February 25: The Government of Nepal has signed an agreement for additional concessional loan of Rs 2.14 billion ($18 million) with the World Bank…
February 25: The Government of Nepal has signed an agreement for additional concessional loan of Rs 2.14 billion ($18 million) with the World Bank…
February 25: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has instructed its depots and offices to make arrangements for the fuel stations in border areas to collect payment only through electronic means to stop the smuggling of fuel across the border.…
February 25: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, who responsible for…
February 25: Buddha Air has added a new aircraft to its fleet. The private company has purchased a 72-seat capacity ATR for…
February 25: Nepal and India have reached an understanding to form a joint taskforce to prepare a proposal to construct a hydropower project with joint investment from both the…
February 24: Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday in a massed assault by land, sea and air, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two, Reuters…
February 24: The Kathmandu-Terai Expressway (Fast Track), a national pride project, is unlikely to be completed within the given…
February 24: The Nepalese Army is preparing to launch the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2022”.…
February 24: The Ministry of Finance has presented Hedging-related Regulation 2078 to the Council of Minister for approval.…
February 24: The government, which has announced to hold local elections on May 13, is facing problems in managing the resources for the election…
February 24: The number of Nepali migrant workers going for foreign employment has declined in the last two months.…
February 24: Foreign tourists can now enjoy a discount in airfare within…
February 24: High alert measures have been put in place in Kavrepalanchowk – the eastern entry point of Kathmandu Valley and the country’s second largest poultry production hub – after bird-flu was detected in some districts, including the federal capital…
February 23: Stakeholders have been demanding the government to make the real estate business ell organized since a long time.…
February 23: Nepal’s oil industries are facing shortage of raw materials due to the prospect of war between Russia and…
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Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini and the World Bank’s country director for Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives Faris Hadad-Zervos signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides amidst a programme at the Ministry of Finance on Friday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Ministry said that the loan was taken for COVID- 19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness (CERHSP) Project. The ministry expects the loan assistance will further facilitate the expansion of the comprehensive vaccination campaign against COVID-19 launched by the government and will help in purchasing safe and effective vaccines for children of the age group above 5 years. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Nepal has responded expeditiously to the continuously changing environment triggered by the pandemic. It has recorded impressive gains in both primary series COVID-19 vaccination for all populations: 12 years and above as well as booster doses for its most vulnerable populations. This second additional financing will support Nepal to scale-up its vaccination efforts to cover its child population as well," stated Marasini on the occasion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the Ministry, the proposed additional concessional loan financing and CERHSP project share a common objective of preventing, detecting, and responding to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthening the systems for public health preparedness in the nation. The CERHSP project and its additional financing will continue to be implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Population by the Department of Health Services and associated institutional bodies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"l am very pleased that the World Bank in its continued partnership with Nepal, and through this additional Financing will make available safe and effective vaccines to a larger proportion of the population. This is very critical as new variants of the coronavirus continue to pose a threat to people’s safety and livelihoods and exhaust public health systems," WB Country Director Faris Hadad-Zervos said. -- RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14573', 'image' => '20220225054431_World.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 17:43:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14830', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NOC bats for Electronic Transaction to Prevent Fuel Smuggling in Border Areas', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has instructed its depots and offices to make arrangements for the fuel stations in border areas to collect payment only through electronic means to stop the smuggling of fuel across the border. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 25: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has instructed its depots and offices to make arrangements for the fuel stations in border areas to collect payment only through electronic means to stop the smuggling of fuel across the border. The state-owned oil monopoly has given such instructions to its regional offices, fuel depots and branch offices as the price difference of petrol and diesel has widened in the border areas compared to India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Binit Mani Upadhyaya, the deputy director of NOC, the price of petrol in the border area is up to Rs 30 per liter cheaper in Nepal than in India, due to which, petrol and diesel sold from Nepal’s fuel stations near the border are smuggled back to India. The corporation has stated that an electronic payment system is being implemented to make the sale and distribution of fuel from the stations transparent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Issuing a statement, the NOC has said that all ordinary fuel stations located 2 kilometers within the Indian border will be provided with electronic payment system within a month for selling and distributing petroleum products.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The NOC has also instructed the concerned bodies to make arrangements to send the progress report to the center every month.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal Oil Corporation has been running at loss since the price of crude oil reached its peak in the international market. According to the NOC, about 1,600 fuel stations are in operation across the country. Among them, about 60 percent are in the Terai districts.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14572', 'image' => '20220225030202_1645695301.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 15:01:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14829', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Is Finance Minister Deliberately Avoiding MCC?', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, who responsible for th', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 25: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, who responsible for the overall financial matters of the country, has been avoiding the issue of US-funded project, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During last Sunday, Finance Minister Sharma skipped the parliament meeting with an excuse of health-related issues when the MCC was tabled in the House of Representatives (HoR). He then visited Parbat district ahead of Thursday’s House meeting, which was later postponed after the political parties could not forge an understanding over the disputed issue of MCC. The House meeting on Thursday was called for discussing the MCC. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The MCC agenda was presented in parliament on February 20 by Communications Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki due to the absence of Finance Minister Sharma.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Minister Sharma has been criticized for "wandering" outside the Kathmandu Valley in an irresponsible manner at a crucial period when political parties were needed to seek consensus to endorse the MCC.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A picture of Sharma and his wife Laxmi having lunch at Kushma’s ‘sky chair’ after observing bungee jump was circulated on Wednesday – the day when the Parliament Secretariat published the possible list of agenda items.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the MCC was tabled in parliament, Finance Minister Sharma's party, the CPN-Maoist Center and another partner in the coalition government, CPN Unified Socialist have been waging protests from the parliament to the streets.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Some MPs from the party had protested against the MCC in parliament on the day when it was tabled. Even now, sister wings of the ruling Maoist center and the CPN Unified Socialist party are busy throwing stones in the streets on a daily basis.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Deuba's attempt to take UML in confidence</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the ruling parties failed to reach an understanding to pass the MCC, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is trying to take main opposition party – CPN UML – into confidence even at the cost of breaking the alliance.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">On Thursday, Prime Minister Deuba deferred the House meeting to hold discussions with the UML in order to solicit support from the main opposition party to pass the MCC. During the meeting with UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, PM Deuba said that he was ready to find a way out by openly discussing all the demands raised by the UML, Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa, said quoting Deuba.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Thapa, PM Deuba had hinted that the ruling alliance would end if the coalition partners including the Maoist Center, CPN Unified Socialist, and Janamorcha did not support him to endorse the MCC.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prime Minister Deuba, who is also the president of Nepali Congress, urged the UML to pass the MCC by removing the house obstruction. Thapa said that the issue of passing the MCC from the parliament was a matter of Nepal's international relations and credibility.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In response, UML Chairman Oli said that he would discuss within the party and inform whether or not to support the government to pass MCC. Before meeting UML Chairman Oli, Deuba had held decisive talks with CPN Maoist Centre Chairman Dahal and CPN Unified Socialist Party Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal on Thursday. However, the chairmen of both the parties made it clear that they would not support the MCC in its current form.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">China's interest in crisis</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As the political crisis deepens in Nepal over the US-backed project MCC, Nepal's northern neighbor has shown a particular interest in this matter.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Unified Socialist Party Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal held two separate virtual talks with two top leaders of the Foreign Department of the Chinese Communist Party on Wednesday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The conversations took place while the United States accused China of having a vested interest for its alleged role in delaying the parliamentary approval of MCC. During the talks, China reportedly expressed serious security concerns. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to a source, Chen Zhao, Deputy Minister of the Communist Party of China (CPC), expressed concern that the MCC could pose a serious security challenge to China from the Nepali soil. “We have been treating Nepal as a close friend till now,” said a leader close to Madhav Nepal quoting the Chinese minister at the virtual meeting, “However, the growing security challenge from Nepali side has raised concerns. You just have to take this matter more seriously”.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14571', 'image' => '20220225011852_fin min sharma.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 13:18:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14828', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Buddha Air Adds another Aircraft to its Fleet', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Buddha Air has added a new aircraft to its fleet. The private company has purchased a 72-seat capacity ATR for operation.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 25: Buddha Air has added a new aircraft to its fleet. The private company has purchased a 72-seat capacity ATR for operation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The company now has a total of 16 aircraft, including 11 ATR-72, three ATR-42 and two Beechcraft.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The company informed that it added the new aircraft after starting flight operations from its new base in Pokhara. According to officials of Buddha Air, the new aircraft with call sign 9N-ANP will come into operation within two weeks after completing all necessary paper works.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14570', 'image' => '20220225115504_Buddha ATR.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 11:54:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14827', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India Positive about Purchasing Electricity from Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Nepal and India have reached an understanding to form a joint taskforce to prepare a proposal to construct a hydropower project with joint investment from both the countries. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 25: Nepal and India have reached an understanding to form a joint taskforce to prepare a proposal to construct a hydropower project with joint investment from both the countries. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The taskforce will have a maximum of three members from each country. As per the understanding, a company will be established at the government level of both the countries and this company will build a hydropower project with joint investment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Such agreement was reached during the ninth meeting of the Nepal-India Energy Secretary-Level Joint Steering Committee on Thursday, informed Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Chiranjibi Chataut. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary of the Energy Ministry Debendra Karki from Nepal and Secretary of the Energy Ministry of India Alok Kumar. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During the meeting, issues including existing transmission lines between the two countries, under-construction and proposed cross-border transmission line, the Arun III hydropower project and transmission line and cross-border power trade were discussed, said Joint Secretary Chataut. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, the meeting agreed to increase the capacity of the 400 KV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The meeting also agreed to establish a joint company of Nepal and India within April 2022 for the construction of the cross-border New Butwal Gorakhpur transmission line. The 400 KV transmission line will span across 140 kilometers (20 kilometers in the Nepali territory and the remaining 120 km in the Indian territory). The Government of Nepal has to manage budget to construct the project on its side. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the Government of India was positive towards the proposals of Nepal Electricity Authority at different dates to export electricity to India, said the meeting attendants. The NEA has requested India to approve the proposal to sell 850 megawatts of electricity to India before upcoming monsoon. -- RSS </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14569', 'image' => '20220225082256_Classification-of-Overhead-Transmission-lines-1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 08:20:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14825', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Russia Invades Ukraine in Major Assault since WWII', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday in a massed assault by land, sea and air, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two, Reuters reported.', '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"">February 24: Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday in a massed assault by land, sea and air, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two, Reuters reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the news agency, missiles rained down on Ukrainian cities. Ukraine reported columns of troops pouring across its borders from Russia and Belarus, and landing on the coast from the Black and Azov seas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The BBC also confirmed that Russian forces invaded Ukraine, with missile strikes and explosions reported near major cities and on its military infrastructure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Ukrainian military reported said it has killed about 50 Russian "occupiers" and shot down at least six Russian aircraft.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia on the other hand maintained that it met little resistance and claimed that Ukrainian armed forces fled en masse, abandoning their weapons and positions, BBC further reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to BBC, emergency sirens have been sounding in Kyiv since the first explosions in the early hours while huge traffic jams have built up as residents tried to flee the city after Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is expected to have worldwide impact as analysts predict a plunge is share markets across the globe.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal too will not remain unscathed as it depends on Ukraine for the supply of raw materials required for producing cooking oil. The oil industries are already bracing for a price hike as supplies have already stopped coming from Ukraine. The industrialists that have opened LC fear that their investment will go down the drain.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14568', 'image' => '20220224080713_aaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 20:06:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => true, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14826', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Fast Track unlikely to be Completed within the Deadline', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The Kathmandu-Terai Expressway (Fast Track), a national pride project, is unlikely to be completed within the given deadline.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The Kathmandu-Terai Expressway (Fast Track), a national pride project, is unlikely to be completed within the given deadline. The project still needs supplementary environmental impact assessment. Meanwhile, the revised design has pointed out the need to acquire more land for the right of way.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The expressway needs to increase the right of way to 100 meters, the new design states. Currently, the right of way of the expressway is 50 meters. However, as it is necessary to increase it up to 100 meters in terms of security, additional land acquisition, and tree felling are also required. Due to this, a supplementary EIA is needed by amending the previous EIA.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It will take a maximum of 7 months to prepare the supplementary EIA, according to the Nepalese Army.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Project Chief and Brigadier General (Technical) Bikash Pokharel said that it would be difficult to complete the work on time if the government does not assist in acquisition of forest, environment, and land. "The supplementary EIA has not been approved by the concerned body for seven months," Pokhrel added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had assigned the contract management of the fast track to the Nepalese Army with a mandate to complete the construction of the expressway within fiscal year 2080/81. The army has requested for the acquisition of 411 ropanis of land in Khokna and facilitation by the concerned bodies in clearing the site for additional right of way.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"The big package and challenging task of the project is the construction of the tunnel," said Pokharel. According to him, it is estimated that 1 km of the tunnel can be dug in one year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">On this basis, a 3 km tunnel can be dug in 3 years, and the excavation from both sides can be completed within the contract period, said Pokharel. Along with this, the work of bridges on the expressway will also be completed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He claimed that the work of the expressway would be completed within the stipulated time if the budget is assured and no future obstruction surfaces.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, "As Khokna has become the center of five projects, the locals are afraid that Khokna will be lose its identity due to these projects. The locals are of the view that the expressway will not be a problem if the remaining four projects are not constructed here."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Along with the expressway, Smart City, Outer Ring Road, Transmission Line, and Bagmati Corridor projects are also linked with the area that lies on the outskirts of Lalitpur. Stating that the locals have put forward two conditions for the entry of the expressway, Pokharel said, "They are of the view that there should be no problem at the starting point of the expressway if it is ensured that the compensation of land is increased and none of the other four projects are undertaken there."</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14567', 'image' => '20220224090712_fast track nov 21.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 21:06:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14824', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Clean Mountain Campaign to Kick off in May', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The Nepalese Army is preparing to launch the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2022”. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The Nepalese Army is preparing to launch the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2022”. The campaign is to be launched with the budget managed by the Department of Tourism, Nepal Tourism Board and Department of Forest and Environment. The aim is to clean four mountains with the involvement of 91 people. Among them, 29 people will be from the Nepalese Army, 48 Sherpas and other coordination committee members and 14 from Rear Operations Group.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Nepalese Army organized a program in Kathmandu on Tuesday to inform about the campaign. The army informed that garbage from Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse, Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Manaslu would be collected and managed properly under this campaign. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Major Kishor Adhikari, who climbed Mt Everest in 2013, said that the plan is to start the campaign from May. He also informed that the aim is to collect 35 tons of garbage from the above the base camp and nearby areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">On the occasion, the army informed that the government has provided Rs 83 million for the campaign, although a budget of Rs 139.6 million is required. Out of the remaining budget of Rs 46.6 million, the army will manage Rs 13 million and the rest will be sought from other sources. Earlier, the government had allocated Rs 100 million for the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2021”.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The campaign was initiated in 2019. Presenting the work plan of the campaign, the official said that the campaign aims to reduce the impact of pollution and climate change on the environment, help the government to increase economic activities in the mountain areas, attract tourists as well as mountaineers and protect the mountains for future generations as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14566', 'image' => '20220224024229_eveest-expedition-.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 14:41:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14823', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Ministry Presents New Regulation Related to Hedging in Cabinet', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The Ministry of Finance has presented Hedging-related Regulation 2078 to the Council of Minister for approval. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 24: The Ministry of Finance has presented Hedging-related Regulation 2078 to the Council of Minister for approval. The government decided to prepare a new draft of regulation related to hedging after the regulation prepared three years ago was not much effective.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasisi confirmed that the ministry prepared the new regulation in consultation with the Nepal Rastra Bank and has already presented it before the cabinet.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to him, the new regulation has been presented before the cabinet after amending many provisions in the previous regulation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The new regulation proposes hedging facility for health institutions, educational institutes, agriculture, tourism and IT sector companies as well as industries and urban development infrastructures with more than Rs 2 billion investment. It also has provision for green investment projects to enjoy hedging facility, which was not included in the previous regulation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Earlier, only the central bank and Finance Ministry were responsible for hedging but now even Infrastructure Development Bank and commercial banks can bear such responsibilities.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The previous regulation had proposed hedging facility for Monorail and Metrorail covering more than 10 kilometers distance but now even the projects covering 5 kilometer distance can benefit from hedging. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The new regulation has also proposed the timeframe during which projects can enjoy hedging facility. Earlier, the hedging period was only of 5 years but now it has been extended up to 20 years depending on the nature of the projects. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14565', 'image' => '20220224021447_hedging.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 14:14:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14822', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Struggling to Secure Resources for Election ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The government, which has announced to hold local elections on May 13, is facing problems in managing the resources for the election expenses. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The government, which has announced to hold local elections on May 13, is facing problems in managing the resources for the election expenses. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Finance has allocated Rs 10 billion in the current fiscal year for the election. However, there is a problem in mobilizing resources as the Election Commission and other agencies have demanded more than Rs 50 billion. Despite the ministry's pleas with various donor agencies to meet the demand for the budget, the donors seem reluctant to help. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ministry officials are holding discussions with major partners such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and IMF to solicit support from them. Likewise, a senior official of the ministry said that the government is also lobbying with ambassadors from India, China, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During a meeting with Hartwig Schafer, World Bank’s vice president for South Asia, executive director Mohammad Hassan, and country director for the Maldives and Sri Lanka including Nepal Faris Hadad Zervos last week, Finance Minister Janardan Sharma requested them for assistance for the election. Sources said that the World Bank officials did not respond to his request. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Nepal Musid Suleiman M Almarwani met Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka last week. Likewise, Khadka had a meeting with Hanan Goder, Ambassador of Israel to Nepal and Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Nepal Thomas Prinz. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to a foreign ministry source, they exchanged views on various issues related to development, cooperation, trade, investment and bilateral relations, and Foreign Minister Khadka requested financial assistance with them for the upcoming elections. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In a televised interview two days ago, Nepali Congress leader Minendra Rijal had revealed that an ambassador had told him that the country which does not need a grant of Rs 50 billion does not require assistance. Donors are said to be irritated, especially after the parties in the coalition government split over the MCC. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14564', 'image' => '20220224014747_new_logo.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 13:47:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14821', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Number of Nepali Migrant Workers Visiting Foreign Countries Declining', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The number of Nepali migrant workers going for foreign employment has declined in the last two months. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The number of Nepali migrant workers going for foreign employment has declined in the last two months. The number of people leaving Nepal for foreign employment was lowest in the first month of the current fiscal year (mid-July to mid-August) with just 25,400 people leaving the country while it was the highest in the fifth month (mid-November to mid-December) when 74,354 people left the country. But the number has been declining in the last two months, as per the data kept by the Department of Foreign Employment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, 66,625 Nepalese got the final labor permit in the month of Poush (mid-December to mid-January) while only 54,470 people got such permit in Magh (mid-January to mid-February). In the last seven months, a total of 349,000 Nepali workers have gone to 84 countries for employment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">District-wise, most of the workers traveled abroad for foreign employment from Dhanusha between mid-January to mid-February. According to the department, not a single person from Manang has gone abroad for foreign employment. Altogether 33,388 people from Dhanusha have left the country while the lowest number of four people leaving the country for foreign employment is from Mustang.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The number of workers going to the Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Dubai, which are considered as the major labor destinations, is declining. Until a few years ago, Malaysia was the first choice of Nepali workers. But recently, the workers have been more attracted to Saudi Arabia for employment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Out of 349,000 workers who left the country in the last seven months, more than 122,000 have gone to Saudi Arabia. In the last 12 days alone, 19,831 Nepalis have left for Saudi Arabia. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, Qatar is the second largest labor destination for Nepali workers followed by the UAE. But the number of workers visiting these countries has declined.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the last seven months, 115,847 Nepalis left for Qatar for employment. The number of people leaving for Qatar between mid-January to mid-February was 14,751. Similarly, 11,303 Nepali migrant workers went to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between mid-January to mid-February.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14563', 'image' => '20220224121136_20211215023334_20200315123851_1111.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 12:11:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14819', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Foreign Tourists to get Concession on Domestic Flights in Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Foreign tourists can now enjoy a discount in airfare within Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 24: Foreign tourists can now enjoy a discount in airfare within Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Tourism Revitalization Steering Committee has inked an agreement with Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines to provide a discount in the airfare to foreign tourists to attract more external tourists. As per the agreement, foreign tourists will be charged an amount equal to the fair that Nepali passengers pay for domestic flights. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the state-owned RSS, the committee formed under the chairmanship of Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale entered the agreement with the private airlines to ensure a concession in the domestic airfare for foreigners. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Foreigners traveling by air within Nepal had been paying nearly a double fare that Nepalis used to pay for the air ticket for domestic flights due to the policy adopted by the government. There were growing concerns among the foreigners traveling to Nepal that they were charged more than the locals for air tickets, RSS reported. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Coordinator of the committee Rajaram Giri told RSS that they made the same proposal with other private airlines and they too are positive about it. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Furthermore, the committee has appealed with the agencies concerned to coordinate and collaboration with the stakeholders to identify new prospects for tourism sectors and enable invest-friendly atmosphere in this sector. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Committee has requested the COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre to simplify and amend the travel criteria put in place by the government for the passengers traveling in and out of Nepal considering the decline in rate of COVID-19 infection in the country and across the world. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Likewise, the Hotel Association of Nepal has also decided to provide a discount upto 20 per cent to the foreign tourists for booking hotel rooms in a bid to revive the tourism industry that has been hit hard by COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14562', 'image' => '20220224110533_Tourist.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 11:04:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14820', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'High Alert in Kavre to Avoid Bird-Flu Outbreak ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: High alert measures have been put in place in Kavrepalanchowk – the eastern entry point of Kathmandu Valley and the country’s second largest poultry production hub – after bird-flu was detected in some districts, including the federal capital Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 24: High alert measures have been put in place in Kavrepalanchowk – the eastern entry point of Kathmandu Valley and the country’s second largest poultry production hub – after bird-flu was detected in some districts, including the federal capital Kathmandu. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In this connection, screening of birds has been tightened at the main entry point of the district and stakeholders’ discussion at local level has also been ramped up. Panauti municipality organized an interaction with stakeholders on Wednesday with commercial poultry entrepreneurs of its area. At the programme, municipality mayor Bhim Neupane urged the entrepreneurs to place high alert against the spread of bird-flu and not to hide the information about the flu outbreak. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Livestock Specialist Dr Sudip Humagain urged the entrepreneurs to keep vigilance on farm management and sanitation so as to avoid loss and damage caused by bird-flu. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Adviser to Poultry Entrepreneurs Association Madhusudan Guragain said invasion of new diseases has eroded business opportunities which demand the adoption of new security strategies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Last week Banepa municipality also hosted a discussion with local stakeholders on contagious disease on birds and security screening in the checkpoints with neighbouring districts. The municipality has intensified anti-bird-flu campaign in different places. It may be noted that bird-flu was detected in two places of Morang, Chitwan and Kathmandu recently. -- RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14561', 'image' => '20220224114055_istockphoto-153240559-612x612.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 11:40:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14818', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Real Estate Business Goes Out of Control ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Stakeholders have been demanding the government to make the real estate business ell organized since a long time. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 23: Stakeholders have been demanding the government to make the real estate business ell organized since a long time. However, due to the inability to manage the real estate sector, the state itself has suffered as well as the service seekers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> Unnecessary price hike by middlemen have left the middle-class consumers unable to buy land and houses. "Two years ago, the land in Kirtipur used to cost Rs 1.2 million to Rs 1.5 million per aana (1 aana = 242 sq feet), but now it has reached Rs 2.2 million to Rs 2.5 million per aana," said a local.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to government figures, around Rs 50 billion is generated from the real estate business every year at this time. In a country with 50,000-60,000 real estate transactions every month, government officials say the revenue generated is not as much as expected due to the lack of a regulatory body.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Pitamber Ghimire, director-general of the Department of Land Management and Records, the only body responsible for managing the real estate sector, admits that the task and duties assigned to them at present cannot end the problems of the real estate sector.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Named as the Department of Land Management some time ago, this department has now been developed as a record-keeping department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The department has been working to maintain the minimum valuation of land across the country by managing the data of 126 Land Revenue Offices. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ghimire said that the government has realized the problems in the real estate sector and is aware that a separate body is needed to regulate it. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, he suggested that the Land Revenue Act should be amended first to establish a regulatory body and this could be done through amendment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A study conducted by the Confederation of Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CIBFIN) found that bank loans have mostly entered the real estate.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As a result, real estate prices have doubled in just two years. After the price hike, ordinary working people could not afford to buy land due to which the real estate businesses have also slumped.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Due to the slump in real estate business, a large amount of money invested in the real estate has not been able to return to the banking channel. Experts say that one of the main reasons for the deteriorating state of Nepal's economy at this time is the real estate. Neighboring India also went through a similar situation. But the real estate companies in India say real estate prices in India have not risen by more than 10 percent in two years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">This is because the Indian media has mentioned that the Real Estate Regulatory Authority of India (RERA) has played a big role in keeping the price of real estate stable. In Nepal, real estate prices have been rising sharply since 2062/63.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-23', 'modified' => '2022-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14560', 'image' => '20220223070923_Real estate.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-23 19:08:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14817', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Cooking Oil likely to Increase due to Ukraine Crisis', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Nepal’s oil industries are facing shortage of raw materials due to the prospect of war between Russia and Ukraine.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 23: Nepal’s oil industries are facing shortage of raw materials due to the prospect of war between Russia and Ukraine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ukraine is one of the major suppliers of mustard seeds, sunflower seeds and wheat to the Nepalese industries, which have been processing the raw materials and selling them in the Indian market. The oil industries are worried that the shipment of those who have opened LC is unlikely to arrive due to the possible invasion of Ukraine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Suppliers in Ukraine reportedly said that the shipping companies are delaying the shipments despite their request. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nanda Kishore Rathi, vice-president of Morang Chamber of Commerce, said that the goods were ordered by opening LC but the goods have not been dispatched from there due to the possible invasion of Ukraine. “If the war starts, the companies will not be able to send the goods. Industries here can lose millions of rupees,” said Rathi.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rising tensions between the two countries have pushed up the price of mustard by US$ 30 per ton. Besides Ukraine, mustard seeds are also imported to Nepal from Australia. According to the industrialists, the demand for mustard from Australia has increased due to the tension in Ukraine but it is more likely that the imports will be delayed due to the high demand. Even in Australia, the price of mustard has gone up by US$ 60 per ton. He said that the effect of this will be seen in the Nepali market after some time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Krishna Kumar Agrawal, vice-president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that due to the tension between Russia and Ukraine, Nepal's oil industries have started importing mustard from Australia instead of Ukraine. According to Agrawal, although there is no shortage of raw materials in the market at the moment, the price of cooking oil is most likely to increase.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prices of mustard, sunflower and soybean oil have been on the rise for the past one year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The price of mustard oil, which has gone up by Rs 100 per liter, is expected to rise further. The retail price of a liter of mustard is now Rs 280, sunflower oil is around Rs 230 and soybean oil is around Rs 200.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Vice President of the Morang Chamber of Commerce, Bikash Kumar Begwani said that the shipment of mustard, wheat and sunflower from Ukraine has not stopped yet, but is certain to halt in a few days.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Once the war breaks out, the goods coming from there will be stopped,” said Begwani adding, “However, imports from countries including Australia will continue.” He said that the price hike of US$ 30 to 60 per ton of mustard has already affected the Nepali market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He says that if there is a war, the price of petroleum products will also go up and so will the cost of transportation. Banks in Nepal have been reluctant to open LCs for some time due to fear of a war between Ukraine and Russia.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The price of mustard has already gone up by US$ 60 per ton in the international market in the last two months, said Naresh Rathi, vice-president of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry. Rathi, who is also the operator of Chandrashiva Rice and Oil Mills, says, “The LC of mustard I opened two months ago at US$ 755 per ton has now arrived in Kolkata''.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But now the price of mustard in Australia has already reached US$ 820 per ton. The price of mustard was between US$ 580 to 600 per ton in January last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The crisis has intensified after Russia's recognized two separatist territories in eastern Ukraine as independent states. Recognizing the region as an independent state, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to enter Ukrainian territory. The Government of Nepal has taken interest in Nepalese living in Ukraine and has started collecting their data. European countries and the United States have strongly criticized this move of Russia.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-23', 'modified' => '2022-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14559', 'image' => '20220223064452_cookingwl.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-23 18:44:14', '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' => '14832', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government signs Rs 2.14 Billion Loan Agreement with World Bank ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The Government of Nepal has signed an agreement for additional concessional loan of Rs 2.14 billion ($18 million) with the World Bank (WB).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 25: The Government of Nepal has signed an agreement for additional concessional loan of Rs 2.14 billion ($18 million) with the World Bank (WB). Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini and the World Bank’s country director for Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives Faris Hadad-Zervos signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides amidst a programme at the Ministry of Finance on Friday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Ministry said that the loan was taken for COVID- 19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness (CERHSP) Project. The ministry expects the loan assistance will further facilitate the expansion of the comprehensive vaccination campaign against COVID-19 launched by the government and will help in purchasing safe and effective vaccines for children of the age group above 5 years. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Nepal has responded expeditiously to the continuously changing environment triggered by the pandemic. It has recorded impressive gains in both primary series COVID-19 vaccination for all populations: 12 years and above as well as booster doses for its most vulnerable populations. This second additional financing will support Nepal to scale-up its vaccination efforts to cover its child population as well," stated Marasini on the occasion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the Ministry, the proposed additional concessional loan financing and CERHSP project share a common objective of preventing, detecting, and responding to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthening the systems for public health preparedness in the nation. The CERHSP project and its additional financing will continue to be implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Population by the Department of Health Services and associated institutional bodies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"l am very pleased that the World Bank in its continued partnership with Nepal, and through this additional Financing will make available safe and effective vaccines to a larger proportion of the population. This is very critical as new variants of the coronavirus continue to pose a threat to people’s safety and livelihoods and exhaust public health systems," WB Country Director Faris Hadad-Zervos said. -- RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14573', 'image' => '20220225054431_World.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 17:43:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14830', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NOC bats for Electronic Transaction to Prevent Fuel Smuggling in Border Areas', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has instructed its depots and offices to make arrangements for the fuel stations in border areas to collect payment only through electronic means to stop the smuggling of fuel across the border. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 25: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has instructed its depots and offices to make arrangements for the fuel stations in border areas to collect payment only through electronic means to stop the smuggling of fuel across the border. The state-owned oil monopoly has given such instructions to its regional offices, fuel depots and branch offices as the price difference of petrol and diesel has widened in the border areas compared to India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Binit Mani Upadhyaya, the deputy director of NOC, the price of petrol in the border area is up to Rs 30 per liter cheaper in Nepal than in India, due to which, petrol and diesel sold from Nepal’s fuel stations near the border are smuggled back to India. The corporation has stated that an electronic payment system is being implemented to make the sale and distribution of fuel from the stations transparent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Issuing a statement, the NOC has said that all ordinary fuel stations located 2 kilometers within the Indian border will be provided with electronic payment system within a month for selling and distributing petroleum products.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The NOC has also instructed the concerned bodies to make arrangements to send the progress report to the center every month.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal Oil Corporation has been running at loss since the price of crude oil reached its peak in the international market. According to the NOC, about 1,600 fuel stations are in operation across the country. Among them, about 60 percent are in the Terai districts.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14572', 'image' => '20220225030202_1645695301.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 15:01:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14829', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Is Finance Minister Deliberately Avoiding MCC?', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, who responsible for th', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 25: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, who responsible for the overall financial matters of the country, has been avoiding the issue of US-funded project, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During last Sunday, Finance Minister Sharma skipped the parliament meeting with an excuse of health-related issues when the MCC was tabled in the House of Representatives (HoR). He then visited Parbat district ahead of Thursday’s House meeting, which was later postponed after the political parties could not forge an understanding over the disputed issue of MCC. The House meeting on Thursday was called for discussing the MCC. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The MCC agenda was presented in parliament on February 20 by Communications Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki due to the absence of Finance Minister Sharma.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Minister Sharma has been criticized for "wandering" outside the Kathmandu Valley in an irresponsible manner at a crucial period when political parties were needed to seek consensus to endorse the MCC.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A picture of Sharma and his wife Laxmi having lunch at Kushma’s ‘sky chair’ after observing bungee jump was circulated on Wednesday – the day when the Parliament Secretariat published the possible list of agenda items.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the MCC was tabled in parliament, Finance Minister Sharma's party, the CPN-Maoist Center and another partner in the coalition government, CPN Unified Socialist have been waging protests from the parliament to the streets.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Some MPs from the party had protested against the MCC in parliament on the day when it was tabled. Even now, sister wings of the ruling Maoist center and the CPN Unified Socialist party are busy throwing stones in the streets on a daily basis.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Deuba's attempt to take UML in confidence</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the ruling parties failed to reach an understanding to pass the MCC, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is trying to take main opposition party – CPN UML – into confidence even at the cost of breaking the alliance.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">On Thursday, Prime Minister Deuba deferred the House meeting to hold discussions with the UML in order to solicit support from the main opposition party to pass the MCC. During the meeting with UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, PM Deuba said that he was ready to find a way out by openly discussing all the demands raised by the UML, Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa, said quoting Deuba.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Thapa, PM Deuba had hinted that the ruling alliance would end if the coalition partners including the Maoist Center, CPN Unified Socialist, and Janamorcha did not support him to endorse the MCC.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prime Minister Deuba, who is also the president of Nepali Congress, urged the UML to pass the MCC by removing the house obstruction. Thapa said that the issue of passing the MCC from the parliament was a matter of Nepal's international relations and credibility.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In response, UML Chairman Oli said that he would discuss within the party and inform whether or not to support the government to pass MCC. Before meeting UML Chairman Oli, Deuba had held decisive talks with CPN Maoist Centre Chairman Dahal and CPN Unified Socialist Party Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal on Thursday. However, the chairmen of both the parties made it clear that they would not support the MCC in its current form.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">China's interest in crisis</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As the political crisis deepens in Nepal over the US-backed project MCC, Nepal's northern neighbor has shown a particular interest in this matter.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Unified Socialist Party Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal held two separate virtual talks with two top leaders of the Foreign Department of the Chinese Communist Party on Wednesday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The conversations took place while the United States accused China of having a vested interest for its alleged role in delaying the parliamentary approval of MCC. During the talks, China reportedly expressed serious security concerns. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to a source, Chen Zhao, Deputy Minister of the Communist Party of China (CPC), expressed concern that the MCC could pose a serious security challenge to China from the Nepali soil. “We have been treating Nepal as a close friend till now,” said a leader close to Madhav Nepal quoting the Chinese minister at the virtual meeting, “However, the growing security challenge from Nepali side has raised concerns. You just have to take this matter more seriously”.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14571', 'image' => '20220225011852_fin min sharma.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 13:18:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14828', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Buddha Air Adds another Aircraft to its Fleet', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Buddha Air has added a new aircraft to its fleet. The private company has purchased a 72-seat capacity ATR for operation.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 25: Buddha Air has added a new aircraft to its fleet. The private company has purchased a 72-seat capacity ATR for operation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The company now has a total of 16 aircraft, including 11 ATR-72, three ATR-42 and two Beechcraft.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The company informed that it added the new aircraft after starting flight operations from its new base in Pokhara. According to officials of Buddha Air, the new aircraft with call sign 9N-ANP will come into operation within two weeks after completing all necessary paper works.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14570', 'image' => '20220225115504_Buddha ATR.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 11:54:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14827', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India Positive about Purchasing Electricity from Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Nepal and India have reached an understanding to form a joint taskforce to prepare a proposal to construct a hydropower project with joint investment from both the countries. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 25: Nepal and India have reached an understanding to form a joint taskforce to prepare a proposal to construct a hydropower project with joint investment from both the countries. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The taskforce will have a maximum of three members from each country. As per the understanding, a company will be established at the government level of both the countries and this company will build a hydropower project with joint investment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Such agreement was reached during the ninth meeting of the Nepal-India Energy Secretary-Level Joint Steering Committee on Thursday, informed Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Chiranjibi Chataut. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary of the Energy Ministry Debendra Karki from Nepal and Secretary of the Energy Ministry of India Alok Kumar. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During the meeting, issues including existing transmission lines between the two countries, under-construction and proposed cross-border transmission line, the Arun III hydropower project and transmission line and cross-border power trade were discussed, said Joint Secretary Chataut. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, the meeting agreed to increase the capacity of the 400 KV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The meeting also agreed to establish a joint company of Nepal and India within April 2022 for the construction of the cross-border New Butwal Gorakhpur transmission line. The 400 KV transmission line will span across 140 kilometers (20 kilometers in the Nepali territory and the remaining 120 km in the Indian territory). The Government of Nepal has to manage budget to construct the project on its side. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the Government of India was positive towards the proposals of Nepal Electricity Authority at different dates to export electricity to India, said the meeting attendants. The NEA has requested India to approve the proposal to sell 850 megawatts of electricity to India before upcoming monsoon. -- RSS </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14569', 'image' => '20220225082256_Classification-of-Overhead-Transmission-lines-1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 08:20:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14825', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Russia Invades Ukraine in Major Assault since WWII', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday in a massed assault by land, sea and air, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two, Reuters reported.', '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"">February 24: Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday in a massed assault by land, sea and air, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two, Reuters reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the news agency, missiles rained down on Ukrainian cities. Ukraine reported columns of troops pouring across its borders from Russia and Belarus, and landing on the coast from the Black and Azov seas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The BBC also confirmed that Russian forces invaded Ukraine, with missile strikes and explosions reported near major cities and on its military infrastructure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Ukrainian military reported said it has killed about 50 Russian "occupiers" and shot down at least six Russian aircraft.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia on the other hand maintained that it met little resistance and claimed that Ukrainian armed forces fled en masse, abandoning their weapons and positions, BBC further reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to BBC, emergency sirens have been sounding in Kyiv since the first explosions in the early hours while huge traffic jams have built up as residents tried to flee the city after Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is expected to have worldwide impact as analysts predict a plunge is share markets across the globe.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal too will not remain unscathed as it depends on Ukraine for the supply of raw materials required for producing cooking oil. The oil industries are already bracing for a price hike as supplies have already stopped coming from Ukraine. The industrialists that have opened LC fear that their investment will go down the drain.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14568', 'image' => '20220224080713_aaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 20:06:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => true, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14826', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Fast Track unlikely to be Completed within the Deadline', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The Kathmandu-Terai Expressway (Fast Track), a national pride project, is unlikely to be completed within the given deadline.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The Kathmandu-Terai Expressway (Fast Track), a national pride project, is unlikely to be completed within the given deadline. The project still needs supplementary environmental impact assessment. Meanwhile, the revised design has pointed out the need to acquire more land for the right of way.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The expressway needs to increase the right of way to 100 meters, the new design states. Currently, the right of way of the expressway is 50 meters. However, as it is necessary to increase it up to 100 meters in terms of security, additional land acquisition, and tree felling are also required. Due to this, a supplementary EIA is needed by amending the previous EIA.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It will take a maximum of 7 months to prepare the supplementary EIA, according to the Nepalese Army.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Project Chief and Brigadier General (Technical) Bikash Pokharel said that it would be difficult to complete the work on time if the government does not assist in acquisition of forest, environment, and land. "The supplementary EIA has not been approved by the concerned body for seven months," Pokhrel added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had assigned the contract management of the fast track to the Nepalese Army with a mandate to complete the construction of the expressway within fiscal year 2080/81. The army has requested for the acquisition of 411 ropanis of land in Khokna and facilitation by the concerned bodies in clearing the site for additional right of way.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"The big package and challenging task of the project is the construction of the tunnel," said Pokharel. According to him, it is estimated that 1 km of the tunnel can be dug in one year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">On this basis, a 3 km tunnel can be dug in 3 years, and the excavation from both sides can be completed within the contract period, said Pokharel. Along with this, the work of bridges on the expressway will also be completed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He claimed that the work of the expressway would be completed within the stipulated time if the budget is assured and no future obstruction surfaces.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, "As Khokna has become the center of five projects, the locals are afraid that Khokna will be lose its identity due to these projects. The locals are of the view that the expressway will not be a problem if the remaining four projects are not constructed here."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Along with the expressway, Smart City, Outer Ring Road, Transmission Line, and Bagmati Corridor projects are also linked with the area that lies on the outskirts of Lalitpur. Stating that the locals have put forward two conditions for the entry of the expressway, Pokharel said, "They are of the view that there should be no problem at the starting point of the expressway if it is ensured that the compensation of land is increased and none of the other four projects are undertaken there."</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14567', 'image' => '20220224090712_fast track nov 21.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 21:06:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14824', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Clean Mountain Campaign to Kick off in May', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The Nepalese Army is preparing to launch the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2022”. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The Nepalese Army is preparing to launch the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2022”. The campaign is to be launched with the budget managed by the Department of Tourism, Nepal Tourism Board and Department of Forest and Environment. The aim is to clean four mountains with the involvement of 91 people. Among them, 29 people will be from the Nepalese Army, 48 Sherpas and other coordination committee members and 14 from Rear Operations Group.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Nepalese Army organized a program in Kathmandu on Tuesday to inform about the campaign. The army informed that garbage from Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse, Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Manaslu would be collected and managed properly under this campaign. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Major Kishor Adhikari, who climbed Mt Everest in 2013, said that the plan is to start the campaign from May. He also informed that the aim is to collect 35 tons of garbage from the above the base camp and nearby areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">On the occasion, the army informed that the government has provided Rs 83 million for the campaign, although a budget of Rs 139.6 million is required. Out of the remaining budget of Rs 46.6 million, the army will manage Rs 13 million and the rest will be sought from other sources. Earlier, the government had allocated Rs 100 million for the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2021”.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The campaign was initiated in 2019. Presenting the work plan of the campaign, the official said that the campaign aims to reduce the impact of pollution and climate change on the environment, help the government to increase economic activities in the mountain areas, attract tourists as well as mountaineers and protect the mountains for future generations as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14566', 'image' => '20220224024229_eveest-expedition-.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 14:41:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14823', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Ministry Presents New Regulation Related to Hedging in Cabinet', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The Ministry of Finance has presented Hedging-related Regulation 2078 to the Council of Minister for approval. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 24: The Ministry of Finance has presented Hedging-related Regulation 2078 to the Council of Minister for approval. The government decided to prepare a new draft of regulation related to hedging after the regulation prepared three years ago was not much effective.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasisi confirmed that the ministry prepared the new regulation in consultation with the Nepal Rastra Bank and has already presented it before the cabinet.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to him, the new regulation has been presented before the cabinet after amending many provisions in the previous regulation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The new regulation proposes hedging facility for health institutions, educational institutes, agriculture, tourism and IT sector companies as well as industries and urban development infrastructures with more than Rs 2 billion investment. It also has provision for green investment projects to enjoy hedging facility, which was not included in the previous regulation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Earlier, only the central bank and Finance Ministry were responsible for hedging but now even Infrastructure Development Bank and commercial banks can bear such responsibilities.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The previous regulation had proposed hedging facility for Monorail and Metrorail covering more than 10 kilometers distance but now even the projects covering 5 kilometer distance can benefit from hedging. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The new regulation has also proposed the timeframe during which projects can enjoy hedging facility. Earlier, the hedging period was only of 5 years but now it has been extended up to 20 years depending on the nature of the projects. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14565', 'image' => '20220224021447_hedging.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 14:14:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14822', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Struggling to Secure Resources for Election ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The government, which has announced to hold local elections on May 13, is facing problems in managing the resources for the election expenses. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The government, which has announced to hold local elections on May 13, is facing problems in managing the resources for the election expenses. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Finance has allocated Rs 10 billion in the current fiscal year for the election. However, there is a problem in mobilizing resources as the Election Commission and other agencies have demanded more than Rs 50 billion. Despite the ministry's pleas with various donor agencies to meet the demand for the budget, the donors seem reluctant to help. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ministry officials are holding discussions with major partners such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and IMF to solicit support from them. Likewise, a senior official of the ministry said that the government is also lobbying with ambassadors from India, China, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During a meeting with Hartwig Schafer, World Bank’s vice president for South Asia, executive director Mohammad Hassan, and country director for the Maldives and Sri Lanka including Nepal Faris Hadad Zervos last week, Finance Minister Janardan Sharma requested them for assistance for the election. Sources said that the World Bank officials did not respond to his request. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Nepal Musid Suleiman M Almarwani met Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka last week. Likewise, Khadka had a meeting with Hanan Goder, Ambassador of Israel to Nepal and Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Nepal Thomas Prinz. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to a foreign ministry source, they exchanged views on various issues related to development, cooperation, trade, investment and bilateral relations, and Foreign Minister Khadka requested financial assistance with them for the upcoming elections. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In a televised interview two days ago, Nepali Congress leader Minendra Rijal had revealed that an ambassador had told him that the country which does not need a grant of Rs 50 billion does not require assistance. Donors are said to be irritated, especially after the parties in the coalition government split over the MCC. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14564', 'image' => '20220224014747_new_logo.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 13:47:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14821', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Number of Nepali Migrant Workers Visiting Foreign Countries Declining', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The number of Nepali migrant workers going for foreign employment has declined in the last two months. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The number of Nepali migrant workers going for foreign employment has declined in the last two months. The number of people leaving Nepal for foreign employment was lowest in the first month of the current fiscal year (mid-July to mid-August) with just 25,400 people leaving the country while it was the highest in the fifth month (mid-November to mid-December) when 74,354 people left the country. But the number has been declining in the last two months, as per the data kept by the Department of Foreign Employment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, 66,625 Nepalese got the final labor permit in the month of Poush (mid-December to mid-January) while only 54,470 people got such permit in Magh (mid-January to mid-February). In the last seven months, a total of 349,000 Nepali workers have gone to 84 countries for employment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">District-wise, most of the workers traveled abroad for foreign employment from Dhanusha between mid-January to mid-February. According to the department, not a single person from Manang has gone abroad for foreign employment. Altogether 33,388 people from Dhanusha have left the country while the lowest number of four people leaving the country for foreign employment is from Mustang.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The number of workers going to the Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Dubai, which are considered as the major labor destinations, is declining. Until a few years ago, Malaysia was the first choice of Nepali workers. But recently, the workers have been more attracted to Saudi Arabia for employment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Out of 349,000 workers who left the country in the last seven months, more than 122,000 have gone to Saudi Arabia. In the last 12 days alone, 19,831 Nepalis have left for Saudi Arabia. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, Qatar is the second largest labor destination for Nepali workers followed by the UAE. But the number of workers visiting these countries has declined.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the last seven months, 115,847 Nepalis left for Qatar for employment. The number of people leaving for Qatar between mid-January to mid-February was 14,751. Similarly, 11,303 Nepali migrant workers went to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between mid-January to mid-February.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14563', 'image' => '20220224121136_20211215023334_20200315123851_1111.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 12:11:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14819', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Foreign Tourists to get Concession on Domestic Flights in Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Foreign tourists can now enjoy a discount in airfare within Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 24: Foreign tourists can now enjoy a discount in airfare within Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Tourism Revitalization Steering Committee has inked an agreement with Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines to provide a discount in the airfare to foreign tourists to attract more external tourists. As per the agreement, foreign tourists will be charged an amount equal to the fair that Nepali passengers pay for domestic flights. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the state-owned RSS, the committee formed under the chairmanship of Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale entered the agreement with the private airlines to ensure a concession in the domestic airfare for foreigners. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Foreigners traveling by air within Nepal had been paying nearly a double fare that Nepalis used to pay for the air ticket for domestic flights due to the policy adopted by the government. There were growing concerns among the foreigners traveling to Nepal that they were charged more than the locals for air tickets, RSS reported. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Coordinator of the committee Rajaram Giri told RSS that they made the same proposal with other private airlines and they too are positive about it. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Furthermore, the committee has appealed with the agencies concerned to coordinate and collaboration with the stakeholders to identify new prospects for tourism sectors and enable invest-friendly atmosphere in this sector. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Committee has requested the COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre to simplify and amend the travel criteria put in place by the government for the passengers traveling in and out of Nepal considering the decline in rate of COVID-19 infection in the country and across the world. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Likewise, the Hotel Association of Nepal has also decided to provide a discount upto 20 per cent to the foreign tourists for booking hotel rooms in a bid to revive the tourism industry that has been hit hard by COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14562', 'image' => '20220224110533_Tourist.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 11:04:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14820', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'High Alert in Kavre to Avoid Bird-Flu Outbreak ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: High alert measures have been put in place in Kavrepalanchowk – the eastern entry point of Kathmandu Valley and the country’s second largest poultry production hub – after bird-flu was detected in some districts, including the federal capital Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 24: High alert measures have been put in place in Kavrepalanchowk – the eastern entry point of Kathmandu Valley and the country’s second largest poultry production hub – after bird-flu was detected in some districts, including the federal capital Kathmandu. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In this connection, screening of birds has been tightened at the main entry point of the district and stakeholders’ discussion at local level has also been ramped up. Panauti municipality organized an interaction with stakeholders on Wednesday with commercial poultry entrepreneurs of its area. At the programme, municipality mayor Bhim Neupane urged the entrepreneurs to place high alert against the spread of bird-flu and not to hide the information about the flu outbreak. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Livestock Specialist Dr Sudip Humagain urged the entrepreneurs to keep vigilance on farm management and sanitation so as to avoid loss and damage caused by bird-flu. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Adviser to Poultry Entrepreneurs Association Madhusudan Guragain said invasion of new diseases has eroded business opportunities which demand the adoption of new security strategies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Last week Banepa municipality also hosted a discussion with local stakeholders on contagious disease on birds and security screening in the checkpoints with neighbouring districts. The municipality has intensified anti-bird-flu campaign in different places. It may be noted that bird-flu was detected in two places of Morang, Chitwan and Kathmandu recently. -- RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14561', 'image' => '20220224114055_istockphoto-153240559-612x612.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 11:40:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14818', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Real Estate Business Goes Out of Control ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Stakeholders have been demanding the government to make the real estate business ell organized since a long time. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 23: Stakeholders have been demanding the government to make the real estate business ell organized since a long time. However, due to the inability to manage the real estate sector, the state itself has suffered as well as the service seekers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> Unnecessary price hike by middlemen have left the middle-class consumers unable to buy land and houses. "Two years ago, the land in Kirtipur used to cost Rs 1.2 million to Rs 1.5 million per aana (1 aana = 242 sq feet), but now it has reached Rs 2.2 million to Rs 2.5 million per aana," said a local.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to government figures, around Rs 50 billion is generated from the real estate business every year at this time. In a country with 50,000-60,000 real estate transactions every month, government officials say the revenue generated is not as much as expected due to the lack of a regulatory body.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Pitamber Ghimire, director-general of the Department of Land Management and Records, the only body responsible for managing the real estate sector, admits that the task and duties assigned to them at present cannot end the problems of the real estate sector.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Named as the Department of Land Management some time ago, this department has now been developed as a record-keeping department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The department has been working to maintain the minimum valuation of land across the country by managing the data of 126 Land Revenue Offices. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ghimire said that the government has realized the problems in the real estate sector and is aware that a separate body is needed to regulate it. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, he suggested that the Land Revenue Act should be amended first to establish a regulatory body and this could be done through amendment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A study conducted by the Confederation of Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CIBFIN) found that bank loans have mostly entered the real estate.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As a result, real estate prices have doubled in just two years. After the price hike, ordinary working people could not afford to buy land due to which the real estate businesses have also slumped.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Due to the slump in real estate business, a large amount of money invested in the real estate has not been able to return to the banking channel. Experts say that one of the main reasons for the deteriorating state of Nepal's economy at this time is the real estate. Neighboring India also went through a similar situation. But the real estate companies in India say real estate prices in India have not risen by more than 10 percent in two years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">This is because the Indian media has mentioned that the Real Estate Regulatory Authority of India (RERA) has played a big role in keeping the price of real estate stable. In Nepal, real estate prices have been rising sharply since 2062/63.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-23', 'modified' => '2022-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14560', 'image' => '20220223070923_Real estate.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-23 19:08:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14817', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Cooking Oil likely to Increase due to Ukraine Crisis', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Nepal’s oil industries are facing shortage of raw materials due to the prospect of war between Russia and Ukraine.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 23: Nepal’s oil industries are facing shortage of raw materials due to the prospect of war between Russia and Ukraine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ukraine is one of the major suppliers of mustard seeds, sunflower seeds and wheat to the Nepalese industries, which have been processing the raw materials and selling them in the Indian market. The oil industries are worried that the shipment of those who have opened LC is unlikely to arrive due to the possible invasion of Ukraine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Suppliers in Ukraine reportedly said that the shipping companies are delaying the shipments despite their request. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nanda Kishore Rathi, vice-president of Morang Chamber of Commerce, said that the goods were ordered by opening LC but the goods have not been dispatched from there due to the possible invasion of Ukraine. “If the war starts, the companies will not be able to send the goods. Industries here can lose millions of rupees,” said Rathi.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rising tensions between the two countries have pushed up the price of mustard by US$ 30 per ton. Besides Ukraine, mustard seeds are also imported to Nepal from Australia. According to the industrialists, the demand for mustard from Australia has increased due to the tension in Ukraine but it is more likely that the imports will be delayed due to the high demand. Even in Australia, the price of mustard has gone up by US$ 60 per ton. He said that the effect of this will be seen in the Nepali market after some time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Krishna Kumar Agrawal, vice-president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that due to the tension between Russia and Ukraine, Nepal's oil industries have started importing mustard from Australia instead of Ukraine. According to Agrawal, although there is no shortage of raw materials in the market at the moment, the price of cooking oil is most likely to increase.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prices of mustard, sunflower and soybean oil have been on the rise for the past one year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The price of mustard oil, which has gone up by Rs 100 per liter, is expected to rise further. The retail price of a liter of mustard is now Rs 280, sunflower oil is around Rs 230 and soybean oil is around Rs 200.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Vice President of the Morang Chamber of Commerce, Bikash Kumar Begwani said that the shipment of mustard, wheat and sunflower from Ukraine has not stopped yet, but is certain to halt in a few days.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Once the war breaks out, the goods coming from there will be stopped,” said Begwani adding, “However, imports from countries including Australia will continue.” He said that the price hike of US$ 30 to 60 per ton of mustard has already affected the Nepali market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He says that if there is a war, the price of petroleum products will also go up and so will the cost of transportation. Banks in Nepal have been reluctant to open LCs for some time due to fear of a war between Ukraine and Russia.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The price of mustard has already gone up by US$ 60 per ton in the international market in the last two months, said Naresh Rathi, vice-president of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry. Rathi, who is also the operator of Chandrashiva Rice and Oil Mills, says, “The LC of mustard I opened two months ago at US$ 755 per ton has now arrived in Kolkata''.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But now the price of mustard in Australia has already reached US$ 820 per ton. The price of mustard was between US$ 580 to 600 per ton in January last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The crisis has intensified after Russia's recognized two separatist territories in eastern Ukraine as independent states. Recognizing the region as an independent state, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to enter Ukrainian territory. The Government of Nepal has taken interest in Nepalese living in Ukraine and has started collecting their data. European countries and the United States have strongly criticized this move of Russia.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-23', 'modified' => '2022-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14559', 'image' => '20220223064452_cookingwl.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-23 18:44:14', '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' => '14832', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government signs Rs 2.14 Billion Loan Agreement with World Bank ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The Government of Nepal has signed an agreement for additional concessional loan of Rs 2.14 billion ($18 million) with the World Bank (WB).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 25: The Government of Nepal has signed an agreement for additional concessional loan of Rs 2.14 billion ($18 million) with the World Bank (WB). Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini and the World Bank’s country director for Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives Faris Hadad-Zervos signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides amidst a programme at the Ministry of Finance on Friday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Ministry said that the loan was taken for COVID- 19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness (CERHSP) Project. The ministry expects the loan assistance will further facilitate the expansion of the comprehensive vaccination campaign against COVID-19 launched by the government and will help in purchasing safe and effective vaccines for children of the age group above 5 years. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Nepal has responded expeditiously to the continuously changing environment triggered by the pandemic. It has recorded impressive gains in both primary series COVID-19 vaccination for all populations: 12 years and above as well as booster doses for its most vulnerable populations. This second additional financing will support Nepal to scale-up its vaccination efforts to cover its child population as well," stated Marasini on the occasion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the Ministry, the proposed additional concessional loan financing and CERHSP project share a common objective of preventing, detecting, and responding to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthening the systems for public health preparedness in the nation. The CERHSP project and its additional financing will continue to be implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Population by the Department of Health Services and associated institutional bodies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"l am very pleased that the World Bank in its continued partnership with Nepal, and through this additional Financing will make available safe and effective vaccines to a larger proportion of the population. This is very critical as new variants of the coronavirus continue to pose a threat to people’s safety and livelihoods and exhaust public health systems," WB Country Director Faris Hadad-Zervos said. -- RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14573', 'image' => '20220225054431_World.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 17:43:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14830', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NOC bats for Electronic Transaction to Prevent Fuel Smuggling in Border Areas', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has instructed its depots and offices to make arrangements for the fuel stations in border areas to collect payment only through electronic means to stop the smuggling of fuel across the border. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 25: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has instructed its depots and offices to make arrangements for the fuel stations in border areas to collect payment only through electronic means to stop the smuggling of fuel across the border. The state-owned oil monopoly has given such instructions to its regional offices, fuel depots and branch offices as the price difference of petrol and diesel has widened in the border areas compared to India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Binit Mani Upadhyaya, the deputy director of NOC, the price of petrol in the border area is up to Rs 30 per liter cheaper in Nepal than in India, due to which, petrol and diesel sold from Nepal’s fuel stations near the border are smuggled back to India. The corporation has stated that an electronic payment system is being implemented to make the sale and distribution of fuel from the stations transparent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Issuing a statement, the NOC has said that all ordinary fuel stations located 2 kilometers within the Indian border will be provided with electronic payment system within a month for selling and distributing petroleum products.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The NOC has also instructed the concerned bodies to make arrangements to send the progress report to the center every month.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal Oil Corporation has been running at loss since the price of crude oil reached its peak in the international market. According to the NOC, about 1,600 fuel stations are in operation across the country. Among them, about 60 percent are in the Terai districts.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14572', 'image' => '20220225030202_1645695301.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 15:01:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14829', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Is Finance Minister Deliberately Avoiding MCC?', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, who responsible for th', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 25: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, who responsible for the overall financial matters of the country, has been avoiding the issue of US-funded project, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During last Sunday, Finance Minister Sharma skipped the parliament meeting with an excuse of health-related issues when the MCC was tabled in the House of Representatives (HoR). He then visited Parbat district ahead of Thursday’s House meeting, which was later postponed after the political parties could not forge an understanding over the disputed issue of MCC. The House meeting on Thursday was called for discussing the MCC. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The MCC agenda was presented in parliament on February 20 by Communications Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki due to the absence of Finance Minister Sharma.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Minister Sharma has been criticized for "wandering" outside the Kathmandu Valley in an irresponsible manner at a crucial period when political parties were needed to seek consensus to endorse the MCC.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A picture of Sharma and his wife Laxmi having lunch at Kushma’s ‘sky chair’ after observing bungee jump was circulated on Wednesday – the day when the Parliament Secretariat published the possible list of agenda items.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the MCC was tabled in parliament, Finance Minister Sharma's party, the CPN-Maoist Center and another partner in the coalition government, CPN Unified Socialist have been waging protests from the parliament to the streets.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Some MPs from the party had protested against the MCC in parliament on the day when it was tabled. Even now, sister wings of the ruling Maoist center and the CPN Unified Socialist party are busy throwing stones in the streets on a daily basis.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Deuba's attempt to take UML in confidence</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the ruling parties failed to reach an understanding to pass the MCC, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is trying to take main opposition party – CPN UML – into confidence even at the cost of breaking the alliance.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">On Thursday, Prime Minister Deuba deferred the House meeting to hold discussions with the UML in order to solicit support from the main opposition party to pass the MCC. During the meeting with UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, PM Deuba said that he was ready to find a way out by openly discussing all the demands raised by the UML, Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa, said quoting Deuba.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Thapa, PM Deuba had hinted that the ruling alliance would end if the coalition partners including the Maoist Center, CPN Unified Socialist, and Janamorcha did not support him to endorse the MCC.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prime Minister Deuba, who is also the president of Nepali Congress, urged the UML to pass the MCC by removing the house obstruction. Thapa said that the issue of passing the MCC from the parliament was a matter of Nepal's international relations and credibility.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In response, UML Chairman Oli said that he would discuss within the party and inform whether or not to support the government to pass MCC. Before meeting UML Chairman Oli, Deuba had held decisive talks with CPN Maoist Centre Chairman Dahal and CPN Unified Socialist Party Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal on Thursday. However, the chairmen of both the parties made it clear that they would not support the MCC in its current form.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">China's interest in crisis</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As the political crisis deepens in Nepal over the US-backed project MCC, Nepal's northern neighbor has shown a particular interest in this matter.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Unified Socialist Party Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal held two separate virtual talks with two top leaders of the Foreign Department of the Chinese Communist Party on Wednesday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The conversations took place while the United States accused China of having a vested interest for its alleged role in delaying the parliamentary approval of MCC. During the talks, China reportedly expressed serious security concerns. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to a source, Chen Zhao, Deputy Minister of the Communist Party of China (CPC), expressed concern that the MCC could pose a serious security challenge to China from the Nepali soil. “We have been treating Nepal as a close friend till now,” said a leader close to Madhav Nepal quoting the Chinese minister at the virtual meeting, “However, the growing security challenge from Nepali side has raised concerns. You just have to take this matter more seriously”.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14571', 'image' => '20220225011852_fin min sharma.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 13:18:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14828', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Buddha Air Adds another Aircraft to its Fleet', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Buddha Air has added a new aircraft to its fleet. The private company has purchased a 72-seat capacity ATR for operation.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 25: Buddha Air has added a new aircraft to its fleet. The private company has purchased a 72-seat capacity ATR for operation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The company now has a total of 16 aircraft, including 11 ATR-72, three ATR-42 and two Beechcraft.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The company informed that it added the new aircraft after starting flight operations from its new base in Pokhara. According to officials of Buddha Air, the new aircraft with call sign 9N-ANP will come into operation within two weeks after completing all necessary paper works.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14570', 'image' => '20220225115504_Buddha ATR.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 11:54:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14827', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India Positive about Purchasing Electricity from Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Nepal and India have reached an understanding to form a joint taskforce to prepare a proposal to construct a hydropower project with joint investment from both the countries. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 25: Nepal and India have reached an understanding to form a joint taskforce to prepare a proposal to construct a hydropower project with joint investment from both the countries. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The taskforce will have a maximum of three members from each country. As per the understanding, a company will be established at the government level of both the countries and this company will build a hydropower project with joint investment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Such agreement was reached during the ninth meeting of the Nepal-India Energy Secretary-Level Joint Steering Committee on Thursday, informed Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Chiranjibi Chataut. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary of the Energy Ministry Debendra Karki from Nepal and Secretary of the Energy Ministry of India Alok Kumar. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During the meeting, issues including existing transmission lines between the two countries, under-construction and proposed cross-border transmission line, the Arun III hydropower project and transmission line and cross-border power trade were discussed, said Joint Secretary Chataut. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, the meeting agreed to increase the capacity of the 400 KV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The meeting also agreed to establish a joint company of Nepal and India within April 2022 for the construction of the cross-border New Butwal Gorakhpur transmission line. The 400 KV transmission line will span across 140 kilometers (20 kilometers in the Nepali territory and the remaining 120 km in the Indian territory). The Government of Nepal has to manage budget to construct the project on its side. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the Government of India was positive towards the proposals of Nepal Electricity Authority at different dates to export electricity to India, said the meeting attendants. The NEA has requested India to approve the proposal to sell 850 megawatts of electricity to India before upcoming monsoon. -- RSS </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14569', 'image' => '20220225082256_Classification-of-Overhead-Transmission-lines-1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 08:20:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14825', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Russia Invades Ukraine in Major Assault since WWII', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday in a massed assault by land, sea and air, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two, Reuters reported.', '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"">February 24: Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday in a massed assault by land, sea and air, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two, Reuters reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the news agency, missiles rained down on Ukrainian cities. Ukraine reported columns of troops pouring across its borders from Russia and Belarus, and landing on the coast from the Black and Azov seas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The BBC also confirmed that Russian forces invaded Ukraine, with missile strikes and explosions reported near major cities and on its military infrastructure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Ukrainian military reported said it has killed about 50 Russian "occupiers" and shot down at least six Russian aircraft.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia on the other hand maintained that it met little resistance and claimed that Ukrainian armed forces fled en masse, abandoning their weapons and positions, BBC further reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to BBC, emergency sirens have been sounding in Kyiv since the first explosions in the early hours while huge traffic jams have built up as residents tried to flee the city after Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is expected to have worldwide impact as analysts predict a plunge is share markets across the globe.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal too will not remain unscathed as it depends on Ukraine for the supply of raw materials required for producing cooking oil. The oil industries are already bracing for a price hike as supplies have already stopped coming from Ukraine. The industrialists that have opened LC fear that their investment will go down the drain.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14568', 'image' => '20220224080713_aaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 20:06:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => true, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14826', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Fast Track unlikely to be Completed within the Deadline', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The Kathmandu-Terai Expressway (Fast Track), a national pride project, is unlikely to be completed within the given deadline.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The Kathmandu-Terai Expressway (Fast Track), a national pride project, is unlikely to be completed within the given deadline. The project still needs supplementary environmental impact assessment. Meanwhile, the revised design has pointed out the need to acquire more land for the right of way.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The expressway needs to increase the right of way to 100 meters, the new design states. Currently, the right of way of the expressway is 50 meters. However, as it is necessary to increase it up to 100 meters in terms of security, additional land acquisition, and tree felling are also required. Due to this, a supplementary EIA is needed by amending the previous EIA.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It will take a maximum of 7 months to prepare the supplementary EIA, according to the Nepalese Army.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Project Chief and Brigadier General (Technical) Bikash Pokharel said that it would be difficult to complete the work on time if the government does not assist in acquisition of forest, environment, and land. "The supplementary EIA has not been approved by the concerned body for seven months," Pokhrel added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had assigned the contract management of the fast track to the Nepalese Army with a mandate to complete the construction of the expressway within fiscal year 2080/81. The army has requested for the acquisition of 411 ropanis of land in Khokna and facilitation by the concerned bodies in clearing the site for additional right of way.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"The big package and challenging task of the project is the construction of the tunnel," said Pokharel. According to him, it is estimated that 1 km of the tunnel can be dug in one year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">On this basis, a 3 km tunnel can be dug in 3 years, and the excavation from both sides can be completed within the contract period, said Pokharel. Along with this, the work of bridges on the expressway will also be completed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He claimed that the work of the expressway would be completed within the stipulated time if the budget is assured and no future obstruction surfaces.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, "As Khokna has become the center of five projects, the locals are afraid that Khokna will be lose its identity due to these projects. The locals are of the view that the expressway will not be a problem if the remaining four projects are not constructed here."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Along with the expressway, Smart City, Outer Ring Road, Transmission Line, and Bagmati Corridor projects are also linked with the area that lies on the outskirts of Lalitpur. Stating that the locals have put forward two conditions for the entry of the expressway, Pokharel said, "They are of the view that there should be no problem at the starting point of the expressway if it is ensured that the compensation of land is increased and none of the other four projects are undertaken there."</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14567', 'image' => '20220224090712_fast track nov 21.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 21:06:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14824', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Clean Mountain Campaign to Kick off in May', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The Nepalese Army is preparing to launch the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2022”. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The Nepalese Army is preparing to launch the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2022”. The campaign is to be launched with the budget managed by the Department of Tourism, Nepal Tourism Board and Department of Forest and Environment. The aim is to clean four mountains with the involvement of 91 people. Among them, 29 people will be from the Nepalese Army, 48 Sherpas and other coordination committee members and 14 from Rear Operations Group.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Nepalese Army organized a program in Kathmandu on Tuesday to inform about the campaign. The army informed that garbage from Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse, Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Manaslu would be collected and managed properly under this campaign. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Major Kishor Adhikari, who climbed Mt Everest in 2013, said that the plan is to start the campaign from May. He also informed that the aim is to collect 35 tons of garbage from the above the base camp and nearby areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">On the occasion, the army informed that the government has provided Rs 83 million for the campaign, although a budget of Rs 139.6 million is required. Out of the remaining budget of Rs 46.6 million, the army will manage Rs 13 million and the rest will be sought from other sources. Earlier, the government had allocated Rs 100 million for the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2021”.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The campaign was initiated in 2019. Presenting the work plan of the campaign, the official said that the campaign aims to reduce the impact of pollution and climate change on the environment, help the government to increase economic activities in the mountain areas, attract tourists as well as mountaineers and protect the mountains for future generations as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14566', 'image' => '20220224024229_eveest-expedition-.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 14:41:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14823', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Ministry Presents New Regulation Related to Hedging in Cabinet', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The Ministry of Finance has presented Hedging-related Regulation 2078 to the Council of Minister for approval. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 24: The Ministry of Finance has presented Hedging-related Regulation 2078 to the Council of Minister for approval. The government decided to prepare a new draft of regulation related to hedging after the regulation prepared three years ago was not much effective.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasisi confirmed that the ministry prepared the new regulation in consultation with the Nepal Rastra Bank and has already presented it before the cabinet.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to him, the new regulation has been presented before the cabinet after amending many provisions in the previous regulation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The new regulation proposes hedging facility for health institutions, educational institutes, agriculture, tourism and IT sector companies as well as industries and urban development infrastructures with more than Rs 2 billion investment. It also has provision for green investment projects to enjoy hedging facility, which was not included in the previous regulation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Earlier, only the central bank and Finance Ministry were responsible for hedging but now even Infrastructure Development Bank and commercial banks can bear such responsibilities.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The previous regulation had proposed hedging facility for Monorail and Metrorail covering more than 10 kilometers distance but now even the projects covering 5 kilometer distance can benefit from hedging. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The new regulation has also proposed the timeframe during which projects can enjoy hedging facility. Earlier, the hedging period was only of 5 years but now it has been extended up to 20 years depending on the nature of the projects. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14565', 'image' => '20220224021447_hedging.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 14:14:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14822', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Struggling to Secure Resources for Election ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The government, which has announced to hold local elections on May 13, is facing problems in managing the resources for the election expenses. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The government, which has announced to hold local elections on May 13, is facing problems in managing the resources for the election expenses. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Finance has allocated Rs 10 billion in the current fiscal year for the election. However, there is a problem in mobilizing resources as the Election Commission and other agencies have demanded more than Rs 50 billion. Despite the ministry's pleas with various donor agencies to meet the demand for the budget, the donors seem reluctant to help. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ministry officials are holding discussions with major partners such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and IMF to solicit support from them. Likewise, a senior official of the ministry said that the government is also lobbying with ambassadors from India, China, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During a meeting with Hartwig Schafer, World Bank’s vice president for South Asia, executive director Mohammad Hassan, and country director for the Maldives and Sri Lanka including Nepal Faris Hadad Zervos last week, Finance Minister Janardan Sharma requested them for assistance for the election. Sources said that the World Bank officials did not respond to his request. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Nepal Musid Suleiman M Almarwani met Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka last week. Likewise, Khadka had a meeting with Hanan Goder, Ambassador of Israel to Nepal and Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Nepal Thomas Prinz. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to a foreign ministry source, they exchanged views on various issues related to development, cooperation, trade, investment and bilateral relations, and Foreign Minister Khadka requested financial assistance with them for the upcoming elections. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In a televised interview two days ago, Nepali Congress leader Minendra Rijal had revealed that an ambassador had told him that the country which does not need a grant of Rs 50 billion does not require assistance. Donors are said to be irritated, especially after the parties in the coalition government split over the MCC. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14564', 'image' => '20220224014747_new_logo.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 13:47:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14821', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Number of Nepali Migrant Workers Visiting Foreign Countries Declining', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The number of Nepali migrant workers going for foreign employment has declined in the last two months. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The number of Nepali migrant workers going for foreign employment has declined in the last two months. The number of people leaving Nepal for foreign employment was lowest in the first month of the current fiscal year (mid-July to mid-August) with just 25,400 people leaving the country while it was the highest in the fifth month (mid-November to mid-December) when 74,354 people left the country. But the number has been declining in the last two months, as per the data kept by the Department of Foreign Employment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, 66,625 Nepalese got the final labor permit in the month of Poush (mid-December to mid-January) while only 54,470 people got such permit in Magh (mid-January to mid-February). In the last seven months, a total of 349,000 Nepali workers have gone to 84 countries for employment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">District-wise, most of the workers traveled abroad for foreign employment from Dhanusha between mid-January to mid-February. According to the department, not a single person from Manang has gone abroad for foreign employment. Altogether 33,388 people from Dhanusha have left the country while the lowest number of four people leaving the country for foreign employment is from Mustang.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The number of workers going to the Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Dubai, which are considered as the major labor destinations, is declining. Until a few years ago, Malaysia was the first choice of Nepali workers. But recently, the workers have been more attracted to Saudi Arabia for employment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Out of 349,000 workers who left the country in the last seven months, more than 122,000 have gone to Saudi Arabia. In the last 12 days alone, 19,831 Nepalis have left for Saudi Arabia. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, Qatar is the second largest labor destination for Nepali workers followed by the UAE. But the number of workers visiting these countries has declined.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the last seven months, 115,847 Nepalis left for Qatar for employment. The number of people leaving for Qatar between mid-January to mid-February was 14,751. Similarly, 11,303 Nepali migrant workers went to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between mid-January to mid-February.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14563', 'image' => '20220224121136_20211215023334_20200315123851_1111.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 12:11:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14819', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Foreign Tourists to get Concession on Domestic Flights in Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Foreign tourists can now enjoy a discount in airfare within Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 24: Foreign tourists can now enjoy a discount in airfare within Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Tourism Revitalization Steering Committee has inked an agreement with Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines to provide a discount in the airfare to foreign tourists to attract more external tourists. As per the agreement, foreign tourists will be charged an amount equal to the fair that Nepali passengers pay for domestic flights. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the state-owned RSS, the committee formed under the chairmanship of Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale entered the agreement with the private airlines to ensure a concession in the domestic airfare for foreigners. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Foreigners traveling by air within Nepal had been paying nearly a double fare that Nepalis used to pay for the air ticket for domestic flights due to the policy adopted by the government. There were growing concerns among the foreigners traveling to Nepal that they were charged more than the locals for air tickets, RSS reported. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Coordinator of the committee Rajaram Giri told RSS that they made the same proposal with other private airlines and they too are positive about it. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Furthermore, the committee has appealed with the agencies concerned to coordinate and collaboration with the stakeholders to identify new prospects for tourism sectors and enable invest-friendly atmosphere in this sector. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Committee has requested the COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre to simplify and amend the travel criteria put in place by the government for the passengers traveling in and out of Nepal considering the decline in rate of COVID-19 infection in the country and across the world. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Likewise, the Hotel Association of Nepal has also decided to provide a discount upto 20 per cent to the foreign tourists for booking hotel rooms in a bid to revive the tourism industry that has been hit hard by COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14562', 'image' => '20220224110533_Tourist.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 11:04:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14820', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'High Alert in Kavre to Avoid Bird-Flu Outbreak ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: High alert measures have been put in place in Kavrepalanchowk – the eastern entry point of Kathmandu Valley and the country’s second largest poultry production hub – after bird-flu was detected in some districts, including the federal capital Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 24: High alert measures have been put in place in Kavrepalanchowk – the eastern entry point of Kathmandu Valley and the country’s second largest poultry production hub – after bird-flu was detected in some districts, including the federal capital Kathmandu. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In this connection, screening of birds has been tightened at the main entry point of the district and stakeholders’ discussion at local level has also been ramped up. Panauti municipality organized an interaction with stakeholders on Wednesday with commercial poultry entrepreneurs of its area. At the programme, municipality mayor Bhim Neupane urged the entrepreneurs to place high alert against the spread of bird-flu and not to hide the information about the flu outbreak. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Livestock Specialist Dr Sudip Humagain urged the entrepreneurs to keep vigilance on farm management and sanitation so as to avoid loss and damage caused by bird-flu. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Adviser to Poultry Entrepreneurs Association Madhusudan Guragain said invasion of new diseases has eroded business opportunities which demand the adoption of new security strategies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Last week Banepa municipality also hosted a discussion with local stakeholders on contagious disease on birds and security screening in the checkpoints with neighbouring districts. The municipality has intensified anti-bird-flu campaign in different places. It may be noted that bird-flu was detected in two places of Morang, Chitwan and Kathmandu recently. -- RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14561', 'image' => '20220224114055_istockphoto-153240559-612x612.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 11:40:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14818', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Real Estate Business Goes Out of Control ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Stakeholders have been demanding the government to make the real estate business ell organized since a long time. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 23: Stakeholders have been demanding the government to make the real estate business ell organized since a long time. However, due to the inability to manage the real estate sector, the state itself has suffered as well as the service seekers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> Unnecessary price hike by middlemen have left the middle-class consumers unable to buy land and houses. "Two years ago, the land in Kirtipur used to cost Rs 1.2 million to Rs 1.5 million per aana (1 aana = 242 sq feet), but now it has reached Rs 2.2 million to Rs 2.5 million per aana," said a local.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to government figures, around Rs 50 billion is generated from the real estate business every year at this time. In a country with 50,000-60,000 real estate transactions every month, government officials say the revenue generated is not as much as expected due to the lack of a regulatory body.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Pitamber Ghimire, director-general of the Department of Land Management and Records, the only body responsible for managing the real estate sector, admits that the task and duties assigned to them at present cannot end the problems of the real estate sector.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Named as the Department of Land Management some time ago, this department has now been developed as a record-keeping department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The department has been working to maintain the minimum valuation of land across the country by managing the data of 126 Land Revenue Offices. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ghimire said that the government has realized the problems in the real estate sector and is aware that a separate body is needed to regulate it. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, he suggested that the Land Revenue Act should be amended first to establish a regulatory body and this could be done through amendment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A study conducted by the Confederation of Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CIBFIN) found that bank loans have mostly entered the real estate.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As a result, real estate prices have doubled in just two years. After the price hike, ordinary working people could not afford to buy land due to which the real estate businesses have also slumped.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Due to the slump in real estate business, a large amount of money invested in the real estate has not been able to return to the banking channel. Experts say that one of the main reasons for the deteriorating state of Nepal's economy at this time is the real estate. Neighboring India also went through a similar situation. But the real estate companies in India say real estate prices in India have not risen by more than 10 percent in two years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">This is because the Indian media has mentioned that the Real Estate Regulatory Authority of India (RERA) has played a big role in keeping the price of real estate stable. In Nepal, real estate prices have been rising sharply since 2062/63.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-23', 'modified' => '2022-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14560', 'image' => '20220223070923_Real estate.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-23 19:08:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14817', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Cooking Oil likely to Increase due to Ukraine Crisis', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Nepal’s oil industries are facing shortage of raw materials due to the prospect of war between Russia and Ukraine.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 23: Nepal’s oil industries are facing shortage of raw materials due to the prospect of war between Russia and Ukraine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ukraine is one of the major suppliers of mustard seeds, sunflower seeds and wheat to the Nepalese industries, which have been processing the raw materials and selling them in the Indian market. The oil industries are worried that the shipment of those who have opened LC is unlikely to arrive due to the possible invasion of Ukraine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Suppliers in Ukraine reportedly said that the shipping companies are delaying the shipments despite their request. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nanda Kishore Rathi, vice-president of Morang Chamber of Commerce, said that the goods were ordered by opening LC but the goods have not been dispatched from there due to the possible invasion of Ukraine. “If the war starts, the companies will not be able to send the goods. Industries here can lose millions of rupees,” said Rathi.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rising tensions between the two countries have pushed up the price of mustard by US$ 30 per ton. Besides Ukraine, mustard seeds are also imported to Nepal from Australia. According to the industrialists, the demand for mustard from Australia has increased due to the tension in Ukraine but it is more likely that the imports will be delayed due to the high demand. Even in Australia, the price of mustard has gone up by US$ 60 per ton. He said that the effect of this will be seen in the Nepali market after some time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Krishna Kumar Agrawal, vice-president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that due to the tension between Russia and Ukraine, Nepal's oil industries have started importing mustard from Australia instead of Ukraine. According to Agrawal, although there is no shortage of raw materials in the market at the moment, the price of cooking oil is most likely to increase.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prices of mustard, sunflower and soybean oil have been on the rise for the past one year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The price of mustard oil, which has gone up by Rs 100 per liter, is expected to rise further. The retail price of a liter of mustard is now Rs 280, sunflower oil is around Rs 230 and soybean oil is around Rs 200.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Vice President of the Morang Chamber of Commerce, Bikash Kumar Begwani said that the shipment of mustard, wheat and sunflower from Ukraine has not stopped yet, but is certain to halt in a few days.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Once the war breaks out, the goods coming from there will be stopped,” said Begwani adding, “However, imports from countries including Australia will continue.” He said that the price hike of US$ 30 to 60 per ton of mustard has already affected the Nepali market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He says that if there is a war, the price of petroleum products will also go up and so will the cost of transportation. Banks in Nepal have been reluctant to open LCs for some time due to fear of a war between Ukraine and Russia.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The price of mustard has already gone up by US$ 60 per ton in the international market in the last two months, said Naresh Rathi, vice-president of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry. Rathi, who is also the operator of Chandrashiva Rice and Oil Mills, says, “The LC of mustard I opened two months ago at US$ 755 per ton has now arrived in Kolkata''.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But now the price of mustard in Australia has already reached US$ 820 per ton. The price of mustard was between US$ 580 to 600 per ton in January last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The crisis has intensified after Russia's recognized two separatist territories in eastern Ukraine as independent states. Recognizing the region as an independent state, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to enter Ukrainian territory. The Government of Nepal has taken interest in Nepalese living in Ukraine and has started collecting their data. European countries and the United States have strongly criticized this move of Russia.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-23', 'modified' => '2022-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14559', 'image' => '20220223064452_cookingwl.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-23 18:44:14', '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
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 133]file not found!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' => '14832', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government signs Rs 2.14 Billion Loan Agreement with World Bank ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The Government of Nepal has signed an agreement for additional concessional loan of Rs 2.14 billion ($18 million) with the World Bank (WB).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 25: The Government of Nepal has signed an agreement for additional concessional loan of Rs 2.14 billion ($18 million) with the World Bank (WB). Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini and the World Bank’s country director for Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives Faris Hadad-Zervos signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides amidst a programme at the Ministry of Finance on Friday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Ministry said that the loan was taken for COVID- 19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness (CERHSP) Project. The ministry expects the loan assistance will further facilitate the expansion of the comprehensive vaccination campaign against COVID-19 launched by the government and will help in purchasing safe and effective vaccines for children of the age group above 5 years. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Nepal has responded expeditiously to the continuously changing environment triggered by the pandemic. It has recorded impressive gains in both primary series COVID-19 vaccination for all populations: 12 years and above as well as booster doses for its most vulnerable populations. This second additional financing will support Nepal to scale-up its vaccination efforts to cover its child population as well," stated Marasini on the occasion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the Ministry, the proposed additional concessional loan financing and CERHSP project share a common objective of preventing, detecting, and responding to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthening the systems for public health preparedness in the nation. The CERHSP project and its additional financing will continue to be implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Population by the Department of Health Services and associated institutional bodies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"l am very pleased that the World Bank in its continued partnership with Nepal, and through this additional Financing will make available safe and effective vaccines to a larger proportion of the population. This is very critical as new variants of the coronavirus continue to pose a threat to people’s safety and livelihoods and exhaust public health systems," WB Country Director Faris Hadad-Zervos said. -- RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14573', 'image' => '20220225054431_World.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 17:43:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14830', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NOC bats for Electronic Transaction to Prevent Fuel Smuggling in Border Areas', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has instructed its depots and offices to make arrangements for the fuel stations in border areas to collect payment only through electronic means to stop the smuggling of fuel across the border. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 25: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has instructed its depots and offices to make arrangements for the fuel stations in border areas to collect payment only through electronic means to stop the smuggling of fuel across the border. The state-owned oil monopoly has given such instructions to its regional offices, fuel depots and branch offices as the price difference of petrol and diesel has widened in the border areas compared to India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Binit Mani Upadhyaya, the deputy director of NOC, the price of petrol in the border area is up to Rs 30 per liter cheaper in Nepal than in India, due to which, petrol and diesel sold from Nepal’s fuel stations near the border are smuggled back to India. The corporation has stated that an electronic payment system is being implemented to make the sale and distribution of fuel from the stations transparent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Issuing a statement, the NOC has said that all ordinary fuel stations located 2 kilometers within the Indian border will be provided with electronic payment system within a month for selling and distributing petroleum products.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The NOC has also instructed the concerned bodies to make arrangements to send the progress report to the center every month.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal Oil Corporation has been running at loss since the price of crude oil reached its peak in the international market. According to the NOC, about 1,600 fuel stations are in operation across the country. Among them, about 60 percent are in the Terai districts.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14572', 'image' => '20220225030202_1645695301.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 15:01:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14829', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Is Finance Minister Deliberately Avoiding MCC?', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, who responsible for th', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 25: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, who responsible for the overall financial matters of the country, has been avoiding the issue of US-funded project, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During last Sunday, Finance Minister Sharma skipped the parliament meeting with an excuse of health-related issues when the MCC was tabled in the House of Representatives (HoR). He then visited Parbat district ahead of Thursday’s House meeting, which was later postponed after the political parties could not forge an understanding over the disputed issue of MCC. The House meeting on Thursday was called for discussing the MCC. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The MCC agenda was presented in parliament on February 20 by Communications Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki due to the absence of Finance Minister Sharma.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Minister Sharma has been criticized for "wandering" outside the Kathmandu Valley in an irresponsible manner at a crucial period when political parties were needed to seek consensus to endorse the MCC.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A picture of Sharma and his wife Laxmi having lunch at Kushma’s ‘sky chair’ after observing bungee jump was circulated on Wednesday – the day when the Parliament Secretariat published the possible list of agenda items.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the MCC was tabled in parliament, Finance Minister Sharma's party, the CPN-Maoist Center and another partner in the coalition government, CPN Unified Socialist have been waging protests from the parliament to the streets.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Some MPs from the party had protested against the MCC in parliament on the day when it was tabled. Even now, sister wings of the ruling Maoist center and the CPN Unified Socialist party are busy throwing stones in the streets on a daily basis.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Deuba's attempt to take UML in confidence</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the ruling parties failed to reach an understanding to pass the MCC, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is trying to take main opposition party – CPN UML – into confidence even at the cost of breaking the alliance.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">On Thursday, Prime Minister Deuba deferred the House meeting to hold discussions with the UML in order to solicit support from the main opposition party to pass the MCC. During the meeting with UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, PM Deuba said that he was ready to find a way out by openly discussing all the demands raised by the UML, Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa, said quoting Deuba.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Thapa, PM Deuba had hinted that the ruling alliance would end if the coalition partners including the Maoist Center, CPN Unified Socialist, and Janamorcha did not support him to endorse the MCC.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prime Minister Deuba, who is also the president of Nepali Congress, urged the UML to pass the MCC by removing the house obstruction. Thapa said that the issue of passing the MCC from the parliament was a matter of Nepal's international relations and credibility.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In response, UML Chairman Oli said that he would discuss within the party and inform whether or not to support the government to pass MCC. Before meeting UML Chairman Oli, Deuba had held decisive talks with CPN Maoist Centre Chairman Dahal and CPN Unified Socialist Party Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal on Thursday. However, the chairmen of both the parties made it clear that they would not support the MCC in its current form.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">China's interest in crisis</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As the political crisis deepens in Nepal over the US-backed project MCC, Nepal's northern neighbor has shown a particular interest in this matter.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Unified Socialist Party Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal held two separate virtual talks with two top leaders of the Foreign Department of the Chinese Communist Party on Wednesday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The conversations took place while the United States accused China of having a vested interest for its alleged role in delaying the parliamentary approval of MCC. During the talks, China reportedly expressed serious security concerns. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to a source, Chen Zhao, Deputy Minister of the Communist Party of China (CPC), expressed concern that the MCC could pose a serious security challenge to China from the Nepali soil. “We have been treating Nepal as a close friend till now,” said a leader close to Madhav Nepal quoting the Chinese minister at the virtual meeting, “However, the growing security challenge from Nepali side has raised concerns. You just have to take this matter more seriously”.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14571', 'image' => '20220225011852_fin min sharma.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 13:18:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14828', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Buddha Air Adds another Aircraft to its Fleet', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Buddha Air has added a new aircraft to its fleet. The private company has purchased a 72-seat capacity ATR for operation.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 25: Buddha Air has added a new aircraft to its fleet. The private company has purchased a 72-seat capacity ATR for operation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The company now has a total of 16 aircraft, including 11 ATR-72, three ATR-42 and two Beechcraft.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The company informed that it added the new aircraft after starting flight operations from its new base in Pokhara. According to officials of Buddha Air, the new aircraft with call sign 9N-ANP will come into operation within two weeks after completing all necessary paper works.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14570', 'image' => '20220225115504_Buddha ATR.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 11:54:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14827', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India Positive about Purchasing Electricity from Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Nepal and India have reached an understanding to form a joint taskforce to prepare a proposal to construct a hydropower project with joint investment from both the countries. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 25: Nepal and India have reached an understanding to form a joint taskforce to prepare a proposal to construct a hydropower project with joint investment from both the countries. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The taskforce will have a maximum of three members from each country. As per the understanding, a company will be established at the government level of both the countries and this company will build a hydropower project with joint investment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Such agreement was reached during the ninth meeting of the Nepal-India Energy Secretary-Level Joint Steering Committee on Thursday, informed Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Chiranjibi Chataut. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary of the Energy Ministry Debendra Karki from Nepal and Secretary of the Energy Ministry of India Alok Kumar. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During the meeting, issues including existing transmission lines between the two countries, under-construction and proposed cross-border transmission line, the Arun III hydropower project and transmission line and cross-border power trade were discussed, said Joint Secretary Chataut. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, the meeting agreed to increase the capacity of the 400 KV Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The meeting also agreed to establish a joint company of Nepal and India within April 2022 for the construction of the cross-border New Butwal Gorakhpur transmission line. The 400 KV transmission line will span across 140 kilometers (20 kilometers in the Nepali territory and the remaining 120 km in the Indian territory). The Government of Nepal has to manage budget to construct the project on its side. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the Government of India was positive towards the proposals of Nepal Electricity Authority at different dates to export electricity to India, said the meeting attendants. The NEA has requested India to approve the proposal to sell 850 megawatts of electricity to India before upcoming monsoon. -- RSS </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-25', 'modified' => '2022-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14569', 'image' => '20220225082256_Classification-of-Overhead-Transmission-lines-1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-25 08:20:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14825', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Russia Invades Ukraine in Major Assault since WWII', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday in a massed assault by land, sea and air, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two, Reuters reported.', '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"">February 24: Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday in a massed assault by land, sea and air, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two, Reuters reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the news agency, missiles rained down on Ukrainian cities. Ukraine reported columns of troops pouring across its borders from Russia and Belarus, and landing on the coast from the Black and Azov seas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The BBC also confirmed that Russian forces invaded Ukraine, with missile strikes and explosions reported near major cities and on its military infrastructure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Ukrainian military reported said it has killed about 50 Russian "occupiers" and shot down at least six Russian aircraft.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia on the other hand maintained that it met little resistance and claimed that Ukrainian armed forces fled en masse, abandoning their weapons and positions, BBC further reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to BBC, emergency sirens have been sounding in Kyiv since the first explosions in the early hours while huge traffic jams have built up as residents tried to flee the city after Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is expected to have worldwide impact as analysts predict a plunge is share markets across the globe.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal too will not remain unscathed as it depends on Ukraine for the supply of raw materials required for producing cooking oil. The oil industries are already bracing for a price hike as supplies have already stopped coming from Ukraine. The industrialists that have opened LC fear that their investment will go down the drain.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14568', 'image' => '20220224080713_aaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 20:06:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => true, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14826', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Fast Track unlikely to be Completed within the Deadline', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The Kathmandu-Terai Expressway (Fast Track), a national pride project, is unlikely to be completed within the given deadline.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The Kathmandu-Terai Expressway (Fast Track), a national pride project, is unlikely to be completed within the given deadline. The project still needs supplementary environmental impact assessment. Meanwhile, the revised design has pointed out the need to acquire more land for the right of way.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The expressway needs to increase the right of way to 100 meters, the new design states. Currently, the right of way of the expressway is 50 meters. However, as it is necessary to increase it up to 100 meters in terms of security, additional land acquisition, and tree felling are also required. Due to this, a supplementary EIA is needed by amending the previous EIA.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It will take a maximum of 7 months to prepare the supplementary EIA, according to the Nepalese Army.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Project Chief and Brigadier General (Technical) Bikash Pokharel said that it would be difficult to complete the work on time if the government does not assist in acquisition of forest, environment, and land. "The supplementary EIA has not been approved by the concerned body for seven months," Pokhrel added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had assigned the contract management of the fast track to the Nepalese Army with a mandate to complete the construction of the expressway within fiscal year 2080/81. The army has requested for the acquisition of 411 ropanis of land in Khokna and facilitation by the concerned bodies in clearing the site for additional right of way.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"The big package and challenging task of the project is the construction of the tunnel," said Pokharel. According to him, it is estimated that 1 km of the tunnel can be dug in one year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">On this basis, a 3 km tunnel can be dug in 3 years, and the excavation from both sides can be completed within the contract period, said Pokharel. Along with this, the work of bridges on the expressway will also be completed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He claimed that the work of the expressway would be completed within the stipulated time if the budget is assured and no future obstruction surfaces.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, "As Khokna has become the center of five projects, the locals are afraid that Khokna will be lose its identity due to these projects. The locals are of the view that the expressway will not be a problem if the remaining four projects are not constructed here."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Along with the expressway, Smart City, Outer Ring Road, Transmission Line, and Bagmati Corridor projects are also linked with the area that lies on the outskirts of Lalitpur. Stating that the locals have put forward two conditions for the entry of the expressway, Pokharel said, "They are of the view that there should be no problem at the starting point of the expressway if it is ensured that the compensation of land is increased and none of the other four projects are undertaken there."</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14567', 'image' => '20220224090712_fast track nov 21.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 21:06:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14824', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Clean Mountain Campaign to Kick off in May', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The Nepalese Army is preparing to launch the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2022”. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The Nepalese Army is preparing to launch the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2022”. The campaign is to be launched with the budget managed by the Department of Tourism, Nepal Tourism Board and Department of Forest and Environment. The aim is to clean four mountains with the involvement of 91 people. Among them, 29 people will be from the Nepalese Army, 48 Sherpas and other coordination committee members and 14 from Rear Operations Group.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Nepalese Army organized a program in Kathmandu on Tuesday to inform about the campaign. The army informed that garbage from Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse, Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Manaslu would be collected and managed properly under this campaign. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Major Kishor Adhikari, who climbed Mt Everest in 2013, said that the plan is to start the campaign from May. He also informed that the aim is to collect 35 tons of garbage from the above the base camp and nearby areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">On the occasion, the army informed that the government has provided Rs 83 million for the campaign, although a budget of Rs 139.6 million is required. Out of the remaining budget of Rs 46.6 million, the army will manage Rs 13 million and the rest will be sought from other sources. Earlier, the government had allocated Rs 100 million for the “Clean Mountain Campaign – 2021”.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The campaign was initiated in 2019. Presenting the work plan of the campaign, the official said that the campaign aims to reduce the impact of pollution and climate change on the environment, help the government to increase economic activities in the mountain areas, attract tourists as well as mountaineers and protect the mountains for future generations as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14566', 'image' => '20220224024229_eveest-expedition-.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 14:41:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14823', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Ministry Presents New Regulation Related to Hedging in Cabinet', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The Ministry of Finance has presented Hedging-related Regulation 2078 to the Council of Minister for approval. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 24: The Ministry of Finance has presented Hedging-related Regulation 2078 to the Council of Minister for approval. The government decided to prepare a new draft of regulation related to hedging after the regulation prepared three years ago was not much effective.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasisi confirmed that the ministry prepared the new regulation in consultation with the Nepal Rastra Bank and has already presented it before the cabinet.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to him, the new regulation has been presented before the cabinet after amending many provisions in the previous regulation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The new regulation proposes hedging facility for health institutions, educational institutes, agriculture, tourism and IT sector companies as well as industries and urban development infrastructures with more than Rs 2 billion investment. It also has provision for green investment projects to enjoy hedging facility, which was not included in the previous regulation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Earlier, only the central bank and Finance Ministry were responsible for hedging but now even Infrastructure Development Bank and commercial banks can bear such responsibilities.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The previous regulation had proposed hedging facility for Monorail and Metrorail covering more than 10 kilometers distance but now even the projects covering 5 kilometer distance can benefit from hedging. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The new regulation has also proposed the timeframe during which projects can enjoy hedging facility. Earlier, the hedging period was only of 5 years but now it has been extended up to 20 years depending on the nature of the projects. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14565', 'image' => '20220224021447_hedging.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 14:14:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14822', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Struggling to Secure Resources for Election ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The government, which has announced to hold local elections on May 13, is facing problems in managing the resources for the election expenses. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The government, which has announced to hold local elections on May 13, is facing problems in managing the resources for the election expenses. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Finance has allocated Rs 10 billion in the current fiscal year for the election. However, there is a problem in mobilizing resources as the Election Commission and other agencies have demanded more than Rs 50 billion. Despite the ministry's pleas with various donor agencies to meet the demand for the budget, the donors seem reluctant to help. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ministry officials are holding discussions with major partners such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and IMF to solicit support from them. Likewise, a senior official of the ministry said that the government is also lobbying with ambassadors from India, China, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During a meeting with Hartwig Schafer, World Bank’s vice president for South Asia, executive director Mohammad Hassan, and country director for the Maldives and Sri Lanka including Nepal Faris Hadad Zervos last week, Finance Minister Janardan Sharma requested them for assistance for the election. Sources said that the World Bank officials did not respond to his request. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Nepal Musid Suleiman M Almarwani met Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka last week. Likewise, Khadka had a meeting with Hanan Goder, Ambassador of Israel to Nepal and Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Nepal Thomas Prinz. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to a foreign ministry source, they exchanged views on various issues related to development, cooperation, trade, investment and bilateral relations, and Foreign Minister Khadka requested financial assistance with them for the upcoming elections. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In a televised interview two days ago, Nepali Congress leader Minendra Rijal had revealed that an ambassador had told him that the country which does not need a grant of Rs 50 billion does not require assistance. Donors are said to be irritated, especially after the parties in the coalition government split over the MCC. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14564', 'image' => '20220224014747_new_logo.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 13:47:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14821', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Number of Nepali Migrant Workers Visiting Foreign Countries Declining', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: The number of Nepali migrant workers going for foreign employment has declined in the last two months. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 24: The number of Nepali migrant workers going for foreign employment has declined in the last two months. The number of people leaving Nepal for foreign employment was lowest in the first month of the current fiscal year (mid-July to mid-August) with just 25,400 people leaving the country while it was the highest in the fifth month (mid-November to mid-December) when 74,354 people left the country. But the number has been declining in the last two months, as per the data kept by the Department of Foreign Employment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, 66,625 Nepalese got the final labor permit in the month of Poush (mid-December to mid-January) while only 54,470 people got such permit in Magh (mid-January to mid-February). In the last seven months, a total of 349,000 Nepali workers have gone to 84 countries for employment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">District-wise, most of the workers traveled abroad for foreign employment from Dhanusha between mid-January to mid-February. According to the department, not a single person from Manang has gone abroad for foreign employment. Altogether 33,388 people from Dhanusha have left the country while the lowest number of four people leaving the country for foreign employment is from Mustang.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The number of workers going to the Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Dubai, which are considered as the major labor destinations, is declining. Until a few years ago, Malaysia was the first choice of Nepali workers. But recently, the workers have been more attracted to Saudi Arabia for employment.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Out of 349,000 workers who left the country in the last seven months, more than 122,000 have gone to Saudi Arabia. In the last 12 days alone, 19,831 Nepalis have left for Saudi Arabia. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, Qatar is the second largest labor destination for Nepali workers followed by the UAE. But the number of workers visiting these countries has declined.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the last seven months, 115,847 Nepalis left for Qatar for employment. The number of people leaving for Qatar between mid-January to mid-February was 14,751. Similarly, 11,303 Nepali migrant workers went to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between mid-January to mid-February.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14563', 'image' => '20220224121136_20211215023334_20200315123851_1111.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 12:11:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14819', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Foreign Tourists to get Concession on Domestic Flights in Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Foreign tourists can now enjoy a discount in airfare within Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 24: Foreign tourists can now enjoy a discount in airfare within Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Tourism Revitalization Steering Committee has inked an agreement with Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines to provide a discount in the airfare to foreign tourists to attract more external tourists. As per the agreement, foreign tourists will be charged an amount equal to the fair that Nepali passengers pay for domestic flights. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the state-owned RSS, the committee formed under the chairmanship of Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale entered the agreement with the private airlines to ensure a concession in the domestic airfare for foreigners. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Foreigners traveling by air within Nepal had been paying nearly a double fare that Nepalis used to pay for the air ticket for domestic flights due to the policy adopted by the government. There were growing concerns among the foreigners traveling to Nepal that they were charged more than the locals for air tickets, RSS reported. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Coordinator of the committee Rajaram Giri told RSS that they made the same proposal with other private airlines and they too are positive about it. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Furthermore, the committee has appealed with the agencies concerned to coordinate and collaboration with the stakeholders to identify new prospects for tourism sectors and enable invest-friendly atmosphere in this sector. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Committee has requested the COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre to simplify and amend the travel criteria put in place by the government for the passengers traveling in and out of Nepal considering the decline in rate of COVID-19 infection in the country and across the world. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Likewise, the Hotel Association of Nepal has also decided to provide a discount upto 20 per cent to the foreign tourists for booking hotel rooms in a bid to revive the tourism industry that has been hit hard by COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14562', 'image' => '20220224110533_Tourist.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 11:04:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14820', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'High Alert in Kavre to Avoid Bird-Flu Outbreak ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: High alert measures have been put in place in Kavrepalanchowk – the eastern entry point of Kathmandu Valley and the country’s second largest poultry production hub – after bird-flu was detected in some districts, including the federal capital Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 24: High alert measures have been put in place in Kavrepalanchowk – the eastern entry point of Kathmandu Valley and the country’s second largest poultry production hub – after bird-flu was detected in some districts, including the federal capital Kathmandu. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In this connection, screening of birds has been tightened at the main entry point of the district and stakeholders’ discussion at local level has also been ramped up. Panauti municipality organized an interaction with stakeholders on Wednesday with commercial poultry entrepreneurs of its area. At the programme, municipality mayor Bhim Neupane urged the entrepreneurs to place high alert against the spread of bird-flu and not to hide the information about the flu outbreak. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Livestock Specialist Dr Sudip Humagain urged the entrepreneurs to keep vigilance on farm management and sanitation so as to avoid loss and damage caused by bird-flu. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Adviser to Poultry Entrepreneurs Association Madhusudan Guragain said invasion of new diseases has eroded business opportunities which demand the adoption of new security strategies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Last week Banepa municipality also hosted a discussion with local stakeholders on contagious disease on birds and security screening in the checkpoints with neighbouring districts. The municipality has intensified anti-bird-flu campaign in different places. It may be noted that bird-flu was detected in two places of Morang, Chitwan and Kathmandu recently. -- RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-24', 'modified' => '2022-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14561', 'image' => '20220224114055_istockphoto-153240559-612x612.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-24 11:40:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14818', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Real Estate Business Goes Out of Control ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Stakeholders have been demanding the government to make the real estate business ell organized since a long time. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 23: Stakeholders have been demanding the government to make the real estate business ell organized since a long time. However, due to the inability to manage the real estate sector, the state itself has suffered as well as the service seekers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> Unnecessary price hike by middlemen have left the middle-class consumers unable to buy land and houses. "Two years ago, the land in Kirtipur used to cost Rs 1.2 million to Rs 1.5 million per aana (1 aana = 242 sq feet), but now it has reached Rs 2.2 million to Rs 2.5 million per aana," said a local.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to government figures, around Rs 50 billion is generated from the real estate business every year at this time. In a country with 50,000-60,000 real estate transactions every month, government officials say the revenue generated is not as much as expected due to the lack of a regulatory body.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Pitamber Ghimire, director-general of the Department of Land Management and Records, the only body responsible for managing the real estate sector, admits that the task and duties assigned to them at present cannot end the problems of the real estate sector.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Named as the Department of Land Management some time ago, this department has now been developed as a record-keeping department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The department has been working to maintain the minimum valuation of land across the country by managing the data of 126 Land Revenue Offices. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ghimire said that the government has realized the problems in the real estate sector and is aware that a separate body is needed to regulate it. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, he suggested that the Land Revenue Act should be amended first to establish a regulatory body and this could be done through amendment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A study conducted by the Confederation of Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CIBFIN) found that bank loans have mostly entered the real estate.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As a result, real estate prices have doubled in just two years. After the price hike, ordinary working people could not afford to buy land due to which the real estate businesses have also slumped.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Due to the slump in real estate business, a large amount of money invested in the real estate has not been able to return to the banking channel. Experts say that one of the main reasons for the deteriorating state of Nepal's economy at this time is the real estate. Neighboring India also went through a similar situation. But the real estate companies in India say real estate prices in India have not risen by more than 10 percent in two years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">This is because the Indian media has mentioned that the Real Estate Regulatory Authority of India (RERA) has played a big role in keeping the price of real estate stable. In Nepal, real estate prices have been rising sharply since 2062/63.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-23', 'modified' => '2022-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14560', 'image' => '20220223070923_Real estate.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-23 19:08:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14817', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Cooking Oil likely to Increase due to Ukraine Crisis', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Nepal’s oil industries are facing shortage of raw materials due to the prospect of war between Russia and Ukraine.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 23: Nepal’s oil industries are facing shortage of raw materials due to the prospect of war between Russia and Ukraine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ukraine is one of the major suppliers of mustard seeds, sunflower seeds and wheat to the Nepalese industries, which have been processing the raw materials and selling them in the Indian market. The oil industries are worried that the shipment of those who have opened LC is unlikely to arrive due to the possible invasion of Ukraine.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Suppliers in Ukraine reportedly said that the shipping companies are delaying the shipments despite their request. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nanda Kishore Rathi, vice-president of Morang Chamber of Commerce, said that the goods were ordered by opening LC but the goods have not been dispatched from there due to the possible invasion of Ukraine. “If the war starts, the companies will not be able to send the goods. Industries here can lose millions of rupees,” said Rathi.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rising tensions between the two countries have pushed up the price of mustard by US$ 30 per ton. Besides Ukraine, mustard seeds are also imported to Nepal from Australia. According to the industrialists, the demand for mustard from Australia has increased due to the tension in Ukraine but it is more likely that the imports will be delayed due to the high demand. Even in Australia, the price of mustard has gone up by US$ 60 per ton. He said that the effect of this will be seen in the Nepali market after some time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Krishna Kumar Agrawal, vice-president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that due to the tension between Russia and Ukraine, Nepal's oil industries have started importing mustard from Australia instead of Ukraine. According to Agrawal, although there is no shortage of raw materials in the market at the moment, the price of cooking oil is most likely to increase.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prices of mustard, sunflower and soybean oil have been on the rise for the past one year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The price of mustard oil, which has gone up by Rs 100 per liter, is expected to rise further. The retail price of a liter of mustard is now Rs 280, sunflower oil is around Rs 230 and soybean oil is around Rs 200.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Vice President of the Morang Chamber of Commerce, Bikash Kumar Begwani said that the shipment of mustard, wheat and sunflower from Ukraine has not stopped yet, but is certain to halt in a few days.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Once the war breaks out, the goods coming from there will be stopped,” said Begwani adding, “However, imports from countries including Australia will continue.” He said that the price hike of US$ 30 to 60 per ton of mustard has already affected the Nepali market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He says that if there is a war, the price of petroleum products will also go up and so will the cost of transportation. Banks in Nepal have been reluctant to open LCs for some time due to fear of a war between Ukraine and Russia.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The price of mustard has already gone up by US$ 60 per ton in the international market in the last two months, said Naresh Rathi, vice-president of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry. Rathi, who is also the operator of Chandrashiva Rice and Oil Mills, says, “The LC of mustard I opened two months ago at US$ 755 per ton has now arrived in Kolkata''.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But now the price of mustard in Australia has already reached US$ 820 per ton. The price of mustard was between US$ 580 to 600 per ton in January last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The crisis has intensified after Russia's recognized two separatist territories in eastern Ukraine as independent states. Recognizing the region as an independent state, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to enter Ukrainian territory. The Government of Nepal has taken interest in Nepalese living in Ukraine and has started collecting their data. European countries and the United States have strongly criticized this move of Russia.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-23', 'modified' => '2022-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14559', 'image' => '20220223064452_cookingwl.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-02-23 18:44:14', '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
