Complaint filed against ANFA Gen Secy Rai

All Nepal Football Association former chairman Ganesh Thapa has filed a complaint against General Secretary Kiran Rai.

Thapa filed a complaint at the Cyber Bureau alleging that Rai has assassinated his character.

He objected to Rai’s statement that he had misappropriated Rs 170 million and deposited Rs 80 million in the bank account after an investigation into money laundering.

Issuing a statement, Thapa said that he took legal help to investigate allegations levelled against him.

 

Formation of coalition govt has given hope among people, claims Deuba

Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said the incumbent coalition government is advancing ahead on a consolidated ground.

In his address to a training and orientation organized for party's regional leaders in Bhairahawa today, Deuba claimed that the formation of a coalition government comprising two major and other political parties in the country has given hope among the citizens.

Stating that the incumbent NC-CPN-UML government is not an absolute majority government, it is a two-thirds government, he highlighted the need for an additional collective support for the government.

The NC leader further said political completion is essential in democracy.

NC President Deuba was of the view that if the NC has any intra-party misunderstandings, they should be sorted out through mutual discussions.

He said that the orientation would help garner a majority for the party in the upcoming elections.

The training organised by the NC Central Policy, Research and Training Academy, is being attended by 130 individuals who include regional presidents and chiefs of regional training sections, according to Academy coordinator Purna Bahadur Khadka.

There will be six presentations on matters concerning the party, its significant accomplishments, policy reforms that the party ensured during its presence in the government after 1990, the constitution, implementation of federalism, and the NC campaign for active membership, interrelations among the center, province and electoral constituencies and so on.

There will be discussions among seven panels on the second day of the event.  The next session will be for collecting submissions on the issues relating to the government and Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak are scheduled to respond to the concerns raised during the session.

The event has been supported by the NC regional committee, Rupandehi electoral constituency-3.

 

Nepse plunges by 13. 62 points on Monday

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 13. 62 points to close at 2,876.66 points on Monday. 

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 3. 71 points to close at 480. 59 points. 

A total of 31,241,258-unit shares of 300 companies were traded for Rs 14. 28 billion.

Meanwhile, Guardian Micro Life Insurance Limited (GMLI) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Samaj Laghubittya Bittiya Sanstha Limited (SAMAJ) was the top loser as its price fell by 10. 00 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 77 trillion.

'KP Sharma Oli: Dream, Struggle and Resolve' launched

Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari launched the book entitled 'KP Sharma Oli: Dream, Struggle and Resolve' amidst a programme here today. The book on the life and struggles of Prime Minister and CPN (UML) Chair KP Sharma Oli is edited by journalist Ganesh Pandey.

The book incorporates articles on Oli's many struggles for achieving democracy, and his dreams and leadership initiatives for the prosperity of the country.

The book contains articles by PM Oli's compatriots, politicians, economists and social personalities. It is published by Alchemy Publication.

Prime Minister Oli, UML General Secretary Shanker Pokhrel and others were also present on the occasion.

 

Three injured in Saptari tiger attack

Three persons were injured in a tiger attack at Phattepur Bazaar area in Saptakoshi Municipality, Saptari on Monday. The Phattepur Police Post confirmed the incident.

The injured have been identified as Krishna Bista (43), Ganesh Khatri (55) and Rijana Gosai, Sub-Inspector Panalal Chaudhary of the Phattepur Police Post informed.

They sustained injuries on various parts of their body, he said.

Bista and Gosai have been taken to Biratnagar for treatment.

The Phattepur Bazaar residents have been terrorized after the tiger strayed into their settlement.

Minister for Home, Communication and Law Raj Kumar Lekhi of Madhes Province has directed the security agencies to monitor the bazaar area and take the tiger under control to lessen the possible damage.

SP Dakendra Khatiwada informed that Nepal Police and Armed Police Force personnel have been deployed to take the big cat under control.

 

 

NEA expands substations to boost power supply

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is constructing six 132/11 kV substations at various locations in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur to enhance the adequacy, reliability, quality, and safety of electricity transmission and distribution within the valley. Among these, the Teku substation in Kathmandu is already operational. The Futung and Mulpani substations are in their final stages, with work underway to bring them into operation within two months. The Changunarayan substation in Bhaktapur has been completed. The Chobhar substation is expected to be operational by June, while the Thimi substation in Bhaktapur will be completed within eight months.

Each substation has a capacity of 90 MVA. Once all are completed and operational, the infrastructure will be capable of handling 500 MW of electricity, meeting the Kathmandu Valley’s current demand. To address future demand, the NEA has set a 2050 deadline and is advancing plans for phased construction of transmission and distribution infrastructure in key areas of the valley. With peak electricity demand projected to reach 3,100 MW by 2050, the NEA is developing 20 new substations at 220, 132, 33, and 11 kV levels.

Land has been acquired for these substations, and preliminary work, including surveying, has been completed to construct a 220 kV transmission ring around Kathmandu Valley’s perimeter. The Lapsiphedi substation, currently under construction, will supply electricity to the valley from hydropower projects in the Tamakoshi and Sunkoshi river basins.

To improve the reliability, quality, and modernization of Kathmandu Valley’s electricity supply, the NEA is implementing various projects, including the construction of new substations, automation of existing ones, underground cabling, and the addition and strengthening of feeders and transformers.

NEA Managing Director Kulman Ghising inspected the substations under construction on Friday, urging their timely completion to meet growing electricity demand. He emphasized that once these substations are operational, electricity demand management and supply in Kathmandu will become significantly more efficient and reliable.

To enhance electricity supply in the southeastern region of Kathmandu, the construction of a 132/11 kV substation in Mulpani, Kageshwori Manohara Municipality, is in its final stage. The Chapali-Bhaktapur 132 kV transmission line will be connected to the Mulpani substation, ensuring electricity distribution. Eight 11 kV feeders from the substation will supply power to areas such as Jadibuti, Pepsicola, Kandaghari, Gothatar, Mulpani, Jorpati, Sankhu, and Thimi. Work is underway to make the substation operational by March.

The construction of a 132/11 kV substation in Futung is also in its final stages. The Balaju-Chapali 132 kV double circuit transmission line will be tapped at the Futung substation to supply electricity to the surrounding areas. Once operational, power supply to Balaju, Nepaltar, Goldhunga, and other areas will improve.

A 132/11 kV substation has also been constructed in Chobhar, Kathmandu, following disruptions in construction at Khokana, Bungmati, Harisiddhi, and Lamatar under the Thankot-Chapagaun-Bhaktapur 132 kV transmission line, a crucial project for improving Kathmandu Valley’s electricity supply. The substation will receive electricity from the Matatirtha Substation, with work progressing to make it operational by June.

Additionally, a 132 kV underground transmission line will be built from the Chobhar Substation along the Ring Road to connect with the Lagankhel Substation in Lalitpur, which is being upgraded to 132 kV. The underground line will later extend to Chapagaun and Harisiddhi.

Budget deficit widens to Rs 110bn

The gap between government revenue and expenditure has continued to widen in the current fiscal year, raising concerns about fiscal management. According to the Financial Comptroller General Office, which tracks government spending and revenue, total expenditure until February reached Rs 800.35bn, while revenue collection stood at Rs 690.18bn. This has resulted in a budget deficit of Rs 110.17bn.

The government’s performance in both expenditure and revenue mobilization has been lackluster in the review period. With seven months of the fiscal year already completed, only 46.9 percent of the revenue target has been achieved. While non-tax revenue collection has progressed to 58.9 percent and tax revenue to 46.2 percent, progress in grant mobilization remains alarmingly low at 17.35 percent. In the fiscal year 2024/25, the government has set a revenue target of Rs 1,419.3bn. However, it has managed to collect only Rs 671.84bn by February. 

On the expenditure side, recurrent spending stands at 48.54 percent, while capital expenditure lags at a mere 21.16 percent, highlighting the government’s inability to fund development projects. Overall financial management progress has reached 46.87 percent.

Of the total budget allocation of Rs 1,860.3bn for the current fiscal year, only Rs 800.35bn has been spent as of February. Recurrent expenditure stands at Rs 553.63bn against the target of Rs 1,140.66bn allocated, while capital spending is limited to Rs 74.57bn out of the Rs 352.35bn target. This growing gap between revenue and expenditure is complicating preparations for the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26. The National Planning Commission has recommended a budget ceiling of Rs 1,900trn for the next fiscal year. The government had initially allocated Rs 1,860bn for the current fiscal year, but Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel reduced it by approximately Rs 200bn during the mid-term review.

Despite its limited spending capacity, the finance ministry is drafting a budget of around Rs 1,900bn for the next fiscal year. Officials, led by Budget Division Chief Shrikrishna Nepal, are working on the budget under the NPC’s ceiling. However, they face the challenge of addressing the funding gap caused by the suspension of US aid. Officials say the ministry is setting ambitious targets for foreign grants and loans, aiming for 22 percent and 30 percent increases, respectively, in the upcoming budget.

TikTok profiting from sexual livestreams

TikTok is profiting from sexual livestreams performed by teens as young as 15, according to BBC.

We spoke to three women in Kenya who said they began this activity as teenagers. They told us they used TikTok to openly advertise and negotiate payment for more explicit content that would be sent via other messaging platfor.ms, BBC reporting says

TikTok bans solicitation but the company knows it takes place, moderators have told the BBC. TikTok takes a cut of about 70% from all livestream transactions, we have previously found.

TikTok told the BBC it has "zero tolerance for exploitation".

Livestreams from Kenya are popular on TikTok - each night over the course of a week, we found up to a dozen in which women performers danced suggestively, watched by hundreds of people around the world, according to the report.