Submit your Article

The CPN (Unified Socialist) has drawn the attention of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal towards the economic crisis the country has been facing. A delegation led by Party Chair Madhav Kumar Nepal submitted a 20-point memorandum to Prime Minister Dahal, saying the government should be sensitive towards people's livelihood as the country has been facing economic crisis. The delegation urged the government to take step immediately to resolve crisis as farmers, general people and workers have started committing suicide due to price hike. The memorandum also demanded effective measures to improve the country's economy and stop brain drain of youths and intellectual human resources. Likewise, the government has been suggested to make arrangements of a skill-oriented subject in school level curriculum and to strictly implement the economic policy, control price hike, and give recognition to communication as industry. Saying the government was serious towards the demands put forth by the party, Prime Minister Dahal opined that he would hold discussions with all bodies concerned to resolve the problems. He also expressed commitment to ease people's livelihood by making necessary changes in policy-level to control price hike. Top leaders of CPN (Unified Socialist) including former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal were present on the occasion.  

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song held a meeting on Tuesday. During the meeting, Minister Bhandari drew the attention of Ambassador Song on the issues of opening north-west borders, including Taklakot and Tinker. They also discussed further strengthening Nepal-China trade relations, said Minister Bhandari's secretariat. Export of Nepali products to China and facilitation of the imports at the borders also featured in discussion. He urged the Chinese Ambassador to bring in Chinese investment to run industries in Nepal. On the occasion, the Ambassador said that the Chinese government was positive to open the north-west borders and under-construction five dry ports, said Minister Bhandari. The Chinese Ambassador said that he would play a role to further strengthen trade relations between Nepal and China.

Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairman Rabi Lamichhane held a meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the latter’s official residence in Baluwatar on Tuesday. The Prime Minister’s Secretariat said that the duo discussed by-election, Home Ministry and other contemporary political issues. Lamichhane had reached Baluwatar to meet Prime Minister Dahal on Monday evening also. Earlier on January 29, journalist-turned-politician Lamichhane reacquired Nepali citizenship after the Supreme Court scrapped his status as a lawmaker saying he did not have valid Nepali citizenship. After reacquiring the Nepali citizenship, the party’s Central Committee meeting appointed Lamichhane as the party Chairman. Though the Rastriya Swatantra Party has been claiming the post of Home Ministry again, Prime Minister Dahal is not in a mood to give the post to the party.  

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Bimala Rai Paudyal is leaving for Sri Lanka on Thursday to participate in the 75th Independence Day program of Sri Lanka. A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Monday decided to approve her visit to Sri Lanka. This is her first foreign visit after assuming the post of Minister for Foreign Affairs. Minister Paudyal will participate as the guest at the special ceremony to be organized in Colombo on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day of Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremasinghe has invited the Foreign Affairs Ministers and other special guests from South Asian nations to the special ceremony to be held in Colombo on February 3 and 4. Minister for Foreign Affairs Paudyal will hold high-level bilateral political meetings during her visit. She will hold high-level bilateral talks with the Sri Lankan President, Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister and her counterparts from India and the Maldives. She will also hold various sideline meetings on Friday. Foreign Affairs Minister Paudyal will attend the main ceremony on Saturday, the Ministry stated. She will return home on Sunday.