Palpa, September 2:

Finance Minister Dr Ram Saran Mahat said today that the Nepali Congress does not have an unclear policy on monarchy.

The government is committed to reconstructing the Tansen Durbar, which was destroyed in a Maoist attack, he said.

Inaugurating the 47th Annual General Assembly of Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Tansen, he said that the constituent assembly elections will decide the fate of the monarchy.

Dr Mahat said, “Democracy cannot flourish in an environment of violence.”

“Trade and industry will not flourish in the country until the Maoists’ weapons are managed,” he said.

The government has given tax waiver for the promotion of Palpali cloth (Dhaka) industry, he said.

Meanwhile, the journalism award funded by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Association was given away to journalist Madhav Aryal.

Avayaraj Shakya of the Palpa Secondary School and Sujata Ghimire of the New Horizon School, top scorers of the SLC-2062 from the private schools of the district, were given prizes and letters of appreciation. Thakur Prasad Aryal of the Ganga Secondary School, Sandip Bhattarai of the Bishnu Secondary School and Nisha Poudel of the Damkada Secondary School were also awarded.