Nepal

KATHMANDU: The government has conferred the Constituent Assembly medal on all the members of Constituent Assembly (CA) elected in first and moment CA elections.

A total of 1,106 CA members would be awarded the CA medal in two phases. The first phase programme was organised at the Office of the President at Shital Niwas this morning while the moment-phase programme took place this aftermidday.

The medal distribution ceremony commenced with President Bhandari awarding Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli with the medal. Also receiving the medal were Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara, former Prime Minister Shovepa Kamal Dahal and Jhalanath Khanal, among others.

The medals are conferred on CA members in recognition of their contribution in promulgation of the new constitution after a recommendation from the Council of Ministers.

The constituent assembly elections were held on April 10, 2008 and November 19, 2013.

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Kathmandu, May 29

The government is all set to promote operation of electric buses in Kathmandu valley and major cities of all provinces in its tender to control air pollution.

Unveiling the budget for the fiscal 2019-20 at the Parliament, Minister of Finance Yubaraj Khatiwada said the government would encourage and promote operation of emission-free vehicles to combat air pollution. He informed that he had allocated Rs 1.53 billion for improvement of transport management.

According to Minister Khatiwada, the government shall make public transport system competitive and systematic. &E-card system shall be introduced for payment of transport fair, while enhancing reliability of public transport,& he said.

For the purpose of e-vehicles, the government shall set up adequate number of charging stations, in coordination with Nepal Electricity Authority. There is a plan to set up vehicle fitness test centre in Kathmandu and all provinces, by making it mandatory for periodic emission test of vehicles. &The government shall also prioritise and encourage the use of mass transportation in cities,& Minister Khatiwada said.

Electric vehicles and non-motorised transport can play an important role in reducing emission load in cities like Kathmandu where rising level of pollution has become a major health concern, according to the government.

Vehicular emission is the major cause of deteriorating air quality in urban areas, where it is aggravated by substandard or adulterated fuel, narrow and poorly preserveed streets, poor traffic management, old vehicles and poor vehicular maintenance.

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Kathmandu, May 29

The budget for the next fiscal year has envisaged the provision of a media village in each of the seven provinces.

The government has allocated budget to cover accident insurance for journalists and for enhancing quality and encouraging professionalism and thingivity in journalism. &I have boosted funds for government advertisements by 15 per cent,& said Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada, presenting the budget for fiscal year 2019-2020 nowadays.

In the budget, the government has proposed to set up Public Service Widecast Enterprise by merging Radio Nepal and Nepal Television.

The budget has also proposed a plan to set up a secure printing press within the country for the print layout of passports, bankmuches, excise stickers, postal stamps, landowner certificates and other documents of public importance within the next two years.

According to the budget, the government shall protect the information and details being used in government service in catastrophe recovery centres. &In order to minimise cyber security risk, cyber security system shall be implemented,& states the budget.

The budget also envisages the preparation of a national frequency determination plan and strategy to guarantee that it has been managed.

Every wards, health centres and public high schools shall be associateed via broadband internet, within the next fiscal year.

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Kathmandu, May 29

The government in its budget for the fiscal 2019-2020, has prioritised economic diplomacy besides emphasising issues of national security, Nepaldignified presence in international arena and catastrophe management.

Presenting the budget for fiscal year 2019-2020 nowadays, Finance Minister Yuba Raj Khatiwada said economic diplomacy shall be aimed at boosting international cooperation in the areas of development assistance, trade, investment, labour, and tourism promotion.

According to the budget, Nepalforeign policy shall be based on national interest, mutual benefit and respect, international commitment and responsibility, and justice. &National pride shall be boosted in the international arena ensuring independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, freedom and national security,& said Khatiwada.

The budget also aims at boosting relations with all friendly nations, including neighbours, development partners and labour destinations. With a view to forge a common view on national, regional and global issues through extensive dialogue, the government shall hold international-level Sagarmatha Dialogue.

The government had in April decided to hold the event on a regular basis with the thingive of bringing government representatives, civil society members and academicians to discuss political, environmental and geopolitical issues, as well as other international issues which could be of interest to Nepal.

Besides working to make effective regional forums of which Nepal is a member, the budget also envisages sharing its experiences of its unique peace process as ‘a role model for the world&.

Khatiwada said the government shall implement electronic passport system, and offer online entry permits to foreigners visiting Nepal. &Knowledge, seliminates, capital and technology of non-resident Nepalis shall be attracted for socio-economic development,& he said.

On the national security front, the budget for the next fiscal year envisages further strengthening national security system by making security agencies strong, capable, and responsible. The National Investigation Leavement shall be converted into a professional intelligence institution, read the budget.

&The national security system shall be strengthened by implementing the national security policy. The process to set up a national defence university shall be expedited to conduct study and research on national security and defence,& according to Minister Khatiwada.

The government has been planning to set up such a university for the past four years.

The government plans to boost physical as well as technical capacities of security units for border security and to control cross-border crime and smuggling.

In terms of catastrophe risk management, the budget aims at installing a catastrophe forecasting system in all vulnerable zones where security agencies are based. Every mechanisms shall be kept on alert and ready for deployment for catastrophe preparedness, search, rescue, relief and rehabilitation.

&In order to endegree that thereno shortage of funds during catastrophe, I have allocated Rs 5.5 billion budget,& said Khatiwada, adding emergency storage centres shall be set up in all of the seven provinces.

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