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Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah has said that he will take initiative to construct a cricket stadium if the federal government provides land to the metropolis.

Shah, who had reached Sri Lanka to watch a game between Nepal and India, said that the metropolis will take the initiative to build a cricket stadium if the government provides 100 ropani land.

Shah estimates that a stadium where a match between Nepal and India was held can be constructed for Rs 800 million.

He claimed that the Nepali players’ skills will be developed if the big games are held in Nepal and can also earn millions of rupees.

Taking to Facebook, he said, “The stadium of Sri Lanka where the matches are being held was similar to the cricket stadium of the Tribhuvan University. There were a few parapets and more facilities. A similar level of stadium can be built for Rs 800 to 900 million except for the land in Nepal.” “We will take initiative to construct a stadium from the Kathmandu Metropolitan City if the Nepal government provides necessary 100 ropani land around Kathmandu metropolis.

In the match held on Monday, Nepal lost to India by 10 wickets.

A new committee has been elected in the New Baneshwor branch committee of the Professional Insurance Agents Association Nepal, Nepal Life. A 9-member committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Jeevan Prasad Pokharel. 

The newly elected committees include Jeevan Prasad Pokharel as chairperson, vice-chair Renu Kumari Shah, secretary Janaki Acharya, joint secretary Binod Kumar Shrestha, treasurer Manjushree Singh Malla and members Lokendra Bahadur Malla, Usha Shahi, Khemnath Guragai and Hari Prasad Sanjel.

Pema Lama, a resident of Mugum Karmarong-8 in Mugu, recently had to walk for hours to reach a nearby market as a local depot in his village had its stock of rice exhausted. That was not the end of trouble for Lama, as he had to pay twice the government-fixed price for the rice due to a shortage.

Similar to Pema, individuals in remote districts like Karnali are grappling with a severe shortage of rice. Concerns are growing that rice supplies will be insufficient during the approaching festive season.

Nonetheless, government authorities say they are already taking measures to avert rice shortages during the festivities. Officials from the Food Management and Trading Company (FMTC), a government undertaking, informed that they have already initiated the rice procurement process and are in the process of selecting contractors to transport rice to depots in rural districts.

FMTC said it has initiated the transportation of rice to remote Karnali districts, including Humla, Mugu, Dolpa, Jajarkot, Kalikot, Dailekh, Jumla, and Rukum West, along with Bajura in Sudurpashchim. Notably, it has dispatched 4,000 quintals of rice to Humla. Since the district is yet to be connected with the national road network, the company transported rice to Humla via Tibet, China.

The government has been distributing subsidized rice to rural regions through the company. Madhav Mishra, the head of the company's Karnali provincial office, reassured, "There won’t be a shortage of rice during the festive season. We have already begun transporting rice to these districts.”

Mishra stated that 15,000 quintals of rice are being supplied to various districts. “People in remote areas won’t experience a shortage of rice during this year's festival season. To ensure this, we have already commenced shipping operations. Due to the high demand from remote areas, our rice reserves have been exhausted,” he said, adding. “That is why we have initiated a fresh procurement process.”

Apart from Humla, an additional 15,000 quintals of rice are being transported from Surkhet to different districts, he added. FMTC said depots in rural areas have run out of stock due to factors like price hike in the international market, India's prohibition on rice imports, and delays in the tender process for procurement and transportation.

“We are now in a position to supply rice to all remote depots and sales centers before Dashain,” Mishra said, informing that the process of awarding a contract for the supply of 8,000 quintals of rice to remote areas is in its final stage. Additionally, a new tender for transporting 12,000 quintals of rice has recently been invited, he added. The provincial office of FMTC in Surkhet is responsible for distributing subsidized rice through nine branch offices, seven depots, and 17 sales centers.

Moreover, the Karnali provincial office has kept 10,000 quintals of rice in stock for emergencies. “There are risks of floods and landslides during the rainy season, necessitating swift relief efforts. We will need to provide relief to the people should any untoward incident occur,” Mishra said. According to Mishra, this stock maintained in different depots cannot be sold. “Depots can sell rice only if they receive the new shipment,” he added.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 7.04 points to close at 1,967.83 points on Monday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 1.09 points to close at 377. 71 points.

A total of 3,432,267-unit shares of 270 companies were traded for Rs 1. 09 billion.

Meanwhile, Three Star Hydropower Limited was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Liberty Energy Company Limited was the top loser as its price fell by 9.98 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 94 trillion.  

Russian Ambassador to Nepal Aleksei Novikov today paid a courtesy call on Speaker of the House of Representatives Devraj Ghimire. 

During the meeting held at the Singha Durbar, the two exchanged views on matters relating to Nepal-Russia relations and on the parliamentary practices in both countries.

Stating the Russian Federation is the old friend of Nepal, the Speaker said both countries enjoyed a cordial relation since they established the diplomatic ties in 1956.

He expressed gratitude for Russia's significant contributions to Nepal's development, including support provided during the 2015 earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Russian ambassador also highlighted the importance of parliamentary exchanges between the two nations.

The Russian envoy said the Russia visit by National Assembly Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timilsina in April was significant in this regard.

According to him, a high-level delegation from Russia is preparing to visit Nepal in the course of the implementation of bilateral agreements reached during the NA Chair's visit.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal called on President Ram Chandra Paudel on Monday.

During the meeting held at the Office of the President, Shital Niwas, the head of the government apprised the head of the state of his upcoming participation in the United Nations General Assembly and the China visit, according to President's press advisor Kiran Pokhrel.

On the occasion, the two exchanged views on other contemporary affairs, it has been learnt.

In May, 2020, Nepal’s Parliament unanimously issued a new political map showing Kalapani, Limpiyahura and Lipulekh as Nepali territories. All political parties supported the initiative of the then government under CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli.

However, it appears that the then government did not follow the due process to make the new map acceptable to the international community, including the neighbors—India and China. The government should have informed the United Nations, Google and other international communities, but it didn’t, in all likelihood. The Department of Survey printed the English version of the map, but it was not circulated to the international community.

Speaking at a program on Sunday, Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud said, “We have not officially communicated with the international community about the new map, ministers of the previous government are claiming that they have informed the international community but I have no record of such communication taking place.”

On 28 Aug 2023, China published its ‘standard map’, which did not show the Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura areas inside Nepal. 

Amid this controversy, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reads, “Nepal stands firm and clear on its political and administrative map that the Parliament unanimously approved in 2020. The Government of Nepal unequivocally believes that our neighbors as well as the international community must respect 

this map.” 

According to the ministry, Nepal remains committed to resolving the boundary matters through dialogues and diplomacy.

Meanwhile, the International Relations Committee of the Parliament is planning to take the foreign ministry to task regarding its take on the map controversy.

“There are conflicting claims from the then and current ministers about the map, so we are preparing to seek a clarification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” said Raj Kishor Yadav, the committee chair

The Birgunj Metropolitan City has decided to close the schools after 2 pm on Monday to see the match between Nepal and India.

The match between Nepal and India under the Asia Cup will start from 2: 45 pm at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Issuing a notice on Monday, the Education Department of the Metropolitan City has decided to close all the public and private schools after 2 pm.

The Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City of Madhes Province has already decided to close all the schools after 2 pm to see the match.

Today’s match is considered very important for Nepal and India.

The senior teams of Nepal and India are facing each other for the first time.

After playing international cricket for almost three decades, Nepal's senior team is playing against cricket superpower India today.