COMPLETE BUDGET IN WEEK SAYS NPC CHAIRMAN KSETRI Lathmandu, 22 Sept National Planning Commission´s Vice-Chairman Dipendra Bahadur Kshetri has said that the country is likely to get a full-size budget based on consensus within a week, RPP reports from Pokhara . Inaugurating a motorable bridge in the confluence of Bhatkhola and Setikhola in Syangja district, Vice-Chairman Kshetri said that the new budget would accord top priority for the development of agriculture sector. The government is planning to provide employment opportunities at least for 100 days or unemployment allowance of 50 days in a year to those living below the poverty line, the NPC Vice-Chairman said. The bridge linking Phedikhola and Bhatkhola VDCs of the district is 40.2 metres long. The bridge was constructed with government´s Rs 1.8 million investments. After the construction of the bridge, over 100,000 people of Phedikhola, Bhatkhola, Arukharka, Bangephadke, Bangsing VDCs of Syangja and Arthar, Dandakharka, Khaulalakuri and other VDCs of Parbat district would be directly benefitted. Chairman of the Khadketari-Panchase-Dobilla Road Construction Committee Khadak Bahadur Ranabhat said that this route is the shortest one to reach famous religious site Muktinath in Mustang district. Ranabhat hoped that local´s lifestyle would be improved as the rural produces including vegetables, fruits, milk and medicinal herbs would get good markets round the year after the construction of the bridge. During the program, UCPN (Maoist) leader Shovakanta Dhakal and Binod Sunam, National Representative Council Member of CPN (UML) Sudhir Paudel, former President of Syangja DDC Ram Bandhu Regmi and former Phedikhola VDC chairman Lekhnath Parajuli among others said that construction of the bridge would open up avenues of development of the northern part of Syangja district. Nnnn PM URGES EQUAL RIGHTS Kathmandu, 22 Sept.:Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has said that the government was committed to allocating equal rights to all the ethnic groups, RSS reports.. Inaugurating the sixth general convention of Newa Deya Dabu here on Saturday, he said since all the ethnic groups in the country were equal, they need to be given equal rights. Stating that the country could not get a new constitution from the Constituent Assembly since the political parties could not reach an agreement; the prime minister reiterated that the present political crisis could be surmounted through consensus among the parties. "All the political problems could be resolved since the present political impasse would be settled through consensus among the parties, although this may take some time," he said. Noting that the Kathmandu's Newar community has made an important contribution in the establishment of the Communist Party of Nepal, he praised the community for also making significant contribution to making the People's War and the People's Movement successful. The prime minister also lauded the role played by the Newar community in the peace process and constitution-writing while pointing out the need of more struggle to attain the rights. The general convention will conclude tomorrow by electing new leadership. nnnn