Author: space4knews

June 15, Beijing – Nepal and China have expressed a mutual commitment to further strengthen bilateral relations, focusing on their shared interests. During his visit to China, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal held talks on Monday in Beijing with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, discussing ways to bolster Nepal-China relations.

Throughout his four-day official visit, Foreign Minister Khanal informed that the meeting encompassed extensive discussions on various aspects of the bilateral relationship. The talks particularly addressed connectivity, border management, trade, technology transfer, and multilateral cooperation. Both sides also explored avenues to expand people-to-people contacts.

With growing collaboration in political, economic, and infrastructure development sectors in recent years, this high-level dialogue is expected to add qualitative depth to their bilateral relationship. In a message shared on social media after the meeting, Foreign Minister Khanal described the discussions with Wang Yi as fruitful and comprehensive, emphasizing the focus on enhancing effective cooperation in areas of common interest.

This meeting is viewed as a significant opportunity to continue diplomatic dialogue between Nepal and China and to advance the agenda of development and infrastructure cooperation.

June 15, Kathmandu – The voting process for the Karnali Province convention of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (Raswapa) could not commence again on Monday. Amid ongoing disputes, party leaders are attempting to reach a unanimous consensus on the leadership selection process. The decision to conduct voting for candidates unanimously selected for provincial membership has reportedly sparked controversy. Candidates for the provincial chairperson position include the incumbent Madan Khadka, leader Nandkishor Basnet, and treasurer Sneha Upadhyay. The plan is to hold elections for the chairperson and member positions in the first phase, followed by elections for other office bearers in the second phase. The voting suspended on Monday has been rescheduled for Tuesday.

File Photo 1 Asar, Kathmandu: Former Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has highlighted the emergence of a serious structural crisis in Nepal’s economic sector and urged the new generation of leaders to find sustainable solutions. Addressing the youth-dominated parliament and government, Dr. Bhattarai posted a statement on social media Sunday requesting action on this critical issue. He pointed out that the announcement to shut down 83 tea factories following export restrictions by India, coupled with a decline of 120 registered industries compared to last year, signals a severe economic crisis for the country.

“These are clear indicators of deeply troubling structural problems within the economic sector. Nepal’s weak industrial base currently accounts for only 11.4 percent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and employs just 13.8 percent of the workforce, according to 2024 data,” he stated. “The most alarming aspect is that while Nepalese are highly sensitive to issues of national identity, our naïve ignorance and silence regarding economic nationalism are very worrisome.” Dr. Bhattarai, who also served as finance minister, recalled his doctoral thesis presented 40 years ago at India’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), in which he analyzed Nepal’s problems of dependency and underdevelopment.

“Forty years ago, I submitted my PhD dissertation titled ‘The Nature of Underdevelopment and Regional Structure of Nepal’ at JNU, providing an extensive analysis of the internal and external causes behind Nepal’s structural economic underdevelopment and dependency,” he reflected, adding, “But since then, we have been consumed by struggles over political rights.” After reflecting on how much of his generation’s time was devoted to political reform, he stressed that now the responsibility for curing the country’s economic ailments falls on the shoulders of the new generation. “The friends currently holding power with fresh energy and enthusiasm—will they now seek sustainable solutions to this historic economic malady?” he questioned, offering this as a crucial challenge.

Dr. Bhattarai’s remarks come amid worsening conditions in Nepal’s industrial sector, highlighted by disruptions in tea exports to India and a decline in new industry registrations, signaling a deteriorating industrial environment in the country.

The government has initiated the process to freeze encroached government and public lands based on the Rawal Commission’s report. The Ministry of Land Management has instructed relevant departments to prevent the buying, selling, or registration of these lands as detailed in the report. Following a decision by the cabinet, an eight-member committee has been formed to ensure effective implementation of the report. Kathmandu, 1 Asar.

The government has moved forward with implementing the recommendations of the High-Level Commission on the Investigation and Protection of Government and Public Lands (Rawal Commission). All encroached government and public lands included in the report are now subject to a freeze on any transfer of ownership rights. The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperative Federal Affairs, and General Administration has issued correspondence to the Land Management and Records Department and the Survey Department, directing that no encroached land cited in the commission’s report may be sold, transferred, or registered under any individual’s name by any means.

According to the ministry, the commission’s report on the investigation and protection of government and public lands has already been submitted to the government. The cabinet has decided on its implementation and formed an eight-member committee to oversee and strengthen the process. As per the cabinet decision, necessary actions to prevent changes in ownership of the lands mentioned in the report are being carried out through the Land Management and Records Department and the Survey Department, the ministry stated.

June 15, Surkhet – The Karnali Province government has allocated NPR 50 million for the expansion of Surkhet Airport. Finance Minister Rajiv Bikram Shah, while presenting the annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84 (2026/27), stated that the airport expansion would be carried out in coordination with the federal government. The provincial government had also outlined the plan for expanding Surkhet Airport in its policies and programs. Every year, efforts are made to coordinate with the federal government for the construction and development of provincial airports, considering long-term needs.

However, progress on the airport expansion plan has been slow so far. During the budget speech, Minister Shah also announced plans to initiate domestic flights from Surkhet Airport to other districts in Karnali Province. “With coordination from the federal government, regular air services to other districts in the province will be improved. Necessary budget provisions have been made for this,” the finance minister added. The federal government has also included funds for Surkhet Airport expansion in its budget, although Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle did not disclose specific figures during the budget presentation.