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Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the budget for the upcoming fiscal year aims to develop the country as a hub of information technology (IT).  The budget has announced a decade for the IT enhancement, he added.

Speaking at the 'Digital Nepal Conclave 2024' organized by the ICT Foundation here today, the Prime Minister shared the government's goals of exporting IT services worth Rs 3,000 billion in the next fiscal year with the creation of 500, 000 direct employment opportunities and one million indirect jobs in the IT sector.

The budget has announced to establish IT as an instrumental for economic growth, enable a legal foundation for exploring and promoting IT innovations, and promote the development of artificial technology with the regulatory provisions in place, he said, adding that through the budget, the government has pledged to provide a durable and high-speed internet facility, data security and the protection of intellectual property.

The Prime Minister said that institutional measures will be implemented to revise the 'Digital Nepal Framework,' and initiatives will be launched to provide high-speed internet in Kathmandu Valley and Butwal, along with the establishment of an IT Park.

The government accords priority to the use of software developed within the country by public entities and plans to upgrade the government's data center to enhance data storage, security, and utilization capabilities, according to the Prime Minister.

He said that the development and promotion of communications and information technology is one of the top priorities of the government and the new budget highlights the government's three priorities.  Such core priorities are promoting the IT sector, promoting a digital economy, and exploring innovation and job opportunities, he said, adding that ongoing efforts include revising relevant laws and policies to meet these goals.

Prime Minister Dahal said various facts have proved that progress is being achieved in development, prosperity, and self-employment sectors, adding an environment of enthusiasm is being built in the country gradually due to continuous efforts of the government in the sector of production, productivity, and employment creation.

He took time to say that the government is doing its best to seek opportunities for lucrative jobs in the sector of information technology as well as a program along with innovation has been brought at seven provinces establishing a fund of one billion rupees for the first time in the history to promote startup and innovation.

The Prime Minister appealed to youths and entrepreneurs from the IT sector to collaborate in socio-economic transformation efforts through the use of technology.

 "You should not be disappointed. The government is grateful towards your contribution to employment creation and economic development through the IT sector", the Prime Minister said, adding the government is ready to address policy-level issues concerning the IT sector.

Stating that building a corruption-free society by improving 'digital governance' is the responsibility of the government, he said, pledging for the prevention of corruption, guarantee of good governance, smooth service delivery as well as the creation of a strong basis for improving intergovernmental coordination.

Wider discussions are expected to be held in separate sessions on various issues including 'Digitalization' and development, digital economy and investment in digital Nepal, digital empowerment, and inclusion in sustainable development in the event.

More than 600 people representing the IT sector have been participating in the Conclave themed “Harmonizing Digitalization and Development.”

A Nepal Army soldier murdered his wife in Tulsipur, Dang.

Shalikram Budhathoki (36) of Lungri Tole, Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City-6 murdered his wife Tika Budhathoki (27) by attacking with a khukuri on Friday.

Police said that they are searching for Shalikram who had fled with the khukuri after murdering his wife Tika at around 8:15 am.

Inspector Prakash Thapa of the Area Police Office, Tulsipur said that police are searching for Shalikram who had fled with khukuri after allegedly murdering his wife Tika at 8:15 am.

Further investigation into the incident is underway, said police.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 1, 000 per tola in the domestic market on Friday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 145, 000 per tola today.  It was traded at Rs 144, 000 per tola.

Similarly, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 144, 300 per tola.

Meanwhile, the silver is being traded at Rs 1,900 per tola today.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said Nepal was fully committed to work for the collective well-being of the people of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) region.

In a message delivered on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of inception of the BIMSTEC, Prime Minister Dahal expressed Nepal's unwavering commitment to the objectives and principles enshrined in the BIMSTEC Charter.

Extending best wishes to the governments and the people of the member-nations on behalf of the Nepal government and on his own, he said regional cooperation stood as a mainstay of stability, economic prosperity and solidarity in today's complex, dynamic and interconnected world.

The BIMSTEC was established as an intergovernmental forum comprising friendly countries of South Asian and SouthEast Asia to realize the shared aspirations of our peoples for a well-integrated, peaceful and prosperous region through strengthened regional cooperation and partnerships, the PM noted, adding the forum has made some landmark achievements and much remained to be done to translate the spirit of its Charter into a concrete reality.

"BIMSTEC as a region holds immense potential and opportunities in uplifting millions of people out of poverty, establishing missing links in connectivity; expanding energy cooperation; enhancing trade, investment and tourism; keeping progress of Sustainable Development Goals and leaving no one behind", the message reads.

By leveraging its diverse strengths and complementarities, BIMSTEC has continued to make strides towards institution-building process, forge synergies for win-win benefits and deepen collaboration in agreed areas of cooperation, the PM stated.

He further said that Nepal as a lead country in the people-to-people contact sector remained steadfast to further work closely with all the member-states in a spirit of unity and friendship for meaningful partnerships to unlock regional potentials for shared prosperity.

The peace, prosperity and collective well-being of the peoples of the region hinges on success stories of BIMSTEC, he noted, highlighting urgency of building broader political commitments and consensus for enhanced collaborations and achieving people-centered development.

He further noted that the coming into force of BIMSTEC Carter since last May has provided added momentum to this end.

BIMSTEC aims to support the rapid economic development of member nations by implementing assistance projects for trade, investment, industry, technology, human resources, tourism, agriculture, infrastructure and connectivity expansion.

BIMSTEC was established on June 6, 1997 with the objective of jointly achieving economic growth and social prosperity of the member nations by embracing the spirit of equality and cooperation.

The seven-member parliamentary committee formed to investigate various cooperative scams has officially begun its work. Although the committee’s terms of reference do not specifically mention Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, its mandate includes studying claims that he misused funds from different cooperatives. The committee is powerful as it has a mandate of the House of Representatives, and its jurisdiction and terms of reference give it the authority to conduct a free and fair inquiry. However, there are concerns about the committee’s impartiality, given that the committee is under a lawmaker from CPN-UML, a party that has strongly supported Lamichhane despite opposition from other parties.

The main opposition, Nepali Congress (NC), has continuously disrupted House proceedings since the second week of March, demanding Lamichhane’s resignation. NC alleges that the hard-earned savings of commoners, parked in fixed deposit accounts at Supreme Cooperative of Butwal and Suryadarshan Cooperative of Pokhara, were illegally transferred to Gorkha Media Network. Lamichhane briefly served as a director of the company and hosted his show Sidha Kura on Galaxy TV, operated by Gorkha Media Network. The home minister has been maintaining that he hasn’t received a penny from the cooperatives. Although the ruling parties were initially against forming a parliamentary inquiry committee, they finally agreed to form the committee on the condition that Lamichhane’s name is not included in its mandate.

Much will depend on how the committee interprets and executes its mandate. A half-hearted probe that succumbs to external pressures and partisan interests will only deepen public cynicism about parliamentary oversight mechanisms. Nepali people have witnessed such failures before, where inquiry panels did not hold power centers accountable on multiple occasions. However, a thorough and impartial investigation can reignite public faith in democratic institutions and processes. By allowing the facts to speak for themselves, the committee can dispel the suspicions surrounding Lamichhane’s conduct. An independent inquiry that calls out the failure to observe standards of honesty, irrespective of positions or affiliations, would uphold the constitutional ideals of checks and balances.

The inquiry panel’s works and actions will be a litmus test of Nepal’s democratic principles and commitment to the rule of law. Any shortcoming in the investigation process could have repercussions far beyond this specific case. If that happens, it would only embolden unscrupulous people to defy legal and ethical norms with impunity.

The Purbanchal University (PU) has awarded the ‘Om Prakash Goel Gold Medal’ to journalist Sushil Darnal. He received the medal for securing the top position in the examinations for the ‘Masters of Arts in Mass Communications and Journalism (MAMCJ)’ in 2020.

Darnal, who studied at Polygon College in Kathmandu, achieved a GPA of 3.39 to earn this distinction. He has been practicing journalism at the Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), the semi-government news agency of Nepal, for the past 13 years.

At a ceremony organized on the occasion of Purbanchal University’s 10th Convocation on Saturday, Minister for Education, Science, and Technology Devendra Poudel, along with the Founder and Executive Director of the Tilganga Eye Foundation, Prof Dr Sanduk Ruit, jointly presented the gold medal to Darnal.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has received an invitation from the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, to attend the 'Summit of the Future' being held in the US in September.

UN Resident Representative in Nepal, Hanna Singer-Hamdy, met PM Dahal and handed over the invitation letter to him on Thursday, according to PM's press advisor, Manahari Timilsina.

In response, PM Dahal expressed gratitude to the UN Secretary General for visiting Nepal, observing the climate impacts and globalizing our concerns. He informed Singer that he was positive towards participating in the event.

The UN Resident Representative viewed Nepal had contributed significantly to the UN's world peace campaign. She underlined that Nepal could attend the Summit of the Future to showcase Nepal's efforts on coping up with climate change impacts.

The world event to dwell on contemporary challenges ranging from climate change impacts to the initiatives for SDGs is scheduled for September 22-23 at the call of the UN.

The government has decided to recall Nepali ambassadors to 11 countries including India and the United States.

A Cabinet meeting held on Thursday made the decision to this effect.

According to government spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma, the government has decided to recall the Nepali ambassadors to India, the United States, the UK, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Malaysia, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Israel.