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The CPN-UML, one of the coalition partners in the incumbent government, has summoned its Secretariat meeting tomorrow, Saturday. The meeting will discuss latest political developments, upcoming presidential election and party's recently launched two-month long 'Mission Grassroots' among others, according to party's central office secretary Dr Bhisma Adhikari. The meeting will begin at 9:00 am at the party's central office in Lalitpur, said Dr Adhikari. Nomination for presidential election is scheduled for Saturday while the election is being held on March 9.

A man died after being attacked by a wild elephant in Bakaiya Rural Municipality-5, Makawanpur district on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as local resident Janak Lal Majhi (50). Critically injured in the attack, he breathed his last during the course of treatment at the Hetauda Hospital at around 11 pm, said Inspector Balaram Shrestha.    

The Nepali Congress has called its central work execution committee meeting tomorrow (Saturday). The meeting scheduled to take place at the party central office in Sanepa at 8:30 am will discuss the current political issues, said party's chief secretary Krishna Prasad Paudel. The meeting is also expected to discuss the selection of the presidential candidate from the NC. Office bearers and members of the party central work execution committee have been asked to be present in the meeting, he said. The Election Commission has fixed the date of the presidential poll on March 9. Similarly, the candidacy nomination registration is scheduled for February 25.

The Rastriya Prajatantra Party, one of the coalition partners in the incumbent government, has called its central execution committee meeting today to decide the issue of the presidential election. The meeting will dwell on the issue of the selection of the presidential candidate and of whether or not the party will participate in the election process, said party leader Rajaram Shrestha. There are differences within the party on the issue of the presidential poll as some leaders have suggested that the party should remain neutral on the matter stating that the subject is not a main concern and priority to establish the party's agenda. The meeting will be held at 1 pm, he said. The issues of latest political incidents developed post elections and current subjects would be also discussed. On the occasion, the party would be informed about its condition across the country, its organization strengthening plan and suggestions from its various provincial meetings, he said. The Election Commission has fixed the date of the presidential poll on March 9. Similarly, the candidacy nomination registration is scheduled for February 25.  

Minister for Health and Population Padam Giri, who is in Switzerland to participate in the Fifth Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety, met World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the latter's office. On the occasion, the minister thanked the WHO for its contribution to the health sector of Nepal. He praised the United Nations agency for its contribution by providing COVID-19 vaccines, in controlling, containing and eliminating various types of diseases including polio, and cholera post the 2015 earthquake, and in neonatal health. He took up the matter of mutual cooperation and expansion of activities related to non-infectious diseases, mental health and stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems for biomedical applications, it has been said. The meeting also discussed the matter of the construction of the WHO coordination center, strengthening the National Public Health Laboratory, and the continuous assistance for boosting efficiency for the implementation of the International Health Regulations, said the minister's private secretary Laxman Giri.

The Agriculture Wholesale Bazaar Management Committee has exported agricultural products worth over Rs 1 billion in seven months of the current fiscal year, 2022/23. The Committee at Lalbandi Municipality-7 exported agricultural products worth Rs 1.06 billion between July 17, 2022 and February 12, 2023, said the Committee Manager Shambhu Ghimire. The exported agricultural products include tomato, eggplant, black-eyed bean, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, cucumber, cauliflower, cabbage, sponge gourd, green bean, lady finger, radish, green chili, carrot, lamb's quarter, pointed gourd, jackfruit, pumpkin, coriander, lemon, ginger, pea, onion and capsicum among others. The agricultural products produced mostly in Lalbandi, Hariwan, Haripur and Ishworpur in Sarlahi district have been exported to the places outside the district including Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Kathmandu, Pokhara, Butwal, Bhairahawa, Narayangadh, Nepalgunj, Hetauda, Birgunj, Gaur, Janakpur, Siraha, Biratnagar and Ithari among others, said the committee chair Toran Bahadur Magar. Meanwhile, the foundation stone has been laid for a six-room building belonging to the committee, which is under the purview of the federal government. The project will be completed within the current fiscal year, said Magar.  

The district prison, Taplejung, is struggling without space to accommodate inmates. The prison is forced to house more than six times more prisoners than its actual capacity. It is housing 155 inmates against its actual capacity of accommodating 25. As a result of a lack of space, it has to send women prisoners to the neighboring Panchthar district prison, said the prison Chief Kulendra Khawas. “We are finding it difficult to manage such a large number of inmates due to lack of space,” he said. The prison is also grappling with a lack of human resources.    

The Hupsekot Rural Municipality in Nawalparasi (Bardhaghat Sustapurba) has offered Rs 5 in grant for each liter to encourage the farmers for milk production. The amount would be given to the farmers through cooperatives. The rural municipality said that the decision is a part of its policy to give grants on the basis of production. Chairman of Hupsekot Rural Municipality Laxmi Devi Pandey said provisions to give grants to the farmers are arranged based on the yearly report shared by the milk cooperatives in the rural municipality. “Our goal is to increase milk production in the rural municipality by encouraging the farmers,” Pandey said. Pandey hoped that the decision of the local government would largely benefit the small farmers. In the last fiscal year, the rural municipality provided a cash subsidy to the farmers through two cooperatives and the farmers were given Rs 254,235 in cash. Pandey also shared that the quantity and farmers getting cash subsidy for the milk production could increase this year compared to the last year. The Hupsekot Rural Municipality has forwarded this scheme to make it a self-reliant on milk production by luring the farmers. Naya Dutta Gautam, a farmer engaged in animal husbandry, termed the rural municipality’s move as praiseworthy. The rural municipality has also given 50 percent in grants to the farmers for the payment of insurance premium under the livestock insurance scheme.