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CPN-UML Parliamentary Party leader Khagaraj Adhikari has staked a claim for the chief ministerial post in Gandaki Province.

A total of 31 Province Assembly members supported his claim for the chief minister, according to UML Parliamentary Party Chief Whip Govinda Nepali.

Those PA members supporting Adhikari include 22 of the UML, eight from the CPN (Maoist Centre) and the remaining one is independent. In the 60-member Gandaki PA, the confidence of at least 30 members is needed to be appointed as the chief minister.

Last Thursday, Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey tendered his resignation before the Province Chief and then the Province Chief called on political parties to stake a claim for the appointment to the post by April 9.  The coalition partners presented the claim before the deadline.

Nepali Congress, the largest party in the Gandaki with 27 members, leader Pandey resigned from the post after it was assessed that he was not going to get a vote of confidence.

The Rastriya Prajantra Party (RPP) which has two members in Gandaki is still undecided whether to support a new government or not.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the precious stone quartz crystal had added a new brick in promotion of tourism in Gorkha district.

At a program organized by Gorkha Municipality to place quartz crystal at Gorkha Palace today, PM Dahal reiterated that installation of precious quartz crystal in the district of historical and archeological significance would play an important role in tourism promotion.

Expressing his confidence that the precious stone's placement would widely establish the importance and role of Gorkha, the PM instructed the concerned authorities for security arrangement of the quartz crystal and further manage the historical place.

Prior to placing the quartz crystal in the room where the throne of erstwhile King Prithvi Narayan Shah is housed, it was worshiped in the premises of the palace.

"While the precious stone is being placed in the Gorkha palace of historical and archeological importance, I got an opportunity to visit the palace premises for the first time since the declaration of the Republic of Nepal," said PM Dahal, expressing his happiness for the opportunity.

Pledging to play his part in preservation of the historicity of Gorkha, the Head of the Government shared that he had prioritized development of infrastructures such as road and bridge in the district.

He added, "The citizens of Gorkha district want to witness some historic developmental works. There is a scope to deliver on the Budhigandaki Hydropower Project, Gorakhkali rubber industry and construction of industrial park among others."

Stating the uneasiness on the part of the government to include some issues of this area in the policy and programs and budget of the current fiscal year, he assured that the new budget would be development-oriented and it would excite the citizens.

Jokh Bahadur Mahara of the CPN (Maoist Center) has been appointed as the Chief Minister of Lumbini Province.

Province Chief Amik Sherchan appointed Mahara as the Chief Minister in accordance with Article 168 (2) of the Constitution.

The Parliamentary Party leader of the Maoist Center, Mahara had staked the claim for the post of Chief Minister with signatures of 44 lawmakers.

With the change in the power equation in the center, Lumibini Province Chief Minister Dilli Raj Chaudhary resigned from his post on Thursday.

Soon after Chaudhary resigned from the post of Chief Minister, Province Chief appealed to the parties to stake claim for the post with the support of two or more than two parties.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has stressed on the need of developing and implementing a timely curriculum based on innovation.

Addressing the 14th Senate Meeting of the Mid-West University, the PM called on the University to pay attention to restructuring the curriculum and the development of the physical and human resources.

"The guiding principles, policies and programs adopted by the University for attaining educational excellence, economic growth, curriculum restructuring, international relations and exchanges, and infrastructure development are also praiseworthy," he said, adding that adoption of the policy of conducting all the academic activities as per the predetermined calendar is an aspect of reform.

The PM added that the government will extend support to the University in implementing its policy of reforming the existing examination system, and conducting the examinations and publishing the results as per the academic calendar.

On the occasion, he suggested the University accorded additional priority to all the academic programs and curricula as per the changing world scenario, the national, regional and local development policies and approaches, and the demand of the labor market. 

The Head of Government expressed the commitment for cooperation on behalf of the government in formulation of the national policy and laws required for marketing, and sale and distribution of goods, services and information produced by the University's various laboratories.

Stating on the need of formulating socialism-oriented educational policy, strategy and program based on the principles of good governance and social justice as embodied by the republican state system stipulated in the Constitution, Prime Minister Dahal expressed the confidence that the University will play a positive role, encouraging the Nepali students to pursue higher studies within the country and supporting the country in attaining prosperity.

He further stressed on running academic and vocational programs based on land, water, forest, herbs and human resources, taking into consideration the geographical, social and economic condition of the entire Nepal, particularly of Karnali province, in the agriculture and forestry sciences. The PM believed that various programs and projects would be implemented synthesizing the modern and indigenous agricultural system and the knowledge skills.

He said the Mid-West University, which is established in Karnali Province that is rich in terms of cultural diversity and natural resources but lags behind in terms of physical infrastructure development, industrialization and human development index, has made important contribution to the academic progress, physical development and the promotion of work system along with information technology in a short period of its establishment.