Submit your Article

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 24. 50 points to close at 2, 657. 77 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 3. 19 points to close at 444. 72 points.

A total of 19,680,195-unit shares of 325 companies were traded for Rs 9. 40 billion.

Meanwhile, Upakar Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (ULBSL), Sikles Hydropower Limited (SIKLES), Three Star Hydropower Limited (TSHL) and Janaki Finance Company Limited (JFL)​​​​​​​were the top gainers today, with their price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise, Dolti Power Company Limited (DOLTI) was the top loser as its price fell by 8. 42 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 40 trillion.

The resident doctors pursuing their Master's Degree from private medical colleges would now receive stipend from the government.

Minister for Education, Science and Technology Bidya Bhattarai and Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel took this decision on Monday.

The minister duo also decided to write to the concerned agencies to provide stipend to the resident doctors.

As decided, the Master's Level resident doctors would receive at least Rs 25,000 in the first year, Rs 30,000 in the second year and Rs 35,000 in the third year.

Such a provision will come into practice from the Fiscal Year 2081/082.

The 15th meeting of the Medical Education Commission chaired by Commission's Chairman and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on November 24, 2024 had entrusted the responsibility to the Health Minister and Education Minister to resolve the issue of stipend to the resident doctors pursuing their Master's degree in the private colleges.

Electric vehicles (EVs) imports went up by 7.3 percent in the first half of fiscal year 2024/25. Data released by the Department of Customs (DoC) shows 5,480 units of electric cars, jeeps and vans were imported into the country during the first six months of the current fiscal year, up from 5,107 in the same period of 2023/24.

Electric cars, jeeps and vans worth Rs 13.1bn were imported in the country in the six-month period of 2024/25. Total import value of electric cars, jeeps and vans in the first six months of 2023/24 was Rs 12.73bn.

This, however, is a slow growth compared to the first half of 2023/24 when EV imports nearly tripled to 5,107 units compared to 1,749 units in the first six months of 2022/23. The total import value during the period was Rs 4.92bn.

The government mobilized Rs 8.16bn in revenue from EV imports in the first six months of 2024/25, compared to Rs 5.67bn in the same period of 2023/24. This represents a revenue growth of 43.91 percent. The rise in revenue has been attributed to the government's decision to increase tax rates on EVs.

The majority of EVs imported this fiscal year have motor capacities ranging from 51 to 100 kilowatts. Specifically, 3,191 EVs with 100-kilowatt capacities and 1,725 EVs with 50-kilowatt capacities were imported during the period. Additionally, 553 EVs with 200-kilowatt capacities and 11 EVs with capacities above 200 kilowatts were imported by mid-January of the current fiscal year.

In the same period of the previous fiscal year, 2,056 units with capacities below 50 kilowatts were imported, while 2,970 EVs with capacities between 51 and 100 kilowatts, worth Rs 8.45bn, were brought into the country. Furthermore, 68 EVs with capacities between 101 and 200 kilowatts, worth Rs 349.7m and 13 units with capacities above 201 kilowatts, worth Rs 92.12m, were imported during the period.

While EV imports have seen a modest increase compared to last year, the import of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles has surged significantly. In the first six months of the current fiscal year, ICE vehicles worth Rs 34.87bn were imported, compared to Rs 23.59bn in the same period of last fiscal year.

Nepal mostly imports EVs from countries like China and India. Chinese EV brands like BYD, Deepal, Omoda and MG are popular among Nepali consumers, while Tata holds the largest market share among Indian brands in the Nepali market. Nepal also imported EVs from South Korea, Germany, the United States and Indonesia, among others, in the review period.

Chandragiri Municipality in Kathmandu has launched an online recommendation for citizenship certificates.

It is the first such scheme introduced in the Kathmandu Valley.

Chandragiri Municipality-12 Balambu began the service.

Earlier, the municipality had provided training to all secretaries from 15 wards and executive members with the cooperation of the Home Ministry and the District Administration Office, Kathmandu.

Mayor Ghanshyam Giri and chief administrative officer, Hem Raj Aryal, inaugurated the service by forwarding online recommendations of Balambu residents Anuj Maharjan and Tisha Shrestha via software on Monday.

The Home Ministry has informed that 2,000 wards from 28 districts have begun the online recommendation for citizenship certificates to the concerned District Administration Offices till mid January.

It was initially launched from Gaindakot of Nawalparasi district last year.

The digital recommendation has not only made record keeping and service delivery prompt but also curbed the faulty documentation.

Chandragiri Municipality has informed that it would enforce the online recommendation for citizenship from all wards this very week.

Currently, the local level is providing digital services for certification of house map, revenue, and vital registration.

Mayor Giri further said the municipality was planning to implement the digital signature soon in line with government policy of tech-friendly governance.

Assistant Chief District Officer in Kathmandu, Mukti Ram Rijal, extended thanks to Chandragiri Municipality for introducing the online recommendation for citizenship certificates. All local levels would adopt such tech-friendly public service in Kathmandu soon, he added.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed gratitude for the full support he has received from coalition partner Nepali Congress (NC). Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the administrative building of Suryabinayak municipality in Bhaktapur on Monday, Oli assured that he would extend similar cooperation when NC takes over leadership.

“In 17-18 months, Sher Bahadur Deuba will become the Prime Minister. He will lead, and I will support him. The UML will give full support and ensure success,” said Oli. “At present, I am receiving complete and unconditional support from the NC, and they will get the same from us in the future.”

Oli emphasized the importance of collaboration among major political parties to ensure national development. He warned of a lack of alternatives if the coalition fails to deliver progress.

“If the major parties working together cannot lead the country toward development, then there’s no room for ‘yours’ or ‘mine’. We are committed to developing all 753 municipalities. No one can stop this progress,” he stated.

Oli also responded to recent remarks from Pushpa Kamal Dahal, chairperson of the CPN (Maoist Center), who had claimed during a public address in Dang that a victory similar to the 2008 elections would uproot corruption in the country.

Without directly naming Dahal, Oli criticized past electoral practices, stating, “That era is gone. Back then, there were camps, fear and intimidation. People were told their votes could be tracked through binoculars and adjusted later. Even the government and administration were rendered powerless due to such threats.”

Oli accused the Maoists of controlling polling stations during the 2008 elections, influencing voters and undermining administrative authority. “They would stand near the ballot box and say, ‘I will mark it for you’. But that time has passed,” he added.

The Prime Minister, who had been resting due to health issues, also addressed concerns regarding his health. He criticized the portrayal of his illness, saying, “Even when I have a common cold, they show pictures of me in ICU with an oxygen mask.”

Oli assured the public that while he remains weak due to antibiotics, his health is improving. “Yes, I’ve been sick. I’m still recovering, but those expecting me to end up in ICU will be disappointed,” he remarked. This statement follows his virtual participation in recent events, including the Siddhababa Tunnel breakthrough ceremony, due to his doctors advising against long-distance travel.

A 102-point advisory has been issued to protect government websites, data and networks.

The National Cyber Security Center has issued a cyber security advisory to protect the information technology system of government offices and to shield them from potential cyber threats.

The advisory includes various security measures related to the use of government offices' websites, applications, servers, networks, desktops, laptops, mobile devices and social networks.

Center's Director Raj Kumar Maharjan said that the advisory has been issued after problems like cyber attacks on and information theft from website of the government offices were seen.

"Serious cyber problems are being created due to general ignorance or negligence. If we inform the users about this, we hope that the problem will be reduced. This advisory is not only for the employees of this government body, but for all citizens,” he said.

The Center has also written to all ministries, commissions and departments to determine the focal person to contact if there is a problem in the government website or application.

For website and network security, it has been advised to update the website regularly, conduct security tests and implement a business continuity plan by keeping regular 'backup' of data.

Similarly, instructions have been issued to update antiviruses, databases, application libraries and operating systems and to implement multifactor authentication.

The advisory has suggested using only licensed software for desktop, laptop and printer security, and automatically updating the system and bios, and to take measures to keep printers out of internet access.

For password management, it is recommended to keep password that cannot be easily inferred, to change it at least once in three months, and to use multifactor authentication to maintain privacy.

For internet browsing security, use of secure browsing methods, of updated browsers and sharing personal information only on unauthorized websites has been suggested.

The advisory warns against posting unauthorized content on social media and to use a limited amount of personal information in it and it has emphasized that attention should be paid to the updated operating system for the security of mobile devices, downloading the app only from reliable sources.

The Center has also urged to make arrangements for regular cyber security training to the concerned employees for effective implementation of these measures.

The Center has stated that cyber security can be strengthened by focusing on website updates, data backup, secure passwords, multi-factor authentication, network segmentation and antivirus updates, among others.

Center Director Maharjan said that these security measures are expected to protect the government system from cyber threats and increase citizen awarenes

Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR), Devraj Ghimire, has discussed with the major ruling party Nepali Congress and CPN-UML about the bill passed by the National Assembly and sent to the House of Representatives.

Today, Speaker Ghimire invited Congress chief whip Shyam Ghimire and UML chief whip Mahesh Kumar Bartaula to his office at Singh Durbar and asked for their views on the Constitutional Council Bill and the Order of Precedence Bill that is pending in the House of Representatives.

"The Speaker has asked for opinions on the constitutional council bill passed by the National Assembly and other bills stuck in the lower house, including the bill on the order of precedence, after discussing it in the party. Today's discussion has been concluded with the agreement to meet with the Speaker again on Monday," said Congress Chief Whip Shyam Ghimire.

UML chief whip Mahesh Bartaula said that all the bills under consideration in the Parliament will be moved forward in the winter session of the Parliament. The winter session of Parliament has been called for January 31.

Chief Whip Bartaula informed that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will address the Parliament on the first day of the winter session.

Speaker Ghimire has increased his activities as the date of the winter session of Parliament approaches.

Speaker Ghimire is having a discussion with the chief whip of the major opposition party CPN (Maoist Center) and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) today itself. 

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 20 per tola in the domestic market on Sunday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 160, 400 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 160, 600 per tola on Friday.

Similarly, the price of silver has dropped by Rs 15 and is being traded at Rs 1, 865 per tola today.