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Newly appointed non-resident Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Nepal, Elchin Huseynli, held a meeting with Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal.

Matters of existing bilateral relations and mutual cooperation were discussed during the meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Singha Durbar.

Mentioning on X following the meeting with Secretary Lamsal, Ambassador Huseynli said, "Thank you, Your Excellency Foreign Secretary @sewa_lamsal, for the enriching exchange of views on the current state of bilateral relations and future prospects."

Azerbaijan's ambassador during the meeting further expressed hope that he would engage with his Nepali counterpart on mutually beneficial cooperation in the days ahead. 

Ambassador Huseynli on Monday presented his letter of credence to the President Ram Chandra Paudel, accrediting him as non-resident Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Nepal.

After presenting his letter of credence, Huseynli said that he was encouraged by the President's resolve to deepen friendly ties and expand mutually beneficial cooperation between Azerbaijan and Nepal.

Huseynli, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to India, has also been accredited as the non-resident Ambassador to Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives.

Similarly, Ambassador Huseynli also paid a visit to the Nepali think tank - the Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs (AIDIA).

The cases of viral fever have increased in Baitadi with the changing season.

Health professionals here report that the number of patients with seasonal viral fever has soared at hospitals, primary health centers, health posts and private clinics.

Health Office Baitadi's Information Officer Bipin Lekhak said the flow of viral fever patients has been on the rise in health facilities across the district in the past few weeks. This is due to seasonal change, he said.       

Some 60 percent of cases are of viral fever while the cases of typhoid, breathing complications, dengue fever, and scrub typhus are also found, according to Lekhak.

At Primary Health Centre Patan, above 80 patients visit the facility daily and 50 percent are of viral fever, it is said.

Similarly, at the Melauli-based Kesharpur Primary Health Center, around 100 patients approach the facility for the treatment and around 80 are of the viral fever, said public health officer Mukesh Kant Dayal.

The infection is high in the Purchaudi area, according to the local government.

The consumption of unhygienic food seasonal change has fueled the situation, Shreekot Health Post's in charge Bir Singh Bhat said. The infection may be higher as all the infected have not been in contact with health facilities.

District Public Health Office's Chief Tirtha Raj Bhatta urged the people to take medicines prescribed by a registered health professional. The haphazard consumption of drugs by purchasing from medical shops may cause additional health complexities.

The private carrier Buddha Air has extended its commercial flights from two to three days a week from Kathmandu to Varanasi of India.

According to the Buddha Air, there will be flights to Varanasi from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Issuing a press statement today, the privately-owned airline expressed its belief that three flights a week would further facilitate passengers.

Furthermore, the Buddha Holidays, a sister organization of the Buddha Air, also has holiday packages for destinations like Sarnath and Ayodhya in India.

Buddha Air is hopeful that these packages would provide additional assistance to the passengers to perform Sohra Sraddha in Gaya of India. Sohra Sraddha is a 16-day period in the Hindu calendar during which people pay homage to their ancestors.

Varanasi (also known as Kashi) could be reached by a 50-minutes flight from Kathmandu. The initial one-way fare to Varanasi is priced at Rs 11,360.

Likewise, the flight time from Kathmandu to Varanasi is scheduled at 7:15 am while the flight from Varanasi to Kathmandu is fixed at 8:30 am, the Buddha Air informed.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 4. 00 points to close at 2,576.76 points on Wednesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 0. 19 points to close at 459. 92 points.

A total of 13,952,121-unit shares of 120 companies were traded for Rs 5, 669. 19 billion.

Meanwhile, Kalika Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd (KMCDB) was the top gainer today with their price surging by 8. 02 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 09 trillion.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said policy initiatives have already been started to upgrade the Grade 10 Secondary Education Examination (SEE) results to about 70 percent.

Addressing the program organized by the National Education Day, 2081 Celebration Main Committee today, PM Oli said the government is steadfastly working to remove the existing backwardness in the education sector. 

He added that significant improvement would be made in the SEE results, by teaching major subjects to students through the online mode. The present pass rate of students in SEE is around 50 percent.

"Policy-level initiatives have already begun to bring significant improvement in the SEE results. We have no time for making speeches. The education of this land that is home to education, knowledge, meditation, yoga, civilization, and culture cannot remain in the backwaters now," Prime Minister Oli said.

Noting that a wave of education development had automatically started in the villages of Nepal with the establishment of democracy in 2007 BS, but we could not make strides in education to the extent possible in this area, he said, "The Rana and Shah rulers were more engrossed in taking pleasure in comfort and their rule. Now the republic has been established. It is the responsibility of us all not to let education remain backward in this system."

He urged educationists to produce capable citizens who can compete at the world level.

On the occasion, PM Oli presented prizes to the campuses, schools and organizations excelling in higher education, school education, and social sector.

National Education Day is being observed across the country today around the slogan - "Knowledge, Science, Skills, Entrepreneurship, and Originality: Partnership and Systemic Competence."

The government began celebrating National Education Day on Ashoj 2 starting last year, based on the date of the certification of the "Compulsory and Free Education Act, 2075," which was enacted to implement the fundamental rights outlined in the constitution. 

Speaker Devraj Ghimire has asserted that the topic of constitution amendment should be pursued in a systematic way on an objective basis and not on sentiment. He also pointed out that the weaknesses seen in the implementation of the constitution should also be analyzed before delving into amendment.

According to the Speaker, the nation has entered into the federal democratic republican order and significant positive changes have been taking place that can be felt in the overall lifestyle of the people. He opined that although the State has limited means and resources, the overall progress is notable. Speaker Ghimire said the living standard of the people has risen and they have been getting basic health services and education to some extent.

The Speaker expressed this in an interview to the National News Agency (RSS) in the context of the Constitution Day-2081 tomorrow.

Role of parliament in institutionalizing republic

Asked what kind of a role the House of Representatives (HoR), the lower house of the Federal Parliament, is playing for institutionalizing and strengthening the federal democratic republic, Speaker Ghimire said it has been nine years since the promulgation of the current constitution and the HoR is making efforts to making its works effective.

The parliament constituted after the first general election following the promulgation of the constitution mainly centered on formulation of laws. Some of the required laws were made at that time itself and the federal democratic republican system was institutionalized and made effective.

The parliament is currently active in making the necessary laws even after the second election. On top of that, the parliament has focused its attention a little more on observing how the laws are being implemented and on providing feedback, suggestions and directives to the government for their effective implementation after holding the required debate and discussions.

Political instability affects Parliament

To the question whether the change in political equation had any impact on the regular works of the parliament in the meantime, the Speaker said that coalition governments were formed with the alliance among the small parties and there was a change of such governments within a short time which affected the regular activities of the parliament to some extent. The change in the power equation at the center had its knock-on effect in the provinces as well.

The second parliament at the center also could not carry out its responsibilities as expected. The parliament should have gained momentum in this period of about two years, but its role and the aspect of constitution implementation was not effective. However, comments like those that the popularity of the constitution and the parliament had diminished need not be made. Instead, the people's sentiments are being vociferously being expressed directly through the parliament.

Asked about there remaining to be made some Acts directly related to the constitution's implementation on the one hand and how he has found the status of the implementation of those Acts already formulated to that connection on the other hand, the Speaker stated that there is no concrete report as to in which specific areas there was a lack of laws and that also what specific laws were needed. According to him, many laws compatible with the constitution have already been drafted by the parliament formed after the first election.

Acts like the Federal Civil Service Act especially related to implementation of federalism should have been passed by this time, but that has not happened yet and this has created a bit of confusion in the civil service. The parliament has been trying its level best to get some of the major laws related to federalism implemented into the parliament and it has called attention of the government to this end.

Another is the School Education Bill that also needs to be taken ahead and finalized with priority. There is the Police Adjustment Bill that is still not finalized. The parliament has already drawn the government's attention to the need of introducing bills related to these key laws in parliament as soon as possible.

People's aspirations largely addressed by present Constitution 

When asked how people directly benefited after the promulgation of the current constitution which is written by the people's representatives for the first time in history, the HoR Speaker viewed that it has instilled hope among the people that the State addresses their demands through their representatives and the people's aspirations can be addressed through the province and local governments.

The people have to experience that they have the government at their doorstep. It would not be possible for the people to get 'delivery' from the State had the works that had been done especially under the constitution not been carried out under the current political system.

In the context of constitution implementation, despite the shortage of several laws and the required employees, the State agencies are working in improving the delivery to the people and due to this, there has been a positive change in people's lives.

Necessity of constitution amendment

Constitution amendment is required and it is natural to remove any impediments encountered in the implementation of the constitution. However, the debate and discussions on which issue made the constitution implementation difficult and what needs to be amended in the constitution have not come to the fore now. 

Nevertheless, there are also good aspects of constitution amendment in the context of the experiences from the implementation of the constitution so far. Rather than for or against constitution amendment, an environment is gradually building up for holding discussions on what the reality is, what are the difficulties in the implementation of the constitution and which of the Articles of the constitution are problematic etc.

When a situation of consensus and understanding did not exist in parliament in the past, it was impossible to get even the necessary legislation passed. Now it is possible.

Speaker's message to Nepali people on Constitution Day 

We have brought this constitution from the Constitution Assembly after putting in great efforts and at a big cost through long struggle. Now when there is a talk of constitution amendment, this topic should be pursued ahead on an objective basis rather than subjective and in a systematic way. Attention should be paid towards addressing the shortcomings seen in the implementation of the constitution. May the Ninth Constitution Day give inspiration to all the political forces, specially the parties and the politicians in the leadership role, to employ the democratic republican constitution in the interest of the peoples.

Fulfilling the things that the experience during this period demanded, let the constitution be implemented in a practical and effective manner in the coming days. Let the constitution be even more effective and this be taken as a document that is forever practical. Best wishes to all on the Ninth Constitution Day.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has stressed on the need of distribution of equal opportunity of quality education encompassing the backward classes, regions, gender and nationalities in the mainstream of education.

He has said it is inevitable to ensure equal opportunity and benefit by removing the inequalities existing in education at all levels and opportunities at the province and local levels. In a message of best wishes on the occasion of the National Education Day today, the Prime Minister asserted that the government is committed to increase the share of the national budget in the education sector to achieve the sustainable development goal and also to have the School Education Bill, 2081 discussed and passed by Parliament.

The National Education Day commemorates the day the Compulsory and Free Education Act, 2075 was issued to implement the fundamental right to education guaranteed by the Constitution of Nepal. The government began celebrating National Education Day on Ashoj 2 starting last year, based on the date of the certification of the "Compulsory and Free Education Act, 2075," which was enacted to implement the fundamental rights outlined in the constitution. 

This year the day is being observed with the slogan, "Knowledge, Science, Skills, Entrepreneurship, and Originality: Partnership and Systemic Competence." The PM expressed his happiness that the National Education Day is being celebrated across the country by organizing various programs.

The Head of the Government said there is a situation in which all the three tiers of the government needed to enhance partnership in investment based on mutual coordination, collaboration and co-existence for achieving the goals of compulsory and free basic education and free secondary education.

"It is necessary to utilize the existing investment and resources in an effective and productive manner and to produce citizens and build society with moral character, and to promote employment, through quality education," PM Oli said.

As the Prime Minister said, the teaching-learning from school education, the general/technical education to higher education needs to be made inclusive and of quality in order to achieve the global sustainable development goals by 2030.

He also insisted on developing all the education institutions into the center of excellence in knowledge and making education as the means for achieving the national aspiration of 'Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali.'

Nepal and Canada are holding bilateral talks today.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba, who is in Ottawa to attend the 'Women's Foreign Ministers Meeting' to be held in Toronto, Canada, on October 19 and 24, is scheduled to hold talks with a delegation led by Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly.

According to the Embassy of Nepal in Ottawa, Foreign Minister Deuba is scheduled to attend a meeting with the office-bearers of the Canada-Nepal Parliamentary Friendship Group at the Parliamentary Hill and a reception to be hosted by the Embassy on the occasion of the National Day.

Minister Deuba, who arrived in Canada on Tuesday to attend the meeting at the friendly invitation of Canadian Foreign Minister Jolie, was received at The Montreal International Airport by Nepal's Ambassador to Canada Bharat Raj Poudyal, Nepali embassy staff as well as courtesy officials of the Canadian government.