The single issue that has received the most significant attention from all newspapers, Nepali and English alike, published from Kathmandu on Tuesday is the induction of four new ministers in the KP Sharma Oli-led government on Monday. However, the Cabinet is yet to get the full shape and news reports have analysed why Oli failed to do so. As Oli picked more-technocrat-than-politician for the significant Ministry of Finance, business reporters of the papers have published their predictions about his opportunities and challenges.
The surrender of Tikapur carnage suspect, Resham Lal Chaudhary, who has recently been elected a lawmaker too, has surrendered to the Kailali district court yesterday and it has also been covered on the front page of major newspapers today.
Important
Oli postpones giving full shape to Cabinet as he awaits Forum
Oli did not give the full shape to Cabinet on Monday itself as he had earlier planned because the Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal sought more time to make a concrete decision about its participation in the government, according to newspapers. Oli and his ruling coalition partner CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal are wooing the Forum-Nepal to join the government as the Madhesh-centric party’s nod to Oli will give him a two-thirds majority support in Parliament.
Other newspapers have added that the party has put forward the demand of constitution amendment as a bottom line for joining the government. Whereas some say the the UML and the Maoist Centre have already assured it, others say the talks are ongoing and no agreement has been made till now.
Meanwhile, Naya Patrika identifies four reasons for delay including Oli’s CPN-UML’s failure to finalise the list of ministers too. In addition, top leaders of three parties are yet to finalise which ministry will be given to the Forum, according to the report.
Kantipur says Oli will not make anyone deputy prime minister in his Cabinet this time thanks to public sentiments against such positions. Therefore, Ishwar Pokharel, who has already served as a deputy prime ministers, has been made a minister now.
Ignored
Civil society leaders speak against impunity
Kantipur, which has been claiming that Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli’s order in the name of Press Council to probe a report related to his date of birth controversy is a preparation for censorship, today included opinions from some leaders of the civil society, who have said such acts would not be acceptable. The leaders quoted in the report include Devendra Raj Pandey and Krishna Pahadi.
Govt fails to provide enough free medicines
Republica lead story informs that government health facilities in various parts of the country are reeling under the shortage of essential medicines that the government has decided to distribute for free. The shortage will continue for at least next three months as the government has failed to make sufficient purchases on time, the report adds.
The government has announced to provide more than 200 items under 72 kinds of essential drugs free of cost to patients visiting government facilities.
Leaders demand women’s increased participation in Cabinet
Women leaders affiliated to various parties have demanded that the Prime Minister ensure at least 33 per cent participation of women in all government bodies including the Cabinet as guided by the constitution, according to Gorkhapatra.
Their statement comes just on the day when Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli expanded his Cabinet to seven, in which only one woman has been represented. As Oli is expected to make another expansion in the government soon, speakers of a function organised yesterday demanded increased participation of women, the report informs.
Big private schools of Kathmandu fleece parents
Some ‘big’ schools of Kathmandu Valley have been found fleecing parents of their children by collecting excessively fees under various headings, reports Annapurna Post in its lead story. For example, a first grader at Lalitpur-based Premier International School has to pay more than Rs 500,000 a year and the fees increase as the students get promoted to senior classes. A monitoring carried out by a committee under the Ministry of Supplies found that the schools including Pathashala Nepal, Rato Bangala, Little Angeles, Rosebud, Galaxy, Gems, Chandbag and Daffodil did not acquire approval from the District Education Office to impose the fees, according to the report.
Interesting
18 new bridges under construction in Kathmandu Valley
Gorkhapatra anchor story for the day says the government is constructing 18 motoroble bridges of different sizes in three districts of Kathmandu Valley. All the bridges will be ready to use by the end of this fiscal year. An engineering official at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has been quoted in the report to say that the contract process has not been over yet for some of these bridges.
