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A development economist, Dr Raghu Raj Kafle, has been appointed the Executive Director of Health Insurance Board.

Among three persons shortlisted and recommended by the selection committee, Dr Kafle was able to secure the post, according to the private secretariat of Minister for Health and Population, Pradip Paudel.

A total of 10 candidates selected out of those applying for the post had made presentations and undergone interviews on March 2-3.

The selection committee recommended Dr Krishna Prasad Adhikari and Kamal Panthi along with Dr Kafle before the Council of Ministers.

Earlier, Dr Kafle was a member of the health insurance reform taskforce formed by Minister Paudel.

The taskforce had handed over a report to the Minister, suggesting how the health insurance scheme could be improved.

Moreover, the development economist has the experience of working as Vice Chairman of Gandaki Policy and Planning Commission, and Executive of the Foreign Employment Board.

He had also worked for over a decade at UNDP as a senior officer.

India is holding the 10th edition of Raisina Dialogue from March 17 to 19. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon will jointly inaugurate India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomis on March 17. Every year, leaders in politics, business, media and civil society converge in New Delhi to discuss the state of the world and explore opportunities for cooperation on a wide range of contemporary matters.

The dialogue is structured as a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral discussion, involving heads of state, cabinet ministers and local government officials, who are joined by thought leaders from the private sector, media and academia, according to the organizer. Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba is scheduled to address the dialogue, said Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.   

Last year, then Minister for Foreign Affairs NP Saud attended and addressed the conference. Deuba is likely to meet here Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Raisina dialogue. The conference is hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut has said that judges should work in a judicious manner.

Inaugurating the Second Conference of Women Judges-2081 organized on the occasion of the International Day of Women Judges today, he asserted that the judges should carry out their works keeping in mind the judiciary's prestige and dignity.

"While taking pride in the presence of women judges, it is necessary to pay attention to fair justice and to making prudent decisions. It is necessary to work keeping in mind the dignity and prestige of the court so that the consumer of justice gets justice,” the Chief Justice said.

He expressed the belief that although women judges have to juggle work at home, family and justice delivery, success will surely be achieved if they work hard.

Nepal's first woman Chief Justice Sushila Karki said the presence of women judges has been improving in the last three years, and it is necessary that they enhance their capacity, courage and studies.

She stressed the need for women judges to be competent while making judicial decisions without any fear.

Senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, Sapana Pradhan Malla, said that the presence of women judges is important even though it is not that only women judges are sensitive while serving justice. She pointed out the need for women judges to pay more attention to capacity building and studies as well.

Supreme Court Judge and Judges Society Chair Til Prasad Shrestha said such conferences were necessary for enhancing the quality of justice and would also facilitate the execution of justice.

General Secretary of Judges Society Nepal, Tek Narayan Kunwar, said that the conference was organized with the objective of holding necessary discussions on women's participation in the judicial sector and gender equality in the judiciary.

A total of 60 people including 50 women judges and 10 former chief justices and judges are participating in the conference.

On the occasion, Chief Justice Raut honored the first woman Chief Justice Karki for her contribution to the judicial sector.

Discussions are being held on various issues related to inclusiveness in the judiciary and representation of women judges, challenges and possibilities.

The first national conference of women judges was held on March 22, 2024.

The westerly and local winds now have partial impacts in the country.

The weather, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, is partly to generally cloudy in the hilly regions of the country, including Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces and mainly fair in the rest of the country.

As per the bulletin issued by the Department today, the weather will be partly to generally cloudy in the hilly region and partly cloudy in the rest of the country.

Light snowfall is likely to occur at one or two places of the high hilly and mountainous regions of the country while there are chances of light rain with thunder and lightning at one or two places of the hilly regions of Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces.

In view of the weather condition, the Department has urged to take necessary precautionary measures to avoid its imminent impacts.