Good morning!
Here’s a quick summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from Tuesday to kickstart your Wednesday.
Important
RJPN leaders rule out possibility of joining govt
After the exit of Samajwadi Party Nepal from the coalition government and an agreement between the ruling Nepal Communist Party and the Madhes-centric Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, many have expected that the RJPN will soon join the government. However, two presidium members of the party have rejected the possibility anytime soon.
Raj Kishor Yadav and Sharad Singh Bhandari also say that the recent agreement with the NCP about the partnership for the National Assembly polls will not make any change in the government of Province 2. The Samajwadi Party and the RJPN have a coalition government in the province whereas the NCP is on the opposition side. But, analysts speculate that the agreement would lead to the NCPN-RJPN coalition to secure majority votes and run the government.
Puri’s pays farewell call on Bhandari, Oli
India’s outgoing ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri has paid farewell calls to President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday. Puri retired from the Indian foreign service just a few days ago.
During the meetings, Puri also handed over a toke of love to each of them, according to sources.
Meanwhile, India is yet to decide who will succeed Puri.
Ignored
Govt directs district authorities not to distribute social security allowances for those who support chhaupadi
The Ministry of Home Affairs has directed district administration offices of the districts where the practice of chhaupadi, a tradition of secluding menstruating women in a separate hut, is common not to give social security allowances to people who keep women of their families in separate huts during their periods. The authorities have also been asked to take action against the women who agreed to follow the system.
The government had criminalised the system last year.
Nepal-India trade via Biratnagar-Jogbani route halted for one week
Inter-country trade activities between Nepal and India via Biratnagar-Jogbani customs have been halted for the past one week as India is repairing a bridge that is around four kilometre away from the border. The officials closed the customs temporarily since December 19 after no alternative route is available in the area.
Biratnagar is considered the second biggest customs point in Nepal and the government would collect around Rs 150 million in revenues every day. It seems the repairing would take around four weeks; hence traders have urged the government to explore alternative routes.
Interesting
New Dharaha will be ready in one year: NRA
Following a series of obstructions, the government plan to construct a new tower in memory of the historic tower of Dharahara that collapsed during the 2015 earthquake has finally got momentum. The National Reconstruction Authority claims all the construction works will be over within one year now onwards.
Around 33 per cent construction works have been completed whereas 22 per cent of the allocated budget has been spent so far, the authority officials informed during a monitoring visit of the construction site on Tuesday.
