E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, DEC 21 - The government on Tuesday directed the Nepal Army to begin recruitment of 3,000 Madhesi youths, including those from the Dalit, janjati and backward communities in the region.

The fresh directive issued to the Army after a four-hour-long Cabinet meeting is likely to take the total strength of the Army to over 100,000. The current strength is 92,753, while the total posts in the national army is 95,793. The Cabinet discussed Chhinamasta, Janaki, Birat, Salej and Simrangad as the likely names for the new battalions to be formed.

The decision was taken in line with the four-point agreement signed between the UCPN (Maoist) and the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha, which led to the formation of the current coalition.

Recently, the two sides held a series of meetings to have the agreement implemented, with the Morcha at one point of time threatening to withdraw from the coalition. The other important agendas of the four-point agreement includes addressing the issue of citizenship and introducing a new inclusive bill. The bill has been sent to the Bill Committee of the Cabinet.

The  government was planning to revive 3,000 vacancies in the Army that were scrapped after the Janaandolan II to make way for the Madhesi youths. However, leaders from both the Maoist party and the Morcha had been saying that 2,000 posts would be given to Madhesi youths and 1,000 to the Dalits and backward groups. The Sabuj battalion now has members of the Madhesi community.

The Cabinet meeting is learnt to have discussed providing citizenship to children of those that have acquired citizenship through birth. While ministers from the Morcha are said to have argued that the line ministry concerned--Ministry of Home Affairs--should be given a directive by the Cabinet in that regard, some Maoist ministers are learnt to have argued that providing citizenship to the children of those that have certificates by birth would not be a problem as laws pertaining to it exist.

A Cabinet source said differences on the citizenship issue prolonged the meeting. The Cabinet, the source added, may meet again on Wednesday to resolve the issue. Earlier on Tuesday, a meeting of the major parties was called to address the issue. According to Sadhbhawana party Co-Chairman Laxman Lal  Karna, parties were in agreement that providing citizenship to children of those that have acquired certificates through birth should not be a problem. Karna added that the meeting saw the presence of legal experts like Khim Lal Devokta and Sambhu Thapa.

The Cabinet meet also decided to promote SSPs Gopal Bhandari, Hemanta Malla, Keshav Adhikari and Netra Prasad Acharya as DIGs of Nepal Police. Likewise, the meet also decided that the Maoists would return 57 of the 94 vehicles currently being used by the party.

It also appointed Ajay Shankar Nayak the chairperson and Amresh Mahato and Jaya Prakash Sah members of the Development Committee for Backward Communities.

Posted on: 2011-12-21 03:53

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