Festival season starts in Nepal with devotees honoring a living goddess
Nepal's monthslong festival season began on Tuesday with tens of thousands of devotees pulling a wooden chariot with a young girl revered as a living goddess.
Families gathered for feasts and lit incense for the dead at shrines. Men and boys in colorful masks and gowns representing Hindu deities danced to traditional music and drums, drawing throngs of spectators to Kathmandu's old streets.
The Indra Jatra festival marks the end of the monsoon and rice farming season and signals the dawn of fall. It's celebrated mostly by the Newar community, the native residents of Kathmandu. It is also known as the festival of deities and demons and especially honors Indra, the Hindu god of rain.
The masked dancers, one of the highlights of the ceremony, can be fearsome, entertaining and awe-inspiring, depending on the performers' movements.
Kumari, a young girl who is revered by both Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal as a living goddess, left her temple palace and was driven around the center of the capital in a wooden chariot pulled by devotees, who lined up to receive her blessing. Among the spectators were President Ram Chandra Poudel, officials and diplomats.
The weeklong Indra Jatra precedes months of other festivals in the predominantly Hindu nation. They include Dasain, the main festival, and Tihar, or Diwali, the festival of lights, in November. AP
FinTram Global LLP, BFIN sign MoU to enhance accounting and finance education in Nepal
The FinTram Global LLP, an India-based leading learning platform, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Banking Finance & Insurance Institute of Nepal (BFIN) with an aim to advance the financial accounting, reporting, planning and finance practice in Nepal and enhance learning opportunities for BFSI aspirants and professionals in the country to become qualified for a global job market.
This groundbreaking partnership signifies a shared commitment between FinTram Global LLP and BFIN to elevate the standards of professionals in accounting and financial services and promote the importance of the globally qualified certifications across the country.
Pankaj Dhingra, Managing Partner, FinTram Global LLP - "We are thrilled to partner with BFIN Nepal. By combining our expertise with BFIN, we aim to significantly increase the number of qualified accountants and financial professionals who are equipped to work in the global marketplace. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment for elevating industry standards and promoting the importance of globally recognized certifications across Nepal."
Dr. Binod Atreya , Managing Director, BFIN said, “This partnership marks a significant step towards advancing of financial accounting and Reporting qualifications in Nepal. By aligning with FinTram Global LLP, we are committed to elevating the standards of our professionals and fostering a new generation of globally qualified accountants and financial planners. This collaboration underscores our shared vision to prepare customized curriculums and thus empower Nepali talent with the skills necessary to thrive on the global stage, thereby strengthening the financial landscape of our country."
About FinTram Global LLP:
Fintram Global is a leading learning platform, transforming professionals around the world in the domains of Accounting and Finance. A renowned name in India for various global qualifications like ACCA, US CPA, US CMA, CFP, IFRS and various CPE Courses. They are also the Gold – Approved Learning Partner with ACCA UK, an Authorised Education Provider for FPSB India, an Approved Channel Partner for Becker Professional Education – USA, Gleim USA , Kaplan UK
Further, FinTram Global is also the proud knowledge partner with various renowned Business Schools and Institutions in India.
Call for SBI Youth for India Fellowship program
In a special drive, SBI Foundation, the CSR arm ofthe State Bank Group, is inviting Citizens of Nepal for the 12th Batch of the SBI Youth forIndia Fellowship program. The 13-monthprogram provides a well-structured opportunity for fresh graduates and young professionals to collaborate with rural communities and 13 esteemed NGOs across India, fostering meaningful social change. The deadline to apply for the SBI YFI Fellowship is Tuesday September, 17 2024.
To be eligible for the Fellowship Program under this special drive, a candidate must be a Citizen of Nepal holding Nagrikta. The candidate must be between the age group of 21- 32 years on the day of commencement of the program i.e. 7th October 2024. The Candidates must also strongly commit to advancing sustainable development objectives in rural areas. Once selected, the candidates need to report to Tilonia, Kishangarh, Rajasthan on 5th October 2024 to begin the experiential journey.
"The SBI Youth for India program provides aunique opportunity for urban youth to activelycontribute to the development sector while addressing the challenges of rural life. We welcome our colleagues from the State Bank of India, Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), and youth from Nepal and Bhutan, to join the force and be the ambassadors of change for rural India. With 10 successful editions behind us and the 11th underway, our program remains dedicated to empowering youth to create meaningful change in rural communities. This initiative is a beacon of hope for those eager to shape a brighterfuture for both themselves and rural India." said Sanjay Prakash, Managing Director & CEO, SBI Foundation.
The SBI Youth for India Fellowship, which is one of its kind, works on 12 thematic areassuch as Health, Rural Livelihood, FoodSecurity, Environmental Protection,Education, Water, Technology, Women’s Empowerment, Self-Governance, Social Entrepreneurship, Traditional Craft andAlternate Energy. During the Fellowship program, the Fellows work on one of these 12 thematic areas as per their interest.
Prospective Fellows are encouraged to seizethis opportunity to make a tangible impact,leveraging their skills and creativity to drive positive change in the lives of those in rural India. They can apply using the link https://register.youthforindia.org/. The SBI Youth for India program has witnessed enthusiastic engagement from numerous young applicants from major metropolitancities in India, Overseas Citizens of India(OCIs), and citizens of Nepal and Bhutan. The program has made a significant impact with a growing alumni network of over 580+ individuals, impacting more than 150,000 lives through the interventions of the Fellows in more than 250+ villages spanning 20 States across India over the last 13 yeara.
House committee undecided on electricity dues
Sunday’s meeting of the Public Accounts Committee of the Federal Parliament, convened to address the outstanding electricity dues owed by industries to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), ended without a resolution.
Committee Chair Rishikesh Pokharel had proposed a six-point directive to tackle the issue, but the meeting became contentious when MPs objected to several of the proposed measures, including punitive actions against NEA's Executive Director, Kulman Ghising, and referring the matter to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). The disagreement among members escalated into a heated exchange.
MPs from the CPN (Maoist Center) strongly opposed the directive, arguing that it was introduced with malicious intent. They warned that they would not accept any decisions made under such circumstances and threatened to reject any attempt to impose the directive forcefully.
The Nepali Congress MPs also showed little enthusiasm for making an immediate decision. When they expressed their hesitation, Chairperson Pokharel adjourned the meeting without reaching a conclusion.
Pokharel’s proposed directive included key actions such as instructing the relevant authorities to collect the Rs 21.88bn in outstanding dues identified by the Auditor General, seeking explanations for why the recommendations made by the previous committee were not implemented, and issuing new directives to enforce those recommendations.
The NEA has been trying to recover electricity dues from dozens of industries that used dedicated feeders and trunk lines to power their operations during the country’s severe electricity shortages. The problem began in 2008 and peaked in 2016 when Nepal faced up to 14 hours of power cuts daily during the dry season.
The Public Accounts Committee asserts that these industries owe Rs 21.88bn to the state-owned power utility. However, the Electricity Tariff Dispute Resolution Commission, led by former Supreme Court Justice Girish Chandra Lal, recommended that the NEA charge only Rs 6.41bn for the outstanding electricity tariffs from mid-January 2016 to mid-May 2018, plus a 25 percent fine. The commission argued that it would not be practical to charge the same rate for electricity used after the load-shedding period ended.
Constitution can be amended based on needs of nation, says PM Oli
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the constitution can be amended based on the experience of its implementation so far and as per people's aspirations and needs of the nation. And it will be carried out with consent of the political parties.
Responding to queries of MPs in today's meeting of the House of Representatives, Prime Minister Oli mentioned that positive signs have started to appear in the economy within a short period of formation of the government. Revenue mobilization and capital expenditure has increased in the month of Shrawan of the current financial year compared to last year.
Stating that there has been a significant improvement in the capital market, the Prime Minister said that there is enthusiasm along with the morale to invest in the private sector.
He said that the positive signs were seen due to the policy taken by the government to fulfill the stated objectives of the nation.
"Big parties CPN-UML and Nepali Congress have come together to take the country towards the path of political stability, corruption control, good governance, economic development, social justice and prosperity," Prime Minister Oli said.
He said that the policy of zero tolerance towards corruption is a commitment to complete the task of controlling corruption by adopting the legal process of control and prevention. "We are clear that corruption control should not only be a matter of rhetoric, it should be based on judicial investigation and result-oriented", Oli said.
Indian Foreign Secretary Misri arriving in Nepal on August 11
Foreign Secretary of India Vikram Misri is paying an official visit to Nepal on August 11-12 at the cordial invitation of Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two foreign secretaries will discuss various matters on further strengthening Nepal-India relations and advancing mutually benefi cial cooperation.
The Foreign Secretary of India is also scheduled to call on the high lev dignitaries of Nepal.
Foreign Secretary's upcoming visit continues the tradition of regular high level exchanges between the two countries and reflects the priority India attaches to its relations with Nepal under its Neighborhood First policy, says India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
India and Nepal share an age-old civilizational, cultural and people-to-people connect, and bilateral cooperation between the two countries has further strengthened in recent years with continued momentum in high level exchanges and major infrastructure and connectivity projects in Nepal having been completed and new ones undertaken with Government of India’s assistance. This visit of Foreign Secretary will be an opportunity to further advance our bilateral ties, said India in a press statement.
The Foreign Secretary of India is scheduled to leave Kathmandu on August 12.
Chinese envoy calls on Tourism Minister Pandey
Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song paid a courtesy call on Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey on Friday.
During the meeting, they exchanged views on unlocking cooperation potentials and attracting more Chinese tourists to celebrate “Visit Nepal 2025”, with the aim to promote tourism in Nepal.
PM directs concerned bodies to provide easy and smooth treatment services
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has directed the bodies concerned to make arrangements for providing easy and smooth treatment services at all government hospitals.
At a discussion about problems of health sectors, solutions and improvements to be done immediately held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Thursday night, Prime Minister Oli urged the concerned authority to make arrangements of treatment for patients in an easy manner where the patients should not stay on a long queue.
He requested to depute doctors and health workers even after providing facilities when needed, adding the trend of asking patients to visit private clinics without conducting check-up during office hours at government hospitals should be ended.
The Prime Minister asked the bodies concerned to make health insurance practical and enforceable.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel, Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Poudel, acting Chief Secretary and high-ranking officials of health ministry including health secretary were present on the occasion.
