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Dear Readers,

Greetings from Kathmandu!

This week, Nepal’s media focused on the Indian Lok Sabha elections and their regional implications. Following Narendra Modi’s historic re-election as India’s Prime Minister for a third term, ApEx published two analytical pieces. The first covered the election outcomes and Nepal-India relations, while the second examined the challenges Modi might face with his neighborhood policy during his third term. The diplomatic and strategy communities in Kathmandu are still analyzing these developments, but India’s policy toward Nepal is expected to see both continuity and change. There are also rumors that Modi may soon visit Nepal.

Another major story this week involved the arrest of two Nepali nationals by Tibetan officials in Gorkha. Neither the Nepali nor Chinese governments have provided information on the matter. Some media outlets suggested the arrests were related to support for Tibetan refugees fleeing Nepal, but this has not been independently verified. We have called on the government to address this issue immediately.

President Ram Chandra Poudel is currently touring Switzerland and Germany. In Switzerland, he delivered a keynote address at the high-level event of the Forum of Global Coalition for Social Justice in Geneva.  Additionally, Bangladesh’s Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase approved a proposal to import 40 MW of electricity from Nepal, with India agreeing to facilitate the sale.

On the domestic front, Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane remains in the spotlight due to allegations of embezzling cooperative funds. The Supreme Court is currently reviewing a case to dismiss Lamichhane, and all eyes are on the court as it demands evidence regarding his involvement. Lamichhane, who was outspoken just a few weeks ago, is now cautious in his public statements.

Temperatures across Nepal continue to rise, affecting daily life. Some schools have closed to protect students from heat waves. But with the arrival of monsoon three days ahead of schedule, meteorologists expect cooler conditions in the days to come.

Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendra Pandey from the Nepali Congress secured a vote of confidence after lawmaker Phanindra Devkota defied his party’s orders and supported Pandey. The Supreme Court is also hearing cases related to government formation in Koshi Province. In the Sudurpaschim Province, intra-party disputes within the Maoist party are disrupting the government’s functioning. Overall, provincial governments are nearly defunct, with the Supreme Court holding significant power over their formation and dismissal. It is clear that provincial governments are even more unstable than the federal government.

The controversy over Giri Bandhu Tea Estate continues to make headlines. The Nepali Congress and other parties are criticizing CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli, whose government in 2021 amended the Land Act enabling the tea estate to exchange around 280 bighas of land, situated at prime location in Birtamod, Jhapa. Oli has defended the controversial amendment that has been overturned by the Supreme Court. This week, the UML chair also defended his 2020 decision to dissolve the parliament, stating that there was nothing unconstitutional or undemocratic about seeking a fresh mandate when the leaders from within the governing party were refusing to work in favor of the people.   

The Janata Samajbadi Party led by Upendra Yadav held its first-ever general convention but failed to elect office-bearers due to internal controversies. Recently, Yadav’s party split, with seven members forming a separate party. Yadav has sought the court’s intervention to deem the split illegitimate. Meanwhile, the main opposition CPN-UML is holding district conventions, having completed them in more than 64 districts. This week, Oli stated that his decision to dissolve the parliament in 2020 was to protect the UML.

If you want to publish your stories, articles and columns, or offer feedback and suggestions, mail me @[email protected] or [email protected]. I have started this informal and conversational-style column to provide your updates on national and international events. Happy weekend! 

Kamal Dev Bhattarai 

Editor, The Annapurna Express

The construction of the Hetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa 400 KV transmission line has been completed.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is scheduled to inaugurate the Hetauda sub-station of the transmission line project at Thanabharyang in Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-11, Makawanpur, this afternoon, Substation Project Chief Shukraraj Devkota said.

The transmission line is expected to strengthen and ensure a reliable power transmission system in the country and facilitate the undisrupted energy trade between Nepal and India.

With the completion of 154 kilometers long double circuit power grid of 400 kilovolts, as high as 4000 megawatts of power could be supplied through this line, officials said.

Four members of a family died in a landslide at Khojinim Village in Phaktanglung Rural Municipality-2 of Taplejung district last night. Two other members were injured.

Chairman of Phaktanglung Rural Municipality-2, Bhpendra Chaulagain, said that 69-year-old Ram Bahadur Limbu, his spouse Jasmaya Limbu and their daughters Ganga and Jamuna died in the disaster.

Likewise, 40-year-old Yugen Limbu and three years old daughter sustained injuries.

 The area in the district has received heavy rainfall from Wednesday night causing a huge loss of physical property as well.

At least six bridges in Phaktanglung Rural Municipality were washed away after the floods in different rivers. The District Police Office said that vehicular movement was disrupted in the rural areas after bridges collapsed.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase of Bangladesh has approved a proposal to import 40 MW of hydropower from Nepal.  Bangladeshi officials say the two countries are likely to sign the final agreement on energy trade during their Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Nepal. This marks a stepping stone toward unlocking the vast potential for energy cooperation between the two South Asian nations.

While Nepal, as per a study conducted decades ago, has hydropower potential of over 80,000 MW, generation of about 42,000 MW is considered economically viable. However, only a fraction of this potential has been harnessed so far. By tapping into this renewable energy source, Nepal can not only meet its domestic energy demands but also become the largest exporters of clean energy in the region. Bangladesh is grappling with a growing energy demand, thanks to its burgeoning economy and rapid urbanization. Import of hydropower from Nepal presents a win-win solution for both countries. While it opens up new avenues for revenue generation for Nepal, contributing to economic growth and narrowing down its trade, Bangladesh can diversify its energy mix, reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate the environmental impact of its energy consumption. Bangladesh currently imports 2,600 MW from India, including 1,500 MW from Adani Group’s coal-fired plant in Jharkhand.

While the quantum of import is small, it paves the way for larger and more ambitious energy trade agreements between the two South Asian neighbors. Bangladesh has shown interest to develop a hydropower project of around 500 MW in Nepal. Talks are underway to jointly develop the Sunkoshi-3 hydropower project (683 MW) in Kavre by also involving India. The fifth meeting of the secretary-level Joint Steering Committee on energy cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh held last year decided that the NEA and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) would sign a joint venture agreement within the next six months to develop the project. There, however, has been no further development in this direction.

To fully capitalize on this opportunity, Nepal must address the infrastructural and regulatory challenges that have hindered the development of the hydropower sector. India's support is crucial in facilitating electricity transmission as Nepal and Bangladesh are not connected by land. Collaboration among these three nations could unlock the true potential of cross-border energy trade, thereby fostering economic growth and regional integration.

The latest Nepali lok dohori song, ‘Mauri Rasaima’, has taken the internet by storm, securing the top spot on YouTube’s trending chart. Released on June 6, the song is a collaboration between celebrated singers Arjun Sapkota and Kalpana Bista, with lyrics penned by Rabin Lamichhane and composition by Sapkota.

Within just a few days of its release, ‘Mauri Rasaima’ has garnered around two million views, reflecting its widespread popularity and resonance with audiences.

Janata Samabwadi Party Nepal (JSPN)'s general congress that concluded in Janakapur has assigned the responsibility of nominating office bearers and central committee members to party Chair Upendra Yadav. 

The meeting scheduled to elect a new working committee today decided to allocate the rights to the chair for nominating the new working committee. 

There is a provision of having 21 office bearers and 201 central committee members in the party.

Earlier, the general congress had unanimously elected Upendra Yadav as the chair.

President Ram Chandra Paudel has said that Nepal's Constitution has fully embraced the provisions of social justice such as equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal treatment, which is at the core of the International Labor Organization.

"With participation in the Global Coalition for Social Justice, we reaffirm our commitment to social justice, faith in multilateralism, and to renew the social contract," he said in his keynote address at the High-Level event of the 112th International Labor Conference and the Inaugural Session of the Global Coalition for Social Justice in Geneva, Switzerland earlier today.

"Our collective effort to achieve sustainable peace through social justice is as relevant today as it was a hundred years ago. When discussing sustainable peace, we must remember that it cannot be achieved without justice and economic-gains to the poor and downtrodden."

Stating that in course of its political journey from monarchy to a federal democratic republic, Nepal has placed social justice at the center of change in labor, employment, and social security sectors, he said that Nepal's constitution has enshrined labor rights, the right to employment, the right to form trade unions, and the right to participate in collective bargaining as fundamental rights. "To implement these constitutional provisions, we have made legal and institutional arrangements such as the Labor Act, Trade Union Act, Employment Rights Act, Contribution-based Social Security Act, and National Employment Policy."

The Global Coalition for Social Justice announced today is our noble initiative and shared commitment to embrace social justice for all and in all areas, as envisioned by the ILO. Ensuring equality and justice for workers is our collective resolve.

Noting that people in all countries and societies of the world must receive justice, and they must be freed from hunger and fear, he said since it is the world of work that has made the world prosperous, ensuring a fair share of the fruits of labor to reach the hands of workers is our shared responsibility; and this is social justice.

President Paudel also expressed belief that the Global Coalition for Social Justice would continuously inspire everyone to unite through social dialogue to maintain social harmony and tolerance and achieve economic development and prosperity.

On a different note, the President said as a resident of a mountainous country, I need to speak about climate change and its impacts to the lives of the Nepali people while discussing social justice at present and climate justice for the generations to come.

Climate change has severely affected supply of drinking water, crop patterns, biodiversity, and public health, pushing millions into marginal poverty and adding to stark inequality. Climate induced disasters have compounded problems by severely affecting livelihoods and causing displacement of families and communities from their homelands.

"Therefore, I believe that adequate funding, compensation, and necessary technology should be provided to countries in order to ensure climate justice," the President said, "The global community, especially major emitters, should not fail to shoulder this responsibility. While talking about social justice, we must not forget to ensure climate justice globally."

Noting that a significant amount of money that should be spent on development is being invested in deadly weapons for useless war, the President said that the international community should reverse this path and mobilize resources for the prosperity of humanity. "Sustainable peace can be achieved through shared prosperity and a sense of global brotherhood, not through weapons."

Nepal is actively engaged in the 8.7 Alliance, standing against child labour, forced labour, and modern slavery and also actively involved as a pathfinder country for employment and social security for a just transition. "Currently, we are implementing the Decent Work Program (2023–2027) in Nepal, which includes employment, rights, and social dialogue."

Nepal is committed to implementing the 'Decent Work Agenda' in embracing the digital economy, care economy, and gig economy, he said while pointing out the need to make assessments of the institutional, legal, and operational aspects of the ILO and reform so as to address the challenges of the changing world of work.

Referring to the increasing trend of young people from developing countries seeking employment in labor destination countries, President Paudel appealed to all countries of the world to treat migrant workers with respect and treat them equally and abide by the principle of decent work.

The government has decided to make the national identity card mandatory for receiving the social security allowance.

It will be effective in 28 districts with effect from July 16 as per the recent Cabinet decision.

With this decision, the district administration offices are thronged by those in need of the ID card.

Director General at National ID Card and Registration Department, Yubraj Kattel, shared that the scheme would be enforced from July 16 even for the renewal of social security schemes in 28 districts.

The concerned district administration offices were mobilizing additional resources at local levels for the distribution of national ID cards, he added.

The districts implementing this provision are- Jhapa, Rautahat, Rupandehi, Morang, Sarlahi, Kapilvastu, Sunsari, Kathmandu, Dang, Udayapur, Bhaktapur, Banke, Saptari, Lalitpur, Bardiya, Siraha, Sindhuli, Surkhet, Dhanusha, Makwanpur, Kailali, Mahottari, Chitwan, Kanchanpur, Bara, Kaski, Parsa, and Tanahu.

The Department has launched the distribution of national ID cards since the past four years in 73 districts.

On Wednesday, the Department however issued a notice, informing that the people above 90 years and those living with disabilities need not produce national ID cards while receiving social security allowance.