NC LEADER POUDEL CALLS FOR MULTI-ETHNIC PROVINCES Kathmandu, 18 July: Nepali Congress Vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel has said that the politics of ideology should not be undermined in the campaign of guaranteeing the rights of the people, RSS reports. Speaking at a leadership development program organized by Nepal Women's Association in the capital today, Vice-president Poudel said the struggle for rights will weaken if everyone concentrates only on their respective ethnic-related agenda and ignores the main political ideology of equality, freedom and fraternity. "Identity, representation, access and progress will only lead to social transformation. Democratic socialism should be given space to guarantee social transformation", he said. The NC leader also said that multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-ideology should be recognized. He accused the UCPN (Maoist) of running away from the principle of pluralism. "The UCPN (Maoist) is not in favour of transforming the society but only to cling to power. The party has used the slogan of changing the society only as a ladder to power", he said. Stating that a democratic atmosphere was inevitable for the interest and welfare of women, indigenous, nationalities, minorities and the backward groups, the NC Vice-president said only parliamentary politics can benefit the backward groups of the society, as it encourages inclusion. Nnnn RS.2.34 BILLION NORWEGAIN ASSISTANCE KAthmandu, 18 July: The Government of Norway has agreed to provide a grant assistance of Rs 2.34 billion for the implementation of National Rural and Renewable Energy Programme (NRREP), RSS reports. Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology is the executive agency and Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC) is the implementation agency of this programme. The objective of the programme is to improve the living standards of the rural women and men, increase employment of women and men as well as productivity, reduce dependency on traditional energy and attain sustainable development by integrating alternative energy with the socio-economic activities of women and men in rural communities. At a programme organized at the Ministry of Finance here today, Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Krishna Hari Banskota, and Norwegian Ambassador to Nepal, Alf Arne Ramslien, signed the agreement paper. The NRREP is designed in a single modality approach with three components- Central Renewable Energy Fund (CREF), Technical Support and Business Development for Renewable Energy and Productive Energy Use. The programme will be implemented until July 15, 2017. It is said that the total budget of NRREP is 184 million US dollars and the rest of the amount will be provided by other donor agencies. The Government of Nepal has expressed its sincere appreciation to the Government of Norway for this assistance and continued support to the socio-economic development of Nepal. nnnn