130 FOREIGNERS MAY PARTICIPATE IN THIS YEAR’S EVEREST MARATHON Kathmandu, 11 Nov.: Preparations have been completed for the Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon internationally recognized as the longest long distance run held at the world’s highest point. “We are expecting participation of around 130 foreign athletes an 60 Nepalis,” said Coordinator of race Bikram Pandey. The 60km marathon from Everest base camp downhill to Namche commemorates the 29 May 1953 first ascent of the 8848 meter’s world’s tallest peak by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary. The male event has been swept by Nepali runners. The year 2013 is also the silver jubilee year of the peak’s conquest. Climbing enthusiasts now pay expert climbers thousands of dollars to wall up to the summit for the adventure an joy to step to step on the world’s highest point. nnnn POLL CENTERED BUDGET SAYS FINANCE MINISTER KORALA Kathmandu, 11 Aril: Finance Minister Shankar Prasad Koirala Wednesday said that full-fledged adjusted budget was focused on holding the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections as well as accelerating the economic growth of the country, The Rising Nepal reportsF. Speaking at the press conference organized by the Ministry of Finance here today, Finance Minister Koirala said that the main objective of the government was to hold the CA poll in free and fair manner in a peaceful environment as soon possible. “We paved way the decision of dilemma of the every sector through unveiled the full-fledged adjusted budget. We are focusing on accelerate the economic activities as well as good governance,” he said. Considering the time limit of the current fiscal year, the government has only given continuity to the previous progarmmes instead of new progarmmes even there are necessary to address the desire of the people. The government has unveiled the budget on the basic of the last years’ expenditures, he said that the budget of the current fiscal year accessed only 5.18 per cent as compared to the last year’s budget. The government announced the Rs. 404.82 billion budget adjusting the actual expenditures of the past eight months within it. Koirala further said that budget also focused to promote the export trade and energy sector as well. “We allocated the budget in the infrastructure sector to encourage the private sector for investment because the government has responsibility to play facialators role as adopting the open market policies and liberal economy,” he said. Stating that it is necessary to increase the export trade of the country to minimize the widening trade deficit, he said that the budget has allocated budgets to cash incentives to the exporters as well as planning to make simplify the procedures to take incentives. To make the country self-reliant in cement, the government has adopted the policy to build access road and electricity transmission lines, he said and added that the government also allocated budget to import additional electricity from India and operate existing Thermal and Diesel plant. Responding the queries of the journalists, FM Koirala said that the government has allocated capital budget worth of Rs.52 billion for the remaining three months considering to spend within the remaining period. The government has spent only around Rs 13 billion until now of the current fiscal year. He said, “As the Minister of Finance, it is my responsibility to allocate budget for the election because the government has accorded the priority to hold the CA as soon as possible. We have to allocate budget to do preparing the works of the election. Responding the another queries of the journalist, he claimed that the Ministry has hold discussion with the major political parties, former Finance Ministers and National Planning Commission before preparing budget. Nnnn NC DIVIDED ON NUMBER OF PROVINCES Kathmandu, 11 Nov.:Even as they converged on federalism based on common identity and economic viability, Nepali Congress (NC) Mahasamiti members have remained sharply divided over the number of federal provinces, Kosh Raj Koirala writes in Republica from Tribenidhaam, Nawalparasi.. Against the proposal in the political paper presented by party Vice President Ram Chandra Poudel, members have made different proposals of their own, ranging from five to 13 provinces, at the ongoing closed-door session of the Mahasamiti that began on Monday. The members were divided into 14 groups on zonal basis and asked to put forth their opinion on various issues including federalism, system of governance and the party´s policy on Madhes, after holding discussions within their respective groups. While the Karnali, Janakpur and Lumbini groups suggested adopting a six-province federal model that includes three provinces in Tarai-Madhes and three others in the hill and mountain regions, other zonal groups had different proposals, such as for five, 11 and 13 provinces. NC had for the first time held group discussions of this kind to gather the collective views of Mahasamiti members from different zones. Each group was asked to present its position on various issues including federalism, system of governance, the causes of defeat in the last election in Madhes and ways to better represent the marginalized and backward communities in all state structures and decision-making bodies. Arguing that positive discrimination and a reservations policy could help empower marginalized groups, members ruled out the possibility of adopting single ethnic-identity based federal provinces. They have also suggested to the party leadership to ensure at least 33 percent representation of women and proportionate representation of other marginalized and backward groups in various party structures. Though divided over the number of provinces, all the members appeared unanimous on a mixed electoral system and a parliamentary system of governance, and asked the party leadership to stick to the NC´s long standing position on a parliament-elected executive prime minister and a ceremonial president. Likewise, the Mahasamiti members have argued that there must be fresh elections by mid-December, if these are not possible in June. Talking to media persons, NC Spokesperson Dilendra Badu said they have received constructive suggestions from Mahasamiti members on various issues including federalism, Madhes and other concurrent issues. "We will incorporate all the suggestions received from Mahasamiti members in the papers," he said. The Mahasamiti meeting is scheduled to conclude Thursday after endorsing all the papers presented at the Mahasamiti meeting, with necessary revisions. General convention of sister organizations Arguing that the party had become weak at the local level due to ´dysfunctional´ sister organizations, all Mahasamiti members have asked the party leadership to facilitate the holding of their general conventions before the fresh CA elections. NC has yet to hold general conventions for its 13 sister organizations, except for Nepal Dalit Association. Regmi´s resignation as CJ Most of those speaking at the closed-door sessions have asked the party leadership to seek the resignation of Chairman of Interim Election Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi from the post of Chief Justice. They argued that Regmi´s resignation as CJ was a must to uphold the principle of separation of powers. The members also asked the party leadership to take special initiatives to scrap all the political appointments made by the erstwhile Baburam Bhattarai-led government and hold talks with disgruntled political groups that are opposing polls, to ensure free and fair elections. They likewise asked the party leadership not to support the appointment of Lok Man Singh Karki as chief of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). 50 percent Mahasamiti members leave venue With the meeting still underway, over 50 percent of the Mahasamiti members have already left the meeting venue, partly because of the hot weather and poor food and lodging arrangements. "They might have left the meeting due to the hot weather and poor accomodation arrangements," said Mohammad Nurul Haq, Mahasamiti member from Sarlahi-5. Nnnn MAOIST CHIEF NOW TALKS OF NOV, ELECTIONS Kathmandu, 11 April : Ruling out the possibility of election by mid-July, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the poll date would be fixed for mid-November, Dilip Paudel writes in Repblica from Baglung... Dahal said that the election date will be announced within the next two days by taking consent of the dissident political groups, including CPN-Maoist. “We were for holding the election in summer. But we suggested to the government to conduct polls by mid-November because the possibility of summer polls is now very slim,” Dahal told media persons in Baglung on Wednesday. Dahal said that he offered the suggestions to Chairman of the election government Khil Raj Regmi at a function organized by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries on Wednesday morning. According to Dahal, Regmi told him that polls had to be deferred as the “election commission cited technical complications to conduct polls in June”. Dahal had earlier this week said that elections must be held by June and that it wasn´t acceptable for his party if polls were deferred for November. The Maoist chairman also urged the Mohan Baidya-led CPN-Maoist and Madhesi People´s Rights Forum to participate in election and to not create any hindrance. He also urged them to join the High Level Political Committee (HLPC). Currently, leaders from UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) are members of the committee. “There is no alternative to election. In the past, the four parties inked a political agreement to end the deadlock,” said Dahal. “Now I urge Baidyaji and Upendraji to join the High Level Political Committee.” He said that it was necessary to incorporate political sections that aren´t included in the HLPC because only the four political forces can´t represent all sections of the society. “We are ready to include all the sides,” he maintained. Dahal said that since the election has been deferred a commission must be formed for constituency delineation. He also claimed that his party would secure two-thirds majority in the coming election. He said his party´s plan to attract more people from Madhesi, ethnic and indigenous communities would make that possible. In a different context, he urged party cadres to mend their ways and involve themselves in productive works and not in destructive activities. “It is high time that we correct ourselves. It is time for us to concentrate our energies on productive works,” he said. Dahal arrived in Baglung to participate in the party´s orientation program. Around 600 party members from various districts including Baglung, Myagdi, Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan, Arghakhanchi and Pyuthan had gathered for the program. Nnnn