Kathmandu:Minister for Commerce and Supplies Lekh Raj Bhatta today assured students that the government will provide 50 per cent concession to students on petroleum products, as per their demand.

The ministry is preparing to table the issue in the next Cabinet meeting, said the minister while talking to representatives of student unions aligned to UML and UCPN-Maoists.

“I will raise the issue of providing 50 per cent concession to students and the poor in the Cabinet meeting,” Bhatta told students of All Nepal National Free Student’s Union (ANNFSU) and All Nepal National Independent Student’s Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R).

ANNFSU has been demanding the government repeal the recent hike in price of petroleum products, provide 50 per cent concession to students, form a high-level commission to probe financial irregularities within Nepal Oil Corporation and adjustment petroleum prices only once in every year. Rachana Khadka, vice-president of the union, said as the minister was positive towards students’ demands, she was hopeful that it would be fulfilled this time.

Khadka said the union’s protest programmes have been put on hold, adding that the government should adopt dual pricing like in India. “The government should set two different prices — one for general public, students and another for businesses,” she said. Ratna Dhakal, secretariat member of ANNISU-R, warned that if the minister failed to fulfill commitment, students will resort to protests.

source: The Himalayan Times,12 Oct 2011