CHIEF SECRETARY APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF NEA Kathmandu, 4 Dec.: The cabinet Tuesday appointed Chief Secretary Lila Mani Pokharel Chairman of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Rameshwor Yadav Executive Director of the NEA. The appointment of the chief secretary came at a time when government amid protests Tuesday of NC and UML opposed to upgrading of Upper Trisuli by30 MW and purchase of a thermal plant allocating 1`2 billion rupees for which there is no budgetary provision, Dr.. Ram Sharan Mahat said. Dr. Mahat said the issues were raised with Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav Tuesday for the irregular allocations. Dr, Mahat said of NEA board member was removed to facilitate upgrading of UpperTrishuli and the issues were raised by three former finance ministers and three energy ministers. The appointment of the chief secretary to NEA comes at a time when a UML government initiated moves to select independent persons for the post. Digambar Jha has been appointed as chairman of Nepal Telecommunications Authority. Jagat Bahadur Tamang was appointed Member Secretary of the Lumbini Development Trust, Dr Kul Bahadur Rokaya Chairman of Karnali Development Commission and Jagdish Bahadur Pal as the Chairman of Far-West Development Commission. nnnn CURRENCY NOTE DESIGN CHANGE Kathmandu, 4 Dec.: Cabinet Tuesday decided to change the design of Rs 5 and Rs. 10 currency notes. nnnn. TALKS BETWEEN GOVT. FORMER MAOIST FIGHTERS STALLED Kathmandu, 4 Dec.: The ongoing talks between government and the verified former Maoist combatants have been stalled, after the later rejected the proposal by the Government side, RSS reports. The talks held at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction on Tuesday afternoon has been postponed without reaching to any conclusion, said the Ministry spokesperson Bharat Prasad Poudel. The talks were held in presence of Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Top Bahadur Rayamajhi. The proposal of the Government side is not acceptable and we will continue with out movement, said Lenin Bista, Coordinator of the Verified People´s Liberation Army Nepal, Struggle Committee. The former combatants have been staging a sit-in at the UCPN (Maoist) central office at Paris Danda since November 28, putting forth a 12-point demand. Nnnn PM VOWS TO FIGHT GENDER BASED VIOLENCE Kathmandu, 4 Dec.: Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has expressed the commitment that the government would leave no stone unturned for the effective implementation of a law against gender based-violence, RSS reports. The Prime Minister expressed the commitment while addressing a programme "Role of media houses for reducing gender-based violence" organised by the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, Ministry of Information and Communications and Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) here on Tuesday. Stating that there was a risk that cases of violence, discrimination and exploitation against women would hamper the democratic republican, Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai said the building of justice, inclusive and proportional society would be possible only by the state free from gender-based violence. He said there was need of changing behaviors and mentality for the end of violence against women and guaranteeing of equality and development and added that media houses could play a great significant role in creating public awareness to the end. Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai stated that 64 per cent women in Nepal are still victimized by violence against them and added that of them only 20 per cent women take legal treatment. He said violence free Nepal would be built only if women could maintain their rights to their body, property, labour and power. Saying the government has been providing support for the development and expansion of media, the prime Minister said that there was need of creating gender-friendly environment in media. On the occasion, Minister for Information and Communications, Raj Kishor Yadav said that the country could not achieve prosperity in political, social and economic sectors as the cases of violence against women are still prevalent in the Nepali society. Similarly, Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Badri Prasad Neupane said that there was need of joining hands by one and all to end domestic violence against women. Chief Secretary Lilamani Paudel underlined the need of increasing an access of rural people to media. Likewise, Chairperson of the National Women´s Commission, Sheikh Chandtara said that the media houses have been making great contributions to exposing cases against women and creating pressure to book guilty. President of FNJ, Shiva Gaunle, stressed the need of maintaining news balance and making news desk inclusive by media houses. Nnnn