KMC doubles uniform allowances for employees

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has increased the allowance for its employees to purchase uniforms.
The KMC will provide each employee with Rs 7000 each from this year as part of its attempt to enforce a dress code among its staff, according to a KMC source.
Although the KMC decided to implement the dress code from last year itself, the employees did not respond positively to the decision as they said the amount provided to purchase the uniforms was insufficient.
Only the KMC police have been obeying the dress code till date.

Japan approves Rs. 6 m for sericulture development

The government of Japan has recently approved the utilisation of Rs. 6 million worth of Counterparts Fund for implementation of Sericulture Development Programme as per the request of Government of Nepal.
According to a press release issued by Japanese embassy, the main objective of the programme is to develop commercial sericulture in order to diversify and commercialise agriculture by increasing the production and productivity of silk cocoon.
The project would also develop and strengthen cooperatives and private entrepreneurs to establish income generating Seri enterprises/cottage industries at rural areas, the embassy stated.
The project would also help in the production of silk worm eggs, farm management, procurement and promotion of cocoons produced by the farmers, the embassy stated adding that the programme would benefit families of around 1,000 farmers.
The Counterpart Fund was established through the financial assistance extended by the government of Japan to increase agriculture production under KR2 (the grant assistance for underprivileged farmers).

NC leaders urge PM to consult with opposition parties before deciding on appointments, transfers in govt bodies

Leaders of the main opposition Nepali Congress met Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal Tuesday morning and urged him not to take important decisions and work as a caretaker government instead.
NC leaders including general secretary Prakash Man Singh, who went to meet PM Khanal at his residence in Baluwatar this morning, apprised PM Khanal of the NC CWC decision of Monday which, among others, wants the government to consult with the opposition parties while taking crucial decisions on transfer, promotion or appointment of civil servants.
They advised him to work as a caretaker PM and not take important decisions as per the party's decision.
They also asked PM Khanal to step down from his post as soon as possible to make way for a national unity government. 

Four Indian nationals get 15 yrs jail sentence for smuggling contraband

Four Indian nationals who were arrested on the charge of smuggling brown heroin have been sent to jail.
Kapivastu District Court on Monday slapped 15 years of jail sentence and Rs 2.5 million in fine to Pravu Nau, Mohammad Safwan Musalman, Raghu Bir Singh and Mohammad Jabed.
Police had arrested the four with 500gms of brown heroin three month ago

PM Khanal vows to protect achievements of Nepal's peaceful democratic movements

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal on Sunday said Nepal is on its way towards institutionalizing the federal democratic republican set up achieved through the peaceful people's movements of the past.
Addressing a special ceremony organized at the Nepal Army Pavilion, Tudhikhel on the occasion of Fourth Republic Day in the capital today afternoon, PM Khanal complained that the ongoing processes of peace and constitution drafting couldn't achieve the desired pace due to the excessive desire for power among the parties as well as adoption of the majority system to form the government.
PM Khanal, however, expressed government's commitment to protect the glorious achievements of all the changes Nepal has seen by institutionalizing democratic republicanism and vowed to fulfill the dreams of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives while fighting for democracy and equality in the country.
Stating that the previous 83 disputed issues seen in the reports submitted by various thematic committees has come down to 22, PM Khanal said he was confident that the ongoing processes of peace and constitution will gain pace due to the five-point deal struck by the political parties to make way for a three-month extension of the Constituent Assembly (CA).
"We were able to save the Constituent Assembly from being dissolved and ensured that the people didn't lose the opportunity to write their own constitution," PM Khanal said talking about Sunday's five-point deal.
He also stressed on the need for political consensus, unity and cooperation to strengthen the hard-earned federal democratic republican set up and make the country developed and prosperous.
President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, Vice-president Parmananda Jha, Constituent Assembly chairperson Subash Nemwang, Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi including senior government officials, security chiefs, national and foreign dignitaries were present during the programme.

HSEB to take re-exam for three papers of grade XII

Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) has decided to conduct re-examination of grade XII for three subjects – Physics, Hotel Management and Computer Science - whose question papers were leaked.
HSEB has scheduled the exams of Physics and Hotel Management for June 12 and that of Computer Science for June 13. It has cancelled the exams of these three papers taken earlier.
Investigation had revealed the question papers had been leaked before the exams.

Monday's Valley bandh called off

The Chhettri Samaj Nepal has withdrawn its bandh (general strike) in the Kathmandu Valley on Monday.
The Samaj agreed to call off the bandh after reaching an understanding with the government during the talks held at the Ministry of Peace Sunday evening.
The Samaj withdrew the bandh as the government side agreed to form a committee to look into the demands of the Samaj.
Demanding status of indigenous nationality for Chhettris, the Samaj enforced bandh in the Valley today, which paralysed normal life from early morning till evening.
Nearly 300 bandh organisers were arrested from different parts of Kathmandu valley today.