India to shoulder Nepal in development efforts

Kathmandu, May 12: India has agreed to provide greater Nepal’s access to the Indian market, enhance the overall bilateral trade and facilitate Nepal’s transit trade.

According to the Nepal-India joint statement issued in Kathmandu on Saturday during the State Visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nepal and India have agreed to jointly initiate a comprehensive review of the bilateral Treaty of Trade and to consider amendments to the Treaty of Transit and related agreements.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his Indian counterpart Modi welcomed the outcome of the recently held Inter-Governmental Committee meeting on Trade, Transit and Cooperation to control unauthorised trade.

The two PMs underscored the importance of trade and economic ties between India and Nepal, and emphasised the need for regular convening of bilateral mechanisms, including the Nepal-India Joint Commission at the Foreign/External Affairs Ministers level, to review the overall state of bilateral relations, and for the expeditious implementation of economic and development cooperation projects.

They directed their respective officials to address outstanding matters by September 2018, with the objective of advancing cooperation in all areas.

Nepal and India agreed on the effective implementation of the agreements made in the past and bilateral initiatives in agriculture, railway linkages and inland waterways development as agreed upon by the two sides during the recent visit of Prime Minister Oli to India.

“Recognising the vibrant people-to-people contacts and friendly bilateral ties, the two Prime Ministers directed the respective officials to expand cooperation in the civil aviation sector, including early technical discussion on additional air entry routes to Nepal by the respective technical teams,” the joint statement read.

The two Prime Ministers had held delegation-level talks Friday evening.

They jointly laid the foundation stone of the 900-megawatt Arun-III Hydroelectricity Project in Sankhuwasabha district by pressing a switch from Hotel Dwarika’s Friday evening.

They expressed the hope that operationalisation of the project would help enhance cooperation in the generation and trade of power between the two countries, and agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in the power sector in line with the bilateral Power Trade Agreement.

Nepali PM Oli and Indian PM Modi launched the Nepal-India Ramayana Circuit connecting Janakpur, the birthplace of Sita, with Ayodhya and other sites associated with the epic Ramayana. They also flagged off direct bus services between Janakpur and Ayodhya.

PM Modi visited Janakpur and Muktinath, worshipped at the Janaki Temple in Janakpur, Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu and Muktinath Temple in Mustang. He was offered civic felicitations in Janakpur and Kathmandu.

Speaking at the civic reception ceremony in Kathmandu on Saturday, he said that India was ready to shoulder Nepal’s development efforts. He pledged his support to Nepal’s journey towards economic progress and prosperity.

Modi called on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun, and also held a meeting with the former PMs. 

Senior leader of the political parties and ministers paid courtesy calls on him.

After concluding his two-day visit to Nepal, Modi left for New Delhi Saturday evening. Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali bid him farewell at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

Speaking with the press after the farewell, Foreign Minister Gyawali said that the visit of the Indian Prime Minister had strengthened the bilateral ties between the countries and expressed the hope that there would be concrete progress in terms of realising Indian investment in agriculture and infrastructure development and obtaining Indian cooperation in reducing Nepal’s trade deficit.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 13 May 2018. 

Lack of continuity in institutional reforms posing challenges to PFM: Khatiwada

Kathmandu, May 12: Minister for Finance Dr. Yubaraj Khatiwada has said that lack of continuity in institutional reforms and inconsistency in the methods have created challenges to public financial management (PFM) in Nepal.

“The government wants to be transparent in its expenditures and accountability in terms of fiscal transfers and management,” he said while addressing the ‘International conference on pubic-sector financial management’on Saturday.

The conference was jointly organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal (ICAN) and Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Secretariat in association with the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants (CAPA).

He called for strengthening the PFM system of the country for transparency, accountability and effectiveness in the use of public funds.

The government is committed to improving the country’s PFM system to enhance its quality and strengthening public sector accounting through the implementation of international standards, he said.

Stating that the effective implementation of the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) was affected by political instability, he said that the tool was a must for making the government and its functions accountable and transparent.

He pointed out the lack of reform and uniformity as key challenges in the public financial management system of the country.

“In order to make the public financial management system more effective, we have to develop and utilise information technology, a robust banking system and capable human resource,” he added.

Finance Minister Dr. Khatiwada also urged the chartered accountants to become accountable and responsible towards their profession. 

“You must be ethical, and financial discipline and transparency should be maintained in your profession,” said.

More than 250 accounting professionals, including 60 international delegates, participated in the conference that was held with the theme ‘Public sector financial management: Enhanced accountability and transparency’. It deliberated on ways to strengthen transparency, accountability and audit function in the public sector.

Prakash Jung Thapa, ICAN president, emphasised on more involvement of professionals in the government organisations for strengthening public sector financial management.

Auditor General of Nepal Tanka Mani Sharma said that effective implementation of the public financial management system would help make federalism a success in Nepal.

“The current challenge is to make the federal system successful, and the public financial management system should be effective for the successful implementation of federalism,” he added. He also urged the professional accountants to undertake their duty with the highest professional standards.

Meanwhile, ICAN on Friday hosted a directors’ meeting, governance and audit committee meeting, accounting technician task force meeting and public sector financial management committee meeting of CAPA. 

Contemporary issues of accounting profession within the Asian Pacific region were discussed in the meeting. CAPA is a regional organisation representing 32 professional accounting bodies operating in 23 jurisdictions in the Asian and Pacific region. 

Similarly, the 52nd Board Meeting of the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA), an apex body of SAARC, held on Friday.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 13 May 2018. 

Modi reiterates Indian support to Nepal's development

Kathmandu, May 11: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his commitment to supporting  in materialising the concept of land-linked and water-linked Nepal.

"We have started some revolutionary initiatives in the areas of agriculture, inland waterways and railways. Waterways and railways will contribute in enhanced connectivity between people and businesses of both the countries," said the visiting Indian PM at a joint press meet held after bilateral one to one and delegation-level meeting with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Friday.

He pledged Indian support in materialising Prime Minister Oli's vision to create land and water linked Nepal.

During Prime Minister Oli’s India visit last month,  India had agreed to construct a new electric railway line connecting the border city of Raxaul in India with Kathmandu in the Indian financial support. The two PMs had also agreed for bilateral cooperation in agriculture and developing new connectivity between India and Nepal through inland waterways.

The Indian PM also announced that he would install an India-developed Bhabhatron Radio Therapy machine at the Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital.

PM Oli and his Indian counterpart also laid the foundation stone  the Arun – III Hydroelectricity Project by pressing a switch at the Hotel Dwarika's. Following it, work was started at the construction site of the project at Phaksinda confluence in Sakhuwasabha district.

The 900-Megawatt project in Sankhuwasabha district is awarded to Indian state-owned Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN), which is construction it at the cost of Rs. 104 billion,. But the company is yet to complete the financial closure.

After completion of the project, Nepal will get 197 mw electricity free of cost and the rest will be exported to India.

Modi said that the two countries had been also discussing on Pancheshwor Multipurpose and other projects in hydropower, water resources and energy.

PM Oli said that the two prime ministers had deliberated on all the issues of bilateral interest.

"We discussed about exchanging the banned Indian currency notes, development of inland waterways and additional air route. India will soon send technical team for the feasibility study of waterways," he said.

According to him, he raised the issue of trade deficit and there was an agreement to send joint task force to resolve the issues of flood-hit people in Nepal's Terai reigon.

Indian Prime Minister Modi also paid a courtesy call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun on Friday evening while former PMs Sher Bahadur Deuba, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhala Nath Khanal, Babu Ram Bhattarai and Lokendra Bahadur Chand and former chairman of the Council of Ministers Khila Raj Regmi called on Modi at Hotel Dwarika's.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali had received him at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). A troop of the Nepal Army offered 'Guard of Honour' to the visiting Indian PM at the Tundikhel. PM Oli was also present during the event.

He is the second head of state to receive the 'Guard of Honour' at the Tundikhel after the Pakistani PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.  Prior to that, the honour was presented at the TIA. Abbasi had come to Kathmandu for a 2-day visit to felicitate Nepali leadership on successful conclusion of its democratic process and to congratulate Oli for his premiership.

The Indian PM will reach Muktinath temple in Mustang district to offer prayers on Saturday. The temple area is cleaned up and welcome gates have been constructed there in honour of Modi.  

After his return from Muktinath, the Kathmandu Metropolis will extend civil felicitation to him. Indian PM Modi will be called on by the political leaders on the second day.

Modi will also worship at the Pashupatinath Temple, and leave for New Delhi on the same day.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 12 May 2018. 

Better governance, key to investment climate

Lalitpur, May 10: Former Minister for Finance Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat has said that improved governance was the key to raising investment efficiency and promoting investment climate.

"Good governance implies a strong rule of law, elimination of red tape, timely decision making and a bureaucratic culture that is friendly towards private investment," he said while delivering the keynote speech on 'Economic reforms in South Asia: with special reference to Nepal', organised by the South Asia Network of Economic Research Institutes (SANEI) on Thursday.

The two-day conference will deliberate on tax policy and reforms in South Asian countries.

He suggested the government revamp a large number of business-related laws.

According to him, unstable politics in the past took its toll in the quality of public administration, with frequent transfer of administrative heads and staff, resulting in accountability problem.

Dr. Mahat stated that depoliticisation of the bureaucracy and stability in the administration, and strengthening government institutions with adequate and qualified human resources should be the priority to raise efficiency.

Saying that instability of the government and bureaucracy took its toll of economic growth, he expressed hope that as Nepal has entered an era of political stability, there was an opportunity to expedite the second generation economic reforms.

"The recently-elected government has ample electoral mandate, offering the possibility of policy predictability, consistency and hard decisions. At the same time, the country soon will have steady supply of reliable and clean energy, and utilising the growing availability of concessional finance from the existing multilateral development banks and other sources will support infrastructure financing," said Dr. Mahat.

The orchestrator of economic liberalisation in the country in the early 1990s pointed towards the need of increasing investment, both domestic and foreign, and accelerating growth.

Nepal's public investment is not only low at around 5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but also inefficient as reflected in the high incremental capital-output ratio, he said.

According to Dr. Mahat, the under-spending of the capital budget is also due to the inefficiency in the public and private sector.

He said that for the effective implementation of federalism, there was a need to invest in the capacity building of all the three levels of governments.

President of Global Development Network Prof. Pierre Jacquet said that in many countries, rich people had various opportunities to escape taxes or under-declare income, and they might have an incentive to slow down the process of reform.

"The prevalence of an informal economy, weakness of the tax administration and weak statistical bases have severe repercussion on the tax system of the developing nations," he said.

He said that the reforms in the tax system needed political commitment for better policy design and implementation.

Member of the National Planning Commission Dr. Ram Kumar Phuyal said that a better tax policy could support economic growth of the country.

Coordinator of SANEI and Executive Director of the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) Dr. Bishnu Dev Pant said that study and research on the reform of tax policy was important for the South Asian region due to the rapid economic growth here.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 11 May 2018. 

New budget will focus on infrastructure: Dr. Khatiwada

Kathmandu, May 9

Finance Minister Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada said on Wednesday that the government would give priority to infrastructure development in the budget of the coming fiscal year.

“Strategic roads, fast track, railway and airports, and urban infrastructure under construction will be given high priority. A separate legal instrument will be formulated to manage the national priority projects and large infrastructure for their time and quality management,” said Dr. Khatiwada, while presenting the ‘Principles and Priorities of the Budget of 2018’ in the parliament on Wednesday.

He said that the construction business would also be made transparent and competitive.

Likewise, priority is to be given to the development of hydro as well as solar and wind energy projects to increase people’s access to modern, renewable and reliable energy.

“To achieve this target, energy projects under construction will be completed in time, transmission lines will be expanded, and the distribution system will be strengthened,” said the minister.

 Dr. Khatiwada also pledged to expand irrigation and river control projects and develop inland waterways. River diversion projects will be implemented as per their feasibility.

According to him, the government will expedite the post-quake reconstruction of private houses, heritage sites and monuments, including the Dharahara. Relief and rehabilitation programmes will be run for the victims of other disasters.

Similarly, the base of the social security will be expanded and will be made contributory. Such programmes will also be expanded to the informal sectors.

Dr. Khatiwada said that the budget would follow the directives of the Constitution and election manifesto of the Left Alliance.

“In order to achieve rapid economic growth, huge investment will be mobilised, production structure will be changed, and resource allocation will be made efficient. The government will work to establish a welfare state and social justice,” he said.

He said that he would give top priority to graduating the nation to the status of a developing nation and making it a middle income country.

Nepal is planning to graduate from a Least Developed Country (LDC) to a developing one by 2022 and become a middle income country by 2030.

According to him, the budget of the coming fiscal year will also focus on poverty alleviation, entrepreneurship development and livelihood creation.

The Finance Minister said that all the small projects and programmes would be implemented by the local bodies, so the federal government would not allocate any budget for such programmes.

Similarly, a system will be developed to hold the respective authorities of the programme implementation agencies accountable and make the public finance management transparent, efficient and accountable.

Dr. Khatiwada said that foreign aid would be mobilised in national priority areas. Such aid will be utilised in large physical and social infrastructure, for export substitution, capacity development and technology transfer.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 10 May 2018. 

ICIMOD and NMB partner to increase access to finance

Kathmandu, May 9:

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and NMB Bank on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide the mountain communities in Nepal better access to finance.

The two organisations will collaborate in three broad areas – access to finance, impact investment and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Director General of ICIMOD Dr. David Molden and Chief Executive Officer of NMB Bank Sunil KC signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations.

"NMB and ICIMOD hope to build on each other's network and strength to foster cooperation and contribute to sustainable mountain and socio-economic development in Nepal through knowledge intervention and business promotion," reads a statement issued by the ICIMOD.

Dr. Molden said that the ICIMOD recognised NMB as a strategic private sector partner that can provide communities much needed access to finance for sustainable livelihoods and the success of interventions in the country.

"ICIMOD is increasing stepping up to work closely with private sector organisations in Nepal and other regional member countries of the Hindu-Kush Himalayan region. We see that there is a synergy in businesses and would like to engage in a meaningful partnership with NMB Bank to enhance our impact on mountain communities," he said.

KC said that NMB believed that investing in real economies was pertinent to the long-term economic sustainability of Nepal.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on May 10, 2018. 

Heifer launches new agriculture project

Kathmandu, May 9:

Heifer International Nepal has launched a new project to raise the income of smallholder farmers.

The Us $ 25.6 million project, 'Strengthening smallholder enterprises of livestock value chain (SLVC II)', launched on Wednesday, will be implemented in 31 districts of six provinces in the country with a goal to improve the livelihood and increase the annual income of 125,000 farmers by 72 per cent.

"The project aims at increasing the annual income of those smallholder farmers from Rs. 390,000 to Rs. 557,000 within three years, or by 2021," said Dr. Subh Narayan Mahato, Heifer's Country Director for Nepal.

He said that the project will additionally benefit 350,000 families indirectly through access to production inputs and market.

According to Heifer's Director of Programmes Neena Joshi, the project focuses on dairy and meat goat value chain by connecting smallholder producers to the consumers.

"It aims to bring milk products and goat meat from the farm gate to the dinner plate in an efficient manner," she said.

The project will also support in introducing new technologies.

The new technology, along with increased access to other business development services – finance, market, input supply, technical services and insurance – will increase productivity, efficiency and thereby increase farm profitability, said Joshi.

"The SLVC II capitalises on the gains made by SLVC I and demonstrates the synergistic relationship between social capital development and market engagement," she said.

SLVC II will work to strengthen rural women cooperatives to become financially viable and sustainable entities and enhance the capacity of producers groups to link with appropriate market buyer and ensure fair prices.

Joshi also stated that the new programme would help achieve 7 out of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – no poverty, zero hunger, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, climate action, peace, justice and strong institutions, and partnership for the goals.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 10 May 2018. 

New WB Country Director arrives in Kathmandu

Kathmandu, May 8:

World Bank’s new Country Manager for Nepal, Faris Hadad-Zervos, arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday to take up his position.

Hadad-Zervos, an American national, joined the Bank in 2001 in the Middle East and North Africa Region.

He has since held various management positions, his most recent assignment being Country Manager for Malaysia.

“I consider it a privilege and an honour to serve Nepal during these very exciting times,” said Hadad- Zervos. “I look forward to contributing to the excellent partnership we have built up over the last 50 years,” he said.

He was selected to this position through the bank-wide competitive managerial selection process, the World Bank said.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 9 May 2018. 

Indian leadership will respect Nepal's national interest: PM Oli

Kathmandu, May 8: Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli said on Tuesday that the Indian leadership would show respect to Nepal’s ‘national interest’ and wouldn’t interfere in the internal affairs of the latter.

“Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Nepal on what I had suggested him during my visit to India last month,” he said while interacting with former ministers for foreign affairs and senior politicians at his office in Singha Durbar.

He had invited experts and politicians to discuss the upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Modi.

Modi is arriving in Janakpur, the capital of Province No. 2, on May 11 on a 2-day visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Oli.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali informed about the programmes to be organised during the visit of the Indian Prime Minister.  

Former Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said that India should show higher sensitivity to the inundation of Nepal’s Terai region caused by the dams constructed by the Indian side along the Nepal-India border.

Rajendra Shrestha, joint-chairman of Federal Democratic Forum, urged one and all to give top priority to the country’s national interest.

Former foreign affairs minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, Dr. Bhekh Bahadur Thapa, former minister for defense Bhim Rawal and coordinator of Rastriya Janata Party Mahantha Thakur said that the southern neighbour should implement its past pledges and agreements.

Dr. Thapa said that there had never been such initiatives between the two countries before Oli’s premiership.

“There have been a lot of dialogues and discussions between the two countries, and Nepal’s voice is being heard at the leadership level in India. It is said that India will implement the past agreements,” he said.

Indian Prime Minister Modi will perform worship at the Janaki Temple in Janakpur, attend a civic reception there, go to Muktinath in Mustang district for worship, and participate in high level bilateral meetings in Kathmandu.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 9 May 2018. 

Mobilising Rs. 1.5 trillion budget challenging: NRB

Kathmandu, May 7:

The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) on Sunday said that mobilising public resources for the Rs. 1.5 trillion budget of the coming fiscal year 2018/19 was challenging.

While the federal government is preparing a Rs. 1.2 trillion budget for the coming fiscal year, subnational governments’ financial estimates will be around Rs. 300 billion, NRB's Executive Director Nara Bahadur Thapa said in a pre-budget discussion programme organised by the central bank.

He said that public investment must be increased to achieve double-digit economic growth, but it was challenging as with the formulation of new governments, people's aspirations have gone up while at the same time, the government is implementing some ambitious programmes and projects to create the foundation for economic prosperity.

The central bank works as an advisor to the government and advises on monetary as well as economic issues.

Nepal achieved 5.7 per cent growth in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2014/15, 7.4 per cent in 2016/17, and it is projected to witness 5.6 per cent economic growth in the current fiscal year. Due to the devastating Gorkha Earthquake and Indian blockade, the growth had shrunk to 0.2 per cent in 2015/16.

The central bank said that economic growth in the last two years was impressive, and to continue with the growth momentum, both public and private investment should be increased.

It urged the government to address the infrastructure bottlenecks in the tourism sector so that the country could accommodate about 5 million tourists per year.

The country received about a million tourists in 2017, the highest ever.

Vice-president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Shekhar Golchha said that investment in infrastructure should be enhanced to increase business efficiency.

He requested the NRB to develop a mechanism for the predictability of the interest rate.

Urging the government to launch a special support package for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Golchha said that it was time to assess Nepal's membership in the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

"We need to review the WTO provisions and the benefits that we gained. There are many internal constraints in business development here. We think that the WTO has done more harm than good," he said.

Chairman of the Security Board of Nepal (SEBON) Dr. Rewat Bahadur Karki said that the local governments should be allowed to issue local currency bonds. However, he said the move should be made cautiously, and the local governments should have high integrity for such a programme.

Chairman of the Insurance Board Chiranjibi Chapagain hinted at the need of brining the various micro-insurance schemes, such as health insurance and credit insurance, to a single mechanism.

Former member of the National Planning Commission Prof. Dr. Govinda Nepal said that the government should develop a policy for market promotion of agricultural goods. He also said that the country needed to produce goods that had a good market in India and China.

Chairman of Nepal Bankers' Association Gyanendra Dhungana urged the NRB for the stability of the interest rate.

He said that if the government failed to spend the capital budget, the money should be brought into the financial system. It would address the liquidity crisis in the country's financial system.

Businessmen also asked the NRB for a 20 per cent subsidy to those who buy a house for their family for the first time, Rs. 100 billion refinancing in the productive sector, mobilisation of concessional housing loans to the quake-victims via cooperatives and hiking the incentive on pashmina export to 10 per cent from the current 2 per cent.

Published in The Rising Nepal on 8 May 2018. 

Nepal-India transit treat will be amended: Foreign Minister

Kathmandu, May 6:

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has said that the Nepal-India Transit Treaty would be amended in order to incorporate cross-border railways and inland waterways to be developed in the near future.

In a landmark decision, Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi had agreed to develop the Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway and inland waterways for the movement of the people, cargo and providing additional access to the sea for Nepal.

The government has given high priority to lessening the trade deficit with India and facilitating Nepali producers in exporting their products to India and third countries, said Gyawali, while speaking at an interaction on 'Nepal-India trade promotion', organised by the Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) on Sunday.

According to him, the two neighbours are also signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway Project during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming Nepal visit.

Indian PM Modi is scheduled to come to Nepal on March 11 on a 3-day official visit at the invitation of PM Oli.

During the visit of PM Oli to India, the latter had agreed to construct a new electric railway line connecting the border city of Raxaul in India with Kathmandu with Indian financial support.

 According to a joint statement issued by both the prime ministers, as the first step, it was agreed that India would, in consultation with Nepal, carry out preparatory survey work within one year, and the two sides would finalise the implementation and funding modalities of the project based on the Detailed Project Report (DPR).

FM Gyawali said that the government wanted to implement the past agreements with India since a multitude of pacts and promises were made with India in the past, but their execution was very poor.

"We also want to implement those agreements and find new avenues and areas of cooperation, therefore, various treaties such as trade and transit treaties will be amended," he said.

He also said that both the countries would soon hold talks to finalise the Power Trade Treaty.

India had issued discriminatory cross-border power trade guidelines in 2016, which restricts the private sector and third country hydropower developers in Nepal from exporting power to India.

The guidelines say that only those companies owned by the Indian government or the public sector or private companies that have 51 per cent or higher Indian equity can export electricity to India.

Gyawali said that the guideline could discourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in hydropower in Nepal.

"Similarly, we have urged India to build quarantine labs near the Nepal-India borders because it takes days for a quarantine test, which is discouraging the export of agricultural goods to India," he said.

President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) Rajesh Kazi Shrestha urged the government to make arrangements to operate the Bishakhapattnam port as an alternative to the Kolkata port.

He also said that the Banglabandh port, an inland port in northern Bangladesh, which can provide trade link with India, Nepal and Bhutan, should be used under the BBIN (Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal) initiative.

Likewise, he requested curbing the export of raw medicinal plants.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 7 May 2018. 

Servia positive for visa-free entry of Nepalis

Kathmandu, May 5: Serbian first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic said that Serbia was positive to allow Nepali citizens to enter the Balkan nation without any visa.

“We want to take the relations between Serbia and Nepal to a newer height with enhanced economic and regional cooperation. Therefore, Serbia will hold discussions with Nepal government about visa-free entry,” he said while delivering a lecture on ‘Serbia in the region, Europe and the world’ organised by the Nepal Council of World Affairs (NCWA).

He said that Serbia had given high importance to the bilateral relations with Nepal, and it should be further strengthened with enhanced relations in trade, investment, tourism, education, culture and technology.

According to Dacic, Serbia is exercising balanced and proactive foreign policy for international peace, development and prosperity.

Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ghana Shyam Bhandari said that both the landlocked countries were expressing similar views in the international forums.

He urged the private sector of both the countries to initiate developing business and trade relations between them.

Meanwhile, speaking at a programme organised by the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI), the Serbian DPM indicated towards the possibility of Serbian investment in Nepal.

“Nepali industrialist Binod Chaudhary has expanded his Wai Wai production to Serbia which has deepened the business relations between the two countries. There should be mutual promotion of investment and business between Nepal and Serbia,” he said.

CNI President Hari Bhakta Sharma urged the Serbian business community to invest in Nepal and get benefits from the two largest markets in the world – China and India.

Dacis was accompanied by Serbian Ambassador to Nepal Vladimir Maric, his Foreign Affairs Advisor Nikola Nedijkovic and other high government officials.

Dacic had met his Nepali counterpart Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on Friday afternoon and both the leaders deliberated on the bilateral relations between the two nations. Gyawali had organised a dinner on Friday evening in Dacic’s honour.

He also called on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

He is on a 3-day visit to Nepal and will return to Belgrade on Sunday.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on May 6, 2018. 

Indian PM Modi to pay two-day visit to Nepal from May 11

Kathmandu, May 4

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is paying a two-day state visit to Nepal on May 11 and 12. His visit will begin from Janakpur, the capital of Province No. 2.

The Indian Prime Minister is scheduled to visit the Muktinath Temple in Mustang district and attend civic receptions to be organised in his honour by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City and Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City in Kathmandu and Janakpur, respectively. He will perform worship at the Janaki Temple on May 11 and at the Muktinath Temple on May 12.

The Indian Prime Minister will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at Tundikhel in Kathmandu on May 11. He will also receive a guard of honour there.

During his visit, Indian PM Modi will call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun, and will hold official talks with Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, exchanging views on matters of mutual interest, on May 11.

Both the Prime Ministers will jointly lay the foundation stone of the Arun-3 hydropower project.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali will call on the Indian Prime Minister, and Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN-Maoist Centre chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and leaders of the Madhes-based parties will also call on Modi.

This will be Modi’s third visit to Nepal as Indian Prime Minister in five years. He had visited Nepal twice in 2014.

He is visiting Nepal at the invitation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. He will be accompanied by Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Kumar Doval, Secretary of External Affairs Vijay Keshav Gokhle, Northern Division Chief at the Ministry of External Affairs Sudhakar Dalela and other high ranking officials.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 5 May 2018. 

Teen Conference on September 1

Kathmandu, May 4: The fourth edition of Glocal International Teen Conference (GITC) is to be held on September 1, 2018, said the organizer, Glocal Khabar Pvt. Ltd.

It said that the conference was an opportunity for teenagers to authentically address issues that are important to them without having to overcome generational barriers.

The conference will showcase ideas, experience and stories of the teenagers from countries like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Jamaica, Malawi, Vietnam and Ghana through a series of panel discussion.

The participants will also give presentations on entrepreneurship, empowerment and socio-perspective.

“The main objective of this conference is to bring global teenagers onto a single platform and showcase an example of teenagers who have worked in countries with more difficulties and spread positivity that things are possible with efforts,” said Asish Thakur, executive director of Glocal.

According to him, the conference is a platform for knowledge and experience sharing where teenagers can learn about leadership, empowerment and social impact through a participatory and interactive environment with their peers from all over the globe.

The conference will be followed by the Grand Finale celebration of WaiWai Glocal Teen Hero award.

Bipana Sharma of Nawalparasi, Shantosh Lamichhane of Lalitpur and Sachin Dangi of Dang are the winners of the first, second and third Teen Hero Award respectively.

The company said that it would reach to around 400 schools across the country and interact with about 60,000 students of Classes 8-12 directly.

 The participants of WaiWai Glocal Teen Hero will be judged by a 5-members jury team comprising of Ambuj Singh, Country Director of Coca Cola Nepal, Renaud Meyer, UNDP Country Director to Nepal, Suraj Vaidya, President of Vaidya’s Organization of Industries, Upaul Majumdar, General Manager of Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Srijana Jyoti, Chief Branding Officer of Syakar Trading Ltd. and Ranjit Acharya, CEO of Prisma Advertising.

Published in The Rising Nepal on 5 May 2018.