Govt not to bear Jha's India tour expenses

KATHMANDU: A Cabinet meeting today decided that the government will not

bear the expenses of Vice-President Paramanda Jha’s private visit to India.

Jha had demanded the government provide expenses for his pilgrimage to Haridwar, India.

“The government will not bear the expenses of Jha’s visit as it is a private one. However, the government will bear the expenses of his security personnel during the visit,” said Sarat Singh Bhandari, Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation.

The Cabinet also approved directives prepared to set up a fund to felicitate senior journalists. The meeting approved the Information Technology Policy, 2066.

The government has also decided to provide additional allowance and facilities to class-less civil servants, the minister said.

The meeting also approved the directives to establish a welfare fund for conflict-hit journalists. Criteria for the identification of conflict-hit journalists have been mentioned in the directive.

The government also extended the term of the high-level task force formed to recommend the government on the criteria and definition of martyrdom. The Cabinet had formed the task force under CPN-UML leader Modanath Prashrit on November 18.

The Cabinet also allowed the Ministry of Agriculture and

Cooperatives to sign an agreement with Israel on receiving agricultural co-operation.