India is training 62 officials of Nepal's Ministry of Finance under its ITEC programme (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) which provides development assistance to developing countries.

The special tailor-made training course on&nbsp;'Global Perspectives on Public Financial Management'&nbsp;is being conducted at the Institute of Government Accounts and Finance (INGAF) in New Delhi.

The Government of Nepal had requested India to provide the training course under the Nepal-India Economic Co-operation Programme.

According to a release by the Indian embassy in Nepal, "The training will enhance the capabilities of these officials in global practices dealing with e-payment system, accounting and cash management, public burrowing system, accounting of foreign loans/grants and repayments, pension payment system, internal audit, fiscal responsibility and budget management, etc."

<img alt="India training Nepali officials." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d0c16d4-1f3f-43b3-b0bf-045488fa0144" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2815%29_0.jpg" />

&nbsp;

<img alt="India training Nepali officials." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0e747a5b-b8fd-4b74-a148-d9f5f8a935d2" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2814%29_0.jpg" />

(Image source: Indian high commission in Kathmandu, Nepal.)

The training course will be held in three batches. The first batch of 20 Nepali officials is currently undergoing training at INGAF, New Delhi from January 14, 2019.

INGAF has been undertaking tailor-made training for officials from the neighbouring countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. India also trains a number of defence personnel from Nepal Army who attends training courses in various Indian Army training institutions.&nbsp;

India in October of 2018 trained Afghan diplomats at Institute of Foreign Service as part of an agreement reached between India and China during the Wuhan summit between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping.&nbsp;

India is training 62 officials of Nepal's Ministry of Finance under its ITEC programme (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) which provides development assistance to developing countries.

India is training 62 officials of Nepal's Ministry of Finance under its ITEC programme (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) which provides development assistance to developing countries. The special tailor-made training course on 'Global Perspectives on Public Financial Management' is being conducted at the Institute of Government Accounts and Finance (INGAF) in New Delhi. The Government of Nepal had requested India to provide the training course under the Nepal-India Economic Co-operation Programme. According to a release by the Indian embassy in Nepal, "The training will enhance the capabilities of these officials in global practices dealing with e-payment system, accounting and cash management, public burrowing system, accounting of foreign loans/grants and repayments, pension payment system, internal audit, fiscal responsibility and budget management, etc." (Image source: Indian high commission in Kathmandu, Nepal.) The training course will be held in three batches. The first batch of 20 Nepali officials is currently undergoing training at INGAF, New Delhi from January 14, 2019. INGAF has been undertaking tailor-made training for officials from the neighbouring countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. India also trains a number of defence personnel from Nepal Army who attends training courses in various Indian Army training institutions. India in October of 2018 trained Afghan diplomats at Institute of Foreign Service as part of an agreement reached between India and China during the Wuhan summit between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping.

India trains 62 officials of Nepal's Finance Ministry under its ITEC programme

Huawei gets Nepal contract sans tender

Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli Thursday laid the foundation stone for the reconstruction of the historic Dharahara tower situated in the heart of Kathmandu which was destroyed during the devastating earthquake of 2015.

A joint venture of Chinese company GIETC and a local firm has won the contract to rebuild the new 22-storeyed structure at a cost of NRs 3.48 billion.

The nine-storeyed 62-metre-tall white tower built by Nepal's first prime minister Bhemsen Thapa in 1825, had collapsed twice before during earthquakes in 1934 and 2015.

Speaking on the occasion Oli said his government accords top priority to rebuild structures damaged and destroyed by the earthquake over three years ago.

He said the government is committed to making the capital Kathmandu beautiful, safe and healthy to attract more tourists to the country.

He called upon all stakeholders and the general public to join hands and cooperate for rebuilding national pride projects such as the Dharahara tower.

The tower being constructed in an area of 21,267 square metres would include a mini theatre hall, a museum, musical fountain, food court, stone water spouts, souvenir shops and parking facilities. Officials said the tower would be completed in two years time.

A joint venture of Chinese company GIETC and a local firm has won the contract to rebuild the new 22-storeyed structure at a cost of NRs 3.48 billion.

Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli Thursday laid the foundation stone for the reconstruction of the historic Dharahara tower situated in the heart of Kathmandu which was destroyed during the devastating earthquake of 2015. A joint venture of Chinese company GIETC and a local firm has won the contract to rebuild the new 22-storeyed structure at a cost of NRs 3.48 billion. The nine-storeyed 62-metre-tall white tower built by Nepal's first prime minister Bhemsen Thapa in 1825, had collapsed twice before during earthquakes in 1934 and 2015. Speaking on the occasion Oli said his government accords top priority to rebuild structures damaged and destroyed by the earthquake over three years ago. He said the government is committed to making the capital Kathmandu beautiful, safe and healthy to attract more tourists to the country. He called upon all stakeholders and the general public to join hands and cooperate for rebuilding national pride projects such as the Dharahara tower. The tower being constructed in an area of 21,267 square metres would include a mini theatre hall, a museum, musical fountain, food court, stone water spouts, souvenir shops and parking facilities. Officials said the tower would be completed in two years time.

Destroyed in 2015 earthquake, Nepal to rebuild historic Dharahara tower

KP Oli, the prime minister of Nepal has a penchant to land himself in controversies. This time it is because of his ‘association’ with the United Church of South Korea known for its proselytising zeal. That once Buddhist country has in recent years fast changed its religious complexion.&nbsp;

Nepal after the abolition of monarchy is a secular, democratic republic federal in structure but conversions remains a sensitive issue. Not only the opposition parties in Nepal but his own allies have criticised Oli’s latest faux pas. But there is no cause for India to gloat over. On the contrary, there should be a concern.&nbsp;

Recently, we have been informed that very soon India’s bilateral trade with South Korea is going to touch the figure of $ 50 billion. South Korean cars, televisions, cameras and computers have pushed out the once-dominant Japanese automobiles and electronic and optical products from the price sensitive market. The quality of South Korean products compares with the best. The ground is ripe for establishing production facilities-like Suzuki company-in India for export to neighbouring countries.&nbsp;

Conversions are a sensitive issue in India also. In the recent times, provocative and politically partisan statements by high functionaries of the church have not helped.

Nor can India easily overlook that many NGOs active in the field of Human Rights and Human Development are closely, if invisibly, linked with Christian Missionary organisations. Not very long ago a young American sadly lost his life with Bible in his hand trying to intrude in Sentinel Island flouting the laws of the land. After the fall of communism in its citadels not many talk of ‘Liberation Theology’ but it can’t be easily forgotten how secessionist alienation proliferated in the North Eastern States of India with activities of some American missionaries.&nbsp;

Our Constitution&nbsp;guarantees the fundamental right to follow any religion according to our faith and belief. It is imperative that even microscopic religious minorities don’t feel threatened or persecuted. At the same time, we can’t shut our eyes to evangelical activism in the proximate neighbourhood.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapakse's bid to come back to power through a ‘constitutional coup’ has been foiled but the deep divides in society and polity continue to tear at the heart of the country known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. Like Nepal, Sri Lanka too is a sovereign nation state that for Indians is hard to treat as a foreign country.&nbsp;

As Lal Bahadur Shastri had once famous commented that the people who reside there are our flesh and blood. Shared bonds of religion and culture, not to forget the legacy of British Colonial rule, create an illusion of coinciding national interests in perpetuity.

Ever since Independence India and Sri Lanka have frequently followed divergent paths of economic development and conflicting strategic visions. The ethnic civil war that raged for decades has ravaged bilateral relations. Dravidian identity politics in Tamil Nadu continues to aggravate the already complex diplomatic challenges. Here too, we have to tread with extreme care.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

KP Oli, the prime minister of Nepal has a penchant to land himself in controversies. This time it is because of his ‘association’ with the United Church of South Korea known for its proselytising zeal.

KP Oli, the prime minister of Nepal has a penchant to land himself in controversies. This time it is because of his ‘association’ with the United Church of South Korea known for its proselytising zeal. That once Buddhist country has in recent years fast changed its religious complexion. Nepal after the abolition of monarchy is a secular, democratic republic federal in structure but conversions remains a sensitive issue. Not only the opposition parties in Nepal but his own allies have criticised Oli’s latest faux pas. But there is no cause for India to gloat over. On the contrary, there should be a concern. Recently, we have been informed that very soon India’s bilateral trade with South Korea is going to touch the figure of $ 50 billion. South Korean cars, televisions, cameras and computers have pushed out the once-dominant Japanese automobiles and electronic and optical products from the price sensitive market. The quality of South Korean products compares with the best. The ground is ripe for establishing production facilities-like Suzuki company-in India for export to neighbouring countries. Conversions are a sensitive issue in India also. In the recent times, provocative and politically partisan statements by high functionaries of the church have not helped. Nor can India easily overlook that many NGOs active in the field of Human Rights and Human Development are closely, if invisibly, linked with Christian Missionary organisations. Not very long ago a young American sadly lost his life with Bible in his hand trying to intrude in Sentinel Island flouting the laws of the land. After the fall of communism in its citadels not many talk of ‘Liberation Theology’ but it can’t be easily forgotten how secessionist alienation proliferated in the North Eastern States of India with activities of some American missionaries. Our Constitution guarantees the fundamental right to follow any religion according to our faith and belief. It is imperative that even microscopic religious minorities don’t feel threatened or persecuted. At the same time, we can’t shut our eyes to evangelical activism in the proximate neighbourhood. Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapakse's bid to come back to power through a ‘constitutional coup’ has been foiled but the deep divides in society and polity continue to tear at the heart of the country known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. Like Nepal, Sri Lanka too is a sovereign nation state that for Indians is hard to treat as a foreign country. As Lal Bahadur Shastri had once famous commented that the people who reside there are our flesh and blood. Shared bonds of religion and culture, not to forget the legacy of British Colonial rule, create an illusion of coinciding national interests in perpetuity. Ever since Independence India and Sri Lanka have frequently followed divergent paths of economic development and conflicting strategic visions. The ethnic civil war that raged for decades has ravaged bilateral relations. Dravidian identity politics in Tamil Nadu continues to aggravate the already complex diplomatic challenges. Here too, we have to tread with extreme care. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Conversions remain a sensitive issue in Nepal and India

Nepal’s ban on India’s Rs 200, Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes should not come as a surprise to India. It is also an opportunity for China to make Nepal shift gradually towards using the yuan instead of the Indian rupee. Yet to see Nepal’s decision as one driven by China and not its own national interests would be a gross misreading of the situation. The decision requires to be seen in the correct perspective by New Delhi for crafting an adequate response to what is clearly a challenge affecting millions of Nepalese, including in India.

In fact, it is surprising that Nepal’s demonetisation of high-value notes was so long in coming, i.e. more than two years after India demonetised notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000. Nepal, like Bhutan, has always used and traded in Indian rupees. Simply because it was easier to do so. At the same time, long before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s note ban, notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 were banned in Nepal. Most transactions were restricted to notes of Rs 100 and lesser value. More than the current ban, the actual surprise is that Nepal had allowed free use of the new notes of Rs 2000, Rs 500 and Rs 200 till recently though there were large sections, especially of business and trade, that did not accept these.

The reasons why Nepal let the high-value notes circulate for two years can only be speculated upon. One of the reasons is said to be that Nepal was negotiating exchange of the demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes; and, that Nepal Rastra Bank reportedly holds over $1 billion worth of these erstwhile notes. Therefore, it did not reiterate the ban after demonetisation because it expected GoI to accommodate its interests. Recent economic upheavals in Nepal and India combined with political changes on both sides of the border had resulted in an erosion of confidence in the Indian currency. There was a marked decline in the usage of Indian money. And, pending political stability, Nepal did not want to worsen the economic situation by banning the newly issued Indian notes. That would have been unsettling for businessmen, traders, migrants, Nepalese workers in India, tourists and the millions of Nepalese who keep their savings in cash at home.

Earlier this year, Nepalese PM KP Sharma Oli had said that demonetisation hurt countries like Nepal and Bhutan where the Indian rupee is widely used. He had said that he would take this up with Indian leaders. Therefore, the speculation that Nepal’s ban on the new Indian notes is retaliation for India refusing to replace its stock of demonetised notes (of Rs 1000 and Rs 500) with new ones. It is undeniable that the Nepalese economy and people have lost billions of rupees, which they can scarce afford to, because of India’s demonetisation.

The ban on Indian notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500, long before November 2016, has its origins in the rumour that most of the counterfeit Indian currency originates in Nepal – either produced there by anti-Indian elements or is transported from there across the porous Nepal-India border. Doubtless, Nepal was one of the places from where criminal elements would bring in fake currency of high value. But there was no basis for saying that Nepal is the only place from where bulk of the counterfeit currency came. All that the rumour achieved was to make Nepal ban notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000.

Regardless of the reasons, it is clear that demonetisation has demolished confidence in the Indian currency in the neighbourhood where the rupee was much valued especially as a savings instrument. India must respond without falling victim to conspiracy theories of the decision being an outcome of a Nepal-China plot.

India is Nepal’s largest trading partner and supplies bulk of Nepal’s essentials and consumer goods. India is also home to millions of Nepalese and the ‘Sarkar’ is paying pension to legions of Gorkha ex-servicemen. There is no way China can take the place of India vis-à-vis Nepal, and it is for India to reinforce its position and strengthen ties.

In the present case, India should help Nepal implement its decision and, at the same time, uphold the primacy of the Indian rupee. The first step in this direction is to enable the Nepalese (and Indian tourists going to Nepal, who are mostly from middle and lower income groups) to freely and easily exchange their high-value currency for Rs 100 notes.

Such actions will revive confidence in India and the Indian currency. That is a necessary condition for resolving the larger issue of dealing with the cross-border movement of black money and counterfeit currency, which is at the root of Nepal’s demonetisation.

How New Delhi responds will decide whether Nepal is bound closer to India or pushed into China’s embrace.

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-need-to-revive-nepal-s-confidence-in-indian-currency-2698128">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

Nepal’s ban on India’s Rs 200, Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes should not come as a surprise to India. It is also an opportunity for China to make Nepal shift gradually towards using the yuan instead of the Indian rupee.

Nepal’s ban on India’s Rs 200, Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes should not come as a surprise to India. It is also an opportunity for China to make Nepal shift gradually towards using the yuan instead of the Indian rupee. Yet to see Nepal’s decision as one driven by China and not its own national interests would be a gross misreading of the situation. The decision requires to be seen in the correct perspective by New Delhi for crafting an adequate response to what is clearly a challenge affecting millions of Nepalese, including in India. In fact, it is surprising that Nepal’s demonetisation of high-value notes was so long in coming, i.e. more than two years after India demonetised notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000. Nepal, like Bhutan, has always used and traded in Indian rupees. Simply because it was easier to do so. At the same time, long before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s note ban, notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 were banned in Nepal. Most transactions were restricted to notes of Rs 100 and lesser value. More than the current ban, the actual surprise is that Nepal had allowed free use of the new notes of Rs 2000, Rs 500 and Rs 200 till recently though there were large sections, especially of business and trade, that did not accept these. The reasons why Nepal let the high-value notes circulate for two years can only be speculated upon. One of the reasons is said to be that Nepal was negotiating exchange of the demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes; and, that Nepal Rastra Bank reportedly holds over $1 billion worth of these erstwhile notes. Therefore, it did not reiterate the ban after demonetisation because it expected GoI to accommodate its interests. Recent economic upheavals in Nepal and India combined with political changes on both sides of the border had resulted in an erosion of confidence in the Indian currency. There was a marked decline in the usage of Indian money. And, pending political stability, Nepal did not want to worsen the economic situation by banning the newly issued Indian notes. That would have been unsettling for businessmen, traders, migrants, Nepalese workers in India, tourists and the millions of Nepalese who keep their savings in cash at home. Earlier this year, Nepalese PM KP Sharma Oli had said that demonetisation hurt countries like Nepal and Bhutan where the Indian rupee is widely used. He had said that he would take this up with Indian leaders. Therefore, the speculation that Nepal’s ban on the new Indian notes is retaliation for India refusing to replace its stock of demonetised notes (of Rs 1000 and Rs 500) with new ones. It is undeniable that the Nepalese economy and people have lost billions of rupees, which they can scarce afford to, because of India’s demonetisation. The ban on Indian notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500, long before November 2016, has its origins in the rumour that most of the counterfeit Indian currency originates in Nepal – either produced there by anti-Indian elements or is transported from there across the porous Nepal-India border. Doubtless, Nepal was one of the places from where criminal elements would bring in fake currency of high value. But there was no basis for saying that Nepal is the only place from where bulk of the counterfeit currency came. All that the rumour achieved was to make Nepal ban notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000. Regardless of the reasons, it is clear that demonetisation has demolished confidence in the Indian currency in the neighbourhood where the rupee was much valued especially as a savings instrument. India must respond without falling victim to conspiracy theories of the decision being an outcome of a Nepal-China plot. India is Nepal’s largest trading partner and supplies bulk of Nepal’s essentials and consumer goods. India is also home to millions of Nepalese and the ‘Sarkar’ is paying pension to legions of Gorkha ex-servicemen. There is no way China can take the place of India vis-à-vis Nepal, and it is for India to reinforce its position and strengthen ties. In the present case, India should help Nepal implement its decision and, at the same time, uphold the primacy of the Indian rupee. The first step in this direction is to enable the Nepalese (and Indian tourists going to Nepal, who are mostly from middle and lower income groups) to freely and easily exchange their high-value currency for Rs 100 notes. Such actions will revive confidence in India and the Indian currency. That is a necessary condition for resolving the larger issue of dealing with the cross-border movement of black money and counterfeit currency, which is at the root of Nepal’s demonetisation. How New Delhi responds will decide whether Nepal is bound closer to India or pushed into China’s embrace. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Need to revive Nepal’s confidence in Indian currency

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli made a commitment to former Pakistan prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani that Nepal would facilitate the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit in Pakistan.

As per state news agency Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) report, Prime Minister Oli made his commitment during a meeting with Gillani, who at present is in Nepal to attend the Asia Pacific Summit.

"During a meeting with the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yusuf Raza Gillani, who is currently in Nepal in course of his participation in the ongoing Asia Pacific Summit in Kathmandu, Prime Minister Oli said Nepal, as the current Chair of SAARC, would play a role to hold the coming SAARC Summit in Pakistan and was desperate to hand over the chairmanship," RSS reported.

The 19th SAARC summit will be hosted by Pakistan. Last month, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj had repeated that India would not participate in the summit until Pakistan stops its terrorist attacks over India.

A majority of SAARC nations have also denounced to participate in the summit after a terrorist attack on an Indian army base by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.

In March this year, Pakistan's former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on his previous visit to Nepal, which is the current chair of SAARC had pressed Prime Minister Oli to take steps to create an environment for the commencement of the summit.

RSS quoted Prime Minister Oli's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Rajan Bhattarai as saying that Gillani informed him that the Pakistani people and political parties were committed to SAARC and ready to host the summit.

Prime Minister Oli also reiterated that Nepal was for making effective the regional organisation, the agency reported.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli made a commitment to former Pakistan prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani that Nepal would facilitate the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit in Pakistan.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli made a commitment to former Pakistan prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani that Nepal would facilitate the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit in Pakistan. As per state news agency Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) report, Prime Minister Oli made his commitment during a meeting with Gillani, who at present is in Nepal to attend the Asia Pacific Summit. "During a meeting with the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yusuf Raza Gillani, who is currently in Nepal in course of his participation in the ongoing Asia Pacific Summit in Kathmandu, Prime Minister Oli said Nepal, as the current Chair of SAARC, would play a role to hold the coming SAARC Summit in Pakistan and was desperate to hand over the chairmanship," RSS reported. The 19th SAARC summit will be hosted by Pakistan. Last month, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj had repeated that India would not participate in the summit until Pakistan stops its terrorist attacks over India. A majority of SAARC nations have also denounced to participate in the summit after a terrorist attack on an Indian army base by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. In March this year, Pakistan's former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on his previous visit to Nepal, which is the current chair of SAARC had pressed Prime Minister Oli to take steps to create an environment for the commencement of the summit. RSS quoted Prime Minister Oli's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Rajan Bhattarai as saying that Gillani informed him that the Pakistani people and political parties were committed to SAARC and ready to host the summit. Prime Minister Oli also reiterated that Nepal was for making effective the regional organisation, the agency reported.

Nepal to facilitate 19th SAARC Summit in Pakistan

Nepal's Finance Minister will present the first federal budget of the Himalayan nation after completing the three-tier elections held simultaneously in the year of 2017.

"The economic growth of the previous decade has remained average at 4.3 per cent. Now it is expected to reach 5.9 per cent this year," Finance Minister Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada appraised the parliament on Sunday.

Finance Minister Khatiwada will be presenting the budget for the fiscal year 2075-76 on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. addressing the joint meeting of the Federal Parliaments on May 29.

But the economic growth presumed by Finance Minister is hard to meet without increasing the tax levied on the public, the experts have projected.

The Government of Nepal is expected to unveil the budget of about 16 trillion for the upcoming fiscal year, increasing the dearth.

"The expenditure has increased, the source of income has decreased constantly for which the government's major focus lies on collecting more revenue which will hike the import plumping the custom duty that will definitely result in dearth, constant increment in the price of petroleum also has shown this for the upcoming fiscal year," senior economy journalist Khadka told ANI.

Two days before presenting the budget for the upcoming fiscal year the Finance Minister also stated that the budget deficit of the Himalayan Nation is expected to grow by 10.4 per cent.

Though Nepal unveils its budget every year hardly 50 per cent of the total allocated budget is spent on the title it is less spent and is freeze over.

Along with the inflation which has become the main challenge for Nepal to take care of it has increased to 6 per cent in last eight months of the current fiscal year previously it had stood to 2.3 per cent.&nbsp;

Finance Minister Khatiwada will be presenting the budget for the fiscal year 2075-76 on Wednesday at 4:00 pm

Nepal's Finance Minister will present the first federal budget of the Himalayan nation after completing the three-tier elections held simultaneously in the year of 2017. "The economic growth of the previous decade has remained average at 4.3 per cent. Now it is expected to reach 5.9 per cent this year," Finance Minister Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada appraised the parliament on Sunday. Finance Minister Khatiwada will be presenting the budget for the fiscal year 2075-76 on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. addressing the joint meeting of the Federal Parliaments on May 29. But the economic growth presumed by Finance Minister is hard to meet without increasing the tax levied on the public, the experts have projected. The Government of Nepal is expected to unveil the budget of about 16 trillion for the upcoming fiscal year, increasing the dearth. "The expenditure has increased, the source of income has decreased constantly for which the government's major focus lies on collecting more revenue which will hike the import plumping the custom duty that will definitely result in dearth, constant increment in the price of petroleum also has shown this for the upcoming fiscal year," senior economy journalist Khadka told ANI. Two days before presenting the budget for the upcoming fiscal year the Finance Minister also stated that the budget deficit of the Himalayan Nation is expected to grow by 10.4 per cent. Though Nepal unveils its budget every year hardly 50 per cent of the total allocated budget is spent on the title it is less spent and is freeze over. Along with the inflation which has become the main challenge for Nepal to take care of it has increased to 6 per cent in last eight months of the current fiscal year previously it had stood to 2.3 per cent.

Nepal to announce first federal budget

On the eve of his two-day visit to Nepal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India would remain a steadfast partner of the Himalayan nation in its quest for growth and development.

The prime minister exuded confidence that his visit will further cement people-centric partnership with Nepal on the basis of mutual benefit, goodwill and understanding.

Modi's visit to Nepal is seen as an attempt by both the countries to bring back normalcy in ties after a spell of uneasiness as it comes little over a month after his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli came to India.&nbsp;

Describing his two-day trip to Nepal as a reflection of his government's commitment to "neighbourhood first" policy, Modi said the Himalayan nation has entered a new era and India would continue to support it.

"As Nepal enters a new era of consolidating gains of democracy and achieving rapid economic growth and development, India will continue to remain a steadfast partner of government of Nepal to implement its vision of samriddha Nepal, sukhi Nepali' (prosperous Nepal, happy Nepal)," Modi said in a statement.&nbsp;

Oli's visit was seen as an attempt to repair Nepal's ties with New Delhi. In 2016, the Nepalese leader had publicly accused India of interfering in his country's internal matters and trying to topple his government.

"Prime Minister Oli and I will have the opportunity to take forward our recent wide-ranging discussions in New Delhi on issues of mutual interest, and to advance our cooperative partnership across diverse sectors," Modi said.

He said his visit "reflects the high priority, India, and personally I, attach to our age-old, close and friendly ties with Nepal".

"These high-level and regular interactions reflect my government's commitment to the 'neighbourhood first' policy, in consonance with the motto of ?sabka saath, sabka vikas'," he said.

Modi said the two countries have completed several bilateral connectivity and development projects in the last few years, and initiated transformational initiatives for the benefit of their people.

In addition to Kathmandu, the prime minister said he was also looking forward to visiting Janakpur and Muktinath. Both these places attract a large number of pilgrims every year.&nbsp;

"They are living testimony to the ancient and strong cultural and religious ties between the peoples of India and Nepal," he said.

Modi said he was also looking forward to meeting political leaders and friends in Nepal.&nbsp;

"I am confident that my visit will further cement our people-centric partnership with Nepal on the basis of mutual benefit, goodwill and understanding," he noted.&nbsp;

The prime minister's first stop will be historic city of Janakpur where he will offer prayers at the Janaki temple. He will also be given a civic reception at Janakpur.&nbsp;

In the afternoon, Modi will travel to Kathmandu where he will meet Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun. In the evening, he will hold delegation-level talks with Oli, External Affairs MInistry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

The prime ministers are likely to sign a number of pacts and inaugurate the Rs 6000-crore Arun 3 project which is expected to generate around 900 MW of power.

Modi will also attend a banquet hosted by Oli tomorrow.

On Saturday, he will visit Muktinath. He will come back to Kathmandu in the afternoon and offer prayers at Pashupathi Nath temple, Kumar said.

Later, Modi will meet the leaders of various political parties which will be followed by a civic reception to be hosted by the mayor of Kathmandu.&nbsp;

Modi leaves on a two-day visit to Nepal Friday. The prime minister, in a statement, exuded confidence that his visit would further cement India's people-centric partnership with Nepal on the basis of mutual benefit, goodwill and understanding

On the eve of his two-day visit to Nepal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India would remain a steadfast partner of the Himalayan nation in its quest for growth and development. The prime minister exuded confidence that his visit will further cement people-centric partnership with Nepal on the basis of mutual benefit, goodwill and understanding. Modi's visit to Nepal is seen as an attempt by both the countries to bring back normalcy in ties after a spell of uneasiness as it comes little over a month after his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli came to India. Describing his two-day trip to Nepal as a reflection of his government's commitment to "neighbourhood first" policy, Modi said the Himalayan nation has entered a new era and India would continue to support it. "As Nepal enters a new era of consolidating gains of democracy and achieving rapid economic growth and development, India will continue to remain a steadfast partner of government of Nepal to implement its vision of samriddha Nepal, sukhi Nepali' (prosperous Nepal, happy Nepal)," Modi said in a statement. Oli's visit was seen as an attempt to repair Nepal's ties with New Delhi. In 2016, the Nepalese leader had publicly accused India of interfering in his country's internal matters and trying to topple his government. "Prime Minister Oli and I will have the opportunity to take forward our recent wide-ranging discussions in New Delhi on issues of mutual interest, and to advance our cooperative partnership across diverse sectors," Modi said. He said his visit "reflects the high priority, India, and personally I, attach to our age-old, close and friendly ties with Nepal". "These high-level and regular interactions reflect my government's commitment to the 'neighbourhood first' policy, in consonance with the motto of ?sabka saath, sabka vikas'," he said. Modi said the two countries have completed several bilateral connectivity and development projects in the last few years, and initiated transformational initiatives for the benefit of their people. In addition to Kathmandu, the prime minister said he was also looking forward to visiting Janakpur and Muktinath. Both these places attract a large number of pilgrims every year. "They are living testimony to the ancient and strong cultural and religious ties between the peoples of India and Nepal," he said. Modi said he was also looking forward to meeting political leaders and friends in Nepal. "I am confident that my visit will further cement our people-centric partnership with Nepal on the basis of mutual benefit, goodwill and understanding," he noted. The prime minister's first stop will be historic city of Janakpur where he will offer prayers at the Janaki temple. He will also be given a civic reception at Janakpur. In the afternoon, Modi will travel to Kathmandu where he will meet Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun. In the evening, he will hold delegation-level talks with Oli, External Affairs MInistry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. The prime ministers are likely to sign a number of pacts and inaugurate the Rs 6000-crore Arun 3 project which is expected to generate around 900 MW of power. Modi will also attend a banquet hosted by Oli tomorrow. On Saturday, he will visit Muktinath. He will come back to Kathmandu in the afternoon and offer prayers at Pashupathi Nath temple, Kumar said. Later, Modi will meet the leaders of various political parties which will be followed by a civic reception to be hosted by the mayor of Kathmandu.

India will remain steadfast partner of Nepal: PM Modi

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Bollywood star Salman Khan spent Thursday night in jail after a Jodhpur trial court found him guilty in 1998 blackbuck poaching case and sentenced him to 5 years in prison.&nbsp;

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<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nepal-prime-minister-k-p-sharma-oli-to-arrive-on-a-3-day-india-visit-128575">Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to visit India on Friday</a>

Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli is arriving New Delhi on Friday on a 3-day visit to India. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation.

Commonwealth Games: Mirabai Chanu clinches India's second gold Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won another gold medal for India at the Commonwealth Games(CWG) being held at Gold Coast in Australia. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor violates India's territorial sovereignty: External affairs ministry The 'China-Pakistan Economic Corridor' (CPEC) violates India's territorial sovereignty and integrity, the Ministry of external affairs said on Thursday. Blackbuck poaching case: Salman Khan's bail plea to be heard in Jodhpur court today Bollywood star Salman Khan spent Thursday night in jail after a Jodhpur trial court found him guilty in 1998 blackbuck poaching case and sentenced him to 5 years in prison. Trump threatens to impose tariffs worth $100 billion on China After China said it would impose retaliatory tariffs on US goods, President Trump hit back at Xi's regime warning another round of tough tariffs of upto $100 billion on Beijing. Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to visit India on Friday Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli is arriving New Delhi on Friday on a 3-day visit to India. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation.

News brief: 5 big stories of the day

As India and China vigorously jostle for influence in the tiny Himalayan nation, Nepal&rsquo;s new Prime Minister KP Oli has a hard task at hand to do a balancing act. But his early days as prime minister indicate a tectonic shift towards China. Even during elections, he maintained an aggressive pro-China line so as to reduce dependence on India. He used nationalism as a major election plank, which many believe went down well with the masses who voted the left alliance to a comfortable majority, causing discomfiture in the Indian establishment. This was wary of the return of the communist regime. In fact, there are reports that China played a crucial role in ensuring the victory of the left alliance in the elections.

In keeping with his words during electioneering, Oli has dropped enough hints of his government&rsquo;s pro-China tilt. In an interview to Hong Kong&#39;s South China Morning Post, he was more forthcoming when he said that he wanted to &ldquo;deepen&rdquo; ties with China and get more leverage in his dealings with India &ldquo;in keeping with the times&rdquo;. &nbsp;The statement will certainly not please the Indian establishment which had sent its foreign minister Sushma Swaraj immediately after the election results to mend ways with the new government.

The crafty Oli seems to have made a well-thought-out statement to drive a hard bargain with India. The election manifesto of the left alliance speaks volumes about the intent of the new government. It says that the India-Nepal Peace and Friendship Treaty 1950 will be scrapped and a new treaty will be negotiated. &nbsp;The two countries are deadlocked over the issue for several years whether to amend the treaty or replace it completely.&nbsp;

The ties between India and Nepal deteriorated during Oli&rsquo;s first stint as prime minister when he blamed India for the unofficial economic blockade which stopped essential goods from entering Nepal from India, a charge New Delhi denied. &nbsp;An angry Oli then signed a trade and transit agreement with China with an aim to end India&rsquo;s monopoly over Nepal&rsquo;s supply of daily essentials which further created bitterness between the two countries. Oli was also miffed with India&rsquo;s diplomatic intervention in the country&rsquo;s constitutional process in 2015 when New Delhi sought to accommodate demands of the Madhesis who launched a violent struggle to have greater say in the federal system. He often blamed New Delhi for the circumstances which led to his resignation following the political crisis over the Madhesi issue.

Therefore, there is no element of surprise as Oli plays the China card shrewdly. &nbsp;&quot;We have great connectivity with India and an open border. All that&#39;s fine and we&#39;ll increase connectivity even further, but we can&rsquo;t forget that we have two neighbours. We don&#39;t want to depend on one country or have one option,&quot; he said in the same interview. It should be recalled that Oli in his previous avatar as prime minister had inked a deal with China to extend Tibet rail network to Kathmandu and created special economic zones for Chinese firms, infuriating India.

Oli should realize that he can&rsquo;t afford to keep all his eggs in one basket. He will need to be pragmatic to balance both India and China. &nbsp;India is still Nepal&rsquo;s biggest trade partner. In fact, the two-thirds of Nepal&rsquo;s trade remains with India and the Himalayan nation is heavily dependent on the latter for its everyday needs. Therefore when asked how he wanted to work out relations with India, Oli said: &nbsp;&quot;We&#39;ve always had excellent relations with India. There were some elements in the Indian establishment that caused some misunderstanding, but Indian leaders have assured us that there will be no interference in the future and we will respect each other&#39;s sovereign rights&rdquo;. &nbsp;There is no doubt that he is still smarting from his unceremonious ouster and yet to reconcile.

Oli is aware that both India and China want to expand their influence in the region and he would like to use this to his country&rsquo;s advantage. The only difference is while India has always considered Nepal as a natural ally based on the close historical ties, China is ensnaring the region by dolling out lollipops to the world&rsquo;s one of the most impoverished countries by building roads, and trade and transit corridors. But Oli would do well to be careful and understand China&rsquo;s designs. In the past, several countries like the Maldives and Sri Lanka cosied up to China eyeing massive investments but ended up into a debt-trap.

Both India and Nepal need to reconcile and a make a fresh rapprochement to iron out their differences and bring the ailing relations back on track. Given the historic and cultural ties, the two countries can&rsquo;t afford to be like oil and water.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Given the historic and cultural ties, Nepal will need to be pragmatic to balance both India and China.

As India and China vigorously jostle for influence in the tiny Himalayan nation, Nepal’s new Prime Minister KP Oli has a hard task at hand to do a balancing act. But his early days as prime minister indicate a tectonic shift towards China. Even during elections, he maintained an aggressive pro-China line so as to reduce dependence on India. He used nationalism as a major election plank, which many believe went down well with the masses who voted the left alliance to a comfortable majority, causing discomfiture in the Indian establishment. This was wary of the return of the communist regime. In fact, there are reports that China played a crucial role in ensuring the victory of the left alliance in the elections. In keeping with his words during electioneering, Oli has dropped enough hints of his government’s pro-China tilt. In an interview to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, he was more forthcoming when he said that he wanted to “deepen” ties with China and get more leverage in his dealings with India “in keeping with the times”. The statement will certainly not please the Indian establishment which had sent its foreign minister Sushma Swaraj immediately after the election results to mend ways with the new government. The crafty Oli seems to have made a well-thought-out statement to drive a hard bargain with India. The election manifesto of the left alliance speaks volumes about the intent of the new government. It says that the India-Nepal Peace and Friendship Treaty 1950 will be scrapped and a new treaty will be negotiated. The two countries are deadlocked over the issue for several years whether to amend the treaty or replace it completely. The ties between India and Nepal deteriorated during Oli’s first stint as prime minister when he blamed India for the unofficial economic blockade which stopped essential goods from entering Nepal from India, a charge New Delhi denied. An angry Oli then signed a trade and transit agreement with China with an aim to end India’s monopoly over Nepal’s supply of daily essentials which further created bitterness between the two countries. Oli was also miffed with India’s diplomatic intervention in the country’s constitutional process in 2015 when New Delhi sought to accommodate demands of the Madhesis who launched a violent struggle to have greater say in the federal system. He often blamed New Delhi for the circumstances which led to his resignation following the political crisis over the Madhesi issue. Therefore, there is no element of surprise as Oli plays the China card shrewdly. "We have great connectivity with India and an open border. All that's fine and we'll increase connectivity even further, but we can’t forget that we have two neighbours. We don't want to depend on one country or have one option," he said in the same interview. It should be recalled that Oli in his previous avatar as prime minister had inked a deal with China to extend Tibet rail network to Kathmandu and created special economic zones for Chinese firms, infuriating India. Oli should realize that he can’t afford to keep all his eggs in one basket. He will need to be pragmatic to balance both India and China. India is still Nepal’s biggest trade partner. In fact, the two-thirds of Nepal’s trade remains with India and the Himalayan nation is heavily dependent on the latter for its everyday needs. Therefore when asked how he wanted to work out relations with India, Oli said: "We've always had excellent relations with India. There were some elements in the Indian establishment that caused some misunderstanding, but Indian leaders have assured us that there will be no interference in the future and we will respect each other's sovereign rights”. There is no doubt that he is still smarting from his unceremonious ouster and yet to reconcile. Oli is aware that both India and China want to expand their influence in the region and he would like to use this to his country’s advantage. The only difference is while India has always considered Nepal as a natural ally based on the close historical ties, China is ensnaring the region by dolling out lollipops to the world’s one of the most impoverished countries by building roads, and trade and transit corridors. But Oli would do well to be careful and understand China’s designs. In the past, several countries like the Maldives and Sri Lanka cosied up to China eyeing massive investments but ended up into a debt-trap. Both India and Nepal need to reconcile and a make a fresh rapprochement to iron out their differences and bring the ailing relations back on track. Given the historic and cultural ties, the two countries can’t afford to be like oil and water. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Will KP Oli be able to humour both India and China?

Nepal&#39;s ruling party has merged with a former Maoist rebel group to form a super bloc that experts say will reshape politics after years of turbulence in the Himalayan nation.

Officials said Tuesday the new alliance, the Nepal Communist Party, was formally signed into agreement following late-night negotiations between the two sides Monday.

They forged a political alliance to trounce the incumbent party in last year&#39;s landmark general elections, but this formal merger creates a political behemoth unprecedented in Nepali politics.

&quot;This is an agreement to merge, but there are other issues we need to conclude before we completely unify,&quot; senior Maoist leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha told AFP, adding the transition process was expected to take at least a month.

The new alliance commands a large majority in both houses of parliament and comes just days after Communist leader KP&nbsp;Sharma Oli was sworn in as prime minister.

Oli&#39;s main Communist party and the Maoists heavily defeated the incumbent Nepali Congress party in polls last year billed as the final step in a post-war transformation to a federal republic.

The Maoists, who fought government forces in a bitter civil war that claimed more than 16,000 lives and overthrew Nepal&#39;s 240-year-old Hindu monarchy, dominated politics for more than two decades.

The decade-long conflict ended in a 2006 peace deal that saw guerrilla leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal become Nepal&#39;s first post-war prime minister.

But their political support has waned in recent years, with their party ranking third in last year&#39;s general elections.

Political historian Aditya Adhikari said the merger was a &quot;rare union&quot; between two sides with starkly different backgrounds.

The ruling Communist party is older and considered more conservative than its new partners in the Maoists, who have pursued more progressive politics in the post-war era.

&quot;If they manage to stick together it will change the future of Nepal&#39;s politics,&quot; said Adhikari, author of &quot;The Bullet and the Ballot Box&quot;, a history of Nepal&#39;s Maoist struggle.&nbsp;

&quot;But they will likely function as a coalition or two factions within a party, negotiating power sharing.&quot;

A rumoured agreement to share power between Prime Minister Oli and Dahal, the Maoist leader, has provoked criticism amid concern this alliance could destabilise politics down the track.

Brittle alliances have been struck between Nepal&#39;s three dominant parties since 2008, and there are fears this latest merger could prolong the revolving door nature of the country&#39;s politics.

Oli has been prime minister once before, while Dahal has served in the top office twice.

Many voters cast ballots in last year&#39;s elections hoping for stability and much-needed development in the impoverished Himalayan nation.

The last government -- a coalition between the Maoists and the Nepali Congress party -- was the country&#39;s ninth in just 11 years before the alliance fractured.

Experts say the alliance will reshape politics after years of turbulence in the Himalayan nation

Nepal's ruling party has merged with a former Maoist rebel group to form a super bloc that experts say will reshape politics after years of turbulence in the Himalayan nation. Officials said Tuesday the new alliance, the Nepal Communist Party, was formally signed into agreement following late-night negotiations between the two sides Monday. They forged a political alliance to trounce the incumbent party in last year's landmark general elections, but this formal merger creates a political behemoth unprecedented in Nepali politics. "This is an agreement to merge, but there are other issues we need to conclude before we completely unify," senior Maoist leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha told AFP, adding the transition process was expected to take at least a month. The new alliance commands a large majority in both houses of parliament and comes just days after Communist leader KP Sharma Oli was sworn in as prime minister. Oli's main Communist party and the Maoists heavily defeated the incumbent Nepali Congress party in polls last year billed as the final step in a post-war transformation to a federal republic. The Maoists, who fought government forces in a bitter civil war that claimed more than 16,000 lives and overthrew Nepal's 240-year-old Hindu monarchy, dominated politics for more than two decades. The decade-long conflict ended in a 2006 peace deal that saw guerrilla leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal become Nepal's first post-war prime minister. But their political support has waned in recent years, with their party ranking third in last year's general elections. Political historian Aditya Adhikari said the merger was a "rare union" between two sides with starkly different backgrounds. The ruling Communist party is older and considered more conservative than its new partners in the Maoists, who have pursued more progressive politics in the post-war era. "If they manage to stick together it will change the future of Nepal's politics," said Adhikari, author of "The Bullet and the Ballot Box", a history of Nepal's Maoist struggle. "But they will likely function as a coalition or two factions within a party, negotiating power sharing." A rumoured agreement to share power between Prime Minister Oli and Dahal, the Maoist leader, has provoked criticism amid concern this alliance could destabilise politics down the track. Brittle alliances have been struck between Nepal's three dominant parties since 2008, and there are fears this latest merger could prolong the revolving door nature of the country's politics. Oli has been prime minister once before, while Dahal has served in the top office twice. Many voters cast ballots in last year's elections hoping for stability and much-needed development in the impoverished Himalayan nation. The last government -- a coalition between the Maoists and the Nepali Congress party -- was the country's ninth in just 11 years before the alliance fractured.

Nepal's ruling party merges into super bloc with Maoists

Nepal&#39;s new Prime Minister KP Oli has said he wants to deepen ties with China to explore more options and get more leverage in his dealings with India &quot;in keeping with the times&quot;.

Oli, widely regarded as pro-China, also said he wants to &quot;update&quot; relations with India &quot;in keeping with the times&quot; and favours a review of all special provisions of the Indo-Nepal relations, including the long-established practice of Nepalese soldiers serving India&#39;s armed forces.

&quot;We have great connectivity with India and an open border. All that&#39;s fine and we&#39;ll increase connectivity even further, but we can&rsquo;t forget that we have two neighbours. We don&#39;t want to depend on one country or have one option,&quot; he told Hong Kong&#39;s South China Morning Post in an interview.

About how he plans to work out relations with India, Oli said, &quot;we&#39;ve always had excellent relations with India. There were some elements in the Indian establishment that caused some misunderstanding, but Indian leaders have assured us that there will be no interference in the future and we will respect each other&#39;s sovereign rights&quot;.

Oli, 65, who had also served as the country&#39;s prime minister from October 11, 2015 to August 3, 2016, was forced to resign following the political crisis in the Himalayan nation over the Madhesi issue.

Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin had been demanding amendment of the new Constitution to address their concerns over representation in Parliament.

Before Oli&#39;s inauguration as the prime minister for the second time, External Affairs Sushma Swaraj had visited Nepal and met him and other Left leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Oli.

About Nepalese serving in the Indian Army, Oli said, &ldquo;This should be internally and mutually discussed and corrected, if necessary. We live in a new world, and Nepal is starting a new journey, we have to update whatever is considered outdated and bring it in line with the modern era.&quot;

Oli also said he would revive the China-backed $2.5 billion hydropower project which was scrapped by the previous government.

Expectations are high in China about Oli&rsquo;s government as he signed the Transit Treaty with Beijing during his first stint as Prime Minister in 2015 to end dependence on India for his landlocked country to revive the Budhi Gandaki project.

The dam project was scrapped by the previous government headed by Sher Bahadur Deuba citing irregularities.

China has been investing heavily in Nepal, blunting India&#39;s influence in the Himalayan country.

Oli justified his decision to build the dam with Chinese company saying that &quot;our petroleum usage has been increasing but we import all of it. We urgently need to develop hydropower to reduce our dependence on petroleum.&quot;

He sees infrastructure development as an important means to narrow the distance with China, whose physical remoteness compared with next-door India is a hindrance to deeper Sino-Nepal relations, the paper said.

He also spoke about improving rail and road network between Nepal and China through Tibet.

&quot;Once China brings its rail network up to Shigatse and then Kyirong in Tibet, it should be easy to extend it to Nepal. It&rsquo;s lower altitude than Tibet, and the terrain is actually sloping all the way down from Kyirong.

&quot;Apart from that, three roads are under construction connecting China and Nepal, which should be ready in a couple of years. If we can connect this railway network to our east-west rail project, it can revolutionise China-India trade, with Nepal in the middle,&quot; he said.

China aims to extend the Qinghai-Tibet railway to the Nepal border by 2020 and has expressed interest in extending it to Kathmandu. Kyirong in Tibet is about 25km from Nepal&rsquo;s Rasuwagadhi border transit point, which is 50km from Kathmandu.

'We have great connectivity with India and an open border. All that's fine and we'll increase connectivity even further, but we can’t forget that we have two neighbours,' Oli said

Nepal's new Prime Minister KP Oli has said he wants to deepen ties with China to explore more options and get more leverage in his dealings with India "in keeping with the times". Oli, widely regarded as pro-China, also said he wants to "update" relations with India "in keeping with the times" and favours a review of all special provisions of the Indo-Nepal relations, including the long-established practice of Nepalese soldiers serving India's armed forces. "We have great connectivity with India and an open border. All that's fine and we'll increase connectivity even further, but we can’t forget that we have two neighbours. We don't want to depend on one country or have one option," he told Hong Kong's South China Morning Post in an interview. About how he plans to work out relations with India, Oli said, "we've always had excellent relations with India. There were some elements in the Indian establishment that caused some misunderstanding, but Indian leaders have assured us that there will be no interference in the future and we will respect each other's sovereign rights". Oli, 65, who had also served as the country's prime minister from October 11, 2015 to August 3, 2016, was forced to resign following the political crisis in the Himalayan nation over the Madhesi issue. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin had been demanding amendment of the new Constitution to address their concerns over representation in Parliament. Before Oli's inauguration as the prime minister for the second time, External Affairs Sushma Swaraj had visited Nepal and met him and other Left leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Oli. About Nepalese serving in the Indian Army, Oli said, “This should be internally and mutually discussed and corrected, if necessary. We live in a new world, and Nepal is starting a new journey, we have to update whatever is considered outdated and bring it in line with the modern era." Oli also said he would revive the China-backed $2.5 billion hydropower project which was scrapped by the previous government. Expectations are high in China about Oli’s government as he signed the Transit Treaty with Beijing during his first stint as Prime Minister in 2015 to end dependence on India for his landlocked country to revive the Budhi Gandaki project. The dam project was scrapped by the previous government headed by Sher Bahadur Deuba citing irregularities. China has been investing heavily in Nepal, blunting India's influence in the Himalayan country. Oli justified his decision to build the dam with Chinese company saying that "our petroleum usage has been increasing but we import all of it. We urgently need to develop hydropower to reduce our dependence on petroleum." He sees infrastructure development as an important means to narrow the distance with China, whose physical remoteness compared with next-door India is a hindrance to deeper Sino-Nepal relations, the paper said. He also spoke about improving rail and road network between Nepal and China through Tibet. "Once China brings its rail network up to Shigatse and then Kyirong in Tibet, it should be easy to extend it to Nepal. It’s lower altitude than Tibet, and the terrain is actually sloping all the way down from Kyirong. "Apart from that, three roads are under construction connecting China and Nepal, which should be ready in a couple of years. If we can connect this railway network to our east-west rail project, it can revolutionise China-India trade, with Nepal in the middle," he said. China aims to extend the Qinghai-Tibet railway to the Nepal border by 2020 and has expressed interest in extending it to Kathmandu. Kyirong in Tibet is about 25km from Nepal’s Rasuwagadhi border transit point, which is 50km from Kathmandu.

Want to deepen ties with China to gain greater leverage with India: Nepal's Oli

Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba today resigned from the post of prime minister paving the way for CPN-UML chairman to be the next prime minister of the Himalayan kingdom.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nepal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nepal</a> Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba resigns, Khadga Prasad Oli to be the next Prime Minister <a href="https://t.co/dHsUJNauJn">pic.twitter.com/dHsUJNauJn</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/964007887663259648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Nepal&#39;s largest party had picked <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepals-cpn-uml-names-kp-sharma-oli-as-next-prime-minister-32893">Oli as the next Prime Minister</a> of the country yesterday, two months after the successful conclusion of parliamentary elections.

The Left Alliance of the CPN-UML, led by Oli and CPN-Maoist Centre, led by Prachanda, had in December secured 174 seats in the 275-member Parliament in the historic provincial and parliamentary polls that many hope will bring much-needed political stability to the Himalayan nation.

It had also secured an overwhelming majority in the upper house of Parliament with 39 seats, paving the way for the leftist alliance to form the country&#39;s next government.

CPN-UML, with the support of CPN Maoist Centre, has emerged as the largest party after garnering the majority in the three-tier elections.

KP Sharma Oli will head the first government elected under a new national constitution that cements Nepal&#39;s transformation from Hindu monarchy to a federal republic 11 years after the end of a brutal Maoist insurgency.

The historic elections in December were the first under the country&#39;s new post-war constitution, which sets out a sweeping overhaul of the political system, devolving significant power from the centre to the seven provinces.

Sher Bahadur Deuba&nbsp;became prime minister in June 2017.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Nepal's largest party had picked Oli as the next Prime Minister of the country yesterday, two months after the successful conclusion of parliamentary elections

Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba today resigned from the post of prime minister paving the way for CPN-UML chairman to be the next prime minister of the Himalayan kingdom. #Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba resigns, Khadga Prasad Oli to be the next Prime Minister pic.twitter.com/dHsUJNauJn — ANI (@ANI) February 15, 2018 × Nepal's largest party had picked Oli as the next Prime Minister of the country yesterday, two months after the successful conclusion of parliamentary elections. The Left Alliance of the CPN-UML, led by Oli and CPN-Maoist Centre, led by Prachanda, had in December secured 174 seats in the 275-member Parliament in the historic provincial and parliamentary polls that many hope will bring much-needed political stability to the Himalayan nation. It had also secured an overwhelming majority in the upper house of Parliament with 39 seats, paving the way for the leftist alliance to form the country's next government. CPN-UML, with the support of CPN Maoist Centre, has emerged as the largest party after garnering the majority in the three-tier elections. KP Sharma Oli will head the first government elected under a new national constitution that cements Nepal's transformation from Hindu monarchy to a federal republic 11 years after the end of a brutal Maoist insurgency. The historic elections in December were the first under the country's new post-war constitution, which sets out a sweeping overhaul of the political system, devolving significant power from the centre to the seven provinces. Sher Bahadur Deuba became prime minister in June 2017. (With inputs from agencies)

Nepal: PM Deuba resigns, KP Oli to be next prime minister

External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj met former Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal here on Friday.

The minister, who reached Kathmandu on Thursday, met <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepals-oli-most-likely-next-pm-wins-parliament-seat-26385" target="_blank">Chairman of CPN-UML K.P Sharma Oli</a> in her first engagement and congratulated him on his party`s victory in the recent elections. &quot;The two held wide ranging discussions on ways to take the special relationship between India and Nepal forward,&quot; EAM spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had tweeted.

Swaraj is on a two-day official visit to Nepal in an effort to reach out to the country`s political leadership ahead of the formation of a new government by a Communist alliance.

This is Swaraj`s seventh visit to Nepal since assuming office in May 2014. However this is her first visit to Nepal after the three-tier elections ended here in December.

The timing of the visit comes at a time when India wants to improve its relations with Oli and his party, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) (CPN-UML).

Relations between the two sides are often described as &quot;patchy&quot;, where Oli criticised India`s constant hindrance over Nepal`s new constitution in 2015, which did not recognise the rights of the Madhesis.

On January 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned Oli and congratulated him in advance on his win in the just-concluded Nepal elections and invited each other to visit their respective countries.&nbsp;

India's External Affairs Minister is on a two-day visit to the country

External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj met former Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal here on Friday. The minister, who reached Kathmandu on Thursday, met Chairman of CPN-UML K.P Sharma Oli in her first engagement and congratulated him on his party`s victory in the recent elections. "The two held wide ranging discussions on ways to take the special relationship between India and Nepal forward," EAM spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had tweeted. Swaraj is on a two-day official visit to Nepal in an effort to reach out to the country`s political leadership ahead of the formation of a new government by a Communist alliance. This is Swaraj`s seventh visit to Nepal since assuming office in May 2014. However this is her first visit to Nepal after the three-tier elections ended here in December. The timing of the visit comes at a time when India wants to improve its relations with Oli and his party, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) (CPN-UML). Relations between the two sides are often described as "patchy", where Oli criticised India`s constant hindrance over Nepal`s new constitution in 2015, which did not recognise the rights of the Madhesis. On January 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned Oli and congratulated him in advance on his win in the just-concluded Nepal elections and invited each other to visit their respective countries.

Sushma Swaraj calls on Prachanda in Nepal

China&#39;s foreign ministry said today that it hoped that all parties in Nepal put national interest first and worked for stability, after the landlocked country&#39;s prime minister resigned, nine months after coming to power. 
 
Nepal&#39;s Prime Minister KP Oli resigned on Sunday, minutes before parliament was to vote on a no-confidence motion he was likely to lose. 
 
The no-confidence motion was brought by former Maoist rebels who propped up the Oli-led government last October, but fell out with him after accusing him of failing to honour a power-sharing deal. 
 
Oli&#39;s departure plunges the Himalayan country, plagued by political turmoil for years, into a whole new round of political uncertainty. This is the country&#39;s 23rd government to fall since a multi-party democracy began in 1990 after bloody protests, and the political tumult has weighed on business confidence. 
 
China is vying to increase its influence in Nepal, challenging India&#39;s long-held position as the dominant outside power. 
 
When Oli visited China in March, he signed a deal allowing Nepal to use China&#39;s ports for trading goods with third countries, potentially ending India&#39;s decades-long monopoly over the impoverished country&#39;s trading routes. 
 
&quot;As a neighbour and friend, China genuinely hopes that all parties and sides in Nepal put the national and people&#39;s interests first, and dedicate themselves to effecting Nepal&#39;s stability and development,&quot; China&#39;s foreign ministry said in a brief statement. 
 
&quot;China and Nepal have been through thick and thin together, and no matter the changes in the international or domestic situation, the direction of China and Nepal&#39;s friendship and mutually beneficially cooperation will not change.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

China is vying to increase its influence in Nepal, challenging India's long-held position as the dominant outside power

China's foreign ministry said today that it hoped that all parties in Nepal put national interest first and worked for stability, after the landlocked country's prime minister resigned, nine months after coming to power. Nepal's Prime Minister KP Oli resigned on Sunday, minutes before parliament was to vote on a no-confidence motion he was likely to lose. The no-confidence motion was brought by former Maoist rebels who propped up the Oli-led government last October, but fell out with him after accusing him of failing to honour a power-sharing deal. Oli's departure plunges the Himalayan country, plagued by political turmoil for years, into a whole new round of political uncertainty. This is the country's 23rd government to fall since a multi-party democracy began in 1990 after bloody protests, and the political tumult has weighed on business confidence. China is vying to increase its influence in Nepal, challenging India's long-held position as the dominant outside power. When Oli visited China in March, he signed a deal allowing Nepal to use China's ports for trading goods with third countries, potentially ending India's decades-long monopoly over the impoverished country's trading routes. "As a neighbour and friend, China genuinely hopes that all parties and sides in Nepal put the national and people's interests first, and dedicate themselves to effecting Nepal's stability and development," China's foreign ministry said in a brief statement. "China and Nepal have been through thick and thin together, and no matter the changes in the international or domestic situation, the direction of China and Nepal's friendship and mutually beneficially cooperation will not change." (Reuters)

China calls for stability after Nepal PM's departure

Two political parties left Nepal&#39;s ruling coalition on Sunday, deserting the fractious alliance ahead of a vote of no-confidence that Prime Minister K.P. Oli looks likely to lose.

The no-confidence motion, lodged by former Maoist rebels who installed Oli in October but fell out with him after accusing him of failing to honour a power-sharing deal, is due to be put to a vote in the 595-member parliament later on Sunday.

Nepal has been plagued by turmoil for years and the latest uncertainty over Oli&#39;s fate risks the further sapping of business confidence.

&quot;We were left with no alternative because of the arrogance of the prime minister and his party,&quot; Kiran Giri, a senior official of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) told Reuters, referring to party&#39;s decision to abandon Oli&#39;s coalition.

The Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal (Democratic) is the other party that said it was leaving the alliance.

Both parties said they would join the opposition in Sunday&#39;s vote aimed at toppling the Himalayan country&#39;s 23rd government since multi-party democracy was introduced in 1990 after bloody protests.

Oli was not available for comment but aides said he would respond to opposition accusations in Parliament.

Nepal&#39;s neighbours, China and India, jostle for influence over the volatile young republic and are concerned that prolonged political paralysis could turn one of the world&#39;s poorest countries into a haven for criminal gangs and militants.

Nepal has been flirting with crisis since September when it adopted its first republican constitution.

The ethnic Madhesi minority in the south of the country rejected the constitution, saying new federal states marginalized them by splitting their homeland.

The Maoists called off a bid to oust Oli two months ago after he said he would address the Madhesi concerns and rebuild homes destroyed in earthquakes last year.

But Oli&#39;s critics said he did not do as he promised.

&quot;The Prime Minister became ego-centric and self-centred, refusing to listen,&quot; Maoist chief Prachanda, said in parliament on Friday. &quot;This made us unable to continue to work with him.&quot;

Prachanda, who goes by his war nom-de-guerre meaning &quot;Fierce&quot;, is the favourite to replace the 64-year-old Oli.

Minority Madhesis blocked border trade points with India for four months to demand the redrawing of provincial borders and a fair say in government.

They ended the blockade in February after more than 50 people were killed in clashes with police and widespread criticism of the protest that choked off supplies of vital imports from India, including fuel. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal (Democratic) desert Prime Minister Oli ahead of crucial vote

Two political parties left Nepal's ruling coalition on Sunday, deserting the fractious alliance ahead of a vote of no-confidence that Prime Minister K.P. Oli looks likely to lose. The no-confidence motion, lodged by former Maoist rebels who installed Oli in October but fell out with him after accusing him of failing to honour a power-sharing deal, is due to be put to a vote in the 595-member parliament later on Sunday. Nepal has been plagued by turmoil for years and the latest uncertainty over Oli's fate risks the further sapping of business confidence. "We were left with no alternative because of the arrogance of the prime minister and his party," Kiran Giri, a senior official of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) told Reuters, referring to party's decision to abandon Oli's coalition. The Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal (Democratic) is the other party that said it was leaving the alliance. Both parties said they would join the opposition in Sunday's vote aimed at toppling the Himalayan country's 23rd government since multi-party democracy was introduced in 1990 after bloody protests. Oli was not available for comment but aides said he would respond to opposition accusations in Parliament. Nepal's neighbours, China and India, jostle for influence over the volatile young republic and are concerned that prolonged political paralysis could turn one of the world's poorest countries into a haven for criminal gangs and militants. Nepal has been flirting with crisis since September when it adopted its first republican constitution. The ethnic Madhesi minority in the south of the country rejected the constitution, saying new federal states marginalized them by splitting their homeland. The Maoists called off a bid to oust Oli two months ago after he said he would address the Madhesi concerns and rebuild homes destroyed in earthquakes last year. But Oli's critics said he did not do as he promised. "The Prime Minister became ego-centric and self-centred, refusing to listen," Maoist chief Prachanda, said in parliament on Friday. "This made us unable to continue to work with him." Prachanda, who goes by his war nom-de-guerre meaning "Fierce", is the favourite to replace the 64-year-old Oli. Minority Madhesis blocked border trade points with India for four months to demand the redrawing of provincial borders and a fair say in government. They ended the blockade in February after more than 50 people were killed in clashes with police and widespread criticism of the protest that choked off supplies of vital imports from India, including fuel. (Reuters)

Nepal PM appears set to lose no-confidence vote as allies depart

Nepal&#39;s KP Sharma Oli resigned as Prime Minister today, minutes before facing a no-confidence motion in parliament he was certain to lose, plunging the impoverished nation into fresh turmoil. 
 
His political rivals, former Maoist rebels, called for the vote against Oli after they deserted his fragile ruling coalition, accusing him of reneging on past deals and following deadly unrest over a divisive new constitution. 
 
&quot;I have decided to open the road to elect a new prime minister in this parliament and presented my resignation to the president,&quot; Oli told lawmakers who were set to vote on the no-confidence motion. 
 
Oli accuses rivals of undermining ruling government&nbsp; 
 
In his speech, the embattled premier accused rival lawmakers of undermining his nine-month-old government, which he said was working to rebuild the Himalayan country after a devastating earthquake last year. 
 
&quot;I am concerned that the steps taken were driven by selfishness and revenge (and they) will cause a long-term negative impact and push the country to instability,&quot; he said of the motion, during the nearly two-hour speech. 
 
Oli&#39;s resignation is the latest crisis to hit Nepal which has been struggling to rebuild the quake last April that claimed almost 9,000 lives. 
 
The former rebels and main opposition Nepali Congress party had said they would try to form a new administration if Oli lost the vote, with Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal as premier. 
 
Dahal, the country&#39;s first prime minister after the Maoist insurgency ended in 2006, pulled his party from Oli&#39;s coalition two weeks ago, leaving it without a majority. 
 
Dahal, better known by his nom-de-guerre Prachanda, painted Oli as an egocentric who refused to listen to the people and demanded that he resign. 
 
After debate on the motion kicked off on Friday, two smaller parties also abandoned the coalition, leaving Oli&#39;s Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) floundering for support. 
 
The Maoists joined Oli&#39;s government last October, weeks after Nepal adopted the new national constitution. 
 
Coalition cracks 
 
Cracks began to appear in the coalition two months ago when the Maoists threatened to topple Oli, prompting the premier to draw up an 11th-hour deal with Dahal. 
 
But Dahal later withdrew from the coalition, citing the government&#39;s failure to implement that agreement to withdraw war cases from Nepal&#39;s courts and offer amnesties to people accused of abuses during the decade-long Maoist conflict. 
 
Since becoming premier, Oli has faced fierce criticism over his handling of protests against the charter, which triggered a months-long border blockade in southern Nepal by demonstrators from the Madhesi ethnic minority. 
 
More than 50 people died in clashes between police and protesters, who said the constitution left them politically marginalised. 
 
The new constitution, the first drawn up by elected representatives, was meant to cement peace and bolster Nepal&#39;s transformation to a democratic republic after decades of political instability. 
 
But ongoing discussions between the government and protesters over the charter have failed to yield agreement. 
 
Kathmandu accused New Delhi of imposing an &quot;unofficial blockade&quot; on the landlocked nation in support of the Madhesis, who share close cultural and family links with Indians across the border. 
 
(AFP)

KP Oli was forced to quit after coalition allies deserted the government accusing him of not honouring power sharing deals

Nepal's KP Sharma Oli resigned as Prime Minister today, minutes before facing a no-confidence motion in parliament he was certain to lose, plunging the impoverished nation into fresh turmoil. His political rivals, former Maoist rebels, called for the vote against Oli after they deserted his fragile ruling coalition, accusing him of reneging on past deals and following deadly unrest over a divisive new constitution. "I have decided to open the road to elect a new prime minister in this parliament and presented my resignation to the president," Oli told lawmakers who were set to vote on the no-confidence motion. Oli accuses rivals of undermining ruling government In his speech, the embattled premier accused rival lawmakers of undermining his nine-month-old government, which he said was working to rebuild the Himalayan country after a devastating earthquake last year. "I am concerned that the steps taken were driven by selfishness and revenge (and they) will cause a long-term negative impact and push the country to instability," he said of the motion, during the nearly two-hour speech. Oli's resignation is the latest crisis to hit Nepal which has been struggling to rebuild the quake last April that claimed almost 9,000 lives. The former rebels and main opposition Nepali Congress party had said they would try to form a new administration if Oli lost the vote, with Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal as premier. Dahal, the country's first prime minister after the Maoist insurgency ended in 2006, pulled his party from Oli's coalition two weeks ago, leaving it without a majority. Dahal, better known by his nom-de-guerre Prachanda, painted Oli as an egocentric who refused to listen to the people and demanded that he resign. After debate on the motion kicked off on Friday, two smaller parties also abandoned the coalition, leaving Oli's Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) floundering for support. The Maoists joined Oli's government last October, weeks after Nepal adopted the new national constitution. Coalition cracks Cracks began to appear in the coalition two months ago when the Maoists threatened to topple Oli, prompting the premier to draw up an 11th-hour deal with Dahal. But Dahal later withdrew from the coalition, citing the government's failure to implement that agreement to withdraw war cases from Nepal's courts and offer amnesties to people accused of abuses during the decade-long Maoist conflict. Since becoming premier, Oli has faced fierce criticism over his handling of protests against the charter, which triggered a months-long border blockade in southern Nepal by demonstrators from the Madhesi ethnic minority. More than 50 people died in clashes between police and protesters, who said the constitution left them politically marginalised. The new constitution, the first drawn up by elected representatives, was meant to cement peace and bolster Nepal's transformation to a democratic republic after decades of political instability. But ongoing discussions between the government and protesters over the charter have failed to yield agreement. Kathmandu accused New Delhi of imposing an "unofficial blockade" on the landlocked nation in support of the Madhesis, who share close cultural and family links with Indians across the border. (AFP)

Nepal PM resigns ahead of no-confidence vote

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