Day: May 20, 2024

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said political leadership is never above the law. Presenting a proposal to seek a vote of confidence before a meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today, the Prime Minister said hope among the citizens is growing for good governance and the establishment of a rule of law. "A narrative that none is above the law is being established." Nepal's democracy was lately considered to be dominated by political interests. There were doubts about whether political leadership was dominating the law. This had caused the reason for increasing trust deficit and hatred towards the overall system, the Prime Minister said. But the government's interventions against the fake Bhutanese refugee scam grabs of Lalita Niwas land, Bansbari land, and the Bal Mandir's land and the gold smugglings have been the strong reasons for rebuilding the citizen's trust in democracy, he added. Though the government is achieving meaningful accomplishments on almost all fronts and is achieving pride, the Janata Samajbadi Party (People's Socialist Party) Nepal withdrew its support to the government, he said, adding that political unity is warranted to address challenges in the nation. "I am thankful to the JSP for its support to the government since the beginning. I respect the party's right to support and not to support the government. But I again urged the party for cooperation to address challenges in the nation. According to the Prime Minister, the government can't fulfill its long-term commitments in absence of the support and cooperation from the House. "I do not want to take more time in the sovereign parliament. But want to just tell you that as the Prime Minister, I expressed my commitments in my first address to the parliament. Today, at this moment, I request this respected parliament for a vote of confidence on the government's achievements." Stating that the Parliament and the government have to go a long way to achieve the goals of the 16th Periodic Plans, the Prime Minister reiterated that the support and cooperation from the respected parliament is vital for the government to advance towards the long-term commitments. "We are describing the upcoming decade as a period of rapid development. For this, wider discussions and a wider vision based on a national consensus are needed. The government has already signed a power trade agreement with India and Bangladesh. There are increasing possibilities for exports to China. Many works are yet to be carried out big 'game-changer' hydropower projects." He said the macro-economic indicators are positive, but the integrated efforts of the government and the parliament were needed to make the economy fully vigorous. "Today, I do not only seek a vote of confidence from this sovereign parliament, but also seek a meaningful support and cooperation to remove the despondency seen in the country. I seek the parliament's intervention against efforts to use the social and political consciousness generated by democracy against democracy i tself," the PM said. Arguing that he should be given a vote of confidence even for the genuine implementation of federalism and for a logical conclusion of the peace process, Prime Minister Dahal said, "I am steadfast in my commitment for governance reform at all the points where the citizens come into contact with the State." The Head of the Government sought the parliament's intervention in unraveling the policy-related complications for achieving economic progress and employment by means of entrepreneurship. He stressed on making concerted efforts for taking a large section of population living under the absolute poverty line to a dignified life. Stating that the initiatives taken by the government for policy and practical reforms have made a highly positive impact on the investors, the PM said the high-level visit to Nepal by Qatar's king, the Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister, among others have expanded the nation's prestige and its international dimension. "A situation is now created in which Nepal w ill take on the global leadership on behalf the mountainous countries on climate change. A record has been set in tourist arrivals. The news headlines of shortage of chemical fertilizers and school textbooks have now become things of the past," he added. The main opposition party lawmakers were surrounding the 'well' of the House meeting hall and shouting slogans in protest when the PM was making a statement seeking the vote of confidence in the parliament. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: The parliamentary party meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC) is taking place at 9.00 am today. The meeting has been called to discuss on contemporary political affairs. Before this, the parliamentary party working committee meeting was called for 8.30 am this morning, informed NC chief whip Ramesh Lekhak. The meeting to be held at the Federal Parliament Building, New Baneshwor, Lhotse Hall will discuss the party's presentation in the meeting of the House of Representatives scheduled for 11 am today. The meeting will also discuss on the remarks and allegations Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane made in the meeting of the House of Representatives on Sunday. The NC has been obstructing the parliament proceedings demanding the formation of a parliamentary committee for a fair probe, alleging that Home Minister Lamichhane was also involved in the embezzlement of cooperative funds. However, a joint meeting of opposition parties, including the Nepali Congress, agreed to allow Home Minister Lamichhane to speak in the HoR on Sunday. After the House meeting on Sunday, NC General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa said through a press conference that his party would not allow the parliament session to proceed until a parliamentary committee was formed to conduct an impartial inquiry into the embezzlement of cooperatives' money. The NC has demanded that the depositors' savings in the cooperatives should be returned and whoever is involved in misappropriating the cooperative's money should be brought under legal purview. Source: National News Agency RSS

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has awarded Himali Samrakshyan Munch, an organization working in conservation sector being based in Taplejung. Amidst a programme organized in Kathmandu, the WWF presented the 'Abraham Conservation Award, 2024' to the Munch acknowledging its contributions to bio-diversity conservation sector, informed Munch's programme coordinator Ramesh Rai. He said the award has further encouraged them to work in the conservation sector in coming days. Earlier in 2020, the Munch was awarded by the Birds Conservation Fund. The Munch has been working mainly for the conservation of rare Red Panda for the past 19 years. Along with conservation, it has also been helping in the promotion of eco-tourism and income generation of the local community. Secretary Bibas Kedem shared that the Munch has been working in partnership with various organizations for the conservation of the world's rarest wildlife snow leopard. Chairperson of the Munch Chandramani Subba said classes have also been started in grade 7 and 8 to raise awareness about snow leopard conservation from the school level. The Munch has set up a Red Panda Centre at Deurali area in Fungling municipality-9 at the cost of Rs 40 million for biodiversity study. Source: National News Agency RSS

Neerak Gurung has been elected the chairman of CPN (UML) Banke district committee. Gurung got 291 votes while his closest contender Dilli BC 154 votes. In the ninth district convention started on Friday, despite efforts to make a unanimous selection, the election was held due to lack of consensus. Similarly, Ratna Khatri won the vice-chairmanship of the working committee. He got 313 votes. He is also the Social Development Minister of Lumbini Province Government. Chief Election Officer Sunita Sharma informed that Balaram Bhattarai was elected as the secretary by getting 139 votes while Nirmala Sunar was elected as deputy secretary (female category) and Kishor Thapa was elected as deputy secretary (open category). Out of total 466 voters, 458 votes were cast in the election. Meanwhile, Lal Bahadur Oli has been elected as the chairman of UML Bajura district committee. He got 218 votes while his nearest rival Bharat Bahadur Thapa 203 votes. Similarly, Janak Bahadur Bohora was elected as the vice chair with 274 votes while his nearest rival Megh Bahadur Shahi got 120 votes. Likewise, Kashi Bahadur BK was elected secretary with 241 votes while his nearest rival Janak Bista got 171 votes. Hari Bahadur Rokaya was elected as deputy secretary (open category) while Raj Kala Sarki was elected as deputy secretary (female category). There were 439 voters but 425 votes were cast in the election held in the eighth district convention of the party. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: The main opposition party, Nepali Congress, has reiterated its demand of forming a parliamentary committee for carrying out fair and independent investigation, alleging that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Rabi Lamichhane's involvement was seen in the misappropriation of the cooperatives' funds. A meeting of the NC Parliamentary Party held at the Parliament Building in New Baneshwar today stated that there is clear evidence showing Home Minister Lamichhane's involvement in the cooperatives funds embezzlement and repeated its demand for forming a parliamentary committee for conducting an impartial probe. Talking to the media persons after the meeting, NC Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak said the topic of Home Minister Lamichhane's involvement in the misappropriation of cooperative's funds is not only carried by the media, but it is also a matter evidenced from the police investigation and the charges registered in the court. "Our bottom line is formation of an independent, impartial c ommittee for conducting an investigation into the misappropriation of the cooperative funds and recommending stern action against those involved in this. The allegations made by Home Minister Lamichhane in the meeting of the House of Representatives on Sunday are false, misleading and fictitious," said the NC Chief Whip Lekhak. According to Lekhak, the Home Minister should not question others in the House, rather he should respond to questions raised on him. The Nepali Congress has decided to also draw the Prime Minister's attention over the 'irresponsible statement and presentation' by the Home Minister. NC Chief Whip Lekhak said the meeting also decided that the Nepali Congress was open for proving the accusations leveled by Home Minister Lamichhane by conducting fair and free investigation on them. Source: National News Agency RSS

Dr Rajendra Adhikari has been appointed the Vice Chairman of Koshi Province Planning Commission. A meeting of the Koshi province Council of Ministers today decided to appoint Adhikari to the post, said Lila Ballabh Adhikari, minister for internal affairs and law and the spokesperson for the provincial government. Dr Adhikari is a resident of Birtamod, Jhapa. Minister Adhikari said that the meeting of the provincial government also decided to present the Annual Report of the Office of the Chief Attorney for Fiscal Year 2079/80 in the Koshi Province Assembly and to recommend to the Office of the Prime Minister for issuing diplomatic passport to Koshi Province Assembly member Bhakti Prasad Sitaula to travel to Canada. Similarly, the Koshi Province Government decided to send amount at the rate of Rs 502 thousand to the Dudhkunda municipality of Solukhumbu, the Khandbari municipality of Sankhuwasabha and the Phungling municipality of Taplejung for setting up and operation of Migration Centre. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: A proposal related to a vote of confidence to the Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has been tabled in the parliament despite the ongoing protest of major opposition Nepali Congress. As soon as meeting of the House of Representatives resumed after 15 minutes of its postponement today, the Congress MPs stood up from their seats, surrounded the well and shouted slogans in protest. Even in the restarted meeting, Congress MPs continued shouting slogans. Despite the protests of the NC lawmakers, Speaker Devraj Ghimire permitted PM Dahal to table the proposal for seeking a vote of confidence. NC is disrupting the House business demanding to form a parliamentary probe committee to investigate into the cooperatives' deposit embezzlement. NC is implicating Home Minister Lamichhane in the cooperatives' deposit misappropriation. Source: National News Agency RSS

The newly appointed secretary of financial institutions division of the ministry of finance Abdur Rahman Khan today paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a wreath at his mausoleum at Tungipara in Gopalganj. After laying the wreath, he stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the Father of the Nation. Later, he offered prayer seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of Bangabandhu and other martyrs who had to embrace martyrdom on the fateful August 15, 1975. A special prayer was offered seeking longevity of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family members. The secretary signed the visitors' book at the administrative building of Tungipara Mausoleum Complex. General Manager of Sonali Bank Faridpur Branch Zahidul Islam, Gopalganj Branch Sonali Bank Deputy General Manager Shamim Azad, its AGM Shahidul Islam, Sonali Bank Tungipara Branch Manager Jyotirmoy Pal, among others, were present. Source: Banglade sh Sangbad Sangstha