Finance Minister Yubraj Khatiwada unveils the budget for the next fiscal year on Wednesday. Newspapers published in Kathmandu look into the various aspects of the budget. Most dailies also talk about the Supreme Court order to banks to freeze FDI received by businessman Ajeya Raj Sumargi’s company. Representatives from both Nepal and China are reopening the Tatopani border after four years, and this has also received considerable attention.
Here is a summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from the front pages of national broadsheets:
Important
Budget to prioritise social security and infrastructure development
Kantipur, Annapurna Post, Nagarik, Republica, The Kathmandu Post and The Himalayan Times report that the government is preparing to present a budget of around Rs 1.6 trillion for the next fiscal year, with top priority to social security programmes and increment in the salaries of civil servants.
The government prepares the budget based on the ceiling provided by the Resource Committee, which is led by vice-chairperson of the National Planning Commission. The NPC on Tuesday told the government not to exceed a ceiling of Rs 1.6 trillion.
The budget is likely to increase the allowance to the elderly to Rs 3,000 from Rs 2,000, according to Ram Kumar Phuyal, a member of the NPC. With this hike, the share of total spending on social security programmes is likely to hover around 12 per cent of the annual budget.
The budget is also likely to cheer up civil servants, as it is expected to propose a salary hike of 15 to 25 per cent. While the salary of special class government officers is likely to be increased by 15 per cent, salaries of non-gazetted and gazetted officers are likely to be increased by 20 and 25 per cent, respectively.
Tatopani border reopening
Republica and Naya Patrika report that Tatopani border point, Nepal’s vital and the oldest trading point with the northern neighbour China that was closed following the April 2015 earthquakes, is set to reopen on Wednesday.
According to Nawaraj Dhakal, spokesperson at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, the Tatopani border point will formally reopen and trade will resume from the customs point from Wednesday.
Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Yadav and Chinese Vice Minister Zhang Jiwen will jointly make a formal announcement of the reopening of the border. The duo is set to cut a ribbon at the Friendship Bridge at the border point. On the occasion, six Chinese cargo trucks laden with wool will enter Nepal.
Ignored
Sub-Inspector faces sexual assault charges
Nepal Samacharpatra reports that sub-inspector Ram Binod Yadav has been facing charges of sexual assault. An 18-year-old has accused Yadav of using her and taking her wherever he gets transferred. She said that Yadav has clicked a video of his sexual activities with the woman and blackmails her every time she threatens to go to the police. Police say that they are investigating into the case.
National Security Policy not made public
Naya Patrika reports that the government is yet to make the National Security Policy public. The police, formed under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ishwar Pokharel, was approved by the Cabinet on March 18.
MPs want to hire secretaries on contractual basis
Republica reports that the Parliament’s State Affairs Committee has been mulling over hiring some government secretaries and joint secretaries on contract, breaking with the tradition of appointments through the promotion of career bureaucrats.
Lawmakers lobbying hard for hiring top officials on contract argued that competent individuals can be hired on contract to ensure better performance. Five lawmakers including Pampha Bhusal, Nawaraj Silwal, Maheshwor Gahatraj and Tirtha Gautam of ruling Nepal Communist Party and Dibyamani Rajbhandari of main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) have registered an amendment to the bill demanding a provision for hiring secretaries and joint secretaries on contract to fill up to 33 percent of the total number of vacant positions at those levels.
Two judges suspended
Annapurna Post reports that the Judicial Council has suspended district court judges Omkar Upadhaya and Bishwamangal Atreya. The council found Upadhaya’s education certificates to be fake and Atreya has been accused of bad conduct. Cases have been filed against both judges.
Interesting
Veteran climbers ask Nepal to ban novices
The Himalayan Times reports that climbing legends have urged the government to limit the number of Everest climbers in each climbing season to avoid untoward incidents on the world’s highest peak.
Mount Everest witnessed at least 11 deaths, most of them on the descent, while the government issued a record 381 Everest climbing permits to expedition members this season. Over 700 persons, including climbing Sherpas, attempted to climb the mountain after they found a short weather window in the third week of May.
Renowned American mountaineer-cum-author Conrad Anker said inexperienced people were not only risking themselves but also putting others at risk. A rush of climbers in the balcony area had been a contributing factor for most casualties on Mount Everest this season,
India’s BIMSTEC only invitation puts SAARC future in the dark
The Kathmandu Post reports that the Indian government’s decision to invite BIMSTEC leaders for Thursday’s swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi, who is starting his second term as prime minister, has sparked a debate over the future of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, of which Nepal is a founding member and the current chair. Indian foreign policy analysts and media have painted a bleak picture of SAARC under Modi, saying that the regional bloc is unlikely to take off now.
Govt to set three-year deadline for projects
Naya Patrika reports that the government has planned to set a three-year deadline for the completion of most of its projects. The government is doing this as most of its long term projects were in limbo after no deadline was set on certain projects.
434 prisoners pardoned
Rajdhani reports that President Bidya Devi Bhandari has pardoned the remaining sentence of 434 prisoners on the occasion of Republic Day. The decision was taken on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers and in accordance with Article 276 of the Constitution of Nepal.
