Does #nepal needs such controversial issues to promote #VisitNepal Campaign ?

Recently, Sahana Bajracharya an elite VJ and public icon shared these messages on her twitter account. It was appraised and shared by hundreds of her followers on social media  and created a buzz among the Nepalese community. When I saw these messages I was quite not offended but I didn't feel comfortable about those messages.

The first question that came to my mind was why  all these complication. People love Nepal for no reason they come here because its beautiful and people feel good and natural about Nepal. Using such campaign with such background of hatred and negativity, it has its share of baggage as well which can be chronic and contemplating.

Good or Bad, I think Nepal is something which is beyond such controversy. Nepal is famous in the world for its natural beauty and serene environment. Apart from that Nepalese are also known for their genuine attitude and nature. Why would we want to capitalized trump's issues of negativity and hatred  when we have our own share of goodness and so many other things to explore?

With such campaign comes the pros of buzzing in the social media for a short period but its also has a wide side of criticism where the aspect of capitalizing on issues of racialism and negative attitude can be very costly.

#socialmediacrisis is a unwanted situation of creating scope of problems and complexity with wrong interpretation and unwanted justifications. The possible solution is to avoid such acts by building a credible image and strategy of social media without by passing hard work and efforts.

Jeopardizing a national campaign or even creating speculation for cheap marketing strategy is not a good marketing strategy. It can be a instant success but at times can and will result in sad  and unwanted  consequences as well.








      

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New home for the president of Nepal but no home for Earthquake victim

Nepal's President Bidhya Devi Bhandari  has shifted to the new palace built by the Nepal Government where as on contrary the same Nepal government has not been able to distribute the billions which it  received for the reconstruction and rehabilitation program of earthquake victims of April 25 devastating earthquake. After 2 years people are still waiting for the money where the Nepal government leaders are still playing politics in the name of victims and the issue.

I think this is one of the most satirical issue where thousands of earthquake victims are living under the sky with temporary zinc sheet and the head of the state is shifting to a fully furnished luxury palace. such a pitty !
        
Following a safety assessment, technicians put red stickers to the rear part of the residence.
Nepal’s Rastrapati Bhawan, was declared unsafe for use by a technical team after the building developed cracks due to the devastating earthquake of  April 25 2015

The president was living in a prefab home built in the compound of sheetal niwas

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Unilever Nepal bullying Nepali soap market

From a  source, I came to know that the current Animal Fat awareness campaign which is currently being run in radio and newspaper is financed by Unilever Nepal. Breaking news is they are planning to launch their own range of animal fat free soap. As part of their aggressive marketing campaign  they have launched this customer awareness campaign where they are targeting print and audio media with the whole concept of first driving the people with awareness and then launching their fat free soap.

On one hand this campaign certainly shows the unhealthy competition in the market where the big organization like Unilever uses such campaigns and power of money in favor of capitalizing their own benefit where as on other it is really sad for smaller industries who have been struggling to survive as they have no option.

Good or bad driving people for a certainly motive this campaign has its pros and cons on the table. I think the Unilever Nepal should not radicalize this issue in such a way creating bad impression of the whole industry. The way this marketing campaign has been pushed showcases the aspect of business world vs public welfare. Since this issue is very closely related to people's belief and culture the Unilever should not push it hard. It should have been put it in a more shuttle way giving option to the people.

Playing it indirectly, they are trying to capture the market but hey its a open world where cost, quality and comfort matters.

If you can give a product in lower price with a good quality the product is genuinely successful. Aggressive marketing campaigns like this at times can have serious consequences.


   

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Government Attorneys boycott their session in court

The Nepal Government attorneys are boycotting their court session protesting against the recent appointment of high court judges by judicial council from Sunday.

Government attorneys and trade unions at  the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) have decided not to participate in court proceedings including hearings.

The controversy started when the appointment was claimed to be highly political and un-justifiable in may ways. On January 13 the Judicial Council lead by CJ Sushila Karki  appointed 80 judges at the high courts with 37 from district judges, 27 from Nepal Bar Association and 16 from joint secretaries and secretaries. The controversy started when the news broke out that the appoint was done at the middle of the night with only 3 members involving the appointment process
The Judicial Council currently has 5 members which is chaired by Chief Justice Sushila Karki.

Chief Justice Sushila Karki has been drawing controversy as her term period is ending, one after the other she has been putting question mark on the issues of management and administration of Justice system in Nepal.

The lawyer fraternity has been blaming the process to be very political and unjustifiable as the people who have been appointed are not reasonably qualified in terms of experience and quality. They are demanding a fair appointment process with no politics.

     

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No 4G for Ncell Axiata Group

The controversy of capital gains tax (CGT) of Ncell during its takeover has been a long lasting headache for the Nepal government. With view of that  the lawmakers of Nepal have decided not to  allow 4G services to Ncell in Nepal. It has been confirmed that till  it clears the outstanding capital gains tax (CGT) to the Nepal Government, 4G services will be withheld for Ncell Axiata Group.

Axiata Group acquired Ncell last December 2015 from TeliaSonera and Reynolds for US$1.365 billion . The takeover  drew immense criticism as Ncell did not pay CGT as required by the law which is expected to be NRs 23 billion. The deal effectively secures Axiata an 80 percent equity interest and full control over Ncell.

The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) rolled out  4G  plan for Ncell in the last week of October last year. The Nepal Telecom (NT) has already started its soft launch of  4G service in Nepal after obtaining the licence from NTA.

Axiata Group is  one of the largest Asian telecommunication companies, Axiata today operates in ten countries, servicing approximately 290 million subscribers. With a diverse portfolio in mobile network operations, communications infrastructure services and digital services, the Group pieces together the best in connectivity, technology and people in its vision of Advancing Asia.

Axiata has controlling stakes in market leading mobile operators in South East Asia and South Asia. Axiata Group of companies operate under the brand name of ‘Celcom’ in Malaysia, ‘XL’ in Indonesia, ‘Dialog’ in Sri Lanka, ‘Robi’ in Bangladesh, ‘Smart’ in Cambodia and 'Ncell' in Nepal. Further to this, the Group also holds strategic interests in ‘Idea’ in India and ‘M1’ in Singapore.

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Nepal Government charges Service fee with public

It has been an issues since a long time that Nepal Government owned Nepal Electricity Authority has been charging service fee with the normal public on the monthly electricity bill. It has been clearly stated in its working manual that no service fee should be charged as it is a government own organization. But despite the rules and regulations the board of director of the NEA have endorsed the service fee from years.

Most of us do not know this as the bill is very complicated with all the numbers and text but it is there draining public money. 

The Government of Nepal has been ignoring the fact that NEA has been illegally taking money from public in the name of the Service fee

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Agendas of 2017 for Nepal's politics

Nepal's strategic location has made it a political ground for various forces and stakeholders to be a prime target. It's stability and control is a question of hindrance in terms of how these forces will counter other stakeholders, so they always want a situation of chaos and crisis here.


 There are hidden forces and various aspect of issues that directly and adversely affect it's diplomatic and trade relations. To top it off Nepal's political leaders are wasting people's time and money in the name of Governance and #democracy. It's a small country with multi-diversity why are we giving more and more options of creating fraction of the country. We have the last option of public memorandum. Why aren't we using that?  Let the people decide, why let a bunch of looser decide the faith of 30 million people.  

Today's democracy is the result of 16000 people who lost their lives in the name of #civilwar and thousands who have lost their childhood.

The truth lies hidden in shadows, now what is the reality & what should be the priority for 2017 is the main question. Nepali political leaders have proven that they are worth nothing. These are some of the agendas....   

1. #Monarchy
2. #Federalism
3. Directly elected PM 
4. #Looktartra (multiparty Democracy)
5. Truth and reconciliation of 16000 people killed
6. Political culture of Nepal
7. No public Governance in Nepal
8. Pendulum Reconstruction & rehabilitation process
9. Education level in poltics and their capacity
10. Demonetization of INRs
11. Truth behind #Lookman
12. Impractical & costly Education system
13. Migration of young people for remittance
14. #Tourism suffering low consequences of sad #leadership
15. SDGs for INGOs and their big budgets & programs
16. #ClimateChange issues for donations only
17. Infiltration of politics in students
18. Foreign Aid policy
19. Traffic lights in Kathmandu
20. High tax system (land & vehicle)
21. Local elections
22. State restructuring process
23. Digital Governance & Awareness
24. Removal of syndicate in trade industry
25. Right of citizenship & power
26. Women's rights to #equality
27. Strategy Against #Corruption & #BlackMarketing
28. Efficient management & monitoring mechanisms for standards
29. Expensive health industry
30. Media reliability and monitoring
31. Rural access & reach to ICT
32. #ICT4D master plan
33. Development of infrastructure
34. Hydropower and it's management
35. Wildlife & conservation
36. Awareness of #socialmedia in political leaders 

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List goes on

#WakeupNepal #agendas2017

from where should we are ......

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Russian Ambassador was a victim of faith or strategy

I am not totally convinced how easily the Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov, 62, was shot dead by a  gunman, for the Syrian issue. The whole story seems to be very easy to accept in terms of how diplomatic world has started taking their security so easily especially for a country like Russia that is considered to be world's developed nation.

The assailant identified as Mevlut Mert Altintas 22-year-old assailant was also shot dead by the police where he shouted “Don’t forget Aleppo. Don’t forget Syria!” after shooting.

The things that are very fishy are

1. Why was the security of the Russian Ambassador so vulnerable?
2. There seems to be a big security loop hole as it looks very staged 
3. The Syrian issue certainly points out a definite issue of tension going on in-between Russia and Syria which is totally uncomfortable to accept 
4.  The culture and religion issue 
5. This man is young, so how come he handles the crisis situation so well, I mean to say he seems to be very well prepared and he has all his markers ready

Killing anyone in any name of country, religion or any form of discrimination is wrong by anyone. Human Rights are the basic standard code and right of every individual in this earth which needs to be practiced at all times with respect. 

   

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500 and 1000 INR worthless

The Indian 500 and 1000 notes has been a major issue of concern for all. It has been weeks that the Modi led government introduced the new notes abandoning the old Indian notes of 1000 and 500. As soon as the notes were declared obsolete the values of money were seen randomly  going down. 500 rupees were being exchanged for half. Even in Nepal the bank prohibited the exchange of acceptance of the 500 and 1000 notes but out they were exchanged for NRs 500 and Nrs 1000 easily out side in the black market. The fall of  money not only showed and proved value of black money.

I think the move made by the Modi led government is an excellency move to strength the economy but with limited resources and infrastructure its haunting the normal public. Modi jee if you want to control black money first you should also build a wall in Indo-Nepal border.  Most of the money that comes in Nepal is illegal through the legal way, the situation is so complex ounces the banks of Nepal starts to accept the old 500 and 1000 notes for exchange you will know why and how much INR is here in Nepal.




 


   

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Trakariwali of Nepal and her way to fame

Kusum Shrestha Tarkariwali

Chaiwala -Arshad Khan

Social Media is creating various options of Viral popularity where people are getting attention and their share of acknowledgment. In one or the other form, the use of social media is helping reach the millions whereas on the other it's also making people believe in their dreams.

Few months back,  Arshad Khan of Pakistan amazed the world with his looks. The viral image took Arshad Khan to the fame of chaiwala. The blue eyed chaiwala famed the world of modeling instantly after his photo went viral.

Similarly, in Nepal  Kusum's candid angle picture centered the world to innocence and harwork of a common woman in Nepal. Within seconds the picture went viral and kusum an ordinary girl of fishling was known to the world as Tarkariwali.

Call it her luck or fortune, she garbed the attention of millions in the innocence and hardwork . One thing we all have to understand is the fame of life is very limited to the how we live it. Kusum needs to understand that one photogenic picture is not going to make her life good. She has to make this opportunity the best where she can use her skills and further make it worth.

There are examples in the world where people have been crazed to fame with one photograph and today the same photograph is the issue of life and death. People rise to glory at the same time many of them even vanish.

Afghan Girl -The Image of Sharbat Gula that featured in the
National geographic of 1987 

In this history of fame, one name that I have to mention is the name of Sharbat Gula, the "Afghan Girl" who was famed to the world in the 80's but today her same fame has put her in bars. Currently, Sharbat is in jail of Pakistan where she was arrested for acquiring an illegal citizenship. She was a war victim who has refugeed under the Pakistan territory but in 2013 her identity was revealed to the world.

Social media can be a powerful tool of communication and networking but it depends upon how you use it. If you use it as for information, communication and networking it works best for benefits but if you try to exploits it in terms of  getting bad publicity or popularity it can backfire you creating a more vulnerable situation.
   

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