- Sunday, 17 November 2024
Kankrevihar (Surkhet), June 11: Chief Minister of Karnali Province, Yamlal Kandel, has said that collaboration and cooperation with the private sector will yield development results.
Inaugurating motorboat service at Bulbule Lake in Surkhet today, he said that there is no option but for the public and private sector to move forward together to realize the potential of Karnali.
Chief Minister Kandel said that the tendency of the government to develop programs based on the budget has not yielded results. “The budget should instead be prepared based on the program designed as per the needs of the people.”
He said that the government is focusing on the development of Bulbule Lake and the adjoining areas in order to promote tourism in Karnali.
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08- FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Nepal facing Yemen tonight
Kathmandu, June 11: Nepal is playing against Yemen in the final game of the second round of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers today.
The match is being held at the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam, Saudi Arabia and will start at 11:45 later tonight. Yemen is playing its home game in Saudi Arabia.
Nepal, which is in Group ‘H’, had faced defeat in all the five matches it has played so far in the qualifiers.
Earlier. Nepal lost 0-2 to Yemen in the first match,
The Nepali team led by goalkeeper Kiran Kumar Limbu comprises Bishal Sunar, Abhishek Baral, Abhishek Limbu, Ananta Tamang, Bimal Pandey, Bishal Basnet, Tshering Lama, Saubhagya Rai, Sanish Shrestha and Rohit Chand.
Bharat Khawas, Laken Limbu, Manikumar Lama, Manish Dangi, Suman Shrestha, Basant Jimba and Ashish Rai, Jelepsi Jung Karki, Hishub Thapalia, Sanjeev Bista, Ayush Ghalan and Ashik Babu Chaudhary.
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09- SAARC should be made dynamic: lawmaker Panta
Kathmandu, June 11: Lawmaker of the CPN (UML), Raghuji Panta, has laid emphasis that all SAARC member countries should work together to make the regional association dynamic.
Speaking during urgent hour of today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, he expressed the view that Nepal in capacity as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Chair should take proactive measures to bring effectiveness to the important bodies and structures of SAARC.
“SAARC University is based in New Delhi and SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu. Nepal could propose hosting the SAARC summit if any dispute arises”, said leader Panta.
He demanded that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ address the parliament about the SAARC-related issues and concern, and also brief the House of his recent India visit. Prime Minister Dahal had left for India on Sunday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The PM should inform the parliament about his recent India visit. It is the special prerogative of the parliament. The Speaker should make a clear ruling in that regard”, lawmaker Panta said.
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10- Varied issues of public concern aired during HoR zero hour
Kathmandu, June 11: House of Representatives (HoR) members have raised several pressing issues ranging from the rescue of mules following the snap of the cable of a suspension bridge over the Karnali River to a growing shortage of drinking water in the Terai-Madhesh region.
They were airing their views during the zero hour of the lower house today.
The MPs drew the government’s attention to various matters including the urgency to ensure compensation for the losses caused by a recent strong wind in the Madesh province, as well as the need to rescue those Nepalis detained in Tibet.
On the occasion, Prem Suwal demanded that the Prime Minister and ministers inform the House about the agenda of foreign visits prior to embarking on such trips.
Basudev Ghimire apprised the House about soaring temperatures in the Terai region and the need to intensify afforestation and conserve ponds and rivers.
Bindhyabasini Kansakar highlighted the need to work more to promote mental health in society, urging the government to launch a dedicated hotline service towards that end.
Bina Devi urged the government to ensure irrigation facilities in the Madesh Province while Binita Kathayat said around 1,300 households in north Mugu are grappling with the crisis of drinking water, demanding the government immediately address the problem.
Bimala Subedi utilised the time to call on the government to accelerate roadway construction endeavours in Nuwakot.
Pushpa Bahadur Shah expressed his concern over the deaths of mules in wait for rescue following the snap of a suspension bridge over the Karnali River in Achham. A total of 24 mules were trapped in the snapped bridge and 12 were rescued alive. He apprised the House that movement along the bridge had remained suspended after the incident. The halt of the people movement on the bridge has caused a significant inconvenience to the locals and it should be repaired promptly, he stressed.
Purna Bahadur Gharti Magar expressed his concern over the negligence of contractors in the development projects in Baglung while Pratiksa Tiwari urged the government to focus on alleviating poverty in the Kathmandu Valley instead of evicting those belonging to the indigent community.
Pradeep Paudel stressed that service seekers deserve good treatment in government offices and fast service.
Prabhu Shaha and Prabhu Hajara demanded that the government provide relief and compensation to those affected by the storm in Bara and Parsa a week ago.
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11- Ministers-Gurung, Devkota take oath of office
Gandaki, June 11: Newly appointed ministers of Gandaki Province government, Rajeev Gurung (Deepak Manange) and Phanindra Devkota have taken oath of office and secrecy.
Amidst a programme organised at a meeting hall of Gandaki Province-based Nepal Tourism Board today, Province Chief Dilli Raj Bhatta administered oath of office and secrecy to the ministers.
Gurung has been appointed as Minister for Physical Infrastructures and Transport while Devkota as the Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Water Supply.
Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey, Speaker Krishna Prasad Dhital, ministers of Gandaki Province government and high-ranking officials were present on the occasion.
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12- NC leader KC urges party leadership to adhere to rules, system
Chitwan, May 11: Nepali Congress (NC) leader Arjun Narsingh KC has underlined the need to run the party adhering to rules and system.
In his address to a programme to commemorate the 15th memorial day of Shailaja Acharya organised by the Nepali Congress (NC) Chitwan-3 here today, the leader said the party’s senior leadership should be aware of the necessity to comply with the rules and established procedures while operating the party.
He pressed the need to resolve intra-party problems and to further strengthen the party unity. KC called the entire party hierarchy to acknowledge the contribution of late Acharya to Nepali politics and follow the path she charted during her political career.
Shailaja, the first woman Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal, is revered as a revolutionary political figure. She passed away on 29th of Jeth, 2066 BS (June 12, 2009) at the age of 65.
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13- Central and Western Tarai likely to experience excessive heat for three days
Kathmandu, June 11: Excessive heat has been forecast for the next three days in the central and western Tarai regions. The Meteorological Forecasting Division under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has said temperatures in some parts of the southern plains of Sudurpaschim and Lumbini provinces have soared to 40 degrees Celsius or above in recent days.
In its special bulletin today, the Division forecasts the occurrence of a heat wave for the next three days beginning today. It has urged one and all to take precautions against the adverse weather conditions.
Fatigue, weakness, increased thrust, headache, muscle camp, dizziness, muscle pain, vomiting, and even unconsciousness are the consequences of the heat wave.
The Division has prescribed staying indoors in cool areas, wearing lightweight cotton clothing, avoiding direct sun exposure, wearing hats when outdoors, and consuming plenty of fruits, water, and fluids such as fresh juice to mitigate the risk of heat wave implications.
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14- Political instability hinders development in Koshi: CM Karki
Biratnagar, June 11: Chief Minister of Koshi Province, Hikmat Kumar Karki, has said the prolonged political instability has hampered the implementation of significant projects in the Koshi Province.
He made this remark while inaugurating a meeting of the Province Development Council here today.
The Chief Minister said concerns to be raised during the meeting will be addressed through a new budget for the Province. He proposed the idea of developing the Mahakumbha region which lies on the bank of the Koshi River to promote religious tourism.
Former Finance Minister Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada acknowledged the lack of coherence and coordination between the federal and the province governments in implementing development projects. He advised the Koshi government to do its best to explore development potentials in the areas of water resources, agriculture, and energy, setting an example.
Council member and CPN (Maoist Centre) Koshi province parliamentary party leader Indra Bahadur Angbo said the effective enforcement of federalism is awaited and the province government is responsible for coming up with plans and projects capable of encouraging the young generation.
Province Planning Commission’s Vice Chair Dr Rajendra Adhikari was of the view of stabilizing the economic growth rate and enabling an atmosphere conducive to attracting foreign investment.
Commission secretary Mimans Adhikari said submissions of 10,000 people were sought in the course of drafting the second Periodic Plan for the Province and the meeting aimed to further enrich the submission documents.
The meeting was attended by province ministers, Commission office-bearers, and secretaries from various ministries, Council members, presidents of thematic committees in the Koshi Province Assembly, and mayors and chairs of the local levels.
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15- Madhes Province unveiling polices, programmes for coming fiscal year
Janakpur, June 11: Madhes Province government is scheduled to present its policies and programmes for coming fiscal year 2024/25 today.
According to the Province Assembly Secretariat, the policies and programmes would be presented in today’s meeting of the Province Assembly.
Province Chief Sumitra Subedi Bhandari shall, in accordance with Article 184 (2) of the Constituton, would read out the annual policies and programmes of the government for coming fiscal year 2025/25 at the PA.
As per the constitutional provision, the budget of the province should be presented by Asar 1 of the Lunar Calendar after approving the policies and programmes.
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16- NA members complain about govt. indifference to their concerns
Kathmandu, June 11: National Assembly members have complained about the government’s indifference and lack of accountability to the issues related to people’s livelihood that they have point out in the NA meetings.
Speaking during zero hour of today’s meeting, MP Kamala Pant said though we talk about people’s livelihood in the Parliament it does not seem that the government has heard any of it. The government should respond to the issues raised by MPs at least once a week.
MP Krishna Prasad Paudel said that meteorologists have predicted more rain than usual this year, with an estimated 1.8 million people to be affected due to floods and inundation in Tarai. So what is the plan of the government to minimize loss to people’s life and property? He asked.
MP Gomadevi Timilsina said that although there are 56 small and big airports in the country only 13 of them are of international and regional level with 12 airports turned into cattle ranches.
Member of Parliament Durga Gurung drew the attention of the government to the problem of low voltage power supply in Birendranagar in Surkhet.
MP Narayanadatta Mishra drew the government’s attention to the fact that flooding is always a problem in Tikapur, Bhajani and Joshipur in the Sudurpaschim.
MP Bhuwan Bahadur Sunar said although the government has given priority to agriculture there is a problem of storage of agricultural produce, especially fruits.
MP Madan Kumar Shah drew the government’s attention to the fact that Nepali youths have joined the Russian army and many of them have died and some have gone missing.
Member of Parliament Yubaraj Sharma demanded to make public the report of the commission formed to look into the arrears of electricity tariffs of the industries operating in Nepal.
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17- Vice President concerned about climate change and economic instability
Patan (Lalitpur), June 11: Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav has expressed his concern about climate change, environmental degradation, social inequality and economic instability.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 30th International Conference on Sustainable Development Research organized by Midwesten and Nepal Open University here today, he expressed his concern that the challenges facing the world as of late including climate change, environmental degradation, social inequality and economic instability are growing big and complex.
“Promotion of renewable energy, forest protection, sustainable agriculture and efforts to empower rural communities through eco-tourism are some important examples of maintaining a harmonious relationship with the nature,” he said.
Stating that the efforts of a single country will not be enough to reduce the effects of climate change, he emphasized that no country can address the global challenges alone and that a global solution to all these challenges is necessary.
Vice President Yadav expressed his belief that the conference would help enhance the spirit of global cooperation and encourage all to move forward with a common commitment to build a golden and sustainable future.
He said that he was happy to learn that experts with different research backgrounds had gathered to share their knowledge, strategies and research in the conference. “Nepal is in favor of innovative solutions and cooperation in the field of sustainable development”, he said.
More than 300 professors, scientists, researchers and policy makers from 50 countries are participating in the conference that will run until June 14.
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18- Discussion on various headings of Appropriation Bill begins
Kathmandu, June 11: Discussion on different headings of Appropriation Bill, 2081, has commenced in the House of Representatives from today.
Discussion on various headings of Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has started.
In course of discussion, Ram Hari Khatiwada raised question about absence of Minister for Youth and Sports in the Parliament, and Speaker Devraj Ghimire removed the discussion on different topics under the Ministry from the agenda.
On the occasion, lawmakers—Chandra Kant Bhandari, Menuka Kumari Pokharel, Devendra Poudel, Dhawal Shumsher JB Rana, Amar Bahadur Thapa, Ranju Kumari Jha, Abdul Khan, Ram Prakash Chaudhary, Prabhu Sah, Yogendra Mandal, Ram Hari Khatiwada, Sarita Bhusal, Gyanu Basnet Subedi, among others participated in the discussion.
In the meeting before the discussion, lawmaker Prem Suwal presented a proposal to reduce the expenditure of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security under the Appropriation Bill, 2081.
Similarly, HoR member Dr Amaresh Kumar Singh proposed that the expenses of Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development be reduced and maintained at Re 1.
Likewise, Badri Prasad Pandey, Rama Koirala and Sanjay Kumar Gautam asked to reduce the expenses of different ministries and maintained at Re 1.
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19- Secured Transactions (First Amendment) Bill passed
Kathmandu, June 11: The National Assembly has unanimously passed the ‘Secured Transactions (First Amendment) Bill, 2080’.
The bill was tabled in today’s meeting of the NA by Finance Minister Barshman Pun.
MPs Devendra Dahal and Kamala Pant participated in the discussion on the bill.
Responding to questions raised during the discussion on the bill, Finance Minister Pun the bill includes provision for securing people’s daily transactions, it will become more practical and timely with the passage of the bill.
Similarly, in the meeting, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma submitted the 23rd annual report of the National Human Rights Commission and the 5th annual report of the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission.
The National Assembly will meet again on June 18.
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20- IT development, and policy facilitation remain government priorities: Minister Pun
Kathmandu, June 11: Finance Minister Barshaman Pun has said the development of IT-related infrastructure and policy facilitation are the priorities of the government.
In his address to a programme entitled “IT Decade: A Way Forward” organised by the SEJON Nepal here today, the Finance Minister said the government acknowledges and promotes IT as an instrumental in achieving economic prosperity.
“The budget for the upcoming fiscal year has accorded priority to IT development, according to the Minister who also said that agriculture, hydropower, tourism and IT have been incorporated in the budget as the government’s key areas of development. He reminded the gathering that the budget for the fiscal year 2081-82 BS (2024-25) has announced an investment decade for the development of the IT sector. The budget is focused on the escalation of the digital economy and building a foundation for the green economy, he added.
Referring to the budget, he said it includes the government’s plan of developing Nepal as an IT hub and exporting IT services worth Rs 3,000 billion with the creation of 500,000 direct jobs and one million indirect employment opportunities in the next decade. “The budget is centered on enabling a legal foundation for IT innovations and the enhancement and regulation of artificial intelligence.”
Government Spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, insisted on the need for collaboration among the three-tier government to promote IT development. “It is historic that the upcoming budget announced an investment decade targeting the IT sector.”
She also cautioned about the high possibility of irregularities in the IT sector as this is a relatively less familiar sector to the masses. She admitted that the government’s Digital Nepal Framework, intended to integrate IT development with the delivery of civic services, has not been effectively implemented.
Finance Ministry’s joint-secretary Dhaniram Sharma said the plan to supply IT services worth RS 3,000 billion in the next decade is based on the assessment of experts and the present situation though no feasibility study was carried out in this regard.
Institute of Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) consultant and IT skills and employment expert Dr Amrita Sharma advised the government to come up with planned endeavors to meet its objective of promoting the IT sector in the next decade.
She suggested a high potential for exploring the IT market for Nepal in Europe, advising the government to consider potential of supplying IT services at a relatively reasonable cost than other South Asian nations
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21- NA members stress on food sufficiency in Nepal
Kathmandu, June 11 (RSS): Members of the National Assembly (NA) have stressed the need for food sufficiency in the country, drawing the attention of the State to the need to be effortful towards that end.
Airing views in a special session of the NA today, Bishnu Kumari Sapkota of Nepali Congress said it is unfortunate for an ‘agricultural’ country and the citizens here to rely on food imports.
She demanded the government launch special programmes to achieve food security and sovereignty.
Sumita BC of CPN (UML) urged the government to promote agro-based industries and agricultural production to ensure food sufficiency in the country.
Narayan Datta Mishra of Nepali Congress, Sonam Geljen Sherpa of CPN (UML), Urmila Aryal of CPN (Maoist Centre), Madan Kumari Shah of CPN (Unified Socialist), Bishnu Bahadur Bishwakarma of CPN (Maoist Centre), Jhakku Prasad Subedi of CPN (Maoist Centre) and Bishnu Devi Pudasaini of Nepali Congress were among those airing their views in the special hour.
The lack of better transport facilities, negligence on the part of contractors in the development endeavours, delayed post-quake rebuilding in districts such as Salyuan, Rukum and Jajalkrot, increasing problems of mental health, the deaths of two mules struck in the suspension bridge waiting for rescue, growing ‘frustrations’ among the people, increasing price rise and lack of the government apathy to control it were among the issues raised during the upper house special hour today.
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