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More than 2,000 cattle died of lumpy skin disease in Madhes Province.

It is a huge toll on livestock, thereby impacting agriculture and income.

Statistics on such loss was made public during a program organized in Janakpur on Monday.

The Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives in the province informed that 1,118 cattle died in Siraha and two in Parsa.

Cow and ox are highest in number dying of the lumpy skin while buffaloes in least number- 6.

Meanwhile, in the province, 45,825 livestock have been vaccinated against the fatal disease, according to veterinarian Dr Ranjit Kumar Adhikari.

Sarlahi district has recorded the highest number of vaccination- among 12,325 cattle. However, vaccination has been awaited in Saptari, Siraha, Mahottari and Parsa districts.

Inaugurating the vaccination program at Gaushala of Janakpur on Monday, Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Govind Bahadur Neupane, said that the province government had sent each district with 8,000 doses of vaccine against lumpy skin.

Minister Neupane vowed government initiative for sustainable solution of this problem. The vaccination drive was a special campaign at present, he added. 

Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Center) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the gold smuggling scandal would be taken to its final conclusion.

He pledged that investigation would be conducted getting to the root of this scam and all the culprits would be brought to book.

The Prime Minister and party chairperson said this while addressing the party office-bearers meeting held at his official residence in Baluwatar today.

He made it clear that the government is firm on taking the gold scam, corruption scandal and irregularities to the final conclusion.

The Department of Revenue Investigation had on July 19 confiscated around 100 kg of gold from Sinamangal. The government is carrying out an investigation in this connection. So far 18 people have been arrested in connection with the gold smuggling scam.

Expressing the commitment to taking the gold scam to its conclusion, PM Dahal said the support and cooperation of all was needed for that.

The PM in the meeting said that the culprits would not be spared while the innocent would not be held, CPN (Maoist Centre) secretary Dinanath Sharma said.

Party Deputy General Secretary Barshaman Pun has called for forming a high-level committee to investigate the gold smuggling scam.

He said all those connected to the scam should be brought under the ambit of investigation and legal action be taken against them.

He said that the propaganda has been spread linking his name as well in this scam with the intention of derailing the campaign against corruption and irregularities that the government has brought by influencing this campaign.

Pun stressed on making successful the campaign against corruption and irregularities pursued by the government.

The Maoist Centre's office-bearers' meeting is being held continuously for determining the agenda of the party's Central Committee meeting scheduled to be held from August 2. Today's meeting was convened in that connection.

Party Chairperson Dahal will be presenting the political and organizational report in the Central Committee meeting.

Discussions were held in the meeting today regarding this topic as well.

Similarly, preparations have been made to render the party's organizational structure more efficient by organizing the Statute Convention in the coming Mangsir (mid-November to mid-December).

Meeting would be live-streamed

According to CPN (Maoist Centre) Secretary Sharma, the Central Committee meeting would be broadcast live.

He said this is being done with the objective of directly providing a glimpse of the meeting's proceedings to the general public and party cadres.

He said unlike before wherein group discussions used to be held, all the Central Committee members would be provided time to air their views this time.

Before this, the Nepali Congress had also live-streamed its Central Committee meeting in the social site.

The country is under the influence of monsoon winds at present.

According to the Weather Forecasting Division at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, there will be partial to general changes across the country in the daytime.

Light to moderate rainfall is predicted in some areas of the Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces and one to two places of the Koshi, Bagmati and Sudurpaschim.

There is a chance of light to moderate rainfall in some areas of the mountainous region and limited areas of the remaining provinces.

It is predicted that one to two areas of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces will see heavy rain with thunderstorms and lightning.

In the night time, there is a chance of heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning in one to two areas of the Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces. 

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said the government's campaign against corruption, misconducts and smuggling is not a political stunt and guided by the feeling of impulse.

In his address to the announcement of a 'front' of students’ unions close to the parties in the recently formed Socialist Front here today, the Prime Minister said," The government has launched a campaign against those misappropriating public property and engaging in human trafficking. This move will not end here, but will continue until it is won. This battle is not driven by any impulse or a political maneuver; rather it is intended at serving the collective interest of the Nepali citizens."

During the program, the Prime Minister said many cases of corruption would be open in the days to come.  He said that the government's sole efforts are not enough to curb corruption, instead mass support and cooperation are vital for the same. "We require the support of the Socialist Front.  We will win this battle if mass support is ensured. "

The Prime Minister took time to say that the government would be presenting the Federal Education Bill to the House on Tuesday.

The document will be passed by the Cabinet before taking it to the House, according to the Prime Minister who believed that the bill would find a road map for improvements in the education sector.

The Prime Minister added that various posts lying vacant at the Tribhuvan University Education Commission and other universities would be fulfilled soon.

Search is on for High Level Education Commission's report

PM Dahal said that a search is on for the report of the High-Level Education Commission. The report prepared during the term of the government led by the then Nepal Communist Party has not been made public.

He said that although the majority members of the then party were ready to make the report public and implement it immediately, the then Prime Minister was not ready to do so.  PM Dahal added that a search has been started for finding that report.

According to him, a consistent search was initiated for tracking down the report after he became the Prime Minister, but it has not been found. He informed that he also had concerns with the then Education Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel about the report and Pokharel told him that he submitted it without even keeping its single copy with him.

Stating that a big political change was brought through peaceful and armed struggle and the education, health, employment and the right to food have been enshrined as the basic rights in the Constitution, Prime Minister Dahal reiterated that the socialism that is provided for in the Constitution would be implemented in practice. 

He said that the government is taking ahead some important work with the preparation of installing the embryo of socialism in the education sector.  

Stating that several attempts were made to create confusions and bring about misunderstanding among the leaders also even after the formation of the Socialist Front, PM Dahal said the leadership is ready to move ahead by defeating all these conspiracies.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the Investment Board Nepal would be developed as an efficient institution.

Receiving an annual report of the Board this morning, PM Dahal said it would be advanced as an effective and efficient institution capable of best utilizing the knowledge and experience of experts.

On the occasion, PM Dahal directed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Board to present a necessary framework containing policy, legal and institutional measures for reforms.

The Prime Minister said that the government was mulling to develop the Board as a prime institution to build strategic infrastructure projects.

Saying that the office of the Board has done a great deal in the areas of coordination, collaboration and partnership, Dahal urged the Board to bring the institution to a new height and further contribute to the prosperity and development of the country.

He expressed the commitment on behalf of the government to provide necessary support to the Board in its future efforts.

Prime Minister Dahal also said that his optimism that the foreign direct investment along with private sector investment can be amassed for the development of mega infrastructures in the country by capitalizing the ground works of the Board office last year.

He said that the government's commitment to gradually incentivize private investment in development.

PM Dahal further said he was excited to get response from some international-level organizations about the professional delivery of the Board office.

The 'screening process' adopted by the Board in project development was scientific and contextual, Dahal commented, asking the Board to receive support from the concerned ministries in identifying and structuring projects.

Also speaking on the occasion, Board's Chief Executive Officer Sushil Bhatta said that the Board's strategic plan, mandate, business plan and work progress against the budget and program of the government.

The progress report of the Board has highlighted its performances in project management, investment promotion, institutional development and coordination, collaboration and partnership.

CEO Bhatta also briefed the Prime Minister about key works to be carried out in the current fiscal year.

There is a practice where the CEO presents the annual progress report of the board before the Prime Minister and Board Chairperson and a performance contract between Board Chairperson and CEO is signed.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that the tradition to demand the resignation of the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister for political reasons was not good. 

Speaking at a press conference organized at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu upon his return from Italy today, PM Dahal said that the major opposition's obstruction in Parliament demanding the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister's resignation was not a good thing. 

Dahal said that he would further clarify on this matter after holding discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister and ministers. "The tradition of unilaterally demanding resignation without offering a chance for furnishing clarification is not good," the PM reiterated.

The PM, who represented Nepal in the UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization from June 24 to July 28, said that Nepal's participation in the event was important in itself. 

The Summit was important to further establish Nepal's presence and status in the international community. 

On a different note, he said that the government had made necessary efforts to control the lumpy skin disease spreading rapidly in cattle. 

Millions of cattle have been administered vaccines against the viral disease, he said.  

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that his government has launched a new move to establish social justice, good-governance, development works and prosperity in the country.

At a program organized in Rome by Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), Italy chapter in his reception, the PM said that the government has taken stern steps against corruption and ill-practices.

The PM said that his government is working to control anomalies, ensure prompt service delivery and bring about massive changes in people's life from the beginning of its formation.

People's longstanding woes for passport collection and driving license are over now and the economy has been brought on track now, the PM told the Nepali diaspora in Italy and Europe.

Currently, PM Dahal is in Italy to attend the United Nations Food Systems Summit+ 2 Stocktaking Moment taking place at the FAO Headquarters in Rome of Italy.

"We have worked to bring more and more workers on board the Social Security Fund,” PM Dahal said, adding, “Nepali migrant workers in foreign countries have been linked to the Fund," according to PM Prachanda.

The government is working to ensure social service and direct relief to the people, he added.

Likewise, the government took action in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam since it was an anti-national and an organized crime, the PM said. "The government took this step to clean the dirt," he mentioned.

Furthermore, the PM said that the trend of crime committed to transfer the public land in the name of individuals is coming to an end from the probe into the Lalita Niwas land scam.

This is not an issue just from Lalita Niwas but is linked to the campaign of economic prosperity of the country through new land policy by ending the 'mafia regime' across the country, Prime Minister Dahal said.

Saying that an individual could not end all the heaps of ill-practices amassed in the country, the PM called for support from all Nepalis to end such wrongdoings and ill-practices.

On the occasion, PM Dahal stated that relevance of the latest political transformation will be justified only if people's livelihood was improved. "Sustainability and relevance of the political transformation will not be justified if there was no change in people's livelihood," the PM stated.

Furthermore, PM Dahal said that he was firm to do something for the country and people during his tenure and added that he was working to transform the country's status based on the same determination.

"The party, ideology and leader who fought to bring about changes has more concerns. Whether this transformation bodes well to people or not is my determination while taking responsibility for the prime minister this time," PM Dahal added.

"So, to safeguard the country and people from the accident, important steps have been taken in the capacity of the government's leadership this time," the PM stated.

On the occasion, the PM said that the government is positive to address the issues of NRNA including ensuring market to Nepali goods in Europe and list Nepali as the source country of seasonal workers in Italy and others.

Likewise, the PM said that his informal meetings with the Italian Prime Minister, United Nations Secretary-General and others in the United Nations Food Systems Summit+ 2 in Italy.

The PM also told the NRNs that Nepal-Italy relations would be further deepened after his current visit.

In his speech, PM Dahal assured to address the challenges and issues of Nepali diaspora in Italy adding that he had a chance to closely get familiar with the challenge Nepali citizens are facing in Italy.

Foreign Secretary Bharatraj Paudel and Ambassador of Nepal to Austria Bharat Kumar Regmi shared about the government's commitment to meet the pertinent issues of the NRNs including citizenship issue and others too.

During the event, the participants from the NRNA thanked the Prime Minister for bringing the divided NRNA together.

As the youths are leaving abroad for foreign jobs and the land plots in the rural areas are left barren, the country has imported millet worth Rs 513 million in the last fiscal year from India.

In the fiscal year 2079/80 BS, millet import reached Rs 513 million from Kakadbhitta customs point.

According to the Information Officer at the Plant Quarantine Office in Kakadbhitta Chandra Kishor Thakur, a total of 16,035 metric tons of millet was imported from Kakadbhitta customs point.

Likewise, pumpkins worth Rs 57.7 million were imported from India in the last fiscal year from Kakadbhitta customs point, according to Thakur.

Similarly, chilly worth almost Rs 200 million was imported from Kakadbhitta customs point in the fiscal year 2079/80 BS, Thakur said. 

Thakur said that fruits and vegetables including onion, tomato, long guard, yam, watermelon, ginger and others worth billions were imported during the time from India.

However, the local producers in the eastern districts have complained of limited market for the domestic products due to unrestricted imports of vegetables and fruits from India and other countries.