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Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba left for China on Thursday.

He left Kathmandu for China this afternoon at the friendly invitation of Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi.

It is the first visit of Foreign Minister Dr Rana to China since her appointment.

Officiating Secretary at Foreign Ministry, Amrit Bahadur Rai, and Ministry officials bade farewell to Minister Dr Rana at Tribhuvan International Airport.

She is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with her Chinese counterpart Yi at Chengdu city of Sichuan Province, China on Friday.

The Foreign Minister is visiting China as part of the preparation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's imminent visit to China. 

PM Oli is scheduled to embark on a China visit next week, while Foreign Minister Rana is returning home on November 30.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has directed the Cabinet members and secretaries to ensure effective delivery.

During the first quarterly meeting on the implementation of the current fiscal year's policy, programs and budget on Wednesday, PM Oli stressed for changes in the present working style so that expected results can be achieved.

He, however, said it was not that easy to forward works as the previous government had brought the budget. The working style needs radical change, PM Oli stressed.

According to him, 11,000 fake projects were foisted under the government framework, which had to be corrected and anomalies wiped out. The multi-year budget planning must warrant proper homework not a random scattering of budget, he argued.

"Time has come to mull how we can bring sweeping change in production, agriculture, energy, information, and technology. Preaching does not work for national development and mobilization of the economy. Policy must be adopted in a way that creates jobs. Let's act boldly," he said, wondering why we could not think of giving responsibility to the able ones (private sectors) if the government fails to run the industries well.

The PM further reminded the top government officials that we had no time to delay work for economic strides. Government employees need to work with zeal.

The PM, minister and secretary can intervene for a positive result. The employees shirking responsibility not only deserves transfer but action, PM Oli directed.

Oli reiterated that the government's achievements must be reflected in practices.

Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba will be paying an official visit to China beginning tomorrow.

Minister Rana is scheduled to visit the People's Republic of China on 28-30 at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, who is also the Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed.

During the three-day visit, the Foreign Minister is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Wang on November 29.

The two leaders will have comprehensive discussions on matters of mutual interest between the two countries including the preparation of the upcoming official visit of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli to China.

The Foreign Minister will return to Kathmandu on November 30.

Candidates are busy wooing voters in the by-election for vacant ward chairperson to be held on December 1 in Hetauda Sub-Metropolis-12.

All the candidates and party leaders in the election fray are trying to woo the voters in their favor. All the candidates have presented development works as their top priority.

The post of ward chair has remained vacant after Lalit Bahadur Ghalan, who was elected the ward chair in the local polls held in May 2022, was later elected the chief of the District Coordination Committee, Makawanpur.

Nepali Congress has fielded Arjun Tiwari, CPN -UML Rajesh Nagarkoti and CPN (Maoist Center) Rabin Pradhan for the by-election to Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-12.

Nepal Communist Party (Unified Socialist), Rastriya Swatantra Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party are also contesting the election by challenging the big parties. 

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has presented Ashabir Bal, Unified Socialist Party Balaram Bal and Rastriya Prajatantra Party Prem Lama.

According to the Office of the Chief Returning Officer, 12 candidates including nine from nine parties and three independents are in the fray for the by-election.

In the previous local elections held in 2019, there was a tough competition between the three main parties.

The Maoist Center has a challenge to keep its legacy while the UML and NC are under pressure to maintain their prestige.

It may be noted that CPN (Maoist Center)'s Lalit Bahadur Ghalan had won the election by securing 1,371 votes. His arch-rival Arjun Tiwari of Nepali Congress got 1,340 votes while Rajesh Nagarkoti of CPN-UML got 1,325 votes.

NC and UML have fielded the old candidates while the CPN (Maoist Center) has fielded fresh candidates. This has made the election interesting.