Various Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from the Kathmandu Valley have given importance to the state visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Nepal. The Indian Prime Minister will be visiting Nepal on Friday.
The issues of pre-budget discussion and the dissatisfaction among lawmakers regarding government’s stance on the budget have also received attention.
Important
Final preparations for Modi’s visit
All preparations for the two-day official visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Nepal have been completed. The Indian PM will land in Janakpur on May 11 and later visit Kathmandu and Muktinath. Modi will return home after visiting Muktinath and meeting political party leaders, reports Gorkhapatra.
Likewise, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday briefed former prime ministers and ministers about the visit of his Indian counterpart. The Arun III hydropower project will be inaugurated by the Indian Prime Minister and agreements on partnership on agricultural research will also be signed, reports The Himalayan Times.
Pre-budget discussion today
Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada is to address Parliament on the priorities of the upcoming budget. This comes a day after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli consulted former prime ministers on his government’s proposed policy and programmes and the annual budget. However, leaders and lawmakers have expressed their dissatisfaction over the way the government is preparing the budget without consultation, reports The Himalayan Times.
MPs demand ‘under-trial’ lawmakers suspended
A group of Members of Parliament have registered an amendment to the proposed change in House regulations that would do away with the provision of suspending MPs who face criminal charges. MPs from the CPN-UML, Rastriya Janamorcha, and Nepal Workers Peasants Party registered the amendment proposal, reports Rajdhani.
As per the current provision, lawmakers facing the criminal charges get suspended from their position. However, Parliament, last week, introduced the provision of suspending lawmakers only when they are convicted by the court, according to Republica.
Ignored
Govt sets new rule for protecting Nepali migrant workers
The government has introduced a new provision that would allow migrant workers to renew their work permits by visiting Nepali missions in their respective host countries. Similarly, the missions will also be involved in issuing of demand letters. The new provision was made with an aim to deal with the rampant cases of cheating of Nepalis working abroad through fake demand letters. The directive was endorsed in the Cabinet meeting on Monday, according to The Kathmandu Post.
Former Finance Ministers skip pre-budget discussion
Former Finance Ministers have boycotted the pre-budget discussion called by Minister for Finance Yubaraj Khatiwada at the Ministry of Finance, reports Kantipur. The finance minister has also held separate meetings with the Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission, and former appointees to the post, according to Kantipur.
Nepalis entering India from select countries now need visa
New Delhi has introduced a new law that makes it mandatory for Nepalis entering India after visiting China, Hong Kong, Macau, Pakistan, and the Maldives to hold a valid visa. The same rule has also been enforced for Bhutanese. The Indian Home Ministry will penalise an airline under the Carrier Liability Act if passengers from these countries are brought to India without a visa. The Indian Immigration Bureau, however, is yet to make offciail announcement on the same, reports Naya Patrika.
Interesting
15,000-MW within 10 years
The government says it plans to develop hydropower projects that can produce up to 15,000 MW of electricity within the next 10 years. The Energy Ministry says that 3,000 MW will be produced in next three years, and an addition 5,000 MW in the next five years. Similarly, 10,000 MW will be added in the in the 10 years after that, reports Rajdhani.
The government also states that one major hydropower project will be developed in each province.
