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Opposition parties in Parliament have continued to press for the formation of a high-level committee or commission to investigate the visit visa scandal.

The major opposition parties have called for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged scam, focusing on the tenure of home ministers from 2064 BS when the Labour Act was implemented up to the present.

A meeting of the opposition parties was held today under the headship of CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. 

According to the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) spokesperson Manish Jha, the meeting expressed a unanimous commitment to finding a lasting solution to the visit visa issue.

The meeting concluded that the incumbent Home Minister should resign to allow an impartial and uninfluenced investigation. Additionally, the opposition parties have wanted the Prime Minister to take responsibility for the matter in the Parliament and expressed commitment to addressing it

It has been said that the Chief Whips from the oppositions will approach the Speaker of the House of the Representatives with a three-point decision from the meeting. 

The meeting was attended by leaders from the CPN (Maoist Centre), RSP, and CPN (Unified Socialist).

The Birgunj checkpoint is under close watch after the increasing cases of Covid infection in the neighbouring country, India.

People entering Nepal have been kept in surveillance.

Brief health check up is being conducted among the passengers of the train entering Nepal. 

The meeting of the Parsa District Health Crisis Management Committee held on May 29 had decided to make effective the health check up at the border area in a bid to prevent spread of disease. 

Mayor of Birgunj Metropolitan City Rajesh Man Singh inspected the health desk set up at the border and directed the concerned officials to maintain further alertness.

"In view of Covid cases on rise in the bordering country, we've been aware and put in place preventive measures. The health desk at the border will be made further effective," he informed.

A wild elephant died of electric shock in the Ratuwamai forest of Kamal Rural Municipality-3, Jhapa last night.

The elephant was electrocuted due to electricity leakage.

Forest officer at Division Forest Office in the district Jivan Pathak informed that the elephant had died on the spot and its tusk was also burnt. 

A technical team was mobilised for further investigation into the incident, Pathak added.

Both Houses of the Federal Parliament are holding meetings today. 

The House of Representatives is scheduled to meet at 11 am  while the National Assembly at 1:15pm.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel is scheduled to present a proposal for general discussion on the estimates of revenue and expenditure for fiscal year 2025/026 in the House of Representatives. 

Similarly, Chairman of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee Ramhari Khatiwada is  scheduled to present the report of a committee on federal civil service, 2082.

Finance Minister Paudel will also be presenting a proposal, seeking consideration of 'Customs Bill, 2080' in the meeting of the National Assembly. 

Minister for Education, Health and Technology Raghuji Pant is scheduled to present a proposal seeking discussion on 'Bill on Martyr Dasharath Chand Institute of Health Sciences, 2080' in the National Assembly.

The bill is forwarded by the House of Representatives.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 2. 77 points to close at 2,695. 84 points on Monday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 0. 18 points to close at 461. 39 points.

A total of 22,031,861-unit shares of 314 companies were traded for Rs 9. 22 billion.

Meanwhile, Om Megashree Pharmaceuticals Limited (OMPL) and Pure Energy Limited (PURE)​​​​​​​ were the top gaines today, with their price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise, Bhugol Energy Development Company Limited (BEDC) was the top loser as its price fell by 6. 45 percent.

Bhaktapur Hospital has been declared the best hospital in the country.

It was announced at a program organised to make public the minimum service standard assessment at Bhaktapur Hospital on Sunday.

Among all hospitals in the country, the 121-year-old Bhaktapur Hospital has achieved 90 out of 100 points, making it the best and placing it in the first position among all hospitals across the country.

In the program, Bagmati Province Government's Minister of Health Kiran Thapa mentioned that Bhaktapur Hospital has successfully ranked first for the fourth consecutive time, stressing that the staff must work honestly to ensure there is no decline in the quality of the service at the hospital.

Stating that the ministry has allocated Rs 10 million to operate neuro services in the hospital, he mentioned that dialysis services will be initiated in that hospital within a month, and the budget will be allocated for the construction of the old building of the hospital in the upcoming fiscal year.

Bagmati Province Government Health Secretary Sumitra Gautam said that the second oldest hospital in the country with a history of 121 years has successfully become the first in terms of minimum service standard, stating that Bhaktapur Hospital has shown the example that if the commitment of the staff, the support of the management committee, and the ability to protect the hospital from negative influences are maintained, all hospitals can provide quality services.

As per the evaluation, Lumbini Provincial Hospital has secured the second place with 89 points and Bharatpur Hospital the third place with 88 points.

Among the 13 hospitals in Bagmati province, Dhading Hospital scored 82 points, securing second place, while Trishuli Hospital scored 81 points, finishing third, according to Dr. Phanindra Prasad Baral of Bir Hospital who is a member of the evaluation team.

Director of Bhaktapur Hospital, Surendra Prasad Bhatta informed about the services and facilities provided by the hospital, stating that this year there has been an increase in patient arrivals for outpatient, inpatient, surgical, and maternity services compared to previous years.

Transport entrepreneurs have announced an indefinite transport strike across the country starting today.

Transport operators decided to halt public transport services across the country from today at the call of  Public Transport Protection Struggle Committee.

As a result, normal life across the country including Kathmandu Valley has been affected since this morning.

Police have been mobilised after the transport operators blocked the road at Koteshwor-Jadibuti area.

Transport entrepreneurs enforced vehicular strike demanding that the new regulations on ride-hailing and self-driving rentals introduced by the Gandaki Province Government be repealed.

Saying that the government’s decision will weaken the public transport services, Yogendra Bahadur KC, Secretary at the National Federation of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs urged the government to roll back its decision at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the Joint People's Movement Committee, which has been protesting demanding the restoration of the monarchy and the Hindu state, has withdrawn its Kathmandu Valley bandh program.

Police have arrested eight  persons including Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa from Narayanchaur, Kathmandu. They were arrested during a demonstration.

Police nabbed  Chairman Thapa and leaders and cadres of his party, as they breached the restricted area, according to Apil Raj Bohara, spokesperson at Kathmandu Police Sector. They are currently kept at the Sector, he added.

Those arrested are Dipak Singh and Shila Rana, Rakesh Basnet, Ram Chandra  Lamichhane, Binod Kapali, and Saroj Timilsina. 

The RPP and RPP-Nepal have been demonstrating in the Capital for some days.