Category: Nepal

Dahal took the vote of confidence second time after his appointment to the post in December last year….reports Asian Lite News

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on Monday won vote of confidence in the Parliament’s House of Representatives – second time in nearly three months after formation of the new government.

House Speaker Devraj Ghimire announced that Dahal had won the vote of confidence. Dahal got support from 172 members of House of Representatives of the 262 who voted. Eighty nine members voted against the ruling coalition during the trust vote and one member abstained. Earlier, political parties except CPN-UML, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party had announced their support for the Dahal-led government.

Dahal took the vote of confidence second time after his appointment to the post in December last year.

Earlier in January, Dahal had secured over 99 percent votes during the trust vote. The fresh vote of confidence was necessitated as Rastriya Prajatantra Party and CPN-UML withdrew their support to the Dahal government after his decision to support Nepali Congress candidate in the presidential election.

Cabinet expansion

Nepal PM has planned to expand the cabinet this week. Dahal made the announcement as he walked out of the Federal Parliament securing the vote of confidence for the second time in less than 3 months. Leading a fragile coalition of 10 parties demanding their share in the cabinet, the Nepal Prime Minister who secured his seat for the second time since getting into power at end of December claimed he will be expanding the cabinet this week.

“After getting the vote of confidence, the task of completing the ministerial portfolio to complete the government would start. Discussions would be held with the coalition members and we will finalize it in 2-4 days,” Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ told ANI.

Dahal as of now is holding 16 ministerial posts after Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and the Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) deserted cabinet under his leadership.

Able to secure 172 votes in favour from 10 parties, PM Dahal was heavily criticized by the opposition CPN-UML in session on Monday. Dahal had ditched the communist led-alliance and forged a partnership with the Democrat-led coalition of the Nepali Congress ahead of the Presidential Election.

Angst with Dahal’s move to ditch the coalition and agreement to share power for two and half years each between the parties, CPN-UML has decided to remain in opposition. Speaking to ANI, KP Sharma Oli, CPN-UML chairman said, “We will remain in opposition and fulfil the role.”

The lifespan of the Nepal Prime Minister over the post is largely dependent on the fragile coalition. This time also, Dahal has agreed to split the five years tenure on 2-1-2 years basis with CPN-Unified Socialist (US) and the Nepali Congress.

As per the leaders of the parties, Dahal will retire from the post after remaining in post for 2 years paving the way to CPN (Unified Socialist) for a year and then the Nepali Congress will lead the government until the nation goes for the poll in 2027. But doubt remains whether the parties would go on that run. (with inputs from Binod Prasad Adhikari, ANI)

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Poudel, 78, won the presidential vote on March 9 as the candidate of eight ruling parties, becoming the third President of Nepal…reports Asian Lite News

Newly-elected President of Nepal, Ram Chandra Poudel, was sworn in to start his five-year term.

Poudel was administered the oath of office and secrecy by acting Chief Justice Hari Krishna Karki at the Office of the President. He succeeded Bidya Devi Bhandri.

Poudel, 78, won the presidential vote on March 9 as the candidate of eight ruling parties, becoming the third President of Nepal, which became a republic in 2008, Xinhua news agency reported.

The presidential vote involved members of the House of Representatives, the National Assembly and the seven provincial assemblies.

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The prime minister sought cooperation from India’s Ministry of Ayush to help Nepal in the research and exploration of Ayurveda…reports Asian Lite News

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda has sought India’s help in the research and exploration of Ayurveda in the Himalayan nation. Prachanda said his government will promote health tourism by popularising Ayurveda and take decisions to systematise the imports and exports of the most essential medicinal herbs, Bhutan Live reported.

The Nepal PM promised to make Nepal’s oldest company manufacturing ayurvedic medicines Singhdurbar Vaidyakhana (currently known as Singhdurbar Vaidyakhana Bikash Samiti) vibrant and upgrade it as a national pride project, Bhutan Live reported. “Policy decisions will be taken bearing in mind the need to fully operate the National Ayurveda Research and Training Centre and intensify research on indigenous herbs,” The Nepal Prime Minister said while inaugurating the 7th International Ayurveda Congress here on Friday.

“The government is working on a policy to establish a centre for manufacturing Ayurvedic medicines and collecting and processing medicinal herbs at each of the seven provinces,” Prachanda said.

The prime minister sought cooperation from India’s Ministry of Ayush to help Nepal in the research and exploration of Ayurveda.

Ambassador of India to Nepal Naveen Srivastava also attended the event which began on Friday. He said the government of India has prioritised and promoted Ayurveda by establishing the Ministry of Ayush.

Some initiatives have already been taken to forge cooperation and collaboration between the two countries to promote Ayurveda and naturopathy and also to produce medicinal herbs, he added.

Bhutan Live reported that Nepal PM Prachanda promised that steps will be taken to remove hurdles in the imports and exports of most essential medicinal herbs in order to facilitate the manufacturing of Ayurvedic medicines.

Bhutan Live reported that Prachanda said conditions will be created for exporting medicinal herbs and assured of government grants for farming herbs.

“We should focus on establishing Ayurvedic hospitals, funding exploration and research on Ayurvedic medicines, start manufacturing Ayurvedic medicines on large scale and promote Ayurvedic education,” he said.

Underlining the need for establishing more Ayurvedic hospitals, wellness clinics and yoga and meditation centres to promote health tourism in Nepal, Prachanda said a policy decision has already been taken in this direction.

He also said the government was planning to establish a 100-bed Ayurveda hospital in all seven provinces of the country.

Ayurveda experts, researchers, government officials, entrepreneurs and doctors from over a dozen countries including India, Germany, Australia and The Netherlands are attending the three-day conference aimed at popularising the Ayurveda system of treatment and promoting health tourism.

The conference is being organised in collaboration with Ayurveda-related national and international organisations including the Nepal Maharishi Vedic Foundation (NMVF), and the International Maharishi Foundation, according to Dr Kopila Adhikari, General Secretary of the Ayurveda Doctors Association of Nepal.

More than 250 delegates, including 100 international delegates, are attending the three-day conference under the theme ‘Ayurveda for all health’ which kicked off in Kathmandu on Friday, she informed.

NMVF President Dipak Prakash Banskota expressed hope that the conference would help in disseminating information about Nepal’s traditional ayurvedic system and Ayurvedic medicines to the world.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Kathmandu University and the Maharshi International University of the Netherlands to forge collaboration for conducting research and exploration on Yoga and meditation. (ANI)

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According to the NTB, around 50,000 tourists trekked without a guide or a porter in Nepal in 2019…writes Binod Prasad Adhikari

Nepal has decided to ban solo trekking for foreign trekkers from April 1, making it mandatory to take a guide along the trekking path/route to ensure the safety and well-being of the visiting guests, a senior official said. The Nepal Tourism Board took the decision in this regard which would come into force from April 1, confirmed the director Maniraj Lamichhane.

“This decision has been made for the tourists’ benefit. While going on solo treks, tourists often get lost and might face insecurities. In order to mitigate that we have come to the decision to put a ban on solo treks. Starting from April 1, guides are mandatory for adventure tourism,” Lamichhane told ANI.

According to the NTB, around 50,000 tourists trekked without a guide or a porter in Nepal in 2019. These tourists trekked by obtaining a route permit and a Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) card.

A TIMS card is a basic trekking permit that is required by foreign tourists who go around in adventure tourism. But the latest round of decisions also has put a ban on the TIMS permit without a guide. “Tourists would have to trek via a trekking company,” added Lamichhane.

The board has also increased the price of the TIMS permit to Rs 2,000 per person. Prior to this, people who travelled in large groups paid Rs 1,000 for the TIMS card while those who travelled alone paid Rs 2,000. TIMS permit for SAARC nationals has also increased to Rs 1,000. (ANI)

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If the gulf between the coalition members widens further, the presidential elections and the upheaval that follows could lead to forming of a new coalition….reports Asian Lite News

The third presidential election for Nepal is scheduled for March 9, 2023. After months of disagreement among Nepal’s major parties, the date has been set. However, the declaration also brought to a political showdown between Ram Chandra Paudel, the leader of the Nepali Congress, and Subas Nembang, vice chair of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), who are both running for president, reported Pardafas.

A weighted voting procedure is used to elect the president. As things stand, Paudel has the support of eight parties, including that of the CPN-Maoist Centre, led by current Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (also known as Prachanda), making him the candidate with the best chance of becoming the next head of state. The eight-party coalition has a total vote weightage of 31,711 votes, which is more than enough to win in favour of Nepali Congress candidate Paudel. The UML, on the other hand, only has 15,281 votes in total weight.

The Nepali website, Pardafas, also reported that Prachanda’s decision to oppose the nominee of its own alliance partner has heated up the political climate in Nepal, and the coalition government is beginning to display serious internal divisions. The Rashtriya Prajatantra Party already withdrew its support after Prachanda declared his support for Paudel over Nembang by resigning three ministers, among them Rajendra Lingden, the deputy prime minister. A hung parliament resulted from the Nepalese parliamentary elections held in November 2022. In the elections, Prachanda’s Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), or CPN-MC, gained 38 seats, Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), got 78 seats, and the Nepali Congress, led by former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, formed the largest party with 89 seats. As a result of Deuba and Prachanda’s failed negotiations, Prachanda and Oli opted to establish the government via rotation, with Prachanda serving as prime minister for the first term.

It’s crucial to remember that despite the fact that Oli and Prachanda support China, they do not get along. They had been at odds with one another for so long that Oli while serving as prime minister, claimed that Prachanda, supported by India, had ousted him from office during his previous term. So, the two opponents have united not out of doctrine but out of a desire for power, read a report in Pardafas.

If the gulf between the coalition members widens further, the presidential elections and the upheaval that follows could lead to forming of a new coalition. India is anticipating the events as they continue to take place. Paudel being elected to the highest office will be better for India. India enjoys stronger relations with Paudel’s party, the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led Nepali Congress.

When KP Sharma Oli became Nepal’s prime minister in 2018, there has been some simmering animosity between the two countries. The Oli government made it plain that it had a strong affinity for China and wasn’t afraid to bring up controversial matters like the whereabouts of Lord Ram’s birth and territory conflicts in Limpiyadhura, Kalapani, and Lipulekh. Even further, the former prime minister called the coronavirus the “Indian virus” and accused India of spreading it to Nepal. Experts contend that this anti-Indian sentiment is often encouraged by China and is a reflection of Nepal’s domestic political unrest.

A report in Pardafas read many people think the Oli government’s India-bashing was a tactic to divert the public’s attention from the state of affairs in Nepal’s political circles because his own position in the coalition government is unstable and there is increasing political and economic pressure.

Yet, relations improved as Sher Bahadur Deuba became Nepal’s new prime minister. With Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha, on Buddha Purnima last year, it reached a turning point. This outreach by the Indian Head of Government not only demonstrated to the two neighbours how highly cherished their common culture is, but it also demonstrated the importance and stress placed on mending the relationships at the highest levels. The joint India-Nepal plan to include Lumbini in the Buddhist circuit being promoted by Indian tour operators was also brought about by the visit. This project would be in addition to the plan to construct the Ramayan Circuit, which already connects a number of sites in the two neighbouring countries. The relationship was further strengthened when the Indian prime minister laid the cornerstone for an Indian monastery.

Not only were agreements on infrastructure and other fronts made visible, but also soft power links. Nepal offered to let India take over its stalled West Seti hydropower project. A collaborative degree programme in education was developed by Kathmandu University and IIT Madras, and a Dr Ambedkar Chair for Buddhist Studies was established by Lumbini Buddhist University and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.

The basis for India’s involvement in Nepal has been its “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (the world is one family) ethos and “Neighborhood First” policy. India’s main objective in this regard has been to promote infrastructural development in Nepal, establish cultural relations, assist in raising human development indicators, and support Nepal in times of need like the 2015 earthquake.

India prefers a more moderate Nepali Congress leader Paudel as the country’s president, but it never meddles in the internal affairs of another sovereign state and staunchly upholds this position. India’s top aim continues to be a politically stable Nepal that respects the will of its inhabitants and looks for improved development partnerships and cooperation with political regimes of all stripes, reported Pardafas. (ANI)

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A secretariat meeting of the CPN-UML held on Monday morning decided to quit the government after withdrawing its support…reports Asian Lite News

The CPN-UML has decided to quit the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government in Nepal.

A secretariat meeting of the party held on Monday morning decided to quit the government after withdrawing its support.

The decision comes in the wake of a changed political equation in the run-up to the March 9 presidential election.

The party’s decision also came after Dahal decided to join hands with the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Unified Socialist) and the Janata Samajbadi Party in a bid to revive the then ruling alliance formed under the leadership of former Prime Minister and President of Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba in the upcoming presidential election.

Relations between UML and the CPN (Maoist Center) was getting sour after Maoist Center whose chairman is Prachanda decided to support the presidential candidate of Nepali Congress.

The Nepali Congress was in opposition earlier but due to souring relations between UML’s Oli and Prachanda, the Maoist Center decided to breakaway its ties with UML and joined the hands with UML on February 24.

The Rastriya Prajatantra Party on February 25 quit the incumbent government. With this decision, the Dahal-led government will tie up with Nepali Congress.

Besides Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Center), six other parties have supported the Nepali Congress’s presidential candidate, Ram Chandra Poudel.

The UML had earlier decided to wait till the presidential election before taking a final call on whether to leave the government.

Bishnu Paudel, UML’s vice-chairman, said the meeting decided to pull out of the government after the Prime Minister “started working in a different fashion”.

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