weak

TEAM CONCLUDES US VISIT
Kathmandu, 19 Aug.: A team of entrepreneurs from the Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries concluded its business promotion tour of the USA and returned home on Sunday, The Rising Nepal reports..

With the view to promote cottage and small industries in the country and link them up with sustainable and niche international market, the team had left for the US on July 19.

The team was led by FNCSI president Suresh Pradhan.

During the visit, the team had taken part in the Urban Exposition held in Philadelphia Expo Centre, Philadelphia, USA from July 21-24.

The business team head held meeting with the Ambassador of Nepal to the USA Dr. Shankar Sharma.
nnnn
EFFORT TO BRING IN INVESTMENT IN POWER SECTOR
Kathmandu, 19 Aug.: The private sector power promoters have said that they are working to attract foreign investment in the hydropower development sector in
the country, The Rising Nepal reports..
Speaking at a press conference in the capital on Sunday, President of Independent Power Producers' Association Nepal (IPPAN) Dr. Subarna Das Shrestha said that the private sector would lobby for creating investment climate for attracting foreign investment in the country.
The two-day summit organized with a theme of ‘Hastening Pace of Hydropower Development’ aims at catalyzing the power development sector, which is said to have dissipated over the past couple of years.
 “The summit will take a critical review of where we have reached since 2006, what we lack and what needs to be in the place to hasten the pace of development of the hydropower sector in Nepal,” Dr. Shrestha said.
In the past seven years, only 180 MW of power has been added to the national grid. Out of that, 110 MW was generated by the private sector while 70 MW by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), he said.
 At present a total of 337 projects are surveyed with an estimated capacity of 9021 MW, 74 have applied for generation license to generation 3908 MW, 11 have signed a power purchase agreement with the generation capacity of 1598 MW, as well as 70 projects are in different stages of construction with a capacity of 1978 MW, he added.
Stating that the Power Summit was dedicated to creating an enabling environment for the successful completion of these projects, he said that the summit also aimed at increasing the per capita energy consumption to 500 KWh from the existing mere 85 KWh.
 The summit will dwell into issues such as political commitment, legal and regulatory framework, realistic electricity demand forecast, electricity pricing, project financing infrastructure, construction of transmission lines and managing local expectations among others.
 Similarly, the summit will have separate issues such as projects with local investments and for domestic consumption, projects for domestic market with FDI components, exports oriented projects with FDI and power market mechanism.
The outcome of the summit is expected to help build a status report, a clear picture of the state of affairs and establish a plan of action with designated roles and responsibilities.
 Dignitaries from government of Nepal, India, China, Norway and international agencies will be attending the event participated by relevant stakeholders from Brazil, China, Czech Republic, France, India, Korea, Norway, USA among other countries.
 The Summit will be organized jointly by the IPPAN, PTC India Ltd. and Non Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) while it is supported by the Government of Nepal, Ministry of Energy and the Board of Investment.
 Nnnn
NATIONALITY WEAKENED
Kathmandu, 19 Aug.: Leaders representing Madhes, the southern plains, Sunday said that nationality was weakened due to greed for power among the party
Leaders, The Rising Nepal reports..
Speaking at a function on 'Nationality and Madhes' organized in Butwal here, chairman of Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal Upendra Yadav, Nepali Congress leader Deep Kumar Upadhyay, CPN-UML leader Baijanath Chaudhary and Badre Aalam of Rastriya Janamorcha admitted that the nationality was weakened over the years and the political instability was the main reason for it.
Stating that nationality should not be searched in Madhes alone, Yadav said that nationality could be strengthened only if the Himal, Hill and Terai were rightly adjusted.
"Issues of nationality will be in shadow if nationality was searched from a limited territory," the former Deputy Prime Minister said.
He said nationality would be strong if Terai was not viewed from the Indian eyes and if different ethnic groups living in Himal, Hill and Terai and their languages and dresses were treated equally.
NC leader Upadhyay said that the people of Madhes have the feeling of nationality and added that everyone either they live in the Himal, Hill or Terai should have the feeling of 'First, I am Nepali'.
He said that all should be aware of those who have dual citizenships.
CPN-UML central member Chadhary said if the federal units were created by dividing HImal, Hill and Terai eache other, nationality would further be weakened.
"If we properly exploit the natural resources available in the Terai, Hill and Himal, Nepal will be economically strong and the nationality could also be kept intact," he said. 
nnnn