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The Kathmandu District Court has ordered the police administration to keep Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane in the judicial custody.

A single bench of District Judge Madhav Prasad Adhikari issued an order to keep President Lamichhane in the judicial custody, asking him to appear at the bench at 10 am on Monday.

He was sent to the judicial custody as there was no hearing today.

Registrar at the Kathmandu District Court Ramu Sharma said, "Statement of Lamichhane was recorded over the issue of funds embezzlement of Swarnalaxmi Cooperatives of Kathmandu." 

The report of the Office of the Attorney General for the fiscal year 2080/81 BS has been submitted to President Ram Chandra Paudel today.

Attorney General Ramesh Badal submitted the report to the President at a program held today at the Office of the President, Sheetal Niwas.

On that occasion, President Paudel said that the investigation, prosecution, pleading, advocacy and defense of government cases should be more scientific, effective and factual, and if the success rate of the case can be increased, the rule of law, and especially, the criminal justice administration will be effective.

"Rather than increasing the success rate of the case, I think it is more important whether the victim gets justice or not. Therefore, the responsibility of the Attorney General is not only to punish the offender but also to ensure that the victim gets justice with compensation," President Paudel said on the occasion.

The President also expressed his belief that the Attorney General's Office will pay special attention to whether the Constitution of Nepal has been effectively implemented to protect the rights of victims in the context of the fundamental rights of the Constitution of Nepal.

On that occasion, Attorney General Badal presented the summary of the report.

The second meeting of Nepal-India Joint Business Forum (JBF) has laid emphasis on expansion of bilateral trade and business.

The meeting aimed at further deepening the economic and business relations between the two countries concluded on Saturday.

On the occasion, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari said that India is Nepal's largest trading partner and both countries should take the decisions of the JBF meeting into implementation.

He also underscored on carrying out works for resolving the problems seen in the import and export between the two nations in an easier manner.

Ministry Secretary Govinda Bahadur Karki spoke of the need of practical implementation of the topics decided in the JBF meeting.

Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) President Chandra Prasad Dhakal said there is immense possibility in the economic sector between Nepal and India. He stressed on moving ahead through policy reforms and exploring practical solutions for addressing the problems seen in both trade and business sectors.  

He called for removing the non-tariff barriers, facilitating in resolving the problems arising due to the certification process of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in export of Nepali goods, for air connectivity between Bhairahawa and Pokhara airports of Nepal with various Indian cities and for the smooth supply of explosives required for construction and development of hydroelectricity projects.

The FNCCI President also raised the topic of expanding Nepal's access to various Indian ports, including Mundra (Gujarat), Dhamara (Udisha) and Jawaharlal Nehru port (Mumbai).

The JBF meeting is a part of Nepal-India Commerce Secretary-level Meeting. In the meeting, the representatives of Nepal and India had discussed trade, investment, energy, tourism, agriculture, information technology and infrastructure development, among other topics.

An agreement was reached in the JBF meeting for the promotion of clean energy through collaboration in hydroelectricity and renewable energy, solar and wind projects, of tourism and connectivity, of easing the trans-border trade by strengthening the road, railway and air connectivity and of enhancing trade and cross-border investment, agriculture and medicinal plants, providing high-yielding seeds and technology by removing the quota for agricultural productions, of collaboration in research and commercialization of medicinal herbs and of cooperation in digital technology and startups.

The agreed upon topics of the meeting have been handed over to the Commerce Secretary of Nepal and India on Saturday itself.

JBF President Bhawani Rana and Santhil Kumar handed over the agreement to Commerce Secretary of India Sunil Barthwal and Nepal's Commerce Secretary Karki.

The Indian Commerce Secretary expressed the commitment to take the initiative for the implementation of the agendas raised in course of the JBF meeting.

Ambassador of India to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava said this meeting is important in terms of the economic issues between the two countries and that he would take initiatives for facilitating the topics raised in the JBF meeting.

JBF Nepal President Bhawani Rana reiterated that there is extensive possibility of investment and trade between Nepal and India, and there should be the required facilitation for taking benefit from this.

Similarly, from the Indian side N Sunil Kumar believed that there would be more convenience in the coming days, as the road, railway and air connectivity between Nepal and India is improving.

It is agreed that the JBF next meeting will be convened in New Delhi, India.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has said the climate change and sustainability of trade are common global agenda, so they warrant collective action and address.

Inaugurating the 3rd annual conference on 'Climate Change and Sustainability of Trade in South Asia' organized jointly by the World Trade Organization and the Kathmandu University in the federal capital on Saturday, DPM Paudel reminded that Nepal is on the forefront of climate change vulnerability, resulting into adverse impacts on socio-economy and infrastructures.

Decentralization of production centres and diversification of supply chain could help reduce risk in trade infrastructures, according to him.

The DPM hoped the conference would be fruitful to whet the pressing issues of climate change in south Asia and build common perspectives among policy makers, researchers and private sector representatives so that they would take proper strategies for future.

Efforts made by Nepal despite its negligible role in climate change need to be made visible. The climate actions like mitigation and adaptation should be prioritized, he suggested.

Similarly, the Finance Minister pointed out the need for developing climate resilient infrastructures so that supply chain will not be disrupted. On the occasion, Registrar at the Kathmandu University, Dr Achyut Wagle, said the initiatives for sustainable economic development should be friendly to private sector. Just and balanced efforts in south Asia can promote trade, he said, adding that continuous actions are required to reduce impact of climate change.

In view of Joint Secretary at Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply, Devraj Joshi, Nepal could forward sustainable trade by addressing the problems facing trade and climate change.

Study and research in this sector would enrich policy and action plans, he believed. Representatives from nine countries including Nepal, India, Bangladesh, China, Turkey, and Indonesia attended the event.