- Wednesday, 8 July 2026
Kathmandu, July 8: Members of Parliament (MPs) from opposition party in the second meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today continued to press the government to provide a clear response in the House of Representatives (HoR) to issues they have raised.
During the second meeting of the Lower House of the Federal Parliament, they also demanded for greater accountability on the part of government.
CPN (UML)’s Rajendra Kumar Rai claimed that the oppositions demand for the Prime Minister to address the House was in line with the House of Representatives Regulations.
He urged the government to help create an environment conducive to hold dialogue and forge consensus.
Following his remarks, Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal directed the Parliament Secretariat to expunge from the official record certain comments made by lawmaker Rai during the earlier session that were deemed to have been directed at the Speaker.
Likewise, lawmaker from another opposition party-Nepal Communist Party- insisted that Nepal had never encroached on the territory of any country and had consistently maintained friendly relations with its neighbours while seeking the return of its own encroached land.
Similarly, Harka Raj Rai of Shram Sanskriti Party demanded clarification over remarks alleging that Nepal had encroached on Indian territory.
Expressing concern over the growing trend of abusive language on social media, he urged the government to take impartial action against offenders.
Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s Tahir Ali Bhat expressed his dismay saying that Speaker’s efforts to bring the government to the House to clarify the issues raised by lawmakers had so far remained futile and did not yield any failed meaningful results.
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12- Wheelchairs, facilitators managed for disabled staff, service seekers within Singha Durbar
Kathmandu, July 8: Wheelchairs and facilitators has been managed for easy and smooth movement of people with physical disabilities, senior citizens and government employees at government offices within Singha Durbar.
Employees working in Singha Durbar and service seekers have taken this service launched by Chief Secretary Suman Raj Aryal from Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers as positive step.
The government has brought the legal and moral obligation, specified by Act related to rights of persons with disability and established laws, with top priority in implementation by following the citizen and labour rights in letter and spirit.
Launching the service, Chief Secretary Aryal mentioned that service seekers visiting the government offices and employees commuting to offices would no longer face inconvenience due to physical conditions.
He mentioned that most of offices in Singha Durbar are disabled-friendly and the remaining structures would be completed soon, adding the difficulties faced by disabled employees and service seekers in the past would be put to an end gradually.
Similarly, Spokesperson of the OPMCM, Hem Raj Aryal, underlined that an arrangement has been made for safe and easy travel for both disabled service seekers and employees to reach to concerned section or office room from office premises.
Designated staffs would be assigned with each wheelchair for this purpose and such staffs would help disabled service seekers and employees.
The government has a firm determination to give continuity to this service in a long-term manner, he added.
Every disabled employees and service seekers entering Singha Durbar would continuously get this facility without any hassle at any day, any time.
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14- PM Shah commits to cooperate with private sector for development of country’s economy
Kathmandu, July 8: Prime Minister Balendra Shah has held meeting with representatives of private sector on the issues of industry, investment environment and economic reforms.
During the meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers today, PM Shah held extensive discussions on the issues of making country’s economic activities vibrant and strong, making the operation of industries and businesses further easier, creating investment-friendly environment, removing policy and procedural obstacles, boosting morale of private sector, job creation and increasing production.
Stating the private sector is an important partner of the government in country’s economic development, investment expansion, employment creation and production growth, the Prime Minister mentioned that the government was ready to resolve practical problems facing by industrialists and entrepreneurs.
Prime Minister Shah expressed commitment to forward necessary policy, legal and administrative reforms for building industry and private sector friendly environment with priority.
On the occasion, representatives of private sector suggested about promotion of industry-business, investment expansion, policy-level stability, simplification in service delivery as well as necessity of regular and result-oriented dialogue between the government and the private sector.
PM Shah underlined that activities related to necessary facilitation and reforms would be forwarded through concerned bodies taking the received suggestions seriously.
He clarified that the government would move ahead collaborating with private sector in the campaign of economic reforms.
President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Anjan Shrestha, President of Industry Committee, Ujjawal Kumar Shrestha, outgoing President of Confederation of Nepalese Industries, Rajesh Kumar Agrawal and Director Ganeral Dr Ghan Shyam Ojha, President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Kamalesh Kumar Agrawal and senior Vice-President Dipak Malhotra were present in the discussion, according to PM Shah’s Secretariat.
Similarly, Chief Advisor at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Kumar Byanjankar, Information and Communications Technology Advisor Bibek Mishra, Chief Personal Secretary Subas Sharma, a member of House of Representatives, Bidushi Rana, were also present.
It is believed that the high-level discussion with the heads and office-bearers of private organisations would help formulate private sector-friendly policies along with promotion of country’s industry, business, and improve the environment for investment and cooperation between the government and the private sector.
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15- Community of sexual minorities complain of privation
Nepalgunj, July 8: The sexual minorities have complained that they were deprived of constitutionally guaranteed rights irrespective of established identity.
The people belonging to the sexual monitories shared their plight that they could not enjoy voting rights.
They expressed the bias during a programme organized by the Federation of Sexual and Gender Minorities in coordination with Paschim Tara Nepal. The issues of constitutional rights of monitories and role of media were discussed during the programme.
The participants viewed as the people from this community were different from women and men, their meaningful participation in social and political affairs is imperative.
An officer at Pride Project, Malina Neupane, informed that there was legal hurdles in acquisition of citizenships by the lesbian and gay people. She urged the Election Commission to make inclusive and participatory law so that people from all sexes and genders would enjoy voting rights.
There are some 2,928 Nepalis belonging to the sexual and gender minorities, while only 200 had got identity showing their gender status/orientation, it was shared on the occasion.
Parina Chaudhary of Paschim Tara Nepal said the sexual and gender minorities were facing acute stigma and discrimination. There are some 850 persons belonging to this section in Banke alone, according to her.
Other speakers like Simran Sherchan ‘Sihar’ of the Federation shared that intersex children unlike boys and girls are born in society. But, the intersex children are still facing discrimination and stigmatization.
“The society should also accept their mind and emotion,” she said, underscoring the need of wiping out hurdles in ensuring them citizenship and voting rights as per the constitution.
It was shared in the event that it took five years for Maya Magar of Paschim Tara Nepal to obtain citizenship even though the identity of her community was made public.
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16- NRB issues bonds worth Rs 20 billion
Kathmandu, July 7: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), Monetary Management Department has called for bids for bonds worth Rs 20 billion.
A public notice issued by the central bank here today states that the bonds of 2084 ‘Ng’ (2027 ‘E’) can be bid online. Only banks and financial institutions classified as ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’ that have obtained licenses from NRB (counterparties) are allowed to participate in the bond auction.
Counterparties are required to mention the amount they wish to bid and the interest rate (up to four decimal places).
NRB has stated that bidding can be done in such a way that the minimum is Rs 50 million and the maximum up to the total call amount exactly divisible by 50 million.
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17- Koshi provincial assembly passes Appropriation Bill with majority
Biratnagar, July 8: Today’s meeting of Koshi Province Assembly has passed bill designed to make provisions for allocation of amount and expenditure from Koshi province consolidated fund for service and operations for coming fiscal year 2083/84 BS with a majority.
Minister for Economic Affairs and Plan, Bidur Kumar Lingthep, of Koshi Province had tabled the proposal seeking passage of the bill while the bill was passed by a majority after Speaker Ambar Bahadur Bista presented it as the decision.
Earlier, the proposal of reducing expenses on different headings of the bill presented by Koshi PA members Gombu Sherpa and Sapana Darji was rejected with a majority.
Similarly, the meeting passed the ‘Bill designed to implement the economic proposal Koshi province government, 2083’ unopposed. Minister Linthep had presented the proposal seeking passage of the bill while Speaker Bista tabled it as the decision.
The Koshi PA meeting has been postponed until further notice.
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18- HoR approves proposal for clause-wise discussions on two bills
Kathmandu, July 8: The House of Representatives (HoR) today unanimously agreed to send two bills, the ‘Tourism Bill 2082 BS’ and the ‘Nepal Rastra Bank Third Amendment Bill 2083BS’, to the relevant committees for clause-by-clause discussion.
In today’s meeting of the lower house of the Federal Parliament, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadak Raj Paudel proposed to send the ‘Tourism Bill 2082’, which originated in the National Assembly, to the relevant committee for a clause-wise discussion in the House of Representatives.
Similarly, Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle had proposed that the ‘Nepal Rastra Bank Third Amendment Bill 2083’ be sent to the relevant committee for clause-by-clause discussion.
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19- Minister Chaudhary believes scientists’ activeness to take agro sector to new high
Patan (Lalitpur), July 8: Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment Geeta Chaudhary has said that she believes the hard work and enthusiasm of the newly appointed scientists at the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) will take the country’s agriculture sector to new heights.
At the inauguration ceremony of the orientation programme for newly appointed scientists organized by the NARC today, Minister Chaudhary urged the agriculture scientists to work honestly and diligently in a result-oriented manner to solve the problems seen in the country’s agriculture sector with new enthusiasm.
“There is a need for improvement in the NARC and the agriculture sector. Over the past few years, due to internal complexities and structural problems within the council, it has gone through a critical period testing its existence. Although the ministry has given it high importance, the council has not yet been able to chart a clear roadmap. Agriculture is the foundation of our nation’s greatest development, and scientists like you will have an important responsibility in driving reforms,” she said.
Minister Chaudhary mentioned that opportunities would be provided based on scientists’ performance, good governance, and leadership abilities, and said preparations are underway to advance collaboration with the National Agricultural Modernization Programme.
She said that only scientists who work honestly, diligently, and results-oriented will get the opportunity to lead the council.
Dr. Shreemat Shrestha, the acting director of the NARC, shared that there will be a five-day orientation on planning, monitoring, administrative activities, financial discipline, and research. He stated that scientists should focus on innovation based on the knowledge they have, while also incorporating the years of experience and insights gathered from farmers.
NARC has started a five-day orientation for 44 newly appointed senior scientists and 27 scientists.
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20- House of Representatives to meet next on Thursday
Kathmandu, July 8: The next meeting of the House of Representatives is scheduled to be held on Thursday. The meeting, which was adjourned for fifteen minutes earlier today, has been adjourned until tomorrow.
According to a notice issued by the Federal Parliament Secretariat, today’s meeting, which was adjourned for special reasons, will be held on Thursday, at 11:00 am.
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21- Gobinda Bahadur Karki appointed Chief Secretary
Kathmandu, July 8: The government has appointed Gobinda Bahadur Karki as the new Chief Secretary of the government of Nepal.
The meeting of the Council of Ministers held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar today took a decision to this regard, according to government spokesperson and Minister for Education and Sports, Sashmit Pokharel.
Incumbent Chief Secretary Suman Raj Aryal is retiring on age limit after two days.
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22- Money Laundering case: Poudel’s detention extended for five more days
Kathmandu, July 8: The Special Court has allowed the police to keep in detention Vice Chairman of the CPN UML, Bishnu Prasad Paudel, for five more days in connection with a case relating to money laundering.
A division bench of judges Narayan Prasad Paudel and Bidur Koirala granted extension of detention for five days. The former Finance Minister remains in custody since he was arrested from Butwal on money laundering charges.
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23- Call for laying emphasis on Dalit rights in constitution amendment
Kathmandu, July 8: The Independent Dalit Civil Society Nepal has urged the government, federal parliament and political parties to emphatically address the rights of Dalit community, proportional representation, social justice and inclusiveness related issues in the constitution amendment process.
At a press meet today, Society’s Coordinator Karna Bahadur Nepali said the constitution amendment should be utilized as an epochal opportunity to further strengthen the Dalit rights.
Arguing that the constitution amendment could not realize the objective of social justice without meaningful participation of Dalit community, he stressed the amendment process should be participatory, inclusive and human rights friendly.
The Society has called for further enabling constitutional arrangements against untouchability and caste-based discrimination, ensuring proportional inclusive representation in all agencies of the state, clarifying the landless Dalit’s right to land and residence, and empowering the National Dalit Commission.
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24- ‘Hello Sarkar’ receives 131,875 complaints, resolves over 70 percent till date
Kathmandu, July 8: The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has informed that the ‘Hello Sarkar’ facility run under the office received total 131,875 complaints till date. Of these, 70 percent complaints were addressed.
Since the formation of present government on March 27, the ‘Hello Sarkar’ received flurry of complaints with 838 per cent increase. The complaints are resolved promptly, for the government has given much priority to people’s concern.
Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadak Raj Poudel along with Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s political advisor Asim Shah observed the facility at PM’s Office following the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The desk employees were urged to discharge duty effectively so that citizen’s complaints could be heard and addressed promptly and public trust earned accordingly. The Hello Sarkar scheme runs for twenty-four hours.
Preparations are afoot to launch a system based on artificial intelligence (AI) so that complaints would be submitted automatically and referred to concerned agencies regularly. Even the service seekers could be updated on the hearing/progress on their complaints from time to time, it was shared.
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25- Passport service remains closed for two days
Kathmandu, July 8: The passport service will remain closed for two days as part of the preparation to launch a new system, which requires technical migration of data to a new platform.
The Department of Passport issued a notice on Wednesday and informed that it would close service on July 9 and 10, for transferring the current operating system to the new one.
However, the Department made it clear that passports which are already prepared will be distributed as usual. The service seekers who have received SMS for passport collection can contact the Department and collect their passports.
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26- Parliament Secretariat to implement report on scuffle in lower house
Kathmandu, July 8: The Federal Parliament Secretariat has been instructed to implement the report submitted to the Speaker by the Committee formed to study the events leading to the scuffle that took place in the House of Representatives on May 31.
According to a press statement issued by the Federal Parliament Secretariat today, the Committee had submitted its report to the Speaker on June 8 and the Secretariat received instructions from the Speaker for implementation after studying the report.
The Committee was formed a day after the incident took place by a meeting of the House of Representatives. The committee was tasked to study the incident and submit a report within seven days.
The committee was formed under the coordination of Secretary of the House of Representatives Prakash Adhikari and comprised the Chief of the Secretariat’s Internal Services and Planning Management Division and the Chief of the Technology Management Division.
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27- Cabinet decisions: Shakya appointed valley development commissioner
Kathmandu, July 8: The government has appointed Suraj Shakya as a commissioner at the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Wednesday took a decision to this regard. The meeting also decided run the Geta Hospital of Kailaki as a teaching hospital under the Martyrs Dasharath Chand University of Health Sciences, according to government spokesperson and Minister for Education and Sports, Sashmit Pokharel.
Minister Pokharel further shared that the Cabinet endorsed Foreign Education Programme (Operation and Regulation) Regulation, 2083.
Also endorsed by the Cabinet was Educational Consultancy, Language Instruction and Preparation Class (Operation and Management) Regulation, 2083.
The government approved the Prison Regulation, 2083; the 6th National Work Plan on Human Rights (2083/84-2087/88) and the 2nd National Strategic Plan against Corruption (2082/83-2087/88).
The meeting has appointed Secretary Govinda Bahadur Karki as the Chief Secretary of Nepal government.
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28- Tough measures against educational consultancy; Rs 2.5 million deposits and digital transaction mandatory
Kathmandu, July 8: The government has approved the Educational Consultancy, Language Teaching and Preparation Class (Operation and Management) Regulations, 2083 to make the operation of the educational consultancy agencies, language teaching centers and preparatory classes well-managed, transparent and accountable.
The cabinet-approved regulations have enforced new arrangements related to licensing, financial transactions, students’ security and service quality.
The Ministry of Education and Sports said the rules was prepared to ensure effective regulations of educational consultancy agencies and protect students’ interests and maintain transparency in service delivery.
According to the Regulation, keeping deposit Rs 2.5 million has been made mandatory for running educational consultancy agencies. Likewise, fee Rs 50,000 has to be paid for license.
From now onward, educational consultancy service could not be run without obtaining license from the ministry.
However, regulation of language teaching centres and preparation classes would be undertaken from province or local level. The duration of license will be of a year with a provision of renew annually.
The agencies providing educational consultancy service shall appoint consultants having at least Bachelor’s degree and training.
Likewise, the agencies involved in service delivery should have their own building or have a office space rental agreement for three years.
All financial transactions with the students shall be completely carried out through digital medium. All details of the service fee shall be disclosed through official website.
Arrangement shall be made for the students to make educational fee through banks only after obtaining ‘no objection letter’, stated the regulations.
Likewise, the regulations has banned organizing educational fair or exhibition targeting foreign bound students. The ministry’s pre-approval is mandatory for hosting other educational fair or exhibition.
License of the agencies not renewing license, making financial exploitation or cheating students, spreading misleading information or reluctant to pay taxes will be scrapped and their deposits can be seized, it is stated in the regulations.
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29- 24-hour monitoring to bring Elephant named Dhruve under control
Kathmandu, July 8: A round-the-clock monitoring has been started to bring the wild elephant named ‘Dhruve’ under control after in entered the village settlements from the Chitwan National Park.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment has stated that a technical team from the park, the Nepal Army and the National Trust for Nature Conservation has been mobilized to bring the elephant under control. Minister for Agriculture, Forest and Environment Geeta Chaudhary is reported to have directed for them same.
It may be noted that Ashika Bote, 25, a resident of Madi Municipality-1 and currently residing in Belhatta, and her four-year-old son Bharat, died in an attack by the elephant in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-23, Chitwan on July 4.
According to Minister Chaudhary, preparations are being made to install a radio collar using darts if the elephant is found in a suitable place within the park. After the radio collar is installed, the elephant’s activities will be monitored around the clock.
She has also urged the concerned locals to take necessary precautions by conveying the information about the wild elephant entering the settlements in the buffer zone in a timely manner.
Meanwhile, Minister Chaudhary said that immediate relief has been provided to the families of those who lost their lives in the attack by the elephant. Within three days of the incident, the families of the deceased have been provided with relief amount of Rs. 2 million.
The ministry has stated that an additional Rs. 100,000 has been provided to the families of the deceased from the Human-Wildlife Conflict Management Fund run by the National Nature Conservation Trust.
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30- New regulations for foreign-affiliated colleges, affiliation with top 1,000 universities mandatory
Kathmandu, July 8: The government has approved the Foreign Educational Programs (Operation and Regulation) Regulations, 2083 BS to increase the quality and regulation of colleges operating with affiliation from foreign academic institutions.
The regulations prepared by the Ministry of Education and Sports were approved by the Council of Ministers meeting held on Wednesday. With the implementation of the new regulations, stricter standards will be implemented for colleges operating in Nepal under affiliation with foreign universities.
The ministry has stated that the regulations have been brought with the objective of enhancing the quality, credibility and international competitiveness of higher education. It has set new standards for colleges operating in the country affiliated with foreign universities.
According to the regulations, the foreign university granting affiliation must be among the top 1,000 universities in the world.
Similarly, the concerned college must have completed two stages of Quality Assurance and Accreditation (QAA). The regulations also provide for determining the student admission quota based on the assessment of the college’s physical infrastructure, academic capacity and available human resources.
The new criteria will also be applicable to colleges with foreign affiliations that are currently operating. The government has made arrangements to provide a certain timeline for improvement to colleges that cannot meet the prescribed criteria and if the criteria are not met within that period, the affiliation will be annulled, new student admissions will be banned or necessary legal action will be taken.
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31- Eight civil servants charged of committing irregularities in drug procurement
Kathmandu, July 8: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case against eight civil servants on charges of colluding with drug suppliers working for the civil service hospital, Kathmandu. In the case filed at the special court, they have been charged of causing loss worth Rs 29.1 million.
According to a statement issued by the CIAA, the employees working in the pharmacy branch of the hospital are accused of manipulating with the drug entry software and committing irregularities in the management of expired drugs.
An investigation had been launched after the Auditor General’s report for the fiscal year 2077/78 also pointed out these irregularities.
The commission stated that based on the report of a committee formed under the leadership of the head of the hospital’s medical division, it was confirmed that public property worth Rs. 29.1 million had been damaged.
The chargesheet has been filed in the Special Court, Kathmandu, against Pharmacy Unit In-charge and Pharmacy Officer Deepa Dhungana, Pharmacy Assistant Lavendra Kunwar, Senior Pharmacy Assistant Dinesh Pant, Pharmacy Assistant Deepak Sapkota, Storekeeper and Senior Pharmacy Assistant Binod Pokharel, Storekeeper and Senior Pharmacy Assistant Shamila Shrestha, Storekeeper and Pharmacy Assistant Keshav Raj Neupane, and Storekeeper and Pharmacy Assistant Sandeep Tiwari, demanding imprisonment, fines and recovery of the amount, as per Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059 BS, according to a statement issued by the CIAA spokesperson Suresh Neupane.
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