Govt approves supplementary grant guidelines

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 23: The government has extended the tenure of the recommendation committee formed for the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority by 35 days.

Following the end of previous CEO Anil Pokhrel’s term, the government began the process of appointing a new CEO for the Authority. For the time being, the Ministry of Home Affairs has appointed Joint Secretary of the Ministry Dr. Bhishma Kumar Bhusal as Acting CEO of the Authority.

Speaking at a press conference organised to make the decisions taken on January 20 public at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Communication Minister, Prithvi Subba Gurung, said that the Cabinet meeting has given approval to table the Bill related to the use and regulation of social media-2024 in the federal parliament.

The government has also decided to recommend President Ramchandra Paudel to summon the winter session of the federal parliament of both the Houses on Friday, January 31 at 1:00 pm. Upon the Cabinet decision, President Paudel on Tuesday (January 21) summoned the winter session of the federal parliament. Similarly, the meeting granted approval in principle for drafting a bill regarding the acquisition of land and immovable property.

The government has given authority to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ink an agreement maintaining equivalence while making agreement between the government of Nepal and Republic of Belarus on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, and official and service passport holders. 

Likewise, the government has given the responsibility of the chairman of National Cooperatives Regulation Authority to Secretary of the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Arjun Prasad Pokhrel. Until the Cooperative Authority gets new chairman through competition, Secretary of the Ministry will act as chairman, according to the Cabinet decision.

Upon the proposal of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, the government has given approval to the Ministry to conduct organisation and management survey of the Ministry and its subsidiaries. 

The government has also transferred Secretary Lok Raj Parajuli of the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons Nepal (CIEDP) to the Office of Attorney General as Deputy Attorney General and Secretary Khem Raj Gyawali of the Attorney General Office to the CIEDP. 

Minister Gurung said that the government has also approved the visit of the Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya from January 23 to 26 to New Delhi, India to attend international conference on 'A Global Election Year 2024: Reiteration and Reclaiming of Democratic Spaces,' National Voter's Day and to observe Republic Parade Day to be held in separate dates. 

Further, the Cabinet meeting has given approval to use government land to the private sector to build infrastructure in the Block B and C of the Bara Special Economic Zone and operate it under PPP model. The government has decided to nominate the name of the Joint Secretary of Ministry of Finance Shree Krishna Nepal to get an appointment as alternative executive director of the Asian Development Bank.

According to Minister Gurung, the government has also approved Supplementary Grant-related Guidelines-2081 and Special Grant-related Guidelines-2081. Also, upon the proposal of the Ministry of Finance, the government has scrapped 'Guidelines related to Partnership Investment-2021,' and 'Cash Transfer Procedure for Extremely Poor Families Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic-2022.'

Also, the government has given approval to acquire approximately 30 ropanis of land in Tinau Rural Municipality-3, Palpa district, for the Nepal Water Supply Corporation, Butwal Water Supply Project.