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From the Kathmandu Press: Sunday, September 23, 2018

Major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published form Kathmandu on Sunday have featured stories about various issues and incidents on their front pages. The government decision to increase the public transport fare after the transporters called off their plan to open advance ticket booking for Dashain festival is one of the most discussed topics on the front pages of Kathmandu broadsheet today. Likewise, death of a Nepali national in a shooting incident in the United States and drafting of an amendment to the main opposition Nepali Congress party’s statute have also been prioritised.

Few other political, sociocultural and economic issues have been featured on the page of major newspapers today.

Important

Bus ticket booking for Dashain starts after fare hike

File: A passenger bus in Kathmandu

Naya Patrika, Rajdhani and The Kathmandu Post report that the government has allowed public transport entrepreneurs to raise the fare by 10 per after the transporters denied opening advance ticket booking for upcoming Dashain festival.

The decision will come into effect from today. Meanwhile, the government also agreed to form another panel to suggest ‘scientific’ tariff, according to Rajdhani.

Naya Patrika has presented the decision as another example of the government’s helplessness in front of the anarchic traders.

Nepali shot dead in US

Republica and The Himalayan Times report that a Nepali immigrant has been killed in a shooting incident at a drug store in Maryland of the United Nations.

The victim has been identified as Brinda Giri, a mother of two children, who had recently moved to the US to try to give her kids a better life.

Three persons were killed as a lady with mental illness opened fire at the Rite Aid facility in northeast Maryland on Thursday morning, according to Republica.

Meanwhile, another Nepali was injured in the incident, adds The Himalayan Times.

Congress to make President stronger

The main opposition party is finalising a proposal that it will table at the upcoming mahasamiti meeting to amend the party statute; and the draft, it passed by the meeting, will give more power to the Party President, according to reports in Annapurna Post, Naya Patrika and Nagarik.

The amendment proposes that seven of nine office bearers of the Central Working Committee, except the President and one General Secretary will be appointed by the President, the reports inform.

Ignored

Controversial contractor wins new contract

File image: Nepal Rastra Bank

The lead story in Kantipur reports that controversial Pappu Construction Company has been assigned to reconstruct the central office building of Nepal Rastra Bank in Baluwatar of Kathmandu. The National Reconstruction Authority is announcing the decision and signing a contract with the company today as it proposed the lowest cost for the project.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport is planning to take action against the company accusing it of negligence, according to the report.

West Seti contractor to be selected without competition

After the Chinese contractor, Three Gorges, decided to pull its hand from the West Seti Hydropower Project, the government trying to select the new contractor. However, it is likely to do so without holding a competition, according to Karobar.

The Investment Board Nepal has formed a committee under the command of Prime Minister so that the project can be awarded to any foreign company that can serve interests of the ruling party, claims the report.

Meanwhile, Kantipur reports in a snippet that the government decided to award the 1,200 megawatt Budhigandaki Hydropower Project to China Gezhouba Group Corp again.

Govt transfers Nepal Police’s 236 ropani land to President’s Office

File image: President’s Office, Sheetal Niwas

Nepal Samacharpatra reports in its lead story that a recent meeting of the Cabinet has decided to transfer the ownership of 236 ropani land in Maharajgunj of Kathmandu from Nepal Police Training Academy to the President’s Office, and it has sparked dissatisfaction in the Nepal Police.

Meanwhile, the government is planning to shift the Academy to Panauti of Kavre.

Decision to ban porn sites draws controversy

As the government directed Nepal Telecommunications Authority to ban pornographic contents on the internet, the society has been divided between for and against the decision, Republica reports in its lead story for the day.

“While some believe that the ban is a good step taken by the government to address the increasing cases of rape, others think that the ban will have no effect on the increasing trend of rape cases,” reads the report.

Interesting

Think tank to advise govt on policy issues

File image: Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers

The government has formed a think tank consisting of scholars of various subjects to advise it on policy decisions, according to reports in Annapurna Post and The Kathmandu Post.

The panel led by Chaitanya Mishra has Mira Acharya, Rajendra Dhwaj Joshi, Surendra Labh and Ganesh Gurung as members.

A Cabinet meeting held on Friday evening has named the group as Policy Research Adacemy (Niti Anusandhan Pratishthan).

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