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The government has amended the Transport Management Procedures Guidelines 2060 BS to remove the legal hurdles to registering vehicles manufactured and assembled in Nepal. The latest move of the government came after the Nepali electric two-wheeler company Yatri Motorcycles warned to cease its production as older rules continue to prevent registration of domestically manufactured vehicles. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal instructed to amend the guidelines to remove the legal complications for domestic vehicle manufacturers. Issuing a notice on Thursday, the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) said manufacturers can now register their vehicles after the government revised the guidelines and added a point '11.1.9' to it which allows the registration of vehicles that are assembled in Nepal by importing parts from abroad or are fully manufactured in the country. After the amendment of the guidelines, producers have been exempted from submitting proof of opening the letter of credit (LC) for the registration of vehicles. The revision of the guidelines has cleared the way to register all types of electric, petrol and diesel vehicles made in Nepal.

The Nepali public seethes with anger whenever VIPs and VVIPs head abroad for medical treatment. Once again, public outrage manifested itself when the President of this federal secular democratic republic, Ram Chandra Paudel, went on a medical trip with an elaborate entourage despite claims from at least a section of the medical fraternity that treatment for his condition was available in the country itself. Lending credence to their version is the fact that facilities meant for VIPs and VVIPs have been gathering dust at Bir Hospital and Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. It is natural for the Nepalis, one of the most taxed and worst served peoples in South Asia, to react in such a manner because it is the tax slapped on them under various topics that goes into paying the medical bills of the ‘dignitaries’, of which there seems to be no dearth in this country. This fury makes sense also because the powers that be have started going abroad for medical treatment even in cases where treatment is available at home itself. The laity is aware that medical visits, in most of the cases, are but just a ruse meant to cover ‘important meetings’ in foreign capitals with controversial agendas. What’s more, government authorities almost always keep the ‘ills’ afflicting powerful people like the President under wraps,  giving rise to speculations about the real motive behind their medical trips abroad. This daily has repeatedly brought to light the pitiable plight of the public health delivery system in Nepal with a main focus on government-run hospitals that see thousands of people making a beeline for treatment every day. Its reports have highlighted the problems plaguing these hospitals, such as the lack of medical professionals, lack of budget for infrastructure expansion and poor occupational safety and health standards. Given such a scenario, time has come for the ruling elite of the republic ‘geared toward’ socialism to focus more on the treatment of an ills-plagued public health delivery system and discourage the VIP and VVIPs’ tendency of seeking medical treatment abroad even for minor ills, for which treatment is available in Nepal. Leaders of the country, who are so much  more in love with ‘socialism’, can even learn from highly efficient functional public health delivery systems in operation in capitalist countries without depleting the country’s foreign currency reserves to send experts on study tours abroad as resources are available online.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 500 per tola in the domestic market on Friday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow bullion is being traded at Rs 109, 100 per tola today. The yellow metal was traded at Rs 109, 600 per tola on Wednesday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 108, 600 per tola. It was traded at Rs 109, 100. Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1,410 per tola today.

House of Representative members elected from the by-elections Rabi Lamichhane and Swarnim Wagle took the oath of office and secrecy on Friday. Speaker Devraj Ghimire administered the oath of office and secrecy to Lamichhane and Wagle amidst a program organized in Singha Durbar this morning. Lamichhane was elected from Chitwan-2 and Wagle from Tanahun-1. The by-election in Chitwan-2 was held after the Supreme Court scrapped Rastriya Swatantra Party President Lamichhane’s lawmaker post saying that he had never applied to reclaim his Nepali citizenship after renouncing his American citizenship. Similarly, the by-election in Tanahun-1 was held after Nepali Congress lawmaker Ram Chandra Paudel was elected as the President of the country. Meanwhile, Janata Samajbadi Party Chairman Upendra Yadav, who was elected from Bara-2, did not take part in the swearing in ceremony.    

Karnali Province Chief Minister Raj Kumar Sharma is seeking a vote of confidence on Friday. Chief Minister Sharma is seeking a vote of confidence from the National Province Assembly after the CPN-UML withdrew the support extended to the government. He is scheduled to take a vote of confidence at 3 pm in the Province Assembly meeting. Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN (Unified Socialist) are preparing to give a vote of confidence to Chief Minister Sharma. In the 40-member Province Assembly, Nepali Congress has 14 lawmakers, CPN (Maoist Center) 13 and CPN (Unified Socialist) one. It has been learnt that independent lawmaker Devendra Bahadur Shahi, who was elected from Jumla, will also give a trust vote of the provincial government. CPN (Maoist Center) Parliamentary Party leader Sharma was appointed as the chief minister on January 11. He was appointed as the chief minister with support of CPN-UML, CPN (Unified Socialist) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party. Sharma sought a vote of confidence for the first time on January 20. He sought a vote of confidence for the second time on March 31 after the Rastriya Prajatantra Party withdrew support extended to the government.  

A pedestrian died after being hit by a motorbike at Sajhapur in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-28, Chitwan on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as Jalawa Mahato (55) of the area. Seriously injured Mahato died while receiving treatment at the Bharatpur Hospital, Spokesperson of the District Police Office, Chitwan, Bijayaraj Pandit said. The motorbike (Na 22 Pa 6800) hit him at around 9 pm yesterday. Bike rider Shiva Narayan Mahato (34) of Bharatpur Metropolitan City-27 has sustained injuries and is receiving treatment at Chitwan Medical College.    

Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leader Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary has been appointed as the chief minister of Lumbini Province. He had submitted a claim for the chief ministership with the support of 53 lawmakers of eight political parties today itself. Province Chief Amik Sherchan appointed him as the chief minister with the support of a majority of lawmakers as per Article 168 (2) of the Constitution. Sherchan had called on parties to stake claim for the chief minister as per Article 168 (2) of the Constitution after Lumbini Province Chief Minister Leela Giri failed to secure a vote of confidence. The Province Chief office said that Chaudhary will be administered the oath of office and secrecy on Friday.    

Australian Ambassador to Nepal Felicity Volk paid a courtesy call on Minister for Foreign Affairs NP Saud on Thursday. The meeting focused on expanding bilateral cooperation, especially people to people relations, tourism and education sectors, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.