November 1: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has decided to conduct international chartered flights from the newly-constructed Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) in…
November 1: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has decided to conduct international chartered flights from the newly-constructed Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) in…
November 1: A total of 161 climbers have so far succeeded in climbing Mt Manslu in this spring season.…
Novermber 1: The World Bank has projected Nepal's economic growth rate to reach 5.8 per cent in…
October 31: Domestic and foreign tourists have started arriving in Kanchenjunga region, the home to the third highest peak in the…
October 31: According to government data, 1.2 million tons of fruits are produced annually in Nepal.…
October 31: Last-minute cancellation of a Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) flight to New Delhi on Sunday afternoon left 2544 passengers stranded.…
October 31: Nepal's foreign trade has decreased by 18 per cent in the first three months of the current fiscal…
October 31: The Chhath festival observed mostly by the people of Mithila region concluded this morning by offering curd (Argha) to the rising…
October 30: The share of fixed deposits of banks has climbed to almost 60 percent of the total…
October 30: Russia has pulled out of an internatinaly-brokered grain deal that allows Ukraine to export grains, raising concerns of a global food crisis amid ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.…
October 30: Clear sky is ideal for trekking and sightseeing. It is also suitable for mountain flights that delights the domestic and foreign tourists in…
October 30: A multi-stakeholder consultation and discussion program was held recently on the subject of “Legalization of Marijuana Farming in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges” in collaboration with the Nepal Government's Expert Group Policy Research Institute and the Nepal Health Research Council.…
October 30: ccording to government data, about 4 million metric tons of vegetables are produced in Nepal annually.…
October 30: Ujjwal Basnet from Dharmadevi Municipality of Sankhuwasabha was in Yangle Kharka on October 17.…
October 30: The setting sun will be worshiped this evening as part of the Chhath festival.…
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Until now, all international chartered flights are operated through Kathmandu-based Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The autonomous civil aviation regulator of the country resorted to the move to bring the GBIA into full operation, said CAAN Director General Pradip Adhikari. The airport officially came into operation on May 16 this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, one international flight out of every three flights at the TIA will have to be operated at the GBIA, according to a winter flight schedule that came into operation from October 30. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The CAAN earlier directed three international airlines along with the Nepal Airlines Corporation, the national flag carrier of Nepal, and the Himalaya Airlines to operate a flight a day each at the GBIA. At present, only Jazeera Airways is running three flights a week at the GBIA. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-11-01', 'modified' => '2022-11-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15965', 'image' => '20221101012840_GBIAAA.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-11-01 13:28:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16223', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '161 Climbers Including 77 Foreigners climb Mt Manaslu this Spring ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'November 1: A total of 161 climbers have so far succeeded in climbing Mt Manslu in this spring season. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">November 1: A total of 161 climbers have so far succeeded in climbing Mt Manslu in this spring season. According to the Department of Tourism, 77 foreigners and 84 Nepal reached the top of Manaslu (8,163 meter) this spring. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The department's Mountaineering Section's officer Bigyan Koirala said this time 407 foreigners acquired permission to scale the mountain, but only 77 made it. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">They were accompanied by Nepali Sherpa guides to the peak. Now the expedition to the Mount Manaslu has been completed while it continues in other peaks. The number of Manaslu climbers this time is relatively less than the previous years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The area above the Manaslu base camp witnessed an avalanche just prior to the commencement of Manaslu expedition this season, killing one and leaving some others injured. The incident occurred on September 26. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The mountain based in Chumanubri rural municipality in north Gorkha remains as the world's eighth highest peak and it lies along the Manasiri mountain range. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-11-01', 'modified' => '2022-11-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15964', 'image' => '20221101102053_manaslu.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-11-01 10:20:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank Estimates 5.8 Percent Growth in 2022 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Novermber 1: The World Bank has projected Nepal's economic growth rate to reach 5.8 per cent in 2022. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Novermber </span>1: <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The World Bank has projected Nepal's economic growth rate to reach 5.8 per cent in 2022. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Releasing the October 2022 edition of the Nepal's Development Update on Monday, the World Bank estimated that Nepal's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would increase by 5.8 per cent in 2022. Meanwhile, the report has projected Nepal's GDP to increase by 5.1 per cent in 2023 and by 4.1 per cent in 2024. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, unveiling the report 'Countering the Cast of Living Crisis', the International Monetary Fund had estimated that Nepal's economic growth rate would increase by 4.1 per cent in 2022. The World Bank projection is in stark contract with the government’s target of achieving 8 per cent economic growth in the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, the World Bank has estimated the inflation rate of 6.3 per cent in 2022 as well as 5.5 per cent price hike in 2023 and 5.3 per cent in 2024. The government, in the budget for the current fiscal year has set a target to limit price hike within seven percent. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In 2022, the World Bank has projected export of goods and services to increase by 35 per cent and import by 15 per cent. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the World Bank, growth rate of industrial sector will increase by 10.2 percentage points while the growth of service sector will rise by 5.9 percentage points and that of agricultural sector by 2.3 percentage points in the year 2022. </span><br /> <br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-11-01', 'modified' => '2022-11-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15963', 'image' => '20221101101708_World.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-11-01 10:16:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Arrival of Tourists Increasing in Kanchenjunga Area ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: Domestic and foreign tourists have started arriving in Kanchenjunga region, the home to the third highest peak in the world. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 31: Domestic and foreign tourists have started arriving in Kanchenjunga region, the home to the third highest peak in the world. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As a result, tourism entrepreneurs are excited with the arrival of tourists in the Kanchenjunga area, which has been deserted for a long time. Tourism business is the main source of income for the communities in the high mountain settlements such as Kapla, Phale, Ghunsa, Khabajen and Lonak in Phattanglung Rural Municipality-6 of Taplejung. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Hotel owner Pema Sherpa had thought of changing his profession after arrival of tourists dropped to zero due to COVID-19. But his thoughts have now changed with signs of revival of tourism in the area. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council, 52 hotels are operating in the trekking route leading to the base camp of Mount Kanchenjunga. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Programme assistant coordinator at the council office, Jiten Chemjong, said that four hotels built with an investment of more than Rs 10 million are operating at an altitude of 3,500 meters to 4,500 meters above the sea level. The hotels which had been closed for a long time due to coronavirus pandemic are now full of guests. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Two paths are used to reach the base camp of Mt Kanchenjunga. Mostly, tourists reach the base camp of Kanchenjunga through Sirijunga Rural Municipality of Taplejung. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Tourism assistant at Management Council's Yamphudin office, Suryaman Rai said along with foreigners domestic tourists are also arriving to see the Mt Kanchenjunga region through the south route. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In the fiscal year 2078/79, a total of 359 tourists had entered the Kanchenjunga conservation area of Taplejung. Chief Conservation Officer Ramesh Kumar Yadav said that 222 foreigners, 63 from SAARC countries and 74 domestic tourists have entered the conservation area to observe the natural, religious, historical and tourist sites. In the previous year 2077/78, only 63 tourists had arrived in the region. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15962', 'image' => '20221031025456_Things-to-Know-About-Kanchenjunga-Trek.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 14:53:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal yet to Become Self-Sufficient in Fruit Production ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: According to government data, 1.2 million tons of fruits are produced annually in Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 31: According to government data, 1.2 million tons of fruits are produced annually in Nepal. The data provided by the National Fruit Development Center shows that 1.2 million tons of fruits were produced in 1.19 thousand hectares of productive land in different parts of Nepal in the fiscal year 2020/2021.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The data prepared by the center takes into account the main fruits produced in Nepal including apple, pear, orange, banana, mango, and papaya. According to the data, the fruits produced in the review year was the most in the last 11 years. Similarly, the lowest production was in the year 2010/11, with just 794,000 tons of fruit produced in 79,000 hectares of productive land. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Even though productivity is improving every year, Nepal has not yet become self-sufficient in fruits. In the year 2018/19, the productivity per hectare was 9.73 tons. This situation is improving and in the year 2021/22, the productivity per hectare has reached 10.50 per cent. In the same year, Nepal imported 280,000 tons of fruits. According to the data of the center, 372 tons of fruits were exported in the year 2020/2021.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the center's study, fruit cultivation is done in 4.79 per cent of the 3.391 thousand hectares of arable land in Nepal. Similarly, out of about 23 per cent contribution of the agriculture sector to Nepal's gross domestic product, 7.04 per cent is from fruit production.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government has declared the period between 2016/17 to 2025/26 as the Fruit Decade in order to make the country self-sufficient in major fruits within this period by expanding the fruit business and promoting exports.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although various programs have been launched to make the fruit decade successful, large quantities of fruits are being imported every year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Yam Kumari Shrestha, information officer of the center, due to the lack of quality seeds, trained and skilled technicians and suitable markets and prices, fruit farmers have not been able to become self-sufficient in fruit production.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Amar Baniyan, president of Nepal Fruit Wholesale Business Association Kathmandu, informed that apples worth Rs 30 million and bananas worth Rs 40 million were imported from India and China only for the Tihar festival. Similarly, oranges worth Rs 50 million and coconuts worth Rs 20 million have been imported, he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Shrestha, fruits of different types worth Rs 72 million were imported into the fruit market of Kuleshwar for Tihar alone. Experts say that in some cases, the market price of foreign fruits is higher than that of domestic ones, so Nepali producers have become discouraged.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15961', 'image' => '20221031024751_fruit.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 14:46:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16219', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NAC Trades Barbs with CAAN for Last-Minute Flight Cancellation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: Last-minute cancellation of a Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) flight to New Delhi on Sunday afternoon left 2544 passengers stranded. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 31: Last-minute cancellation of a Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) flight to New Delhi on Sunday afternoon left 2544 passengers stranded. Some of the passengers were sent to New Delhi through other airlines while the flag carrier of Nepal promised to send the remaining passengers to their destination on Monday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Nepal Airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the regulatory body, have been blaming each other for the flight cancellation. CAAN has accused NAC of making attempts to fly the aircraft without any approval for the flight schedule. The airliner has defended the move saying that it has already presented the flight schedule to the CAAN and has been trying to get it approved. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CAAN has implemented the winter schedule effective from Sunday, October 30. As per this schedule, CAAN had asked airline companies to submit their flight schedules between October 30 to upcoming March. Accordingly, NAC submitted its flight schedule to CAAN, insists NAC Spokesperson Archana Khadka.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, it has been learnt that CAAN delayed approval of the flight schedule with the intention of pressing the airline companies to conduct flights from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport as well.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAC was confident that CAAN would approve the flight schedule and didn’t issue any notice to the passengers. The state-owned airline company also issued boarding passes to the passengers who were ready to board the aircraft. However, CAAN cancelled the flight in the last minute saying that the flight schedule hasn’t been approved.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAC said that it is ready to conduct flights from GBIA as per the wish of CAAN but said it would take at least two months for technical management to operate the flights from the new airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Taking this as a disobedience, CAAN had disapproved four flights of NAC to New Delhi. NAC has been conducting 14 flights a week to New Delhi, including two flights a day. However, NAC has been allowed to conduct only 10 flights a week to New Delhi this winter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tribhuvan International Airport’s Spokesperson Teknath Sitaula confirmed that 245 passengers of NAC were issued boarding passes but the flight was cancelled as the flight schedule was not approved by CAAN. Sitaula said that NAC should have informed the passengers about the flight schedule but did not do so. Instead, the airline company called the passengers to board the flight even though the schedule was not approved, said Sitaula.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAC Spokesperson Khadka said that they tried to get the flight schedule approved until the last minute but failed to do so. She said that the tickets for the New Delhi flight was sold beforehand and therefore the airline company was confident that CAAN would approve the flight schedule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“We haven’t left the passengers stranded. We will send them to their destination by any means,” said Khadka.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15960', 'image' => '20221031011343_1667187471.उडान रद्द हुँदा नयाँ दिल्ली जान लागेका २५४ यात्रु अलपत्र.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 13:13:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16218', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Foreign Trade Declines by 18 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: Nepal's foreign trade has decreased by 18 per cent in the first three months of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 31: Nepal's foreign trade has decreased by 18 per cent in the first three months of the current fiscal year. Foreign trade has been affected due to the government's policy of discouraging imports and tightening of bank loans for imports due to pressure on foreign exchange reserves.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data released by the Department of Customs, Nepal’s foreign trade amounted to Rs 442.81 billion till mid-October of the current fiscal year. This is 18.54 per cent less than the volume of foreign trade during the corresponding period of the previous year. In the same period of the previous year, the size of Nepal's foreign trade was equal to Rs 543.57 billion. The size of foreign trade decreased as both imports and exports decreased.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, from last mid-July to mid-October, the import decreased by 16.2 per cent compared to the previous year and remained at Rs 499 billion. Similarly, the previous year in July-August, the export was worth Rs 65.5 billion, but this year it has decreased by 35.71 per cent to Rs 41.82 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Due to the decrease in imports, the country's trade deficit has also decreased. By mid-October 2022, the trade deficit declined by 13.13 per cent to Rs 359 billion compared to last year, the department said. The government has collected revenue of Rs 96.61 billion from imports till October. Since last year, Nepal Rastra Bank has adopted a policy of tightening imports due to the lack of liquidity in banks and pressure on foreign exchange reserves </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">To reduce imports, the NRB reduced the import quota of gold and silver and also implemented the provision of keeping a cash margin for opening letter of credit.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had banned the import of 10 luxury items for four months during last summer. The government lifted the ban on most of the items in August except the import of cars, jeeps, vans, mobiles worth more than $300, liquor and motorcycles with a capacity of more than 150 ccs was banned. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, until mid-October of the current year, petroleum products tops the list of imported goods. During this period, diesel worth Rs 29.81 billion, petrol worth Rs 18.44 and LPG gas worth Rs 14.94 billion have been imported into the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The import of raw materials of palm and soybean oil is also high. According to the statistics of the department, unrefined palm oil worth Rs 14.48 billion and crude soybean oil worth Rs 9.97 billion were imported till mid-October.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15959', 'image' => '20221031123131_1667170461.0--.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 12:30:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16217', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Chhath Concludes with Offering to Sun God ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: The Chhath festival observed mostly by the people of Mithila region concluded this morning by offering curd (Argha) to the rising Sun. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 31: The Chhath festival observed mostly by the people of Mithila region concluded this morning by offering curd (Argha) to the rising Sun. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The devotees who observed fasting since the start of the festival concluded the Chhath rituals this year by offering prayers to the rising Sun this morning. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Sun rose at around 6.14 am in Mithila region this morning. The timing of the sunshine is determined as per the Mithila Panchanga and Bidyapati Panchanga in Mithila. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Just prior to the sunshine, the devotees were chanting songs awaiting the rise of the Sun by taking holy dips three times. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Devotees also ended their 36-hour-long perennial fasting after offering worships to the Sun God today morning. With this, the devotees returned home from the river banks (Chhati Ghat) by concluding the grand festival where the shining and setting suns are worshipped with devotion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chhath is a festival of goodwill, faith, social harmony as people from all backgrounds come together in a common place to offer worships to the Sun God. It is widely believed that appeasing the Sun God brings happiness, prosperity, well-being and longevity of the family members. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15958', 'image' => '20221031114759_chhath.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 11:47:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16216', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Fixed Deposits of Banks Increasing', 'sub_title' => 'Share of Fixed Deposits Climbs to Almost 60 Percent', 'summary' => 'October 30: The share of fixed deposits of banks has climbed to almost 60 percent of the total deposits.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">October 30: The share of fixed deposits of banks has climbed to almost 60 percent of the total deposits. The amount in fixed deposit accounts has increased due to the long-term schemes launched by banks to attract more deposits amid liquidity crisis. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">As per the data of Nepal Rastra Bank, the total deposits of commercial banks has reached Rs 5090.42 billion as of mid-September this year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The share of fixed deposits stands at 58.8 percent, which was 49.2 percent a year ago.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Commercial banks have announced interest of 12.13 percent for fixed deposits, 10.13 for institutional term deposits and 13.13 percent for remittance since mid-September. Similarly, development banks have announced 13 percent interest for fixed deposits and 11 percent interest for institutional term deposits while finance companies have fixed interest rate of 13.47 for personal term deposits and 11.47 for institutional term deposits.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Bank deposits have been declining due to liquidity crisis. The deposit collection of banks and financial institutes declined by 0.9 percent in the month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September) when credit flow increased by 0.55 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Banks have announced schemes to attract deposits by promising to pay ten times the initial deposit in 21 years. Besides interest, banks are also providing other facilities such as insurance, credit card, easy loans to such depositors. As a result, the share of fixed deposits has been increasing at the expense of other types of deposits.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The share of current account has dropped to 7.7 percent in mid-September from 7.9 percent during the corresponding period of last year. Likewise, the share of general savings account has dropped to 26.5 percent in mid-September from 35 percent. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15957', 'image' => '20221030050239_1667081609.11.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 17:01:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16215', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Russia Halts Grain Exports via Black Sea Prompting Fear of Food Crisis', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Russia has pulled out of an internatinaly-brokered grain deal that allows Ukraine to export grains, raising concerns of a global food crisis amid ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Agencies</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: Russia has pulled out of an internatinaly-brokered grain deal that allows Ukraine to export grains, raising concerns of a global food crisis amid ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Reuters, Moscow said on Saturday that it was suspending participation in the Black Sea deal in response to what it called a major Ukrainian drone attack on its fleet. In a conflict that began in February, Russia calls its actions in Ukraine "a special operation".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The suspension of July's Black Sea Grain Initiative will cut shipments from Ukraine, one of the world's biggest grain exporters, from its crucial Black Sea ports, the news agency further reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Al Jazeera, the Turkey and UN-brokered deal to unlock grain exports signed between Russia and Ukraine in July is critical to easing the global food crisis caused by the conflict.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The agreement has already allowed more than 9 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to be exported and was due to be renewed on November 19, the Doha-based news agency added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Any act by Russia to disrupt these critical grain exports is essentially a statement that people and families around the world should pay more for food or go hungry," Reuters quoted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as saying in a statement.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine attacked the Black Sea Fleet near Sevastopol on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula with 16 drones early on Saturday, and that British navy "specialists" had helped coordinate the "terrorist" attack.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Moscow also accused British navy personnel of blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month, a claim that London said was false and designed to distract from Russian military failures in Ukraine, Reuters added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The grain deal had restarted shipments from Ukraine, allowing sales on world markets, targeting the pre-war level of 5 million metric tonnes exported from Ukraine each month. More than 9 million tonnes of corn, wheat, sunflower products, barley, rapeseed and soya have been exported under the deal, signed on July 22. But ahead of its November 19 expiry, Russia had repeatedly said that there were serious problems with it, Reuters added. Ukraine complained Moscow had blocked almost 200 ships from picking up grain cargoes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the news agency, when the agreement was signed, the UN World Food Programme said some 47 million people had moved into "acute hunger" as the war halted Ukrainian shipments. The deal ensured safe passage in and out of Odesa and two other Ukrainian ports in what an official called a "de facto ceasefire" for the ships and facilities covered.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia's departure from the grain deal marks a new development in a war that has recently been dominated by a Ukrainian counteroffensive and Russian drone and missile attacks that have destroyed more than 30 percent of Ukraine's generating capacity and hit populated areas. Each side has accused the other of being prepared to detonate radioactive bombs.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Reuters, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's invasion of its smaller neighbour in an offensive he said was aimed at demilitarising and "denazifying" Ukraine. Kyiv and the West say the war is an unprovoked act of aggression by Moscow.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15956', 'image' => '20221030035342_wheatttttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 15:52:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16214', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Clear Sky Attracting Tourists Towards Mountain Flights', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Clear sky is ideal for trekking and sightseeing. It is also suitable for mountain flights that delights the domestic and foreign tourists in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: Clear sky is ideal for trekking and sightseeing. It is also suitable for mountain flights that delights the domestic and foreign tourists in Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Different airlines have been operating mountain flights enthusiastically as this is the peak season for tourism as the weather has become favourable. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Private airlines companies--Buddha Airlines, Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines, Guna Air, and others have been operating mountain flights. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Spokesperson of Yeti Airlines, Sudharshan Bartaula, said mountain flights were in operation thanks to the favourable weather. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The number of mountain flights has increased all of sudden. There has been good booking for mountain flight till Tihar. We believe that the trend of booking for mountain flight will increase," said Bartaula. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Information Officer of Buddha Air, Dipendra Karna, shared that attraction to mountain flight has increased this season. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The number of mountain flights has increased due to the clear sky. Many foreigners visit Nepal in this season. Attraction towards mountain flight in winter season increases as there is no cloudy weather and one can easily view mountain ranges under the clean serene blue sky," said Karna. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October, November and December are suitable months for mountain flights. Hotels located in tourism destinations are crowded with domestic and foreign tourists in this season, said first Vice-President of Hotel Association of Nepal, Binayak Shah. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Mountain flight is operated from 7:00 am from Tribhuvan International Airport. Buddha Airlines and Yeti Airlines have determined Rs 15,000 fare for mountain flight for domestic and Indian tourists. The fare is USD 230 for the citizens of other countries. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15955', 'image' => '20221030031427_Mountain-Flight-Tour-Kathma.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 15:13:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16213', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Discussion on Legalizing Marijuana Farming in Nepal Held', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: A multi-stakeholder consultation and discussion program was held recently on the subject of “Legalization of Marijuana Farming in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges” in collaboration with the Nepal Government's Expert Group Policy Research Institute and the Nepal Health Research Council. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: A multi-stakeholder consultation and discussion program was held recently on the subject of “Legalization of Marijuana Farming in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges” in collaboration with the Nepal Government's Expert Group Policy Research Institute and the Nepal Health Research Council. In the program, the researchers of Nepal Health Research Foundation presented a paper based on the analysis of reference materials from the medical side of marijuana. Similarly, a working paper was presented from the perspective of the economic importance and social aspects of cannabis cultivation in Nepal on behalf of the Policy Research Institute.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During the program, it was shared that the debate on the controlled use of cannabis was raised around the world after the United Nations placed cannabis as a useful plant in 2020. In addition, the fact that 56 countries in the world legalized the cultivation and controlled use of marijuana was highlighted during the programme</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, in the paper presented about the legal aspects of marijuana, it is mentioned that the cultivation of marijuana is not legally prohibited because the definition of marijuana in the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act, 2033 does not prohibit the production of hemp plants and bark (fibers). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Meanwhile, President of Narconon Nepal, Basanta Kunwar said that one should not even imagine legalizing marijuana arguing that the reason behind almost 90 percent of mental patients is due to marijuana consumption.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Achyut Adhikari, associate professor of Tribhuvan University said that the harmful substances of marijuana should be banned and useful substances should be used. Devi Prasad Bhandari of the Institute of Forestry opined that hemp oil can be sold in the world market. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Research Director of Nepal Health Research Foundation Dr Meghnath Dhimal said that if the regulations are made first, it will be easier to use marijuana for research.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15954', 'image' => '20221030030309_20201204014433_1607039093.Clipboard09.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 15:02:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16212', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Produces 4 Million Tons of Vegetables Annually', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: ccording to government data, about 4 million metric tons of vegetables are produced in Nepal annually. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: ccording to government data, about 4 million metric tons of vegetables are produced in Nepal annually. As per the data provided by National Center for Potato, Vegetable and Spice Crops Development, all the districts of the seven provinces produced the given amount of vegetables in 284,000 hectares of land in the fiscal year 2020/21.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The total production of 56 types of vegetable crops including cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, tomato, radish, bitter gourd, okra, and green vegetables are included in the data of the center. Looking at the data of the last 10 years, the lowest quantity of vegetables (3,298,000 metric tons) was produced in the FY 2011/12 and the highest (4,271,000 metric tons) in the FY 2018/19.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although vegetable production increased somewhat in recent years, it seems that it has not fully met the demand of the domestic market. Due to this, vegetables are imported from India, China, Bhutan, Japan and other countries in large quantities each year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Uddhav Adhikari, agricultural engineer and coordinator of the Agricultural Campaign for Food, the best way to become self-reliant in vegetables by increasing production is to develop the local agricultural market. According to him, the farmers have stopped producing because the produced vegetables do not have a market; so they have to import vegetables from abroad. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The production will increase only if the farmers' products find a market,” he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the fiscal year 2020/21 alone, 231,000 metric tons of vegetables were imported from abroad. In the same year, Nepal exported 6000 metric tons of vegetables. A per the information provided by the centre, most vegetables were produced in Madhesh Province that year. In Madhesh Province, 1,245,000 tons of vegetables were produced on 53,300 hectares of land. The least amount of vegetables was produced in Karnali Province. In Karnali, 149,500 tons of vegetables were produced in 13,200 hectares of land. Similarly, 798,300 tons of vegetables were grown on 50,300 hectares in Province 1 and 727,000 tons of vegetables were grown on 50,400 hectares of land in Bagmati Province.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, 282,000 tons of vegetables were produced on 22,700 hectares in Gandaki Province, 544,600 tons on 41,900 hectares in Lumbini Province, and 285,000 tons of vegetables were produced on 22,000 hectares in Sudurpaschim Province.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Sandeep Subedi, horticultural development officer of the National Center for Potato, Vegetable and Spice Crop Development, due to the lack of quality seeds and fertilizers, farmers are not able to grow vegetables despite their best efforts, and the quality of the soil is not good enough to improve productivity. He added that the data also confirmed that there has been no significant improvement in our productivity in the last 10 years. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15953', 'image' => '20221030011818_vegetable-store.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 13:17:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16211', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepali Trekkers Complain of Discrimination at Makalu Base Camp ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Ujjwal Basnet from Dharmadevi Municipality of Sankhuwasabha was in Yangle Kharka on October 17. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: Ujjwal Basnet from Dharmadevi Municipality of Sankhuwasabha was in Yangle Kharka on October 17. He was there after making a trip to Makalu Base Camp, the base camp of fifth tallest mountain on earth. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A day before on October 16, he spent his night in a local teahouse. In Yangle Kharka, no teahouses are named. He woke up at 6 am in the morning and headed out for Shiva Dhara shrine. Shiva Dhara is a very famous religious destination nearby, which takes around 5 to 6 hours to make a complete trip. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Basnet came back to Yangle Kharka after making his 6 hour long pilgrimage to the famed shrine of Sankhuwasabha. ''I had ordered meal in the morning as we visit religious shrine with fasting,'' Basnet said, ''But, when I came back after 6 hours of extremely stressing journey, the teahouse operator said there is no meal for me.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The repeated request by Basnet fell into deaf ears of the teahouse operators, who simply said he was 'busy’. Basnet said the same teahouse operator had cooked meal just a couple of days ago while he was coming from Fematang, a nearby camp. But that day, the same service was not offered. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">''Previously, there were no foreigners and he cooked meal for me and I paid Rs 400 for a vegetarian meal,'' said Basnet, ''But, on October 17, there were some foreigners and he did not give attention to my request.'' </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Ujjwal basnet is not only one to complain about discriminatory treatment by operators of teahouses along the route of Makalu Base Camp compared to their foreign counterparts. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">''The price is not that much different for Nepali and foreign trekkers,'' said Kamal Magar, a trekker from Chitwan. ''They give utmost priority to foreigners and give least, if not no priority at all, to Nepali trekkers.'' </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, Dawa Chhiring Sherpa, a local teahouse operator at Dobato of Makalu Base Camp trail, said there are some complaints from Nepali trekkers in other teahouses. ''I have heard some complaints. This is due to unprofessional practices by some teahouse operators but you cannot blame all of us,'' said Sherpa. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15952', 'image' => '20221030120011_makalu-base-camp-trek-banner.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 11:59:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Preparations Underway to Worship the Setting Sun during Chhath Festival', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: The setting sun will be worshiped this evening as part of the Chhath festival. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: The setting sun will be worshiped this evening as part of the Chhath festival. Most of the ponds, lakes, streams and rivers in Terai Madhes including Janakpurdham have been cleaned up and decorated as worshipping sites. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The banks of Ganga Sagar, the main pond of Janakpurdham sub-metropolitan city, have been decorated and preparations for the rituals have been completed. Local youth clubs have set up tents for the Chhath Pooja. In addition to Ganga Sagar, the Dhanush Sagar, Angraj Sar, Dasharath Lake, Janaki Sarovar, Gordhoi, Agnikunda have been decorated by local youth clubs in Janakpurdham. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The army and the police have also supported the cleaning of the ponds and lakes used as a place of worship. Bhojpuri and Maithili songs glorifying Chhathimaiya are found buzzing all around the sites and in the market places. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chhath is also considered as one of the major festivals for the people of Mithila region. Preparations for Chhath festival start from a week before. This festival starts on the fourth day of the waxing moon in the Nepali month of Kartik (mid-October to mid-November) and ends on the seventh day as per the lunar calendar, says Pandit Ramkumar Shastri. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Sun god is especially worshiped during this festival. It is believed that the tradition of worshipping the sun in Hinduism has existed since the Vedic period. This festival is celebrated by all sections of the society together. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the Chhath festival, fasting women and men take a bath and wear clean clothes and eat vegetarian food. In the evening, rice pudding is made in a new oven made of clay. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Pandit Shastri, rice pudding made with molasses is offered to the gods and goddesses and then accepted by the fasting person and other members of the family. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Women offer argha to the setting sun, while men stand on the banks of the ponds and river with coconuts or other fruits in their hands. Traditionally, all the members of the family fasting usually stay awake at the bank of the pond throughout the night. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This year, the worshippers have been hit hard as the prices of goods used in Chhath have skyrocketed. Prices of bananas, coconuts, sugarcane, radish, lemons, apples, oranges, molasses, as well as bamboo items used during the Chhath festival have increased of late. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15951', 'image' => '20221030111003_20211107101945_1260843_n - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 11:09:27', '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' => '16224', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CAAN Tells Airlines Companies to Operate Int’l Chartered Flights from GBIA ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'November 1: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has decided to conduct international chartered flights from the newly-constructed Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) in Bhairahawa.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">November 1: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has decided to conduct international chartered flights from the newly-constructed Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) in Bhairahawa. Until now, all international chartered flights are operated through Kathmandu-based Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The autonomous civil aviation regulator of the country resorted to the move to bring the GBIA into full operation, said CAAN Director General Pradip Adhikari. The airport officially came into operation on May 16 this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, one international flight out of every three flights at the TIA will have to be operated at the GBIA, according to a winter flight schedule that came into operation from October 30. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The CAAN earlier directed three international airlines along with the Nepal Airlines Corporation, the national flag carrier of Nepal, and the Himalaya Airlines to operate a flight a day each at the GBIA. At present, only Jazeera Airways is running three flights a week at the GBIA. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-11-01', 'modified' => '2022-11-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15965', 'image' => '20221101012840_GBIAAA.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-11-01 13:28:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16223', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '161 Climbers Including 77 Foreigners climb Mt Manaslu this Spring ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'November 1: A total of 161 climbers have so far succeeded in climbing Mt Manslu in this spring season. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">November 1: A total of 161 climbers have so far succeeded in climbing Mt Manslu in this spring season. According to the Department of Tourism, 77 foreigners and 84 Nepal reached the top of Manaslu (8,163 meter) this spring. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The department's Mountaineering Section's officer Bigyan Koirala said this time 407 foreigners acquired permission to scale the mountain, but only 77 made it. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">They were accompanied by Nepali Sherpa guides to the peak. Now the expedition to the Mount Manaslu has been completed while it continues in other peaks. The number of Manaslu climbers this time is relatively less than the previous years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The area above the Manaslu base camp witnessed an avalanche just prior to the commencement of Manaslu expedition this season, killing one and leaving some others injured. The incident occurred on September 26. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The mountain based in Chumanubri rural municipality in north Gorkha remains as the world's eighth highest peak and it lies along the Manasiri mountain range. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-11-01', 'modified' => '2022-11-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15964', 'image' => '20221101102053_manaslu.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-11-01 10:20:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank Estimates 5.8 Percent Growth in 2022 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Novermber 1: The World Bank has projected Nepal's economic growth rate to reach 5.8 per cent in 2022. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Novermber </span>1: <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The World Bank has projected Nepal's economic growth rate to reach 5.8 per cent in 2022. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Releasing the October 2022 edition of the Nepal's Development Update on Monday, the World Bank estimated that Nepal's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would increase by 5.8 per cent in 2022. Meanwhile, the report has projected Nepal's GDP to increase by 5.1 per cent in 2023 and by 4.1 per cent in 2024. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, unveiling the report 'Countering the Cast of Living Crisis', the International Monetary Fund had estimated that Nepal's economic growth rate would increase by 4.1 per cent in 2022. The World Bank projection is in stark contract with the government’s target of achieving 8 per cent economic growth in the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, the World Bank has estimated the inflation rate of 6.3 per cent in 2022 as well as 5.5 per cent price hike in 2023 and 5.3 per cent in 2024. The government, in the budget for the current fiscal year has set a target to limit price hike within seven percent. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In 2022, the World Bank has projected export of goods and services to increase by 35 per cent and import by 15 per cent. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the World Bank, growth rate of industrial sector will increase by 10.2 percentage points while the growth of service sector will rise by 5.9 percentage points and that of agricultural sector by 2.3 percentage points in the year 2022. </span><br /> <br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-11-01', 'modified' => '2022-11-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15963', 'image' => '20221101101708_World.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-11-01 10:16:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Arrival of Tourists Increasing in Kanchenjunga Area ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: Domestic and foreign tourists have started arriving in Kanchenjunga region, the home to the third highest peak in the world. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 31: Domestic and foreign tourists have started arriving in Kanchenjunga region, the home to the third highest peak in the world. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As a result, tourism entrepreneurs are excited with the arrival of tourists in the Kanchenjunga area, which has been deserted for a long time. Tourism business is the main source of income for the communities in the high mountain settlements such as Kapla, Phale, Ghunsa, Khabajen and Lonak in Phattanglung Rural Municipality-6 of Taplejung. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Hotel owner Pema Sherpa had thought of changing his profession after arrival of tourists dropped to zero due to COVID-19. But his thoughts have now changed with signs of revival of tourism in the area. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council, 52 hotels are operating in the trekking route leading to the base camp of Mount Kanchenjunga. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Programme assistant coordinator at the council office, Jiten Chemjong, said that four hotels built with an investment of more than Rs 10 million are operating at an altitude of 3,500 meters to 4,500 meters above the sea level. The hotels which had been closed for a long time due to coronavirus pandemic are now full of guests. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Two paths are used to reach the base camp of Mt Kanchenjunga. Mostly, tourists reach the base camp of Kanchenjunga through Sirijunga Rural Municipality of Taplejung. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Tourism assistant at Management Council's Yamphudin office, Suryaman Rai said along with foreigners domestic tourists are also arriving to see the Mt Kanchenjunga region through the south route. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In the fiscal year 2078/79, a total of 359 tourists had entered the Kanchenjunga conservation area of Taplejung. Chief Conservation Officer Ramesh Kumar Yadav said that 222 foreigners, 63 from SAARC countries and 74 domestic tourists have entered the conservation area to observe the natural, religious, historical and tourist sites. In the previous year 2077/78, only 63 tourists had arrived in the region. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15962', 'image' => '20221031025456_Things-to-Know-About-Kanchenjunga-Trek.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 14:53:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal yet to Become Self-Sufficient in Fruit Production ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: According to government data, 1.2 million tons of fruits are produced annually in Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 31: According to government data, 1.2 million tons of fruits are produced annually in Nepal. The data provided by the National Fruit Development Center shows that 1.2 million tons of fruits were produced in 1.19 thousand hectares of productive land in different parts of Nepal in the fiscal year 2020/2021.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The data prepared by the center takes into account the main fruits produced in Nepal including apple, pear, orange, banana, mango, and papaya. According to the data, the fruits produced in the review year was the most in the last 11 years. Similarly, the lowest production was in the year 2010/11, with just 794,000 tons of fruit produced in 79,000 hectares of productive land. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Even though productivity is improving every year, Nepal has not yet become self-sufficient in fruits. In the year 2018/19, the productivity per hectare was 9.73 tons. This situation is improving and in the year 2021/22, the productivity per hectare has reached 10.50 per cent. In the same year, Nepal imported 280,000 tons of fruits. According to the data of the center, 372 tons of fruits were exported in the year 2020/2021.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the center's study, fruit cultivation is done in 4.79 per cent of the 3.391 thousand hectares of arable land in Nepal. Similarly, out of about 23 per cent contribution of the agriculture sector to Nepal's gross domestic product, 7.04 per cent is from fruit production.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government has declared the period between 2016/17 to 2025/26 as the Fruit Decade in order to make the country self-sufficient in major fruits within this period by expanding the fruit business and promoting exports.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although various programs have been launched to make the fruit decade successful, large quantities of fruits are being imported every year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Yam Kumari Shrestha, information officer of the center, due to the lack of quality seeds, trained and skilled technicians and suitable markets and prices, fruit farmers have not been able to become self-sufficient in fruit production.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Amar Baniyan, president of Nepal Fruit Wholesale Business Association Kathmandu, informed that apples worth Rs 30 million and bananas worth Rs 40 million were imported from India and China only for the Tihar festival. Similarly, oranges worth Rs 50 million and coconuts worth Rs 20 million have been imported, he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Shrestha, fruits of different types worth Rs 72 million were imported into the fruit market of Kuleshwar for Tihar alone. Experts say that in some cases, the market price of foreign fruits is higher than that of domestic ones, so Nepali producers have become discouraged.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15961', 'image' => '20221031024751_fruit.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 14:46:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16219', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NAC Trades Barbs with CAAN for Last-Minute Flight Cancellation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: Last-minute cancellation of a Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) flight to New Delhi on Sunday afternoon left 2544 passengers stranded. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 31: Last-minute cancellation of a Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) flight to New Delhi on Sunday afternoon left 2544 passengers stranded. Some of the passengers were sent to New Delhi through other airlines while the flag carrier of Nepal promised to send the remaining passengers to their destination on Monday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Nepal Airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the regulatory body, have been blaming each other for the flight cancellation. CAAN has accused NAC of making attempts to fly the aircraft without any approval for the flight schedule. The airliner has defended the move saying that it has already presented the flight schedule to the CAAN and has been trying to get it approved. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CAAN has implemented the winter schedule effective from Sunday, October 30. As per this schedule, CAAN had asked airline companies to submit their flight schedules between October 30 to upcoming March. Accordingly, NAC submitted its flight schedule to CAAN, insists NAC Spokesperson Archana Khadka.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, it has been learnt that CAAN delayed approval of the flight schedule with the intention of pressing the airline companies to conduct flights from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport as well.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAC was confident that CAAN would approve the flight schedule and didn’t issue any notice to the passengers. The state-owned airline company also issued boarding passes to the passengers who were ready to board the aircraft. However, CAAN cancelled the flight in the last minute saying that the flight schedule hasn’t been approved.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAC said that it is ready to conduct flights from GBIA as per the wish of CAAN but said it would take at least two months for technical management to operate the flights from the new airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Taking this as a disobedience, CAAN had disapproved four flights of NAC to New Delhi. NAC has been conducting 14 flights a week to New Delhi, including two flights a day. However, NAC has been allowed to conduct only 10 flights a week to New Delhi this winter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tribhuvan International Airport’s Spokesperson Teknath Sitaula confirmed that 245 passengers of NAC were issued boarding passes but the flight was cancelled as the flight schedule was not approved by CAAN. Sitaula said that NAC should have informed the passengers about the flight schedule but did not do so. Instead, the airline company called the passengers to board the flight even though the schedule was not approved, said Sitaula.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAC Spokesperson Khadka said that they tried to get the flight schedule approved until the last minute but failed to do so. She said that the tickets for the New Delhi flight was sold beforehand and therefore the airline company was confident that CAAN would approve the flight schedule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“We haven’t left the passengers stranded. We will send them to their destination by any means,” said Khadka.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15960', 'image' => '20221031011343_1667187471.उडान रद्द हुँदा नयाँ दिल्ली जान लागेका २५४ यात्रु अलपत्र.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 13:13:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16218', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Foreign Trade Declines by 18 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: Nepal's foreign trade has decreased by 18 per cent in the first three months of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 31: Nepal's foreign trade has decreased by 18 per cent in the first three months of the current fiscal year. Foreign trade has been affected due to the government's policy of discouraging imports and tightening of bank loans for imports due to pressure on foreign exchange reserves.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data released by the Department of Customs, Nepal’s foreign trade amounted to Rs 442.81 billion till mid-October of the current fiscal year. This is 18.54 per cent less than the volume of foreign trade during the corresponding period of the previous year. In the same period of the previous year, the size of Nepal's foreign trade was equal to Rs 543.57 billion. The size of foreign trade decreased as both imports and exports decreased.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, from last mid-July to mid-October, the import decreased by 16.2 per cent compared to the previous year and remained at Rs 499 billion. Similarly, the previous year in July-August, the export was worth Rs 65.5 billion, but this year it has decreased by 35.71 per cent to Rs 41.82 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Due to the decrease in imports, the country's trade deficit has also decreased. By mid-October 2022, the trade deficit declined by 13.13 per cent to Rs 359 billion compared to last year, the department said. The government has collected revenue of Rs 96.61 billion from imports till October. Since last year, Nepal Rastra Bank has adopted a policy of tightening imports due to the lack of liquidity in banks and pressure on foreign exchange reserves </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">To reduce imports, the NRB reduced the import quota of gold and silver and also implemented the provision of keeping a cash margin for opening letter of credit.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had banned the import of 10 luxury items for four months during last summer. The government lifted the ban on most of the items in August except the import of cars, jeeps, vans, mobiles worth more than $300, liquor and motorcycles with a capacity of more than 150 ccs was banned. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, until mid-October of the current year, petroleum products tops the list of imported goods. During this period, diesel worth Rs 29.81 billion, petrol worth Rs 18.44 and LPG gas worth Rs 14.94 billion have been imported into the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The import of raw materials of palm and soybean oil is also high. According to the statistics of the department, unrefined palm oil worth Rs 14.48 billion and crude soybean oil worth Rs 9.97 billion were imported till mid-October.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15959', 'image' => '20221031123131_1667170461.0--.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 12:30:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16217', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Chhath Concludes with Offering to Sun God ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: The Chhath festival observed mostly by the people of Mithila region concluded this morning by offering curd (Argha) to the rising Sun. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 31: The Chhath festival observed mostly by the people of Mithila region concluded this morning by offering curd (Argha) to the rising Sun. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The devotees who observed fasting since the start of the festival concluded the Chhath rituals this year by offering prayers to the rising Sun this morning. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Sun rose at around 6.14 am in Mithila region this morning. The timing of the sunshine is determined as per the Mithila Panchanga and Bidyapati Panchanga in Mithila. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Just prior to the sunshine, the devotees were chanting songs awaiting the rise of the Sun by taking holy dips three times. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Devotees also ended their 36-hour-long perennial fasting after offering worships to the Sun God today morning. With this, the devotees returned home from the river banks (Chhati Ghat) by concluding the grand festival where the shining and setting suns are worshipped with devotion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chhath is a festival of goodwill, faith, social harmony as people from all backgrounds come together in a common place to offer worships to the Sun God. It is widely believed that appeasing the Sun God brings happiness, prosperity, well-being and longevity of the family members. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15958', 'image' => '20221031114759_chhath.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 11:47:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16216', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Fixed Deposits of Banks Increasing', 'sub_title' => 'Share of Fixed Deposits Climbs to Almost 60 Percent', 'summary' => 'October 30: The share of fixed deposits of banks has climbed to almost 60 percent of the total deposits.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">October 30: The share of fixed deposits of banks has climbed to almost 60 percent of the total deposits. The amount in fixed deposit accounts has increased due to the long-term schemes launched by banks to attract more deposits amid liquidity crisis. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">As per the data of Nepal Rastra Bank, the total deposits of commercial banks has reached Rs 5090.42 billion as of mid-September this year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The share of fixed deposits stands at 58.8 percent, which was 49.2 percent a year ago.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Commercial banks have announced interest of 12.13 percent for fixed deposits, 10.13 for institutional term deposits and 13.13 percent for remittance since mid-September. Similarly, development banks have announced 13 percent interest for fixed deposits and 11 percent interest for institutional term deposits while finance companies have fixed interest rate of 13.47 for personal term deposits and 11.47 for institutional term deposits.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Bank deposits have been declining due to liquidity crisis. The deposit collection of banks and financial institutes declined by 0.9 percent in the month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September) when credit flow increased by 0.55 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Banks have announced schemes to attract deposits by promising to pay ten times the initial deposit in 21 years. Besides interest, banks are also providing other facilities such as insurance, credit card, easy loans to such depositors. As a result, the share of fixed deposits has been increasing at the expense of other types of deposits.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The share of current account has dropped to 7.7 percent in mid-September from 7.9 percent during the corresponding period of last year. Likewise, the share of general savings account has dropped to 26.5 percent in mid-September from 35 percent. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15957', 'image' => '20221030050239_1667081609.11.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 17:01:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16215', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Russia Halts Grain Exports via Black Sea Prompting Fear of Food Crisis', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Russia has pulled out of an internatinaly-brokered grain deal that allows Ukraine to export grains, raising concerns of a global food crisis amid ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Agencies</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: Russia has pulled out of an internatinaly-brokered grain deal that allows Ukraine to export grains, raising concerns of a global food crisis amid ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Reuters, Moscow said on Saturday that it was suspending participation in the Black Sea deal in response to what it called a major Ukrainian drone attack on its fleet. In a conflict that began in February, Russia calls its actions in Ukraine "a special operation".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The suspension of July's Black Sea Grain Initiative will cut shipments from Ukraine, one of the world's biggest grain exporters, from its crucial Black Sea ports, the news agency further reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Al Jazeera, the Turkey and UN-brokered deal to unlock grain exports signed between Russia and Ukraine in July is critical to easing the global food crisis caused by the conflict.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The agreement has already allowed more than 9 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to be exported and was due to be renewed on November 19, the Doha-based news agency added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Any act by Russia to disrupt these critical grain exports is essentially a statement that people and families around the world should pay more for food or go hungry," Reuters quoted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as saying in a statement.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine attacked the Black Sea Fleet near Sevastopol on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula with 16 drones early on Saturday, and that British navy "specialists" had helped coordinate the "terrorist" attack.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Moscow also accused British navy personnel of blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month, a claim that London said was false and designed to distract from Russian military failures in Ukraine, Reuters added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The grain deal had restarted shipments from Ukraine, allowing sales on world markets, targeting the pre-war level of 5 million metric tonnes exported from Ukraine each month. More than 9 million tonnes of corn, wheat, sunflower products, barley, rapeseed and soya have been exported under the deal, signed on July 22. But ahead of its November 19 expiry, Russia had repeatedly said that there were serious problems with it, Reuters added. Ukraine complained Moscow had blocked almost 200 ships from picking up grain cargoes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the news agency, when the agreement was signed, the UN World Food Programme said some 47 million people had moved into "acute hunger" as the war halted Ukrainian shipments. The deal ensured safe passage in and out of Odesa and two other Ukrainian ports in what an official called a "de facto ceasefire" for the ships and facilities covered.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia's departure from the grain deal marks a new development in a war that has recently been dominated by a Ukrainian counteroffensive and Russian drone and missile attacks that have destroyed more than 30 percent of Ukraine's generating capacity and hit populated areas. Each side has accused the other of being prepared to detonate radioactive bombs.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Reuters, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's invasion of its smaller neighbour in an offensive he said was aimed at demilitarising and "denazifying" Ukraine. Kyiv and the West say the war is an unprovoked act of aggression by Moscow.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15956', 'image' => '20221030035342_wheatttttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 15:52:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16214', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Clear Sky Attracting Tourists Towards Mountain Flights', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Clear sky is ideal for trekking and sightseeing. It is also suitable for mountain flights that delights the domestic and foreign tourists in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: Clear sky is ideal for trekking and sightseeing. It is also suitable for mountain flights that delights the domestic and foreign tourists in Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Different airlines have been operating mountain flights enthusiastically as this is the peak season for tourism as the weather has become favourable. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Private airlines companies--Buddha Airlines, Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines, Guna Air, and others have been operating mountain flights. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Spokesperson of Yeti Airlines, Sudharshan Bartaula, said mountain flights were in operation thanks to the favourable weather. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The number of mountain flights has increased all of sudden. There has been good booking for mountain flight till Tihar. We believe that the trend of booking for mountain flight will increase," said Bartaula. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Information Officer of Buddha Air, Dipendra Karna, shared that attraction to mountain flight has increased this season. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The number of mountain flights has increased due to the clear sky. Many foreigners visit Nepal in this season. Attraction towards mountain flight in winter season increases as there is no cloudy weather and one can easily view mountain ranges under the clean serene blue sky," said Karna. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October, November and December are suitable months for mountain flights. Hotels located in tourism destinations are crowded with domestic and foreign tourists in this season, said first Vice-President of Hotel Association of Nepal, Binayak Shah. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Mountain flight is operated from 7:00 am from Tribhuvan International Airport. Buddha Airlines and Yeti Airlines have determined Rs 15,000 fare for mountain flight for domestic and Indian tourists. The fare is USD 230 for the citizens of other countries. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15955', 'image' => '20221030031427_Mountain-Flight-Tour-Kathma.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 15:13:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16213', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Discussion on Legalizing Marijuana Farming in Nepal Held', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: A multi-stakeholder consultation and discussion program was held recently on the subject of “Legalization of Marijuana Farming in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges” in collaboration with the Nepal Government's Expert Group Policy Research Institute and the Nepal Health Research Council. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: A multi-stakeholder consultation and discussion program was held recently on the subject of “Legalization of Marijuana Farming in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges” in collaboration with the Nepal Government's Expert Group Policy Research Institute and the Nepal Health Research Council. In the program, the researchers of Nepal Health Research Foundation presented a paper based on the analysis of reference materials from the medical side of marijuana. Similarly, a working paper was presented from the perspective of the economic importance and social aspects of cannabis cultivation in Nepal on behalf of the Policy Research Institute.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During the program, it was shared that the debate on the controlled use of cannabis was raised around the world after the United Nations placed cannabis as a useful plant in 2020. In addition, the fact that 56 countries in the world legalized the cultivation and controlled use of marijuana was highlighted during the programme</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, in the paper presented about the legal aspects of marijuana, it is mentioned that the cultivation of marijuana is not legally prohibited because the definition of marijuana in the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act, 2033 does not prohibit the production of hemp plants and bark (fibers). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Meanwhile, President of Narconon Nepal, Basanta Kunwar said that one should not even imagine legalizing marijuana arguing that the reason behind almost 90 percent of mental patients is due to marijuana consumption.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Achyut Adhikari, associate professor of Tribhuvan University said that the harmful substances of marijuana should be banned and useful substances should be used. Devi Prasad Bhandari of the Institute of Forestry opined that hemp oil can be sold in the world market. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Research Director of Nepal Health Research Foundation Dr Meghnath Dhimal said that if the regulations are made first, it will be easier to use marijuana for research.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15954', 'image' => '20221030030309_20201204014433_1607039093.Clipboard09.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 15:02:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16212', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Produces 4 Million Tons of Vegetables Annually', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: ccording to government data, about 4 million metric tons of vegetables are produced in Nepal annually. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: ccording to government data, about 4 million metric tons of vegetables are produced in Nepal annually. As per the data provided by National Center for Potato, Vegetable and Spice Crops Development, all the districts of the seven provinces produced the given amount of vegetables in 284,000 hectares of land in the fiscal year 2020/21.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The total production of 56 types of vegetable crops including cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, tomato, radish, bitter gourd, okra, and green vegetables are included in the data of the center. Looking at the data of the last 10 years, the lowest quantity of vegetables (3,298,000 metric tons) was produced in the FY 2011/12 and the highest (4,271,000 metric tons) in the FY 2018/19.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although vegetable production increased somewhat in recent years, it seems that it has not fully met the demand of the domestic market. Due to this, vegetables are imported from India, China, Bhutan, Japan and other countries in large quantities each year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Uddhav Adhikari, agricultural engineer and coordinator of the Agricultural Campaign for Food, the best way to become self-reliant in vegetables by increasing production is to develop the local agricultural market. According to him, the farmers have stopped producing because the produced vegetables do not have a market; so they have to import vegetables from abroad. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The production will increase only if the farmers' products find a market,” he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the fiscal year 2020/21 alone, 231,000 metric tons of vegetables were imported from abroad. In the same year, Nepal exported 6000 metric tons of vegetables. A per the information provided by the centre, most vegetables were produced in Madhesh Province that year. In Madhesh Province, 1,245,000 tons of vegetables were produced on 53,300 hectares of land. The least amount of vegetables was produced in Karnali Province. In Karnali, 149,500 tons of vegetables were produced in 13,200 hectares of land. Similarly, 798,300 tons of vegetables were grown on 50,300 hectares in Province 1 and 727,000 tons of vegetables were grown on 50,400 hectares of land in Bagmati Province.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, 282,000 tons of vegetables were produced on 22,700 hectares in Gandaki Province, 544,600 tons on 41,900 hectares in Lumbini Province, and 285,000 tons of vegetables were produced on 22,000 hectares in Sudurpaschim Province.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Sandeep Subedi, horticultural development officer of the National Center for Potato, Vegetable and Spice Crop Development, due to the lack of quality seeds and fertilizers, farmers are not able to grow vegetables despite their best efforts, and the quality of the soil is not good enough to improve productivity. He added that the data also confirmed that there has been no significant improvement in our productivity in the last 10 years. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15953', 'image' => '20221030011818_vegetable-store.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 13:17:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16211', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepali Trekkers Complain of Discrimination at Makalu Base Camp ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Ujjwal Basnet from Dharmadevi Municipality of Sankhuwasabha was in Yangle Kharka on October 17. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: Ujjwal Basnet from Dharmadevi Municipality of Sankhuwasabha was in Yangle Kharka on October 17. He was there after making a trip to Makalu Base Camp, the base camp of fifth tallest mountain on earth. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A day before on October 16, he spent his night in a local teahouse. In Yangle Kharka, no teahouses are named. He woke up at 6 am in the morning and headed out for Shiva Dhara shrine. Shiva Dhara is a very famous religious destination nearby, which takes around 5 to 6 hours to make a complete trip. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Basnet came back to Yangle Kharka after making his 6 hour long pilgrimage to the famed shrine of Sankhuwasabha. ''I had ordered meal in the morning as we visit religious shrine with fasting,'' Basnet said, ''But, when I came back after 6 hours of extremely stressing journey, the teahouse operator said there is no meal for me.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The repeated request by Basnet fell into deaf ears of the teahouse operators, who simply said he was 'busy’. Basnet said the same teahouse operator had cooked meal just a couple of days ago while he was coming from Fematang, a nearby camp. But that day, the same service was not offered. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">''Previously, there were no foreigners and he cooked meal for me and I paid Rs 400 for a vegetarian meal,'' said Basnet, ''But, on October 17, there were some foreigners and he did not give attention to my request.'' </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Ujjwal basnet is not only one to complain about discriminatory treatment by operators of teahouses along the route of Makalu Base Camp compared to their foreign counterparts. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">''The price is not that much different for Nepali and foreign trekkers,'' said Kamal Magar, a trekker from Chitwan. ''They give utmost priority to foreigners and give least, if not no priority at all, to Nepali trekkers.'' </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, Dawa Chhiring Sherpa, a local teahouse operator at Dobato of Makalu Base Camp trail, said there are some complaints from Nepali trekkers in other teahouses. ''I have heard some complaints. This is due to unprofessional practices by some teahouse operators but you cannot blame all of us,'' said Sherpa. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15952', 'image' => '20221030120011_makalu-base-camp-trek-banner.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 11:59:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Preparations Underway to Worship the Setting Sun during Chhath Festival', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: The setting sun will be worshiped this evening as part of the Chhath festival. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: The setting sun will be worshiped this evening as part of the Chhath festival. Most of the ponds, lakes, streams and rivers in Terai Madhes including Janakpurdham have been cleaned up and decorated as worshipping sites. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The banks of Ganga Sagar, the main pond of Janakpurdham sub-metropolitan city, have been decorated and preparations for the rituals have been completed. Local youth clubs have set up tents for the Chhath Pooja. In addition to Ganga Sagar, the Dhanush Sagar, Angraj Sar, Dasharath Lake, Janaki Sarovar, Gordhoi, Agnikunda have been decorated by local youth clubs in Janakpurdham. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The army and the police have also supported the cleaning of the ponds and lakes used as a place of worship. Bhojpuri and Maithili songs glorifying Chhathimaiya are found buzzing all around the sites and in the market places. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chhath is also considered as one of the major festivals for the people of Mithila region. Preparations for Chhath festival start from a week before. This festival starts on the fourth day of the waxing moon in the Nepali month of Kartik (mid-October to mid-November) and ends on the seventh day as per the lunar calendar, says Pandit Ramkumar Shastri. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Sun god is especially worshiped during this festival. It is believed that the tradition of worshipping the sun in Hinduism has existed since the Vedic period. This festival is celebrated by all sections of the society together. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the Chhath festival, fasting women and men take a bath and wear clean clothes and eat vegetarian food. In the evening, rice pudding is made in a new oven made of clay. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Pandit Shastri, rice pudding made with molasses is offered to the gods and goddesses and then accepted by the fasting person and other members of the family. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Women offer argha to the setting sun, while men stand on the banks of the ponds and river with coconuts or other fruits in their hands. Traditionally, all the members of the family fasting usually stay awake at the bank of the pond throughout the night. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This year, the worshippers have been hit hard as the prices of goods used in Chhath have skyrocketed. Prices of bananas, coconuts, sugarcane, radish, lemons, apples, oranges, molasses, as well as bamboo items used during the Chhath festival have increased of late. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15951', 'image' => '20221030111003_20211107101945_1260843_n - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 11:09:27', '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' => '16224', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CAAN Tells Airlines Companies to Operate Int’l Chartered Flights from GBIA ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'November 1: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has decided to conduct international chartered flights from the newly-constructed Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) in Bhairahawa.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">November 1: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has decided to conduct international chartered flights from the newly-constructed Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) in Bhairahawa. Until now, all international chartered flights are operated through Kathmandu-based Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The autonomous civil aviation regulator of the country resorted to the move to bring the GBIA into full operation, said CAAN Director General Pradip Adhikari. The airport officially came into operation on May 16 this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, one international flight out of every three flights at the TIA will have to be operated at the GBIA, according to a winter flight schedule that came into operation from October 30. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The CAAN earlier directed three international airlines along with the Nepal Airlines Corporation, the national flag carrier of Nepal, and the Himalaya Airlines to operate a flight a day each at the GBIA. At present, only Jazeera Airways is running three flights a week at the GBIA. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-11-01', 'modified' => '2022-11-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15965', 'image' => '20221101012840_GBIAAA.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-11-01 13:28:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16223', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '161 Climbers Including 77 Foreigners climb Mt Manaslu this Spring ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'November 1: A total of 161 climbers have so far succeeded in climbing Mt Manslu in this spring season. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">November 1: A total of 161 climbers have so far succeeded in climbing Mt Manslu in this spring season. According to the Department of Tourism, 77 foreigners and 84 Nepal reached the top of Manaslu (8,163 meter) this spring. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The department's Mountaineering Section's officer Bigyan Koirala said this time 407 foreigners acquired permission to scale the mountain, but only 77 made it. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">They were accompanied by Nepali Sherpa guides to the peak. Now the expedition to the Mount Manaslu has been completed while it continues in other peaks. The number of Manaslu climbers this time is relatively less than the previous years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The area above the Manaslu base camp witnessed an avalanche just prior to the commencement of Manaslu expedition this season, killing one and leaving some others injured. The incident occurred on September 26. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The mountain based in Chumanubri rural municipality in north Gorkha remains as the world's eighth highest peak and it lies along the Manasiri mountain range. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-11-01', 'modified' => '2022-11-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15964', 'image' => '20221101102053_manaslu.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-11-01 10:20:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank Estimates 5.8 Percent Growth in 2022 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Novermber 1: The World Bank has projected Nepal's economic growth rate to reach 5.8 per cent in 2022. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Novermber </span>1: <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The World Bank has projected Nepal's economic growth rate to reach 5.8 per cent in 2022. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Releasing the October 2022 edition of the Nepal's Development Update on Monday, the World Bank estimated that Nepal's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would increase by 5.8 per cent in 2022. Meanwhile, the report has projected Nepal's GDP to increase by 5.1 per cent in 2023 and by 4.1 per cent in 2024. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, unveiling the report 'Countering the Cast of Living Crisis', the International Monetary Fund had estimated that Nepal's economic growth rate would increase by 4.1 per cent in 2022. The World Bank projection is in stark contract with the government’s target of achieving 8 per cent economic growth in the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, the World Bank has estimated the inflation rate of 6.3 per cent in 2022 as well as 5.5 per cent price hike in 2023 and 5.3 per cent in 2024. The government, in the budget for the current fiscal year has set a target to limit price hike within seven percent. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In 2022, the World Bank has projected export of goods and services to increase by 35 per cent and import by 15 per cent. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the World Bank, growth rate of industrial sector will increase by 10.2 percentage points while the growth of service sector will rise by 5.9 percentage points and that of agricultural sector by 2.3 percentage points in the year 2022. </span><br /> <br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-11-01', 'modified' => '2022-11-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15963', 'image' => '20221101101708_World.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-11-01 10:16:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Arrival of Tourists Increasing in Kanchenjunga Area ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: Domestic and foreign tourists have started arriving in Kanchenjunga region, the home to the third highest peak in the world. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 31: Domestic and foreign tourists have started arriving in Kanchenjunga region, the home to the third highest peak in the world. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As a result, tourism entrepreneurs are excited with the arrival of tourists in the Kanchenjunga area, which has been deserted for a long time. Tourism business is the main source of income for the communities in the high mountain settlements such as Kapla, Phale, Ghunsa, Khabajen and Lonak in Phattanglung Rural Municipality-6 of Taplejung. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Hotel owner Pema Sherpa had thought of changing his profession after arrival of tourists dropped to zero due to COVID-19. But his thoughts have now changed with signs of revival of tourism in the area. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council, 52 hotels are operating in the trekking route leading to the base camp of Mount Kanchenjunga. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Programme assistant coordinator at the council office, Jiten Chemjong, said that four hotels built with an investment of more than Rs 10 million are operating at an altitude of 3,500 meters to 4,500 meters above the sea level. The hotels which had been closed for a long time due to coronavirus pandemic are now full of guests. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Two paths are used to reach the base camp of Mt Kanchenjunga. Mostly, tourists reach the base camp of Kanchenjunga through Sirijunga Rural Municipality of Taplejung. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Tourism assistant at Management Council's Yamphudin office, Suryaman Rai said along with foreigners domestic tourists are also arriving to see the Mt Kanchenjunga region through the south route. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In the fiscal year 2078/79, a total of 359 tourists had entered the Kanchenjunga conservation area of Taplejung. Chief Conservation Officer Ramesh Kumar Yadav said that 222 foreigners, 63 from SAARC countries and 74 domestic tourists have entered the conservation area to observe the natural, religious, historical and tourist sites. In the previous year 2077/78, only 63 tourists had arrived in the region. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15962', 'image' => '20221031025456_Things-to-Know-About-Kanchenjunga-Trek.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 14:53:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal yet to Become Self-Sufficient in Fruit Production ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: According to government data, 1.2 million tons of fruits are produced annually in Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 31: According to government data, 1.2 million tons of fruits are produced annually in Nepal. The data provided by the National Fruit Development Center shows that 1.2 million tons of fruits were produced in 1.19 thousand hectares of productive land in different parts of Nepal in the fiscal year 2020/2021.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The data prepared by the center takes into account the main fruits produced in Nepal including apple, pear, orange, banana, mango, and papaya. According to the data, the fruits produced in the review year was the most in the last 11 years. Similarly, the lowest production was in the year 2010/11, with just 794,000 tons of fruit produced in 79,000 hectares of productive land. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Even though productivity is improving every year, Nepal has not yet become self-sufficient in fruits. In the year 2018/19, the productivity per hectare was 9.73 tons. This situation is improving and in the year 2021/22, the productivity per hectare has reached 10.50 per cent. In the same year, Nepal imported 280,000 tons of fruits. According to the data of the center, 372 tons of fruits were exported in the year 2020/2021.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the center's study, fruit cultivation is done in 4.79 per cent of the 3.391 thousand hectares of arable land in Nepal. Similarly, out of about 23 per cent contribution of the agriculture sector to Nepal's gross domestic product, 7.04 per cent is from fruit production.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government has declared the period between 2016/17 to 2025/26 as the Fruit Decade in order to make the country self-sufficient in major fruits within this period by expanding the fruit business and promoting exports.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although various programs have been launched to make the fruit decade successful, large quantities of fruits are being imported every year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Yam Kumari Shrestha, information officer of the center, due to the lack of quality seeds, trained and skilled technicians and suitable markets and prices, fruit farmers have not been able to become self-sufficient in fruit production.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Amar Baniyan, president of Nepal Fruit Wholesale Business Association Kathmandu, informed that apples worth Rs 30 million and bananas worth Rs 40 million were imported from India and China only for the Tihar festival. Similarly, oranges worth Rs 50 million and coconuts worth Rs 20 million have been imported, he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Shrestha, fruits of different types worth Rs 72 million were imported into the fruit market of Kuleshwar for Tihar alone. Experts say that in some cases, the market price of foreign fruits is higher than that of domestic ones, so Nepali producers have become discouraged.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15961', 'image' => '20221031024751_fruit.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 14:46:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16219', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NAC Trades Barbs with CAAN for Last-Minute Flight Cancellation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: Last-minute cancellation of a Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) flight to New Delhi on Sunday afternoon left 2544 passengers stranded. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 31: Last-minute cancellation of a Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) flight to New Delhi on Sunday afternoon left 2544 passengers stranded. Some of the passengers were sent to New Delhi through other airlines while the flag carrier of Nepal promised to send the remaining passengers to their destination on Monday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Nepal Airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the regulatory body, have been blaming each other for the flight cancellation. CAAN has accused NAC of making attempts to fly the aircraft without any approval for the flight schedule. The airliner has defended the move saying that it has already presented the flight schedule to the CAAN and has been trying to get it approved. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CAAN has implemented the winter schedule effective from Sunday, October 30. As per this schedule, CAAN had asked airline companies to submit their flight schedules between October 30 to upcoming March. Accordingly, NAC submitted its flight schedule to CAAN, insists NAC Spokesperson Archana Khadka.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, it has been learnt that CAAN delayed approval of the flight schedule with the intention of pressing the airline companies to conduct flights from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport as well.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAC was confident that CAAN would approve the flight schedule and didn’t issue any notice to the passengers. The state-owned airline company also issued boarding passes to the passengers who were ready to board the aircraft. However, CAAN cancelled the flight in the last minute saying that the flight schedule hasn’t been approved.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAC said that it is ready to conduct flights from GBIA as per the wish of CAAN but said it would take at least two months for technical management to operate the flights from the new airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Taking this as a disobedience, CAAN had disapproved four flights of NAC to New Delhi. NAC has been conducting 14 flights a week to New Delhi, including two flights a day. However, NAC has been allowed to conduct only 10 flights a week to New Delhi this winter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tribhuvan International Airport’s Spokesperson Teknath Sitaula confirmed that 245 passengers of NAC were issued boarding passes but the flight was cancelled as the flight schedule was not approved by CAAN. Sitaula said that NAC should have informed the passengers about the flight schedule but did not do so. Instead, the airline company called the passengers to board the flight even though the schedule was not approved, said Sitaula.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAC Spokesperson Khadka said that they tried to get the flight schedule approved until the last minute but failed to do so. She said that the tickets for the New Delhi flight was sold beforehand and therefore the airline company was confident that CAAN would approve the flight schedule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“We haven’t left the passengers stranded. We will send them to their destination by any means,” said Khadka.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15960', 'image' => '20221031011343_1667187471.उडान रद्द हुँदा नयाँ दिल्ली जान लागेका २५४ यात्रु अलपत्र.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 13:13:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16218', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Foreign Trade Declines by 18 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: Nepal's foreign trade has decreased by 18 per cent in the first three months of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 31: Nepal's foreign trade has decreased by 18 per cent in the first three months of the current fiscal year. Foreign trade has been affected due to the government's policy of discouraging imports and tightening of bank loans for imports due to pressure on foreign exchange reserves.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data released by the Department of Customs, Nepal’s foreign trade amounted to Rs 442.81 billion till mid-October of the current fiscal year. This is 18.54 per cent less than the volume of foreign trade during the corresponding period of the previous year. In the same period of the previous year, the size of Nepal's foreign trade was equal to Rs 543.57 billion. The size of foreign trade decreased as both imports and exports decreased.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, from last mid-July to mid-October, the import decreased by 16.2 per cent compared to the previous year and remained at Rs 499 billion. Similarly, the previous year in July-August, the export was worth Rs 65.5 billion, but this year it has decreased by 35.71 per cent to Rs 41.82 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Due to the decrease in imports, the country's trade deficit has also decreased. By mid-October 2022, the trade deficit declined by 13.13 per cent to Rs 359 billion compared to last year, the department said. The government has collected revenue of Rs 96.61 billion from imports till October. Since last year, Nepal Rastra Bank has adopted a policy of tightening imports due to the lack of liquidity in banks and pressure on foreign exchange reserves </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">To reduce imports, the NRB reduced the import quota of gold and silver and also implemented the provision of keeping a cash margin for opening letter of credit.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had banned the import of 10 luxury items for four months during last summer. The government lifted the ban on most of the items in August except the import of cars, jeeps, vans, mobiles worth more than $300, liquor and motorcycles with a capacity of more than 150 ccs was banned. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, until mid-October of the current year, petroleum products tops the list of imported goods. During this period, diesel worth Rs 29.81 billion, petrol worth Rs 18.44 and LPG gas worth Rs 14.94 billion have been imported into the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The import of raw materials of palm and soybean oil is also high. According to the statistics of the department, unrefined palm oil worth Rs 14.48 billion and crude soybean oil worth Rs 9.97 billion were imported till mid-October.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15959', 'image' => '20221031123131_1667170461.0--.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 12:30:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16217', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Chhath Concludes with Offering to Sun God ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: The Chhath festival observed mostly by the people of Mithila region concluded this morning by offering curd (Argha) to the rising Sun. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 31: The Chhath festival observed mostly by the people of Mithila region concluded this morning by offering curd (Argha) to the rising Sun. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The devotees who observed fasting since the start of the festival concluded the Chhath rituals this year by offering prayers to the rising Sun this morning. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Sun rose at around 6.14 am in Mithila region this morning. The timing of the sunshine is determined as per the Mithila Panchanga and Bidyapati Panchanga in Mithila. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Just prior to the sunshine, the devotees were chanting songs awaiting the rise of the Sun by taking holy dips three times. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Devotees also ended their 36-hour-long perennial fasting after offering worships to the Sun God today morning. With this, the devotees returned home from the river banks (Chhati Ghat) by concluding the grand festival where the shining and setting suns are worshipped with devotion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chhath is a festival of goodwill, faith, social harmony as people from all backgrounds come together in a common place to offer worships to the Sun God. It is widely believed that appeasing the Sun God brings happiness, prosperity, well-being and longevity of the family members. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15958', 'image' => '20221031114759_chhath.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 11:47:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16216', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Fixed Deposits of Banks Increasing', 'sub_title' => 'Share of Fixed Deposits Climbs to Almost 60 Percent', 'summary' => 'October 30: The share of fixed deposits of banks has climbed to almost 60 percent of the total deposits.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">October 30: The share of fixed deposits of banks has climbed to almost 60 percent of the total deposits. The amount in fixed deposit accounts has increased due to the long-term schemes launched by banks to attract more deposits amid liquidity crisis. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">As per the data of Nepal Rastra Bank, the total deposits of commercial banks has reached Rs 5090.42 billion as of mid-September this year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The share of fixed deposits stands at 58.8 percent, which was 49.2 percent a year ago.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Commercial banks have announced interest of 12.13 percent for fixed deposits, 10.13 for institutional term deposits and 13.13 percent for remittance since mid-September. Similarly, development banks have announced 13 percent interest for fixed deposits and 11 percent interest for institutional term deposits while finance companies have fixed interest rate of 13.47 for personal term deposits and 11.47 for institutional term deposits.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Bank deposits have been declining due to liquidity crisis. The deposit collection of banks and financial institutes declined by 0.9 percent in the month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September) when credit flow increased by 0.55 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Banks have announced schemes to attract deposits by promising to pay ten times the initial deposit in 21 years. Besides interest, banks are also providing other facilities such as insurance, credit card, easy loans to such depositors. As a result, the share of fixed deposits has been increasing at the expense of other types of deposits.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The share of current account has dropped to 7.7 percent in mid-September from 7.9 percent during the corresponding period of last year. Likewise, the share of general savings account has dropped to 26.5 percent in mid-September from 35 percent. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15957', 'image' => '20221030050239_1667081609.11.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 17:01:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16215', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Russia Halts Grain Exports via Black Sea Prompting Fear of Food Crisis', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Russia has pulled out of an internatinaly-brokered grain deal that allows Ukraine to export grains, raising concerns of a global food crisis amid ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Agencies</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: Russia has pulled out of an internatinaly-brokered grain deal that allows Ukraine to export grains, raising concerns of a global food crisis amid ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Reuters, Moscow said on Saturday that it was suspending participation in the Black Sea deal in response to what it called a major Ukrainian drone attack on its fleet. In a conflict that began in February, Russia calls its actions in Ukraine "a special operation".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The suspension of July's Black Sea Grain Initiative will cut shipments from Ukraine, one of the world's biggest grain exporters, from its crucial Black Sea ports, the news agency further reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Al Jazeera, the Turkey and UN-brokered deal to unlock grain exports signed between Russia and Ukraine in July is critical to easing the global food crisis caused by the conflict.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The agreement has already allowed more than 9 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to be exported and was due to be renewed on November 19, the Doha-based news agency added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Any act by Russia to disrupt these critical grain exports is essentially a statement that people and families around the world should pay more for food or go hungry," Reuters quoted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as saying in a statement.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine attacked the Black Sea Fleet near Sevastopol on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula with 16 drones early on Saturday, and that British navy "specialists" had helped coordinate the "terrorist" attack.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Moscow also accused British navy personnel of blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month, a claim that London said was false and designed to distract from Russian military failures in Ukraine, Reuters added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The grain deal had restarted shipments from Ukraine, allowing sales on world markets, targeting the pre-war level of 5 million metric tonnes exported from Ukraine each month. More than 9 million tonnes of corn, wheat, sunflower products, barley, rapeseed and soya have been exported under the deal, signed on July 22. But ahead of its November 19 expiry, Russia had repeatedly said that there were serious problems with it, Reuters added. Ukraine complained Moscow had blocked almost 200 ships from picking up grain cargoes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the news agency, when the agreement was signed, the UN World Food Programme said some 47 million people had moved into "acute hunger" as the war halted Ukrainian shipments. The deal ensured safe passage in and out of Odesa and two other Ukrainian ports in what an official called a "de facto ceasefire" for the ships and facilities covered.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia's departure from the grain deal marks a new development in a war that has recently been dominated by a Ukrainian counteroffensive and Russian drone and missile attacks that have destroyed more than 30 percent of Ukraine's generating capacity and hit populated areas. Each side has accused the other of being prepared to detonate radioactive bombs.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Reuters, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's invasion of its smaller neighbour in an offensive he said was aimed at demilitarising and "denazifying" Ukraine. Kyiv and the West say the war is an unprovoked act of aggression by Moscow.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15956', 'image' => '20221030035342_wheatttttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 15:52:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16214', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Clear Sky Attracting Tourists Towards Mountain Flights', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Clear sky is ideal for trekking and sightseeing. It is also suitable for mountain flights that delights the domestic and foreign tourists in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: Clear sky is ideal for trekking and sightseeing. It is also suitable for mountain flights that delights the domestic and foreign tourists in Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Different airlines have been operating mountain flights enthusiastically as this is the peak season for tourism as the weather has become favourable. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Private airlines companies--Buddha Airlines, Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines, Guna Air, and others have been operating mountain flights. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Spokesperson of Yeti Airlines, Sudharshan Bartaula, said mountain flights were in operation thanks to the favourable weather. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The number of mountain flights has increased all of sudden. There has been good booking for mountain flight till Tihar. We believe that the trend of booking for mountain flight will increase," said Bartaula. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Information Officer of Buddha Air, Dipendra Karna, shared that attraction to mountain flight has increased this season. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The number of mountain flights has increased due to the clear sky. Many foreigners visit Nepal in this season. Attraction towards mountain flight in winter season increases as there is no cloudy weather and one can easily view mountain ranges under the clean serene blue sky," said Karna. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October, November and December are suitable months for mountain flights. Hotels located in tourism destinations are crowded with domestic and foreign tourists in this season, said first Vice-President of Hotel Association of Nepal, Binayak Shah. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Mountain flight is operated from 7:00 am from Tribhuvan International Airport. Buddha Airlines and Yeti Airlines have determined Rs 15,000 fare for mountain flight for domestic and Indian tourists. The fare is USD 230 for the citizens of other countries. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15955', 'image' => '20221030031427_Mountain-Flight-Tour-Kathma.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 15:13:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16213', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Discussion on Legalizing Marijuana Farming in Nepal Held', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: A multi-stakeholder consultation and discussion program was held recently on the subject of “Legalization of Marijuana Farming in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges” in collaboration with the Nepal Government's Expert Group Policy Research Institute and the Nepal Health Research Council. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: A multi-stakeholder consultation and discussion program was held recently on the subject of “Legalization of Marijuana Farming in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges” in collaboration with the Nepal Government's Expert Group Policy Research Institute and the Nepal Health Research Council. In the program, the researchers of Nepal Health Research Foundation presented a paper based on the analysis of reference materials from the medical side of marijuana. Similarly, a working paper was presented from the perspective of the economic importance and social aspects of cannabis cultivation in Nepal on behalf of the Policy Research Institute.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During the program, it was shared that the debate on the controlled use of cannabis was raised around the world after the United Nations placed cannabis as a useful plant in 2020. In addition, the fact that 56 countries in the world legalized the cultivation and controlled use of marijuana was highlighted during the programme</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, in the paper presented about the legal aspects of marijuana, it is mentioned that the cultivation of marijuana is not legally prohibited because the definition of marijuana in the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act, 2033 does not prohibit the production of hemp plants and bark (fibers). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Meanwhile, President of Narconon Nepal, Basanta Kunwar said that one should not even imagine legalizing marijuana arguing that the reason behind almost 90 percent of mental patients is due to marijuana consumption.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Achyut Adhikari, associate professor of Tribhuvan University said that the harmful substances of marijuana should be banned and useful substances should be used. Devi Prasad Bhandari of the Institute of Forestry opined that hemp oil can be sold in the world market. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Research Director of Nepal Health Research Foundation Dr Meghnath Dhimal said that if the regulations are made first, it will be easier to use marijuana for research.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15954', 'image' => '20221030030309_20201204014433_1607039093.Clipboard09.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 15:02:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16212', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Produces 4 Million Tons of Vegetables Annually', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: ccording to government data, about 4 million metric tons of vegetables are produced in Nepal annually. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: ccording to government data, about 4 million metric tons of vegetables are produced in Nepal annually. As per the data provided by National Center for Potato, Vegetable and Spice Crops Development, all the districts of the seven provinces produced the given amount of vegetables in 284,000 hectares of land in the fiscal year 2020/21.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The total production of 56 types of vegetable crops including cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, tomato, radish, bitter gourd, okra, and green vegetables are included in the data of the center. Looking at the data of the last 10 years, the lowest quantity of vegetables (3,298,000 metric tons) was produced in the FY 2011/12 and the highest (4,271,000 metric tons) in the FY 2018/19.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although vegetable production increased somewhat in recent years, it seems that it has not fully met the demand of the domestic market. Due to this, vegetables are imported from India, China, Bhutan, Japan and other countries in large quantities each year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Uddhav Adhikari, agricultural engineer and coordinator of the Agricultural Campaign for Food, the best way to become self-reliant in vegetables by increasing production is to develop the local agricultural market. According to him, the farmers have stopped producing because the produced vegetables do not have a market; so they have to import vegetables from abroad. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The production will increase only if the farmers' products find a market,” he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the fiscal year 2020/21 alone, 231,000 metric tons of vegetables were imported from abroad. In the same year, Nepal exported 6000 metric tons of vegetables. A per the information provided by the centre, most vegetables were produced in Madhesh Province that year. In Madhesh Province, 1,245,000 tons of vegetables were produced on 53,300 hectares of land. The least amount of vegetables was produced in Karnali Province. In Karnali, 149,500 tons of vegetables were produced in 13,200 hectares of land. Similarly, 798,300 tons of vegetables were grown on 50,300 hectares in Province 1 and 727,000 tons of vegetables were grown on 50,400 hectares of land in Bagmati Province.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, 282,000 tons of vegetables were produced on 22,700 hectares in Gandaki Province, 544,600 tons on 41,900 hectares in Lumbini Province, and 285,000 tons of vegetables were produced on 22,000 hectares in Sudurpaschim Province.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Sandeep Subedi, horticultural development officer of the National Center for Potato, Vegetable and Spice Crop Development, due to the lack of quality seeds and fertilizers, farmers are not able to grow vegetables despite their best efforts, and the quality of the soil is not good enough to improve productivity. He added that the data also confirmed that there has been no significant improvement in our productivity in the last 10 years. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15953', 'image' => '20221030011818_vegetable-store.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 13:17:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16211', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepali Trekkers Complain of Discrimination at Makalu Base Camp ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Ujjwal Basnet from Dharmadevi Municipality of Sankhuwasabha was in Yangle Kharka on October 17. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: Ujjwal Basnet from Dharmadevi Municipality of Sankhuwasabha was in Yangle Kharka on October 17. He was there after making a trip to Makalu Base Camp, the base camp of fifth tallest mountain on earth. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A day before on October 16, he spent his night in a local teahouse. In Yangle Kharka, no teahouses are named. He woke up at 6 am in the morning and headed out for Shiva Dhara shrine. Shiva Dhara is a very famous religious destination nearby, which takes around 5 to 6 hours to make a complete trip. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Basnet came back to Yangle Kharka after making his 6 hour long pilgrimage to the famed shrine of Sankhuwasabha. ''I had ordered meal in the morning as we visit religious shrine with fasting,'' Basnet said, ''But, when I came back after 6 hours of extremely stressing journey, the teahouse operator said there is no meal for me.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The repeated request by Basnet fell into deaf ears of the teahouse operators, who simply said he was 'busy’. Basnet said the same teahouse operator had cooked meal just a couple of days ago while he was coming from Fematang, a nearby camp. But that day, the same service was not offered. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">''Previously, there were no foreigners and he cooked meal for me and I paid Rs 400 for a vegetarian meal,'' said Basnet, ''But, on October 17, there were some foreigners and he did not give attention to my request.'' </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Ujjwal basnet is not only one to complain about discriminatory treatment by operators of teahouses along the route of Makalu Base Camp compared to their foreign counterparts. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">''The price is not that much different for Nepali and foreign trekkers,'' said Kamal Magar, a trekker from Chitwan. ''They give utmost priority to foreigners and give least, if not no priority at all, to Nepali trekkers.'' </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, Dawa Chhiring Sherpa, a local teahouse operator at Dobato of Makalu Base Camp trail, said there are some complaints from Nepali trekkers in other teahouses. ''I have heard some complaints. This is due to unprofessional practices by some teahouse operators but you cannot blame all of us,'' said Sherpa. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15952', 'image' => '20221030120011_makalu-base-camp-trek-banner.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 11:59:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Preparations Underway to Worship the Setting Sun during Chhath Festival', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: The setting sun will be worshiped this evening as part of the Chhath festival. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: The setting sun will be worshiped this evening as part of the Chhath festival. Most of the ponds, lakes, streams and rivers in Terai Madhes including Janakpurdham have been cleaned up and decorated as worshipping sites. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The banks of Ganga Sagar, the main pond of Janakpurdham sub-metropolitan city, have been decorated and preparations for the rituals have been completed. Local youth clubs have set up tents for the Chhath Pooja. In addition to Ganga Sagar, the Dhanush Sagar, Angraj Sar, Dasharath Lake, Janaki Sarovar, Gordhoi, Agnikunda have been decorated by local youth clubs in Janakpurdham. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The army and the police have also supported the cleaning of the ponds and lakes used as a place of worship. Bhojpuri and Maithili songs glorifying Chhathimaiya are found buzzing all around the sites and in the market places. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chhath is also considered as one of the major festivals for the people of Mithila region. Preparations for Chhath festival start from a week before. This festival starts on the fourth day of the waxing moon in the Nepali month of Kartik (mid-October to mid-November) and ends on the seventh day as per the lunar calendar, says Pandit Ramkumar Shastri. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Sun god is especially worshiped during this festival. It is believed that the tradition of worshipping the sun in Hinduism has existed since the Vedic period. This festival is celebrated by all sections of the society together. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the Chhath festival, fasting women and men take a bath and wear clean clothes and eat vegetarian food. In the evening, rice pudding is made in a new oven made of clay. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Pandit Shastri, rice pudding made with molasses is offered to the gods and goddesses and then accepted by the fasting person and other members of the family. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Women offer argha to the setting sun, while men stand on the banks of the ponds and river with coconuts or other fruits in their hands. Traditionally, all the members of the family fasting usually stay awake at the bank of the pond throughout the night. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This year, the worshippers have been hit hard as the prices of goods used in Chhath have skyrocketed. Prices of bananas, coconuts, sugarcane, radish, lemons, apples, oranges, molasses, as well as bamboo items used during the Chhath festival have increased of late. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15951', 'image' => '20221030111003_20211107101945_1260843_n - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 11:09:27', '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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Until now, all international chartered flights are operated through Kathmandu-based Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The autonomous civil aviation regulator of the country resorted to the move to bring the GBIA into full operation, said CAAN Director General Pradip Adhikari. The airport officially came into operation on May 16 this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, one international flight out of every three flights at the TIA will have to be operated at the GBIA, according to a winter flight schedule that came into operation from October 30. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The CAAN earlier directed three international airlines along with the Nepal Airlines Corporation, the national flag carrier of Nepal, and the Himalaya Airlines to operate a flight a day each at the GBIA. At present, only Jazeera Airways is running three flights a week at the GBIA. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-11-01', 'modified' => '2022-11-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15965', 'image' => '20221101012840_GBIAAA.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-11-01 13:28:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16223', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '161 Climbers Including 77 Foreigners climb Mt Manaslu this Spring ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'November 1: A total of 161 climbers have so far succeeded in climbing Mt Manslu in this spring season. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">November 1: A total of 161 climbers have so far succeeded in climbing Mt Manslu in this spring season. According to the Department of Tourism, 77 foreigners and 84 Nepal reached the top of Manaslu (8,163 meter) this spring. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The department's Mountaineering Section's officer Bigyan Koirala said this time 407 foreigners acquired permission to scale the mountain, but only 77 made it. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">They were accompanied by Nepali Sherpa guides to the peak. Now the expedition to the Mount Manaslu has been completed while it continues in other peaks. The number of Manaslu climbers this time is relatively less than the previous years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The area above the Manaslu base camp witnessed an avalanche just prior to the commencement of Manaslu expedition this season, killing one and leaving some others injured. The incident occurred on September 26. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The mountain based in Chumanubri rural municipality in north Gorkha remains as the world's eighth highest peak and it lies along the Manasiri mountain range. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-11-01', 'modified' => '2022-11-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15964', 'image' => '20221101102053_manaslu.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-11-01 10:20:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank Estimates 5.8 Percent Growth in 2022 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Novermber 1: The World Bank has projected Nepal's economic growth rate to reach 5.8 per cent in 2022. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Novermber </span>1: <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The World Bank has projected Nepal's economic growth rate to reach 5.8 per cent in 2022. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Releasing the October 2022 edition of the Nepal's Development Update on Monday, the World Bank estimated that Nepal's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would increase by 5.8 per cent in 2022. Meanwhile, the report has projected Nepal's GDP to increase by 5.1 per cent in 2023 and by 4.1 per cent in 2024. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, unveiling the report 'Countering the Cast of Living Crisis', the International Monetary Fund had estimated that Nepal's economic growth rate would increase by 4.1 per cent in 2022. The World Bank projection is in stark contract with the government’s target of achieving 8 per cent economic growth in the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, the World Bank has estimated the inflation rate of 6.3 per cent in 2022 as well as 5.5 per cent price hike in 2023 and 5.3 per cent in 2024. The government, in the budget for the current fiscal year has set a target to limit price hike within seven percent. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In 2022, the World Bank has projected export of goods and services to increase by 35 per cent and import by 15 per cent. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the World Bank, growth rate of industrial sector will increase by 10.2 percentage points while the growth of service sector will rise by 5.9 percentage points and that of agricultural sector by 2.3 percentage points in the year 2022. </span><br /> <br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-11-01', 'modified' => '2022-11-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15963', 'image' => '20221101101708_World.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-11-01 10:16:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Arrival of Tourists Increasing in Kanchenjunga Area ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: Domestic and foreign tourists have started arriving in Kanchenjunga region, the home to the third highest peak in the world. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 31: Domestic and foreign tourists have started arriving in Kanchenjunga region, the home to the third highest peak in the world. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As a result, tourism entrepreneurs are excited with the arrival of tourists in the Kanchenjunga area, which has been deserted for a long time. Tourism business is the main source of income for the communities in the high mountain settlements such as Kapla, Phale, Ghunsa, Khabajen and Lonak in Phattanglung Rural Municipality-6 of Taplejung. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Hotel owner Pema Sherpa had thought of changing his profession after arrival of tourists dropped to zero due to COVID-19. But his thoughts have now changed with signs of revival of tourism in the area. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council, 52 hotels are operating in the trekking route leading to the base camp of Mount Kanchenjunga. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Programme assistant coordinator at the council office, Jiten Chemjong, said that four hotels built with an investment of more than Rs 10 million are operating at an altitude of 3,500 meters to 4,500 meters above the sea level. The hotels which had been closed for a long time due to coronavirus pandemic are now full of guests. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Two paths are used to reach the base camp of Mt Kanchenjunga. Mostly, tourists reach the base camp of Kanchenjunga through Sirijunga Rural Municipality of Taplejung. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Tourism assistant at Management Council's Yamphudin office, Suryaman Rai said along with foreigners domestic tourists are also arriving to see the Mt Kanchenjunga region through the south route. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In the fiscal year 2078/79, a total of 359 tourists had entered the Kanchenjunga conservation area of Taplejung. Chief Conservation Officer Ramesh Kumar Yadav said that 222 foreigners, 63 from SAARC countries and 74 domestic tourists have entered the conservation area to observe the natural, religious, historical and tourist sites. In the previous year 2077/78, only 63 tourists had arrived in the region. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15962', 'image' => '20221031025456_Things-to-Know-About-Kanchenjunga-Trek.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 14:53:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal yet to Become Self-Sufficient in Fruit Production ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: According to government data, 1.2 million tons of fruits are produced annually in Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 31: According to government data, 1.2 million tons of fruits are produced annually in Nepal. The data provided by the National Fruit Development Center shows that 1.2 million tons of fruits were produced in 1.19 thousand hectares of productive land in different parts of Nepal in the fiscal year 2020/2021.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The data prepared by the center takes into account the main fruits produced in Nepal including apple, pear, orange, banana, mango, and papaya. According to the data, the fruits produced in the review year was the most in the last 11 years. Similarly, the lowest production was in the year 2010/11, with just 794,000 tons of fruit produced in 79,000 hectares of productive land. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Even though productivity is improving every year, Nepal has not yet become self-sufficient in fruits. In the year 2018/19, the productivity per hectare was 9.73 tons. This situation is improving and in the year 2021/22, the productivity per hectare has reached 10.50 per cent. In the same year, Nepal imported 280,000 tons of fruits. According to the data of the center, 372 tons of fruits were exported in the year 2020/2021.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the center's study, fruit cultivation is done in 4.79 per cent of the 3.391 thousand hectares of arable land in Nepal. Similarly, out of about 23 per cent contribution of the agriculture sector to Nepal's gross domestic product, 7.04 per cent is from fruit production.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government has declared the period between 2016/17 to 2025/26 as the Fruit Decade in order to make the country self-sufficient in major fruits within this period by expanding the fruit business and promoting exports.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although various programs have been launched to make the fruit decade successful, large quantities of fruits are being imported every year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Yam Kumari Shrestha, information officer of the center, due to the lack of quality seeds, trained and skilled technicians and suitable markets and prices, fruit farmers have not been able to become self-sufficient in fruit production.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Amar Baniyan, president of Nepal Fruit Wholesale Business Association Kathmandu, informed that apples worth Rs 30 million and bananas worth Rs 40 million were imported from India and China only for the Tihar festival. Similarly, oranges worth Rs 50 million and coconuts worth Rs 20 million have been imported, he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Shrestha, fruits of different types worth Rs 72 million were imported into the fruit market of Kuleshwar for Tihar alone. Experts say that in some cases, the market price of foreign fruits is higher than that of domestic ones, so Nepali producers have become discouraged.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15961', 'image' => '20221031024751_fruit.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 14:46:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16219', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NAC Trades Barbs with CAAN for Last-Minute Flight Cancellation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: Last-minute cancellation of a Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) flight to New Delhi on Sunday afternoon left 2544 passengers stranded. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 31: Last-minute cancellation of a Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) flight to New Delhi on Sunday afternoon left 2544 passengers stranded. Some of the passengers were sent to New Delhi through other airlines while the flag carrier of Nepal promised to send the remaining passengers to their destination on Monday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Nepal Airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the regulatory body, have been blaming each other for the flight cancellation. CAAN has accused NAC of making attempts to fly the aircraft without any approval for the flight schedule. The airliner has defended the move saying that it has already presented the flight schedule to the CAAN and has been trying to get it approved. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CAAN has implemented the winter schedule effective from Sunday, October 30. As per this schedule, CAAN had asked airline companies to submit their flight schedules between October 30 to upcoming March. Accordingly, NAC submitted its flight schedule to CAAN, insists NAC Spokesperson Archana Khadka.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, it has been learnt that CAAN delayed approval of the flight schedule with the intention of pressing the airline companies to conduct flights from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport as well.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAC was confident that CAAN would approve the flight schedule and didn’t issue any notice to the passengers. The state-owned airline company also issued boarding passes to the passengers who were ready to board the aircraft. However, CAAN cancelled the flight in the last minute saying that the flight schedule hasn’t been approved.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAC said that it is ready to conduct flights from GBIA as per the wish of CAAN but said it would take at least two months for technical management to operate the flights from the new airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Taking this as a disobedience, CAAN had disapproved four flights of NAC to New Delhi. NAC has been conducting 14 flights a week to New Delhi, including two flights a day. However, NAC has been allowed to conduct only 10 flights a week to New Delhi this winter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tribhuvan International Airport’s Spokesperson Teknath Sitaula confirmed that 245 passengers of NAC were issued boarding passes but the flight was cancelled as the flight schedule was not approved by CAAN. Sitaula said that NAC should have informed the passengers about the flight schedule but did not do so. Instead, the airline company called the passengers to board the flight even though the schedule was not approved, said Sitaula.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAC Spokesperson Khadka said that they tried to get the flight schedule approved until the last minute but failed to do so. She said that the tickets for the New Delhi flight was sold beforehand and therefore the airline company was confident that CAAN would approve the flight schedule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“We haven’t left the passengers stranded. We will send them to their destination by any means,” said Khadka.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15960', 'image' => '20221031011343_1667187471.उडान रद्द हुँदा नयाँ दिल्ली जान लागेका २५४ यात्रु अलपत्र.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 13:13:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16218', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Foreign Trade Declines by 18 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: Nepal's foreign trade has decreased by 18 per cent in the first three months of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 31: Nepal's foreign trade has decreased by 18 per cent in the first three months of the current fiscal year. Foreign trade has been affected due to the government's policy of discouraging imports and tightening of bank loans for imports due to pressure on foreign exchange reserves.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data released by the Department of Customs, Nepal’s foreign trade amounted to Rs 442.81 billion till mid-October of the current fiscal year. This is 18.54 per cent less than the volume of foreign trade during the corresponding period of the previous year. In the same period of the previous year, the size of Nepal's foreign trade was equal to Rs 543.57 billion. The size of foreign trade decreased as both imports and exports decreased.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, from last mid-July to mid-October, the import decreased by 16.2 per cent compared to the previous year and remained at Rs 499 billion. Similarly, the previous year in July-August, the export was worth Rs 65.5 billion, but this year it has decreased by 35.71 per cent to Rs 41.82 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Due to the decrease in imports, the country's trade deficit has also decreased. By mid-October 2022, the trade deficit declined by 13.13 per cent to Rs 359 billion compared to last year, the department said. The government has collected revenue of Rs 96.61 billion from imports till October. Since last year, Nepal Rastra Bank has adopted a policy of tightening imports due to the lack of liquidity in banks and pressure on foreign exchange reserves </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">To reduce imports, the NRB reduced the import quota of gold and silver and also implemented the provision of keeping a cash margin for opening letter of credit.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had banned the import of 10 luxury items for four months during last summer. The government lifted the ban on most of the items in August except the import of cars, jeeps, vans, mobiles worth more than $300, liquor and motorcycles with a capacity of more than 150 ccs was banned. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, until mid-October of the current year, petroleum products tops the list of imported goods. During this period, diesel worth Rs 29.81 billion, petrol worth Rs 18.44 and LPG gas worth Rs 14.94 billion have been imported into the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The import of raw materials of palm and soybean oil is also high. According to the statistics of the department, unrefined palm oil worth Rs 14.48 billion and crude soybean oil worth Rs 9.97 billion were imported till mid-October.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15959', 'image' => '20221031123131_1667170461.0--.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 12:30:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16217', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Chhath Concludes with Offering to Sun God ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 31: The Chhath festival observed mostly by the people of Mithila region concluded this morning by offering curd (Argha) to the rising Sun. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 31: The Chhath festival observed mostly by the people of Mithila region concluded this morning by offering curd (Argha) to the rising Sun. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The devotees who observed fasting since the start of the festival concluded the Chhath rituals this year by offering prayers to the rising Sun this morning. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Sun rose at around 6.14 am in Mithila region this morning. The timing of the sunshine is determined as per the Mithila Panchanga and Bidyapati Panchanga in Mithila. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Just prior to the sunshine, the devotees were chanting songs awaiting the rise of the Sun by taking holy dips three times. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Devotees also ended their 36-hour-long perennial fasting after offering worships to the Sun God today morning. With this, the devotees returned home from the river banks (Chhati Ghat) by concluding the grand festival where the shining and setting suns are worshipped with devotion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chhath is a festival of goodwill, faith, social harmony as people from all backgrounds come together in a common place to offer worships to the Sun God. It is widely believed that appeasing the Sun God brings happiness, prosperity, well-being and longevity of the family members. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-31', 'modified' => '2022-10-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15958', 'image' => '20221031114759_chhath.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-31 11:47:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16216', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Fixed Deposits of Banks Increasing', 'sub_title' => 'Share of Fixed Deposits Climbs to Almost 60 Percent', 'summary' => 'October 30: The share of fixed deposits of banks has climbed to almost 60 percent of the total deposits.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">October 30: The share of fixed deposits of banks has climbed to almost 60 percent of the total deposits. The amount in fixed deposit accounts has increased due to the long-term schemes launched by banks to attract more deposits amid liquidity crisis. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">As per the data of Nepal Rastra Bank, the total deposits of commercial banks has reached Rs 5090.42 billion as of mid-September this year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The share of fixed deposits stands at 58.8 percent, which was 49.2 percent a year ago.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Commercial banks have announced interest of 12.13 percent for fixed deposits, 10.13 for institutional term deposits and 13.13 percent for remittance since mid-September. Similarly, development banks have announced 13 percent interest for fixed deposits and 11 percent interest for institutional term deposits while finance companies have fixed interest rate of 13.47 for personal term deposits and 11.47 for institutional term deposits.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Bank deposits have been declining due to liquidity crisis. The deposit collection of banks and financial institutes declined by 0.9 percent in the month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September) when credit flow increased by 0.55 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Banks have announced schemes to attract deposits by promising to pay ten times the initial deposit in 21 years. Besides interest, banks are also providing other facilities such as insurance, credit card, easy loans to such depositors. As a result, the share of fixed deposits has been increasing at the expense of other types of deposits.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The share of current account has dropped to 7.7 percent in mid-September from 7.9 percent during the corresponding period of last year. Likewise, the share of general savings account has dropped to 26.5 percent in mid-September from 35 percent. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15957', 'image' => '20221030050239_1667081609.11.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 17:01:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16215', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Russia Halts Grain Exports via Black Sea Prompting Fear of Food Crisis', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Russia has pulled out of an internatinaly-brokered grain deal that allows Ukraine to export grains, raising concerns of a global food crisis amid ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Agencies</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: Russia has pulled out of an internatinaly-brokered grain deal that allows Ukraine to export grains, raising concerns of a global food crisis amid ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Reuters, Moscow said on Saturday that it was suspending participation in the Black Sea deal in response to what it called a major Ukrainian drone attack on its fleet. In a conflict that began in February, Russia calls its actions in Ukraine "a special operation".</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The suspension of July's Black Sea Grain Initiative will cut shipments from Ukraine, one of the world's biggest grain exporters, from its crucial Black Sea ports, the news agency further reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Al Jazeera, the Turkey and UN-brokered deal to unlock grain exports signed between Russia and Ukraine in July is critical to easing the global food crisis caused by the conflict.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The agreement has already allowed more than 9 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to be exported and was due to be renewed on November 19, the Doha-based news agency added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Any act by Russia to disrupt these critical grain exports is essentially a statement that people and families around the world should pay more for food or go hungry," Reuters quoted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as saying in a statement.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine attacked the Black Sea Fleet near Sevastopol on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula with 16 drones early on Saturday, and that British navy "specialists" had helped coordinate the "terrorist" attack.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Moscow also accused British navy personnel of blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month, a claim that London said was false and designed to distract from Russian military failures in Ukraine, Reuters added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The grain deal had restarted shipments from Ukraine, allowing sales on world markets, targeting the pre-war level of 5 million metric tonnes exported from Ukraine each month. More than 9 million tonnes of corn, wheat, sunflower products, barley, rapeseed and soya have been exported under the deal, signed on July 22. But ahead of its November 19 expiry, Russia had repeatedly said that there were serious problems with it, Reuters added. Ukraine complained Moscow had blocked almost 200 ships from picking up grain cargoes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the news agency, when the agreement was signed, the UN World Food Programme said some 47 million people had moved into "acute hunger" as the war halted Ukrainian shipments. The deal ensured safe passage in and out of Odesa and two other Ukrainian ports in what an official called a "de facto ceasefire" for the ships and facilities covered.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia's departure from the grain deal marks a new development in a war that has recently been dominated by a Ukrainian counteroffensive and Russian drone and missile attacks that have destroyed more than 30 percent of Ukraine's generating capacity and hit populated areas. Each side has accused the other of being prepared to detonate radioactive bombs.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Reuters, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's invasion of its smaller neighbour in an offensive he said was aimed at demilitarising and "denazifying" Ukraine. Kyiv and the West say the war is an unprovoked act of aggression by Moscow.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15956', 'image' => '20221030035342_wheatttttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 15:52:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16214', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Clear Sky Attracting Tourists Towards Mountain Flights', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Clear sky is ideal for trekking and sightseeing. It is also suitable for mountain flights that delights the domestic and foreign tourists in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: Clear sky is ideal for trekking and sightseeing. It is also suitable for mountain flights that delights the domestic and foreign tourists in Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Different airlines have been operating mountain flights enthusiastically as this is the peak season for tourism as the weather has become favourable. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Private airlines companies--Buddha Airlines, Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines, Guna Air, and others have been operating mountain flights. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Spokesperson of Yeti Airlines, Sudharshan Bartaula, said mountain flights were in operation thanks to the favourable weather. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The number of mountain flights has increased all of sudden. There has been good booking for mountain flight till Tihar. We believe that the trend of booking for mountain flight will increase," said Bartaula. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Information Officer of Buddha Air, Dipendra Karna, shared that attraction to mountain flight has increased this season. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The number of mountain flights has increased due to the clear sky. Many foreigners visit Nepal in this season. Attraction towards mountain flight in winter season increases as there is no cloudy weather and one can easily view mountain ranges under the clean serene blue sky," said Karna. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October, November and December are suitable months for mountain flights. Hotels located in tourism destinations are crowded with domestic and foreign tourists in this season, said first Vice-President of Hotel Association of Nepal, Binayak Shah. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Mountain flight is operated from 7:00 am from Tribhuvan International Airport. Buddha Airlines and Yeti Airlines have determined Rs 15,000 fare for mountain flight for domestic and Indian tourists. The fare is USD 230 for the citizens of other countries. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15955', 'image' => '20221030031427_Mountain-Flight-Tour-Kathma.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 15:13:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16213', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Discussion on Legalizing Marijuana Farming in Nepal Held', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: A multi-stakeholder consultation and discussion program was held recently on the subject of “Legalization of Marijuana Farming in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges” in collaboration with the Nepal Government's Expert Group Policy Research Institute and the Nepal Health Research Council. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: A multi-stakeholder consultation and discussion program was held recently on the subject of “Legalization of Marijuana Farming in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges” in collaboration with the Nepal Government's Expert Group Policy Research Institute and the Nepal Health Research Council. In the program, the researchers of Nepal Health Research Foundation presented a paper based on the analysis of reference materials from the medical side of marijuana. Similarly, a working paper was presented from the perspective of the economic importance and social aspects of cannabis cultivation in Nepal on behalf of the Policy Research Institute.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During the program, it was shared that the debate on the controlled use of cannabis was raised around the world after the United Nations placed cannabis as a useful plant in 2020. In addition, the fact that 56 countries in the world legalized the cultivation and controlled use of marijuana was highlighted during the programme</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, in the paper presented about the legal aspects of marijuana, it is mentioned that the cultivation of marijuana is not legally prohibited because the definition of marijuana in the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act, 2033 does not prohibit the production of hemp plants and bark (fibers). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Meanwhile, President of Narconon Nepal, Basanta Kunwar said that one should not even imagine legalizing marijuana arguing that the reason behind almost 90 percent of mental patients is due to marijuana consumption.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Achyut Adhikari, associate professor of Tribhuvan University said that the harmful substances of marijuana should be banned and useful substances should be used. Devi Prasad Bhandari of the Institute of Forestry opined that hemp oil can be sold in the world market. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Research Director of Nepal Health Research Foundation Dr Meghnath Dhimal said that if the regulations are made first, it will be easier to use marijuana for research.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15954', 'image' => '20221030030309_20201204014433_1607039093.Clipboard09.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 15:02:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16212', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Produces 4 Million Tons of Vegetables Annually', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: ccording to government data, about 4 million metric tons of vegetables are produced in Nepal annually. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: ccording to government data, about 4 million metric tons of vegetables are produced in Nepal annually. As per the data provided by National Center for Potato, Vegetable and Spice Crops Development, all the districts of the seven provinces produced the given amount of vegetables in 284,000 hectares of land in the fiscal year 2020/21.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The total production of 56 types of vegetable crops including cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, tomato, radish, bitter gourd, okra, and green vegetables are included in the data of the center. Looking at the data of the last 10 years, the lowest quantity of vegetables (3,298,000 metric tons) was produced in the FY 2011/12 and the highest (4,271,000 metric tons) in the FY 2018/19.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although vegetable production increased somewhat in recent years, it seems that it has not fully met the demand of the domestic market. Due to this, vegetables are imported from India, China, Bhutan, Japan and other countries in large quantities each year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Uddhav Adhikari, agricultural engineer and coordinator of the Agricultural Campaign for Food, the best way to become self-reliant in vegetables by increasing production is to develop the local agricultural market. According to him, the farmers have stopped producing because the produced vegetables do not have a market; so they have to import vegetables from abroad. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The production will increase only if the farmers' products find a market,” he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the fiscal year 2020/21 alone, 231,000 metric tons of vegetables were imported from abroad. In the same year, Nepal exported 6000 metric tons of vegetables. A per the information provided by the centre, most vegetables were produced in Madhesh Province that year. In Madhesh Province, 1,245,000 tons of vegetables were produced on 53,300 hectares of land. The least amount of vegetables was produced in Karnali Province. In Karnali, 149,500 tons of vegetables were produced in 13,200 hectares of land. Similarly, 798,300 tons of vegetables were grown on 50,300 hectares in Province 1 and 727,000 tons of vegetables were grown on 50,400 hectares of land in Bagmati Province.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, 282,000 tons of vegetables were produced on 22,700 hectares in Gandaki Province, 544,600 tons on 41,900 hectares in Lumbini Province, and 285,000 tons of vegetables were produced on 22,000 hectares in Sudurpaschim Province.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Sandeep Subedi, horticultural development officer of the National Center for Potato, Vegetable and Spice Crop Development, due to the lack of quality seeds and fertilizers, farmers are not able to grow vegetables despite their best efforts, and the quality of the soil is not good enough to improve productivity. He added that the data also confirmed that there has been no significant improvement in our productivity in the last 10 years. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15953', 'image' => '20221030011818_vegetable-store.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 13:17:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16211', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepali Trekkers Complain of Discrimination at Makalu Base Camp ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Ujjwal Basnet from Dharmadevi Municipality of Sankhuwasabha was in Yangle Kharka on October 17. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: Ujjwal Basnet from Dharmadevi Municipality of Sankhuwasabha was in Yangle Kharka on October 17. He was there after making a trip to Makalu Base Camp, the base camp of fifth tallest mountain on earth. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A day before on October 16, he spent his night in a local teahouse. In Yangle Kharka, no teahouses are named. He woke up at 6 am in the morning and headed out for Shiva Dhara shrine. Shiva Dhara is a very famous religious destination nearby, which takes around 5 to 6 hours to make a complete trip. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Basnet came back to Yangle Kharka after making his 6 hour long pilgrimage to the famed shrine of Sankhuwasabha. ''I had ordered meal in the morning as we visit religious shrine with fasting,'' Basnet said, ''But, when I came back after 6 hours of extremely stressing journey, the teahouse operator said there is no meal for me.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The repeated request by Basnet fell into deaf ears of the teahouse operators, who simply said he was 'busy’. Basnet said the same teahouse operator had cooked meal just a couple of days ago while he was coming from Fematang, a nearby camp. But that day, the same service was not offered. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">''Previously, there were no foreigners and he cooked meal for me and I paid Rs 400 for a vegetarian meal,'' said Basnet, ''But, on October 17, there were some foreigners and he did not give attention to my request.'' </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Ujjwal basnet is not only one to complain about discriminatory treatment by operators of teahouses along the route of Makalu Base Camp compared to their foreign counterparts. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">''The price is not that much different for Nepali and foreign trekkers,'' said Kamal Magar, a trekker from Chitwan. ''They give utmost priority to foreigners and give least, if not no priority at all, to Nepali trekkers.'' </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, Dawa Chhiring Sherpa, a local teahouse operator at Dobato of Makalu Base Camp trail, said there are some complaints from Nepali trekkers in other teahouses. ''I have heard some complaints. This is due to unprofessional practices by some teahouse operators but you cannot blame all of us,'' said Sherpa. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15952', 'image' => '20221030120011_makalu-base-camp-trek-banner.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 11:59:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Preparations Underway to Worship the Setting Sun during Chhath Festival', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: The setting sun will be worshiped this evening as part of the Chhath festival. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: The setting sun will be worshiped this evening as part of the Chhath festival. Most of the ponds, lakes, streams and rivers in Terai Madhes including Janakpurdham have been cleaned up and decorated as worshipping sites. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The banks of Ganga Sagar, the main pond of Janakpurdham sub-metropolitan city, have been decorated and preparations for the rituals have been completed. Local youth clubs have set up tents for the Chhath Pooja. In addition to Ganga Sagar, the Dhanush Sagar, Angraj Sar, Dasharath Lake, Janaki Sarovar, Gordhoi, Agnikunda have been decorated by local youth clubs in Janakpurdham. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The army and the police have also supported the cleaning of the ponds and lakes used as a place of worship. Bhojpuri and Maithili songs glorifying Chhathimaiya are found buzzing all around the sites and in the market places. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chhath is also considered as one of the major festivals for the people of Mithila region. Preparations for Chhath festival start from a week before. This festival starts on the fourth day of the waxing moon in the Nepali month of Kartik (mid-October to mid-November) and ends on the seventh day as per the lunar calendar, says Pandit Ramkumar Shastri. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Sun god is especially worshiped during this festival. It is believed that the tradition of worshipping the sun in Hinduism has existed since the Vedic period. This festival is celebrated by all sections of the society together. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the Chhath festival, fasting women and men take a bath and wear clean clothes and eat vegetarian food. In the evening, rice pudding is made in a new oven made of clay. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Pandit Shastri, rice pudding made with molasses is offered to the gods and goddesses and then accepted by the fasting person and other members of the family. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Women offer argha to the setting sun, while men stand on the banks of the ponds and river with coconuts or other fruits in their hands. Traditionally, all the members of the family fasting usually stay awake at the bank of the pond throughout the night. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This year, the worshippers have been hit hard as the prices of goods used in Chhath have skyrocketed. Prices of bananas, coconuts, sugarcane, radish, lemons, apples, oranges, molasses, as well as bamboo items used during the Chhath festival have increased of late. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-10-30', 'modified' => '2022-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15951', 'image' => '20221030111003_20211107101945_1260843_n - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-10-30 11:09:27', '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
