- Sunday, 5 April 2026
TRN Online
NC deciding on giving trust vote to PM Prachanda
The Nepali Congress Central Work Execution Committee meeting is underway in connection to giving the vote of confidence to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'.
Nepalis and American soldiers' joint exercise starts
The joint exercise conducted between Nepali Army and the US Army has begun at Chhauni in Kathmandu.
CPN (Unified Socialist) to give vote of confidence to Prachanda-led government
The CPN (Unified Socialist) has decided to support the incumbent government led by CPN (Maoist Centre) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.
CPN (Unified Socialist) to give vote of confidence to Prachanda-led government
The CPN (Unified Socialist) has decided to support the incumbent government led by CPN (Maoist Centre) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.
Chief Minister of Bagmati Province Jamakattel sworn in
Makawanpur, Jan 10 : The newly-appointed Chief Minister of Bagmati Province, Shalikram Jamakattel has taken the oath of office and secrecy today. Province Chief Yadav Chandra Sharma administered the oath to Jamakattel at 9.40 am. Province Chief Sharma appointed Jagannath Thapaliya, the CPN (UML) parliamentary party leader, and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) parliamentary party leader Uddhav Thapa as ministers, on the recommendation of the Chief Minister. The Province Chief administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly-appointed two ministers as well. Thapaliya has been given the responsibility of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning while Thapa has been assigned the minister without portfolio. The Chief Minister will himself look after 13 out of the 14 ministries in the Bagmati provincial government until the present council of ministers is expanded. Newly-appointed Chief Minister Jamakattel is elected to the Province Assembly from electoral constituency number 1 (1) of Dhading. Minister Thapaliya is elected to the Province Assembly from Chitwan district electoral constituency 1 (1) and Thapa from Kathmandu district election constituency 8 (2). (RSS)
HoR meeting postponed for two hours
The meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) scheduled to be held at 11:00 am has been postponed till 1:00 pm.
CPN (Unified Socialist) holding secretariat meeting
The CPN (Unified Socialist) is holding its secretariat meeting today to decide whether to vote for the government's confidence motion.
Municipalities to collaborate on stray cattle management
Two local levels in Kanchanpur district have decided to collaborate for the management of stray cattle. An agreement to this was reached between Mayor of Krishnapur Municipality, Hemraj Ojha; and Chairman of Laljhadi Rural Municipality, Niramal Rana, on Monday.
Karnali Province Assembly to elect Speaker on Jan 15
The Karnali Province Assembly is to elect new Speaker on January 15.
Hope On Hydropower
In a good sign for the economy, overall job market and future of the country as a whole, development of hydropower in the country has been making impressive headway in recent years. So much so that it has caught the attention of several high-profile businessmen and investors alike. Billionaire Binod Chaudhary is one among them. Chaudhary, who is also a lawmaker, recently inaugurated 4.72-MW Menchhiyam Hydel project in Sank
Reorienting Social Science Education
It is deplorable that social science education, which once was hailed as the backbone of society, has now been neglected, both by the state and society. It is not that the budget has been cut – it is not even possible – but the educational authorities do not explain the value of social science education well. Nor do the parents bother to listen to understand its worth, let alone the children. Surprisingly, some think the national human/social science education investment is a waste. One of several reasons for indifference to social science education is that our education policy is chiefly to produce job-oriented graduates. Consequently, education has been lopsided, and national development has lagged behind. This is more than unfortunate. Two major streams
Need To Upgrade Tourism Infrastructure
The tourism industry is an important contributor to the economy of Nepal. There is no doubt that the country has many prospects for the development of tourism. But it is an irony that the country has not been able to take advantage of this. The doors to tourism were opened in the country in 1951. The first Tourism Master Plan was launched in 1972. The government committed itself to develop the tourism industry on a massive scale. Accordingly, the private sector assumed the operational lead, while the government undertook to formulate tourism policies and take reform measures. In 1995, the government announced the Tourism Policy to develop tourism as a priority sector. Nepal was planning to celebrate the Visit Nepal Year 2020 with the aim of attracting as many as two million tourists when COVID-19 struck the country. The almost world-wide spread of the disease forced the country to shelve the ambitious programme, resulting in a big loss in touro-dollars. The pandemic has impacted the economy on an unprecedented scale. However, the tourism industry is gradually bouncing back with a remission of infections. In 2020, the country was able to receive just 238,000 tourists. In 2021, the figure of tourist arrivals shrank to 151,000. The tourist arrivals were 712,000 in 2017, 740,000 in 2018 and 801,000 in 2019. Encouraging signThese figures speak volumes for the dwindling number of tourists in the pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021. However, the country welcomed over 600,000 tourists in 2022, an encouraging sign of the tourism industry. Nepal has potential for becoming a tourist hub. It has fascinating natural beauty and features. The country boasts eight out of the 10 highest mountains in the world. There are 20 protected areas in the country. They include 10 national parks, three wildlife reserves, six conservation areas and one hunting area. These protected areas cover 20 per cent of the land area of the country. It is surmised that 45 per cent of the tourists visiting Nepal are eco-tourists. The country is rich in natural features. The country abounds in mountains, hills, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, subtropical forests and the like. There are also trekking routes for nature-loving tourists in the country. In 2019, the tourism industry supported over one million direct or indirect jobs, which constituted 6.7 per cent of the total employment. There are ample opportunities for developing the tourism industry in Nepal. But unfortunately, the country has not been able to reap benefits. Tourist hubs are confined to the Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, the Annapurna area and some other places. The Deuba-led government announced the 2023-2032 decade a tourism decade while going out of power. But just announcing such ambitious programmes is not enough. Where is the infrastructure? Tourists want variety. They want to visit new places. Nepal is offering them the same old tourist places and products. Although the government says time and again that it will diversify the tourist products, nothing of that sort has happened. Yes, the government can offer new and charming products to tourists. But the sticking point is lack of infrastructure. Even in Kathmandu, the capital city, road infrastructure is inadequate. The existing road infrastructure is also dilapidated. In the summer, roads become muddy, while in the winter they become dusty, giving rise to dust pollution. There are local governments. They should at least take the initiative in constructing pitched roads or converting dirt roads into pitched ones in their jurisdictions. Further, they should pay heed to sanitation. The drainage problem is a chronic in the Kathmandu Valley. Many tourists take delight in rural settings. Nepal is a country of villages. However, the rural areas are undeveloped and lack even basic facilities. As such, there is an increasing trend of migration from the rural areas to the city areas. The government should take steps to develop the rural areas. Quality hotels are concentrated in the Kathmandu Valley and some other city areas. Such hotels also need to be developed in the rural areas having the potential to attract tourists. The government should also design new products such as canopy walks in Chitwan and other national parks. Jungle safaris are already there. The addition of such new products will attract even more tourists. There are other challenges to overcome as well. There is lack of promotion and publicity. Nepal’s tourist products are not sufficiently promoted and publicised abroad. There are many tourist destinations in the country but these destinations remain unexplored for various reasons, including lack of road transport. Lack of proper provision for tourism centres and security is another challenge. Tourism hubsIn similar fashion, tourism hubs exist in a few locations. Tourism hubs offer a variety of services for tourists such as giving direction to scenic locations, providing tourist maps, offering money exchange facilities, providing tourists with security and providing services in emergencies such as during disasters. Nepal is rich in natural, historical and cultural heritages. The government should design tourist products and commercial services in collaboration with tourist entrepreneurs and other stakeholders. The most important thing is the development of infrastructure, including transport infrastructure. The initiative should come from the government. Tourism entrepreneurs and the stakeholders concerned are always ready to help the government. Moreover, while developing tourism packages in the rural areas, the local communities should always be involved in the tourism programmes so that they can benefit from the programmes. This will help in uplifting their economic condition. On the other hand, the government can also earn more revenue. (Maharjan has been regularly writing on contemporary issues for this daily since 2000. uttam.maharjan1964@gmail.com)
Kids With Heart Disease Suffer A Tough Life
Children born with heart conditions have a tough life in Zimbabwe. The country lacks adequate medical treatment. Statistics from the Zimbabwean government show that one in every 100 births is a child being born with a congenital heart disease. This means an estimated 4,550 children are born annually with a heart condition. Zimbabwean heart specialist Reginald Musengi says that these children “may not live up to half a decade if nothing is done to save their lives”. Families of sick children face several challenges ranging from emotional to economic hardships. One example is Bernard Mutambu. From birth, the nine-year-old has battled a severe heart ailment which has forced him to be out of school. The boy suffers with abnormal heart rhythms, shortness of breath and swollen body tissue organs – which are precisely signs of a heart condition.
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50 units electricity for free
The government is to provide 50 units of free electricity to domestic consumers
Green Economy to be developed, as CMP outlines
The incumbent government has taken up the intiaitive to develop a green economy so as to protect environment and to reduce the risks emanating from climate change.
