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Recent calls from some lawmakers for downsizing the Nepali Army and using the money thus saved for development works have courted controversies.  

On July 11, a National Assembly member and former minister for foreign affairs, Bimala Rai Paudyal, stood in the parliament in favor of downsizing the national army while taking part in a discussion on cost-cutting measures. Paudyal reasoned that Nepal did not need a big army in times of peace and that it would be impossible for the army to defend the country against either of the two neighbors even if the need arose, while also pointing out the army had not been able to protect the borders. 

Swarnim Wagle, an economist and lawmaker from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, has also been advocating for downsizing the national army as a means to reduce pressure on the economy. Citing Sri Lanka’s example, which reduced the size of its army by a third to combat the recent recession, Wagle argued during a meeting of the House of Representatives on June 20 that Nepal should consider similar measures.

These calls from the two parliamentarians, who are also PhD scholars, have sparked a series of discussions at the national level. While these are not the first such calls, it is the first time a debate has taken place in the parliament on the matter. Discussions about the national army are not unwarranted, but they should be contextual and based on facts. A state’s policies and plans determine the size and the structure of its army, so it will be far-fetched to take the army leadership as the sole factor in this. 

Development and expansion of any institute, including the national army, takes a long time, hard work, and investment, with the concerned state’s plans and policies playing a vital role in the whole process. Therefore, demands for reduction, structural changes, or removal of responsibilities should be based on careful consideration rather than momentary impulses, even if they are coming from scholars. Instead of arguing irresponsibly (without presenting solid proof to back their arguments) and eroding the morale of the army, policymakers should focus more on enhancing the army’s capabilities.

History and the way forward

The history of the Nepali Army is closely linked with the unification of modern Nepal. Founded by King Prithvi Narayan Shah to support the unification campaign, the army has evolved into its current form. It has a rich history of engaging in various wars and is considered the most experienced army in South Asia in terms of war experience. The army has played an important role in the Nepal-Tibet War, Nepal-China War, the war with East India Company (Anglo-Nepal War), quelling the unrest in Hyderabad at the request of India, ending the Indian Sepoy Mutiny as well as ending the Khampa conflict within the country and in controlling the 10-year Maoist insurgency. Apart from maintaining peace, the army is adept at military diplomacy. Helping the country overcome critical situations like the blockade along with the import of vaccines and health materials from neighboring and friendly countries during the pandemic are vivid examples of military diplomacy. Its important role in life and death situations like natural disasters and epidemics has not gone unnoticed. 

Internal or external crises are not something that can be predicted. That is why, the army must stand ready to deal with potential emergencies even during peacetime. Commendable work of the army during earthquakes, tornadoes, pandemics, floods, landslides, and fires demonstrates its significance in crisis situations. 

As underlined above, the army has different roles to play in different parts of Nepal and beyond. NA soldiers serve in the United Nations’ peacekeeping missions, provide security to infrastructure, guard national parks, conduct search and rescue missions during natural disasters and play different roles in development projects as per government directives. Therefore, before debating the number of soldiers required in Nepal, it is essential to understand the organizational structure of the army. On the other hand, while the situation of unemployment and youth migration is dire, young people are getting jobs and serving the country. Contrary to the expert MPs’ argument, the state’s investment in the army has not gone waste.

Of course, debates about the army are necessary. But such debates should not lower the morale of the army or weaken its structure. Rather, the debates should focus on making the army more and more capable by developing world-class military technologies and competing in the fields of information and technology. Policy-level discussions should explore the possibility of creating more jobs within the military structure so as to reduce the outmigration of young people. 

Summing up, those responsible for running the state should effectively mobilize available resources and explore sustainable resources for the future rather than advocating for the destruction of existing state structures in the pretext of an economic crisis.

I used to frown upon parboiled rice when I was a young lad; honestly, I couldn’t stand it, nor did everybody in the family. Beggars can’t be choosers; we had to eat the rice since my dad, a diabetic, ordered the stuff, and whatever he said stood as sacrosanct then.

The smell, or rather, the stink, turned me off. When cooked, the disgusting odor permeated every nook and cranny of the house. That was way back in the 1960s, and the same parboiled rice was rationed to the lower echelon of the army and police cadets, to their utter dislike, too.

Times have changed, however. In the later years, the parboiled rice no longer carried that obnoxious smell and taste close to white rice, surprisingly, with better nutrient values. I switched from white rice to parboiled for over six years since it turned out friendlier to my glycemic index. Compared to white rice, it has a distinct odor as it’s steamed along with the paddy husk, but in no way offensive like it used to be in the earlier days. 

I went for the parboiled rice primarily because I’m a diabetic. Hold on. It does not hint at a no-go for non-diabetics, though. Parboiled rice bears fewer calories and carbohydrates but more fiber and protein than refined and polished white rice. That makes it a healthier alternative to traditional white rice. And food science backs it.

Given that rice is a mainstay of our daily diet, I decided to delve into its nutritional properties vis-à-vis white rice, which is more commonly consumed and preferred. Concerning nutrition, the findings established their edge over their white counterparts. To begin with, a little lowdown on the parboiled rice would be well-founded.

Regarding white rice, following de-husking in the mill, the paddy turns into white rice. Next, it goes through the final polishing measures. This process rids the rice of its layer of bran and the germ; consequently, much of its nutrition, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals, is lost, mainly leaving the starchy endosperm (the heart of the rice kernel).  

In contrast, parboiled rice, also known as converted rice, with a slight yellow hue, commonly consumed in Asian and African countries, undergoes three stages in the mill, such as soaking, steaming, drying, and finally de-husking. This process reduces its starch content, producing cultured grains that are less sticky and fluffier than white rice when cooked and, unlike white rice, shy of getting clumpy when stored in the refrigerator and reheated.  

The parboiling of paddy retains its micronutrients contained in the bran, which get usually displaced in white rice during whitening. This unique process preserves the parboiled rice’s natural vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, producing a nutrient-dense grain with better health benefits than refined white rice. Studies have shown parboiled rice boasts nearly twofold the amount of vitamins as against white or brown rice.

Nepal, India, or for that matter, all of East and Southeast Asia depend upon rice as a staple diet. Did you know about 50 percent of the world’s paddy production goes under parboiling, with close to 75 percent in India alone? The upside of parboiling is that it helps prolong rice storage, reduce broken grain, increase head rice yield, and reduce nutritional loss during the milling process. 

For potential health benefits, let’s scrutinize why parboiled rice has an edge over white rice. Parboiled rice packs nearly double the dietary fiber compared to white rice. And it's an exceptional source of niacin, thiamine, and magnesium and a moderate source of protein, iron, and zinc—thus securing the drop on white rice. 

Gut health

Healthy bacteria, or probiotics, help restore the natural balance of bacteria in our gut, like the stomach, small/large intestines, and rectum, to name a few. The starch content in parboiled rice functions as a prebiotic or resistant starch and promotes the growth of beneficial intestinal microorganisms in our bodies. 

Besides, it encourages the growth of healthy bacteria, or probiotics, in our guts, which benefits our overall health. Parboiled rice (partially cooked) before milling is lighter and easier to digest than white and brown rice. 

A safer option for diabetics

Studies have shown that parboiled rice has a lower impact on blood sugar levels compared to white rice and brown rice. Accredited dietitians and nutritionists maintain parboiled rice’s low glycemic index at 38, scoring lower than brown rice at 47 and white rice at 89 (source: Harvard Health Publications). 

That factor aids in checking sudden blood sugar spikes and helps improve insulin sensitivity, benefitting type-2 people with diabetes. There is more—refrigerated parboiled rice, or the leftovers, eaten after heating even lessens the impact on blood sugar levels.

When people with type 2 diabetes ate about 1 1/8 cups (185 grams) of cooked parboiled rice after fasting overnight, their increase in blood sugar was 35 percent less than when they ate the same amount of regular white rice (healthline.com).

Benign to hypertension 

Food science advocates that one cup of parboiled rice meets the daily dose of calcium, potassium, iron, and manganese required by our body. The rich manganese content helps lower blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart attacks. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com). 

As a balanced diet, parboiled rice is an intelligent choice for those who strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Its low-fat and zero-cholesterol quality offers a heart-healthy eating regimen. 

Boosts immune system

Loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients, the high content of anthocyanins present in parboiled rice helps reduce inflammation and the risk of cancer. 

When all is said and done about the nitty-gritty of parboiled rice, switching to it could be a healthier option than other types of rice.   

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above text are solely research-based; the author solicits reader discretion and cross-reference

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Gold smuggling has heavily impacted Nepal’s legal gold trade. Traders pay around Rs 1.25m customs duty while importing a kilogram of gold. Smuggled gold hitting the market means legal traders like us can’t compete with illegal ones as smuggled gold comes cheap and entails a huge profit margin. It not only kills healthy competition but also hits the revenues.

During festive and marriage seasons, Nepal’s daily gold demand surges to 30-35 kg against the import of 10 kg. Not filling this demand-supply gap is akin to letting smugglers have a free rein.

The government should ensure the availability of gold as per the demand in the domestic market. 

While traders stay in serpentine queues for hours to get a gram of gold, smugglers readily supply gold in required quantities. As the government is silent on this matter, we have no option but to leave Nepal seeking a better future.

The author is president of  Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association

Every year, the US State Department comes up with its annual reports on different thematic issues of the countries with which it has diplomatic relations. Such annual reports provide insights into how the US views other countries. 

In this article, we present the major highlights of the key US reports such as 2023 Investment Climate Statements, Trafficking in Person’s Report, International Religious Freedom Reports and Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.

This week, the US State Department published its Investment Climate Statements. According to the report, hydropower, agriculture, tourism, ICT sector and infrastructure have significant commercial potential for investors. Nepal has an estimated 40,000 megawatts of commercially-viable hydropower electricity generation potential, which could become a major source of income through electricity exports, the report says.

The report recognizes that Nepal has established some investment-friendly laws and regulations in recent years, but significant barriers to investment remain. One of them is corruption which is impeding the investment climate in Nepal. The report states that political uncertainty is a continuing challenge for foreign as well as domestic investors.

Nepal’s ruling parties have spent much of their energy over the last years on internal political power struggles instead of governance, the report says.

The report further states that there is a lack of understanding of international business standards and practices among the political and bureaucratic class, and a legal and regulatory regime that is not quite aligned with international practices also impede, hinder and frustrate foreign investors. 

The Investment Climate Statements also raises questions about the role of trade unions. “Trade unions, each typically affiliated with parties or even factions within a political party, and unpredictable general strikes can create business risks, although this problem, once common, has diminished in recent years.”

The US report also questions the role of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), the national anti-corruption body. It says: “The 2015 constitution empowers the CIAA to conduct investigation of any abuse of authority committed through corruption by any persons holding public office. In practice, according to the report, the CIAA arrests and investigations tend to focus on lower-level government bureaucrats.”

According to the 2022 Corruption Perception Index released by Transparency International (TI), Nepal ranked 110th among 180 countries, placing it in the range of “highly corrupt” countries. In Jan 2018, local media reported that the CIAA is drafting a bill to replace the Prevention of Corruption Act, with the goal of making the new law compatible with the UN Convention against Corruption that Nepal signed in 2011. But the private sector is opposing some of the provisions of the draft. Nepal is not a member of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.

While anti-corruption laws extend to family members of officials and to political parties, the report says, there are no laws and regulations that are specifically designed to counter conflict-of-interest in awarding contracts of government procurements.  

A few months back, the US came up with its International Religious Freedom Report which raised issues that Christian groups continued to report difficulties operating as non-governmental organizations and multiple religiously affiliated organizations reported increased challenges renewing or registering their organizations. Christian groups said they continued to face difficulties buying or using land for burials, especially within the Kathmandu Valley, the report mentions.

It also speaks about the growing influence of India’s Bharatiya Janata Party in Nepal. The report cited Nepali civil society leaders as saying that the influence from India’s ruling party, the Hindu nationalist BJP, and other Hindu groups in India continue to pressure politicians in Nepal, particularly, the pro-Hindu, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, to support reversion to the Hindu state.

The report drew criticisms for its baseless accusation that BJP provided money to Nepali leaders for the Hindu cause. There were reports that the government sought clarification from the US side on the issue but it was never made public.

The US also has significant concerns over the religious freedom of the Tibetan community in Nepal, although the report does mention that there has been some improvement when it comes to the rights of the Tibetan community. The report cites Tibetan community leaders highlighting an increased ability to celebrate some religious and cultural holidays without police interference.

In June this year, the US came up with the Trafficking in Person’s Report which states that Nepal does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but is making significant efforts to do so.

In its Country Reports on Terrorism, the US has raised questions regarding the security situation in Nepal’s international airport as well as the open border that it shares with India. A more significant threat is non-Nepali international terrorist groups using Nepal as a transit/staging point for soft targets, the report says. Because of the open border with India and insufficient security protocols at the country’s sole functioning international airport in Kathmandu, the report says, it could be used as a transit or staging point for international terrorists.

In its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the US has provided its perspective on various aspects of human rights in Nepal. On transitional justice, the report says the government and judiciary did not significantly address most conflict-era human rights and humanitarian law abuses committed by the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, police and Maoists. The country’s two transitional justice mechanisms—Commission of Enforced Disappeared Persons and Truth and Reconciliation Commission—are not fully independent.