Author: space4knews

March 22, Mahottari — Farmers in Mahottari, who had been disheartened by the lack of rainfall during winter, are now experiencing relief.

The rain that fell on Friday and Saturday has sufficiently moistened the soil, renewing hope for the progress of agricultural activities.

Local farmer Shubhnarayan Thakur shared that the recent rain worked like a blessing on crops that had been turning yellow due to water shortage. “The land was drying out, and it was impossible to till it; the shoots and plants of Baishakhi vegetables were wilting,” said the 60-year-old Thakur, “the recent rainfall has brought great relief.”

Crops that had been wilting before the rain showed improvement within a day, and with clear weather on Sunday, farmers found it easier to carry out agricultural tasks.

The rain provided ample moisture for the crops in the fields, allowing farmers to start preparing the soil for upcoming planting of monsoon rice and other crops.

“Sugarcane plants were drying out due to lack of water, but after the rain, we have felt significant relief,” said 30-year-old farmer Nirbahadur Khatri from Bardibas-7, Manharipur. “We will now begin soil preparation for planting crops such as monsoon rice, maize, millet, and joonelo.”

The recent rain also benefited summer fruits such as mangoes, lychees, and Kathemar trees.

Hotaraj Ghimire, a 70-year-old fruit farmer from Bardibas-5 Cheru, explained that by washing away powdery mildew, the rain facilitated effective treatment of the disease on flowers and pods.

Farmers have noticed that adequate soil moisture promotes fruit-bearing plants while reducing the spread of diseases.

The strong winds that occurred on Friday evening caused minor damage to the crops.

Specifically, the wind toppled maize stalks with ears and broke some shoots of Baishakhi vegetables in certain areas.

However, the cessation of strong winds coinciding with the onset of rainfall prevented major damage, according to farmers. The rain from Friday evening through Saturday is expected to maintain moisture in the fields for some time.

This recent rainfall reduced the intense heat that had risen due to the lack of water in winter. With favorable conditions for crops and cooler weather, farmers find it easier to resume their work.

With several months of busy agricultural activities ahead, farmers hope for occasional favorable rains. “Good rainfall will lead to better yields,” said 65-year-old Raghu Kafle from Bardibas-6, Krishnapur.

Although Mahottari has a total of 71,000 hectares of cultivable land, only about 10 percent has access to irrigation. Most investors and farmers depend on wells, shallow tube wells, and boreholes for watering their fields.

Prolonged drought causes these alternative irrigation sources to dry up quickly, creating challenges for farmers. According to the Agricultural Knowledge Center of Mahottari, approximately 20 percent of the land is irrigated, while the remaining 80 percent relies on rainfall.

Therefore, farmers remain dependent on rain to plant and protect their crops.

March 22, Kathmandu – The Bagmati Province government has collected NPR 2.449 billion in revenue during the first eight months of the current fiscal year 2082/83, which accounts for 36.29 percent of the annual target.

Land registration (land revenue) and vehicle taxes are considered the primary sources of revenue for the provincial government. The revenue collection target was set at NPR 3.089 billion from Shrawan to Falgun of fiscal year 2082/83.

According to Suraj Paudel, an official from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Planning Development of Bagmati Province, NPR 1.393 billion has been collected so far, meeting 45.13 percent of the target.

He further noted that in the current fiscal year, the target for revenue collection from land registration was NPR 770 million, while NPR 256.2 million has been collected in the first eight months.

Similarly, the province had estimated NPR 825 million in revenue from vehicle-related taxes such as vehicle inspection passes, route permits, driver’s licenses issuance, and renewals, of which NPR 444.93 million has been collected.

The province also expected to collect NPR 879.87 million from value-added tax related to distribution, and has gathered NPR 504.65 million during this period.

Likewise, from internal excise duties, the government projected NPR 403.79 million, but collected NPR 175.34 million so far, the ministry reported.

Under the equalization grant received from the federal government, a total of NPR 1.481 billion was anticipated, out of which NPR 794.27 million, or 53.60 percent, was received within the eight months, according to official Paudel.

Furthermore, the ministry stated that NPR 477.74 million was expected from the province’s internally generated revenue sources for the current fiscal year, with NPR 250.12 million, representing 52.35 percent of the target, collected so far.

Paudel attributed the shortfall in revenue collection to decreased transactions in land and new vehicle purchases due to economic liquidity issues, as well as damages incurred by revenue collection agencies during the Genji protests on Bhadra 23 and 24.

March 23, Kathmandu – The share market fluctuated throughout Monday but closed on an uptrend. The NEPSE index increased by 5.01 points compared to the previous day, closing at 2936 points. After dipping to 2911 points at 2:34 pm, the market recovered in the final hours.

However, the trading volume declined. While the previous day’s volume was NPR 2.359 billion, Monday’s trading was limited to NPR 1.578 billion. Share prices increased for 102 companies, decreased for 154, and remained unchanged for 8 companies.

The production and processing sector led the gains, rising by 1.53%. Other sectors, such as finance (+0.20%), hydropower (+0.96%), investment (+0.72%), and microfinance (+0.43%) also saw growth. Conversely, banking (-0.27%), development banks (-0.50%), hotel and tourism (-0.86%), life insurance (-0.48%), non-life insurance (-0.04%), and trade (-0.59%) sectors experienced declines.

Six companies recorded a 10% increase in share price. These include Reliance Spinning Mills, Salpa Development Bank, Solu Hydropower, Bhujung Hydropower, Manakamana Engineering Hydropower, and Hotel Forest Inn. Additionally, First Microfinance’s shares increased by 8.96%, Asha Laghubitta by 8.82%, and Mero Microfinance by 8.18%.

Sindhu Development Bank’s shares experienced the largest drop, falling 3.23%. The five most actively traded companies of the day were Kumari Bank, Shivam Cement, National Hydropower, NRN Infrastructure, and Ngadi Group.

March 22, Kathmandu – Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal honored Home Ministry officials and security personnel who contributed to the successful completion of the House of Representatives election. On Monday, at an event held at the ministry, Minister Aryal presented certificates of appreciation to the officials and security forces.

Minister Aryal presented certificates of appreciation to Rajkumar Shrestha, Secretary of the Home Ministry; Kedarnath Sharma, Secretary of the Defense Ministry; Brigade Commander Pradip Jung KC from the Nepal Army; Inspector General of Police Dan Bahadur Karki; Armed Police Force Inspector General Raju Aryal; Head of the National Investigation Department Tekendra Karki; district security committee officials from Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur; and senior officials of the Home Ministry. Additionally, all employees and security personnel deployed in the election, including district security committee members, were congratulated and honored.

At the occasion, Home Minister Aryal praised the crucial role played by employees, security forces, and all stakeholders in successfully executing the House of Representatives election on Falgun 21 (March 5). He noted that a new benchmark was set by completing the election peacefully in a single phase.

“We have set a new standard by successfully conducting the election historically; this time there was no bloodshed, and no need for re-election,” he said. “The positive outcome is due to collective leadership and strong coordination among all stakeholders. It is essential to maintain this in the future.”

Minister Aryal highlighted the pivotal and responsible role played by security committees from the central to district levels, the construction command force, security cells, and responsible government officials in contributing enthusiastically to the election’s success.

“The creativity and capability of officials deployed in the election are commendable,” Minister Aryal remarked. “In past incidents, leadership often struggled to fully understand the events; instructions might have been issued based on incomplete information or unverified statements. However, this time thorough investigations and careful coordination preceded decisions. Actions were based on coordinated decisions, and all levels of security agencies played a remarkable role.”

Defense Ministry Secretary Kedarnath Sharma and Home Ministry spokesperson Anand Kafle credited the election’s success to strong coordination and prudent leadership. Home Ministry Security and Coordination Division Chief and spokesperson Anand Kafle mentioned that positive results were achieved in maintaining election security and peaceful order.

Chaitra 9, Kathmandu – Several important bills including those related to federal civil service, Nepal Police, and school education, which had advanced amid intense debates in various committees of the previous House of Representatives, have become inactive following the dissolution of parliament.

These crucial bills, directly linked to federalism implementation concerning personnel management, security, and education, now appear more feasible to finalize given the current parliamentary dynamics.

Following the adverse situation arising from the Genji movement and the dissolution of parliament on Bhadra 27, these bills have effectively returned to a ‘zero’ state but may serve as significant legislative groundwork for the upcoming parliament.

Typically, a simple majority in parliament is required to enact new laws. However, in the election held on Falgun 21, the Rastriya Swatantra Party alone won a total of 182 seats.

This majority indicates that the party will have sole decision-making authority in each parliamentary committee, suggesting that the upcoming session will see swift deliberation and passage of such impactful and long-term bills.

An analysis by the National Assembly’s Legislation Committee revealed that implementing federalism necessitates over 320 laws. Some amendments such as the Nepal Act have already been passed, addressing certain issues. Previous governments had prioritized these laws into first, second, and third categories and forwarded the details to the Federal Parliament Secretariat.

According to Ekram Giri, spokesperson for the Secretariat, 31 bills under consideration in the House of Representatives became inactive after dissolution. Legally, bills that originated in the House and those introduced in the National Assembly but pending in the House automatically become inactive after dissolution.

“Five bills that originated in the National Assembly and are under consideration in the upper house remain active,” Giri said. “The National Assembly has sent three bills back to the House with messages after completing their procedures.”

A bill related to alternative financial management was registered with the Secretariat by the caretaker government. In the last session of the National Assembly, three ordinances were introduced in the house. These will enter the House of Representatives as formal business.

Bills that became inactive after parliament’s dissolution can be updated and reintroduced as new bills, he added. “The government can decide how many bills to take as ‘reference’ and subsequently register new ones. Even if the same bills are to be advanced, they must undergo the new legislative process.”

A bill is a proposal presented in parliament on behalf of the government for lawmaking. Based on origin, content, and presentation, bills are categorized as government or private member bills. Apart from finance and security, members of parliament can also register private member bills.

Historically, in Nepal’s parliamentary history, the Nepal Health Professional Council Bill 2053, Human Rights Commission Bill 2053, and Legal Aid Bill 2054 were passed as private member bills.

Based on content, bills are divided into types including finance, general, principal, dependent or supplementary, amendment, ordinance replacement, constitutional amendment, and supplementary expenditure bills.

Parshuram Meghi Gurung, former chairperson of the National Assembly’s Legislation Management Committee, explains that legislative procedures in Nepal generally follow two stages: pre-legislative and legislative.

In the pre-legislative stage, a bill receives theoretical consensus, is drafted, and then introduced to the cabinet and the parliament. The legislative stage involves issuing notices to seek permission to present the bill, debating permission motions, detailed general and clause-by-clause discussions, deliberations in subject committees, committee report discussions, and finally, passing the bill.

Moreover, bills originated in the National Assembly are sent to the House of Representatives and vice versa. After passage in both houses, they are certified and forwarded to the President for assent.

Parliamentary rules stipulate that after passage by the House of Representatives, the National Assembly must complete the legislative process within 60 days—or 15 days in the case of financial bills—and return them with messages.

There is a general understanding that laws enacted by parliament should be subject to thorough debate and discussion to ensure quality, taking adequate time. However, occasionally when laws need to be enacted swiftly, relevant sessions suspend rules to expedite the process.

“After the promulgation of the new constitution, laws related to fundamental rights should have been enacted within three years. Some laws were passed by suspending rules at the last moment,” noted spokesperson Giri. RSS