Indian PM expressed Concerned Over Peace Process: Koirala

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala in New Delhi and said India wants to see a stable prosperious and peaceful Nepal with a democratic constitution in place.

Sources close to Koirala said the Indian prime minister expressed his concerns over the peace process.Koirala also met with Indian Minister for External Affairs S M Krishna Tuesday. Meetings were fixed with urgency on Monday with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, opposition leader L K Advani and national security advisor Shiva S Menon writes My Republica.

According to sources, another major issue discussed was the role of the UCPN (Maoist) in the peace process and lack of progress in army integration.

India has said that Nepal should complete the peace process first, which naturally means the tasks of integrating and rehabilitating Maoist combatants should be completed before writing constitution. Koirala is scheduled to meet Congress party chair Sonia Gandhi.

Peace process as per Nepalis' wish: China envoy

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Yang Houlan has expressed the confidence that the ongoing peace process in Nepal would move ahead as per the aspirations of the Nepalis.

Stating that the ongoing peace process was an internal matter of Nepal, he made it clear that China would have no reservations whatsoever in the steps taken in course of the peace process.

Talking to reporter in Butwal today, Ambassador, Yang, who is on a three-day visit to Lumbini, said China was looking forward to the development of Lumbini.

China is ready to provide assistance to any kind of program development as per the master plan, he added.Referring to the rumour being spread of Gautam Buddha being born in India, Ambassador Yang said the Chinese government and the people would not believe in such propaganda.

Nepali and Nepalis need to extensively publicize Lumbini in order to neutralize such propaganda, he added.The Ambassador also disclosed that Rs. 350 million had so far been invested in the Chinese monastery built in Lumbini.

Food Scarcity in Surkhet

More than ten thousands people are facing hunger and starvation in five village development committee of Surkhet District, 500 kilometer west of capital Kathamandu. According to Nepal Samacharpartra, out of 60000 population, 21,000 people are facing hunger and starvation in the district.

In a press conference, local people demanded adequate support from the government to avoid the hunger and starvation.

http://www.spotlightnepal.com/News.aspx?ArticleID=1292

Stop Politicization of University: Kedar Bhakta Mathema

“Due to politicization, Nepal’s higher education is at the verge of collapse,” said former vice chancellor Dr. Kedar Bhakta Mathema talking to Radio Nepal. In his half an hour interview, Dr. Mathema regretted over the government’s failure to appoint vice chancellors in the universities.

“It is unfortunate that all the public universities are without vice chancellors or leaders for months and no political leaders seems to be bothered about the future of more than half a million students,” said Dr. Mathema.

He also expressed regret over absence of prime minister in the 58^th anniversary of Tribhuwan University. Prime Minister Jhalnath Khanal flew to Pokhara to inaugurate convention radio broadcaster association leaving minister of education to attend the anniversary of Tribhuwan University.

“There are high qualities of teachers in Tribhuwan University but the problem is without leadership. If we leave the TU without leadership for long, there will be chaos in the University and the future of students will be uncertain,” said Dr. Mathema.

He argued that the government needs to appoint vice chancellors on the basis of academic performance, commitments and his contribution to education.

He made is clear that universities are not a place for power sharing. “Don’t appoint any vice chancellor on the basis of political ideology. The need of the time is independent academic,” said Dr. Mathema.

“People gave political parties the mandate to write the constitution on the basis of consensus. However, political parties are looting the country by misinterpretation political consensus,” said Dr. Mathema.

PABSON issued an Ultimatum

Handing out a 20-day ultimatum to the government to fulfill its five-point demands, the Private and Boarding Schools' Association of Nepal has demanded that the education service tax be scrapped.

Such a concern comes at a time when the government is busy preparing the upcoming fiscal year's budget. The government had reduced education service tax to one percent in fiscal year 2009/10 from five percent in 2007/08 introduced for the "empowerment of marginalized students".

Organizing a press meet in the Capital on Monday, PABSON officials said the one percent education service tax has only added economic burden to the parents' woes and maintained that it was against the government commitment to free education.

"Ever since the tax provision came into implementation we have been demanding that it be annulled. But the government hasn't heeded our requests," said PABSON President Rajesh Khadka. "Our main concern is that the guardians mustn't be victimized in the name of tax."

The PABSON has also demanded its representation in every committee formed by the Ministry of Education (MoE), Department of Education, District Education Offices and other government bodies. Khadka accused the government of sidelining the private sector under which some 9,000 schools are in operation across the country.

http://www.spotlightnepal.com/News.aspx?ArticleID=1297

Jhalnath Will Continues As a PM: Minister Sapkota

UCPN (Maoist) leader and Minister for Information and Communications Agni Sapkota refuted the media reports that his party is considering recommending Maoist Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai as the next prime minister.

“Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal would not resign from his post until an alternative to a national consensus government is struck,” said minister Sapkota. If the prime minister resigned under the status quo. the country would plung into chaos.”

Minister Sapkota, who is said to be close to party chairman Prachanda, clarified that the time has not arrived yet to discuss leadership in the party. “The Maoists have not taken any official decision regarding the leadership,” said Sapkota said at the Reporter’s Club.

“Chairman Prachanda [Pushpa Kamal Dahal] has not thought about premiership,” said Sapkota. “Not only Baburam ji, another Vice Chairman Kiran [Mohan Baidya] could also become the next prime minister.”

http://www.spotlightnepal.com/News.aspx?ArticleID=1277

Maoists set to hold CC on July 13

The UCPN (Maoist) Standing Committee meet on Sunday decided to hold the party’s long-stalled Central Committee (CC) meeting from July 13 (Wednesday).

However, the Maoist SC meet held has not finalized the agenda to be discussion at the much-anticipated CC meet. It has been reported that the leaders have agreed to carry out homework for the same from today itself.

Earlier on June 24, the Maoist CC meet was put off after party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal put forth his agenda citing the need for more homework on the same.

The top brass leaders of party are yet to find a common ground on the issues such as integration of combatants, constitution-drafting, government formation, internal rift, work division and future strategies.

http://www.spotlightnepal.com/News.aspx?ArticleID=1279