Submit your Article

A Moldovan man has been arrested in possession of eight kg hashish from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on Sunday. The man with passport number 059627335 was about to board a Turkish Air flight (727) to Switzerland via Istanbul when police arrested him with 8. 7 kg hashish during a security check. According to a source, police apprehended him from the departure hall of the TIA. He has been taken to the Drug Control Bureau for investigation.    

While the country’s imports in Jestha (mid-May to mid-June) hit an 11-month high, the overall imports as well as customs revenue in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year have remained dismal. Nepal imported goods worth Rs 145.65bn in Jestha, the highest on a month-to-month basis, in the current fiscal year. However, there has not been much improvement in revenue collection from the customs duty. As the country’s overall imports took a beating in this fiscal, the revenue collection of the Department of Customs (DoC) has remained below par. The department’s revenue collection has dipped by 23 percent in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year. The Customs Department and Inland Revenue Department are the two major revenue collectors of the federal government. However, both agencies have been continuously collecting revenue below the targets this fiscal. The DoC has collected Rs 344.03bn in revenue till mid-June which is a decline of Rs 102.76bn compared to the same period of the last fiscal. The department had collected Rs 446.79bn in revenue during the first 11 months of the last fiscal year. With the country going through a deeper economic downturn, the demand for goods and services in the market has dwindled as consumers continue to bear the brunt of the slowdown. The imports of high-duty goods such as vehicles have decreased significantly which has affected the revenue of the government. Due to the lack of demand in the market and the low availability of auto loans from banks, automobile dealers are yet to get around 3,000 four-wheelers cleared from various customs yards across the country. The vehicles have been parked at the yards for months, according to the DoC official. The country’s overall imports in this fiscal have dipped by 16 percent. Nepal has imported goods worth Rs 1480.98bn in the first 11 months of this fiscal compared to Rs 1763.22bn during the same period of the last fiscal. The federal government relies on customs revenue heavily. Of the total revenue, the customs revenue accounts for almost 45 percent.  

A morning rally was organized today to raise awareness against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. The Ministry of Home Affairs organized the morning rally to mark International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The rally began from Bhrikutimandap and passed through Bhandrakali Temple and converged into a corner assembly at City Hall. Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Home Secretary Dinesh Bhattarai, Inspector General of Police, Basanta Bahadur Kunwar, high-ranking officials of Ministry, youths and students were present on the occasion. The participants in the morning rally had carried banners, ply cards inscribed with different awareness messages against drug abuse and its illicit trafficking.    

Three hundred cattle have been vaccinated against lumpy skin disease in Gorkha Municipality. The cattle of Gorkha Municipality-13 and 14 were vaccinated against lumpy skin disease with technical support of Gorkha Municipality Livestock Service Section and Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Expert Centre, Gorkha, said Information Officer of Livestock Service Expert Center, Dr Lalmani Aryal. He said that a vaccination campaign was launched to vaccinate cattle in two wards of the municipality to control the disease. The disease is spreading in the municipality. Aryal said that Budhikoti Dairy Production Cooperative provided financial support to run the vaccination program. Cows and buffaloes affected from lumpy skin disease do not only decrease milk production, they might also die due to this if not treated on time. The diseass has already spread in more than five local levels of Gorkha district—Bhimsen Thapa Rural Municipality, Sahid Lakhan Rural Municipality, Barpak Rural Municipality, Gandaki Rural Municipality and Dharche Rural Municipality. More than 58 cattle have died from lumpy skin disease in the district so far.  

Everything is nature God gave us this future Birds fly in the sky And mountain so high Trees are green And water so clean and neat We are only harming it But it never betrays It always give us right way I love nature Nevlyn Shrestha Grade VI Balbalika English Secondary Boarding School, Thimi

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 62.21 points to close at 2,117.73 points on Sunday. Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 9.64 points to close at 395. 45 points. A total of 14,751,247-unit shares of 275 companies were traded for Rs 6. 49 billion. Meanwhile, Life Insurance Corporation (Nepal) Limited, Himalayan Life Insurance Limited, NMB 50 and Samling Power Company Limited were the top gainers today, with their price surging by 10. 00 percent. Similarly, Shuvam Power Limited was the top loser as its price fell by 6.81 percent. At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 10 trillion.

The National Planning Commission (NPC) has advanced the preparation for the 16th five-year periodic plan. With the 15th plan ending in the next fiscal year 2023/24, the NPC, the government’s main body for periodic development planning, has initiated discussions with the concerned stakeholders. NPC held an interaction with its former vice-chairmen, former members, and economists on Wednesday. The body discussed with the ministries related to labor and employment, industry and trade, tourism and civil aviation, and agriculture on Thursday which was participated by incumbent secretaries, former secretaries, and experts of the ministries. NPC has planned to hold discussions on infrastructure and energy sectors on Friday. NPC Vice Chair Min Bahadur Shrestha said discussions for the 16th plan have been initiated with the national aspiration of achieving good governance, prosperity, and social justice through structural transformation. The concept paper of the 16th plan will be ready by the third week of July incorporating the suggestions of the experts. NPC is preparing to finalize and publish the 16th plan by February 2024 in order to take into implementation from mid-July 2024. The 16th plan which will be implemented from FY 2024/25 to 2029/30 The experts participating in Thursday's discussion stressed that the 16th plan should be a national plan rather than a federal plan. According to them, the new five-year periodic plan should be drafted in such a way that it can guide the plans of provinces and local-level governments. Economists and experts have emphasized that the role of NPC should be strengthened. They have also suggested that the new plan should be made keeping in mind the National Census of 2021, and it (the new plan) should take the policy to increase private sector investments. During Wednesday’s discussion, former finance minister Yubaraj Khatiwada said that ambitious targets for economic growth should not be set for the next periodic plan. Stating that the economic growth target of 7-7.5 percent should be taken in the current situation, Khatiwada said, “If the target of eight percent is to be set, then full emphasis should be placed on exports-oriented industrial growth.” While former NPC Vice Chair Prithvi Raj Legal suggested being more realistic while setting the target of economic growth, another former Vice Chair Dinesh Chandra Devkota opinionated that the plan should be formulated prioritizing the use of technology and preventing the misuse of grant money. According to NPC Spokesperson Suman Dahal, after the concept paper is prepared, the commission plans to discuss and interact at the provincial level as well.

Kathmandu: Sunita Dangol, a photojournalist from Annapurna Post, was recently recognized and awarded the Sports Photojournalist Award. This prestigious accolade was presented to her during the award ceremony organized by the Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) on June 23, which coincided with Olympic Day.  In addition to Dangol, three other journalists were also honored with awards by the NOC. Saroj Tamang received the Best Multimedia Award, Prajit Shakya was recognized with the Best Print Media Award, and Prajwal Shakya received the Best Visual Media Award.  Furthermore, Deepak Adhikari from Athletics, and Srijana Ghising, a participant in Para Taekwondo, were both recipients of the NOC Award. The Best Coach Award was granted to Kaviraj Negi from Para Taekwondo and Renu Devi Konda from Tennis. Lastly, the Nepal Boxing Association was honored with the Best Association Award.