My Republica

Rudra Pangeni

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

Work on apartment for poorer quake survivors put on hold since February

Published On: September 6, 2018 07:29 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Sept 6: At a time when Dhurmus Suntali Foundation has developed at least three integrated settlements in earthquake-hit districts and smoothly handed it over to needy people, the government’s plan of building apartments for landless families and quake-hit families living in extreme poverty is not taking off in the absence of a policy to identify beneficiaries.

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Raman Construction to rebuild Dharahara

Published On: September 3, 2018 08:02 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Sept 3: The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has finally opened the financial proposals submitted by five firms bidding for the reconstruction of Dharahara.

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Retreat without nature surroundings a missed chance for soft diplomacy

Published On: September 1, 2018 07:15 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Sep 1: One thing is common for Kathmandu in 2014 and 2018. Four years ago, the roads in the capital city were in bad shape, dusty and full of potholes, when the country started eleventh hour preparations for a SAARC summit. Delays in road work were rampant. Things are almost the same four years later.

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After over 6 yrs, Three Gorges walking away from West Seti

Published On: August 30, 2018 05:00 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Aug 30: China Three Gorges International is on the verge of walking away from the 750-MW West Seti Hydroelectric Project.

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Investigation finds 4 to 5 km of Sikta canal vulnerable

Published On: August 23, 2018 07:30 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Aug 23: A four to five kilometer stretch of the  Sikta Irrigation Project main canal is largely weak and vulnerable to further damage. The parts of the canal constructed with soil refill are more seriously vulnerable than the parts that have been cut into the ground.

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MPs shied from reporting canal work flaws 4 years ago

Published On: August 14, 2018 08:55 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Aug 14: Members of a parliamentary subcommittee four years ago found several weak points and substandard work in the construction of the main canal at Sikta Irrigation Project during a site inspection. But the Finance Committee subcommittee did not report the flaws to the government or any other oversight agency because of the vested interest of one of its members, it has come to light.

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Rs 800 million is new threshold for large taxpayers

Published On: August 12, 2018 09:05 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, Aug 12: The government has restructured tax collecting entities and redefined the threshold of large taxpayers to those doing an annual transaction of Rs 800 million or above to make the existing Large Taxpayers Office (LTO) lean and thin.

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5% TDS on vegetable, fruit traders to promote tax compliance: Revenue secy

Published On: July 24, 2018 07:00 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, July 24: According to Revenue Secretary Shishir Kumar Dhungana, the government imposed the new tax after finding income tax collection from the sector very low. He, however, clarified that the tax cannot be passed on to consumers.Fruits and vegetable traders have allegedly hiked prices after TDS came into effect from last Tuesday -- the start of new Fiscal Year 2018/19.

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NRA seeks information on 6 Chinese firms from Chinese Embassy

Published On: July 23, 2018 08:31 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, July 22: National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has sought information about six Chinese firms that have partnered with Nepali civil contractors to submit a bid for rebuilding of Dharahara.

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Govt treasury empty after haphazard spending in last month

Published On: July 21, 2018 10:22 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, July 20:The government treasury is now empty following irrational budget distribution at the end of the fiscal year that ended Monday. Not a single penny has been left from the previous fiscal year , according to officials of the Ministry of Finance (MoF). This fiscal indiscipline on the part of the current government is sure to have serious consequences as it may trigger internal borrowing right from the first month, just as the previous government had done this time last year.

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Two big contractors in tug-of-war

Published On: July 12, 2018 07:23 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, July 12: Two groups of civil contractor companies are in a huge tussle to win a contract for rebuilding Dharahara. The  tussle between a joint venture of Kalika Construction Pvt Ltd and Rasuwa Construction Company on one hand  and Raman Construction Pvt Ltd on the other surfaced at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Tuesday.

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Govt spent Rs 10b in recurrent expenses Friday

Published On: July 9, 2018 06:37 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, July 9: The white paper which Finance Minister Yuba Raj Khatiwada unveiled on March 30 painted a grim picture of the country’s economy showing various instances of gross violations of financial discipline and fiscal rules and regulations by the previous government.

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No quarantine unit at Rasuwagadhi to check food products

Published On: July 8, 2018 05:15 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, July 8: It has been three years since the transit point for trade with Tibet shifted to Rasuwagadhi from Tatopani following the big earthquake. But the food quarantine post still remains at Tatopani.

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KMC officials sitting on waste management accord since 4 months

Published On: July 3, 2018 10:25 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, July 3: When people in Kathmandu Metropolitan City elected a new leadership in May last year they were very hopeful that  life  in the city would become easier, with toxic pollution brought under control and waste management properly tackled.

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No clear strategy in big infrastructure projects: Experts

Published On: June 20, 2018 07:00 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, June 20: Nepal officially started building the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway in 2017. The government recently announced it is to build a railway line along the same  route,  extending all the way to Raxaul across the Indian border.

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Road mania grips local levels: Over half of budget for road projects

Published On: June 2, 2018 03:17 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, June 1: Local level units in Rautahat district have allocated more budget funds for roads than for any other sector, placing education, health and other sectors in the shadow. Katahariya Municipality has allocated Rs 90 million (over 45 percent), out of a total of Rs 200 million earmarked for capital spending, for road construction. Over-concentration on roads in budget allocations has undermined the other priorities.

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Road mania grips local levels: Over half of budget for road projects

Published On: June 2, 2018 02:26 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, June 1: Local level units in Rautahat district have allocated more budget funds for roads than for any other sector, placing education, health and other sectors in the shadow. Katahariya Municipality has allocated Rs 90 million (over 45 percent), out of a total of Rs 200 million earmarked for capital spending, for road construction. Over-concentration on roads in budget allocations has undermined the other priorities.

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Ambitious budget, focus on jobs and federal structure

Published On: May 30, 2018 09:20 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, May 30: Finance Minister Yuba Raj Khatiwada tabled a budget of Rs 1.31 trillion in parliament Tuesday. This first full-fledged federal budget has emphasized job creation, allotted a third of the total budget for the provinces and local units.

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Govt built fewer public infrastructures this year

Published On: May 28, 2018 06:37 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, May 28: The government built fewer public infrastructures this year compared to last year, although there has been some progress in the reconstruction of public offices and utilities damaged by the earthquakes of 2015, says the new economic survey unveiled by the government on Sunday.

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Big contractors lambasted for non-performance and syndicates

Published On: May 27, 2018 08:45 AM NPT By: Rudra Pangeni

KATHMANDU, May 27: Small and medium-size civil contractors have accused the big contractors of tarnishing the image of the sector by not doing their work in time and by lobbying bureaucrats to land  contracts.

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