Day at a Glance: From Lumbini CM Chaudhary’s resignation To CIAA filing case against 32 officials

4th April, Thursday: The major events of the day have been compiled in this segment ‘Day at a Glance!’

The major Headlines of the day include:

• Lumbini Chief Minister Chaudhary resigns
• PM Dahal: Legal amendment a priority to attract foreign investment
• CPN (Maoist Centre) to help CPN(UML) candidate Suhang Nembang in by-election at Illam-2
• Nepali Congress’s Khadka and Singh to be candidates in upcoming by-election
• IBN approves Rs 99.20 billion investment commitment for four energy projects
• Wide Body Aircraft Corruption Scandal: CIAA files case against 32 officials

1. Lumbini Chief Minister Chaudhary resigns

Lumbini Province Chief Minister (CM) Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary has resigned. According to the formation of a new ruling coalition, it was certain that Chief Minister Chaudhary would not get a vote of confidence. The unification of CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist Centre), Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), CPN (Unified Socialist), and Rastriya Swatantra Party(RSP) Member of Parliament (MPs) confirmed CM Chaudhary not getting a vote of confidence. So, he resigned from his designation.

2. PM Dahal: Legal amendment a priority to attract foreign investment

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said the government accords priority to the amendments to laws to bring in foreign investment as per the commitment. Addressing the 57th meeting of the Investment Board Nepal on Thursday, The Prime Minister who also serves as the Board Chair said the government prioritizes the legal amendments as it seeks to mobilize domestic and foreign investment in the country’s infrastructure and service sectors. On the occasion, he underlined the need to send a message to the international community that Nepal enables an atmosphere for investment.

3. CPN (Maoist Centre) to help CPN(UML) candidate Suhang Nembang in by-election at Illam-2

The ruling coalition party CPN (Maoist Centre) will be helping CPN (UML) candidate Suhang Nembang. CPN (Maoist Centre) will be helping CPN (UML) Suhang at the upcoming by-election on 27 April (Baishakh 15, 2081). CPN (UML) involvement in the CPN (Maoist Centre) led government resulted in the CPN (Maoist Centre) helping CPN(UML) candidate Suhang. Likewise, Dhiren Sharma from CPN (Maoist Centre) name was recommended in the by-election at Illam -2. But, CPN (Maoist Centre) Secretary Ram Karki said it decided to help Suhang by making Sharma withdraw his name.

4. Nepali Congress’s Khadka and Singh to be candidates in upcoming by-election

Nepali Congress (NC) Dambar Bahadur Khadka will be the candidate in the upcoming by-election at Illam -2. Khadka is to be a candidate for the upcoming by-election to be held on 27 April (Baishakh 15, 2081). The meeting held at NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba’s residence Budhanilkanta on Thursday decided to make Khadka a candidate. Khadka was defeated from the same constituency by CPN (UML) Subash Chandra  Nembang. Likewise, Abhishek Singh will be the candidate of Bajhang Province -1, As Singh is the son of the late Member of Parliament (MP) Prithvi Bahadur Singh who was also Minister of Law. NC decided to make Singh’s son Abhishek a candidate in the by-election.  The NC  leader said that the official decision would be taken at the Central Performance Committee on Thursday evening.

5. IBN approves Rs 99.20 billion investment commitment for four energy projects

The Investment Board Nepal (IBN) has approved investment commitments of Rs 99.20 billion for four energy projects. The 57th meeting of the Board held on Thursday, under the chairperson of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ made that decision. Those projects getting the investment approvals include the 166-megawatt Super Tamor Project (34.59 billion), the 42-megawatt Upper Modi-A Project (10.08 billion), the 250-megawatt Solar Plant Kohalpur and Banganga (Risen Energy Singapore-21.10 billion) and the 139.2-megawatt Lower Manang Marsyangdi Hydro Electricity Project (33.41 billion). The Board decided that the Investment Board would remain as security trustee of co-financed investment in direct agreement with the project.

6. Wide Body Aircraft Corruption Scandal: CIAA files case against 32 officials

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a case against 32 officials. CIAA field case against 32 officials in case of corruption in the purchase of 2 wide-body aircraft. A charge sheet was filed at the Special Court against 32 officials including then-Minister of Tourism Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) General Manager Sugat Ratna Kansakar, Former Tourism Secretary Shankar Adhikari. CIAA claimed that there was a corruption of 1.47 billion rupees in the purchase of wide-body aircraft. Shahi is the leader of the Nepali Congress (NC) parliamentary party in Karnali.