Discussion on poverty

DAILEKH: An introductory interaction was held here on Thursday on the target programmes for poverty alleviation to be launched in 25 districts including Dailekh by the Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF). The programmes aim at increasing the living standards of the ultra-poor and poor and their participation. The PAF aims to decrease poverty to 19 per cent by 2015, and that four main strategies have been taken for the same, said Action Manager Om Prasad Poudel. Twenty organisations have presented their proposals in Dailekh and are working now, said Action Manager of Dailekh, Dhanraj Shaha. Chief District Officer Khumraj Punjali said the organisations should be more responsible. — RSS

NHRC to begin probe

KATHMANDU: The National Human Rights Commission’s team on Friday left for Palpa to probe Tuesday’s attack in Tansen. The three-member team comprises NHRC member Sudip Pathak and other NHRC officials Yagya Prasad Adhikari and Dhani Ram Sapkota, said an NHRC statement. The commission’s another team led by NHRC member Ram Dayal Rakesh that proceeded towards the site on Thursday has not been able to reach the spot due

to obstacles in the road, the statement said. — HNS

House bombed

Rautahat: A group of four Maoists detonated a powerful bomb at the house of Rajib Nayan Singh, a deputy mayoral candidate of the Gaur municipality, at Sisriya of Gaur municipality-8, in Rautahat, yesterday night, a district-based security source said. Singh is an activist of the Kamal Thapa-led Rastriya Prajatantra Party. Three rooms of the house were partially damaged in the explosion, SP Keshav Prasad Adhikari, said, adding, the search for

the Maoists was on. —HNS

Names withdrawn

Rajbiraj: Anilkumar Das and Pawan Soni, chairmen of ward nos 4 and 1, respectively of the Rajbiraj municipality, issuing a press release on Friday said they have withdrawn their candidacies. They also said they were denied entry into the election office, where they had gone for canceling their candidacies. Similarly, unopposed elected ward members, Bechuprasad Upadhyaya of ward no 9, Surendrakumar Yadav and Amarnath Raya of ward no 4 and Shivkumar Mandal of ward no 6 said they have resigned from their posts. Likewise, Gangadevi Mandal, a candidate to the post of member of ward no 7, has announced cancellation of her candidacy.—HNS

Bomb found

CHARIKOT: Security forces found a time bomb near the house of newly-elected mayor of Bhimeshwor Municipality, Shyam Bahadur Shrestha, on Friday, district-based security sources said. The locals had informed the security force after seeing the suspicious object. — HNS

Campaigner shot at

BIRGUNJ: An election campaigner, Birendra Patel, was injured when two persons shot at him on Friday, police said, adding that Patel was attacked at the house of Madan Yadav, a candidate contesting the polls for the post of ward chairman of Birgunj-19. The two persons fled after shooting at Patel. Patel has been undergoing treatment at the Narayani Sub-

Regional Hospital. — HNS