Author: space4knews

During the special session of the House of Representatives today, members of parliament emphasized the construction of energy infrastructure and the implementation of the President’s women empowerment program. The MPs highlighted the need for decisive measures to develop the energy sector and promote the empowerment of women. Additionally, the meeting addressed several other important topics.

During the House of Representatives session, MPs drew the government’s attention to farmers’ problems, declining agricultural product prices, fertilizer shortages, irrigation crises, and the poor condition of rural roads. MP Narendra Kumar Gupta raised concerns about the insufficient supply of fertilizers and the exclusion of the Hulaki Highway from budget priorities. Kathmandu, May 19.

In Monday’s session of the House of Representatives, MPs emphasized issues faced by farmers, including falling prices for agricultural products, fertilizer scarcity, irrigation difficulties, and deteriorating rural road infrastructure. MP Narendra Kumar Gupta pointed out that despite the approaching planting season, adequate fertilizers have not been arranged, urging the government to take notice. He also highlighted the government’s failure to prioritize budget allocation for the Hulaki Highway, a crucial route to enhance transportation access in the Terai-Madhes region.

MP Nirasha Chaudhary Dagoura stated that the agricultural sector is increasingly being pushed into crisis. She raised the challenge that farmers, despite having land ownership certificates, are unable to access agricultural loans easily. Moreover, the absence of sufficient fertilizer, seeds, irrigation, and market management is increasing production costs. She noted that the lack of fair prices for produce is decreasing youth interest in farming. She also mentioned chronic issues in Kanchanpur-1 related to flooding, landslides, and infrastructure.

“Should Nepalese farmers continue to follow the path of Prem Acharya?” questioned MP Prakash Pathak. He described the farmer’s situation as alarming due to soaring cultivation costs combined with falling product prices. According to him, the hourly wage for tilling fields has risen from NPR 1,800 to NPR 3,000, and seed prices have also increased. Amid persistent fertilizer shortages and irrigation problems, maize prices have dropped from NPR 35 to NPR 28 per kilogram.

He expressed concern that due to open borders, foreign agricultural products containing pesticides have saturated the Nepalese market, jeopardizing domestic production. “Because of open borders, pesticide-laden products have captured the Nepalese market. Consumers are unknowingly consuming harmful substances,” he questioned. MP Prashant Upreti described the extremely poor road conditions in Kailash, Raksirang, Thaha, Indrasarobar, Bhimphedi, Ghadi, and Manahari areas of Makwanpur district.

He recounted incidents where, due to poor roads and communication problems, ambulances were unable to reach patients, resulting in two deaths due to lack of treatment. He added that the price of potatoes produced in Thaha has fallen to NPR 10 per kilogram, but they cannot be transported to Kathmandu due to poor road conditions. MP Nitima Bhandari Karki identified irrigation as the main issue in Sarlahi.

There was hope that the Sunsari-Marin Diversion Project would alleviate irrigation problems in the district; however, current infrastructure leaves many arable lands in northern and southern Sarlahi-1 deprived of irrigation, she noted. She urged the government to revise the Detailed Project Report or immediately develop plans to construct branch canals from Kapilakot in Sindhuli to resolve this issue.

She emphasized that such improvements would not only increase agricultural production but also help prevent youth from seeking employment abroad.

After reaching the summit of Mount Everest for the 32nd time, Kamirita Sherpa expressed, “I am extremely happy with this achievement.” She broke her own previous record by successfully ascending Everest 32 times. According to the Tourism Department, she reached the summit at 10:12 AM on Sunday, May 17.

Born in Thame, Solukhumbu, Sherpa first climbed Everest in 1994. She reached the peak twice before, once last year and again in 2081 BS. Sharing her experience, this rare record-setting mountaineer said, “This is a great accomplishment for me.”

Vijay Prakash Mishra, Chairperson of the Nepal Bar Association, has accused the process of recommending the Chief Justice of serious manipulation. He claimed that judges were recommended in violation of the seniority principle and that the government interfered in the independence of the judiciary. Kathmandu, 5 Jestha.

Addressing a respectful protest event against the Supreme Court’s administration held on Tuesday in the Bar’s premises, with lanterns lit, he made these accusations. Mishra stated that due to manipulation, the name of a person likely to become Chief Justice after a long period was recommended. “I wish to urge the government not to obstruct the judicial process. However, currently, judges have been recommended in breach of seniority,” he said.

Mishra accused the current government of opening the path to bypass seniority in the Chief Justice recommendation and added, “When the government enjoys a two-thirds majority, this sets a precedent for undermining the sequence. Attempts are underway to attack judges who uphold the rule of law and ethics.” The Constitutional Council recommended Manoj Sharma, ranked fourth in seniority, as Chief Justice, bypassing the most senior judge, Sapana Malla.

Police Inspector General Dan Bahadur Karki held a crucial meeting with representatives of the Asia Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering to discuss the roadmap for removing Nepal from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list for money laundering. The Nepal Police presented the current status of their coordination with other agencies, capacity building efforts, and technical assistance within the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) system. The Police Headquarters noted that the meeting also involved extensive discussions on information exchange, mutual support, and coordination in controlling financial crimes.

On May 19, in Kathmandu, the Police Headquarters at Naxal hosted the meeting between Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dan Bahadur Karki and APG representatives including Deputy Executive Secretary David Sanon and Policy Officer Kiah Sassal. The primary focus of this encounter was a detailed discussion on the action plan Nepal has proposed to exit the intensive monitoring list (grey list) for money laundering.

Recognizing the pivotal role of the Nepal Police as the chief law enforcement agency, the meeting covered effective coordination with other concerned bodies, the current status of enforcement actions, capacity enhancement of police personnel, and provisions of technical support. The Police Headquarters emphasized that there was also extensive dialogue on information sharing, mutual cooperation, and coordination in the fight against financial crimes. Present at the event were the heads and officers of the Financial Intelligence Unit, the Joint Secretary of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers’ Office, directors and officials of Nepal Rastra Bank, Deputy Inspectors General of Police, and senior police officers.

A few weeks ago, a striking scene was observed in Gaza where a bride and groom were traveling to their wedding venue sitting in the bucket of a loader. At a wedding location in Sheikh Radwan, Gaza Province, both the bride and groom rode atop a loader, a heavy construction vehicle commonly used in building works. According to the videographer, Karam Abu Hasnen, the groom is the operator of this machinery. Typically, in Gaza, newlyweds ride in cars accompanied by a wedding procession, but in this case, the groom chose to use his preferred mode of transport for the occasion.

According to the 63rd report of the Auditor General, most of the attractive announcements mentioned in the budget statement for the fiscal year 2081/82 have not been implemented. Although the government declared a decade of agricultural investment, the program to provide capital and loans to 300 producer institutions has yet to be executed. Revenue collection reached only 84.28 percent of the target, and the Auditor General has recommended making the tax system more technology-friendly and transparent. Dated Jestha 5, Kathmandu.

The Government of Nepal has revealed that many promising budget announcements remain confined to press releases. The Auditor General’s report states that many of the attractive initiatives outlined in the budget statement for fiscal year 2081/82 have not been put into action. The decade of agricultural investment declared for 2081 to 2091 has not been implemented effectively.

The Auditor General noted that there is no report on the execution of the program aimed at providing initial capital and easy loans secured by agricultural produce to 300 producer institutions, primarily focusing on highways. Legal provisions for domestic liquor branding, establishment of a sovereign wealth fund, and initiation of amendment processes for the Nepal Rastra Bank Act and the Foreign Exchange Act have also not begun.

The Auditor General emphasized, ‘All taxable activities should be brought under the tax net to expand the taxpayer base. Likewise, the revenue system must be made technology-friendly, automated, transparent, and taxpayer-friendly to increase tax participation and revenue mobilization.’ The government achieved only 84.28 percent of its revenue collection target for the fiscal year 2081/82.

May 20, Kathmandu – A complaint has been filed with the Parliamentary Hearing Committee raising questions about the qualifications of Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma, who has been proposed for the position of Chief Justice. One complainant alleges that on the day Dr. Sharma was appointed as a Supreme Court judge, he sought ‘blessings’ from the then UML party headquarters in Balkhu, and has demanded that he not be appointed as Chief Justice.

Another complainant argues that Dr. Sharma does not meet the necessary qualifications to become a Supreme Court judge. According to the complainants, a minimum of 15 years of legal practice or at least 5 years of experience as a High Court judge is required to be appointed to the Supreme Court, both of which Dr. Sharma allegedly has not fulfilled.

The complaint further states, “Dr. Sharma was appointed as a Supreme Court judge while Damodar Upadhyay, the head of the same household, was the sitting Chief Justice. There is evidence that this appointment was made under undue influence from then Chief Justice Cholaendra Shamsher Rana. Petition cases and complaints have been registered with both the Supreme Court and the Parliamentary Hearing Committee.”

Additionally, several decisions made by Dr. Sharma as a Supreme Court judge have come under scrutiny. He has been accused of causing loss to the country by dismissing a writ related to NCELL and the waste management issues of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. A total of 16 complaints have been filed against Dr. Sharma. Detailed copies of these complaints along with his work plans have been distributed to members of the Parliamentary Hearing Committee.

On April 6, the Constitutional Council meeting recommended Dr. Manoj Sharma, the fourth senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, for appointment as Chief Justice.

May 19, Kathmandu — Opposition parties have requested more time to study the proposed Chief Justice’s work plan and related complaints. During today’s hearing committee meeting, opposition members highlighted the need for additional time. Communist Party leader and committee member Barshaman Pun noted that the decision was broadly known from the outset and suggested completing the process before moving forward. He stated, “We are not here just to disagree with the executive’s decision. The Constitutional Council includes all three branches and the opposition as well. Accordingly, let us complete the process before proceeding. We should not delay the work, but we should allocate some time for thorough study.”

He cited an example of a policy program being approved in a single day and emphasized that the Chief Justice’s detailed work plan for the next six years should also be carefully reviewed. “Therefore, let us conduct a proper study today and start the hearing from tomorrow morning. If there is a majority, it can be approved without any issues,” he added. UML leader and committee member Padma Aryal also expressed concerns that finalizing all matters in one day without ample discussion could raise questions and that rushing work may lead to opacity. She remarked, “Before the meeting, I had expected that complaints would be distributed today, with study and discussion planned for another day, followed by hearings. But we were told everything would be finalized today. Why the rush?”

Emphasizing the importance of hearing complainants’ grievances and allowing sufficient time for understanding, she said, “Hasty and opaque decisions can undermine the committee’s dignity.” She proposed that complaints received today be studied tomorrow, Wednesday, with discussions the day after. Approving everything rapidly in one day could provoke questions about the executive’s decisions. Committee member Premprasad Dangal also called the hearing process too fast and urged extra time to study the proposed Chief Justice’s work plan. “Meeting the complainants at 10 a.m. and a hearing at 1:30 p.m.—this pace is very fast, as if complainants are standing in line,” he said. “Chairperson, we need time to study the complaints and review the Chief Justice’s work plan. Let’s convene the meeting at 7 a.m. tomorrow.” Another member, Narbahadur Bisht, voiced dissatisfaction over the hurried process and suggested renaming the committee as the Approval Committee. “What kind of rush is this? What kind of new practice is this? Is this a new norm where anything goes?” he questioned. “Calling it the Approval Committee would be more appropriate.”

Due to the conflict in Iran, potato chip packets in Japan will now be sold in a ‘black and white’ design. The snack packaging company ‘Calbee’, based in Japan, has announced its decision to market its potato chips in packaging featuring black and white colors. According to the company, the escalation in resin prices caused by the Iran conflict has necessitated redesigning the packaging for 14 of its products. These black and white packets will be available in the market starting May 25.

Some analysts suggest that the company might be adopting this new packaging style as part of a different marketing approach. Since the onset of the Iran conflict and the closure of the Hormuz Strait, significant quantities of oil and gas exports have been impacted globally. This disruption has begun to create various adverse effects on the daily consumer goods supply worldwide.

May 19, Kathmandu – Durga Prasai, a medical professional from Jhapa, was arrested on Monday night in Birgunj, Parsa. The District Police Office of Parsa confirmed that he was taken into custody from Diyalo Hotel in Birgunj. There was some dispute during the arrest. At that time, the police did not disclose the specific reason for the detention. Prasai remains in police custody at present.

When asked about the charges against him and the focus of the ongoing investigation, Hari Basnet, spokesperson and DSP of Parsa Police, stated that the inquiry is related to his statements. “We are examining the statements he made and issues that disturb public peace,” Basnet explained. No extension of custody has been granted so far.

Durga Prasai, who is also the coordinator of the National Campaign to Save Nation, Nationality, Religion, Culture, and Citizens, arrived in Birgunj via Simara Airport on Monday to attend a program scheduled the next day. At the airport, he spoke to journalists and made various critical remarks about the current government and lawmakers of the Rastriya Samajbadi Party (Raswapa).