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The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation has started land screening for the squatters. The process is assisted by the Soil-Archiving Management System (SAMS).

It aims to find out whether the people claiming to be landless actually have their own land somewhere else in the country.

Ministry Joint-Secretary and Spokesperson Ganesh Prasad Bhatta said the examination is based on various policies, rules and procedures and the government is committed to making it transparent and effective. 

Now, the Ministry is collecting the names of squatters in the Kathmandu Valley and it is in the process of identifying the genuine landless squatters. 

The identification would pave the way to sustainable management of landless squatters, it is said. 

A total of 110 land revenue, 21 land reform and revenue offices function under the Ministry. 

President Ram Chandra Poudel has, on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, issued the 'Ordinance on Special Provisions related to the termination of Public Office-bearers, 2083' on Friday. 

With this step taken by the Prime Minister Balendra Shah-led government with the aim of strengthening the administration and giving new momentum to state bodies, a total of 1,594 officials who received political appointments under various acts and structures will be relieved of their posts.

Those affected include office-bearers of Nepal Airlines Corporation, Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), Gorkhapatra Corporation, Film Censorship Board, Telecommunications Authority, Press Council and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.

Information Technology Tribunal and Appellate Tribunal, Information Commission, Advertisement Board, Public Service Broadcasting will also see political appointees relieved from these posts.

In the Education and University Sector, office-bearers of Teachers Service Commission, Nepal Sanskrit University, Technical Education and Vocational Training Council, National Youth Council, Kathmandu University, the Tribhuvan University, University Grants Commission and Purbanchal University will be removed.

Similarly, political appointees of Pokhara University,  Lumbini Buddhist University, Sudurpaschim University, Madhyapaschim University, Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal Open University, Rajarshee Janak University and the Madan Bhandari University will be relieved of their duties.

In the Health, Medicine and Science Sector, appointees in Ayurveda Medical Council, Nepal Health Research Council, Animal Health and Animal Service Practitioners Council, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal Nursing Council, Nepal Health Practitioners Council, BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Shahid Gangalal National Heart Center, Nepal Pharmacy Council and National Academy of Medical Sciences will be affected by the new decision.

Similarly, officials of Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences,  Rapti Academy of Health Sciences, Health Insurance Board, Nepal Medical Council, National Medical Education Council, Vidushi Yogmaya Himalayan Ayurveda University and Shahid Dashrath Chand University of Health Sciences will be removed. 

Furthermore, appointees of Nepal Electricity Authority, Kathmandu Valley Development Authority, Nepal Drinking Water Corporation, Municipal Development Fund, Road Board, Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nepal Railways will be terminated. 

In the financial sector, Employees Provident Fund, Citizens Investment Fund, Nepal Chartered Accountants, Industrial Business Development Corporation, Securities Board, Competition Promotion and Market Protection Agency and the Review Committee under the Public Procurement Act will see their office-bearers relieved. 

Office-bearers at Deposit and Credit Guarantee Fund, the Special Economic Zones Committee, the Public-Private Partnership and Investment Board, Industrial Business, Insurance and Accreditation Board are to be removed.

In the Agriculture, Environment, Academy and Social Sector, those going to see termination are at the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, the National Dairy Development Board, National Tea and Coffee Development Board, Nepal Veterinary Council, the Plant Quarantine and Protection Board, Pesticide Management Board, Environment Protection Board and Food Hygiene and Standards  Agency.

Office-bearers appointed by the previous government under the Nepali Language Publication Corporation Act, the Guthi Corporation Act, Lumbini Development Fund Act and the Pashupati Area Development Trust Act, 2044 are going to be relieved of their posts.

Similarly, the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, the Nepal Scouts, Greater Janakpur Area Development Council, the National Foundation for the Upliftment of Indigenous Peoples, the Indigenous Peoples Council, Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, Nepal Academy of Music and Drama and Nepal Academy of Fine Arts will see office-bearers being relieved of their posts.

In the administrative and social sector, officials of Nepal Administrative Training Academy, Local Development Training Academy, Social Welfare Council, Nepal Engineering Council, Foreign Employment Board, Nepal Trust, Commission for the Investigation, Truth and Reconciliation of Enforced Disappearances will be removed. 

Ten office-bearers appointed under the Labor Act, 2074 BS and seven officials appointed under the Contribution-Based Social Security Act, 2074 BS, Four officials appointed under the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, 2074 BS and 17 officials appointed under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2074 BS will be relieved of their posts.

Similarly, four officials appointed under the Land Use Act, 2076 BS, three officials appointed under the Radioactive Substances (Use and Regulation) Act, 2077 BS and 27 officials appointed under the National Sports Development Act, 2077 BS will be relieved of their posts.

President Ram Chandra Paudel has said that press freedom is the cornerstone of democracy and is equally important in implementing the constitutional right of citizens to be informed. "The more impartial, independent and strong the press is the stronger the democratic system will be."

In a message today on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the President has said press freedom should be ensured, allowing journalists to have a safe environment to carry out their duties to inform the people. "Our constitution has guaranteed full freedom of the press and expression."

On the occasion, he has also wished that the Nepali media community always be successful in fully utilizing and protecting the constitutionally granted rights and in conveying fact-based and true information to the general public.

Stating that the increasing use of social media and the false and misleading information that may be disseminated through it are a challenge before us, President Paudel has expressed his hope that this day would give more energy, encouragement and motivation to the Nepali press sector to disseminate truth, facts and reliable information to the people while addressing such challenges.

In a similar message, Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav has said that press freedom, as guaranteed by the Constitution, is not only the right of journalists or media personnel, but also the common right of all citizens to know the truth, express their opinion, and make prudent decisions.

Stating that the Constitution of Nepal ensures press freedom as a fundamental right, Vice President Yadav said that a free press is the backbone of democracy. 

He has also expressed his best wishes that journalism may move forward fearlessly by exercising and protecting the right granted by the Constitution.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is holding its Secretariat meeting today to discuss various contemporary issues.

According to the party's spokesperson, Manish Jha, the meeting is scheduled to be held at 11 am today at the party's central office, Ghantighar, Banasthali.

The meeting is also scheduled to discuss the local level candidate selection framework-2083, general convention procedure-2083, amendment of the Parliamentary Party’s statute, among other issues.