1 killed, 4 injured in Jumla tractor accident
A person died while four others sustained injuries in a tractor accident at Khallachaur of Chandannath Municipality-7 in Jumla district last night.
The deceased has been identified as Jokhi Sarki (48). She breathed her last while receiving treatment at Karnali Academy of Health Sciences.
Assistant Inspector of Police Rohit Rasaili informed that the tractor (Lu 2 Ta 1115) was heading towards Talium from Airport when the incident occurred.
Debu Sarki (29), Maina Murali Sarki (35), Ranga Sarki (48) and driver Santosh Sarki (22) were injured in the incident. They are undergoing treatment at the same hospital, and are out of risk.
Heavy rainfall likely in Koshi, Gandaki and Bagmati Provinces
Some parts of Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces are currently witnessing the impact of monsoon wind. Similar weather is in the eastern belt of Lumbini Province.
The Weather Forecasting Division has informed that there is also a partial effect of westerly and local winds in the western parts of the country.
Partial and generally cloudy weather is forecasted throughout the day today, while some parts of all provinces are getting light to moderate rainfall with thunder and lightning.
Few places of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces are predicted to have heavy to excessive rainfall. Some parts of high hills and mountains in these provinces are forecasted to have snowfall.
Even Lumbini Province will have heavy rainfall in a few places.
House meeting scheduled for 1 pm today
The House of Representatives (HoR) is scheduled to meet at 1 pm today.
The meeting is scheduled to pass the bill on federal civil service.
Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Raj Kumar Gupta will be presenting a proposal, seeking discussion on the 'federal civil service bill along with a report of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, 2082'.
As per schedule, Chairman of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, Ramhari Khatiwada is presenting 'committee report on Nepal citizenship (2nd amendment), 2082'.
Former Industry Minister Shastri passes away
Former Minister for Industry and Nepali Congress former central member Dhundiraj Shastri (Poudel) passed away on Monday. He was 90.
He breathed his last during the course of treatment at the KMC Hospital in Kathmandu at 4 am today.
He was born in 1993 BS as the eldest child of Khemraj Poudel and Sabitra Poudel in the then Kimdanda Panchayat-8, Nimdanda (now Bhumikasthan Municipality-8, Arghakhanchi).
The socialist thinker Shastri has two wives, two sons, and two daughters. One of the wives has already passed away.
Since his sons are abroad, the funeral will be conducted after they arrive, according to his family member Ashok Poudel.
Nepse surges by 3. 40 points on Monday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 3. 40 points to close at 2,659. 26 points on Monday.
Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 0. 19 points to close at 453. 61 points.
A total of 33,637,966-unit shares of 318 companies were traded for Rs 13. 18 billion.
Meanwhile, Pure Energy Limited (PURE) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Upper Hewakhola Hydropower Company Limited was the top loser as its price fell by 7. 58 percent.
At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 42 trillion.
An agricultural powerhouse held back by neglect
Madhes Province contributes between 22 to 25 percent to Nepal’s overall food security and possesses immense potential in agriculture. Despite its fertile land and favorable conditions, the sector remains neglected due to low investment and a lack of governmental priority. The province boasts 574,360 hectares of cultivable land, with 83 percent of it already irrigated. However, progress has been stifled by the limited availability of improved seeds, irregular supply of fertilizers, and the failure to modernize and adopt agricultural technologies.
In the fiscal year 2024/25, the Madhes Province Government allocated only five percent of its total budget to agriculture. Out of the total provincial budget of over Rs 43.89bn, just Rs 2.57bn was allocated to the Ministry of Land Management and Agricultural Cooperatives. Even more concerning, with only a month left in the fiscal year, just 16 percent of the ministry’s budget had been spent. “Madhes Province is exceptionally fertile and has the potential to become the country’s food bank, but the government has not prioritized agriculture, and therefore, we’ve failed to achieve the desired results,” says Umesh Dahal, Secretary at the ministry. He adds that while infrastructure projects receive significant attention and funding, agriculture continues to be sidelined, which prevents the sector from advancing.
Although Madhes accounts for 19.2 percent of Nepal’s total agricultural output, efforts toward mechanization remain weak. The provincial government has announced plans to integrate agriculture more prominently into the fiscal year 2025/26 policy framework. Initiatives such as the ‘Madhes Feeds the Country Campaign’, ‘Farmer’s Garden, Volunteer’s Umbrella’, and ‘Your Garden, Madhes’s Prosperity’ aim to transform the sector. The government has also proposed programs like ‘one district, one cold storage’ and ‘one district, one custom hiring center’, along with continued efforts toward agricultural electrification and processing of farm produce.
However, these plans risk remaining mere slogans if not backed by adequate budget and implementation strategies. Provincial Assembly Member Mala Raya voices her skepticism, stating, “The government has brought many slogans in the agricultural sector, but I don’t think there’s a clear plan to implement them meaningfully—it’s just a bunch of talk.”
Madhes Province already plays a major role in producing key crops and holds potential to reduce Nepal’s dependency on imports. The province produces 5,486,472 tons of paddy annually across 1,447,789 hectares, contributing 25 percent to national production. With Nepal requiring 6,042,341 tons of rice annually and importing 555,839 tons, Madhes could significantly cut import dependency by expanding Chaite rice cultivation on an additional 189,000 hectares.
Similarly, maize is cultivated on 940,256 hectares in the province, producing 2,976,490 tons and contributing 6.4 percent to national output. Given Nepal’s annual maize demand of 3.41m tons and imports totaling 435,217 tons, Madhes has the potential to expand maize farming by 87,000 hectares to meet domestic needs.
Wheat is grown across 697,762 hectares, yielding 298,462 tons—32 percent of the country’s total production. With a national demand of 2.75m tons and imports of over 654,000 tons, Madhes could further increase wheat production to enhance self-sufficiency.
Mango farming is another area of strength. Cultivated on 42,773 hectares, mangoes from Madhes account for 5,120,055 tons, contributing 77 percent to national production. Sugarcane, grown on 62,833 hectares, yields 3,130,109 tons—66 percent of total output. Oilseed crops cover 2.44m hectares, producing 2.74m tons and contributing 22 percent nationally. Pulses are grown over 2.96m hectares, with a total production of 3.44m tons, or 37 percent of the country’s output.
Bananas are cultivated on 24,286 hectares, yielding 88,745 tons—21 percent of national production. The province is also a major contributor to fish farming, producing 82,261 tons from 14,745 hectares, which accounts for 57 percent of Nepal’s total fish production. However, despite these strengths, Madhes lags in dairy production, contributing only 18 percent (4,758,700 tons) to the national total.
While Madhes Province remains a cornerstone of Nepal’s agricultural output, without strategic investment, proper implementation, and prioritization by the government, its true potential may remain unrealized.
Sanfe-Mellekh road work stalled for five months
The upgrade of the Sanfebagar-Mellekh (Sanfe-Nandegada-Mellekh-Shodsha-Rishidah) road has been stalled for five months, with the contractor out of contact. The responsibility for upgrading the 10-kilometer stretch was awarded to Nati Construction Pvt Ltd, based in Imadol, Lalitpur.
The company signed an agreement with the Infrastructure Development Office, Achham, on 20 June 2022, to complete the project by 28 June 2024, including VAT. Engineer Dipendra Thapa of the Infrastructure Development Office said the road upgrade is part of a phased plan by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development of the Sudurpaschim Province.
The deadline was first extended to 13 Jan 2025, and a request for a second extension has been submitted to the ministry. “The work was not completed by the agreed deadline. The contractor claimed he was unable to proceed due to a lack of funds,” said Engineer Thapa. He added that some drainage work on the Ashar section of the road may help prevent further damage during heavy rainfall.
The road upgrade includes drainage construction and gravel layering. According to the Infrastructure Development Office, the contractor has so far received Rs 91.576m. The remaining amount is Rs 41.233m. Accounts Officer Nayan Bahadur Budha reported disbursed payments of Rs 43.785m in 2022/23, Rs 31.127m in 2023/24, and Rs 15.978m in 2024/25.
Jang Bahadur Thapa, head of the Infrastructure Development Office, Achham, confirmed there is no budget shortfall for the project. “The contractor keeps saying he lacks funds to continue the work. We’ve repeatedly requested that he resume the project, and the process of deadline extension is underway,” he said.
Sanfebagar Municipality Mayor Rajendra Bahadur Kunwar said several projects in the region are in disarray due to contractor negligence. “Despite repeated extensions, contractors abandon work mid-way and fail to respond. With the onset of the monsoon, under-construction roads have become even riskier,” he said. “This year’s rainy season is expected to be intense, increasing the risk of floods and landslides due to poorly managed roads.” The public information board placed along the Sanfe-Mellekh road is incomplete, with no mention of the project’s total cost or budget details.
RPP not to take allowance of Parliament meeting held on June 15
The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has said that its lawmakers will not take the allowance of the Parliament meeting held on June 15.
RPP Chief Whip Gyan Bahadur Shahi said that the RPP boycotted the Parliament meeting on June 15 and has also informed the Federal Parliament Secretariat that they will not take the meeting allowance.
The RPP protested in the meeting on Sunday demanding an investigation against the Home Minister in the 'visit visa' scam. However, the party decided to boycott the House meeting because it was held despite their protest in the Parliament. The RPP Parliamentary Party meeting today took a decision not to take the allowance for the boycotted meeting.
