Here are some of the top stories from The Kathmandu Post (May 29, 2019).
To achieve high growth trajectory, government needs to set its priorities right
Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada is presenting the budget for fiscal year 2019/20 in Parliament on Wednesday amid a host of challenges.
While Khatiwada is likely to take some bold steps, buoyed by 6 percent growth for three consecutive years and 7 percent growth projection (Economic Survey 2018/19), one of the challenges will be finding ways to ensure sustained high growth in coming years.
For a technocrat like Khatiwada, resisting political pressure for populist programmes will also be a challenge, just as he will have to set the tone for the subsequent years, as the KP Oli administration has been making ambitious plans—achieving a double-digit growth by 2024/25.
India’s invitation to BIMSTEC leaders for Modi’s swearing-in sparks debate over future of SAARC
The Indian government’s decision to invite BIMSTEC leaders for Thursday’s swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi, who is starting his second term as prime minister, has sparked a debate over the future of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, of which Nepal is a founding member and the current chair.
India’s decision to invite leaders from the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation is in line with the manifesto of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, which was unveiled days ahead of the elections in April, as it explicitly states that the party will expedite the BIMSTEC process.
A national award-winning artist struggles to make ends meet
Beneath a wall adorned with several letters of appreciation, certificates and awards, Ramchandra Shrestha is hard at work, running brush across the canvas.
Shrestha, 53, is one of the most renowned artists in the Midwestern region, and the only one in the district of Rolpa to be conferred with the Rastriya Pratibha Puraskar (National Talent Award) in the fine arts category, in 1995.
But despite acquiring national recognition for his work, he has been struggling to make a living through his artistic exploits.
Supreme Court tells authorities to determine the source of Sumargi’s money, which is currently frozen
The Supreme Court on Tuesday scrapped the application of Muktishree Cement Industry, promoted by controversial businessman Ajeya Sumargi, demanding an order to release its funds frozen by the Nepal Rastra Bank, which was received from abroad.
A division bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana and Judge Bam Kumar Shrestha said the company’s petition has been quashed since the amount has been frozen as per law and there was no condition for releasing it.
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