the unity in the Nepali Congress would not be threatened on anyone's will. He directed the sister organizations of the party to protect democracy. President Koirala also urged the sister organizations to forget past bitterness and devote to the consolidation of the party organization and democracy. On the occasion, party general secretary Prakash Man Singh accused the UCPN-Maoist of plunging the country into political and constitutional crisis. He demanded the prime minister to step down immediately for forging national consensus which is a key to political way out. There was the Maoists' intention to capture state power behind the announcement of new election to the constituent assembly, he added. Nnnn GARBAGE COLLECTION DISRUPTED Kathmandu, 24 June:: Kathmandu Metropolis has said the garbage collection at Teku was halted for two weeks due to technical problems in the vehicles carrying garbage, RSS reports. The garbage of the valley has not been taken to Sisdole of Nuwakot due to the lack of transporting vehicles. Chief of Environment Department of Kathmandu Metropolis, Rabin Man Shrestha said only 16 vehicles out of 25 are operational. He said the mobilization of vehicles was not being effective as the vehicles were supposed to be in queue for diesel. The vehicles having technical problems have been sent to garage for maintenance and will be brought to operation within few days. Nnnn POLICE TAKE EARLY RETIREMENT Kathmandu, 24 June: The trend of taking retirement from the service before actual age of retirement has increased in Nepal Police in Morang district of late, RSS reports from Biratnagar. It is said that the cases of voluntary retirement from the job was on rise as rumors were rife that the government was preparing to endorse a provision that would not allow the dole out of the medicine expenses in lump sum while taking retirement from the job. As per the existing rule, the police personnel receive over Rs 250,000 as the medical expenses at the end of their service. Superintendent of District Police Office, Morang, Niraj Bahadur Shahi admitted that the police personnel were taking retirement from the service but the rumor of curtailment of medical expenses was baseless. As the trend of taking retirement from the service by the skilled personnel continues, Nepal Police is likely to face crunch of skilled human resources. nnnn