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From the Kathmandu Press: Thursday, July 27, 2017

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba expanded his eight-member Cabinet and made it 27-member. This has been the most prioritised story in the Kathmandu press on Thursday. Various newspapers have covered the event from different perspectives.

Likewise, many newspapers have covered the arrest of a notorious wildlife criminal, who had crime records in Nepal as well. The unification between Bibeksheel Nepali and Sajha Party, the  Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s dissatisfaction with Cabinet expansion and activities of fringe parties are other issues that have received significant attention.

Important

RPP’s exclusion in Cabinet expansion makes amendment impossible anytime soon

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba appointed 19 new ministers into his Cabinet on Wednesday and most of the broadsheets published from Kathmandu have covered the story in the front page. Naya Patrika has carried a story including information on what the new ministers decided first. Annapurna Post has analysed the composition of Cabinet from the perspective of inclusion and has concluded it is not inclusive.

L-R: Sher Bahadur Deuba and Kamal Thapa

Many newspapers have also given significant attention to the Prime Minister’s failure to include the Rastriya Prajatantra Party in the expansion. The RPP was hoping to get a call from the Prime Minister and had formed a team to hold talks on its participation in the government. But, with the exclusion, the party dissolved the committee and decided not to join the government, says The Kathmandu Post.

According to Republica, the exclusion of the fourth largest party in Parliament leaves the government in a difficult position to garner two third majority support for the constitution amendment.

Ian Baker arrested in Athens; Nepal Police hopes deportation

American national Ian Baker, who was convicted of wildlife crime in Nepal also, has been arrested in Athens of Greece recently, and Nepal Police wants to deport him to Nepal for legal action, says a cover page story in The Himalayan Times. The report quotes SP Kiran Bajracharya as saying that the Nepal Police, however, is not yet clear about if he is handed over to Nepal.

The anchor story in Nagarik, however, says Nepal Police is still hopeful about his deportation to Nepal as wildlife crime is considered an international crime, though Nepal and Greece do not have any deportation treaty.

The international police organisation, Interpol, had issued a notice in his name on April 3, 2015. Earlier, in May 2008, he was arrested from Baluwatar of Kathmandu for illegally possessing wild animal’s skin, bones, head and other parts. He had stayed in Nepal for 24 years, according to the Rajdhani anchor story.

Ignored

37 irrigation officials on Italy trip

A front page story in Nagarik says a jumbo team comprising 37 officials from the Ministry of Irrigation is currently in Italy for a two-week trip.

The officials under the leadership of Secretary Ramananda Prasad Yadav had left for a training programme titled ‘Sustainable Irrigation with Emphasis on Mountain Irrigation System’ hosted by the Tuscia University. The 14-day trip has been divided into training of seven days and observation visit for next seven days.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had directed government officials not to engage themselves in unnecessary foreign trips. But, the Ministry’s spokesperson Sagar Kumar Rai defended the visit claiming the officials would learn about different irrigation technologies suitable for varied terrains.

Thamel and Durbarmarg will be open round the clock

Security officials of Kathmandu district have decided to open all markets and businesses in Thamel and Durbarmarg areas of the district 24 hours to facilitate tourism activities, says the anchor story in Aarthik national daily.

The Kathmandu District Security Committee comprising officials from the District Administration Office and the Metropolitan Police Range has decided to open the markets in order to serve tourists, primarily foreigners, says the report. Earlier, Minister for Home Affairs, Janardan Sharma, has expressed his commitment to open tourism hubs round the clock once he takes over the charge. Sharma had also announced to operate all businesses in Lakeside of Pokhara 24 hours.

Police have said they are preparing security strategies to implement the Minister’s directive.

Interesting

Kathmandu government offices to launch e-payment system next month

A front page story in Karobar says government offices in Kathmandu Valley will launch an e-payment system from next month in their bid to discourage cash transactions.

It means the government authorities and offices will deposit payments into accounts of persons and organisations online. Minister for Finance Gyanendra Bahadur Karki says the government has hoped to solve a number of problems seen in cheque transactions with the introduction of new system.

As many as 22 offices in Singhadurbar had already launched the system. Chief of the Budget Division at Ministry of Finance, Kewal Prasad BHandari, tells Karobar that the system is being extended to other offices in the Valley as the experiment proved effective in Singhadarbar.

 

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