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The government has presented the annual report for Fiscal Year 2022/23 in the National Assembly, the upper house of the Federal Parliament, today.

The report has been presented in the upper house in accordance with Article 53 of the Constitution of Nepal.

Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, tabled the report on behalf of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Nepali Congress (NC) Vice President and lawmaker Dhanraj Gurung has expressed his doubt over the achievement of the government target of revenue collections in the upcoming fiscal year.

Speaking at the Parliament meeting on Monday, the lawmaker expressed his doubt that revenue collections in the next year would meet the target of over Rs 1,260 billion.

He advised the government to implement the announcement to promote cannabis farming for medicinal use with the help of legal instruments.

He said that the farming of cannabis for medical use is likely to lead the revenue collection of Rs two billion annually. He also pressed an idea for branding the homemade products to contribute to the revenue collection.

According to him, there are possibilities of earning additional Rs two billion through the commercial farming of 736 varieties of herbs found in Nepal.

Lawmaker Gurung advised the government to focus on the promotion of religious tourism as well. 

Lawmaker Gurung further said that new sources of production should be explored to address the deficit budget. 

Underlining the need for effective implementation of the budget, he said a realistic approach is needed to assess the budget and its implementation aspect.

Two separate reports have been tabled in the Parliament on Monday.

In the Parliament meeting held today, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma, presented the "Annual Report of the Government of Nepal, Fiscal Year 2079-80BS". She tabled the report on behalf of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Similarly, Ramhari Khatiwada, the President of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, presented the committee's report relating to the "Constitutional Council (Duties, Functions, Powers and Procedures) (first amendment) Bill-2081 BS".

Presenting the report, President Khatiwada briefed the House about the need to bring the bill and its relevance.

He said that once the bill gets endorsed by the House, the appointments in the constitutional bodies will take place based on qualifications and competency instead of political sharing.  

Transport services have been fully operational on Kanti Highway from today.

The highway was closed for vehicular traffic from March 14 for carrying out repair and maintenance.

Kantilokpath Project Information Officer and Engineer Ravindra Maharjan informed that the road has been repaired and the transport services have been operational from today.

"Cliff cutting works to expand the road has been completed in the narrow part of Karkibas from Ward-3, Bagmati Rural Municipality of Lalitpur to Chhapeli. Similarly, the work has also been completed in Kalche area, in some places where there is a single lane towards Lalitpur, the road expansion bid is yet to be completed due to lack of budget this year.

However, the rest of the work will be completed by next year.  Despite some hindrances in proper completion of the extension works, Kantilokpath is now fully operational for vehicular movement.

It has been 67 years since the construction of this road, which is considered suitable and short in terms of distance, to connect Kathmandu with Hetauda.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 1000 per tola in the domestic market on Monday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 141, 000 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 142, 000 per tola on Sunday.

Similarly, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 140, 300 per tola. It was traded at Rs 141, 300.

Meanwhile, the price of silver has dropped by Rs 15 and is being traded at Rs 1,835 per tola today.  

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has started preparations to submit a periodic report of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage to the United Nations for the first time.

The UN General Assembly had endorsed the Convention on October 17, 2003.

Nepal ratified the convention in 2010 that had come into effect since 2006. Six years after the approval, the member-nation was obliged to submit the report and Nepal was making necessary preparations for the same. Later, the UN changed the guidelines in regard to the reporting.

Chief of the Culture Division at the Ministry, Dr Suresh Shrestha said that the Ministry was going to submit the report this year as per the provision of submitting the report after six years of amendment to the guidelines.

The Ministry has organized a three-day national consultation workshop in the Capital from Sunday for the preparations of the report.

Three dozen representatives and experts from government and non-government sectors working in the field of intangible cultural heritage are participating in the workshop, said archaeological officer at the Ministry, Bhishma Baskota.

He informed that the report would be submitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) from June 15 onward.

By December 15, Nepal will submit the details of the works carried out in the intangible cultural heritage area to UNESCO.

The policies and programs of the Lumbini Province for the upcoming fiscal year 2024/25 is to be unveiled today.

According to Lumbini Province Assembly Secretary Durlav Kumar Pun, Province Chief Amik Sherchan is scheduled to present the annual policies and programs of the provincial government.

Secretary Pun informed that the Province Assembly meeting is scheduled to take place at 11 am today.  

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayankaji Shrestha expressed the government's commitment to develop Nepal as a tourism hub.

He said this at a dinner reception hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nepal Tourism Board, Gandaki Province Office to welcome the ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions of different countries on the occasion of 74th Annapurna Day in Pokhara on Sunday.

A target has been set to attract 1.6 million tourists next year, he said the government was working to identify and promote new tourism destinations.

"The government is planning to develop a tourism circuit along with the identification of new destinations and trekking routes", the DPM noted.

He urged the ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions to promote Nepal's tourism in their communities and the country.

DPM Shrestha said the Nepali people are known all over the world in terms of spiritual culture. Tourists from all over the world come to Nepal to see many natural and cultural heritages, including Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha and Mount Everest, the world's highest peak.

DPM Shrestha said Pokhara, the tourism capital, is also being developed as an important destination for adventure tourism activities.

On the occasion of Annapurna Day, ambassadors of various countries and representatives of diplomatic missions marched from Dhampus to Astam in Kaski.

The trekking expedition was organized in memory of the ascent to the 8,000-meter-high mountain for the first time in the world.

On June 3, 1950, French climbers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachnal scaled the 8,041-meter-high Annapurna First mountain.

Annapurna Day is celebrated every year in memory of this day. The 74th Annapurna Day was celebrated in tourism capital Pokhara today by organizing several activities.