Kathmandu: The Election Commission, Nepal (ECN) today submitted its annual report for the fiscal year, 2019/20 to President Bidya Devi Bhandari. Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya presented the report amid a function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in Sheetal Niwas. The occasion was attended by also election commissioners Narendra Dahal and Ishwori Prasad Paudyal and the ECN Secretary Dev Kumari Guragain.
Tag: Nepal
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2 killed, 7 injured in Kaski road accident
Kaski: Two people have died and seven others have sustained injuries when a jeep they were travelling on crashed at Yamdi on the Pokhara-Baglung Highway on Saturday evening.
Nine people were travelling on the vehicle (Ba 2 Cha 7410) heading towards Pokhara Bazar from Hemja. It veered off the road and fell some 25 metres from the road.
Prakash Pun, 50, and Chitra Pun, 52, of Pokhara metropolitan city-10, who were critically injured in the accident, died in course of treatment on Saturday night, the Kaski District Police Office said.
Prakash died at the Western Regional Hospital while Chitra breathed his last at the Manipal Hospital in Pokhara.
The injured are receiving treatment at Sahara Hospital.
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No change in Nepal’s position for Gorkha recruitment in Indian Army: Minister Gyawali
KATHMANDU: Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali has said that there has not been any change in the position of Gorkha recruitment in the Indian Army.
The remarks came following reports that Nepal is rethinking a change in Gorkha recruitment policy, Indian media reports said.
In response to a question in Delhi, Gyawali said, “So far as the Gorkha recruitment in the Indian army is concerned, it is a reality and one of the important components of our relationship.” adding, “yes there are academic discussions in societies, in vibrant democracies, there may be different opinions in that regard, but so far govt of Nepal has not changed its position on this issue or made any new decision in that regard” -Khabarhub
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Guidelines prepared to mobilize volunteers in disaster management
KATHMANDU: The government is to mobilize volunteers for mitigating the damage caused by disasters.
The final preparations are made for forming the National Volunteers Bureau in line with the provisions made in the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, 2074, the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management National Strategy, 2075, and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Regulations, 2076.
A guideline is also being prepared in this connection. Volunteer mobilization for disaster damage prevention would be the first such exercise in the country with the implementation of this guideline.
The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has prepared the draft of the ‘Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Volunteer Bureau Formation and Mobilization Guidelines, 2077’ and preparing to implement it at the earliest.
The executive body of the Authority will likely approve the guidelines in its next meeting, the Authority’s chief executive officer Anil Pokharel said. The preliminary draft of the guidelines was tabled in the Executive Committee’s meeting before this. The Home Minister chairs the executive committee.
Pokharel said the main goal of the guidelines is capacity enhancement in disaster risk reduction by mobilizing the volunteers.
Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa has expressed the belief that the guidelines will help make the disaster preparedness, risk reduction, and rescue and rehabilitation programs effective.
“The proposed draft of the guidelines is in discussion process. The plan is to get it approved and implemented at the earliest,” CEO Pokharel said.
It is stated in the proposed guidelines that there would be separate institutional structure at the federal, province and local levels.
The Bureau will carry out its works in coordination with the local level and the administration offices concerned. Its structure will reach to the ward level itself.
The proposal states that the ward volunteer committee and the community volunteer groups would be formed.
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Civil society leaders ask Minister Gyawali not to sign any agreements during his India visit
KATHMANDU: Fifteen members of the civil society have urged Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali to not sign any agreements having long-term significance during his India visit.
They have argued that a Foreign Minister of a caretaker government cannot sign any agreements.
The civil society leaders issuing a statement include former Chief Secretary Leela Mani Paudyal, former chief of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) Surya Nath Upadhyaya, Dipendra Bahadur Chhetri, Rishi Adhikari, Krishna Gyawali, Khagendra Prasai, Indira Dali, Ninu Chapagai, Yuvaraj Pandey, Manavi Paudel, Surya Raj Acharya, Shurbir Paudyal, Hrinaya Lal Shrestha and Sharada Prasad Trital.
Foreign Minister Gyawali is going to India on Thursday on a three-day visit.
According to them, since the government led by KP Oli has become a caretaker government after the dissolution of the House of Representatives, its Foreign Minister should not sign such agreements or treaties. -From_Khabarhub
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Dharmendra Bastola of Biplav faction arrested
KATHMANDU: Dharmendra Bastola, the western command chief of the outlawed Biplav rebel group, has been arrested.
A police source said that he was arrested from the border area of Lalitpur and Makwanpur.
Bastola is also a member of the faction’s secretariat and head of the Foreign Department.
Likewise, Bibek Kumal considered close to the faction’s spokesperson Khadga Bahadur Bishwakarma “Prakanda” has also been arrested along with Bastola.
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Former People’s Liberation Army’s state level meeting:… Sacrifice wasted, now let’s carry the country’s flag, not the party’s!
The Independent Former People’s Liberation Army is going to gather state level representatives. A meeting held in Dhangadhi on Saturday has decided to convene a state level representative within the month of March.
From the meeting, a 25-member committee formed under the coordination of KB Ayadi will prepare the meeting along with publicity. Sanjay Kattel, who is also the commander of the former People’s Liberation Army, urged the people to move forward for the flag of Nepal and the social sector without carrying the flag of the leader and the party. He also claimed that the organization was not for any party but for the social sector.
Giving information about the program, he said, “We cannot fit into any political party because now there is no such party in Nepal where we can fit where our objectives and goals meet.” We sacrificed not for the leaders but for the mother of Nepal, the country and the nation, but it also burst like a water bubble. Probably because he dared to change the face of the nation and the people by carrying the flag of an organization even then! Yes, therefore, our sacrifice and suffering says that now when it comes to building a prosperous future for the people, we urge the ex-People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officials and the general public to carry the burden of the country and not of any party organization.”
He said. “My life confirms that no leader can guarantee their (people’s) future,” Kattel said. “I am also a victim of the people’s war.” Now I am wearing an artificial leg. There are many friends like me. They didn’t even look at us! Let’s face it, we are convinced that we have made sacrifices for the nation and the country, but the leaders have assured the people of the country that they will easily create an environment where they can work eight hours a day, have eight hours of entertainment and eight hours of sleep.
Now millions of Nepali youth have to go abroad without finding work. Many people has lost his life on the streets due to starvation. constitutional provision of many of our comrades who have been martyred.” The monarchy was lying in front of us. The leaders are rejoicing in the blood and sweat of the heroic martyrs. He said.
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More than 300 Youths participated in Poetry Contest
The final event of the Poetry Writing Contest organized by Daya Foundation and Rotary Club of Kathmandu Mid-town in collaboration with UNICEF Nepal was held on 27 November 2020 at 5 PM via Zoom.
The main highlight of the 2-hour program was the announcement of 10 winners of the contest followed by a panel discussion on “Emotional/Mental Well-Being& Literary Avenues/Platforms for Youth Voices”.
The event was a success with participation from 300+ youths and many dignitaries from several institutions. Aarya Bajrachayra from Rupy’s International School, Shivila Gc from Kathmandu University School of Management, Rachita Uprety from Silver Mountain School Of Hotel Management, Rubi Bhandari from Softwarica College, and Shreeya Shrestha from Rato Bangala Schoolare the winners from English category and Abinash Gajurel, a graduate, Chadani Acharya from Medhavi College, Bigyan Subedi from IOM, T.U., Smriti Adhikari from Tribhuvan University School of Management, and Sushila Rai from Diktel Multiple Campus are the winners from Nepali category who have won NRs. 10,000/- each as prize money. Following the announcement of winners, panelists Man Bahadur Mukhia (Literary figure), Tania Dhakwa (Chief of Communications at UNICEF Nepal), Dr. Sagun Ballav Panta (Psychiatrist at Teaching Hospital), and Dr. Rojina Manandhar (Psychologist/Clinical Hypnotherapist) shared their take on Emotional and Mental Health, and the importance of literature in expressing oneself.
The theme of this contest was “Emotional/Mental Well-being and Cultural Identity” to address the growing mental health issues especially among youths and the importance of culture in establishing one’s own identity. The contest was open to youths from age group 15 to 30 year old. The participants were encouraged to submit their original writing in Nepali or English on topics like “Emotional/Mental Well-Being”, “Cultural Identity” and “Cultural Identity supporting Emotional/Mental Well-Being” or any topic of choice in line with these three titles by November 15, 2020. The submissions were anonymously reviewed by experienced and qualified literary experts who were: A) English Category: James C Hopkins, Lisa Choegyal, and Tania Dhakwaa B) Nepali Category: Anupam Pokhrel, Man Bahadur Mukhiya, and Dr. Ram Prasad Dahal The two sponsoring organizations were represented by Rajesh B Pradhan, President Daya Foundation and by Keepa M Handa, Executive Member, Health. Ltn. Gen. KNS Thapa, President RC Kathmandu Midtown.
Chief Guest of Honor, District Governor Rajib Pokharel along with the sponsoring organizations shared positive notes regarding this type of initiative and collaborative effort for youth welfare at national level.
Representing the organizing team, Moderator and MC Neeva Mathema Pradhan is Executive Member and Founder of Daya Foundation a non-profit organization that provides financial, technical and volunteer assistance to various projects in the areas of Education, Health and Culture. The poetry contest is part of Daya Foundation’s initiative to promote Culture. Past President, Rotary Club of Kathmandu Mid-town, Neeva M Pradhan also oversees “Young Professional Vocational/Skills Training” whose objective is to help develop youth skills and equip them with various toolsto apply in the practical field. UNICEF Nepal, headed by Tania Dhakhwa, Chief of Communications Unicef, collaborated with Daya Foundation and RC Kathmandu Mid-Town to raise awareness on Mental Health and the rise in depressive illnesses and suicide cases among youth in recent months. All of these institutions promoted and live streamed the event in their respective Facebook pages.
The poetry contest will be ongoing every quarter and the dates and time frame will be posted in social media. It was agreed by all participating institutions that this type of safe platform for youth voices is much needed in current times and should be encouraged and promoted. This collaborative effort could help alleviate the ongoing crisis and bring a positive note in our community with a sense of belongingness.
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Chitra Bahadur KC returns home after recovery from Covid-19
Kathmandu: Rastriya Janamorcha Chairman Chitra Bahadur KC has returned home after achieving recovery from Covid-19.
The octogenarian leader, admitted to Mediciti Hospital in Lalitpur on November 10 after suffering from pneumonia and coronavirus infection, got discharged from the hospital on Tuesday evening.
Issuing a press release today, Chair KC thanked doctors and health workers involved in his treatment, as well as well-wishers.
He also thanked the government for bearing all the expenses required for his treatment.
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President issues ordinance to clear the decks for import of Covid-19 vaccines
Kathmandu: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has issued an ordinance enabling the government to import vaccines against the coronavirus infection as soon as they are available in the international market.
Bhandari issued an ordinance to amend the Drugs Act so as to clear the decks for the import of the vaccines.
Just a few days ago, health Minister Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal had revealed that the government was issuing an ordinance to import the vaccines.
The constitution has it that whenever the federal parliament is prorogued, the president can issue an ordinance in recommendation of the government to enact any law whenever necessary. Such an ordinance has to be endorsed by the parliament within six months.