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An increasing number of Nepal’s youth population are flying abroad in search of jobs. 

This migration trend is not just limited to the unskilled and illiterate folk; it extends to the semi-skilled and even the skilled workforce. What's more, the exodus has witnessed skilled professionals from lucrative job markets like banking, insurance, healthcare, IT, and various corporate sectors bidding farewell to their homeland in pursuit of a brighter future. Furthermore, we have seen prominent sports personalities, from football to cricket, taking their talents overseas for the promise of better prospects.

According to the National Population and Housing Census 2021, Nepal boasts a youthful population, with 61.96 percent falling between the ages of 15-59 years. Yet, if the ongoing youth migration trend continues, encompassing the unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled individuals, Nepal's demographic structure is at risk of a significant and adverse transformation. The consequences are already felt. In rural parts of Nepal, be it in the mountains or the Tarai plains, finding labor for farming has become a daunting task. Simultaneously, white-collar jobs are plagued by a scarcity of suitable candidates, a challenge that becomes even more pronounced as one moves away from the bustling heart of Kathmandu to other corners of the nation.

This somber scenario suggests that a nation blessed with over 80,000 Megawatts of electricity production potential, and adorned with eight of the world's 14 highest peaks, along with sacred sites like Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, and Janakpurdham, the birthplace of Mata Sita, is at risk of failing in the due course of time. 

This critical situation demands concerted and positive efforts from leadership, both within the government and the private sector. Otherwise, Nepal may soon find itself predominantly inhabited by an aging, retired population.

As we ponder this bleak situation, it's vital to understand how a country begins to falter. Just as a person has multiple dimensions, a nation too possesses several bodies, including its physical presence, demographics, culture, economy, innovation, and historical legacy. The process of failure or disintegration is not abrupt; it's a gradual disintegration that takes time. However, alongside disintegration, development and integration also occur as a natural part of evolution.

Despite the challenges, it is imperative that we do not lose hope. In times of despair, the ray of hope must persist, particularly among those in leadership positions who possess awareness, an ethical mindset, and a desire to contribute to the greater good. Just as individuals form families, families make up societies, and societies together constitute a nation. The thought process of individuals and families plays a pivotal role in shaping the nation's trajectory. While complete coherence in thoughts and desires may be elusive, harmony amid diverse thoughts can be harnessed to propel a nation forward. Every individual, from their unique vantage point, holds the potential to contribute positively to strengthen their family, society, and nation.

To work for the greater good, whether in the social, economic, cultural, or innovation sector, three levels are essential: individual, institution, and government. Any endeavor, no matter how modest, can lead to achieving societal goals when approached with scalability, intent, focus, clarity, and unwavering determination. However, effective leadership is vital, and it is worth noting that our society often witnesses transactional leadership in which those in leadership positions rely on bureaucratic authority and legitimate power, or reward and punishment, to influence individual performance.

Instead of this transactional approach, our leaders should embrace a transformational perspective, motivating individuals by articulating a vision for the betterment of society as a whole. Such a transformational approach not only enhances the effectiveness of these efforts but also empowers followers to become leaders themselves. This approach aligns with John Calvin Maxwell's "The Five Levels of Leadership," which highlights leadership that goes beyond authority and hierarchy, inspiring loyalty and personal growth among followers.

Maxwell writes that the first level of leaders is those who are followed by the people because they must follow these leaders owing to their interests. Then comes the next level of leadership where people follow them because they want to follow them. The third level of leadership attracts the loyalty of the followers because these leaders have done something good for the institution or society. The fourth level of leaders are those who have not only contributed to the institution or society but have also empowered followers to become leaders themselves in their respective areas. The topmost i.e., the final level of leaders are those who are followed because of who they are and what they represent.

Nepal yearns for leaders who empower people to become successful leaders themselves, guiding the nation towards the next level of development and prosperity in a sustainable manner. Despite decades of longing for such transformational leaders, we must not lose faith in ourselves and our society, for real leaders can emerge at any given moment.

The author is Chief Executive Office of Muktinath Bikas Bank

The traffic congestion affecting our roads can be minimized to a great extent by paying attention to the key core and ancillary components like parking, road improvement, traffic lights, rules, human resources, dedicated lanes, scheduling and moral responsibility.

Ample parking space for staff as well as visitors must be made a precondition for establishment and operation of organizations and other infrastructure like public/private offices, hospitals and clinics, malls, educational institutions and sports complexes. The parking spaces set aside in the approved design for construction should be used exclusively for parking only. Roads are not meant for parking vehicles and taxis looking for passengers should be allowed to park on taxi stands only. This will ultimately lead to the development of taxi stands and private parking spaces at different locations.      

Improvement in road safety management practices is a continuing process. Traffic signs should be placed in such a way that they are distinctly visible. Pedestrians should have unhindered access to wide sidewalks/footpaths. Furthermore, relevant agencies should install reflectors at blind turns and repaint the road lanes from time to time to minimize traffic rule violations resulting from faded paints. 

 Traffic lights are the most important element for regulating vehicular movement on the road. This system works automatically as set up at the time of installation in terms of timing of the gap rotation and the direction to stop and move with the turning of lights. So, the electric traffic light system, already installed and used at different intersections and other vulnerable points, must be in operation throughout the day and night. As such, other crowded intersections should also have the system of electric traffic lights and signals/signs for a smooth traffic movement. The manual traffic regulatory clearance during the day time should be avoided as much as possible at crossings where traffic lights have already been installed.

For regulating road traffic, several traffic rules and regulations have already been enforced. Road traffic will be quite chaotic if any number of vehicles are allowed to ply without taking the carrying capacity of the road into account. Violators of traffic rules and regulations should be penalized without let or hindrance. The practice of booking in case of violations and imposing penalties, including impounding of licenses/orientation classes, should be continued. Moreover, pedestrians must be given orientation to cross the road by following traffic signs and lights.

 Police officers must be deployed in required numbers at busy intersections for effective enforcement of traffic rules and regulation and for streamlining road traffic with limited infrastructure. In the absence of electric traffic lights and overhead bridges or underpasses, the pedestrian has no option but to cross the road through zebra crossing. In many cases, pedestrians unaware of such rules end up blocking traffic by daring to cross the road haphazardly. 

 Instances of straight-moving vehicles occupying the free left lane have become an everyday affair in Kathmandu. All buses and three-wheelers must stop only at dedicated stops, only for embarkation and disembarkation for a smooth vehicular movement. 

Depending upon the availability of four or more lanes along some roads like Ring Road, one lane can be designated for specified vehicles mentioned above. The dedicated lane would be a faster lane as only one type of vehicle (say car/microbus) carrying more than one occupant can use it. This is a good approach to discourage single-driven cars. Some offices may even be tempted to provide such services to their staff.

Every vehicle owner/driver should primarily understand and realize his/her moral responsibility to abide by traffic rules and regulations. Also, it is always better to educate oneself first rather than asking others to follow. 

 Apart from traffic police and road users, authorities like city councils and municipalities can play a vital role in effective traffic management by declaring crowded marketplaces, historic monuments and cultural heritage sites like Ason, Indra Chowk and Durbar Squares, which draw a large number of visitors, no-vehicle areas. Such a move will also help in the preservation of heritages by curbing pollution.

Entry fees should be collected from vehicles entering crowded areas like New Road to discourage the use of vehicles in such areas. The weekly holiday (Saturday) and other public holidays should be declared pedestrians’ days by prohibiting the entry of vehicles on busy areas like New Road and Durbarmarg. Vehicles with odd and even registration numbers may be allowed to ply on alternate days to curb congestion.

The way forward

Several countries have taken the above-mentioned measures to deal with traffic congestion. They have also developed mass transit systems like bus rapid transit (BRT) and ropeways/cable cars for the same. In the case of ropeways and cars, many cities have built infrastructure like towers and stations along river banks. This means not having to foot exorbitant costs for land pooling. Relevant authorities can replicate this in the Kathmandu Valley, which is home to rivers like Bagmati and Bishnumati, and help preserve the aesthetic, cultural and historic components of the Bagmati civilization.  

The author is a former Executive Director, Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Board. He can be reached at [email protected]

This is part II of a two-part series 

The recent economic meltdown in Nepal began after the outbreak of Covid-19. The Russia-Ukraine war has made it worse. Amid questionable claims about the economic recovery, the government has not been doing much to address this crisis even as both imports and exports decline, taking a toll on revenue collection. 

In the name of doing something, the government is taking huge loans to cover up the expenses, causing a surge in debt from both internal and external sources. 

Worryingly, most of this debt services the unproductive sector while the masses remain deprived of daily necessities as if rampant corruption at every level of polity were not enough. 

Due to declining demands, industrial production has suffered as overall negative growth of the business and industries sector shows. While some of the businesses and industries have been operating at a loss, most of them have shut down. The meltdown in the productive sector, which employs a large number of people, means a steep rise in unemployment. 

Loss of jobs reduces people’s incomes and purchasing power goes down with it. Consumers do not even have money to buy the daily necessities, which means a decline in the demand for consumer goods. 

Banks, grappling with a liquidity crisis, are unable to provide loans to business, manufacturing, real estate and auto sectors. Construction works are getting delayed. Government revenue collection is declining and not enough even to meet the regular expenditure.

Meanwhile, the cost of manufacturing goods is going up, possibly due to a rise in the cost of labor and raw materials. When the price of a commodity increases, its demand falls. At the time of falling demands, businesses and industries cannot sell their products by lowering their prices. If they do so, they have to bear huge losses. In a similar manner, a shortage of goods in the market can push their prices up. 

When consumers cut expenses, the revenue of business and manufacturing establishments dips, negatively affecting production and productivity. Such a scenario can cause inflation, which Nepal is facing already. While banks are raising interest rates, business establishments are not taking loans. This means that recession has set in.

The consumer price index (CPI) is rising with prices hitting a new high as latest data from the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) show. In the fiscal year 2021/22, , CPI stood at 6.32 percent, while it climbed to 7.74 percent in FY 2022/23. 

Data from the central bank suggest that both export and import have been declining over the years. The imports stood at Rs 19bn and Rs 16bn in FY 2021/22 and 2022/23 respectively, while the export figures in both the fiscals were almost the same. These declining figures also mean that the trade deficit has gone down. In the FY 2021/22, trade deficit was Rs 17bn it came down to Rs 14bn in FY 2022/23, narrowed down by Rs 3bn. 

A deficit balance of payment in FY 2021/22 by Rs 3bn has been turned into surplus by the same amount in FY 2022/23. Evidently, the foreign exchange reserve has increased from Rs 12bn in 2021/22 to Rs 15bn in 2022/23. Export and import are the major sources of government revenues. Plummeting government revenues can affect the government’s capacity to spend, taking a toll on development activities. This means a government has to take loans even to cover daily or monthly expenses.

Nepal is not self-reliant even in food production. It has to import on a large scale to feed its citizens. India has banned the export of paddy in recent days. The government is in a rush to request India to supply rice to Nepal even as millions of hectares of farmlands remain barren both in the hills and the Tarai Madhes, mainly due to the absence of irrigation facilities and a shortfall of human resources, among other factors. With farmlands lying fallow, the share of the farm sector to GDP has been declining over the years. Improvement in the agri sector is a must also for sustainable development.

Industrial activities are melting down. Agriculture activities are also on a downward trend and so are business activities. Clearly, the Nepali economy is unwell. 

 Which sector has been playing an active role even in this grim scenario to keep the economy afloat? 

There is only one sector, which has stood as a source of livelihoods for the Nepali people and that is the foreign employment sector. A large number of Nepali youths are migrating in search of livelihood of late. They are sending increasing amounts of money to their families living in Nepal. In FY 2021/22, Nepal received Rs 10.7bn in remittances, while in the FY 2022/23, it received a whopping Rs 12.2bn, an increase of 21.2 percent. This proves that remittance is a major source of foreign exchange and livelihood for the Nepali people.

“What goes best with a cup of coffee? Another cup”—Henry Rollins. It’s an open secret that coffee drinking today has become all the rage worldwide. Over 2.25bn cups of coffee get gulped down daily across the globe. In America alone, 87 percent are near or full-on coffee nuts. “There is nothing like a ‘cup of steaming joe’ the first thing in the morning,” says an American friend of mine. “A cup of joe,” meaning coffee, is a derivative from a fusion of two slangs: java and jamoke. 

Coffee, also noted for its exceptional aroma, is exhilarating to your olfactory senses. Suppose lighter roasts give a fruity, flowery, or herbaceous whiff, and medium-roasted coffee beans smack of caramelized, nutty, spicy, or chocolaty flavor. In that case, darker roasts boast that bold, smoky, earthy nuance.

During the 1600s, the Dutch introduced coffee to Southeast Asia by planting coffee seedlings in islands like Bali, Sumatra, and Java. Ultimately, java became a generic expression for coffee but no longer referred to coffee from the Island of Java.

Some novel facts about coffee you probably didn’t know:

• An Ethiopian Goat herder discovered coffee centuries ago.
• Bees love coffee.
• In 1938, a hermit, Hira Giri, brought coffee beans to Nepal from Myanmar and planted them for the first time in Nepal at Aapchaur in Gulmi.
• Kopi Luwak, one of the most expensive coffees in the world, was first discovered in Indonesia by farmers while picking coffee cherries off their trees. The farmers accidentally ran into the coffee fruits swallowed and excreted by the Asian Palm Civet. The farmers separated the beans from the cat poop, washed them well, and roasted them to sell at an exorbitant price—a cup of Kopi Luwak coffee costs between $35 and $100 today.
• The credit behind introducing coffee culture in Nepal goes to a Bhaktapur resident, Gagan Pradhan. The first outlet of Himalayan Java at Heritage Plaza, Kamaladi 1999, was his brainchild.

Some two decades back, coffee drinking in Kathmandu remained remote and looked like a privilege enjoyed by those in the know. Coffee drinking held an elite status, considered a cult amongst the elite. Today, Kathmandu and Nepal big cities are booming with coffee culture, revamping the urban lifestyle.

When the issue of coffee crops up, you are spoilt for choice with a horde of java blends the modern-day coffee joints serve, from espresso, mocha, cappuccino, latte, Americano, and a Frappuccino to mind-boggling flavor pairings, whether with ice-cream, choco-bits, rich cream, marshmallow, nuts, fruits, you name it. If the potpourri of toothsome flavors strikes you dumb, watching the barista knock up your blend with a flourish is nothing less than stimulating.  

On the flip side, nothing compares to the elegant simplicity of a regular black coffee when it boils down to its health benefits, as dressing your coffee with cream and sugar or the gamut of those fancier concoctions only poses a risk of negating the health benefits. 

Albeit an instant brew outstrips when it comes to cost and ease, the flavor and quality of freshly ground (Arabica) coffee beans stand second to none. There is, however, so much choice out there to ground coffee; each bean variety carries a unique zing. 

Coffee drinking has been, however, long the topic of debates and clashing feedback regarding its impact on health. And the primary reason for this controversy lies in its caffeine content. It's time to separate fact from fabrication and dig into this myth surrounding coffee consumption.  

From 1991 to early 2016, the WHO categorized coffee drinking as a potential carcinogen running a risk of cancer. That further fueled the fire and frustrating news for the java aficionados. But with the ensuing years, the science-backed and peer-reviewed studies came up with promising results for coffee drinking—more vital than ever and with salutary implications.

The newer studies highlighted that coffee, touted as a vehicle for caffeine detrimental to health, had a lot of sunny side. With time, for its potential health benefits, it breezed into a daily meal plan for most.  

In 2020, an article by Dawn MacKeen in the New York Times reported: “In moderation, coffee seems to be good for most people — that’s 3 to 5 cups daily, or up to 400 milligrams of caffeine.” With evident health benefits, the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) also recommended 400 milligrams a day—four or five cups of coffee—as safe with no adverse effects.

Since coffee may slightly raise the heart rate, people may assume it could trigger or worsen specific heart issues, giving an unwarranted rap to coffee drinking. “But our data suggest that daily coffee intake shouldn’t be discouraged, but rather included as a part of a healthy diet for people with and without heart disease,” said Peter M. Kistler, MD, professor and head of arrhythmia research at the Alfred Hospital and Baker Heart Institute in Melbourne, Australia.  

"The overall evidence has been pretty convincing that coffee has been more healthful than harmful in terms of health outcomes," said Frank Hu, chairperson of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in 2021.  

He further manifested that moderate coffee intake—about 2–5 cups a day—is linked to a lower likelihood of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver, endometrial cancers, Parkinson’s disease, and depression. It’s even possible that people who drink coffee can reduce their risk of early death. The updated findings even linked to a lower risk of coronary heart disease in coffee-drinking women.

With the higher incidence of colon cancer in men and women (1.3: 1 ratio), newer research has found that colorectal cancer is less likely to develop in coffee-drinking people. 

According to AHA (American Heart Association), “Just a couple of calories a cup, good old black coffee packs quite a punch. It wakes you up, boosts your metabolic rate and decreases the risk of some diseases.”

Let’s take a look at science-backed substantiation of coffee-drinking health benefits that seem to stack up: 

• For its caffeine content, coffee nurtures your energy level, supports you in losing weight, and hones your mental focus. Regular intake of coffee helps improve mood, endurance, and performance during workouts.
• Coffee came to be associated with a lessened risk of Type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. Another startling discovery surfaced that caffeine defended against or slowed down the process of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. (Source: British Heart Association)
• Meticulous scientific studies further complemented coffee for its antioxidant properties, which protect our cells against free radicals, guarding against heart disease, cancer, and other chronic conditions.
• Even higher consumption of coffee—caffeinated and decaf alike—may relate to low mortality. The regular intake of coffee worked wonders against the nervous system and helped discourage suicidal tendencies. 
• Coffee drinking (black with no sugar or sweeteners) promotes cognitive function, enhancing memory, attention, response time, and creativity. 
• Be it regular or decaf, coffee holds a protective guard for our liver. Advanced research and studies showed coffee drinkers were more likely to have liver enzyme levels at a healthy level than people who did not drink coffee. 

Caveat: To sum up, the goodness of coffee drinking unquestionably has busted a string of myths girding it. However, coffee lovers should also perceive caffeine as dangerous if consumed excessively. Inordinate caffeine input can lead to jitters, anxiety, and disintegrated sleep patterns.

So, temperance or moderation is vital to tuning coffee consumption into a healthy diet. Unless you are highly sensitive to caffeine, a few cups during the day should not affect your sleep pattern. However, avoiding coffee about six hours before bedtime is probably best. Always consult a healthcare professional for individualized advice and guidance.

While caffeine is not bad for senior adults, limiting coffee to no more than four cups a day is advisable. An excessive coffee intake stimulates the nervous system; it is likely to cause heartburn, anxiety, headaches, restlessness, dehydration, and elevated heart palpitations: Mayo Clinic.

Caffeine consumption is also linked with adverse effects on calcium metabolism, possibly causing diminishing calcium absorption in the body. Albeit, coffee drinking in moderation is of slight concern vis-a-vis bone degeneration, a natural biological phenomenon. 

However, coffee fads need to take calcium-rich food like dairy products, citrus fruits, fish, and nuts, to name a few, to negate the caffeine effect on our bones. (americanbonehealth.org)

Also, get yourself into a routine workout to pump those endorphins and strike a balance between your diet, including coffee, and a healthy lifestyle. 

References:  National Institutes of Health (NIH), American College of Cardiology, the Mayo Clinic, WebMD, John Hopkins Medicine, and others.

“The article is a testament to the author’s dedicated research on the potential benefits of coffee consumption, offering a wealth of valuable information that undoubtedly brings good news to coffee enthusiasts. It sheds light on a promising meta-analysis indicating a potential reduction in all-cause mortality, alluding to the positive aspects of coffee consumption. Nevertheless, it reminds us of the need for Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) to solidify these findings. This balanced and informative perspective allows us to appreciate the health-related possibilities associated with coffee, underlining the author’s commendable effort in exploring this topic.”—Dr Denis Shrestha, Senior Consultant Cardiologist, Critical Care Specialist

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above text are solely research-based, not medical advice; the author solicits readers’ discretion and cross-references or consulting a healthcare provider for further confirmation. 

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