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Prime Minister and Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implement the rights of the workers.

Inaugurating the national conference of Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC) in Kathmandu on Sunday, PM Deuba reiterated that his government would leave no stone unturned for full enforcement of the contribution-based Social Security Act.

The private, formal and those involved in foreign employment would be included in social security, Deuba said, clarifying that the government was not led by his party Nepali Congress alone so it could not take decisions unilaterally.

“Based on the consensus forged in the current coalition government, the government will consider guaranteeing the labourers with all rights,” the executive Head of the Government assured.

Furthermore, the PM cited two recent moves of the incumbent government- increase in salary of the civil employees and social security to senior citizens reaching 68 years had also supported ensuring the rights of the labourers.

Calling for collective efforts to make the labour market activity, he pledged to work towards job creation for labourers hit hard due to the repercussions of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the industrial sector.

Similarly, Nepal Trade Union Congress’ President Pushkar Acharya said that the Labour Act was introduced in 2074 BS during the leadership of Deuba and demanded its full implementation as he is in the same role now.

It may be noted that it is for the 5th time that Deuba has been serving as the Head of the Government.

“We would like to urge PM Deuba to deliver in terms of implementation of the Act,” he said. He demanded the establishment of the Labour Court in all seven provinces and to end the situation for the labourers having to come to the federal capital for minor works.

Likewise, senior vice-president Mahendra Prasad Yadav lamented that it was a matter of sorrow that Labour Commission mentioned in the Interim Constitution-2063 BS was removed from the Constitution promulgated through the Constituent Assembly in 2072 BS. He appealed to the Nepali Congress to incorporate the issues relating to the labourers in its statute.

The NTUC was established in 2033 BS. The union was led by former Prime Minister and NC President late Girija Prasad Koirala and had labourers working in a jute mill in Biratnagar.

Over 2,000 representatives from all 77 districts are participating in the two-day conference. The gathering will endorse NTUC’s policies and programmes for the upcoming fiscal year 2022/23.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Balen Shah has said the mechanical broomers will come into operation within three days.

Mayor Shah shared this information during the executive meeting of KMC he chaired on Sunday. The broomers were left inoperative for two months as the contract with drivers was not renewed. This problem will be solved soon, he added.

According to him, for the mobilization of the municipal police, respective ward chairs could take decisions on their own.

He further said coordination would be made with development partners by holding meeting on the first Monday of every month. Coordination with stakeholders would be widened and strengthened to solve the problems gradually, he reiterated, saying, "Common efforts and participation is key to achieve success."

Similarly, Deputy Mayor Sunita Dongol also observed the meeting of the KMC executive.

Sudurpaschim Province has lagged behind in term of economic progress despite having abundant natural resources, according to a latest study carried out by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).

There have been challenges in making the country self-reliant on agricultural production though its commercialization due to various factors like lack of agriculture infrastructure and management of natural disasters and barren lands caused by increasing migration, said the study.

The province is low in the industrial and entrepreneurship due to a lack of research and exploration, and study of the potential sectors, it has been said.

Due to geographical difficulties, the province has faced challenges in the expansion of people's access to finance through the development of financial infrastructures and of the increment of financial literacy and in the construction of infrastructures, deposit collection and mobilising qualified human resources for loan mobilisation.

Bridging the gap between the province's low capacity in collecting revenue and capitalizing the available resources also seems to be an uphill task.

Managing required resources to increase the capacity of the local and provincial government in mobilising institutional and technical resources and in the infrastructural development is also another challenge.

Despite several challenges, it is mentioned that expansion of the pocket area of cash crops, determining the appropriate prices and increase in the production by using the modern technology are the possibilities that can be implemented immediately. There is high potential of these activities promoting exports by substituting the imports.

Productivity can be increased by minimizing the dependence on the seasonal rainfall for agriculture if the under-construction project of national pride, the Ranijamara Kulariya Irrigation Project, is completed on time. The project will irrigate a total 38,300 hectares land. Its physical progress has reached around 60 per cent.

Similarly, the province would see a significant contribution in the expansion and development of agriculture sector if the construction of the Mahakali Irrigation Project which has been undertaken with the aim of irrigating 33,520 hectares land is expedited and completed on time.

The Study states that the productivity of farmland and agricultural production would be increased thereby speeding up the industrial development of the province through the timely completion of these two major projects in the province.

It is stated that the province also has immense possibilities for the industrial development provided the construction of the required infrastructures like the industrial zone, industrial village, roads and electricity projects is speeded up for the same.

Likewise, the province has high potential for the promotion of tourism through the development of tourism infrastructures and facilities at the important historic, religious, cultural and natural touristic areas.

A match between Nepal and the United States of America under the triangular one day series of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 has ended in a draw.

The match was played at the Moosa Cricket Stadium in the US.

With this, both the teams have shared a point each. Elected to batting first after winning the toss, Nepal posted a 275-run target in 49.2 overs at the loss of all wickets. Chasing down the target, the US hit 274 runs in the allotted 50 overs losing six wickets, thus tying the match at a draw.

As the match entered excitement level, the US needed a run off two balls in the final over for a win. Nepal’s Aadil Ansari dismissed Aaron Jones at the fifth ball while Rahul Jariwala was also run out at the sixth ball of the final over.

For the US, Steven Taylor hit 114 runs, Captain Monank Patel 85 runs and Jones 26 runs.

For Nepal, Ansari took two wickets, Sandeep Lamichhane and Sompal Kami one each.

The US needed six runs off one over. But, Ansari played in style and conceded only five runs in the final over, helping the match to end in a draw.

For Nepal, Vice-Captain Rohit Paudel made 62 runs, Aashif Shekh 61 runs and Dev Khanal 54 runs.

Similarly, Ansari contributed 36 runs and Kushal Bhurtel 19. Captain Lamichhane made 10 runs.

For the US, Rusty Theron claimed four wickets, Ali Khan and Saurabh Netravalkar two each. Ansari was announced the player of the match.

Nepal conceded a 13-run defeat to Oman in its first match under the series. Nepal is meeting Oman in its third match on Tuesday. 

Nepal lost to Kuwait in the third round of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers.

Nepal lost to host Kuwait 1-4 in the third round Group A match played at the Jabir Al Ahmed Stadium in Kuwait last night.

Yousef Al Suleiman scored two goals while Fahad Alresidi and Mubarak Alfanini scored one each.

Darshan Gurung scored the only goal for Nepal. This is the second defeat of Nepal in the qualifiers. Earlier, Nepal had lost 0-2 to Jordan in the first match.

Nepal will now play its last match against Indonesia on June 14.

The call center operated by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City since some days back has become effective. The metropolis had brought the call centre into operation again since Tuesday to hear grievances and address them quickly.

The call centre has been run as per the decision of the first meeting of KMC Executive on May 30. The meeting was chaired by Mayor Balendra Shah. It is said the call centre is receiving 300 complaints daily.

According to Namaraj Dhakal, Chief of the KMC's IT Department, 90 percent of the complaints received at the call centre are related to garbage management. The rest of the complaints concern repairing road, filling up potholes on the road and service delivery. KMC had urged citizens to call at toll-free number 16600105511 if they had any complaints or grievance regarding the metropolis' services.

"The centre has the capacity of handling 15 calls simultaneously. This system has been operated to hear the complaints related to the service delivery of the metropolis and to its wards, departments, projects, units and distribution of facilities," he said.

The automated system forwards the complaints to the complaints handling officer or the related officials according to the nature of the complaints for addressing them at the earliest. The centre is operating only during office time from 10 am to 5 pm at present. Arrangements have been made to record the complaints coming to the call centre at other times, it is stated.

Ending a series of discussions and even the protests of the local community, an 18-point agreement has been signed among the agitating locals, people's representatives and Kathmandu Metropolitan City for the waste management of the Kathmandu Valley at Bancharedanda Kudule Landfill Site in Sisdole.

As per the late night deal, the waste from the Kathmandu Valley would be managed in the landfill site only in the nighttime.

As agreed, the affected area would be classified after conducting a scientific study, the unpleasant odor in the landfill site would be reduced and sewage leakage from the garbage carrying trucks would be managed within a month.

Chairpersons of ward no. 1, 2 and 3 of Kakani Rural Municipality of Nuwakot and ward no. 1 and 3 of Dhunibensi Municipality of Dhading district have signed the agreement on behalf of affected site.

Likewise, Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Balendra Shah, Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol and Chief Administrative Officer have also signed the agreement.

Prior to this, garbage collection was stalled after the obstruction from the Sisdole folks despite the Minister for Urban Development, Kathmandu Metropolitan Cuty, Kakani Rural Municipality in Nuwakot and Dhunibesi Municipality in Dhading agreed to resume waste collections in the Kathmandu Valley by signing an 11-point deal on Monday evening.

Following the obstructions from the locals, the garbage from the Kathmandu Valley is piled up for 13 days on.

The High Court Tulsipur, Butwal Bench, has issued a mandamus over a writ petition filed demanding the whereabouts of those disappeared during the Maoist insurgency.

A bench comprising judges Nityananda Pandey and Mamata Khanal issued the order responding to the writ petition filed in the court by Budhu Pasi and Dhan Kumari Tharu on behalf of the families of disappeared people.

Advocates Shiva Prasad Gaudel and Indira Acharya pleaded in favour of the petition.

It is said, their repeated calls to the concerned authorities for finding the whereabouts of the disappeared had been largely ignored.

Their earlier effort to file a police case on the International Day of the Disappeared could not be fruitful due to reluctance of the district police office to register the report. So with nowhere to go, they knocked the door of the court.

Lautu Pasi alias Ram Palat of the then Bodawar VDC-3 (now Rohini Rural Municipality-5) in Rupandehi was arrested in 2059 BS and subsequently disappeared, according to the petition.

Victim Budhu said that though they knocked the door of Police Office to file FIR, it was not happened and they eventually reached the court.

Saying he met his elder brother on June 7, 2004 for the last time, Budhu demanded the disclosure of whereabouts of his elder brother at the earliest.

Similarly, it has been one and half decades since the disappearance of spouse of Dhan Kumari Tharu of Siyari rural municipality-6 in Rupandehi.

Tharu shared that writ petition was filed at the Court, seeking the disclosure of the situation of Kamal, who was made disappeared on August 27, 2005 from state side.

Security personnel on plain clothes had apprehended Kamal from Bansgadhi at a time when he was going to his in-laws house.

The Comprehensive Peace Accord signed between the then rebel side and government has mentioned that the whereabouts of disappeared persons should be made public within 60 days after disappearance, but the implementation of the agreement is still awaited.

The victim families complained the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons has failed to carry out effective works even after seven years of its formation.