- Tuesday, 19 November 2024
Kathmandu, May 10: The budget session of the National Assembly (NA) under the Federal Parliament has kicked off at the International Convention Centre at New Baneshwor in Kathmandu today.
While NA meeting has already commenced, the House of Representatives (HoR) meeting has been delayed due to ongoing meeting of the Working Arrangement Consultative Committee.
The joint session of the Federal Parliament was called for 2:00 PM. It may be noted that the budget session commenced today after President Ram Chandra Paudel summoned the session of the federal parliament on May 2 in accordance with the Article 93 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal, on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers.
Initiating the NA meeting, Speaker Narayan Dahal urged the lawmakers to make the ongoing session effective and creative and reminded the concerned ministers in the government to be responsible towards the issues raised in the parliament.
Furthermore, Speaker Dahal appealed with the parliamentarians to hold deliberations on the under-consideration and non-governmental bills and create an enabling environment for those bills to return to the NA.
On the first day of the session, lawmakers from political parties representing in the parliament continue to air their voices.
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Kailali border closing from this evening
Attariya (Kailali), May 10: The Nepal-India border in Kailali will be closed from this evening. All the border crossings in the district are going to be closed for the election of Lok Sabha members to be held in India.
Shivraj Joshi, Information Officer of the District Administration Office, Kailali, informed that the border is going to be closed due to the Lok Sabha general elections to be held in Khiri district of Uttar Pradesh on May 13.
He further informed that traffic will be completely closed during that period due to security sensitivity.
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Subedi elected chairperson of NTF
Kathmandu, May 10: A 75-member new leadership of Nepal Teachers’ Federation has been announced under chairmanship of Laxmi Kishor Subedi from the Federation’s second national general convention.
Earlier, Subedi was general-secretary of the Federation. The announcement of new leadership was delayed in lack of mutual understanding in the general convention began from April 22.
The dispute surfaced after one of the major groups of the Federation, Nepal National Teachers Association did not take part in the general convention.
The Association did not participate in the general convention, saying their demand of postponing the general convention was not addressed. The Association had demanded to postpone the general convention, citing district committees were announced unilaterally against statute.
The leadership of the Federation was announced keeping 11 posts of Association’s quota including general-secretary vacant after consensus was not forged, said Chairperson Subedi. A talks team has been formed to resolve the dispute.
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Baglung-Beni road section closed for road widening
Galkot (Baglung), May 10: Under the alternative road of Kaligandaki corridor, the road connecting Baglung Bazaar to Myagdi’s Beni has been closed till May 17. The district administration office said that the road will be closed for the whole day for expansion works.
According to the district administration office, the Baglung-Beni road section will be closed from 10 am to 4 pm till May 17. A notification issued by the Assistant Chief District Officer Chitrangat Baral, mentioned that the road will be closed due to road expansion and maintenance works in Pangrekhola along the road section.
Motorists have been requested to use the Maldhunga-Beni alternative road throughout the closure period.
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Government is committed to facilitate in and secure investment: PM Dahal
Kathmandu, May 10: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that the government is committed to give an impetus to the country’s economic transformation by keeping the morale of investors, including the industrialists and business community, high.
Inaugurating the Hyundai Motor Assembling Plant of Laxmi Motor Corporation in Nawalparasi today, PM Dahal stated that the country would be taken ahead on the journey of prosperity through economic development.
He said the economy would be strengthened by taking the private sector into confidence, asserting that the government is committed to facilitate the investment.
“The country’s economy cannot be made robust without the investment of the private sector and the collaboration between the State and the private sector. The productivity cannot be increased and employment opportunities also cannot be created without this,” PM Dahal said, adding that the government is always in support of creating a climate conducive to investment, promoting the private sector and security and facilitation in the investment areas.
Expressing the belief that the domestic and foreign investors would be attracted more towards the industry-friendly environment in Nepal with the operation of this new industry, he said import would be substituted and hundreds of skilled and semi-skilled labourers will get jobs along with industrialization.
The Prime Minister viewed that the consumers can buy vehicles in fair price and a positive contribution would be there in consumption of domestic resource and electricity, a partnership in the local development and on the GDP as well when the motor assembling is done within the country itself.
“Our fiscal and monetary policies should be promotional, rather than restrictive. These policies and laws should contribute to the production and employment promotion,” he said. The PM further said the domestic and external indicators of the economy are in the positive due to the consistent efforts of the government.
“The Third Investment Summit has concluded only recently. The government has amended important Acts, bringing an ordinance on the eve of the Summit. This will play a key role in addressing the problems seen in the investment sector and also in encouraging ad promoting the internal and external investment,” he added.
The Prime Minister believed that the enthusiasm seen in the investment summit, the common viewpoint and commitment witnessed in the political parties of Nepal and the attraction of the investors have indicated towards Nepal soon becoming an attractive destination for investment.
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Gold price up Rs 2,300 per tola
Kathmandu, May 10: Price of yellow metal has increased by Rs 2,300 per tola (11.66 grams) in the domestic market today.
According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the price of hallmark gold has been fixed at Rs 137,900 per tola today which was Rs 135,600 on Thursday.
Similarly, worked gold is being traded at Rs 137,250 per tola today against Rs 134,950 on Thursday.
Likewise, the price of silver has soared by Rs 50 per tola today and reached Rs 1,735. It was traded at Rs 1,685 per tola on Thursday, added the Federation.
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International Conference on Green Technology begins in Gaindakot
Nawalpur, May 10: An international conference on green technology and talent management has started in Nawalparasi (Bardghat-Sustapurva), Nawalpur.
The conference was organized by the Oxford College of Engineering and Management in Nawalpur in collaboration with Pokhara University Research Centre, Technical University of Denmark and University Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia, with the support of University Grants Commission Nepal.
In the conference on ‘Green Technology and Talent Management’ which started today, Professor Dr Prem Narayan Aryal, Vice-Chancellor of Pokhara University, said that Pokhara University has modified the curriculum and made it research-based. Aryal said that the research-based curriculum will increase the knowledge and skills of the students and said that research-based education is the current need of the hour.
Aryal said that if research-based teaching methods can be developed, competitive manpower can be produced at the international level.
During the conference, Dr. Dayaram Dhakal, Dean of Pokhara University Management Department, said that since human sensibilities are disappearing in the society, there should be a research method based on social values and recognition. He further added that human beings are becoming selfish and have developed a tendency to not think about the good of others but themselves.
As a special speaker, Professor Dr. Thomas Koehler, director of Germany’s Centre for Open Digital Innovation and Participation, said that he went to the global research-oriented teaching method. According to Kohler, the research skills of the students will be increased through the research course, which will play an important role in the production of competitive manpower.
It is said that researchers from Nepal, Germany, Netherlands, Indonesia, India and other countries will give a key presentation on the topic of green technology in the conference which will be held for two days in Gaindakot. Hari Bhandari, principal, Prof. of Oxford College, said that 41 research papers of research professors working in different universities will be presented during the conference.
He said that the conference was organized to develop a research-oriented teaching method while increasing the educational quality. Bhandari said that the main objectives of the conference are to connect the people of the world to increase educational activities, to promote cooperation and networking among researchers, and to exchange cultures and customs of different countries.
It is said that the researchers of the university will present their papers through physical and online means. He said that due to the conference, academicians will be encouraged to engage in research, emphasis will be placed on research-based curriculum creation for quality research in academia and social domain.
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Formation of parliamentary probe committee is NC’s bottom line
Kathmandu, May 10: The Nepali Congress has reiterated the demand for the formation of a parliamentary committee for conducting an impartial investigation into the cooperative scam, blaming the involvement of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane in embezzling cooperative amount.
Today’s meeting of the NC Parliamentary Party decided that the parliamentary probe committee should be formed for the guarantee of independent and impartial investigation in the cooperative scam, arguing that there is evidence of Lamichhane’s involvement in cooperative, said NC Chief Whip, Ramesh Lekhak.
Saying this issue has now become the matter of concern of all the people, not only of the NC, the meeting of the main opposition party in the parliament said it would again put forth the demand of formation of the parliamentary probe committee in the federal parliament session, commencing from today, as the demand was not addressed in previous session, he mentioned.
The NC parliamentary party meeting held discussion about party’s preparation in the federal parliament scheduled from today. The NC said meetings of the House of Representatives and National Assembly might be obstructed if the parliamentary probe committee is not formed immediately.
Similarly, the party expressed grief over the loss of lives and property from the incidents of fire and wildfire that took place at different places of the country for the past few days, demanding the government to take measures to control the incidents of fire and wildfire as well as to provide relief materials immediately to the victim families in this hour of disaster.
Paying tribute to those killed in such incidents, the NC extended condolences to the bereaved families.
The Parliamentary Party meeting urged the government to immediately resolve the problem of drinking water as the people of the hilly regions have been facing shortage of drinking water after forest fire had destroyed pipeline at different places.
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Two arrested with Rs 9.8 million from Durbar Marg
Kathmandu, May 10: The Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office has arrested two persons along with Rs 9.8 million cash with undisclosed source.
They are Samir Sunar, 28, and Milan BK, 29, of Siyari rural municipality-7 in Rupandehi, said Chief of the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office, Senior Superintendent of Police Sanuram Bhattarai.
At a news conference organised here today, Bhattarai shared that both of them were arrested from Durbar Marg on Thursday. “As per our preliminary investigation, they were also found involved in Hundi (money transfer through unofficial channel) and gold smuggling,” he mentioned.
Police also impounded a car (Ba 13 Cha 4858) from them. Earlier, a warrant notice was issued against Milan BK on September 27, 2023 on the charge of his involvement in smuggling of 11.5 kg gold in Dolakha and had been absconding since then.
As per the preliminary investigation, both of them were found involving in criminal activities since two years, added police.
Samir and Milan would be sent at the District Police Range, Kathmandu, for further investigation today itself.
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Federalism to be further strengthened by directly handing over small projects to local and provincial government: PM Dahal
Salyan, May 10: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said that the federal government would directly hand over small projects of less than Rs 30 million to local and provincial government to further strengthen federalism.
Inaugurating the newly-built administrative building of Darma rural municipality in Salyan district today, PM Dahal said that the incumbent government was further strengthening federalism by considering amendments in policy and schedule of budget from the upcoming fiscal year.
According to him, the incumbent government had decided to put an end to project duplication and directly hand over small projects of less than Rs 30 million cost to the provincial or local government.
He was confident that these measures would further strengthen federal democratic republican system.
Stating that implementation of federalism was top on his agenda since his assumed the leadership of the government for the third time, the PM shared that two meetings had been convened in the National Coordination Council taking important decisions.
He argued that if the local level government could practice federalism effectively, importance works could be delivered in the areas of strategic importance and service flow such as protection of natural resources and multifaceted mobilization of the resources, empowerment of the rural economy and improvement in social indicators among others.
Prime Minister Dahal expressed his confidence that the right exercise of exclusive and concurrent rights by all three-tier government would qualitatively contribute in revitalization of rural economy and development of national economy.
On a different note, he urged the local government and people’s representatives to work to establish citizens’ affinity and sense of belongingness with the State for, he argued, the image of the government is established among the common citizens by how agile and responsive public service delivery is.
The PM, on the occasion, pledged to take necessary initiatives for blacktopping of road connecting Rolpa, Salyan, Rukum Paschim, Jajarkot, Humla and Rara Lake in Mugu district.
Furthermore, he informed that a special programme would be rolled out by declaring Darma as a milk pocket area through Dairy Cooperative.
He assured that the federal government would pay special attention to construction of shelters for quake victims in Jajarkot, electrification, modernization and commercialization of agriculture and animal husbandry, ensuring basic healthcare services and fiscal equalization grant among others.
He was hopeful that once the Act related to Truth and Reconciliation is issued, it would be easier to permanently resolve the real estate related issues registered by the people in Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan and Jajarkot districts.
The PM also vowed that issues relating to honouring conflict-victims, compensation to conflict-victims and their families and education to victims’ children among others would be duly addressed.
He expressed his gratitude towards Salyan district for its qualitative contribution in transformative movements in the country and to Darma rural municipality for its solidarity in favor of transformative policies and leadership.
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Party split will not affect the government: Deputy Prime Minister Yadav
Bhaktapur, May 10: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Population, Upendra Yadav has said that the split of Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal will not affect the government.
“We are in favor of a stable government and we have always sought stability. We will not back down from that responsibility realized by us,” he said in an interaction organized by Rafat Sanchar Club here today.
Stating that the JSP Nepal’s support to the government continues and the government will not fall because of them, Deputy Prime Minister Yadav, who is also the chairman of Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal, said, “We will not play the game of toppling down the government. Since our party seeks political stability, good governance, development, prosperity and stability of the federal republic, it will not engage in the game of overthrowing the government.”
He said that he will go to the Supreme Court for justice regarding the split of the party. The JSP Nepal Chair expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, “When I went abroad to represent the government, the party was split through a conspiracy here.”
DPM Yadav said that he believed that the court would overturn the party split, stating that the party split was an unnatural, unprincipled, unethical and unconstitutional move as well.
He alleged that the name, flag and logo of the new party were the same, but the application was made the previous evening and the party was registered the next day. “It was seen that they are trying to weaken democracy and bring instability to the country by splitting the party,” alleged Deputy Prime Minister Yadav.
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16 RCC bridges built on Khulalu-Salisalla section of Karnali corridor highway
Manma (Kalikot), May 10: Sixteen RCC bridges have been constructed on the Khulalu- Salisalla section of the Karnali Corridor highway. Khulalu is in Naraharinath rural municipality-8 and Salisalla lies in Humla.
These bridges have been built over small and big rivers on the 123-kilometre section of the highway in a period of eight to 10 months, said Birendra Chand, the Chief of the Khulalu-Salisalla Road Project Office.
“Eight RCC bridges have been constructed on the section of the highway from Khulalu to Kawadi of Bajura while an equal number of bridges have been built on the remaining road section from Kawadi to Salisalla,” he said.
According to Chand, all the bridges are six metres wide and eight metres long. All these bridges were constructed at a cost of Rs 90 million.
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Chair Oli directs party lawmakers to be assertive in parliament
Kathmandu, May 10: CPN (UML) chairman KP Sharma Oli has directed the party lawmakers to be present themselves assertively and decently in the parliament session, analyzing the need of situation.
Directing the lawmakers in the UML parliamentary party meeting held in the parliament building in New Baneshwar today, Chair Oli alerted the lawmakers to be decent in normal situations while assertive in critical situations.
On another note, he clarified that the parliamentary probe committee was not needed to investigate into the problems surfaced in cooperative sectors as demanded by Nepali Congress.
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LSP demands parliamentary probe committee to look into embezzlement of Cooperatives
Kathmandu, May 10: The Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party (LSP) has decided to demand formation of parliamentary probe committee to find out truths behind embezzlement of cooperatives’ fund.
The party parliamentary meeting of the LSP called for the probe into the cooperatives fraud and scams, acknowledging that millions of depositors were directly affected due to billions of rupees of embezzlement in the cooperatives, said chief whip of the party, Ram Prakash Chaudhary.
The meeting also decided to demand with the government for immediate compensation to fire cases victims in various places of Terai Madhesh.
The party also called for seeking an immediate as well as sustainable solution to the increasing shortage of drinking water in the Terai Madhesh due to climate change and degradation of Chure range, informed chief whip Chaudhary.
Also, attention of the federal government would be drawn towards providing compensation to those hit hard by natural disasters, it was shared.
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Pashupat area is not a place to make speeches: Minister Tamang
Kathmandu, May 10: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Hit Bahadur Tamang has said that Pashupat area is a holy place for followers of Sanatan religion spread all over the world and it is not a place to make speeches.
Addressing the 38th anniversary programme of the Pashupati Area Development Trust today, Minister Tamang said that Rashtradev will not come to Pashupatinath to do politics and not allow the trust to become a platform for politics.
He said, “No one is allowed to come to a non-political place, a religious place, to do politics. You should not come to a religious place and do politics.” Similarly, he said that the trust should not be seen as a tool to fulfill political interests of anyone. Minister argued that he came to see that the development trust has been used as a tool for politics lately, and promised not to let it happen again. He said, “Pashupat area is a non-political spiritual holy place, work should be done here to achieve religious objectives only.”
He said that Pashupati region, listed in the World Heritage List, is an important centre of oriental philosophy and culture, so it has played an important role in making Nepal known to the world.
Minister Tamang said that it is necessary to create a pleasant physical and spiritual environment for religious tourists in Pashupat area to facilitate the entry of Hindus from India who have faith in Hinduism with millions of people.
He said, “If we can create a beautiful and spiritual environment in the Pashupati region, it will make an unprecedented contribution to economic progress and progress for the development of the country. Everyone’s support is necessary for the development here.” Likewise, Dr. Milan Kumar Thapa, member secretary of the trust, said that he will always be in the forefront for the benefit of Lord Pashupatinath and the development trust.
He said, “It is the tradition of my forefathers not to embezzle the ‘shivaswa’ (revenue belonging to religious trust and temples). I will not misappropriate ‘shivaswa’, but bring it from home and develop it here.” He also said that he had suffered a lot in the past due to some antagonisms that harmed the trust.
He said, “Those who oppose Pashupati and warn against the development of this place have given me pain in the past when their interests were not fulfilled. I say to such opponents that I will not do wrong.”
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NA meeting: Main opposition party calls for forming parliamentary probe body
Kathmandu, May 10: Leader of the main opposition party Nepali Congress, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, has called for constituting a parliamentary investigation committee to look into the topic of embezzlement of cooperatives’ amount in which Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane is allegedly linked to.
Putting views on behalf the Nepali Congress in the meeting of the National Assembly, the Upper House of the Federal Parliament, today, he made it clear that it would be difficult to run the House sessions if the said committee was not formed.
“We have been raising voice in the parliament from time to time calling for formation of the parliamentary probe committee. Where there is power, the investigation is halted at that point. We have not called for the Home Minister’s resignation. The reality should be known once question is raised,” he said.
Stating that his party’s parliamentary party has also decided that a parliamentary investigation committee should be formed to probe the Home Minister, leader Sitaula said the parliament’s meeting cannot proceed ahead if the committee is not constituted.
“We are of the belief that the government will form the investigation committee promptly on the basis of consensus,” he added.
