THE HIMALAYAN UNIVERSE

ADB grant in millions to boost local govt bodies Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, October 22: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has come forward to help Nepal improve local governance and promote community development. The international body has pledged a grant worth $106.3 million. The aid will be disbursed in three phases. It will support the active engagement of communities in local governance, improve resource management and dispensation of service. Local government agencies will play a key role in implementation of the much-needed project. Perhaps, the ADB grant could not have come at an opportune time for the Maoist-led government, which is gradually veering towards a federal structure. In fact, the Three-Year Interim Plan (fiscal 2008-2010) has put forth decentralisation as the primary means for good governance. “It will support the government’s move. Local bodies can be strengthened as it will prompt them to take several community initiatives. There is a greater focus on inclu...

In a recent Nepali Congress Central Working Committee Meeting, Former PM Girija Prasad Prasad Koirala sated that they should be ready for the formation of next government as the Maoist lead government is going to come down soon. Many people thought at some point as usual, Girija without power is a real danger. Nepali congress has ruled country for more than 80% of the time since the first democratic move that established a multiparty system of government in 1990. However, there are persons, who think that Maoists should be given oportunity to implement people centric policies, because no other parties are so clear as they are in this - be it the state structuring, federalism or abolishment of monarcy in Nepal. Dr Sundar Mani Dixit, a medical doctor spoke on this recently. The following news is taken from telegraphnepal.com Nepal: Let Maoist implement people centric polices, Dr. Dixit TGW Dr. Sundarmani Dixit, a renowned civil society member has said that the Maoists were the last hope ...

Nepal's Constituency Assembly elected Puspa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" as the Primeminister of Nepal on August 15, 2008. His background: 10 years revolution (February, 1996-February 2006) that saw 13000 Nepalese lives lost and many disappeared and unknown against the 240 years old Feudal Monarchy and failed parliament. Nepal is already declared a Democratic Republic of Nepal on 26 May, 2008. King moved to a secluded residence in the forest. The Maoists who fought from the Forest have entered the city. With Prachanda's election as Primeminister, a new era in Nepal begins. Many people still fear that the Maoists may begin a communist republic type of governance in Nepal. But there are others who say that the Maoists are well aware of the 21st century reality - the globalization, humanrights and respect for plurality. There was the doubt about what would happen in the peace process if the maoists were denied the power that they were chosen by the people. With the election o...

Nepal has more than 100 castes and similar number of languages. The homegeniety of a caste exists only at community level. There are a mix of communities of different castes interspersed. At a larger say a smallest planning unit level, the castes are mixed to form a very heteregenous society. Newest Republic, Nepal now faces a plethora of demands from each caste/ethnic group. IRIN, a UN news Agency has covered some essence. This is given below as it is. Thanks to IRIN News. NEPAL: Analysts warn of rising ethnic tensions KATHMANDU, 14 August 2008 (IRIN) - Failure to address the grievances of Nepal’s various indigenous and ethnic groups may result in further ethnic tension, warn analysts. Photo: Naresh Newar/IRIN Thousands of Pahade families have been displaced over the past year due to commnal tensions between the Madhesi and Pahade Speaking to IRIN in the capital, Kathmandu, they said the country’s top political parties in the Constituent Assembly (CA) must prioritise the formation of...

Yesterday's post consisted of an interesting article from a political analyst of India from their website www.indiareacts.com. Today another interesting story woven by a Nepali political analyst from www.telegraphnepal.com . It is hard to believe in some of the articles in this portal. However, it is interesting to read. All that said, will there be Nepali politicians standing on their own feet, ever? The old genre of Nepali politicians is experienced without much academic hardwork in their lives. However, the new ones are definitely the ones who at least had been to the college and university - most of them. May be this is the reason the government should be run by new and young ones with the support from the senior peers. Here is the thought provoking article from the Telegraph Nepal US scanner TGW Analyst Kathmandu: If what the analysts have understood of Nepal’s Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, the politics of consensus that have been agreed upon by the Nepali Congress, t...

Sometimes it is very interesting to ponder over the fate of Nepal. So many forces are interested in her, reigning a chaos making difficult to navigate the political quagmires. The following article is copy-pasted from IndiaReacts Midwifing Nepal India must assist the Maoists into the mainstream, says N.V.Subramanian. 24 July 2008: India should beware that the Maoists' defeat in Nepal's presidential election has not been to China's liking. The Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist chairman, Prachanda, has been published by Xinhua in a tilted commentary saying, "There is a big reactionary conspiracy of foreign powers after we won the faith and belief of (a) large crowd of people. Nepal's politics has clearly signified a great danger of anti-revolution." Prachanda did not name the foreign powers allegedly conspiring against the Maoists, but India would figure prominently in them, preceded or followed by the United States. Even if the Chinese were meddling, Prachanda wo...

Ex-King’s dinner diplomacy, President Yadav invited TGW Nepal’s last monarch Gyanendra Shah has sent a congratulatory message to the First President of the Republic of Nepal, His Excellency Dr. Ram Baran Yadav. As per the reports, Gyanendra Shah’s message to the President was delivered by Pashupati Bhakta Maharjan-ex-King’s Chief Secretary. Upon meeting President Yadav, Maharjan extended ex-King Gyanendra’s invitation for an exclusive dinner with Dr. Yadav. To add, latest reports have it that Gyanendra Shah has begun holding Business Consultations with some Indian businessmen. “Ex-King Gyanendra mainly discussed how to smoothly run his business ventures in Nepal”, writes the Samacharpatra Daily today, July 28, 2008. Excerpts of Ex-King’s message to the President follows: “I would like to congratulate you for being elected as the first president of Nepal by the Constituent Assembly...” “I hope that during your tenure as the president of Nepal, you will work towards strengthening Nepali ...