- Thursday, 5 June 2025
Kathmandu, June 3: The fifth edition of the Himalayan Travel Mart (HTM), an international tourism fair aimed at promoting Nepal’s tourism, kicked off today in Kathmandu.
The event is a joint initiative by the Nepal Chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), Nepal Airlines, and various national and international tourism organizations. It is being attended by over 700 representatives, including more than 100 international delegates from 30 countries.
The three-day event opened with a conference titled “Mountain: Milestone and Momentum”. On the occasion, NTB Chief Executive Officer Deepak Raj Joshi stated that the Mart would be instrumental in further exploring and promoting Nepal’s tourism destinations internationally.
He highlighted that the number of tourist destinations in Nepal has significantly increased in recent years.
Suggesting the shift in Nepal’s rural-urban demographics, he said until 30 years ago, the rural-to-urban ratio was 70:30 while it is now 50:50. “As we move towards urbanization, our tourism continues to be deeply rooted in nature,” he said.
HTM Coordinator and PATA General Secretary Narendra Dev Bhatta said that the event aims to strengthen Nepal’s tourism connectivity with international markets and boost domestic tourism.
Over 20 national and international speakers are scheduled to present their insights on topics such as spiritual, adventure, and luxury tourism, sustainable travel, emerging market trends, current challenges, and new opportunities in the global tourism industry.
As part of the Business-to-Business (B2B) segment, this year’s Mart is expected to host over 60 buyers from countries including the United States, Europe, Australia, South Africa, Russia, and CIS nations. More than 65 sellers from six countries including Nepal, India, Bhutan, China, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka will also be participating, according to PATA Nepal.
The formal inauguration ceremony of the Mart is scheduled to take place this evening, it has been said.
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Gold price up by Rs 2,900 per tola
Kathmandu, June 3: The price of gold and silver has increased in the domestic market today. Gold is being traded at Rs 192,700 per tola (11.66 grams).
According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the price of gold has climbed by Rs 2,900 per tola today as compared to Monday.
Similarly, the Federation has fixed the price of silver at Rs 2,045 per tola today. The price of gold has been determined at 3,376 US dollar per ounce in the international market today.
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Kanti Highway to remain shut for four days
Bagamati, June 3: The Kanti Highway is to be closed for four days beginning tomorrow for the construction of a Bailey bridge.
The new infrastructure is to be set up over the Bagmati River at the border of the Bhimphedi rural municipality in Makawanpur and Baguwa of Lalitur district.
The Makawanpur District Administration Office informed about this by issuing public notice today. During the closure period (from June 4 to 7), potential commuters have been urged to use an alternative route.
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PM Oli arrives in Narchyang
Myagdi, June 3: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has arrived in Narchyang, Annapurna Rural Municipality-4 today in connection with attending a programme marking the 75th anniversary of the ascent of Mt Annapurna. The rural municipality is organizing the event on the occasion.
The rural municipality is organizing the Diamond Jubilee celebration marking the 75th anniversary of French mountaineer Maurice Herzog’s first ascent of the 8,091-metre high Annapurna on June 3, 1950, said Bharat Kumar Pun, the Rural Municipality chairperson.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to inaugurate the trail in the Annapurna Base Camp and an open museum, and unveil the statue of climbers who climbed the Annapurna.
Prime Minister Oli is accompanied by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey, and State Minister for Energy, Irrigation and Water Resources Khama Bahadur Garbuja.
The climbing route and the base camp of Annapurna lies in Narchyang area of Myagdi district. The peak borders Myagdi, Kaski, Manang and Mustang districts.
Annapurna is called the ‘elder mountain’ because it was the first ever peak above 8,000 metres tall on which humans set their foot.
The successful ascent of the world’s highest peak, Sagarmatha (Mt Everest), took place only three years after Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal’s team from France reached the summit of Annapurna on June 3, 1950.
Lokbahadur Pun, the chairperson of Annapurna Rural Municipality, Ward No 4, stated that various programmes are being organized today to celebrate the First Ascent on Annapurna and hence the development of Nepal’s mountaineering tourism, which introduced the Himalayas to the world.
The Annapurna Climbing Festival, which commenced on May 31, will wrap up in Pokhara on June 5.
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Oppositions demand high level commission to investigate ‘visit visa scam’
Kathmandu, June 3: Opposition parties in Parliament have continued to press for the formation of a high-level committee or commission to investigate the visit visa scandal.
The major opposition parties have called for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged scam, focusing on the tenure of home ministers from 2064 BS when the Labour Act was implemented up to the present.
A meeting of the opposition parties was held today under the chairmanship of CPN (Maoist Centre) Parliamentary Party leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.
According to the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) spokesperson Manish Jha, the meeting expressed a unanimous commitment to finding a lasting solution to the visit visa issue.
The meeting concluded that the incumbent Home Minister should resign to allow an impartial and uninfluenced investigation. Additionally, the opposition parties have wanted the Prime Minister to take responsibility for the matter in the parliament and expressed commitment to addressing it
It has been said that the Chief Whips from the oppositions will approach the Speaker of the House of the Representatives with a three-point decision from the meeting. The meeting was attended by leaders from the CPN (Maoist Centre), RSP, and CPN (Unified Socialist).
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Sindhulli’s junar farmers in long wait for revival of cold store, industry
Radhika Budathoki/ RSS
Kamalamai (Sindhuli), June 3: Long before Sindhuli was yet to be connected by a proper road network, local farmers had already begun producing up to 10,000 tons of junar (sweet orange, Citrus sinensis) each season. However, due to the lack of market access and transportation infrastructure, most of the fruit would rot in the orchard, with farmers’ toil and investment going to waste.
Without a reliable transport system, it was nearly impossible for producers to get their harvest to the market. Although the sweet orange orchards along the Mahabharat range yielded a promising quantity of fruit, the lack of transport infrastructure enabling the export caused a significant waste of farmers’ investment.
Farmers with the strength to carry their harvest in doko (traditional bamboo baskets) would spend an entire day reaching Madhi Bazar, only to sell a small portion of their produce while the rest perished due to lack of storage and timely market access.
In 2063 BS (2006 AD), construction o a cold storage facility began in Dobhantar, Kamalamai-4, Sindhuli. The facility came into operation in 2067 BS (2010 AD), according to Deepak Koirala, Chairperson of the Junar Central Cooperative Union and a member of the Junar Industry Operating Committee.
“We had to bear a loss of Rs. 2.5 million during the first two years of operating the cold store,” Koirala recalled. “Due to a lack of proper technical knowledge, both fruits and potatoes stored in the facility got spoiled.”
In 2012 AD, a significant breakthrough came when the Governments of Nepal and China signed an agreement under which China agreed to import sweet oranges from Nepal. Following this, China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, in coordination with Nepal’s Department of Agriculture, initiated steps to prepare Sindhuli’s junar for export including improvements in storage, quality control, and packaging.
To support this endeavor, the Sindhuli Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in collaboration with the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, launched the construction of a dedicated junar industry building. These institutions, established to safeguard the rights of entrepreneurs and to support commercial development, played a key role in turning local production into an export-ready enterprise.
It took around three years to install necessary equipment and machines as well as make necessary arrangements in order to bring the factory into operation. The factory had made agreement with farmers to buy junar at Rs 25 per kg.
He shared, “The factory had made agreement to buy 2,000 tonnes of this fruit with farmers. The production decreased after junar trees faced pest issues and the factory got only 200 tonnes of junar. “
During that period, BP Highway came into operation and the fruit produced there had started getting market with the operation of the highway. Though the government had made such agreement to export junar produced in Sindhuli to China, it has not been possible to export it so far.
Also a junar farmer, Koirala argued that junar produced in Sindhuli could not been exported to China due to a minor mistake while signing agreement. In the agreement, it was mentioned that junar gardens should be disease and pests free.
As per the farmers, it was impossible to make tress diseases and pests free. Junar produced in Sindhuli could be exported to China easily if it was mentioned in the agreement that fruits should be free of disease and pests.
Koirala, Chairperson of Junar Central Cooperative Union Ltd, mentioned that more than 2,000 junar farmers have been displaced from junar farming. In the beginning, 3,100 farmers were involved in junar farming.
Earlier, the farmers used to produce 10,000 tonnes of junar. Now it has decreased to 3,000 tonnes and it has now become difficult to bring the Junar factory into operation due to lack of its market to China, decrease in its production and lack of necessary raw materials.
The junar cold storage constructed with financial support of Japanese Embassy and junar factory constructed under the public-private partnership model has remain closed for a decade due to apathy of bodies concerned.
A total of Rs 13 million was spent in a building where a cold storage was brought into operation. The Japanese Embassy had spent six million rupees while the rest of the amount was collected from the then District Development Committee, village development committees and junar farmers.
Construction of Junar Processing Industry stalled
On the other hand, the Sindhuligadhi Junar and Fruit Processing Company which is being constructed with a total investment of 60 million rupees under the government’s PPP model, is in a pitiable condition. The government, industrialists and farmers have invested in this industry.
The construction of the industry being built on five katthas of land under the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI)’s “One Village, One Product” project was halted after the federation withdrew its support and the government stopped providing the remaining 20 million rupees.
Although the sweet orange industry was launched in the district with great hope and considering its feasibility, it is said that after the change in the FNCCI’s leadership, the successive leadership have ignored their pet project. The idea of setting up the Junar industry was promoted by FNCCI former president Suraj Kumar Baidya.
The industry is still being led by Baidya and he is taking initiatives to operate it again.
Local junar farmers are concerned that the only industry operating in the district has not been brought into operation despite being closed for a long time.
President of Sindhuli Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Arjun Kumar Kshetri, said that it is necessary to establish junar industries to develop the district as an industrial center.
“The junar industry was established as the first industry in Sindhuli, but it has been closed for a long time. We have come to know that the reason for this is nothing other than the squabble among the industry promoters,” he said.
Kshetri urged the local government, provincial government, and federal government to assist in bringing the industry, which has been closed for a long time, back into operation. According to him, the Sindhuli Chamber of Commerce and Industry is ready for coordination in this effort.
Minister of Industry, Commerce, Land and Administration of Bagmati Province, Sukumaya Tamang, said that the provincial government is willing to provide necessary support to restart the industry.
If this industry can be operated, local junar farmers will receive a better market for their produce, which will also contribute to the overall economic and industrial prosperity of the district.
Junar farming in Nepal dates back to the Rana regime. Until the 1970s, junar farming was pursued mainly for personal consumption, but after the realisation of economic benefits, the government promoted its commercial farming under the 6th Five-Year Plan.
Sindhuli and Ramechhap districts saw special programmes for junar farming in the early 1980s. Ramechhap was declared a “junar zone” in 2019 (2076 BS) under the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Modernisation Project.
Farmers from 49 districts grow junar today, and Ramechhap and Sindhuli continue their legacy as leading producers.
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Energy Minister Khadka, Non-resident Ambassador of Uruguay, Guani, meet
Kathmandu, June 3: Non-Resident Ambassador of Uruguay to Nepal, Alberto A. Guani, has paid a courtesy call on Minister for Energy, Water Resources and irrigation, Deepak Khadka.
During the meeting held at the Energy Ministry in Singha Durbar today, they discussed the various issues including collaboration in energy and irrigation sectors between the two countries.
On the occasion, Energy Minister Khadka pointed out the need of support and cooperation of donor agencies to meet the government’s target of producing 28,500 megawatt electricity by 2035.
He urged Non-Resident Ambassador Guani to provide technical support to Nepal in its renewable energy development sector and identify the potential of investment.
There are immense potentials in trade, investment in energy sector, sustainable development and tourism sector in Nepal, added Minister Khadka.
Saying Uruguay has gained good experience in renewable energy, particularly in wind energy, Non-Resident Ambassador Guani shared that technology transfer and exchange could be had based on that experience.
He said the experience should be shared as the skill, experience and expertise of Nepalese in water resources management would be useful. High-ranking officials of the Ministry were also present in the meeting.
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Government is actively working to make mountaineering safe: PM Oli
Myagdi, June 3: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the government is active in making mountaineering safe.
Addressing a programme commemorating the Diamond Jubilee of the First Ascent of Annapurna Peak organized by Annapurna Rural Municipality at Narchyang, Annapurna Rural Municipality-4 today, PM Oli stated that the government is working to reduce the risks associated with mountain climbing.
“The increase in the number of climbers on Mount Everest is due to the government’s preparation of skilled manpower and necessary infrastructure along the climbing routes to reduce the risks of mountaineering. The government has also focused on the construction and upgrading of trails connecting the base camps of the peaks, including the Annapurna,” he said.
The Prime Minister shared on the occasion that the government has also given high priority to the upgrading of the Kali Gandaki ‘Corridor’ connecting the Korala border checkpoint in Mustang through Myagdi.
He mentioned that the government is committed to constructing physical infrastructure at the Korala border checkpost.
Recalling that 75 years ago, Maurice Herzog’s team from France opened the door to the possibilities of mountaineering in Nepal by successfully climbing Annapurna, he praised the contribution of the Sherpa community in the development of mountain tourism in Nepal.
The Prime Minister said, “The book about Annapurna written by Maurice has contributed to making Nepal and its mountains known to the world.” On June 3, 1950, climber Herzog ascended the 8,091-meter high Annapurna.
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Pandey and State Minister for Energy, Irrigation and Water Resources Kham Bahadur Garbuja, among other officials, were present at the Annapurna Ascent Diamond Jubilee Festival ceremony.
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HoR meeting postponed till Wednesday
Kathmandu, June 3: The meeting of the Federal Parliament’s House of Representatives (HoR) has been adjourned until Wednesday.
The meeting scheduled for 11am today has been postponed until 1pm on Wednesday after no consensus was reached to conduct it, said Speaker Devaraj Ghimire’s press advisor Shekhar Adhikari.
The meeting could not take place at 11am today after the opposition party stuck to its demand for the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak over the visit visa scam.
Although Speaker Ghimire held a meeting with the Chief Whips of the ruling and opposition parties, the HoR meeting has been postponed until Wednesday due to a failure to reach an agreement.
The meeting of the CPN (Maoist Centre), the Rastriya Swatantra Party, and the CPN (Unified Socialist) held at the Parliament Building in Singha Durbar today decided that the House meeting would not be allowed to take place until Home Minister Lekhak resigns over the visit visa issue.
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Possibility of increasing Danish investment in Nepal: Ambassador Kristensen
Kathmandu, June 3: Non-Resident Ambassador of Denmark to Nepal, Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen, has said Denmark and Nepal have age-old friendly relations and that he was active to expand it to people’s level in the coming days.
Talking briefly to , the ambassador, who is on a three-day Nepal visit in course of presenting his Letter of Credence before President Ramchandra Paudel, mentioned that the Danish government was positive to increase investment in the sectors of information technology, education, health and climate change.
He stated that there are immense potentials of mountain tourism in Nepal and it could make stride in economic development from tourism as the natural heritages, cultural diversity and life style here are the attraction for visitors.
Stating that a large number of people from Denmark visit Nepal for mountain expedition and trekking, the Danish Ambassador said he would make efforts to encourage maximum number of Danish citizens to visit Nepal in coming days.
The Danish Ambassador shared that the government of Denmark has taken the impacts of climate change facing by mountain region like glacial lakes outburst seriously, adding Denmark could collaborate with Nepal to resolve such problems.
Mentioning there is opportunity to expand the people-to-people relations between the two countries, he opined that Danish investors could be attracted at the collaboration with private sector as there is high potential of investment in information technology, technology transfer and renewable energy sector in Nepal.
Ambassador Kristensen also observed the photo exhibition organized by RSS at its office, Bhadrakali under the theme ‘Mountain Tourism: Our Pride, Our Identity’. The photo exhibition features 96 photographs depicting the Himalayan peaks, mountain life and major places of mountain tourism and major touristic activities.
On the occasion, he also visited RSS Media Museum as well as inquired about RSS service. Welcoming the Ambassador, RSS Executive Chairperson Dharmendra Jha familiarized him about photos, RSS Media Museum and RSS service.
Chair Jha also presented ‘RSS Photo Book: 16 Years of the Republic’ to the Dennis Ambassador. Charge d’ Affaires of Nepal to Denmark, Hari Dharel, was also present on the occasion.
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NA session: Not normal to raise questions against system, insist lawmakers
Kathmandu, June 3: Members of the National Assembly have expressed serious concerns over activities aimed at undermining the federal democratic republic system.
Speaking during a special session of the Upper House today, lawmakers strongly objected to ongoing efforts by certain groups to reverse the existing political system. They stressed the urgent need for democratic forces to unite and protect the system against such attempts.
Tulasha Kumari Dahal condemned what she described as baseless accusations against the federal democratic republic. “It is not normal that questions are being raised against the system,” she argued.
Krishna Bahadur Rokaya said that there have been deliberate efforts from the street to weaken the federal democratic structure. He expressed concern that individuals and groups who had no role in the establishment of the federal republic and the Constitution are now trying to derail the system. He also criticized the ongoing House obstruction by the opposition parties.
Bhuwan Bahadur Sunar of the CPN (Maoist Centre) raised concerns over continuing caste-based discrimination in the country and the lack of justice for survivors. He urged the government, through the National Assembly Chair, to take immediate action.
According to Sunar, multiple factors including inaction by elected representatives, weak law enforcement, insufficient media coverage, and the cycle of poverty have made it difficult for victims to access justice. He called for the formation of a high-level parliamentary committee to address cases of caste-based discrimination, particularly against Dalits.
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Statues of members of first mountaineering expedition to Annapurna unveiled
Annapurna Base Camp (Myagdi), June 3: The statues of the members of the first mountaineering expedition to Mt Annapurna have been installed at the Annapurna base camp, Narchyang of Annapurna Rural Municipality-4.
Minister of State for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Kham Bahadur Garbuja unveiled the statues installed at the Annapurna Base Camp today on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of Annapurna peak climbing.
The Annapurna Rural Municipality has constructed a statue of the first Annapurna ascent team leader Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal from France and Nepali climber Sonam Walung Sherpa.
An open museum with a copper plaque mentioning the names of 536 individuals who have successfully climbed the Annapurna has also been established at the spot.
Today, various programs have been held to celebrate the Annapurna Diamond Jubilee as a reminder of the development of Nepal’s tourism sector and the commencement of mountaineering, which introduced the Himalayas to the world.
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