MCC Should Go Ahead

Nepal’s private sector has called on the government, political parties and other stakeholders to pass the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Nepal Compact immediately saying that this key infrastructure project is crucial for propelling development of the country. Issuing a joint statement on Wednesday, three umbrella organisations of the private sector – Federation of Nepali Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) and

Funding The Provinces

Nepal’s new constitution, adopted in 2015, declared Nepal as federal, secular and republican state. This was a giant political step for the nation toward the democratisation and modernisation process. Monarchy that ruled the nation for over 240 years was abolished. In its place came the constitutional president. Federal governance system was embraced to overcome the imbalances in the sphere of development and administration. Its primary goal is to decentralise pow

Economists’ Wake-up Call

In a worrying sign, Nepal’s economy has been facing serious headwinds recently, mainly because of the dwindling inflow of remittances, according to a macroeconomic NRB report published recently. The report shows that the remittance inflows plunged by 18.1 per cent to Rs. 75.96 billion in the first month of the current fiscal year in contrast to an increase of 23 per cent in the same period of the previous year. That has begged the question: why is that happening against

Vaccinating Children

With the vaccination against COVID-19 gathering new momentum across the country, the government is very hopeful for meeting the goal of inoculating the targeted 71.6 per cent (a total 21,756,763 people above 18 years of age) of population by mid-April next year. The government aims to administer the life-saving jabs to 33 per cent of the targeted population by mid-October this year. As per the fresh updates of the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), 35.5 per cent of the total population has...

Flu, COVID Diagnosis

Runny nose, sore throat, fever, headache and muscle aches are the symptoms found in both seasonal flu and COVID-19 virus. People having these symptoms suffer from mild to severe illnesses. Like their identical symptoms, both the viruses spread through droplets and aerosols when the infected persons cough, sneeze or breathe. People can also contract COVID-19 and influenza as they touch contaminated surfaces and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth without washing their hands. People get confused between...

Let Senior Citizens Lead Dignified Life

SENIOR citizens are an integral part of any society. No one should overlook or forget the contributions they have made while raising families and being an important contributor to the promotion of society and the development of a country. However, in a society like ours, many elderly citizens encounter various difficulties. Carelessness from families, ignorance by the state, diseases and old-age-related physical and mental troubles call for attention towards their multifaceted plights.

Prevent Heart Ailments

There is no denying the fact that Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the principal cause of deaths worldwide. As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 18.6 million people die from CVDs each year. This accounts for about 32 per cent of all global deaths. Heart attack and stroke alone contribute 85 per cent of the total heart disease-related fatalities. People living in low and middle income countries have been bearing the brunt of heart disease, with more th

Ensure Access To Vaccines

The world is now scrambling to recover from the health and economic crises triggered by the COVID-19 though many nations are still confronting the spread of deadly virus that has become the pandemic of century. It has caused big humanitarian crisis. More than 4.5 million people have already succumbed to the virus while an additional 150 million people were pushed into extreme poverty, threatening to reverse hard-earned development gains. However, the invention of anti-COVID vaccines within a year...

Meet Spending Goals

The role of public expenditure is crucial to expedite the economic development of a country. Increased government expenditure, especially the capital spending, will have both direct and indirect impacts on increasing private investments and creating new jobs in the country. On th

High Hopes For Tourism

Tourism is undoubtedly one of the world’s key sectors contributing to creating jobs and livelihoods for millions of people in both developing and developed countries. This multi-faceted industry is said to support one in 10 jobs and offer livelihoods for a large number of people worldwide. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), tourism is the third-largest export category after fuels and chemicals. In 2019, tourism accounted for seven per cent of global trade. Many...

Sustainable Energy For All

Energy has been an indispensable element in every moment of life. Without energy, people’s daily routine and works become chaotic and disrupted. The use of various forms of energy -- electricity, solar, wind power, geothermal and biomass, among others -- are the key to sustenance of human life. In fact, the discovery of fire -- the biomass energy -- heralded the human civilisation on the earth. As the primitive human started to eat roasted and cooked food, especially meat, ther

End Poverty, Hunger

Poverty and hunger are the two faces of the same coin. Being one of the least developed as well as landlocked countries, Nepal has been facing double trouble owing to various reasons. The limited fiscal space does not allow the nation to go the whole hog in tackling an unfavourable food security system. The situation is further aggravated after natural calamities such as climate change impacts and the recent outbreak of the pandemic have pulverised our agriculture and economy.

Recovery And Growth

Nepal’s economy is poised to grow by 4.1 per cent in the fiscal year 2021/22, forecasts a report published by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). If the report is anything to go by, the country is set to emerge from the pandemic and things will change for the better. It paints a largely sanguine picture of the country’s economy for the coming year. The projected growth is a decent one compared with 2.3 per cent in the year before, and shows the country is on the path to economic recovery. As more...

Facilitating FDI Inflow

Nepal is rich in natural resources but it has been unable to tap them in the absence of adequate capital, technology and managerial skills. As a result, its industrialisation process has slowed down. In early 1990s, Nepal adopted liberal economic policy with a view to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) that plays a vital role in building big infrastructure projects through the mobilisation of capital, human and natural resources and technology transfer. The FDI also involves financial and market...

Energy Roadmap

Nepal has made significant progress in the area of energy development. Focus now should be on managing, maintaining, preserving and promoting energy resources. There is a need of developing a plan of action to increase the access of people to energy. Lack of energy hampers multiple area of human life. Energy crisis in the past has affected development efforts of Nepal when power outages used to take place regularly. Now the state of electricity production and management is better an

Unique Cultural Heritage

The Kathmandu Valley is home to a myriad of monuments, temples, shrines, traditional festivals and other exceptional cultural events. Thus, the valley has been a suitable place for all those interested in monuments and culture for centuries. The heritage sites and cultural festivals have been a major attraction among foreign as well as domestic tourists visiting Kathmandu. The ongoing eight-day long Indra Jatra, which is commonly known as Yenya in Nepal Bhasa, is the biggest religio

Implement The Statute

The country observed the Constitution Day amidst a variety of programmes on Sunday. Six years have passed since the national charter was promulgated by the elected Constituent Assembly in 2015. It is the special day in the life of the nation as the statute embodies a moment of political victory. It documents the historic gains made with the joint struggles of the people from all walks of life. It is the grand outcome made through all trials and tribulations. As the dossier of the highest faith, it...

Technology For Development

Advancement in science and technology is a way to attain prosperity of a nation. At present, almost all sectors have benefitted from the utilisation of new technologies that help expedite development in every sector. Many nations, especially the US, Europe, Japan, China and many more, have achieved envious prosperity by utilising technologies in their respective education, agriculture, production and health sectors, thanks to the new progress they have achieved in the science and technology fields....

Rail And Relations

It goes without saying that Nepal and India have enjoyed cordial relations at political, economic and cultural levels since time immemorial. Nepal not only imports a lot of consumer and other goods from the southern neighbour but also utilises some of the Indian ports for international trade. With better road, railway and air connectivity and necessary institutional development, the trade relations between the two nations have been enhanced further. Inked in 2004, the Railway Services

Preserve Mythical Ponds

Some places are known for their cultural and spiritual values. They draw respect and admiration from a wide segment of population. Many people visit them to take inspirations and obtain spiritual bliss. Janakpur, also known as the capital of kingdom of Videhas, is a similar place of historic importance. Located in central Terai, Janakpur is now the temporary capital of Province 2 but its history goes back to thousands of years when it was centre of learning and enlightenment. During the reign of...