- Saturday, 30 August 2025
Kathmandu, Aug 15: The Department of Prison Management has decided to transfer Rabi Lamichhane, the Chair of Rastriya Swatantra Party, to Nakkhu prison of Lalitpur from Rupandehi prison.
Facing a legal case on cooperative frauds, Lamichhane is currently kept in Rupandehi prison. Earlier, he had applied for the prison transfer and the decision was taken on Friday.
According to Department information officer Sandesh Prasad Joshi, an official letter was dispatched to the Rupandehi prison on Friday itself.
Lamichhane will be brought to Nakkhu as early as possible with security arrangements, Joshi added.
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It’s time for mega projects: Minister Khadka
Kathmandu, Aug 15: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Dipak Khadka, has said it is time to forward mega hydropower projects and irrigation initiatives, ensuring noticeable progress.
At an annual progress review and meeting of the ministry-level development problems resolution committee in the ministry on Friday, Minister Khadka viewed, “If we carry out works with responsibility and learning from the past, we can achieve success.”
This ministry is linked to the national economy, so energy production needs to be moved forward with utmost coordination among government agencies, Minister Khadka reminded, adding that once we mobilize the amount stashed idle in bank for the energy sector, we can secure quicker development.
He further expressed concern why we were not able to mobilize the idle amount from banks while the foreigners are desperate for investment in energy sector. The government is for reservoir-based projects in order to secure adequate power production even during winter, according to him.
Member of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Prof Dr RP Bichchha, proposed the launch of separate annual policy and programme aligning with 16th periodic plan for the development of energy and irrigation sectors.
On the occasion, Secretary Sarita Dawadi, informed that although the ministry got cooperation from the Finance Ministry and the NPC, it was persistently facing the problems of land acquisition and use of forest land.
Similarly, Secretary at Water and Energy Commission, Dina Natha Mishra, complained that budget spending did not meet the target because the budget was allocated without preparation.
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Nepal-India relations historic: Foreign Minister Dr Rana
Kathmandu, Aug 15: Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba has said the Nepal-India relations are historic, intimate and based on cooperation. It needs further strengthening, she stressed.
Foreign Minister Dr Rana said it while addressing a programme organized by the Indian Embassy in Nepal on the occasion of the 79th Independence Day of India. “India is a good friend of Nepal,” she said, expressing her view on various dimensions of the two-country relations subsisting for long.
The Minister appreciated India’s unprecedented journey of economic development and expressed belief that both Nepal and India would expand bilateral cooperation in the fronts of trade, technology, infrastructures and public aspiration. “Nepal-India relations are not only limited to geographical proximity but strengthened with ancient knowledge, common culture and people-to-people ties,” she reminded.
According to her, the two-country cooperation is imperative to tackle common problems like climate change impacts and sustainable development.
Earlier, Minister Dr Rana had congratulated the Indian government and its people through her Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on the occasion of the Independence Day today itself.
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NTA, NTC agree to extend optical fiber installation
Kathmandu, Aug 15: The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) and the Nepal Telecommunications Company Ltd (NTC) have signed an agreement to implement a project aimed at extending the optical fiber installation in Gandaki and Lumbini provinces. The project will be implemented under the Rural Telecommunications Development Fund (RTDF).
The agreement was reached here amidst a programme on Friday in the presence of Minister for Communications and Information Technology (CIT) Prithvi Subba Gurung and Secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Radhika Aryal.
NTA Chair Bhupendra Bhandari and NTC Acting Managing Director, Sabina Maskey, signed and exchanged the documents on behalf of their respective sides.
Secretary Aryal directed for the timely completion of the project, stating that the project will be exemplary provided that it is completed in time.
As said by NTA Chair Bhandari, in the past UTL and Smart Telecom Company were assigned for the optical fiber installation under the RTDF, but they failed to fulfill the responsibility.
The project has a three-year term and it is estimated to cost around Rs two billion. Bhandari pledged to ensure the implementation of the project in time. As he said, the project is vital for realising the government’s ambition of ‘Digital Nepal Framework’.
The NTC Acting Managing Director said the Company had been continuously working for expansion of the broad bank optical fiber for the past nine years. She said under the project, the optical fiber would be extended to 23 districts of Gandaki and Lumbini provinces with the installations of around 1,900 kilometers of optical fiber in total 194 local levels.
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Public aspiration for development does not cease: PM Oli
Mahottari, Aug 15: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said people’s aspiration for development would not cease because the government works untiringly to meet their aspiration.
PM Oli argued that government has concentrated its efforts to fulfill citizen’s needs and development aspiration. He made such remark at a groundbreaking function for the Raghunathpur-Sonma-Tarhari-Sundarpur roadway at Raghunathpur of Sonma rural municipality-3 in the district on Friday.
“Development activities are given a fast pace in a way to make those visible to the people,” he said, reminding that the remaining task of the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion was continued for the irrigation in Rautahat, Sarlahi and Mahottari districts. Even the construction of the Sunkoshi-Kamala Diversion would be forwarded for irrigation in additional districts in the eastern belt of Madhes, he shared.
The PM further shared the progress on development works like postal highway, expansion of the East-West Highway to six-lane meeting the Asian standard and four-lane road connecting district headquarters from the east-west Highway.
Installation of 500 deep borings has been intensified considering drought in Madhes districts, he said, adding that the international relations were expanded by the government focusing the need of mutual cooperation. The relations with neighbouring countries have been strengthened and trustworthy, PM Oli argued.
“We have intimate and cordial relations with our neighbouring countries. Bilateral interest is given a priority in our relations. Issues significant for Nepal are raised with priority in the discussions held with neigbouring during the visits,” PM Oli said while informing about his imminent visit to India and China.
According to the Head of the Government, Madhes Province needs to focus on educational development. Atmosphere for children’s schooling should be ensured. Here the positive role of teachers counts much, the PM underscored.
The best practice of federal democratic republic leads the country towards progress. Chief Minister and the ministers of Madhes Province also attended the event.
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Muslim Commission submit its annual report to President Paudel
Kathmandu, Aug 15: The Acting Chairperson of the Muslim Commission Mahamdin Ali has submitted the annual report of the Muslim Commission 2081/82 to the President Ramchandra Paudel amid a function at the Office of the President on Friday.
On the occasion, President Paudel said dignity of all should be respected as Nepal is a multiethnic, multilingual, multi-religious and multicultural nation.
“We should move ahead on the basis of equality and coexistence while maintaining goodwill, solidarity and social harmony by respecting the cultural diversities,” the President stated.
President Paudel added that the responsibility and role of the Commission are serious and expressed the confidence that the Commission will effectively perform its duty in the coming days.
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Nepal Police is people’s servant: PM Oli
Janakpurdham, Aug 15: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has directed the personnel of the Nepal Police deployed to maintain law and order to serve as if the people’s servants, not the ruler.
Inaugurating the newly-constructed office building of the Madesh Province Police here Friday, the PM said that the Nepal Police should work judiciously and cautioned the police personnel not to languish and torture anyone like during the Rana regime and Panchayat era. The PM stated that the rulers in the past used to charge people with fake allegations to safeguard their regimes.
On the occasion, PM Oli said that one and all should be aware to the fact that some elements were acting in an anarchic way and were working to spread the illusion of the new force.
Likewise, the PM viewed that those anarchists have no contribution in establishing democracy in the country and added that the society and the nation should punish the liars.
PM Oli stated that the entire democratic forces should unite in defense of democracy and ensure its sustainability adding that democracy was founded in the country with the people’s huge contributions, sacrifices and dedications.
He asked the Nepal Police to work in a serious manner to control the cases of robbery, smuggling, human trafficking and revenue leakage.
Similarly, the PM said that the current government formed with the joint efforts of the Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) would ensure stability, law and order, and good governance as well as curb corruption.
The PM expressed satisfaction of the construction of the building by the Madhes Province Government to strengthen the Nepal Police with physical infrastructure.
Also speaking at the event, Chief Minister of Madhes Province Satish Kumar Singh argued that issues of maintaining law and order in the province were a challenging job due to a delay in the adjustment of police administration.
Likewise, Chief of Nepal Police Deepak Thapa shared that the Nepal Police was working with high morale to safeguard people’s lives and maintain law and order in the country.
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Drinking Water Minister Yadav holds meeting with Indian experts’ team
Kathmandu, Aug 15: Drinking Water Minister Pradip Yadav and an Indian delegation visiting Nepal held a meeting at the Ministry of Drinking Water on Friday regarding the measures to explore a sustainable solution to the drinking water crisis in Tarai.
The Indian expert team returned to Kathmandu after an on-site monitoring and inspection visit to the Madhes Province to evaluate the water crisis issue.
Ministry’s Spokesperson Mina Shrestha shared that the Indian expert team familiarized Minister Yadav about the present status and existing challenges as well as the efforts being taken for immediate and long-term solutions to the drinking water shortage in the Tarai-Madhes area.
She said the team arrived in Kathmandu after visiting the drought-hit districts of Tarai-Madhes from August 12. A plan of action will be prepared for solutions to the drinking water shortage after the report is prepared, Shrestha added.
Minister Yadav stated that intensive discussions were held with the expert team adding that the government will move ahead on the basis of the conclusion and recommendations of the consultations.
Minister Yadav also recalled the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti some months ago and expressed the confidence that this cooperation will further strengthen Nepal-India relations.
Minister Yadav thanked the Indian government for extending support to resolve the drinking water crisis and said that there are expectations for a concrete agreement between the two countries on the long-term solution to the drinking water shortage during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s upcoming India visit.
Secretary at the Ministry of Drinking Water, Engineer Pramila Devi Shakya Bajracharya, Ministry’s Joint Secretary Engineer Shrestha, Engineer Kamal Raj Shrestha, Deputy Director General of the Department of Drinking Water Narayan Prasad Acharya and other officials were present from the Nepali side.
Likewise, Regional Director of Dehradun Prashant Rai, Jagadamda Prasad of the Department of Lucknow Drinking Water and Sanitation Advisor Ashish Pande and others were present from the Indian expert team.
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Groundbreaking of road construction project at Manharpur
Janakpur, Aug 15: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Friday laid the foundation stone of a road construction project at Manharpur in Dhanusha district.
PM Oli and Speaker of Madhes Province Ramchandra Mandal jointly marked the beginning of the road construction project at Gyanchowk of Manharpur in Dhanusha Constituency No. 1. The 16.35 kms road will be from Manharpur to Simradhi in Dhanusha district.
The road project under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development of Madhes Province will be developed at the cost of Rs 444.8 million.
On the occasion, Chief Minister of Madhes Province Satish Kumar Singh, Physical Infrastructure Development Minister Saroj Kumar Yadav, House of Representatives (HoR) Member Lilanath Shrestha and other leaders were present at the event.
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RTDF needed for Madhes Province as well: Minister Gurung
Kathmandu, Aug 15: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has underscored the need of implementing the Rural Telecommunications Development Fund (RTDF) in the Madhes Province as well.
It is relatively more needed to implement the project in the province which is the second most populous province in the country after the Bagamati, according to the Minister. Addressing a programme organised to mark the signing and exchange of an agreement to implement the RTDF in Gandaki and Lumbini provinces here Friday, the Minister said the RTDF should be extended to the Madhes as well on the need basis by revising the existing policies
He took time to call for accelerating the digitalisation so as to achieve good governance, corruption control and the promptness in the public service delivery.
Highlighting the lack of infrastructures to develop artificial intelligence (AI), he called for increased investments in the construction of IT parks, AI infrastructure and the data centers.
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