Major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Wednesday have given priority to a host of issues from political, sociocultural and economic spheres. The main opposition party Nepali Congress’ Central Working Committee on Sunday endorsed the revised statute of the party. Many newspapers have commended that some key provisions of the amended statute are against recommendations of the mahasamiti meeting held last December.
Likewise, cover pages of Kathmandu broadsheets have published followup stories on the Friday bombing at Ncell head office in Kathmandu.
Here is a summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from the cover pages of national broadsheets:
Important
Paudel objects as Nepali Congress endorses statute amendment
Almost all newspapers have covered that key leaders including Ram Chandra Paudel and Krishna Prasad Sitaula have objected to the decision of NC Central Working Committee to endorse the amended statute. The dissident leaders have claimed that provisions of the amended statute including that the CWC members can participate in the general convention without getting elected from the local level, Rajdhani reports.
Meanwhile, the CWC meeting held on Sunday also endorsed revised political report, financial report and reports of the general secretary and the treasurer, according to Annapurna Post.
Biplav’s party claims responsibility of the Ncell bombing
A fringe Maoist party led by Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’ has claimed responsibility of an explosion carried out in front of the Ncell central office on Friday, according to lead stories in The Kathmandu Post and Republica.
Republica quotes an unnamed leader to claim that the attack was planned to protest the dillydallying of the telecommunications company in the payment of the capital gains tax.
Earlier on Sunday, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa had claimed that Biplav was behind the incident.
Meanwhile, the government is planning to adopt a tough policy against the party, reports Nagarik.
CIAA launches detailed probe into wide body irregularities
Annapurna Post, Nagarik and Republica report that the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority has launched an investigation into suspected irregularities in the purchase of two wide body aircraft for the Nepal Airlines Corporation.
CIAA Chief Navin Kumar Ghimire told a meeting of the Sustainable Development and Good Governance Committee of Parliament that the Commission would also look into the bribery case involving former CIAA commissioner Raj Narayan Pathak also, according to Republica.
Ignored
Govt proposes that its employees enroll their kids in govt schools
The government has proposed that government staff and those receiving regular pay from the government fund enroll their children in government schools, according to a story in Nepal Samacharpatra.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has floated the proposal in a draft of the new education law, which is yet to be endorsed.
Meanwhile, organisations of private schools have protested the proposal.
22 per cent capital spending in seven months
A two column story in Rajdhani reports that the government spent just 22 per cent of the total capital budget allocated for the current fiscal year as the first seven months have already passed.
The low spending rate suggests the government’s inability to carry development projects and infrastructure construction forward satisfactorily, the report commends.
NOC spends Rs 500 million a year on facilities to the staff
Naya Patrika lead story for the day reports that the Nepal Oil Corporation spent Rs 500 million in the last fiscal year for various facilities to its staff. The NOC has been found spending a lot on non-salary facilities including allowances for fuel, snacks, laundry, medicines, festivals and travels, according to the report.
The newspaper claims that the NOC is selling kerosene, which people with low income consume mostly, earning high profits to manage funds for such allowances.
Writ filed against Pathao
The Kathmandu Post reports in a single column story that the Supreme Court on Sunday registered a writ petition that claims the operation of ride sharing platform Pathao in Nepal is illegal.
Advocate Shyam Kumar Shrestha has filed the writ demanding that the operation be shut.
He has argued that Pathao, a subsidiary of the US-based Pathao Inc, has violated multiple foreign investment laws by offering services beyond its stated objectives and engaging in foreign exchange without following the due process.
Interesting
Surkhet Rautes begin learning English
A snippet in Naya Patrika reports that children of minority Raute tribe in Surkhet district of Karnali province have begun learning English, realising its importance in the modern world. Until few years back, the community had a superstition that they should not learn letters as it would disappoint their tribal god.
But, the change is taking place slowly, according to the report.
