KATHMANDU, March 28: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barshaman Pun has asserted that Nepal and Bangladesh share bilateral and multilateral level cooperation in the field of energy.

At a Nepal-Bangladesh Business Forum organized by the Bangladeshi Embassy here today, Minister Pun said that bilateral relations between Nepal and Bangladesh have been further bolstered since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1972.

Stating that the cooperation between these two countries had spread across political, tourism and education sectors, Pun shared that energy cooperation and bilateral engagements were being intensified between Nepal and Bangladesh lately.

Terming the MoU signed between Nepal and Bangladesh for energy cooperation on August 10 last year as a very important milestone for both countries, the Minister argued that Nepal’s willingness to seek further collaboration on the Grid Interconnection among the member countries of BIMSTEC through another MoU has demonstrated Nepal’s commitment to achieving a common goal of sub-regional and regional electricity integration. “We too have forged energy cooperation at sub-regional and regional level understating that sub-regional and regional energy connectivity is necessary for balancing energy supply and demand in the region”, he said.

Similarly, Bangladeshi envoy to Nepal Mashfee Binte Shams spoke of the need for exchange of expertise, education, and skills between the two countries as both countries were making headway for economic development. RSS

KATHMANDU, Jan 24: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Barshaman Pun, has urged the Japanese government to increase investment in energy and hydropower sector.

During the meeting with a delegation led by Deputy-Director looking after international affairs of the Agriculture and Forests Ministry of Japan, Takami Nakada, at the Ministry, Singha Durbar today, Minister Pun thanked the Japanese government for its technical and financial support to different projects.

He also expressed the belief that Nepal would get additional support in days ahead. Saying Japan is old development partner country of Nepal, Minister Pun thanked the Japan for its support in Nepal’s development, according to Minister Pun’s Secretariat.

Minister Pun further said that role of irrigation was important in development of agro sector of Nepal, adding that the government has been moving ahead some big projects including Bheri Babai and Rani Jamara for the same.

Similarly, Deputy-Director Takasi said that the Japanese government was ready to provide further support in days ahead, saying Japan has been providing economic and technical support to Nepal.

The Deputy-Director said, “We have come here to carry out study and research about possibilities in Nepal. Japan’s private sector is willing to invest in Nepal.” Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Masamichi Saigo was also present on the occasion. RSS

KATHMANDU, March 24: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barshaman Pun has said preparations are being made for bringing the unification process between the CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN-UML to a conclusion before Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s India visit.

The party unification coordination committee has been working with an objective of finalizing the issue within the next days. He said this while addressing a meeting and training program organized by the Palpa-Kathmandu Federal Republic Liaison Forum close to the party.

“The Prime Minister’s India visit is taking place on April 6 and works are in progress to formally unite the parties before that,” he added.

The meeting has formed a 35-member new executive committee led by Ghanshyam Basyal for the Forum and a nine-member advisory committee under the leadership of former lawmaker Tulasa Rana Magar.

ROLPA, Dec 10: CPN (Maoist Center)’s left alliance candidate Barsaman Pun has been elected as a member of federal parliament from Rolpa. Pun secured 40,647 votes to defeat Amar Singh Pun of Nepali Congress who scored 19,907 votes.

Left alliance has already won in both Province Assemblies in the district. Maoist Center’s Kul Prasad KC and Dipendra Kumar Pun have already won in Rolpa ‘A’ and Rolpa ‘B’ respectively garnering 18, 512 and 24,490 votes.

KATHMANDU, July 30: Leader of the ruling party CPN (Maoist Center) Barsaman Pun has said that the government is preparing to put the currently under-discussion constitution amendment proposal to vote in the legislature-parliament within two days.

“We have already decided to give a conclusion to the proposal,” said Pun while speaking at an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Sunday.

“The Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal (RJPN) should prepare itself to accept the result whatsoever. The ruling parties are candidly trying to gather two-thirds majority in support of the proposal,” he added.

The ruling parties have 392 lawmakers on their side and are shy of three more votes in favor. Currently, the legislature-parliament has 592 members and the bill needs 395 lawmakers to endorse the amendment proposal.

On the other side, the opposition parties need 198 lawmakers to reject the bill. But, they only have 193 lawmakers, and need five more votes to fail the proposal.

While, the agitating RJPN has remained adamant on their stance that the government should address its demands including the endorsement of the amendment proposal currently stuck at the parliament.

“RJPN should carry their carry their agenda to the election even if the proposal fails to get endorsed,” he said adding, “A party’s agenda doesn’t fade away. Any parties should become ready to carry on to their agenda as per the circumstances. We had advocated for a system of government with directly elected executive president; but we showed flexibility on that agenda while promulgating constitution. And now, again our party has decided to carry the same agenda to the election.”

Reckoning that the Madhes-based parties had greater contribution in People’s Movement in Nepal, he argued that the genuine and justifiable demands of the RJPN have to be addressed as soon as possible.

Pun also urged the main opposition party CPN-UML to show some flexibility over the amendment proposal. “UML’s stance that the amendment proposal is anti-nationalist and influenced from foreign interest is only extremist thinking: which UML should give away, he said.

He also argued that there is no alternative to conducting the Province and Federal election on the same day as the deadline is coming near. “We don’t have enough time to conduct elections of Province and Federal separately with the January 21, 2018,” he said.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has already urged the Election Commission to immediately begin preparation for the provincial and federal election stating that both elections will be held on the same day and before the deadline. However, the government is yet to officially announce it.

KATHMANDU, June 28: The second round of local level election is underway. Top political leaders from various parties have cast vote in their home districts. The voting started at 7 am in the morning and will take place till 5 pm.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba cast his vote in his home district Dadeldhura. He cast his vote at Asigram Secondary School polling center in Ruwakhola-1 of Ganyap Dhura Rural Municipality.

Similarly, House Speaker Onsari Gharti cast her vote at the Baludaya Secondary School polling center in Rolpa Municiality-1. CPN (Maoist Center) leader and former minister Barsaman Pun also cast vote in the same polling center.

Likewise, former Speaker and CPN-UML leader Subash Chandra Nembang and NC leader Kul Bahadur Gurung cast their votes in their home district Ilam. Nembang and Gurung cast their votes at Balmandi polling center in Ilam Municipality ward no 7.

Similarly, Federal Socialist Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav cas his vote at Degree Campus polling center in Biratnagar Metropolitan City.

NC leader Deepak Khadka also cast vote at Amruwa Secondary School voting center in Dharmadevi Municipality ward no 8 of Samkhuwasava District.

Likewise, NC leader Dr Shekhar Koirala cast vote at Adarsa Higher Secondary School voting center in Biratnagar -1 while NC central member Mahesh Acharya cast his vote at Janata Secondary School voting center in Biratnagar -2.

NC’s central member Dr Minendra Rijal cast his vote at Puset Campus voting center located in Biratnagar-3.

ROLPA, June 28: House Speaker Onsari Gharti today cast her vote under the second phase of the local level elections here.

Gharti cast her vote at voting center set up at the Baludaya Secondary School in Rolpa Municipality – 7.

In a brief statement to the journalists, the Speaker said she cast her vote for institutional development of the federal democratic republic.

Also Speaker Gharti’s husband and CPN (Maoist Center) leader and former minister Barsaman Pun also cast vote in the same voting center.