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The government is to take ahead the process to make the overdue payments of the contractors.

Holding a discussion with the contractors on Sunday, Prime Minister Dahal directed the concerned authority to proceed with the payment process.

According to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the process to make the payment will start from today itself.

The contractors have been hitting the streets for a long time demanding payments for their completed works.

Prime Minister Dahal directed the Finance Ministry to speed up the development works by disbursing Rs 6.3 billion immediately.

Following the directive of the Prime Minister, the Finance Ministry has decided to proceed with the payment process from today itself.

Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat, Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Prakash Jwala, Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aryal and Finance Secretary Krishna Hari Pushkar among others were present in the meeting.

The parties in the ruling coalition have called for making the coalition candidates victorious in the upcoming National Assembly election.

Issuing an appeal on behalf of the ruling coalition partners, the parties stated that the candidates fielded for the upper house election are the common candidates.

"We have formed this political alliance for protection of the Constitution of Nepal and strengthening of the democratic republican system. Attainment of sustainable peace, good governance, development, prosperity and social justice is our common goal," reads the joint appeal.

It further reads: "Political stability is the precondition for the country's progress. The coalition is committed to the consolidation of the democratic, republican system, political stability, durable peace, good governance and prosperity, and will remain sincerely active for the same."

Cautioning against the possibility of various activities toward weakening the coalition in course of the election, the joint appeal states, "This election is also an opportunity to further ensure political stability in the country by making the alliance more organized and stronger. Therefore, it is necessary to firmly stand in support of the coalition. We appeal to all the voters to vote for the coalition candidates and make them victorious with overwhelming votes in the election."

The ruling coalition has fielded Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Champa Devi Karki, Ananda Prasad Dhungana, Puja Chaudhary, Bishnu Devi Pudasaini, Jit Jung Basnet, Shree Krishna Prasad Adhikari and Ghanshyam Rijal for the NA election.

Similarly, Manarupa Sharma, Kiran Babu Shrestha, Padam Bahadur Pariyar, Bishnu Kumari Sapkota, Jhakku Prasad Subedi, Krishna Bahadur Rokaya, Sabitri Malla, Bishnu Bahadur Bishwokarma, Renu Chand, Baldev Bohara and Narayan Datta Bhatt are the candidates on behalf the coalition.

Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Center) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN (Unified Socialist) Chair Madhav Kumar Nepal, the Janata Samajwadi Party Chair Upendra Yadav, Nagarik Unmukti Party Chairperson Ranjita Shrestha, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party Chair Mahantha Thakur and Rastriya Janamorcha Chair Chitra Bahadur KC have signed on the joint appeal.

A meeting of the Nepal-India Inter-Governmental Sub-Committee (IGSC) on Trade, Transit and Cooperation to Control Unauthorized Trade concluded in Kathmandu.

The two-day meeting that ran on January 12 and 13 aimed to promote bilateral cooperation and trade relations and transit by preventing unauthorized trade. Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Ram Chandra Tiwari headed the Nepali delegation to the meeting that was attended by representatives from various ministries and departments.

Joint Secretary Vipul Bansal of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India led the Indian delegation to the meeting which witnessed the participation of representatives of Embassy of India in Kathmandu and senior government officials from India.

The meeting discussed various agendas while also exploring ways for finding a mutual market access for medicinal and ayurvedic goods.

The Indian side highlighted the significance of the Paris Convention to promote foreign direct investment. The meeting stressed on the need of strengthening unobstructed trans-national connectivity between Nepal and India including the establishment of an integrated customs point and the construction of a railway service between the two countries.

India remains a major trading partner of Nepal. The meeting is expected to contribute to further enhancing the economic and business relations between the two countries.  

Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Yutaka Kikuta, said there has been special relations between Nepal and Japan, laying emphasis on the crucial role of JICA Alumni Association of Nepal (JAAN) in consolidating the persisting ties.

Ambassador Kikuta said this at a Sakura (Japanese Cheery) plantation program hosted by JAAN in Lele, Godabari on the occasion of its golden jubilee.

Chief Representative of JICA Nepal, Akimitsu Okubo, shared that the Association has been extending support to the community development of Nepal by providing Japanese volunteers. He claimed that the Association has also played a crucial role in importing Japanese technology.

Godabari Municipality Mayor Gajendra Maharjan extended thanks for the assistance being provided to the municipality and urged the Japanese Embassy, JICA Nepal and JAAN to continue such cooperation in coming days as well.

JAAN Chair, Dr Ram Chandra Bhusal informed that the Association has been working to enhance income generation and capacity building of community people in Lele area of Godavari so as to improve their livelihood.

Owing gratefulness to the ward no. 5 of the municipality for providing land and also supporting in the development of Sakura Garden, he expressed his confidence that the garden will further consolidate the Nepal-Japan relations.

JAAN developed a Sakura Garden by planting 40 Japanese cherry saplings while organizing several programmes to celebrate the golden jubilee.

It may be noted that Japan had also offered Foreign Minister's Commendation to JAAN in recognition of its remarkable contributions to strengthen Nepal-Japan relations.

JAAN is a social organization of the Nepali students who returned to Nepal after studying in Japan. The Association has been active since 1973.