The ministers administered the oath of offices and secrecy are CPN-Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara (Information and Communications), Dev Prasad Gurung (Local Development), Hishila Yami (Physical Planning and Works), and Pampha Bhushal (Women, Children and Social Welfare).

Similarly, Minister of State for Water Resources Gynendra Bahadur Karki, promoted to the minister was also administered the oath of office in the function.

However, Maoist leader Matrika Prasad Yadav nominated for the Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation by the party and Minister of State for Labour and Transport Management, promoted to the Minister were absent as they had been out of valley.

Speaker, leaders of various political parties, ministers, parliamentarians, chiefs of the constitutional bodies and secretaries were present on the occasion.

Talking briefly to the media persons at the tea reception following the programme, PM Koirala said the foremost duty of the government onwards is to successfully hold the constituent assembly (CA) elections.

Similarly, the agreement among the seven-party was reached on the basis of the national reconciliation policy of late BP Koirala, PM Koirala said, adding, the present government was also the result of that very policy.

Likewise, leader of the CPN-Maoist, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai also reiterated on holding the CA polls and added that conducive environment was being created by resolving irritants.

He pointed out the need to address misunderstanding and problems left over in the past for creating conducive environment for the polls, and stressed the need to move ahead by getting over misunderstanding.

Leader Bhattarai warned that the Maoists will quit the government if the CA polls is not held on scheduled time.

He said Maoists’ agendas would be to institutionalize Loktantra and federal republic, restructuring of state, progressive economic and social activities in the upcoming polls.

CPN- Maoists had joined the interim government on April 1, 2007 and left the government on September 18, 2007, demanding the republican set up, fully proportional electoral system and fulfillment of their 22-point demands.

Maoists have rejoined the government from today following the 23-point agreement reached among the seven political parties. RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Kathmandu, Dec. 31: The Terai Madhesh Democratic Party has constituted its 17-member Central Working Committee under the chairmanship of former Minister Mahantha Thakur.

The central committee members of the party are Hridayesh Tripathi, Mahendra Prasad Yadav, Ram Chandra Raya, Sarbendra Nath Shukla, Anis Ansari, Ram Chandra Kushwaha, Brishesh Chandra Lal, Srikrishna Yadav, Govinda Prasad Chaudhary, Ram Kumar Chaudhary, Ram Kumar Sharma, Jitendra Sonal, Bishwanath Saha, Satyawati Kurmi, Kritaram Kumhal, Dilip Singh and Sheikh Chandtara.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Central Working Committee of the Party today decided to hold the party’s Commitment Assembly on January 12, 2008 and the Martyrdom Day commemorating the martyrs of the Madhes on January 19, 2008 in Janakpurdham. RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Sarlahi, Dec. 31: General Secretary of the Nepali Congress, Ram Baran Yadav has said the country has reached to an alarming situation due to the politics of disintegration on the basis of ethnicity and regionalism.

Speaking at a press meet organized in Malangwa, Sarlahi district today, he urged the Madhesi community not to be carried away by the cheap slogans around ethnicity and regionalism although they may sound sweet in the present. He warned that its repercussions in the long run would be disastrous.

General-secretary Yadav urged the different armed groups waging struggle in the Madhes to come to shun violence and come to the negotiating table. He called upon them to extend cooperation for the success of the Constituent Assembly election.

He said 99 per cent of the problems of the Tarai have been addressed since most of the demands such as federal system of governance, delineation of the electoral constituencies on the basis of population and the mixed election system with proportionate system, raised by the different agitating groups in the Tarai have been incorporated in the Interim Constitution itself.

He said all the three ecological regions of the country, namely the Tarai, Hilly and Mountainous regions have their unique characteristics and are rich in resources. He stressed the need for exploiting the resources through unity among all.

The cadres of Madhesi Loktantri Morcha waved black flags to Yadav, alleging that he was working against the interests of the Madhesi community. RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Kathmandu, Dec. 31: Intellectuals have pointed out that the crisis of confidence among the ruling partners, impunity and the non-implementation of the agreement signed between the Government of Nepal and the CPN-Maoist are the major challenges of the Constituent Assembly election and the ongoing peace process.

Speakers participating in an interaction on ‘Constituent Assembly Election and Challenges of Peace Process’ organized by the Freedom Forum today said the impediments which led to the deferral of the Constituent Assembly election twice before are still there and suggested that the seven political parties should be united in removing the impediments before the election.

Former Minister Nilambar Acharya called on the seven political parties and the government to move forward without underestimating the capability of the anti-election camp and their conspiracies.

Former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana said there is skepticism among the general public that the April election might also be postponed looking at the working style of the partners of the ruling coalition. He said that the voices raised in the Madhes should be taken in a liberal manner and reliable ways of resolving the problems should be found out.

Journalist Shyam Shrestha suggested the seven parties to fulfill the demands of the Madhesi and indigenous nationalities and to work as per the spirit of the federal republic by removing the king from the Narayanhity Palace.

Professor duo Birendra Prasad Mishra and Yagya Adhikari stressed the need for finding a long-term solution to all the problems surfaced in different parts of the country by abiding by all the past agreements and understandings reached between the seven-party alliance and the Maoist, including the 12-point agreement.

Forum president Taranath Dahal, president of Nepal Bar Association Bishwakanta Mainali, journalist Gopal Thapaliya, former General CB Gurung, political analyst Krishna Pokharel, advocate Sher Bahadur K.C, among others, suggested the government and the seven political parties to work with a focused mind for holding the Constituent Assembly election by mid-April.

The other speakers at the programme stressed the need for immediate resolution of the problems seen in the Terai, for taking action against the people responsible for suppressing the people’s movement and put to an end the state of impunity in the country, for the six parties to detach themselves from their attachment to the king and for the Maoists their attachment to arms and for the sincere adherence to all the agreements and understandings reached so far. RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Kathmandu, Dec. 31: Around Rs. 54.66 Billion has been released till the end of fifth month of current fiscal year - 2064/65 BS.

Ministry of Finance has stated that within the amount, Rs. 37.54 billion was released for current expenditure and Rs. 10.26 billion for capital expenditure. However, Rs. 6.85 billion was released for paying off principal.

The release in current fiscal year shows an increase by 38.2 percent in comparison to the release during same period of last fiscal year.

Similarly, a total of Rs. 44.88 billion has been spent during the period of current fiscal year. The figure is the sum of Rs. 30.94 billion spent in current expenditure, Rs. 7.42 billion in capital expenditure and 6.50 billion in paying off principal.

The expenditure during the period of current fiscal shows an increase by 46.5 percent in comparison to same period of last fiscal year.

According to Nepal Rastra Bank revenue of Rs. 32.36 billion has been collected during the period and it shows an increase by 21 percent in comparison to the revenue raised during the same period of last fiscal year. RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Madhyapur Thimi, Dec. 31: The School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examination of the year is to be held from coming March 17, 2008.

The today's meeting of the Office of the Controller of the Examination has decided to conduct the SLC examination during March 17-27, 2008, said Examination Controller, Harka Prasad Shrestha.

The Constituent Assembly (CA) elections date should be fixed to the day after the completion of the exam on March 27 as the date for election has yet to be set, said educationalists

The regular three-day (March 21-23) has been announced to be holidays for Fagu Purnima (a festival of colour), which happens to fall in between the period of exams, according to the Office.

The examination that started from 7 AM in the morning in previous years would run from 8-11 AM this year, said the Office.

Likewise, around 410 thousand students are expected to appear the exam this year, said Examination Controller Shrestha, adding however number of examinee and exam centers would be finalized after receiving the exam forms. RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Itahari, Dec. 31: President of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, Upendra Yadav has called for constitution of a caretaker government in order to hold the CA elections, as the present Government was not legitimate to hold the elections.

Speaking at a press conference organized at Inaruwa today, he said the seven-party coalition government was a government without popular mandate.

Pointing out that an all-side participation was also necessary to make the CA elections impartial, Yadav said if that happens all the agitating sides in the Terai could take part in the lections.

It is the bigger parties who are talking of a dispute and division among the pahade and madhesi people, he said and described it as an effort to cast a shadow on the problems of the Madhesh.

He also said that inclusion at all levels of the state from policy making to the lower level of administration was essential in order to stop the conflict taking place in the Terai. RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Lalitpur, Dec. 31: The Sajha Publication is to launch various projects on printing and publishing to bring diversity in its publications.

General Manager of the Publication, Ramesh Prasad Bhattarai said they were planning to publish university level books and dictionaries.

The Publication has aimed at publishing university books and dictionaries besides literary books to make it self-dependent with diversity, GM Bhattarai added.

As per the project, publishing the Nepali-English Comprehensive Dictionary of Janardan Bikram Rana, Sanskrit Dictionary of Dr Lilamani Dhungana and Dictionary of Mathematics by Maheshwor Upadyay among others has been initiated.

The university books will be published after the dictionaries. Discussion among various universities in this regard is underway, GM Bhattarai added.

Moreover, the Publication is to bring radical change giving much space to the writers of the marginalized groups, women, indigenous, and dalit community.

Even the youth writers would be encouraged for his literary creation, publishing their outstanding works.

The Publication is making initiatives to formulate laws to protect the copy rights, it is said. RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Kathmandu, Dec. 31: The CPN-Maoist has made it clear that the party rejoined the Government after analyzing the 23-point agreement reached between the seven parties as claiming victory.

This was stated by the Maoist leaders at a press conference organized at the Party’s Parliamentary Party Office today following the rejoining of the interim Council of Ministers.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Information and Communications, Krishna Bahadur Mahara said, “Though some amendments have been made on the basis of a political power balance, majority of our 22-point demands have been fulfilled, we have claimed a victory in this.”

The entry of the county into a federal democratic republic was historical and significant, an agreement has been reached with a specified date of integrating the Maoist army into the national army while agreement was also reached to run relief and rehabilitation programs for the conflict victims, he said while adding that the reason for rejoining the Government was to institutionalize the achievements and to hold the CA elections.

There is no alternative left before us other than the Constituent Assembly and the people have also been demanding for the same, Minister Mahara said and added, “The CPN-Maoist is ready to face any obstacle that comes across in making this main political agenda a success.”

He also expressed the confidence that the Government would change its style of working and move ahead as per consensus.

On the occasion, Minister Mahara also expressed the Party’s concern over the decision made by the meeting of the Council of Ministers yesterday in connection with water resources, despite the conformity of the party joining the Government. RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Madhyapur, Thimi, Dec. 31: The Office of Exam Controller, Sano Thimi has made an arrangement which allows student of diplomatic mission to appear English examination of the School Leaving Certificate from this year.

Exam Controller Harka Prasad Shrestha said that the meeting of SLC board come up with decision after the school where students of diplomatic mission study made a request.

This year, Pakistani citizen of the Kathmandu Valley School, Memona Khalik and Tanmor Ali are to appear SLC examination this year. RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Lalitpur, Dec. 31: The children have demanded the seven political parties to include much more issues of child in their election manifestos so as to prioritize child rights in the new constitution to be framed after the constituent assembly (CA) elections.

A report prepared by a non-governmental organization, Sathsath working in the field of child rights states if the political parties are not committed to child rights, the new constitution would also eclipse various issues related to children.

Executive Director of the organization, Bishwo Bajracharya expressed his dissatisfaction over the legal provision that needs at least 18 year to cast votes.

According to the organization, the report was prepared, reaching among the children and collecting their views.

The children had said they would request their parents to cast vote to the parties which had clear vision on child rights.

Moreover, they have demanded the immediate implementation of child act, formation of national child rights commission, inclusion of children in any of the top body to decide on children’s issues and special focus to the children affected during the armed conflict. RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Butwal, Dec. 31: The 16th national workshop of women legal practitioners ended in Butwal with an 11-point declaration calling on the Nepal Bar Association to amend its statute to ensure women’s 33 per cent representation in its central committee and council members. The workshop also called for inclusion of women in the names recommended by the Bar for different commissions and appointment of senior advocates and judges. It also sought priority for women while appointing paid legal practitioners in courts. The workshop sought amendment to the trend of addressing the judges in court as ‘Sriman’, immediate promulgation of laws to control domestic violence against women and formation of a commission to investigate into excesses committed against women during conflict and to provide relief to the victims. It also called for transformation of the women lawyers’ workshop into women lawyers’ conference and implementation of the declaration of the workshop. The workshop also condemned the killing of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Women lawyers representing 81 units of the Nepal Bar Association took part in the workshop. RSS RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Kathmandu, Dec. 30: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has, in accordance with Article-38 of the Interim Constitution of Nepal, 2063 B.S., appointed seven individuals to the post of Ministers under the present Council of Ministers and also fixed their portfolios. Accordingly, those appointed Ministers include Krishna Bahadur Mahara (Information and Communications), Dev Prasad Gurung (Local Development), Matrika Prasad Yadav (Foreign and Soil Conservation), Hishila Yami (Physical Planning and Works), Ramesh Lekhak (Labour and Transport Management), Gyanendra Bahadur Karki (Water Resources) and Pampha Bhusal (Women, Children and Social Welfare), it is stated in a press statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. RSS RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Biratnagar, Dec. 30: President of Nepal Sadbhavana Party, Rajendra Mahato has claimed that constituent assembly election would not be held unless problems of Madhes are resolved. In the press conference, organized here today by Madhes Media Mission Nepal, he said his party had put forward 19-point demand including establishment of federal system of governance, proportional electoral system and accesses of Madhesi, Dalit, indigenous and nationalities communities in all sectors of state and election would not be held unless these demands are met. President of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, Upendra Mahato alleged that the government tried to resolve Terai Problem under the power of guns, stating that it would further deteriorate the situation. He said there is no alternative for ensuring rights of Terai but to engage in movement and such movement would be begun from January 19. He said 23-point agreement between the government and Maoists was held to end enmity between seven parties and Maoists and added that grand rallies would be organized in Janakpur, Birganj and Nepalganj from January 19. Joint-Coordinator of another party of Terai, headed by Mahantha Thakur, Jayaprakash Gupta said there has been talks among parties of Terai and decisive movement would be held after forging consensus among them. Stating that killings and violence are not attributes of Terai, he said initiatives have been taken to bring agitating armed parties into peaceful movement by shunning arms. RSS RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Kathmandu, Dec. 30: The Nepal Government hasappointed Durgesh Man Singh as Nepalese Ambassador to India after withdrawing the proposed name of Ms. Shaileja Acharya for the post . The meeting of cabinet held this morning at the residence of Prime Minister in Baluwatar decided to appoint Singh as Nepalese Ambassador to India, informed Minister of State for Labour and Transport Management, Ramesh Lekhak. Earlier, the government had proposed the name of Sailaija Acharya, the leader of the Nepali Congress for the post of Ambassador to India. But the government changed its decision following her frail health. Appointment of Ambassador to India has been in limbo for the past few years as political consensus was not reached in this connection. RSS RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Kathmandu,Dec. 30: The National News Agency (Rastriya Samachar Samiti) has extended condolence over unexpected demise of former manager of the agency, Adityadhoj Joshi. Late Joshi is remembered for his important contributions in promoting the agency since its foundation in his capacity as a manager. Wishing for eternal peace to the departed soul, the agency has extended deep condolences to his wife Geeta Joshi and other bereaved members of the family. His contributions in promotion and development of the RSS would be afresh in the memory of all members of the RSS family, it is stated in the condolence. He died of heart attack. Late Joshi was 80 years old. RSS RSSNews http://rss.com.np/ Madhyapur Thimi, Dec. 30: The Education Service Commission (ESC) is to initiate internal promotion of teachers. The Commission has begun procedure for this purpose, said Chairman of the ESC, Udaya Raj Soti, adding, they have initiated to collect statistics from the districts across the country. The ESC is all set to give promotions to the teachers of all primary, lower secondary and secondary levels. There are altogether 109,000 permanent teachers, according to the ESC. Such teachers working for at least five years could apply for the promotion. Among those applied for the promotion, seventy five percent would be promoted as per their work performance while 25 percent by the interview, Chairman Soti added. RSS RSSNews