May 25: The import of gold has declined in the month of Baishakh (mid-April to mid-May).…
May 25: The import of gold has declined in the month of Baishakh (mid-April to mid-May).…
…
May 24: A feasibility study conducted by a team of mountaineers has concluded that Mera Peak is suitable destination for ski mountaineering.…
May 24: The number of people engaged in poultry farming has declined due to the outbreak of Ranikhet disease.…
May 24: Most of the industries located in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have cut down production following a decline in demand due to the restrictions enforced by the local authorities to contain…
May 23: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Padma Kumari Aryal has instructed the airline companies of Nepal to use dairy products that are made in the country.…
May 23: Traders of readymade garments (RMG) imported goods worth Rs 4 billion targeting the summer season.…
May 23: The British government has agreed to provide 2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Nepal.…
Cement industries with foreign direct investment (FDI) are more efficient and profitable than government owned or locally owned cement industries in Nepal, a recent study report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)…
May 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has projected the country’s demand for cement go grow two folds in the next five years.…
…
May 22: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has dissolved the House of Representatives and announced mid-term elections to be held in two phases.…
May 21: CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli and main opposition party President Sher Bahadur Deuba have presented their claims at the President’s Office for the post of the prime minister with support from required numbers of the House of Representatives (HoR) members.…
May 21: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has assigned Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to look after the additional portfolio of seven ministries until further arrangements, according to the state-owned national news agency…
May 21: Due to the implementation of prohibitory orders to curb Covid-19 infection, 40 percent of the industries in Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have been shut down.…
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 25</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">: </span></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The import of gold has declined in the month of Baishakh (mid-April to mid-May). This has been attributed to the consequences of lockdown implemented in order to keep coronavirus infection in check. This fact was unveiled after the Department of Customs released data of the last ten months of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the data, gold worth Rs 1.75 billion was imported in the review month which is less than the average monthly import. Before the review month, import of gold amounted to an average of Rs 2.14 billion per month. In the month of Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April) alone, import of gold worth Rs 3.2 billion was been recorded.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Talking about the quantity, 258 kg of gold was imported in the review month. Since mid-April to mid-May is the wedding season, import of gold is especially high. However, this time, the import had to be reduced due to the prohibitory order, said Manik Ratna Shakya, president of the Federation of Nepalese Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Since April is the wedding season, the number of customers is also high. But after the implementation of the prohibitory order, the business of gold jewelries went downhill,” said Shakya, adding, “This caused a decline in import of gold. Gold has not been imported at all since April 25.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In Nepal, only commercial banks hold the right to import gold. But these banks have been importing gold only upon the recommendation of the federation. The federation has instructed banks to halt the import of gold since the business is not doing well because of the restrictions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal has imported gold worth Rs 21.68 billion in the first ten months of the current fiscal year. During this period, 3,018 kg of gold has been imported into the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">But, in comparison to the same period of last year, the import of gold has increased by 57 percent. As of mid-April last year, only 2,400 kg of gold worth Rs 13.46 billion had been imported.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">During the review period of the current fiscal year, Nepal imported gold worth Rs 2.12 billion from Turkey and Rs 18.94 billion from the UAE.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-25', 'modified' => '2021-05-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13186', 'image' => '20210525124150_20201215120431_gold.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-25 12:40:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13440', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Sets Target to Complete Siddhababa Tunnel in 5 Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => '', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 24: The government has called for a tender bid to complete with the construction of the Siddhababa tunnel along the Butwal-Palpa section of the Siddhartha Highway. The tunnel construction has been under discussion for the past eight years. The Department of Roads called for a global tender on Saturday (May 22), with a target to complete the construction within five years. Domestic and foreign construction companies shall be able to submit proposals for the construction of the project within the next 45 days since the issuance of the tender.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The plan to build the tunnel was announced in the policies and programmes of the government for the Fiscal Year 2075/76. At that time, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had formulated a five-year strategy to complete the tunnel. The department has invited tenders to build the tunnel after three years of the announcement. Generally, tunnels are made to reduce the distance of roads/highways. However, this road section is being constructed with the objective of preventing loss of life and property due to landslides rather than reducing the distance, said an official of the department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The head of the quality research and development center of the department, Dr Vijay Jaisi informed that the Swiss Development Corporation had already given the preliminary design and report to the department two years ago and the department has issued the tender for the tunnel on the same basis. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The construction company should build the tunnel and hand it over to Nepal within five years,” he said, adding, "Since the contract is in the EPC model, it is almost certain that the tunnel will be completed on time. If the company extends the project for any reason, it will not get additional amount as per the price hike. The company will have to use the budget out of their own pockets." However, he added that if there occurs any natural disasters, the duration and cost of the project will have to be extended.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"As the new design and investment will be determined based on the initial design of the department, the immediate investment has not been assessed," said Jaisi. He said that the finance ministry has set a limit of Rs 10.15 billion and the amount of investment required will be decided only after the construction companies submit their bids. The construction company will be selected after three months and the selected company will have to submit the design to the department within the next nine months.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The distance of the tunnel will be 1 km 126 meters.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, rock fall technology will be used in the project to prevent the fall of rocks since the area is highly prone to rock falls. There is no alternative to the tunnel to prevent loss of life and property as those traveling through the section are at high risk due to landslides and rock falls triggered by landslides. Although many projects that are under-construction fail to complete the work on time, the tunnel will be completed within the stipulated time, claimed the Department of Roads.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">For the first time, the government has approved the 'Directive on Procurement through EPC-2078' and the department has also called for contracts from the same model. “As the construction company keeps looking for variations and showing problems, now it has come up with the Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) model,” said Jaisi. "In such a case, if the tunnel is not constructed within five years, they will not get any additional amount. The company will have to bear the additional cost and they will be compelled to complete the project on time," he added.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13185', 'image' => '20210524031735_20210408031917_20190825123459_Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 15:16:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13437', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Study Finds Mera Peak Suitable for Ski Mountaineering ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 24: A feasibility study conducted by a team of mountaineers has concluded that Mera Peak is suitable destination for ski mountaineering. ', 'content' => '<p><em>Mera Peak. Photo Courtesy: summitclimb.com</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 24: A feasibility study conducted by a team of mountaineers has concluded that Mera Peak is suitable destination for ski mountaineering. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The study team comprising of two Nepalis and two foreigners found that the 6,473-metre high peak was apt for ski mountaineering. Leonardo Bernard, 35, and 40-year-old Deidrick Bhan Reason from the Netherlands had skied from the summit of the Peak in May, the state-owned national news agency RSS reported citing the Ski and Snowboarding Academy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The skier duo had skied to the base camp of Mera Peak within half an hour, RSS quoted the academy’s president Utsav Pathak as saying. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The academy in collaboration with the Snow Guide Nepal Treks and Expedition conducted the feasibility study and the ski mountaineering activity on Mera Peak. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Training for ski mountaineering will be conducted on Mera Peak from coming October. Preparations are afoot to train Nepal’s team to compete in the Ski Mountaineering event of Winter Olympics to be held in Italy in 2026. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A ski competition was organized by the academy in Kalinchowk in 2019 and ski mountaineering activities and training have been organized in other peaks in Humla, Dolpa, Mustang and Kaski since the last five years, RSS reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The academy aims to popularize ski mountaineering in the country that houses 8 among 14 highest mountains of the world including the 8,848.86-metre high Sagarmatha (Mt Everest). </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13184', 'image' => '20210524121710_slide_1588683306_mera-peak-summitclimb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 12:15:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13439', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Poultry Farmers Downcast by Outbreak of Newcastle Disease ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 24: The number of people engaged in poultry farming has declined due to the outbreak of Ranikhet disease. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 24: The number of people engaged in poultry farming has declined due to the outbreak of Ranikhet disease. Most of the poultry farmers have stopped raising chickens after millions of chickens died due to the Ranikhet (Newcastle) disease across the country in the last four to five months. Newcastle disease is a highly contagious disease of birds caused by paramyxovirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the Central Livestock Disease Research Laboratory, Tripureshwor, the disease has been brought under control to some extent but farmers have not been able to raise chicken due to the damage it has already done. Dr Nawa Shrestha, an authorized veterinarian of the laboratory, said that about 20 percent of farmers have stopped raising chickens due to the disease.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He claimed that millions of chickens had died and tens of millions of rupees have been lost due to the disease. "Farmers are suffering financially and mentally and are afraid to raise chickens," he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier, 15 samples were tested daily at the central laboratory out of which more than 10 cases of Newcastle disease were detected, but now only five cases are confirmed on a daily basis, he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, Dr Shrestha acknowledged that the numbers were not sufficient to confirm that the disease as been controlled. As the disease is transmitted through a virus, if a farmer vaccinates his/her chicken beforehand, there is high changes of the disease being controlled.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, he warned that the virus might have mutated and the vaccine might not have been able to control it.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Since the vaccine has not worked effectively, farmers are now increasing the doses of the vaccine, as advised by doctors. Earlier, two doses of vaccine worked, but now a third dose has to be given.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">It is said that the overall production of poultry has also decreased by about 40 percent along with the reduced number of poultry farmers due to the fear of the disease.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to Dinesh Raj Mishra, general secretary of the Nepal Poultry Federation, there is not much problem in the market due to the lockdown. However, there will be a shortage of meats in the market after the lockdown due to the decline in production. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Farmers are not permanently engaged in producing broiler chickens. Every three years, 90 percent of the new farmers surface. It is said that most of the old farmers are also worried due to the current lockdown and the outbreak of the disease.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13183', 'image' => '20210524021409_My Effect.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 14:08:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13438', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Industries along Bara- Parsa Corridor Cut Down Production', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 24: Most of the industries located in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have cut down production following a decline in demand due to the restrictions enforced by the local authorities to contain coronavirus.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 24: Most of the industries located in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have cut down production following a decline in demand due to the restrictions enforced by the local authorities to contain coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Subodh Kumar Gupta, president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that industries other than food and medicine in the corridor have reduced their production. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Industries producing construction materials, textiles, garments, alcohol have been extremely affected," he said, adding, “Tthese industries have cut down their production by half." </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to Rajesh Kyal, owner of Narayani Rolling Mills, the demand for construction materials has gone down as the construction works have been stalled. "Most of the industries that produce construction materials have cut down production as the demand for construction materials have started to decline," said Kyal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">There are about three dozen construction materials industries in this corridor. Around 1,000 small and large scale industries are operating in Bara and Parsa.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The prohibitory orders enforced in various districts from April 29 have been extended time and again. This has further resulted in the decline in market demand. Traders have switched to the option of cutting down production instead of storing the produced materials. Seventy-six districts have currently enforced prohibitory orders.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the industrialists, increase in the death toll from the second wave of coronavirus has heightened the panic among the public. During the previous lockdown, fear of the pandemic was much less though mobility was highly affected. This time, people are more scared so workers have stopped coming to industries due to fear of contracting the virus. "Industries are also dealing with the crunch of human resources which has affected production," he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Some industries in the corridor have announced relief packages as the risk of contracting virus is ever-increasing. "The Prestige Group has announced to provide compensation equal to one year of basic salary to the family in case of death of a worker deployed in industry," said Vinay Shah, managing director of the Group.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Anup Agrawal, president of the Nepali Young Entrepreneurs Forum Birgunj, said that most of the industries are reeling under the lack of recurrent capital due to the market closure. Prohibitory orders have not only cut down the demand but has also halted the collection of dues, which has affected the cycles of recurrent capital, he said. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13182', 'image' => '20210524014936_20200910030746_1599687943.Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 13:48:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13436', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Companies Told to use Nepali Dairy Products for In-Flight Meals ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Padma Kumari Aryal has instructed the airline companies of Nepal to use dairy products that are made in the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 23: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Padma Kumari Aryal has instructed the airline companies of Nepal to use dairy products that are made in the country. Addressing a meeting of the National Dairy Corporation (DDC) on Saturday, she directed the airline companies to make necessary arrangements for the use of dairy products including butter, curd, and cheese produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Furthermore, stating that she had received information that a large amount of dairy products are being imported from abroad, she instructed the chairman of the DDC Baburam Pandey to make such arrangement for the promotion of domestic products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“During the discussion with the chief of Nepal Airlines Corporation, we came to know that a large amount of money was spent on importing dairy products,” she said, adding, “Emphasis should be given on using dairy products produced in the country to stop such imports.” She instructed the DDC to prepare for the sale and distribution of dairy products to the airline companies within a week.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stating that the products including ghee, butter, and cheese need marketing, Minister Aryal announced that the ministry is ready to make policy arrangements to promote export. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13181', 'image' => '20210523022747_20200921111110_1600647868.ghj.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 14:27:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13435', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'RMGs worth Rs 4 billion Stuck in Godowns due to Lockdown ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: Traders of readymade garments (RMG) imported goods worth Rs 4 billion targeting the summer season. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 23: Traders of readymade garments (RMG) imported goods worth Rs 4 billion targeting the summer season. However, the imported goods are currently stuck in their godowns, as traders are unable to sell the clothes due to the lockdown. The prohibitory order aimed at controlling the spread of coronavirus has severely affected the sales of readymade garments.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Meanwhile, the traders are frustrated as the second wave of Covid-19, and the subsequent lockdown has affected their business in the peak season, forcing them to hold the imported goods in their godowns. April is the peak time for selling RMGs. Last year too, readymade garments worth Rs 3 to 4 billion were stuck in the warehouses of traders, as the summer season was about to start.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Dil Sundar Shrestha, a central member of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said that the traders are witnessing the same situation this year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"Last year's stock of clothes could not be sold. This year too, there is we have a stock of goods worth Rs 4 billion," he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Rajeshman Shrestha, a retailer of readymade garments in Asan, had imported goods worth around Rs 1.5 million for the summer season as the coronavirus pandemic seemed to be declining. But he has not been able to sell clothes more than Rs 500,000.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"I don't know how long the lockdown will last. So I am worried that the investment in the business will sink,” he said. On the one hand, bank loans, interest, rental charge are quite high. However, he said that the business has come to a standstill and many traders like him are worried about their livelihood.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">As the lockdown continues, the readymade garments stuck in traders' godowns cannot be sold in the winter. Therefore, traders say that the current investment is unlikely to return until the summer of next year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepali traders import readymade garments worth Rs 30-40 billion from neighboring India and China every year during summer, winter, and during the Dashan-Tihar festivals.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13180', 'image' => '20210523014312_20200901114856_1598909272.4.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 13:42:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13434', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UK to Provide 2 Million doses of Vaccines through Covax', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: The British government has agreed to provide 2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 23: The British government has agreed to provide 2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Nepal. The UK is set to provide the AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine to Nepal. Under the Covax Program of the World Health Organization (WHO), the UK has agreed to provide the vaccines free of cost.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The decision to provide vaccines to Nepal was not motivated by the diplomatic initiatives of related authorities, but by through the initiative of the Gurkhas and British Ambassador to Nepal, Nicola Pollitt. The House of Lords of the Government of the UK made such decision after the joint initiative of Gurkhas and Ambassador Pollitt. The decision was made at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UK.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The UK made such decision saying that Nepal is in urgent need of vaccination at present. Last week, Ambassador Pollitt also briefed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in this regard.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Dr Jageshwor Gautam, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, confirmed the news of shipping in of 2 million doses of vaccine into Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Under the World Health Organization's Covax program, the UK has decided to provide Nepal with 2 million doses of vaccine. We will get the written or official information probably in one or two days,” he said, adding, “Import of vaccines will be initiated only after receiving the official letter.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Since the Serum Institute of India refused to export Covishield vaccine to Nepal, citizens who have taken the first dose have not been able to take the second dose of vaccination. In these conditions, the availability of vaccines from the UK can be considered as a positive aspect, as per the ministry of Health and Population.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal will get 13.2 million doses of vaccine free of cost under the Covax program. However, Nepal has only received 348,000 doses of free vaccine so far.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13179', 'image' => '20210523010929__117616854_hi066285277.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 13:08:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13432', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NRB study finds FDI-based cement industries more efficient, profitable than locally-owned producers', 'sub_title' => ' Govt advised to allow FDI in cement industries on condition that local investors also hold certain minimum percent equity', 'summary' => 'Cement industries with foreign direct investment (FDI) are more efficient and profitable than government owned or locally owned cement industries in Nepal, a recent study report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) found. ', 'content' => '<p>May 22: Cement industries with foreign direct investment (FDI) are more efficient and profitable than government owned or locally owned cement industries in Nepal, a recent study report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) found. </p> <p>According to ‘Foreign Direct Investment in Cement Industry in Nepal, A study on Socio-economic Impact’ by the NRB, the FDI-based cement industry uses 0.99 metric tons of limestone on average while the government-owned cement industry uses 1.45 metric tons to produce one ton of cement. Limestone is an important raw material used for cement manufacturing. </p> <p>Another yardstick that the study used to compare the efficiency and profitability between FDI-based cement industries and locally owned cement industries is the production cost to the sales ratio. According to the finding, the production cost to the sales ratio of the FDI-based cement industry is about 46.63 percent compared to 48.95 percent and 82.18 percent of locally owned and government owned cement industry. <img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/FDI-based%20cement%20industries.JPG" style="float:right; height:344px; width:500px" /></p> <p>“The economies of scale owing to larger size and the superior technology of the FDI-based cement industries are the reasons behind their higher efficiency,” read the report. </p> <p>The study is based on a survey of seven out of 55 cement industries that are operational in Nepal. Three FDI-based, two government-owned and two locally owned cement industries were included in the survey. There are three FDI-based, two government owned and 50 locally and privately owned cement industries that are in operation in Nepal. Two FDI-based industries are currently under construction. </p> <p>Though the financial and operational performances of the FDI-based industries have remained better compared to government and locally owned industries, their impact on social wellbeing and economic condition is mixed. </p> <p>For example, around 57 percent of respondents in the survey agree that FDI-based cement industry has provided employment to local people compared to respondents for government owned (90 percent) and locally owned (60 percent), according to the study report. Similarly, respondents residing near cement industry who agree that the industry has contributed to infrastructure development are 37 percent for FDI based cement industry compared to 90 percent for the government-owned cement industry. In terms of air pollution under major negative externality which 92 percent of respondent agree with, FDI-based industries generate comparitively lower air pollution owing to their superior technology, according to the report.</p> <p>The study report also recommended the government keep FDI in cement industries open, citing its role in bringing new technology into the country and promoting competition and forcing domestic industries to be more efficient. “It is, however, better to allow FDI in cement industries only on condition that local investors also hold certain minimum percent equity in such industries.This would help in the transfer of both technical and managerial know-how from foreign investors to local stakeholders,” the report added. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-22', 'modified' => '2021-05-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13178', 'image' => '20210522044854_Cement_FDI.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-22 16:46:45', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13433', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Demand for Cement Projected to Grow Double in the Next Five Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has projected the country’s demand for cement go grow two folds in the next five years. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">May 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has projected the country’s demand for cement go grow two folds in the next five years. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Stating that big infrastructure projects are currently under-construction and new projects are also being implemented, the central bank has project the annual demand for cement in Nepal to rise to 25.8 million metric tons by 2025 AD.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Considering the Fiscal Year 2020/21 as the base year, the central bank has projected the demand for cement to grow continually in the next five years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The annual demand for cement in the domestic market of Nepal is around 9 million metric tons at present. The production capacity of 55 cement industries of Nepal is said to be 15 million metric tons per year. However, all the cement industries are not operating in optimal capacity.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Unveiling a report on Foreign Investment in Nepal’s Cement Industry on May 21, the central bank said that the demand for cement is projected to grow as national pride projects such as the Gautam Buddha International Airport, Pokhara International Airport, are currently under construction and other big projects are also in the pipeline. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The study states that the demand for cement is expected to grow due to the projects that are in the offing such as Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project, Upper Marshyangdi Hydropower Project (II), Kaligandaki George, among others. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The report also suggests opening more companies with foreign direct investment. It also suggests optimal use of limestone quarries of the country and to reduce import by bringing those quarries into operation. Another suggestion given by the report is export promotion.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13177', 'image' => '20210523113613_20150820120744_cn.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 11:35:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13431', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Switzerland provides 30 tonnes of medical supplies worth $8 million to Nepal ', 'sub_title' => 'Till date, Switzerland has allocated a total of USD 20 million to the COVID-19 response in Nepal, according to Swiss Embassy in Nepal', 'summary' => '', 'content' => '<p>May 22: Switzerland has sent a consignment of essential medical supplies worth $8 million to Nepal in response to request from the Government of Nepal for the assistance in combatting the second wave of Covid-19. </p> <p>Swiss Ambassador to Nepal Elisabeth von Capeller handed over medical supplies to Minister for Health and Population Hridayesh Tripathi on Saturday.</p> <p>The 30-tonne shipment that arrived in Kathmandu on Saturday in a special cargo flight contains 40 ventilators, oxygen concentrators, 1.1 million rapid antigen tests and protective equipment (110’000 KN95 masks, 50’000 gloves and 15’000 suits) medical assitance includes ventilators, oxygen concentrators and protective equipment, according to the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal. </p> <p>Issuing a statement, the Swiss Embassy said that the current shipment of essential medical supplies is part of Switzerland’s comprehensive response to COVID-19 in Nepal, which started in April 2020.</p> <p>Till date, Switzerland has allocated a total of USD 20 million to the COVID-19 response in Nepal, said the Embassy in its statement. </p> <p>The ventilators, oxygen concentrators and protective equipment will reinforce the response of various hospitals in Nepal, whereas the antigen tests will allow for better monitoring and controlling of the spread of the virus, e.g. through rapid health screening, community level surveillance and early isolation of patients, according to the statement. </p> <p> “Switzerland stands in solidarity with Nepal and the Nepali people in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. These essential medical supplies will save lives and provide further support to the Government of Nepal to control and contain the pandemic”, the statement quoted Elisabeth von Capeller, Swiss Ambassador to Nepal, as saying.</p> <p>The Swiss Embassy has adapted its existing projects to ensure continuation of services during the COVID-19 pandemic and supported stranded migrants who lost their jobs in the destination countries with shelter, food, medical assistance, legal counselling and assistance for return, according to the statement. <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-22', 'modified' => '2021-05-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13176', 'image' => '20210522015553_Swiss Support.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-22 13:53:38', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13430', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'President Dissolves House of Representatives Again', 'sub_title' => 'Mid-term Elections Announced for November 12 and 19 ', 'summary' => 'May 22: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has dissolved the House of Representatives and announced mid-term elections to be held in two phases. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 22: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has dissolved the House of Representatives and announced mid-term elections to be held in two phases. President Bhandari took such decision upon the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The elections have been announced for coming November 12 and 19, the state-owned national news agency RSS reported citing Minister for Communications and Information Technology Parbat Gurung. An emergency meeting of the cabinet was held after the President concluded that the claims made for formation of a new government as per Article 76 (5) of the Constitution did not fulfill the required criteria. </span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><strong><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Claims by Oli and Deuba not sufficient </span></strong><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Earlier, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had concluded that the claims made by Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba to form the next government were not sufficient, RSS further reported. Prime Minister Oli had claimed support of 121 MPs of the ruling UML and 32 members of the Janata Samajbadi Party. However, 26 MPs of UML and 12 MPs of JSP backed NC President Deuba, according to a statement issued by the Office of the President. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NC president Deuba had staked the claim over the new government leadership with signatures from 61 NC MPs, 49 CPN (Maoist Centre) MPs, 26 CPN-UML MPs and Janamorcha Nepal's Durga Poudel. However, chairs and parliamentary party leaders of UML and JSP had demanded that the signatures of their respective party MPs be rejected, adds the statement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As MPs were found repeated in the claims by the two leaders, and that MPs had supported one another going against the party's decision as claimed by the respective parties and considering Article 89 of the Constitution and Political Party Act, 2073, both did not show concrete ground to gain a vote of confidence, argues the statement issued by the President’s Office for rejecting both the candidates. </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-22', 'modified' => '2021-05-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13175', 'image' => '20210522075309_2671.jpg.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-22 07:52:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13429', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Oli and Deuba Stake Claim to the Post of Prime Minister ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 21: CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli and main opposition party President Sher Bahadur Deuba have presented their claims at the President’s Office for the post of the prime minister with support from required numbers of the House of Representatives (HoR) members. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 21: CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli and main opposition party President Sher Bahadur Deuba have presented their claims at the President’s Office for the post of the prime minister with support from required numbers of the House of Representatives (HoR) members. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Ruling party chair Oli has presented his claim for new prime minister with support from 153 members of the House of Representatives (HoR) while Nepali Congress (NC) President Deuba presented the claim for the country’s highest executive position with the signatures of 149 HoR members. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Incumbent Prime Minster Oli has claimed for the prime ministerial berth as per the Article 76(5) of the Constitution of Nepal with support from 153 HoR members including 121 of UML and 32 of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), his chief advisor Bishnu Rimal informed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A letter of claim presented to this effect has been signed by Chairperson Mahantha Thakur and parliamentary party leader Rajendra Mahato on behalf of JSP and UML chair and parliamentary party leader Oli. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On the other hand, Deuba registered his letter of claim with the signatures of 149 HoR members including 61 of NC, 49 of CPN (Maoist Center), 26 of CPN (UML) Madhav Nepal Group, 12 of Janata Samajwadi Party and one of Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal, informed NC chief whip Bal Krishna Khand. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Deuba registered his claim for the new prime minster at the Office of the President on behalf of the opposition alliance as per the Article 76 (5) of the Constitution. The HoR has a total of 272 members. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">It may be noted that President Bidya Devi Bhandari had given the deadline up to 5.00 pm this evening (May 21) for the formation of a new government as per the Article 76 (5) of the Constitution. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-21', 'modified' => '2021-05-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13174', 'image' => '20210521084308_20160421102347_Clipboard07.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-21 20:42:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13428', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' PM Oli Gets Additional Portfolio of Seven Ministries ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 21: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has assigned Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to look after the additional portfolio of seven ministries until further arrangements, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 21: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has assigned Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to look after the additional portfolio of seven ministries until further arrangements, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Supreme Court on Thursday had issued an interim order that barred seven ministers who were not Members of Parliament (MPs) from performing their duties.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A single bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher Rana had also ruled the decision of Prime Minister Oli to retain those seven ministers in his cabinet as unconstitutional.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The ministers who were relived of their duties following the apex court order include Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta, Minister for Urban Development Prabhu Saha, Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation Mani Chandra Thapa, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Gauri Shankar Chaudhary and the Minister for Youth and Sports Dawa Lama Tamang. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The portfolio of those seven ministries has been assigned to Prime Minister Oli as per his recommendation, Assistant Spokesperson at the Office of the President, Keshav Prasad Ghimire, said in a press statement. </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-21', 'modified' => '2021-05-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13173', 'image' => '20210521060344_20210509121210_1620516771.Clipboard12.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-21 18:03:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13427', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Production of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor Limited to 40%', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 21: Due to the implementation of prohibitory orders to curb Covid-19 infection, 40 percent of the industries in Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have been shut down. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 21</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">: </span></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Due to the implementation of prohibitory orders to curb Covid-19 infection, 40 percent of the industries in Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have been shut down. The restriction has been actively implementation since the past three weeks. Meanwhile, the production of the industries that are still operating has also declined by 40 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">While the production of industries that produce essential goods is 80 percent, other industries are producing a limited amount of products. Industrialists have claimed that if the government fails to address the problems of workers and market management, all of the industries would shut down within two weeks.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sunasri-Morang Industrial Corridor comprises 500 industries of all scales. Fifty thousand workers are employed in these industries. Closing of 40 percent industries means complete closure of 200 industries. This means approximately 20 thousand workers have lost employment and are being compelled to stay at home without any source of income.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Central member of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Rajendra Raut informed that the industries in operation have dropped their production to less than 50 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The industries requiring oxygen for operation are completely shut down while other industries as well have not been able to operate properly due to the closure of the market,” said Raut.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In normal conditions, the industries of the corridor used to produce goods worth Rs 500 million on a daily basis..</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Altogether 50 industries including those that produce medicine, food grains and oxygen are still in operation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Export and import of the goods have also been greatly affected due to the closure of the industries.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Suyash Pyakurel of Morang informed that less than 50 percent of industries are in operation in the Corridor. Due to the closure of the market, the consumption of manufactured goods has decreased and the existing industries are also cutting production by up to 60 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He also said that the state needs to take necessary measures to save the industry. He urged the government to bring a bigger relief package than the previous year as bank interest, salary of employees and other expenses will continue even if the industry is closed. According to the President of Morang Trade Association, Prakash Mundada, production and consumption have both declined.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> The industry has cut production by 60 to 70 percent. As production declines, so does the employment of workers. He said that large industries in the corridor will also be closed within the next one week.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-21', 'modified' => '2021-05-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13172', 'image' => '20210521025732_My Effect.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-21 14:56:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity "" [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60]file not found!Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/indexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13441', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Gold Import Comes to a Halt since April 25', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 25: The import of gold has declined in the month of Baishakh (mid-April to mid-May). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 25</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">: </span></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The import of gold has declined in the month of Baishakh (mid-April to mid-May). This has been attributed to the consequences of lockdown implemented in order to keep coronavirus infection in check. This fact was unveiled after the Department of Customs released data of the last ten months of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the data, gold worth Rs 1.75 billion was imported in the review month which is less than the average monthly import. Before the review month, import of gold amounted to an average of Rs 2.14 billion per month. In the month of Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April) alone, import of gold worth Rs 3.2 billion was been recorded.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Talking about the quantity, 258 kg of gold was imported in the review month. Since mid-April to mid-May is the wedding season, import of gold is especially high. However, this time, the import had to be reduced due to the prohibitory order, said Manik Ratna Shakya, president of the Federation of Nepalese Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Since April is the wedding season, the number of customers is also high. But after the implementation of the prohibitory order, the business of gold jewelries went downhill,” said Shakya, adding, “This caused a decline in import of gold. Gold has not been imported at all since April 25.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In Nepal, only commercial banks hold the right to import gold. But these banks have been importing gold only upon the recommendation of the federation. The federation has instructed banks to halt the import of gold since the business is not doing well because of the restrictions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal has imported gold worth Rs 21.68 billion in the first ten months of the current fiscal year. During this period, 3,018 kg of gold has been imported into the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">But, in comparison to the same period of last year, the import of gold has increased by 57 percent. As of mid-April last year, only 2,400 kg of gold worth Rs 13.46 billion had been imported.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">During the review period of the current fiscal year, Nepal imported gold worth Rs 2.12 billion from Turkey and Rs 18.94 billion from the UAE.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-25', 'modified' => '2021-05-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13186', 'image' => '20210525124150_20201215120431_gold.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-25 12:40:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13440', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Sets Target to Complete Siddhababa Tunnel in 5 Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => '', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 24: The government has called for a tender bid to complete with the construction of the Siddhababa tunnel along the Butwal-Palpa section of the Siddhartha Highway. The tunnel construction has been under discussion for the past eight years. The Department of Roads called for a global tender on Saturday (May 22), with a target to complete the construction within five years. Domestic and foreign construction companies shall be able to submit proposals for the construction of the project within the next 45 days since the issuance of the tender.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The plan to build the tunnel was announced in the policies and programmes of the government for the Fiscal Year 2075/76. At that time, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had formulated a five-year strategy to complete the tunnel. The department has invited tenders to build the tunnel after three years of the announcement. Generally, tunnels are made to reduce the distance of roads/highways. However, this road section is being constructed with the objective of preventing loss of life and property due to landslides rather than reducing the distance, said an official of the department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The head of the quality research and development center of the department, Dr Vijay Jaisi informed that the Swiss Development Corporation had already given the preliminary design and report to the department two years ago and the department has issued the tender for the tunnel on the same basis. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The construction company should build the tunnel and hand it over to Nepal within five years,” he said, adding, "Since the contract is in the EPC model, it is almost certain that the tunnel will be completed on time. If the company extends the project for any reason, it will not get additional amount as per the price hike. The company will have to use the budget out of their own pockets." However, he added that if there occurs any natural disasters, the duration and cost of the project will have to be extended.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"As the new design and investment will be determined based on the initial design of the department, the immediate investment has not been assessed," said Jaisi. He said that the finance ministry has set a limit of Rs 10.15 billion and the amount of investment required will be decided only after the construction companies submit their bids. The construction company will be selected after three months and the selected company will have to submit the design to the department within the next nine months.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The distance of the tunnel will be 1 km 126 meters.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, rock fall technology will be used in the project to prevent the fall of rocks since the area is highly prone to rock falls. There is no alternative to the tunnel to prevent loss of life and property as those traveling through the section are at high risk due to landslides and rock falls triggered by landslides. Although many projects that are under-construction fail to complete the work on time, the tunnel will be completed within the stipulated time, claimed the Department of Roads.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">For the first time, the government has approved the 'Directive on Procurement through EPC-2078' and the department has also called for contracts from the same model. “As the construction company keeps looking for variations and showing problems, now it has come up with the Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) model,” said Jaisi. "In such a case, if the tunnel is not constructed within five years, they will not get any additional amount. The company will have to bear the additional cost and they will be compelled to complete the project on time," he added.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13185', 'image' => '20210524031735_20210408031917_20190825123459_Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 15:16:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13437', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Study Finds Mera Peak Suitable for Ski Mountaineering ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 24: A feasibility study conducted by a team of mountaineers has concluded that Mera Peak is suitable destination for ski mountaineering. ', 'content' => '<p><em>Mera Peak. Photo Courtesy: summitclimb.com</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 24: A feasibility study conducted by a team of mountaineers has concluded that Mera Peak is suitable destination for ski mountaineering. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The study team comprising of two Nepalis and two foreigners found that the 6,473-metre high peak was apt for ski mountaineering. Leonardo Bernard, 35, and 40-year-old Deidrick Bhan Reason from the Netherlands had skied from the summit of the Peak in May, the state-owned national news agency RSS reported citing the Ski and Snowboarding Academy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The skier duo had skied to the base camp of Mera Peak within half an hour, RSS quoted the academy’s president Utsav Pathak as saying. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The academy in collaboration with the Snow Guide Nepal Treks and Expedition conducted the feasibility study and the ski mountaineering activity on Mera Peak. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Training for ski mountaineering will be conducted on Mera Peak from coming October. Preparations are afoot to train Nepal’s team to compete in the Ski Mountaineering event of Winter Olympics to be held in Italy in 2026. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A ski competition was organized by the academy in Kalinchowk in 2019 and ski mountaineering activities and training have been organized in other peaks in Humla, Dolpa, Mustang and Kaski since the last five years, RSS reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The academy aims to popularize ski mountaineering in the country that houses 8 among 14 highest mountains of the world including the 8,848.86-metre high Sagarmatha (Mt Everest). </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13184', 'image' => '20210524121710_slide_1588683306_mera-peak-summitclimb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 12:15:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13439', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Poultry Farmers Downcast by Outbreak of Newcastle Disease ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 24: The number of people engaged in poultry farming has declined due to the outbreak of Ranikhet disease. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 24: The number of people engaged in poultry farming has declined due to the outbreak of Ranikhet disease. Most of the poultry farmers have stopped raising chickens after millions of chickens died due to the Ranikhet (Newcastle) disease across the country in the last four to five months. Newcastle disease is a highly contagious disease of birds caused by paramyxovirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the Central Livestock Disease Research Laboratory, Tripureshwor, the disease has been brought under control to some extent but farmers have not been able to raise chicken due to the damage it has already done. Dr Nawa Shrestha, an authorized veterinarian of the laboratory, said that about 20 percent of farmers have stopped raising chickens due to the disease.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He claimed that millions of chickens had died and tens of millions of rupees have been lost due to the disease. "Farmers are suffering financially and mentally and are afraid to raise chickens," he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier, 15 samples were tested daily at the central laboratory out of which more than 10 cases of Newcastle disease were detected, but now only five cases are confirmed on a daily basis, he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, Dr Shrestha acknowledged that the numbers were not sufficient to confirm that the disease as been controlled. As the disease is transmitted through a virus, if a farmer vaccinates his/her chicken beforehand, there is high changes of the disease being controlled.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, he warned that the virus might have mutated and the vaccine might not have been able to control it.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Since the vaccine has not worked effectively, farmers are now increasing the doses of the vaccine, as advised by doctors. Earlier, two doses of vaccine worked, but now a third dose has to be given.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">It is said that the overall production of poultry has also decreased by about 40 percent along with the reduced number of poultry farmers due to the fear of the disease.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to Dinesh Raj Mishra, general secretary of the Nepal Poultry Federation, there is not much problem in the market due to the lockdown. However, there will be a shortage of meats in the market after the lockdown due to the decline in production. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Farmers are not permanently engaged in producing broiler chickens. Every three years, 90 percent of the new farmers surface. It is said that most of the old farmers are also worried due to the current lockdown and the outbreak of the disease.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13183', 'image' => '20210524021409_My Effect.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 14:08:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13438', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Industries along Bara- Parsa Corridor Cut Down Production', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 24: Most of the industries located in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have cut down production following a decline in demand due to the restrictions enforced by the local authorities to contain coronavirus.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 24: Most of the industries located in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have cut down production following a decline in demand due to the restrictions enforced by the local authorities to contain coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Subodh Kumar Gupta, president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that industries other than food and medicine in the corridor have reduced their production. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Industries producing construction materials, textiles, garments, alcohol have been extremely affected," he said, adding, “Tthese industries have cut down their production by half." </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to Rajesh Kyal, owner of Narayani Rolling Mills, the demand for construction materials has gone down as the construction works have been stalled. "Most of the industries that produce construction materials have cut down production as the demand for construction materials have started to decline," said Kyal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">There are about three dozen construction materials industries in this corridor. Around 1,000 small and large scale industries are operating in Bara and Parsa.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The prohibitory orders enforced in various districts from April 29 have been extended time and again. This has further resulted in the decline in market demand. Traders have switched to the option of cutting down production instead of storing the produced materials. Seventy-six districts have currently enforced prohibitory orders.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the industrialists, increase in the death toll from the second wave of coronavirus has heightened the panic among the public. During the previous lockdown, fear of the pandemic was much less though mobility was highly affected. This time, people are more scared so workers have stopped coming to industries due to fear of contracting the virus. "Industries are also dealing with the crunch of human resources which has affected production," he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Some industries in the corridor have announced relief packages as the risk of contracting virus is ever-increasing. "The Prestige Group has announced to provide compensation equal to one year of basic salary to the family in case of death of a worker deployed in industry," said Vinay Shah, managing director of the Group.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Anup Agrawal, president of the Nepali Young Entrepreneurs Forum Birgunj, said that most of the industries are reeling under the lack of recurrent capital due to the market closure. Prohibitory orders have not only cut down the demand but has also halted the collection of dues, which has affected the cycles of recurrent capital, he said. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13182', 'image' => '20210524014936_20200910030746_1599687943.Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 13:48:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13436', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Companies Told to use Nepali Dairy Products for In-Flight Meals ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Padma Kumari Aryal has instructed the airline companies of Nepal to use dairy products that are made in the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 23: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Padma Kumari Aryal has instructed the airline companies of Nepal to use dairy products that are made in the country. Addressing a meeting of the National Dairy Corporation (DDC) on Saturday, she directed the airline companies to make necessary arrangements for the use of dairy products including butter, curd, and cheese produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Furthermore, stating that she had received information that a large amount of dairy products are being imported from abroad, she instructed the chairman of the DDC Baburam Pandey to make such arrangement for the promotion of domestic products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“During the discussion with the chief of Nepal Airlines Corporation, we came to know that a large amount of money was spent on importing dairy products,” she said, adding, “Emphasis should be given on using dairy products produced in the country to stop such imports.” She instructed the DDC to prepare for the sale and distribution of dairy products to the airline companies within a week.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stating that the products including ghee, butter, and cheese need marketing, Minister Aryal announced that the ministry is ready to make policy arrangements to promote export. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13181', 'image' => '20210523022747_20200921111110_1600647868.ghj.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 14:27:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13435', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'RMGs worth Rs 4 billion Stuck in Godowns due to Lockdown ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: Traders of readymade garments (RMG) imported goods worth Rs 4 billion targeting the summer season. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 23: Traders of readymade garments (RMG) imported goods worth Rs 4 billion targeting the summer season. However, the imported goods are currently stuck in their godowns, as traders are unable to sell the clothes due to the lockdown. The prohibitory order aimed at controlling the spread of coronavirus has severely affected the sales of readymade garments.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Meanwhile, the traders are frustrated as the second wave of Covid-19, and the subsequent lockdown has affected their business in the peak season, forcing them to hold the imported goods in their godowns. April is the peak time for selling RMGs. Last year too, readymade garments worth Rs 3 to 4 billion were stuck in the warehouses of traders, as the summer season was about to start.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Dil Sundar Shrestha, a central member of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said that the traders are witnessing the same situation this year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"Last year's stock of clothes could not be sold. This year too, there is we have a stock of goods worth Rs 4 billion," he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Rajeshman Shrestha, a retailer of readymade garments in Asan, had imported goods worth around Rs 1.5 million for the summer season as the coronavirus pandemic seemed to be declining. But he has not been able to sell clothes more than Rs 500,000.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"I don't know how long the lockdown will last. So I am worried that the investment in the business will sink,” he said. On the one hand, bank loans, interest, rental charge are quite high. However, he said that the business has come to a standstill and many traders like him are worried about their livelihood.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">As the lockdown continues, the readymade garments stuck in traders' godowns cannot be sold in the winter. Therefore, traders say that the current investment is unlikely to return until the summer of next year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepali traders import readymade garments worth Rs 30-40 billion from neighboring India and China every year during summer, winter, and during the Dashan-Tihar festivals.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13180', 'image' => '20210523014312_20200901114856_1598909272.4.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 13:42:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13434', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UK to Provide 2 Million doses of Vaccines through Covax', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: The British government has agreed to provide 2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 23: The British government has agreed to provide 2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Nepal. The UK is set to provide the AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine to Nepal. Under the Covax Program of the World Health Organization (WHO), the UK has agreed to provide the vaccines free of cost.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The decision to provide vaccines to Nepal was not motivated by the diplomatic initiatives of related authorities, but by through the initiative of the Gurkhas and British Ambassador to Nepal, Nicola Pollitt. The House of Lords of the Government of the UK made such decision after the joint initiative of Gurkhas and Ambassador Pollitt. The decision was made at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UK.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The UK made such decision saying that Nepal is in urgent need of vaccination at present. Last week, Ambassador Pollitt also briefed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in this regard.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Dr Jageshwor Gautam, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, confirmed the news of shipping in of 2 million doses of vaccine into Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Under the World Health Organization's Covax program, the UK has decided to provide Nepal with 2 million doses of vaccine. We will get the written or official information probably in one or two days,” he said, adding, “Import of vaccines will be initiated only after receiving the official letter.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Since the Serum Institute of India refused to export Covishield vaccine to Nepal, citizens who have taken the first dose have not been able to take the second dose of vaccination. In these conditions, the availability of vaccines from the UK can be considered as a positive aspect, as per the ministry of Health and Population.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal will get 13.2 million doses of vaccine free of cost under the Covax program. However, Nepal has only received 348,000 doses of free vaccine so far.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13179', 'image' => '20210523010929__117616854_hi066285277.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 13:08:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13432', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NRB study finds FDI-based cement industries more efficient, profitable than locally-owned producers', 'sub_title' => ' Govt advised to allow FDI in cement industries on condition that local investors also hold certain minimum percent equity', 'summary' => 'Cement industries with foreign direct investment (FDI) are more efficient and profitable than government owned or locally owned cement industries in Nepal, a recent study report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) found. ', 'content' => '<p>May 22: Cement industries with foreign direct investment (FDI) are more efficient and profitable than government owned or locally owned cement industries in Nepal, a recent study report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) found. </p> <p>According to ‘Foreign Direct Investment in Cement Industry in Nepal, A study on Socio-economic Impact’ by the NRB, the FDI-based cement industry uses 0.99 metric tons of limestone on average while the government-owned cement industry uses 1.45 metric tons to produce one ton of cement. Limestone is an important raw material used for cement manufacturing. </p> <p>Another yardstick that the study used to compare the efficiency and profitability between FDI-based cement industries and locally owned cement industries is the production cost to the sales ratio. According to the finding, the production cost to the sales ratio of the FDI-based cement industry is about 46.63 percent compared to 48.95 percent and 82.18 percent of locally owned and government owned cement industry. <img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/FDI-based%20cement%20industries.JPG" style="float:right; height:344px; width:500px" /></p> <p>“The economies of scale owing to larger size and the superior technology of the FDI-based cement industries are the reasons behind their higher efficiency,” read the report. </p> <p>The study is based on a survey of seven out of 55 cement industries that are operational in Nepal. Three FDI-based, two government-owned and two locally owned cement industries were included in the survey. There are three FDI-based, two government owned and 50 locally and privately owned cement industries that are in operation in Nepal. Two FDI-based industries are currently under construction. </p> <p>Though the financial and operational performances of the FDI-based industries have remained better compared to government and locally owned industries, their impact on social wellbeing and economic condition is mixed. </p> <p>For example, around 57 percent of respondents in the survey agree that FDI-based cement industry has provided employment to local people compared to respondents for government owned (90 percent) and locally owned (60 percent), according to the study report. Similarly, respondents residing near cement industry who agree that the industry has contributed to infrastructure development are 37 percent for FDI based cement industry compared to 90 percent for the government-owned cement industry. In terms of air pollution under major negative externality which 92 percent of respondent agree with, FDI-based industries generate comparitively lower air pollution owing to their superior technology, according to the report.</p> <p>The study report also recommended the government keep FDI in cement industries open, citing its role in bringing new technology into the country and promoting competition and forcing domestic industries to be more efficient. “It is, however, better to allow FDI in cement industries only on condition that local investors also hold certain minimum percent equity in such industries.This would help in the transfer of both technical and managerial know-how from foreign investors to local stakeholders,” the report added. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-22', 'modified' => '2021-05-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13178', 'image' => '20210522044854_Cement_FDI.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-22 16:46:45', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13433', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Demand for Cement Projected to Grow Double in the Next Five Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has projected the country’s demand for cement go grow two folds in the next five years. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">May 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has projected the country’s demand for cement go grow two folds in the next five years. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Stating that big infrastructure projects are currently under-construction and new projects are also being implemented, the central bank has project the annual demand for cement in Nepal to rise to 25.8 million metric tons by 2025 AD.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Considering the Fiscal Year 2020/21 as the base year, the central bank has projected the demand for cement to grow continually in the next five years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The annual demand for cement in the domestic market of Nepal is around 9 million metric tons at present. The production capacity of 55 cement industries of Nepal is said to be 15 million metric tons per year. However, all the cement industries are not operating in optimal capacity.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Unveiling a report on Foreign Investment in Nepal’s Cement Industry on May 21, the central bank said that the demand for cement is projected to grow as national pride projects such as the Gautam Buddha International Airport, Pokhara International Airport, are currently under construction and other big projects are also in the pipeline. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The study states that the demand for cement is expected to grow due to the projects that are in the offing such as Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project, Upper Marshyangdi Hydropower Project (II), Kaligandaki George, among others. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The report also suggests opening more companies with foreign direct investment. It also suggests optimal use of limestone quarries of the country and to reduce import by bringing those quarries into operation. Another suggestion given by the report is export promotion.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13177', 'image' => '20210523113613_20150820120744_cn.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 11:35:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13431', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Switzerland provides 30 tonnes of medical supplies worth $8 million to Nepal ', 'sub_title' => 'Till date, Switzerland has allocated a total of USD 20 million to the COVID-19 response in Nepal, according to Swiss Embassy in Nepal', 'summary' => '', 'content' => '<p>May 22: Switzerland has sent a consignment of essential medical supplies worth $8 million to Nepal in response to request from the Government of Nepal for the assistance in combatting the second wave of Covid-19. </p> <p>Swiss Ambassador to Nepal Elisabeth von Capeller handed over medical supplies to Minister for Health and Population Hridayesh Tripathi on Saturday.</p> <p>The 30-tonne shipment that arrived in Kathmandu on Saturday in a special cargo flight contains 40 ventilators, oxygen concentrators, 1.1 million rapid antigen tests and protective equipment (110’000 KN95 masks, 50’000 gloves and 15’000 suits) medical assitance includes ventilators, oxygen concentrators and protective equipment, according to the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal. </p> <p>Issuing a statement, the Swiss Embassy said that the current shipment of essential medical supplies is part of Switzerland’s comprehensive response to COVID-19 in Nepal, which started in April 2020.</p> <p>Till date, Switzerland has allocated a total of USD 20 million to the COVID-19 response in Nepal, said the Embassy in its statement. </p> <p>The ventilators, oxygen concentrators and protective equipment will reinforce the response of various hospitals in Nepal, whereas the antigen tests will allow for better monitoring and controlling of the spread of the virus, e.g. through rapid health screening, community level surveillance and early isolation of patients, according to the statement. </p> <p> “Switzerland stands in solidarity with Nepal and the Nepali people in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. These essential medical supplies will save lives and provide further support to the Government of Nepal to control and contain the pandemic”, the statement quoted Elisabeth von Capeller, Swiss Ambassador to Nepal, as saying.</p> <p>The Swiss Embassy has adapted its existing projects to ensure continuation of services during the COVID-19 pandemic and supported stranded migrants who lost their jobs in the destination countries with shelter, food, medical assistance, legal counselling and assistance for return, according to the statement. <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-22', 'modified' => '2021-05-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13176', 'image' => '20210522015553_Swiss Support.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-22 13:53:38', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13430', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'President Dissolves House of Representatives Again', 'sub_title' => 'Mid-term Elections Announced for November 12 and 19 ', 'summary' => 'May 22: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has dissolved the House of Representatives and announced mid-term elections to be held in two phases. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 22: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has dissolved the House of Representatives and announced mid-term elections to be held in two phases. President Bhandari took such decision upon the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The elections have been announced for coming November 12 and 19, the state-owned national news agency RSS reported citing Minister for Communications and Information Technology Parbat Gurung. An emergency meeting of the cabinet was held after the President concluded that the claims made for formation of a new government as per Article 76 (5) of the Constitution did not fulfill the required criteria. </span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><strong><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Claims by Oli and Deuba not sufficient </span></strong><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Earlier, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had concluded that the claims made by Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba to form the next government were not sufficient, RSS further reported. Prime Minister Oli had claimed support of 121 MPs of the ruling UML and 32 members of the Janata Samajbadi Party. However, 26 MPs of UML and 12 MPs of JSP backed NC President Deuba, according to a statement issued by the Office of the President. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NC president Deuba had staked the claim over the new government leadership with signatures from 61 NC MPs, 49 CPN (Maoist Centre) MPs, 26 CPN-UML MPs and Janamorcha Nepal's Durga Poudel. However, chairs and parliamentary party leaders of UML and JSP had demanded that the signatures of their respective party MPs be rejected, adds the statement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As MPs were found repeated in the claims by the two leaders, and that MPs had supported one another going against the party's decision as claimed by the respective parties and considering Article 89 of the Constitution and Political Party Act, 2073, both did not show concrete ground to gain a vote of confidence, argues the statement issued by the President’s Office for rejecting both the candidates. </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-22', 'modified' => '2021-05-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13175', 'image' => '20210522075309_2671.jpg.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-22 07:52:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13429', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Oli and Deuba Stake Claim to the Post of Prime Minister ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 21: CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli and main opposition party President Sher Bahadur Deuba have presented their claims at the President’s Office for the post of the prime minister with support from required numbers of the House of Representatives (HoR) members. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 21: CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli and main opposition party President Sher Bahadur Deuba have presented their claims at the President’s Office for the post of the prime minister with support from required numbers of the House of Representatives (HoR) members. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Ruling party chair Oli has presented his claim for new prime minister with support from 153 members of the House of Representatives (HoR) while Nepali Congress (NC) President Deuba presented the claim for the country’s highest executive position with the signatures of 149 HoR members. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Incumbent Prime Minster Oli has claimed for the prime ministerial berth as per the Article 76(5) of the Constitution of Nepal with support from 153 HoR members including 121 of UML and 32 of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), his chief advisor Bishnu Rimal informed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A letter of claim presented to this effect has been signed by Chairperson Mahantha Thakur and parliamentary party leader Rajendra Mahato on behalf of JSP and UML chair and parliamentary party leader Oli. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On the other hand, Deuba registered his letter of claim with the signatures of 149 HoR members including 61 of NC, 49 of CPN (Maoist Center), 26 of CPN (UML) Madhav Nepal Group, 12 of Janata Samajwadi Party and one of Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal, informed NC chief whip Bal Krishna Khand. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Deuba registered his claim for the new prime minster at the Office of the President on behalf of the opposition alliance as per the Article 76 (5) of the Constitution. The HoR has a total of 272 members. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">It may be noted that President Bidya Devi Bhandari had given the deadline up to 5.00 pm this evening (May 21) for the formation of a new government as per the Article 76 (5) of the Constitution. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-21', 'modified' => '2021-05-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13174', 'image' => '20210521084308_20160421102347_Clipboard07.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-21 20:42:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13428', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' PM Oli Gets Additional Portfolio of Seven Ministries ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 21: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has assigned Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to look after the additional portfolio of seven ministries until further arrangements, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 21: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has assigned Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to look after the additional portfolio of seven ministries until further arrangements, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Supreme Court on Thursday had issued an interim order that barred seven ministers who were not Members of Parliament (MPs) from performing their duties.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A single bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher Rana had also ruled the decision of Prime Minister Oli to retain those seven ministers in his cabinet as unconstitutional.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The ministers who were relived of their duties following the apex court order include Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta, Minister for Urban Development Prabhu Saha, Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation Mani Chandra Thapa, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Gauri Shankar Chaudhary and the Minister for Youth and Sports Dawa Lama Tamang. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The portfolio of those seven ministries has been assigned to Prime Minister Oli as per his recommendation, Assistant Spokesperson at the Office of the President, Keshav Prasad Ghimire, said in a press statement. </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-21', 'modified' => '2021-05-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13173', 'image' => '20210521060344_20210509121210_1620516771.Clipboard12.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-21 18:03:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13427', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Production of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor Limited to 40%', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 21: Due to the implementation of prohibitory orders to curb Covid-19 infection, 40 percent of the industries in Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have been shut down. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 21</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">: </span></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Due to the implementation of prohibitory orders to curb Covid-19 infection, 40 percent of the industries in Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have been shut down. The restriction has been actively implementation since the past three weeks. Meanwhile, the production of the industries that are still operating has also declined by 40 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">While the production of industries that produce essential goods is 80 percent, other industries are producing a limited amount of products. Industrialists have claimed that if the government fails to address the problems of workers and market management, all of the industries would shut down within two weeks.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sunasri-Morang Industrial Corridor comprises 500 industries of all scales. Fifty thousand workers are employed in these industries. Closing of 40 percent industries means complete closure of 200 industries. This means approximately 20 thousand workers have lost employment and are being compelled to stay at home without any source of income.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Central member of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Rajendra Raut informed that the industries in operation have dropped their production to less than 50 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The industries requiring oxygen for operation are completely shut down while other industries as well have not been able to operate properly due to the closure of the market,” said Raut.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In normal conditions, the industries of the corridor used to produce goods worth Rs 500 million on a daily basis..</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Altogether 50 industries including those that produce medicine, food grains and oxygen are still in operation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Export and import of the goods have also been greatly affected due to the closure of the industries.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Suyash Pyakurel of Morang informed that less than 50 percent of industries are in operation in the Corridor. Due to the closure of the market, the consumption of manufactured goods has decreased and the existing industries are also cutting production by up to 60 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He also said that the state needs to take necessary measures to save the industry. He urged the government to bring a bigger relief package than the previous year as bank interest, salary of employees and other expenses will continue even if the industry is closed. According to the President of Morang Trade Association, Prakash Mundada, production and consumption have both declined.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> The industry has cut production by 60 to 70 percent. As production declines, so does the employment of workers. He said that large industries in the corridor will also be closed within the next one week.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-21', 'modified' => '2021-05-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13172', 'image' => '20210521025732_My Effect.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-21 14:56:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13441', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Gold Import Comes to a Halt since April 25', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 25: The import of gold has declined in the month of Baishakh (mid-April to mid-May). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 25</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">: </span></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The import of gold has declined in the month of Baishakh (mid-April to mid-May). This has been attributed to the consequences of lockdown implemented in order to keep coronavirus infection in check. This fact was unveiled after the Department of Customs released data of the last ten months of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the data, gold worth Rs 1.75 billion was imported in the review month which is less than the average monthly import. Before the review month, import of gold amounted to an average of Rs 2.14 billion per month. In the month of Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April) alone, import of gold worth Rs 3.2 billion was been recorded.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Talking about the quantity, 258 kg of gold was imported in the review month. Since mid-April to mid-May is the wedding season, import of gold is especially high. However, this time, the import had to be reduced due to the prohibitory order, said Manik Ratna Shakya, president of the Federation of Nepalese Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Since April is the wedding season, the number of customers is also high. But after the implementation of the prohibitory order, the business of gold jewelries went downhill,” said Shakya, adding, “This caused a decline in import of gold. Gold has not been imported at all since April 25.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In Nepal, only commercial banks hold the right to import gold. But these banks have been importing gold only upon the recommendation of the federation. The federation has instructed banks to halt the import of gold since the business is not doing well because of the restrictions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal has imported gold worth Rs 21.68 billion in the first ten months of the current fiscal year. During this period, 3,018 kg of gold has been imported into the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">But, in comparison to the same period of last year, the import of gold has increased by 57 percent. As of mid-April last year, only 2,400 kg of gold worth Rs 13.46 billion had been imported.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">During the review period of the current fiscal year, Nepal imported gold worth Rs 2.12 billion from Turkey and Rs 18.94 billion from the UAE.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-25', 'modified' => '2021-05-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13186', 'image' => '20210525124150_20201215120431_gold.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-25 12:40:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13440', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Sets Target to Complete Siddhababa Tunnel in 5 Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => '', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 24: The government has called for a tender bid to complete with the construction of the Siddhababa tunnel along the Butwal-Palpa section of the Siddhartha Highway. The tunnel construction has been under discussion for the past eight years. The Department of Roads called for a global tender on Saturday (May 22), with a target to complete the construction within five years. Domestic and foreign construction companies shall be able to submit proposals for the construction of the project within the next 45 days since the issuance of the tender.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The plan to build the tunnel was announced in the policies and programmes of the government for the Fiscal Year 2075/76. At that time, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had formulated a five-year strategy to complete the tunnel. The department has invited tenders to build the tunnel after three years of the announcement. Generally, tunnels are made to reduce the distance of roads/highways. However, this road section is being constructed with the objective of preventing loss of life and property due to landslides rather than reducing the distance, said an official of the department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The head of the quality research and development center of the department, Dr Vijay Jaisi informed that the Swiss Development Corporation had already given the preliminary design and report to the department two years ago and the department has issued the tender for the tunnel on the same basis. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The construction company should build the tunnel and hand it over to Nepal within five years,” he said, adding, "Since the contract is in the EPC model, it is almost certain that the tunnel will be completed on time. If the company extends the project for any reason, it will not get additional amount as per the price hike. The company will have to use the budget out of their own pockets." However, he added that if there occurs any natural disasters, the duration and cost of the project will have to be extended.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"As the new design and investment will be determined based on the initial design of the department, the immediate investment has not been assessed," said Jaisi. He said that the finance ministry has set a limit of Rs 10.15 billion and the amount of investment required will be decided only after the construction companies submit their bids. The construction company will be selected after three months and the selected company will have to submit the design to the department within the next nine months.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The distance of the tunnel will be 1 km 126 meters.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, rock fall technology will be used in the project to prevent the fall of rocks since the area is highly prone to rock falls. There is no alternative to the tunnel to prevent loss of life and property as those traveling through the section are at high risk due to landslides and rock falls triggered by landslides. Although many projects that are under-construction fail to complete the work on time, the tunnel will be completed within the stipulated time, claimed the Department of Roads.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">For the first time, the government has approved the 'Directive on Procurement through EPC-2078' and the department has also called for contracts from the same model. “As the construction company keeps looking for variations and showing problems, now it has come up with the Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) model,” said Jaisi. "In such a case, if the tunnel is not constructed within five years, they will not get any additional amount. The company will have to bear the additional cost and they will be compelled to complete the project on time," he added.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13185', 'image' => '20210524031735_20210408031917_20190825123459_Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 15:16:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13437', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Study Finds Mera Peak Suitable for Ski Mountaineering ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 24: A feasibility study conducted by a team of mountaineers has concluded that Mera Peak is suitable destination for ski mountaineering. ', 'content' => '<p><em>Mera Peak. Photo Courtesy: summitclimb.com</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 24: A feasibility study conducted by a team of mountaineers has concluded that Mera Peak is suitable destination for ski mountaineering. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The study team comprising of two Nepalis and two foreigners found that the 6,473-metre high peak was apt for ski mountaineering. Leonardo Bernard, 35, and 40-year-old Deidrick Bhan Reason from the Netherlands had skied from the summit of the Peak in May, the state-owned national news agency RSS reported citing the Ski and Snowboarding Academy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The skier duo had skied to the base camp of Mera Peak within half an hour, RSS quoted the academy’s president Utsav Pathak as saying. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The academy in collaboration with the Snow Guide Nepal Treks and Expedition conducted the feasibility study and the ski mountaineering activity on Mera Peak. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Training for ski mountaineering will be conducted on Mera Peak from coming October. Preparations are afoot to train Nepal’s team to compete in the Ski Mountaineering event of Winter Olympics to be held in Italy in 2026. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A ski competition was organized by the academy in Kalinchowk in 2019 and ski mountaineering activities and training have been organized in other peaks in Humla, Dolpa, Mustang and Kaski since the last five years, RSS reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The academy aims to popularize ski mountaineering in the country that houses 8 among 14 highest mountains of the world including the 8,848.86-metre high Sagarmatha (Mt Everest). </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13184', 'image' => '20210524121710_slide_1588683306_mera-peak-summitclimb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 12:15:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13439', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Poultry Farmers Downcast by Outbreak of Newcastle Disease ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 24: The number of people engaged in poultry farming has declined due to the outbreak of Ranikhet disease. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 24: The number of people engaged in poultry farming has declined due to the outbreak of Ranikhet disease. Most of the poultry farmers have stopped raising chickens after millions of chickens died due to the Ranikhet (Newcastle) disease across the country in the last four to five months. Newcastle disease is a highly contagious disease of birds caused by paramyxovirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the Central Livestock Disease Research Laboratory, Tripureshwor, the disease has been brought under control to some extent but farmers have not been able to raise chicken due to the damage it has already done. Dr Nawa Shrestha, an authorized veterinarian of the laboratory, said that about 20 percent of farmers have stopped raising chickens due to the disease.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He claimed that millions of chickens had died and tens of millions of rupees have been lost due to the disease. "Farmers are suffering financially and mentally and are afraid to raise chickens," he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier, 15 samples were tested daily at the central laboratory out of which more than 10 cases of Newcastle disease were detected, but now only five cases are confirmed on a daily basis, he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, Dr Shrestha acknowledged that the numbers were not sufficient to confirm that the disease as been controlled. As the disease is transmitted through a virus, if a farmer vaccinates his/her chicken beforehand, there is high changes of the disease being controlled.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, he warned that the virus might have mutated and the vaccine might not have been able to control it.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Since the vaccine has not worked effectively, farmers are now increasing the doses of the vaccine, as advised by doctors. Earlier, two doses of vaccine worked, but now a third dose has to be given.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">It is said that the overall production of poultry has also decreased by about 40 percent along with the reduced number of poultry farmers due to the fear of the disease.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to Dinesh Raj Mishra, general secretary of the Nepal Poultry Federation, there is not much problem in the market due to the lockdown. However, there will be a shortage of meats in the market after the lockdown due to the decline in production. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Farmers are not permanently engaged in producing broiler chickens. Every three years, 90 percent of the new farmers surface. It is said that most of the old farmers are also worried due to the current lockdown and the outbreak of the disease.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13183', 'image' => '20210524021409_My Effect.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 14:08:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13438', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Industries along Bara- Parsa Corridor Cut Down Production', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 24: Most of the industries located in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have cut down production following a decline in demand due to the restrictions enforced by the local authorities to contain coronavirus.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 24: Most of the industries located in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have cut down production following a decline in demand due to the restrictions enforced by the local authorities to contain coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Subodh Kumar Gupta, president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that industries other than food and medicine in the corridor have reduced their production. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Industries producing construction materials, textiles, garments, alcohol have been extremely affected," he said, adding, “Tthese industries have cut down their production by half." </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to Rajesh Kyal, owner of Narayani Rolling Mills, the demand for construction materials has gone down as the construction works have been stalled. "Most of the industries that produce construction materials have cut down production as the demand for construction materials have started to decline," said Kyal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">There are about three dozen construction materials industries in this corridor. Around 1,000 small and large scale industries are operating in Bara and Parsa.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The prohibitory orders enforced in various districts from April 29 have been extended time and again. This has further resulted in the decline in market demand. Traders have switched to the option of cutting down production instead of storing the produced materials. Seventy-six districts have currently enforced prohibitory orders.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the industrialists, increase in the death toll from the second wave of coronavirus has heightened the panic among the public. During the previous lockdown, fear of the pandemic was much less though mobility was highly affected. This time, people are more scared so workers have stopped coming to industries due to fear of contracting the virus. "Industries are also dealing with the crunch of human resources which has affected production," he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Some industries in the corridor have announced relief packages as the risk of contracting virus is ever-increasing. "The Prestige Group has announced to provide compensation equal to one year of basic salary to the family in case of death of a worker deployed in industry," said Vinay Shah, managing director of the Group.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Anup Agrawal, president of the Nepali Young Entrepreneurs Forum Birgunj, said that most of the industries are reeling under the lack of recurrent capital due to the market closure. Prohibitory orders have not only cut down the demand but has also halted the collection of dues, which has affected the cycles of recurrent capital, he said. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13182', 'image' => '20210524014936_20200910030746_1599687943.Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 13:48:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13436', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Companies Told to use Nepali Dairy Products for In-Flight Meals ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Padma Kumari Aryal has instructed the airline companies of Nepal to use dairy products that are made in the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 23: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Padma Kumari Aryal has instructed the airline companies of Nepal to use dairy products that are made in the country. Addressing a meeting of the National Dairy Corporation (DDC) on Saturday, she directed the airline companies to make necessary arrangements for the use of dairy products including butter, curd, and cheese produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Furthermore, stating that she had received information that a large amount of dairy products are being imported from abroad, she instructed the chairman of the DDC Baburam Pandey to make such arrangement for the promotion of domestic products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“During the discussion with the chief of Nepal Airlines Corporation, we came to know that a large amount of money was spent on importing dairy products,” she said, adding, “Emphasis should be given on using dairy products produced in the country to stop such imports.” She instructed the DDC to prepare for the sale and distribution of dairy products to the airline companies within a week.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stating that the products including ghee, butter, and cheese need marketing, Minister Aryal announced that the ministry is ready to make policy arrangements to promote export. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13181', 'image' => '20210523022747_20200921111110_1600647868.ghj.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 14:27:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13435', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'RMGs worth Rs 4 billion Stuck in Godowns due to Lockdown ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: Traders of readymade garments (RMG) imported goods worth Rs 4 billion targeting the summer season. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 23: Traders of readymade garments (RMG) imported goods worth Rs 4 billion targeting the summer season. However, the imported goods are currently stuck in their godowns, as traders are unable to sell the clothes due to the lockdown. The prohibitory order aimed at controlling the spread of coronavirus has severely affected the sales of readymade garments.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Meanwhile, the traders are frustrated as the second wave of Covid-19, and the subsequent lockdown has affected their business in the peak season, forcing them to hold the imported goods in their godowns. April is the peak time for selling RMGs. Last year too, readymade garments worth Rs 3 to 4 billion were stuck in the warehouses of traders, as the summer season was about to start.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Dil Sundar Shrestha, a central member of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said that the traders are witnessing the same situation this year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"Last year's stock of clothes could not be sold. This year too, there is we have a stock of goods worth Rs 4 billion," he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Rajeshman Shrestha, a retailer of readymade garments in Asan, had imported goods worth around Rs 1.5 million for the summer season as the coronavirus pandemic seemed to be declining. But he has not been able to sell clothes more than Rs 500,000.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"I don't know how long the lockdown will last. So I am worried that the investment in the business will sink,” he said. On the one hand, bank loans, interest, rental charge are quite high. However, he said that the business has come to a standstill and many traders like him are worried about their livelihood.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">As the lockdown continues, the readymade garments stuck in traders' godowns cannot be sold in the winter. Therefore, traders say that the current investment is unlikely to return until the summer of next year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepali traders import readymade garments worth Rs 30-40 billion from neighboring India and China every year during summer, winter, and during the Dashan-Tihar festivals.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13180', 'image' => '20210523014312_20200901114856_1598909272.4.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 13:42:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13434', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UK to Provide 2 Million doses of Vaccines through Covax', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: The British government has agreed to provide 2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 23: The British government has agreed to provide 2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Nepal. The UK is set to provide the AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine to Nepal. Under the Covax Program of the World Health Organization (WHO), the UK has agreed to provide the vaccines free of cost.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The decision to provide vaccines to Nepal was not motivated by the diplomatic initiatives of related authorities, but by through the initiative of the Gurkhas and British Ambassador to Nepal, Nicola Pollitt. The House of Lords of the Government of the UK made such decision after the joint initiative of Gurkhas and Ambassador Pollitt. The decision was made at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UK.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The UK made such decision saying that Nepal is in urgent need of vaccination at present. Last week, Ambassador Pollitt also briefed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in this regard.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Dr Jageshwor Gautam, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, confirmed the news of shipping in of 2 million doses of vaccine into Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Under the World Health Organization's Covax program, the UK has decided to provide Nepal with 2 million doses of vaccine. We will get the written or official information probably in one or two days,” he said, adding, “Import of vaccines will be initiated only after receiving the official letter.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Since the Serum Institute of India refused to export Covishield vaccine to Nepal, citizens who have taken the first dose have not been able to take the second dose of vaccination. In these conditions, the availability of vaccines from the UK can be considered as a positive aspect, as per the ministry of Health and Population.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal will get 13.2 million doses of vaccine free of cost under the Covax program. However, Nepal has only received 348,000 doses of free vaccine so far.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13179', 'image' => '20210523010929__117616854_hi066285277.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 13:08:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13432', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NRB study finds FDI-based cement industries more efficient, profitable than locally-owned producers', 'sub_title' => ' Govt advised to allow FDI in cement industries on condition that local investors also hold certain minimum percent equity', 'summary' => 'Cement industries with foreign direct investment (FDI) are more efficient and profitable than government owned or locally owned cement industries in Nepal, a recent study report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) found. ', 'content' => '<p>May 22: Cement industries with foreign direct investment (FDI) are more efficient and profitable than government owned or locally owned cement industries in Nepal, a recent study report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) found. </p> <p>According to ‘Foreign Direct Investment in Cement Industry in Nepal, A study on Socio-economic Impact’ by the NRB, the FDI-based cement industry uses 0.99 metric tons of limestone on average while the government-owned cement industry uses 1.45 metric tons to produce one ton of cement. Limestone is an important raw material used for cement manufacturing. </p> <p>Another yardstick that the study used to compare the efficiency and profitability between FDI-based cement industries and locally owned cement industries is the production cost to the sales ratio. According to the finding, the production cost to the sales ratio of the FDI-based cement industry is about 46.63 percent compared to 48.95 percent and 82.18 percent of locally owned and government owned cement industry. <img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/FDI-based%20cement%20industries.JPG" style="float:right; height:344px; width:500px" /></p> <p>“The economies of scale owing to larger size and the superior technology of the FDI-based cement industries are the reasons behind their higher efficiency,” read the report. </p> <p>The study is based on a survey of seven out of 55 cement industries that are operational in Nepal. Three FDI-based, two government-owned and two locally owned cement industries were included in the survey. There are three FDI-based, two government owned and 50 locally and privately owned cement industries that are in operation in Nepal. Two FDI-based industries are currently under construction. </p> <p>Though the financial and operational performances of the FDI-based industries have remained better compared to government and locally owned industries, their impact on social wellbeing and economic condition is mixed. </p> <p>For example, around 57 percent of respondents in the survey agree that FDI-based cement industry has provided employment to local people compared to respondents for government owned (90 percent) and locally owned (60 percent), according to the study report. Similarly, respondents residing near cement industry who agree that the industry has contributed to infrastructure development are 37 percent for FDI based cement industry compared to 90 percent for the government-owned cement industry. In terms of air pollution under major negative externality which 92 percent of respondent agree with, FDI-based industries generate comparitively lower air pollution owing to their superior technology, according to the report.</p> <p>The study report also recommended the government keep FDI in cement industries open, citing its role in bringing new technology into the country and promoting competition and forcing domestic industries to be more efficient. “It is, however, better to allow FDI in cement industries only on condition that local investors also hold certain minimum percent equity in such industries.This would help in the transfer of both technical and managerial know-how from foreign investors to local stakeholders,” the report added. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-22', 'modified' => '2021-05-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13178', 'image' => '20210522044854_Cement_FDI.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-22 16:46:45', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13433', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Demand for Cement Projected to Grow Double in the Next Five Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has projected the country’s demand for cement go grow two folds in the next five years. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">May 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has projected the country’s demand for cement go grow two folds in the next five years. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Stating that big infrastructure projects are currently under-construction and new projects are also being implemented, the central bank has project the annual demand for cement in Nepal to rise to 25.8 million metric tons by 2025 AD.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Considering the Fiscal Year 2020/21 as the base year, the central bank has projected the demand for cement to grow continually in the next five years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The annual demand for cement in the domestic market of Nepal is around 9 million metric tons at present. The production capacity of 55 cement industries of Nepal is said to be 15 million metric tons per year. However, all the cement industries are not operating in optimal capacity.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Unveiling a report on Foreign Investment in Nepal’s Cement Industry on May 21, the central bank said that the demand for cement is projected to grow as national pride projects such as the Gautam Buddha International Airport, Pokhara International Airport, are currently under construction and other big projects are also in the pipeline. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The study states that the demand for cement is expected to grow due to the projects that are in the offing such as Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project, Upper Marshyangdi Hydropower Project (II), Kaligandaki George, among others. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The report also suggests opening more companies with foreign direct investment. It also suggests optimal use of limestone quarries of the country and to reduce import by bringing those quarries into operation. Another suggestion given by the report is export promotion.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13177', 'image' => '20210523113613_20150820120744_cn.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 11:35:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13431', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Switzerland provides 30 tonnes of medical supplies worth $8 million to Nepal ', 'sub_title' => 'Till date, Switzerland has allocated a total of USD 20 million to the COVID-19 response in Nepal, according to Swiss Embassy in Nepal', 'summary' => '', 'content' => '<p>May 22: Switzerland has sent a consignment of essential medical supplies worth $8 million to Nepal in response to request from the Government of Nepal for the assistance in combatting the second wave of Covid-19. </p> <p>Swiss Ambassador to Nepal Elisabeth von Capeller handed over medical supplies to Minister for Health and Population Hridayesh Tripathi on Saturday.</p> <p>The 30-tonne shipment that arrived in Kathmandu on Saturday in a special cargo flight contains 40 ventilators, oxygen concentrators, 1.1 million rapid antigen tests and protective equipment (110’000 KN95 masks, 50’000 gloves and 15’000 suits) medical assitance includes ventilators, oxygen concentrators and protective equipment, according to the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal. </p> <p>Issuing a statement, the Swiss Embassy said that the current shipment of essential medical supplies is part of Switzerland’s comprehensive response to COVID-19 in Nepal, which started in April 2020.</p> <p>Till date, Switzerland has allocated a total of USD 20 million to the COVID-19 response in Nepal, said the Embassy in its statement. </p> <p>The ventilators, oxygen concentrators and protective equipment will reinforce the response of various hospitals in Nepal, whereas the antigen tests will allow for better monitoring and controlling of the spread of the virus, e.g. through rapid health screening, community level surveillance and early isolation of patients, according to the statement. </p> <p> “Switzerland stands in solidarity with Nepal and the Nepali people in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. These essential medical supplies will save lives and provide further support to the Government of Nepal to control and contain the pandemic”, the statement quoted Elisabeth von Capeller, Swiss Ambassador to Nepal, as saying.</p> <p>The Swiss Embassy has adapted its existing projects to ensure continuation of services during the COVID-19 pandemic and supported stranded migrants who lost their jobs in the destination countries with shelter, food, medical assistance, legal counselling and assistance for return, according to the statement. <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-22', 'modified' => '2021-05-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13176', 'image' => '20210522015553_Swiss Support.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-22 13:53:38', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13430', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'President Dissolves House of Representatives Again', 'sub_title' => 'Mid-term Elections Announced for November 12 and 19 ', 'summary' => 'May 22: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has dissolved the House of Representatives and announced mid-term elections to be held in two phases. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 22: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has dissolved the House of Representatives and announced mid-term elections to be held in two phases. President Bhandari took such decision upon the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The elections have been announced for coming November 12 and 19, the state-owned national news agency RSS reported citing Minister for Communications and Information Technology Parbat Gurung. An emergency meeting of the cabinet was held after the President concluded that the claims made for formation of a new government as per Article 76 (5) of the Constitution did not fulfill the required criteria. </span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><strong><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Claims by Oli and Deuba not sufficient </span></strong><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Earlier, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had concluded that the claims made by Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba to form the next government were not sufficient, RSS further reported. Prime Minister Oli had claimed support of 121 MPs of the ruling UML and 32 members of the Janata Samajbadi Party. However, 26 MPs of UML and 12 MPs of JSP backed NC President Deuba, according to a statement issued by the Office of the President. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NC president Deuba had staked the claim over the new government leadership with signatures from 61 NC MPs, 49 CPN (Maoist Centre) MPs, 26 CPN-UML MPs and Janamorcha Nepal's Durga Poudel. However, chairs and parliamentary party leaders of UML and JSP had demanded that the signatures of their respective party MPs be rejected, adds the statement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As MPs were found repeated in the claims by the two leaders, and that MPs had supported one another going against the party's decision as claimed by the respective parties and considering Article 89 of the Constitution and Political Party Act, 2073, both did not show concrete ground to gain a vote of confidence, argues the statement issued by the President’s Office for rejecting both the candidates. </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-22', 'modified' => '2021-05-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13175', 'image' => '20210522075309_2671.jpg.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-22 07:52:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13429', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Oli and Deuba Stake Claim to the Post of Prime Minister ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 21: CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli and main opposition party President Sher Bahadur Deuba have presented their claims at the President’s Office for the post of the prime minister with support from required numbers of the House of Representatives (HoR) members. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 21: CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli and main opposition party President Sher Bahadur Deuba have presented their claims at the President’s Office for the post of the prime minister with support from required numbers of the House of Representatives (HoR) members. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Ruling party chair Oli has presented his claim for new prime minister with support from 153 members of the House of Representatives (HoR) while Nepali Congress (NC) President Deuba presented the claim for the country’s highest executive position with the signatures of 149 HoR members. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Incumbent Prime Minster Oli has claimed for the prime ministerial berth as per the Article 76(5) of the Constitution of Nepal with support from 153 HoR members including 121 of UML and 32 of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), his chief advisor Bishnu Rimal informed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A letter of claim presented to this effect has been signed by Chairperson Mahantha Thakur and parliamentary party leader Rajendra Mahato on behalf of JSP and UML chair and parliamentary party leader Oli. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On the other hand, Deuba registered his letter of claim with the signatures of 149 HoR members including 61 of NC, 49 of CPN (Maoist Center), 26 of CPN (UML) Madhav Nepal Group, 12 of Janata Samajwadi Party and one of Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal, informed NC chief whip Bal Krishna Khand. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Deuba registered his claim for the new prime minster at the Office of the President on behalf of the opposition alliance as per the Article 76 (5) of the Constitution. The HoR has a total of 272 members. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">It may be noted that President Bidya Devi Bhandari had given the deadline up to 5.00 pm this evening (May 21) for the formation of a new government as per the Article 76 (5) of the Constitution. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-21', 'modified' => '2021-05-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13174', 'image' => '20210521084308_20160421102347_Clipboard07.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-21 20:42:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13428', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' PM Oli Gets Additional Portfolio of Seven Ministries ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 21: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has assigned Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to look after the additional portfolio of seven ministries until further arrangements, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 21: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has assigned Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to look after the additional portfolio of seven ministries until further arrangements, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Supreme Court on Thursday had issued an interim order that barred seven ministers who were not Members of Parliament (MPs) from performing their duties.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A single bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher Rana had also ruled the decision of Prime Minister Oli to retain those seven ministers in his cabinet as unconstitutional.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The ministers who were relived of their duties following the apex court order include Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta, Minister for Urban Development Prabhu Saha, Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation Mani Chandra Thapa, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Gauri Shankar Chaudhary and the Minister for Youth and Sports Dawa Lama Tamang. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The portfolio of those seven ministries has been assigned to Prime Minister Oli as per his recommendation, Assistant Spokesperson at the Office of the President, Keshav Prasad Ghimire, said in a press statement. </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-21', 'modified' => '2021-05-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13173', 'image' => '20210521060344_20210509121210_1620516771.Clipboard12.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-21 18:03:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13427', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Production of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor Limited to 40%', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 21: Due to the implementation of prohibitory orders to curb Covid-19 infection, 40 percent of the industries in Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have been shut down. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 21</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">: </span></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Due to the implementation of prohibitory orders to curb Covid-19 infection, 40 percent of the industries in Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have been shut down. The restriction has been actively implementation since the past three weeks. Meanwhile, the production of the industries that are still operating has also declined by 40 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">While the production of industries that produce essential goods is 80 percent, other industries are producing a limited amount of products. Industrialists have claimed that if the government fails to address the problems of workers and market management, all of the industries would shut down within two weeks.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sunasri-Morang Industrial Corridor comprises 500 industries of all scales. Fifty thousand workers are employed in these industries. Closing of 40 percent industries means complete closure of 200 industries. This means approximately 20 thousand workers have lost employment and are being compelled to stay at home without any source of income.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Central member of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Rajendra Raut informed that the industries in operation have dropped their production to less than 50 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The industries requiring oxygen for operation are completely shut down while other industries as well have not been able to operate properly due to the closure of the market,” said Raut.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In normal conditions, the industries of the corridor used to produce goods worth Rs 500 million on a daily basis..</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Altogether 50 industries including those that produce medicine, food grains and oxygen are still in operation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Export and import of the goods have also been greatly affected due to the closure of the industries.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Suyash Pyakurel of Morang informed that less than 50 percent of industries are in operation in the Corridor. Due to the closure of the market, the consumption of manufactured goods has decreased and the existing industries are also cutting production by up to 60 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He also said that the state needs to take necessary measures to save the industry. He urged the government to bring a bigger relief package than the previous year as bank interest, salary of employees and other expenses will continue even if the industry is closed. According to the President of Morang Trade Association, Prakash Mundada, production and consumption have both declined.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> The industry has cut production by 60 to 70 percent. As production declines, so does the employment of workers. He said that large industries in the corridor will also be closed within the next one week.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-21', 'modified' => '2021-05-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13172', 'image' => '20210521025732_My Effect.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-21 14:56:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity "" [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]file not found!Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13441', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Gold Import Comes to a Halt since April 25', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 25: The import of gold has declined in the month of Baishakh (mid-April to mid-May). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 25</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">: </span></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The import of gold has declined in the month of Baishakh (mid-April to mid-May). This has been attributed to the consequences of lockdown implemented in order to keep coronavirus infection in check. This fact was unveiled after the Department of Customs released data of the last ten months of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the data, gold worth Rs 1.75 billion was imported in the review month which is less than the average monthly import. Before the review month, import of gold amounted to an average of Rs 2.14 billion per month. In the month of Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April) alone, import of gold worth Rs 3.2 billion was been recorded.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Talking about the quantity, 258 kg of gold was imported in the review month. Since mid-April to mid-May is the wedding season, import of gold is especially high. However, this time, the import had to be reduced due to the prohibitory order, said Manik Ratna Shakya, president of the Federation of Nepalese Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Since April is the wedding season, the number of customers is also high. But after the implementation of the prohibitory order, the business of gold jewelries went downhill,” said Shakya, adding, “This caused a decline in import of gold. Gold has not been imported at all since April 25.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In Nepal, only commercial banks hold the right to import gold. But these banks have been importing gold only upon the recommendation of the federation. The federation has instructed banks to halt the import of gold since the business is not doing well because of the restrictions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal has imported gold worth Rs 21.68 billion in the first ten months of the current fiscal year. During this period, 3,018 kg of gold has been imported into the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">But, in comparison to the same period of last year, the import of gold has increased by 57 percent. As of mid-April last year, only 2,400 kg of gold worth Rs 13.46 billion had been imported.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">During the review period of the current fiscal year, Nepal imported gold worth Rs 2.12 billion from Turkey and Rs 18.94 billion from the UAE.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-25', 'modified' => '2021-05-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13186', 'image' => '20210525124150_20201215120431_gold.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-25 12:40:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13440', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Sets Target to Complete Siddhababa Tunnel in 5 Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => '', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 24: The government has called for a tender bid to complete with the construction of the Siddhababa tunnel along the Butwal-Palpa section of the Siddhartha Highway. The tunnel construction has been under discussion for the past eight years. The Department of Roads called for a global tender on Saturday (May 22), with a target to complete the construction within five years. Domestic and foreign construction companies shall be able to submit proposals for the construction of the project within the next 45 days since the issuance of the tender.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The plan to build the tunnel was announced in the policies and programmes of the government for the Fiscal Year 2075/76. At that time, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had formulated a five-year strategy to complete the tunnel. The department has invited tenders to build the tunnel after three years of the announcement. Generally, tunnels are made to reduce the distance of roads/highways. However, this road section is being constructed with the objective of preventing loss of life and property due to landslides rather than reducing the distance, said an official of the department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The head of the quality research and development center of the department, Dr Vijay Jaisi informed that the Swiss Development Corporation had already given the preliminary design and report to the department two years ago and the department has issued the tender for the tunnel on the same basis. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The construction company should build the tunnel and hand it over to Nepal within five years,” he said, adding, "Since the contract is in the EPC model, it is almost certain that the tunnel will be completed on time. If the company extends the project for any reason, it will not get additional amount as per the price hike. The company will have to use the budget out of their own pockets." However, he added that if there occurs any natural disasters, the duration and cost of the project will have to be extended.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"As the new design and investment will be determined based on the initial design of the department, the immediate investment has not been assessed," said Jaisi. He said that the finance ministry has set a limit of Rs 10.15 billion and the amount of investment required will be decided only after the construction companies submit their bids. The construction company will be selected after three months and the selected company will have to submit the design to the department within the next nine months.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The distance of the tunnel will be 1 km 126 meters.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, rock fall technology will be used in the project to prevent the fall of rocks since the area is highly prone to rock falls. There is no alternative to the tunnel to prevent loss of life and property as those traveling through the section are at high risk due to landslides and rock falls triggered by landslides. Although many projects that are under-construction fail to complete the work on time, the tunnel will be completed within the stipulated time, claimed the Department of Roads.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">For the first time, the government has approved the 'Directive on Procurement through EPC-2078' and the department has also called for contracts from the same model. “As the construction company keeps looking for variations and showing problems, now it has come up with the Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) model,” said Jaisi. "In such a case, if the tunnel is not constructed within five years, they will not get any additional amount. The company will have to bear the additional cost and they will be compelled to complete the project on time," he added.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13185', 'image' => '20210524031735_20210408031917_20190825123459_Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 15:16:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13437', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Study Finds Mera Peak Suitable for Ski Mountaineering ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 24: A feasibility study conducted by a team of mountaineers has concluded that Mera Peak is suitable destination for ski mountaineering. ', 'content' => '<p><em>Mera Peak. Photo Courtesy: summitclimb.com</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 24: A feasibility study conducted by a team of mountaineers has concluded that Mera Peak is suitable destination for ski mountaineering. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The study team comprising of two Nepalis and two foreigners found that the 6,473-metre high peak was apt for ski mountaineering. Leonardo Bernard, 35, and 40-year-old Deidrick Bhan Reason from the Netherlands had skied from the summit of the Peak in May, the state-owned national news agency RSS reported citing the Ski and Snowboarding Academy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The skier duo had skied to the base camp of Mera Peak within half an hour, RSS quoted the academy’s president Utsav Pathak as saying. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The academy in collaboration with the Snow Guide Nepal Treks and Expedition conducted the feasibility study and the ski mountaineering activity on Mera Peak. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Training for ski mountaineering will be conducted on Mera Peak from coming October. Preparations are afoot to train Nepal’s team to compete in the Ski Mountaineering event of Winter Olympics to be held in Italy in 2026. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A ski competition was organized by the academy in Kalinchowk in 2019 and ski mountaineering activities and training have been organized in other peaks in Humla, Dolpa, Mustang and Kaski since the last five years, RSS reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The academy aims to popularize ski mountaineering in the country that houses 8 among 14 highest mountains of the world including the 8,848.86-metre high Sagarmatha (Mt Everest). </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13184', 'image' => '20210524121710_slide_1588683306_mera-peak-summitclimb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 12:15:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13439', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Poultry Farmers Downcast by Outbreak of Newcastle Disease ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 24: The number of people engaged in poultry farming has declined due to the outbreak of Ranikhet disease. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 24: The number of people engaged in poultry farming has declined due to the outbreak of Ranikhet disease. Most of the poultry farmers have stopped raising chickens after millions of chickens died due to the Ranikhet (Newcastle) disease across the country in the last four to five months. Newcastle disease is a highly contagious disease of birds caused by paramyxovirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the Central Livestock Disease Research Laboratory, Tripureshwor, the disease has been brought under control to some extent but farmers have not been able to raise chicken due to the damage it has already done. Dr Nawa Shrestha, an authorized veterinarian of the laboratory, said that about 20 percent of farmers have stopped raising chickens due to the disease.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He claimed that millions of chickens had died and tens of millions of rupees have been lost due to the disease. "Farmers are suffering financially and mentally and are afraid to raise chickens," he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier, 15 samples were tested daily at the central laboratory out of which more than 10 cases of Newcastle disease were detected, but now only five cases are confirmed on a daily basis, he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, Dr Shrestha acknowledged that the numbers were not sufficient to confirm that the disease as been controlled. As the disease is transmitted through a virus, if a farmer vaccinates his/her chicken beforehand, there is high changes of the disease being controlled.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, he warned that the virus might have mutated and the vaccine might not have been able to control it.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Since the vaccine has not worked effectively, farmers are now increasing the doses of the vaccine, as advised by doctors. Earlier, two doses of vaccine worked, but now a third dose has to be given.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">It is said that the overall production of poultry has also decreased by about 40 percent along with the reduced number of poultry farmers due to the fear of the disease.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to Dinesh Raj Mishra, general secretary of the Nepal Poultry Federation, there is not much problem in the market due to the lockdown. However, there will be a shortage of meats in the market after the lockdown due to the decline in production. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Farmers are not permanently engaged in producing broiler chickens. Every three years, 90 percent of the new farmers surface. It is said that most of the old farmers are also worried due to the current lockdown and the outbreak of the disease.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13183', 'image' => '20210524021409_My Effect.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 14:08:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13438', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Industries along Bara- Parsa Corridor Cut Down Production', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 24: Most of the industries located in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have cut down production following a decline in demand due to the restrictions enforced by the local authorities to contain coronavirus.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 24: Most of the industries located in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have cut down production following a decline in demand due to the restrictions enforced by the local authorities to contain coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Subodh Kumar Gupta, president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that industries other than food and medicine in the corridor have reduced their production. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Industries producing construction materials, textiles, garments, alcohol have been extremely affected," he said, adding, “Tthese industries have cut down their production by half." </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to Rajesh Kyal, owner of Narayani Rolling Mills, the demand for construction materials has gone down as the construction works have been stalled. "Most of the industries that produce construction materials have cut down production as the demand for construction materials have started to decline," said Kyal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">There are about three dozen construction materials industries in this corridor. Around 1,000 small and large scale industries are operating in Bara and Parsa.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The prohibitory orders enforced in various districts from April 29 have been extended time and again. This has further resulted in the decline in market demand. Traders have switched to the option of cutting down production instead of storing the produced materials. Seventy-six districts have currently enforced prohibitory orders.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the industrialists, increase in the death toll from the second wave of coronavirus has heightened the panic among the public. During the previous lockdown, fear of the pandemic was much less though mobility was highly affected. This time, people are more scared so workers have stopped coming to industries due to fear of contracting the virus. "Industries are also dealing with the crunch of human resources which has affected production," he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Some industries in the corridor have announced relief packages as the risk of contracting virus is ever-increasing. "The Prestige Group has announced to provide compensation equal to one year of basic salary to the family in case of death of a worker deployed in industry," said Vinay Shah, managing director of the Group.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Anup Agrawal, president of the Nepali Young Entrepreneurs Forum Birgunj, said that most of the industries are reeling under the lack of recurrent capital due to the market closure. Prohibitory orders have not only cut down the demand but has also halted the collection of dues, which has affected the cycles of recurrent capital, he said. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-24', 'modified' => '2021-05-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13182', 'image' => '20210524014936_20200910030746_1599687943.Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-24 13:48:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13436', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Companies Told to use Nepali Dairy Products for In-Flight Meals ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Padma Kumari Aryal has instructed the airline companies of Nepal to use dairy products that are made in the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 23: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Padma Kumari Aryal has instructed the airline companies of Nepal to use dairy products that are made in the country. Addressing a meeting of the National Dairy Corporation (DDC) on Saturday, she directed the airline companies to make necessary arrangements for the use of dairy products including butter, curd, and cheese produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Furthermore, stating that she had received information that a large amount of dairy products are being imported from abroad, she instructed the chairman of the DDC Baburam Pandey to make such arrangement for the promotion of domestic products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“During the discussion with the chief of Nepal Airlines Corporation, we came to know that a large amount of money was spent on importing dairy products,” she said, adding, “Emphasis should be given on using dairy products produced in the country to stop such imports.” She instructed the DDC to prepare for the sale and distribution of dairy products to the airline companies within a week.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stating that the products including ghee, butter, and cheese need marketing, Minister Aryal announced that the ministry is ready to make policy arrangements to promote export. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13181', 'image' => '20210523022747_20200921111110_1600647868.ghj.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 14:27:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13435', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'RMGs worth Rs 4 billion Stuck in Godowns due to Lockdown ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: Traders of readymade garments (RMG) imported goods worth Rs 4 billion targeting the summer season. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 23: Traders of readymade garments (RMG) imported goods worth Rs 4 billion targeting the summer season. However, the imported goods are currently stuck in their godowns, as traders are unable to sell the clothes due to the lockdown. The prohibitory order aimed at controlling the spread of coronavirus has severely affected the sales of readymade garments.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Meanwhile, the traders are frustrated as the second wave of Covid-19, and the subsequent lockdown has affected their business in the peak season, forcing them to hold the imported goods in their godowns. April is the peak time for selling RMGs. Last year too, readymade garments worth Rs 3 to 4 billion were stuck in the warehouses of traders, as the summer season was about to start.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Dil Sundar Shrestha, a central member of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said that the traders are witnessing the same situation this year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"Last year's stock of clothes could not be sold. This year too, there is we have a stock of goods worth Rs 4 billion," he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Rajeshman Shrestha, a retailer of readymade garments in Asan, had imported goods worth around Rs 1.5 million for the summer season as the coronavirus pandemic seemed to be declining. But he has not been able to sell clothes more than Rs 500,000.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"I don't know how long the lockdown will last. So I am worried that the investment in the business will sink,” he said. On the one hand, bank loans, interest, rental charge are quite high. However, he said that the business has come to a standstill and many traders like him are worried about their livelihood.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">As the lockdown continues, the readymade garments stuck in traders' godowns cannot be sold in the winter. Therefore, traders say that the current investment is unlikely to return until the summer of next year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepali traders import readymade garments worth Rs 30-40 billion from neighboring India and China every year during summer, winter, and during the Dashan-Tihar festivals.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13180', 'image' => '20210523014312_20200901114856_1598909272.4.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 13:42:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13434', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UK to Provide 2 Million doses of Vaccines through Covax', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: The British government has agreed to provide 2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 23: The British government has agreed to provide 2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Nepal. The UK is set to provide the AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine to Nepal. Under the Covax Program of the World Health Organization (WHO), the UK has agreed to provide the vaccines free of cost.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The decision to provide vaccines to Nepal was not motivated by the diplomatic initiatives of related authorities, but by through the initiative of the Gurkhas and British Ambassador to Nepal, Nicola Pollitt. The House of Lords of the Government of the UK made such decision after the joint initiative of Gurkhas and Ambassador Pollitt. The decision was made at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UK.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The UK made such decision saying that Nepal is in urgent need of vaccination at present. Last week, Ambassador Pollitt also briefed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in this regard.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Dr Jageshwor Gautam, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, confirmed the news of shipping in of 2 million doses of vaccine into Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Under the World Health Organization's Covax program, the UK has decided to provide Nepal with 2 million doses of vaccine. We will get the written or official information probably in one or two days,” he said, adding, “Import of vaccines will be initiated only after receiving the official letter.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Since the Serum Institute of India refused to export Covishield vaccine to Nepal, citizens who have taken the first dose have not been able to take the second dose of vaccination. In these conditions, the availability of vaccines from the UK can be considered as a positive aspect, as per the ministry of Health and Population.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal will get 13.2 million doses of vaccine free of cost under the Covax program. However, Nepal has only received 348,000 doses of free vaccine so far.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13179', 'image' => '20210523010929__117616854_hi066285277.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 13:08:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13432', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NRB study finds FDI-based cement industries more efficient, profitable than locally-owned producers', 'sub_title' => ' Govt advised to allow FDI in cement industries on condition that local investors also hold certain minimum percent equity', 'summary' => 'Cement industries with foreign direct investment (FDI) are more efficient and profitable than government owned or locally owned cement industries in Nepal, a recent study report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) found. ', 'content' => '<p>May 22: Cement industries with foreign direct investment (FDI) are more efficient and profitable than government owned or locally owned cement industries in Nepal, a recent study report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) found. </p> <p>According to ‘Foreign Direct Investment in Cement Industry in Nepal, A study on Socio-economic Impact’ by the NRB, the FDI-based cement industry uses 0.99 metric tons of limestone on average while the government-owned cement industry uses 1.45 metric tons to produce one ton of cement. Limestone is an important raw material used for cement manufacturing. </p> <p>Another yardstick that the study used to compare the efficiency and profitability between FDI-based cement industries and locally owned cement industries is the production cost to the sales ratio. According to the finding, the production cost to the sales ratio of the FDI-based cement industry is about 46.63 percent compared to 48.95 percent and 82.18 percent of locally owned and government owned cement industry. <img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/FDI-based%20cement%20industries.JPG" style="float:right; height:344px; width:500px" /></p> <p>“The economies of scale owing to larger size and the superior technology of the FDI-based cement industries are the reasons behind their higher efficiency,” read the report. </p> <p>The study is based on a survey of seven out of 55 cement industries that are operational in Nepal. Three FDI-based, two government-owned and two locally owned cement industries were included in the survey. There are three FDI-based, two government owned and 50 locally and privately owned cement industries that are in operation in Nepal. Two FDI-based industries are currently under construction. </p> <p>Though the financial and operational performances of the FDI-based industries have remained better compared to government and locally owned industries, their impact on social wellbeing and economic condition is mixed. </p> <p>For example, around 57 percent of respondents in the survey agree that FDI-based cement industry has provided employment to local people compared to respondents for government owned (90 percent) and locally owned (60 percent), according to the study report. Similarly, respondents residing near cement industry who agree that the industry has contributed to infrastructure development are 37 percent for FDI based cement industry compared to 90 percent for the government-owned cement industry. In terms of air pollution under major negative externality which 92 percent of respondent agree with, FDI-based industries generate comparitively lower air pollution owing to their superior technology, according to the report.</p> <p>The study report also recommended the government keep FDI in cement industries open, citing its role in bringing new technology into the country and promoting competition and forcing domestic industries to be more efficient. “It is, however, better to allow FDI in cement industries only on condition that local investors also hold certain minimum percent equity in such industries.This would help in the transfer of both technical and managerial know-how from foreign investors to local stakeholders,” the report added. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-22', 'modified' => '2021-05-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13178', 'image' => '20210522044854_Cement_FDI.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-22 16:46:45', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13433', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Demand for Cement Projected to Grow Double in the Next Five Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has projected the country’s demand for cement go grow two folds in the next five years. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">May 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has projected the country’s demand for cement go grow two folds in the next five years. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Stating that big infrastructure projects are currently under-construction and new projects are also being implemented, the central bank has project the annual demand for cement in Nepal to rise to 25.8 million metric tons by 2025 AD.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Considering the Fiscal Year 2020/21 as the base year, the central bank has projected the demand for cement to grow continually in the next five years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The annual demand for cement in the domestic market of Nepal is around 9 million metric tons at present. The production capacity of 55 cement industries of Nepal is said to be 15 million metric tons per year. However, all the cement industries are not operating in optimal capacity.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Unveiling a report on Foreign Investment in Nepal’s Cement Industry on May 21, the central bank said that the demand for cement is projected to grow as national pride projects such as the Gautam Buddha International Airport, Pokhara International Airport, are currently under construction and other big projects are also in the pipeline. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The study states that the demand for cement is expected to grow due to the projects that are in the offing such as Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project, Upper Marshyangdi Hydropower Project (II), Kaligandaki George, among others. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The report also suggests opening more companies with foreign direct investment. It also suggests optimal use of limestone quarries of the country and to reduce import by bringing those quarries into operation. Another suggestion given by the report is export promotion.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-23', 'modified' => '2021-05-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13177', 'image' => '20210523113613_20150820120744_cn.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-23 11:35:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13431', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Switzerland provides 30 tonnes of medical supplies worth $8 million to Nepal ', 'sub_title' => 'Till date, Switzerland has allocated a total of USD 20 million to the COVID-19 response in Nepal, according to Swiss Embassy in Nepal', 'summary' => '', 'content' => '<p>May 22: Switzerland has sent a consignment of essential medical supplies worth $8 million to Nepal in response to request from the Government of Nepal for the assistance in combatting the second wave of Covid-19. </p> <p>Swiss Ambassador to Nepal Elisabeth von Capeller handed over medical supplies to Minister for Health and Population Hridayesh Tripathi on Saturday.</p> <p>The 30-tonne shipment that arrived in Kathmandu on Saturday in a special cargo flight contains 40 ventilators, oxygen concentrators, 1.1 million rapid antigen tests and protective equipment (110’000 KN95 masks, 50’000 gloves and 15’000 suits) medical assitance includes ventilators, oxygen concentrators and protective equipment, according to the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal. </p> <p>Issuing a statement, the Swiss Embassy said that the current shipment of essential medical supplies is part of Switzerland’s comprehensive response to COVID-19 in Nepal, which started in April 2020.</p> <p>Till date, Switzerland has allocated a total of USD 20 million to the COVID-19 response in Nepal, said the Embassy in its statement. </p> <p>The ventilators, oxygen concentrators and protective equipment will reinforce the response of various hospitals in Nepal, whereas the antigen tests will allow for better monitoring and controlling of the spread of the virus, e.g. through rapid health screening, community level surveillance and early isolation of patients, according to the statement. </p> <p> “Switzerland stands in solidarity with Nepal and the Nepali people in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. These essential medical supplies will save lives and provide further support to the Government of Nepal to control and contain the pandemic”, the statement quoted Elisabeth von Capeller, Swiss Ambassador to Nepal, as saying.</p> <p>The Swiss Embassy has adapted its existing projects to ensure continuation of services during the COVID-19 pandemic and supported stranded migrants who lost their jobs in the destination countries with shelter, food, medical assistance, legal counselling and assistance for return, according to the statement. <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-22', 'modified' => '2021-05-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13176', 'image' => '20210522015553_Swiss Support.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-22 13:53:38', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13430', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'President Dissolves House of Representatives Again', 'sub_title' => 'Mid-term Elections Announced for November 12 and 19 ', 'summary' => 'May 22: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has dissolved the House of Representatives and announced mid-term elections to be held in two phases. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 22: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has dissolved the House of Representatives and announced mid-term elections to be held in two phases. President Bhandari took such decision upon the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The elections have been announced for coming November 12 and 19, the state-owned national news agency RSS reported citing Minister for Communications and Information Technology Parbat Gurung. An emergency meeting of the cabinet was held after the President concluded that the claims made for formation of a new government as per Article 76 (5) of the Constitution did not fulfill the required criteria. </span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><strong><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Claims by Oli and Deuba not sufficient </span></strong><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Earlier, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had concluded that the claims made by Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba to form the next government were not sufficient, RSS further reported. Prime Minister Oli had claimed support of 121 MPs of the ruling UML and 32 members of the Janata Samajbadi Party. However, 26 MPs of UML and 12 MPs of JSP backed NC President Deuba, according to a statement issued by the Office of the President. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NC president Deuba had staked the claim over the new government leadership with signatures from 61 NC MPs, 49 CPN (Maoist Centre) MPs, 26 CPN-UML MPs and Janamorcha Nepal's Durga Poudel. However, chairs and parliamentary party leaders of UML and JSP had demanded that the signatures of their respective party MPs be rejected, adds the statement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As MPs were found repeated in the claims by the two leaders, and that MPs had supported one another going against the party's decision as claimed by the respective parties and considering Article 89 of the Constitution and Political Party Act, 2073, both did not show concrete ground to gain a vote of confidence, argues the statement issued by the President’s Office for rejecting both the candidates. </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-22', 'modified' => '2021-05-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13175', 'image' => '20210522075309_2671.jpg.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-22 07:52:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13429', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Oli and Deuba Stake Claim to the Post of Prime Minister ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 21: CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli and main opposition party President Sher Bahadur Deuba have presented their claims at the President’s Office for the post of the prime minister with support from required numbers of the House of Representatives (HoR) members. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 21: CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli and main opposition party President Sher Bahadur Deuba have presented their claims at the President’s Office for the post of the prime minister with support from required numbers of the House of Representatives (HoR) members. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Ruling party chair Oli has presented his claim for new prime minister with support from 153 members of the House of Representatives (HoR) while Nepali Congress (NC) President Deuba presented the claim for the country’s highest executive position with the signatures of 149 HoR members. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Incumbent Prime Minster Oli has claimed for the prime ministerial berth as per the Article 76(5) of the Constitution of Nepal with support from 153 HoR members including 121 of UML and 32 of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), his chief advisor Bishnu Rimal informed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A letter of claim presented to this effect has been signed by Chairperson Mahantha Thakur and parliamentary party leader Rajendra Mahato on behalf of JSP and UML chair and parliamentary party leader Oli. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On the other hand, Deuba registered his letter of claim with the signatures of 149 HoR members including 61 of NC, 49 of CPN (Maoist Center), 26 of CPN (UML) Madhav Nepal Group, 12 of Janata Samajwadi Party and one of Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal, informed NC chief whip Bal Krishna Khand. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Deuba registered his claim for the new prime minster at the Office of the President on behalf of the opposition alliance as per the Article 76 (5) of the Constitution. The HoR has a total of 272 members. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">It may be noted that President Bidya Devi Bhandari had given the deadline up to 5.00 pm this evening (May 21) for the formation of a new government as per the Article 76 (5) of the Constitution. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-21', 'modified' => '2021-05-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13174', 'image' => '20210521084308_20160421102347_Clipboard07.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-21 20:42:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13428', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' PM Oli Gets Additional Portfolio of Seven Ministries ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 21: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has assigned Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to look after the additional portfolio of seven ministries until further arrangements, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">May 21: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has assigned Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to look after the additional portfolio of seven ministries until further arrangements, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Supreme Court on Thursday had issued an interim order that barred seven ministers who were not Members of Parliament (MPs) from performing their duties.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A single bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher Rana had also ruled the decision of Prime Minister Oli to retain those seven ministers in his cabinet as unconstitutional.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The ministers who were relived of their duties following the apex court order include Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta, Minister for Urban Development Prabhu Saha, Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation Mani Chandra Thapa, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Gauri Shankar Chaudhary and the Minister for Youth and Sports Dawa Lama Tamang. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The portfolio of those seven ministries has been assigned to Prime Minister Oli as per his recommendation, Assistant Spokesperson at the Office of the President, Keshav Prasad Ghimire, said in a press statement. </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-21', 'modified' => '2021-05-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13173', 'image' => '20210521060344_20210509121210_1620516771.Clipboard12.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-21 18:03:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13427', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Production of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor Limited to 40%', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'May 21: Due to the implementation of prohibitory orders to curb Covid-19 infection, 40 percent of the industries in Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have been shut down. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">May 21</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">: </span></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Due to the implementation of prohibitory orders to curb Covid-19 infection, 40 percent of the industries in Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have been shut down. The restriction has been actively implementation since the past three weeks. Meanwhile, the production of the industries that are still operating has also declined by 40 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">While the production of industries that produce essential goods is 80 percent, other industries are producing a limited amount of products. Industrialists have claimed that if the government fails to address the problems of workers and market management, all of the industries would shut down within two weeks.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sunasri-Morang Industrial Corridor comprises 500 industries of all scales. Fifty thousand workers are employed in these industries. Closing of 40 percent industries means complete closure of 200 industries. This means approximately 20 thousand workers have lost employment and are being compelled to stay at home without any source of income.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Central member of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Rajendra Raut informed that the industries in operation have dropped their production to less than 50 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The industries requiring oxygen for operation are completely shut down while other industries as well have not been able to operate properly due to the closure of the market,” said Raut.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In normal conditions, the industries of the corridor used to produce goods worth Rs 500 million on a daily basis..</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Altogether 50 industries including those that produce medicine, food grains and oxygen are still in operation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Export and import of the goods have also been greatly affected due to the closure of the industries.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Suyash Pyakurel of Morang informed that less than 50 percent of industries are in operation in the Corridor. Due to the closure of the market, the consumption of manufactured goods has decreased and the existing industries are also cutting production by up to 60 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He also said that the state needs to take necessary measures to save the industry. He urged the government to bring a bigger relief package than the previous year as bank interest, salary of employees and other expenses will continue even if the industry is closed. According to the President of Morang Trade Association, Prakash Mundada, production and consumption have both declined.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> The industry has cut production by 60 to 70 percent. As production declines, so does the employment of workers. He said that large industries in the corridor will also be closed within the next one week.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-05-21', 'modified' => '2021-05-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13172', 'image' => '20210521025732_My Effect.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-05-21 14:56:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
