KATHMANDU: Chief Minister of Province 2 Lal Babu Raut has said his government will make every effort to ensure that all victims of Sunday’s devastating storm received necessary support, including relief, treatment and other necessities.
“We are working seriously towards that end, and will leave no stone unturned,” Chief Minister Raut told a press conference in Kathmandu today.
He said the Provincial government has formed a committee, which will collect data of the victims and those affected by the terrible storm that claimed the lives of some 27 people in Bara and Parsa districts.
Stating that the government is serious about rehabilitation of the victims, he said the Provincial 2 government has decided to build houses for the victims.
Chief Minister Raut appreciated the support from different quarters, including people from Kathmandu and elsewhere who have reached the storm-affected areas for volunteering.
In another context, Chief Minister Raut said minor differences between federal and province governments is not unusual. “However, it is high time that we changed our way of thinking,” he said adding that all differences with the federal government will be resolved gradually.
KATHMANDU: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Gokul Prasad Baskota on Wednesday said Radio Nepal and Nepal Television will be merged to form Public Service Broadcasting (PSB).
He urged the employees of both the state-owned media to be mentally prepared for it.
Speaking on the occasion of Radio Nepal’s 69th anniversary, Minister Baskota said physical and legal preparations for the same have already begun. According to him, the PSB will work as an independent body.
He further hinted at the possibility of a ‘significant administrative change’ with both the media witnessing a drastic transformation in their history.
DANG: Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba said he would contest the elections and become the next party president.
He expressed the confidence that he would become the party president once again. “I will contest the election in line with the party statute,” Deuba told a regional assembly at Ghorahi of Dang on Wednesday.
He went on the say that Nepali Congress belongs to all the communities, including women, Tharu, Madhesi, Dalit, among others.
On the occasion, he criticized the government for failing to work as per the people’s aspirations.
JANAKPURDHAM: Government of Province 2 has announced that it would construct a four-room house along with a toilet to each storm-affected family in Bara and Parsa districts.
The house will also include a toilet.
Minister for Internal Affairs and Law, Gyanendra Yadav informed the Provincial Assembly meeting in Janakpurdham today that the houses would be built within the next four months.
According to him, a total of 1040 houses, including 958 in Para and 122 in Parsa districts, have been damaged. Likewise, a total of 1,309 houses have been partially damaged, he informed the session.
The Assembly also passed a condolence motion on the deaths in the storm.
KATHMANDU: Nepal Police have arrested a total of 540 leaders and cadres of Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’-led faction so far.
They have been arrested from different parts of the country so far from Mid-April 2018.
According to police spokesperson Uttam Raj Subedi, they have been arrested on the charge of their involvement in violent activities.
Likewise, police have also seized documents such as donation letter pads and other documents.
KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has instructed all district administrations to issue citizenship on the basis of descent.
The Home Ministry issued a statement today at a time when the proposal to amend the Citizenship Act is still sub judice at the Parliament.
The Home Ministry has cited the Supreme Court (SC)’s verdict to provide citizenship on the basis of a mother’s name and the Nepal Citizenship Act, 2006, Nepal Citizenship Rules, 2006 and the Citizenship Certificate Distribution Procedures Directives, 2006 to issue citizenship.
Stating that the orders were given since several people have been deprived of their right to acquire citizenship.
KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress, country’s main opposition, is entangled in intra-party wrangling. Party leadership, mainly its president Sher Bahadur Deuba, has been criticized by several leaders and disgruntled factions within the party.
This becomes evident when a meeting of district presidents, which is underway at the party head office at Sanepa, have criticized the party leadership for failing to unite the party, and making unilateral decisions, which they claimed is against the party’s statute.
“Even though we have invited all district presidents, we are expecting more than 50 of them,” said Baniya adding that the meeting is likely to discuss the party’s general convention. However, district presidents close to Deuba faction ‘will not’ turn up in what has been dubbed as a “crucial” meeting.
The meeting is likely to press forward some of the ‘key issues’, such as the quota system and the proportional representation.
“We believe that a central member has to be elected from the booth itself,” Kathmandu district party president, Sabuj Baniya informed.
The district presidents have been raising their voices that the proportional representation (PR) and the ‘inclusive’ quota system should give equal opportunities to the leaders. This means that a member should not be elected for more than two times under the PR and quota system.
“Even though we have invited all district presidents, we are expecting more than 50 of them,” said Baniya adding that the meeting is likely to discuss the party’s general convention. However, district presidents close to Deuba faction ‘will not’ turn up in what has been dubbed as a “crucial” meeting.
The meeting, sources claimed, will be participated by the district presidents close to party senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel and leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula.
KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Oli has reiterated the government’s vision of steering the country towards development and economic prosperity.
Addressing the National Development Council meeting in Kathmandu today, PM Oli informed that the government is currently working on the 15th Five Year Plan to accomplish the government’s goal of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepalis”.
He said it is high time that the government worked towards that end. “The government does not believe in mere gossips. It is formed to work as per the people’s aspirations.”
The government’s works accomplished so far, the Prime Minister said, will be visible in the days to come.
In his lengthy address, he said, “There is no looking back. We have already trod on the path of prosperity.”
The voices of dissidents and secessionists have come to an end, PM Oli claimed, adding, “All political forces have come together for the country’s prosperity.”
The international community, he said, is prepared to support and assist Nepal’s development efforts. “The recently concluded Nepal Investment Summit has proved it,” he claimed.
KATHMANDU: A flight number RA-231 of Nepal Airlines Corporation was canceled at a time when the plane was about to take off, with all the passengers aboard.
The national flag carrier of Nepal canceled its flight at the eleventh hour citing the new flights schedule that barres all flight operations from 10 pm to 8 am in the morning over the runway up-gradation.
However, speculations are rife that the flight was canceled due to some technical glitches of the aircraft itself, not because of the airport.
According to Dipak Ojha, an officer of the Immigration Department, the NA flight was canceled due to up-gradation of the runway. However, it has raised questions why this new flight schedule was applied to only the Nepal Airlines.
The NA flight RA-321 was supposed to take off at 9 pm from TIA and land at Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai at 12 am (Wednesday) as per the schedule made public, with 190 people on board, including 176 passengers and 14 crew members.
RAJBIRAJ: Rajbiraj airport of Saptari district has closed its air services from today after Shree Airlines limited its flights citing technical problems.
The air service at the Rajbiraj was brought into regular operation from June 24, 2018.
Initially, Shree Airlines had operated flights for five days a week. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said it has now completely closed the flights.
Suresh Mallik, Station Manager at the Shree Airlines, said that they closed the service as they have begun the repair and maintenance work of the aircraft engine.
He, however, said the Airlines closed its service at Rajbiraj airport for the time being.