My Republica

Rudra Pangeni

Pangeni is an investigative journalist currently with CIJ Nepal.
news@myrepublica.com

Traders, govt staff colluded to evade Rs 350m a day in customs

Published On: March 3, 2018 02:30 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, March 3: Traders in cahoots with government employees were evading customs duty worth around Rs 350 million each day, according to comparative figures between Friday and the recent past.

Indian firm to produce anti-cancer drug in Nepal

Published On: February 20, 2018 05:30 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Feb 20: Hospitals providing cancer treatment have received more patients in recent years. Another indication of the rising incidence of cancer here is the fact that an Indian pharmaceuticals company has entered the country to build a cancer drug plant in Bhaktapur to cash in on the demand.

Contractors, officials collude to steal Rs 8-14 billion

Published On: January 15, 2018 11:40 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

In Nepal, half a dozen contractors exercise monopoly over construction contracts. The cartel holds sway over entire construction administration and political sector. They huddle together before bidding for large infrastructure projects.  A report by Public Procurement Monitoring Office under Prime Minister's Office has exposed their workings.

Per capita income highest in Province 3, lowest in 7

Published On: January 9, 2018 01:29 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Jan 9: A person living in Province 3 earns more than roughly twice as much as someone in Province 6 or 7, according to an analysis of government data on per capita income done by Republica.

Plan to downsize Tamakoshi-3 causes controversy

Published On: January 7, 2018 07:35 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHAMNDU, Jan 6: Utilizing resources to optimum capacity is the rule of thumb  while fixing the installed capacity of any hydropower plant. But fixing such capacity for Tamakoshi-3 Hydropower Project has caused controversy.

Nigerian firm denied license for limestone mine since 3 years

Published On: January 2, 2018 06:55 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Jan 2: Then prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal decided to award limestone mines to Dangote Cement Nepal Pvt Ltd  on January 8 last year. The decision taken at a meeting of the Investment Board Nepal (IBN), was passed on to the Department of Mines and Geology for implementation. But the Nigerian conglomerate with cement plants in 14  countries was not assigned the mines for setting up its plant that would employ over 1,000 people.

Contractors, suppliers paid Rs 20 billion in bribes last year

Published On: December 25, 2017 10:44 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Dec 25: In the last fiscal year 2016/17, the government spent Rs 204 billion in capital expenditure injected in infrastructure projects, purchasing machinery and equipment for capital formation.

Poverty under multi-dimensional index halved in 8 yrs

Published On: December 21, 2017 08:15 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Dec 21: The multi-dimensional poverty index, which counts deprivation under indicators including sanitation, drinking water, education and health, has halved in 8 years, according to the latest Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report released by the National Planning Commission on Wednesday.

Rs3.54b spent on skill development largely 'a waste'

Published On: December 17, 2017 09:12 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Dec 17: Development projects and programs are suffering a skilled-manpower crunch, according to several reports on the periodic plans of the National Planning Commission.

Cartel controls vegetables prices in Kalimati market: Farmers

Published On: December 15, 2017 03:14 PM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Dec 15: Laxman Parajuli, a vegetable farmer of Mandan-Deupur Municipality of Kavre sends his produce, mostly tomatoes, to Kalimati market every alternate day. But he does not how much his produce fetches as traders themselves fix the price. When Parajuli called the trader over the phone the next day, he found out his tomatoes will fetch him Rs 1,400 to Rs 1,500 per crate (25 kg).

Cost of running legislatures to jump threefold

Published On: December 13, 2017 07:10 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Dec 13: Expenditures for the two houses of parliament and the provincial assemblies will be  at least three times that  of the previous constituent assembly-turned parliament. The annual expenditure of the 601-member parliament was  around Rs 1.40 billion, and this expenditure will now soar to Rs 4.25 billion, according to a study of all legislatures and their secretariats prepared  in July by the parliament secretariat.

IPPs equal NEA in terms of installed capacity

Published On: December 11, 2017 02:13 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Dec 10: In what can be termed a landmark achievement in the country's hydroposer sector, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) are now at the same level with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) in terms of installed capacity of hydrpower projects.

Govt taking decisions of long-term impact to pocket votes

Published On: November 30, 2017 08:00 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Nov 30: The government piled pressure on project managers to publish tender notices for 12 various road projects worth Rs 10 billion as part of the postal highway scheme just a month before the local level elections in Province 2 on  September 18.

White paper on reducing trade deficit in the making

Published On: November 30, 2017 07:32 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Nov 30: Alarmed by indicators such as whopping growth imports, slowdown in remittance growth, and downward trend of revenue collection on several products, the government’s chief revenue officer fears that the country is on the verge of financial crisis.

Small contractors still await payment for works of last FY

Published On: November 28, 2017 05:15 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Nov 28: Contractors handling small road projects in several towns and rural areas are yet to receive payments for works completed in the last fiscal year. Some have not received payments for multi-year projects completed in the current fiscal year.

Measures to tackle Delhi pollution cuts power supply to Nepal

Published On: November 26, 2017 10:29 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHAMNDU, Nov 26: Nepal’s import of electricity from India has been reduced owing to measures taken by India to tackle New Delhi’s air pollution.

Sindhuli locals find retrofitting cost-effective

Published On: November 24, 2017 04:30 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

SINDHULI, Nov 24: Unlike his neighbors, Bir Bahadur Bhujel of Purano Jhangajholi in Sunkoshi Rural Municipality of Sindhuli, is using new technology to retrofit his quake-damaged house.

'No power cuts in Valley, some cities this winter'

Published On: November 23, 2017 08:20 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Nov 23: Just like last year, there won't be any power cuts in Kathmandu and some other cities this winter, NEA officials said.

Rails for Jayanagar-Janakpur section start to arrive

Published On: November 23, 2017 05:15 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Nov 23: The contractor of Jayanagar-Janakpur section of the Jayanagar-Bardibas Railway Project (69 km) has received the first supply of rails from Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL).

Further uncertainty grips stalled project

Published On: November 19, 2017 08:17 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Nov 19: Works of Budhigandaki Hydroelectric Project have remained at a standstill for at least the last six months, particularly due to controversies over handing over the project’s contract to a Chinese company.