Most of major Nepali and English newspapers published from Kathmandu on Thursday have given the top priority to the publication of details about the property of Cabinet members and their spouses after the government provided the information yesterday. Discussions have begun in Parliament about the government’s annual policy and programme, and this issue has also received significant attention from broadsheet editors.
The arrest of Chudamani Upreti, who allegedly masterminded and facilitated dozens of gold smuggling cases via Kathmandu, continues to a hot topic and many newspapers have updated readers with details of his statements at the Morang District Court.
Few other sociocultural and economic issues have also been published on the front pages of newspapers published from the capital today.
Important
Most ministers found keeping their property in spouses’ names
The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers of Wednesday made public details of property owned by Cabinet members including Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. The details have shown that most ministers have kept their property in the names of their wives, according to newspaper reports.
The Himalayan Times lead story informs that spouses of Prime Minister Oli, ministers Ishwar Pokharel, Ram Bahadur Thapa, Matrika Yadav and Pradeep Kumar Gyawali are richer than their husbands as per the property details.
Kantipur and Republica also have the same angle. Annapurna Post says some ministers also owe debts of thousands of rupees. Meanwhile, Transport Minister Raghubir Mahaseth is the richest Cabinet member, and at the bottom is Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens Tham Maya Thapa, according to Rajdhani anchor story.
Gore to be kept under observation of right activities
Nepal Samacharpatra reports that recently arrested gold smuggling racketeer Chudamani Upreti alias Gore has told the Morang District Court that he was at risk of losing life even after the arrest. Submitting a letter to the bench via his lawyers, the suspect demanded that he be kept under the observation of human rights activities.
Meanwhile, the Court heeded his demand and ordered the District Police Office to let him stay in police custody under the observation of right workers, according to The Himalayan Times.
On the other hand, Gore is yet to complete his statements before the bench, further delaying the hearing process, Rajdhani informs, adding he is planning to recruit more lawyers in his defence.
Ruling, opposition parties discuss parliamentary issues
Perhaps for the first time after the unification of ruling parties into the Nepal Communist Party, its top leaders have held a formal meeting with the main opposition Nepali Congress to discuss contemporary political issues including parliamentary proceedings, according to Gorkhapatra.
The meeting discussed bridging differences between the two sides over the draft of House of Representatives, the newspaper reports. During the meeting, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had called on opposition leaders including Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba to provide ‘constructive support’ to the government.
Meanwhile, the first Central Committee meeting of the Nepal Communist Party has been scheduled for Thursday afternoon, according to another report in Gorkhapatra.
Ignored
Finance Minister not to increase staff salary
Minister for Finance Yubaraj Khatiwada clarified that the salary of civil servants will not increase in the upcoming fiscal year. Earlier, representatives of civil servants’ trade union had demanded that the government increase the salary of Chief Secretary to Rs 150,000 and office assistants by Rs 30,000, reports Karobar.
The representatives had also presented a 18-point memorandu to Minister Khatiwada.
RJPN is also ready to join govt if amendment
The Rastriya Janata Party Nepal has said that it is ready to join the government if the government makes amendments to the constitution regarding provincial boundaries and citizenship. The party visited Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at his official residence in Baluwatar and stated that they were eager to join the government if some amendments were made to the constitution, according to a story in Republica.
It has been believed that another Madhesh-centric party Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal is also preparing to join the government soon.
Govt recommended releasing murder convict Maoist leader
Maoist leader and murder convict Bal Krishna Dhungel is almost certain to get released on the Republic Day as per a recommendation from the Department of Prison Management under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Dhungel will be granted pardon by the President, but it will be against a decision made by the Supreme Court, according to Nagarik daily.
Oli vows to end politicisation in education
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has vowed to end politicisation prevailing in the education sector. The Prime Minister is also committed to bringing a new rule according to which the teachers in community schools must be present in the classroom and should not get involved in politics during school hours, reports Kantipur.
The Prime Minister said that the teachers will not be able to leave classrooms in the name of union meetings.
New panel to monitor activities of foreigners here
The Ministry of Home Affairs will now be monitoring every activity of foreign nationals entering Nepal. With introduction of the Foreign Nationals Monitoring Directive, the Ministry will now be able to monitor the entry, exit and other activities foreign nationals do here in Nepal. Strict action will be taken if the Ministry finds the foreign nationals are involved in illegal activities, reads a story published in Annapurna Post.
Interesting
Did the Hillary Step fall off after quake?
The government officials and climbers have continued to argue on whether the Hillary step, an iconic chunk of Everest, has fallen off in the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, The Kathmandu Post reports. Though Sherpa climbers and mountaineers have observed that the step is no more intact, the government has been claiming that the iconic chunk still exists, according to the box story.
A British mountaineer Tim Mosedale on his Facebook had confirmed the reports of disappearance of Hillary step in May last year grabbing the attention of international media.
