Local elections in May? An optimistic update

Featured stories, Local elections: just a memory, Local Politics - Central Power, Stories / 0 Comments

election featured

It’s hard to believe but if PM Dahal’s promises and recent actions are anything to go by, local elections might happen as early as in May – 20 years after the last local election was held in Nepal. Dahal just informed Chief Election Commissioner, Yadav, that he plans to announce the election date “in a few days”, and meanwhile the parliamentary State Affairs Committee just passed two election-related bills critical to going ahead with fresh local elections…

Read story

“New” NRA chief: a political appointment?

Featured stories, Local Politics - Central Power, Stories, The 2015 Earthquake Aftermath / 0 Comments

nra political

The formation of Nepal Reconstruction Agency (NRA) in the fall of 2015 was as political as the creation of many other “high-level” commissions and agencies in Kathmandu. Barely had donors pledged over 4 billion dollars in reconstruction grants and loans before the main parties started to bicker over who was to chair the NRA. The CEO of the new agency would come to manage – together with the Prime Minister – a huge sum of money. Was it to be Nepali Congress’ (NC’s) man, someone closer to the UML, or maybe someone affiliated with the…

Read story

Commission on local bodies gives up on deadlines

Local elections: just a memory, Local Politics - Central Power, Stories / , , , , , , , / 0 Comments

Still waiting for the LBRC and the first local election since 1997: local politicians, here in Chitwan.

Ever tried to contact a ministry by email and never get a reply? Well, many have, and now the chairman of the Local Bodies Restructuring Commission (LBRC) has too. Trying for a second time to write the Ministry of Local Development and Federal Affairs to get data on Ilakas – the areas supposed to form the territorial basis of Nepal’s future local bodies – without getting a reply, the LBRC is about to give up on time frames and deadlines. We can’t set a deadline with such lack of cooperation from the government, says an LBRC…

Read story

Charikot resurrects as growing tourist destination

Economy and Infrastructure, Explorer's Trail, Money, Local Economy, Business, Stories, The 2015 Earthquake Aftermath / , , , , , , , , , , , , , / 0 Comments

Charikot before the town was devastated by the earthquake in 2015

Charikot, the capital of Dolakha, was devastated by the earthquake in 2015, but it’s coming back to life – also when it comes to the local tourism sector. Situated just five kilometres from the epicentre of the second massive tremor, most hotels and guesthouses in this scenic town collapsed and were turned into rubbles. Indeed, […]

Read story

Local bodies restructuring: hit by major delay

Local elections: just a memory, Local Politics - Central Power, Stories / , , , , , , , , , / 0 Comments

Balananda Poudel, chief of the Local Bodies Restructuring Commission, was just about to release the commission

It’s decided with the new constitution that the VDCs – the local bodies at village level – have to be replaced. But exactly when and how is still unknown. The only certain thing is that there “will be a delay”, says Balananda Poudel, chief of the Local Bodies Restructuring Commission. The new constitution provides for…

Read story

< 1 2 3 4 5 >»