BIRATNAGAR: Prime Minister KP Oli has ruled out immediate cabinet reshuffle.
Dismissing rumors of cabinet reshuffle, PM Oli said there will be no cabinet reshuffle at the moment.
The Prime Minister, however, said he will appoint a new tourism minister, which has been lying vacant after the demise of Rabindra Adhikari, who died in a helicopter crash in Taplejung in February.
In another context, PM Oli said the government was compelled to label the Biplav-led outfit as a “criminal group” due to the latter’s violent activities. “There is no looking back now. We cannot tolerate criminal activities in a democracy,” he asserted.
HILIMHANG: A wild fire in Hilihang rural municipality-3 engulfed six houses. The fire in the human settlement, however, has been doused. The fire continues to rage in the jungle, eye witnesses said.
While four houses have been burnt to ashes, two houses have been burnt partially. All properly inside the houses have been gutted. However, the exact damage is not known.
Security personnel as well as locals have been working to contain the fire in the forest, locals said.
KATHMANDU: Populace in rural area is still deprived of banking facilities. Of 79 local levels in Karnali province, only 64 have got direct bank service.
Bank services are yet to reach a total of 42 local levels of the country. According to the latest economic details made public by Nepal Rastra Bank, branches of commercial banks have opened in 711 units of total 753 local level in the country.
The government plans to extend banking services to all the local levels within this fiscal year.
KATHMANDU: Leader of the Alliance for Independent Madhesh (AIM), CK Raut has called a national council meeting of his organization today.
The meeting is meant for discussing the 11-point agreement the leader inked with the government on March 8 and to chart AIM’s future course.
The two day meeting takes place at Lahan, the headquarters of Siraha district. Raut has announced the meeting venue and dates on social media.
In the message posted on social media, Raut has asked all AIM national council members to be present with their citizenship certificates.
The message reads that Raut feels sorry as the meeting was unable to incorporate the entire members of AIM. However, a meeting of all AIM members shall take place following this meet, reads the message.
The meeting is meaningful given the controversy surrounding the debate on the wording of the agreement. While the Raut side claims that the agreement mentions of a referendum, the government refutes the claim.
KATHMANDU: Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Chairman, Puspa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ is leaving for the USA this evening for the treatment of his wife, Sita.
Dahal is also accompanied by his daughter and daughter in law.
Dahal’s wife suffers from sugar, high blood pressure and parkinsons.
KATHMADU: Lack of health care during pregnancy continues to claim lives in the far flung districts of the country.
Mina Kumari Shahi, 23 of Naraharinath Rural Municipality-7 in Kalikot district died in lack of postnatal treatment.
As the umbilical cord did not fall upon delivery, that led to blood hemorrhage. In lack of medical treatment at the local health institutions, she died at Guranse area of Dailekh district on the way to a better health facility at Surkhet.
Prior to this, pregnancy complications had claimed the life of Chanda Shah at Manma.
KASKI: Students at Gandaki Medical College and Hospital withdrew their protest programs after over one and half month. They opened the padlock of the college and hospital yesterday.
The students had locked the college since January 31 protesting against hike in educational fee by the college. Their demands had entered into a legal process and the agitation has been put off till the report of regulatory body is made public, the agitating students said.
Anil Sinha, an agitating student, said there was no obstruction to the educational and hospital services. The students agreed to remove the padlock to allow MBBS students to sit in examinations beginning from coming April 4.
The protesting students had registered a complaint over a forgery case against college operators and employees on March 5th after the college administration did not heed their demands. After the complaint, the police arrested 11 concerned persons including college chairperson, Khuma Prasad Aryal.
KATHMANDU: Senior journalist, Mahindra Raj Shrestha passed away due to heart attack yesterday. He was 86.
Shrestha was among the three founders of the national news agency, Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) along with Ramraj Poudel and Govinda Biyogi.
Born at Tahachal in Kathmandu Metropolis, Shrestha breathed his last on his way to Thapathali-based Norvic International Hospital following cardiac arrest, according to his family sources. He is survived by his spouse, a daughter and a son.
SOLUKHUMBU: Nepali indigenous paper industries in this mountainous district are gradually closing down in lack of a conducive atmosphere.
Of total of 20 such industries in the district only four are now in operation as revealed by that data maintained by the Cottage and Small Industries Development Committee.
Dudhkoshi Paper Industry in Jubhing of Khumbu Pasang Lamu rural municipality-1 is the latest of the industry to be closed. Lack of manpower is leading to the closure of such industries, according to Prem Thapa Magar, its proprietor. At present the people who invested in the traditional industry with the high hope of generating both income and employment for the locals are now struggling to merely sustain their business.
Saraswoti Nepal Paper Industry at Mahakulung rural municipality is also on the verge of closure. “Tedious government policy and rules are also blamed for the discouraging atmosphere for paper industries,” said proprietor Uttam Kumar Rai. He insisted that the government should bring a flexible policy and other measures to promote paper industries. Good profit is expected if such industries are provided appropriate atmosphere to operate to their full potentiality and efficiently.
Mangal Sing Tamang, who owns the MD Paper Industry based in Mapya Dudhkoshi rural municipality shares similar experiences. He has no sufficient human resources to collect Lokta (raw materials extracted from Argeli plant for making the Nepali paper) from the jungle.
Alpine zone in the district has much production of raw materials for the Nepali paper. Argeli plants are abundant in the community as well as private forests. However, its proper utilization is marred by various types of challenges. Lokta can be used for making doko traditional baskets and Namlo, a kind of thick rope necessary to carry or transport loads in the areas without road facility. However, lack of skilled human resources, state’s clear policy and less investment stand as the barriers for their production and promotion.
JUMLA: The master plan to develop Sinja valley as a religious, historic and tourist area is put on hold as no concrete efforts are made in this regards, complained local people. Sinja is the valley where the Nepali language originated and is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage site.
The 10-year master plan brought a decade ago by the Jumla Social Development Centrer remains neglected, according to Bhakta Bahadur Bogati, chairperson of the center.
The plan includes construction of four-lane road, embankments, a museum, a hospital, a center to treat snakebite patients and a college offering master’s degree program and conversation of the dilapidated temples.
The then District Development Committee had endorsed the plan. However, the respective ministry and sectors are yet to give the nod, said Bogati.
In lack of proper management, many religious sites, heritage, temples and structures have been in a dilapidated condition. Objects of cultural and historical importance, Pandav Cave, Birat Palace and Kanakasundari Temple are in the state of disrepair.
Likewise, Khas language and Sinja civilization is on the verge of disappear.