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Chief Secretary Dr Baikuntha Aryal has insisted on the collective efforts to reduce maternal mortality rate acknowledging that the government's sole measures are not sufficient to combat it.

The Chief Secretary said so while addressing 'a high-level policy dialogue on the status of maternal mortality in Nepal and the roles of stakeholders' organized by the Ministry and Health Population on Wednesday.

The achievement in the reduction of maternal mortality rate in recent times was significant, he said. "However, special initiations and actions are needed to meet the target of reducing it to 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030."

He said the capacity enhancement of local levels with the allotment of additional support to them was needed so that they could contribute to meet the target.

Moreover, he underscored the importance of strengthening health institutions and empowering health workers to minimize maternal mortality.

On the occasion, a document containing major findings from a study of maternal mortality rate conducted by the Ministry at the national and provincial levels was released.

The participants of the program stressed the need of prioritizing the issue of maternal mortality and its reduction in the formulation of the 16th Periodic Plan.

They were of the view of introducing and implementing effective strategies against the issue, increasing the effectiveness of the Air Ambulance Program, proper management of skilled human resources in the health sector and the availability of quality health services to achieve the target in the containment of maternal mortality.

The government has clarified that it will not form a high-level probe committee to investigate the latest gold smuggling case.

At a time when the main opposition CPN-UML has been obstructing the Parliament proceedings demanding formation of a probe committee, the government on Thursday made it clear that it will not form another committee saying that the ongoing investigation will be affected by it.

Saying that the powerful department of the government is investigating the case, government spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma said that there is no room for suspicion.

She further said that the government is almost getting to the root of the gold smuggling case, urging all not to affect the investigation in the name of another committee.

“Probably, this gold would not have been seized, had the government not been serious. The Department of Revenue Investigation is the powerful department of the government. We believe that forming another committee will hamper the investigation of the Department of Revenue Investigation,” Minister Sharma said during a press conference organized in Singha Durbar on Thursday.

Saying that the government is committed to reaching the root of the gold smuggling, she urged all not to harbor doubt.

“Whatever the government is doing, it is trying to reach the root of the case. The investigation is moving ahead in an effective way. We have to wait for sometime to see the result,” she said.

The CPN-UML on Thursday obstructed the National Assembly meeting demanding formation of a high-level probe committee to investigate the one quintal gold smuggling case.

As soon as the meeting began, UML lawmaker Bhairav Kumar Shrestha said they would not allow the National Assembly proceed with its business until the government forms a high-level probe committee.

He also said that the UML would not be a mute spectator in the latest gold smuggling case.

Shrestha suspected that the people in the government were also involved in the gold smuggling scam.

Saying that he would draw the attention of the government towards the issue, National Assembly Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timilsina urged the UML to create a conducive environment to operate the meeting smoothly.

After the UML lawmakers refused to give up their stance despite repeated requests, Chairperson Timilsina said that the meeting has been postponed till August 7.

The CPN (Maoist Center) is not a political party in a strict sense, Maoist chair and prime minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda,’ has said.
In his opening remarks at the fourth meeting of the party’s Central Committee, which began in Kathmandu on Wednesday, he said that there was an urgent need to reform the party, and presented some of his plans.  

“I have said this in the past as well. We have a huge line of leaders and workers, but the party is not like a party.” Dahal said that the Maoist Center must start a campaign to rebuild a communist party in a true sense. For that, he directed the Central Committee members to take the responsibility of party  reconstruction and reformation by conducting debates and discussions in a disciplined manner.

After the formation of the government under the leadership of his party, Maoist Chair claimed that the people are hopeful about the country’s future, and that this was the perfect time for the Maoist party to launch a party rebuilding campaign.The Central Committee meeting also decided to amend the party statute to increase women representation and include new leaders in the central member roster. With the passing of this proposal, the number of Maoist central members will now be 409. There are currently 199 alternate central members. 

In the meeting, Dahal also submitted an organizational proposal to hold a legislative conference after conducting a three-month campaign to strengthen the party organization.  “A three-month campaign will be conducted to strengthen the party and after that, the Statute Convention will be held,” Dahal has mentioned in the proposal. The campaign is set to take place from August through October. It is mentioned that 6,743 ward committees will be formed across the country and all the ethnic fronts will include at least 10 percent of their population. 

The party also plans to digitize all committees, make an annual calendar, hold a legislative conference in November, assign party secretaries with the responsibilities of overseeing the provinces, and deploying all central members to the ward levels for party rebuilding.. Dahal has also proposed unity with those forces that share similar ideas with the Maoists.