Broadsheet dailies published in Kathmandu have given priority to a host of political, economic and social issues. Most of the papers report that Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara is likely to be elected Speaker of the lower House. Similarly, reports on the UML-Maoist Centre merger bid have also made it to the front pages of the day’s newspapers. Here’s a roundup of important, ignored and interesting reports that made it to the press today:
Important
Mahara likely to be elected Speaker of House of Representatives
The Kathmandu Post reprots that former Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara is all set to take charge as the new Speaker of the House of Representatives as the ruling Left Alliance has agreed to allot the position to a Maoist leader. The paper reports that since the posts of President and Prime Minister have gone to the CPN-UML, the position of Speaker will go the Maoists. Republica salso says that Maoist leaders will finalise Mahara’s candidacy on Friday morning. Annapurna Post says that Maoist chief Prachanda told senior party leaders on Thursday that he wants Mahara to become the new Speaker. Meanwhile. Nagarik reports that Prachanda wants his ‘right hand’ Barsa Man Pun to concentrate his efforts towards the merger process with the UML. Naya Patrika says that Prime Minister Oli is still in favour of electing Subas Nembang as the new Speaker.
Left Alliance leader still working on party merger plan
File imageRepublica says that the taskforce formed to determine the organisational modality for the integration of the UML and the Maoist Centre has proposed that the party be divided into 10 layers. Leaders working to determine the appropriate model to merge the two parties say that there shall be two co-ordination and eight organisation committees in the new party. Janata Post says that the taskforce’s deadline has elapsed but leaders are still sorting out the details of the merger deal. Naya Partika says that the merger is likely to be announced on April 22.
Ignored
Incentives galore for civil servants
Naya Patrika in its main story for the day says government employees are drawing up to 121 per cent of their salary as ‘incentives.’ The paper says that 10,000 government employees are getting performance-related bonuses. Similarly, officials working at the Parliament Secretariat were drawing allowances even when the House wasn’t in session. Staffers working at offices such as the Office of the President and Vice-president have also been given incentive-based pay even as there’s not much work to be done in those offices.
Ignored
Lumbini Airport: Chinese contractor gets one more year
Karobar reports that the Chinese Contractor working on the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa has received an extension of one year to complete the project. The report says that this is the second time that the deadline has been extended. Last time around, the deadline had been extended by six months. According to the paper, only 30 per cent of the work has been completed so far. More than 90 per cent of the work should be complete by June, but that looked highly unlikely and for that reason, the government decided to extend the deadline, officials told the paper.
Interesting
Province 1 to produce 56o MW electricity
Karobar reports that 10 districts in Province 1 will soon produce more than 560 MW of electricity. According to the NEA, there are seven projects nearing completion in the Province. The report says that there are five ongoing projects in Panchthar, 10 in Ilam and 7 in Sankuwasabha. Similarly, 14 MW of power will soon be produced in Taplejung, seven in Khotang and four in Terhathum.
Govt spending Rs 1 billion every year on medical aid
Karobar reports that the government is spending over Rs 1 billion a year as medical aid to Nepali suffering from eight different diseases. According to the report the government provided such medical aid to 33,488 people in the last fiscal. Their bill totalled Rs 1.25 billion, the report says. Most of the patients are suffering from heart ailments, cancer, kidney ailments, cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, spina injure, head injure and sickle cell anemia, says the report.
