E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, MAR 18 -

In yet another setback to the beleaguered ruling coaltion, the Cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday was suspended at the eleventh hour after the ruling partners failed to settle the wrangle over the appointment of plum positions and the Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) contract.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sujata Koirala said the meeting could not take place as some of the contentious issues are still to be agreed. She, however, expressed her belief  that the next cabinet meeting slated for tomorrow will make decisions on all the pending appointment and the MPR contract.

Koirala, who has been adamant on granting the contract to supply MRPs, reiterated her stand that the contract should be awarded to India as the time is running out.

Likewise, Minister for Industry Commerce and Supplies Rajendra Mahato and Minister for Physical Planning and works Bijaya Gachhadar claimed that their parties should get their share in the appointment of chiefs and members for the vacant constitutional bodies.

NC, UML agree Khatiwada as new NRB Governor

Earlier today, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal’s press advisor Bishnu Rijal informed that the NC and UML had agreed to pick  National Planning Commission (NPC) Vice Chair Dr. Yubaraj Khatiwada as the new NRB Governor.

The major two allies of the ruling coalition—the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML—were sharply divided over the appointment of the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Governor.

The post of NRB governor has been lying vacant for over two months as the government could not pick the nominee for the post .

The UML-led coalition had appointed Khatiwada, a resident of Jhapa, as the NPC vice chair on June 22. He was also picked as NPC member by the previous government under UML quota.

The Governor recommendation committee had recommended the names of deputy governor Bir Bikram Rayamajhi, Finance Secretary Rameshwor  Khanal, along with Khatiwada for the post.

The NC had been pushing for appointing either deputy governor Bir Bikram Rayamajhi or Finance Secretary Rameshwor Khanal in the post citing that Khatiwada was affiliated to a party. On the other hand, the UML had been sticking to its stand that Khatiwada should be appointed in the post, saying that he would be the right candidate at a time of financial crisis and his expertise as a monetary economist would be an advantage to deal with the crisis.

 

Posted on: 2010-03-18 12:00

Post Your Comment

Please note that all the fields marked * are mandatory.
* Full Name
* Address
* Email Address
* Comment
* Captcha	Get another CAPTCHA code
Note:	Comments containing abusive words or slander shall not be published.