Author: space4knews

Under the Social Welfare Council, 20 stalls at Bhrikutimandap have been locked after years of unpaid rent. Out of 56 stalls with outstanding payments, employees of the Social Welfare Council, with the assistance of security personnel, sealed off 20 stalls today. The locked stalls include offices of the Reports Club and various other organizations. Kathmandu, 30 Chaitra – Despite being rented, the stalls at Bhrikutimandap, under the Social Welfare Council, had not been paying rent for several years. Consequently, locks were placed on the shops and offices of individuals and institutions with overdue payments. Among 56 stalls with unpaid rent, today the Council staff, supported by security forces, locked 20 of them. These include office spaces occupied by the Reports Club as well as multiple other organizations.

March 13, Kathmandu – Home Minister Sudhan Gurung has deleted his comment regarding his asset declaration from social media after facing widespread criticism. In response to claims that ministers hold assets far beyond imagination, Gurung had stated that assets acquired prior to joining the government were not ‘sinful.’ However, after the remarks sparked increased criticism, he removed the related post from social media.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) and all cabinet ministers’ asset disclosures were made public. The disclosure particularly highlighted gold, silver, and various ornaments, which drew sharp criticism on social media. Following the surge in criticism, Gurung issued a response via his official Instagram account.

Gurung said that being born poor is not a fault, but dying poor is. “It’s not your fault to be born poor, but it is your fault to die poor,” he wrote in an Instagram story. “If the assets acquired before joining the government are free from corruption, then it is not a sin, but earning through corruption while in government is a sin.” He also tagged the phrase “#chetanaBhaya” (meaning ‘awareness’) to emphasize his message.

Speaker Dolprasad Aryal met with former Speakers Devaraj Ghimire and Agni Prasad Sapkota at his office in Singha Durbar on Sunday. According to the Speaker’s Secretariat, the meeting involved deliberations on parliamentary practices in Nepal, past experiences, effective operation of the federal parliament, and strengthening the legislative process. Kathmandu, 30 Chaitra – Speaker Dolprasad (DP) Aryal engaged in discussions with former Speakers. The meeting took place at his Singha Durbar office, with former Speakers Devaraj Ghimire and Agni Prasad Sapkota in attendance. The Secretariat reported that the discussions were focused on exchanging parliamentary experiences, ensuring the efficient functioning of the federal parliament, and enhancing the legislative process.

As the new rules for the House of Representatives are being prepared, some have called for a decision on whether to suspend Ravi Lamichhane, chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, due to the ongoing cases against him. Lamichhane, who was suspended in the previous House over allegations related to cooperative sector money laundering, had addressed the first meeting of the newly elected House on behalf of his party.

While the money laundering case is still pending in court, Lamichhane was re-elected to the House from Chitwan-2. Some have raised questions about how he was able to enter parliament given that he was suspended in the previous term and current legal provisions remain unchanged. Section 27 of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2064 (2007), stipulates automatic suspension for officials, employees, or public servants against whom money laundering cases are filed.

Dinesh Prasai, chairman of the Gatisheel Democratic Party, which has no parliamentary representation, also highlighted this issue, urging a decision on Lamichhane’s suspension. However, certain legal experts argue that since the new parliament has the authority to establish its own rules, an accused person isn’t automatically suspended while the case is ongoing. Among those advocating on Lamichhane’s behalf is senior advocate and former Attorney General Sushil Pant. “The automatic suspension provision applies when the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority files corruption or money laundering cases. However, this automatic application is not in effect within the parliament,” Pant said ahead of the election.

The distressed cooperative management committee, established by the Koshi Province government, has refunded savings amounting to NPR 2,857,000 to 287 members whose savings were less than NPR 20,000. The committee is preparing to return deposits up to NPR 100,000 by collecting funds from borrowers, and if loan recovery falls short, the cooperative’s and directors’ assets will be auctioned. On Poush 23, 2081 BS, the provincial government declared Ambe Koshi Cooperative as distressed and commenced management, loan recovery, and collateral auction processes. (Chaitra 30, Biratnagar)

Small savers of the troubled Ambe Koshi Savings and Credit Cooperative Limited, based in Itahari, have begun receiving refunds. Prioritizing members with savings under NPR 20,000, the distressed cooperative management committee appointed by the Koshi Province government has processed these repayments. Committee Chairman Bharat Bahadur Thapa confirmed that NPR 2,857,000 has been transferred to the bank accounts of 287 small savers with savings below NPR 20,000.

Since taking over the management of the distressed Ambe Koshi Cooperative, the committee has recovered NPR 18.7 million of the loans originally invested by the cooperative. The total outstanding loans to be recovered exceed NPR 426 million. The committee has received refund applications totaling NPR 248.8 million. According to committee member Jeevan Kafle, the loan recovery is ongoing, and as a first step, savings up to NPR 20,000 have been refunded. Preparations are underway to refund savings up to NPR 100,000 next. He stated, “If loan recovery is insufficient, the cooperative’s and directors’ assets will be auctioned to reimburse the savings.”

The provincial government declared Ambe Koshi Cooperative distressed on Poush 23, 2081 BS. Following this declaration, the government-appointed committee took charge and initiated asset management, loan recovery, and collateral auction procedures. Koshi Province’s Minister for Industry, Agriculture, and Cooperatives, Israel Mansuri, stated that this is the first time the provincial government has initiated such refund efforts. He said, “This is the first time in the country that refunds have been started in this manner. In the initial phase, savings up to NPR 20,000 have been refunded, and soon we plan to refund up to NPR 100,000.”

Pradip Paudel, the General Secretary of the Nepali Congress, stated that the party will update the active membership instead of cancelling it. Paudel mentioned that renewing the membership will help advance the party to every village and make it more responsible. He urged all active members to update their membership starting tomorrow (Tuesday). April 13, Kathmandu.

On Monday, General Secretary Paudel clarified the membership update process via his Facebook page. He said, “Many have asked me if the Nepali Congress is going to cancel the existing active memberships, so I am writing this to clarify. We are not cancelling the active memberships; we are updating them.”

According to Paudel, the updated active members will strengthen the party’s connection to villages and revitalize dedicated members, making the party more accountable and robust. He added, “To correct previous mistakes, we are giving special attention to the technical aspects as we proceed with updating the active membership.”

The General Secretary also appealed to all active members to update their membership starting tomorrow (Tuesday) and encouraged well-wishers and those committed to the Nepali Congress to obtain active membership.

In celebration of Nepali New Year 2083, preparations are underway to hold the ‘Thamel Street Festival’ in Kathmandu’s Thamel area. The Thamel Tourism Development Council plans to set up 32 stalls along Tridevi Marg to showcase food and various products. Cultural programs will commence at 6:00 PM, with the festival concluding at 12:30 AM, according to the council.

The festival is set to take place in Thamel, the federal capital Kathmandu’s prime tourist destination. Sahadev Dhamala (Bimal), Vice Chairman of the council, shared that the event aims to promote the New Year internationally. “On the eve of the New Year, various stalls will be set up on Thamel’s streets showcasing food and goods, alongside authentic cultural performances,” he stated.

According to him, the 32 stalls will be arranged along Tridevi Marg to promote food and merchandise sales. Cultural programs starting at 6:00 PM will welcome the New Year, with the festival wrapping up at 12:30 AM. Noting that 80 percent of foreign tourists visiting Nepal frequent Thamel, the council highlighted that the event expects significant participation from both local and international tourists.

March 14, Kathmandu – Former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to undergo gallbladder surgery today. The medical team responsible for his treatment had previously set this date for the procedure. Following the preoperative preparations, Oli has been moved to the operating theater. The surgical team, led by Dr. Paleswāñ Joshi Lākhe, will perform the operation to remove the gallstones found in his gallbladder. The stone measures 22 mm in size.

Previously, the day after the formation of the new government, Oli was arrested on charges related to suppressing the Genji agitation. He has been admitted to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital since the day of his arrest. Following his detention, his wife, Radhika Shakya, filed a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court, alleging unlawful custody. On the evening of March 9, the Supreme Court ordered that the ongoing investigation against former Prime Minister Oli and then Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak be completed by Thursday, March 12. The court mandated that if the investigation was not concluded by then, they are to be released on conditions. In line with this, police transferred custody of Oli from the hospital to his wife, Radhika Shakya. Although released, he remains hospitalized for the surgery.