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Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has pledged to address the issue concerning the establishment of Shaktikhor industrial corridor in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The PM made this promise during his meeting with a delegation led by CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and comprising the Kalika Municipality mayor in Chitwan and others today.  The meeting was held at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar.

It may be noted that despite talks for a long time, there is no substantive progress over the establishment of an industrial corridor at Shaktikhor in Kalika Municipality. 

During the meeting, the delegation drew the Prime Minister's attention towards the need to establish the Shaktikhor industrial zone and undertake endeavors for development and prosperity of the local level, according to Mayor Binod Regmi.

In response, the head of the government assured of addressing the concern for the establishment of the corridor in the upcoming budget, directing Finance Minister Barshaman Pun to resume budget allocation for the same.

Finance Minister Pun, CPN-UML Deputy General Secretary Bishnu Rimal, central member Kapil Pokhrel, education activist Dr Baburam Dhungana and outgoing chair of the National Federation of the Deaf Nepal, KP Adhikari, were among those present in the meeting.

Matters relating to the Trishuli diversion project, equalization grant, and the establishment of an inclusive school were discussed in the meeting, according to the local representative.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 200 per tola in the domestic market on Monday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 126, 700 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 126, 500 per tola on Sunday.

Similarly, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 126, 100 per tola. It was traded at Rs 125, 900 per tola.

Meanwhile, the price of silver has increased by Rs 15 and is being traded at Rs 1,515 per tola today. 

Five persons died in a tractor accident in Achham on Monday.

The District Police Office, Achham said that five persons died when a tractor met with an accident at Suyadi in Nandegada of Millekh Rural Municipality-7, Achham.

The deceased have been identified as Ranga Dhami (55), Prem Dhami (45), Nar Bahadur Dhami (35), Janak Dhami (15) and Janak Dhami (21).

The three-wheeler (01002 Ta 4979) was heading towards Sanphebagar from Sodasha when the tragedy occurred.

Three persons were injured in the incident. They have been identified as Lal Bahadur Dhami, Hansa Dhami and Devendra Dhami.

They are undergoing treatment at the Bayalpata Hospital.

National Assembly (NA) Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal said the NA would work to connect all three tiers of governments.

Talking to journalists today, he said the NA would work as a link between the local level and province assembly.

Chair Dahal shared that NA has initiated discussion on the topics of aspirations, challenges and potentials of province and local levels.

He further said the issues discussed in the NA would reach the government through the House of Representatives.

Chair Dahal said discussions were already started in the NA on the problems of all the seven provinces in the last week of every month. "I have made arrangements for the members representing all the seven provinces to raise the issues of their provinces," he said.

Dahal insisted on making NA a space to play a crucial role in connecting the three tiers of government.

The United States of America spent half a million US dollars to promote atheism in Nepal, Republican Congressman Brian Mast claimed while confronting a US government official over the issue. Notably, Mast is the Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability. 

On March 21, the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources in the Biden Administration, Richard R Verma, testified before the subcommittee as it assessed the State Department’s compliance with the Oversight. During Verma’s testimony, Republican politician Mast confronted him stating that the department’s ‘grant request’ document mentions that it gave money to “promote atheism in Nepal”. 

In the video of Verma’s testimony shared by the Republican Congressman, Mast can be heard asking him, “Would it be appropriate for the (US) state department to authorize half a million dollar grant from American taxpayers money to promote atheism.” 

To which, the official of the Biden administration, Verma replied, “It would not be appropriate to have a grant to promote any religion or non-religion coming from the United States.” 

After Verma admitted that it wouldn’t be appropriate for the US to promote any religion including non-religion (atheism), Mast inquired about the alleged $500,000 grant to promote atheism in Nepal. 

He asked Verma, “Half a million dollar grant to Nepal regarding the expansion of atheism, do you believe that is an appropriate use of the money.”  However, the Biden administration official denied extending any such grant to Nepal and argued that the grant was being misconstrued.  

Verma said, “That’s not what the grant is for and that’s not what the work would be for and frankly we would never authorize such a grant to any organization to promote any kind of religion.”  Further in the video, Mast asked him whether Verma was saying on record that no grant had been allocated for atheism in Nepal or divided up in other areas. 

The Holi festival is being observed in Tarai districts today. Mutual harmony and happiness is shared with Holi greetings.

The festival revelers smear colors on each other's face in a jovial manner. The Holi festival was observed in the hilly districts yesterday.

Observed with the onset of Spring Season, the Holi festival is regarded as the symbol of victory of good over evil.

The weather will be partly to generally cloudy throughout the country today. Nepal is currently under the influence of a western low-pressure system and an induced low-pressure system in north-east Assam and adjoining areas of India.

Light rain is taking place in some places of Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces, informed the Meteorological Forecasting Division of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.

The weather will be partly cloudy in the hilly regions of the country, including Koshi Province, Madhes Province, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province this afternoon. Light rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at a few places of the hilly region of the country, including all the four provinces.

According to the Division, there is a possibility of light snowfall in some places of the high hilly and mountainous region of the country.

Tonight, the weather will be partly to generally cloudy in Koshi, Bagmati, Madhes and Gandaki provinces and partly cloudy in the rest of the country.

Light rain accompanied by thunder and lightning is likely to occur at some places of rest of the hilly region.

The country reported almost 70,000 new patients of tuberculosis in the fiscal year 2079/80.

According to the National Tuberculosis Center, only 37,447 patients received treatment of the total 70,000 new patients reported in the year 2079/80 BS.

Likewise, the TB claims 18,000 lives in the country every year.

The information was shared today on the occasion of World TB Day, which was marked across the country by organizing different events with the theme "Yes! We can end TB".

Director of the Centre Dr Prajwal Shrestha said that the people aged 15 to 44 are more vulnerable to TB and the prevalence of TB is also among the senior citizens aged over 65.

Presently, the government is offering anti-TB medicines for free from 6,000 plus health institutions.

According to Director Shrestha, the country is implementing intervention programs against TB as a part of 'TB Free Nepal Campaign' and the identification, diagnosis and treatment services have been implemented in 125 local levels.

The Government of Nepal has set a target to eradicate TB from the country by 2050.