49th Senate of NAST held

Kathmandu, Nov 28: Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) has held its 49th senate under the chairmanship of Prime Minister and Chancellor Sushila Karki on Friday.

The Senate also attended by Pro-Chancellor of NAST and Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Mahabir Pun, endorsed the progress review of the programme for the fiscal year, 2081/82. It also approved the programmes to run for the fiscal year, 2082/83.

Total budget of Rs 404 million was passed by the Senate. The budget includes foreign and domestic aids and internal resources.

The NAST has decided to confer awards on 20 scientists, technologists and institutions in the current fiscal year.

On the occasion, PM Karki urged NAST, running for four decades, to conduct self-evaluation in light of its role in country’s science and technology field and take future actions accordingly.

Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Silip Subba informed that NAST was conducting orientation and capacity building programmes to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among youths in addition to regular research initiatives.

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Local level to assume some tax-related functions: Finance Minister Khanal

Finance Minister Rameshwar Khanal has said that some tax-related services provided by the Taxpayer Service Office will be started at the local level.

Addressing the 11th meeting of the Intergovernmental Fiscal Council on Friday, Minister Khanal, who is also the coordinator of the council, said that arrangements have been made to start some tax-related services provided by the Taxpayer Service Office at the local level. He said that taxpayers will receive services at the local level, which also increase the revenue generation capacity of the local levels.

He expressed the view that the provinces and local levels are independent and responsible for budget preparation and implementation.

During the program, the Finance Ministers of all seven provinces jointly prepared a declaration related to fiscal federalism and submitted it to the Federal Finance Minister for facilitation of its implementation.

On the occasion, the chairpersons of the Municipalities Association of Nepal and the National Association of Rural Municipalities in Nepal, along with representatives of various municipalities, emphasized that the fiscal equalization grant should be received as allocated and that legal and procedural issues related to the implementation of fiscal federalism should be resolved soon.

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NAC offers subsidized airfare to Nepali migrants in Gulf States

The national flag carrier, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), has unveiled the subsidized airfare for the Nepali migrant workers in the Gulf States.

Issuing a press statement on Friday, the NAC shared that the Nepali migrant workers travelling by NAC aircrafts to Dammam, Doha, Dubai and Kaula Lumpur will get 10 percent discount in the airfare.

The NAC said that such discount would be offered for 10 seats in every flight in the given destinations, which is aimed for the convenience of the Nepali workers. 

The subsidized fare could be accessed from the ticket counters of the NAC in Nepal after submitting needed documents, according to the NAC.

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Road maintenance ambulance in service, complaints about road conditions to be addressed immediately

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Kulman Ghising has said that complaints about road conditions and the need for maintenance will be addressed immediately. He said so while inaugurated the road maintenance ambulance brought into use by the Road Division Office, Kathmandu on Friday.

The use of road ambulance is currently being piloted and will be expanded to other major cities as well, he said.

Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Keshav Kumar Sharma expressed confidence that the use of the road ambulance will immediately address the complaints about road maintenance.

The road ambulance will be used to immediately repair roads of strategic importance within the Kathmandu district. The Office has stated that a mobile app has also been launched to provide immediate information about potholes seen on the road and subsequent repairs.

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