- Saturday, 28 February 2026
The Rising Nepal
Gorkhapatra: A Robust Public Media
The self-perception of the press is the protector of public and national interests. Free and independent press is the ideal institution of democracy. It contributes to the formation of a cultural community, national identity and its projection in the international sphere. Nepal’s cultural syncretism manifestly separates it from the neighbours while its social diversity resonates with an extraordinary scale of freedom, tolerance and resilience. The defence of press freedom rooted in public interests can balance the nationwide communication as opposed to those driven by doctrinaire, commercial, partisan, infotainment or projectised media lacking either national awareness or the verve of emancipatory potential of modernity.
Significance Of Timely Capital Spending
Nepal’s annual budget has been facing numerous problems. For a few years, the budget has been superseding capital expenditure and the government has tried to promote capital formation. Despite public criticism and vows from the government to address this issue, the cycle continues. Capital expenditure is essential to expedite the quality and quantity of public service delivery. A large amount of such expenditure is concentrated on the investment of infrastructure, especially the transport, health, education, and research.
Print Has A Future
We live in an online, digital world today. Everything we have and everything we will have in the decades to come will be online and digital. Technology has got us in a stranglehold and we cannot escape it no matter how hard we try – our life requirements will not allow us to, as anyone who has ever tried, and failed, to quit social media can attest. This is not to say that digital is bad. On the contrary, the convenience and speed they offer have made them an essential part of our modern lives. But that begs the question, with the increasing digitisation, do print media have a future?
Excited to choose own government
Since the promulgation of the constitution on September 20, 2015, the first phase of its implementation is completing. In accordance with the federal set-up, of the three-tier government in the country, election of the local level was held first in 2017. That term is about to complete. Local polls for the second term are scheduled for May 13. Once held, periodic election in line with the implementation of the constitution will complete one cycle.
Poll campaign in full swing in capital valley
The local level elections are just a week away and the national political atmosphere has heated up. Candidates, independent and politically-backed alike, have begun campaigning and reaching out to voters. Parties have mobilised their cadres to get their members elected. The electoral atmosphere has fully gripped Nepal and as the capital, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is at the centre of it all. Big political names like Keshav Sthapit and Sirjana Singh and independents like Balen shah have announced their candidacy for the mayorship of this city. This seems to have the voters excited.
NC defers conventions of sister bodies
The ruling Nepali Congress has put off its scheduled sister and well-wisher organisations' general convention. NC chief secretary Krishna Prasad Paudel in its statement on Wednesday said that scheduled general convention was put off as organisations were involved in making party and alliance candidates victorious in local poll scheduled for May 13. He said it was not seen relevant to hold general conventions around the date of local elections.
Bollywood singer Aastha Gill coming to Kathmandu
Bollywood singer and songwriter Aastha Gill is coming to Kathmandu for a concert. She is scheduled to perform for the concert Aastha Gill Live in Kathmandu on Saturday. At the concert, to be held at Club Platinum, Durbarmarg, Gill will present her hits Pani Pani Ho Gayi, Tera Buzz, DJ Wale Babu, Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai, Nagin Din Gin Gin, Kamariya and more than a dozen other songs.
Tripartite competition likely in Dhangadhi
Election atmosphere in Dhangadhi, the only sub-metropolitan city in the Sudurpaschim Province, is heating up. As it is also the temporary capital of the province, everyone's attention is focused on Dhangadhi. Top leaders from across the political spectrum have started visiting the place to solicit votes for the candidates of their respective parties and factions. Nrip Bahadur Oad of the Nepali Congress, Rana Bahadur Chand of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML), Bindra Air of Rastriya Janata Party and Basanta Bishwokarma of the Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party are contesting for the vital posts in the sub-metropolis.
Siraha Police controls Indian vehicles used for poll campaign
Siraha Police has started taking under control Indian four-wheeler light vehicles being used for the publicity of local elections. After the candidates of political parties started using Indian vehicles for campaigning, the District Administration Office (DAO), Siraha, issued a public notice on May 2 prohibiting the use of foreign vehicles for electioneering. However, despite the notice, the major parties are found not complying with it.
Bagmati Province biggest contributor to GDP
Among seven provinces in the country, Bagmati Province is estimated to have the largest share and Karnali Province the lowest to the total national gross domestic product (GDP) in the current fiscal year. According to the Provincial National Accounts Estimation published by the Central Bureau of Statistics on Thursday, the share of Bagmati Province will have 36.9 per cent contribution to the GDP while Karnali Province will have a meagre 4.1 per cent. The GDP growth rate is estimated at 5.8 per cent of the national economy in the current fiscal year, while Bagmati is projected to have the highest growth rate of 6.7 per cent and Sudurpashchim Province the lowest at 4.9 per cent.
Candidates intensify election campaign
As the date of local level election draws closer, political parties and candidates in Taplejung have started reaching out to the voters' houses with their election manifesto. Party cadres and candidates started reaching the doorsteps of voters to solicit votes and attract voters. Village targeted activities of the leaders, cadres, candidates and political parties and their presence in toll plazas, settlements and houses with the election campaign has made the village ready for election.
Invasive weed threatens local crops in Kavre
Native to tropical America, Singapore Daisy has been identified for the first time in Panchkhal Municipality of Kavre. Local farmers are worried that the weeds could affect their food and vegetable crops after the weeds were found on the left bank of the river from Jhikukhola of Panchkhal to Sunkoshi River. Stakeholders have shown interest after seeing Singapore Daisy weed in Panchkhal for the first time in Nepal.
Liquidity problem at banks in Sarlahi solved
The liquidity problem of banks and financial institutions in Sarlahi is being solved. Due to the continuous public holidays, the banks and financial institutions here had a shortage of cash for a few days. Especially, service recipients could not get the remittance amount sent from abroad. Many service recipients from rural areas had to return empty-handed as they could not withdraw the required amount sent by their relatives who have gone for foreign employment. As all the banks and financial institutions are fully open from Wednesday, there is no shortage of cash. Banks in the market areas of the district, including Lalbandi, Hariwan, Barhathwa, Bayalbas and Malangawa have said that they are providing money as per the demand of the service recipients.
FNJ Gorkhapatra hosts blood donation programme
BY A STAFF REPORTER Kathmandu, May 6: Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) of Gorkhapatra Corporation hosted a blood donation programme on the occasion of 122nd publication of Gorkhapatra newspaper and 60th anniversary of Gorkhapatra Corporation on Thursday. It was organised by FNJ Gorkhapatra Corporation on the premises of the corporation with the support of blood bank of Paropkar Maternity and Women’s Hospital. Executive Chairman of Gorkhapatra Corporation Bishnu Prasad Subedi inaugurated the programme by donating blood. General Manager Lal Bahadur Airi also donated the blood at the programme. The programme started at 10 am and continued till 2 pm in the afternoon. Blood is essential for the treatment of various diseases, as well as health conditions resulting from accidents and childbirth. In order to reduce the shortage of blood to some extent, it is now necessary for everyone to donate blood from his/her own area. According to the organiser, 35 Gorkhapatra employees, including 10 females and 25 males, donated the blood.
Ballot paper printing completes: EC
The Election Commission (EC) has completed printing ballot papers required for all 77 districts as part of its final preparations to conduct the local election on May 13 as announced by the government. “The printing of ballot papers required for the local polls has been completed. All the printed ballot papers will be dispatched by May 9,” said EC’s Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Poudel. Ballot papers were printed at the state-run Janak Sikshya Samagri Kendra (JSSK). According to the EC, a total of 19,400,000 ballot papers were printed for the local polls. Although there are a total 17.73 million plus voters for local level polls, the EC has printed 19.40 million keeping in mind the need for additional ballot papers.
