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Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who is currently on a two-day official visit to Nepal, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at the latter’s office in Singha Durbar on Sunday.

During the meeting, they discussed strengthening bilateral and friendly relations between Nepal and India.

Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal and high-level officials also attended the meeting.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has urged the Lumbini provincial government to focus on increasing production and employment along with infrastructure development.

In a discussion held today at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar with the Lumbini Province Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya, PM Oli suggested expanding the market through agriculture industrialization, planting advanced varieties of crops on suitable soil.

"There is no immediate increase in production by spending on the construction of physical structures such as buildings and offices. We have fertile lands, water and a suitable climate. There are many bases where production and employment can be increased by hard work," Prime Minister Oli said, adding, "Organizations and workers of our political parties should also be involved in such work. Everyone should focus on solving the problems of the citizens together."

He drew attention not to export and import impure and poisoned foods/vegetables, and suggested to those concerned to make arrangements to ban the import/export of impure and contaminated foods, saying that food should be healthy to keep the people healthy.

Mentioning that the current equation and the government was warranted due to the special situation of the country, Prime Minister Oli said that this government is working with a plan to identify the common problems in the country and come up with a solution.

He said that the government is currently running on a deficit budget and asked everyone to work to end this situation. Prime Minister Oli asked to take into consideration the main issues of consensus, cooperation and results for the people without arguing about who will participate and how much while running the government.

Chief Minister Acharya had expected the support of the federal government in managing the budget and overall infrastructure development to shift the provincial capital from Rupandehi to Dang. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel, CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel and others participated in the discussion.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 94.53 points to close at 2,860.91 points on Sunday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 18. 23 points to close at 501. 91 points.

A total of 60,321,323-unit shares of 330 companies were traded for Rs 25. 77 billion.

Meanwhile, National Hydro Power Company Limited (NHPC), Nerude Mirmire Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (NMLBBL), Hydorelectricity Investment and Development Company Ltd (HIDCL), Khanikhola Hydropower Co. Ltd. (KKHC) and Ankhu Khola Jalvidhyut Company Ltd (AKJCL) were the top gainers today with their price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Similarly, Kutheli Bukhari Small Hydropower Limited was the top loser as its price fell by 10. 00 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 54 trillion.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Secretary at the Ministry of Rural Development Maniram Golal jointly inaugurated the newly constructed building of the Kathmandu-based Nepal Bhasha Parishad.

The building was built with the support of the Government of India's post-earthquake reconstruction grant.

Foreign Secretary Misri arrived in Kathmandu on a two-day official visit to Nepal on Sunday.

Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal welcomed him at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two foreign secretaries will discuss various matters on further strengthening Nepal-India relations and advancing mutually beneficial cooperation.

During his stay in Nepal, Misri is also scheduled to call on the high level dignitaries of Nepal.

Foreign Secretary's visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and reflects the priority India attaches to its relations with Nepal under its Neighborhood First policy, says India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

India and Nepal share an age-old civilizational, cultural and people-to-people connect, and bilateral cooperation between the two countries has further strengthened in recent years with continued momentum in high level exchanges and major infrastructure and connectivity projects in Nepal having been completed and new ones undertaken with Government of India’s assistance. This visit of Foreign Secretary will be an opportunity to further advance our bilateral ties, said India in a press statement.

The Foreign Secretary of India is scheduled to leave Kathmandu on August 12.

Life insurance companies mobilized over Rs 3bn in premiums from foreign employment term insurance in the fiscal year 2023/24.

Ten life insurance companies collected Rs 3.12bn during the review year, according to data compiled by the Nepal Insurance Authority (NIA). In the previous fiscal year, 2022/23, life insurance companies had collected Rs 3.21bn in premiums from foreign employment term insurance.

Existing laws require migrant workers to purchase a foreign employment term insurance policy before leaving for overseas job destinations. Currently, 10 out of 13 life insurance companies in the country sell foreign employment term insurance policies. More than 2m foreign employment term insurance policies sold by these companies are currently active.

Data compiled by the NIA shows that Sun Nepal Life Insurance Company collected Rs 843.04m by selling foreign employment term insurance policies in 2023/24. This represented 26.96 percent of the total premium collected from this policy. In the previous fiscal year, the company had collected Rs 1.08bn in premiums from foreign employment term insurance.

Nepal Life Insurance Company Ltd and IME Life Insurance Company Ltd followed with premium collections of Rs 620.8m and Rs 353.57m, respectively, in 2023/24. In 2022/23, Nepal Life and IME Life had collected Rs 475.05m and Rs 436.63m, respectively, in premiums from this policy.

These three companies enjoyed a market share of nearly 60 percent in this business in 2023/24.

Data shows Asian Life, National Life, and SuryaJyoti Life collected Rs 303.14m, Rs 270.11m, and Rs 250.08m in premiums from foreign employment term insurance policies in 2023/24.

Similarly, Sanima Reliance, Reliable Nepal, Citizen Life, and Prabhu Mahalaxmi Life mobilized Rs 205.61m, Rs 178m, Rs 100.5m, and Rs 25.6m, respectively.

A total of 741,297 Nepalis left for foreign employment in fiscal year 2023/24. Of them 353,163 left for foreign employment through institutional channels, according to the Department of Foreign Employment. 

Migrant workers sent Rs 1,327bn in remittances over the first 11 months of 2023/24, according to the Nepal Rastra Bank. 

The price of gold has increased by Rs 700 per tola in the domestic market on Sunday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 148, 800 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 148, 100 per tola on Friday.

Similarly, the price of silver has increased by Rs 10 and is being traded at Rs 1,720 per tola today.

You can manifest the life you want, say Instagram gurus and those who believe in numerology, astrology, and the like. And while it might all seem hogwash, having you roll your eyes, there is actually science behind the power of positive reinforcement and gratitude. When you choose to think positively and be grateful, your actions will be aligned with your goals. Some choose to call it the power of manifestation. But, in reality, it’s as simple as honing in on your goals and ambitions and doing what it takes to make them come true. Here are five ways to make gratitude a part of your daily life and harness the power of positivity.

Create a mood board

A mood board is a great visual organizing tool. While professionals, especially interior decorator, graphic designers, and project managers, frequently use this to develop ideas, you can also use a mood board to give your life a general sense of direction. Put up pictures and quotes that inspire you. Want to be fit? Put up a photo of your ideal fitness situation. Need a vacation? Photos of the place you want to go next should be up on the board. Seeing something can act as a constant reminder of what you need to do.

Get into journaling

Journaling is the practice of regularly writing down your thoughts, feelings, experiences, and reflections. It serves multiple purposes, including personal reflection, goal setting and planning, creative expression, and gratitude development. You don’t need to be a writer to journal. Anyone can do it. All you need is a notebook and pen. It’s a great way to track personal growth as well as remind yourself of all the things you are grateful for in life. If you are new to journaling, start by taking five minutes in the morning to write down three things you are grateful for, three things you want to change, and three things you want to do that day.

Mantra meditation

Mantra is a Sanskrit term, ‘man’ meaning mind and ‘tra’ meaning release. Think of a mantra which is basically a word or phrase you repeat during meditation as a tool to help release the stress in your mind. It can make a lot of difference, especially if you have trouble concentrating or getting in the right frame of mind. You will find that using a mantra can boost awareness and improve concentration. Play some mantras on Spotify or YouTube and meditate to it. It will make you calmer and more aware of your surroundings.

Follow a ritual

A morning and/or evening ritual is a great way to give structure to your day. It can set the tone of your day or help you unwind after a stressful one. Morning rituals are a simple way to start every single day full of energy and ready to take on the challenges thrown your way. Evening rituals, on the other hand, are a simple way to finish every single day peacefully, to fall asleep easily and to have a great night of sleep. It can make you more in tune with your inner self, instilling a sense of peace, harmony, and gratitude.

Break down your plans

Most of the times, we lose sight of what’s important and wallow in self-pity because we have big ambitions and goals and it overwhelms us. Breaking your goals into bite-sized tasks can help you feel more accomplished and positive about achieving them. A to-do list comes in handy for this. Get into the habit of writing down all the things you need to do to achieve what you have set out to and give yourself deadlines for each task. Finishing a task will leave you feeling upbeat and motivated while making even the wildest of dreams seem attainable.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Kathmandu on a two-day official visit to Nepal on Sunday.

This is the first time that Misri paid an official visit to Nepal after assuming the charge of Foreign Secretary on July 15.

Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal welcomed him at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two foreign secretaries will discuss various matters on further strengthening Nepal-India relations and advancing mutually beneficial cooperation.

The Foreign Secretary of India is also scheduled to call on the high lev dignitaries of Nepal.

Foreign Secretary's visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and reflects the priority India attaches to its relations with Nepal under its Neighborhood First policy, says India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

India and Nepal share an age-old civilizational, cultural and people-to-people connect, and bilateral cooperation between the two countries has further strengthened in recent years with continued momentum in high level exchanges and major infrastructure and connectivity projects in Nepal having been completed and new ones undertaken with Government of India’s assistance. This visit of Foreign Secretary will be an opportunity to further advance our bilateral ties, said India in a press statement.

The Foreign Secretary of India is scheduled to leave Kathmandu on August 12.