Kathmandu, February 24, 2006

In the coming months, subscription for cable TV is unlikely to be affordable for most people. At least, this is what the government imposed digitalised cable TV operating system means. After this system is introduced, subscribers will be spending an additional Rs 7,000 for a “set-up box”, paying a minimum of Rs 650 for free channels separately and paying extra for each pay channel. The government decided to impose the Conditional Access System (CAS) on cable TV operators in September 2005 in 12 cities. The operators are supposed to file applications for licence by March 6, this year. It is projected that it will be implemented by or before September, 2006. Targeted cities are Biratnagar, Dharan, Itahari, Janakpur, Birgunj, Hetauda, Bhatatpur, Pokhara, Butwal, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj and Kathmandu Valley. Entrepreneurs lament this system will cost the cable TV operators more than Rs 5 billion, which they will perforce collect from consumers. It is estimated there are there are 270,000 subscribers in Kathmandu Valley. In total, there are 800,000 consumers in the 12 targeted cities. State Minister for Information and Communication Shrish Shamsher Rana today said the government is committed to implementing CAS. “It will start at any cost. It is expensive but the operators can recover their costs,” he said.

50 years of Nepal-Japan ties marked

Kathmandu, February 24, 2006

New logos of the Japanese embassy were launched and the Coordinating Council for Golden Jubilee Celebration of Nepal-Japan Diplomatic Relations, and the Japanese Association (Nihonjinkai) and Cooperation Committee for the 50th Anniversary of Japan-Nepal Diplomatic Relations, were set up at a function held at the residence of the Japanese ambassador, Tsutomu Hiraoka, today. Logos were exchanged between the Coordinating Council for Golden Jubilee Celebration of Nepal-Japan Diplomatic Relations and the Cooperation Committee for the 50th Anniversary of Japan-Nepal Diplomatic Relations. Speaking at the function, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ramesh Nath Pandey, said a people-

level relationship should exist between Japan and Nepal in the light of Asia’s growing role in the days ahead. “The world is changing fast and a new world order is being established. An individual country’s perspective is also changing. In such a context, the whole world is looking at Asia with greater interest,” said Pandey, while appealing to foreign donors to invest in Nepal. Japanese envoy Hiraoka said that Japan has been continuously extending economic and technical cooperation for the development of Nepal. The support covers areas like health, education, energy, transport, drinking water and environmental conservation, Hiraoka said.