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Shankharapur Municipality located in the north-east of the federal capital, Kathmandu, has come up with a program to provide free health and education. At a program organized to unveil 100-day achievements of the elected people's representatives, Shankharapur Mayor Ramesh Napit said a process was already taken ahead to keep municipal area waste-free, neat and clean "We are effortful to achieve prosperity through tourism and agriculture and ease the livelihood of the municipal residents by building development infrastructures", he shared. As per our commitment in the earlier local election, we have engaged our efforts to make the education and health sector cost free, he noted. With the assistance of the German government, a process was put forward for the construction of a hospital at ward-7, Kathanchowk, it was shared. Likewise, the municipality has taken ahead a process to procure ambulances with the financial assistance of development partners. On the occasion, municipality's spokesperson Radhakrishna Shrestha informed that groundwork for free health and education was done for the people. Among other achievements obtained in the reporting period were free ambulance service for pregnant women and senior citizens, arrangement of seven free health services after signing bilateral agreement with Sankhu-based Sushma Koirala Memorial Hospital and 30-60 percent concession in 11 health services, Shrestha added.

Gaddachauki, a transit point along the Nepal-India border in Kanchanpur, lately reports a large arrival of Nepalis from India for the Dashain festival. Over 10,000 people entered Nepal via the Gaddachauki points since a past week. According to the District Police Office, Kanchanpur, over 1, 000 Nepalis are returning home each day from India for the Dashain. Office Chief Shyam Singh Chaudhary said with transit becoming overcrowded by the India-returnees, security has been beefed-up. Trained dogs have been mobilized along the border area to prevent any untoward incidents and for the security of travelers. Ram Bahadur Bhandari of Lamki Chuha who returned home from Himanchal Pradesh said he has been there for over a decade and makes his way to home each Dashain. As he said, his visit to his home is just for the festival and will be back to working stations after the Tihar.  Delhi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, Punjab, Bangalore, Shimla, Himachal and Haridwar are among those preferred labor destinations of people from the far-eastern Nepal. The District Police Office, Kanchanpur said it is concerned about the risk of various infectious diseases with the large entry of people from India and tests for corona, dengue and malaria and the vaccinations for COVID-19 are available along the border point.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has launched its second Sustainable Development Bonds Impact Report, which illustrates how the proceeds from AIIB’s bonds are used to realize AIIB’s mission to finance infrastructure for tomorrow. The Report offers investors a view of the sustainable nature and impact of AIIB’s financing. This second edition of the Impact Report shares insights on the Bank’s financing in key infrastructure sectors—including sustainable energy, transportation, water, digital infrastructure—and AIIB’s COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility (CRF) to show the environmental and social benefits of such projects. In addition, the Report highlights how AIIB is supporting its Members achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as their goals under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. In particular, this year’s Impact Report reflects AIIB’s distinct focus on green infrastructure. In 2021, AIIB’s climate finance has totalled 48% of approved financing (excluding those underthe CRF), up from 41% in the previous year, indicating progress toward the 50% by 2025 target set in AIIB’s Corporate Strategy. In 2021, after only six years of operations, AIIB has directly financed 4,502 MW renewable energy capacity; financed 32,494 km of roads, which include climate resilience measures; and helped save 26,334 GWh of primary energy through its investments to improve energy efficiency. AIIB’s total investments into the energy sector are expected to avoid 16.3 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) of GHG emissions per year, thus contributing to the Paris Agreement climate ambitions. The Report is issued pursuant to AIIB’s Sustainable Development Bond Framework, and AIIB’s undertaking to deliver annual impact reporting on its overall portfolio- and project-level results to track AIIB’s commitment to sustainable development. “As sustainable investing is increasingly embraced by investors, the Impact Report is an opportunity for AIIB to communicate the sustainable nature of our strategy, efforts and accomplishments,” said AIIB Treasurer Domenico Nardelli, “Complementing the revisions to our Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) in 2021, this report demonstrates AIIB’s continued commitment to its mandate of financing Infrastructure for Tomorrow, as well as to communicating the sustainable nature of our business.” AIIB launched its inaugural Sustainable Development Bonds Impact Report (2020) last year. Each Impact Report presents data on AIIB’s portfolio volume and alignment with thematic priorities and   portfolio performance, as well as project impact stories. Compared to the case study-based project-level reporting last year, this year’s Report includes illustrative sector- level environmental and social impact indicators. AIIB’s Sustainable Development Bond Framework and Impact Report approach will be reviewed over time to reflect the evolution of the green, social and sustainable bond markets and changes in AIIB’s strategies, policies and processes, as the Bank’s portfolio matures.

Two persons have died after they were hit by lightning in Devangunj Rural Municipality-1 in Sunsari district today. According to the District Police Office, Sunsari, the deceased have been identified as Rita Devi Yadav (45) of Devangunj Rural Municipality-1, and Udit Chandra Yadav of the Devangunj Rural Municipality-2 in Sunsari district. DSP Raj Kumar Rai said that Ritadevi was feeding water to buffalo while Udit Chandra was cutting grass nearby his house when the lightning struck following the rainfall. The two died on the spot, said DSP Rai.