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Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that the roles of local levels should be responsible, transparent and civic-friendly.

While addressing a program organized on the occasion of the 105th Establishment Day of the Lalitpur Metropolis today, the Prime Minister said the Constitution has mandated the local governments to undertake development endeavors with assignments of major responsibilities in the service delivery.  According to him, the local levels serving the closest government to the citizens should ensure that their roles are transparent and civic-friendly.       

He said his assessment is that the Lalitpur Metropolis people's representatives have fulfilled their responsibilities in this term.

Acknowledging the concerns and efforts of the Lalitpur metropolis for the protection of culture and heritages within the locality, he proposed the local government to connect its unique culture to income generation initiatives.

The Prime Minister said, "The metropolis is playing a leading role in the local tourism promotion efforts. I am happy to see that development endeavors in the locality are going on without any disputes. Federalism does not mean only federal units, province and local levels are also its vital components."  He promised to contribute to strengthening the presence of province and local governments

Also speaking on the occasion, Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Prakash Jwala, said the Constitution has provisions for collaboration and co-existence for the implementation of federalism and it should be followed accordingly. The Minister pledged to make the Kathmandu Valley dust-free and further systematize the transport sector.

Federal lawmaker from the Lalitpur constituency 2, Prem Bahadur Maharjan, said that many things are left to be carried out to develop Lalitpur into a cultural city.

Bagmati Province Minister for Industry, Commerce, Land and Administration, Ram Krishna Chitrakar appreciated the works carried out by the metropolis for resolving the problems of the people. He added that the works like improving the environment and cultural conservation were also praise-worthy. 

Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), Balendra Shah, said that Kathmandu and Lalitpur are two cities that are inter-related, stressing on carrying out development of both cities simultaneously. 

Stating that some topics related to the rights of the local level contradicted the federal laws, he urged the Prime minister to resolve the issue facilitating this.

Lalitpur Metropolitan City Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan said the metropolis has been joining hands with the federal government in the context of development-construction works and service delivery. He said that Lalitpur metropolis has carried out a lot of good works.

Mayor Maharjan urged the Prime Minister to construct the three flyovers at Gwarko, Satdobato and Ekantakuna simultaneously, saying the traffic management in the whole of Kathmandu Valley has become unsystematic as the flyover at Gwarko is not properly managed.

Constituent Assembly member and former deputy-mayor Chandra Maharjan said the people are appreciating the works like installation of smart street lights and culture and heritage conservation carried out by the metropolis.

Deputy Mayor Manjali Shakya Bajracharya urged the Prime Minister to assist and facilitate the metropolis in managing drinking water to the metropolis' dwellers and the waste management.

Lalitpur metropolis' population is 294 thousand and 98 as per the population census of 2021.

The metropolis, which has been providing services guided by the slogan of 'Basis for prosperity and good governance of Lalitpur: Smart service infrastructure with heritage and culture', has from today launched the 'health insurance scheme' for its residents.

The health insurance programme was initiated with the PM handing the 'Health Insurance Card' to two persons with disabilities.

Instituted as the Sarsaphai Adda (Sanitation Office) on Push 2, 1975 BS, this Office was turned into a metropolis on Chait 10, 2073 BS (March 23, 2017). Before this, it was a sub-metropolis.

Former Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand, who is to be released on bail by the order of the high court in connection to the fake Bhutanese refugee cases, has posted a bail of Rs 3 million on Friday.

Now, Khand has been taken to the Department of Money Laundering.

The central jail administration presented Khand before the department to fulfill the due legal process.

Police had suggested that the Department of Money Laundering and the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority should also investigate against Khand who was arrested in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam.

That is why, the department and CIAA will re-investigate against Khand.

Khand will be released if both the agencies agreed to release him on bail.

A single bench of Judge Krishna Ram Koirala on Thursday had issued an order to release Khand on bail.

After the Kathmandu District Court issued an order to send 16 individuals including former Home Minister Khand to the prison in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam, they filed an appeal at the high court on August 1, 2023.

Hearing the same petition, the Patan High Court on December 1 issued an order to keep the then Home Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey, former minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Indrajit Rai, security advisor of the then Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Angtawa Sherpa, Keshav Dulal, Sanu Bhandari, Sagar Rai, Govinda Kumar Chaudhary aka Bikram and Sandesh Sharma in custody.

Similarly, the court issued an order to release Teknath Rijal on a bail of Rs 1.5 million, Sandeep Rayamajhi on a bail of Rs 3 million and Narendra KC on a bail of Rs 1 million.

The high court also issued an order to release Hari Bhakta Maharjan, Laxmi Maharjan, Shumsher Miya, Ashish Budhathoki, Tek Gurung, Ram Sharan KC and Keshav Tuladhar on bail.

Former Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has been released on bail.

Khand, who was apprehended in connection with the fake Bhutanese refugee scam, was released after posting a bail of Rs 3 million set by the Patan High Court.

A single bench of Judge Krishna Ram Koirala on Thursday issued an order to release Khand on bail.

After the Kathmandu District Court issued an order to send 16 individuals including former Home Minister Khand to the prison in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam, they filed an appeal at the high court on August 1, 2023.

Hearing the same petition, the Patan High Court on December 1 issued an order to keep the then Home Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey, former minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Indrajit Rai, security advisor of the then Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Angtawa Sherpa, Keshav Dulal, Sanu Bhandari, Sagar Rai, Govinda Kumar Chaudhary aka Bikram and Sandesh Sharma in custody.

Similarly, the court issued an order to release Teknath Rijal on a bail of Rs 1.5 million, Sandeep Rayamajhi on a bail of Rs 3 million and Narendra KC on a bail of Rs 1 million.

The high court also issued an order to release Hari Bhakta Maharjan, Laxmi Maharjan, Shumsher Miya, Ashish Budhathoki, Tek Gurung, Ram Sharan KC and Keshav Tuladhar on bail.

The government has promoted Joint Secretary Sewa Lamsal to the post of Secretary.

A Cabinet meeting held on Thursday decided to promote Lamsal to the vacant post of Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Lamsal is the first woman to become Foreign Secretary.