HELLO NEPAL

The Kathmandu Post 29 July 2018 SOUNDS OPTIMISTIC The Oli led government is set to establish an Immediate Problem Solving Centre at the Prime Minister’s Office which will be known as the “Action Room” in order to address legal, institutional and administrative issues at priority projects and service delivery of the government and its agencies (“Government to set up ‘Immediate Problem Solving Centre’ July 22, Page 2) . As the prime minister, Baburam Bhattaria too had started the “Hello Sirkar” programme, with the intention of addressing people’s problem and concerns. However, the programme could not be effective due to several reasons. Over the years, Nepal has passed through many political changes which taken place based on the whims of the political leaders and their parties. However, these changes have failed to bring about substantial improvements in the social and economical sectors and the demands of the common people. Now, the rich have become richer and the ...

The Himalayan Times 26July 2018 Outrageous remarks The ongoing social and political tussles between the ruling parties on one side and the civil society members, human rights activists, medical professionals and students, educationists, editors, intellectuals and common people on the other indicates that the coming days might not be favourable for the ruling party to smoothly run the government as it might have thought, largely due to its egoist politics and high-handedness on the state affairs. It has not been able to address the suffering of the common people. Market prices of commodities have skyrocketed. The common needs of “education and health services” of the majority population have become dearer. While Dr. Govind K.C is on his 15 th hunger strike for reforms in medical education in Nepal, the recent unethical statements, which were directed against the character of Nepali female medical students in Bangladesh, made by law minister Sher Bahadur Tamang and Ex...

The Himalayan Times 19 July 2018 Hopes dashed Soon after the country entered into federal structure and the leftist government with almost two-thirds majority took the political helm, people had high expectation from this change. Almost five months have passed for this federal government led by Prime Minister K.P.Oli.   There are no any specific and significant activities implemented directly benefiting the common people to be pointed out here except PM’s official visits to neighbouring countries. Some of the recent unpopular and undemocratic acts of the government have gripped the nation and irritated the human rights organizations, civil society members, social activists and even its well wishers also. Among them was the government’s decision to ban protest at Maitighar Mandala and other key places in Kathmandu. Maitighar Mandala was the key place in the past also to express people’s concerns and show their solidarity against the government’s unpleasant and und...

The Himalayan Times 12 July 2018 Becoming unpopular? Looking at the ongoing political situation in the country, both the main opposition and the ruling parties seem to be going at odds and likely to invite more political confrontations in the coming days. The ruling party, NCP, seems to be flexing its political muscles on the basis of it’s two thirds majority in Parliament. On the other hand, the opposition, the NC, also does want to be undermined by the ruling party and promises to raise voices against government’s high handedness in handling state affairs. Blame game has resurfaced again in Nepali politics instead of playing reconciliatory politics respecting each other’s political role for the cause of nation building. The recent act of government to bar vice chancellor of Nepal Sanskrit University from boarding a flight to Canada to attend the 17th World Sanskrit Conference slated for July 9 to 13, was heavily criticized by political critics, educationists and cond...

The Himalayan Times 5 July 2018 Govt must be responsible Nepal has now entered into a new political structure with the three tiers of governments in place soon after the completion of three levels of elections. The leftist government at the centre led by Prime Minster K.P.Oli has recently completed its three months honeymoon period with not much exciting performance. It has been the most powerful government in the Nepal political history with almost a two third majority and is even now joined by the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal. The recent irresponsible activities of this government, however, have irritated and surprised human rights organizations and civil society, medical professionals and students, opposition parties and common people “NHRC urges govt to save Ganga Maya’s life” (THT, July 3, Page 2). Ganga Maya Adhikari’s health, who has been on a fast-unto-death for the last 30 days in Bir Hospital, is rapidly deteriorating due to the government’s apathy towar...

The Himalayan Times 28 June 2018 Implement tax system The government of Nepal had, in the past for several years, and has engaged many working partners shouldering the responsibilities of implementing various development activities for the well-being of its people, especially, residing in the remote rural areas. These working partners were or are local youth clubs, user’s groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), bilateral and multi-lateral donor organizations. All these partner organizations were or have been implementing their development activities in different parts of the country in their own ways based on the nature of programmes and objectives. However, the government did not seem to have its own proper basis or criteria to engage these partners which resulted in the haphazard implementation of development activities. Also, in the absence of proper supervision and monitoring mechanism with the governme...

The Himalayan Times 21 June 2018 Adios Dr. Devkota Human life is uncertain and cannot be forecast for how long somebody will live in this materialistic world in-spite of many medical inventions have been made to prolong human lives for few hours or days. Lucky and fortunate people were and have been able to conquer his/her death to live for some more years. Had everybody been able to conquer their deaths, this world would be overpopulated. And, there are many people around the world who face untimely death due to hunger, starvation and other reasons. The miracle of Mother Nature cannot be understood and is beyond our imagination. The untimely demise of renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Upendra Devkota has shocked the nation “Renowned neurosurgeon Devkota passes away” (THT, June 19, Page 1). He himself saved thousands of lives in his thirty years of medical history from their untimely deaths. His untiring medical services provided to the visiting patients cannot be compared...

The Kathmandu Post 8 June 2018 SLOPPY PERFORMANCE The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is being run by the leftist government led by K.P.Oli since the last three months. This is the most powerful government, may be in the political history of Nepal, enjoying almost two third majority seats in the Parliament. The government has completed so called its honeymoon period of three months with not much concrete things to show to the people besides high promises being made by its ministers. Breaking the syndicate system of transportation entrepreneurs was the only visible action of the government in the past three months. However, the credit for this act should go to the Director General of Transportation Department who was recently transferred to the Labour Ministry. Not surprisingly, the Oli led government, now joined by SSF-Nepal led by Upendra Yadav, does not get tired of talking about taking the country towards prosperity. It presented the budget for the fiscal yea...