Author: space4knews

March 23, Rolpa – Rolpa is set to host its first-ever veterans conference. The event targets retired soldiers who receive pensions from the Nepali Army, as well as single women veterans, and is named Veterans Conference 2082.

Organized under the coordination of the Nepali Army’s Gangi Adda management and the Nepali Army Welfare Board, the conference will take place at the Suryadal Battalion Libang Barrack in Rolpa on Chaitra 22, according to Ishwar Thapa, chief soldier of the Suryadal Battalion Rolpa.

“To participate in the conference, we have set up a registration desk at the battalion from Chaitra 1 to 17,” said Soldier Thapa. “Registration is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.”

According to Khim Bikram KC, president of the Veterans Association Rolpa, there are currently 110 veterans residing in the district. “Among them, 10 are single women,” he added. “Some live outside the district, but our aim is to have everyone present; we are yet to see the final turnout.”

Conferences to Be Held in Other Districts as Well

The Central Office of the Nepali Army has also announced a veterans conference on Chaitra 22 under the Mid-Western Command Headquarters for 2082 BS.

For veterans residing in Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, Nawalparasi-West, and Nawalparasi-East districts, the main venue will be the Yogikutti Barrack in Butwal.

Similarly, veterans living in Dang, Pyuthan, Rolpa, Rukum West, Rukum East, Salyan, Arghakhanchi, Gulmi, and Palpa will participate at respective sub-centers located within Nepali Army units in their districts.

Further conferences are scheduled to be held under the Western Command Headquarters on Chaitra 25, at the Mid-Eastern Command Headquarters at Bardibas Military Camp, Mahottari on Baishakh 3, 2083, and at the Khadgad Dal Battalion Ramchechhap Barrack on Baishakh 4, 2083.

March 23, Kathmandu – Nepal Rastra Bank has set the foreign exchange rates for today. According to the determined rates, the values of the US Dollar, UK Pound Sterling, and Swiss Franc have increased today. The buying rate for the continuously rising US Dollar has been fixed at NPR 150.07 and the selling rate at NPR 150.67 per unit.

Similarly, the European Euro’s buying rate is NPR 173.53 and the selling rate NPR 174.23, UK Pound Sterling’s buying rate NPR 200.50 and selling rate NPR 201.30, and the Swiss Franc’s buying rate NPR 190.25 and selling rate NPR 191.01 per unit.

The Australian Dollar’s buying rate is NPR 104.85 with a selling rate of NPR 105.27, Canadian Dollar’s buying rate NPR 109.25 and selling rate NPR 109.69, and Singapore Dollar’s buying rate NPR 117.39 and selling rate NPR 117.86.

For the Japanese Yen (per 10 units), the buying rate is NPR 9.45 and selling rate NPR 9.49, Chinese Yuan’s buying rate NPR 21.78 and selling NPR 21.86, Saudi Arabian Riyal’s buying rate NPR 39.97 and selling NPR 40.13, and Qatari Riyal’s buying rate NPR 41.06 and selling NPR 41.22.

According to the central bank, Thai Baht’s buying rate is NPR 4.62 and selling NPR 4.64, UAE Dirham’s buying rate NPR 40.86 and selling NPR 41.02, and Malaysian Ringgit’s buying rate NPR 38.09 and selling NPR 38.25.

South Korean Won (per 100 units) has a buying rate of NPR 10.06 and selling rate of NPR 10.10, Swedish Krona’s buying rate is NPR 15.99 and selling NPR 16.06, while Danish Krona’s buying is NPR 23.22 and selling NPR 23.32.

The Rastra Bank has also fixed the Hong Kong Dollar’s buying rate at NPR 19.16 and selling rate at NPR 19.24, Kuwaiti Dinar’s buying rate at NPR 489.47 and selling NPR 491.42.

Bahraini Dinar’s buying rate stands at NPR 397.48 and selling rate at NPR 399.07, and Omani Riyal’s buying rate NPR 389.79 and selling rate NPR 391.35.

Furthermore, the Indian Rupee for 100 units is set at a buying rate of NPR 160 and a selling rate of NPR 160.15.

The Rastra Bank stated that it reserves the right to amend these exchange rates at any time as needed. The rates set by commercial banks may differ, and updated exchange rates will be available on the central bank’s official website.

Kathmandu — Following the recent election defeat, CPN-UML leader Surya Thapa stated in a television interview last week that people were ‘brainwashed’ by screening films on night buses.

He mentioned that the film “Jharipachiko Indreni” (Indreni After the Rain), based on the story “Ghantriprati Aayeko Lahar” (Wave Towards the Bell), along with “Dimag Kharab” (Brain Malfunction) and “Senti Virus,” were shown on night buses.

Thapa criticized Balendra Shah and the Rastriya Swatantra Party, which won nearly two-thirds of seats, by saying that Balendra Shah was involved from the promotion to the music of “Jharipachiko Indreni.”

Thapa’s remarks attracted significant attention and sparked various reactions.

Meanwhile, actress and filmmaker Swastima Khadka reacted to Thapa’s statement on Facebook. She posted a photo of herself alongside her husband, Nischal Basnet, director of the film “Dimag Kharab,” with a response that, while not directly naming Thapa, questioned, “How can someone lazy to even wash their face be believed to have been brainwashed?”

Swastima’s comment has generated widespread discussion. Former Miss Nepal and member of parliament Anushka Shrestha showed support for Swastima’s remark by liking the post.

The film “Dimag Kharab,” released two years ago, was directed by Nischal Basnet and starred Swastima Khadka in the lead role.

March 22, Kathmandu — Narnarayan Shah ‘Manu,’ the General Secretary of Nepali Congress for the Sudurpashchim Province, reminded former minister Prem Bahadur Ale of the ‘chat history’ he had shown him.

Responding to Ale’s challenge via Facebook on Monday, Shah recalled their two meetings and noted that Ale had claimed to show chat histories with Congress leaders. “Dear friend! Prem Aleji, you met me twice recently: once at Bells Cafe and another day at the OTC office,” Shah wrote. “I also met you as per your wish, and I am pleased about that.”

He mentioned that their meetings addressed current political matters. “You told me about support from some party leaders and showed me the chat history saved on your mobile, which I now wish to remind you of again,” Shah said.

However, when Ale said he would send the details, Shah claimed he responded that he did not need them at this time. Shah added, “Therefore, I do not have any concrete evidence. But frankly, I had to say some unpleasant things about you.”

Shah insisted that he did not intend to defame or character assassinate Ale with ill motives. “I have never engaged in spreading misinformation to divide society and never will,” he affirmed.

In the election held on February 21, both Shah and Ale contested from Kailali-5 but were defeated by Anand Bahadur Chand of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (Raswapa).

Following the election, Shah, the Congress candidate, alleged in a recent interview that 57 Congress leaders had received money from Ale, the candidate of the Nepali Communist Party, claiming that this allegation was based on information obtained from Ale himself.

This claim created a tense atmosphere in the constituency. In response, Ale released a statement expressing outrage, accusing Shah of making these statements to defame him. In the same statement, Ale challenged Shah to publish the list he referred to.

March 22, Kathmandu – Renowned Nepali economist Keshav Acharya passed away on Monday. Acharya was widely recognized for his ability to translate complex economic issues into accessible language for the general public.

Perhaps most significant among his contributions were two major policies designed by him and his team, which have left a lasting impact on Nepal’s economy and the lives of its people.

In 1995, when the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) formed a short-lived nine-month minority government, three leading economists were at the forefront of shaping the government’s economic policies—Dr. Dilliraj Khanal, Keshav Acharya, and Dr. Govind Bahadur Thapa. Under Prime Minister Manmohan Adhikari and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari, the government launched the policy of directly transferring budgets to local bodies under the slogan “Build Our Own Village.”

This government also initiated the provision of senior citizen allowances to citizens over the age of 75. Acharya, who was part of the Ministry of Finance specialist team from the beginning, played a crucial role in formulating these policies, according to Dr. Khanal, then a member of the National Planning Commission and Chief Economic Advisor at the Ministry.

“I was initially the Chief Economic Advisor of the ministry, and after moving to the National Planning Commission, Keshav Ji took that position. At that time, we worked together to develop the budget and introduce these policies,” Khanal recalled.

Dr. Khanal also reminisces that the team prepared a long-term vision for the government. Acharya assisted in policy formulation while working at Nepal Rastra Bank.

Acharya devoted more than three decades to Nepal Rastra Bank. Born on November 17, 1896 BS (December 1, 1939 AD) in Bohoretar, Sindhuli, he entered government service in 1977 BS after passing open competitive exams to become an officer at the central bank. Most of his career was spent at the bank’s Economic Research Department. He was appointed Executive Director in 2001 and retired from the central bank in 2009.

Acharya earned his postgraduate degree in economics from Tribhuvan University and the University of the Philippines, and completed an MSc in Finance in the UK.

He spent much of his time in the research department, which was regarded as the most prestigious division within Nepal Rastra Bank. “He did work in other departments occasionally, but mostly remained in research,” said his colleague and former governor Deependra Bahadur Kshetri.

Acharya was among the few bank employees who were transferred outside the Kathmandu valley, as the bank deemed his expertise essential at the central office, which he confirmed.

Kshetri noted Acharya’s habit of staying up-to-date with cutting-edge global economic information and bringing important issues to discussions at the bank.

Beyond Nepal Rastra Bank, Acharya contributed significantly as a chief economic advisor to the government and as an advisor to the International Monetary Fund. He also co-authored the aggregate chapter on long-term agricultural development strategies.

“He was part of the core economist team in the UML government’s first tenure, and played a major role in implementing two important policies—the senior citizen allowance and the ‘Build Our Own Village’ program,” Kshetri said.

Acharya was widely respected not only for his strong grasp of economics but also for his personable and humble nature.

“Although he was part of the UML government’s economic expert team, he was not a committed political activist,” Kshetri noted.

After 2009, Acharya served as the chief economic advisor under Finance Minister Surendra Pandey and Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. Pandey remembers him less as a politically partisan figure and more as a pragmatic economist.

“Perhaps due to his interest in progressive movements since college, he worked as an expert during the UML government but was not an active party member,” Pandey said. “As a senior official from Nepal Rastra Bank, involvement in party organization was not feasible.”

Despite advising communist governments repeatedly, Acharya consistently advanced an agenda of economic reform.

Pandey recalled that Acharya never engaged in political controversies during his work. “Many people talk a lot about ideology but fail to deliver results, but he was an economist who translated principles into policy and implementation,” Pandey said.

His hallmark was honest and strategic economic advice, and he provided excellent support for the implementation of the plans he proposed, according to Pandey.

Acharya was college classmates with former Chief Secretary Dr. Womol Koirala.

“We studied together at Mahendra Morang Campus in Biratnagar; he was 15 and I was 13. He studied arts, and I took science. Our friendship has continued ever since,” Dr. Koirala shared.

Koirala describes Acharya as a sharp, precise, diligent economist with a progressive mindset. “He had no negative feelings; he always sought solutions for improvement and development,” he emphasized. “After the overwhelming majority of Raswapas (Rastriya Swatantra Party), Acharya believed that the new government could deliver the reforms that the people expected.”

Acharya’s scholarly pursuits extended beyond economics to literature as well.

After working for about 18 months in the Ministry of Finance, he took part in advocating for economic policy. He contributed articles to various research and media outlets and during his tenure at Nepal Rastra Bank, he regularly provided economic insights to journalists and encouraged simplified writing.

In 2014 BS (2017 AD), he was a member of the High-Level Tax System Review Commission. Acharya was also chairman of Laxmi Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha, a microfinance institution established in 2012 BS, leading it until 2021 BS.

In recent years, he worked with the Economic Policy Incubator supported by UKAid.

Dr. Shankar Sharma, team leader and current Nepali ambassador to India, recalled Acharya as a forthright and dedicated professional. “He had a cheerful presence in the office; without him, the workplace felt empty,” Dr. Sharma said.

He never allowed political bias to influence his work, Dr. Sharma remembered.

“Initially, he might have leaned left politically, but he worked under both Manmohan Adhikari and Madhav Nepal governments. Later, he emphasized reform, remaining steadfast that the government must serve the people. He contributed significantly to reforms in many economic laws,” Dr. Sharma added.

March 22, Kathmandu – The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has reportedly cleared two former ministers from corruption charges in the Pokhara International Airport construction case based on their statements saying, ‘I had no knowledge about the budget.’

Although former Ministers Jeevan Bahadur Shahi and Jitendra Dev, who were responsible for the Ministry of Civil Aviation, were interrogated, the CIAA disclosed that no action has been taken against them. The Tourism Minister chairs the board of directors of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), and no budget is approved without decisions from this board.

However, the CIAA has filed a corruption case against Tourism Secretary Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, who reportedly had no role in the CAAN’s board of directors. He is accused of failing to properly monitor and oversee the financial operations of subordinate bodies and colluding in corruption.

The Nepal government had signed a loan agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China for the construction of Pokhara Airport. Under this agreement, CAAN signed a building contract with the Chinese firm CAMC.

Although the contract specified that the contractor should appoint consultants, the CIAA alleges that CAAN appointed consultants using its own budget, which constituted corrupt practice and led to legal action.

The CIAA has filed cases against 23 individuals—including Tourism Secretary Adhikari, former director generals and employees of CAAN, contractors, and their representatives—accusing them of causing a loss of Rs. 461.5 million through appointing consultants using the authority’s budget.

‘I Had No Knowledge’

Former Tourism Minister Jeevan Bahadur Shahi stated that the subcommittee was formed and the budget allocated before he assumed office as minister. He explained that since the Civil Aviation Authority and its subcommittee had already allocated the budget, he was not aware of these details.

The CAAN budget only takes effect after approval by the board of directors, which is chaired by the minister. Although the budgeting process is led by the decision-makers, no charges have been filed against them; instead, legal action was taken against those involved in budget planning.

However, in his statement to the CIAA, Minister Shahi indicated that the budget was submitted as a lump sum to the board and there was no separate allocation, so he lacked detailed knowledge.

“The entire budget was submitted to the board in one lump sum, and the board of directors did not make separate allocations. I had no knowledge about the procurement contract details,” he said. “Since I was not knowledgeable about the technical aspects, I was unaware of this matter.”

He also mentioned he had no awareness of budget provisions for consultancy services related to the Pokhara Airport construction or any notifications regarding consultancy services. Minister Shahi served for seven months, from mid-November to mid-February.

“I had no information that the authority’s director general had decided to purchase consultancy services from the authority’s budget or that an invitation for bids had been published,” he told the CIAA.

He further explained he had recently joined CAAN as chairman and lacked technical knowledge. He even provided his technical opinion during the inquiry, stating:

“The Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) contract should finance the consultancy services from funds allocated for that purpose.”

Jitendra Dev’s Statement: ‘The Director General Did Not Inform Me’

Minister Jitendra Dev similarly told the CIAA that he had no knowledge of the budget for consultancy services related to the Pokhara Airport construction. He added that detailed budgetary matters are known to the authority’s director general, who did not share relevant information with him.

“Neither the director general nor anyone else presented discussions in the board of directors’ meetings, so I was unaware,” he stated. “No one informed me about issues related to the airport construction contract.”

The CAAN had allocated about Rs. 500 million for consultancy services, included in the annual budget. According to the CIAA, the authority incorrectly spent this amount from its annual budget instead of the contract funds.

Although corruption charges were filed against the authority’s director generals, the CIAA did not record statements from the board chairpersons after accepting document authenticity. Other members who gave statements are not being prosecuted.

Secretary, Who Does Not Attend Authority Meetings, Faces Charges

According to Section 13 of the Nepal Civil Aviation Act 1996, the CAAN board is formed to operate, manage, and oversee all activities of the authority. The board is chaired by the Tourism Minister or State Minister and includes representatives from other stakeholders.

However, the Tourism Secretary does not participate in the board meetings, while the authority’s director general serves as the board’s secretary.

Despite not playing any role in the budget allocation, decisions, or implementation of the authority, Tourism Secretary Kedar Bahadur Adhikari has been charged by the CIAA with corruption. He is also accused of authenticating documents of the authority improperly. The commission alleges he failed to supervise his subordinate offices and was complicit in corruption, demanding recovery of Rs. 461.5 million from him.

Secretary Adhikari admitted in his statement that his role was limited to certifying letters and files received from the authority and forwarding them to the Ministry of Finance. He maintained that, as the authority is an autonomous body, he could not intervene in its operations.

“It is incorrect to assume that I approved sending government documents received by the ministry to the Ministry of Finance,” he said, “The law assigns responsibility to the autonomous body itself.”

However, the CIAA’s charge sheet accuses him of abusing his position to authorize documents that benefited contractors and caused damage to Nepal Government and CAAN assets.

On December 7 last year, the CIAA filed cases against five former ministers and a Chinese company along with a total of 56 individuals, alleging corruption worth Rs. 836 million in the Pokhara airport construction project.

The accused included Ram Kumar Shrestha, Bhim Prasad Acharya, Dipak Chandra Amatya, Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, and the late Post Bahadur Botgya’s widow Ram Maya Bogti. Former tourism secretaries Sushil Ghimire and Sureshman Shrestha, Finance Secretary Suman Prasad Sharma, and Law Secretary Bheshraj Sharma were also charged.

According to the special court’s charge sheet, the corruption involved inflating the construction cost of Pokhara International Airport. The initial estimate was USD 169.69 million, including 13% VAT and 3% contingency.

However, after cost escalations, the contract value rose to USD 244.04 million, an increase of USD 74.34 million. The CIAA alleges that this amount—equivalent to Rs. 836 million based on the then exchange rate of Rs. 112.55 per dollar—is the basis for the corruption allegations.

The latest case concerns amounts spent outside the loan agreement with the Chinese bank. The CIAA claims that instead of the contractor spending the allocated funds on consultants as per the contract, CAAN spent its own budget, constituting corrupt practice.