Kathmandu, Oct. 24

The Council of Ministers on Friday recognised Nepal Sambat (the Newari era) as national and decided to form a committee to study different calendars, including the Bikram Sambat and the AD (Anno Domini).The Bikram era is traditionally in practice in Nepal, while the AD has for long been adopted worldwide.

"Today’s cabinet meeting decided to recognise Nepal Sambat as a national era," government spokesperson and Minister for Information and Communications Krishna Bahadur Mahara informed the media after the meeting of the Council of Ministers at Singha Durbar.

Shankha Dhar Sakhwa, a resident of Kathmandu valley, is said to have started Nepal Era by liberating the bonded labourers. The calendar is followed by the Newari community in Nepal and its New Year is celebrated by them. This year in the Nepal era is1228 and its New Year is just five days away.

He added that the meeting also decided to form a committee to study on changing of the fiscal year. "The meeting also decided to form a committee to study the Bikram Sambat and AD."

Minister Mahara said that the cabinet meeting would sit on Saturday to take some major decisions. It was expected that today’s meeting would take decisions on issues like transfer of government secretaries, and high level police officials.

Meanwhile, the meeting of four major parties held in Singh Durbar Friday could not form the special committee for army integration.

"The talks are continuing," Mahara told journalists. "We hope to finalise it by tomorrow."

Nepali Congress vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel, however, said that today’s meeting agreed in principle that the committee would be headed by a non-Maoist representative. "We could not finalise the shape of the committee because Maoists wanted to have two of their representatives in it," senior opposition leader Poudel said.