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Not so long ago, the government of Nepal advised the people not to opt for panic buying of grains, stating that there was enough grain stock to outlast the upcoming harvest season. 

But the ‘comfortable situation’ appears to have changed all of a sudden.  

Recently, the government of Nepal wrote to India asking for 155,000 tons of grains and sugar, stating that India's global ban on grain export may affect Nepal too.

Spokesperson at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Radhika Aryal, confirmed that the government had written to the Indian government asking for the supply of 100,000 tons of rice, 50,000 tons of sugar and 5,000 tons of paddy.

“The letter has been sent to the Embassy of India in Nepal via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but the official reply from the Indian government has not been received yet,” said Aryal.

India has imposed a ban on the export of non-Basmati rice across the globe despite objections from the international community. The export policy of non-Basmati white rice, semi milled or wholly milled rice, whether or not polished or glazed, is amended from “free to prohibited,” reads a notice from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

The price of rice, Nepal’s staple food, has been escalating in the domestic market right after India announced a global ban on the export of all varieties of rice, save the Basmati. The Indian ban came after Russia announced its withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Deal in the midst of the Ukraine war, straining a war-hit supply system and aggravating the global food crisis.

The export will be allowed on the basis of permission granted by the Indian government to other countries to meet their food security needs and based on the request of their government.

Before this move, the government had been saying that there was enough gain stock to last three months after which a new harvest season will begin. Despite the government’s assurance, panic buying has been going unabated and the traders have been making hay. As for sugar, the government has said domestic production was not enough to meet the demand.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 8.01 points to close at 2,033.13 points on Thursday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 1.08 points to close at 387. 38 points.

A total of 4,009,263-unit shares of 271 companies were traded for Rs 1. 54 billion.

Meanwhile, Siddhartha Investment Growth Scheme – 2 was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Similarly, Laxmi Equity Fund was the top loser as its price fell by 7.43 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 04 trillion.

The Social Security Fund (SSF) has launched a contribution-based social security scheme for informal sector workers and self-employed. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, on Wednesday, unveiled the program which will now enable Nepalis working in the informal sector and self-employed Nepalis to be part of SSF.

With this, four sectors—formal sector, foreign employment, informal sector, and self-employed have joined the SSF. There is a provision in the Social Security Fund Act that workers in the informal sector and self-employed persons can join the SSF. Workers in the informal sector include those working in the agricultural sector, construction sector, and those whose employer is not fixed.

Launching the new program, Prime Minister Dahal said that the launch of the scheme for informal sector workers has given a message that no one will be left out of the scope of social security in Nepal. “In that sense, he said, this day should be considered an important historical day for the establishment of labor rights,” said Dahal.

According to Dahal, all the workers working in the informal sector will gradually participate in the scheme. Dahal said that the social security scheme would be run as an intensive campaign by integrating it under the integrated concept. “The fund is an important mechanism of the state for neglected, suppressed, and oppressed people of the society,” he said. 

As per the SSF procedure, an agreement can be made through the local level to include workers in the informal sector and self-employed persons in the fund. Based on this arrangement, two local bodies—Phendi Khola Rural Municipality of Syangja and Bhimphedi Rural Municipality of Makwanpur have already started enrolling informal sector workers and self-employed in the SSF. 

According to SSF, informal sector workers and self-employed workers can now apply to join the fund. They have to first produce an identity card from the local level as an informal sector worker and self-employed. And, they (informal sector workers) have to contribute a minimum of Rs 2,024 per month. 

As per the procedure, a total of 20.37 percent will be contributed to the fund, of which 11 percent will be from the workers and 9.37 percent will be the supplementary amount provided by the government. However, self-employed persons will have to contribute 31 percent of the minimum wage.

Workers and self-employed persons in the informal sector who join the fund will be able to participate in all kinds of facilities operated by the fund. Contributors will be able to get medical treatment, health and maternity protection, accident and disability and dependent family protection, and old age protection scheme.

The SSF will pay a maximum of Rs 700,000 for the medical expenses incurred in the hospital to the contributor in case of an accident, under the accident and disability protection scheme. 

After joining the SSF, informal sector workers and self-employed workers will get disability pensions, lifetime pensions, and scholarships for their children. 

The contribution-based social security scheme was launched by the then KP Sharma Oli-led government in Nov 2018 with the objective to provide social security coverage to private sector employees.

Though formal sector workers have been receiving benefits from the social security plan for three years back, the SSF started to incorporate migrant workers and self-employed persons living abroad, as well as workers from the informal sector for the first time.

Sun Sunar admitted his six-month-old son, Imran, to the Humla District Hospital on July 31 after he developed flu symptoms. As he also developed pneumonia and diarrhea, the district hospital advised Sun to seek better-equipped hospitals three days later.

Sunar began waiting for an aircraft since air travel is the sole mode of transportation in Humla which is yet to be connected to the road network. However, since no aircraft landed in Humla for about a week, Imran passed away without treatment. “People in Humla are dying even from common illnesses like cough and cold due to lack of treatment. The government has abandoned us,” he lamented.

Kali Bahadur Shahi’s seven-month-old son, Rohit, also succumbed to lack of medical care. Doctors had recommended that Shahi, from Simikot-7 in Humla, take his son to better-equipped hospitals. However, due to the absence of flights, he couldn’t transfer his son from Humla. “My son and two other patients were waiting for a flight to Nepalgunj, but the plane never arrived,” he shared.

Aryan Pariyar, an eighteen-month-old child from Kharpunath-4 in Humla, died due to diarrhea as he couldn’t be taken to hospitals in Surkhet or Nepalgunj because of flight unavailability. Similarly, Sandesh Luhar, a five-month-old from Chankehli-4 in Humla, also passed away as he couldn’t be transferred to hospitals with better facilities.

Air services in the hilly districts of Karnali have come to a halt after the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) banned flight operations after noon. Flight operations are nearly impossible due to frequent poor weather conditions in the mornings, and flights are prohibited after noon. Consequently, the people of Karnali are suffering due to lack of flights. Political parties, civil society leaders, and the general public have urged CAAN to reconsider its decision, but the authority has taken no action in this regard.

Simikot Airport in Humla used to witness 12-18 daily flights on a daily basis. However, the airport now appears deserted. While weather conditions often worsen in the morning, flights are barred from operating in the afternoon, leading to disruptions in flight operations. 

“Our suffering knows no end. With no road transport available and aircraft not coming, we are stuck,” said Devilal Upadhyaya of Kharpunath-4. “I’ve been staying in a hotel in Simkot for the past four days, waiting for a flight to Nepalgunj. I’ve exhausted all my money on food and accommodation. I'm returning home now.”

Mahendra Singh, Chief of Simikot Airport, said that the people in hilly and mountainous regions are suffering due to CAAN’s impractical regulations. “Airlines are allowed to operate flights in the morning when the weather is often unclear. The weather becomes better in the afternoon, but flights are not permitted,” he added.

Shreenath Poudel, Chief District Officer of Humla, mentioned that the issue has arisen because aviation officials in Kathmandu have imposed rules on remote hilly districts. “People are coming to the local administration seeking a solution to this problem. Political parties are echoing the same sentiment. Despite our efforts, the problem remains unresolved,” he explained.

Airlines used to operate daily flights to remote airfields such as Juphal in Dolpa, Simkot in Humla, Talcha in Mugu, Khalanga in Jumla, and Kolti in Bajura. However, these airfields are no longer seeing flights these days. Although road transport is available in other districts, Humla being an exception, it is unreliable, especially during the monsoon season. 

Talcha Airport in Mugu has not seen any flight operations in the past two weeks. Consequently, patients referred by district hospitals are unable to reach Surkhet or Nepalgunj for treatment. Durga Lawa of Chhayanath Rara-13 has been waiting for a flight at Talcha Airport for two weeks as she cannot use surface transport due to her  poor health. Hima Budha from Kapurkut in Salyan, who is currently working in Mugu, has also been waiting for flights to Nepalgunj from Talcha Airport for two weeks. “Poor road conditions make it impossible for me to travel to Nepalgunj by road,” said Budha, who is seven months pregnant. 

Since flight services are unavailable, Mugu District Hospital doctors have been referring patients to the Karnali Institute of Health Sciences in Jumla. “Some cases need to be referred to Surkhet or Nepalgunj, but due to the absence of flights, we have been referring them to Jumla,” explained Dr Karna Raj Bham. 

Prior to the implementation of the new rule, Sita Air, Summit Air, and Tara Air operated one to two daily flights to Talcha Airport. 

Dolpa has also experienced disruption in flight services for the past two weeks. Ramchandra Neupane, a civil society leader in Dolpa, criticized CAAN for playing with people’s lives by prohibiting flight operations after noon. 

Yanki Gurung from Dolpo Buddha-3 in Upper Dolpa said he couldn’t take his mother to Nepalgunj for medical treatment on time due to lack of flights. “It took us three days to reach Nepalgunj, and the journey was arduous,” he shared. 

Karnali Province Chief Minister Rajkumar Sharma emphasized the need to reform policies that adversely affect the people. “CAAN’s new rule has created hardships for the people of Karnali. Everyone has the right to life, which this rule violates. I will raise this issue with the federal government soon,” he added. 

According to the Bajura District Police Office, Agni Bohora of Budhinanda-3, Udaya Narayan Sah of Swami Kartik Rural Municipality, and Aina Giri of Jagannath-1 died due to lack of flights at Kolti Airport. Giri died while being transported to Dhangadhi by road. 

Development work halted

Kamal Gautam, who looks after Simrik Air’s operations in the western sector, CAAN’s new rule has hindered development work, as helicopters are now prohibited from carrying heavy cargo using sling operations. “We are unable to transport telecommunications equipment to Mugu, hydropower equipment to Mugu, and hospital equipment to Bajhang,” Gautam explained.

The Supreme Court has concluded that the Tikapur incident took place under the leadership of Resham Chaudhary.

It has been mentioned in the full text of the Tikapur incident released by the Supreme Court that Chaudhary was the mastermind of the incident based on various facts. 

The apex court had issued the verdict in the Tikapur incident on May 16, 2021.

The Court has said that a group led by Chaudhary killed at least eight people, mostly security personnel including a Senior Superintendent of Police, by attacking them with stones, axes, spears and home-made weapons in an inhumane manner during the Tharuhat movement. Later, they burnt the bodies by pouring kerosene and petrol.

Saying that the mob attacked 36 police personnel with an intention to kill and also took the life of a child, the SC said that the defendant Resham Lal Chaudhary's alleged crime was confirmed beyond reasonable doubt.

On May 28, 2023, President Ramchandra Paudel, on the government’s recommendation, pardoned Chaudhary’s remaining jail term on the occasion of Republic Day, 10 days after the apex court issued the verdict to hand him down a life sentence.

The CPN (Maoist Center) has sought suggestions from experts in the related field with the aim of instilling confidence to do something within the country.

Organizing an interaction with the theme of ‘Country’s economic development model and development program’ here, the Finance and Planning Department of the party has called for suggestions from experts in sectors including agriculture, tourism, energy, water resources, information technology, physical infrastructure, water resources, engineering and commerce for the government to improve the current economic situation of the country.

On the occasion, the party department chief and former Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun stressed the need for stopping the outflow of qualified manpower to foreign countries by creating job opportunities especially through industrialization at home. It is getting late to go for a policy to utilize the manpower within the home country.

Similarly, claiming that many plans of the previous five-year plans failed, Vice Chairperson of the National Planning Commission Min Bahadur Shrestha called for bringing quality in the new plan. High ambitious plans should not be included in the coming 16th Plan learning from past failure, he viewed.

A report involving the suggestions collected will be handed to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, said the department member and economist DP Dhakal.

CPN (Maoist Center) General Secretary Dev Gurung returned home from China on Thursday.

Gurung, who had left for the northern neighbor to arrange Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s China visit, returned home by the Tibet Airlines flight today.

According to a source, Prime Minister Dahal sent him to China to discuss possible agendas of his China visit.

Gurung returned home after holding discussions with the leaders of the Chinese Community Party and diplomatic agencies.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said that Prime Minister Dahal will visit China after wrapping up his India visit. But at the last hour, the Prime Minister has decided to visit China after the US visit.

Prime Minister Dahal will leave for the US on September 16.

He will leave for New York to take part in the United Nations General Assembly on that day.

Prime Minister Dahal will leave for China on September 21 after addressing the United Nations General Assembly.

It has been learnt that Prime Minister Dahal will meet the President, Prime Minister and the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party during his China visit.

The Prime Minister has been saying that there will be a power trade agreement during the visit.

He said that an agreement has already been made to connect the cross border transmission line in Rasuwa-China border.

Maoist Vice-Chairman Agni Sapkota had left for China before Dev Gurung.

The Department of Mines and Geology has granted licenses to 432 companies for exploring mines in the country.

The Lainchaur-based department that has been working in the areas of mines and geology since 2033 BS has granted licenses to the companies to search for potential mines for the promotion of mines-based industries in the country.

Information Officer of the Department, Narayan Baskota, said the licenses were granted to explore potential mines such as iron, copper, gold, limestone, ruby, granite, kainite and dolomite.

The Department had issued licenses to 374 mining companies for the exploration of mines last year.

"Higher number of licenses were granted to explore limestone and copper", he said, adding that those approaching for licenses for mine exploration were Chinese companies.

Only 50 percent licensed companies have started excavating for mine exploration while remaining companies are under the process for excavation, Baskota informed.

The Department had scrapped licenses of 121 companies for not being active in exploration and excavation in the fiscal year 2022/23.