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Oil seed cultivation has increased in Bara this year. Farmers in the district have cultivated oil seeds in an area of 10,300 hectares, according to the Agriculture Knowledge Centre. Oilseed cultivation last year was 10,270. Chief of the center Jitendra Yadav said that productivity of oil seed crops has been one metric ton per hectare for the past few years. In the financial year 2072/73, the productivity was 1.10 metric tons per hectare. Likewise, between the years 2073 to 2077, farmers cultivated oilseeds in an area of 11,000 to 12,000 hectares. Yadav said that there is a decrease in productivity due to lack of quality seeds, farmers forced to use the seeds they have at home, not using as much fertilizer as needed.  

The National Land Commission has said works are going on to collect and verify details of landless dalits, landless squatters and those residing unsystematically. According to Commission Vice-Chair and Spokesperson Nahendra Khadka, though such works were suspended for a certain time with the enforcement of the Election Code of Conduct, it will resume very soon. The Commission has urged all the local levels including the Kathmandu Metropolis and the government and non-government offices not to intervene in the settlement of Dalits and landless squatters, and not to take or cause any move capable of making them unsafe until the works to distribute land registration certificates to the target groups get over. It has urged local levels which have earlier issued a 35-day public notice in the national daily to collect the details of such people to act in accordance to the consensus reached between the Commission and them. The Commission mentioned that it and local levels, not all, have earlier agreed to manage the landless, Dalits and people residing unsystematically through a due process. The Commission formed in accordance with the Land Act-1964 remains as the government entity to provide land to the landless Dalits and squatters and to systematize haphazard settlement.  

Counting of votes cast under the proportional representation (PR) of the November 20 elections to the House of Representatives and Province Assembly is underway. As per the details of the Election Commission recorded till 2:30 today, the CPN-UML is leading the PR vote count towards HoR and six Province Assembly. The party has received 2,735,817votes out of 10,282,719 valid votes so far. Similarly, the Nepali Congress has obtained 2,607,831 votes followed by the CPN (Maoist Centre) with 1,157,449. Likewise, the Rastriya Swatantra Party has garnered 1,110,763 votes, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party 582,875, the Janata Samajbadi 419,457, the Janamat Party 393,174, the CPN (Unified Socialist) 293,629 and the Nagarik Unmukti Party 269,170. Categorically, in Province-1, the CPN-UML has got 632,704 votes followed by NC with 532,845. Similarly, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has obtained 191,771 votes and the CPN (Maoist Centre) 177,721. In Madhes Province, the NC has garnered 399,589 votes, CPN-UML 351,284, Janamant Party 324,333, Janata Samajadi Party Nepal 196,340, CPN (Maoist Centre) 180,104, CPN (Unified Socialist) 113,590 and Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Nepal 112,344 votes. Similarly, in Bagmati Province, the CPN UML collected 554,632 votes, NC 463,528, CPN (Maoist Centre) 269,254 and RPP 266,742. The CPN-UML is leading the vote count with 342,872 votes in Gandaki Province which is followed by NC with 319,409.  The CPN (Maoist Centre) has received 115,408 votes. In Lumbini Province, the CPN-UML got 570,921 votes, while NC 499,986, CPN (Maoist Centre) 198,450, RPP 127,452 and Nagarik Unmukti Party 125,521. In Karnali Province, the CPN-UML is leading the vote count with 183,950 votes followed by NC with 170,756. The CPN (Maoist Centre) has garnered 137,629 votes. In Sudurpaschim Province, the CPN-UML has got 248,840 votes, NC 243,039 and CPN (Maoist Centre) 118,903.  

Nepali Congress (NC) central member Dr Shekhar Koirala said the existing political alliance will form a joint government under the NC leadership. Speaking at a press meet at his residence in Biratnagar-9 today, the leader claimed the CPN (Maoist Centre), CPN (Unified Socialist) and other political parties would participate in the post-election government to be headed by the NC. He said the matter about whether electing a party parliamentary leader unanimously or by a voting will be decided by consulting with the party president and leaders. He took time to say that good governance and corruption prevention were the preconditions for taking the country towards prosperity. Koirala, who won the recent election to the House of Representatives (HoR) from Morang-6, said the elections were largely impartial and peaceful and congratulated the entire voters who had their direct role to make the party largest towards the first-past-the-post system.

Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa has said collaboration with the private sector is necessary to resolve problems facing the country's economy. Speaking at a program organized here today on the 26th anniversary of Society of Economic Journalists Nepal (SEJON), he said the next government would collaborate with the private sector. 'Country's economy cannot run in this situation", he said, adding the next government would prioritize and carry out activities in collaboration with the private sector. The NC General Secretary mentioned that support of the private sector is necessary to make the economy strong. Similarly, CPN-UML Vice Chairman Bishnu Poudel stressed the need for the private sector to provide support to improve the country's economy. "Errors (if any) in the privatization model should be corrected", he shared, adding that right policy and leadership was necessary to make the country's economic dynamic.  

Twelve construction companies have been blacklisted for stranding and not completing development projects in time. The Public Procurement Monitoring Office in a notice today has banned the blacklisted companies from their involvement in the public procurement for a definite time frame. The blacklisted companies include Bharat-Saptakoshi JV Kathmandu, Haigriwa-Siddhi Sai Prakash JV, Highway Construction Pvt. Ltd, Bidhi Builders Pvt. Ltd, Saibaba & Tara Construction, Anukul Nirman Sewa, Panchkhal Construction Pvt. Ltd and Prabhu Nirmal Sewa. The Road Division Office, Butwal recommended the blacklisting of the Bharat-Saptakoshi JV run by one Hom Nath Gautam for two years. The Haigriwa-Siddhi Sai run by Dependra Bahadur Shahi and Narendra Pradhan, which delayed the Ranijamara-Kulariya Irrigation Project, was put on a blacklist for two years. The Highway Construction Pvt. Ltd. based in Chitwan run by one Narayan Subedi was placed on a blacklist for one year on the recommendation of Hetauda Metropolitan City. Similarly, Kathmandu-based Bidhi Builders Pvt. Ltd. run by one Biplov Pokhrel was also blacklisted for one year on the recommendation of the Shahid Gangalal National Heart Center, Bansbari. The Saibaba construction based in Khalanga, Jajarkot operated by one Sanjaya Kumari Rana (Shah) was blacklisted for one year on the recommendation of Tokha Municipality. The Nepal Agricultural Research Council recommended the blacklisting of the Anukul Sewa run by Tilak Bahadur Bhandari for one year. The Panchkhal Construction operated by Prem Prasad Adhikari based in Kathmandu was placed on a blacklist for one year on the recommendation of the Tourism Development Project, Hetauda. The Directorate of Water Supply, Irrigation and Energy Development, Surkhet recommended the blacklisting of the Surkhet-based Prabhu Construction Sewa run by Resham Bahadur Shah for one year. Siddijanak Construction and Suppliers Pvt Ltd has been blacklisted for a year at the recommendations of Uttargaya Rural Municipality in Rasuwa district. Siddibabu Regmi is the proprietor of this company. SSK Construction Service Pvt has been blacklisted for a year at the recommendation of Kapilvastu Municipality. Safiur Rahman has been its proprietor. Surmadevi Construction of Kailali district has been blacklisted at the recommendation of Agriculture Development Directives in Doti district. The company is owned by Mina Kumari Sharma Koirala. Another company blacklisted for a year is Nilgiri National Canon JV. The company owned by Yuwaraj Dangi was blacklisted at the recommendation of the Road Division Office, Chandranigahapur in Rautahat district. Dhan Kumar Thapa's owned National Development Service Pvt Ltd's and Gaurav Pudasaini owned Canon Construction Pvt Ltd have been blacklisted for a year. During the blacklisted period, the blacklisted companies cannot partake in the procurement process of the public offices and agencies.  

The CPN-UML is leading the vote count with 2,607,472 votes under the proportional representation. The Nepali Congress is following with 2,470,234. The CPN (Maoist Center) has got 1,109,779 while the Rastriya Swatantra Party 1,079,094, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party 554,757, the Janata Samajwadi Party 367,773, and the Janamat Party 316,653. So far, 9,670,833 votes were counted. Going by provinces, the UML is leading in six of seven provinces (Province 1, Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim) while the NC is ahead in the rest (Madhes). The UML is ahead in Province 1 (599,159 votes) followed by the NC with 503,163. Similarly, the RPP has received 182,909, and the Maoist Center 168,734. In Madhes Province, the NC is leading with 357,933 followed by the UML with 321,210. The Janamat Party has secured 266,832, the JSP 262,744 and the Maoist Center 167,067. In Bagmati Province, the UML is ahead with 502,923 votes followed by the NC with 427,239. Likewise, the RPP has secured 257,857, and the Maoist Center 236,559. In Gandaki Province, the UML is leading with 340,533 votes followed by the NC with 317,596. The Maoist Center has received 115,366. In Lumbini Province, the UML is leading with 570,921 followed by the NC with 499,986. Similarly, the Maoist Center has garnered 198,450, the RPP 127,452, and the Nagarik Unmukti Party 125,521. The UML is ahead with 183,950 followed by the NC with 170,756 in Karnali Province. The Maoist Center has amassed 137,639. In Sudurpaschim Province, the UML is leading with 233,520 followed by the NC with 226,170. The Maoist Center has got 113,863.  

Apples worth Rs 500 million have been exported from Mustang this year. Seventy percent of the total product has been supplied outside the district, according to agriculture knowledge centre. The export amounted 4,620 metric tons. The apple is sold at Rs 100 per kg in September and at Rs 120-130 in November. However, the farmers said the apple was sold at Rs 110 per kg in average. Chief of agriculture knowledge centre in Mustang, Prakash Bastakoti, informed that the apple production was upped by 18.56 percent this year. “It was found during crop cutting and inquiry made at orchard. The production was increased due to favourable climate, land and increased new plants,” he observed. The apples were planted in 580 hectares of land. The farming is done in all five local levels of Mustang. The crop cutting survey had revealed that 11.37 metric tons of apples is produced in a hectare, Bastakoti added. This year, out of total product, 440 metric tons of apples was produced with high density technology. Such technology is adopted in 38 hectares of land. The centre further said farmers had been aware of orchard management. Agriculture officer for PM Agriculture Modernization Project, Netra Bhatta, said nearly 70 metric tons of apple was kept in six cold stores for off season sale. In March-April, the apple will get more price. There is an apple zone programme under the PM Agriculture Modernization Project where more than 125 firms including that of cooperatives, and private are being conducted in the district. The agriculture knowledge centre has been running the apple bloc programme. Seventy percent of the apple produced in Mustang is supplied outside the district. The apple is produced in the land with the altitude of 2,500 meter from the sea level. The cold weather with snow adds quality and taste to the apple. The tourists visiting Mustang buy apples as gift. There are also six liquor factories which produce liquor by processing apples.