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The Rastriya Janamorcha Party submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday. A joint team led by the Rastriya Janamorcha Party Chairman Chitra Bahadur KC submitted the memorandum putting forth various demands. The Janamorcha handed over the memorandum incorporating the issues of republicanism and nationalism among others. Vice-Chairperson Durga Paudel and General Secretary Manoj Bhatta among other leaders were in the team. Chairman KC said that though the prices of consumer goods have been increasing constantly, the government has not taken steps to monitor the market and control the prices. In response, Prime Minister Dahal said that the government has been working seriously to improve the economy and to control the prices. The Janamorcha and Nepal Workers’ and Peasants Party had voted against the Prime Minister when he sought the vote of confidence.

Remember February 13, 2023? We appear to have a very short memory, so asking this question becomes all the more necessary. For those who remember, the day comes as a rude shock. Why wouldn’t it? After all, that was the day when there was a total breakdown of law and order in the Capital, broad daylight. That day, a mob descended at the Gongabu bus park area, vandalized a temporary police beat along with two patrol vans, rampaged and looted a mobile phone store, while transporters were staging a protest against increase in penalty for traffic rule violations and for fulfillment of other ‘cherished’ demands of theirs. Where was the law enforcement while all this mayhem and violence was going on unabated at a nerve center of the country? Or rather, where was our all-powerful state? A state that leaves no stone unturned when it comes to ensuring a very comfy existence for its VIPs and VVIPs by providing pay and perks galore, all with the taxpayer’s hard-earned money. A state that takes the security of this privileged lot quite seriously, whether it’s off the road or on it, with security detail that does not give two hoots to the inconvenience of the commoners. A state that unleashes its brute force even against those, who are on emergency duty, for the sake of ‘security’ of members of our powerful political elite, whizzing past crowded roads on motorcades equipped with security detail. Where on earth was the state on that day? On that day, when the artery called the Ring Road partially shut and strained the Capital’s mass transit system, causing much inconvenience to the public, where was the state? Where was the state when terror reigned supreme? In deep slumber? And what on Earth were all those ride-sharing companies doing by going offline when the public needed them the most? Was it not the state’s duty to ensure that they run their services? For members of the gullible public, who were on the site on that fateful day or who watched the horror unfolding on the screen, this total breakdown of law and order brought back the horrors of a civil war. But it was peacetime, right? Fast forward February 16. Police have arrested a couple of individuals accused of involvement in the incident after orders from the government. What propelled the youths to take the law in their own hands? A culture of impunity, despair or something else? And what exactly happened to the law enforcement’s chain of command? Last but not the least, where was our all-powerful state on that fateful day? The government investigation should find a definitive answer to this question, among others, and make the report public instead of keeping it under wraps.

The Legislative Affairs Committee of the National Assembly of the Parliament has intensified its work on the University of Nepal Bill 2079, under discussion for about a month. The Bill was approved by the Sher Bahadur Deuba Cabinet before November 20 general elections. It has now progressed to further house proceedings and is being considered by the Legislative Affairs Committee. The University of Nepal Infrastructure Development Board, which was constituted by the Government of Nepal in mid-2021, is currently working toward developing the academic programmes, acquiring land, generating funds and planning the infrastructure for the proposed university. The university is planned to be located in Nawalparasi district. The development of the university is being viewed as a significant step forward in Nepal’s higher education sector. It is expected to offer quality education with liberal arts approach and provide opportunities to students, who previously had to go abroad for higher studies. It is also being projected as a potential solution to the challenges facing the higher education sector in Nepal. Recently, members of the Committee interacted with the chairperson, Dr Arjun Karki, and members Dr Surya Raj Acharya, Dr Bipin Adhikari, and Dr Amina Singh of the Board to discuss the proposed university and the draft legislation. Former Law Secretary Madhab Poudel was also present at the meeting as a legal expert. Some members of the committee also visited Nawalparasi, observed the proposed university sites, and spoke with the concerned 'palikas' that have joined hands with the promoters in establishing the university. However, according to Professor Adhikari, who also teaches at the Kathmandu University School of Law, it is impossible to develop existing universities in Nepal without a complete restructuring of the current system and breaking the vested political interests. Prof Adhikari highlighted the need for reforms in areas such as political appointment, high-level leadership and top management, recruitment policies, and academic and professional autonomy, with a focus on liberal arts and sciences approach. This seems to be difficult at this stage. Apart from Kathmandu University, none of the universities in Nepal have independent fund-raising capacity and rely solely on government finance. Many universities suffer with insufficient numbers of students and lack of quality teachers. The underperformance of universities in Nepal may be due to a variety of factors, including a lack of adequate investment in education, political instability, and difficulties in attracting and retaining talented faculty. Low salaries, a lack of research funding, and limited opportunities for professional growth are some of the reasons that may have contributed to the challenges that the universities face. The promoters of the University of Nepal have offered this new public university as a potential model for the country. There has also been a debate about the possibility of passing an umbrella legislation in Nepal to establish and govern all universities. However, according to Professor Adhikari, this may have negative consequences. It may limit the autonomy and flexibility of individual universities and could be perceived as a government overreach. The diversity and complexity of the university system in Nepal may also make it difficult to create a one-size-fits-all approach that effectively addresses the unique needs and challenges of each institution. Any proposed change should take into account the diverse needs and concerns of the universities, students, and other stakeholders, and provide a balance between government oversight and institutional autonomy. Recent developments suggest that the University of Nepal Bill has garnered widespread support from most political parties in Nepal. There is an expectation that the bill will be passed by both houses of the parliament during the ongoing session. The Legislative Affairs Committee is expected to make a decision about the Bill's further progress in the coming weeks, and it will be interesting to see how the proposed university takes shape.

Nepal’s one of the most beloved rock bands, Cobweb celebrates 30 years in the Nepali Music fraternity this year. The band is celebrating its anniversary with a musical night of a diversified genre of both rock & folk. 18 musicians will perform on the stage—all together for the ‘The 30’s’. The performing artists are from different generations, backgrounds and genres. The musicians are, Cobweb, Kutumba, Sunit Kansakar (Kanta Dab Dab), Sudhir Acharya (Night Band), Aman Shahi (Fusion Mantra), Nishant Shakya (Nanashi), Sugeem Shahi (The Apostles), Ashish Gurung (Resonance of Roots), and Rina Giri (Cover Solution). The show will take place on Feb 22, at the Bhandarkhal Garden, Patan Durbar Square, marking the band’s 30th year of performing together, as a celebration with other legendary artists of the Nepali Music coming together. The show will feature classics, fan-favorite hits with a twist of folk-flavor giving fans a chance to hear their favorite numbers from the band, in an all new arrangement.  

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli held a meeting at the former’s official residence in Baluwatar on Thursday. Earlier on December 25, an agreement was reached to give the Prime Minister to the CPN (Maoist Center) and the President to the CPN-UML. Prime Minister Dahal changed his words immediately after he won the vote of confidence. The Maoist Center, in recent times, however has been saying that the President should be chosen by national consensus. The UML leaders have been saying the party’s candidate should be made the President. Oli has been reiterating that they will not leave the post of President to other parties. As the presidential election is approaching nearer, leaders have intensified the discussions. Earlier this morning, Prime Minister Dahal held separate meetings with Congress Vice-President Purna Bahadur Khadka and Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane. PM Dahal has inclined to the Nepali Congress after he won the trust vote        

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 600 per tola in the domestic market on Thursday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow bullion is being traded at Rs 103, 000 per tola today. The yellow metal was traded at Rs 104, 600 per tola on Wednesday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 102, 500 per tola. It was traded at Rs 103, 100. Similarly, the price of silver has dropped by Rs 5 and is being traded at Rs 1,285 per tola today.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Chandra Bhandari’s mother Hari kala Bhandari, who was critically injured in the cooking gas (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinder explosion on Wednesday, died during the course of treatment at the Kirtipur Hospital on Thursday. Executive Director of the hospital Dr Nijina Tamrakar confirmed the death of Hari Kala Bhandari. Congress leader Bhandari is undergoing treatment at the same hospital. Preparations are underway to take him to India for further treatment. Bhandari and his mother were injured when a cooking gas cylinder exploded while cooking food at the Buddhanagar-based house last night.  

With no winter rainfall for the last five months and water levels decreasing in rivers, the power generation in the country has fallen by more than 40 percent. While around 400 MW of electricity has been added to the national grid in the last one year, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has been struggling to supply adequate electricity this winter. The installed capacity of electricity in the country last winter was 2053 MW which increased to 2424 MW by mid-January this year. "However, due to the prolonged dry season and decrease in water level in the rivers, electricity generation has plunged more than last winter," said Suresh Bhattarai, a spokesperson of NEA. According to NEA, the power production during this winter has dropped to around 900 MW, that too during the evening peak time. NEA data shows domestic electricity generation was 926 MW during the peak hours on Sunday. As hydropower projects such as Kulekhani, Upper Tamakoshi, and Kaligandaki are put into operation during peak hours, the electricity generation is higher during those times. The average generation currently stands at around 700 MW, according to NEA. "The installed capacity has increased this year but the water flow in the river has decreased as the dry season has extended," said Bhattarai. "As a result, power generation has decreased compared to last year." According to the NEA, power generation, this winter has decreased more compared to the last winter because of the drought situation. The power generation during the last winter was around 1,200 MW, which has further dropped to around 900 MW this winter during the peak time. Nepal's largest power project- the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project (456 MW), is currently producing around 77MW of electricity while the average production of the Middle Marsyangdi Hydropower Project (70 MW) is above 30 MW. According to Bhattarai, NEA is balancing the power supply by importing more electricity from India. Despite that, NEA is forced to cut power in the industrial areas during peak hours in the morning and evening. NEA has been enforcing load shedding of three hours each in the peak hours of morning and evening in the industrial areas across the country. According to industrialists, such power cuts have been happening now from 6-9 am in the morning and 5-8 pm in the evening. Industries in major industrial hubs such as Biratnagar, Birgunj, Hetauda, and Bhairahawa have been hard hit by the latest power cuts. Although Nepal has started exporting surplus electricity to India during the wet season, the country has to import electricity in the dry season to meet the power demand. It is because almost all of the power production in the country is based on run-of-the-river hydropower plants. The dry season runs from December to April while the wet season lasts from May to November. According to NEA, the run-of-the-river type hydropower projects usually produce less than 40 percent of their installed capacity as water levels in the rivers decrease significantly during the dry season. With power generation not enough to cater to the domestic demand, the NEA has increased the volume of electricity imports from India. A total of 505 MW of electricity was imported from India during peak hours last Sunday evening.