August 11: The government has unveiled white paper on the current economic situation of the country heavily criticizing the previous…
August 11: The government has unveiled white paper on the current economic situation of the country heavily criticizing the previous…
August 11: The main opposition party, the CPN-UML, has aggressively presented itself in the parliament and demanded a clear view from the government on the Millennium Challenge Corporation…
August 11: The upcoming election of the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), an umbrella organization of automobile businessmen, has been…
August 11: Government authorities have restricted movement of public and private vehicles in Kathmandu valley from 8 pm onwards effective from August…
August 11: Vegetable seeds worth more than Rs 430 million have been imported in Nepal in a year.…
August 10: Shyam Sundar Lal Kakshapati, a prominent restaurateur and the founder of the Nanglo Restaurant, has passed away after his long battle with cancer.…
August 10: Although the Covid-19 pandemic have had a negative impact on other businesses in the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78), the automobile business has been…
August 10: Guru Bhattarai, the General Manager of Nepal Railway Company Limited, has announced that he will not furnish clarification to the…
August 10: Dhaubadi Iron Company Limited has shortlisted six different companies to prepare a feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) of the mine at Dhaubadi in…
August 10: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, elected with the backing of the five-party alliance, has started revoking the decisions taken by the previous…
August 10: Nepal Infrastructure Bank Limited (NIFRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wonders Group for loan agreement to develop and operate the first skywalk tower projects of Nepal at Kamaladi of Kathmandu and Bhedetar of…
August 10: The government has approved the new pay scale for government employees effective from the beginning of the current fiscal year (July…
August 10: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has welcomed the common minimum programme unveiled by the coalition government on…
August 9: Sales of automobile spare parts have increased in districts that share border with India following the government's decision to impose lockdown last year to control the spread of Covid-19 infection.…
August 9: The coalition government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has unveiled its common minimum…
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60]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' => '13805', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Issues White Paper, Prepares to Replace Ordinance Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: The government has unveiled white paper on the current economic situation of the country heavily criticizing the previous government.', 'content' => '<p><em>Finance Minister Janardan Sharma presents White Paper in Parliament on August 10. Photo: Rss</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 11: The government has unveiled white paper on the current economic situation of the country heavily criticizing the previous government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Presenting the document in the federal parliament on Tuesday (August 10), Finance Minister Janardan Sharma said that the government will </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">introduced a bill to replace the ordinance budget issued by the previous government</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He also claimed that the Oli government had not taken the country's economic situation forward in a proper way. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He added that he would soon introduce a replacement bill to address the common minimum program agreed between the ruling parties. It will reflect the policies and priorities of the current government as well as the people's aspirations and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He also said that sudden dissolution of the House of Representatives a week before presenting the budget and the caretaker government introducing programs and policies for long term development plans is not legitimate. He further said that the previous government prepared the budget without paying attention to the state coffers, and failed to maintain financial responsibility and discipline.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The white paper claims that most sectors of the economy are adversely affected. The economy observed a contraction of 2.1% in the fiscal year 2019/20 and couldn't improve significantly even in 2020/21. He however didn't present the data of the economic growth. According to a high level source at the Central Bureau of Statistics, the country had achieved the economic growth rate of 1 percent that year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sharma said the projected economic growth of 6.5% is not achievable in this fiscal year due to the adverse impacts of the pandemic. According to the White Paper, the state treasury was in deficit of Rs 143 billion during last fiscal year against Rs 48 billion three years ago. Similarly, the amount of public debt has been increasing, informed Sharma. According to him, the government would be unable to maintain recurrent expenses solely through revenue collection.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The White Paper pointed out that 18.7 per cent population in the country was under the poverty line and the situation was worsening due to the impact of COVID-19. </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, in recent years, the government's economic policies have not been able to focus on the poor and the marginalized groups, which has led to the accumulation of wealth among a limited class. This has resulted in an increase in inequality. </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Minister Sharma added that policy level reforms was needed to tackle the issue. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, Minister Sharma said that the government’s top-most priority has been the vaccination campaign. Ever since he shouldered the responsibility of the ministry, Rs 5 billion had been released for the purchase of vaccines, said Sharma.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The lawmakers of the main opposition party UML referred to the white paper as a document of revenge presented to discredit the previous government by distorting the facts. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">UML MP Khagraj Adhikari commented that the Maoist had forgotten that they themselves were part of the previous government and had not brought the factual issues to the fore. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13550', 'image' => '20210811032054_RS-KTM-FinanceMinisterSharma.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 15:19:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13804', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Opposition Seeks Government's Stance on MCC', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: The main opposition party, the CPN-UML, has aggressively presented itself in the parliament and demanded a clear view from the government on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 11: The main opposition party, the CPN-UML, has aggressively presented itself in the parliament and demanded a clear view from the government on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">UML parliamentary party leader KP Oli, who addressed the parliament for the first time after resigning from the post of prime minister, demanded an answer from the government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Speaking on the rostrum after three years as the leader of the main opposition party, he said the lack of mentioning the MCC in the common minimum programme recently released by the current government had raised various doubts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stating that the government has the support of 165 MPs, Oli suggested that the MCC be submitted as it would be passed easily. Oli had said that MCC should have been passed while he was the Prime Minister. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The MCC has been stuck in parliament for a long time. Due to the inability of the parties to reach an agreement, the Speaker has not ratified the MCC agreement. The United States, one of Nepal's largest donors, has expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of approval.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Oli also said that Lipulek and Limpiyadhura were the holy lands of Nepal without any doubt. He objected to Lipulek and Limpiyadhura being described as "problematic" in the government's common minimum programme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Oli also demanded an investigation into all past irregularities. "We request you to investigate the irregularities in the procurement of health items and to take action against those found guilty," Oli said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He also urged the government to investigate the allegations that health supplies had been procured in the past and that the supplies were unused at various hospitals and airports.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> <p><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13549', 'image' => '20210811024827_20210507114916_20200914112314_1600032154.2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 14:47:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13803', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NADA Election Cancelled as Covid-19 Cases Surge', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: The upcoming election of the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), an umbrella organization of automobile businessmen, has been postponed.', 'content' => '<p><em>File Photo</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 11: The upcoming election of the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), an umbrella organization of automobile businessmen, has been postponed.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">NADA Chairman Krishna Prasad Dulal informed that the election scheduled for September 10 to elect a new leadership has been postponed for the time being due to the surge in coronavirus infection. The election was supposed to be held on the occasion of the 45th General Assembly of NADA.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A meeting of the Central Working Committee of NADA held on Tuesday decided to postpone the election as the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, has banned the gatherings and assemblies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Earlier, NADA had sought permission from the District Administration Office, Kathmandu to conduct the general assembly and election.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The administration did not allow doing so fearing the third wave of coronavirus pandemic. The DAO argued that the rate of infection was increasing.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13548', 'image' => '20210811022509_Untitled.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 14:23:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13801', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Restricts Vehicular Movement in Kathmandu after 8:00 pm', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: Government authorities have restricted movement of public and private vehicles in Kathmandu valley from 8 pm onwards effective from August 12.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 11: Government authorities have restricted movement of public and private vehicles in Kathmandu valley from 8 pm onwards effective from August 12.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A notice issued by Chief District Officer, Kali Prasad Parajuli, states that the movement of vehicles during night time in Kathmandu has been restricted from Thursday due to the increasing cases of COVID-19 infection. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, vehicles for essential services can be operated at any time, reads the notice. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, a meeting of the Chief District Officers (CDOs) of the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley on Tuesday has extended the prohibitory order imposed in the Kathmandu Valley until August 24.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The meeting has decided to tighten vehicular movement during the night time while continuing the previous prohibition. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CDO Parajuli added that shops and businesses will be allowed to operate till 7 pm. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, all kinds of gatherings, seminars, party palaces, gyms, dance bars, sports clubs, swimming pools, recreational areas, etc. have been prohibited from operating. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has been decided that only priests will be allowed to perform daily worship in religious places.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Stating that health measures have been made mandatory due to the increasing infections of covid, Parajuli said that action will be taken against those who do not wear masks and engage in restricted activities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even though the current situation seems to be normal, the CDOs of the valley are still extending the prohibitory orders.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Health experts have warned that the measures taken by the government will not be effective to stop the infection from spreading because the prohibitory order has been imposed only for formality.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Commenting on the restriction on vehicular movement after 8 pm as a ritual, health expert Sameer Mani Dixit said that such activities are being done only to show that they have done or achieved something during the pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"As the prohibition has hit all sectors of the economy badly, doing so should no longer be an option," he added, “Since prohibitions are continuously being imposed just for a show-off, it will not actually stop the infection”. He said that the alternative now can be loosening the prohibition and vaccinating citizens, following strict health measures.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Hospitals have been overcrowded due to the recent increase in Covid-19 infection. In addition, 4,904 people tested positive for the virus on Tuesday, while 35 patients succumbed to the disease.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the Ministry of Health and Population, the age group of 21 to 40 years has been most affected by the new variant of Covid-19. According to the spokesperson for the Ministry, Dr. Sameer Adhikari, there are 37,332 active cases of coronavirus in Nepal at present.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13547', 'image' => '20210811120046_20190604030108_aaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 11:59:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13802', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Vegetable Seeds worth Rs 430 Million Imported ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: Vegetable seeds worth more than Rs 430 million have been imported in Nepal in a year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 11: Vegetable seeds worth more than Rs 430 million have been imported in Nepal in a year. Seed importers bring in 34 varieties of hybrid and improved varieties of vegetable seeds from India, China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea and other countries. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Seed Quality Control Center, the companies have imported a total of 1.35 million kg of vegetable seeds worth Rs 433.07 million by the end of the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78). This amount is Rs 85.325 million more than last year. In the corresponding period of the previous year, a total of 100,348 kg of seeds worth Rs 347.749 million were imported. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The center informed that more than 34 varieties of vegetable seeds including cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, pumpkin, carrot, onion, tomato, coriander, radish, bitter gourd and brinjal are being imported to Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Cauliflower seed is highest imported product in Nepal with a total of 3,389 kg worth Rs 93.672 million. Similarly, according to the center, Chinese cabbage is least imported, with the import of only 32 kg amounting Rs 509,184. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Likewise, a total of 2,810 kg of carrot seeds worth Rs 5.822 million and 53,420 kg of coriander seeds worth Rs 14.665 million have been imported. Statistics show that 2,800 kg of bitter gourd seeds worth Rs 31.99 million have been imported. Among the vegetables imported from abroad, cauliflower, cabbage, onion and coriander are the major ones. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Horticulture Officer at the Center, Bikas Kharel, informed New Business Age that the import of vegetable seeds has been increasing as the number of farmers cultivating vegetables commercially has been increasing in Nepal recently. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, the seeds of local varieties are produced in Nepal by a limited number of companies but the seeds of hybrid varieties are imported from abroad. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13546', 'image' => '20210811125203_Higdening.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 12:50:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13800', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prominent Restaurateur Shyam Kakshapati No More', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Shyam Sundar Lal Kakshapati, a prominent restaurateur and the founder of the Nanglo Restaurant, has passed away after his long battle with cancer. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 10: </span></span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Shyam Sundar Lal Kakshapati, a prominent restaurateur and the founder of the Nanglo Restaurant, has passed away after his long battle with cancer. He was 69.</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"">Kakshapati breathed his last on Monday (August 9) while undergoing treatment in Bangkok, according to the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN). He had been suffering from oral cancer since a long time</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"">Late Kakshapati was admitted to Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok two months ago, according to his family sources.</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"">Born in 2009 BS in Palpa to father Ram Lal Kakshapati and mother Krishna Badan Kakshapati, the late Kakshapati started his business in 1973 from Cafe Day Park in Ratna Park, Kathmandu. Kaksapati, who was one of the frontrunners of the modern restaurant business in the country, played a leading role in the promotion of the restaurant business and establishing the café culture in Nepal. </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 also established Shyams One Tree Restaurant in Durbar Marg. </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"">Kakshapati started Nanglo Restaurant along with his younger brother Gopal Sundar Lal Kakshapati in 1976. Likewise, he also started the Bakery cafe in 1997 at New Baneshwor and later invested in River Side Spring Resort in Kurintar. He also provided employment to differently abled people in various outlets of Bakery Café.</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 also was the director of Shubhatara School in Sanepa. </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"">Kakshapati, also the former president of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) is the founding president of REBAN.</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"">HAN in a statement released on Tuesday has paid heartfelt tribute to Kakshapati and expressed its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.</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 was associated with HAN since the foundation of the association and was its president from 2012 to 2014. He was conferred the title of Prabal Janasewa Shri Manpadavi by the Government of Nepal. He is survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13545', 'image' => '20210810035705_1628558868.kashapati_late.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:56:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13799', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Imports of Private Vehicles on the Rise', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Although the Covid-19 pandemic have had a negative impact on other businesses in the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78), the automobile business has been flourishing.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">August 10: Although the Covid-19 pandemic have had a negative impact on other businesses in the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78), the automobile business has been flourishing. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Stakeholders informed that some segments of automobile business including the sales of public vehicles has declined but the overall market of automobiles has flourished.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Imports of two-wheelers and four-wheelers for private use have increased by 70 percent in the review period. Looking at the statistics of imports of jeeps, cars, vans, motorcycles and scooters, it has been found that the number has increased to 355,018 in the last fiscal year from 29,009 in the fiscal year 2076/77.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">According to the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), the import of private jeeps, cars and vans has increased from 10, 972 in the fiscal year 2076/77 to 14, 847 in the previous fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Similarly, 355,867 motorcycles and scooters have been imported during the review period up from 198,062 in the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">NADA Chairman Krishna Prasad Dulal said that the demand for private vehicles has increased after the onset of Covid-19. He said that the sales have increased in other months as well due to advance booking. They could not supply vehicles as per the demand from January to April last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“After Covid-19 pandemic, considering health precautions, the attraction towards private vehicles has increased. It has proven that automobiles are essential and not a means of luxury,” he said, “Although the number of people visiting the showroom is low due to the pandemic, the number of inquiries is gradually increasing and there are positive signs.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">While the sales of private vehicles increased last year, the demand for public transport has stalled. Only 279 buses were imported that year, compared to 2,083 the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Entrepreneurs say that public transport has collapsed due to the ban imposed to curb the spread of covid infection. President of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) Yogendra Nath Karmacharya said that last year was unpleasant for the transport sector. “Business has come to a standstill, millions of workers have lost their jobs and the government has not taken the necessary steps to rehabilitate businesses and make a living for the workers,” he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">A total of 474,679 vehicles were imported last year. In FY 2076/77, only 370, 238 vehicles were imported. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13544', 'image' => '20210810034249_1628551845.Clipboard07.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:42:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13798', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Railway Company’s GM Declines to Furnish Clarification to the Government', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Guru Bhattarai, the General Manager of Nepal Railway Company Limited, has announced that he will not furnish clarification to the government.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 10: Guru Bhattarai, the General Manager of Nepal Railway Company Limited, has announced that he will not furnish clarification to the government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> The government had asked Bhattarai to submit an explanation within three days saying that he had not been able to work as per the capacity of the general manager and had publicly criticized the government and officials through social media.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bhattarai said in a press conference on Monday said that he would not give any explanation. Stating that the railway company which was in a state of zero has recently been made operational, Bhattarai said that has made up his mind not to give the clarification sought by the government but he would instead resign. Stating that he was asked for an explanation due to political reason, he said that he could not give such explanation as he was a government employee.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He accused that the government had made an excuse to remove him from office. The recent meeting of the Council of Ministers had questioned him saying “why shouldn’t you be removed from the post of General Manager on the ground that you have not acted in accordance with clause (d) of Article 9 of the Criteria for Appointment and Nomination of Public Bodies of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport”. He was asked to submit a clarification on the same matter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ministry had written to him on Sunday asking him to give an explanation within three days as per the decision of the cabinet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Council of Ministers has also sought an explanation from Bhattarai for making indecent remarks court orders and for insulting political parties and their office. He was appointed general manager of the company last year by the previous government led by KP Sharma Oli.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13543', 'image' => '20210810032900_20201208034208_1200px-Nepal_Railway,_Janakpur_20200918.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:28:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13797', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Dhaubadi Iron Company Shortlists Firms for Feasibility Study and DPR ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Dhaubadi Iron Company Limited has shortlisted six different companies to prepare a feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) of the mine at Dhaubadi in Nawalpur.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 10: Dhaubadi Iron Company Limited has shortlisted six different companies to prepare a feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) of the mine at Dhaubadi in Nawalpur. Six companies from India, China, South Africa, and Austria have been selected and are scheduled to submit their financial and technical proposals this week.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A total of 11 companies, including these companies, had responded to the tender bid called by the company. The company has shortlisted six of them. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Dr. Janak Bahadur Chand, informed that the companies were selected in the first week of July. He said that one of the selected companies will be awarded the contract for feasibility study and DPR. The company will conduct a feasibility study within three months.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chand further said that the DPR would be prepared only after the feasibility study. The company will be given a period of seven months to prepare the DPR.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company has decided to go ahead with the feasibility study almost nine months after it was confirmed that iron can be produced commercially from the Dhaubadi iron mine. Chand informed that the process of production will be initiated after the study work gets completed in the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Last year, iron ore (cast iron) was sent to China to ensure the viability of commercial production of iron. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Feasibility study will ascertain various issues ranging from iron production, excavation, storage, technology selection, investment and the company will preparing DPR on the basis of the feasibility study. Chand said that 864 meters have been drilled in the mining area so far. He said that after drilling a total of 1,300 meters in five holes in the mining area, the issues including storage and production capacity of the mine will be ascertained. He said drilling is currently underway.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The selected companies include Capital Engineering and Research Inc. Ltd. and Shandong GEO-Surveying and Mapping Institute from China and two companies from India. Companies from South Africa and Austria have also been selected.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had given the approval to set up a company in 2076 BS to produce iron commercially from the area. It has been confirmed that iron was found in Dhaubadi, 10 km north of Kawasoti. The mine is 10 km long and 15 to 30 m wide. The study shows that the country's largest mine has 100 million metric tons of iron ore.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13542', 'image' => '20210810032050_1628552354.Clipboard08.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:19:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13796', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Government Starts Revoking Decisions taken by Previous Government', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, elected with the backing of the five-party alliance, has started revoking the decisions taken by the previous government.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 10: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, elected with the backing of the five-party alliance, has started revoking the decisions taken by the previous government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Revoking the decisions taken by the erstwhile government led by KP Sharma Oli, the current government headed by Deuba has dissolved the Land-related Problem Solving Commission, banned the export of stone, pebbles and sand from Chure range and halted the construction of cable car from mining area to the border.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Oli-led government had formed a commission to resolve the problems of the landless people. However, the Deuba government has overturned the decision.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although this government is trying to reverse the decisions of the previous government, it seems that the Supreme Court is preventing the government from implementing its decisions. The Supreme Court has temporarily prevented the government from scrapping the commission formed to resolve land issues.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A single bench of Supreme Court Justice Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada on Monday stayed the government's decision while hearing a petition filed by the commission's chairperson Devi Prasad Gyawali. The Supreme Court has decided to conduct further hearing on the petition on August 17.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Supreme Court has summoned both the parties for hearing on August 17. It will be decided whether to issue an interim order after hearing the discussions of both the parties. The government's decision to dismiss the commission will not be implemented for the time being. The Land-Related Problem Solving Commission will be able to function until the Supreme Court decides whether to issue the interim order.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Supreme Court has stated not to tamper with the records related to the work of the Commission, or make any changes to physical resources and other management-related matters.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The current Deuba-led government was formed with the support of the five-party alliance. The coalition has reached an understanding to revoke the previous government’s decisions. On the basis of the same understanding, the government had stated to form a new mechanism to resolve the problems of landless squatters after dissolving the current commission in line with its common minimum programme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, the government has announced to reverse the decisions taken by the previous government regarding the release of budget through ordinance.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Deuba-led government has also revoked ambassadorial appointments without a hearing. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Outgoing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed dissatisfaction over the Deuba government’s move to roll back the programs brought by his government. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13541', 'image' => '20210810025505_1628551925.1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 14:54:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13795', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NIFRA to Provide Rs 675 Million Loan for Construction of Skywalk Towers', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Nepal Infrastructure Bank Limited (NIFRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wonders Group for loan agreement to develop and operate the first skywalk tower projects of Nepal at Kamaladi of Kathmandu and Bhedetar of Dhankuta.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 10: Nepal Infrastructure Bank Limited (NIFRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wonders Group for loan agreement to develop and operate the first skywalk tower projects of Nepal at Kamaladi of Kathmandu and Bhedetar of Dhankuta.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Issuing a joint statement on Monday (August 9), the bank and the project developer said that they have reached an understanding to develop tourism infrastructure with innovative concept despite the adverse impacts of Covid-19. The statement further said that NIFRA will be the lone investor for the projects.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The under-construction skywalk tower of Wonders Group at Kamaladi will be 78 meters tall and will have an area allocated for yoga as well as restaurants and other entertainment facilities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The skywalk tower, which will be one of the tallest infrastructures in the country, will offer the visitors a bird’s eye view of the Kathmandu valley from a glass floor on top of the tower. The developers are expecting to attract a large number of visitors.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, the skywalk tower in Bhedetar will be built on public private partnership model. The project initiated with the investment of Province 1 government is expected to attract large number of domestic and international tourists to the destination.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank has approved maximum loan of Rs 675 million for both the projects, the statement added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CEO of the bank Ram Krishna Khatiwada and Chairman of the company Prabendra Pokharel signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations amid a recent function.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13540', 'image' => '20210810113908_Untitleddddffff.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 11:38:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13794', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Cabinet Approves New Pay Scale for Government Employees ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: The government has approved the new pay scale for government employees effective from the beginning of the current fiscal year (July 16). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 10: The government has approved the new pay scale for government employees effective from the beginning of the current fiscal year (July 16). </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Monday (August 9) took a decision to this effect.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Government spokesperson and Law Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki informed that the cabinet meeting has approved the new salary of all civil servants, Nepalese Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force personnel as well as employees under the Nepal Health Service, Parliament Service, community schoolteachers and the employees of the province and local levels. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister Karki further said that the Hello Sarkar Grievances Handling Directive 2078 has been sent to the Administration Committee of the Council of Ministers and the Special Economic Zone (First Amendment) Regulations 2078 has been sent to Economic and Infrastructure Committee for discussions. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Military Service (Fourth Amendment) Regulations 2078 has been sent to the Legislation Committee, according to Minister Karki. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Kamal Bahadur Bogati, an official of the Upper Trishuli III ‘A’ Hydropower Project, has been assigned to carry out the task of land acquisition </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13539', 'image' => '20210810105241_New_Emblem_of_Nepal.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 10:51:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13793', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CNI Welcomes Government’s Common Minimum Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has welcomed the common minimum programme unveiled by the coalition government on Sunday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 10: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has welcomed the common minimum programme unveiled by the coalition government on Sunday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CNI said in a statement on Monday that the government’s common minimum programme is focused on controlling Covid-19, industrialization, and production-oriented economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ‘Make in Nepal Campaign' launched by CNI would be get a boost by the government's programme which is focused on production-oriented economy, CNI said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The CNI had recently launched the Make in Nepal Campaign for the production of goods and services within country and their promotion. CNI said that the coalition government’s new programme would help promote home-grown products and reduce dependence on import.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, CNI also welcomed the government’s announcement to vaccinate one-third of population within mid-October, provide relief package to the industries, tourism, media and transport sectors that have been badly affected by the pandemic.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13538', 'image' => '20210810103650_20200522015739_CNI.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 10:36:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13792', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sales of Automobile Parts Increase along Nepal-India Border', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 9: Sales of automobile spare parts have increased in districts that share border with India following the government's decision to impose lockdown last year to control the spread of Covid-19 infection. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">August 9: Sales of automobile spare parts have increased in districts that share border with India following the government's decision to impose lockdown last year to control the spread of Covid-19 infection. The sales of spare parts have apparently increased due to the decline in illegal trade in the border areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The government had imposed a four-month-long shutdown from March 2020 to prevent infection from spreading. Since then, trade in the border areas has flourished.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“As the smuggling has decreased due to the closure of the border, goods have also been sent to the places near the border to cater to the demand,” said Krishna Dulal, president of Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Entrepreneurs say that automobile spare parts sellers, who have been operating in the border area for a few months after July last year, have placed good orders. Sunil Rijal, an automobile parts dealer and general secretary of NADA, says that there was no demand for authorized goods in the previous year as unauthorized spare parts were entering from the Indian market due to open border.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">"In previous years, the demand for automobile parts in the border areas was negligible," he said, “But the demand was good during the lockdown.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Stating that the demand for automobile parts had increased by 20 to 50 percent at the border during the lockdown, he said that the authorized trade has increased as the illegal movement has decreased at the border.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Moreover, he said that illegal imports have been stopped with the tightening of checkpoints and taxes have also been increased for goods entering through authorized channels. He said that the customs fraud of goods should be stopped in the coming days by managing the checkpoints.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“If the government stops the unauthorized business by imposing tax on the goods, the custom fraud will also be reduced. Due to this, the business will also flourish and government revenue will also increase,” said Rijal.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-09', 'modified' => '2021-08-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13537', 'image' => '20210809123303_1627860368.Clipboard07.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-09 12:31:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13791', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Unveils Common Minimum Programme', 'sub_title' => 'Decides not to move ahead with Export of Sand from Chure range', 'summary' => 'August 9: The coalition government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has unveiled its common minimum programme', 'content' => '<p><em>Coalition leaders unveiling the government's common minimum programme on Sunday. Photo Courtesy: Rss</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 9: The coalition government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has unveiled its common minimum programme which has clearly outlined that the government will not move ahead with the export of sand, aggregates and stones from the Chure range.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Unveiling the common minimum programme on Sunday, the government has decided to scrap the previous government's decision of exporting stones and sands from the Chure region. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"It is decided to prevent the exploitation of natural resources for financial benefits, stop the export and excavation of stone and sand in the Chure range and take concrete steps to protect the environmental rights and biodiversity," states the programme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The joint programme also called for multi-purpose use of big rivers, implement integrated development policy on the basis of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Similarly, it has also expressed commitment to investigate the irregularities in the procurement of health materials and take action against the individuals and organizations found guilty.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The common minimum programme has laid emphasis on production-based economy, reform in supply chain, and control in excessive price hike of commodities. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, the program has not said anything about the MCC agreement which is considered important for the development of hydroelectricity in the country.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Presenting the government's programme, General Secretary of Nepali Congress Purna Bahadur Khadka said that the relief and rehabilitation program would be made public uplift the sector including business, communication, transport, and entertainment industry affected by the COVID pandemic. The programme has stated to create an investment friendly environment in collaboration with the government, and private sector and amend Acts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has stated to ensure smooth supply of fertilizer, a recurring problem every year, resolve the problem of sugarcane farmers and reduce the risk by arranging agricultural insurance.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The program also states that arrangements will be made to end the delay in construction of infrastructure projects. "The remaining works of East-West Highway and Kathmandu Ring Road extension will be completed as soon as possible," the joint program further states.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, land will be given to the landless as per the provisions introduced by the Constitution. Under this section, economic recovery packages and settlement will be provided to freed bonded labourers such as Kamaiyas and Haliyas, as well as landless farmers. The program aims to finalize the bills under consideration in the parliament, lay the foundation for socio-economic transformation, focus on high and equitable economic development and focus on productive economy, improve the supply system, control inflation and corruption.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The government has stated that the disputed border areas including Limpiyadhura, Lipulek and Kalapani will be resolved through diplomatic channels. The main opposition party UML has expressed dissatisfaction over the common minimum program announced by the government. UML leader Sher Bahadur Tamang said the program doesn't carry any significance as it should have been introduced through the parliament. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-09', 'modified' => '2021-08-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13536', 'image' => '20210809121550_ROS-KTMPM.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-09 12:14:16', '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' => '13805', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Issues White Paper, Prepares to Replace Ordinance Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: The government has unveiled white paper on the current economic situation of the country heavily criticizing the previous government.', 'content' => '<p><em>Finance Minister Janardan Sharma presents White Paper in Parliament on August 10. Photo: Rss</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 11: The government has unveiled white paper on the current economic situation of the country heavily criticizing the previous government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Presenting the document in the federal parliament on Tuesday (August 10), Finance Minister Janardan Sharma said that the government will </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">introduced a bill to replace the ordinance budget issued by the previous government</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He also claimed that the Oli government had not taken the country's economic situation forward in a proper way. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He added that he would soon introduce a replacement bill to address the common minimum program agreed between the ruling parties. It will reflect the policies and priorities of the current government as well as the people's aspirations and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He also said that sudden dissolution of the House of Representatives a week before presenting the budget and the caretaker government introducing programs and policies for long term development plans is not legitimate. He further said that the previous government prepared the budget without paying attention to the state coffers, and failed to maintain financial responsibility and discipline.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The white paper claims that most sectors of the economy are adversely affected. The economy observed a contraction of 2.1% in the fiscal year 2019/20 and couldn't improve significantly even in 2020/21. He however didn't present the data of the economic growth. According to a high level source at the Central Bureau of Statistics, the country had achieved the economic growth rate of 1 percent that year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sharma said the projected economic growth of 6.5% is not achievable in this fiscal year due to the adverse impacts of the pandemic. According to the White Paper, the state treasury was in deficit of Rs 143 billion during last fiscal year against Rs 48 billion three years ago. Similarly, the amount of public debt has been increasing, informed Sharma. According to him, the government would be unable to maintain recurrent expenses solely through revenue collection.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The White Paper pointed out that 18.7 per cent population in the country was under the poverty line and the situation was worsening due to the impact of COVID-19. </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, in recent years, the government's economic policies have not been able to focus on the poor and the marginalized groups, which has led to the accumulation of wealth among a limited class. This has resulted in an increase in inequality. </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Minister Sharma added that policy level reforms was needed to tackle the issue. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, Minister Sharma said that the government’s top-most priority has been the vaccination campaign. Ever since he shouldered the responsibility of the ministry, Rs 5 billion had been released for the purchase of vaccines, said Sharma.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The lawmakers of the main opposition party UML referred to the white paper as a document of revenge presented to discredit the previous government by distorting the facts. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">UML MP Khagraj Adhikari commented that the Maoist had forgotten that they themselves were part of the previous government and had not brought the factual issues to the fore. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13550', 'image' => '20210811032054_RS-KTM-FinanceMinisterSharma.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 15:19:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13804', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Opposition Seeks Government's Stance on MCC', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: The main opposition party, the CPN-UML, has aggressively presented itself in the parliament and demanded a clear view from the government on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 11: The main opposition party, the CPN-UML, has aggressively presented itself in the parliament and demanded a clear view from the government on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">UML parliamentary party leader KP Oli, who addressed the parliament for the first time after resigning from the post of prime minister, demanded an answer from the government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Speaking on the rostrum after three years as the leader of the main opposition party, he said the lack of mentioning the MCC in the common minimum programme recently released by the current government had raised various doubts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stating that the government has the support of 165 MPs, Oli suggested that the MCC be submitted as it would be passed easily. Oli had said that MCC should have been passed while he was the Prime Minister. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The MCC has been stuck in parliament for a long time. Due to the inability of the parties to reach an agreement, the Speaker has not ratified the MCC agreement. The United States, one of Nepal's largest donors, has expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of approval.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Oli also said that Lipulek and Limpiyadhura were the holy lands of Nepal without any doubt. He objected to Lipulek and Limpiyadhura being described as "problematic" in the government's common minimum programme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Oli also demanded an investigation into all past irregularities. "We request you to investigate the irregularities in the procurement of health items and to take action against those found guilty," Oli said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He also urged the government to investigate the allegations that health supplies had been procured in the past and that the supplies were unused at various hospitals and airports.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> <p><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13549', 'image' => '20210811024827_20210507114916_20200914112314_1600032154.2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 14:47:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13803', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NADA Election Cancelled as Covid-19 Cases Surge', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: The upcoming election of the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), an umbrella organization of automobile businessmen, has been postponed.', 'content' => '<p><em>File Photo</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 11: The upcoming election of the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), an umbrella organization of automobile businessmen, has been postponed.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">NADA Chairman Krishna Prasad Dulal informed that the election scheduled for September 10 to elect a new leadership has been postponed for the time being due to the surge in coronavirus infection. The election was supposed to be held on the occasion of the 45th General Assembly of NADA.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A meeting of the Central Working Committee of NADA held on Tuesday decided to postpone the election as the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, has banned the gatherings and assemblies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Earlier, NADA had sought permission from the District Administration Office, Kathmandu to conduct the general assembly and election.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The administration did not allow doing so fearing the third wave of coronavirus pandemic. The DAO argued that the rate of infection was increasing.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13548', 'image' => '20210811022509_Untitled.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 14:23:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13801', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Restricts Vehicular Movement in Kathmandu after 8:00 pm', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: Government authorities have restricted movement of public and private vehicles in Kathmandu valley from 8 pm onwards effective from August 12.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 11: Government authorities have restricted movement of public and private vehicles in Kathmandu valley from 8 pm onwards effective from August 12.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A notice issued by Chief District Officer, Kali Prasad Parajuli, states that the movement of vehicles during night time in Kathmandu has been restricted from Thursday due to the increasing cases of COVID-19 infection. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, vehicles for essential services can be operated at any time, reads the notice. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, a meeting of the Chief District Officers (CDOs) of the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley on Tuesday has extended the prohibitory order imposed in the Kathmandu Valley until August 24.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The meeting has decided to tighten vehicular movement during the night time while continuing the previous prohibition. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CDO Parajuli added that shops and businesses will be allowed to operate till 7 pm. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, all kinds of gatherings, seminars, party palaces, gyms, dance bars, sports clubs, swimming pools, recreational areas, etc. have been prohibited from operating. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has been decided that only priests will be allowed to perform daily worship in religious places.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Stating that health measures have been made mandatory due to the increasing infections of covid, Parajuli said that action will be taken against those who do not wear masks and engage in restricted activities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even though the current situation seems to be normal, the CDOs of the valley are still extending the prohibitory orders.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Health experts have warned that the measures taken by the government will not be effective to stop the infection from spreading because the prohibitory order has been imposed only for formality.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Commenting on the restriction on vehicular movement after 8 pm as a ritual, health expert Sameer Mani Dixit said that such activities are being done only to show that they have done or achieved something during the pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"As the prohibition has hit all sectors of the economy badly, doing so should no longer be an option," he added, “Since prohibitions are continuously being imposed just for a show-off, it will not actually stop the infection”. He said that the alternative now can be loosening the prohibition and vaccinating citizens, following strict health measures.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Hospitals have been overcrowded due to the recent increase in Covid-19 infection. In addition, 4,904 people tested positive for the virus on Tuesday, while 35 patients succumbed to the disease.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the Ministry of Health and Population, the age group of 21 to 40 years has been most affected by the new variant of Covid-19. According to the spokesperson for the Ministry, Dr. Sameer Adhikari, there are 37,332 active cases of coronavirus in Nepal at present.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13547', 'image' => '20210811120046_20190604030108_aaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 11:59:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13802', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Vegetable Seeds worth Rs 430 Million Imported ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: Vegetable seeds worth more than Rs 430 million have been imported in Nepal in a year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 11: Vegetable seeds worth more than Rs 430 million have been imported in Nepal in a year. Seed importers bring in 34 varieties of hybrid and improved varieties of vegetable seeds from India, China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea and other countries. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Seed Quality Control Center, the companies have imported a total of 1.35 million kg of vegetable seeds worth Rs 433.07 million by the end of the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78). This amount is Rs 85.325 million more than last year. In the corresponding period of the previous year, a total of 100,348 kg of seeds worth Rs 347.749 million were imported. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The center informed that more than 34 varieties of vegetable seeds including cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, pumpkin, carrot, onion, tomato, coriander, radish, bitter gourd and brinjal are being imported to Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Cauliflower seed is highest imported product in Nepal with a total of 3,389 kg worth Rs 93.672 million. Similarly, according to the center, Chinese cabbage is least imported, with the import of only 32 kg amounting Rs 509,184. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Likewise, a total of 2,810 kg of carrot seeds worth Rs 5.822 million and 53,420 kg of coriander seeds worth Rs 14.665 million have been imported. Statistics show that 2,800 kg of bitter gourd seeds worth Rs 31.99 million have been imported. Among the vegetables imported from abroad, cauliflower, cabbage, onion and coriander are the major ones. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Horticulture Officer at the Center, Bikas Kharel, informed New Business Age that the import of vegetable seeds has been increasing as the number of farmers cultivating vegetables commercially has been increasing in Nepal recently. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, the seeds of local varieties are produced in Nepal by a limited number of companies but the seeds of hybrid varieties are imported from abroad. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13546', 'image' => '20210811125203_Higdening.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 12:50:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13800', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prominent Restaurateur Shyam Kakshapati No More', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Shyam Sundar Lal Kakshapati, a prominent restaurateur and the founder of the Nanglo Restaurant, has passed away after his long battle with cancer. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 10: </span></span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Shyam Sundar Lal Kakshapati, a prominent restaurateur and the founder of the Nanglo Restaurant, has passed away after his long battle with cancer. He was 69.</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"">Kakshapati breathed his last on Monday (August 9) while undergoing treatment in Bangkok, according to the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN). He had been suffering from oral cancer since a long time</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"">Late Kakshapati was admitted to Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok two months ago, according to his family sources.</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"">Born in 2009 BS in Palpa to father Ram Lal Kakshapati and mother Krishna Badan Kakshapati, the late Kakshapati started his business in 1973 from Cafe Day Park in Ratna Park, Kathmandu. Kaksapati, who was one of the frontrunners of the modern restaurant business in the country, played a leading role in the promotion of the restaurant business and establishing the café culture in Nepal. </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 also established Shyams One Tree Restaurant in Durbar Marg. </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"">Kakshapati started Nanglo Restaurant along with his younger brother Gopal Sundar Lal Kakshapati in 1976. Likewise, he also started the Bakery cafe in 1997 at New Baneshwor and later invested in River Side Spring Resort in Kurintar. He also provided employment to differently abled people in various outlets of Bakery Café.</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 also was the director of Shubhatara School in Sanepa. </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"">Kakshapati, also the former president of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) is the founding president of REBAN.</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"">HAN in a statement released on Tuesday has paid heartfelt tribute to Kakshapati and expressed its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.</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 was associated with HAN since the foundation of the association and was its president from 2012 to 2014. He was conferred the title of Prabal Janasewa Shri Manpadavi by the Government of Nepal. He is survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13545', 'image' => '20210810035705_1628558868.kashapati_late.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:56:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13799', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Imports of Private Vehicles on the Rise', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Although the Covid-19 pandemic have had a negative impact on other businesses in the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78), the automobile business has been flourishing.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">August 10: Although the Covid-19 pandemic have had a negative impact on other businesses in the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78), the automobile business has been flourishing. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Stakeholders informed that some segments of automobile business including the sales of public vehicles has declined but the overall market of automobiles has flourished.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Imports of two-wheelers and four-wheelers for private use have increased by 70 percent in the review period. Looking at the statistics of imports of jeeps, cars, vans, motorcycles and scooters, it has been found that the number has increased to 355,018 in the last fiscal year from 29,009 in the fiscal year 2076/77.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">According to the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), the import of private jeeps, cars and vans has increased from 10, 972 in the fiscal year 2076/77 to 14, 847 in the previous fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Similarly, 355,867 motorcycles and scooters have been imported during the review period up from 198,062 in the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">NADA Chairman Krishna Prasad Dulal said that the demand for private vehicles has increased after the onset of Covid-19. He said that the sales have increased in other months as well due to advance booking. They could not supply vehicles as per the demand from January to April last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“After Covid-19 pandemic, considering health precautions, the attraction towards private vehicles has increased. It has proven that automobiles are essential and not a means of luxury,” he said, “Although the number of people visiting the showroom is low due to the pandemic, the number of inquiries is gradually increasing and there are positive signs.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">While the sales of private vehicles increased last year, the demand for public transport has stalled. Only 279 buses were imported that year, compared to 2,083 the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Entrepreneurs say that public transport has collapsed due to the ban imposed to curb the spread of covid infection. President of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) Yogendra Nath Karmacharya said that last year was unpleasant for the transport sector. “Business has come to a standstill, millions of workers have lost their jobs and the government has not taken the necessary steps to rehabilitate businesses and make a living for the workers,” he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">A total of 474,679 vehicles were imported last year. In FY 2076/77, only 370, 238 vehicles were imported. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13544', 'image' => '20210810034249_1628551845.Clipboard07.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:42:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13798', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Railway Company’s GM Declines to Furnish Clarification to the Government', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Guru Bhattarai, the General Manager of Nepal Railway Company Limited, has announced that he will not furnish clarification to the government.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 10: Guru Bhattarai, the General Manager of Nepal Railway Company Limited, has announced that he will not furnish clarification to the government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> The government had asked Bhattarai to submit an explanation within three days saying that he had not been able to work as per the capacity of the general manager and had publicly criticized the government and officials through social media.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bhattarai said in a press conference on Monday said that he would not give any explanation. Stating that the railway company which was in a state of zero has recently been made operational, Bhattarai said that has made up his mind not to give the clarification sought by the government but he would instead resign. Stating that he was asked for an explanation due to political reason, he said that he could not give such explanation as he was a government employee.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He accused that the government had made an excuse to remove him from office. The recent meeting of the Council of Ministers had questioned him saying “why shouldn’t you be removed from the post of General Manager on the ground that you have not acted in accordance with clause (d) of Article 9 of the Criteria for Appointment and Nomination of Public Bodies of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport”. He was asked to submit a clarification on the same matter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ministry had written to him on Sunday asking him to give an explanation within three days as per the decision of the cabinet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Council of Ministers has also sought an explanation from Bhattarai for making indecent remarks court orders and for insulting political parties and their office. He was appointed general manager of the company last year by the previous government led by KP Sharma Oli.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13543', 'image' => '20210810032900_20201208034208_1200px-Nepal_Railway,_Janakpur_20200918.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:28:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13797', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Dhaubadi Iron Company Shortlists Firms for Feasibility Study and DPR ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Dhaubadi Iron Company Limited has shortlisted six different companies to prepare a feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) of the mine at Dhaubadi in Nawalpur.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 10: Dhaubadi Iron Company Limited has shortlisted six different companies to prepare a feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) of the mine at Dhaubadi in Nawalpur. Six companies from India, China, South Africa, and Austria have been selected and are scheduled to submit their financial and technical proposals this week.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A total of 11 companies, including these companies, had responded to the tender bid called by the company. The company has shortlisted six of them. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Dr. Janak Bahadur Chand, informed that the companies were selected in the first week of July. He said that one of the selected companies will be awarded the contract for feasibility study and DPR. The company will conduct a feasibility study within three months.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chand further said that the DPR would be prepared only after the feasibility study. The company will be given a period of seven months to prepare the DPR.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company has decided to go ahead with the feasibility study almost nine months after it was confirmed that iron can be produced commercially from the Dhaubadi iron mine. Chand informed that the process of production will be initiated after the study work gets completed in the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Last year, iron ore (cast iron) was sent to China to ensure the viability of commercial production of iron. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Feasibility study will ascertain various issues ranging from iron production, excavation, storage, technology selection, investment and the company will preparing DPR on the basis of the feasibility study. Chand said that 864 meters have been drilled in the mining area so far. He said that after drilling a total of 1,300 meters in five holes in the mining area, the issues including storage and production capacity of the mine will be ascertained. He said drilling is currently underway.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The selected companies include Capital Engineering and Research Inc. Ltd. and Shandong GEO-Surveying and Mapping Institute from China and two companies from India. Companies from South Africa and Austria have also been selected.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had given the approval to set up a company in 2076 BS to produce iron commercially from the area. It has been confirmed that iron was found in Dhaubadi, 10 km north of Kawasoti. The mine is 10 km long and 15 to 30 m wide. The study shows that the country's largest mine has 100 million metric tons of iron ore.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13542', 'image' => '20210810032050_1628552354.Clipboard08.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:19:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13796', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Government Starts Revoking Decisions taken by Previous Government', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, elected with the backing of the five-party alliance, has started revoking the decisions taken by the previous government.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 10: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, elected with the backing of the five-party alliance, has started revoking the decisions taken by the previous government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Revoking the decisions taken by the erstwhile government led by KP Sharma Oli, the current government headed by Deuba has dissolved the Land-related Problem Solving Commission, banned the export of stone, pebbles and sand from Chure range and halted the construction of cable car from mining area to the border.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Oli-led government had formed a commission to resolve the problems of the landless people. However, the Deuba government has overturned the decision.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although this government is trying to reverse the decisions of the previous government, it seems that the Supreme Court is preventing the government from implementing its decisions. The Supreme Court has temporarily prevented the government from scrapping the commission formed to resolve land issues.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A single bench of Supreme Court Justice Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada on Monday stayed the government's decision while hearing a petition filed by the commission's chairperson Devi Prasad Gyawali. The Supreme Court has decided to conduct further hearing on the petition on August 17.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Supreme Court has summoned both the parties for hearing on August 17. It will be decided whether to issue an interim order after hearing the discussions of both the parties. The government's decision to dismiss the commission will not be implemented for the time being. The Land-Related Problem Solving Commission will be able to function until the Supreme Court decides whether to issue the interim order.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Supreme Court has stated not to tamper with the records related to the work of the Commission, or make any changes to physical resources and other management-related matters.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The current Deuba-led government was formed with the support of the five-party alliance. The coalition has reached an understanding to revoke the previous government’s decisions. On the basis of the same understanding, the government had stated to form a new mechanism to resolve the problems of landless squatters after dissolving the current commission in line with its common minimum programme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, the government has announced to reverse the decisions taken by the previous government regarding the release of budget through ordinance.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Deuba-led government has also revoked ambassadorial appointments without a hearing. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Outgoing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed dissatisfaction over the Deuba government’s move to roll back the programs brought by his government. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13541', 'image' => '20210810025505_1628551925.1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 14:54:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13795', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NIFRA to Provide Rs 675 Million Loan for Construction of Skywalk Towers', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Nepal Infrastructure Bank Limited (NIFRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wonders Group for loan agreement to develop and operate the first skywalk tower projects of Nepal at Kamaladi of Kathmandu and Bhedetar of Dhankuta.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 10: Nepal Infrastructure Bank Limited (NIFRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wonders Group for loan agreement to develop and operate the first skywalk tower projects of Nepal at Kamaladi of Kathmandu and Bhedetar of Dhankuta.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Issuing a joint statement on Monday (August 9), the bank and the project developer said that they have reached an understanding to develop tourism infrastructure with innovative concept despite the adverse impacts of Covid-19. The statement further said that NIFRA will be the lone investor for the projects.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The under-construction skywalk tower of Wonders Group at Kamaladi will be 78 meters tall and will have an area allocated for yoga as well as restaurants and other entertainment facilities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The skywalk tower, which will be one of the tallest infrastructures in the country, will offer the visitors a bird’s eye view of the Kathmandu valley from a glass floor on top of the tower. The developers are expecting to attract a large number of visitors.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, the skywalk tower in Bhedetar will be built on public private partnership model. The project initiated with the investment of Province 1 government is expected to attract large number of domestic and international tourists to the destination.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank has approved maximum loan of Rs 675 million for both the projects, the statement added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CEO of the bank Ram Krishna Khatiwada and Chairman of the company Prabendra Pokharel signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations amid a recent function.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13540', 'image' => '20210810113908_Untitleddddffff.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 11:38:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13794', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Cabinet Approves New Pay Scale for Government Employees ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: The government has approved the new pay scale for government employees effective from the beginning of the current fiscal year (July 16). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 10: The government has approved the new pay scale for government employees effective from the beginning of the current fiscal year (July 16). </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Monday (August 9) took a decision to this effect.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Government spokesperson and Law Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki informed that the cabinet meeting has approved the new salary of all civil servants, Nepalese Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force personnel as well as employees under the Nepal Health Service, Parliament Service, community schoolteachers and the employees of the province and local levels. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister Karki further said that the Hello Sarkar Grievances Handling Directive 2078 has been sent to the Administration Committee of the Council of Ministers and the Special Economic Zone (First Amendment) Regulations 2078 has been sent to Economic and Infrastructure Committee for discussions. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Military Service (Fourth Amendment) Regulations 2078 has been sent to the Legislation Committee, according to Minister Karki. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Kamal Bahadur Bogati, an official of the Upper Trishuli III ‘A’ Hydropower Project, has been assigned to carry out the task of land acquisition </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13539', 'image' => '20210810105241_New_Emblem_of_Nepal.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 10:51:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13793', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CNI Welcomes Government’s Common Minimum Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has welcomed the common minimum programme unveiled by the coalition government on Sunday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 10: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has welcomed the common minimum programme unveiled by the coalition government on Sunday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CNI said in a statement on Monday that the government’s common minimum programme is focused on controlling Covid-19, industrialization, and production-oriented economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ‘Make in Nepal Campaign' launched by CNI would be get a boost by the government's programme which is focused on production-oriented economy, CNI said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The CNI had recently launched the Make in Nepal Campaign for the production of goods and services within country and their promotion. CNI said that the coalition government’s new programme would help promote home-grown products and reduce dependence on import.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, CNI also welcomed the government’s announcement to vaccinate one-third of population within mid-October, provide relief package to the industries, tourism, media and transport sectors that have been badly affected by the pandemic.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13538', 'image' => '20210810103650_20200522015739_CNI.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 10:36:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13792', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sales of Automobile Parts Increase along Nepal-India Border', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 9: Sales of automobile spare parts have increased in districts that share border with India following the government's decision to impose lockdown last year to control the spread of Covid-19 infection. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">August 9: Sales of automobile spare parts have increased in districts that share border with India following the government's decision to impose lockdown last year to control the spread of Covid-19 infection. The sales of spare parts have apparently increased due to the decline in illegal trade in the border areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The government had imposed a four-month-long shutdown from March 2020 to prevent infection from spreading. Since then, trade in the border areas has flourished.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“As the smuggling has decreased due to the closure of the border, goods have also been sent to the places near the border to cater to the demand,” said Krishna Dulal, president of Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Entrepreneurs say that automobile spare parts sellers, who have been operating in the border area for a few months after July last year, have placed good orders. Sunil Rijal, an automobile parts dealer and general secretary of NADA, says that there was no demand for authorized goods in the previous year as unauthorized spare parts were entering from the Indian market due to open border.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">"In previous years, the demand for automobile parts in the border areas was negligible," he said, “But the demand was good during the lockdown.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Stating that the demand for automobile parts had increased by 20 to 50 percent at the border during the lockdown, he said that the authorized trade has increased as the illegal movement has decreased at the border.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Moreover, he said that illegal imports have been stopped with the tightening of checkpoints and taxes have also been increased for goods entering through authorized channels. He said that the customs fraud of goods should be stopped in the coming days by managing the checkpoints.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“If the government stops the unauthorized business by imposing tax on the goods, the custom fraud will also be reduced. Due to this, the business will also flourish and government revenue will also increase,” said Rijal.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-09', 'modified' => '2021-08-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13537', 'image' => '20210809123303_1627860368.Clipboard07.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-09 12:31:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13791', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Unveils Common Minimum Programme', 'sub_title' => 'Decides not to move ahead with Export of Sand from Chure range', 'summary' => 'August 9: The coalition government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has unveiled its common minimum programme', 'content' => '<p><em>Coalition leaders unveiling the government's common minimum programme on Sunday. Photo Courtesy: Rss</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 9: The coalition government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has unveiled its common minimum programme which has clearly outlined that the government will not move ahead with the export of sand, aggregates and stones from the Chure range.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Unveiling the common minimum programme on Sunday, the government has decided to scrap the previous government's decision of exporting stones and sands from the Chure region. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"It is decided to prevent the exploitation of natural resources for financial benefits, stop the export and excavation of stone and sand in the Chure range and take concrete steps to protect the environmental rights and biodiversity," states the programme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The joint programme also called for multi-purpose use of big rivers, implement integrated development policy on the basis of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Similarly, it has also expressed commitment to investigate the irregularities in the procurement of health materials and take action against the individuals and organizations found guilty.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The common minimum programme has laid emphasis on production-based economy, reform in supply chain, and control in excessive price hike of commodities. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, the program has not said anything about the MCC agreement which is considered important for the development of hydroelectricity in the country.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Presenting the government's programme, General Secretary of Nepali Congress Purna Bahadur Khadka said that the relief and rehabilitation program would be made public uplift the sector including business, communication, transport, and entertainment industry affected by the COVID pandemic. The programme has stated to create an investment friendly environment in collaboration with the government, and private sector and amend Acts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has stated to ensure smooth supply of fertilizer, a recurring problem every year, resolve the problem of sugarcane farmers and reduce the risk by arranging agricultural insurance.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The program also states that arrangements will be made to end the delay in construction of infrastructure projects. "The remaining works of East-West Highway and Kathmandu Ring Road extension will be completed as soon as possible," the joint program further states.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, land will be given to the landless as per the provisions introduced by the Constitution. Under this section, economic recovery packages and settlement will be provided to freed bonded labourers such as Kamaiyas and Haliyas, as well as landless farmers. The program aims to finalize the bills under consideration in the parliament, lay the foundation for socio-economic transformation, focus on high and equitable economic development and focus on productive economy, improve the supply system, control inflation and corruption.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The government has stated that the disputed border areas including Limpiyadhura, Lipulek and Kalapani will be resolved through diplomatic channels. The main opposition party UML has expressed dissatisfaction over the common minimum program announced by the government. UML leader Sher Bahadur Tamang said the program doesn't carry any significance as it should have been introduced through the parliament. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-09', 'modified' => '2021-08-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13536', 'image' => '20210809121550_ROS-KTMPM.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-09 12:14:16', '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' => '13805', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Issues White Paper, Prepares to Replace Ordinance Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: The government has unveiled white paper on the current economic situation of the country heavily criticizing the previous government.', 'content' => '<p><em>Finance Minister Janardan Sharma presents White Paper in Parliament on August 10. Photo: Rss</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 11: The government has unveiled white paper on the current economic situation of the country heavily criticizing the previous government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Presenting the document in the federal parliament on Tuesday (August 10), Finance Minister Janardan Sharma said that the government will </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">introduced a bill to replace the ordinance budget issued by the previous government</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He also claimed that the Oli government had not taken the country's economic situation forward in a proper way. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He added that he would soon introduce a replacement bill to address the common minimum program agreed between the ruling parties. It will reflect the policies and priorities of the current government as well as the people's aspirations and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He also said that sudden dissolution of the House of Representatives a week before presenting the budget and the caretaker government introducing programs and policies for long term development plans is not legitimate. He further said that the previous government prepared the budget without paying attention to the state coffers, and failed to maintain financial responsibility and discipline.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The white paper claims that most sectors of the economy are adversely affected. The economy observed a contraction of 2.1% in the fiscal year 2019/20 and couldn't improve significantly even in 2020/21. He however didn't present the data of the economic growth. According to a high level source at the Central Bureau of Statistics, the country had achieved the economic growth rate of 1 percent that year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sharma said the projected economic growth of 6.5% is not achievable in this fiscal year due to the adverse impacts of the pandemic. According to the White Paper, the state treasury was in deficit of Rs 143 billion during last fiscal year against Rs 48 billion three years ago. Similarly, the amount of public debt has been increasing, informed Sharma. According to him, the government would be unable to maintain recurrent expenses solely through revenue collection.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The White Paper pointed out that 18.7 per cent population in the country was under the poverty line and the situation was worsening due to the impact of COVID-19. </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, in recent years, the government's economic policies have not been able to focus on the poor and the marginalized groups, which has led to the accumulation of wealth among a limited class. This has resulted in an increase in inequality. </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Minister Sharma added that policy level reforms was needed to tackle the issue. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, Minister Sharma said that the government’s top-most priority has been the vaccination campaign. Ever since he shouldered the responsibility of the ministry, Rs 5 billion had been released for the purchase of vaccines, said Sharma.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The lawmakers of the main opposition party UML referred to the white paper as a document of revenge presented to discredit the previous government by distorting the facts. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">UML MP Khagraj Adhikari commented that the Maoist had forgotten that they themselves were part of the previous government and had not brought the factual issues to the fore. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13550', 'image' => '20210811032054_RS-KTM-FinanceMinisterSharma.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 15:19:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13804', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Opposition Seeks Government's Stance on MCC', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: The main opposition party, the CPN-UML, has aggressively presented itself in the parliament and demanded a clear view from the government on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 11: The main opposition party, the CPN-UML, has aggressively presented itself in the parliament and demanded a clear view from the government on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">UML parliamentary party leader KP Oli, who addressed the parliament for the first time after resigning from the post of prime minister, demanded an answer from the government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Speaking on the rostrum after three years as the leader of the main opposition party, he said the lack of mentioning the MCC in the common minimum programme recently released by the current government had raised various doubts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stating that the government has the support of 165 MPs, Oli suggested that the MCC be submitted as it would be passed easily. Oli had said that MCC should have been passed while he was the Prime Minister. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The MCC has been stuck in parliament for a long time. Due to the inability of the parties to reach an agreement, the Speaker has not ratified the MCC agreement. The United States, one of Nepal's largest donors, has expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of approval.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Oli also said that Lipulek and Limpiyadhura were the holy lands of Nepal without any doubt. He objected to Lipulek and Limpiyadhura being described as "problematic" in the government's common minimum programme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Oli also demanded an investigation into all past irregularities. "We request you to investigate the irregularities in the procurement of health items and to take action against those found guilty," Oli said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He also urged the government to investigate the allegations that health supplies had been procured in the past and that the supplies were unused at various hospitals and airports.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> <p><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13549', 'image' => '20210811024827_20210507114916_20200914112314_1600032154.2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 14:47:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13803', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NADA Election Cancelled as Covid-19 Cases Surge', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: The upcoming election of the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), an umbrella organization of automobile businessmen, has been postponed.', 'content' => '<p><em>File Photo</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 11: The upcoming election of the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), an umbrella organization of automobile businessmen, has been postponed.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">NADA Chairman Krishna Prasad Dulal informed that the election scheduled for September 10 to elect a new leadership has been postponed for the time being due to the surge in coronavirus infection. The election was supposed to be held on the occasion of the 45th General Assembly of NADA.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A meeting of the Central Working Committee of NADA held on Tuesday decided to postpone the election as the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, has banned the gatherings and assemblies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Earlier, NADA had sought permission from the District Administration Office, Kathmandu to conduct the general assembly and election.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The administration did not allow doing so fearing the third wave of coronavirus pandemic. The DAO argued that the rate of infection was increasing.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13548', 'image' => '20210811022509_Untitled.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 14:23:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13801', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Restricts Vehicular Movement in Kathmandu after 8:00 pm', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: Government authorities have restricted movement of public and private vehicles in Kathmandu valley from 8 pm onwards effective from August 12.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 11: Government authorities have restricted movement of public and private vehicles in Kathmandu valley from 8 pm onwards effective from August 12.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A notice issued by Chief District Officer, Kali Prasad Parajuli, states that the movement of vehicles during night time in Kathmandu has been restricted from Thursday due to the increasing cases of COVID-19 infection. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, vehicles for essential services can be operated at any time, reads the notice. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, a meeting of the Chief District Officers (CDOs) of the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley on Tuesday has extended the prohibitory order imposed in the Kathmandu Valley until August 24.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The meeting has decided to tighten vehicular movement during the night time while continuing the previous prohibition. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CDO Parajuli added that shops and businesses will be allowed to operate till 7 pm. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, all kinds of gatherings, seminars, party palaces, gyms, dance bars, sports clubs, swimming pools, recreational areas, etc. have been prohibited from operating. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has been decided that only priests will be allowed to perform daily worship in religious places.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Stating that health measures have been made mandatory due to the increasing infections of covid, Parajuli said that action will be taken against those who do not wear masks and engage in restricted activities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even though the current situation seems to be normal, the CDOs of the valley are still extending the prohibitory orders.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Health experts have warned that the measures taken by the government will not be effective to stop the infection from spreading because the prohibitory order has been imposed only for formality.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Commenting on the restriction on vehicular movement after 8 pm as a ritual, health expert Sameer Mani Dixit said that such activities are being done only to show that they have done or achieved something during the pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"As the prohibition has hit all sectors of the economy badly, doing so should no longer be an option," he added, “Since prohibitions are continuously being imposed just for a show-off, it will not actually stop the infection”. He said that the alternative now can be loosening the prohibition and vaccinating citizens, following strict health measures.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Hospitals have been overcrowded due to the recent increase in Covid-19 infection. In addition, 4,904 people tested positive for the virus on Tuesday, while 35 patients succumbed to the disease.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the Ministry of Health and Population, the age group of 21 to 40 years has been most affected by the new variant of Covid-19. According to the spokesperson for the Ministry, Dr. Sameer Adhikari, there are 37,332 active cases of coronavirus in Nepal at present.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13547', 'image' => '20210811120046_20190604030108_aaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 11:59:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13802', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Vegetable Seeds worth Rs 430 Million Imported ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: Vegetable seeds worth more than Rs 430 million have been imported in Nepal in a year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 11: Vegetable seeds worth more than Rs 430 million have been imported in Nepal in a year. Seed importers bring in 34 varieties of hybrid and improved varieties of vegetable seeds from India, China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea and other countries. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Seed Quality Control Center, the companies have imported a total of 1.35 million kg of vegetable seeds worth Rs 433.07 million by the end of the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78). This amount is Rs 85.325 million more than last year. In the corresponding period of the previous year, a total of 100,348 kg of seeds worth Rs 347.749 million were imported. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The center informed that more than 34 varieties of vegetable seeds including cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, pumpkin, carrot, onion, tomato, coriander, radish, bitter gourd and brinjal are being imported to Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Cauliflower seed is highest imported product in Nepal with a total of 3,389 kg worth Rs 93.672 million. Similarly, according to the center, Chinese cabbage is least imported, with the import of only 32 kg amounting Rs 509,184. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Likewise, a total of 2,810 kg of carrot seeds worth Rs 5.822 million and 53,420 kg of coriander seeds worth Rs 14.665 million have been imported. Statistics show that 2,800 kg of bitter gourd seeds worth Rs 31.99 million have been imported. Among the vegetables imported from abroad, cauliflower, cabbage, onion and coriander are the major ones. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Horticulture Officer at the Center, Bikas Kharel, informed New Business Age that the import of vegetable seeds has been increasing as the number of farmers cultivating vegetables commercially has been increasing in Nepal recently. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, the seeds of local varieties are produced in Nepal by a limited number of companies but the seeds of hybrid varieties are imported from abroad. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13546', 'image' => '20210811125203_Higdening.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 12:50:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13800', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prominent Restaurateur Shyam Kakshapati No More', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Shyam Sundar Lal Kakshapati, a prominent restaurateur and the founder of the Nanglo Restaurant, has passed away after his long battle with cancer. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 10: </span></span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Shyam Sundar Lal Kakshapati, a prominent restaurateur and the founder of the Nanglo Restaurant, has passed away after his long battle with cancer. He was 69.</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"">Kakshapati breathed his last on Monday (August 9) while undergoing treatment in Bangkok, according to the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN). He had been suffering from oral cancer since a long time</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"">Late Kakshapati was admitted to Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok two months ago, according to his family sources.</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"">Born in 2009 BS in Palpa to father Ram Lal Kakshapati and mother Krishna Badan Kakshapati, the late Kakshapati started his business in 1973 from Cafe Day Park in Ratna Park, Kathmandu. Kaksapati, who was one of the frontrunners of the modern restaurant business in the country, played a leading role in the promotion of the restaurant business and establishing the café culture in Nepal. </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 also established Shyams One Tree Restaurant in Durbar Marg. </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"">Kakshapati started Nanglo Restaurant along with his younger brother Gopal Sundar Lal Kakshapati in 1976. Likewise, he also started the Bakery cafe in 1997 at New Baneshwor and later invested in River Side Spring Resort in Kurintar. He also provided employment to differently abled people in various outlets of Bakery Café.</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 also was the director of Shubhatara School in Sanepa. </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"">Kakshapati, also the former president of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) is the founding president of REBAN.</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"">HAN in a statement released on Tuesday has paid heartfelt tribute to Kakshapati and expressed its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.</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 was associated with HAN since the foundation of the association and was its president from 2012 to 2014. He was conferred the title of Prabal Janasewa Shri Manpadavi by the Government of Nepal. He is survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13545', 'image' => '20210810035705_1628558868.kashapati_late.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:56:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13799', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Imports of Private Vehicles on the Rise', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Although the Covid-19 pandemic have had a negative impact on other businesses in the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78), the automobile business has been flourishing.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">August 10: Although the Covid-19 pandemic have had a negative impact on other businesses in the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78), the automobile business has been flourishing. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Stakeholders informed that some segments of automobile business including the sales of public vehicles has declined but the overall market of automobiles has flourished.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Imports of two-wheelers and four-wheelers for private use have increased by 70 percent in the review period. Looking at the statistics of imports of jeeps, cars, vans, motorcycles and scooters, it has been found that the number has increased to 355,018 in the last fiscal year from 29,009 in the fiscal year 2076/77.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">According to the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), the import of private jeeps, cars and vans has increased from 10, 972 in the fiscal year 2076/77 to 14, 847 in the previous fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Similarly, 355,867 motorcycles and scooters have been imported during the review period up from 198,062 in the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">NADA Chairman Krishna Prasad Dulal said that the demand for private vehicles has increased after the onset of Covid-19. He said that the sales have increased in other months as well due to advance booking. They could not supply vehicles as per the demand from January to April last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“After Covid-19 pandemic, considering health precautions, the attraction towards private vehicles has increased. It has proven that automobiles are essential and not a means of luxury,” he said, “Although the number of people visiting the showroom is low due to the pandemic, the number of inquiries is gradually increasing and there are positive signs.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">While the sales of private vehicles increased last year, the demand for public transport has stalled. Only 279 buses were imported that year, compared to 2,083 the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Entrepreneurs say that public transport has collapsed due to the ban imposed to curb the spread of covid infection. President of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) Yogendra Nath Karmacharya said that last year was unpleasant for the transport sector. “Business has come to a standstill, millions of workers have lost their jobs and the government has not taken the necessary steps to rehabilitate businesses and make a living for the workers,” he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">A total of 474,679 vehicles were imported last year. In FY 2076/77, only 370, 238 vehicles were imported. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13544', 'image' => '20210810034249_1628551845.Clipboard07.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:42:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13798', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Railway Company’s GM Declines to Furnish Clarification to the Government', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Guru Bhattarai, the General Manager of Nepal Railway Company Limited, has announced that he will not furnish clarification to the government.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 10: Guru Bhattarai, the General Manager of Nepal Railway Company Limited, has announced that he will not furnish clarification to the government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> The government had asked Bhattarai to submit an explanation within three days saying that he had not been able to work as per the capacity of the general manager and had publicly criticized the government and officials through social media.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bhattarai said in a press conference on Monday said that he would not give any explanation. Stating that the railway company which was in a state of zero has recently been made operational, Bhattarai said that has made up his mind not to give the clarification sought by the government but he would instead resign. Stating that he was asked for an explanation due to political reason, he said that he could not give such explanation as he was a government employee.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He accused that the government had made an excuse to remove him from office. The recent meeting of the Council of Ministers had questioned him saying “why shouldn’t you be removed from the post of General Manager on the ground that you have not acted in accordance with clause (d) of Article 9 of the Criteria for Appointment and Nomination of Public Bodies of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport”. He was asked to submit a clarification on the same matter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ministry had written to him on Sunday asking him to give an explanation within three days as per the decision of the cabinet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Council of Ministers has also sought an explanation from Bhattarai for making indecent remarks court orders and for insulting political parties and their office. He was appointed general manager of the company last year by the previous government led by KP Sharma Oli.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13543', 'image' => '20210810032900_20201208034208_1200px-Nepal_Railway,_Janakpur_20200918.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:28:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13797', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Dhaubadi Iron Company Shortlists Firms for Feasibility Study and DPR ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Dhaubadi Iron Company Limited has shortlisted six different companies to prepare a feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) of the mine at Dhaubadi in Nawalpur.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 10: Dhaubadi Iron Company Limited has shortlisted six different companies to prepare a feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) of the mine at Dhaubadi in Nawalpur. Six companies from India, China, South Africa, and Austria have been selected and are scheduled to submit their financial and technical proposals this week.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A total of 11 companies, including these companies, had responded to the tender bid called by the company. The company has shortlisted six of them. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Dr. Janak Bahadur Chand, informed that the companies were selected in the first week of July. He said that one of the selected companies will be awarded the contract for feasibility study and DPR. The company will conduct a feasibility study within three months.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chand further said that the DPR would be prepared only after the feasibility study. The company will be given a period of seven months to prepare the DPR.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company has decided to go ahead with the feasibility study almost nine months after it was confirmed that iron can be produced commercially from the Dhaubadi iron mine. Chand informed that the process of production will be initiated after the study work gets completed in the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Last year, iron ore (cast iron) was sent to China to ensure the viability of commercial production of iron. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Feasibility study will ascertain various issues ranging from iron production, excavation, storage, technology selection, investment and the company will preparing DPR on the basis of the feasibility study. Chand said that 864 meters have been drilled in the mining area so far. He said that after drilling a total of 1,300 meters in five holes in the mining area, the issues including storage and production capacity of the mine will be ascertained. He said drilling is currently underway.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The selected companies include Capital Engineering and Research Inc. Ltd. and Shandong GEO-Surveying and Mapping Institute from China and two companies from India. Companies from South Africa and Austria have also been selected.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had given the approval to set up a company in 2076 BS to produce iron commercially from the area. It has been confirmed that iron was found in Dhaubadi, 10 km north of Kawasoti. The mine is 10 km long and 15 to 30 m wide. The study shows that the country's largest mine has 100 million metric tons of iron ore.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13542', 'image' => '20210810032050_1628552354.Clipboard08.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:19:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13796', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Government Starts Revoking Decisions taken by Previous Government', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, elected with the backing of the five-party alliance, has started revoking the decisions taken by the previous government.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 10: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, elected with the backing of the five-party alliance, has started revoking the decisions taken by the previous government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Revoking the decisions taken by the erstwhile government led by KP Sharma Oli, the current government headed by Deuba has dissolved the Land-related Problem Solving Commission, banned the export of stone, pebbles and sand from Chure range and halted the construction of cable car from mining area to the border.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Oli-led government had formed a commission to resolve the problems of the landless people. However, the Deuba government has overturned the decision.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although this government is trying to reverse the decisions of the previous government, it seems that the Supreme Court is preventing the government from implementing its decisions. The Supreme Court has temporarily prevented the government from scrapping the commission formed to resolve land issues.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A single bench of Supreme Court Justice Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada on Monday stayed the government's decision while hearing a petition filed by the commission's chairperson Devi Prasad Gyawali. The Supreme Court has decided to conduct further hearing on the petition on August 17.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Supreme Court has summoned both the parties for hearing on August 17. It will be decided whether to issue an interim order after hearing the discussions of both the parties. The government's decision to dismiss the commission will not be implemented for the time being. The Land-Related Problem Solving Commission will be able to function until the Supreme Court decides whether to issue the interim order.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Supreme Court has stated not to tamper with the records related to the work of the Commission, or make any changes to physical resources and other management-related matters.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The current Deuba-led government was formed with the support of the five-party alliance. The coalition has reached an understanding to revoke the previous government’s decisions. On the basis of the same understanding, the government had stated to form a new mechanism to resolve the problems of landless squatters after dissolving the current commission in line with its common minimum programme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, the government has announced to reverse the decisions taken by the previous government regarding the release of budget through ordinance.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Deuba-led government has also revoked ambassadorial appointments without a hearing. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Outgoing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed dissatisfaction over the Deuba government’s move to roll back the programs brought by his government. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13541', 'image' => '20210810025505_1628551925.1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 14:54:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13795', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NIFRA to Provide Rs 675 Million Loan for Construction of Skywalk Towers', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Nepal Infrastructure Bank Limited (NIFRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wonders Group for loan agreement to develop and operate the first skywalk tower projects of Nepal at Kamaladi of Kathmandu and Bhedetar of Dhankuta.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 10: Nepal Infrastructure Bank Limited (NIFRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wonders Group for loan agreement to develop and operate the first skywalk tower projects of Nepal at Kamaladi of Kathmandu and Bhedetar of Dhankuta.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Issuing a joint statement on Monday (August 9), the bank and the project developer said that they have reached an understanding to develop tourism infrastructure with innovative concept despite the adverse impacts of Covid-19. The statement further said that NIFRA will be the lone investor for the projects.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The under-construction skywalk tower of Wonders Group at Kamaladi will be 78 meters tall and will have an area allocated for yoga as well as restaurants and other entertainment facilities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The skywalk tower, which will be one of the tallest infrastructures in the country, will offer the visitors a bird’s eye view of the Kathmandu valley from a glass floor on top of the tower. The developers are expecting to attract a large number of visitors.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, the skywalk tower in Bhedetar will be built on public private partnership model. The project initiated with the investment of Province 1 government is expected to attract large number of domestic and international tourists to the destination.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank has approved maximum loan of Rs 675 million for both the projects, the statement added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CEO of the bank Ram Krishna Khatiwada and Chairman of the company Prabendra Pokharel signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations amid a recent function.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13540', 'image' => '20210810113908_Untitleddddffff.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 11:38:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13794', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Cabinet Approves New Pay Scale for Government Employees ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: The government has approved the new pay scale for government employees effective from the beginning of the current fiscal year (July 16). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 10: The government has approved the new pay scale for government employees effective from the beginning of the current fiscal year (July 16). </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Monday (August 9) took a decision to this effect.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Government spokesperson and Law Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki informed that the cabinet meeting has approved the new salary of all civil servants, Nepalese Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force personnel as well as employees under the Nepal Health Service, Parliament Service, community schoolteachers and the employees of the province and local levels. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister Karki further said that the Hello Sarkar Grievances Handling Directive 2078 has been sent to the Administration Committee of the Council of Ministers and the Special Economic Zone (First Amendment) Regulations 2078 has been sent to Economic and Infrastructure Committee for discussions. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Military Service (Fourth Amendment) Regulations 2078 has been sent to the Legislation Committee, according to Minister Karki. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Kamal Bahadur Bogati, an official of the Upper Trishuli III ‘A’ Hydropower Project, has been assigned to carry out the task of land acquisition </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13539', 'image' => '20210810105241_New_Emblem_of_Nepal.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 10:51:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13793', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CNI Welcomes Government’s Common Minimum Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has welcomed the common minimum programme unveiled by the coalition government on Sunday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 10: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has welcomed the common minimum programme unveiled by the coalition government on Sunday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CNI said in a statement on Monday that the government’s common minimum programme is focused on controlling Covid-19, industrialization, and production-oriented economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ‘Make in Nepal Campaign' launched by CNI would be get a boost by the government's programme which is focused on production-oriented economy, CNI said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The CNI had recently launched the Make in Nepal Campaign for the production of goods and services within country and their promotion. CNI said that the coalition government’s new programme would help promote home-grown products and reduce dependence on import.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, CNI also welcomed the government’s announcement to vaccinate one-third of population within mid-October, provide relief package to the industries, tourism, media and transport sectors that have been badly affected by the pandemic.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13538', 'image' => '20210810103650_20200522015739_CNI.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 10:36:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13792', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sales of Automobile Parts Increase along Nepal-India Border', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 9: Sales of automobile spare parts have increased in districts that share border with India following the government's decision to impose lockdown last year to control the spread of Covid-19 infection. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">August 9: Sales of automobile spare parts have increased in districts that share border with India following the government's decision to impose lockdown last year to control the spread of Covid-19 infection. The sales of spare parts have apparently increased due to the decline in illegal trade in the border areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The government had imposed a four-month-long shutdown from March 2020 to prevent infection from spreading. Since then, trade in the border areas has flourished.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“As the smuggling has decreased due to the closure of the border, goods have also been sent to the places near the border to cater to the demand,” said Krishna Dulal, president of Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Entrepreneurs say that automobile spare parts sellers, who have been operating in the border area for a few months after July last year, have placed good orders. Sunil Rijal, an automobile parts dealer and general secretary of NADA, says that there was no demand for authorized goods in the previous year as unauthorized spare parts were entering from the Indian market due to open border.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">"In previous years, the demand for automobile parts in the border areas was negligible," he said, “But the demand was good during the lockdown.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Stating that the demand for automobile parts had increased by 20 to 50 percent at the border during the lockdown, he said that the authorized trade has increased as the illegal movement has decreased at the border.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Moreover, he said that illegal imports have been stopped with the tightening of checkpoints and taxes have also been increased for goods entering through authorized channels. He said that the customs fraud of goods should be stopped in the coming days by managing the checkpoints.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“If the government stops the unauthorized business by imposing tax on the goods, the custom fraud will also be reduced. Due to this, the business will also flourish and government revenue will also increase,” said Rijal.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-09', 'modified' => '2021-08-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13537', 'image' => '20210809123303_1627860368.Clipboard07.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-09 12:31:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13791', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Unveils Common Minimum Programme', 'sub_title' => 'Decides not to move ahead with Export of Sand from Chure range', 'summary' => 'August 9: The coalition government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has unveiled its common minimum programme', 'content' => '<p><em>Coalition leaders unveiling the government's common minimum programme on Sunday. Photo Courtesy: Rss</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 9: The coalition government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has unveiled its common minimum programme which has clearly outlined that the government will not move ahead with the export of sand, aggregates and stones from the Chure range.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Unveiling the common minimum programme on Sunday, the government has decided to scrap the previous government's decision of exporting stones and sands from the Chure region. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"It is decided to prevent the exploitation of natural resources for financial benefits, stop the export and excavation of stone and sand in the Chure range and take concrete steps to protect the environmental rights and biodiversity," states the programme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The joint programme also called for multi-purpose use of big rivers, implement integrated development policy on the basis of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Similarly, it has also expressed commitment to investigate the irregularities in the procurement of health materials and take action against the individuals and organizations found guilty.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The common minimum programme has laid emphasis on production-based economy, reform in supply chain, and control in excessive price hike of commodities. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, the program has not said anything about the MCC agreement which is considered important for the development of hydroelectricity in the country.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Presenting the government's programme, General Secretary of Nepali Congress Purna Bahadur Khadka said that the relief and rehabilitation program would be made public uplift the sector including business, communication, transport, and entertainment industry affected by the COVID pandemic. The programme has stated to create an investment friendly environment in collaboration with the government, and private sector and amend Acts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has stated to ensure smooth supply of fertilizer, a recurring problem every year, resolve the problem of sugarcane farmers and reduce the risk by arranging agricultural insurance.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The program also states that arrangements will be made to end the delay in construction of infrastructure projects. "The remaining works of East-West Highway and Kathmandu Ring Road extension will be completed as soon as possible," the joint program further states.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, land will be given to the landless as per the provisions introduced by the Constitution. Under this section, economic recovery packages and settlement will be provided to freed bonded labourers such as Kamaiyas and Haliyas, as well as landless farmers. The program aims to finalize the bills under consideration in the parliament, lay the foundation for socio-economic transformation, focus on high and equitable economic development and focus on productive economy, improve the supply system, control inflation and corruption.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The government has stated that the disputed border areas including Limpiyadhura, Lipulek and Kalapani will be resolved through diplomatic channels. The main opposition party UML has expressed dissatisfaction over the common minimum program announced by the government. UML leader Sher Bahadur Tamang said the program doesn't carry any significance as it should have been introduced through the parliament. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-09', 'modified' => '2021-08-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13536', 'image' => '20210809121550_ROS-KTMPM.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-09 12:14:16', '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' => '13805', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Issues White Paper, Prepares to Replace Ordinance Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: The government has unveiled white paper on the current economic situation of the country heavily criticizing the previous government.', 'content' => '<p><em>Finance Minister Janardan Sharma presents White Paper in Parliament on August 10. Photo: Rss</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 11: The government has unveiled white paper on the current economic situation of the country heavily criticizing the previous government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Presenting the document in the federal parliament on Tuesday (August 10), Finance Minister Janardan Sharma said that the government will </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">introduced a bill to replace the ordinance budget issued by the previous government</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He also claimed that the Oli government had not taken the country's economic situation forward in a proper way. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He added that he would soon introduce a replacement bill to address the common minimum program agreed between the ruling parties. It will reflect the policies and priorities of the current government as well as the people's aspirations and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He also said that sudden dissolution of the House of Representatives a week before presenting the budget and the caretaker government introducing programs and policies for long term development plans is not legitimate. He further said that the previous government prepared the budget without paying attention to the state coffers, and failed to maintain financial responsibility and discipline.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The white paper claims that most sectors of the economy are adversely affected. The economy observed a contraction of 2.1% in the fiscal year 2019/20 and couldn't improve significantly even in 2020/21. He however didn't present the data of the economic growth. According to a high level source at the Central Bureau of Statistics, the country had achieved the economic growth rate of 1 percent that year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sharma said the projected economic growth of 6.5% is not achievable in this fiscal year due to the adverse impacts of the pandemic. According to the White Paper, the state treasury was in deficit of Rs 143 billion during last fiscal year against Rs 48 billion three years ago. Similarly, the amount of public debt has been increasing, informed Sharma. According to him, the government would be unable to maintain recurrent expenses solely through revenue collection.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The White Paper pointed out that 18.7 per cent population in the country was under the poverty line and the situation was worsening due to the impact of COVID-19. </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, in recent years, the government's economic policies have not been able to focus on the poor and the marginalized groups, which has led to the accumulation of wealth among a limited class. This has resulted in an increase in inequality. </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Minister Sharma added that policy level reforms was needed to tackle the issue. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, Minister Sharma said that the government’s top-most priority has been the vaccination campaign. Ever since he shouldered the responsibility of the ministry, Rs 5 billion had been released for the purchase of vaccines, said Sharma.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The lawmakers of the main opposition party UML referred to the white paper as a document of revenge presented to discredit the previous government by distorting the facts. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">UML MP Khagraj Adhikari commented that the Maoist had forgotten that they themselves were part of the previous government and had not brought the factual issues to the fore. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13550', 'image' => '20210811032054_RS-KTM-FinanceMinisterSharma.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 15:19:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13804', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Opposition Seeks Government's Stance on MCC', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: The main opposition party, the CPN-UML, has aggressively presented itself in the parliament and demanded a clear view from the government on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 11: The main opposition party, the CPN-UML, has aggressively presented itself in the parliament and demanded a clear view from the government on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">UML parliamentary party leader KP Oli, who addressed the parliament for the first time after resigning from the post of prime minister, demanded an answer from the government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Speaking on the rostrum after three years as the leader of the main opposition party, he said the lack of mentioning the MCC in the common minimum programme recently released by the current government had raised various doubts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stating that the government has the support of 165 MPs, Oli suggested that the MCC be submitted as it would be passed easily. Oli had said that MCC should have been passed while he was the Prime Minister. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The MCC has been stuck in parliament for a long time. Due to the inability of the parties to reach an agreement, the Speaker has not ratified the MCC agreement. The United States, one of Nepal's largest donors, has expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of approval.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Oli also said that Lipulek and Limpiyadhura were the holy lands of Nepal without any doubt. He objected to Lipulek and Limpiyadhura being described as "problematic" in the government's common minimum programme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Oli also demanded an investigation into all past irregularities. "We request you to investigate the irregularities in the procurement of health items and to take action against those found guilty," Oli said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He also urged the government to investigate the allegations that health supplies had been procured in the past and that the supplies were unused at various hospitals and airports.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> <p><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13549', 'image' => '20210811024827_20210507114916_20200914112314_1600032154.2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 14:47:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13803', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NADA Election Cancelled as Covid-19 Cases Surge', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: The upcoming election of the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), an umbrella organization of automobile businessmen, has been postponed.', 'content' => '<p><em>File Photo</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 11: The upcoming election of the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), an umbrella organization of automobile businessmen, has been postponed.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">NADA Chairman Krishna Prasad Dulal informed that the election scheduled for September 10 to elect a new leadership has been postponed for the time being due to the surge in coronavirus infection. The election was supposed to be held on the occasion of the 45th General Assembly of NADA.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A meeting of the Central Working Committee of NADA held on Tuesday decided to postpone the election as the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, has banned the gatherings and assemblies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Earlier, NADA had sought permission from the District Administration Office, Kathmandu to conduct the general assembly and election.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The administration did not allow doing so fearing the third wave of coronavirus pandemic. The DAO argued that the rate of infection was increasing.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13548', 'image' => '20210811022509_Untitled.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 14:23:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13801', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Restricts Vehicular Movement in Kathmandu after 8:00 pm', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: Government authorities have restricted movement of public and private vehicles in Kathmandu valley from 8 pm onwards effective from August 12.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 11: Government authorities have restricted movement of public and private vehicles in Kathmandu valley from 8 pm onwards effective from August 12.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A notice issued by Chief District Officer, Kali Prasad Parajuli, states that the movement of vehicles during night time in Kathmandu has been restricted from Thursday due to the increasing cases of COVID-19 infection. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, vehicles for essential services can be operated at any time, reads the notice. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, a meeting of the Chief District Officers (CDOs) of the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley on Tuesday has extended the prohibitory order imposed in the Kathmandu Valley until August 24.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The meeting has decided to tighten vehicular movement during the night time while continuing the previous prohibition. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CDO Parajuli added that shops and businesses will be allowed to operate till 7 pm. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, all kinds of gatherings, seminars, party palaces, gyms, dance bars, sports clubs, swimming pools, recreational areas, etc. have been prohibited from operating. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has been decided that only priests will be allowed to perform daily worship in religious places.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Stating that health measures have been made mandatory due to the increasing infections of covid, Parajuli said that action will be taken against those who do not wear masks and engage in restricted activities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even though the current situation seems to be normal, the CDOs of the valley are still extending the prohibitory orders.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Health experts have warned that the measures taken by the government will not be effective to stop the infection from spreading because the prohibitory order has been imposed only for formality.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Commenting on the restriction on vehicular movement after 8 pm as a ritual, health expert Sameer Mani Dixit said that such activities are being done only to show that they have done or achieved something during the pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"As the prohibition has hit all sectors of the economy badly, doing so should no longer be an option," he added, “Since prohibitions are continuously being imposed just for a show-off, it will not actually stop the infection”. He said that the alternative now can be loosening the prohibition and vaccinating citizens, following strict health measures.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Hospitals have been overcrowded due to the recent increase in Covid-19 infection. In addition, 4,904 people tested positive for the virus on Tuesday, while 35 patients succumbed to the disease.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the Ministry of Health and Population, the age group of 21 to 40 years has been most affected by the new variant of Covid-19. According to the spokesperson for the Ministry, Dr. Sameer Adhikari, there are 37,332 active cases of coronavirus in Nepal at present.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13547', 'image' => '20210811120046_20190604030108_aaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 11:59:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13802', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Vegetable Seeds worth Rs 430 Million Imported ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 11: Vegetable seeds worth more than Rs 430 million have been imported in Nepal in a year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 11: Vegetable seeds worth more than Rs 430 million have been imported in Nepal in a year. Seed importers bring in 34 varieties of hybrid and improved varieties of vegetable seeds from India, China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea and other countries. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Seed Quality Control Center, the companies have imported a total of 1.35 million kg of vegetable seeds worth Rs 433.07 million by the end of the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78). This amount is Rs 85.325 million more than last year. In the corresponding period of the previous year, a total of 100,348 kg of seeds worth Rs 347.749 million were imported. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The center informed that more than 34 varieties of vegetable seeds including cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, pumpkin, carrot, onion, tomato, coriander, radish, bitter gourd and brinjal are being imported to Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Cauliflower seed is highest imported product in Nepal with a total of 3,389 kg worth Rs 93.672 million. Similarly, according to the center, Chinese cabbage is least imported, with the import of only 32 kg amounting Rs 509,184. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Likewise, a total of 2,810 kg of carrot seeds worth Rs 5.822 million and 53,420 kg of coriander seeds worth Rs 14.665 million have been imported. Statistics show that 2,800 kg of bitter gourd seeds worth Rs 31.99 million have been imported. Among the vegetables imported from abroad, cauliflower, cabbage, onion and coriander are the major ones. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Horticulture Officer at the Center, Bikas Kharel, informed New Business Age that the import of vegetable seeds has been increasing as the number of farmers cultivating vegetables commercially has been increasing in Nepal recently. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, the seeds of local varieties are produced in Nepal by a limited number of companies but the seeds of hybrid varieties are imported from abroad. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-11', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13546', 'image' => '20210811125203_Higdening.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-11 12:50:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13800', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prominent Restaurateur Shyam Kakshapati No More', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Shyam Sundar Lal Kakshapati, a prominent restaurateur and the founder of the Nanglo Restaurant, has passed away after his long battle with cancer. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 10: </span></span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Shyam Sundar Lal Kakshapati, a prominent restaurateur and the founder of the Nanglo Restaurant, has passed away after his long battle with cancer. He was 69.</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"">Kakshapati breathed his last on Monday (August 9) while undergoing treatment in Bangkok, according to the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN). He had been suffering from oral cancer since a long time</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"">Late Kakshapati was admitted to Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok two months ago, according to his family sources.</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"">Born in 2009 BS in Palpa to father Ram Lal Kakshapati and mother Krishna Badan Kakshapati, the late Kakshapati started his business in 1973 from Cafe Day Park in Ratna Park, Kathmandu. Kaksapati, who was one of the frontrunners of the modern restaurant business in the country, played a leading role in the promotion of the restaurant business and establishing the café culture in Nepal. </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 also established Shyams One Tree Restaurant in Durbar Marg. </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"">Kakshapati started Nanglo Restaurant along with his younger brother Gopal Sundar Lal Kakshapati in 1976. Likewise, he also started the Bakery cafe in 1997 at New Baneshwor and later invested in River Side Spring Resort in Kurintar. He also provided employment to differently abled people in various outlets of Bakery Café.</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 also was the director of Shubhatara School in Sanepa. </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"">Kakshapati, also the former president of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) is the founding president of REBAN.</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"">HAN in a statement released on Tuesday has paid heartfelt tribute to Kakshapati and expressed its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.</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 was associated with HAN since the foundation of the association and was its president from 2012 to 2014. He was conferred the title of Prabal Janasewa Shri Manpadavi by the Government of Nepal. He is survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13545', 'image' => '20210810035705_1628558868.kashapati_late.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:56:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13799', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Imports of Private Vehicles on the Rise', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Although the Covid-19 pandemic have had a negative impact on other businesses in the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78), the automobile business has been flourishing.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">August 10: Although the Covid-19 pandemic have had a negative impact on other businesses in the last fiscal year (FY 2077/78), the automobile business has been flourishing. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Stakeholders informed that some segments of automobile business including the sales of public vehicles has declined but the overall market of automobiles has flourished.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Imports of two-wheelers and four-wheelers for private use have increased by 70 percent in the review period. Looking at the statistics of imports of jeeps, cars, vans, motorcycles and scooters, it has been found that the number has increased to 355,018 in the last fiscal year from 29,009 in the fiscal year 2076/77.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">According to the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), the import of private jeeps, cars and vans has increased from 10, 972 in the fiscal year 2076/77 to 14, 847 in the previous fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Similarly, 355,867 motorcycles and scooters have been imported during the review period up from 198,062 in the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">NADA Chairman Krishna Prasad Dulal said that the demand for private vehicles has increased after the onset of Covid-19. He said that the sales have increased in other months as well due to advance booking. They could not supply vehicles as per the demand from January to April last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“After Covid-19 pandemic, considering health precautions, the attraction towards private vehicles has increased. It has proven that automobiles are essential and not a means of luxury,” he said, “Although the number of people visiting the showroom is low due to the pandemic, the number of inquiries is gradually increasing and there are positive signs.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">While the sales of private vehicles increased last year, the demand for public transport has stalled. Only 279 buses were imported that year, compared to 2,083 the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Entrepreneurs say that public transport has collapsed due to the ban imposed to curb the spread of covid infection. President of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) Yogendra Nath Karmacharya said that last year was unpleasant for the transport sector. “Business has come to a standstill, millions of workers have lost their jobs and the government has not taken the necessary steps to rehabilitate businesses and make a living for the workers,” he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">A total of 474,679 vehicles were imported last year. In FY 2076/77, only 370, 238 vehicles were imported. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13544', 'image' => '20210810034249_1628551845.Clipboard07.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:42:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13798', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Railway Company’s GM Declines to Furnish Clarification to the Government', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Guru Bhattarai, the General Manager of Nepal Railway Company Limited, has announced that he will not furnish clarification to the government.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 10: Guru Bhattarai, the General Manager of Nepal Railway Company Limited, has announced that he will not furnish clarification to the government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> The government had asked Bhattarai to submit an explanation within three days saying that he had not been able to work as per the capacity of the general manager and had publicly criticized the government and officials through social media.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bhattarai said in a press conference on Monday said that he would not give any explanation. Stating that the railway company which was in a state of zero has recently been made operational, Bhattarai said that has made up his mind not to give the clarification sought by the government but he would instead resign. Stating that he was asked for an explanation due to political reason, he said that he could not give such explanation as he was a government employee.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He accused that the government had made an excuse to remove him from office. The recent meeting of the Council of Ministers had questioned him saying “why shouldn’t you be removed from the post of General Manager on the ground that you have not acted in accordance with clause (d) of Article 9 of the Criteria for Appointment and Nomination of Public Bodies of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport”. He was asked to submit a clarification on the same matter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ministry had written to him on Sunday asking him to give an explanation within three days as per the decision of the cabinet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Council of Ministers has also sought an explanation from Bhattarai for making indecent remarks court orders and for insulting political parties and their office. He was appointed general manager of the company last year by the previous government led by KP Sharma Oli.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13543', 'image' => '20210810032900_20201208034208_1200px-Nepal_Railway,_Janakpur_20200918.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:28:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13797', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Dhaubadi Iron Company Shortlists Firms for Feasibility Study and DPR ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Dhaubadi Iron Company Limited has shortlisted six different companies to prepare a feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) of the mine at Dhaubadi in Nawalpur.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 10: Dhaubadi Iron Company Limited has shortlisted six different companies to prepare a feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) of the mine at Dhaubadi in Nawalpur. Six companies from India, China, South Africa, and Austria have been selected and are scheduled to submit their financial and technical proposals this week.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A total of 11 companies, including these companies, had responded to the tender bid called by the company. The company has shortlisted six of them. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Dr. Janak Bahadur Chand, informed that the companies were selected in the first week of July. He said that one of the selected companies will be awarded the contract for feasibility study and DPR. The company will conduct a feasibility study within three months.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chand further said that the DPR would be prepared only after the feasibility study. The company will be given a period of seven months to prepare the DPR.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company has decided to go ahead with the feasibility study almost nine months after it was confirmed that iron can be produced commercially from the Dhaubadi iron mine. Chand informed that the process of production will be initiated after the study work gets completed in the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Last year, iron ore (cast iron) was sent to China to ensure the viability of commercial production of iron. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Feasibility study will ascertain various issues ranging from iron production, excavation, storage, technology selection, investment and the company will preparing DPR on the basis of the feasibility study. Chand said that 864 meters have been drilled in the mining area so far. He said that after drilling a total of 1,300 meters in five holes in the mining area, the issues including storage and production capacity of the mine will be ascertained. He said drilling is currently underway.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The selected companies include Capital Engineering and Research Inc. Ltd. and Shandong GEO-Surveying and Mapping Institute from China and two companies from India. Companies from South Africa and Austria have also been selected.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had given the approval to set up a company in 2076 BS to produce iron commercially from the area. It has been confirmed that iron was found in Dhaubadi, 10 km north of Kawasoti. The mine is 10 km long and 15 to 30 m wide. The study shows that the country's largest mine has 100 million metric tons of iron ore.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13542', 'image' => '20210810032050_1628552354.Clipboard08.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 15:19:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13796', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Government Starts Revoking Decisions taken by Previous Government', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, elected with the backing of the five-party alliance, has started revoking the decisions taken by the previous government.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 10: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, elected with the backing of the five-party alliance, has started revoking the decisions taken by the previous government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Revoking the decisions taken by the erstwhile government led by KP Sharma Oli, the current government headed by Deuba has dissolved the Land-related Problem Solving Commission, banned the export of stone, pebbles and sand from Chure range and halted the construction of cable car from mining area to the border.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Oli-led government had formed a commission to resolve the problems of the landless people. However, the Deuba government has overturned the decision.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although this government is trying to reverse the decisions of the previous government, it seems that the Supreme Court is preventing the government from implementing its decisions. The Supreme Court has temporarily prevented the government from scrapping the commission formed to resolve land issues.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A single bench of Supreme Court Justice Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada on Monday stayed the government's decision while hearing a petition filed by the commission's chairperson Devi Prasad Gyawali. The Supreme Court has decided to conduct further hearing on the petition on August 17.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Supreme Court has summoned both the parties for hearing on August 17. It will be decided whether to issue an interim order after hearing the discussions of both the parties. The government's decision to dismiss the commission will not be implemented for the time being. The Land-Related Problem Solving Commission will be able to function until the Supreme Court decides whether to issue the interim order.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Supreme Court has stated not to tamper with the records related to the work of the Commission, or make any changes to physical resources and other management-related matters.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The current Deuba-led government was formed with the support of the five-party alliance. The coalition has reached an understanding to revoke the previous government’s decisions. On the basis of the same understanding, the government had stated to form a new mechanism to resolve the problems of landless squatters after dissolving the current commission in line with its common minimum programme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, the government has announced to reverse the decisions taken by the previous government regarding the release of budget through ordinance.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Deuba-led government has also revoked ambassadorial appointments without a hearing. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Outgoing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed dissatisfaction over the Deuba government’s move to roll back the programs brought by his government. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13541', 'image' => '20210810025505_1628551925.1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 14:54:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13795', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NIFRA to Provide Rs 675 Million Loan for Construction of Skywalk Towers', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: Nepal Infrastructure Bank Limited (NIFRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wonders Group for loan agreement to develop and operate the first skywalk tower projects of Nepal at Kamaladi of Kathmandu and Bhedetar of Dhankuta.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 10: Nepal Infrastructure Bank Limited (NIFRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wonders Group for loan agreement to develop and operate the first skywalk tower projects of Nepal at Kamaladi of Kathmandu and Bhedetar of Dhankuta.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Issuing a joint statement on Monday (August 9), the bank and the project developer said that they have reached an understanding to develop tourism infrastructure with innovative concept despite the adverse impacts of Covid-19. The statement further said that NIFRA will be the lone investor for the projects.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The under-construction skywalk tower of Wonders Group at Kamaladi will be 78 meters tall and will have an area allocated for yoga as well as restaurants and other entertainment facilities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The skywalk tower, which will be one of the tallest infrastructures in the country, will offer the visitors a bird’s eye view of the Kathmandu valley from a glass floor on top of the tower. The developers are expecting to attract a large number of visitors.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, the skywalk tower in Bhedetar will be built on public private partnership model. The project initiated with the investment of Province 1 government is expected to attract large number of domestic and international tourists to the destination.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank has approved maximum loan of Rs 675 million for both the projects, the statement added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CEO of the bank Ram Krishna Khatiwada and Chairman of the company Prabendra Pokharel signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations amid a recent function.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13540', 'image' => '20210810113908_Untitleddddffff.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 11:38:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13794', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Cabinet Approves New Pay Scale for Government Employees ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: The government has approved the new pay scale for government employees effective from the beginning of the current fiscal year (July 16). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 10: The government has approved the new pay scale for government employees effective from the beginning of the current fiscal year (July 16). </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Monday (August 9) took a decision to this effect.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Government spokesperson and Law Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki informed that the cabinet meeting has approved the new salary of all civil servants, Nepalese Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force personnel as well as employees under the Nepal Health Service, Parliament Service, community schoolteachers and the employees of the province and local levels. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister Karki further said that the Hello Sarkar Grievances Handling Directive 2078 has been sent to the Administration Committee of the Council of Ministers and the Special Economic Zone (First Amendment) Regulations 2078 has been sent to Economic and Infrastructure Committee for discussions. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Military Service (Fourth Amendment) Regulations 2078 has been sent to the Legislation Committee, according to Minister Karki. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Kamal Bahadur Bogati, an official of the Upper Trishuli III ‘A’ Hydropower Project, has been assigned to carry out the task of land acquisition </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13539', 'image' => '20210810105241_New_Emblem_of_Nepal.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 10:51:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13793', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CNI Welcomes Government’s Common Minimum Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 10: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has welcomed the common minimum programme unveiled by the coalition government on Sunday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 10: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has welcomed the common minimum programme unveiled by the coalition government on Sunday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CNI said in a statement on Monday that the government’s common minimum programme is focused on controlling Covid-19, industrialization, and production-oriented economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ‘Make in Nepal Campaign' launched by CNI would be get a boost by the government's programme which is focused on production-oriented economy, CNI said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The CNI had recently launched the Make in Nepal Campaign for the production of goods and services within country and their promotion. CNI said that the coalition government’s new programme would help promote home-grown products and reduce dependence on import.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, CNI also welcomed the government’s announcement to vaccinate one-third of population within mid-October, provide relief package to the industries, tourism, media and transport sectors that have been badly affected by the pandemic.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-10', 'modified' => '2021-08-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13538', 'image' => '20210810103650_20200522015739_CNI.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-10 10:36:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13792', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sales of Automobile Parts Increase along Nepal-India Border', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 9: Sales of automobile spare parts have increased in districts that share border with India following the government's decision to impose lockdown last year to control the spread of Covid-19 infection. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">August 9: Sales of automobile spare parts have increased in districts that share border with India following the government's decision to impose lockdown last year to control the spread of Covid-19 infection. The sales of spare parts have apparently increased due to the decline in illegal trade in the border areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The government had imposed a four-month-long shutdown from March 2020 to prevent infection from spreading. Since then, trade in the border areas has flourished.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“As the smuggling has decreased due to the closure of the border, goods have also been sent to the places near the border to cater to the demand,” said Krishna Dulal, president of Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Entrepreneurs say that automobile spare parts sellers, who have been operating in the border area for a few months after July last year, have placed good orders. Sunil Rijal, an automobile parts dealer and general secretary of NADA, says that there was no demand for authorized goods in the previous year as unauthorized spare parts were entering from the Indian market due to open border.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">"In previous years, the demand for automobile parts in the border areas was negligible," he said, “But the demand was good during the lockdown.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Stating that the demand for automobile parts had increased by 20 to 50 percent at the border during the lockdown, he said that the authorized trade has increased as the illegal movement has decreased at the border.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Moreover, he said that illegal imports have been stopped with the tightening of checkpoints and taxes have also been increased for goods entering through authorized channels. He said that the customs fraud of goods should be stopped in the coming days by managing the checkpoints.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“If the government stops the unauthorized business by imposing tax on the goods, the custom fraud will also be reduced. Due to this, the business will also flourish and government revenue will also increase,” said Rijal.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-09', 'modified' => '2021-08-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13537', 'image' => '20210809123303_1627860368.Clipboard07.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-09 12:31:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13791', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Unveils Common Minimum Programme', 'sub_title' => 'Decides not to move ahead with Export of Sand from Chure range', 'summary' => 'August 9: The coalition government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has unveiled its common minimum programme', 'content' => '<p><em>Coalition leaders unveiling the government's common minimum programme on Sunday. Photo Courtesy: Rss</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 9: The coalition government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has unveiled its common minimum programme which has clearly outlined that the government will not move ahead with the export of sand, aggregates and stones from the Chure range.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Unveiling the common minimum programme on Sunday, the government has decided to scrap the previous government's decision of exporting stones and sands from the Chure region. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"It is decided to prevent the exploitation of natural resources for financial benefits, stop the export and excavation of stone and sand in the Chure range and take concrete steps to protect the environmental rights and biodiversity," states the programme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The joint programme also called for multi-purpose use of big rivers, implement integrated development policy on the basis of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Similarly, it has also expressed commitment to investigate the irregularities in the procurement of health materials and take action against the individuals and organizations found guilty.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The common minimum programme has laid emphasis on production-based economy, reform in supply chain, and control in excessive price hike of commodities. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, the program has not said anything about the MCC agreement which is considered important for the development of hydroelectricity in the country.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Presenting the government's programme, General Secretary of Nepali Congress Purna Bahadur Khadka said that the relief and rehabilitation program would be made public uplift the sector including business, communication, transport, and entertainment industry affected by the COVID pandemic. The programme has stated to create an investment friendly environment in collaboration with the government, and private sector and amend Acts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has stated to ensure smooth supply of fertilizer, a recurring problem every year, resolve the problem of sugarcane farmers and reduce the risk by arranging agricultural insurance.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The program also states that arrangements will be made to end the delay in construction of infrastructure projects. "The remaining works of East-West Highway and Kathmandu Ring Road extension will be completed as soon as possible," the joint program further states.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, land will be given to the landless as per the provisions introduced by the Constitution. Under this section, economic recovery packages and settlement will be provided to freed bonded labourers such as Kamaiyas and Haliyas, as well as landless farmers. The program aims to finalize the bills under consideration in the parliament, lay the foundation for socio-economic transformation, focus on high and equitable economic development and focus on productive economy, improve the supply system, control inflation and corruption.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The government has stated that the disputed border areas including Limpiyadhura, Lipulek and Kalapani will be resolved through diplomatic channels. The main opposition party UML has expressed dissatisfaction over the common minimum program announced by the government. UML leader Sher Bahadur Tamang said the program doesn't carry any significance as it should have been introduced through the parliament. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-08-09', 'modified' => '2021-08-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13536', 'image' => '20210809121550_ROS-KTMPM.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-08-09 12:14:16', '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
