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South-Asian Parliamentary Delegation from the German Bundestag, the German House of Representatives, is on a four-day official visit to Nepal from February 19-22. The six-member parliamentary delegation comprises of parliamentarian Renate Künast, Andreas Larem, Paul Lehrieder, Ria Schröder, Dr Malte Kaufmann and Dr André Hahn, read a statement issued by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kathmandu. “This visit after the pandemic will further strengthen parliamentary relations between Nepal and Germany, contributing to the long-standing bilateral friendship and cooperation that has lasted for more than 60 years,” Renate Künast, head of the delegation. The delegation will discuss a wide range of topics, including economic transformation of Nepal, tourism promotion, Nepal’s peace process and human rights, women empowerment, rules-based international order, agriculture and regional cooperation as well as German-Nepali development cooperation, the statement read. The members of the delegation called on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Speaker of the House of Representative Devraj Ghimire, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Jwala Kumari Sah and Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal. The German parliamentary delegation also had an interaction with the members of the Federal Parliament of Nepal. Besides the official meetings, the parliamentary delegation will also have an interaction with representatives of German Development Cooperation, German NGOs working in Nepal and human rights organizations. The Delegation also plans to visit ICIMOD Knowledge Park, Nepal Vocational Academy and the Nepal Secretariat of Skills and Training (NSST), the statement further read. A visit to the rich cultural heritage of Bhaktapur and Bauddhanath is also planned during the four-day visit to Nepal.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava handed over the first tranche of 20 Kidney Dialysis Machines (KDMs) to Minister for Health and Population Padam Giri on Monday. These 20 KDMs are first of the 200 such machines that are being gifted by people and Government of India to people and Government of Nepal, read a statement issued by the Embassy of India in Kathmandu. The units include all the related equipment. The remaining consignment will be delivered in the near future. On the occasion, Ambassador Srivastava said that the long-standing development cooperation between India and Nepal, especially in the health sector, added that the gifting of these machines reflected the continued support of India as Nepal augments its health infrastructure. Minister Giri thanked the Government of India (GoI) for its continued developmental support in the Health sector, including for the Kidney Dialysis Machines, for boosting the medical facilities for the people of Nepal, the statement read. Cooperation in the Health sector is a significant aspect of India-Nepal development partnership. Major health facilities constructed under GoI grant assistance include Nepal Bharat Maitri Emergency & Trauma Centre in Kathmandu, BP Koirala Institute of Health Science in Dharan and OPD complex for Bir Hospital in Kathmandu, apart from nearly 50 health-related High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) undertaken in various districts of Nepal, the statement further read. GoI is also providing post-Earthquake Reconstruction grant assistance of USD 50 million for the construction of 132 health posts in various earthquake-affected districts of Nepal. During COVID, apart from providing vaccines under bilateral grant (over 2 million doses) and through COVAX, GoI supported Nepal in enhancing physical capacity of health institutions and supplied medical equipment like ICU beds and medical Oxygen plants, essential medicines, RT-PCR test kits PPE, Ventilators etc. GoI also provides Ambulances every year to various health institutions of Nepal. Till date, 940 ambulances have been distributed covering almost all districts of Nepal. As close neighbors, India and Nepal share wide-ranging & multi-sectoral cooperation. The gifting of these KDMs reflects the continued support of the Government of India in bolstering the Government of Nepal’s efforts to build healthy Nepal.  

The Election Commission has established an office of the Election Officer for the elections of President and Vice-President. Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya inaugurated the office established in Parliament building New Baneshwor. CEC Thapaliya said that the voting will be held from 10 am to 3 pm on March 9 and the result will be made public within 7 pm the same day. The Election Commission has set up two polling stations—one for the Parliament members and another for the Province Assembly members. Thapaliya said that the process will begin with the publication of the voter list for the presidential election on February 10. He said that the election will be held on March 10 if none of the candidates secure a majority. The Election Commission has set the date of February 25 for candidate registration, February 28 to publish the final list of the candidates and March 9 for the voting. Similarly, the process of vice-presidential election will start on March 11.  

Former Health Minister Prof Dr Mathura Prasad Shrestha passed away on Monday. He was 88. Shrestha, who had long been suffering from respiratory and heart related problems, breathed his last during the course of treatment at the Maitighar-based Annapurna Hospital this morning, his son Dr Jaya Shrestha said. He was a veteran human rights activist. Shrestha became the Health Minister from the civil society in the government formed after the restoration of democracy. He is survived by six sons and one daughter. His last rights will be performed at the Pashupati Aryaghat on Tuesday.