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Newly-appointed Chief Minister of Bagmati Province Indra Bahadur Baniya is seeking a vote of confidence from the Province Assembly today.

Secretary of Bagmati Province Assembly Secretariat Ram Kumar Paudel said that Chief Minister Baniya is scheduled to table a proposal seeking the vote of confidence  at the province assembly meeting at 4 pm today. 

Baniya was appointed the Chief Minister of Bagmati Province on August 5 with the signature of 64 Province Assembly Members of the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML in his support.

As per the constitution, the Chief Minister should take a vote of confidence from the Province Assembly within 30 days of the appointment. 

Chief Minister Baniya is seeking the confidence motion as per Article 168 (4) of the Constitution of Nepal and Rule 143 (1) of the Province Assembly Regulations, 2074.

Likewise, the ruling NC and UML have issued whips to their provincial assembly members to give the vote of confidence to Baniya. 

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that the Bill to amend the Citizenship Act-2063 BS (2006) aims to recognize the mother as the primary patron of a child, granting her the right to solely declare and assume responsibility for the child.

Responding to concerns raised during the theoretical discussions on the Nepal Citizenship Bill-2081 BS at the Legislation Management Committee under the National Assembly today, the minister said, "The objective of the Bill is to ensure the mother’s full rights to pass on citizenship to her child, provided she declares that the child's father cannot be presented."

He added that the provision does not seek to grant rights exclusively to mothers. "If the mother's declaration is found to be false, the Bill includes provisions for legal inquiry and penalty as well," he clarified.

The minister highlighted that, due to the absence of citizenship, many children are facing serious challenges in their education and career development.

Regarding naturalized Nepali citizenship, the Bill has sought the mother's declaration that her child has not acquired citizenship of a foreign country based on the father’s nationality. Under the current law, only the individual applying for naturalized citizenship is required to make such a declaration.

In regard with the naturalised citizenship, the existing provision is that "A child born to a Nepali female citizen through marriage with a foreign citizen, residing permanently in Nepal, may be granted naturalized citizenship as prescribed, provided the child has not acquired foreign citizenship through the father."

The Bill has also proposed that a child is eligible for obtaining citizenship in the mother’s name if the father is dead or not supporting the child in acquiring citizenship, or is married to another person. "We have simplified the procedures for transferring citizenship in the mother's name," Minister Lekhak said.

He also reminded the committee of the Supreme Court's directive to the government regarding the issuance of citizenship in the mother’s name.

In this interconnected and interdependent world, trade is a powerful engine of economic growth. It can significantly contribute to the socio-economic development of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), like others. But, despite their huge trade potential, LLDCs account for just over one percent of global trade in goods. And this imbalance stems not from a lack of ambition or effort, but from structural barriers. LLDCs face a complex web of challenges, including lack of direct access to the seas, high transit costs, poor infrastructure, long and uncertain transit routes, limited market access, over-reliance on a narrow range of primary commodities, vulnerability to global shocks and climate change-induced disasters.

As a result, their economies remain underdeveloped and vulnerable. In this context, this Program of Action has come with concrete measures for turning landlocked countries into land-linked ones by building infrastructures, investing in smart trade corridors, developing transport and logistics industries, digitalizing trade and customs processes, promoting trade of ICT products and services, deepening regional integration and fostering meaningful partnerships.

With sincere implementation of these measures, LLDCs can harness their trade potentials for inclusive and sustainable development. For this, we need to strengthen cooperation and partnership at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels. We must deliver on the promise to double the share of LLDCs in global trade, expand their service exports, and foster more diversified and resilient economies. We need to implement this Program of Action to bring prosperity to more than 570m people living in LLDCs.

Trade and transit rights of the LLDCs are a moral responsibility of all. They need greater solidarity, enhanced financial and technological support, as well as fair and equitable trade opportunities. Collective push for fairer trade terms and transit regimes is urgent. LLDCs must not be left behind in the global trading system. The Sevilla Commitment, which we adopted in June this year, also recognizes the LLDC program of action and expresses the strong commitment to its full and effective implementation. In this context, this roundtable is instrumental to remind us all for urgent actions with renewed commitment and global solidarity.  

For LLDCs, sustainable infrastructure, seamless connectivity, and unrestricted transit are not optional. They are a lifeline. Indeed, they form the backbone of economic transformation. And, they are essential for our competitiveness. Our progress continues to be hindered by a lack of sea access, remoteness from global markets, high trade costs, delayed transit, limited connectivity, and fragile infrastructure. This is the best forum to discuss these challenges and its innovative solutions. 

To overcome these structural challenges and vulnerabilities, we must invest in integrated and climate-resilient infrastructure that connects regions. We must harness digital technologies to unlock new opportunities. We must create seamless transit systems that are reliable, efficient, and predictable. We need to simplify, harmonize and modernize customs procedures.

‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’ is the aspiration of Nepali people. To fulfill this aspiration, Nepal has prioritized sustainable infrastructure, improved connectivity, and seamless transit systems for durable and accelerated economic growth. We are actively expanding and reinforcing cross-border linkages to ensure smooth and uninterrupted transit and trade.

Nepal is committed to deepening partnership with its neighboring countries and beyond in the spirit of economic cooperation, regional integration and shared progress. The Awaza Program of Action recognizes that sustainable infrastructure, robust connectivity, and seamless transit are essential pillars of growth, resilience, and hope in LLDCs.

As we enter the next decade of action, let us renew our collective determination to connect LLDCs—physically, digitally, and economically—to global opportunities. Let us focus on infrastructure, connectivity, and transit as urgent imperatives for equity, inclusion, and shared progress. Let us deliver on the promise. Let us build a future where no states are left behind.

The Sudurpaschim Province Government has decided to provide Rs 500,000 in compensation to the family of Bharat Chaudhary, an inmate who was killed in a clash in Kailali Prison on Friday night.

A meeting of the security committee held on Sunday evening in the presence of the Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province Government, Kamal Bahadur Shah, decided to provide the amount to the family of Chaudhary, according to a press statement released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law.

Likewise, the meeting decided to ensure free treatment to those injured in the clash.

The meeting took the decisions to make provisions for the security of the prison house, ensure resource management, install CC cameras, and carry out the maintenance of the prison, read the press statement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law.

Minister for Internal Affairs and Law Hira Singh Sarki, chiefs of security bodies from Sudurpaschim Province, the Chief District Officer of Kailali, representatives of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) attended the meeting.

Inmate Chaudhary from Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City-4, died on Saturday during treatment following a clash between prisoners in the jail on Friday night.

It is said that 44 prisoners were injured in the incident.

The clash erupted between inmates residing in Block 'A' and Block 'B' of the jail. Currently, there are altogether 680 inmates in Kailali Prison despite its capacity to house just 100.