NEWS

Government Imposes Quantitative Restriction on Import of Pepper, Betel Nuts and Peas

Mar 23, 2021 0 1 minutes 54 seconds to read

March 23: The government has imposed quantitative restriction on import of peas.…

Free Internet in Shey-Phoksundo Area

Mar 22, 2021 0 48 seconds to read

March 22: Shey-Phoksundo lake area in Dolpa has been connected with internet…

Restriction in Import of Dried Peas Leads to Shortage in the Market

Mar 22, 2021 0 3 minutes 1 seconds to read

March 22: The shortage of dried peas in the market has been increasing after the government banned the import of peas since March 29, 2020 to prevent Nepali currency from going abroad during the coronavirus…

Chinese Company Selected for Building Charging Stations

Mar 22, 2021 0 1 minutes 55 seconds to read

March 22: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has selected a Chinese firm to build 50 charging stations for electric vehicles in the Kathmandu valley and along the…

Government Approves Detailed Design of Kathmandu-Raxaul Railway

Mar 22, 2021 0 1 minutes 45 seconds to read

March 22: The Government of Nepal has approved a study on the detailed design of the proposed Kathmandu-Raxaul Broad Gauge Railway.…

Nepal to sign 3 MoUs with Bangladesh

Mar 22, 2021 0 2 minutes 58 seconds to read

March 22: The Nepali delegation is all set to sign three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Bangladesh during the state visit of President Bidya Devi Bhandari to the neighbouring…

Nepal Tourism Board to participate in SATTE

Mar 21, 2021 0 3 minutes 35 seconds to read

March 21: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) will participate in South Asia Travels and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in India.…

Jury tells Apple to pay $308.5 million for patent infringement

Mar 21, 2021 0 1 minutes 8 seconds to read

March 21: Tech giant Apple Inc has been found guilty in a case of patent…

Price of Chicken Increases due to Decline in Production

Mar 21, 2021 0 3 minutes 23 seconds to read

March 21: The price of chicken has increased due to the decline in production.…

Govt approves Indian COVAXIN as third Covid vaccine for emergency use in Nepal

Mar 20, 2021 0 1 minutes 1 seconds to read

The government has granted permission for the emergency use authorization of another Indian-manufactured Covid-19 vaccine, COVAXIN.…

‘Nepal Invests’ launched to support foreign investments in Nepal

Mar 20, 2021 0 1 minutes 2 seconds to read

CDC Group, the UK’s development finance institution, FMO, the Dutch development bank and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC have launched Nepal Invests, a platform that will drive increased investment into the country.…

World Bank to Finance US$ 24 Million for Forests for Prosperity Project

Mar 19, 2021 0 3 minutes 46 seconds to read

March 19: The Government of Nepal and the World Bank on Friday (March 19) signed loan and grant agreements for the $24 million Forests for Prosperity Project to help Nepal advance sustainable forest management.…

Domestic Airlines to Increase Airfare Again

Mar 19, 2021 0 3 minutes 11 seconds to read

March 19: Airline companies of Nepal have decided to increase the airfare of all domestic flights effective from March 20 due to the increase in price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).…

Government lifts Ban on Import of Black Pepper, Dates and Betel Nuts

Mar 19, 2021 0 2 minutes 21 seconds to read

March 19: The government has lifted the ban on import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel…

Industrialists demand Delaying the Date of Depositing Amoung in Social Security Fund

Mar 19, 2021 0 3 minutes 36 seconds to read

March 19: Entrepreneurs and businessmen of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have urged the government to postpone the date of depositing money in the contribution-based Social Security…

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NEPSE

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			'title' => 'Government Imposes Quantitative Restriction on Import of Pepper, Betel Nuts and Peas',
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			'summary' => 'March 23: The government has imposed quantitative restriction on import of peas. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 23: The government has imposed quantitative restriction on import of peas. The latest decision taken by the government allows importers to import up to 80,000 metric tons of peas in the fiscal year 2020/21. Publishing a notice on Nepal Gazette, the government said it has lifted ban on import of peas and eased the import through quota system.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Likewise, the government has allowed import of 25,000 metric tons of betel nuts, 5,000 metric tons of dates and 15,000 metric tons of black pepper for the current fiscal year. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the government had imposed a ban on import of items like pepper, peas, dates and betel nuts on March 24 last year to reduce the impact on foreign exchange reserve. A cabinet meeting held on 8<sup>th</sup> March decided to lift the ban and put quantitative restriction on import of these items. The government had made this decision upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The government has also lifted the ban on import of luxury vehicles worth more than $50,000. The situation is gradually returning back to normal so the government is also lifting the ban on import of various items. Due to the restrictions imposed on import of different items, the industrialists involved in this business were affected. Particularly, industries involved in the business of peas were extremely affected. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The industrialists have welcomed this decision made by the government. Om Prakash Mor, an industrialist involved in pea business, said this decision is praiseworthy and the current quota set by the government is also sufficient to meet the market demand. However there are confusions regarding the volume. The government has not clearly stated the allowed volume for a particular importer. Different exporters might place the import order at the same time risking the chances of not being approved by the Customs Department. So the importers have urged the government to resolve this issue as well.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '13195',
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			'title' => ' Free Internet in Shey-Phoksundo Area',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: Shey-Phoksundo lake area in Dolpa has been connected with internet service.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 22: Shey-Phoksundo lake area in Dolpa has been connected with internet service. World Link, a private internet service provider, has connected the area with free internet. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to the company, free internet connection in the area aims to promote the beautiful tourist destination which still awaits proper publicity for its idyllic natural beauty.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">An internet user can use 500 MB free internet in a day, according the company&rsquo;s technician Umakant Chhetri. With the site getting internet, Chhetri believes that visitors will find it easy to stay connected and it would be a source of entertainment for them as well. -- RSS&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>
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			'title' => 'Restriction in Import of Dried Peas Leads to Shortage in the Market ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: The shortage of dried peas in the market has been increasing after the government banned the import of peas since March 29, 2020 to prevent Nepali currency from going abroad during the coronavirus crisis.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 22: The shortage of dried peas in the market has been increasing after the government banned the import of peas since March 29, 2020 to prevent Nepali currency from going abroad during the coronavirus crisis. Ever since the ban was imposed, the importers have not been able to import dried peas. This has resulted in a shortage of peas in the market although the government has taken corrective measures of late.</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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Om Prakash Mor, manager of Shakti Pulse Mill, Birgunj, said that there is shortage of white peas in the market. &ldquo;We tried to import peas from India. However, we could not import from India which further escalated the shortage,&rdquo; he said. After the government&#39;s decision in March last year, import of peas into Nepal has been completed halted.</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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Later, the government allowed the import of peas stuck at the check-posts. The same peas were &nbsp;available in the market until some time ago. However, now that the stock of the peas has run out, there is a shortage again. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As soon as the meeting of Council of Ministers on March 9 lifted the one-year ban on the import of pepper, betel nut and dates and peas on March 9, and imposed a quote system, traders are now gearing up to import peas. However, Mor says that there will be shortage of peas in the domestic market for the next three months as the import process from abroad will be lengthy. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As the domestic production of peas is not sufficient to meet the local demand, Nepali importers have been importing peas from countries like Canada, Russia, New Zealand, Australia and Ukraine. In the last fiscal year, about 150,000 tons of peas were imported to Nepal. This year, the government has set a quota to import 80,000 tons of peas. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Due to the increasing shortage of peas in the market, the price has skyrocketed. According to the Retail Trade Association, the price of green peas, which was Rs 120 per kg a month ago, has gone up by Rs 40 to Rs 160 per kg. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Likewise, white peas that used to cost Rs 70 per kg a month ago is now Rs 150 per kg, up by Rs 80. The president of the association, Rajkumar Shrestha blames the shortage for the increment of price. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">He further informed that many small traders have stopped selling peas due to the high price. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '13193',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Chinese Company Selected for Building Charging Stations',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has selected a Chinese firm to build 50 charging stations for electric vehicles in the Kathmandu valley and along the highways.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 22: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has selected a Chinese firm to build 50 charging stations for electric vehicles in the Kathmandu valley and along the highways. Jiyansu Guangdong New Energy Technology (Star Charge) has won the contract to build the charging stations in the country.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Altogether 13 companies had submitted applications in response to a global tender called by NEA. Of the 13 companies, only three companies were technically eligible. Sagar Mani Gyawali, head of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Construction Project of NEA confirmed that Star Charge has been selected to build the charging stations. NEA has already provided the letter of intent to the Chinese firm.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The agreement will be signed between the Chinese company and the authority within March. According to Gyawali, the company will shoulder all the responsibility of constructing and procuring required materials. The company will also be responsible for the maintenance works for five years.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">As per the plan, seven charging stations will be built in the valley and the other stations will be built along the highways.&nbsp; NEA had estimated the cost of the construction to be Rs 500 million but the Chinese company plans to construct the stations at just Rs 380 million. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The construction of the stations will begin soon after the agreement is signed and project will be completed in a year, said Gyawali. &ldquo;We plan to complete the construction of charging stations in six to eight months but the preparations required on technical part will require a year for the successful completion of the project,&rdquo; Gyawali said. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Those charging stations will have infrastructure like transformer, low-high transmission line, software and communication, payment gateway for the payment of bills. One charging station will be &nbsp;of the capacity of 142 kW which will have DC power of 120 kW and AC power of 22kW. It takes two hours for a 200kW vehicle to get fully charge. </span></span></p>
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			'title' => 'Government Approves Detailed Design of Kathmandu-Raxaul Railway',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: The Government of Nepal has approved a study on the detailed design of the proposed Kathmandu-Raxaul Broad Gauge Railway. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 22: The Government of Nepal has approved a study on the detailed design of the proposed Kathmandu-Raxaul Broad Gauge Railway. The study report has been sent to India for approval before signing memorandum of understanding between the two countries. Nepal is awaiting India&#39;s response to move ahead with the study report.<br />
The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has proposed the Government of India to sign the MoU in this regard. The ministry forwarded the report to India a few days ago after a decision of the Council of Ministers.<br />
&quot;The government will start further study after the contents of the report are approved by India,&quot; said Keshav Kumar Sharma, joint secretary at the ministry. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Making the decisions of cabinet meeting public on March 21, government spokesperson Parbat Gurung said that the director-general of the railway department has been authorized to sign the MoU.<br />
He said that an MoU between the Government of Nepal and the Government of India has been approved to move ahead with the construction of the broad gauge railway and the Director-General of the Railway Department has been authorized to sign the memorandum.<br />
On March 7, 2018, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the then Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to move ahead with the Kathmandu-Raxaul railway project.<br />
In the next three years, Nepal had sent a proposal to India to carry out a study of the detailed design of the railway. Nepal has allocated around Rs. 1 billion for the construction of the 136 km broad gauge railway connecting Kathmandu and Raxaul. However, preliminary studies show that an investment of Rs 300 billion is required.<br />
As it will be expensive for Nepal to expand the railway through its internal resources and loans, India has proposed to build the broad gauge railway.&nbsp;<br />
At present, India has a railway network that extends up to 68,000 kilometers across the country.</span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13191',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal to sign 3 MoUs with Bangladesh ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: The Nepali delegation is all set to sign three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Bangladesh during the state visit of President Bidya Devi Bhandari to the neighbouring country.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 22: The Nepali delegation is all set to sign three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Bangladesh during the state visit of President Bidya Devi Bhandari to the neighbouring country.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to the state-owned national news agency RSS, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Parbat Gurung confirmed that the president will sign the MoUs with&nbsp; Bangladesh during the visit. President Bhandari left Bangladesh on a two-day state visit on Monday, March 22.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">During the visit, an array of subjects like cultural relations, tourism sector and pesticides on agriculture and livestock between Nepal and Bangladesh would be discussed, RSS quoted the minister as saying at a press briefing organised in Singha Durbar on Sunday.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The press meet was held to make public the decisions taken by the last four cabinet meetings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&nbsp;Likewise, linking Nepal with ports in Bangladesh through railway and transportation would also be discussed, RSS added. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&quot;There is the hope that the subject of initiatives taken by Bangladesh on purchasing power from Nepal will be discussed,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to RSS, it has been decided to authorize Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Dinesh Bhattarai, to sign one of the MoUs from the side of the Government of Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Likewise, the government has decided to nominate a six-member delegation led by Vice Chairperson of the National Planning Commission Prof Dr Pushpa Raj Kandel to take part from Nepal&#39;s side in a virtual event of the Eighth Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development to be organised in Bangkok in Thailand on 23-26 March.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Similarly, it has been decided to nominate a six-member delegation led by Dr Kandel to partake from Nepal&#39;s side in a virtual event of the 77th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific scheduled in Bangkok on 27-29 April.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Likewise, the government will accept medical equipment worth Rs 1.08 billion to be provided by the Government of Japan in grant to control and treat non-infectious diseases.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The cabinet meeting has also decided to give permission to lease out the land in Hetauda Sub Metropolitan City in Makawanpur district belonging to the Nepal Trust to the Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, Bagmati Province.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Similarly, the government appointed Binod Kumar Joshi as the Chairperson of Nepal Transit Warehousing Management Company Limited and Phulman Bal (Tamang) as the General Manager of Nepal Television. </span></span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13190',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal Tourism Board to participate in SATTE ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 21: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) will participate in South Asia Travels and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in India. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 21: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) will participate in South Asia Travels and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in India. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The tourism promotion board along with 25 organizations, including Nepal Airlines Corporation will participate in the international tourism promotion campaign, for the first time since the outbreak of Covid-19. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Twenty-five organizations, under the leadership of the board will be participating in the &#39;SATTE&#39; to be held in Greater Noida, India, reads a statement of NTB. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The tourism expo is scheduled to be held from March 24 to March 26. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">NTB is participating in South Asia&#39;s Travel &amp; Tourism Exchange (SATTE) to be held in India to promote tourism in Nepal, which has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">In line with the strategy of going to the markets of the neighboring countries for the promotion of tourism, the Board is going to participate in the exchange, the statement quotes Dr Dhananjay Regmi, CEO of NTB, as saying. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&quot;Tourism activity is growing in India. But India has not yet opened entry permits for many countries, we expect Nepal&#39;s participation in this event to be important,&quot; Regmi shares.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Considering the effectiveness of SATTE, CEO Regmi informed that NTB will gradually participate in tourism promotion programmes in India.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">NTB believes that SATTE will help in the promotion of tourism in Nepal as the government has decided to resume Nepal-India transport.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Tourism Board has identified the need for separate strategies for border areas, hill stations, and other tourist destinations to attract Indian tourists to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Those participating in the event include Chhaya Devi Complex Pvt. Ltd, Airwings Tours And Travels Pvt Ltd, Well Nepal Travel And Tours, Fishtail Tours &amp; Travel, Soham Journeys Pvt. Ltd, Tiger One Pvt Ltd, Global Asia Tours, and Travel P Ltd, Ojha Holidays Tours &amp; Treks Pvt.Ltd, Outdoor Expeditions Pvt. Ltd, Langtang Ri Trekking &amp; Expedition Pvt Ltd, Chandragiri Hills Limited, Taleju Adventure Pvt. Ltd, Koili Travel Company Pvt Ltd, Apoorva Tours &amp; Travel Pvt. Ltd., Jugal Holidays Pvt. Ltd, Himalayan Club Tours &amp; Travel, Holiday Bookers Nepal Pvt. Ltd., Nepal Social Treks And Expedition, Trekking Venue Nepal (P) LTD, Bodhi Suites Boutique Hotel &amp;Spa, Kathmandu Holiday Tours &amp; Travels Pvt. Ltd, Tripmandu Private Ltd, KGH, Apex Nepal Treks &amp; Tours, along with NTB and NAC. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Thirty-six organizations had participated in the previous edition of SATTE.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13189',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Jury tells Apple to pay $308.5 million for patent infringement',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 21: Tech giant Apple Inc has been found guilty in a case of patent rights.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">March 21: Tech giant Apple Inc has been found guilty in a case of patent rights.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to Reuters, a federal jury in Texas said Apple Inc must pay about $308.5 million to Personalized Media Communications LLC (PMC) for infringing a patent associated with digital rights management.<br />
The jurors late on Friday (March 19) directed Apple to pay a running royalty to PMC which is generally based on the amount of sales of a product or service, the news agency reported.<br />
Apple reportedly said it was disappointed with the verdict and planned to appeal.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">&quot;Cases like this, brought by companies that don&#39;t make or sell any products, stifle innovation and ultimately harm consumers,&quot; Reuters quoted Apple as saying in an emailed statement.<br />
PMC, a licensing firm, had originally sued Apple in 2015 alleging the tech giant&#39;s iTunes service infringed seven of its patents.<br />
Apple successfully challenged PMC&#39;s case at the US patent office, but an appeals court in March last year reversed that decision, paving the way for the trial.</span></span></span></p>
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-21 14:12:41',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13188',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Price of Chicken Increases due to Decline in Production ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 21: The price of chicken has increased due to the decline in production. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 21: The price of chicken has increased due to the decline in production. Earlier, the price had declined to Rs 340 per kilogram from Rs 370 after bird flu was detected in poultry farms in Tarkeshwor Municipality on January 29. At present, the price of chicken is Rs 390 per kilogram. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although Meat Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal has fixed the price of chicken at Rs 390, traders are found to be selling chicken up to Rs 400 per kg in the market. </span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The price of meat has increased due to the decline in the production and increase in grains fed to chicken. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Jung Bahadur BC, president of the association, states that the decline in production is the major reason in increase in price of chicken. According to him, the production of chicken has decreased by 40 percent. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Production of chicken has declined as the hatchery industries have not been able to import parent chicken due to the extended lockdown. &ldquo;</span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">It will affect the Nepali meat market for about six months,&rdquo; he told New Business Age. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Nepal has a demand for 500,000 kg of meat daily where 250,000 to 300,000 kg is consumed in Kathmandu valley. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Even the price of newly hatched broiler chicken has increased from Rs 70 to Rs 90 after the decline in production. Likewise, the price of layer chicken, which was priced at Rs 140 has also increased to Rs 170 per chick. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to the Nepal Hatchery Industry Association, there is a shortage of 1.7 million chicken per week in the market. Despite the demand of 4.5 million chickens per week, the current production is only 2.8 million chickens. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">President of the association Rabin Puri said the price of chicken feed has gone up due to the increase in the price of raw materials like soybeans and other medicines. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The price of soybeans has increased by Rs 3 per kg in two weeks. At present, the price of soybean is Rs 83 per kg. Earlier, the price of B Zero grain was Rs 62 per kg while the price of B one and B two grain were Rs 61 and Rs 60 per kg. The price of all these have increased by Rs 2 per kg. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Soybean and maize that are used to make food for chicken are imported from countries like America, Brazil and India. Annually, 99 percent of soybean and 70 percent of maize used for grain production have to be imported from abroad. </span></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13186',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Govt approves Indian COVAXIN as third Covid vaccine for emergency use in Nepal ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'The government has granted permission for the emergency use authorization of another Indian-manufactured Covid-19 vaccine, COVAXIN. ',
			'content' => '<p>March 20:<br />
The government has granted permission for the emergency use authorization of another Indian-manufactured Covid-19 vaccine, COVAXIN.</p>

<p>Issuing a statement on Friday, the Department of Drug Administration (DDA) said that it decided to grant conditional permission for emergency use authorization of COVAXIN, a Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech International Limited, Hyderabad, India.</p>

<p>Covaxin has become third Covid vaccine in Nepal to acquire the permission from the government for the emergency use.&nbsp; With this, two Covid vaccines from India and one from China will be allowed to be administered in Nepal. Covid vaccine developed by Chinese Sinopharm and Covishield, a vaccine developed by Oxford/AstraZeneca and manufactured by Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd, have already received approval from the DDA for the emergency use. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The government is currently administering Covishield vaccines to the people as part of its nationwide vaccination drive. While the Indian government had provided 1 million doses of Covishield to Nepal in grant, the government later decided to purchase 2 million doses from Serum Institute of India. Out of the total vaccines that the government decided to purchase, Serum Institute is yet to supply 1 million doses to Nepal.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'image' => '20210320043230_bharat-biotech-covaxin-packshot.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-03-20 16:28:40',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13185',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => '‘Nepal Invests’ launched to support foreign investments in Nepal',
			'sub_title' => 'Developed by leading development finance institutions and development partners, the platform aims at accelerating investments in Nepal',
			'summary' => 'CDC Group, the UK’s development finance institution, FMO, the Dutch development bank and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC have launched Nepal Invests, a platform that will drive increased investment into the country. ',
			'content' => '<p>March 20:<br />
CDC Group, the UK&rsquo;s development finance institution, FMO, the Dutch development bank and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC have launched Nepal Invests, a platform that will drive increased investment into the country.</p>

<p>Issuing a joint statement on Friday, they said that the newly launched platform will support foreign direct investments into Nepal.</p>

<p>&ldquo;This group comprising of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and a Development Partner,will complement existing efforts to attract more investments and advance the development of the country, by channelling efforts to unlock the possibilities of investing patient, flexible capital to support private sector growth and innovation &ndash; helping to solve the biggest development challenges in Nepal,&rdquo; read the statement.</p>

<p>According to the statement, Nepal Invests will also support the economic recovery from COVID-19 by partnering to address business environment challenges, exploring innovative ways to finance SMEs and increasing the skills and capacity of local investment professionals.</p>

<p>&ldquo;These measures are designed to better prepare Nepal&rsquo;s market for increased investment from development finance institutions, frontier players, and intermediate vehicles in order to support the medium-term economic recovery,&rdquo; the statement added.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-20 15:37:52',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13184',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'World Bank to Finance US$ 24 Million for Forests for Prosperity Project',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: The Government of Nepal and the World Bank on Friday (March 19) signed loan and grant agreements for the $24 million Forests for Prosperity Project to help Nepal advance sustainable forest management. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">March 19: The Government of Nepal and the World Bank on Friday (March 19) signed loan and grant agreements for the $24 million Forests for Prosperity Project to help Nepal advance sustainable forest management. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">According to a joint statement issued by the government and the World Bank,&nbsp; Nepal will receive $6.1 million as grant and $17.9 million as concessional loan for the project.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">The statement says that the project will contribute to transforming Nepal&rsquo;s forest sector by improving sustainable forest management and developing a strong forest-based private sector. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;These activities will result in multiple benefits for forest-dependent people in selected municipalities in Province 2 and Lumbini Province, including inclusive economic benefits, ecosystem services, and greater climate resilience. It will help strengthen ongoing community-based conservation efforts while promoting inclusive sustainable use,&rdquo; reads the statement.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">Finance Secretary Sishir Kumar Dhungana and the World Bank&rsquo;s Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos signed the agreements on behalf of their respective organisations. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">Additionally, a project agreement was signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Agriculture Development Bank, Anil Kumar Upadhyaya and the World Bank Country Director. The Agriculture Development Bank, as a project implementation entity, will design and pilot a credit line for establishing and strengthening forest-based small and medium enterprises.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;Strengthening local communities, for whom forests are a traditional safety net during times of crisis, is especially important in the COVID-19 era. In that same spirit, the project will facilitate Nepal&rsquo;s forest-based private sector to invest in jobs and reduce dependence on timber imports,&rdquo; the statement quoted Finance Secretary Dhungana as saying. &ldquo;The project will also provide timely support to the institutions at the provincial and local levels to strengthen natural resource governance.&rdquo;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">The project is a key part of the government&rsquo;s Relief, Recovery and Resilience (3R) plan and Nepal&rsquo;s commitments to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Aligned with this 3R plan, development partners led by the World Bank and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, coalesced around a &ldquo;Green, Resilient, and Inclusive Development&rdquo; framework to mobilize investments over the next three years to secure jobs and livelihoods, build resilience, strengthen social inclusion, enhance sustainability, and promote efficiency. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;The project will support 50 municipalities, which is a starting point for inclusive climate action and inclusive green economic growth based on Nepal&rsquo;s comparative advantage. We are confident that if the project yields the expected outcomes, there will be opportunities to scale up the project and allow more people to benefit,&rdquo; stated&nbsp; Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. &ldquo;This project illustrates that the World Bank is honored to be a trusted partner of Nepal as it faces three challenges at once: COVID, climate, and community opportunities.&rdquo;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&nbsp;The Forests for Prosperity Project is the first World Bank-supported forest sector investment project in Nepal in over 15 years, and the third part of a joint programmatic engagement on forest landscapes by the World Bank and the government of Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13183',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Domestic Airlines to Increase Airfare Again',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: Airline companies of Nepal have decided to increase the airfare of all domestic flights effective from March 20 due to the increase in price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). ',
			'content' => '<p>Tamish Giri</p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">March 19: Airline companies of Nepal have decided to increase the airfare of all domestic flights effective from March 20 due to the increase in price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">This is the second time in 15 days that the airlines companies have increased airfare citing fuel surcharge. Domestic airliners had previously increased the airfare on March 5.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AAON), the umbrella body of domestic airline companies in Nepal, said a statement on March 19 that all its members will increase the airfare of domestic flights from March 20.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to AAON, the member airlines, in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), decided to increase the airfare following the decision of the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) on March 16 to increase the price of ATF by Rs 2.&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">NOC increased the price of ATF for domestic flights by Rs 2 per liter from midnight of March 16.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Previously, NOC had also increased the price of ATF for domestic flights on February 16, and subsequently the airline operators had raised the airfare on February 20. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to AAON, airfare is determined based on three components- airfare fixed by the government, fuel surcharge, and airport taxes.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">AAON along with CAAN and the Ministry of Tourism have set a pricing formula comprising of all three components of airfare pricing. Based on the formula, the airfare is determined and submitted to CAAN.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to the statement issued by AAON, the association and its member airlines have decided to increase the airfare following the rise in fuel price on March 16 and the government&#39;s decision on May 10, 2018, that allows AAON and airline operators to adjust the fuel surcharge in accordance to the fuel price.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">After the rise, the airfare of mountain flights from Kathamndu has increased by Rs 70. Previously, after the rise in ATF on March 5, AAON had set the fuel surcharge for mountain flights from Kathmandu at Rs 2470 per person. It has now been increased by Rs 70 to Rs 2540. So the individuals willing to enjoy the mountain flight will need to pay Rs 70 extra.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The airfare of the Kathmandu-Dhangadhi route has witnessed the maximum increase of Rs 90 per ticket while the airfare of the Kathamndu-Pokhara route has been increased by Rs 30 per ticket and by Rs 20 in the Kathamndu-Bharatpur route.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Likewise, the airfare of the Kathmandu-Bhadrapur route has been increased by Rs 60 per ticket.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Kathamndu-Simara airfare has also increased by Rs 20 with the rise in fuel surcharge of Rs 20.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13182',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government lifts Ban on Import of Black Pepper, Dates and Betel Nuts',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: The government has lifted the ban on import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 19: The government has lifted the ban on import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts. A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on March 9 lifted the ban on the shipments of these four items.<br />
The government decided to allow the import of the food items only in up to a certain amount upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.&nbsp; Urmila KC, undersecretary and deputy spokesperson of the Ministry, informed that the government lifted the ban on shipments of the four items based on quota system.<br />
Further details in this regard will be published in the Nepal Gazette on March 22, she informed. Deputy Spokesperson KC said that she cannot reveal the exact quantity of the four items that can be imported into the country.<br />
&quot;Currently, we have made arrangements to allow the import of these items under the quota system. If imported items do not meet the demand in the future, we can reconsider the decision,&quot; she said.<br />
The government had imposed a ban on import of most goods in April last year in a bid to control the coronavirus epidemic. The government had put a complete ban on the import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts. Similarly, the government had also restricted the import of alcohol and other goods during the period.<br />
The government made such a decision to prevent foreign currency from flowing out during the crisis. Now that the situation is getting normal and the government has started lifting the ban.<br />
The government lifted the ban on alcohol last September. When the government imposed a ban on imports, industrialists and traders were badly affected by the decision.<br />
The industrialists had been making pulses from imported peas and selling them in the domestic market. Their trade had dried up after the government restricted the import. Likewise, the price had gone up due to the shortage of these items in the domestic market of Nepal.<br />
Industrialists share that the wavier by the government will make it easier for the pulse industry to flourish.<br />
Businessmen suggested that despite the implementation of quota system on imports, the government should not allow traders to import the goods at once. They suggest that a certain amount of goods should be allowed to be imported every month.<br />
Some traders, however, have objected to the implementation of the quota system in the import of these items. One of the importers said the government&#39;s decision was not fair.<br />
&quot;The government imposed a complete ban on alcohol imports last year. However, the ban was lifted before Dashain but the ban on other food items are still in force,&quot; he said.</span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13181',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Industrialists demand Delaying the Date of Depositing Amoung in Social Security Fund ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: Entrepreneurs and businessmen of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have urged the government to postpone the date of depositing money in the contribution-based Social Security Fund.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 19: Entrepreneurs and businessmen of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have urged the government to postpone the date of depositing money in the contribution-based Social Security Fund. In an interaction programme in Morang<strong> </strong>on Thursday, the industrialists and businessmen requested the government to change the date of depositing the fund from15th day of each month to the 25<sup>th</sup> day. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As per the provisions of the Social Security Act 2074 and Social Security Schemes Operational Directives 2075, there is a provision to deposit the amount in the fund by the 15th of every &nbsp;month. Stating that this has increased financial and administrative hassles, the industrialists and businessmen have demanded that the day of submission of VAT and TDS details be changed to the day of depositing funds. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Furthermore, they have also demanded that the age limit mentioned in the Labor and Social Security Act to be amended. They raised this demand as there is a gap of two years between the retirement age and the age of the beneficiary receiving benefit from the social security fund. The Act specifies 58 years of age of retirement of workers and the age for workers to get entitled for benefits of social security fund is 60 years. The industrialists say they have to bear additional responsibility for two years after retirement. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Chairman of the Morang Trade Association, Prakash Mundada, said that although the industrialists were ready to implement the government plan, there were legal complications. He stated that simplifying the complex situation would remove the complexity of its implementation. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Likewise, Ashish Kafle, manager of Reliance Spinning, said there would be problems in full implementation unless the workers understood how to get back the money deposited in the fund. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Even though the law clearly states that the workers should be registered in the contribution-based social security fund from the day they start working, the industrialists are of the view that there is confusion in depositing and reimbursing the wages of the workers working in the industries. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although the industrialists said that it was becoming difficult to list the workers, the trade union representatives accused them of trying to deprive them opportunities by making excuses. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Kishor Dhamala, president of Nepal Trade Union Federation, Province 1, accused the industrialists of not wanting to list the workers. He raised the issue of updating the details of the workers working in the industry in three months by setting up offices at the provincial level. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although there are more than 200,000 workers in Province 1, only 20,000 have been registered in the fund so far, according to the labor association. Director of the Fund Uttam Raj Nepal said that the previous problems would be reduced automatically as the government has already approved the implementation of social security fund and investment procedures. He also claimed that the implementation of the contribution-based social security fund scheme would be beneficial for both workers and industrialists.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13196',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Imposes Quantitative Restriction on Import of Pepper, Betel Nuts and Peas',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 23: The government has imposed quantitative restriction on import of peas. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 23: The government has imposed quantitative restriction on import of peas. The latest decision taken by the government allows importers to import up to 80,000 metric tons of peas in the fiscal year 2020/21. Publishing a notice on Nepal Gazette, the government said it has lifted ban on import of peas and eased the import through quota system.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Likewise, the government has allowed import of 25,000 metric tons of betel nuts, 5,000 metric tons of dates and 15,000 metric tons of black pepper for the current fiscal year. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the government had imposed a ban on import of items like pepper, peas, dates and betel nuts on March 24 last year to reduce the impact on foreign exchange reserve. A cabinet meeting held on 8<sup>th</sup> March decided to lift the ban and put quantitative restriction on import of these items. The government had made this decision upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The government has also lifted the ban on import of luxury vehicles worth more than $50,000. The situation is gradually returning back to normal so the government is also lifting the ban on import of various items. Due to the restrictions imposed on import of different items, the industrialists involved in this business were affected. Particularly, industries involved in the business of peas were extremely affected. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The industrialists have welcomed this decision made by the government. Om Prakash Mor, an industrialist involved in pea business, said this decision is praiseworthy and the current quota set by the government is also sufficient to meet the market demand. However there are confusions regarding the volume. The government has not clearly stated the allowed volume for a particular importer. Different exporters might place the import order at the same time risking the chances of not being approved by the Customs Department. So the importers have urged the government to resolve this issue as well.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => ' Free Internet in Shey-Phoksundo Area',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: Shey-Phoksundo lake area in Dolpa has been connected with internet service.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 22: Shey-Phoksundo lake area in Dolpa has been connected with internet service. World Link, a private internet service provider, has connected the area with free internet. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to the company, free internet connection in the area aims to promote the beautiful tourist destination which still awaits proper publicity for its idyllic natural beauty.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">An internet user can use 500 MB free internet in a day, according the company&rsquo;s technician Umakant Chhetri. With the site getting internet, Chhetri believes that visitors will find it easy to stay connected and it would be a source of entertainment for them as well. -- RSS&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>
',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13194',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Restriction in Import of Dried Peas Leads to Shortage in the Market ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: The shortage of dried peas in the market has been increasing after the government banned the import of peas since March 29, 2020 to prevent Nepali currency from going abroad during the coronavirus crisis.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 22: The shortage of dried peas in the market has been increasing after the government banned the import of peas since March 29, 2020 to prevent Nepali currency from going abroad during the coronavirus crisis. Ever since the ban was imposed, the importers have not been able to import dried peas. This has resulted in a shortage of peas in the market although the government has taken corrective measures of late.</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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Om Prakash Mor, manager of Shakti Pulse Mill, Birgunj, said that there is shortage of white peas in the market. &ldquo;We tried to import peas from India. However, we could not import from India which further escalated the shortage,&rdquo; he said. After the government&#39;s decision in March last year, import of peas into Nepal has been completed halted.</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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Later, the government allowed the import of peas stuck at the check-posts. The same peas were &nbsp;available in the market until some time ago. However, now that the stock of the peas has run out, there is a shortage again. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As soon as the meeting of Council of Ministers on March 9 lifted the one-year ban on the import of pepper, betel nut and dates and peas on March 9, and imposed a quote system, traders are now gearing up to import peas. However, Mor says that there will be shortage of peas in the domestic market for the next three months as the import process from abroad will be lengthy. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As the domestic production of peas is not sufficient to meet the local demand, Nepali importers have been importing peas from countries like Canada, Russia, New Zealand, Australia and Ukraine. In the last fiscal year, about 150,000 tons of peas were imported to Nepal. This year, the government has set a quota to import 80,000 tons of peas. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Due to the increasing shortage of peas in the market, the price has skyrocketed. According to the Retail Trade Association, the price of green peas, which was Rs 120 per kg a month ago, has gone up by Rs 40 to Rs 160 per kg. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Likewise, white peas that used to cost Rs 70 per kg a month ago is now Rs 150 per kg, up by Rs 80. The president of the association, Rajkumar Shrestha blames the shortage for the increment of price. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">He further informed that many small traders have stopped selling peas due to the high price. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '13193',
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			'title' => 'Chinese Company Selected for Building Charging Stations',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has selected a Chinese firm to build 50 charging stations for electric vehicles in the Kathmandu valley and along the highways.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 22: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has selected a Chinese firm to build 50 charging stations for electric vehicles in the Kathmandu valley and along the highways. Jiyansu Guangdong New Energy Technology (Star Charge) has won the contract to build the charging stations in the country.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Altogether 13 companies had submitted applications in response to a global tender called by NEA. Of the 13 companies, only three companies were technically eligible. Sagar Mani Gyawali, head of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Construction Project of NEA confirmed that Star Charge has been selected to build the charging stations. NEA has already provided the letter of intent to the Chinese firm.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The agreement will be signed between the Chinese company and the authority within March. According to Gyawali, the company will shoulder all the responsibility of constructing and procuring required materials. The company will also be responsible for the maintenance works for five years.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">As per the plan, seven charging stations will be built in the valley and the other stations will be built along the highways.&nbsp; NEA had estimated the cost of the construction to be Rs 500 million but the Chinese company plans to construct the stations at just Rs 380 million. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The construction of the stations will begin soon after the agreement is signed and project will be completed in a year, said Gyawali. &ldquo;We plan to complete the construction of charging stations in six to eight months but the preparations required on technical part will require a year for the successful completion of the project,&rdquo; Gyawali said. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Those charging stations will have infrastructure like transformer, low-high transmission line, software and communication, payment gateway for the payment of bills. One charging station will be &nbsp;of the capacity of 142 kW which will have DC power of 120 kW and AC power of 22kW. It takes two hours for a 200kW vehicle to get fully charge. </span></span></p>
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			'title' => 'Government Approves Detailed Design of Kathmandu-Raxaul Railway',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: The Government of Nepal has approved a study on the detailed design of the proposed Kathmandu-Raxaul Broad Gauge Railway. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 22: The Government of Nepal has approved a study on the detailed design of the proposed Kathmandu-Raxaul Broad Gauge Railway. The study report has been sent to India for approval before signing memorandum of understanding between the two countries. Nepal is awaiting India&#39;s response to move ahead with the study report.<br />
The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has proposed the Government of India to sign the MoU in this regard. The ministry forwarded the report to India a few days ago after a decision of the Council of Ministers.<br />
&quot;The government will start further study after the contents of the report are approved by India,&quot; said Keshav Kumar Sharma, joint secretary at the ministry. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Making the decisions of cabinet meeting public on March 21, government spokesperson Parbat Gurung said that the director-general of the railway department has been authorized to sign the MoU.<br />
He said that an MoU between the Government of Nepal and the Government of India has been approved to move ahead with the construction of the broad gauge railway and the Director-General of the Railway Department has been authorized to sign the memorandum.<br />
On March 7, 2018, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the then Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to move ahead with the Kathmandu-Raxaul railway project.<br />
In the next three years, Nepal had sent a proposal to India to carry out a study of the detailed design of the railway. Nepal has allocated around Rs. 1 billion for the construction of the 136 km broad gauge railway connecting Kathmandu and Raxaul. However, preliminary studies show that an investment of Rs 300 billion is required.<br />
As it will be expensive for Nepal to expand the railway through its internal resources and loans, India has proposed to build the broad gauge railway.&nbsp;<br />
At present, India has a railway network that extends up to 68,000 kilometers across the country.</span></span></p>
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			'title' => 'Nepal to sign 3 MoUs with Bangladesh ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: The Nepali delegation is all set to sign three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Bangladesh during the state visit of President Bidya Devi Bhandari to the neighbouring country.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 22: The Nepali delegation is all set to sign three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Bangladesh during the state visit of President Bidya Devi Bhandari to the neighbouring country.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to the state-owned national news agency RSS, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Parbat Gurung confirmed that the president will sign the MoUs with&nbsp; Bangladesh during the visit. President Bhandari left Bangladesh on a two-day state visit on Monday, March 22.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">During the visit, an array of subjects like cultural relations, tourism sector and pesticides on agriculture and livestock between Nepal and Bangladesh would be discussed, RSS quoted the minister as saying at a press briefing organised in Singha Durbar on Sunday.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The press meet was held to make public the decisions taken by the last four cabinet meetings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&nbsp;Likewise, linking Nepal with ports in Bangladesh through railway and transportation would also be discussed, RSS added. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&quot;There is the hope that the subject of initiatives taken by Bangladesh on purchasing power from Nepal will be discussed,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to RSS, it has been decided to authorize Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Dinesh Bhattarai, to sign one of the MoUs from the side of the Government of Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Likewise, the government has decided to nominate a six-member delegation led by Vice Chairperson of the National Planning Commission Prof Dr Pushpa Raj Kandel to take part from Nepal&#39;s side in a virtual event of the Eighth Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development to be organised in Bangkok in Thailand on 23-26 March.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Similarly, it has been decided to nominate a six-member delegation led by Dr Kandel to partake from Nepal&#39;s side in a virtual event of the 77th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific scheduled in Bangkok on 27-29 April.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Likewise, the government will accept medical equipment worth Rs 1.08 billion to be provided by the Government of Japan in grant to control and treat non-infectious diseases.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The cabinet meeting has also decided to give permission to lease out the land in Hetauda Sub Metropolitan City in Makawanpur district belonging to the Nepal Trust to the Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, Bagmati Province.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Similarly, the government appointed Binod Kumar Joshi as the Chairperson of Nepal Transit Warehousing Management Company Limited and Phulman Bal (Tamang) as the General Manager of Nepal Television. </span></span></span></p>
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-22 11:22:18',
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13190',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal Tourism Board to participate in SATTE ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 21: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) will participate in South Asia Travels and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in India. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 21: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) will participate in South Asia Travels and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in India. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The tourism promotion board along with 25 organizations, including Nepal Airlines Corporation will participate in the international tourism promotion campaign, for the first time since the outbreak of Covid-19. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Twenty-five organizations, under the leadership of the board will be participating in the &#39;SATTE&#39; to be held in Greater Noida, India, reads a statement of NTB. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The tourism expo is scheduled to be held from March 24 to March 26. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">NTB is participating in South Asia&#39;s Travel &amp; Tourism Exchange (SATTE) to be held in India to promote tourism in Nepal, which has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">In line with the strategy of going to the markets of the neighboring countries for the promotion of tourism, the Board is going to participate in the exchange, the statement quotes Dr Dhananjay Regmi, CEO of NTB, as saying. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&quot;Tourism activity is growing in India. But India has not yet opened entry permits for many countries, we expect Nepal&#39;s participation in this event to be important,&quot; Regmi shares.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Considering the effectiveness of SATTE, CEO Regmi informed that NTB will gradually participate in tourism promotion programmes in India.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">NTB believes that SATTE will help in the promotion of tourism in Nepal as the government has decided to resume Nepal-India transport.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Tourism Board has identified the need for separate strategies for border areas, hill stations, and other tourist destinations to attract Indian tourists to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Those participating in the event include Chhaya Devi Complex Pvt. Ltd, Airwings Tours And Travels Pvt Ltd, Well Nepal Travel And Tours, Fishtail Tours &amp; Travel, Soham Journeys Pvt. Ltd, Tiger One Pvt Ltd, Global Asia Tours, and Travel P Ltd, Ojha Holidays Tours &amp; Treks Pvt.Ltd, Outdoor Expeditions Pvt. Ltd, Langtang Ri Trekking &amp; Expedition Pvt Ltd, Chandragiri Hills Limited, Taleju Adventure Pvt. Ltd, Koili Travel Company Pvt Ltd, Apoorva Tours &amp; Travel Pvt. Ltd., Jugal Holidays Pvt. Ltd, Himalayan Club Tours &amp; Travel, Holiday Bookers Nepal Pvt. Ltd., Nepal Social Treks And Expedition, Trekking Venue Nepal (P) LTD, Bodhi Suites Boutique Hotel &amp;Spa, Kathmandu Holiday Tours &amp; Travels Pvt. Ltd, Tripmandu Private Ltd, KGH, Apex Nepal Treks &amp; Tours, along with NTB and NAC. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Thirty-six organizations had participated in the previous edition of SATTE.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13189',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Jury tells Apple to pay $308.5 million for patent infringement',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 21: Tech giant Apple Inc has been found guilty in a case of patent rights.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">March 21: Tech giant Apple Inc has been found guilty in a case of patent rights.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to Reuters, a federal jury in Texas said Apple Inc must pay about $308.5 million to Personalized Media Communications LLC (PMC) for infringing a patent associated with digital rights management.<br />
The jurors late on Friday (March 19) directed Apple to pay a running royalty to PMC which is generally based on the amount of sales of a product or service, the news agency reported.<br />
Apple reportedly said it was disappointed with the verdict and planned to appeal.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">&quot;Cases like this, brought by companies that don&#39;t make or sell any products, stifle innovation and ultimately harm consumers,&quot; Reuters quoted Apple as saying in an emailed statement.<br />
PMC, a licensing firm, had originally sued Apple in 2015 alleging the tech giant&#39;s iTunes service infringed seven of its patents.<br />
Apple successfully challenged PMC&#39;s case at the US patent office, but an appeals court in March last year reversed that decision, paving the way for the trial.</span></span></span></p>
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-21 14:12:41',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13188',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Price of Chicken Increases due to Decline in Production ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 21: The price of chicken has increased due to the decline in production. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 21: The price of chicken has increased due to the decline in production. Earlier, the price had declined to Rs 340 per kilogram from Rs 370 after bird flu was detected in poultry farms in Tarkeshwor Municipality on January 29. At present, the price of chicken is Rs 390 per kilogram. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although Meat Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal has fixed the price of chicken at Rs 390, traders are found to be selling chicken up to Rs 400 per kg in the market. </span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The price of meat has increased due to the decline in the production and increase in grains fed to chicken. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Jung Bahadur BC, president of the association, states that the decline in production is the major reason in increase in price of chicken. According to him, the production of chicken has decreased by 40 percent. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Production of chicken has declined as the hatchery industries have not been able to import parent chicken due to the extended lockdown. &ldquo;</span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">It will affect the Nepali meat market for about six months,&rdquo; he told New Business Age. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Nepal has a demand for 500,000 kg of meat daily where 250,000 to 300,000 kg is consumed in Kathmandu valley. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Even the price of newly hatched broiler chicken has increased from Rs 70 to Rs 90 after the decline in production. Likewise, the price of layer chicken, which was priced at Rs 140 has also increased to Rs 170 per chick. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to the Nepal Hatchery Industry Association, there is a shortage of 1.7 million chicken per week in the market. Despite the demand of 4.5 million chickens per week, the current production is only 2.8 million chickens. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">President of the association Rabin Puri said the price of chicken feed has gone up due to the increase in the price of raw materials like soybeans and other medicines. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The price of soybeans has increased by Rs 3 per kg in two weeks. At present, the price of soybean is Rs 83 per kg. Earlier, the price of B Zero grain was Rs 62 per kg while the price of B one and B two grain were Rs 61 and Rs 60 per kg. The price of all these have increased by Rs 2 per kg. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Soybean and maize that are used to make food for chicken are imported from countries like America, Brazil and India. Annually, 99 percent of soybean and 70 percent of maize used for grain production have to be imported from abroad. </span></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13186',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Govt approves Indian COVAXIN as third Covid vaccine for emergency use in Nepal ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'The government has granted permission for the emergency use authorization of another Indian-manufactured Covid-19 vaccine, COVAXIN. ',
			'content' => '<p>March 20:<br />
The government has granted permission for the emergency use authorization of another Indian-manufactured Covid-19 vaccine, COVAXIN.</p>

<p>Issuing a statement on Friday, the Department of Drug Administration (DDA) said that it decided to grant conditional permission for emergency use authorization of COVAXIN, a Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech International Limited, Hyderabad, India.</p>

<p>Covaxin has become third Covid vaccine in Nepal to acquire the permission from the government for the emergency use.&nbsp; With this, two Covid vaccines from India and one from China will be allowed to be administered in Nepal. Covid vaccine developed by Chinese Sinopharm and Covishield, a vaccine developed by Oxford/AstraZeneca and manufactured by Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd, have already received approval from the DDA for the emergency use. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The government is currently administering Covishield vaccines to the people as part of its nationwide vaccination drive. While the Indian government had provided 1 million doses of Covishield to Nepal in grant, the government later decided to purchase 2 million doses from Serum Institute of India. Out of the total vaccines that the government decided to purchase, Serum Institute is yet to supply 1 million doses to Nepal.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'image' => '20210320043230_bharat-biotech-covaxin-packshot.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-03-20 16:28:40',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13185',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => '‘Nepal Invests’ launched to support foreign investments in Nepal',
			'sub_title' => 'Developed by leading development finance institutions and development partners, the platform aims at accelerating investments in Nepal',
			'summary' => 'CDC Group, the UK’s development finance institution, FMO, the Dutch development bank and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC have launched Nepal Invests, a platform that will drive increased investment into the country. ',
			'content' => '<p>March 20:<br />
CDC Group, the UK&rsquo;s development finance institution, FMO, the Dutch development bank and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC have launched Nepal Invests, a platform that will drive increased investment into the country.</p>

<p>Issuing a joint statement on Friday, they said that the newly launched platform will support foreign direct investments into Nepal.</p>

<p>&ldquo;This group comprising of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and a Development Partner,will complement existing efforts to attract more investments and advance the development of the country, by channelling efforts to unlock the possibilities of investing patient, flexible capital to support private sector growth and innovation &ndash; helping to solve the biggest development challenges in Nepal,&rdquo; read the statement.</p>

<p>According to the statement, Nepal Invests will also support the economic recovery from COVID-19 by partnering to address business environment challenges, exploring innovative ways to finance SMEs and increasing the skills and capacity of local investment professionals.</p>

<p>&ldquo;These measures are designed to better prepare Nepal&rsquo;s market for increased investment from development finance institutions, frontier players, and intermediate vehicles in order to support the medium-term economic recovery,&rdquo; the statement added.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-20 15:37:52',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13184',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'World Bank to Finance US$ 24 Million for Forests for Prosperity Project',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: The Government of Nepal and the World Bank on Friday (March 19) signed loan and grant agreements for the $24 million Forests for Prosperity Project to help Nepal advance sustainable forest management. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">March 19: The Government of Nepal and the World Bank on Friday (March 19) signed loan and grant agreements for the $24 million Forests for Prosperity Project to help Nepal advance sustainable forest management. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">According to a joint statement issued by the government and the World Bank,&nbsp; Nepal will receive $6.1 million as grant and $17.9 million as concessional loan for the project.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">The statement says that the project will contribute to transforming Nepal&rsquo;s forest sector by improving sustainable forest management and developing a strong forest-based private sector. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;These activities will result in multiple benefits for forest-dependent people in selected municipalities in Province 2 and Lumbini Province, including inclusive economic benefits, ecosystem services, and greater climate resilience. It will help strengthen ongoing community-based conservation efforts while promoting inclusive sustainable use,&rdquo; reads the statement.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">Finance Secretary Sishir Kumar Dhungana and the World Bank&rsquo;s Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos signed the agreements on behalf of their respective organisations. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">Additionally, a project agreement was signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Agriculture Development Bank, Anil Kumar Upadhyaya and the World Bank Country Director. The Agriculture Development Bank, as a project implementation entity, will design and pilot a credit line for establishing and strengthening forest-based small and medium enterprises.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;Strengthening local communities, for whom forests are a traditional safety net during times of crisis, is especially important in the COVID-19 era. In that same spirit, the project will facilitate Nepal&rsquo;s forest-based private sector to invest in jobs and reduce dependence on timber imports,&rdquo; the statement quoted Finance Secretary Dhungana as saying. &ldquo;The project will also provide timely support to the institutions at the provincial and local levels to strengthen natural resource governance.&rdquo;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">The project is a key part of the government&rsquo;s Relief, Recovery and Resilience (3R) plan and Nepal&rsquo;s commitments to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Aligned with this 3R plan, development partners led by the World Bank and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, coalesced around a &ldquo;Green, Resilient, and Inclusive Development&rdquo; framework to mobilize investments over the next three years to secure jobs and livelihoods, build resilience, strengthen social inclusion, enhance sustainability, and promote efficiency. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;The project will support 50 municipalities, which is a starting point for inclusive climate action and inclusive green economic growth based on Nepal&rsquo;s comparative advantage. We are confident that if the project yields the expected outcomes, there will be opportunities to scale up the project and allow more people to benefit,&rdquo; stated&nbsp; Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. &ldquo;This project illustrates that the World Bank is honored to be a trusted partner of Nepal as it faces three challenges at once: COVID, climate, and community opportunities.&rdquo;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&nbsp;The Forests for Prosperity Project is the first World Bank-supported forest sector investment project in Nepal in over 15 years, and the third part of a joint programmatic engagement on forest landscapes by the World Bank and the government of Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13183',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Domestic Airlines to Increase Airfare Again',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: Airline companies of Nepal have decided to increase the airfare of all domestic flights effective from March 20 due to the increase in price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). ',
			'content' => '<p>Tamish Giri</p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">March 19: Airline companies of Nepal have decided to increase the airfare of all domestic flights effective from March 20 due to the increase in price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">This is the second time in 15 days that the airlines companies have increased airfare citing fuel surcharge. Domestic airliners had previously increased the airfare on March 5.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AAON), the umbrella body of domestic airline companies in Nepal, said a statement on March 19 that all its members will increase the airfare of domestic flights from March 20.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to AAON, the member airlines, in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), decided to increase the airfare following the decision of the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) on March 16 to increase the price of ATF by Rs 2.&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">NOC increased the price of ATF for domestic flights by Rs 2 per liter from midnight of March 16.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Previously, NOC had also increased the price of ATF for domestic flights on February 16, and subsequently the airline operators had raised the airfare on February 20. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to AAON, airfare is determined based on three components- airfare fixed by the government, fuel surcharge, and airport taxes.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">AAON along with CAAN and the Ministry of Tourism have set a pricing formula comprising of all three components of airfare pricing. Based on the formula, the airfare is determined and submitted to CAAN.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to the statement issued by AAON, the association and its member airlines have decided to increase the airfare following the rise in fuel price on March 16 and the government&#39;s decision on May 10, 2018, that allows AAON and airline operators to adjust the fuel surcharge in accordance to the fuel price.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">After the rise, the airfare of mountain flights from Kathamndu has increased by Rs 70. Previously, after the rise in ATF on March 5, AAON had set the fuel surcharge for mountain flights from Kathmandu at Rs 2470 per person. It has now been increased by Rs 70 to Rs 2540. So the individuals willing to enjoy the mountain flight will need to pay Rs 70 extra.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The airfare of the Kathmandu-Dhangadhi route has witnessed the maximum increase of Rs 90 per ticket while the airfare of the Kathamndu-Pokhara route has been increased by Rs 30 per ticket and by Rs 20 in the Kathamndu-Bharatpur route.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Likewise, the airfare of the Kathmandu-Bhadrapur route has been increased by Rs 60 per ticket.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Kathamndu-Simara airfare has also increased by Rs 20 with the rise in fuel surcharge of Rs 20.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12929',
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-19 18:09:20',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13182',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government lifts Ban on Import of Black Pepper, Dates and Betel Nuts',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: The government has lifted the ban on import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 19: The government has lifted the ban on import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts. A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on March 9 lifted the ban on the shipments of these four items.<br />
The government decided to allow the import of the food items only in up to a certain amount upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.&nbsp; Urmila KC, undersecretary and deputy spokesperson of the Ministry, informed that the government lifted the ban on shipments of the four items based on quota system.<br />
Further details in this regard will be published in the Nepal Gazette on March 22, she informed. Deputy Spokesperson KC said that she cannot reveal the exact quantity of the four items that can be imported into the country.<br />
&quot;Currently, we have made arrangements to allow the import of these items under the quota system. If imported items do not meet the demand in the future, we can reconsider the decision,&quot; she said.<br />
The government had imposed a ban on import of most goods in April last year in a bid to control the coronavirus epidemic. The government had put a complete ban on the import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts. Similarly, the government had also restricted the import of alcohol and other goods during the period.<br />
The government made such a decision to prevent foreign currency from flowing out during the crisis. Now that the situation is getting normal and the government has started lifting the ban.<br />
The government lifted the ban on alcohol last September. When the government imposed a ban on imports, industrialists and traders were badly affected by the decision.<br />
The industrialists had been making pulses from imported peas and selling them in the domestic market. Their trade had dried up after the government restricted the import. Likewise, the price had gone up due to the shortage of these items in the domestic market of Nepal.<br />
Industrialists share that the wavier by the government will make it easier for the pulse industry to flourish.<br />
Businessmen suggested that despite the implementation of quota system on imports, the government should not allow traders to import the goods at once. They suggest that a certain amount of goods should be allowed to be imported every month.<br />
Some traders, however, have objected to the implementation of the quota system in the import of these items. One of the importers said the government&#39;s decision was not fair.<br />
&quot;The government imposed a complete ban on alcohol imports last year. However, the ban was lifted before Dashain but the ban on other food items are still in force,&quot; he said.</span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13181',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Industrialists demand Delaying the Date of Depositing Amoung in Social Security Fund ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: Entrepreneurs and businessmen of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have urged the government to postpone the date of depositing money in the contribution-based Social Security Fund.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 19: Entrepreneurs and businessmen of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have urged the government to postpone the date of depositing money in the contribution-based Social Security Fund. In an interaction programme in Morang<strong> </strong>on Thursday, the industrialists and businessmen requested the government to change the date of depositing the fund from15th day of each month to the 25<sup>th</sup> day. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As per the provisions of the Social Security Act 2074 and Social Security Schemes Operational Directives 2075, there is a provision to deposit the amount in the fund by the 15th of every &nbsp;month. Stating that this has increased financial and administrative hassles, the industrialists and businessmen have demanded that the day of submission of VAT and TDS details be changed to the day of depositing funds. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Furthermore, they have also demanded that the age limit mentioned in the Labor and Social Security Act to be amended. They raised this demand as there is a gap of two years between the retirement age and the age of the beneficiary receiving benefit from the social security fund. The Act specifies 58 years of age of retirement of workers and the age for workers to get entitled for benefits of social security fund is 60 years. The industrialists say they have to bear additional responsibility for two years after retirement. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Chairman of the Morang Trade Association, Prakash Mundada, said that although the industrialists were ready to implement the government plan, there were legal complications. He stated that simplifying the complex situation would remove the complexity of its implementation. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Likewise, Ashish Kafle, manager of Reliance Spinning, said there would be problems in full implementation unless the workers understood how to get back the money deposited in the fund. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Even though the law clearly states that the workers should be registered in the contribution-based social security fund from the day they start working, the industrialists are of the view that there is confusion in depositing and reimbursing the wages of the workers working in the industries. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although the industrialists said that it was becoming difficult to list the workers, the trade union representatives accused them of trying to deprive them opportunities by making excuses. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Kishor Dhamala, president of Nepal Trade Union Federation, Province 1, accused the industrialists of not wanting to list the workers. He raised the issue of updating the details of the workers working in the industry in three months by setting up offices at the provincial level. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although there are more than 200,000 workers in Province 1, only 20,000 have been registered in the fund so far, according to the labor association. Director of the Fund Uttam Raj Nepal said that the previous problems would be reduced automatically as the government has already approved the implementation of social security fund and investment procedures. He also claimed that the implementation of the contribution-based social security fund scheme would be beneficial for both workers and industrialists.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13196',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Imposes Quantitative Restriction on Import of Pepper, Betel Nuts and Peas',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 23: The government has imposed quantitative restriction on import of peas. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 23: The government has imposed quantitative restriction on import of peas. The latest decision taken by the government allows importers to import up to 80,000 metric tons of peas in the fiscal year 2020/21. Publishing a notice on Nepal Gazette, the government said it has lifted ban on import of peas and eased the import through quota system.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Likewise, the government has allowed import of 25,000 metric tons of betel nuts, 5,000 metric tons of dates and 15,000 metric tons of black pepper for the current fiscal year. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the government had imposed a ban on import of items like pepper, peas, dates and betel nuts on March 24 last year to reduce the impact on foreign exchange reserve. A cabinet meeting held on 8<sup>th</sup> March decided to lift the ban and put quantitative restriction on import of these items. The government had made this decision upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The government has also lifted the ban on import of luxury vehicles worth more than $50,000. The situation is gradually returning back to normal so the government is also lifting the ban on import of various items. Due to the restrictions imposed on import of different items, the industrialists involved in this business were affected. Particularly, industries involved in the business of peas were extremely affected. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The industrialists have welcomed this decision made by the government. Om Prakash Mor, an industrialist involved in pea business, said this decision is praiseworthy and the current quota set by the government is also sufficient to meet the market demand. However there are confusions regarding the volume. The government has not clearly stated the allowed volume for a particular importer. Different exporters might place the import order at the same time risking the chances of not being approved by the Customs Department. So the importers have urged the government to resolve this issue as well.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => ' Free Internet in Shey-Phoksundo Area',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: Shey-Phoksundo lake area in Dolpa has been connected with internet service.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 22: Shey-Phoksundo lake area in Dolpa has been connected with internet service. World Link, a private internet service provider, has connected the area with free internet. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to the company, free internet connection in the area aims to promote the beautiful tourist destination which still awaits proper publicity for its idyllic natural beauty.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">An internet user can use 500 MB free internet in a day, according the company&rsquo;s technician Umakant Chhetri. With the site getting internet, Chhetri believes that visitors will find it easy to stay connected and it would be a source of entertainment for them as well. -- RSS&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>
',
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			'id' => '13194',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Restriction in Import of Dried Peas Leads to Shortage in the Market ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: The shortage of dried peas in the market has been increasing after the government banned the import of peas since March 29, 2020 to prevent Nepali currency from going abroad during the coronavirus crisis.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 22: The shortage of dried peas in the market has been increasing after the government banned the import of peas since March 29, 2020 to prevent Nepali currency from going abroad during the coronavirus crisis. Ever since the ban was imposed, the importers have not been able to import dried peas. This has resulted in a shortage of peas in the market although the government has taken corrective measures of late.</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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Om Prakash Mor, manager of Shakti Pulse Mill, Birgunj, said that there is shortage of white peas in the market. &ldquo;We tried to import peas from India. However, we could not import from India which further escalated the shortage,&rdquo; he said. After the government&#39;s decision in March last year, import of peas into Nepal has been completed halted.</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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Later, the government allowed the import of peas stuck at the check-posts. The same peas were &nbsp;available in the market until some time ago. However, now that the stock of the peas has run out, there is a shortage again. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As soon as the meeting of Council of Ministers on March 9 lifted the one-year ban on the import of pepper, betel nut and dates and peas on March 9, and imposed a quote system, traders are now gearing up to import peas. However, Mor says that there will be shortage of peas in the domestic market for the next three months as the import process from abroad will be lengthy. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As the domestic production of peas is not sufficient to meet the local demand, Nepali importers have been importing peas from countries like Canada, Russia, New Zealand, Australia and Ukraine. In the last fiscal year, about 150,000 tons of peas were imported to Nepal. This year, the government has set a quota to import 80,000 tons of peas. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Due to the increasing shortage of peas in the market, the price has skyrocketed. According to the Retail Trade Association, the price of green peas, which was Rs 120 per kg a month ago, has gone up by Rs 40 to Rs 160 per kg. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Likewise, white peas that used to cost Rs 70 per kg a month ago is now Rs 150 per kg, up by Rs 80. The president of the association, Rajkumar Shrestha blames the shortage for the increment of price. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">He further informed that many small traders have stopped selling peas due to the high price. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'Chinese Company Selected for Building Charging Stations',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has selected a Chinese firm to build 50 charging stations for electric vehicles in the Kathmandu valley and along the highways.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 22: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has selected a Chinese firm to build 50 charging stations for electric vehicles in the Kathmandu valley and along the highways. Jiyansu Guangdong New Energy Technology (Star Charge) has won the contract to build the charging stations in the country.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Altogether 13 companies had submitted applications in response to a global tender called by NEA. Of the 13 companies, only three companies were technically eligible. Sagar Mani Gyawali, head of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Construction Project of NEA confirmed that Star Charge has been selected to build the charging stations. NEA has already provided the letter of intent to the Chinese firm.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The agreement will be signed between the Chinese company and the authority within March. According to Gyawali, the company will shoulder all the responsibility of constructing and procuring required materials. The company will also be responsible for the maintenance works for five years.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">As per the plan, seven charging stations will be built in the valley and the other stations will be built along the highways.&nbsp; NEA had estimated the cost of the construction to be Rs 500 million but the Chinese company plans to construct the stations at just Rs 380 million. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The construction of the stations will begin soon after the agreement is signed and project will be completed in a year, said Gyawali. &ldquo;We plan to complete the construction of charging stations in six to eight months but the preparations required on technical part will require a year for the successful completion of the project,&rdquo; Gyawali said. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Those charging stations will have infrastructure like transformer, low-high transmission line, software and communication, payment gateway for the payment of bills. One charging station will be &nbsp;of the capacity of 142 kW which will have DC power of 120 kW and AC power of 22kW. It takes two hours for a 200kW vehicle to get fully charge. </span></span></p>
',
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12939',
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-22 13:26:58',
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	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13192',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Approves Detailed Design of Kathmandu-Raxaul Railway',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: The Government of Nepal has approved a study on the detailed design of the proposed Kathmandu-Raxaul Broad Gauge Railway. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 22: The Government of Nepal has approved a study on the detailed design of the proposed Kathmandu-Raxaul Broad Gauge Railway. The study report has been sent to India for approval before signing memorandum of understanding between the two countries. Nepal is awaiting India&#39;s response to move ahead with the study report.<br />
The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has proposed the Government of India to sign the MoU in this regard. The ministry forwarded the report to India a few days ago after a decision of the Council of Ministers.<br />
&quot;The government will start further study after the contents of the report are approved by India,&quot; said Keshav Kumar Sharma, joint secretary at the ministry. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Making the decisions of cabinet meeting public on March 21, government spokesperson Parbat Gurung said that the director-general of the railway department has been authorized to sign the MoU.<br />
He said that an MoU between the Government of Nepal and the Government of India has been approved to move ahead with the construction of the broad gauge railway and the Director-General of the Railway Department has been authorized to sign the memorandum.<br />
On March 7, 2018, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the then Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to move ahead with the Kathmandu-Raxaul railway project.<br />
In the next three years, Nepal had sent a proposal to India to carry out a study of the detailed design of the railway. Nepal has allocated around Rs. 1 billion for the construction of the 136 km broad gauge railway connecting Kathmandu and Raxaul. However, preliminary studies show that an investment of Rs 300 billion is required.<br />
As it will be expensive for Nepal to expand the railway through its internal resources and loans, India has proposed to build the broad gauge railway.&nbsp;<br />
At present, India has a railway network that extends up to 68,000 kilometers across the country.</span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2021-03-22',
			'modified' => '2021-03-22',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12938',
			'image' => '20210322120600_20200823052850_1598131355.Clipboard12.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-03-22 12:04:40',
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	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13191',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal to sign 3 MoUs with Bangladesh ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: The Nepali delegation is all set to sign three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Bangladesh during the state visit of President Bidya Devi Bhandari to the neighbouring country.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 22: The Nepali delegation is all set to sign three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Bangladesh during the state visit of President Bidya Devi Bhandari to the neighbouring country.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to the state-owned national news agency RSS, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Parbat Gurung confirmed that the president will sign the MoUs with&nbsp; Bangladesh during the visit. President Bhandari left Bangladesh on a two-day state visit on Monday, March 22.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">During the visit, an array of subjects like cultural relations, tourism sector and pesticides on agriculture and livestock between Nepal and Bangladesh would be discussed, RSS quoted the minister as saying at a press briefing organised in Singha Durbar on Sunday.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The press meet was held to make public the decisions taken by the last four cabinet meetings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&nbsp;Likewise, linking Nepal with ports in Bangladesh through railway and transportation would also be discussed, RSS added. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&quot;There is the hope that the subject of initiatives taken by Bangladesh on purchasing power from Nepal will be discussed,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to RSS, it has been decided to authorize Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Dinesh Bhattarai, to sign one of the MoUs from the side of the Government of Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Likewise, the government has decided to nominate a six-member delegation led by Vice Chairperson of the National Planning Commission Prof Dr Pushpa Raj Kandel to take part from Nepal&#39;s side in a virtual event of the Eighth Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development to be organised in Bangkok in Thailand on 23-26 March.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Similarly, it has been decided to nominate a six-member delegation led by Dr Kandel to partake from Nepal&#39;s side in a virtual event of the 77th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific scheduled in Bangkok on 27-29 April.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Likewise, the government will accept medical equipment worth Rs 1.08 billion to be provided by the Government of Japan in grant to control and treat non-infectious diseases.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The cabinet meeting has also decided to give permission to lease out the land in Hetauda Sub Metropolitan City in Makawanpur district belonging to the Nepal Trust to the Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, Bagmati Province.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Similarly, the government appointed Binod Kumar Joshi as the Chairperson of Nepal Transit Warehousing Management Company Limited and Phulman Bal (Tamang) as the General Manager of Nepal Television. </span></span></span></p>
',
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12937',
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-22 11:22:18',
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13190',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal Tourism Board to participate in SATTE ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 21: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) will participate in South Asia Travels and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in India. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 21: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) will participate in South Asia Travels and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in India. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The tourism promotion board along with 25 organizations, including Nepal Airlines Corporation will participate in the international tourism promotion campaign, for the first time since the outbreak of Covid-19. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Twenty-five organizations, under the leadership of the board will be participating in the &#39;SATTE&#39; to be held in Greater Noida, India, reads a statement of NTB. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The tourism expo is scheduled to be held from March 24 to March 26. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">NTB is participating in South Asia&#39;s Travel &amp; Tourism Exchange (SATTE) to be held in India to promote tourism in Nepal, which has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">In line with the strategy of going to the markets of the neighboring countries for the promotion of tourism, the Board is going to participate in the exchange, the statement quotes Dr Dhananjay Regmi, CEO of NTB, as saying. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&quot;Tourism activity is growing in India. But India has not yet opened entry permits for many countries, we expect Nepal&#39;s participation in this event to be important,&quot; Regmi shares.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Considering the effectiveness of SATTE, CEO Regmi informed that NTB will gradually participate in tourism promotion programmes in India.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">NTB believes that SATTE will help in the promotion of tourism in Nepal as the government has decided to resume Nepal-India transport.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Tourism Board has identified the need for separate strategies for border areas, hill stations, and other tourist destinations to attract Indian tourists to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Those participating in the event include Chhaya Devi Complex Pvt. Ltd, Airwings Tours And Travels Pvt Ltd, Well Nepal Travel And Tours, Fishtail Tours &amp; Travel, Soham Journeys Pvt. Ltd, Tiger One Pvt Ltd, Global Asia Tours, and Travel P Ltd, Ojha Holidays Tours &amp; Treks Pvt.Ltd, Outdoor Expeditions Pvt. Ltd, Langtang Ri Trekking &amp; Expedition Pvt Ltd, Chandragiri Hills Limited, Taleju Adventure Pvt. Ltd, Koili Travel Company Pvt Ltd, Apoorva Tours &amp; Travel Pvt. Ltd., Jugal Holidays Pvt. Ltd, Himalayan Club Tours &amp; Travel, Holiday Bookers Nepal Pvt. Ltd., Nepal Social Treks And Expedition, Trekking Venue Nepal (P) LTD, Bodhi Suites Boutique Hotel &amp;Spa, Kathmandu Holiday Tours &amp; Travels Pvt. Ltd, Tripmandu Private Ltd, KGH, Apex Nepal Treks &amp; Tours, along with NTB and NAC. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Thirty-six organizations had participated in the previous edition of SATTE.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13189',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Jury tells Apple to pay $308.5 million for patent infringement',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 21: Tech giant Apple Inc has been found guilty in a case of patent rights.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">March 21: Tech giant Apple Inc has been found guilty in a case of patent rights.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to Reuters, a federal jury in Texas said Apple Inc must pay about $308.5 million to Personalized Media Communications LLC (PMC) for infringing a patent associated with digital rights management.<br />
The jurors late on Friday (March 19) directed Apple to pay a running royalty to PMC which is generally based on the amount of sales of a product or service, the news agency reported.<br />
Apple reportedly said it was disappointed with the verdict and planned to appeal.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">&quot;Cases like this, brought by companies that don&#39;t make or sell any products, stifle innovation and ultimately harm consumers,&quot; Reuters quoted Apple as saying in an emailed statement.<br />
PMC, a licensing firm, had originally sued Apple in 2015 alleging the tech giant&#39;s iTunes service infringed seven of its patents.<br />
Apple successfully challenged PMC&#39;s case at the US patent office, but an appeals court in March last year reversed that decision, paving the way for the trial.</span></span></span></p>
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-21 14:12:41',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13188',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Price of Chicken Increases due to Decline in Production ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 21: The price of chicken has increased due to the decline in production. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 21: The price of chicken has increased due to the decline in production. Earlier, the price had declined to Rs 340 per kilogram from Rs 370 after bird flu was detected in poultry farms in Tarkeshwor Municipality on January 29. At present, the price of chicken is Rs 390 per kilogram. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although Meat Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal has fixed the price of chicken at Rs 390, traders are found to be selling chicken up to Rs 400 per kg in the market. </span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The price of meat has increased due to the decline in the production and increase in grains fed to chicken. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Jung Bahadur BC, president of the association, states that the decline in production is the major reason in increase in price of chicken. According to him, the production of chicken has decreased by 40 percent. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Production of chicken has declined as the hatchery industries have not been able to import parent chicken due to the extended lockdown. &ldquo;</span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">It will affect the Nepali meat market for about six months,&rdquo; he told New Business Age. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Nepal has a demand for 500,000 kg of meat daily where 250,000 to 300,000 kg is consumed in Kathmandu valley. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Even the price of newly hatched broiler chicken has increased from Rs 70 to Rs 90 after the decline in production. Likewise, the price of layer chicken, which was priced at Rs 140 has also increased to Rs 170 per chick. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to the Nepal Hatchery Industry Association, there is a shortage of 1.7 million chicken per week in the market. Despite the demand of 4.5 million chickens per week, the current production is only 2.8 million chickens. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">President of the association Rabin Puri said the price of chicken feed has gone up due to the increase in the price of raw materials like soybeans and other medicines. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The price of soybeans has increased by Rs 3 per kg in two weeks. At present, the price of soybean is Rs 83 per kg. Earlier, the price of B Zero grain was Rs 62 per kg while the price of B one and B two grain were Rs 61 and Rs 60 per kg. The price of all these have increased by Rs 2 per kg. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Soybean and maize that are used to make food for chicken are imported from countries like America, Brazil and India. Annually, 99 percent of soybean and 70 percent of maize used for grain production have to be imported from abroad. </span></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13186',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Govt approves Indian COVAXIN as third Covid vaccine for emergency use in Nepal ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'The government has granted permission for the emergency use authorization of another Indian-manufactured Covid-19 vaccine, COVAXIN. ',
			'content' => '<p>March 20:<br />
The government has granted permission for the emergency use authorization of another Indian-manufactured Covid-19 vaccine, COVAXIN.</p>

<p>Issuing a statement on Friday, the Department of Drug Administration (DDA) said that it decided to grant conditional permission for emergency use authorization of COVAXIN, a Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech International Limited, Hyderabad, India.</p>

<p>Covaxin has become third Covid vaccine in Nepal to acquire the permission from the government for the emergency use.&nbsp; With this, two Covid vaccines from India and one from China will be allowed to be administered in Nepal. Covid vaccine developed by Chinese Sinopharm and Covishield, a vaccine developed by Oxford/AstraZeneca and manufactured by Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd, have already received approval from the DDA for the emergency use. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The government is currently administering Covishield vaccines to the people as part of its nationwide vaccination drive. While the Indian government had provided 1 million doses of Covishield to Nepal in grant, the government later decided to purchase 2 million doses from Serum Institute of India. Out of the total vaccines that the government decided to purchase, Serum Institute is yet to supply 1 million doses to Nepal.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'image' => '20210320043230_bharat-biotech-covaxin-packshot.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-03-20 16:28:40',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13185',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => '‘Nepal Invests’ launched to support foreign investments in Nepal',
			'sub_title' => 'Developed by leading development finance institutions and development partners, the platform aims at accelerating investments in Nepal',
			'summary' => 'CDC Group, the UK’s development finance institution, FMO, the Dutch development bank and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC have launched Nepal Invests, a platform that will drive increased investment into the country. ',
			'content' => '<p>March 20:<br />
CDC Group, the UK&rsquo;s development finance institution, FMO, the Dutch development bank and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC have launched Nepal Invests, a platform that will drive increased investment into the country.</p>

<p>Issuing a joint statement on Friday, they said that the newly launched platform will support foreign direct investments into Nepal.</p>

<p>&ldquo;This group comprising of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and a Development Partner,will complement existing efforts to attract more investments and advance the development of the country, by channelling efforts to unlock the possibilities of investing patient, flexible capital to support private sector growth and innovation &ndash; helping to solve the biggest development challenges in Nepal,&rdquo; read the statement.</p>

<p>According to the statement, Nepal Invests will also support the economic recovery from COVID-19 by partnering to address business environment challenges, exploring innovative ways to finance SMEs and increasing the skills and capacity of local investment professionals.</p>

<p>&ldquo;These measures are designed to better prepare Nepal&rsquo;s market for increased investment from development finance institutions, frontier players, and intermediate vehicles in order to support the medium-term economic recovery,&rdquo; the statement added.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-20 15:37:52',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13184',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'World Bank to Finance US$ 24 Million for Forests for Prosperity Project',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: The Government of Nepal and the World Bank on Friday (March 19) signed loan and grant agreements for the $24 million Forests for Prosperity Project to help Nepal advance sustainable forest management. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">March 19: The Government of Nepal and the World Bank on Friday (March 19) signed loan and grant agreements for the $24 million Forests for Prosperity Project to help Nepal advance sustainable forest management. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">According to a joint statement issued by the government and the World Bank,&nbsp; Nepal will receive $6.1 million as grant and $17.9 million as concessional loan for the project.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">The statement says that the project will contribute to transforming Nepal&rsquo;s forest sector by improving sustainable forest management and developing a strong forest-based private sector. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;These activities will result in multiple benefits for forest-dependent people in selected municipalities in Province 2 and Lumbini Province, including inclusive economic benefits, ecosystem services, and greater climate resilience. It will help strengthen ongoing community-based conservation efforts while promoting inclusive sustainable use,&rdquo; reads the statement.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">Finance Secretary Sishir Kumar Dhungana and the World Bank&rsquo;s Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos signed the agreements on behalf of their respective organisations. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">Additionally, a project agreement was signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Agriculture Development Bank, Anil Kumar Upadhyaya and the World Bank Country Director. The Agriculture Development Bank, as a project implementation entity, will design and pilot a credit line for establishing and strengthening forest-based small and medium enterprises.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;Strengthening local communities, for whom forests are a traditional safety net during times of crisis, is especially important in the COVID-19 era. In that same spirit, the project will facilitate Nepal&rsquo;s forest-based private sector to invest in jobs and reduce dependence on timber imports,&rdquo; the statement quoted Finance Secretary Dhungana as saying. &ldquo;The project will also provide timely support to the institutions at the provincial and local levels to strengthen natural resource governance.&rdquo;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">The project is a key part of the government&rsquo;s Relief, Recovery and Resilience (3R) plan and Nepal&rsquo;s commitments to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Aligned with this 3R plan, development partners led by the World Bank and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, coalesced around a &ldquo;Green, Resilient, and Inclusive Development&rdquo; framework to mobilize investments over the next three years to secure jobs and livelihoods, build resilience, strengthen social inclusion, enhance sustainability, and promote efficiency. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;The project will support 50 municipalities, which is a starting point for inclusive climate action and inclusive green economic growth based on Nepal&rsquo;s comparative advantage. We are confident that if the project yields the expected outcomes, there will be opportunities to scale up the project and allow more people to benefit,&rdquo; stated&nbsp; Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. &ldquo;This project illustrates that the World Bank is honored to be a trusted partner of Nepal as it faces three challenges at once: COVID, climate, and community opportunities.&rdquo;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&nbsp;The Forests for Prosperity Project is the first World Bank-supported forest sector investment project in Nepal in over 15 years, and the third part of a joint programmatic engagement on forest landscapes by the World Bank and the government of Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13183',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Domestic Airlines to Increase Airfare Again',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: Airline companies of Nepal have decided to increase the airfare of all domestic flights effective from March 20 due to the increase in price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). ',
			'content' => '<p>Tamish Giri</p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">March 19: Airline companies of Nepal have decided to increase the airfare of all domestic flights effective from March 20 due to the increase in price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">This is the second time in 15 days that the airlines companies have increased airfare citing fuel surcharge. Domestic airliners had previously increased the airfare on March 5.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AAON), the umbrella body of domestic airline companies in Nepal, said a statement on March 19 that all its members will increase the airfare of domestic flights from March 20.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to AAON, the member airlines, in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), decided to increase the airfare following the decision of the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) on March 16 to increase the price of ATF by Rs 2.&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">NOC increased the price of ATF for domestic flights by Rs 2 per liter from midnight of March 16.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Previously, NOC had also increased the price of ATF for domestic flights on February 16, and subsequently the airline operators had raised the airfare on February 20. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to AAON, airfare is determined based on three components- airfare fixed by the government, fuel surcharge, and airport taxes.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">AAON along with CAAN and the Ministry of Tourism have set a pricing formula comprising of all three components of airfare pricing. Based on the formula, the airfare is determined and submitted to CAAN.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to the statement issued by AAON, the association and its member airlines have decided to increase the airfare following the rise in fuel price on March 16 and the government&#39;s decision on May 10, 2018, that allows AAON and airline operators to adjust the fuel surcharge in accordance to the fuel price.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">After the rise, the airfare of mountain flights from Kathamndu has increased by Rs 70. Previously, after the rise in ATF on March 5, AAON had set the fuel surcharge for mountain flights from Kathmandu at Rs 2470 per person. It has now been increased by Rs 70 to Rs 2540. So the individuals willing to enjoy the mountain flight will need to pay Rs 70 extra.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The airfare of the Kathmandu-Dhangadhi route has witnessed the maximum increase of Rs 90 per ticket while the airfare of the Kathamndu-Pokhara route has been increased by Rs 30 per ticket and by Rs 20 in the Kathamndu-Bharatpur route.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Likewise, the airfare of the Kathmandu-Bhadrapur route has been increased by Rs 60 per ticket.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Kathamndu-Simara airfare has also increased by Rs 20 with the rise in fuel surcharge of Rs 20.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '13182',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government lifts Ban on Import of Black Pepper, Dates and Betel Nuts',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: The government has lifted the ban on import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 19: The government has lifted the ban on import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts. A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on March 9 lifted the ban on the shipments of these four items.<br />
The government decided to allow the import of the food items only in up to a certain amount upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.&nbsp; Urmila KC, undersecretary and deputy spokesperson of the Ministry, informed that the government lifted the ban on shipments of the four items based on quota system.<br />
Further details in this regard will be published in the Nepal Gazette on March 22, she informed. Deputy Spokesperson KC said that she cannot reveal the exact quantity of the four items that can be imported into the country.<br />
&quot;Currently, we have made arrangements to allow the import of these items under the quota system. If imported items do not meet the demand in the future, we can reconsider the decision,&quot; she said.<br />
The government had imposed a ban on import of most goods in April last year in a bid to control the coronavirus epidemic. The government had put a complete ban on the import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts. Similarly, the government had also restricted the import of alcohol and other goods during the period.<br />
The government made such a decision to prevent foreign currency from flowing out during the crisis. Now that the situation is getting normal and the government has started lifting the ban.<br />
The government lifted the ban on alcohol last September. When the government imposed a ban on imports, industrialists and traders were badly affected by the decision.<br />
The industrialists had been making pulses from imported peas and selling them in the domestic market. Their trade had dried up after the government restricted the import. Likewise, the price had gone up due to the shortage of these items in the domestic market of Nepal.<br />
Industrialists share that the wavier by the government will make it easier for the pulse industry to flourish.<br />
Businessmen suggested that despite the implementation of quota system on imports, the government should not allow traders to import the goods at once. They suggest that a certain amount of goods should be allowed to be imported every month.<br />
Some traders, however, have objected to the implementation of the quota system in the import of these items. One of the importers said the government&#39;s decision was not fair.<br />
&quot;The government imposed a complete ban on alcohol imports last year. However, the ban was lifted before Dashain but the ban on other food items are still in force,&quot; he said.</span></span></p>
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			'id' => '13181',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Industrialists demand Delaying the Date of Depositing Amoung in Social Security Fund ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: Entrepreneurs and businessmen of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have urged the government to postpone the date of depositing money in the contribution-based Social Security Fund.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 19: Entrepreneurs and businessmen of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have urged the government to postpone the date of depositing money in the contribution-based Social Security Fund. In an interaction programme in Morang<strong> </strong>on Thursday, the industrialists and businessmen requested the government to change the date of depositing the fund from15th day of each month to the 25<sup>th</sup> day. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As per the provisions of the Social Security Act 2074 and Social Security Schemes Operational Directives 2075, there is a provision to deposit the amount in the fund by the 15th of every &nbsp;month. Stating that this has increased financial and administrative hassles, the industrialists and businessmen have demanded that the day of submission of VAT and TDS details be changed to the day of depositing funds. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Furthermore, they have also demanded that the age limit mentioned in the Labor and Social Security Act to be amended. They raised this demand as there is a gap of two years between the retirement age and the age of the beneficiary receiving benefit from the social security fund. The Act specifies 58 years of age of retirement of workers and the age for workers to get entitled for benefits of social security fund is 60 years. The industrialists say they have to bear additional responsibility for two years after retirement. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Chairman of the Morang Trade Association, Prakash Mundada, said that although the industrialists were ready to implement the government plan, there were legal complications. He stated that simplifying the complex situation would remove the complexity of its implementation. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Likewise, Ashish Kafle, manager of Reliance Spinning, said there would be problems in full implementation unless the workers understood how to get back the money deposited in the fund. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Even though the law clearly states that the workers should be registered in the contribution-based social security fund from the day they start working, the industrialists are of the view that there is confusion in depositing and reimbursing the wages of the workers working in the industries. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although the industrialists said that it was becoming difficult to list the workers, the trade union representatives accused them of trying to deprive them opportunities by making excuses. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Kishor Dhamala, president of Nepal Trade Union Federation, Province 1, accused the industrialists of not wanting to list the workers. He raised the issue of updating the details of the workers working in the industry in three months by setting up offices at the provincial level. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although there are more than 200,000 workers in Province 1, only 20,000 have been registered in the fund so far, according to the labor association. Director of the Fund Uttam Raj Nepal said that the previous problems would be reduced automatically as the government has already approved the implementation of social security fund and investment procedures. He also claimed that the implementation of the contribution-based social security fund scheme would be beneficial for both workers and industrialists.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '13196',
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			'title' => 'Government Imposes Quantitative Restriction on Import of Pepper, Betel Nuts and Peas',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 23: The government has imposed quantitative restriction on import of peas. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 23: The government has imposed quantitative restriction on import of peas. The latest decision taken by the government allows importers to import up to 80,000 metric tons of peas in the fiscal year 2020/21. Publishing a notice on Nepal Gazette, the government said it has lifted ban on import of peas and eased the import through quota system.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Likewise, the government has allowed import of 25,000 metric tons of betel nuts, 5,000 metric tons of dates and 15,000 metric tons of black pepper for the current fiscal year. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the government had imposed a ban on import of items like pepper, peas, dates and betel nuts on March 24 last year to reduce the impact on foreign exchange reserve. A cabinet meeting held on 8<sup>th</sup> March decided to lift the ban and put quantitative restriction on import of these items. The government had made this decision upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The government has also lifted the ban on import of luxury vehicles worth more than $50,000. The situation is gradually returning back to normal so the government is also lifting the ban on import of various items. Due to the restrictions imposed on import of different items, the industrialists involved in this business were affected. Particularly, industries involved in the business of peas were extremely affected. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The industrialists have welcomed this decision made by the government. Om Prakash Mor, an industrialist involved in pea business, said this decision is praiseworthy and the current quota set by the government is also sufficient to meet the market demand. However there are confusions regarding the volume. The government has not clearly stated the allowed volume for a particular importer. Different exporters might place the import order at the same time risking the chances of not being approved by the Customs Department. So the importers have urged the government to resolve this issue as well.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => ' Free Internet in Shey-Phoksundo Area',
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			'summary' => 'March 22: Shey-Phoksundo lake area in Dolpa has been connected with internet service.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 22: Shey-Phoksundo lake area in Dolpa has been connected with internet service. World Link, a private internet service provider, has connected the area with free internet. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to the company, free internet connection in the area aims to promote the beautiful tourist destination which still awaits proper publicity for its idyllic natural beauty.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">An internet user can use 500 MB free internet in a day, according the company&rsquo;s technician Umakant Chhetri. With the site getting internet, Chhetri believes that visitors will find it easy to stay connected and it would be a source of entertainment for them as well. -- RSS&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>
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			'sortorder' => '12941',
			'image' => '20210322044058_20181112044857_dolpa.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-03-22 16:40:14',
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	(int) 2 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13194',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Restriction in Import of Dried Peas Leads to Shortage in the Market ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: The shortage of dried peas in the market has been increasing after the government banned the import of peas since March 29, 2020 to prevent Nepali currency from going abroad during the coronavirus crisis.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 22: The shortage of dried peas in the market has been increasing after the government banned the import of peas since March 29, 2020 to prevent Nepali currency from going abroad during the coronavirus crisis. Ever since the ban was imposed, the importers have not been able to import dried peas. This has resulted in a shortage of peas in the market although the government has taken corrective measures of late.</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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Om Prakash Mor, manager of Shakti Pulse Mill, Birgunj, said that there is shortage of white peas in the market. &ldquo;We tried to import peas from India. However, we could not import from India which further escalated the shortage,&rdquo; he said. After the government&#39;s decision in March last year, import of peas into Nepal has been completed halted.</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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Later, the government allowed the import of peas stuck at the check-posts. The same peas were &nbsp;available in the market until some time ago. However, now that the stock of the peas has run out, there is a shortage again. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As soon as the meeting of Council of Ministers on March 9 lifted the one-year ban on the import of pepper, betel nut and dates and peas on March 9, and imposed a quote system, traders are now gearing up to import peas. However, Mor says that there will be shortage of peas in the domestic market for the next three months as the import process from abroad will be lengthy. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As the domestic production of peas is not sufficient to meet the local demand, Nepali importers have been importing peas from countries like Canada, Russia, New Zealand, Australia and Ukraine. In the last fiscal year, about 150,000 tons of peas were imported to Nepal. This year, the government has set a quota to import 80,000 tons of peas. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Due to the increasing shortage of peas in the market, the price has skyrocketed. According to the Retail Trade Association, the price of green peas, which was Rs 120 per kg a month ago, has gone up by Rs 40 to Rs 160 per kg. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Likewise, white peas that used to cost Rs 70 per kg a month ago is now Rs 150 per kg, up by Rs 80. The president of the association, Rajkumar Shrestha blames the shortage for the increment of price. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">He further informed that many small traders have stopped selling peas due to the high price. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2021-03-22',
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13193',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Chinese Company Selected for Building Charging Stations',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has selected a Chinese firm to build 50 charging stations for electric vehicles in the Kathmandu valley and along the highways.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">March 22: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has selected a Chinese firm to build 50 charging stations for electric vehicles in the Kathmandu valley and along the highways. Jiyansu Guangdong New Energy Technology (Star Charge) has won the contract to build the charging stations in the country.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Altogether 13 companies had submitted applications in response to a global tender called by NEA. Of the 13 companies, only three companies were technically eligible. Sagar Mani Gyawali, head of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Construction Project of NEA confirmed that Star Charge has been selected to build the charging stations. NEA has already provided the letter of intent to the Chinese firm.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The agreement will be signed between the Chinese company and the authority within March. According to Gyawali, the company will shoulder all the responsibility of constructing and procuring required materials. The company will also be responsible for the maintenance works for five years.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">As per the plan, seven charging stations will be built in the valley and the other stations will be built along the highways.&nbsp; NEA had estimated the cost of the construction to be Rs 500 million but the Chinese company plans to construct the stations at just Rs 380 million. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The construction of the stations will begin soon after the agreement is signed and project will be completed in a year, said Gyawali. &ldquo;We plan to complete the construction of charging stations in six to eight months but the preparations required on technical part will require a year for the successful completion of the project,&rdquo; Gyawali said. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Those charging stations will have infrastructure like transformer, low-high transmission line, software and communication, payment gateway for the payment of bills. One charging station will be &nbsp;of the capacity of 142 kW which will have DC power of 120 kW and AC power of 22kW. It takes two hours for a 200kW vehicle to get fully charge. </span></span></p>
',
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12939',
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-22 13:26:58',
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	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13192',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Approves Detailed Design of Kathmandu-Raxaul Railway',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: The Government of Nepal has approved a study on the detailed design of the proposed Kathmandu-Raxaul Broad Gauge Railway. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 22: The Government of Nepal has approved a study on the detailed design of the proposed Kathmandu-Raxaul Broad Gauge Railway. The study report has been sent to India for approval before signing memorandum of understanding between the two countries. Nepal is awaiting India&#39;s response to move ahead with the study report.<br />
The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has proposed the Government of India to sign the MoU in this regard. The ministry forwarded the report to India a few days ago after a decision of the Council of Ministers.<br />
&quot;The government will start further study after the contents of the report are approved by India,&quot; said Keshav Kumar Sharma, joint secretary at the ministry. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Making the decisions of cabinet meeting public on March 21, government spokesperson Parbat Gurung said that the director-general of the railway department has been authorized to sign the MoU.<br />
He said that an MoU between the Government of Nepal and the Government of India has been approved to move ahead with the construction of the broad gauge railway and the Director-General of the Railway Department has been authorized to sign the memorandum.<br />
On March 7, 2018, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the then Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to move ahead with the Kathmandu-Raxaul railway project.<br />
In the next three years, Nepal had sent a proposal to India to carry out a study of the detailed design of the railway. Nepal has allocated around Rs. 1 billion for the construction of the 136 km broad gauge railway connecting Kathmandu and Raxaul. However, preliminary studies show that an investment of Rs 300 billion is required.<br />
As it will be expensive for Nepal to expand the railway through its internal resources and loans, India has proposed to build the broad gauge railway.&nbsp;<br />
At present, India has a railway network that extends up to 68,000 kilometers across the country.</span></span></p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2021-03-22',
			'modified' => '2021-03-22',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12938',
			'image' => '20210322120600_20200823052850_1598131355.Clipboard12.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-03-22 12:04:40',
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	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13191',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal to sign 3 MoUs with Bangladesh ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 22: The Nepali delegation is all set to sign three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Bangladesh during the state visit of President Bidya Devi Bhandari to the neighbouring country.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 22: The Nepali delegation is all set to sign three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Bangladesh during the state visit of President Bidya Devi Bhandari to the neighbouring country.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to the state-owned national news agency RSS, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Parbat Gurung confirmed that the president will sign the MoUs with&nbsp; Bangladesh during the visit. President Bhandari left Bangladesh on a two-day state visit on Monday, March 22.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">During the visit, an array of subjects like cultural relations, tourism sector and pesticides on agriculture and livestock between Nepal and Bangladesh would be discussed, RSS quoted the minister as saying at a press briefing organised in Singha Durbar on Sunday.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The press meet was held to make public the decisions taken by the last four cabinet meetings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&nbsp;Likewise, linking Nepal with ports in Bangladesh through railway and transportation would also be discussed, RSS added. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&quot;There is the hope that the subject of initiatives taken by Bangladesh on purchasing power from Nepal will be discussed,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to RSS, it has been decided to authorize Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Dinesh Bhattarai, to sign one of the MoUs from the side of the Government of Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Likewise, the government has decided to nominate a six-member delegation led by Vice Chairperson of the National Planning Commission Prof Dr Pushpa Raj Kandel to take part from Nepal&#39;s side in a virtual event of the Eighth Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development to be organised in Bangkok in Thailand on 23-26 March.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Similarly, it has been decided to nominate a six-member delegation led by Dr Kandel to partake from Nepal&#39;s side in a virtual event of the 77th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific scheduled in Bangkok on 27-29 April.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Likewise, the government will accept medical equipment worth Rs 1.08 billion to be provided by the Government of Japan in grant to control and treat non-infectious diseases.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The cabinet meeting has also decided to give permission to lease out the land in Hetauda Sub Metropolitan City in Makawanpur district belonging to the Nepal Trust to the Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, Bagmati Province.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Similarly, the government appointed Binod Kumar Joshi as the Chairperson of Nepal Transit Warehousing Management Company Limited and Phulman Bal (Tamang) as the General Manager of Nepal Television. </span></span></span></p>
',
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12937',
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-22 11:22:18',
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13190',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal Tourism Board to participate in SATTE ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 21: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) will participate in South Asia Travels and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in India. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 21: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) will participate in South Asia Travels and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in India. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The tourism promotion board along with 25 organizations, including Nepal Airlines Corporation will participate in the international tourism promotion campaign, for the first time since the outbreak of Covid-19. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Twenty-five organizations, under the leadership of the board will be participating in the &#39;SATTE&#39; to be held in Greater Noida, India, reads a statement of NTB. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The tourism expo is scheduled to be held from March 24 to March 26. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">NTB is participating in South Asia&#39;s Travel &amp; Tourism Exchange (SATTE) to be held in India to promote tourism in Nepal, which has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">In line with the strategy of going to the markets of the neighboring countries for the promotion of tourism, the Board is going to participate in the exchange, the statement quotes Dr Dhananjay Regmi, CEO of NTB, as saying. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&quot;Tourism activity is growing in India. But India has not yet opened entry permits for many countries, we expect Nepal&#39;s participation in this event to be important,&quot; Regmi shares.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Considering the effectiveness of SATTE, CEO Regmi informed that NTB will gradually participate in tourism promotion programmes in India.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">NTB believes that SATTE will help in the promotion of tourism in Nepal as the government has decided to resume Nepal-India transport.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Tourism Board has identified the need for separate strategies for border areas, hill stations, and other tourist destinations to attract Indian tourists to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Those participating in the event include Chhaya Devi Complex Pvt. Ltd, Airwings Tours And Travels Pvt Ltd, Well Nepal Travel And Tours, Fishtail Tours &amp; Travel, Soham Journeys Pvt. Ltd, Tiger One Pvt Ltd, Global Asia Tours, and Travel P Ltd, Ojha Holidays Tours &amp; Treks Pvt.Ltd, Outdoor Expeditions Pvt. Ltd, Langtang Ri Trekking &amp; Expedition Pvt Ltd, Chandragiri Hills Limited, Taleju Adventure Pvt. Ltd, Koili Travel Company Pvt Ltd, Apoorva Tours &amp; Travel Pvt. Ltd., Jugal Holidays Pvt. Ltd, Himalayan Club Tours &amp; Travel, Holiday Bookers Nepal Pvt. Ltd., Nepal Social Treks And Expedition, Trekking Venue Nepal (P) LTD, Bodhi Suites Boutique Hotel &amp;Spa, Kathmandu Holiday Tours &amp; Travels Pvt. Ltd, Tripmandu Private Ltd, KGH, Apex Nepal Treks &amp; Tours, along with NTB and NAC. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Thirty-six organizations had participated in the previous edition of SATTE.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13189',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Jury tells Apple to pay $308.5 million for patent infringement',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 21: Tech giant Apple Inc has been found guilty in a case of patent rights.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">March 21: Tech giant Apple Inc has been found guilty in a case of patent rights.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to Reuters, a federal jury in Texas said Apple Inc must pay about $308.5 million to Personalized Media Communications LLC (PMC) for infringing a patent associated with digital rights management.<br />
The jurors late on Friday (March 19) directed Apple to pay a running royalty to PMC which is generally based on the amount of sales of a product or service, the news agency reported.<br />
Apple reportedly said it was disappointed with the verdict and planned to appeal.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">&quot;Cases like this, brought by companies that don&#39;t make or sell any products, stifle innovation and ultimately harm consumers,&quot; Reuters quoted Apple as saying in an emailed statement.<br />
PMC, a licensing firm, had originally sued Apple in 2015 alleging the tech giant&#39;s iTunes service infringed seven of its patents.<br />
Apple successfully challenged PMC&#39;s case at the US patent office, but an appeals court in March last year reversed that decision, paving the way for the trial.</span></span></span></p>
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-21 14:12:41',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13188',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Price of Chicken Increases due to Decline in Production ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 21: The price of chicken has increased due to the decline in production. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 21: The price of chicken has increased due to the decline in production. Earlier, the price had declined to Rs 340 per kilogram from Rs 370 after bird flu was detected in poultry farms in Tarkeshwor Municipality on January 29. At present, the price of chicken is Rs 390 per kilogram. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although Meat Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal has fixed the price of chicken at Rs 390, traders are found to be selling chicken up to Rs 400 per kg in the market. </span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The price of meat has increased due to the decline in the production and increase in grains fed to chicken. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Jung Bahadur BC, president of the association, states that the decline in production is the major reason in increase in price of chicken. According to him, the production of chicken has decreased by 40 percent. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Production of chicken has declined as the hatchery industries have not been able to import parent chicken due to the extended lockdown. &ldquo;</span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">It will affect the Nepali meat market for about six months,&rdquo; he told New Business Age. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Nepal has a demand for 500,000 kg of meat daily where 250,000 to 300,000 kg is consumed in Kathmandu valley. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Even the price of newly hatched broiler chicken has increased from Rs 70 to Rs 90 after the decline in production. Likewise, the price of layer chicken, which was priced at Rs 140 has also increased to Rs 170 per chick. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to the Nepal Hatchery Industry Association, there is a shortage of 1.7 million chicken per week in the market. Despite the demand of 4.5 million chickens per week, the current production is only 2.8 million chickens. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">President of the association Rabin Puri said the price of chicken feed has gone up due to the increase in the price of raw materials like soybeans and other medicines. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The price of soybeans has increased by Rs 3 per kg in two weeks. At present, the price of soybean is Rs 83 per kg. Earlier, the price of B Zero grain was Rs 62 per kg while the price of B one and B two grain were Rs 61 and Rs 60 per kg. The price of all these have increased by Rs 2 per kg. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Soybean and maize that are used to make food for chicken are imported from countries like America, Brazil and India. Annually, 99 percent of soybean and 70 percent of maize used for grain production have to be imported from abroad. </span></span></span></span></p>
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			'published' => true,
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			'article_date' => '2021-03-21 12:11:04',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13186',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Govt approves Indian COVAXIN as third Covid vaccine for emergency use in Nepal ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'The government has granted permission for the emergency use authorization of another Indian-manufactured Covid-19 vaccine, COVAXIN. ',
			'content' => '<p>March 20:<br />
The government has granted permission for the emergency use authorization of another Indian-manufactured Covid-19 vaccine, COVAXIN.</p>

<p>Issuing a statement on Friday, the Department of Drug Administration (DDA) said that it decided to grant conditional permission for emergency use authorization of COVAXIN, a Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech International Limited, Hyderabad, India.</p>

<p>Covaxin has become third Covid vaccine in Nepal to acquire the permission from the government for the emergency use.&nbsp; With this, two Covid vaccines from India and one from China will be allowed to be administered in Nepal. Covid vaccine developed by Chinese Sinopharm and Covishield, a vaccine developed by Oxford/AstraZeneca and manufactured by Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd, have already received approval from the DDA for the emergency use. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The government is currently administering Covishield vaccines to the people as part of its nationwide vaccination drive. While the Indian government had provided 1 million doses of Covishield to Nepal in grant, the government later decided to purchase 2 million doses from Serum Institute of India. Out of the total vaccines that the government decided to purchase, Serum Institute is yet to supply 1 million doses to Nepal.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12932',
			'image' => '20210320043230_bharat-biotech-covaxin-packshot.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-03-20 16:28:40',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13185',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => '‘Nepal Invests’ launched to support foreign investments in Nepal',
			'sub_title' => 'Developed by leading development finance institutions and development partners, the platform aims at accelerating investments in Nepal',
			'summary' => 'CDC Group, the UK’s development finance institution, FMO, the Dutch development bank and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC have launched Nepal Invests, a platform that will drive increased investment into the country. ',
			'content' => '<p>March 20:<br />
CDC Group, the UK&rsquo;s development finance institution, FMO, the Dutch development bank and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC have launched Nepal Invests, a platform that will drive increased investment into the country.</p>

<p>Issuing a joint statement on Friday, they said that the newly launched platform will support foreign direct investments into Nepal.</p>

<p>&ldquo;This group comprising of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and a Development Partner,will complement existing efforts to attract more investments and advance the development of the country, by channelling efforts to unlock the possibilities of investing patient, flexible capital to support private sector growth and innovation &ndash; helping to solve the biggest development challenges in Nepal,&rdquo; read the statement.</p>

<p>According to the statement, Nepal Invests will also support the economic recovery from COVID-19 by partnering to address business environment challenges, exploring innovative ways to finance SMEs and increasing the skills and capacity of local investment professionals.</p>

<p>&ldquo;These measures are designed to better prepare Nepal&rsquo;s market for increased investment from development finance institutions, frontier players, and intermediate vehicles in order to support the medium-term economic recovery,&rdquo; the statement added.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'image' => '20210320033928_Foreign Investment.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-03-20 15:37:52',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13184',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'World Bank to Finance US$ 24 Million for Forests for Prosperity Project',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: The Government of Nepal and the World Bank on Friday (March 19) signed loan and grant agreements for the $24 million Forests for Prosperity Project to help Nepal advance sustainable forest management. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">March 19: The Government of Nepal and the World Bank on Friday (March 19) signed loan and grant agreements for the $24 million Forests for Prosperity Project to help Nepal advance sustainable forest management. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">According to a joint statement issued by the government and the World Bank,&nbsp; Nepal will receive $6.1 million as grant and $17.9 million as concessional loan for the project.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">The statement says that the project will contribute to transforming Nepal&rsquo;s forest sector by improving sustainable forest management and developing a strong forest-based private sector. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;These activities will result in multiple benefits for forest-dependent people in selected municipalities in Province 2 and Lumbini Province, including inclusive economic benefits, ecosystem services, and greater climate resilience. It will help strengthen ongoing community-based conservation efforts while promoting inclusive sustainable use,&rdquo; reads the statement.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">Finance Secretary Sishir Kumar Dhungana and the World Bank&rsquo;s Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos signed the agreements on behalf of their respective organisations. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">Additionally, a project agreement was signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Agriculture Development Bank, Anil Kumar Upadhyaya and the World Bank Country Director. The Agriculture Development Bank, as a project implementation entity, will design and pilot a credit line for establishing and strengthening forest-based small and medium enterprises.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;Strengthening local communities, for whom forests are a traditional safety net during times of crisis, is especially important in the COVID-19 era. In that same spirit, the project will facilitate Nepal&rsquo;s forest-based private sector to invest in jobs and reduce dependence on timber imports,&rdquo; the statement quoted Finance Secretary Dhungana as saying. &ldquo;The project will also provide timely support to the institutions at the provincial and local levels to strengthen natural resource governance.&rdquo;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">The project is a key part of the government&rsquo;s Relief, Recovery and Resilience (3R) plan and Nepal&rsquo;s commitments to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Aligned with this 3R plan, development partners led by the World Bank and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, coalesced around a &ldquo;Green, Resilient, and Inclusive Development&rdquo; framework to mobilize investments over the next three years to secure jobs and livelihoods, build resilience, strengthen social inclusion, enhance sustainability, and promote efficiency. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;The project will support 50 municipalities, which is a starting point for inclusive climate action and inclusive green economic growth based on Nepal&rsquo;s comparative advantage. We are confident that if the project yields the expected outcomes, there will be opportunities to scale up the project and allow more people to benefit,&rdquo; stated&nbsp; Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. &ldquo;This project illustrates that the World Bank is honored to be a trusted partner of Nepal as it faces three challenges at once: COVID, climate, and community opportunities.&rdquo;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">&nbsp;The Forests for Prosperity Project is the first World Bank-supported forest sector investment project in Nepal in over 15 years, and the third part of a joint programmatic engagement on forest landscapes by the World Bank and the government of Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13183',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Domestic Airlines to Increase Airfare Again',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: Airline companies of Nepal have decided to increase the airfare of all domestic flights effective from March 20 due to the increase in price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). ',
			'content' => '<p>Tamish Giri</p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">March 19: Airline companies of Nepal have decided to increase the airfare of all domestic flights effective from March 20 due to the increase in price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">This is the second time in 15 days that the airlines companies have increased airfare citing fuel surcharge. Domestic airliners had previously increased the airfare on March 5.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AAON), the umbrella body of domestic airline companies in Nepal, said a statement on March 19 that all its members will increase the airfare of domestic flights from March 20.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to AAON, the member airlines, in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), decided to increase the airfare following the decision of the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) on March 16 to increase the price of ATF by Rs 2.&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">NOC increased the price of ATF for domestic flights by Rs 2 per liter from midnight of March 16.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Previously, NOC had also increased the price of ATF for domestic flights on February 16, and subsequently the airline operators had raised the airfare on February 20. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to AAON, airfare is determined based on three components- airfare fixed by the government, fuel surcharge, and airport taxes.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">AAON along with CAAN and the Ministry of Tourism have set a pricing formula comprising of all three components of airfare pricing. Based on the formula, the airfare is determined and submitted to CAAN.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">According to the statement issued by AAON, the association and its member airlines have decided to increase the airfare following the rise in fuel price on March 16 and the government&#39;s decision on May 10, 2018, that allows AAON and airline operators to adjust the fuel surcharge in accordance to the fuel price.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">After the rise, the airfare of mountain flights from Kathamndu has increased by Rs 70. Previously, after the rise in ATF on March 5, AAON had set the fuel surcharge for mountain flights from Kathmandu at Rs 2470 per person. It has now been increased by Rs 70 to Rs 2540. So the individuals willing to enjoy the mountain flight will need to pay Rs 70 extra.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The airfare of the Kathmandu-Dhangadhi route has witnessed the maximum increase of Rs 90 per ticket while the airfare of the Kathamndu-Pokhara route has been increased by Rs 30 per ticket and by Rs 20 in the Kathamndu-Bharatpur route.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Likewise, the airfare of the Kathmandu-Bhadrapur route has been increased by Rs 60 per ticket.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Kathamndu-Simara airfare has also increased by Rs 20 with the rise in fuel surcharge of Rs 20.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13182',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government lifts Ban on Import of Black Pepper, Dates and Betel Nuts',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: The government has lifted the ban on import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 19: The government has lifted the ban on import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts. A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on March 9 lifted the ban on the shipments of these four items.<br />
The government decided to allow the import of the food items only in up to a certain amount upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.&nbsp; Urmila KC, undersecretary and deputy spokesperson of the Ministry, informed that the government lifted the ban on shipments of the four items based on quota system.<br />
Further details in this regard will be published in the Nepal Gazette on March 22, she informed. Deputy Spokesperson KC said that she cannot reveal the exact quantity of the four items that can be imported into the country.<br />
&quot;Currently, we have made arrangements to allow the import of these items under the quota system. If imported items do not meet the demand in the future, we can reconsider the decision,&quot; she said.<br />
The government had imposed a ban on import of most goods in April last year in a bid to control the coronavirus epidemic. The government had put a complete ban on the import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts. Similarly, the government had also restricted the import of alcohol and other goods during the period.<br />
The government made such a decision to prevent foreign currency from flowing out during the crisis. Now that the situation is getting normal and the government has started lifting the ban.<br />
The government lifted the ban on alcohol last September. When the government imposed a ban on imports, industrialists and traders were badly affected by the decision.<br />
The industrialists had been making pulses from imported peas and selling them in the domestic market. Their trade had dried up after the government restricted the import. Likewise, the price had gone up due to the shortage of these items in the domestic market of Nepal.<br />
Industrialists share that the wavier by the government will make it easier for the pulse industry to flourish.<br />
Businessmen suggested that despite the implementation of quota system on imports, the government should not allow traders to import the goods at once. They suggest that a certain amount of goods should be allowed to be imported every month.<br />
Some traders, however, have objected to the implementation of the quota system in the import of these items. One of the importers said the government&#39;s decision was not fair.<br />
&quot;The government imposed a complete ban on alcohol imports last year. However, the ban was lifted before Dashain but the ban on other food items are still in force,&quot; he said.</span></span></p>
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13181',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Industrialists demand Delaying the Date of Depositing Amoung in Social Security Fund ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 19: Entrepreneurs and businessmen of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have urged the government to postpone the date of depositing money in the contribution-based Social Security Fund.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">March 19: Entrepreneurs and businessmen of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have urged the government to postpone the date of depositing money in the contribution-based Social Security Fund. In an interaction programme in Morang<strong> </strong>on Thursday, the industrialists and businessmen requested the government to change the date of depositing the fund from15th day of each month to the 25<sup>th</sup> day. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As per the provisions of the Social Security Act 2074 and Social Security Schemes Operational Directives 2075, there is a provision to deposit the amount in the fund by the 15th of every &nbsp;month. Stating that this has increased financial and administrative hassles, the industrialists and businessmen have demanded that the day of submission of VAT and TDS details be changed to the day of depositing funds. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Furthermore, they have also demanded that the age limit mentioned in the Labor and Social Security Act to be amended. They raised this demand as there is a gap of two years between the retirement age and the age of the beneficiary receiving benefit from the social security fund. The Act specifies 58 years of age of retirement of workers and the age for workers to get entitled for benefits of social security fund is 60 years. The industrialists say they have to bear additional responsibility for two years after retirement. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Chairman of the Morang Trade Association, Prakash Mundada, said that although the industrialists were ready to implement the government plan, there were legal complications. He stated that simplifying the complex situation would remove the complexity of its implementation. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Likewise, Ashish Kafle, manager of Reliance Spinning, said there would be problems in full implementation unless the workers understood how to get back the money deposited in the fund. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Even though the law clearly states that the workers should be registered in the contribution-based social security fund from the day they start working, the industrialists are of the view that there is confusion in depositing and reimbursing the wages of the workers working in the industries. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although the industrialists said that it was becoming difficult to list the workers, the trade union representatives accused them of trying to deprive them opportunities by making excuses. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Kishor Dhamala, president of Nepal Trade Union Federation, Province 1, accused the industrialists of not wanting to list the workers. He raised the issue of updating the details of the workers working in the industry in three months by setting up offices at the provincial level. </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:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although there are more than 200,000 workers in Province 1, only 20,000 have been registered in the fund so far, according to the labor association. Director of the Fund Uttam Raj Nepal said that the previous problems would be reduced automatically as the government has already approved the implementation of social security fund and investment procedures. He also claimed that the implementation of the contribution-based social security fund scheme would be beneficial for both workers and industrialists.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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Malaysian Ringgit	1	27.36	27.50
South Korean Won	100	9.77	9.82

Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)

Bullion

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

Petroleum

Petrol	1 Liter	106.00
Diesel	1 Liter	95.00
Kerosene	1 Liter	95.00
LP Gas	1 Cylinder	1375.00