Prez’s visit put off

KATHMANDU: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav’s informal visit to India was put off indefinitely on Monday. Dr Yadav was scheduled to leave for India on February 2. President’s press advisor Rajendra Dahal said the visit was put off due to the Indian Prime Minister Dr Man Mohan Singh’s health condition. The Indian PM, who underwent a bypass surgery of heart last week, has been advised to take rest for at least a month. — HNS

NDC hails PM’s speech

KATHMANDU: National Dalit Commission (NDC) on Monday expressed its gratitude to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal for taking up the issues of Dalit people in his address to the nation on Sunday. “We are confident that the government will soon approve the draft bill on National Dalit Rights Commission. We have already submitted the draft to the government,” a press release issued by the commission stated. The NDC also said it was elated to know that a scholarship fund would be established in the name of Martyr Dil Bahadur Ramtel for Dalit students. — HNS

PM meets President

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday met President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to consult with the President about the plan to issue some ordinances, said Rajendra Dahal, Press Advisor to the President. “Though the President’s approval to the ordinances is needed only after their promulgation, the PM has sought the President’s help in good faith,” Dahal said and added that the government wanted to address some of the urgent problems including the problems of education sector through ordinances. — HNS

‘Power cuts a shame’

KATHMANDU: Minister for Water Resources Bishnu Poudel on Monday said the ongoing power outage was a shame for the nation which is considered second richest country in the world in water resources. He said the power cuts would add a new chapter in the annals of Nepal’s history. Addressing the 34th anniversary function of Water and Energy Commission, Poudel said the government was committed to resolve the power crisis and had already outlined the National Energy Crisis Work Plan-2065. Secretary at the ministry Shankar Prasad Koirala, however, said the plan was not the last resort to solve the power crisis. On the occasion, the commission also felicitated its former secretaries. — HNS