Nepal

Kathmandu, July 11

The government has decided to provide one million rupees to the family of Saroj Narayan Mahato, who was killed in police firing at Ishwarpur of Sarlahi district, last month.

Mahato was killed in police firing while staging a protest against the death of a boy on June 30. Speaking at a press conference organised in Singha Durbar today to disclose the decisions of the recent Cabinet meeting, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Gokul Baskota said the government had also decided to bear the expenses incurred for medical treatment of the persons injured during the protest.

The Cabinet has granted approval to the concerned agencies for the procurement of electric buses. The government has formed an 11-member expert group headed by the director general at the Department of Archaeology to study and analyse the reconstruction and rehabilitation process of the historical Bagh Durbar. Recently, the Supreme Court had issued an order to the government, directing it to reconstruct the archaeological structure without distorting its originality. The structure was damaged by the 2015 earthquakes.

The government has decided to increase the paid-up capital of the Deposit and Credit Guarantee Fund to Rs 10 billion from the existing Rs 8 billion, in accordance with the commitment made to the World Bank.

The government has accepted a subsidised loan equivalent to USD 100 million from International Finance Corporation of the World Bank, to be utilised in economic growth and poverty alleviation of the country.

It has decided to grant exemption in income tax to Nepal Water and Energy Development Company, the promoter of Rasuwa-based Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project, lease out 4.65 hectare forest land to Rele Khola Hydropower Project in Nuwakot for 30 years, and to acquire land for the implementation of various projects at 11 local levels.

The government has decided to form a five-member talks team led by a joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to hold a bilateral dialogue with the Chinese delegation on June 25-26 in Beijing, for better flight connection between the two countries.

The Cabinet has also decided to submit the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Amendment Bill and Prevention of Corruption Amendment Bill to the House of Representatives.

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Kathmandu, July 10

The links between population, development and human rights, including reproductive rights identified by 179 countries, including Nepal, at the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo 25 years ago, are still relevant, said UN officials.

On the occasion of this yearWorld Population Day that calls for global attention to the unfinished business of the ICPD Programme of Action, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said carrying forward the vision of the ICPD will unlock opportunities for those left behind and help pave the way for sustainable, equitable and inclusive development for all.

UN Sustainable Development Goals are closely interrelated with demographic trends including population growth, ageing, migration and urbanisation, he said, issuing a statement. While managing these population trends, we must also recognise the relationship between population, development and individual well-being, the UN chief said, adding, promoting gender equality is one of the most reliable pathways to sustainable development and improved well-being of people across the globe.

&In November, a summit marking the 25th anniversary of the Cairo Conference will take place in Nairobi. I encourage member states to participate and to make firm political and financial commitments to realise the programme of action of the ICPD,& Guterres added.

Issuing a statement, Executive Director of United Nations Population Fund Natalia Kanem said women have the right to make their own decisions about whether, when and how often to become pregnant. &That right was reaffirmed in 1994 in Cairo at the landmark ICPD, where 179 governments agreed that sexual and reproductive health is the foundation for sustainable development.&

Despite considerable gains over the past 25 years, we still have a long way to go to live up to the promise of Cairo, the UNFPA chief said, adding that too many people continue to be left behind and too many are still unable to enjoy their rights, according to UNFPA, Nepal.

&On this World Population Day, I call on governments, civil society, communities and people from all sectors and walks of life to be bold and courageous and do the needful for women and girls, to accomplish the unfinished business of Cairo,& she added.

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Kathmandu, July 11

Eighteen ministries presented their progress reports for fiscal 2018-19 to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during the governmentperformance review meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers today.

The ministries making their presentation included Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation, Physical Infrastructure and Transportation, Agricultural and Livestock Development, Urban Development, Water Supply, Communication and Information Technology; Culture,Tourism and Civil Aviation; Industry, Commerce and Supplies and Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation.

Other ministries presenting their progress reports were Education, Science and Technology; Health and Population; Women, Children and Senior Citizen; Youth and Sports; Federal Affairs and General Administration; Foreign Affairs; Defence, and Home Affairs.

Spokesperson for the OPMCM Binod Bahadur Kunwar said rest of the ministries, including Finance; Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; Labour, Employment and Social Security, as well as National Planning Commission and National Reconstruction Authority will present their reports tomorrow.

According to Minister of Communications and Information Technology Gokul Baskota, the meeting discussed targets of the ministries and their achievements during the ongoing fiscal year. &Targets for the upcoming fiscal year will be set on the basis of the outcome of this meeting,& he told THT. Baskota also said PM Oli would give necessary directions to the ministries at the end of the meeting, tomorrow.

The review meeting comes at a time when the government and its ministries are facing wide criticism for their failure to deliver services. The government has also been surrounded by various controversies, with the latest one regarding its decision to revoke lab test of imported fruits and vegetables for pesticides, at border points.

There have been speculations that PM Oli is not happy with the performance of its ministers and that he is considering a cabinet reshuffle after the performance review meeting. Olidispleasure over the performance of the government is also manifested by his comments at public functions. He said at a programme today that he was not informed about a letter from the Indian embassy, requesting the Government of Nepal to roll back its decision to lab-test on imported fruits and vegetables at border points.

A government secretary present in todaymeeting said almost all ministries in their presentations showed good progress, and PM Oli was not as disappointed as he observed the presentation. &How he felt will be known at the end of the meeting when he issues directives to ministries tomorrow,& the secretary said.

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KATHMANDU: A sum of Rs 10 million has been donated for the reconstruction of Bhimsen Temple in Patan Durbar Square. Bhimsen Temple, with a history of almost four centuries, was badly damaged by the 2015 earthquake.

Chairman of Everest Bank Ltd, BK Shrestha, made the donation on Wednesday amidst a programme.

Shrestha donated the amount in memory of his late father Sahu Ganesh Lal Shrestha to rebuild the temple and preserve the heritage of Patan. &I feel fortunate to have this opportunity to extend support in the name of Bhindya (Lord Bhimsen), who is not only a deity of Patan but of all Newars. I take it as my ancestral duty,& Shrestha said while adding that his family has been extending support to the Bhimsen Temple in various capacities since long.

Shrestha handed the cheque amounting to Rs 10 million to Shree Bhimsen Mandir Rebuilding Committee, formed for the reconstruction of the temple through local contribution and resources, with technical support from Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust. The Committee was formed in collaboration with Mangal Tole Sudhar Sangh, Lalitpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Lalitpur Metropolitan City, and the Department of Archaeology.

According to the statement released by the Committee, Lalitpur Metropolitan City and Province 3 government have pledged Rs 10 million and five million respectively for the rebuilding of the temple.

Chiri Babu Maharjan, Mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City, Krishna Lal Maharjan, President of Lalitpur Chamber of Commerce - Industry and Coordinator of the Committee, Kiran Man Pradhan, Head of Mangal Tole Development Committee and Vice-president of the rebuilding committee, Rohit Ranjitkar, Director of Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust and Member of rebuilding committee were also present in the programme.

After receiving the cheque, temple rebuilding committee coordinator Krishna Lal Maharjan said that the team has been fueled with more energy after receiving the support.

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