Shakya promises use of lokta paper
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, January 20:Minister for Trade Astalaxmi Shakya has assured entrepreneurs that she will lobby for the use of Nepali handmade papers as the government documents."I will help in my capacity to fulfil your demand of using Nepali handmade paper as citizenship certificates," the minister assured them while inaugurating the Nepali handmade paper expo here.Nepal Handmade Paper Association (HANDPASS) has organised a handmade paper expo on the occasion of bagging a project ‘Enhancement of Sustainable Production of Lokta Handmade Paper Production in Nepal’.The European Commission (EC) has granted the largest ever grant of Euro1.4 million — in a single commodity — to operate the four-year project that starts from January 2009."As per the agreement with the EC on December 18, the project will be initiated from January 2009 and be concluded by the end of December 2012," informed the association.The project will focus onproper method of paper production in the hills and mountains making it environment-friendly industry and be alternative source of income for the marginalised farmers in the hills and mountains."It aims to cover 18 districts reaching about 30,000 farmers, who extract lokta — a shrub that grows at an altitude of 2000 metres to 4000 metres in the most coniferous froeforestst in Nepal," said Kiran Kumar Dangol, secretary of the association.The handmade paper is made of the inner bark of the Lokta shrub. Nepalokta is also registered in Europe as Nepal’s handmade paper that has employed more than 55,000 families in the rural areas.Out of the total production,40 per cent of Nepali handmade paper is exported. But there isstill a huge untapped market at home also."We want the government to use Nepali handmade papers in various official documents like citizenship certificates in spite of importing ivory paper that is not as durable in comparison to Nepali handmade paper," said Dr Milan Dev Bhattarai, president of HANDPASS.The government could also promote local product — by using as certificates in the universities — like the Pokhara University due to its durability that is unchallenged."Pokhara University uses Nepali handmade papers for its certificates," Purushottam Baskota, vice-chancellor of the university informed.Though some institutions like Nepalokta Cooperative and GTZ are helping the HANDPASS, the government seems unimpressed from the industry that can help reduce rural poverty.
Nepal leads in GRB in S Asia
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, January 20:Nepal leads in gender responsive budget in South Asia. Similarly, Nepal is also in the club of 62 countries — out of 190 countries — that have gender responsive budget (GRB).Gender responsive budget is one of the most effective tools to mainstream gender in policies and planning to reddress inequalities and promote women’s economic and socio-political rights, said acting finance secretary (revenue) Krishnahari Ba-nskota, chairing the concluding session today."Nepal has always given priority in inclusiveness in the society," said finance minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, yesterday inaugurating the ‘Integrated Gender Responsive Budgeting into the Aid Effectiveness Agenda’ that concluded here today.Chairing the inaugural session, finance secretary Rameshwor Khanal also told the two-day long seminar that Nepal has been very sensitive in the gender issue. "Nepal has done more in terms of gender sensitive budget," he added.Nepal has established Gender Responsive Budget Committee (GRBC) in 2005 and started implementing it since last fiscal year’s budget. The Parliament has passed a resolution for minimum of 33 per cent representation of women in all government mechanism.
ADBL waives off Rs 2bn loan, interest
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, January 20:
Agriculture Development Bank Ltd (ADBL) has waived around Rs 2 billion under the government’s loan-waiver programme.It has received 74,492 application to waive loan upto Rs 30,000. The total amount waived stands at Rs 1.2 billion in principal and Rs 110 in interest.Similarly, the bank received 1,114 applications for the interest waiver of upto Rs 1,00,000 above Rs 30,000. The total interest amount waived stands at Rs 83 million, it said.The government has in its budget for the fiscal year 2008-09 spelled out the loan waiver programme upto Rs 30,000 and interest-waiver from Rs 30,000 upto Rs 1,00,000, for the conflict hit and natural disaster-hit farmers.Addressing the first formal programme — the 42nd anniversary of the ADBL — after his appointment as the 14th governor of the central bank, he said that in order to move towa-rds rural-oriented economy, "we need to sacrifice."The newly appointed governor urged employees to work honestly to achieve the double-digit economic growth rate.He also urged the banks to go to rural areas as the future of the country lies in development of villages.At present the bank has to work for agriculture development and compete with modern private commercial banks as well.It serves its over 4,00,000 clients from 241 branches and sub-branches.
SAFTA CoE meetingKATHMANDU: The Committee of Experts (CoE) of South Asian Countries met here on Tuesday to discuss service trade under SAFTA. Earlier in November 2008 they had a meeting and its the second one held to discuss service trade among the South Asian neighbours. Nepal has urged to be more liberal to expand regional trade, said an official. Nepal has not been able to take any advantage under the SAFTA as it has not yet exported a single item under SAFTA till date. — HNSRBB reinstate branchKATHMANDU: Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) reinstated its Sunuwal branch office on Tuesday. According to a press note, the branch office was shifted to Parasi during conflict. Janardhan Acharya, CEO of the RBB re-inaugurated the 120th branch at Sunuwal on Tuesday. — HNSCitizens RemitKATHMANDU: Citizens Bank International has started its remittance service, ‘Citizens Remit’. "People can get remittance facility of Citizens Bank also from 500 counters of City Express Transfer, apart from bank branches, states a press release. — HNSMalakar nominatedKATHMANDU: Surendra Bir Malakar, president of NCC has been nominated in the team formed to access impact of global financial crisis. — HNS
Nepal-Lanka ASA review
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, January 19:
Nepal and Sri Lanka are reviewing their Air Sevices Agreement (ASA). Nepali authorities and a Sri Lankan team will hold talks on Thurday, said an official at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA).
Nepal Airlines has long stopped its flights to Colombo due to various reasons. “Our side is busy preparing for the talks, and the full operationalisation of the ASA may top the agenda,” the ministry sources said adding that the two South Asian countries’ officials are meeting on January 22 in Kathmandu. MoTCA secretary Ramchandra Man Singh confirmed that the talks between the two countries have been scheduled for January 22.
Nepal and Sri Lanka had earlier also renewed the ASA to allow direct air services between the two countries. The agreement signed in Colombo allowed designated airlines to operate four weekly flights between Kathmandu and Colombo and points beyond. However, Nepal Airlines (NAC), then Royal Nepal Airlines (RNAC), stopped its flights to Colombo since almost eight years.
The previous agreement allowed only a limited number of passengers and the number of flights by each airline was restricted to two per week.
Nepal has signed ASAs with 35 countries. However, it has been renewing the ASAs and also increasing flight frequencies for mutual benefit.
On December 29 in 2008, Nepal and Bahrain renewed their Air Services
Agreement (ASA) and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to increase flight frequency and develop skilled manpower resources. According to the renewed agreement, both countries can now operate 28 flights per week.
Earlier, the agreement between the two countries was that they could operate only 14 flights per week. Meanwhile, Nepal is also likely to review Air Services Agreement (ASA) with India to scrap the existing restrictions on seat allocations. It is hoped that the proposed change in the ASA will allow Nepali airlines to operate unlimited number of flights to various Indian cities.
As per the existing ASA between the two South Asian neighbours, each is restricted to only 6,000 seats per week. The limit on the number of seats has impeded Nepali Airlines’ efforts to operate flights to Indian cities. After the 1990s open air policy, Nepali private airlines have also started spreading their wings. Private airliners are requesting the government to allow them to fly to various Indian cities with unrestricted number of seats.
Drowning industry, keening workers
Himalayan News Service
Bhaktapur, January 19:
For the past three days, workers at Bhaktapur Craft Paper Industry are staging a protest but the management does not seem concerned about their demands.
According to worker Kamala Giri, they want the ouster of the managing director (MD) and the board manager.
“This MD has never shown concern for the industry and we are suffering because it is in loss. We have not got salary,” Giri said. Aside from demanding the MD’s and board manager’s resignation, workers also alleged that during the annual general meeting (AGM) of the industry on January 13, the MD presented annual statistics and a report whose veracity they doubt.
“Bhaktapur Craft Paper Industry was formed in 1981 by UNICEF to help women, children and 40 per cent of it is meant for the community but later UNICEF handed over the industry, with the 109 workers becoming shareholders. We are also among them,” said Giri.
Voicing concern at the industry going downhill, she said, “We used to export craft paper to the US, Japan and Australia through UNICEF, but it is three years that we are suffering huge losses as there are no orders.”
Workers said craft paper worth Rs 22-25 lakh was lying in stock. The minimum salary of a worker is Rs 5000 and the management is unable to give it.
A representative of the management said they had urged the workers to form a talks team to solve the problem. The workers admitted that they did not have a talks team, and insisted on the resignation of the MD anyhow.
Another worker accused the MD of creating false hopes among them and making them work without pay. “Orders have dried up, but we are asked to work. It costs Rs 3600 to make one frame of paper. Whatever we produce is just getting stocked here. This has resulted in complete decline of the industry.”
Handicrafts promo ad hoc panel:
KATHMANDU: With the aim of promoting handicrafts, handicraft entrepreneurs led by FHAN president Pushkarman Shakya and Lamjung Industry and Commerce Association president Pramod Kumar Shrestha formed Handicraft Industry Association ad hoc committee at Lamjung with nine members.
The committee was formed on January 17, said a release. Meanwhile, according to another FHAN release, a team of representatives of the Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN), under the leadership of Yagyaman Shakya conducted a monitoring and observation campaign of the Chitwan Mahotsav that had been organised from January 15 to 18. — HNS
