Submit your Article

In what augurs well for the Nepali tourism industry, the number of tourist arrivals has reached 476,507 in the first half of 2023. The tourist arrival has surged by 97.79 percent in the first six months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. With healthy growth in tourist arrivals from the start of this year, tourism entrepreneurs are expecting 1m international visitors in the country by the end of 2023. While tourist arrivals have improved significantly compared to the last three years, the number is yet to touch the pre-Covid level. Nepal had received 573,658 tourists in the first six months of 2019. The arrival of foreigners in the first six months of 2023 is 83.06  percent compared to the same period in 2019. According to the latest statistics from the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), Nepal welcomed 72,250 foreign visitors in June. The tourist footfall in June 2023 is 96.48 percent compared to June 2019 when 74,883 foreigners visited Nepal. Nepal welcomed 55,074 international visitors in Jan, 73,255 in Feb, 99,426 in March, 98,773 in April, and 77,703 in May. Nepal received the highest number of tourists from India, the US, and China in June. According to NTB, 38,845 Indian tourists and 8,470 US visitors came to Nepal in June. The country welcomed 4,343 tourists from China, 2,402 tourists from Bangladesh, 1,992 from the United Kingdom, 1,639 from Australia, 1,079 from Malaysia, and 8,88 from South Korea. With the easing of travel restrictions and China reponing outbound travel for its citizens, Nepali tourism entrepreneurs are pinning high hopes for 2023. NTB on its 24th anniversary announced that it aims to attract at least one million foreign tourists in 2023. In 2022, tourist arrivals reached over 600,000 without any significant contribution from China. Only 9,595 Chinese tourists visited Nepal in 2022. Tour operators say they are receiving increasing fresh inquiries from major source markets including China. While the FITs (free independent travelers) have already started coming to Nepal, group travelers from the northern neighbor arrived in the second week of April, the first group tour from China after the Covid-19 pandemic. The arrival of 180 Chinese trekkers in Nepal on April 13 has rekindled hopes for Nepal’s tourism sector. They were the first of four batches of nearly 8,00 Chinese trekkers to visit Nepal to trek on the Poon Hill trail located some 270 kilometers west of Kathmandu. This visit has come after China included Nepal on a second list of 40 destinations for group tours that Chinese nationals could visit starting from March 15. After the northern neighbor allowed its citizens to visit Nepal, NTB and Nepali travel trade entrepreneurs are visiting various Chinese cities to promote Nepal tourism. Travel trade entrepreneurs say that a significant contribution of Chinese tourists would be required if Nepal wants to meet the target of one million visitors in 2023.

The National Examinations Board (NEB) has reached the final stage to publish the results of the Secondary Education Examination (SEE). Recording results in the computer is underway after answer sheet checking, re-checking and tallying, said the Board Chairperson Dr Mahashram Sharma. "Work is ongoing with the target of publishing results in the first week of July. Only technical work remains," he said. SEE started on March 31, 2023. A total of 485,396 students from 12,083 schools (both community and private) attended the exams from 2,037 examination centers across the country. The examinees included 242,712 girls and 242,674 boys.    

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 21. 32 points to close at 2,075. 97 points on Monday. Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 4. 17 points to close at 386. 35 points. A total of 9,418,952-unit shares of 276 companies were traded for Rs 4. 05 billion. Meanwhile, CYC Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited and BPW Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited were the top gainers today with their price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Laxmi Equity Fund was the top loser with its price dropped by 8. 95 percent. At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 03 trillion.

Two more persons have been arrested in connection with the Lalita Niwas land grab case. A team of Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) apprehended Ramesh Kumar Pokharel and Dev Narayan Maharjan today. The CIB had detained three persons on Sunday. Baburaja Maharjan, Ghaman Kumar Karki and Shivaji Bhattarai were nabbed for their alleged involvement in the case. Earlier on June 27, a team of CIB had arrested seven persons including former election commissioner Sudhir Sah, Bhatbhateni Supermarket Chairman Min Bahadur Gurung, former employees of Land Revenue Office Dharma Prasad Gautam, Gopal Karki, Kaladhar Deuja, Surendra Man Kapali and Hupendr Mani KC in connection with the Lalita Niwas land grab case. Among the arrestees, Deuja, Kapali and KC were released on the same day as they obtained a stay order from the court. They are accused of forging government documents with the intent of transferring the 143 ropani land of Lalita Niwas to private ownership.        

The final agreement on a long-term electricity trade deal between Nepal and India could be realized within this fiscal year. According to Energy Ministry officials, preparations are being made to sign the final agreement within Ashad (mid-July). The draft of the final agreement on long-term electricity trade between Nepal and India has also reached the Indian cabinet. Once the agreement is endorsed by the Indian cabinet, the final agreement on long-term electricity trade between India and Nepal will be signed, according to Energy Ministry officials. “Once the draft is endorsed by the Indian cabinet, the final agreement will be signed,” said Madhu Bhetuwal, spokesperson at the Energy Ministry. “The final draft has already been approved by our cabinet.” Nepal and India were supposed to sign the final agreement in the third week of June in New Delhi. While Energy Secretary Dinesh Kumar Ghimire did travel to New Delhi, the signing did not take place. Energy Ministry officials said the final deal signing was delayed as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was busy on an abroad visit. The signing of the agreement, according to the Energy Ministry will most probably take place in Kathmandu. Energy Secretary Ghimire and his Indian counterpart Alok Kumar will sign the final agreement. Nepal and India had signed an initial agreement between Nepal and India at the energy secretary level on June 2 in New Delhi. During Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s India visit, the southern neighbor agreed to buy 10,000 MW of electricity from Nepal in the next 10 years. Nepal has been requesting the southern neighbor for a long-term power trade deal arguing that an inter-government agreement would lock in the market and end the unpredictability of the Indian market’s availability for electricity from Nepal in the long run. According to Bhetuwal, the agreement is an umbrella agreement that will pave the way for power trading agencies in Nepal and India such as Nepal Electricity Authority and NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN) to enter into a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA).  The NEA and NVVN will sign a separate agreement for commercial deals. The long-term power deal has become of paramount importance for Nepal with the country's electricity generation capacity gradually increasing. If the market for Nepali electricity is not ensured, the country faces the risk of electricity spillage every year, especially during the wet season.  In the rainy season last year, the country’s electricity spillage reached as high as 800 MW during the festive period in October and November. The country’s generation capacity has already reached nearly 2,700 MW which requires more exports to India to avoid spillage in the rainy season when power plants start generating power at their full capacity. According to NEA Executive Director Kulman Ghising, the country is expected to produce surplus energy of 1,000 MW in this wet season. The country’s power generation capacity is rising along with the completion of one after another power projects. The country’s power generation capacity is expected to rise to 2,853 MW by the end of the current fiscal year, according to NEA. The projected peak domestic demand for power in the current fiscal year is 2,036 MW. By the end of the next fiscal year 2023/24, the country’s electricity generation capacity is expected to rise further to 4,507 MW and to 5,251 MW by the end of fiscal 2024/25. Nepal exported power worth over Rs 11bn in the last wet season.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that there is a need for a peaceful revolution to ensure good governance, justice and prosperity. Speaking at a program organized on Monday to mark the 12th anniversary of GP Koirala Memorial College as well as the 100th birth anniversary of late Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, PM Dahal argued that the anomalies, anarchy irregularities and the threat to democracy could not be mitigated through general reforms. Hence, he acknowledged the need for a peaceful revolution. "At the time when democracy was facing threat, it was imperative to instill confidence in the people in the political parties having a long history. For this, I acknowledge the need for collaboration with the Nepali Congress and I am working towards strengthening the current coalition," observed the Head of the Government. He added: "The then insurgent Maoists came to peaceful struggle through the dialogues between the then Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala and I. The Federal Democratic Republic was established at the behest of the joint people's movement. It is our common responsibility to protect the democracy and republican system," said PM Dahal, also Chairperson of CPN (Maoist Center). Furthermore, he said that it is necessary to bring about positive changes in the lives of people by devoting oneself to nation-building with self-analysis rather than spreading hate-speech through social media. In this context, PM Dahal expressed his confidence that late Koirala's high level of courage and strong willpower would inspire one and all for that. "Koirala would always remain the source of inspiration to me throughout my life. He was my guardian. My faith and trust towards him will ever remain intact." Stating that the education sector was a decisive factor in nation-building, he said that the incumbent government is preparing to introduce the University Act.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Prakash Saud is leaving for Azerbaijan on Tuesday. He is leaving for Azerbaijan to participate in the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (CoB NAM) being convened under the theme of "NAM: United and steadfast in confronting emerging challenges" on July 3-6 in Baku, reads a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minister Saud is scheduled to address the conference on Wednesday. During the visit, the foreign minister is scheduled to call on high dignitaries of the Government of Azerbaijan as well as meet with participating heads of delegation from various countries on the margins of the meeting, the statement reads The foreign minister will return to Kathmandu on July 8, 2023.    

Two-way traffic along the Narayangarh-Muglin road section has resumed. According to the Area Police Office, Muglin, two-way traffic was disrupted this morning after a landslide occurred at Ichhakamana-5, bridge number three. The traffic movement has resumed after landslide debris were removed from the road, Chief of Area Police Office, Muglin Police Inspector Bishal Tamang said. The driver of a truck (Na 6 Kha 710) was also injured in a landslide this morning. Injured driver is undergoing treatment at Muglin Highway Hospital, police said. Earlier, the road that was closed since Saturday night had resumed on Sunday evening after 18 hours.