Govt thankful to people for their patience

KATHMANDU, May 7:  The government on Friday thanked the people for their patience in the face of ongoing strike.



Speaking to mediapersons after a cabinet meeting on Friday, government spokesperson Shankhar Pokharel said, “We want to thank the people for their patience and solidarity for the cause of rights.” [break]



Stating that the Maoist general strike had violated people´s fundamental rights, he said, “The strike has had a negative impact in the country and has violated the basic rights of the people.” He also urged the Maoists to withdraw their strike and come forward for solution to the current crisis through constitutional means.



The cabinet meeting also gave two-year term extension to six colonels -- Bharat Bahadur Baniya, Arun Ghale, Deepak Karki, Prakash Singh Bogati, Deepak Prakash Bharati and Devendra Bahadur Medhasi -- of the Nepal Army.



Likewise, the government decided to form a five-member talk team for purchase of MA 60 aircraft from China.



Meanwhile, Nepal´s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Sushil Amatya has been designated non-resident ambassador to Maldives and ambassador to Germany Suresh Pradhan has been designated non-resident envoy for Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Chez Republic and Poland. The cabinet meeting appointed Bharat Bahadur Chanda as the CEO of Nepal Timber Corporation.



The cabinet also decided to implement the report prepared by parliamentary State Affairs Committee on Nepal Police Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) scam.



A probe sub-committee formed by the Parliamentary State Affairs Committee under Pradip Gyawali to investigate into alleged scam over the purchase of the APCs for Nepal Police in the UN Mission in Sudan has concluded that the police incurred losses worth millions of rupees by purchasing obsolete APCs.



According to the probe report, Nepal Police spent Rs 237 million for the purchase of eight APCs and their spare parts in the beginning. It spent an additional Rs 67.4 million in the last 20 months. Nepal incurred additional losses of over $ 687,225 as the UN refused to reimburse expenses after the self-sustaining logistics, prefab house and others did not meet the standards set by the UN.



The SAC had asked the government to recover the loss from those involved in the APC purchase and immediately make available five APCs and six vehicles, among other safety materials, to the Nepal Police team working in the Peacekeeping Mission.

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