Submit your Article

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane has denied any involvement in the cooperative fraud.

Speaking at a meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the Parliament today, DPM Lamichhane argued that although his name is linked to the cooperative fraud, no evidence could prove that.

"My name is allegedly linked to the cooperative fraud. There is nothing except my name. My signature is not there. I have not also given my thumb impression on any related document. I have also not received any letter. There is no case against me," he said, adding that there was no other evidence to prove his involvement in the scam. I am also not named as the defendant in the case filed in the court as well, he asserted.

Similarly, Inspector General of Police Basanta Kunwar said that although a complaint has been lodged with the police regarding the cheating of cooperatives, Deputy Prime Minister Lamichhane is not implicated in that complaint.

"There is no evidence in the complaint related to the cooperative swindling scam linking the Home Minister's name. Although the complaint has come in his name in a symbolic way, there is no evidence," IGP Kunwar said.

Lawmaker Dilendra Prasad Badu urged the meeting to clarify the matter as the DPM's name was linked to the cooperative swindling scam.

"A name called Rabi Lamichhane has been linked with the cooperative cheating case. This name matches with the name of our honorable Home Minister. Is it you? If yes, it calls for a fair investigation. If the investigation is to be made credible, it is better you keep yourself aloof from the post of Home Minister," Badu reiterated.

The Department of Drug Administration (DDA) has instructed not to operate online pharmacies.

Director General of the Department, Narayan Prasad Dhakal, said that he ordered disclosure of online pharmacies after the online pharmacies were found to sell medicines through false and misleading advertising.

According to Dhakal, no pharmacies had obtained permits from the Department for running online pharmacies so far and drugs were being sold illegally offering discounts in the name of online pharmacies through social networking sites.

He explained that drugs were being sold in the name of online pharmacies with deceptive marketing gimmicks. The Drugs Act-2034 BS's Clause 19 mandates that there should not be false and misleading advertising of the medicines.

The government is going to establish the National Cyber Security Center to fulfill the aspirations of the 'Digital Nepal Framework 2076 BS'.

The meeting of the Council of Ministers on January 23 this year had decided to set up the Center.

The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology is going to establish the Center to conduct digital forensic investigation and to act as a focal point for research and development on cyber security, promotion of cyber security, public awareness enhancement, identification of challenges, prevention, response and recovery.

Joint-Secretary of the Ministry and Center's Chief, Anil Kumar Dutta, said, "The establishment process of the National Cyber Security Center has reached a final stage. A structure comprising 12 employees has been formed to operate the Center and the office will be set up within a few days."

He shared that the Center was going to be instituted in view of the increasing cyber insecurity in various countries in the recent days and more so in the context of Nepal.

"As cyber insecurity is increasing and in the context of Nepal, not all know how to use computers. Wi-Fi is available unchecked. We need to go places to streamline it," said Dutta.

According to him, the Center will monitor the sensitive information infrastructures round-the-clock, assess cyber incidents and evaluate risk, and form an emergency support group with technical human resources to address cyber risk that occur suddenly. Such groups will be formed in all local levels as well, he said.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the incumbent government was effortful to conclude the remaining works of peace process by forging a national understanding.

Meeting with the representatives of various organizations of the families of conflict-victims today in Singha Durbar, PM Dahal assured that the government was committed to comply with the court's orders regarding the issues of investigation of the disappeared persons, truth and reconciliation commission.

Dahal admitted that the transitional justice related works have not been completed despite the will of the government. According to him, there were forces which would not allow the remaining works of the peace process to be completed.

The Head of the Government informed that the government had taken forward the bills to carry out remaining works of the peace process.

Furthermore, he shared that the government was making efforts to provide employment to the family members of the conflict-victims, provide medical care for people injured in conflict and to manage housing for them.

The PM reiterated that he was committed towards maintaining lasting peace by bringing the remaining works of peace process to a logical conclusion.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 10. 83 points to close at 2,030.86 points on Wednesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 2. 17 points to close at 359. 46 points.

A total of 6,047,021-shares of 310 companies were traded for Rs 2. 35 billion.

Meanwhile, Sarbottam Cement Limited (SARBTM) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Kalika Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd (KMCDB) was the top loser with its price dropped by 5. 66 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 22 trillion.

The number of tuberculosis patients is on an increasing trend in Karnali Province.

As many as 903 new TB patients were recorded in the 10 districts of the province in the eight months of the current fiscal year, according to the Public Health Office Surkhet.

One thousand and seventy-seven tuberculosis patients were found throughout the province in the last fiscal year whereas 903 people suffering from the disease have been recorded in eight months of the current financial year alone.

The highest number of new TB cases has been found in Surkhet. Three hundred and eighteen new cases were recorded in Surkhet. Similarly, 149 new TB patients were found in Salyan, 101 in Rukum Paschim and 99 in Dailekh, said Dayaram Pangali, the TB Resource person at the PHO Surkhet.

According to Pangali, 86 new TB cases were recorded in Jajarkot, 52 in Kalikot, 54 in Jumla, 19 in Dolpa, 13 in Humla and 12 in Mugu district in the eight months of the current fiscal year.

He said that the publicity and awareness campaign is conducted in the province to bring the patients under medication.

US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson held a meeting with Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) chairperson Rajendra Lingden on Wednesday.

Mohan Kumar Shrestha, spokesperson and Head of Publicity Department of the party, informed that various issues of bilateral interest were discussed during the meeting held this morning at the RPP party central office in Dhumbarahi.

According to spokesperson Shrestha, during the meeting, chairperson Lingden also inquired with Ambassador Thompson about the news that there is US investment in the Parliament to spread atheism in Nepal.

Spokesperson Shrestha also said that Ambassador Thompson made it clear that America has not made any investment to spread atheism in Nepal and has no policy to do so.

On that occasion, the US Ambassador expressed his opinion that there is religious harmony of excellent nature in Nepal.

Ambassador Thompson also informed that there is an American policy to return to Nepal idols stolen from Nepal and taken to America, and restore them in the respective monasteries and temples.

During the meeting, RPP Chair Lingden informed Ambassador Thompson about the various dimensions of Nepal-US relations as well as the party's policy on various issues including good governance, development and foreign investment.

CPN-UML lawmaker Raghuji Pant has urged the government to revise the policy of granting firearms licenses.

In a meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the Parliament, lawmaker Pant questioned who will be responsible if the licensed firearmsare misused.

He was of the opinion that the public and national security will be weakened if people are allowed to keep weapons with hundred rounds of bullets.

“How many people have kept the licensed weapons? Is there any record or not? Have you not thought about taking the firearms back?” He asked Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, “Who allowed Durga Prasai to carry such a weapon? Haven’t you thought of changing the law to grant licenses by seeing that kind of weapon? Now, firearms licensing policy should be reviewed. What is the opinion of the Home Ministry?”

Saying that the state should give security to the people, lawmaker Pant said that an environment should be created where no one needs to carry the weapons.

He urged the Home Minister to strengthen the intelligence agencies.