BANEPA, Feb 7: Naya Shakti Party Coordinator Dr Baburam Bhattarai has stressed on the need to democratize the structure of political parties active in the country.

Speaking at an interaction program ‘Federalism implementation, naming of province 3 and capital’ in Kaverpalanchowk on Thursday, Dr Bhattarai argued that reforms would not be possible without democratizing parties.

He also criticized the current model of federalism. “The federalism of the country has been designed with preparing concrete bases.”

“Province 3 should be named in a way that would keep ethno-cultural identity of Tamangs and Newars who have majority in the region,” he added.

Also speaking on the occasion, Nepali Congress district secretary Dinesh Lama underlined the need to properly implement constitutionally guaranteed rights of all three tiers of governments to enable local level.

HETAUDA, March 16: The Province 3 government has fixed the salary and allowances of the local people’s representatives.

A meeting of the Province No 3 Council of Ministers on Thursday took the decision in this regard. Province government spokesman and Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning, Kailash Dhungel said the meeting passed a bill on the salary and facilities of the local level people’s representatives which would be tabled in the Province Assembly for its endorsement.

As per the bill, the salary of the Mayor of Metropolitan City is Rs 46 thousand per month. In addition to the salary, the mayor would also get Rs 3,000 as communication facility. The daily travel allowance is fixed at Rs 2,000 within the country and 200 dollars while visiting abroad. The travel insurance would be of one million rupees.

Likewise, the salary of the deputy mayor of the metropolitan city is Rs 40 thousand per month and that of the Ward Chair Rs 28 thousand.

The salary of the Mayor of the Sub-metropolitan City is fixed at Rs 40,200 and that of the Deputy-mayor Rs 35 thousand while the Ward Chair would draw salary of Rs 25 thousand.

The salary of the Mayor of the Municipality has been fixed at Rs 35 thousand, that of the Deputy-mayor at Rs 31 thousand and that of the Ward Chair at Rs 22 thousand.

The bill proposes Rs 31 thousand as the monthly salary of the Rural Municipality chairperson, Rs 27 thousand as the salary of the vice-chairperson and Rs 20 thousand as the salary of the ward chair.

In like manner, the Chief of the District Coordination Committee would draw salary of Rs 46 thousand, which is equivalent to that of the Metropolitan City mayor while the Deputy Chief Rs 40, 200. The DCC chief and deputy-chief would also get monthly communications facility as well as travel allowance.

HETAUDA, Feb 26: A meeting of the Provincial Assembly of Province-3 has passed the proposal of Provincial Assembly Working Procedure Regulation-2074 on Monday.

On the occasion, Coordinator of the Working Procedure Regulation, Rajendra Pandey, urged Provincial Assembly members to pass the Regulation, rising above the partisan interest.

Speaker Sanu Kumar Shrestha postponed the Provincial Assembly meeting until further notice after the approval of the Regulations.

The Regulation has incorporated various issues, including responsibilities, duties and rights of Provincial Assembly Speaker, Deputy-Speaker and members, issues related to public welfare, bill on special rights and behavior of Provincial Assembly members.

Coordinator Pandey said that a new provision was in the Regulation. RSS

Prakash Silwal
HETAUDA, Feb 1: Members at the State Assembly of Province-3 have called for unity among all to maintain political stability and good governance as per the public mandate.

Speaking in the first meeting of the Province-3 here in Hetauda (temporary capital of province) Thursday, members of provincial parliament (MPP) came with these views.

MPPs expressed their views after the senior most member Dormani Poudel who chaired the first meeting read out the letter regarding the calling of parliament session received from chief of the State Anuradha Koirala.

Speaking in the meeting, CPN-UML MPP Ashta Laxmi Shakya focused on political stability, prosperity, good governance and justice with accountability and honesty.

Similarly, CPN (Maoist Center)’s Shalikram Jammarkattel opined for leading the nation on the way to prosperity.

Nepali Congress’s Indra Baniya said that Hetauda was the appropriate place for provincial capital.

Likewise, Sajha Bibeksheel party’s Ramesh Poudel stressed on inclusive democracy.

Nepal Workers and Peasants Party’s Surendra Raj Gosain said that the future journey should be cemented for balanced development rather regional issues and slogans.

Rastriya Prajatantrik Party (Democratic)’s Rina Gurung said that there was still confusion that either the federal system properly functions or not but all should work so as such confusion will be clarified. Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s Rita Majhi and Independent member Prem Bahadur Tamang opined for forming federal government soon to meet the public expectation.

The meeting also unanimously approved the state assembly operation interim work procedure. The procedure was prepared forging consensus among the political parties and would be effective unless the SA endorses new procedure.

The next meeting of the SA is scheduled at 3 PM on February 10 in the same day election for the Speaker will also be held.

Special Correspondent, SAGAR KARKI: CHITWAN, Sept 26: CPN (Maoist Center) chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal has stated that he may not consider entering political alliance to emerge a winner in the upcoming election from constituency no 3 in Chitwan district.

At a press conference organized by Press Centre Chitwan on Tuesday, leader Dahal reiterated that he was not considering entering alliance to contest an election from constituency no 3 (then 4) of Chitwan district in the upcoming election to the House of Representatives.

Asked if he would stand any chance to emerge victorious in the election solely, Dahal replied, “I am confident that there is a high possibility of my win in the election if even I contest all by myself.”

CPN-MC was ranked at third position in the constituency in the last local level election.

The former Prime Minister, however, said that talks were ongoing with other political parties for forging political alliance in view of the twin elections at hand but now they have not reached any conclusions yet.

According to him, the party had made a decision at policy level to enter into electoral alliance only with those who would subscribe to the ideology of Federal Democratic and Republican ideology.

Dahal believed that the people were in favor of CPN-MC although his party was mired in criticism for Bandarmudhe incident in Chitwan.

Dahal-led then CPN-Moist was blamed for a bomb blast in a bus in Bandarmudhe in Chitwan district in 2005 where around five dozens of people died.

Dahal is contesting the upcoming election from the same area. Victim and families of those deceased are hopeful that they would receive compensation by the new leadership they help elect.

Dahal is lately keeping busy with electoral campaign in Chitwan. RSS

CHITWAN, Sept 26: Nepali Congress youth leader Gagan Kumar Thapa has said his claim was for the chief minister of the Province no. 3.

At a press meet organized by Press Union, Chitwan chapter on Tuesday, the former Minister said he wished to head the Province 3 as the CM if the party thought it necessary to give him such responsibility.

“Stronger State is necessary in the federal set-up,” he asserted.

“There is possibility of an electoral alliance in the forthcoming elections as no political parties seem to garner a clear majority, but intra-party discussions were necessary for an official decision on the matter,” he added.

He was of the view that the issue of an alliance should be finalized before the registration of candidacy.

In view of the former Health Minister, the ongoing protest of health professionals was not ethnical as there were other ways to press the government to get their demands addressed. He called upon the protesting doctors to seek a solution to the problem through negotiations. RSS