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The government is unveiling the budget for the fiscal year, 2081/82 BS today.

Finance Minister Barshaman Pun is scheduled to present the budget in the joint meeting of the federal Parliament at 1 pm today.

He is presenting the details on estimated annual spending and revenue, according to the Parliament Secretariat.

As per Article 119 of Constitution of Nepal, 2072, the government is obliged to present the annual budget in the joint meeting of the federal Parliament.

Three local levels in Bardiya district have decided to close schools for three days owing to sweltering heat.

Badhaiyatal Rural Municipality, Gulariya Municipality and Madhuvan Municipality are closing the schools for three days from May 28 to avoid scorching heat.

Satish Yadav, chief of education section at Gulariya municipality, informed that they took a decision for schools’ closure citing complaints from guardians, students and teachers that scorching heat had caused sheer discomfort in teaching learning activities. The municipal education committee held a meeting and took this decision.

Although teaching learning activities are halted, other administrative works would remain as usual, he added. 

Similarly, education supervisor at Madhuvan Municipality, Khagendra Prasad Khanal, viewed that the teaching and learning activities could be continued in case of normal weather.

The rising temperature has caused patients' flow in the district hospital and medical shops.

Medical superintendent at District Hospital, Dr Subash Pande, informed that the growing number of patients have crowded the hospital; more beds are needed.

The rising temperature coupled with the heat wave has caused illness among people.

Diarrhoea, skin disease, rashes and other infections are reported among the patients, Dr Pande added.

The 17th Republic Day is being celebrated across the country on Tuesday.

The Republic Day Main Celebration Committee is holding a special function at Army Pavilion, Tundikhel. The Day is associated with people's movement and aspiration for change.

All three tiers of government are conducting the programs to commemorate the historic day. It is the day the country was declared a Republic.

The government has decided to observe the day for three days- from May 27 to 29. The government offices in the country and diplomatic missions abroad would conduct programs along with illumination.

After the then CPN (Maoist) armed conflict and seven parties' peaceful movement, then King Gyanendra Shah restored the House of Representatives (HoR) on April 24, 2006, thereby returning the rule to the people's representatives.

Two years later, the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly on May 28, 2008, declared the country a Republic.

The Republic Day Main Celebration Committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to celebrate the Republic Day, 2081 in a grand manner this year.

The Ministry of Finance had the highest irregularities among federal ministries in fiscal year 2022/23, according to the 61st Annual Report of the Office of the Auditor General.

According to the report made public on Sunday, the finance ministry accounted for 54.74 percent of irregularities in all federal ministries during the review year.

Next were the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, accounting for 25.99 percent, 6.71percent and 2.19 percent of total irregularities in federal agencies.  

Likewise, Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Water Supply, Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs accounted for 2.98 percent, 1.64 percent, 1.3 percent, 1.16 percent and 0.83 percent of total irregularities by federal agencies. Likewise, other ministries accounted for 2.58percent of the irregularities.

According to the report, 2.03 percent of total accounts audited in 2023/24  were categorized as 'irregularity'. The report states that Madhes Province had highest irregularities with 3.67 percent, while Sudurpashchim Province (0.79 percent) had the lowest.

Among local units, 2.72 percent of total accounts audited in 2022/23 were categorized as irregularity. Out of 753 local units, 644 had less than 5 percent irregularities and 103 had 5-15 percent irregularities. More than 15 percent of audited accounts of one local unit was categorized as irregularity.

 According to the report, 39.03 percent of federal agencies and 29.84 percent of provincial government agencies audited in 2022/23 didn't have outstanding irregularities. 

The audit of federal, provincial, and local government offices (including outstanding irregularities) revealed 192,583 cases of irregularities, out of which 74,128 cases were theoretical irregularities, and 105,005 cases were outstanding irregularities.

In every household, there is at least one family member who will wake up, shower, gulp down some coffee, and head to work with a sandwich or smoothie in hand. We have normalized being busy and our days pass by in a blur. Working weekends are now the norm. The myth is that if you aren’t busy, you aren’t successful enough. Granted, some people seem to enjoy this lifestyle but our bodies need a break, to recharge and rejuvenate. There’s a saying that if you don’t schedule breaks, your body will do it for you and it won’t be at a convenient time.

You don’t have to pack your bags and go on a vacation (though it would be ideal) to give your mind some much-needed rest. There are little everyday things that you can do to calm down and begin your day on a positive note. A slow start to your day is essential to arm yourself with happy hormones to carry you through for the rest of it. This is where morning rituals come in as they are shown to boost mental, emotional, and social health, leading to happier and healthier people. Here are our top five favorite morning rituals and how you can incorporate them in your daily life.

Stretch and meditate

You need a good stretch after you wake up. Your muscles need that to get ready for the day. Most of the aches you feel as you are sitting behind your desk in your office is because your muscles haven’t been used and need some attention. Unfortunately, many of us ignore this little habit and jeopardize our health. So, take out 10 minutes from your morning routine to give your muscles a good stretch. You can do a short YouTube workout or just some random stretches. Make sure you do them slow and easy so as not to strain any muscle. Then sit down to meditate. It can be as short as two minutes but practicing mindfulness through deep breath work is necessary to clear the constant chatter in your head. Once you get the hang of it, you will be able to meditate for longer without feeling listless.

Try journaling

All you need is a pen and paper to give journaling a go. You don’t have to be a writer to add this to your morning routine. The key here is to get things off your mind and clear your head. The sentences don’t have to be perfect. Just write down all your thoughts, feelings, and ideas. When you wake up, sit on your bed, take some deep breaths, and write a few lines. It’s as simple as that. Gratitude journals have become especially popular in the last couple of years. Numerous studies have shown the positive effects of being grateful. If the thought of writing a page or two intimidates you, start small. Pick up a notebook or use the Notes app on your phone to write down three things you are thankful for every day. However, be specific. If you’re thankful for your dog, don’t just write ‘my dog.’ What was it that your dog did that made you smile? Write that down.

Spend some time in nature

Take a deep breath and listen to all the birds chirp and sing. Go outside and take in the fresh morning air. If you live near a park or if your community has an open space, go for a walk and breathe in the scents of the trees and flowers. Take your dog out for a walk as well. A visit to a temple in your local area is a good idea too. The sound of gongs and the smell of incense and flowers are sure to fill you with a sense of joy. If you don’t have a backyard or even a park nearby, cultivating some greenery in your balcony and spending time in that space as you have your coffee or read the papers works as well. Some peace and quiet before the chaos of the day takes over helps to prepare your mind. The idea here is to be present in the moment. If you have a busy schedule, try walking up 20 minutes earlier to do this and you will see a huge difference in how you tackle your day.

Put on some good music

If you don’t have time for anything else, you will have time for music. You can indulge in this ritual even as you get ready for the day. Your morning routine establishes the tone for the rest of the day and including music in your morning routine has several advantages for your body, mind, and spirit. Studies have shown the influence of music on mood control. It also reduces the stress hormone cortisol in your body. You can significantly improve your mood and develop a positive outlook by listening to upbeat or relaxing music in the morning. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an instrumental piece that soothes you or one of your favorite energetic songs. Listen to what you like.

Make and have breakfast together

We undermine the importance of having meals together, as a family. Eating together strengthens bonds, fosters connections, and grounds you like nothing else. More often than not, due to different schedules, family members tend to eat at different times. It might not be possible to have lunch or dinner together every day but what if you could make a ritual of preparing and having breakfast together? It doesn’t have to be an elaborate spread—something as simple as toast and eggs can easily be whipped up in minutes. Use this time to talk to one another instead of scrolling through your phones. Could there really be a better start to your day than spending time with your loved ones?

A writ petition has been filed against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane at the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday.

Stating that the DPM was involved in embezzling the cooperative funds, lawyer Anupam Bhattarai lodged the writ petition at the SC demanding to remove him from the post.

A single bench of Justice Tek Prasad Dhungana issued an order to register the writ petition, scrapping the previous order to not register the writ petition against the Home Minister on May 22.

The hearing for the petition has been determined for May 29.  

The writ petition has also demanded to suspend Home Minster Lamichhane from the post and scrap the letter of Office of the Attorney General. 

The letter mentioned that there is no case against Lamichhane.

The Armed Police Force established a Border Out Post at Samdo in Chumanubri of Gorkha district bordering China on Sunday.

With this, the number of BOPs established towards China has reached 10.

The BOP, established under APF company No. 29 of Gorkha, is 164 km north from Gorkha Bazaar, the district headquarters.

The BOP established in Nepal and China border will rescue people trapped in snowfall and avalanches, curb illegal smuggling, deal with criminal activities in the border areas and monitor border pillars and areas.

Ruyela border crossing is around 15 km from the BOP established at the elevation of 3, 875 meters from sea level.

Earlier, the APF had established BOP in nine places towards Chinese side including Tinkar of Darchula, Hilsa of Humla, Nechung of Mustang, Timure of Rasuwa, Tatopani and Gumba of Sindhupalchowk, Lamabagar of Dolakha, Kimathanka of Rasuwa and Olangchung Gola of Taplejung.

So far, Nepal has established 244 BOPs towards the Indian border and 10 towards Chinese border.

Fifteen public enterprises including the Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) have been operating at a loss for a couple of years or more. This has been stated in an annual review report of the status of public enterprises presented in the parliament on Sunday.

The review report shows that of 44 public enterprises that were in existence till the fiscal year 2079-80 BS (2022-23), 26 were at a profit, 15 were at a loss, and the business transactions of three organizations were nil.

According to the report, in the fiscal year 2079-80 BS (2022-23), the NAC incurred the highest loss among all public enterprises, and this trend was followed by Nepal Water Supply Corporation, Daily Development Corporation (DDC), Udaypur Cement Industry Ltd, and the Nepal Television.

During the last fiscal year, NAC's net loss amounted to over Rs 650 million while the accumulated loss of the corporation exceeded Rs 16 billion. The NAC has been continuously operating at a loss since the fiscal year 2076/77 (2019-20).

"Although the net loss of NAC last fiscal year reduced compared to the fiscal year 2078/79 (2021-22), the financial status of the organization is not satisfactory," the report states.

Challenges in the payment of loans and interests, high administrative expenditures, low business, delayed flights, and the lack of the effective implementation of a corporate plan are cited as reasons behind the NAC facing continued loss.

  Nepal Water Supply Corporation and Nepal Television have been at a net loss since the fiscal year 2075-76 BS while the Udaypur Cement Industry continues to report a loss since the fiscal year 2076-77 BS (2019-20) and DCC since the fiscal year 2077-78 BS (2020-21).

Last year, the Water Supply Corporation incurred a net loss of over Rs 546 million, and the accumulated loss amounted to Rs three billion 30 million.

The net loss reported by DDC is over Rs 484 million while the accumulated loss is Rs one billion 850 million Udaypur cement incurred a loss of over Rs 362 billion and the accumulated loss amounted to Rs five billion Rs 788 million.

  Hetauda Cement incurred a loss of Rs 254 million and the accumulated loss amounted to Rs one billion 158 million while Nepal Aushadhi (Drugs) Limited suffered a loss of Rs 155 million and the company's accumulated loss amounted to Rs two billion 135 million.

Nepal Orind Magnesite Pvt reported a net loss of Rs 165 million and the accumulated loss was Rs five billion 37 million. Similarly, Butwal Spinning Mill had a net loss of 34.03 million, with an accumulated loss of Rs two billion 1.2 million.

When Food Management and Trading Company Limited earned a net profit of Rs 129. 02 million in the given time, its accumulated loss so far has amounted to Rs 782.02 million. 

Although Nepal Oil Corporation Limited is one of the institutions reporting the highest net profits, it still incurs an accumulated loss of Rs four billion 850 million. When Nepal Ban Nigam Limited incurred a net loss of Rs 74.03 million, it presented the accumulated profits of Rs 70 million.

The National Productivity and Economic Development Center Limited incurred a net loss of Rs 4.33 million while the accumulated loss was worth Rs 112.09 million. Nepal Railway Company Limited presented a net loss of Rs 199.06 million, with an accumulated loss of Rs 559.06 million, while the Cultural Corporation incurred a net loss of Rs 14.08 million with an accumulated loss of Rs 284.02 million.

Although Janak Education Materials Center Limited made a net profit of Rs 193.06 million last fiscal year, it still had an accumulated loss of Rs one billion 198.07 million. Nepal Television had incurred a net loss of Rs 351.02 million with an accumulated loss of Rs two billion 408 million.

National Housing Company Limited was operating with a net loss of Rs 10.04 million and an accumulated loss of Rs 118.05 million last fiscal year.