- A Secretariat meeting of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has decided to reshuffle the cabinet at the earliest to ensure effective functioning of the government. The 68th meeting of the party’s Secretariat body held at the prime minister’s official residence in Baluwatar made an understanding to this effect. This comes after the party’s Standing Committee meeting earlier unanimously decided to reshuffle the cabinet.
- The Directorate Committee meeting of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) that is entrusted with the responsibility to oversee reconstruction of houses and other important structures devastated by the 2015 earthquakes has recommended extending NRA’s term for a year. The current term of the NRA is expiring on December 25. The 17th meeting of the NRA Directorate Committee held under the chair of Prime Minister KP Oli at his official residence in Baluwatar on Monday made the decision.
- Dr Govinda KC was brought to Kathmandu on Tuesday, and he was forcibly taken to the National Turma Center. Dr KC, a senior orthopedic surgeon, who has been staging a hunger strike for the 19th time demanding reforms in the medical sector, was brought to Kathmandu through a flight at 11:45 AM. Although he wanted to go to TU Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj, the police had forcibly taken him to the National Trauma Center as soon as he landed in Kathmandu. He managed to leave the Trauma Center with the help of his aides later in the evening and was admitted to TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj.
Republica Morning Brief: Oct 20
Speaking at a premium show #2030 of Nepal Republic Media on Tuesday, Minister Bhattarai said that Dr KC is “emotionally blackmailing” the government.
- Saving and credit cooperatives will not be allowed to collect more than 14.75 percent interest on their loans. With the decision of the Department of Cooperatives to fix a new cap on the lending rate, cooperatives across the country will be restricted from charging interest rates higher than 14.75 percent on the loans they float to their members. The new cap imposed by the department upon the recommendation of a committee formed to fix the reference interest rate will, however, come into effect from November 1.
- The Department of Tourism (DoT) has issued climbing permits to a team consisting of a prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain on Tuesday. Two teams from the United Kingdom and Bahrain have been issued permits to scale Mt Manaslu (8,163m). Three climbers from the UK and remaining 15 others from Bahrain will attempt to climb the mountain in autumn.
- Nepal’s COVID-19 case tally hits 66,632 with 1,356 new cases on Tuesday. Kathmandu Valley reported 647 new COVID-19 cases, one fatality yesterday.
