February 14: The start-owned corporation responsible for importing fertilizer is struggling to open Letter of Credit (LC) because the government is yet to release the required…
February 14: The start-owned corporation responsible for importing fertilizer is struggling to open Letter of Credit (LC) because the government is yet to release the required…
February 14: The transport workers' organisations have called off their protest on Tuesday after reaching an understanding with the government to address their…
February 14: Transparency International (TI) Nepal has expressed concern over some provisions of the bill registered by the government to amend some acts related to prevention of money laundering and promotion of business environment.…
February 14: Paragliding service has come into operation in Phulchowki-Kushadevi area in Panauti Municipality of Kavre.…
Vehicular movements along the two short roads that connect Hetauda to Kathmandu have been closed for two…
February 13: Agitating transport workers on Monday vandalized the Lotse Mall at New Buspark area in Balaju,…
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati today said tourism is a pillar for the country's economic…
Citing a coal shortage, Hetauda Cement Industry has closed its…
February 13: Small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) have demanded arrangement of financial relief to the entrepreneurs hit hard by the COVID-19…
February 13: Even though 87 hydropower projects have signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), it has been found that the construction of those projects has not progressed due to a lack of investment.…
February 13: Admitting that the country’s economy is under pressure, the government has opted for a middle path to curb expenses by not proposing any new programmes and projects that create additional economic burden to the state coffers in the current fiscal…
February 13: Human rights activists and civil society leaders have expressed strong objection to the government’s decision to announce a public holiday today on the occasion of the People’s War…
February 13: An earthquake rocked eastern Nepal this morning with its epicenter at Olangchungola in Faktanglung Rural Municipality-7 of…
Keeping in view the upcoming Mahashivaratri festival, Pashupati Area Development Trust has started a week-long sanitation programme to clean up the Pashupatinath temple…
February 12: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has said that macroeconomic indicators of the country are at risk due to the negative impacts on the global economy and challenges stemming from the country's internal…
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The remaining 27,500 metric tons of urea are in the pipeline for import.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, STC spokesperson Kumar Rajbhandari informed that since corporation has not yet received the amount it should receive from the government, there is a problem in opening a new tender and LC.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He shared that the corporation has received Rs 2.25 billion so far which is much less than the allocated budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He told New Business Age that it is not certain when the remaining budget will be released.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Rajbhandari, Salt Trading is currently paying a hefty sum of Rs 9.3 billion in interest. On the one hand, there is a lack of funds to open a new LC, on the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has already given instructions to open tenders to buy fertilizers for the coming year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Agriculture has repeatedly requested the Ministry of Finance to facilitate the process of purchasing fertilizer by releasing the budget quickly, but the Ministry of Finance has not released the budget because of lack of resources. Finance Ministry sources say that the delay is due to the non-availability of resources for the time being.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The country requires additional 90,000 metric tons of fertilizer for annual crops. The Ministry of Agriculture has sent a letter to the Ministry of Finance to ensure an additional amount of Rs 7 billion for that. According to Salt Trading, if the amount is not released on time and there is a problem in buying fertilizer, there may be a situation where there will be a shortage of chemical fertilizers for annual crops.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16759', 'image' => '20230214032552_Fertilizer.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 15:25:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17019', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Transport Workers’ Unions Withdraw Protest', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: The transport workers' organisations have called off their protest on Tuesday after reaching an understanding with the government to address their demands.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 14: The transport workers' organisations have called off their protest on Tuesday after reaching an understanding with the government to address their demands.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The agitating transport workers agreed to withdraw their protest after holding talks with the government officials at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The agitating workers confirmed that all the protest programmes have been withdrawn following the understanding reached with the concerned authorities to address the justified demands of the workers' unions. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The transport workers' organisation had declared to halt the public transportation service in the Kathmandu Valley on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The transport workers had carried out a protest in Gongabu and New Bus Park area since Monday evening, putting forth a 10-point demand, including reduction in the traffic penalty. Incident of vandalism and arson were also reported in course of the agitation. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16758', 'image' => '20230214015001_1676295186.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 13:49:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17016', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'TI Nepal Concerned Over New Bill on Anti-Money Laundering ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: Transparency International (TI) Nepal has expressed concern over some provisions of the bill registered by the government to amend some acts related to prevention of money laundering and promotion of business environment. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 14: Transparency International (TI) Nepal has expressed concern over some provisions of the bill registered by the government to amend some acts related to prevention of money laundering and promotion of business environment. The bill was registered at the Parliament Secretariat on February 10. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The provision which states that 'paying of taxes on income without known sources would be granted validity' is against the major goal of the 'Money Laundering Prevention Act 2064', which is to prevent laundering money earned through illegal means, says a statement issued by President of TI Nepal Padmini Pradhananga on Monday. It has also drawn the attention of the newly elected MPs and the Parliament to remain vigilant to not allow the proposed amendment to legalizing illegally-earned money. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal is a party to the International Convention against Corruption and opening doors to legitimize illegally acquired money under any pretext is against the convention, adds the statement. TI Nepal has also stated that since the court has established a jurisprudence against the proposed amendment, ignoring it will be violation of the norm of the rule of law. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16755', 'image' => '20230214124024_money laundering.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 12:39:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17015', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Test Paragliding Flight Conducted in Phulchowki-Kushadevi ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: Paragliding service has come into operation in Phulchowki-Kushadevi area in Panauti Municipality of Kavre. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 14: Paragliding service has come into operation in Phulchowki-Kushadevi area in Panauti Municipality of Kavre. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation had granted permission to Phulchowki Adventure Pvt Ltd to commercially run paragliding service in the Phulchowki-Kushadevi area of Kavre last January. CAAN had permitted the company to operate the service since last January itself but paragliding was briefly banned across the country after an accident in Pokhara last year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CAAN later lifted the ban after issuing new guidelines. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The company’s chairperson Chhabilal Humagain shared that test paragliding has begun since Monday (February 13) as a preparation for launching commercial services.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We have started test paragliding ahead of commercial services. We will go for commercial services after a three-day test." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He further informed that they are conducting 'demonstration' paragliding flights for now before the starting of commercial tandem flights. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The company plans to conduct commercials service after the success of test operation. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16754', 'image' => '20230214113454_20220821100035_para.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 11:34:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17014', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Short Roads Connecting Hetauda to Kathmandu Closed for Two Months ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Vehicular movements along the two short roads that connect Hetauda to Kathmandu have been closed for two months.', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 14: Vehicular movements along the two short roads that connect Hetauda to Kathmandu have been closed for two months. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Hetauda-Kulekhani-Fakhel-Kathmandu road and Hetauda-Kulekhani-Sisneri-Kathmandu road have been closed for construction and repair works at Humane Farping road section and Sisneri-Chhaimale-Daskshinkali road section respectively for two months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The two roads connecting Hetauda to Kathmandu have been shut down from February 13 for two months, according to Spokesperson Nabin Singh at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development under the Bagmati Province government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Following the calls for bids in various phases in the past, Singh said that ministry had started the construction and repair work . The ministry has urged transporters and passengers to use Kantilokpath and Thankot-Chitlang-Markhu-Kulekhani-Bhimphedi routes as alternative roads.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Construction work is underway at various places along the short routes from Hetauda to Kathmandu. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Different agencies and offices under the ministry have signed the contracts and initiated the construction and repairs of the roads at Bhainse-Bhimphedi, Hewi-Kalanki-Humane road section, Humane-Farping and Kulekhani-Sisneri-Chhimale-Dakshinkali road section.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Vehicular movement has been shut down for construction and repair work due to narrow roads, according to the ministry.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16753', 'image' => '20230214062541_collage - 2023-02-13T183019.431.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 06:15:12', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17013', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Property worth Million Damaged due to Transport Workers’ Vandalism ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Agitating transport workers on Monday vandalized the Lotse Mall at New Buspark area in Balaju, Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: Agitating transport workers on Monday vandalized the Lotse Mall at New Buspark area in Balaju, Kathmandu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The transport workers on Monday evening took to the streets, leading to clashes, vandalism and arson in the area protesting against the traffic police’s decision to hike the fine for traffic rules violation. They also vandalized the Lotse Mall run near the New Buspark. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The workers have demanded to scrap the exorbitant penalty amount for traffic rules violations, release of the suspended license, provision of the physical infrastructure and parking areas among others. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the protestors have stolen the mobile phones from the shops run in the business complex. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Human Resource Development Chief of Lotse multipurpose company, Pankaj Malla, said that property worth million has been destroyed due to the vandalism and lootings. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Currently, security situation has been beefed up in the area by deploying a large number of police personnel. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Tensions rose high in the areas after the workers under the banners of different political parties-aligned association staged the protests. The protestors pelted stones at the police and also set two police vans on fire this evening. Likewise, the protestors torched a temporary police beat located at Balaju Chowk, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Himalaya Kumar Shrestha. It is said that 10 police personnel and some protestors sustained injuries in the protest. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the government has appealed to the agitating side to sit for a talk on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Director General of the Department of Transport Tulsi Gautam said that the transport workers have been invited for talks at 8:00 am on Tuesday. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16752', 'image' => '20230213112952_aaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 23:29:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17012', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism is the pillar for country's economic prosperity: Minister Kirati', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati today said tourism is a pillar for the country's economic prosperity. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">February 13: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati today said tourism is a pillar for the country's economic prosperity. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Tourism sector could yield high foreign currency returns with even a small investment, Kirati said while laying the foundation for a new terminal building at the Biratnagar Airport. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Kirati said that the building and the expansion of the runway took place as per the need, people's aspiration, and suggestions from the stakeholders. Similarly, Mayor of Biratnagar Metropolitan City Nagesh Koirala stressed the need for operating flights into mountainous areas from the airport targeting Indian tourists. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Other speakers, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Pradip Adhikari, Deputy Director General Hamsha Raj Pandey, hotel entrepreneur Rajan Shrestha and industrialist Rajendra Khanal underscored the need for operating flights from the airport to all 14 airports in Province 1.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"> The runway is being expanded keeping in view the possible pressure of passengers in the future, said the airport chief Rinji Sherpa. The construction and expansion of the terminal building spanning the total 16,277 square meters area are estimated to cost Rs 2.4 billion. -----RSS </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16751', 'image' => '20230213062226_collage - 2023-02-13T181745.381.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 18:20:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17011', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Hetauda Cement Industry Shuts Production ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Citing a coal shortage, Hetauda Cement Industry has closed its production. ', 'content' => '<p>February 13: Citing a coal shortage, Hetauda Cement Industry has closed its production. </p> <p>The industry had issued an invitation to bid for the supply of coal some weeks ago. It is in the process of importing 10,000 metric tons of the coal in two phases. </p> <p>“The industry will resume the cement production after storage of the adequate reserves of the coal from February 17,” said Deputy General Manager Nabin Kumar Karna of the factory.</p> <p>The industry is preparing to import quality coal from India, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Indonesia, Karna said.<br /> The cement manufactured by the industry is sold in Kathmandu, Hetauda and other cities in Nepal. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16750', 'image' => '20230213045331_collage - 2023-02-13T165249.938.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 16:51:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17009', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'SMEs Demand Financial Relief', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) have demanded arrangement of financial relief to the entrepreneurs hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: Small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) have demanded arrangement of financial relief to the entrepreneurs hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In a joint press conference on Sunday, the Federation of Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Nepal, the umbrella organizations of SMEs, called for arrangement of financial relief to those facing crises due to the effects of the pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, entrepreneur Naresh Katuwal said preparations were underway for nationwide protest to protect the country's economy. Claiming that the small and medium entrepreneurs had saved the country's national economy, he asked the government to support small industries for their survival in troubled times. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs Chair Kumar Karki said small and medium entrepreneurs had been bearing the brunt of the economic crisis of the country exacerbated by catastrophic incidences, including earthquake and coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Entrepreneurs had been compelled to take suicidal path due to wrong policy measures of banks and financial institutions (BFIs). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Senior vice-chair of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs Nepal Punya Prasad Sitaula commented that the BFIs were making profit while investors were grappling with crises in the recent situation. The entrepreneurs were experiencing hard time largely because of tough measures of the banks and financial institutions when the business sector was gradually coming out of the crisis, he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Chairperson of Nepal Federation of Garment and Tailoring Entrepreneurs Ram Krishna Shrestha said the government should work to address the plights of each sector. He accused the banks and financial institutions of unilaterally increasing interest rates when SMEs were struggling to rise from the present crises brought out by the coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Also speaking on the occasion, leaders of other business sectors demanded the government to come forward with special policy to safeguard SMEs that are on the verge of closure due to the policy of BFIs. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16748', 'image' => '20230213032753_flower fb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 15:27:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17008', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '87 Hydropower Projects yet to Manage Financial Resources despite Signing PPA ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Even though 87 hydropower projects have signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), it has been found that the construction of those projects has not progressed due to a lack of investment. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 13: Even though 87 hydropower projects have signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), it has been found that the construction of those projects has not progressed due to a lack of investment. The NEA has signed agreements with these projects under the ROR, PROR, ROR (Cascade) and PROR (Cascade) models.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Department of Electricity Trade, the target is to generate 1,875 megawatts of electricity from 87 hydropower projects. However, the projects have failed to raise financial resources through PPA. The deadline of construction of 24 hydropower projects in PPA has already expired. If electricity had been produced from those project at the specified time, 433 megawatts of electricity would have been connected to the national grid.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), an organization of private sector businessmen involved in hydropower production, recently said that this sector is not a national priority and banks are not showing much interest in investing, so it is difficult to raise financial resources.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ganesh Karki, the vice president of IPPAN, said that the problem arose after Nepal Rastra Bank's (NRB) previous policy of mandating banks to invest 10 per cent capital in hydropower was removed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks have not shown much interest in investing in the hydropower sector after the NRB's policy of mandatory investment was removed. To increase the production of hydropower in the country, NRB had to bring a binding policy on investment, said Vice President Karki. He complained that after the policy revision of Nepal Rastra Bank, banks have concentrated their investments in areas other than hydropower.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Mohan Kumar Dangi, vice president of IPPAN, said that before investing, banks study the entire project and also look at the benefits from it and the previous record of the operator.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Even though the construction of some projects has been completed, they do not have access to the national transmission line. Banks have backed away from investing in such projects," he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Dangi also advised all construction companies not to enter into PPAs for hydropower projects that cannot be connected to the national transmission system. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prabal Adhikari, Director of the Electricity Trade Center under Nepal Electricity Authority, said that they believe that the effects of the Covid crisis and lack of liquidity in banks may be behind the inability to gather financial resources. He said that the authority has requested the companies constructing the project collect investment as soon as possible and start the construction work. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"If the investment is not collected within the specified time, the provision in the PPA will be scrapped," he told New Business Age. In such a situation, he said, the authority will proceed with the process of taking action against companies that are unable to raise financial resources for the construction of hydropower projects.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16747', 'image' => '20230213012224_hydro.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 13:21:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17007', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt not to Propose New Project Causing Extra Financial Burden ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Admitting that the country’s economy is under pressure, the government has opted for a middle path to curb expenses by not proposing any new programmes and projects that create additional economic burden to the state coffers in the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: Admitting that the country’s economy is under pressure, the government has opted for a middle path to curb expenses by not proposing any new programmes and projects that create additional economic burden to the state coffers in the current fiscal year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Poudel presented the half-yearly review of budget for the fiscal year 2022/23 in meeting of the House of Representatives on Sunday where he mentioned that no new project would be unveiled for the cause of public expenditure management. He also said the programmes that are still waiting approval for their standards, procedures, guidelines and operational models would be completely or partially postponed for now and would be gradually released based on the availability of resources. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the concerned ministries should take an approval from the finance ministry if the programmes are not taken to the implementation phase. However, the ministries can adjust the resources internally by fixing the priorities of budget and programmes. The unspent budget should be reverted to the finance ministry as per the Fiscal Procedures and Financial Responsibility Act, 2076 BS. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Finance Minister Poudel has said that coordination and information exchange would be made effective among the bodies involved in the revenue leakage control, and whosoever is involved in the revenue leakage would be booked. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16746', 'image' => '20230213120618_RS_KTM-IMG_20230212_163119.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 12:05:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17006', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Human Rights Activists Object to Public Holiday on the Occasion of People’s War Day', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Human rights activists and civil society leaders have expressed strong objection to the government’s decision to announce a public holiday today on the occasion of the People’s War Day.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">February 13: Human rights activists and civil society leaders have expressed strong objection to the government’s decision to announce a public holiday today on the occasion of the People’s War Day.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Issuing a statement on Sunday, Human Rights and Peace Society came down heavily on the federal and state governments for announcing public holiday on February 13.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">“Human Rights and Peace Society expresses its disagreement and strong objection to the announcement made by the Council of Ministers as well state governments of Bagmati Province and Karnali Province to give public holiday on the occasion of People’s War Day on Monday,” reads the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">This controversial decision is against the principle of democracy and non-violence, argued the human rights watchdog.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A meeting of the Council of Ministers held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Sunday took a decision to this effect. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prime Minister's media expert Manahari Timilsina told RSS that the government took the decision to give a public holiday on February 13 in recognition of the contributions made by the Peoples War in Nepal’s political transformation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The People</span>’<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">s War waged by the Maoist party from February 13, 1996 had ended after signing the Comprehensive Peace Accord on November 21, 2006. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that the incumbent Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal was the leader of the then Maoist rebels who waged the People’s War that killed more than 17000 people across the country. The victims of the conflict are still awaiting for justice while those who committed atrocities are walking freely without any fear of prosecution.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16745', 'image' => '20230213113347_6F8A9729 - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 11:33:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17005', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '4.8 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Olangchungola ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: An earthquake rocked eastern Nepal this morning with its epicenter at Olangchungola in Faktanglung Rural Municipality-7 of Taplejung. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: An earthquake rocked eastern Nepal this morning with its epicenter at Olangchungola in Faktanglung Rural Municipality-7 of Taplejung. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake measuring 4.8 in the Richter scale jolted Taplejung at 4.30 am this morning. The tremor was felt in Taplejung and its adjoining districts. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Faktanglung-7 ward chair Chheten Lama informed that no damage has been so far reported in Olangchungola due to the earthquake. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that a 5.4 magnitude earthquake had struck the district two years ago with its epicenter at Olangchungola in February 9, 2021. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16744', 'image' => '20230213110923_qukeee.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 11:08:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17003', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Week-long Campaign to Clean up Pashupatinath Temple Kicks off', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Keeping in view the upcoming Mahashivaratri festival, Pashupati Area Development Trust has started a week-long sanitation programme to clean up the Pashupatinath temple premises.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">February 12: Keeping in view the upcoming Mahashivaratri festival, Pashupati Area Development Trust has started a week-long sanitation programme to clean up the Pashupatinath temple premises.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the lead up to the one of the greatest festivals of the Hindus, Mahashivarati, Pashupati Area Development Trust has launched the campaign under the title ‘Pure Pashupatinath, Clean Pashupatinath’. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The work of painting the walls of Pashupati area and repairing the broken stairs have begun. Meanwhile, preparations for Mahashivratri festival have started in different locations of Pashupatinath area. </span></span><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As the festival approaches fast, various areas of Pashupatinath are now decorated with flowers and illuminating lights. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Pashupatinath temple area is being decorated with flowers in collaboration with the Marwadi society of Nepal, according to Member-Secretary of the PADT, Dr Milan Kumar Thapa. The Mahashivarati festival falls on February 18 this year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Taking part in the sanitation campaign, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Sudan Kirati instructed PADT officials to keep dustbins for storing and segregating perishable and non-perishable items in the Pashupatinath area, and arrange sufficient number of toilets for devotees thronging the area during the festival. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Minister Kirati stressed the need that Pashupatinath temple, a cultural center of Hindus around the world, should always be kept clean and beautiful to attract visitors and pilgrims. ------RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16742', 'image' => '20230213061858_collage - 2023-02-12T164012.538.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 06:16:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17002', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Country's Economic Indicators at Risk: Finance Minister Paudel ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has said that macroeconomic indicators of the country are at risk due to the negative impacts on the global economy and challenges stemming from the country's internal causes. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has said that macroeconomic indicators of the country are at risk due to the negative impacts on the global economy and challenges stemming from the country's internal causes. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He, however, said he was continuously effortful to resolve economic problems in the country. FM Paudel made this statement while delivering a speech on the issue relating to the half-yearly budget review report for the current fiscal year during Sunday’s parliament meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"I am effortful in shoring up business confidence of the private sector, making relations between the government and the private sector credible and helpful, ending anomalies and divergences in revenue mobilisation, and resolving existing problems in the implementation of budget," he told the House of Representatives. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“However, it would take time for his efforts to bear fruit due to structural limitations and some foreign impacts,” he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The government has come up with the policy of maintaining budget balance, stressing the need for increasing capital expenditure, reducing expenditures except for urgent need, making the revenue administration prompt and increasing the tax obedience and controlling its leakage, he informed. </span></span></span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Economic growth target of 8 per cent unattainable </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The finance minister has made it clear that the target of 8 per cent economic growth rate set by the government for the current fiscal year cannot be attained. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“An assessment of the existing trend of the economy shows that the target of eight per cent economic growth rate cannot be achieved," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The finance minister stated that although it has been estimated the production of paddy is likely to increase this year and there has been a gradual improvement in the tourism sector, the production-oriented industries have not been able to run in full capacity, causing a slowdown in the economic growth rate. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, the inflation ceiling set for the current fiscal year has overshot. "The target was to contain the inflation to 7 per cent in the current fiscal year. However, the year-on-year inflation based on the CPI has reached 7.26 per cent," he added. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-12', 'modified' => '2023-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16741', 'image' => '20230212062758_HB_KTM-IMG_1450.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-12 18:27:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity "" [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60]file not found!Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/indexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17020', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Salt Trading Corporation Struggling to open LC for Fertilizer Import', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: The start-owned corporation responsible for importing fertilizer is struggling to open Letter of Credit (LC) because the government is yet to release the required budget.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 14: The start-owned corporation responsible for importing fertilizer is struggling to open Letter of Credit (LC) because the government is yet to release the required budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Salt Trading Corporation (STC) is facing problem in opening LC as it did not get the amount allocated in the current fiscal year’s budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Salt Trading Corporation said that the government should have released Rs 9.33 billion but it has so far received only Rs 2.25 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Out of the 57,500 metric tons of urea that it has to purchase, the Salt Trading Corporation has bought and distributed 30,000 metric tons. The remaining 27,500 metric tons of urea are in the pipeline for import.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, STC spokesperson Kumar Rajbhandari informed that since corporation has not yet received the amount it should receive from the government, there is a problem in opening a new tender and LC.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He shared that the corporation has received Rs 2.25 billion so far which is much less than the allocated budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He told New Business Age that it is not certain when the remaining budget will be released.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Rajbhandari, Salt Trading is currently paying a hefty sum of Rs 9.3 billion in interest. On the one hand, there is a lack of funds to open a new LC, on the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has already given instructions to open tenders to buy fertilizers for the coming year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Agriculture has repeatedly requested the Ministry of Finance to facilitate the process of purchasing fertilizer by releasing the budget quickly, but the Ministry of Finance has not released the budget because of lack of resources. Finance Ministry sources say that the delay is due to the non-availability of resources for the time being.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The country requires additional 90,000 metric tons of fertilizer for annual crops. The Ministry of Agriculture has sent a letter to the Ministry of Finance to ensure an additional amount of Rs 7 billion for that. According to Salt Trading, if the amount is not released on time and there is a problem in buying fertilizer, there may be a situation where there will be a shortage of chemical fertilizers for annual crops.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16759', 'image' => '20230214032552_Fertilizer.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 15:25:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17019', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Transport Workers’ Unions Withdraw Protest', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: The transport workers' organisations have called off their protest on Tuesday after reaching an understanding with the government to address their demands.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 14: The transport workers' organisations have called off their protest on Tuesday after reaching an understanding with the government to address their demands.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The agitating transport workers agreed to withdraw their protest after holding talks with the government officials at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The agitating workers confirmed that all the protest programmes have been withdrawn following the understanding reached with the concerned authorities to address the justified demands of the workers' unions. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The transport workers' organisation had declared to halt the public transportation service in the Kathmandu Valley on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The transport workers had carried out a protest in Gongabu and New Bus Park area since Monday evening, putting forth a 10-point demand, including reduction in the traffic penalty. Incident of vandalism and arson were also reported in course of the agitation. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16758', 'image' => '20230214015001_1676295186.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 13:49:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17016', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'TI Nepal Concerned Over New Bill on Anti-Money Laundering ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: Transparency International (TI) Nepal has expressed concern over some provisions of the bill registered by the government to amend some acts related to prevention of money laundering and promotion of business environment. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 14: Transparency International (TI) Nepal has expressed concern over some provisions of the bill registered by the government to amend some acts related to prevention of money laundering and promotion of business environment. The bill was registered at the Parliament Secretariat on February 10. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The provision which states that 'paying of taxes on income without known sources would be granted validity' is against the major goal of the 'Money Laundering Prevention Act 2064', which is to prevent laundering money earned through illegal means, says a statement issued by President of TI Nepal Padmini Pradhananga on Monday. It has also drawn the attention of the newly elected MPs and the Parliament to remain vigilant to not allow the proposed amendment to legalizing illegally-earned money. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal is a party to the International Convention against Corruption and opening doors to legitimize illegally acquired money under any pretext is against the convention, adds the statement. TI Nepal has also stated that since the court has established a jurisprudence against the proposed amendment, ignoring it will be violation of the norm of the rule of law. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16755', 'image' => '20230214124024_money laundering.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 12:39:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17015', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Test Paragliding Flight Conducted in Phulchowki-Kushadevi ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: Paragliding service has come into operation in Phulchowki-Kushadevi area in Panauti Municipality of Kavre. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 14: Paragliding service has come into operation in Phulchowki-Kushadevi area in Panauti Municipality of Kavre. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation had granted permission to Phulchowki Adventure Pvt Ltd to commercially run paragliding service in the Phulchowki-Kushadevi area of Kavre last January. CAAN had permitted the company to operate the service since last January itself but paragliding was briefly banned across the country after an accident in Pokhara last year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CAAN later lifted the ban after issuing new guidelines. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The company’s chairperson Chhabilal Humagain shared that test paragliding has begun since Monday (February 13) as a preparation for launching commercial services.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We have started test paragliding ahead of commercial services. We will go for commercial services after a three-day test." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He further informed that they are conducting 'demonstration' paragliding flights for now before the starting of commercial tandem flights. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The company plans to conduct commercials service after the success of test operation. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16754', 'image' => '20230214113454_20220821100035_para.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 11:34:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17014', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Short Roads Connecting Hetauda to Kathmandu Closed for Two Months ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Vehicular movements along the two short roads that connect Hetauda to Kathmandu have been closed for two months.', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 14: Vehicular movements along the two short roads that connect Hetauda to Kathmandu have been closed for two months. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Hetauda-Kulekhani-Fakhel-Kathmandu road and Hetauda-Kulekhani-Sisneri-Kathmandu road have been closed for construction and repair works at Humane Farping road section and Sisneri-Chhaimale-Daskshinkali road section respectively for two months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The two roads connecting Hetauda to Kathmandu have been shut down from February 13 for two months, according to Spokesperson Nabin Singh at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development under the Bagmati Province government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Following the calls for bids in various phases in the past, Singh said that ministry had started the construction and repair work . The ministry has urged transporters and passengers to use Kantilokpath and Thankot-Chitlang-Markhu-Kulekhani-Bhimphedi routes as alternative roads.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Construction work is underway at various places along the short routes from Hetauda to Kathmandu. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Different agencies and offices under the ministry have signed the contracts and initiated the construction and repairs of the roads at Bhainse-Bhimphedi, Hewi-Kalanki-Humane road section, Humane-Farping and Kulekhani-Sisneri-Chhimale-Dakshinkali road section.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Vehicular movement has been shut down for construction and repair work due to narrow roads, according to the ministry.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16753', 'image' => '20230214062541_collage - 2023-02-13T183019.431.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 06:15:12', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17013', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Property worth Million Damaged due to Transport Workers’ Vandalism ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Agitating transport workers on Monday vandalized the Lotse Mall at New Buspark area in Balaju, Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: Agitating transport workers on Monday vandalized the Lotse Mall at New Buspark area in Balaju, Kathmandu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The transport workers on Monday evening took to the streets, leading to clashes, vandalism and arson in the area protesting against the traffic police’s decision to hike the fine for traffic rules violation. They also vandalized the Lotse Mall run near the New Buspark. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The workers have demanded to scrap the exorbitant penalty amount for traffic rules violations, release of the suspended license, provision of the physical infrastructure and parking areas among others. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the protestors have stolen the mobile phones from the shops run in the business complex. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Human Resource Development Chief of Lotse multipurpose company, Pankaj Malla, said that property worth million has been destroyed due to the vandalism and lootings. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Currently, security situation has been beefed up in the area by deploying a large number of police personnel. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Tensions rose high in the areas after the workers under the banners of different political parties-aligned association staged the protests. The protestors pelted stones at the police and also set two police vans on fire this evening. Likewise, the protestors torched a temporary police beat located at Balaju Chowk, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Himalaya Kumar Shrestha. It is said that 10 police personnel and some protestors sustained injuries in the protest. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the government has appealed to the agitating side to sit for a talk on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Director General of the Department of Transport Tulsi Gautam said that the transport workers have been invited for talks at 8:00 am on Tuesday. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16752', 'image' => '20230213112952_aaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 23:29:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17012', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism is the pillar for country's economic prosperity: Minister Kirati', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati today said tourism is a pillar for the country's economic prosperity. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">February 13: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati today said tourism is a pillar for the country's economic prosperity. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Tourism sector could yield high foreign currency returns with even a small investment, Kirati said while laying the foundation for a new terminal building at the Biratnagar Airport. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Kirati said that the building and the expansion of the runway took place as per the need, people's aspiration, and suggestions from the stakeholders. Similarly, Mayor of Biratnagar Metropolitan City Nagesh Koirala stressed the need for operating flights into mountainous areas from the airport targeting Indian tourists. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Other speakers, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Pradip Adhikari, Deputy Director General Hamsha Raj Pandey, hotel entrepreneur Rajan Shrestha and industrialist Rajendra Khanal underscored the need for operating flights from the airport to all 14 airports in Province 1.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"> The runway is being expanded keeping in view the possible pressure of passengers in the future, said the airport chief Rinji Sherpa. The construction and expansion of the terminal building spanning the total 16,277 square meters area are estimated to cost Rs 2.4 billion. -----RSS </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16751', 'image' => '20230213062226_collage - 2023-02-13T181745.381.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 18:20:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17011', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Hetauda Cement Industry Shuts Production ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Citing a coal shortage, Hetauda Cement Industry has closed its production. ', 'content' => '<p>February 13: Citing a coal shortage, Hetauda Cement Industry has closed its production. </p> <p>The industry had issued an invitation to bid for the supply of coal some weeks ago. It is in the process of importing 10,000 metric tons of the coal in two phases. </p> <p>“The industry will resume the cement production after storage of the adequate reserves of the coal from February 17,” said Deputy General Manager Nabin Kumar Karna of the factory.</p> <p>The industry is preparing to import quality coal from India, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Indonesia, Karna said.<br /> The cement manufactured by the industry is sold in Kathmandu, Hetauda and other cities in Nepal. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16750', 'image' => '20230213045331_collage - 2023-02-13T165249.938.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 16:51:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17009', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'SMEs Demand Financial Relief', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) have demanded arrangement of financial relief to the entrepreneurs hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: Small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) have demanded arrangement of financial relief to the entrepreneurs hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In a joint press conference on Sunday, the Federation of Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Nepal, the umbrella organizations of SMEs, called for arrangement of financial relief to those facing crises due to the effects of the pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, entrepreneur Naresh Katuwal said preparations were underway for nationwide protest to protect the country's economy. Claiming that the small and medium entrepreneurs had saved the country's national economy, he asked the government to support small industries for their survival in troubled times. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs Chair Kumar Karki said small and medium entrepreneurs had been bearing the brunt of the economic crisis of the country exacerbated by catastrophic incidences, including earthquake and coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Entrepreneurs had been compelled to take suicidal path due to wrong policy measures of banks and financial institutions (BFIs). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Senior vice-chair of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs Nepal Punya Prasad Sitaula commented that the BFIs were making profit while investors were grappling with crises in the recent situation. The entrepreneurs were experiencing hard time largely because of tough measures of the banks and financial institutions when the business sector was gradually coming out of the crisis, he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Chairperson of Nepal Federation of Garment and Tailoring Entrepreneurs Ram Krishna Shrestha said the government should work to address the plights of each sector. He accused the banks and financial institutions of unilaterally increasing interest rates when SMEs were struggling to rise from the present crises brought out by the coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Also speaking on the occasion, leaders of other business sectors demanded the government to come forward with special policy to safeguard SMEs that are on the verge of closure due to the policy of BFIs. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16748', 'image' => '20230213032753_flower fb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 15:27:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17008', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '87 Hydropower Projects yet to Manage Financial Resources despite Signing PPA ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Even though 87 hydropower projects have signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), it has been found that the construction of those projects has not progressed due to a lack of investment. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 13: Even though 87 hydropower projects have signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), it has been found that the construction of those projects has not progressed due to a lack of investment. The NEA has signed agreements with these projects under the ROR, PROR, ROR (Cascade) and PROR (Cascade) models.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Department of Electricity Trade, the target is to generate 1,875 megawatts of electricity from 87 hydropower projects. However, the projects have failed to raise financial resources through PPA. The deadline of construction of 24 hydropower projects in PPA has already expired. If electricity had been produced from those project at the specified time, 433 megawatts of electricity would have been connected to the national grid.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), an organization of private sector businessmen involved in hydropower production, recently said that this sector is not a national priority and banks are not showing much interest in investing, so it is difficult to raise financial resources.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ganesh Karki, the vice president of IPPAN, said that the problem arose after Nepal Rastra Bank's (NRB) previous policy of mandating banks to invest 10 per cent capital in hydropower was removed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks have not shown much interest in investing in the hydropower sector after the NRB's policy of mandatory investment was removed. To increase the production of hydropower in the country, NRB had to bring a binding policy on investment, said Vice President Karki. He complained that after the policy revision of Nepal Rastra Bank, banks have concentrated their investments in areas other than hydropower.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Mohan Kumar Dangi, vice president of IPPAN, said that before investing, banks study the entire project and also look at the benefits from it and the previous record of the operator.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Even though the construction of some projects has been completed, they do not have access to the national transmission line. Banks have backed away from investing in such projects," he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Dangi also advised all construction companies not to enter into PPAs for hydropower projects that cannot be connected to the national transmission system. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prabal Adhikari, Director of the Electricity Trade Center under Nepal Electricity Authority, said that they believe that the effects of the Covid crisis and lack of liquidity in banks may be behind the inability to gather financial resources. He said that the authority has requested the companies constructing the project collect investment as soon as possible and start the construction work. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"If the investment is not collected within the specified time, the provision in the PPA will be scrapped," he told New Business Age. In such a situation, he said, the authority will proceed with the process of taking action against companies that are unable to raise financial resources for the construction of hydropower projects.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16747', 'image' => '20230213012224_hydro.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 13:21:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17007', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt not to Propose New Project Causing Extra Financial Burden ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Admitting that the country’s economy is under pressure, the government has opted for a middle path to curb expenses by not proposing any new programmes and projects that create additional economic burden to the state coffers in the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: Admitting that the country’s economy is under pressure, the government has opted for a middle path to curb expenses by not proposing any new programmes and projects that create additional economic burden to the state coffers in the current fiscal year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Poudel presented the half-yearly review of budget for the fiscal year 2022/23 in meeting of the House of Representatives on Sunday where he mentioned that no new project would be unveiled for the cause of public expenditure management. He also said the programmes that are still waiting approval for their standards, procedures, guidelines and operational models would be completely or partially postponed for now and would be gradually released based on the availability of resources. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the concerned ministries should take an approval from the finance ministry if the programmes are not taken to the implementation phase. However, the ministries can adjust the resources internally by fixing the priorities of budget and programmes. The unspent budget should be reverted to the finance ministry as per the Fiscal Procedures and Financial Responsibility Act, 2076 BS. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Finance Minister Poudel has said that coordination and information exchange would be made effective among the bodies involved in the revenue leakage control, and whosoever is involved in the revenue leakage would be booked. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16746', 'image' => '20230213120618_RS_KTM-IMG_20230212_163119.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 12:05:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17006', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Human Rights Activists Object to Public Holiday on the Occasion of People’s War Day', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Human rights activists and civil society leaders have expressed strong objection to the government’s decision to announce a public holiday today on the occasion of the People’s War Day.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">February 13: Human rights activists and civil society leaders have expressed strong objection to the government’s decision to announce a public holiday today on the occasion of the People’s War Day.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Issuing a statement on Sunday, Human Rights and Peace Society came down heavily on the federal and state governments for announcing public holiday on February 13.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">“Human Rights and Peace Society expresses its disagreement and strong objection to the announcement made by the Council of Ministers as well state governments of Bagmati Province and Karnali Province to give public holiday on the occasion of People’s War Day on Monday,” reads the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">This controversial decision is against the principle of democracy and non-violence, argued the human rights watchdog.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A meeting of the Council of Ministers held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Sunday took a decision to this effect. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prime Minister's media expert Manahari Timilsina told RSS that the government took the decision to give a public holiday on February 13 in recognition of the contributions made by the Peoples War in Nepal’s political transformation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The People</span>’<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">s War waged by the Maoist party from February 13, 1996 had ended after signing the Comprehensive Peace Accord on November 21, 2006. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that the incumbent Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal was the leader of the then Maoist rebels who waged the People’s War that killed more than 17000 people across the country. The victims of the conflict are still awaiting for justice while those who committed atrocities are walking freely without any fear of prosecution.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16745', 'image' => '20230213113347_6F8A9729 - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 11:33:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17005', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '4.8 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Olangchungola ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: An earthquake rocked eastern Nepal this morning with its epicenter at Olangchungola in Faktanglung Rural Municipality-7 of Taplejung. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: An earthquake rocked eastern Nepal this morning with its epicenter at Olangchungola in Faktanglung Rural Municipality-7 of Taplejung. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake measuring 4.8 in the Richter scale jolted Taplejung at 4.30 am this morning. The tremor was felt in Taplejung and its adjoining districts. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Faktanglung-7 ward chair Chheten Lama informed that no damage has been so far reported in Olangchungola due to the earthquake. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that a 5.4 magnitude earthquake had struck the district two years ago with its epicenter at Olangchungola in February 9, 2021. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16744', 'image' => '20230213110923_qukeee.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 11:08:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17003', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Week-long Campaign to Clean up Pashupatinath Temple Kicks off', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Keeping in view the upcoming Mahashivaratri festival, Pashupati Area Development Trust has started a week-long sanitation programme to clean up the Pashupatinath temple premises.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">February 12: Keeping in view the upcoming Mahashivaratri festival, Pashupati Area Development Trust has started a week-long sanitation programme to clean up the Pashupatinath temple premises.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the lead up to the one of the greatest festivals of the Hindus, Mahashivarati, Pashupati Area Development Trust has launched the campaign under the title ‘Pure Pashupatinath, Clean Pashupatinath’. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The work of painting the walls of Pashupati area and repairing the broken stairs have begun. Meanwhile, preparations for Mahashivratri festival have started in different locations of Pashupatinath area. </span></span><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As the festival approaches fast, various areas of Pashupatinath are now decorated with flowers and illuminating lights. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Pashupatinath temple area is being decorated with flowers in collaboration with the Marwadi society of Nepal, according to Member-Secretary of the PADT, Dr Milan Kumar Thapa. The Mahashivarati festival falls on February 18 this year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Taking part in the sanitation campaign, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Sudan Kirati instructed PADT officials to keep dustbins for storing and segregating perishable and non-perishable items in the Pashupatinath area, and arrange sufficient number of toilets for devotees thronging the area during the festival. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Minister Kirati stressed the need that Pashupatinath temple, a cultural center of Hindus around the world, should always be kept clean and beautiful to attract visitors and pilgrims. ------RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16742', 'image' => '20230213061858_collage - 2023-02-12T164012.538.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 06:16:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17002', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Country's Economic Indicators at Risk: Finance Minister Paudel ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has said that macroeconomic indicators of the country are at risk due to the negative impacts on the global economy and challenges stemming from the country's internal causes. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has said that macroeconomic indicators of the country are at risk due to the negative impacts on the global economy and challenges stemming from the country's internal causes. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He, however, said he was continuously effortful to resolve economic problems in the country. FM Paudel made this statement while delivering a speech on the issue relating to the half-yearly budget review report for the current fiscal year during Sunday’s parliament meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"I am effortful in shoring up business confidence of the private sector, making relations between the government and the private sector credible and helpful, ending anomalies and divergences in revenue mobilisation, and resolving existing problems in the implementation of budget," he told the House of Representatives. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“However, it would take time for his efforts to bear fruit due to structural limitations and some foreign impacts,” he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The government has come up with the policy of maintaining budget balance, stressing the need for increasing capital expenditure, reducing expenditures except for urgent need, making the revenue administration prompt and increasing the tax obedience and controlling its leakage, he informed. </span></span></span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Economic growth target of 8 per cent unattainable </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The finance minister has made it clear that the target of 8 per cent economic growth rate set by the government for the current fiscal year cannot be attained. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“An assessment of the existing trend of the economy shows that the target of eight per cent economic growth rate cannot be achieved," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The finance minister stated that although it has been estimated the production of paddy is likely to increase this year and there has been a gradual improvement in the tourism sector, the production-oriented industries have not been able to run in full capacity, causing a slowdown in the economic growth rate. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, the inflation ceiling set for the current fiscal year has overshot. "The target was to contain the inflation to 7 per cent in the current fiscal year. However, the year-on-year inflation based on the CPI has reached 7.26 per cent," he added. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-12', 'modified' => '2023-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16741', 'image' => '20230212062758_HB_KTM-IMG_1450.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-12 18:27:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17020', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Salt Trading Corporation Struggling to open LC for Fertilizer Import', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: The start-owned corporation responsible for importing fertilizer is struggling to open Letter of Credit (LC) because the government is yet to release the required budget.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 14: The start-owned corporation responsible for importing fertilizer is struggling to open Letter of Credit (LC) because the government is yet to release the required budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Salt Trading Corporation (STC) is facing problem in opening LC as it did not get the amount allocated in the current fiscal year’s budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Salt Trading Corporation said that the government should have released Rs 9.33 billion but it has so far received only Rs 2.25 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Out of the 57,500 metric tons of urea that it has to purchase, the Salt Trading Corporation has bought and distributed 30,000 metric tons. The remaining 27,500 metric tons of urea are in the pipeline for import.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, STC spokesperson Kumar Rajbhandari informed that since corporation has not yet received the amount it should receive from the government, there is a problem in opening a new tender and LC.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He shared that the corporation has received Rs 2.25 billion so far which is much less than the allocated budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He told New Business Age that it is not certain when the remaining budget will be released.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Rajbhandari, Salt Trading is currently paying a hefty sum of Rs 9.3 billion in interest. On the one hand, there is a lack of funds to open a new LC, on the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has already given instructions to open tenders to buy fertilizers for the coming year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Agriculture has repeatedly requested the Ministry of Finance to facilitate the process of purchasing fertilizer by releasing the budget quickly, but the Ministry of Finance has not released the budget because of lack of resources. Finance Ministry sources say that the delay is due to the non-availability of resources for the time being.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The country requires additional 90,000 metric tons of fertilizer for annual crops. The Ministry of Agriculture has sent a letter to the Ministry of Finance to ensure an additional amount of Rs 7 billion for that. According to Salt Trading, if the amount is not released on time and there is a problem in buying fertilizer, there may be a situation where there will be a shortage of chemical fertilizers for annual crops.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16759', 'image' => '20230214032552_Fertilizer.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 15:25:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17019', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Transport Workers’ Unions Withdraw Protest', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: The transport workers' organisations have called off their protest on Tuesday after reaching an understanding with the government to address their demands.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 14: The transport workers' organisations have called off their protest on Tuesday after reaching an understanding with the government to address their demands.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The agitating transport workers agreed to withdraw their protest after holding talks with the government officials at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The agitating workers confirmed that all the protest programmes have been withdrawn following the understanding reached with the concerned authorities to address the justified demands of the workers' unions. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The transport workers' organisation had declared to halt the public transportation service in the Kathmandu Valley on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The transport workers had carried out a protest in Gongabu and New Bus Park area since Monday evening, putting forth a 10-point demand, including reduction in the traffic penalty. Incident of vandalism and arson were also reported in course of the agitation. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16758', 'image' => '20230214015001_1676295186.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 13:49:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17016', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'TI Nepal Concerned Over New Bill on Anti-Money Laundering ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: Transparency International (TI) Nepal has expressed concern over some provisions of the bill registered by the government to amend some acts related to prevention of money laundering and promotion of business environment. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 14: Transparency International (TI) Nepal has expressed concern over some provisions of the bill registered by the government to amend some acts related to prevention of money laundering and promotion of business environment. The bill was registered at the Parliament Secretariat on February 10. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The provision which states that 'paying of taxes on income without known sources would be granted validity' is against the major goal of the 'Money Laundering Prevention Act 2064', which is to prevent laundering money earned through illegal means, says a statement issued by President of TI Nepal Padmini Pradhananga on Monday. It has also drawn the attention of the newly elected MPs and the Parliament to remain vigilant to not allow the proposed amendment to legalizing illegally-earned money. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal is a party to the International Convention against Corruption and opening doors to legitimize illegally acquired money under any pretext is against the convention, adds the statement. TI Nepal has also stated that since the court has established a jurisprudence against the proposed amendment, ignoring it will be violation of the norm of the rule of law. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16755', 'image' => '20230214124024_money laundering.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 12:39:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17015', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Test Paragliding Flight Conducted in Phulchowki-Kushadevi ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: Paragliding service has come into operation in Phulchowki-Kushadevi area in Panauti Municipality of Kavre. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 14: Paragliding service has come into operation in Phulchowki-Kushadevi area in Panauti Municipality of Kavre. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation had granted permission to Phulchowki Adventure Pvt Ltd to commercially run paragliding service in the Phulchowki-Kushadevi area of Kavre last January. CAAN had permitted the company to operate the service since last January itself but paragliding was briefly banned across the country after an accident in Pokhara last year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CAAN later lifted the ban after issuing new guidelines. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The company’s chairperson Chhabilal Humagain shared that test paragliding has begun since Monday (February 13) as a preparation for launching commercial services.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We have started test paragliding ahead of commercial services. We will go for commercial services after a three-day test." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He further informed that they are conducting 'demonstration' paragliding flights for now before the starting of commercial tandem flights. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The company plans to conduct commercials service after the success of test operation. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16754', 'image' => '20230214113454_20220821100035_para.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 11:34:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17014', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Short Roads Connecting Hetauda to Kathmandu Closed for Two Months ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Vehicular movements along the two short roads that connect Hetauda to Kathmandu have been closed for two months.', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 14: Vehicular movements along the two short roads that connect Hetauda to Kathmandu have been closed for two months. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Hetauda-Kulekhani-Fakhel-Kathmandu road and Hetauda-Kulekhani-Sisneri-Kathmandu road have been closed for construction and repair works at Humane Farping road section and Sisneri-Chhaimale-Daskshinkali road section respectively for two months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The two roads connecting Hetauda to Kathmandu have been shut down from February 13 for two months, according to Spokesperson Nabin Singh at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development under the Bagmati Province government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Following the calls for bids in various phases in the past, Singh said that ministry had started the construction and repair work . The ministry has urged transporters and passengers to use Kantilokpath and Thankot-Chitlang-Markhu-Kulekhani-Bhimphedi routes as alternative roads.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Construction work is underway at various places along the short routes from Hetauda to Kathmandu. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Different agencies and offices under the ministry have signed the contracts and initiated the construction and repairs of the roads at Bhainse-Bhimphedi, Hewi-Kalanki-Humane road section, Humane-Farping and Kulekhani-Sisneri-Chhimale-Dakshinkali road section.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Vehicular movement has been shut down for construction and repair work due to narrow roads, according to the ministry.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16753', 'image' => '20230214062541_collage - 2023-02-13T183019.431.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 06:15:12', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17013', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Property worth Million Damaged due to Transport Workers’ Vandalism ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Agitating transport workers on Monday vandalized the Lotse Mall at New Buspark area in Balaju, Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: Agitating transport workers on Monday vandalized the Lotse Mall at New Buspark area in Balaju, Kathmandu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The transport workers on Monday evening took to the streets, leading to clashes, vandalism and arson in the area protesting against the traffic police’s decision to hike the fine for traffic rules violation. They also vandalized the Lotse Mall run near the New Buspark. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The workers have demanded to scrap the exorbitant penalty amount for traffic rules violations, release of the suspended license, provision of the physical infrastructure and parking areas among others. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the protestors have stolen the mobile phones from the shops run in the business complex. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Human Resource Development Chief of Lotse multipurpose company, Pankaj Malla, said that property worth million has been destroyed due to the vandalism and lootings. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Currently, security situation has been beefed up in the area by deploying a large number of police personnel. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Tensions rose high in the areas after the workers under the banners of different political parties-aligned association staged the protests. The protestors pelted stones at the police and also set two police vans on fire this evening. Likewise, the protestors torched a temporary police beat located at Balaju Chowk, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Himalaya Kumar Shrestha. It is said that 10 police personnel and some protestors sustained injuries in the protest. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the government has appealed to the agitating side to sit for a talk on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Director General of the Department of Transport Tulsi Gautam said that the transport workers have been invited for talks at 8:00 am on Tuesday. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16752', 'image' => '20230213112952_aaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 23:29:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17012', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism is the pillar for country's economic prosperity: Minister Kirati', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati today said tourism is a pillar for the country's economic prosperity. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">February 13: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati today said tourism is a pillar for the country's economic prosperity. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Tourism sector could yield high foreign currency returns with even a small investment, Kirati said while laying the foundation for a new terminal building at the Biratnagar Airport. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Kirati said that the building and the expansion of the runway took place as per the need, people's aspiration, and suggestions from the stakeholders. Similarly, Mayor of Biratnagar Metropolitan City Nagesh Koirala stressed the need for operating flights into mountainous areas from the airport targeting Indian tourists. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Other speakers, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Pradip Adhikari, Deputy Director General Hamsha Raj Pandey, hotel entrepreneur Rajan Shrestha and industrialist Rajendra Khanal underscored the need for operating flights from the airport to all 14 airports in Province 1.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"> The runway is being expanded keeping in view the possible pressure of passengers in the future, said the airport chief Rinji Sherpa. The construction and expansion of the terminal building spanning the total 16,277 square meters area are estimated to cost Rs 2.4 billion. -----RSS </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16751', 'image' => '20230213062226_collage - 2023-02-13T181745.381.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 18:20:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17011', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Hetauda Cement Industry Shuts Production ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Citing a coal shortage, Hetauda Cement Industry has closed its production. ', 'content' => '<p>February 13: Citing a coal shortage, Hetauda Cement Industry has closed its production. </p> <p>The industry had issued an invitation to bid for the supply of coal some weeks ago. It is in the process of importing 10,000 metric tons of the coal in two phases. </p> <p>“The industry will resume the cement production after storage of the adequate reserves of the coal from February 17,” said Deputy General Manager Nabin Kumar Karna of the factory.</p> <p>The industry is preparing to import quality coal from India, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Indonesia, Karna said.<br /> The cement manufactured by the industry is sold in Kathmandu, Hetauda and other cities in Nepal. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16750', 'image' => '20230213045331_collage - 2023-02-13T165249.938.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 16:51:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17009', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'SMEs Demand Financial Relief', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) have demanded arrangement of financial relief to the entrepreneurs hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: Small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) have demanded arrangement of financial relief to the entrepreneurs hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In a joint press conference on Sunday, the Federation of Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Nepal, the umbrella organizations of SMEs, called for arrangement of financial relief to those facing crises due to the effects of the pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, entrepreneur Naresh Katuwal said preparations were underway for nationwide protest to protect the country's economy. Claiming that the small and medium entrepreneurs had saved the country's national economy, he asked the government to support small industries for their survival in troubled times. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs Chair Kumar Karki said small and medium entrepreneurs had been bearing the brunt of the economic crisis of the country exacerbated by catastrophic incidences, including earthquake and coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Entrepreneurs had been compelled to take suicidal path due to wrong policy measures of banks and financial institutions (BFIs). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Senior vice-chair of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs Nepal Punya Prasad Sitaula commented that the BFIs were making profit while investors were grappling with crises in the recent situation. The entrepreneurs were experiencing hard time largely because of tough measures of the banks and financial institutions when the business sector was gradually coming out of the crisis, he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Chairperson of Nepal Federation of Garment and Tailoring Entrepreneurs Ram Krishna Shrestha said the government should work to address the plights of each sector. He accused the banks and financial institutions of unilaterally increasing interest rates when SMEs were struggling to rise from the present crises brought out by the coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Also speaking on the occasion, leaders of other business sectors demanded the government to come forward with special policy to safeguard SMEs that are on the verge of closure due to the policy of BFIs. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16748', 'image' => '20230213032753_flower fb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 15:27:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17008', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '87 Hydropower Projects yet to Manage Financial Resources despite Signing PPA ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Even though 87 hydropower projects have signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), it has been found that the construction of those projects has not progressed due to a lack of investment. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 13: Even though 87 hydropower projects have signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), it has been found that the construction of those projects has not progressed due to a lack of investment. The NEA has signed agreements with these projects under the ROR, PROR, ROR (Cascade) and PROR (Cascade) models.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Department of Electricity Trade, the target is to generate 1,875 megawatts of electricity from 87 hydropower projects. However, the projects have failed to raise financial resources through PPA. The deadline of construction of 24 hydropower projects in PPA has already expired. If electricity had been produced from those project at the specified time, 433 megawatts of electricity would have been connected to the national grid.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), an organization of private sector businessmen involved in hydropower production, recently said that this sector is not a national priority and banks are not showing much interest in investing, so it is difficult to raise financial resources.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ganesh Karki, the vice president of IPPAN, said that the problem arose after Nepal Rastra Bank's (NRB) previous policy of mandating banks to invest 10 per cent capital in hydropower was removed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks have not shown much interest in investing in the hydropower sector after the NRB's policy of mandatory investment was removed. To increase the production of hydropower in the country, NRB had to bring a binding policy on investment, said Vice President Karki. He complained that after the policy revision of Nepal Rastra Bank, banks have concentrated their investments in areas other than hydropower.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Mohan Kumar Dangi, vice president of IPPAN, said that before investing, banks study the entire project and also look at the benefits from it and the previous record of the operator.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Even though the construction of some projects has been completed, they do not have access to the national transmission line. Banks have backed away from investing in such projects," he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Dangi also advised all construction companies not to enter into PPAs for hydropower projects that cannot be connected to the national transmission system. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prabal Adhikari, Director of the Electricity Trade Center under Nepal Electricity Authority, said that they believe that the effects of the Covid crisis and lack of liquidity in banks may be behind the inability to gather financial resources. He said that the authority has requested the companies constructing the project collect investment as soon as possible and start the construction work. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"If the investment is not collected within the specified time, the provision in the PPA will be scrapped," he told New Business Age. In such a situation, he said, the authority will proceed with the process of taking action against companies that are unable to raise financial resources for the construction of hydropower projects.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16747', 'image' => '20230213012224_hydro.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 13:21:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17007', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt not to Propose New Project Causing Extra Financial Burden ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Admitting that the country’s economy is under pressure, the government has opted for a middle path to curb expenses by not proposing any new programmes and projects that create additional economic burden to the state coffers in the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: Admitting that the country’s economy is under pressure, the government has opted for a middle path to curb expenses by not proposing any new programmes and projects that create additional economic burden to the state coffers in the current fiscal year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Poudel presented the half-yearly review of budget for the fiscal year 2022/23 in meeting of the House of Representatives on Sunday where he mentioned that no new project would be unveiled for the cause of public expenditure management. He also said the programmes that are still waiting approval for their standards, procedures, guidelines and operational models would be completely or partially postponed for now and would be gradually released based on the availability of resources. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the concerned ministries should take an approval from the finance ministry if the programmes are not taken to the implementation phase. However, the ministries can adjust the resources internally by fixing the priorities of budget and programmes. The unspent budget should be reverted to the finance ministry as per the Fiscal Procedures and Financial Responsibility Act, 2076 BS. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Finance Minister Poudel has said that coordination and information exchange would be made effective among the bodies involved in the revenue leakage control, and whosoever is involved in the revenue leakage would be booked. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16746', 'image' => '20230213120618_RS_KTM-IMG_20230212_163119.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 12:05:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17006', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Human Rights Activists Object to Public Holiday on the Occasion of People’s War Day', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Human rights activists and civil society leaders have expressed strong objection to the government’s decision to announce a public holiday today on the occasion of the People’s War Day.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">February 13: Human rights activists and civil society leaders have expressed strong objection to the government’s decision to announce a public holiday today on the occasion of the People’s War Day.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Issuing a statement on Sunday, Human Rights and Peace Society came down heavily on the federal and state governments for announcing public holiday on February 13.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">“Human Rights and Peace Society expresses its disagreement and strong objection to the announcement made by the Council of Ministers as well state governments of Bagmati Province and Karnali Province to give public holiday on the occasion of People’s War Day on Monday,” reads the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">This controversial decision is against the principle of democracy and non-violence, argued the human rights watchdog.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A meeting of the Council of Ministers held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Sunday took a decision to this effect. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prime Minister's media expert Manahari Timilsina told RSS that the government took the decision to give a public holiday on February 13 in recognition of the contributions made by the Peoples War in Nepal’s political transformation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The People</span>’<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">s War waged by the Maoist party from February 13, 1996 had ended after signing the Comprehensive Peace Accord on November 21, 2006. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that the incumbent Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal was the leader of the then Maoist rebels who waged the People’s War that killed more than 17000 people across the country. The victims of the conflict are still awaiting for justice while those who committed atrocities are walking freely without any fear of prosecution.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16745', 'image' => '20230213113347_6F8A9729 - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 11:33:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17005', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '4.8 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Olangchungola ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: An earthquake rocked eastern Nepal this morning with its epicenter at Olangchungola in Faktanglung Rural Municipality-7 of Taplejung. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: An earthquake rocked eastern Nepal this morning with its epicenter at Olangchungola in Faktanglung Rural Municipality-7 of Taplejung. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake measuring 4.8 in the Richter scale jolted Taplejung at 4.30 am this morning. The tremor was felt in Taplejung and its adjoining districts. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Faktanglung-7 ward chair Chheten Lama informed that no damage has been so far reported in Olangchungola due to the earthquake. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that a 5.4 magnitude earthquake had struck the district two years ago with its epicenter at Olangchungola in February 9, 2021. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16744', 'image' => '20230213110923_qukeee.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 11:08:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17003', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Week-long Campaign to Clean up Pashupatinath Temple Kicks off', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Keeping in view the upcoming Mahashivaratri festival, Pashupati Area Development Trust has started a week-long sanitation programme to clean up the Pashupatinath temple premises.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">February 12: Keeping in view the upcoming Mahashivaratri festival, Pashupati Area Development Trust has started a week-long sanitation programme to clean up the Pashupatinath temple premises.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the lead up to the one of the greatest festivals of the Hindus, Mahashivarati, Pashupati Area Development Trust has launched the campaign under the title ‘Pure Pashupatinath, Clean Pashupatinath’. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The work of painting the walls of Pashupati area and repairing the broken stairs have begun. Meanwhile, preparations for Mahashivratri festival have started in different locations of Pashupatinath area. </span></span><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As the festival approaches fast, various areas of Pashupatinath are now decorated with flowers and illuminating lights. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Pashupatinath temple area is being decorated with flowers in collaboration with the Marwadi society of Nepal, according to Member-Secretary of the PADT, Dr Milan Kumar Thapa. The Mahashivarati festival falls on February 18 this year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Taking part in the sanitation campaign, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Sudan Kirati instructed PADT officials to keep dustbins for storing and segregating perishable and non-perishable items in the Pashupatinath area, and arrange sufficient number of toilets for devotees thronging the area during the festival. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Minister Kirati stressed the need that Pashupatinath temple, a cultural center of Hindus around the world, should always be kept clean and beautiful to attract visitors and pilgrims. ------RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16742', 'image' => '20230213061858_collage - 2023-02-12T164012.538.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 06:16:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17002', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Country's Economic Indicators at Risk: Finance Minister Paudel ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has said that macroeconomic indicators of the country are at risk due to the negative impacts on the global economy and challenges stemming from the country's internal causes. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has said that macroeconomic indicators of the country are at risk due to the negative impacts on the global economy and challenges stemming from the country's internal causes. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He, however, said he was continuously effortful to resolve economic problems in the country. FM Paudel made this statement while delivering a speech on the issue relating to the half-yearly budget review report for the current fiscal year during Sunday’s parliament meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"I am effortful in shoring up business confidence of the private sector, making relations between the government and the private sector credible and helpful, ending anomalies and divergences in revenue mobilisation, and resolving existing problems in the implementation of budget," he told the House of Representatives. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“However, it would take time for his efforts to bear fruit due to structural limitations and some foreign impacts,” he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The government has come up with the policy of maintaining budget balance, stressing the need for increasing capital expenditure, reducing expenditures except for urgent need, making the revenue administration prompt and increasing the tax obedience and controlling its leakage, he informed. </span></span></span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Economic growth target of 8 per cent unattainable </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The finance minister has made it clear that the target of 8 per cent economic growth rate set by the government for the current fiscal year cannot be attained. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“An assessment of the existing trend of the economy shows that the target of eight per cent economic growth rate cannot be achieved," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The finance minister stated that although it has been estimated the production of paddy is likely to increase this year and there has been a gradual improvement in the tourism sector, the production-oriented industries have not been able to run in full capacity, causing a slowdown in the economic growth rate. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, the inflation ceiling set for the current fiscal year has overshot. "The target was to contain the inflation to 7 per cent in the current fiscal year. However, the year-on-year inflation based on the CPI has reached 7.26 per cent," he added. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-12', 'modified' => '2023-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16741', 'image' => '20230212062758_HB_KTM-IMG_1450.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-12 18:27:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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The remaining 27,500 metric tons of urea are in the pipeline for import.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, STC spokesperson Kumar Rajbhandari informed that since corporation has not yet received the amount it should receive from the government, there is a problem in opening a new tender and LC.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He shared that the corporation has received Rs 2.25 billion so far which is much less than the allocated budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He told New Business Age that it is not certain when the remaining budget will be released.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Rajbhandari, Salt Trading is currently paying a hefty sum of Rs 9.3 billion in interest. On the one hand, there is a lack of funds to open a new LC, on the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has already given instructions to open tenders to buy fertilizers for the coming year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Agriculture has repeatedly requested the Ministry of Finance to facilitate the process of purchasing fertilizer by releasing the budget quickly, but the Ministry of Finance has not released the budget because of lack of resources. Finance Ministry sources say that the delay is due to the non-availability of resources for the time being.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The country requires additional 90,000 metric tons of fertilizer for annual crops. The Ministry of Agriculture has sent a letter to the Ministry of Finance to ensure an additional amount of Rs 7 billion for that. According to Salt Trading, if the amount is not released on time and there is a problem in buying fertilizer, there may be a situation where there will be a shortage of chemical fertilizers for annual crops.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16759', 'image' => '20230214032552_Fertilizer.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 15:25:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17019', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Transport Workers’ Unions Withdraw Protest', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: The transport workers' organisations have called off their protest on Tuesday after reaching an understanding with the government to address their demands.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 14: The transport workers' organisations have called off their protest on Tuesday after reaching an understanding with the government to address their demands.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The agitating transport workers agreed to withdraw their protest after holding talks with the government officials at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The agitating workers confirmed that all the protest programmes have been withdrawn following the understanding reached with the concerned authorities to address the justified demands of the workers' unions. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The transport workers' organisation had declared to halt the public transportation service in the Kathmandu Valley on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The transport workers had carried out a protest in Gongabu and New Bus Park area since Monday evening, putting forth a 10-point demand, including reduction in the traffic penalty. Incident of vandalism and arson were also reported in course of the agitation. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16758', 'image' => '20230214015001_1676295186.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 13:49:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17016', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'TI Nepal Concerned Over New Bill on Anti-Money Laundering ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: Transparency International (TI) Nepal has expressed concern over some provisions of the bill registered by the government to amend some acts related to prevention of money laundering and promotion of business environment. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 14: Transparency International (TI) Nepal has expressed concern over some provisions of the bill registered by the government to amend some acts related to prevention of money laundering and promotion of business environment. The bill was registered at the Parliament Secretariat on February 10. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The provision which states that 'paying of taxes on income without known sources would be granted validity' is against the major goal of the 'Money Laundering Prevention Act 2064', which is to prevent laundering money earned through illegal means, says a statement issued by President of TI Nepal Padmini Pradhananga on Monday. It has also drawn the attention of the newly elected MPs and the Parliament to remain vigilant to not allow the proposed amendment to legalizing illegally-earned money. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal is a party to the International Convention against Corruption and opening doors to legitimize illegally acquired money under any pretext is against the convention, adds the statement. TI Nepal has also stated that since the court has established a jurisprudence against the proposed amendment, ignoring it will be violation of the norm of the rule of law. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16755', 'image' => '20230214124024_money laundering.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 12:39:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17015', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Test Paragliding Flight Conducted in Phulchowki-Kushadevi ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 14: Paragliding service has come into operation in Phulchowki-Kushadevi area in Panauti Municipality of Kavre. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 14: Paragliding service has come into operation in Phulchowki-Kushadevi area in Panauti Municipality of Kavre. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation had granted permission to Phulchowki Adventure Pvt Ltd to commercially run paragliding service in the Phulchowki-Kushadevi area of Kavre last January. CAAN had permitted the company to operate the service since last January itself but paragliding was briefly banned across the country after an accident in Pokhara last year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CAAN later lifted the ban after issuing new guidelines. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The company’s chairperson Chhabilal Humagain shared that test paragliding has begun since Monday (February 13) as a preparation for launching commercial services.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We have started test paragliding ahead of commercial services. We will go for commercial services after a three-day test." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He further informed that they are conducting 'demonstration' paragliding flights for now before the starting of commercial tandem flights. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The company plans to conduct commercials service after the success of test operation. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16754', 'image' => '20230214113454_20220821100035_para.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 11:34:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17014', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Short Roads Connecting Hetauda to Kathmandu Closed for Two Months ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Vehicular movements along the two short roads that connect Hetauda to Kathmandu have been closed for two months.', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 14: Vehicular movements along the two short roads that connect Hetauda to Kathmandu have been closed for two months. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Hetauda-Kulekhani-Fakhel-Kathmandu road and Hetauda-Kulekhani-Sisneri-Kathmandu road have been closed for construction and repair works at Humane Farping road section and Sisneri-Chhaimale-Daskshinkali road section respectively for two months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The two roads connecting Hetauda to Kathmandu have been shut down from February 13 for two months, according to Spokesperson Nabin Singh at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development under the Bagmati Province government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Following the calls for bids in various phases in the past, Singh said that ministry had started the construction and repair work . The ministry has urged transporters and passengers to use Kantilokpath and Thankot-Chitlang-Markhu-Kulekhani-Bhimphedi routes as alternative roads.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Construction work is underway at various places along the short routes from Hetauda to Kathmandu. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Different agencies and offices under the ministry have signed the contracts and initiated the construction and repairs of the roads at Bhainse-Bhimphedi, Hewi-Kalanki-Humane road section, Humane-Farping and Kulekhani-Sisneri-Chhimale-Dakshinkali road section.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Vehicular movement has been shut down for construction and repair work due to narrow roads, according to the ministry.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-14', 'modified' => '2023-02-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16753', 'image' => '20230214062541_collage - 2023-02-13T183019.431.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-14 06:15:12', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17013', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Property worth Million Damaged due to Transport Workers’ Vandalism ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Agitating transport workers on Monday vandalized the Lotse Mall at New Buspark area in Balaju, Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: Agitating transport workers on Monday vandalized the Lotse Mall at New Buspark area in Balaju, Kathmandu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The transport workers on Monday evening took to the streets, leading to clashes, vandalism and arson in the area protesting against the traffic police’s decision to hike the fine for traffic rules violation. They also vandalized the Lotse Mall run near the New Buspark. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The workers have demanded to scrap the exorbitant penalty amount for traffic rules violations, release of the suspended license, provision of the physical infrastructure and parking areas among others. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the protestors have stolen the mobile phones from the shops run in the business complex. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Human Resource Development Chief of Lotse multipurpose company, Pankaj Malla, said that property worth million has been destroyed due to the vandalism and lootings. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Currently, security situation has been beefed up in the area by deploying a large number of police personnel. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Tensions rose high in the areas after the workers under the banners of different political parties-aligned association staged the protests. The protestors pelted stones at the police and also set two police vans on fire this evening. Likewise, the protestors torched a temporary police beat located at Balaju Chowk, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Himalaya Kumar Shrestha. It is said that 10 police personnel and some protestors sustained injuries in the protest. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the government has appealed to the agitating side to sit for a talk on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Director General of the Department of Transport Tulsi Gautam said that the transport workers have been invited for talks at 8:00 am on Tuesday. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16752', 'image' => '20230213112952_aaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 23:29:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17012', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism is the pillar for country's economic prosperity: Minister Kirati', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati today said tourism is a pillar for the country's economic prosperity. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">February 13: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati today said tourism is a pillar for the country's economic prosperity. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Tourism sector could yield high foreign currency returns with even a small investment, Kirati said while laying the foundation for a new terminal building at the Biratnagar Airport. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Kirati said that the building and the expansion of the runway took place as per the need, people's aspiration, and suggestions from the stakeholders. Similarly, Mayor of Biratnagar Metropolitan City Nagesh Koirala stressed the need for operating flights into mountainous areas from the airport targeting Indian tourists. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Other speakers, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Pradip Adhikari, Deputy Director General Hamsha Raj Pandey, hotel entrepreneur Rajan Shrestha and industrialist Rajendra Khanal underscored the need for operating flights from the airport to all 14 airports in Province 1.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"> The runway is being expanded keeping in view the possible pressure of passengers in the future, said the airport chief Rinji Sherpa. The construction and expansion of the terminal building spanning the total 16,277 square meters area are estimated to cost Rs 2.4 billion. -----RSS </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16751', 'image' => '20230213062226_collage - 2023-02-13T181745.381.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 18:20:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17011', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Hetauda Cement Industry Shuts Production ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Citing a coal shortage, Hetauda Cement Industry has closed its production. ', 'content' => '<p>February 13: Citing a coal shortage, Hetauda Cement Industry has closed its production. </p> <p>The industry had issued an invitation to bid for the supply of coal some weeks ago. It is in the process of importing 10,000 metric tons of the coal in two phases. </p> <p>“The industry will resume the cement production after storage of the adequate reserves of the coal from February 17,” said Deputy General Manager Nabin Kumar Karna of the factory.</p> <p>The industry is preparing to import quality coal from India, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Indonesia, Karna said.<br /> The cement manufactured by the industry is sold in Kathmandu, Hetauda and other cities in Nepal. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16750', 'image' => '20230213045331_collage - 2023-02-13T165249.938.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 16:51:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17009', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'SMEs Demand Financial Relief', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) have demanded arrangement of financial relief to the entrepreneurs hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: Small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) have demanded arrangement of financial relief to the entrepreneurs hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In a joint press conference on Sunday, the Federation of Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Nepal, the umbrella organizations of SMEs, called for arrangement of financial relief to those facing crises due to the effects of the pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, entrepreneur Naresh Katuwal said preparations were underway for nationwide protest to protect the country's economy. Claiming that the small and medium entrepreneurs had saved the country's national economy, he asked the government to support small industries for their survival in troubled times. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs Chair Kumar Karki said small and medium entrepreneurs had been bearing the brunt of the economic crisis of the country exacerbated by catastrophic incidences, including earthquake and coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Entrepreneurs had been compelled to take suicidal path due to wrong policy measures of banks and financial institutions (BFIs). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Senior vice-chair of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs Nepal Punya Prasad Sitaula commented that the BFIs were making profit while investors were grappling with crises in the recent situation. The entrepreneurs were experiencing hard time largely because of tough measures of the banks and financial institutions when the business sector was gradually coming out of the crisis, he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Chairperson of Nepal Federation of Garment and Tailoring Entrepreneurs Ram Krishna Shrestha said the government should work to address the plights of each sector. He accused the banks and financial institutions of unilaterally increasing interest rates when SMEs were struggling to rise from the present crises brought out by the coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Also speaking on the occasion, leaders of other business sectors demanded the government to come forward with special policy to safeguard SMEs that are on the verge of closure due to the policy of BFIs. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16748', 'image' => '20230213032753_flower fb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 15:27:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17008', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '87 Hydropower Projects yet to Manage Financial Resources despite Signing PPA ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Even though 87 hydropower projects have signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), it has been found that the construction of those projects has not progressed due to a lack of investment. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 13: Even though 87 hydropower projects have signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), it has been found that the construction of those projects has not progressed due to a lack of investment. The NEA has signed agreements with these projects under the ROR, PROR, ROR (Cascade) and PROR (Cascade) models.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Department of Electricity Trade, the target is to generate 1,875 megawatts of electricity from 87 hydropower projects. However, the projects have failed to raise financial resources through PPA. The deadline of construction of 24 hydropower projects in PPA has already expired. If electricity had been produced from those project at the specified time, 433 megawatts of electricity would have been connected to the national grid.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), an organization of private sector businessmen involved in hydropower production, recently said that this sector is not a national priority and banks are not showing much interest in investing, so it is difficult to raise financial resources.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ganesh Karki, the vice president of IPPAN, said that the problem arose after Nepal Rastra Bank's (NRB) previous policy of mandating banks to invest 10 per cent capital in hydropower was removed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks have not shown much interest in investing in the hydropower sector after the NRB's policy of mandatory investment was removed. To increase the production of hydropower in the country, NRB had to bring a binding policy on investment, said Vice President Karki. He complained that after the policy revision of Nepal Rastra Bank, banks have concentrated their investments in areas other than hydropower.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Mohan Kumar Dangi, vice president of IPPAN, said that before investing, banks study the entire project and also look at the benefits from it and the previous record of the operator.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Even though the construction of some projects has been completed, they do not have access to the national transmission line. Banks have backed away from investing in such projects," he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Dangi also advised all construction companies not to enter into PPAs for hydropower projects that cannot be connected to the national transmission system. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prabal Adhikari, Director of the Electricity Trade Center under Nepal Electricity Authority, said that they believe that the effects of the Covid crisis and lack of liquidity in banks may be behind the inability to gather financial resources. He said that the authority has requested the companies constructing the project collect investment as soon as possible and start the construction work. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"If the investment is not collected within the specified time, the provision in the PPA will be scrapped," he told New Business Age. In such a situation, he said, the authority will proceed with the process of taking action against companies that are unable to raise financial resources for the construction of hydropower projects.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16747', 'image' => '20230213012224_hydro.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 13:21:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17007', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt not to Propose New Project Causing Extra Financial Burden ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Admitting that the country’s economy is under pressure, the government has opted for a middle path to curb expenses by not proposing any new programmes and projects that create additional economic burden to the state coffers in the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: Admitting that the country’s economy is under pressure, the government has opted for a middle path to curb expenses by not proposing any new programmes and projects that create additional economic burden to the state coffers in the current fiscal year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Poudel presented the half-yearly review of budget for the fiscal year 2022/23 in meeting of the House of Representatives on Sunday where he mentioned that no new project would be unveiled for the cause of public expenditure management. He also said the programmes that are still waiting approval for their standards, procedures, guidelines and operational models would be completely or partially postponed for now and would be gradually released based on the availability of resources. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the concerned ministries should take an approval from the finance ministry if the programmes are not taken to the implementation phase. However, the ministries can adjust the resources internally by fixing the priorities of budget and programmes. The unspent budget should be reverted to the finance ministry as per the Fiscal Procedures and Financial Responsibility Act, 2076 BS. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Finance Minister Poudel has said that coordination and information exchange would be made effective among the bodies involved in the revenue leakage control, and whosoever is involved in the revenue leakage would be booked. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16746', 'image' => '20230213120618_RS_KTM-IMG_20230212_163119.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 12:05:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17006', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Human Rights Activists Object to Public Holiday on the Occasion of People’s War Day', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: Human rights activists and civil society leaders have expressed strong objection to the government’s decision to announce a public holiday today on the occasion of the People’s War Day.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">February 13: Human rights activists and civil society leaders have expressed strong objection to the government’s decision to announce a public holiday today on the occasion of the People’s War Day.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Issuing a statement on Sunday, Human Rights and Peace Society came down heavily on the federal and state governments for announcing public holiday on February 13.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">“Human Rights and Peace Society expresses its disagreement and strong objection to the announcement made by the Council of Ministers as well state governments of Bagmati Province and Karnali Province to give public holiday on the occasion of People’s War Day on Monday,” reads the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">This controversial decision is against the principle of democracy and non-violence, argued the human rights watchdog.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A meeting of the Council of Ministers held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Sunday took a decision to this effect. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prime Minister's media expert Manahari Timilsina told RSS that the government took the decision to give a public holiday on February 13 in recognition of the contributions made by the Peoples War in Nepal’s political transformation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The People</span>’<span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">s War waged by the Maoist party from February 13, 1996 had ended after signing the Comprehensive Peace Accord on November 21, 2006. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that the incumbent Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal was the leader of the then Maoist rebels who waged the People’s War that killed more than 17000 people across the country. The victims of the conflict are still awaiting for justice while those who committed atrocities are walking freely without any fear of prosecution.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16745', 'image' => '20230213113347_6F8A9729 - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 11:33:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17005', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '4.8 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Olangchungola ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 13: An earthquake rocked eastern Nepal this morning with its epicenter at Olangchungola in Faktanglung Rural Municipality-7 of Taplejung. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 13: An earthquake rocked eastern Nepal this morning with its epicenter at Olangchungola in Faktanglung Rural Municipality-7 of Taplejung. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake measuring 4.8 in the Richter scale jolted Taplejung at 4.30 am this morning. The tremor was felt in Taplejung and its adjoining districts. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Faktanglung-7 ward chair Chheten Lama informed that no damage has been so far reported in Olangchungola due to the earthquake. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that a 5.4 magnitude earthquake had struck the district two years ago with its epicenter at Olangchungola in February 9, 2021. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16744', 'image' => '20230213110923_qukeee.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 11:08:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17003', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Week-long Campaign to Clean up Pashupatinath Temple Kicks off', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Keeping in view the upcoming Mahashivaratri festival, Pashupati Area Development Trust has started a week-long sanitation programme to clean up the Pashupatinath temple premises.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">February 12: Keeping in view the upcoming Mahashivaratri festival, Pashupati Area Development Trust has started a week-long sanitation programme to clean up the Pashupatinath temple premises.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the lead up to the one of the greatest festivals of the Hindus, Mahashivarati, Pashupati Area Development Trust has launched the campaign under the title ‘Pure Pashupatinath, Clean Pashupatinath’. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The work of painting the walls of Pashupati area and repairing the broken stairs have begun. Meanwhile, preparations for Mahashivratri festival have started in different locations of Pashupatinath area. </span></span><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As the festival approaches fast, various areas of Pashupatinath are now decorated with flowers and illuminating lights. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Pashupatinath temple area is being decorated with flowers in collaboration with the Marwadi society of Nepal, according to Member-Secretary of the PADT, Dr Milan Kumar Thapa. The Mahashivarati festival falls on February 18 this year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Taking part in the sanitation campaign, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Sudan Kirati instructed PADT officials to keep dustbins for storing and segregating perishable and non-perishable items in the Pashupatinath area, and arrange sufficient number of toilets for devotees thronging the area during the festival. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Minister Kirati stressed the need that Pashupatinath temple, a cultural center of Hindus around the world, should always be kept clean and beautiful to attract visitors and pilgrims. ------RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-13', 'modified' => '2023-02-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16742', 'image' => '20230213061858_collage - 2023-02-12T164012.538.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-13 06:16:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17002', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Country's Economic Indicators at Risk: Finance Minister Paudel ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 12: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has said that macroeconomic indicators of the country are at risk due to the negative impacts on the global economy and challenges stemming from the country's internal causes. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 12: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has said that macroeconomic indicators of the country are at risk due to the negative impacts on the global economy and challenges stemming from the country's internal causes. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He, however, said he was continuously effortful to resolve economic problems in the country. FM Paudel made this statement while delivering a speech on the issue relating to the half-yearly budget review report for the current fiscal year during Sunday’s parliament meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"I am effortful in shoring up business confidence of the private sector, making relations between the government and the private sector credible and helpful, ending anomalies and divergences in revenue mobilisation, and resolving existing problems in the implementation of budget," he told the House of Representatives. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“However, it would take time for his efforts to bear fruit due to structural limitations and some foreign impacts,” he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The government has come up with the policy of maintaining budget balance, stressing the need for increasing capital expenditure, reducing expenditures except for urgent need, making the revenue administration prompt and increasing the tax obedience and controlling its leakage, he informed. </span></span></span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Economic growth target of 8 per cent unattainable </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The finance minister has made it clear that the target of 8 per cent economic growth rate set by the government for the current fiscal year cannot be attained. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“An assessment of the existing trend of the economy shows that the target of eight per cent economic growth rate cannot be achieved," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The finance minister stated that although it has been estimated the production of paddy is likely to increase this year and there has been a gradual improvement in the tourism sector, the production-oriented industries have not been able to run in full capacity, causing a slowdown in the economic growth rate. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, the inflation ceiling set for the current fiscal year has overshot. "The target was to contain the inflation to 7 per cent in the current fiscal year. However, the year-on-year inflation based on the CPI has reached 7.26 per cent," he added. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-12', 'modified' => '2023-02-12', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16741', 'image' => '20230212062758_HB_KTM-IMG_1450.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-12 18:27:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
