March 26: The Ministry of Finance has expressed commitment to control revenue leakage and take stern action against the individuals involved in…
March 26: The Ministry of Finance has expressed commitment to control revenue leakage and take stern action against the individuals involved in…
March 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has reportedly urged the bodies concerned to properly utilize the agriculture grants provided by the government.…
March 25: The sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in neighbouring India has worried the private sector of Nepal.…
March 25: To raise awareness for gender equality, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, joined the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) for the first time to 'Ring the Bell for Gender…
Mach 25: Wednesday (March 24) marked one year since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus infection in 2020.…
March 25: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has directed the taxpayers evading tax to present themselves before its Revenue Department within seven days.…
March 25: Clashes between taxi operators and Pathao erupted on Monday (March 22) after some taxi drivers attacked a Pathao rider claiming that their customer was snatched by Pathao.…
March 24: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA)—the telecommunication regulatory body of Nepal—is preparing to roll out the fifth generation (5G) of mobile broadband service based on the principle of technology neutrality.…
March 24: Shashi Kanta Agrawal, vice chairman of Hotel Marriott, believes that the waiver of quarantine only for vaccinated tourists is not enough to revive the Covid-19 affected tourism…
March 24: The prices of electronic appliances such as wire, fans, cables, chargers and batteries have increased in the market.…
March 24: Although the government allocates budget for projects of national importance every year, such projects hardly get completed on time.…
March 24: The number of domestic tourists visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam, is increasing lately, especially after the nation-wide lockdown was lifted last July.…
March 23: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, has said that the bilateral meeting and agreements held in course of President Bidya Devi Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh would add a new dimension to economic partnership.…
March 23: The government has adopted a strategy to promote export to reduce the country’s trade deficit.…
March 23: With an ambitious plan of expanding the country's economy to Rs 100 trillion by 2030, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has formed a Startup and New Industry Committee to facilitate 50 startup businesses to raise investment for their venture.…
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NBA File Photo</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 26: The Ministry of Finance has expressed commitment to control revenue leakage and take stern action against the individuals involved in irregularities. Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel said the ministry will utilize all resources to control revenue leakage. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In a meeting organised by the Central Revenue Leakage Control Committee, Finance Minister Poudel said that the government will maintain zero tolerance against revenue leakage. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He has urged all the security agencies to be mindful so that no innocent is punished for revenue fraud. He also directed the concerned departments and security agencies to collaborate in this regard.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Finance Secretary Shishir Kumar Dhungana said communication exchange is necessary between the government departments and security agencies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Revenue Secretary Ram Sharan Pudasaini said policy-level and systematic reforms are required to control revenue leakage. Increase in economic activities pose higher risk of revenue leakage, according to Pudasaini. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sailesh Thapa expressed commitment to provide all support to control revenue leakage. Similarly, IGP of Armed Police Force Sailendra Khanal highlighted the need of regular monitoring. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Head of the Revenue Management Division Rameshwor Dangal said concerned authorities are working to control revenue leakage and the guilty are being punished.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Director General of the Department of Money Laundering Investigation Gajendra Thakur said district level revenue leakage control committee need to be made effective.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-26', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12957', 'image' => '20210326110416_20210110034934_1610265858.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-26 11:03:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM Oli Declares Nepal Self-Reliant in Livestock Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has reportedly urged the bodies concerned to properly utilize the agriculture grants provided by the government. ', 'content' => '<p><em>Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Photo Courtesy: RSS</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has reportedly urged the bodies concerned to properly utilize the agriculture grants provided by the government. Addressing a programme organized in the capital on Thursday (March 25) to declare the country self-reliance in livestock products, Prime Minister Oli argued that such grants made available to the agriculture sector should be utilized for sustainable development of the sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the state-owned national news agency RSS, PM Oli shared that the government was providing the grants at nominal interest rates for the modernization of agricultural equipment and irrigation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Citing the United Nations, RSS reported that Nepal has become self-reliant in some livestock products. PM Oli declared that Nepal has become self–reliant in egg and meat products of late. Nepal is producing 600 million eggs worth Rs 1 billion and 255,000 metric tonnes of meat and fish annually. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">However, Nepal needs to increase diary production by 12 liters per person annually to be self-reliant in dairy products. Prime Minister Oli complained that though the country was increasing grants in the agro sectors, the production was not increasing as per the expectation. He also directed the line ministries to bring effective programmes to attract youths in productive sector, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Similarly, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Padma Aryal stressed on making Prime Minister Modernization Project effective. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-26', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12956', 'image' => '20210326104417_CKK-KTM_6483441(2).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-26 10:42:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13209', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Second Wave of Coronavirus Worries Private Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in neighbouring India has worried the private sector of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 25: The sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in neighbouring India has worried the private sector of Nepal. The second wave of virus surging in India has caused fears of a similar spike in Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Given the last year’s experience of lockdown leading to economic fallout, the risk of second wave of pandemic has worried the private sector. Satish Kumar More, president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that the risk of second wave of pandemic has disturbed them at a time when the economy is about to recover from the impact of Covid-19. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The private sector is apprehensive that the risk of second wave might again affect the operation of the industries. More is of the view that the government shouldn’t immediately impose lockdown or other restrictions. It should instead focus on vaccination drive and make the economy running, he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Meanwhile, a sub-committee of the parliamentary Education and Health Committee has urged the government to prepare all necessary infrastructure to curb the second wave of coronavirus. Submitting a report, the committee has asked all the hospitals to prepare isolation units, oxygen plants and conduct Covid-19 awareness programs. It has also suggested the government to mobilize skilled health professionals in remote areas and fulfill the required human resources quota. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Similarly, the government authorities have started preparing to combat with the looming second wave as the cases of Covid-19 have started rising in the country. Preliminary plans of the government include crowd control, preparation of isolation and quarantine centers, increasing alerts along border points and possibility of lockdown if necessary. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Ministry of Home Affairs has already sent notices to local administration to curb activities of huge number of gatherings. Similarly, isolation and quarantine centers are also on standby. Chakra Bahadur Budha, spokesperson of the Ministry of Home Affairs said that they are collecting data on isolation and quarantine centers from all across the country and putting them on standby.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to Budha, the Ministry has asked the concerned authorities to keep record of people travelling across the border and conduct health checkup. While the Ministry of Home Affairs is preparing strategies to fight against the possible second wave of coronavirus, Nepalis who had migrated to India for work have started returning home. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In a regular press briefing organized by the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Samir Adhikari, deputy-spokesperson at the ministry urged people to wear masks, not to conduct public gatherings and practice social distancing. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“The government doesn’t intend to impose a lockdown in the country again but we all should be aware to control the infection,” Adhikari said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">District Police Office, Kanchanpur informed that around 1,000 Nepalis are returning back daily through Trinagar and Gaddachowki border points of the district. Around 8,000 people have come back through these two entry points in the past ten days. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">On March 24, 145 new infections have been reported from among 3,963 tests conducted in the country. Of the news cases, 63 have been recorded in the Kathmandu valley. So far, Nepal’s COVID infected tally stands at 276,389.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12955', 'image' => '20210325082711_coronavirus-prevention-infographics-design_23-2148511552.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 20:26:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13208', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IFC Partners with Nepal Stock Exchange to Ring the Bell for Gender Equality ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: To raise awareness for gender equality, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, joined the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) for the first time to 'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.'', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">March 25: </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">To raise awareness for gender equality, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, joined the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) for the first time to 'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.'</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to IFC, the annual global event highlights how women’s participation in the economy can spur sustainable private sector development. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The event comes at a critical moment, as the economic and social consequences of COVID-19 continue to disproportionally impact women — who make up 39 percent of global employment but account for 54 percent of the overall job losses due to the pandemic, IFC said in a statement on March 25.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> <span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">“We are pleased to join hands with IFC and UN Global Compact Nepal for our first ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality event’,” the statement quoted Laxman Neupane, chairman of NEPSE, as saying. “Together with more than 100 stock exchanges around the world, we are excited to take part in the call to action for gender equality. Fostering greater participation of women in our workforce, economy, and capital market is not just the right thing to do – it also makes strong economic sense." </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Chandra Singh Saud, CEO of NEPSE, reportedly welcomed all the participants and highlighted the importance of women's financial literacy to promote meaningful progress towards gender equality.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Accelerating the pace of gender parity </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">could lead to important economic, environmental, social, and governance gains in emerging and frontier markets, the statement added. Despite some progress, women remain underrepresented in business leadership with only 17 percent holding board seats globally.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">"As economies around the world struggle to recover from a global pandemic, increased participation of women can help accelerate the recovery process—making it more inclusive,” said Pradeep Man Vaidya<br /> President of United Nations Global Compact Network Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">In Nepal, women’s representation in</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial"> corporate boards is </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">extremely low. A recent IFC study in the country’s power sector shows that out of 132 board members from 20 companies, only 12 (9 percent) are women. Despite Nepal’s Companies Act 2066 BS requiring at least one or more female shareholders, only three out of 10 public companies have women on their boards. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">"I have been encouraged by 18 power sector companies joining IFC's Powered by Women initiative to address some of these gender disparities," said Babacar S. Faye, IFC Resident Representative in Nepal. " But clearly, much more needs to be done to increase the participation of women on corporate boards in Nepal. Our research with stock exchanges in South Asia has shown that companies with higher gender diversity on their boards experience better financial returns.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The 2021 ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality’ event marks the seventh year of a global partnership between IFC, The World Federation of Exchanges, Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, UN Global Compact, UN Women and Women in ETF.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12954', 'image' => '20210325032522_1579166089133.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 15:22:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13207', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'One Year on, SMEs still Suffering from Impact of Lockdown', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Mach 25: Wednesday (March 24) marked one year since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus infection in 2020. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Mach 25: Wednesday (March 24) marked one year since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus infection in 2020. The months-long lockdown to curb coronavirus has hit small and medium enterprises (SMEs) the most. According to stakeholders, SMEs are more vulnerable to lockdown than other businesses. They suggest that SMEs don't have an extra income source to support their enterprises.<br /> Even though there is no lockdown now, entrepreneurs involved in SMEs inform that they are still affected. Business activity in the market has been growing, but it still has not made any positive impact on the overall business. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Naresh Katuwal, president of the Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs, an organization of small and medium entrepreneurs, said that small and medium entrepreneurs were the worst hit due to the lockdown. He informed that even after the lockdown goods that the traders were trying to import were stuck at checkpoints for a long duration and that has affected their sales. This caused a huge loss to the traders.<br /> Meanwhile, consumption has also declined due to the decline in consumers’ income due to the lockdown. Trade has not improved so far. According to Katuwal, about 5 percent of small and medium entrepreneurs have fled due to the lockdown while most of the entrepreneurs involved have changed their profession.<br /> "Only those who could trade in cash after the lockdown are able to continue the business. There is no business left now, which has led to the exodus of small entrepreneurs," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the association, about 40 percent of the shutters used for commercial purposes in the Kathmandu Valley were empty during the lockdown. New entrepreneurs have come to the stalls, but traders say the business climate has not improved.<br /> Similarly, the condition of productive sector has not improved much. The condition of poultry, dairy, handicraft, carpet, and other industries is also not improving. The impact of the lockdown is felt by the poultry industry, which was in loss of around Rs 220 million daily. Due to the lockdown and restriction, there was no import of breeding chicken, and now the production of chickens has decreased, and the price of raw material used for making chicken feed has increased.<br /> The production of chicken has decreased by 40 percent, while the production of chicken feed has also decreased subsequently.<br /> According to Dinesh Raj Mishra, general secretary of the Federation of Nepali Poultry Entrepreneurs, 80 percent of the farmers involved in broiler chicken production and about 20 percent in layer chicken production have had to switch their business due to the lockdown. He said that even if new farmers are involved now, it will take a few more years for the sector to pick up pace.<br /> Under normal circumstances, milk producers receive payment within three weeks of sales, but due to the impact of the lockdown and restrictions, the industrialists have not been able to pay the farmers for months.<br /> Handicraft manufacturers and carpet manufacturers informed that there is a problem in exporting goods as they have to pay three times more for shipping their products.<br /> According to the Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industries, there are around 3 million small and medium entrepreneurs in Nepal, out of which 1.6 million are registered entrepreneurs. The sector contributes 22 percent to the country's GDP and provides direct employment to more than 1.7 million people.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12953', 'image' => '20210325021126_20210119022843_Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 14:09:40', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13206', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'KMC Directs Tax Evaders to Present within 7 Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has directed the taxpayers evading tax to present themselves before its Revenue Department within seven days. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 25: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has directed the taxpayers evading tax to present themselves before its Revenue Department within seven days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The KMC revenue department issued the directive when it found evasion of municipal taxes in course of monitoring. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Business firms which were found not registered and defrauding tax were asked to produce themselves in the Department within a week. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to Department Chief Dr Shivaraj Adhikari, the department has undertaken monitoring of street vendors of New Road, Lazimpat, Panipokhari and Maharajgunj area on a sampling basis. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Dr Adhikari further shared that a thorough monitoring team would be mobilized from ward level after completing the sampling based monitoring. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12952', 'image' => '20210325125755_20210226043111_20201119021010_20200907074520_1599400665.tax.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 12:57:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13205', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Confrontation Between Pathao and Taxi Drivers Continues Despite Reconciliation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: Clashes between taxi operators and Pathao erupted on Monday (March 22) after some taxi drivers attacked a Pathao rider claiming that their customer was snatched by Pathao. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 25: Clashes between taxi operators and Pathao erupted on Monday (March 22) after some taxi drivers attacked a Pathao rider claiming that their customer was snatched by Pathao. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">On Tuesday, Pathao stopped its service citing a problem in the app. On the same day, the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division called both parties for a discussion. The division informed that the two sides reconciliation have reconciled after a meeting between the representative of Valley Taxi Entrepreneurs and Taxi Service Society and Pathao at the division. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Once the taxi operator apologized, both parties have agreed to operate their service with dignity,” said chief of the division SSP Janak Raj Bhattarai, “Since then, there has been no problem.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although the branch said that there has been an agreement between the two parties, the conflict between Pathao riders and taxi drivers is still going on. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">It has been a few years since the ride sharing business started in Nepal. However, the taxi operators are angry that their job has been taken away, which has further escalated the dispute. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Last year, Patan High Court issued a verdict directing the government to regulate the business. Even though the Department of Transport Management has made a draft for the ride sharing business and sent it to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, no law has been made yet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Bishnu Chauhan, central member of the Valley Taxi Entrepreneurs and Taxi Service Society, said that unpleasant incidents could happen at any time if Pathao is not regulated immediately. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although the taxi driver stated that the conflict was raised due to the Pathao, there has been widespread protest against the incident saying that the taxi drivers do not go by the meter and charged high fare. The ‘I am with Pathao’ campaign is also running on social media. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stating that he had repeatedly victimized by taxi drivers, former Foreign Secretary Madhurman Acharya, in support of Pathao wrote on Twitter, “There are some things that cannot be stopped. Ride sharing is like that. It is a need of time, and it continues somehow.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The marketing manager of Pathao Suraksha Hamal said that the regulatory body has banned the use of Pathao clothes, and stickers. Although she did not say which body has banned the wearing of Pathao marked clothes, she said that the service has been operational since Wednesday. Despite the problems on Pathao app on Wednesday, the app has been running normally since the evening. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12951', 'image' => '20210325124743_20200723124701_1595453826.Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 12:47:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13204', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Telecom Gears up for 5G Test', 'sub_title' => 'State-owned telecommunication company, Nepal Telecom, to provide free 5G services in four cities during one-year test phase', 'summary' => 'March 24: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA)—the telecommunication regulatory body of Nepal—is preparing to roll out the fifth generation (5G) of mobile broadband service based on the principle of technology neutrality. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><em>Rebati Adhikari</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 24: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA)—the telecommunication regulatory body of Nepal—is preparing to roll out the fifth generation (5G) of mobile broadband service based on the principle of technology neutrality. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The National Radio Frequency Policy Determination Committee (NRFPDC) under the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology recently took a decision to start the process of testing 5G. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">5G is the latest standard for broadband cellular network or the next generation of mobile internet connection that offers much faster speed for downloading and uploading data. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In line with the decision of the NRFPDC, the NTA is currently carrying out necessary homework to provide approval to Nepal Doorsanchar Company Ltd, commonly known as Nepal Telecom (NT), for 5G testing. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Min Prasad Aryal, spokesperson of Nepal Telecommunications Authority, said that the NTA board will soon take a decision to allow NT to initiate the process of 5G testing.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Earlier last week, the NRFPDC had made a policy-level decision to allow Nepal Telecom to start the testing of 5G service for a maximum period of one year without any charges. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Nepal Telecom, the state-owned telecommunication company, will not have to pay any frequency fee during the trial period. According to NTA officials, customers will be allowed to use the 5G service for free during the trial phase. However, this next generation wireless technology works only on those smartphones that are compatible with 5G service. Most of the smartphone manufacturers including Apple and Samsung are introducing their latest mobile phones that have 5G compatibility. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Technology Neutrality/Spectrum Neutrality is a provision that allows telecom operators to use any technology in frequency bands available to them. NTA had amended Radio Frequency Policy (Pricing and Distribution) 2069 in 2016 and introduced technology neutrality provision in 2016.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The 4G service was introduced in Nepal in 2017 through technology neutrality.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Under technology neutrality, 700 MHz, 1800 MHz, 900 MHz frequencies can be used to introduce 5G service. NTA will finalize the frequency after studying the technicalities of these frequencies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">NT is currently expanding 4G to local units of the country. So far, NT has achieved a target of 75 percent of work completion in expanding 4G service in local units. “The current 4G infrastructure like optical fiber network, BTS towers (Base Transceiver Station) can be used to launch 5G testing. NT will start the procurement of 5G frequency specific equipment once NTA gives a go-ahead to do so,” saod Rajesh Joshi, spokesperson of NT.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">NT is currently waiting for the permit to launch 5G tests. It is planning to conduct the tests in four cities which are yet to be fixed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">However, the commercial launch of 5G service will be decided after considering efficiency and other results from the test phase.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Ncell, the privately-owned mobile service provider, has also submitted expression of interest to the NTA to start 5G service in the country which is still under consideration, according to NTA officials. As for now, the ministry has allowed only NT to launch the test of 5G service. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12950', 'image' => '20210324040042_20181204021328_5GblogImage.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 15:59:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13203', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Removing Quarantine Provision only for Vaccinated Tourists is not Enough’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: Shashi Kanta Agrawal, vice chairman of Hotel Marriott, believes that the waiver of quarantine only for vaccinated tourists is not enough to revive the Covid-19 affected tourism industry.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Tamish Giri</span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 24: Shashi Kanta Agrawal, vice chairman of Hotel Marriott, believes that the waiver of quarantine only for vaccinated tourists is not enough to revive the Covid-19 affected tourism industry.<br /> He told New Business Age that the government should also remove the mandatory quarantine requirement for tourists with PCR negative report of 72 hours to attract foreigners to Nepal. <br /> "The negative PCR test report itself is proof that the arriving person is not contagious. The current quarantine requirement of 7 days discourages tourists from traveling to Nepal because no one wants to waste their time inside hotels. So, the government should take this under consideration and remove the mandatory quarantine requirement for tourists arriving with negative test report of 72 hours," Agrawal shares.<br /> Nepal removed quarantine requirement for visitors who have received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine, with the aim of boosting the tourism industry. A cabinet meeting on March 18 decided to remove the quarantine requirement for tourists with certificate of vaccination.<br /> However, tourists not receiving the vaccines are still required to stay in hotel quarantine mandatorily for 7 days. <br /> Tourists are also required to have an additional PCR test in Nepal before heading to their respective destinations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">"Such requirements are useless and confusing. It has been creating headaches for our foreign guests. Why would someone need to have another test report while s/he already has a negative test report? Last week, we had business clients from Dubai who were in Kathmandu for a day. The first thing they requested us upon their arrival at our hotel was to conduct their PCR test. They were agitated with the health protocols and didn't want to fly back as soon as possible after their meeting," Agrawal shared.<br /> Foreigners flying to Nepal must have a negative PCR report taken less than 72 hours before departure, hotel booking for at least seven days' quarantine in Nepal, and Covid-19 insurance of at least USD 5,000.<br /> Likewise, Agrawal also stressed that government needs to allow casinos to operate to promote tourism activities.<br /> We are confused about what the government is trying to prove. The decision to restrict the casinos in the name of Covid-19 control is misleading. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“The prime minister and the political leaders are neglecting the fact that casinos are crucial in terms of employment creation and tax collection. The government should allow the casinos to operate to revive the tourism economy," he said.<br /> The government has restricted the operation of casinos since the lockdown in March 2020.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12949', 'image' => '20210324020010_20200930115831_1601420205.89.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 13:58:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13201', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prices of Electronic Goods Surge ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: The prices of electronic appliances such as wire, fans, cables, chargers and batteries have increased in the market. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 24: The prices of electronic appliances such as wire, fans, cables, chargers and batteries have increased in the market. Traders say that the companies have increased the price citing increase in the price of raw materials in the international market. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sudarshan Neupane, president of the Electronic Trade Association, told New Business Age that the price of electronic goods have increased since the prices of raw materials including copper, aluminum, iron and PVC have increased. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to him, as the prices of such raw materials have doubled at present the prices of goods have also increased at the same rate. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The price of copper, which was US$ 4,800 per ton before the lockdown, has increased to US$ 9,000. Similarly, the price of PVC, which was Rs 108 per kg, is now Rs 160. Aluminum, copper and PVC are used in most types of materials including wires, cables, fans, switches. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, the prices of battery chargers, headphones and other items used in laptops and mobiles have also doubled. The price of a Dell laptop battery, which used to cost Rs 3,000 before the lockdown, has now reached Rs 7,000. Similarly, the price of a Dell laptop charger that used to be Rs 700 has now reached Rs 1,500. The price of headphones, which used to be Rs 400, has also gone up by Rs 200 to Rs 600. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Traders say that besides the increase in the price of raw materials in the international market, the transportation cost while importing the goods has also increased the price of electronic goods. Likewise, they say, the uncertainty of opening and closing of the northern border is also a major factor. Prior to this, they used to import electrical goods especially through Kerung and Tatopani checkpoints. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Due to the uncertainty of brining goods through these customs, we have to import goods by ship through the India ports of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. While doing so, it takes a long time and also increases the transportation cost,” said Raju Shrestha, a trader at Techno Computer, New Road. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to him, the fare of containers imported through Indian route has doubled compared to normal circumstances. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12948', 'image' => '20210324013316_laptop_batteries-min.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 13:32:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13202', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Delay in Development Projects ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: Although the government allocates budget for projects of national importance every year, such projects hardly get completed on time. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 24: Although the government allocates budget for projects of national importance every year, such projects hardly get completed on time. One of the reasons behind the delay in implementation of many such projects is that the projects are selected by leaders for popularity instead of the need of the people.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The progress of National Pride Projects is disappointing. According to Jagdish Prasad Agrawal, an economic and political analyst, the problem has arisen due to the competition among leaders to divide the budget in their constituencies for political gain. He views that political influence in the selection of development projects and resource allocation has overshadowed the real need. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stakeholders say that the trend of dividing budget for projects has not been able to guarantee development. While the government is preparing the budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2078/79, experts have suggested the government to prioritize need over popularity in the selection of projects. Agrawal states that it is time to reconsider the effectiveness of the scheme which has been in operation for 20-25 years in the name of national pride projects. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"Even today, financial resources are being mobilized for the 20/25 year old plans," he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The private sector has also suggested that the selection of the projects and their management should be made the main objective of the economic policy while the country moves on the path of federalism. Time and resources are being wasted when projects are not completed on time. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although the Development Committee of the Parliament had directed not to spend more than six years on any national pride project, the government has been ignoring this during budget allocation. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Even the Financial Comptroller General’s Office has been considering the lack of clear selection criteria and poor implementation of the plan as obstacles in achieving the target. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The annual report released by the Financial Comptroller General’s Office some time ago stated that the lack of criteria for announcing the plans was the cause of the chaos in development. Also, the lack of skilled manpower has weakened the implementation of the projects.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"We have the practice of leading the project by the administrative manpower. Project implementation and administration are different issues. We need technical manpower to move the plan forward, ” said Agrawal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Agrawal claims that selection of plans and proper use of resources will not be possible with the administrative manpower. Experts say that the announcement of plans without paying attention to the manpower for implementation is the problem. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Entrepreneur Navneet Agrawal says that those responsible for moving forward the plan should be held accountable for effective implementation of the plans. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Former president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ashok Kumar Vaidya says that there should be a comprehensive review of the implementation of past budgets before announcing a new budget. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The government should take action if the conditions are not fulfilled by signing an agreement with the officer responsible for the project. Rewards should also be given to those who complete the work on time,” he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government has provision for the reward and punishment policy but it has not been implemented yet.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12947', 'image' => '20210324013507_20190514035934_int6.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 13:34:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13200', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Number of Domestic Tourists up in Lumbini ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: The number of domestic tourists visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam, is increasing lately, especially after the nation-wide lockdown was lifted last July. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 24: The number of domestic tourists visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam, is increasing lately, especially after the nation-wide lockdown was lifted last July. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Tourism in Lumbini was adversely affected due to COVID-19 pandemic. But following the lifting of the lockdown, more local tourists were visiting the place in an impressive number. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Lumbini Development Trust’s Information Officer Rajan Basnet shared that Lumbini has received 141,579 domestic tourists since last July till date. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, 5,748 Indian tourists visited Lumbini while 120 tourists from other foreign countries were recorded to have arrived here during this period, according to Basnet. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The ban of international travel and sealing of borders during the lockdown led to restriction on human and traffic movements expect for the essential ones. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As a result, there were not much foreigner tourists in Lumbini, informed member-secretary of the Fund, Sanuraja Shakya. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Shakya shared that people would come here to mediate and get rid of negativity and anxiety emanating from the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and its negative effects on the economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Fund is launching various tourism promotion campaign to attract more tourists to Lumbini. Also, the Fund is coordinating efforts with other government agencies and private sector to lure the tourists to the place where the apostle of peace, Lord Buddha, was born approximately 2,500 years ago. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12946', 'image' => '20210324105002_20190113122644_aaaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 10:49:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13199', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'New Dimension to be added in Economic Partnership with Bangladesh: Foreign Minister', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, has said that the bilateral meeting and agreements held in course of President Bidya Devi Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh would add a new dimension to economic partnership. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 23: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, has said that the bilateral meeting and agreements held in course of President Bidya Devi Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh would add a new dimension to economic partnership. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During an interview with correspondents of Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) and Nepal Television in Dhaka on Tuesday (March 23), Minister Gyawali opined that both countries have given same priority in expansion of relation and support with India for strengthening trade relation of both countries. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He shared that the issue was raised in course of bilateral meeting held between President Bhandari and her counterpart Mohammad Abdul Hamid and other discussions on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During the meeting, Nepal proposed for easy trade access of its products in Bangladesh, added Minister Gyawali. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and Bangladeshi Foreign Affairs Minister Dr MK Abdul had paid courtesy call on President Bhandari on Monday and a sideline meeting was held between Minister Gyawali and Foreign Affairs Minister Abdul. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">"In these meetings discussions were held to move forward the mutual cordial ties along with economic partnership, and the leaders of both countries during the formal addresses have expressed such commitment," Minister Gyawali said, adding that views were also exchanged on expanding connectivity for promotion of energy, tourism and trade as well as on joint initiatives for reducing climate change risk. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Minister Gyawali said the agreement of exchange of letters on the Rohanpur-Singhabad transit route reached with Bangladesh has ensured Nepal's access to trade with third countries. He informed that they proposed with Bangladeshi officials for providing easy access to Nepali goods and products in the Bangladeshi market and to reduce the additional customs duties on Nepali goods and products, to reduce the trade deficit. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He that both Nepal and Bangladesh have a common understanding regarding both countries holding further discussions with India to facilitate energy trade between Nepal and Bangladesh. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to him, both countries have a common view on raising issues of common interest in the regional and international forums. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Asked about his views regarding President Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh, Minister for Foreign Affairs Gyawali said, "This visit which has taken place on the occasion of the special function commemorating the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman, Bangladesh's Father of Nation, is in itself significant. This short visit has become result-oriented and successful. The relations subsisting at the government and people's level between the two countries have been further consolidated." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal and Bangladesh signed and exchanged separate Memorandum of Understanding on tourism, culture, sanitization and transit in the presence of the Presidents of both countries following the meeting between them held at the Bangabhaban, the Office of the President of Bangladesh on Monday night. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">President Bhandari had arrived in Dhaka on Monday at the invitation of her Bangladeshi counterpart, Hamid. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-23', 'modified' => '2021-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12945', 'image' => '20210323024419_1616483669.Pradeep-gyawali.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-23 14:43:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13198', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Exporting Goods Imported from Third Countries', 'sub_title' => 'Export of Domestic Products not Getting Proper Attention', 'summary' => 'March 23: The government has adopted a strategy to promote export to reduce the country’s trade deficit. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 23: The government has adopted a strategy to promote export to reduce the country’s trade deficit. Accordingly, there has been a decline in import and a slight improvement in export in the past few years. However, the contribution of foreign goods in exports is more than domestic products.<br /> According to the new policy to promote export, the then Finance Minister Dr Yuvaraj Khatiwada in the budget of the Fiscal Year 2075/76 BS made arrangements such as a massive increase in taxes to discourage imports and to give tax exemption on the import of raw materials for export.<br /> However, so far, no productive environment has been created for the export of Nepali goods. Due to the inability to promote domestic products in the international market, the increase in export is mainly due to foreign products.<br /> As there was high demand for palm oil in the Indian market, Nepali traders imported unrefined palm from Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, processed it in Nepal, and exported it to India.<br /> However, the Directorate General of the Foreign Trade of India imposed a ban on palm oil imports in the last week of December last year and imposed a complete ban from April this year. Due to the ban, Nepal's growing export suffered a severe setback.<br /> However, exporters have found an alternative to palm oil. They are now importing raw soybean instead, and exporting refined soybean oil to India after processing it in Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to oil trader Pradip Murarka, soybean oil has taken place of palm oil as the chief export product of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the Customs Department, in the first eight months of the current Fiscal Year, export of soybean oil stood at Rs 23.12 billion. During this period, export of soybean oil alone accounted for 28 percent of the total export of Rs 80.77 billion of Nepal.<br /> The export of synthetic yarn, which is the second largest export product, declined during the review period and was limited to Rs 5.1 billion. Exports of woollen carpets, carpets, tea, and readymade garments were also among the top export products of Nepal.<br /> Entrepreneurs complained that despite the government's pledge for economic reform, there has been no substantial change in policy.<br /> Entrepreneur Sunil KC, who is also the vice-president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that domestic production has not been able to increase as the government has not been able to promote production-oriented industries.<br /> He said that exporting goods imported from third countries would benefit the businessmen, but it would not benefit the country. "There are many Nepali goods like apples, honey, herbs, which can be exported after processing in industries," he added.<br /> Economist Shankar Sharma informed that the government should adopt strategies to promote export. "Even if exports of goods including palm/soybean increases the size of exports, it will not improve the country's economy," he said. He said that the government should take initiative to increase the establishment of industries in collaboration with the private sector as the economy would not move in the right direction without industrial development.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-23', 'modified' => '2021-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12944', 'image' => '20210323021917_1616451745.13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-23 14:18:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13197', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'FNCCI to facilitate Securing Investment for 50 Startups ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: With an ambitious plan of expanding the country's economy to Rs 100 trillion by 2030, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has formed a Startup and New Industry Committee to facilitate 50 startup businesses to raise investment for their venture. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 23: With an ambitious plan of expanding the country's economy to Rs 100 trillion by 2030, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has formed a Startup and New Industry Committee to facilitate 50 startup businesses to raise investment for their venture. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The federation said in a press release on Monday that they have already secured investment from 50 investors. However, it did not disclose the details of the investors. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The committee will open application in the first week of April. According to the president of the committee Ranjit Raj Acharya, the shortlisted applicants under the criteria set by the federation will be announced in the second week of April. The final list will be published within two months after intensive interviews. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Furthermore, he said that the entrepreneurs selected in the final stage will be mentored for three months and then introduced to the investors. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"The investors will choose the business idea they like and invest in it as per the need," he said, "There is an agreement that investors must invest in at least one business." </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He claims that this program will help to increase the economy by developing entrepreneurship and creating employment in the country. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The federation has put it under the roadmap of the works to be done within the next two years. FNCCI President Shekhar Golchha said that the roadmap will be made public on April 11. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stating that he has planned to create 800,000 jobs during his tenure, he said that the project will study startup / industry business along with job creation, take initiative for formulation of startup policy in collaboration with Investment Promotion Division under the Ministry of Industry to promote entrepreneurship with latest ideas in the country, identify entrepreneurs with new ides and help them move forward by raising necessary investment. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the federation, the entrepreneurs who have been running their business for at least one year will be able to apply for the program. Acharya said that all entrepreneurs working in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing business, information technology and others can apply. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-23', 'modified' => '2021-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12943', 'image' => '20210323015842_20201126120607_1606367319.fncci (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-23 13:57:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, '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
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NBA File Photo</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 26: The Ministry of Finance has expressed commitment to control revenue leakage and take stern action against the individuals involved in irregularities. Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel said the ministry will utilize all resources to control revenue leakage. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In a meeting organised by the Central Revenue Leakage Control Committee, Finance Minister Poudel said that the government will maintain zero tolerance against revenue leakage. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He has urged all the security agencies to be mindful so that no innocent is punished for revenue fraud. He also directed the concerned departments and security agencies to collaborate in this regard.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Finance Secretary Shishir Kumar Dhungana said communication exchange is necessary between the government departments and security agencies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Revenue Secretary Ram Sharan Pudasaini said policy-level and systematic reforms are required to control revenue leakage. Increase in economic activities pose higher risk of revenue leakage, according to Pudasaini. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sailesh Thapa expressed commitment to provide all support to control revenue leakage. Similarly, IGP of Armed Police Force Sailendra Khanal highlighted the need of regular monitoring. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Head of the Revenue Management Division Rameshwor Dangal said concerned authorities are working to control revenue leakage and the guilty are being punished.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Director General of the Department of Money Laundering Investigation Gajendra Thakur said district level revenue leakage control committee need to be made effective.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-26', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12957', 'image' => '20210326110416_20210110034934_1610265858.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-26 11:03:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM Oli Declares Nepal Self-Reliant in Livestock Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has reportedly urged the bodies concerned to properly utilize the agriculture grants provided by the government. ', 'content' => '<p><em>Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Photo Courtesy: RSS</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has reportedly urged the bodies concerned to properly utilize the agriculture grants provided by the government. Addressing a programme organized in the capital on Thursday (March 25) to declare the country self-reliance in livestock products, Prime Minister Oli argued that such grants made available to the agriculture sector should be utilized for sustainable development of the sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the state-owned national news agency RSS, PM Oli shared that the government was providing the grants at nominal interest rates for the modernization of agricultural equipment and irrigation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Citing the United Nations, RSS reported that Nepal has become self-reliant in some livestock products. PM Oli declared that Nepal has become self–reliant in egg and meat products of late. Nepal is producing 600 million eggs worth Rs 1 billion and 255,000 metric tonnes of meat and fish annually. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">However, Nepal needs to increase diary production by 12 liters per person annually to be self-reliant in dairy products. Prime Minister Oli complained that though the country was increasing grants in the agro sectors, the production was not increasing as per the expectation. He also directed the line ministries to bring effective programmes to attract youths in productive sector, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Similarly, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Padma Aryal stressed on making Prime Minister Modernization Project effective. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-26', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12956', 'image' => '20210326104417_CKK-KTM_6483441(2).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-26 10:42:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13209', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Second Wave of Coronavirus Worries Private Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in neighbouring India has worried the private sector of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 25: The sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in neighbouring India has worried the private sector of Nepal. The second wave of virus surging in India has caused fears of a similar spike in Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Given the last year’s experience of lockdown leading to economic fallout, the risk of second wave of pandemic has worried the private sector. Satish Kumar More, president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that the risk of second wave of pandemic has disturbed them at a time when the economy is about to recover from the impact of Covid-19. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The private sector is apprehensive that the risk of second wave might again affect the operation of the industries. More is of the view that the government shouldn’t immediately impose lockdown or other restrictions. It should instead focus on vaccination drive and make the economy running, he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Meanwhile, a sub-committee of the parliamentary Education and Health Committee has urged the government to prepare all necessary infrastructure to curb the second wave of coronavirus. Submitting a report, the committee has asked all the hospitals to prepare isolation units, oxygen plants and conduct Covid-19 awareness programs. It has also suggested the government to mobilize skilled health professionals in remote areas and fulfill the required human resources quota. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Similarly, the government authorities have started preparing to combat with the looming second wave as the cases of Covid-19 have started rising in the country. Preliminary plans of the government include crowd control, preparation of isolation and quarantine centers, increasing alerts along border points and possibility of lockdown if necessary. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Ministry of Home Affairs has already sent notices to local administration to curb activities of huge number of gatherings. Similarly, isolation and quarantine centers are also on standby. Chakra Bahadur Budha, spokesperson of the Ministry of Home Affairs said that they are collecting data on isolation and quarantine centers from all across the country and putting them on standby.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to Budha, the Ministry has asked the concerned authorities to keep record of people travelling across the border and conduct health checkup. While the Ministry of Home Affairs is preparing strategies to fight against the possible second wave of coronavirus, Nepalis who had migrated to India for work have started returning home. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In a regular press briefing organized by the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Samir Adhikari, deputy-spokesperson at the ministry urged people to wear masks, not to conduct public gatherings and practice social distancing. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“The government doesn’t intend to impose a lockdown in the country again but we all should be aware to control the infection,” Adhikari said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">District Police Office, Kanchanpur informed that around 1,000 Nepalis are returning back daily through Trinagar and Gaddachowki border points of the district. Around 8,000 people have come back through these two entry points in the past ten days. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">On March 24, 145 new infections have been reported from among 3,963 tests conducted in the country. Of the news cases, 63 have been recorded in the Kathmandu valley. So far, Nepal’s COVID infected tally stands at 276,389.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12955', 'image' => '20210325082711_coronavirus-prevention-infographics-design_23-2148511552.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 20:26:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13208', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IFC Partners with Nepal Stock Exchange to Ring the Bell for Gender Equality ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: To raise awareness for gender equality, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, joined the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) for the first time to 'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.'', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">March 25: </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">To raise awareness for gender equality, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, joined the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) for the first time to 'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.'</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to IFC, the annual global event highlights how women’s participation in the economy can spur sustainable private sector development. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The event comes at a critical moment, as the economic and social consequences of COVID-19 continue to disproportionally impact women — who make up 39 percent of global employment but account for 54 percent of the overall job losses due to the pandemic, IFC said in a statement on March 25.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> <span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">“We are pleased to join hands with IFC and UN Global Compact Nepal for our first ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality event’,” the statement quoted Laxman Neupane, chairman of NEPSE, as saying. “Together with more than 100 stock exchanges around the world, we are excited to take part in the call to action for gender equality. Fostering greater participation of women in our workforce, economy, and capital market is not just the right thing to do – it also makes strong economic sense." </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Chandra Singh Saud, CEO of NEPSE, reportedly welcomed all the participants and highlighted the importance of women's financial literacy to promote meaningful progress towards gender equality.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Accelerating the pace of gender parity </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">could lead to important economic, environmental, social, and governance gains in emerging and frontier markets, the statement added. Despite some progress, women remain underrepresented in business leadership with only 17 percent holding board seats globally.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">"As economies around the world struggle to recover from a global pandemic, increased participation of women can help accelerate the recovery process—making it more inclusive,” said Pradeep Man Vaidya<br /> President of United Nations Global Compact Network Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">In Nepal, women’s representation in</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial"> corporate boards is </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">extremely low. A recent IFC study in the country’s power sector shows that out of 132 board members from 20 companies, only 12 (9 percent) are women. Despite Nepal’s Companies Act 2066 BS requiring at least one or more female shareholders, only three out of 10 public companies have women on their boards. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">"I have been encouraged by 18 power sector companies joining IFC's Powered by Women initiative to address some of these gender disparities," said Babacar S. Faye, IFC Resident Representative in Nepal. " But clearly, much more needs to be done to increase the participation of women on corporate boards in Nepal. Our research with stock exchanges in South Asia has shown that companies with higher gender diversity on their boards experience better financial returns.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The 2021 ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality’ event marks the seventh year of a global partnership between IFC, The World Federation of Exchanges, Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, UN Global Compact, UN Women and Women in ETF.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12954', 'image' => '20210325032522_1579166089133.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 15:22:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13207', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'One Year on, SMEs still Suffering from Impact of Lockdown', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Mach 25: Wednesday (March 24) marked one year since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus infection in 2020. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Mach 25: Wednesday (March 24) marked one year since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus infection in 2020. The months-long lockdown to curb coronavirus has hit small and medium enterprises (SMEs) the most. According to stakeholders, SMEs are more vulnerable to lockdown than other businesses. They suggest that SMEs don't have an extra income source to support their enterprises.<br /> Even though there is no lockdown now, entrepreneurs involved in SMEs inform that they are still affected. Business activity in the market has been growing, but it still has not made any positive impact on the overall business. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Naresh Katuwal, president of the Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs, an organization of small and medium entrepreneurs, said that small and medium entrepreneurs were the worst hit due to the lockdown. He informed that even after the lockdown goods that the traders were trying to import were stuck at checkpoints for a long duration and that has affected their sales. This caused a huge loss to the traders.<br /> Meanwhile, consumption has also declined due to the decline in consumers’ income due to the lockdown. Trade has not improved so far. According to Katuwal, about 5 percent of small and medium entrepreneurs have fled due to the lockdown while most of the entrepreneurs involved have changed their profession.<br /> "Only those who could trade in cash after the lockdown are able to continue the business. There is no business left now, which has led to the exodus of small entrepreneurs," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the association, about 40 percent of the shutters used for commercial purposes in the Kathmandu Valley were empty during the lockdown. New entrepreneurs have come to the stalls, but traders say the business climate has not improved.<br /> Similarly, the condition of productive sector has not improved much. The condition of poultry, dairy, handicraft, carpet, and other industries is also not improving. The impact of the lockdown is felt by the poultry industry, which was in loss of around Rs 220 million daily. Due to the lockdown and restriction, there was no import of breeding chicken, and now the production of chickens has decreased, and the price of raw material used for making chicken feed has increased.<br /> The production of chicken has decreased by 40 percent, while the production of chicken feed has also decreased subsequently.<br /> According to Dinesh Raj Mishra, general secretary of the Federation of Nepali Poultry Entrepreneurs, 80 percent of the farmers involved in broiler chicken production and about 20 percent in layer chicken production have had to switch their business due to the lockdown. He said that even if new farmers are involved now, it will take a few more years for the sector to pick up pace.<br /> Under normal circumstances, milk producers receive payment within three weeks of sales, but due to the impact of the lockdown and restrictions, the industrialists have not been able to pay the farmers for months.<br /> Handicraft manufacturers and carpet manufacturers informed that there is a problem in exporting goods as they have to pay three times more for shipping their products.<br /> According to the Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industries, there are around 3 million small and medium entrepreneurs in Nepal, out of which 1.6 million are registered entrepreneurs. The sector contributes 22 percent to the country's GDP and provides direct employment to more than 1.7 million people.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12953', 'image' => '20210325021126_20210119022843_Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 14:09:40', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13206', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'KMC Directs Tax Evaders to Present within 7 Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has directed the taxpayers evading tax to present themselves before its Revenue Department within seven days. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 25: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has directed the taxpayers evading tax to present themselves before its Revenue Department within seven days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The KMC revenue department issued the directive when it found evasion of municipal taxes in course of monitoring. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Business firms which were found not registered and defrauding tax were asked to produce themselves in the Department within a week. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to Department Chief Dr Shivaraj Adhikari, the department has undertaken monitoring of street vendors of New Road, Lazimpat, Panipokhari and Maharajgunj area on a sampling basis. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Dr Adhikari further shared that a thorough monitoring team would be mobilized from ward level after completing the sampling based monitoring. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12952', 'image' => '20210325125755_20210226043111_20201119021010_20200907074520_1599400665.tax.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 12:57:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13205', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Confrontation Between Pathao and Taxi Drivers Continues Despite Reconciliation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: Clashes between taxi operators and Pathao erupted on Monday (March 22) after some taxi drivers attacked a Pathao rider claiming that their customer was snatched by Pathao. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 25: Clashes between taxi operators and Pathao erupted on Monday (March 22) after some taxi drivers attacked a Pathao rider claiming that their customer was snatched by Pathao. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">On Tuesday, Pathao stopped its service citing a problem in the app. On the same day, the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division called both parties for a discussion. The division informed that the two sides reconciliation have reconciled after a meeting between the representative of Valley Taxi Entrepreneurs and Taxi Service Society and Pathao at the division. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Once the taxi operator apologized, both parties have agreed to operate their service with dignity,” said chief of the division SSP Janak Raj Bhattarai, “Since then, there has been no problem.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although the branch said that there has been an agreement between the two parties, the conflict between Pathao riders and taxi drivers is still going on. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">It has been a few years since the ride sharing business started in Nepal. However, the taxi operators are angry that their job has been taken away, which has further escalated the dispute. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Last year, Patan High Court issued a verdict directing the government to regulate the business. Even though the Department of Transport Management has made a draft for the ride sharing business and sent it to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, no law has been made yet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Bishnu Chauhan, central member of the Valley Taxi Entrepreneurs and Taxi Service Society, said that unpleasant incidents could happen at any time if Pathao is not regulated immediately. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although the taxi driver stated that the conflict was raised due to the Pathao, there has been widespread protest against the incident saying that the taxi drivers do not go by the meter and charged high fare. The ‘I am with Pathao’ campaign is also running on social media. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stating that he had repeatedly victimized by taxi drivers, former Foreign Secretary Madhurman Acharya, in support of Pathao wrote on Twitter, “There are some things that cannot be stopped. Ride sharing is like that. It is a need of time, and it continues somehow.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The marketing manager of Pathao Suraksha Hamal said that the regulatory body has banned the use of Pathao clothes, and stickers. Although she did not say which body has banned the wearing of Pathao marked clothes, she said that the service has been operational since Wednesday. Despite the problems on Pathao app on Wednesday, the app has been running normally since the evening. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12951', 'image' => '20210325124743_20200723124701_1595453826.Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 12:47:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13204', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Telecom Gears up for 5G Test', 'sub_title' => 'State-owned telecommunication company, Nepal Telecom, to provide free 5G services in four cities during one-year test phase', 'summary' => 'March 24: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA)—the telecommunication regulatory body of Nepal—is preparing to roll out the fifth generation (5G) of mobile broadband service based on the principle of technology neutrality. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><em>Rebati Adhikari</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 24: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA)—the telecommunication regulatory body of Nepal—is preparing to roll out the fifth generation (5G) of mobile broadband service based on the principle of technology neutrality. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The National Radio Frequency Policy Determination Committee (NRFPDC) under the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology recently took a decision to start the process of testing 5G. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">5G is the latest standard for broadband cellular network or the next generation of mobile internet connection that offers much faster speed for downloading and uploading data. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In line with the decision of the NRFPDC, the NTA is currently carrying out necessary homework to provide approval to Nepal Doorsanchar Company Ltd, commonly known as Nepal Telecom (NT), for 5G testing. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Min Prasad Aryal, spokesperson of Nepal Telecommunications Authority, said that the NTA board will soon take a decision to allow NT to initiate the process of 5G testing.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Earlier last week, the NRFPDC had made a policy-level decision to allow Nepal Telecom to start the testing of 5G service for a maximum period of one year without any charges. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Nepal Telecom, the state-owned telecommunication company, will not have to pay any frequency fee during the trial period. According to NTA officials, customers will be allowed to use the 5G service for free during the trial phase. However, this next generation wireless technology works only on those smartphones that are compatible with 5G service. Most of the smartphone manufacturers including Apple and Samsung are introducing their latest mobile phones that have 5G compatibility. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Technology Neutrality/Spectrum Neutrality is a provision that allows telecom operators to use any technology in frequency bands available to them. NTA had amended Radio Frequency Policy (Pricing and Distribution) 2069 in 2016 and introduced technology neutrality provision in 2016.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The 4G service was introduced in Nepal in 2017 through technology neutrality.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Under technology neutrality, 700 MHz, 1800 MHz, 900 MHz frequencies can be used to introduce 5G service. NTA will finalize the frequency after studying the technicalities of these frequencies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">NT is currently expanding 4G to local units of the country. So far, NT has achieved a target of 75 percent of work completion in expanding 4G service in local units. “The current 4G infrastructure like optical fiber network, BTS towers (Base Transceiver Station) can be used to launch 5G testing. NT will start the procurement of 5G frequency specific equipment once NTA gives a go-ahead to do so,” saod Rajesh Joshi, spokesperson of NT.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">NT is currently waiting for the permit to launch 5G tests. It is planning to conduct the tests in four cities which are yet to be fixed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">However, the commercial launch of 5G service will be decided after considering efficiency and other results from the test phase.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Ncell, the privately-owned mobile service provider, has also submitted expression of interest to the NTA to start 5G service in the country which is still under consideration, according to NTA officials. As for now, the ministry has allowed only NT to launch the test of 5G service. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12950', 'image' => '20210324040042_20181204021328_5GblogImage.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 15:59:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13203', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Removing Quarantine Provision only for Vaccinated Tourists is not Enough’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: Shashi Kanta Agrawal, vice chairman of Hotel Marriott, believes that the waiver of quarantine only for vaccinated tourists is not enough to revive the Covid-19 affected tourism industry.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Tamish Giri</span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 24: Shashi Kanta Agrawal, vice chairman of Hotel Marriott, believes that the waiver of quarantine only for vaccinated tourists is not enough to revive the Covid-19 affected tourism industry.<br /> He told New Business Age that the government should also remove the mandatory quarantine requirement for tourists with PCR negative report of 72 hours to attract foreigners to Nepal. <br /> "The negative PCR test report itself is proof that the arriving person is not contagious. The current quarantine requirement of 7 days discourages tourists from traveling to Nepal because no one wants to waste their time inside hotels. So, the government should take this under consideration and remove the mandatory quarantine requirement for tourists arriving with negative test report of 72 hours," Agrawal shares.<br /> Nepal removed quarantine requirement for visitors who have received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine, with the aim of boosting the tourism industry. A cabinet meeting on March 18 decided to remove the quarantine requirement for tourists with certificate of vaccination.<br /> However, tourists not receiving the vaccines are still required to stay in hotel quarantine mandatorily for 7 days. <br /> Tourists are also required to have an additional PCR test in Nepal before heading to their respective destinations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">"Such requirements are useless and confusing. It has been creating headaches for our foreign guests. Why would someone need to have another test report while s/he already has a negative test report? Last week, we had business clients from Dubai who were in Kathmandu for a day. The first thing they requested us upon their arrival at our hotel was to conduct their PCR test. They were agitated with the health protocols and didn't want to fly back as soon as possible after their meeting," Agrawal shared.<br /> Foreigners flying to Nepal must have a negative PCR report taken less than 72 hours before departure, hotel booking for at least seven days' quarantine in Nepal, and Covid-19 insurance of at least USD 5,000.<br /> Likewise, Agrawal also stressed that government needs to allow casinos to operate to promote tourism activities.<br /> We are confused about what the government is trying to prove. The decision to restrict the casinos in the name of Covid-19 control is misleading. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“The prime minister and the political leaders are neglecting the fact that casinos are crucial in terms of employment creation and tax collection. The government should allow the casinos to operate to revive the tourism economy," he said.<br /> The government has restricted the operation of casinos since the lockdown in March 2020.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12949', 'image' => '20210324020010_20200930115831_1601420205.89.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 13:58:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13201', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prices of Electronic Goods Surge ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: The prices of electronic appliances such as wire, fans, cables, chargers and batteries have increased in the market. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 24: The prices of electronic appliances such as wire, fans, cables, chargers and batteries have increased in the market. Traders say that the companies have increased the price citing increase in the price of raw materials in the international market. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sudarshan Neupane, president of the Electronic Trade Association, told New Business Age that the price of electronic goods have increased since the prices of raw materials including copper, aluminum, iron and PVC have increased. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to him, as the prices of such raw materials have doubled at present the prices of goods have also increased at the same rate. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The price of copper, which was US$ 4,800 per ton before the lockdown, has increased to US$ 9,000. Similarly, the price of PVC, which was Rs 108 per kg, is now Rs 160. Aluminum, copper and PVC are used in most types of materials including wires, cables, fans, switches. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, the prices of battery chargers, headphones and other items used in laptops and mobiles have also doubled. The price of a Dell laptop battery, which used to cost Rs 3,000 before the lockdown, has now reached Rs 7,000. Similarly, the price of a Dell laptop charger that used to be Rs 700 has now reached Rs 1,500. The price of headphones, which used to be Rs 400, has also gone up by Rs 200 to Rs 600. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Traders say that besides the increase in the price of raw materials in the international market, the transportation cost while importing the goods has also increased the price of electronic goods. Likewise, they say, the uncertainty of opening and closing of the northern border is also a major factor. Prior to this, they used to import electrical goods especially through Kerung and Tatopani checkpoints. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Due to the uncertainty of brining goods through these customs, we have to import goods by ship through the India ports of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. While doing so, it takes a long time and also increases the transportation cost,” said Raju Shrestha, a trader at Techno Computer, New Road. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to him, the fare of containers imported through Indian route has doubled compared to normal circumstances. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12948', 'image' => '20210324013316_laptop_batteries-min.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 13:32:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13202', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Delay in Development Projects ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: Although the government allocates budget for projects of national importance every year, such projects hardly get completed on time. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 24: Although the government allocates budget for projects of national importance every year, such projects hardly get completed on time. One of the reasons behind the delay in implementation of many such projects is that the projects are selected by leaders for popularity instead of the need of the people.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The progress of National Pride Projects is disappointing. According to Jagdish Prasad Agrawal, an economic and political analyst, the problem has arisen due to the competition among leaders to divide the budget in their constituencies for political gain. He views that political influence in the selection of development projects and resource allocation has overshadowed the real need. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stakeholders say that the trend of dividing budget for projects has not been able to guarantee development. While the government is preparing the budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2078/79, experts have suggested the government to prioritize need over popularity in the selection of projects. Agrawal states that it is time to reconsider the effectiveness of the scheme which has been in operation for 20-25 years in the name of national pride projects. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"Even today, financial resources are being mobilized for the 20/25 year old plans," he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The private sector has also suggested that the selection of the projects and their management should be made the main objective of the economic policy while the country moves on the path of federalism. Time and resources are being wasted when projects are not completed on time. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although the Development Committee of the Parliament had directed not to spend more than six years on any national pride project, the government has been ignoring this during budget allocation. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Even the Financial Comptroller General’s Office has been considering the lack of clear selection criteria and poor implementation of the plan as obstacles in achieving the target. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The annual report released by the Financial Comptroller General’s Office some time ago stated that the lack of criteria for announcing the plans was the cause of the chaos in development. Also, the lack of skilled manpower has weakened the implementation of the projects.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"We have the practice of leading the project by the administrative manpower. Project implementation and administration are different issues. We need technical manpower to move the plan forward, ” said Agrawal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Agrawal claims that selection of plans and proper use of resources will not be possible with the administrative manpower. Experts say that the announcement of plans without paying attention to the manpower for implementation is the problem. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Entrepreneur Navneet Agrawal says that those responsible for moving forward the plan should be held accountable for effective implementation of the plans. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Former president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ashok Kumar Vaidya says that there should be a comprehensive review of the implementation of past budgets before announcing a new budget. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The government should take action if the conditions are not fulfilled by signing an agreement with the officer responsible for the project. Rewards should also be given to those who complete the work on time,” he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government has provision for the reward and punishment policy but it has not been implemented yet.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12947', 'image' => '20210324013507_20190514035934_int6.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 13:34:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13200', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Number of Domestic Tourists up in Lumbini ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: The number of domestic tourists visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam, is increasing lately, especially after the nation-wide lockdown was lifted last July. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 24: The number of domestic tourists visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam, is increasing lately, especially after the nation-wide lockdown was lifted last July. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Tourism in Lumbini was adversely affected due to COVID-19 pandemic. But following the lifting of the lockdown, more local tourists were visiting the place in an impressive number. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Lumbini Development Trust’s Information Officer Rajan Basnet shared that Lumbini has received 141,579 domestic tourists since last July till date. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, 5,748 Indian tourists visited Lumbini while 120 tourists from other foreign countries were recorded to have arrived here during this period, according to Basnet. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The ban of international travel and sealing of borders during the lockdown led to restriction on human and traffic movements expect for the essential ones. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As a result, there were not much foreigner tourists in Lumbini, informed member-secretary of the Fund, Sanuraja Shakya. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Shakya shared that people would come here to mediate and get rid of negativity and anxiety emanating from the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and its negative effects on the economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Fund is launching various tourism promotion campaign to attract more tourists to Lumbini. Also, the Fund is coordinating efforts with other government agencies and private sector to lure the tourists to the place where the apostle of peace, Lord Buddha, was born approximately 2,500 years ago. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12946', 'image' => '20210324105002_20190113122644_aaaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 10:49:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13199', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'New Dimension to be added in Economic Partnership with Bangladesh: Foreign Minister', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, has said that the bilateral meeting and agreements held in course of President Bidya Devi Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh would add a new dimension to economic partnership. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 23: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, has said that the bilateral meeting and agreements held in course of President Bidya Devi Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh would add a new dimension to economic partnership. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During an interview with correspondents of Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) and Nepal Television in Dhaka on Tuesday (March 23), Minister Gyawali opined that both countries have given same priority in expansion of relation and support with India for strengthening trade relation of both countries. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He shared that the issue was raised in course of bilateral meeting held between President Bhandari and her counterpart Mohammad Abdul Hamid and other discussions on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During the meeting, Nepal proposed for easy trade access of its products in Bangladesh, added Minister Gyawali. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and Bangladeshi Foreign Affairs Minister Dr MK Abdul had paid courtesy call on President Bhandari on Monday and a sideline meeting was held between Minister Gyawali and Foreign Affairs Minister Abdul. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">"In these meetings discussions were held to move forward the mutual cordial ties along with economic partnership, and the leaders of both countries during the formal addresses have expressed such commitment," Minister Gyawali said, adding that views were also exchanged on expanding connectivity for promotion of energy, tourism and trade as well as on joint initiatives for reducing climate change risk. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Minister Gyawali said the agreement of exchange of letters on the Rohanpur-Singhabad transit route reached with Bangladesh has ensured Nepal's access to trade with third countries. He informed that they proposed with Bangladeshi officials for providing easy access to Nepali goods and products in the Bangladeshi market and to reduce the additional customs duties on Nepali goods and products, to reduce the trade deficit. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He that both Nepal and Bangladesh have a common understanding regarding both countries holding further discussions with India to facilitate energy trade between Nepal and Bangladesh. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to him, both countries have a common view on raising issues of common interest in the regional and international forums. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Asked about his views regarding President Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh, Minister for Foreign Affairs Gyawali said, "This visit which has taken place on the occasion of the special function commemorating the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman, Bangladesh's Father of Nation, is in itself significant. This short visit has become result-oriented and successful. The relations subsisting at the government and people's level between the two countries have been further consolidated." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal and Bangladesh signed and exchanged separate Memorandum of Understanding on tourism, culture, sanitization and transit in the presence of the Presidents of both countries following the meeting between them held at the Bangabhaban, the Office of the President of Bangladesh on Monday night. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">President Bhandari had arrived in Dhaka on Monday at the invitation of her Bangladeshi counterpart, Hamid. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-23', 'modified' => '2021-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12945', 'image' => '20210323024419_1616483669.Pradeep-gyawali.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-23 14:43:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13198', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Exporting Goods Imported from Third Countries', 'sub_title' => 'Export of Domestic Products not Getting Proper Attention', 'summary' => 'March 23: The government has adopted a strategy to promote export to reduce the country’s trade deficit. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 23: The government has adopted a strategy to promote export to reduce the country’s trade deficit. Accordingly, there has been a decline in import and a slight improvement in export in the past few years. However, the contribution of foreign goods in exports is more than domestic products.<br /> According to the new policy to promote export, the then Finance Minister Dr Yuvaraj Khatiwada in the budget of the Fiscal Year 2075/76 BS made arrangements such as a massive increase in taxes to discourage imports and to give tax exemption on the import of raw materials for export.<br /> However, so far, no productive environment has been created for the export of Nepali goods. Due to the inability to promote domestic products in the international market, the increase in export is mainly due to foreign products.<br /> As there was high demand for palm oil in the Indian market, Nepali traders imported unrefined palm from Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, processed it in Nepal, and exported it to India.<br /> However, the Directorate General of the Foreign Trade of India imposed a ban on palm oil imports in the last week of December last year and imposed a complete ban from April this year. Due to the ban, Nepal's growing export suffered a severe setback.<br /> However, exporters have found an alternative to palm oil. They are now importing raw soybean instead, and exporting refined soybean oil to India after processing it in Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to oil trader Pradip Murarka, soybean oil has taken place of palm oil as the chief export product of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the Customs Department, in the first eight months of the current Fiscal Year, export of soybean oil stood at Rs 23.12 billion. During this period, export of soybean oil alone accounted for 28 percent of the total export of Rs 80.77 billion of Nepal.<br /> The export of synthetic yarn, which is the second largest export product, declined during the review period and was limited to Rs 5.1 billion. Exports of woollen carpets, carpets, tea, and readymade garments were also among the top export products of Nepal.<br /> Entrepreneurs complained that despite the government's pledge for economic reform, there has been no substantial change in policy.<br /> Entrepreneur Sunil KC, who is also the vice-president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that domestic production has not been able to increase as the government has not been able to promote production-oriented industries.<br /> He said that exporting goods imported from third countries would benefit the businessmen, but it would not benefit the country. "There are many Nepali goods like apples, honey, herbs, which can be exported after processing in industries," he added.<br /> Economist Shankar Sharma informed that the government should adopt strategies to promote export. "Even if exports of goods including palm/soybean increases the size of exports, it will not improve the country's economy," he said. He said that the government should take initiative to increase the establishment of industries in collaboration with the private sector as the economy would not move in the right direction without industrial development.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-23', 'modified' => '2021-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12944', 'image' => '20210323021917_1616451745.13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-23 14:18:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13197', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'FNCCI to facilitate Securing Investment for 50 Startups ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: With an ambitious plan of expanding the country's economy to Rs 100 trillion by 2030, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has formed a Startup and New Industry Committee to facilitate 50 startup businesses to raise investment for their venture. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 23: With an ambitious plan of expanding the country's economy to Rs 100 trillion by 2030, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has formed a Startup and New Industry Committee to facilitate 50 startup businesses to raise investment for their venture. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The federation said in a press release on Monday that they have already secured investment from 50 investors. However, it did not disclose the details of the investors. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The committee will open application in the first week of April. According to the president of the committee Ranjit Raj Acharya, the shortlisted applicants under the criteria set by the federation will be announced in the second week of April. The final list will be published within two months after intensive interviews. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Furthermore, he said that the entrepreneurs selected in the final stage will be mentored for three months and then introduced to the investors. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"The investors will choose the business idea they like and invest in it as per the need," he said, "There is an agreement that investors must invest in at least one business." </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He claims that this program will help to increase the economy by developing entrepreneurship and creating employment in the country. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The federation has put it under the roadmap of the works to be done within the next two years. FNCCI President Shekhar Golchha said that the roadmap will be made public on April 11. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stating that he has planned to create 800,000 jobs during his tenure, he said that the project will study startup / industry business along with job creation, take initiative for formulation of startup policy in collaboration with Investment Promotion Division under the Ministry of Industry to promote entrepreneurship with latest ideas in the country, identify entrepreneurs with new ides and help them move forward by raising necessary investment. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the federation, the entrepreneurs who have been running their business for at least one year will be able to apply for the program. Acharya said that all entrepreneurs working in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing business, information technology and others can apply. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-23', 'modified' => '2021-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12943', 'image' => '20210323015842_20201126120607_1606367319.fncci (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-23 13:57:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, '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' => '13211', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Committed to Control Revenue Leakage: Finance Minister ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The Ministry of Finance has expressed commitment to control revenue leakage and take stern action against the individuals involved in irregularities.', 'content' => '<p><em>Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel. NBA File Photo</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 26: The Ministry of Finance has expressed commitment to control revenue leakage and take stern action against the individuals involved in irregularities. Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel said the ministry will utilize all resources to control revenue leakage. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In a meeting organised by the Central Revenue Leakage Control Committee, Finance Minister Poudel said that the government will maintain zero tolerance against revenue leakage. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He has urged all the security agencies to be mindful so that no innocent is punished for revenue fraud. He also directed the concerned departments and security agencies to collaborate in this regard.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Finance Secretary Shishir Kumar Dhungana said communication exchange is necessary between the government departments and security agencies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Revenue Secretary Ram Sharan Pudasaini said policy-level and systematic reforms are required to control revenue leakage. Increase in economic activities pose higher risk of revenue leakage, according to Pudasaini. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sailesh Thapa expressed commitment to provide all support to control revenue leakage. Similarly, IGP of Armed Police Force Sailendra Khanal highlighted the need of regular monitoring. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Head of the Revenue Management Division Rameshwor Dangal said concerned authorities are working to control revenue leakage and the guilty are being punished.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Director General of the Department of Money Laundering Investigation Gajendra Thakur said district level revenue leakage control committee need to be made effective.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-26', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12957', 'image' => '20210326110416_20210110034934_1610265858.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-26 11:03:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM Oli Declares Nepal Self-Reliant in Livestock Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has reportedly urged the bodies concerned to properly utilize the agriculture grants provided by the government. ', 'content' => '<p><em>Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Photo Courtesy: RSS</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has reportedly urged the bodies concerned to properly utilize the agriculture grants provided by the government. Addressing a programme organized in the capital on Thursday (March 25) to declare the country self-reliance in livestock products, Prime Minister Oli argued that such grants made available to the agriculture sector should be utilized for sustainable development of the sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the state-owned national news agency RSS, PM Oli shared that the government was providing the grants at nominal interest rates for the modernization of agricultural equipment and irrigation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Citing the United Nations, RSS reported that Nepal has become self-reliant in some livestock products. PM Oli declared that Nepal has become self–reliant in egg and meat products of late. Nepal is producing 600 million eggs worth Rs 1 billion and 255,000 metric tonnes of meat and fish annually. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">However, Nepal needs to increase diary production by 12 liters per person annually to be self-reliant in dairy products. Prime Minister Oli complained that though the country was increasing grants in the agro sectors, the production was not increasing as per the expectation. He also directed the line ministries to bring effective programmes to attract youths in productive sector, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Similarly, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Padma Aryal stressed on making Prime Minister Modernization Project effective. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-26', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12956', 'image' => '20210326104417_CKK-KTM_6483441(2).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-26 10:42:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13209', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Second Wave of Coronavirus Worries Private Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in neighbouring India has worried the private sector of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 25: The sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in neighbouring India has worried the private sector of Nepal. The second wave of virus surging in India has caused fears of a similar spike in Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Given the last year’s experience of lockdown leading to economic fallout, the risk of second wave of pandemic has worried the private sector. Satish Kumar More, president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that the risk of second wave of pandemic has disturbed them at a time when the economy is about to recover from the impact of Covid-19. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The private sector is apprehensive that the risk of second wave might again affect the operation of the industries. More is of the view that the government shouldn’t immediately impose lockdown or other restrictions. It should instead focus on vaccination drive and make the economy running, he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Meanwhile, a sub-committee of the parliamentary Education and Health Committee has urged the government to prepare all necessary infrastructure to curb the second wave of coronavirus. Submitting a report, the committee has asked all the hospitals to prepare isolation units, oxygen plants and conduct Covid-19 awareness programs. It has also suggested the government to mobilize skilled health professionals in remote areas and fulfill the required human resources quota. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Similarly, the government authorities have started preparing to combat with the looming second wave as the cases of Covid-19 have started rising in the country. Preliminary plans of the government include crowd control, preparation of isolation and quarantine centers, increasing alerts along border points and possibility of lockdown if necessary. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Ministry of Home Affairs has already sent notices to local administration to curb activities of huge number of gatherings. Similarly, isolation and quarantine centers are also on standby. Chakra Bahadur Budha, spokesperson of the Ministry of Home Affairs said that they are collecting data on isolation and quarantine centers from all across the country and putting them on standby.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to Budha, the Ministry has asked the concerned authorities to keep record of people travelling across the border and conduct health checkup. While the Ministry of Home Affairs is preparing strategies to fight against the possible second wave of coronavirus, Nepalis who had migrated to India for work have started returning home. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In a regular press briefing organized by the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Samir Adhikari, deputy-spokesperson at the ministry urged people to wear masks, not to conduct public gatherings and practice social distancing. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“The government doesn’t intend to impose a lockdown in the country again but we all should be aware to control the infection,” Adhikari said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">District Police Office, Kanchanpur informed that around 1,000 Nepalis are returning back daily through Trinagar and Gaddachowki border points of the district. Around 8,000 people have come back through these two entry points in the past ten days. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">On March 24, 145 new infections have been reported from among 3,963 tests conducted in the country. Of the news cases, 63 have been recorded in the Kathmandu valley. So far, Nepal’s COVID infected tally stands at 276,389.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12955', 'image' => '20210325082711_coronavirus-prevention-infographics-design_23-2148511552.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 20:26:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13208', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IFC Partners with Nepal Stock Exchange to Ring the Bell for Gender Equality ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: To raise awareness for gender equality, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, joined the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) for the first time to 'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.'', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">March 25: </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">To raise awareness for gender equality, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, joined the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) for the first time to 'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.'</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to IFC, the annual global event highlights how women’s participation in the economy can spur sustainable private sector development. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The event comes at a critical moment, as the economic and social consequences of COVID-19 continue to disproportionally impact women — who make up 39 percent of global employment but account for 54 percent of the overall job losses due to the pandemic, IFC said in a statement on March 25.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> <span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">“We are pleased to join hands with IFC and UN Global Compact Nepal for our first ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality event’,” the statement quoted Laxman Neupane, chairman of NEPSE, as saying. “Together with more than 100 stock exchanges around the world, we are excited to take part in the call to action for gender equality. Fostering greater participation of women in our workforce, economy, and capital market is not just the right thing to do – it also makes strong economic sense." </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Chandra Singh Saud, CEO of NEPSE, reportedly welcomed all the participants and highlighted the importance of women's financial literacy to promote meaningful progress towards gender equality.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Accelerating the pace of gender parity </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">could lead to important economic, environmental, social, and governance gains in emerging and frontier markets, the statement added. Despite some progress, women remain underrepresented in business leadership with only 17 percent holding board seats globally.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">"As economies around the world struggle to recover from a global pandemic, increased participation of women can help accelerate the recovery process—making it more inclusive,” said Pradeep Man Vaidya<br /> President of United Nations Global Compact Network Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">In Nepal, women’s representation in</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial"> corporate boards is </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">extremely low. A recent IFC study in the country’s power sector shows that out of 132 board members from 20 companies, only 12 (9 percent) are women. Despite Nepal’s Companies Act 2066 BS requiring at least one or more female shareholders, only three out of 10 public companies have women on their boards. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">"I have been encouraged by 18 power sector companies joining IFC's Powered by Women initiative to address some of these gender disparities," said Babacar S. Faye, IFC Resident Representative in Nepal. " But clearly, much more needs to be done to increase the participation of women on corporate boards in Nepal. Our research with stock exchanges in South Asia has shown that companies with higher gender diversity on their boards experience better financial returns.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The 2021 ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality’ event marks the seventh year of a global partnership between IFC, The World Federation of Exchanges, Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, UN Global Compact, UN Women and Women in ETF.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12954', 'image' => '20210325032522_1579166089133.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 15:22:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13207', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'One Year on, SMEs still Suffering from Impact of Lockdown', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Mach 25: Wednesday (March 24) marked one year since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus infection in 2020. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Mach 25: Wednesday (March 24) marked one year since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus infection in 2020. The months-long lockdown to curb coronavirus has hit small and medium enterprises (SMEs) the most. According to stakeholders, SMEs are more vulnerable to lockdown than other businesses. They suggest that SMEs don't have an extra income source to support their enterprises.<br /> Even though there is no lockdown now, entrepreneurs involved in SMEs inform that they are still affected. Business activity in the market has been growing, but it still has not made any positive impact on the overall business. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Naresh Katuwal, president of the Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs, an organization of small and medium entrepreneurs, said that small and medium entrepreneurs were the worst hit due to the lockdown. He informed that even after the lockdown goods that the traders were trying to import were stuck at checkpoints for a long duration and that has affected their sales. This caused a huge loss to the traders.<br /> Meanwhile, consumption has also declined due to the decline in consumers’ income due to the lockdown. Trade has not improved so far. According to Katuwal, about 5 percent of small and medium entrepreneurs have fled due to the lockdown while most of the entrepreneurs involved have changed their profession.<br /> "Only those who could trade in cash after the lockdown are able to continue the business. There is no business left now, which has led to the exodus of small entrepreneurs," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the association, about 40 percent of the shutters used for commercial purposes in the Kathmandu Valley were empty during the lockdown. New entrepreneurs have come to the stalls, but traders say the business climate has not improved.<br /> Similarly, the condition of productive sector has not improved much. The condition of poultry, dairy, handicraft, carpet, and other industries is also not improving. The impact of the lockdown is felt by the poultry industry, which was in loss of around Rs 220 million daily. Due to the lockdown and restriction, there was no import of breeding chicken, and now the production of chickens has decreased, and the price of raw material used for making chicken feed has increased.<br /> The production of chicken has decreased by 40 percent, while the production of chicken feed has also decreased subsequently.<br /> According to Dinesh Raj Mishra, general secretary of the Federation of Nepali Poultry Entrepreneurs, 80 percent of the farmers involved in broiler chicken production and about 20 percent in layer chicken production have had to switch their business due to the lockdown. He said that even if new farmers are involved now, it will take a few more years for the sector to pick up pace.<br /> Under normal circumstances, milk producers receive payment within three weeks of sales, but due to the impact of the lockdown and restrictions, the industrialists have not been able to pay the farmers for months.<br /> Handicraft manufacturers and carpet manufacturers informed that there is a problem in exporting goods as they have to pay three times more for shipping their products.<br /> According to the Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industries, there are around 3 million small and medium entrepreneurs in Nepal, out of which 1.6 million are registered entrepreneurs. The sector contributes 22 percent to the country's GDP and provides direct employment to more than 1.7 million people.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12953', 'image' => '20210325021126_20210119022843_Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 14:09:40', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13206', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'KMC Directs Tax Evaders to Present within 7 Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has directed the taxpayers evading tax to present themselves before its Revenue Department within seven days. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 25: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has directed the taxpayers evading tax to present themselves before its Revenue Department within seven days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The KMC revenue department issued the directive when it found evasion of municipal taxes in course of monitoring. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Business firms which were found not registered and defrauding tax were asked to produce themselves in the Department within a week. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to Department Chief Dr Shivaraj Adhikari, the department has undertaken monitoring of street vendors of New Road, Lazimpat, Panipokhari and Maharajgunj area on a sampling basis. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Dr Adhikari further shared that a thorough monitoring team would be mobilized from ward level after completing the sampling based monitoring. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12952', 'image' => '20210325125755_20210226043111_20201119021010_20200907074520_1599400665.tax.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 12:57:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13205', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Confrontation Between Pathao and Taxi Drivers Continues Despite Reconciliation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: Clashes between taxi operators and Pathao erupted on Monday (March 22) after some taxi drivers attacked a Pathao rider claiming that their customer was snatched by Pathao. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 25: Clashes between taxi operators and Pathao erupted on Monday (March 22) after some taxi drivers attacked a Pathao rider claiming that their customer was snatched by Pathao. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">On Tuesday, Pathao stopped its service citing a problem in the app. On the same day, the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division called both parties for a discussion. The division informed that the two sides reconciliation have reconciled after a meeting between the representative of Valley Taxi Entrepreneurs and Taxi Service Society and Pathao at the division. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Once the taxi operator apologized, both parties have agreed to operate their service with dignity,” said chief of the division SSP Janak Raj Bhattarai, “Since then, there has been no problem.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although the branch said that there has been an agreement between the two parties, the conflict between Pathao riders and taxi drivers is still going on. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">It has been a few years since the ride sharing business started in Nepal. However, the taxi operators are angry that their job has been taken away, which has further escalated the dispute. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Last year, Patan High Court issued a verdict directing the government to regulate the business. Even though the Department of Transport Management has made a draft for the ride sharing business and sent it to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, no law has been made yet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Bishnu Chauhan, central member of the Valley Taxi Entrepreneurs and Taxi Service Society, said that unpleasant incidents could happen at any time if Pathao is not regulated immediately. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although the taxi driver stated that the conflict was raised due to the Pathao, there has been widespread protest against the incident saying that the taxi drivers do not go by the meter and charged high fare. The ‘I am with Pathao’ campaign is also running on social media. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stating that he had repeatedly victimized by taxi drivers, former Foreign Secretary Madhurman Acharya, in support of Pathao wrote on Twitter, “There are some things that cannot be stopped. Ride sharing is like that. It is a need of time, and it continues somehow.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The marketing manager of Pathao Suraksha Hamal said that the regulatory body has banned the use of Pathao clothes, and stickers. Although she did not say which body has banned the wearing of Pathao marked clothes, she said that the service has been operational since Wednesday. Despite the problems on Pathao app on Wednesday, the app has been running normally since the evening. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12951', 'image' => '20210325124743_20200723124701_1595453826.Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 12:47:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13204', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Telecom Gears up for 5G Test', 'sub_title' => 'State-owned telecommunication company, Nepal Telecom, to provide free 5G services in four cities during one-year test phase', 'summary' => 'March 24: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA)—the telecommunication regulatory body of Nepal—is preparing to roll out the fifth generation (5G) of mobile broadband service based on the principle of technology neutrality. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><em>Rebati Adhikari</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 24: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA)—the telecommunication regulatory body of Nepal—is preparing to roll out the fifth generation (5G) of mobile broadband service based on the principle of technology neutrality. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The National Radio Frequency Policy Determination Committee (NRFPDC) under the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology recently took a decision to start the process of testing 5G. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">5G is the latest standard for broadband cellular network or the next generation of mobile internet connection that offers much faster speed for downloading and uploading data. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In line with the decision of the NRFPDC, the NTA is currently carrying out necessary homework to provide approval to Nepal Doorsanchar Company Ltd, commonly known as Nepal Telecom (NT), for 5G testing. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Min Prasad Aryal, spokesperson of Nepal Telecommunications Authority, said that the NTA board will soon take a decision to allow NT to initiate the process of 5G testing.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Earlier last week, the NRFPDC had made a policy-level decision to allow Nepal Telecom to start the testing of 5G service for a maximum period of one year without any charges. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Nepal Telecom, the state-owned telecommunication company, will not have to pay any frequency fee during the trial period. According to NTA officials, customers will be allowed to use the 5G service for free during the trial phase. However, this next generation wireless technology works only on those smartphones that are compatible with 5G service. Most of the smartphone manufacturers including Apple and Samsung are introducing their latest mobile phones that have 5G compatibility. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Technology Neutrality/Spectrum Neutrality is a provision that allows telecom operators to use any technology in frequency bands available to them. NTA had amended Radio Frequency Policy (Pricing and Distribution) 2069 in 2016 and introduced technology neutrality provision in 2016.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The 4G service was introduced in Nepal in 2017 through technology neutrality.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Under technology neutrality, 700 MHz, 1800 MHz, 900 MHz frequencies can be used to introduce 5G service. NTA will finalize the frequency after studying the technicalities of these frequencies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">NT is currently expanding 4G to local units of the country. So far, NT has achieved a target of 75 percent of work completion in expanding 4G service in local units. “The current 4G infrastructure like optical fiber network, BTS towers (Base Transceiver Station) can be used to launch 5G testing. NT will start the procurement of 5G frequency specific equipment once NTA gives a go-ahead to do so,” saod Rajesh Joshi, spokesperson of NT.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">NT is currently waiting for the permit to launch 5G tests. It is planning to conduct the tests in four cities which are yet to be fixed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">However, the commercial launch of 5G service will be decided after considering efficiency and other results from the test phase.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Ncell, the privately-owned mobile service provider, has also submitted expression of interest to the NTA to start 5G service in the country which is still under consideration, according to NTA officials. As for now, the ministry has allowed only NT to launch the test of 5G service. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12950', 'image' => '20210324040042_20181204021328_5GblogImage.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 15:59:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13203', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Removing Quarantine Provision only for Vaccinated Tourists is not Enough’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: Shashi Kanta Agrawal, vice chairman of Hotel Marriott, believes that the waiver of quarantine only for vaccinated tourists is not enough to revive the Covid-19 affected tourism industry.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Tamish Giri</span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 24: Shashi Kanta Agrawal, vice chairman of Hotel Marriott, believes that the waiver of quarantine only for vaccinated tourists is not enough to revive the Covid-19 affected tourism industry.<br /> He told New Business Age that the government should also remove the mandatory quarantine requirement for tourists with PCR negative report of 72 hours to attract foreigners to Nepal. <br /> "The negative PCR test report itself is proof that the arriving person is not contagious. The current quarantine requirement of 7 days discourages tourists from traveling to Nepal because no one wants to waste their time inside hotels. So, the government should take this under consideration and remove the mandatory quarantine requirement for tourists arriving with negative test report of 72 hours," Agrawal shares.<br /> Nepal removed quarantine requirement for visitors who have received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine, with the aim of boosting the tourism industry. A cabinet meeting on March 18 decided to remove the quarantine requirement for tourists with certificate of vaccination.<br /> However, tourists not receiving the vaccines are still required to stay in hotel quarantine mandatorily for 7 days. <br /> Tourists are also required to have an additional PCR test in Nepal before heading to their respective destinations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">"Such requirements are useless and confusing. It has been creating headaches for our foreign guests. Why would someone need to have another test report while s/he already has a negative test report? Last week, we had business clients from Dubai who were in Kathmandu for a day. The first thing they requested us upon their arrival at our hotel was to conduct their PCR test. They were agitated with the health protocols and didn't want to fly back as soon as possible after their meeting," Agrawal shared.<br /> Foreigners flying to Nepal must have a negative PCR report taken less than 72 hours before departure, hotel booking for at least seven days' quarantine in Nepal, and Covid-19 insurance of at least USD 5,000.<br /> Likewise, Agrawal also stressed that government needs to allow casinos to operate to promote tourism activities.<br /> We are confused about what the government is trying to prove. The decision to restrict the casinos in the name of Covid-19 control is misleading. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“The prime minister and the political leaders are neglecting the fact that casinos are crucial in terms of employment creation and tax collection. The government should allow the casinos to operate to revive the tourism economy," he said.<br /> The government has restricted the operation of casinos since the lockdown in March 2020.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12949', 'image' => '20210324020010_20200930115831_1601420205.89.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 13:58:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13201', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prices of Electronic Goods Surge ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: The prices of electronic appliances such as wire, fans, cables, chargers and batteries have increased in the market. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 24: The prices of electronic appliances such as wire, fans, cables, chargers and batteries have increased in the market. Traders say that the companies have increased the price citing increase in the price of raw materials in the international market. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sudarshan Neupane, president of the Electronic Trade Association, told New Business Age that the price of electronic goods have increased since the prices of raw materials including copper, aluminum, iron and PVC have increased. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to him, as the prices of such raw materials have doubled at present the prices of goods have also increased at the same rate. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The price of copper, which was US$ 4,800 per ton before the lockdown, has increased to US$ 9,000. Similarly, the price of PVC, which was Rs 108 per kg, is now Rs 160. Aluminum, copper and PVC are used in most types of materials including wires, cables, fans, switches. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, the prices of battery chargers, headphones and other items used in laptops and mobiles have also doubled. The price of a Dell laptop battery, which used to cost Rs 3,000 before the lockdown, has now reached Rs 7,000. Similarly, the price of a Dell laptop charger that used to be Rs 700 has now reached Rs 1,500. The price of headphones, which used to be Rs 400, has also gone up by Rs 200 to Rs 600. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Traders say that besides the increase in the price of raw materials in the international market, the transportation cost while importing the goods has also increased the price of electronic goods. Likewise, they say, the uncertainty of opening and closing of the northern border is also a major factor. Prior to this, they used to import electrical goods especially through Kerung and Tatopani checkpoints. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Due to the uncertainty of brining goods through these customs, we have to import goods by ship through the India ports of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. While doing so, it takes a long time and also increases the transportation cost,” said Raju Shrestha, a trader at Techno Computer, New Road. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to him, the fare of containers imported through Indian route has doubled compared to normal circumstances. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12948', 'image' => '20210324013316_laptop_batteries-min.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 13:32:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13202', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Delay in Development Projects ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: Although the government allocates budget for projects of national importance every year, such projects hardly get completed on time. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 24: Although the government allocates budget for projects of national importance every year, such projects hardly get completed on time. One of the reasons behind the delay in implementation of many such projects is that the projects are selected by leaders for popularity instead of the need of the people.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The progress of National Pride Projects is disappointing. According to Jagdish Prasad Agrawal, an economic and political analyst, the problem has arisen due to the competition among leaders to divide the budget in their constituencies for political gain. He views that political influence in the selection of development projects and resource allocation has overshadowed the real need. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stakeholders say that the trend of dividing budget for projects has not been able to guarantee development. While the government is preparing the budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2078/79, experts have suggested the government to prioritize need over popularity in the selection of projects. Agrawal states that it is time to reconsider the effectiveness of the scheme which has been in operation for 20-25 years in the name of national pride projects. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"Even today, financial resources are being mobilized for the 20/25 year old plans," he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The private sector has also suggested that the selection of the projects and their management should be made the main objective of the economic policy while the country moves on the path of federalism. Time and resources are being wasted when projects are not completed on time. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although the Development Committee of the Parliament had directed not to spend more than six years on any national pride project, the government has been ignoring this during budget allocation. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Even the Financial Comptroller General’s Office has been considering the lack of clear selection criteria and poor implementation of the plan as obstacles in achieving the target. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The annual report released by the Financial Comptroller General’s Office some time ago stated that the lack of criteria for announcing the plans was the cause of the chaos in development. Also, the lack of skilled manpower has weakened the implementation of the projects.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"We have the practice of leading the project by the administrative manpower. Project implementation and administration are different issues. We need technical manpower to move the plan forward, ” said Agrawal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Agrawal claims that selection of plans and proper use of resources will not be possible with the administrative manpower. Experts say that the announcement of plans without paying attention to the manpower for implementation is the problem. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Entrepreneur Navneet Agrawal says that those responsible for moving forward the plan should be held accountable for effective implementation of the plans. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Former president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ashok Kumar Vaidya says that there should be a comprehensive review of the implementation of past budgets before announcing a new budget. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The government should take action if the conditions are not fulfilled by signing an agreement with the officer responsible for the project. Rewards should also be given to those who complete the work on time,” he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government has provision for the reward and punishment policy but it has not been implemented yet.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12947', 'image' => '20210324013507_20190514035934_int6.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 13:34:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13200', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Number of Domestic Tourists up in Lumbini ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: The number of domestic tourists visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam, is increasing lately, especially after the nation-wide lockdown was lifted last July. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 24: The number of domestic tourists visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam, is increasing lately, especially after the nation-wide lockdown was lifted last July. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Tourism in Lumbini was adversely affected due to COVID-19 pandemic. But following the lifting of the lockdown, more local tourists were visiting the place in an impressive number. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Lumbini Development Trust’s Information Officer Rajan Basnet shared that Lumbini has received 141,579 domestic tourists since last July till date. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, 5,748 Indian tourists visited Lumbini while 120 tourists from other foreign countries were recorded to have arrived here during this period, according to Basnet. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The ban of international travel and sealing of borders during the lockdown led to restriction on human and traffic movements expect for the essential ones. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As a result, there were not much foreigner tourists in Lumbini, informed member-secretary of the Fund, Sanuraja Shakya. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Shakya shared that people would come here to mediate and get rid of negativity and anxiety emanating from the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and its negative effects on the economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Fund is launching various tourism promotion campaign to attract more tourists to Lumbini. Also, the Fund is coordinating efforts with other government agencies and private sector to lure the tourists to the place where the apostle of peace, Lord Buddha, was born approximately 2,500 years ago. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12946', 'image' => '20210324105002_20190113122644_aaaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 10:49:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13199', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'New Dimension to be added in Economic Partnership with Bangladesh: Foreign Minister', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, has said that the bilateral meeting and agreements held in course of President Bidya Devi Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh would add a new dimension to economic partnership. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 23: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, has said that the bilateral meeting and agreements held in course of President Bidya Devi Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh would add a new dimension to economic partnership. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During an interview with correspondents of Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) and Nepal Television in Dhaka on Tuesday (March 23), Minister Gyawali opined that both countries have given same priority in expansion of relation and support with India for strengthening trade relation of both countries. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He shared that the issue was raised in course of bilateral meeting held between President Bhandari and her counterpart Mohammad Abdul Hamid and other discussions on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During the meeting, Nepal proposed for easy trade access of its products in Bangladesh, added Minister Gyawali. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and Bangladeshi Foreign Affairs Minister Dr MK Abdul had paid courtesy call on President Bhandari on Monday and a sideline meeting was held between Minister Gyawali and Foreign Affairs Minister Abdul. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">"In these meetings discussions were held to move forward the mutual cordial ties along with economic partnership, and the leaders of both countries during the formal addresses have expressed such commitment," Minister Gyawali said, adding that views were also exchanged on expanding connectivity for promotion of energy, tourism and trade as well as on joint initiatives for reducing climate change risk. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Minister Gyawali said the agreement of exchange of letters on the Rohanpur-Singhabad transit route reached with Bangladesh has ensured Nepal's access to trade with third countries. He informed that they proposed with Bangladeshi officials for providing easy access to Nepali goods and products in the Bangladeshi market and to reduce the additional customs duties on Nepali goods and products, to reduce the trade deficit. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He that both Nepal and Bangladesh have a common understanding regarding both countries holding further discussions with India to facilitate energy trade between Nepal and Bangladesh. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to him, both countries have a common view on raising issues of common interest in the regional and international forums. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Asked about his views regarding President Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh, Minister for Foreign Affairs Gyawali said, "This visit which has taken place on the occasion of the special function commemorating the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman, Bangladesh's Father of Nation, is in itself significant. This short visit has become result-oriented and successful. The relations subsisting at the government and people's level between the two countries have been further consolidated." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal and Bangladesh signed and exchanged separate Memorandum of Understanding on tourism, culture, sanitization and transit in the presence of the Presidents of both countries following the meeting between them held at the Bangabhaban, the Office of the President of Bangladesh on Monday night. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">President Bhandari had arrived in Dhaka on Monday at the invitation of her Bangladeshi counterpart, Hamid. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-23', 'modified' => '2021-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12945', 'image' => '20210323024419_1616483669.Pradeep-gyawali.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-23 14:43:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13198', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Exporting Goods Imported from Third Countries', 'sub_title' => 'Export of Domestic Products not Getting Proper Attention', 'summary' => 'March 23: The government has adopted a strategy to promote export to reduce the country’s trade deficit. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 23: The government has adopted a strategy to promote export to reduce the country’s trade deficit. Accordingly, there has been a decline in import and a slight improvement in export in the past few years. However, the contribution of foreign goods in exports is more than domestic products.<br /> According to the new policy to promote export, the then Finance Minister Dr Yuvaraj Khatiwada in the budget of the Fiscal Year 2075/76 BS made arrangements such as a massive increase in taxes to discourage imports and to give tax exemption on the import of raw materials for export.<br /> However, so far, no productive environment has been created for the export of Nepali goods. Due to the inability to promote domestic products in the international market, the increase in export is mainly due to foreign products.<br /> As there was high demand for palm oil in the Indian market, Nepali traders imported unrefined palm from Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, processed it in Nepal, and exported it to India.<br /> However, the Directorate General of the Foreign Trade of India imposed a ban on palm oil imports in the last week of December last year and imposed a complete ban from April this year. Due to the ban, Nepal's growing export suffered a severe setback.<br /> However, exporters have found an alternative to palm oil. They are now importing raw soybean instead, and exporting refined soybean oil to India after processing it in Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to oil trader Pradip Murarka, soybean oil has taken place of palm oil as the chief export product of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the Customs Department, in the first eight months of the current Fiscal Year, export of soybean oil stood at Rs 23.12 billion. During this period, export of soybean oil alone accounted for 28 percent of the total export of Rs 80.77 billion of Nepal.<br /> The export of synthetic yarn, which is the second largest export product, declined during the review period and was limited to Rs 5.1 billion. Exports of woollen carpets, carpets, tea, and readymade garments were also among the top export products of Nepal.<br /> Entrepreneurs complained that despite the government's pledge for economic reform, there has been no substantial change in policy.<br /> Entrepreneur Sunil KC, who is also the vice-president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that domestic production has not been able to increase as the government has not been able to promote production-oriented industries.<br /> He said that exporting goods imported from third countries would benefit the businessmen, but it would not benefit the country. "There are many Nepali goods like apples, honey, herbs, which can be exported after processing in industries," he added.<br /> Economist Shankar Sharma informed that the government should adopt strategies to promote export. "Even if exports of goods including palm/soybean increases the size of exports, it will not improve the country's economy," he said. He said that the government should take initiative to increase the establishment of industries in collaboration with the private sector as the economy would not move in the right direction without industrial development.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-23', 'modified' => '2021-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12944', 'image' => '20210323021917_1616451745.13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-23 14:18:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13197', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'FNCCI to facilitate Securing Investment for 50 Startups ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: With an ambitious plan of expanding the country's economy to Rs 100 trillion by 2030, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has formed a Startup and New Industry Committee to facilitate 50 startup businesses to raise investment for their venture. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 23: With an ambitious plan of expanding the country's economy to Rs 100 trillion by 2030, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has formed a Startup and New Industry Committee to facilitate 50 startup businesses to raise investment for their venture. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The federation said in a press release on Monday that they have already secured investment from 50 investors. However, it did not disclose the details of the investors. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The committee will open application in the first week of April. According to the president of the committee Ranjit Raj Acharya, the shortlisted applicants under the criteria set by the federation will be announced in the second week of April. The final list will be published within two months after intensive interviews. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Furthermore, he said that the entrepreneurs selected in the final stage will be mentored for three months and then introduced to the investors. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"The investors will choose the business idea they like and invest in it as per the need," he said, "There is an agreement that investors must invest in at least one business." </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He claims that this program will help to increase the economy by developing entrepreneurship and creating employment in the country. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The federation has put it under the roadmap of the works to be done within the next two years. FNCCI President Shekhar Golchha said that the roadmap will be made public on April 11. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stating that he has planned to create 800,000 jobs during his tenure, he said that the project will study startup / industry business along with job creation, take initiative for formulation of startup policy in collaboration with Investment Promotion Division under the Ministry of Industry to promote entrepreneurship with latest ideas in the country, identify entrepreneurs with new ides and help them move forward by raising necessary investment. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the federation, the entrepreneurs who have been running their business for at least one year will be able to apply for the program. Acharya said that all entrepreneurs working in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing business, information technology and others can apply. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-23', 'modified' => '2021-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12943', 'image' => '20210323015842_20201126120607_1606367319.fncci (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-23 13:57:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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NBA File Photo</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 26: The Ministry of Finance has expressed commitment to control revenue leakage and take stern action against the individuals involved in irregularities. Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel said the ministry will utilize all resources to control revenue leakage. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In a meeting organised by the Central Revenue Leakage Control Committee, Finance Minister Poudel said that the government will maintain zero tolerance against revenue leakage. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He has urged all the security agencies to be mindful so that no innocent is punished for revenue fraud. He also directed the concerned departments and security agencies to collaborate in this regard.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Finance Secretary Shishir Kumar Dhungana said communication exchange is necessary between the government departments and security agencies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Revenue Secretary Ram Sharan Pudasaini said policy-level and systematic reforms are required to control revenue leakage. Increase in economic activities pose higher risk of revenue leakage, according to Pudasaini. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sailesh Thapa expressed commitment to provide all support to control revenue leakage. Similarly, IGP of Armed Police Force Sailendra Khanal highlighted the need of regular monitoring. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Head of the Revenue Management Division Rameshwor Dangal said concerned authorities are working to control revenue leakage and the guilty are being punished.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Director General of the Department of Money Laundering Investigation Gajendra Thakur said district level revenue leakage control committee need to be made effective.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-26', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12957', 'image' => '20210326110416_20210110034934_1610265858.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-26 11:03:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM Oli Declares Nepal Self-Reliant in Livestock Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has reportedly urged the bodies concerned to properly utilize the agriculture grants provided by the government. ', 'content' => '<p><em>Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Photo Courtesy: RSS</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has reportedly urged the bodies concerned to properly utilize the agriculture grants provided by the government. Addressing a programme organized in the capital on Thursday (March 25) to declare the country self-reliance in livestock products, Prime Minister Oli argued that such grants made available to the agriculture sector should be utilized for sustainable development of the sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the state-owned national news agency RSS, PM Oli shared that the government was providing the grants at nominal interest rates for the modernization of agricultural equipment and irrigation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Citing the United Nations, RSS reported that Nepal has become self-reliant in some livestock products. PM Oli declared that Nepal has become self–reliant in egg and meat products of late. Nepal is producing 600 million eggs worth Rs 1 billion and 255,000 metric tonnes of meat and fish annually. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">However, Nepal needs to increase diary production by 12 liters per person annually to be self-reliant in dairy products. Prime Minister Oli complained that though the country was increasing grants in the agro sectors, the production was not increasing as per the expectation. He also directed the line ministries to bring effective programmes to attract youths in productive sector, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Similarly, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Padma Aryal stressed on making Prime Minister Modernization Project effective. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-26', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12956', 'image' => '20210326104417_CKK-KTM_6483441(2).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-26 10:42:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13209', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Second Wave of Coronavirus Worries Private Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in neighbouring India has worried the private sector of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 25: The sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in neighbouring India has worried the private sector of Nepal. The second wave of virus surging in India has caused fears of a similar spike in Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Given the last year’s experience of lockdown leading to economic fallout, the risk of second wave of pandemic has worried the private sector. Satish Kumar More, president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that the risk of second wave of pandemic has disturbed them at a time when the economy is about to recover from the impact of Covid-19. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The private sector is apprehensive that the risk of second wave might again affect the operation of the industries. More is of the view that the government shouldn’t immediately impose lockdown or other restrictions. It should instead focus on vaccination drive and make the economy running, he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Meanwhile, a sub-committee of the parliamentary Education and Health Committee has urged the government to prepare all necessary infrastructure to curb the second wave of coronavirus. Submitting a report, the committee has asked all the hospitals to prepare isolation units, oxygen plants and conduct Covid-19 awareness programs. It has also suggested the government to mobilize skilled health professionals in remote areas and fulfill the required human resources quota. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Similarly, the government authorities have started preparing to combat with the looming second wave as the cases of Covid-19 have started rising in the country. Preliminary plans of the government include crowd control, preparation of isolation and quarantine centers, increasing alerts along border points and possibility of lockdown if necessary. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Ministry of Home Affairs has already sent notices to local administration to curb activities of huge number of gatherings. Similarly, isolation and quarantine centers are also on standby. Chakra Bahadur Budha, spokesperson of the Ministry of Home Affairs said that they are collecting data on isolation and quarantine centers from all across the country and putting them on standby.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to Budha, the Ministry has asked the concerned authorities to keep record of people travelling across the border and conduct health checkup. While the Ministry of Home Affairs is preparing strategies to fight against the possible second wave of coronavirus, Nepalis who had migrated to India for work have started returning home. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In a regular press briefing organized by the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Samir Adhikari, deputy-spokesperson at the ministry urged people to wear masks, not to conduct public gatherings and practice social distancing. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“The government doesn’t intend to impose a lockdown in the country again but we all should be aware to control the infection,” Adhikari said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">District Police Office, Kanchanpur informed that around 1,000 Nepalis are returning back daily through Trinagar and Gaddachowki border points of the district. Around 8,000 people have come back through these two entry points in the past ten days. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">On March 24, 145 new infections have been reported from among 3,963 tests conducted in the country. Of the news cases, 63 have been recorded in the Kathmandu valley. So far, Nepal’s COVID infected tally stands at 276,389.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12955', 'image' => '20210325082711_coronavirus-prevention-infographics-design_23-2148511552.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 20:26:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13208', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IFC Partners with Nepal Stock Exchange to Ring the Bell for Gender Equality ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: To raise awareness for gender equality, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, joined the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) for the first time to 'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.'', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">March 25: </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">To raise awareness for gender equality, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, joined the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) for the first time to 'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.'</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to IFC, the annual global event highlights how women’s participation in the economy can spur sustainable private sector development. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The event comes at a critical moment, as the economic and social consequences of COVID-19 continue to disproportionally impact women — who make up 39 percent of global employment but account for 54 percent of the overall job losses due to the pandemic, IFC said in a statement on March 25.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> <span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">“We are pleased to join hands with IFC and UN Global Compact Nepal for our first ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality event’,” the statement quoted Laxman Neupane, chairman of NEPSE, as saying. “Together with more than 100 stock exchanges around the world, we are excited to take part in the call to action for gender equality. Fostering greater participation of women in our workforce, economy, and capital market is not just the right thing to do – it also makes strong economic sense." </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Chandra Singh Saud, CEO of NEPSE, reportedly welcomed all the participants and highlighted the importance of women's financial literacy to promote meaningful progress towards gender equality.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Accelerating the pace of gender parity </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">could lead to important economic, environmental, social, and governance gains in emerging and frontier markets, the statement added. Despite some progress, women remain underrepresented in business leadership with only 17 percent holding board seats globally.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">"As economies around the world struggle to recover from a global pandemic, increased participation of women can help accelerate the recovery process—making it more inclusive,” said Pradeep Man Vaidya<br /> President of United Nations Global Compact Network Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">In Nepal, women’s representation in</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial"> corporate boards is </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">extremely low. A recent IFC study in the country’s power sector shows that out of 132 board members from 20 companies, only 12 (9 percent) are women. Despite Nepal’s Companies Act 2066 BS requiring at least one or more female shareholders, only three out of 10 public companies have women on their boards. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">"I have been encouraged by 18 power sector companies joining IFC's Powered by Women initiative to address some of these gender disparities," said Babacar S. Faye, IFC Resident Representative in Nepal. " But clearly, much more needs to be done to increase the participation of women on corporate boards in Nepal. Our research with stock exchanges in South Asia has shown that companies with higher gender diversity on their boards experience better financial returns.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The 2021 ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality’ event marks the seventh year of a global partnership between IFC, The World Federation of Exchanges, Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, UN Global Compact, UN Women and Women in ETF.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12954', 'image' => '20210325032522_1579166089133.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 15:22:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13207', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'One Year on, SMEs still Suffering from Impact of Lockdown', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Mach 25: Wednesday (March 24) marked one year since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus infection in 2020. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Mach 25: Wednesday (March 24) marked one year since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus infection in 2020. The months-long lockdown to curb coronavirus has hit small and medium enterprises (SMEs) the most. According to stakeholders, SMEs are more vulnerable to lockdown than other businesses. They suggest that SMEs don't have an extra income source to support their enterprises.<br /> Even though there is no lockdown now, entrepreneurs involved in SMEs inform that they are still affected. Business activity in the market has been growing, but it still has not made any positive impact on the overall business. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Naresh Katuwal, president of the Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs, an organization of small and medium entrepreneurs, said that small and medium entrepreneurs were the worst hit due to the lockdown. He informed that even after the lockdown goods that the traders were trying to import were stuck at checkpoints for a long duration and that has affected their sales. This caused a huge loss to the traders.<br /> Meanwhile, consumption has also declined due to the decline in consumers’ income due to the lockdown. Trade has not improved so far. According to Katuwal, about 5 percent of small and medium entrepreneurs have fled due to the lockdown while most of the entrepreneurs involved have changed their profession.<br /> "Only those who could trade in cash after the lockdown are able to continue the business. There is no business left now, which has led to the exodus of small entrepreneurs," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the association, about 40 percent of the shutters used for commercial purposes in the Kathmandu Valley were empty during the lockdown. New entrepreneurs have come to the stalls, but traders say the business climate has not improved.<br /> Similarly, the condition of productive sector has not improved much. The condition of poultry, dairy, handicraft, carpet, and other industries is also not improving. The impact of the lockdown is felt by the poultry industry, which was in loss of around Rs 220 million daily. Due to the lockdown and restriction, there was no import of breeding chicken, and now the production of chickens has decreased, and the price of raw material used for making chicken feed has increased.<br /> The production of chicken has decreased by 40 percent, while the production of chicken feed has also decreased subsequently.<br /> According to Dinesh Raj Mishra, general secretary of the Federation of Nepali Poultry Entrepreneurs, 80 percent of the farmers involved in broiler chicken production and about 20 percent in layer chicken production have had to switch their business due to the lockdown. He said that even if new farmers are involved now, it will take a few more years for the sector to pick up pace.<br /> Under normal circumstances, milk producers receive payment within three weeks of sales, but due to the impact of the lockdown and restrictions, the industrialists have not been able to pay the farmers for months.<br /> Handicraft manufacturers and carpet manufacturers informed that there is a problem in exporting goods as they have to pay three times more for shipping their products.<br /> According to the Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industries, there are around 3 million small and medium entrepreneurs in Nepal, out of which 1.6 million are registered entrepreneurs. The sector contributes 22 percent to the country's GDP and provides direct employment to more than 1.7 million people.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12953', 'image' => '20210325021126_20210119022843_Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 14:09:40', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13206', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'KMC Directs Tax Evaders to Present within 7 Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has directed the taxpayers evading tax to present themselves before its Revenue Department within seven days. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 25: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has directed the taxpayers evading tax to present themselves before its Revenue Department within seven days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The KMC revenue department issued the directive when it found evasion of municipal taxes in course of monitoring. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Business firms which were found not registered and defrauding tax were asked to produce themselves in the Department within a week. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to Department Chief Dr Shivaraj Adhikari, the department has undertaken monitoring of street vendors of New Road, Lazimpat, Panipokhari and Maharajgunj area on a sampling basis. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Dr Adhikari further shared that a thorough monitoring team would be mobilized from ward level after completing the sampling based monitoring. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12952', 'image' => '20210325125755_20210226043111_20201119021010_20200907074520_1599400665.tax.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 12:57:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13205', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Confrontation Between Pathao and Taxi Drivers Continues Despite Reconciliation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: Clashes between taxi operators and Pathao erupted on Monday (March 22) after some taxi drivers attacked a Pathao rider claiming that their customer was snatched by Pathao. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 25: Clashes between taxi operators and Pathao erupted on Monday (March 22) after some taxi drivers attacked a Pathao rider claiming that their customer was snatched by Pathao. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">On Tuesday, Pathao stopped its service citing a problem in the app. On the same day, the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division called both parties for a discussion. The division informed that the two sides reconciliation have reconciled after a meeting between the representative of Valley Taxi Entrepreneurs and Taxi Service Society and Pathao at the division. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Once the taxi operator apologized, both parties have agreed to operate their service with dignity,” said chief of the division SSP Janak Raj Bhattarai, “Since then, there has been no problem.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although the branch said that there has been an agreement between the two parties, the conflict between Pathao riders and taxi drivers is still going on. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">It has been a few years since the ride sharing business started in Nepal. However, the taxi operators are angry that their job has been taken away, which has further escalated the dispute. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Last year, Patan High Court issued a verdict directing the government to regulate the business. Even though the Department of Transport Management has made a draft for the ride sharing business and sent it to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, no law has been made yet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Bishnu Chauhan, central member of the Valley Taxi Entrepreneurs and Taxi Service Society, said that unpleasant incidents could happen at any time if Pathao is not regulated immediately. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although the taxi driver stated that the conflict was raised due to the Pathao, there has been widespread protest against the incident saying that the taxi drivers do not go by the meter and charged high fare. The ‘I am with Pathao’ campaign is also running on social media. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stating that he had repeatedly victimized by taxi drivers, former Foreign Secretary Madhurman Acharya, in support of Pathao wrote on Twitter, “There are some things that cannot be stopped. Ride sharing is like that. It is a need of time, and it continues somehow.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The marketing manager of Pathao Suraksha Hamal said that the regulatory body has banned the use of Pathao clothes, and stickers. Although she did not say which body has banned the wearing of Pathao marked clothes, she said that the service has been operational since Wednesday. Despite the problems on Pathao app on Wednesday, the app has been running normally since the evening. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-25', 'modified' => '2021-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12951', 'image' => '20210325124743_20200723124701_1595453826.Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-25 12:47:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13204', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Telecom Gears up for 5G Test', 'sub_title' => 'State-owned telecommunication company, Nepal Telecom, to provide free 5G services in four cities during one-year test phase', 'summary' => 'March 24: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA)—the telecommunication regulatory body of Nepal—is preparing to roll out the fifth generation (5G) of mobile broadband service based on the principle of technology neutrality. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><em>Rebati Adhikari</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 24: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA)—the telecommunication regulatory body of Nepal—is preparing to roll out the fifth generation (5G) of mobile broadband service based on the principle of technology neutrality. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The National Radio Frequency Policy Determination Committee (NRFPDC) under the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology recently took a decision to start the process of testing 5G. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">5G is the latest standard for broadband cellular network or the next generation of mobile internet connection that offers much faster speed for downloading and uploading data. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In line with the decision of the NRFPDC, the NTA is currently carrying out necessary homework to provide approval to Nepal Doorsanchar Company Ltd, commonly known as Nepal Telecom (NT), for 5G testing. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Min Prasad Aryal, spokesperson of Nepal Telecommunications Authority, said that the NTA board will soon take a decision to allow NT to initiate the process of 5G testing.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Earlier last week, the NRFPDC had made a policy-level decision to allow Nepal Telecom to start the testing of 5G service for a maximum period of one year without any charges. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Nepal Telecom, the state-owned telecommunication company, will not have to pay any frequency fee during the trial period. According to NTA officials, customers will be allowed to use the 5G service for free during the trial phase. However, this next generation wireless technology works only on those smartphones that are compatible with 5G service. Most of the smartphone manufacturers including Apple and Samsung are introducing their latest mobile phones that have 5G compatibility. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Technology Neutrality/Spectrum Neutrality is a provision that allows telecom operators to use any technology in frequency bands available to them. NTA had amended Radio Frequency Policy (Pricing and Distribution) 2069 in 2016 and introduced technology neutrality provision in 2016.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The 4G service was introduced in Nepal in 2017 through technology neutrality.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Under technology neutrality, 700 MHz, 1800 MHz, 900 MHz frequencies can be used to introduce 5G service. NTA will finalize the frequency after studying the technicalities of these frequencies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">NT is currently expanding 4G to local units of the country. So far, NT has achieved a target of 75 percent of work completion in expanding 4G service in local units. “The current 4G infrastructure like optical fiber network, BTS towers (Base Transceiver Station) can be used to launch 5G testing. NT will start the procurement of 5G frequency specific equipment once NTA gives a go-ahead to do so,” saod Rajesh Joshi, spokesperson of NT.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">NT is currently waiting for the permit to launch 5G tests. It is planning to conduct the tests in four cities which are yet to be fixed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">However, the commercial launch of 5G service will be decided after considering efficiency and other results from the test phase.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Ncell, the privately-owned mobile service provider, has also submitted expression of interest to the NTA to start 5G service in the country which is still under consideration, according to NTA officials. As for now, the ministry has allowed only NT to launch the test of 5G service. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12950', 'image' => '20210324040042_20181204021328_5GblogImage.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 15:59:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13203', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Removing Quarantine Provision only for Vaccinated Tourists is not Enough’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: Shashi Kanta Agrawal, vice chairman of Hotel Marriott, believes that the waiver of quarantine only for vaccinated tourists is not enough to revive the Covid-19 affected tourism industry.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Tamish Giri</span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 24: Shashi Kanta Agrawal, vice chairman of Hotel Marriott, believes that the waiver of quarantine only for vaccinated tourists is not enough to revive the Covid-19 affected tourism industry.<br /> He told New Business Age that the government should also remove the mandatory quarantine requirement for tourists with PCR negative report of 72 hours to attract foreigners to Nepal. <br /> "The negative PCR test report itself is proof that the arriving person is not contagious. The current quarantine requirement of 7 days discourages tourists from traveling to Nepal because no one wants to waste their time inside hotels. So, the government should take this under consideration and remove the mandatory quarantine requirement for tourists arriving with negative test report of 72 hours," Agrawal shares.<br /> Nepal removed quarantine requirement for visitors who have received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine, with the aim of boosting the tourism industry. A cabinet meeting on March 18 decided to remove the quarantine requirement for tourists with certificate of vaccination.<br /> However, tourists not receiving the vaccines are still required to stay in hotel quarantine mandatorily for 7 days. <br /> Tourists are also required to have an additional PCR test in Nepal before heading to their respective destinations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">"Such requirements are useless and confusing. It has been creating headaches for our foreign guests. Why would someone need to have another test report while s/he already has a negative test report? Last week, we had business clients from Dubai who were in Kathmandu for a day. The first thing they requested us upon their arrival at our hotel was to conduct their PCR test. They were agitated with the health protocols and didn't want to fly back as soon as possible after their meeting," Agrawal shared.<br /> Foreigners flying to Nepal must have a negative PCR report taken less than 72 hours before departure, hotel booking for at least seven days' quarantine in Nepal, and Covid-19 insurance of at least USD 5,000.<br /> Likewise, Agrawal also stressed that government needs to allow casinos to operate to promote tourism activities.<br /> We are confused about what the government is trying to prove. The decision to restrict the casinos in the name of Covid-19 control is misleading. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“The prime minister and the political leaders are neglecting the fact that casinos are crucial in terms of employment creation and tax collection. The government should allow the casinos to operate to revive the tourism economy," he said.<br /> The government has restricted the operation of casinos since the lockdown in March 2020.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12949', 'image' => '20210324020010_20200930115831_1601420205.89.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 13:58:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13201', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prices of Electronic Goods Surge ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: The prices of electronic appliances such as wire, fans, cables, chargers and batteries have increased in the market. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 24: The prices of electronic appliances such as wire, fans, cables, chargers and batteries have increased in the market. Traders say that the companies have increased the price citing increase in the price of raw materials in the international market. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sudarshan Neupane, president of the Electronic Trade Association, told New Business Age that the price of electronic goods have increased since the prices of raw materials including copper, aluminum, iron and PVC have increased. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to him, as the prices of such raw materials have doubled at present the prices of goods have also increased at the same rate. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The price of copper, which was US$ 4,800 per ton before the lockdown, has increased to US$ 9,000. Similarly, the price of PVC, which was Rs 108 per kg, is now Rs 160. Aluminum, copper and PVC are used in most types of materials including wires, cables, fans, switches. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, the prices of battery chargers, headphones and other items used in laptops and mobiles have also doubled. The price of a Dell laptop battery, which used to cost Rs 3,000 before the lockdown, has now reached Rs 7,000. Similarly, the price of a Dell laptop charger that used to be Rs 700 has now reached Rs 1,500. The price of headphones, which used to be Rs 400, has also gone up by Rs 200 to Rs 600. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Traders say that besides the increase in the price of raw materials in the international market, the transportation cost while importing the goods has also increased the price of electronic goods. Likewise, they say, the uncertainty of opening and closing of the northern border is also a major factor. Prior to this, they used to import electrical goods especially through Kerung and Tatopani checkpoints. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Due to the uncertainty of brining goods through these customs, we have to import goods by ship through the India ports of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. While doing so, it takes a long time and also increases the transportation cost,” said Raju Shrestha, a trader at Techno Computer, New Road. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to him, the fare of containers imported through Indian route has doubled compared to normal circumstances. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12948', 'image' => '20210324013316_laptop_batteries-min.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 13:32:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13202', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Delay in Development Projects ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: Although the government allocates budget for projects of national importance every year, such projects hardly get completed on time. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 24: Although the government allocates budget for projects of national importance every year, such projects hardly get completed on time. One of the reasons behind the delay in implementation of many such projects is that the projects are selected by leaders for popularity instead of the need of the people.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The progress of National Pride Projects is disappointing. According to Jagdish Prasad Agrawal, an economic and political analyst, the problem has arisen due to the competition among leaders to divide the budget in their constituencies for political gain. He views that political influence in the selection of development projects and resource allocation has overshadowed the real need. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stakeholders say that the trend of dividing budget for projects has not been able to guarantee development. While the government is preparing the budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2078/79, experts have suggested the government to prioritize need over popularity in the selection of projects. Agrawal states that it is time to reconsider the effectiveness of the scheme which has been in operation for 20-25 years in the name of national pride projects. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"Even today, financial resources are being mobilized for the 20/25 year old plans," he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The private sector has also suggested that the selection of the projects and their management should be made the main objective of the economic policy while the country moves on the path of federalism. Time and resources are being wasted when projects are not completed on time. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although the Development Committee of the Parliament had directed not to spend more than six years on any national pride project, the government has been ignoring this during budget allocation. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Even the Financial Comptroller General’s Office has been considering the lack of clear selection criteria and poor implementation of the plan as obstacles in achieving the target. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The annual report released by the Financial Comptroller General’s Office some time ago stated that the lack of criteria for announcing the plans was the cause of the chaos in development. Also, the lack of skilled manpower has weakened the implementation of the projects.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"We have the practice of leading the project by the administrative manpower. Project implementation and administration are different issues. We need technical manpower to move the plan forward, ” said Agrawal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Agrawal claims that selection of plans and proper use of resources will not be possible with the administrative manpower. Experts say that the announcement of plans without paying attention to the manpower for implementation is the problem. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Entrepreneur Navneet Agrawal says that those responsible for moving forward the plan should be held accountable for effective implementation of the plans. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Former president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ashok Kumar Vaidya says that there should be a comprehensive review of the implementation of past budgets before announcing a new budget. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The government should take action if the conditions are not fulfilled by signing an agreement with the officer responsible for the project. Rewards should also be given to those who complete the work on time,” he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government has provision for the reward and punishment policy but it has not been implemented yet.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12947', 'image' => '20210324013507_20190514035934_int6.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 13:34:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13200', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Number of Domestic Tourists up in Lumbini ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: The number of domestic tourists visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam, is increasing lately, especially after the nation-wide lockdown was lifted last July. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 24: The number of domestic tourists visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam, is increasing lately, especially after the nation-wide lockdown was lifted last July. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Tourism in Lumbini was adversely affected due to COVID-19 pandemic. But following the lifting of the lockdown, more local tourists were visiting the place in an impressive number. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Lumbini Development Trust’s Information Officer Rajan Basnet shared that Lumbini has received 141,579 domestic tourists since last July till date. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, 5,748 Indian tourists visited Lumbini while 120 tourists from other foreign countries were recorded to have arrived here during this period, according to Basnet. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The ban of international travel and sealing of borders during the lockdown led to restriction on human and traffic movements expect for the essential ones. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As a result, there were not much foreigner tourists in Lumbini, informed member-secretary of the Fund, Sanuraja Shakya. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Shakya shared that people would come here to mediate and get rid of negativity and anxiety emanating from the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and its negative effects on the economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Fund is launching various tourism promotion campaign to attract more tourists to Lumbini. Also, the Fund is coordinating efforts with other government agencies and private sector to lure the tourists to the place where the apostle of peace, Lord Buddha, was born approximately 2,500 years ago. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-24', 'modified' => '2021-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12946', 'image' => '20210324105002_20190113122644_aaaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-24 10:49:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13199', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'New Dimension to be added in Economic Partnership with Bangladesh: Foreign Minister', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, has said that the bilateral meeting and agreements held in course of President Bidya Devi Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh would add a new dimension to economic partnership. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">March 23: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, has said that the bilateral meeting and agreements held in course of President Bidya Devi Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh would add a new dimension to economic partnership. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During an interview with correspondents of Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) and Nepal Television in Dhaka on Tuesday (March 23), Minister Gyawali opined that both countries have given same priority in expansion of relation and support with India for strengthening trade relation of both countries. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He shared that the issue was raised in course of bilateral meeting held between President Bhandari and her counterpart Mohammad Abdul Hamid and other discussions on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During the meeting, Nepal proposed for easy trade access of its products in Bangladesh, added Minister Gyawali. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and Bangladeshi Foreign Affairs Minister Dr MK Abdul had paid courtesy call on President Bhandari on Monday and a sideline meeting was held between Minister Gyawali and Foreign Affairs Minister Abdul. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">"In these meetings discussions were held to move forward the mutual cordial ties along with economic partnership, and the leaders of both countries during the formal addresses have expressed such commitment," Minister Gyawali said, adding that views were also exchanged on expanding connectivity for promotion of energy, tourism and trade as well as on joint initiatives for reducing climate change risk. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Minister Gyawali said the agreement of exchange of letters on the Rohanpur-Singhabad transit route reached with Bangladesh has ensured Nepal's access to trade with third countries. He informed that they proposed with Bangladeshi officials for providing easy access to Nepali goods and products in the Bangladeshi market and to reduce the additional customs duties on Nepali goods and products, to reduce the trade deficit. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He that both Nepal and Bangladesh have a common understanding regarding both countries holding further discussions with India to facilitate energy trade between Nepal and Bangladesh. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to him, both countries have a common view on raising issues of common interest in the regional and international forums. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Asked about his views regarding President Bhandari's state visit to Bangladesh, Minister for Foreign Affairs Gyawali said, "This visit which has taken place on the occasion of the special function commemorating the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman, Bangladesh's Father of Nation, is in itself significant. This short visit has become result-oriented and successful. The relations subsisting at the government and people's level between the two countries have been further consolidated." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal and Bangladesh signed and exchanged separate Memorandum of Understanding on tourism, culture, sanitization and transit in the presence of the Presidents of both countries following the meeting between them held at the Bangabhaban, the Office of the President of Bangladesh on Monday night. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">President Bhandari had arrived in Dhaka on Monday at the invitation of her Bangladeshi counterpart, Hamid. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-23', 'modified' => '2021-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12945', 'image' => '20210323024419_1616483669.Pradeep-gyawali.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-23 14:43:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13198', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Exporting Goods Imported from Third Countries', 'sub_title' => 'Export of Domestic Products not Getting Proper Attention', 'summary' => 'March 23: The government has adopted a strategy to promote export to reduce the country’s trade deficit. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 23: The government has adopted a strategy to promote export to reduce the country’s trade deficit. Accordingly, there has been a decline in import and a slight improvement in export in the past few years. However, the contribution of foreign goods in exports is more than domestic products.<br /> According to the new policy to promote export, the then Finance Minister Dr Yuvaraj Khatiwada in the budget of the Fiscal Year 2075/76 BS made arrangements such as a massive increase in taxes to discourage imports and to give tax exemption on the import of raw materials for export.<br /> However, so far, no productive environment has been created for the export of Nepali goods. Due to the inability to promote domestic products in the international market, the increase in export is mainly due to foreign products.<br /> As there was high demand for palm oil in the Indian market, Nepali traders imported unrefined palm from Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, processed it in Nepal, and exported it to India.<br /> However, the Directorate General of the Foreign Trade of India imposed a ban on palm oil imports in the last week of December last year and imposed a complete ban from April this year. Due to the ban, Nepal's growing export suffered a severe setback.<br /> However, exporters have found an alternative to palm oil. They are now importing raw soybean instead, and exporting refined soybean oil to India after processing it in Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to oil trader Pradip Murarka, soybean oil has taken place of palm oil as the chief export product of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the Customs Department, in the first eight months of the current Fiscal Year, export of soybean oil stood at Rs 23.12 billion. During this period, export of soybean oil alone accounted for 28 percent of the total export of Rs 80.77 billion of Nepal.<br /> The export of synthetic yarn, which is the second largest export product, declined during the review period and was limited to Rs 5.1 billion. Exports of woollen carpets, carpets, tea, and readymade garments were also among the top export products of Nepal.<br /> Entrepreneurs complained that despite the government's pledge for economic reform, there has been no substantial change in policy.<br /> Entrepreneur Sunil KC, who is also the vice-president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that domestic production has not been able to increase as the government has not been able to promote production-oriented industries.<br /> He said that exporting goods imported from third countries would benefit the businessmen, but it would not benefit the country. "There are many Nepali goods like apples, honey, herbs, which can be exported after processing in industries," he added.<br /> Economist Shankar Sharma informed that the government should adopt strategies to promote export. "Even if exports of goods including palm/soybean increases the size of exports, it will not improve the country's economy," he said. He said that the government should take initiative to increase the establishment of industries in collaboration with the private sector as the economy would not move in the right direction without industrial development.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-23', 'modified' => '2021-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12944', 'image' => '20210323021917_1616451745.13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-23 14:18:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13197', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'FNCCI to facilitate Securing Investment for 50 Startups ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: With an ambitious plan of expanding the country's economy to Rs 100 trillion by 2030, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has formed a Startup and New Industry Committee to facilitate 50 startup businesses to raise investment for their venture. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">March 23: With an ambitious plan of expanding the country's economy to Rs 100 trillion by 2030, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has formed a Startup and New Industry Committee to facilitate 50 startup businesses to raise investment for their venture. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The federation said in a press release on Monday that they have already secured investment from 50 investors. However, it did not disclose the details of the investors. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The committee will open application in the first week of April. According to the president of the committee Ranjit Raj Acharya, the shortlisted applicants under the criteria set by the federation will be announced in the second week of April. The final list will be published within two months after intensive interviews. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Furthermore, he said that the entrepreneurs selected in the final stage will be mentored for three months and then introduced to the investors. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"The investors will choose the business idea they like and invest in it as per the need," he said, "There is an agreement that investors must invest in at least one business." </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He claims that this program will help to increase the economy by developing entrepreneurship and creating employment in the country. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The federation has put it under the roadmap of the works to be done within the next two years. FNCCI President Shekhar Golchha said that the roadmap will be made public on April 11. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stating that he has planned to create 800,000 jobs during his tenure, he said that the project will study startup / industry business along with job creation, take initiative for formulation of startup policy in collaboration with Investment Promotion Division under the Ministry of Industry to promote entrepreneurship with latest ideas in the country, identify entrepreneurs with new ides and help them move forward by raising necessary investment. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the federation, the entrepreneurs who have been running their business for at least one year will be able to apply for the program. Acharya said that all entrepreneurs working in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing business, information technology and others can apply. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-23', 'modified' => '2021-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12943', 'image' => '20210323015842_20201126120607_1606367319.fncci (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-23 13:57:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, '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
