KALIKOT CLOSED DOWN Kathmandu, 11 March: Klaikot was closed for the second consecutive day MOday. Locals are demanding of a Karnali corridor and benefits for the largely neglected far-West region. nnnn PARTY LEADERS HOLD DISCUSSIONS WITH CHIEF JUSTICE REGMI UPDATE Kathmandu, 11 March: Leaders of four main political forces held discussions Monday with Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi one day after three parties and a five-party Madesni coalition in government agreed to resolve constitutional hurdles to install an election government. Regmi is to head such a government. The parties and coalition drafted an agreement to remove constitutional hurdles for approval of Regmi Following the meeting with the chief justice, the political players met yet again Monday to develop a package for formation of an election government which will cnduct second constituent assembly polls in June. Elections are unlikely to be held by the deadline. Critics of Regmi have said the chief justice went against a code of conduct for judges by holding public discussions with party leaders while occupying post of top judge. Parties differ on rank for Maoists who have joined Nepal Army, citizenship and a voters’ list. Nnnn RS.5.1 B BRITISH ASSISTANCE. Kathmandu, 11 March: The Government of the United Kingdom through the Department for International Development (DFID) has provided a grant assistance Of Rs. 5.11 billion for the implementation of the Rural Access Programme-Phase III, RSS reports. At a programme organised at the Ministry of Finance today, Secretary at the Ministry, Shanta Raj Subedi, and Dominic O'Neill, Head of DFID, Nepal, signed the agreement. The main objective of this programme is to help secure sustainable rural livelihood for the poor and disadvantaged people for improving income opportunities through employment generation, providing sustainable access to markets and improved access to economic opportunities in the rural programme areas. It is believed that the grant assistance will improve living standards of the people of mid-western and far-western districts including Humla, Bajura, Mugu, Achham, Kalikot, Jumla and Dailekh. The programme will be completed by March 2017. nnnn