April 4: The conflict between industries in Bara-Parsa corridor and locals is rising gradually over environment pollution caused by the industries.…
April 4: The conflict between industries in Bara-Parsa corridor and locals is rising gradually over environment pollution caused by the industries.…
April 4: Tourist arrival in Nepal has started to improve gradually.…
April 4: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday (April 3) laid the foundation stone for 165 road projects simultaneously amidst a special virtual programme held at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar.…
The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFe) has not issued any new permit to Malaysia and Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year 2020/21 due to a lack of demand for workers.…
April 2 : The Government of Nepal and the World Bank have signed an agreement for additional financing of $75 million to support access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for Nepal’s prioritized populations.…
April 2: Tourist arrival via air to Nepal has jumped by 38.93 percent in March.…
April 2: International airline companies can now onwards use internet and telecommunications service in the Nepali sky.…
April 1: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on March 31 held an interaction on the development of Sustainable Tourism and eco-tourism…
April 1: The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Nepalese Army (NA) to scrap the second phase of contract awarding process for the construction of bridges and…
April 1: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has decided to lease out its grounded aircraft in a bid to reduce the financial burden of the national flag carrier of…
April 1: The globe is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger within the deadline of 2030, according to the 2020 GHI (Global Hunger Index) report published on Wednesday.…
April 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is exerting pressure on Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel and other officials of finance Ministry to prepare a populist budget.…
March 31: If the latest World Bank forecasts are anything to go by, it will take years for Nepal's economy to rebound to the pre-pandemic levels, as tourism and industrial activities are unlikely to recover anytime…
Recovery in current fiscal year due to fading disruptions from Covid-19 and govt relief spending, says World Bank’s latest edition of South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF)…
March 30: Nepal’s swimming sensation Gaurika Singh on Tuesday (March 30) inaugurated a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk, Lalitpur amid a low-key function organised with precautions against Covid-19 infection.…
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">April 4: The conflict between industries in Bara-Parsa corridor and locals is rising gradually over environment pollution caused by the industries. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Two years back, two cement industries operating in Bara-Parsa corridor – Nepal Shalimar Cement and Unitek Cement – were padlocked by the locals with the backing of the mayor for alleged pollution caused by the industries. The padlocks were opened later after the industries reached an agreement with the locals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Before the padlocking of these two industries, production of Himalayan Food International was halted for two months. The locals had obstructed the production of this industry for contaminating the water of Sirsiya river by releasing unprocessed fluid. The industry resumed operation after agreeing to follow waste management measures.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Similarly, Jagadamba Steel located in Simara bazar has been padlocked time and again. The locals have been alleging the industry for deteriorating their health condition due to the pollution generated by the industry. The local administration has mediated a deal between the two parties but still the industry gets padlocked repeatedly for not complying with the agreement. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">These are some of the representative cases of increasing conflict between industries and the locals. Since the establishment of industries along Tribhuvan Highway for the last eight decades, the conflict between the two sides have been never-ending. Though Bara-Parsa corridor is popular as the largest industrial area of the country, it is not a pre-planned industrial area. Due to its proximity with Indian port, the expansion of the industries has taken place rapidly due to the ease in import of raw materials. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Along with the establishment of industries along the highway located 26 km away from Birgunj, human settlement has also been getting densely populated at the same rate. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">"The increase in population density due to the rise in the number of industries has led to conflict between the two parties over the issue of industrial pollution,” said SubodhKumar Gupta, president of Birgunj Chambers of Commerce and Industry. “The government should take necessary steps to solve this issue,” he added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Industry Commerce and Consumer Welfare Committee of parliament had recently inspected about two dozen industries along the corridor. Pradip Yadav, member of parliament and member of the inspection team said almost all industries are yet to adopt pollution control measures. "Most of the industries have even shut down the plant set up to control pollution, industries should not be indifferent to public health to this extent," Yadav said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The committee had conducted field inspection of Sirsiya river that flows along the corridor. A study conducted by Parsa District Administration Office had found out that 46 industries were polluting the river with contaminated water. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Industries have not complied with the conditions signed by them to control pollution while taking approval for the establishment of the industry. Industries that are producing vegetable ghee, soap, meat, clothes are directly disposing chemical wastes into the river which is hampering the environment and the productivity of the land which has led to the conflict between the locals and the industries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Birendra Kumar Sanghai, coordinator of Birgunj Chapter Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said as long as industries and human settlement exist in the same area, this issue will not be resolved permanently. The government should come up with long-term solution to this problem, said Sanghai..</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The government's inability to set criteria for expansion of industries and human settlement has intensified this problem, says Ashok Kumar Ved, former president of Birgun chapter FNCCI. Industrialists had demanded to recognize this area as industrial corridor which would have facilitated to address this problem. But the government couldn't take timely measures regarding this, he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">MP Yadav believes that it would be better for the industries and the locals if the government can arrange land and infrastructure for the relocation of industries. Since Postal highway is in the final stage of completion, the rural parts of Parsa can be declared as an industrial area, he shared. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Industries running along Bara-Parsa corridor need 1000 to 2000 bigha of land, said Hari Gautam, vice president of Birgunj chapter of FNCCI. Industries will shift if the new area will be arranged with necessary infrastructure like road, electricity, sewage system, water processing unit.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-04', 'modified' => '2021-04-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12987', 'image' => '20210404020159_20200907020811_1599429995.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-04 14:01:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13240', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourist Arrival Increasing Gradually', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 4: Tourist arrival in Nepal has started to improve gradually. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">April 4: Tourist arrival in Nepal has started to improve gradually. Tourists have started visiting the country with the onset of the spring season and the government adopting new quarantine policy.<br /> In March, a total of 14,977 foreign tourists visited Nepal. Most of the visitors were from India, the USA, China, Britain, and Bangladesh.<br /> According to Nepal Tourism Board, more tourists have entered Nepal in March this year than last year. In the corresponding period of last fiscal year, tourist arrival was zero due to coronavirus and lockdown.<br /> During this time, most of the tourists come to Nepal for mountaineering and trekking. With the onset of the spring season, tourist arrival in March has been significant. A total of 1,790 tourists from 16 countries of Europe have come to Nepal. Among them, there are considerable number of tourists from Germany, France, Russia, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In total, 1,831 tourists arrived from Canada and the United States. Likewise, 1,570 tourists have visited Nepal from 8 countries of Asia, including China.<br /> According to NTB, 8,880 tourists have come to Nepal from SAARC countries. Of these, 7,658 tourists arrived from India and 568 from Bangladesh. The share of SAARC countries in the number of tourists is 55.95 percent.<br /> The Department of Tourism has issued climbing permits to 100 individuals from nine teams to climb Mt. Everest in the spring season. So far, 173 people from 20 teams have taken permission to climb seven mountain peaks.<br /> According to the department, apart from Everest, more permits have been issued for climbing Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and Nuptse.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Forty-four people of four different expedition teams have received climbing permits for Annapurna, 12 individuals from two teams for Dhaualagiri, and ten from two groups for climbing Nuptse.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-04', 'modified' => '2021-04-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12986', 'image' => '20210404125527_20200807075017_1596774556.Trekking pic.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-04 12:54:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13239', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' PM Oli lays Foundation Stone for 165 Road Projects ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 4: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday (April 3) laid the foundation stone for 165 road projects simultaneously amidst a special virtual programme held at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 4: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday (April 3) laid the foundation stone for 165 road projects simultaneously amidst a special virtual programme held at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The total cost of these projects is Rs 57.10 billion and they are expected to be completed within three years. There will be one project in each electoral constituency. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli urged the respective ministries, departments and bodies concerned not to delay in implementing the projects. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to him, so far the areas of black-topped and upgraded roads since he assumed his office covered 3,512 kilometers. Likewise, 628 bridges (suspension bridges) have been constructed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Minister for Transport and Physical Infrastructure Basant Nembang informed that in the past three years 3,512 kilometers of six-lane roads were constructed. Similarly, construction of 3,300 kilometers of gravel road and opening of 1,686 kilometers of new tracks are underway. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The widening of the East-West Highway (four to six lanes) has kicked off, according to Minister Nembang. The Federal Government constructs 6.5 kilometers of road each day. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-04', 'modified' => '2021-04-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12985', 'image' => '20210404104134_20200412100619_maxresdefault.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-04 10:40:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13238', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Malaysia, Kuwait yet to welcome new workers from Nepal ', 'sub_title' => 'Department of Foreign Employment has not issued any new work permit to Nepali workers bound to Malaysia and Kuwait in the current fiscal year due to lack of demands ', 'summary' => 'The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFe) has not issued any new permit to Malaysia and Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year 2020/21 due to a lack of demand for workers. ', 'content' => '<p><em><strong>Rebati Adhikari</strong></em><br /> April 3:<br /> The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFe) has not issued any new permit for wokers going to Malaysia and Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year 2020/21 due to a lack of demand from these two countries.<br /> Malaysia and Kuwait were top foreign employment destinations for Nepali migrant workers until last year.<br /> Chhatra Shah, Spokesperson of Foreign Employment Office at Tahachal under the DoFE, said there has not been any demand from these two countries because of Covid-19.<br /> Malaysia is allowing the re-entry of migrant of workers only in sectors which have been less affected by COVID.<br /> Malaysia had imposed a ban on arrivals of foreign workers following a surge in COVID-19 cases last year. Along with Malaysia, other Gulf countries Qatar, Kuwait and Dubai had also imposed restrictions on arrivals of foreign migrant worker due to the pandemic’s economic fallout.<br /> Following a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases in labor receiving countries, the DoFE had also stopped issuing permits from mid March in the last year. <br /> However, the DoFE in September last year started to issue permits to workers going to those countries deemed safe for travel due to a decline in Covid-19 cases. A total of 1,542 workers received the work permit in the month of Ashoj (between mid September and mid October) last year, up from 198 workers in the previous month Bhadra (between mid August and mid September). There has been a gradual increase in the number of new permits issued to workers seeking foreign employment as many destination countries reopen their labor markets amid a decline in Covid-19 cases and rollout of vaccines.<br /> But, Malaysia and Kuwait are yet to welcome new workers from Nepal in this fiscal year.<br /> “We have received reports that talks are about to be initiated from April to resume the flow of migrant workers in Kuwait. However, there is not any update or development regarding Malaysia taking in new migrant workers,” said Shah.<br /> The department has issued only re-new permits and individual regularized permits to Malaysia and Kuwait. According to the DoFE, it has provided five individual regularized permits to Malaysia while only one legalized permit has been issued to Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year.<br /> Malaysia and Kuwait has witnessed a decline in the number of foreign employment by 91.1% and 86.8% respectively in the last seven months of the fiscal year, according to the report published by Nepal Rastra Bank. 2,744 workers bound to Malaysia had received permits for legalization in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, down from a total of 30,925 workers who received both legalization and new permits in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year 2019/20.<br /> 1012 workers received permits for renewed entry to Kuwait in the current fiscal year compared to 7,677 workers who went to Kuwait in the same period of the last fiscal year.<br /> According to Nepal Migration Report, 2020 published by the Department of foreign Employment, Malaysia holds the third position in terms of share of Nepali workers. Along with Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait are top foreign destinations for Nepali migrants.</p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-03', 'modified' => '2021-04-03', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12984', 'image' => '20210403032054_Foreign Employment.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-03 15:19:06', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13237', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank to Finance Additional $75 Million for COVID-19 Vaccines to Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 2 : The Government of Nepal and the World Bank have signed an agreement for additional financing of $75 million to support access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for Nepal’s prioritized populations. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">April 2 : </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">The Government of Nepal and the World Bank have signed an agreement for additional financing of $75 million to support access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for Nepal’s prioritized populations. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> Issuing a statement, the World Bank said that Finance Secretary Sishir Kumar Dhungana and the World Bank’s Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations on Friday, April 2.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">“The additional financing is an important and timely support to the government’s overall plans to vaccinate at least 72 percent of the Nepali population,”</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> the statement quoted Finance Secretary Dhungana as saying. “It supports the government’s health response to the pandemic, by supporting procurement of COVID-19 vaccines as well as strengthening health systems for their effective deployment as per the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">According to the World Bank, the additional financing builds on the $29 million for the original Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project that was signed in April 2020. The project will be implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Population by the Department of Health Services and associated institutional bodies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> About 90 percent of the additional financing will support the purchase, supply and distribution of safe and effective COVID</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Cambria Math"">‐</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">19 vaccines, the statement added. The rest of the financing will support existing public health measures to test, trace and treat the COVID-19 infection through a strengthened health system; community engagement and risk communication to improve the demand and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines; and project implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and learning. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">“Equitable and fast access to effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines is vital to save lives and support a resilient recovery from the pandemic,”</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> stated Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank’s Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. “The World Bank is committed to support the government’s pandemic response to protect lives, strengthen systems for public health preparedness, and stimulate economic recovery in Nepal.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-02', 'modified' => '2021-04-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12983', 'image' => '20210402035735_Signing-photo 2.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-02 15:56:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13236', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourist Arrival Jumps Up in March', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 2: Tourist arrival via air to Nepal has jumped by 38.93 percent in March. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Tamish Giri</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">April 2: Tourist arrival via air to Nepal has jumped by 38.93 percent in March. <br /> According to the data released by the Department of Immigration on April 1, tourist arrival by air increased by 38.93 percent in March compared to February.<br /> In February, tourist arrival grew by 3.06 percent compared to the previous month.<br /> In total, 14977 foreigners landed in Nepal during March, while 9,146 foreigners had arrived in February and 8,874 in January.<br /> Out of the total visitors, 11002 were male, 3963 were female, while 12 were of the other sex.<br /> Country-wise, tourist arrival from India more than any other country. In total, 7658 Indian tourists landed at TIA in March, up from 3322 in February.<br /> Likewise, 1207 Chinese nationals arrived in Nepal during March. A total of 613 Chinese tourists had arrived in February. Similarly, 1703 American tourists landed on TIA in March, slightly higher than in February when 721 American tourists had arrived. <br /> According to the report, foreigners from 136 nations arrived in Nepal in March compared to tourists from 123 countries in February.<br /> Likewise, the number of Nepalis returning home has also increased in March. Altogether 56,293 Nepali nationals landed in Kathamndu in March, up from 46,471 a month ago.<br /> In the meantime, 49,005 Nepalis left for abroad in March, up from 44,152 in February.<br /> According to the data, eight refugees had landed in TIA in March.<br /> According to the report, 9,587 foreigners departed from TIA in March.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-02', 'modified' => '2021-04-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12982', 'image' => '20210402034327_20210324020010_20200930115831_1601420205.89.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-02 15:42:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13235', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'International Airliners can use Telecommunications Service in Nepali Sky', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 2: International airline companies can now onwards use internet and telecommunications service in the Nepali sky. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 2: International airline companies can now onwards use internet and telecommunications service in the Nepali sky. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has granted permission for the use of internet and telecommunications service above 10,000 feet for international airline companies in the Nepali sky. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A meeting of the board of directors of the Telecommunications Authority on March 22 took a decision in this regard. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">With this, Nepal has become the third country to grant such service to international airline companies in South Asia after India and Afghanistan. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Those airlines having got permission from the International Civil Aviation Organisation would be granted permission to avail internet and telecommunications service above 10,000 feet in the Nepali sky, said NTA’s spokesperson Santosh Poudel. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Granting permission to use internet service below 10,000 feet could result in disturbance in the service on the ground across the country, he said. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">To use the service, those willing to avail it should apply to the NTA. At present, three international airline companies have applied to the NTA for the service. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The NTA granted the service to the three international airlines companies after holding talks with the CAAN and bodies under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, added Poudel. – RSS</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-02', 'modified' => '2021-04-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12981', 'image' => '20210402114024_EHdVeZuVAAArjYS.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-02 11:39:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13233', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NTB holds Interaction on Development of Eco-Tourism', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on March 31 held an interaction on the development of Sustainable Tourism and eco-tourism activities.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 1: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on March 31 held an interaction on the development of Sustainable Tourism and eco-tourism activities.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Speaking at the program organised on NTB premises at Exhibition Road, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NTB Dr DhananjayRegmi pointed out the need for effective implementation of regulations related to protection and preservation of community forest. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, Regmi further expressed his commitment that NTB will take initiatives in developing eco-tourism activities and promoting it in the domestic as well as the international market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He further added that NTB will purchase and distribute eco-friendly products as souvenirs within and outside the country if produced by the local communities. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, Director of NTB Hikmat Singh Ayer informed that NTB will form a Sustainable Tourism Network at the provincial level.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Ayer added that a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between NTB and the Community Forest Research Centre under the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation to create a network for ecotourism development.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The program was attended by over 50 participants representing community forests of different parts of Nepal. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><strong> </strong></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12979', 'image' => '20210401055039_dolpa-iw-adventure.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 17:49:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13232', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'House Panel instructs Army to Scrap Fast Track Contract with Chinese Company', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Nepalese Army (NA) to scrap the second phase of contract awarding process for the construction of bridges and tunnels.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">April 1: The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Nepalese Army (NA) to scrap the second phase of contract awarding process for the construction of bridges and tunnels.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">PAC took a decision to this effect following a discussion held on March 31, Wednesday. The house panel has initiated formal investigation over the contract awarding process on suspicion of possible irregularities in selection of contractors. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Nepalese Army had selected Chinese Contractor Poly Chhangda Engineering Company Limited out of 21 companies. A total of 21 companies had submitted applications to build bridges and tunnelsunder the fast-track project. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Nepalese Army has been given full responsibility to construct the 76.5 Km long Fast Track which joins Kathmandu with the Terai. The NA has divided the construction of the project into three parts. It plans to construct 17 km on its own, recruit Nepali and international contractors for the construction of the remaining stretch of road section, tunnel and bridges. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Fast Track will have three tunnels covering 6.41 km and 71 small and big bridges with a total length of 10.59 km. The cost of the project has been estimated to be Rs 175 billion and the project is expected to be completed by 2024.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12978', 'image' => '20210401052924_20210317035230_Fast Track.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 17:28:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13231', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NAC to Lease Out Chinese Aircraft', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has decided to lease out its grounded aircraft in a bid to reduce the financial burden of the national flag carrier of Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">April 1: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has decided to lease out its grounded aircraft in a bid to reduce the financial burden of the national flag carrier of Nepal.</span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">NAC is facing a financial burden due to its inability to operate and manage six Chinese aircraft.<br /> NAC owns six Chinese aircraft including two MA 60 and four Y-12E. The aircraft were bought for domestic flights. Nepal received one MA 60 and one Harbin Y-12E each as grant from the Chinese government. Similarly, Nepal's national flag carrier had purchased an additional MA 60 aircraft and three Harbin Y-12E aircraft from the Chinese aircraft manufacturer Avic International on concessional loan.<br /> NAC incurred heavy financial losses while operating the Chinese aircraft due to load penalties, insurance, short-supply of spare parts, expensive parts, expensive simulator training cost. Sulekh Mishra, deputy-spokesperson of NAC, informed that all the Chinese aircraft are grounded since July 30, 2020.<br /> Out of the six Chinese aircraft, only five are functional, and one needs maintenance.<br /> The Harbin Y 12 E aircraft with call sign 9N AKU crashed on the runway of Nepalgunj Airport on March 28, 2020. NAC is planning to lease out the remaining five aircraft.<br /> NAC had been operating the Chinese aircraft on domestic routes since 2016.<br /> Karishma Shrestha, spokesperson of NAC, informed that a ministerial-level decision on March 17, 2021, paved the way for the corporation to manage the Chinese aircraft.<br /> In line with the decision, NAC has decided to lease out the aircraft to domestic or foreign aircraft operators for the best interest of the Government of Nepal and the corporation, said Shrestha. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12977', 'image' => '20210401035949_20200731122540_1596146267.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 15:58:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13230', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World not on Track to Achieve Zero Hunger by 2030: GHI Report ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: The globe is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger within the deadline of 2030, according to the 2020 GHI (Global Hunger Index) report published on Wednesday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 1: The globe is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger within the deadline of 2030, according to the 2020 GHI (Global Hunger Index) report published on Wednesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The GHI are based on the values of four component indicators, undernourishment (share of the population with insufficient caloric intake), child stunting (share of children under aged five who have low height for their age, reflecting acute under-nutrition), child wasting (share of children under aged five who are low weighed for their height, reflecting chronic under-nutrition) and child mortality (mortality rate of children under aged five, partly reflecting the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Based on the values of the four component indicators, the GHI defines hunger on a 100-point scale where 0 being the best possible score (nil hunger) and 100 being the worst. For the GHI report, data were accessed for 132 countries provided by various respective agencies under the United Nations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the report, 690 million people across the globe were being affected by starvation and 135 million people were suffering from malnutrition. At present, the average GHI is 18.2, which is relatively progressive as compared to 2000, but it needs much progress. More than 50 countries were still suffering from starvation. Over 140 million children have low height for their age as a result of malnutrition whereas 40.7 million children were suffering from malnutrition. In 2018, 5.3 million children died before the age of 5 as a result of malnutrition. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal however has done satisfactory work in the GHI. Out of 107 countries, Nepal is in the 73rd position. The country has climbed to 19.5 in the GHI in 2020, a big jump from 37.4 in 2000. Nepal has been ranked in the medium position of the GHI. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Covid-19 pandemic, conflict, poverty, inequality and climate change among others are blamed for countries suffering from starvation. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12976', 'image' => '20210401110707_My Effect 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 11:04:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13229', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM Oli giving ‘Undue Pressure’ to bring Populist Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is exerting pressure on Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel and other officials of finance Ministry to prepare a populist budget. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">April 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is exerting pressure on Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel and other officials of finance Ministry to prepare a populist budget. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Ministry of Finance is reeling under pressure following public statements given by the Prime Minister at public gatherings. Speaking at the anniversary programme of Reporters’ club, PM Oli said that elderly allowance will be increased from the next fiscal year. “Old-age allowance and social security allowance will be increased from July of the upcoming fiscal year. Most of the people may have objection regarding this which doesn’t affect me,” said Oli during the programme.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In the last election, the Nepal Communist Party formed after the unification of then CPN UML and Maoist Centre had announced to increase old-age allowance to Rs 5,000. Former governor of Nepal Rastra Bank Yuvaraj Khatiwada, who was then Minister for Finance, hadn’t increased the allowance in the current fiscal year pointing out to resources shortfall due to COVID-19. Currently, the elderly people get old age allowance of Rs 3,000 every month. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">On the other hand, Khatiwada’s successor Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel has a political background so populist budget is his priority, informed a source close to him. One of the senior officials of Finance Ministry said Minister Poudel is also working to develop a populist budget in accordance to the announcements made by PM Oli. Prime Minister Oli and other parliamentarians are trying hard to have their favorable programmes included in the budget. Various groups visit MoF daily for this purpose and lobby with Finance Secretary or Minister for Finance. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“Though such acts of pressurizing the Ministry have declined, there are still a good number of people visiting the Ministry to have their demands addressed in the budget,” said Yam Pandey, personal Secretary of the Finance Minister.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Instead of introducing programmes to uplift the economy affected by COVID-19, speculations are rife that these programmes will be sidelined since the PM is pressurizing Finance Ministry to bring populist budget. Shantaraj Subedi, former finance secretary, says that the government should prioritize programmes to uplift the economy in this time of crisis. Though politicians always desire for a populist budget it is not beneficial for the economy. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Referring to the private sector’s dissatisfaction over this year’s budget program, Subedi said government should introduce implementation-oriented programmes that support the private sector. “Popular programmess to get cheap popularity should not be included at this critical time,” says economist Keshav Acharya. He shared that negative economic growth and rise in COVID-19 cases have worried the private sector so the budget should introduce programmes to assure the security of private sector’s investment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to Acharya, the budget should focus on existing infrastructure projects rather than adding new ones. A report of the National Planning Commission states that 120,000 additional people have been forced below the poverty line due to COVID-19. The budget should attempt to include these people in its programmes, says Acharya.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12975', 'image' => '20210401105341_20200305102040_oli.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 10:53:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13228', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal's Economy Unlikely to Rebound to Pre-pandemic Levels Soon', 'sub_title' => 'World Bank Predicts 2.7% Growth Rate for this FY, 3.9% for Next', 'summary' => 'March 31: If the latest World Bank forecasts are anything to go by, it will take years for Nepal's economy to rebound to the pre-pandemic levels, as tourism and industrial activities are unlikely to recover anytime soon.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Rupak D Sharma<br /> March 31: If the latest World Bank forecasts are anything to go by, it will take years for Nepal's economy to rebound to the pre-pandemic levels, as tourism and industrial activities are unlikely to recover anytime soon.<br /> Nepal's economy grew at an average of 7.75 percent per annum in the three-year period from 2016-17 and 2018-19. In each of these years, the economy expanded by more than six percent -- 8.98 percent in 2016-17, 7.62 percent in 2017-18 and 6.66 percent in 2018-19. This was the first time Nepal's economic growth rate had remained above six percent for three consecutive years. Then the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country sending the economy into a tailspin. This caused the economy to shrink by 1.88 percent in the last fiscal year.<br /> Economic activities gradually started to gather pace after the second half of the current fiscal year as Covid-19 related disruptions started fading, leading to gradual resumption in industrial activities. Lately, incipient signs of recovery are also being seen in wholesale and retail trade, transport, and financial services, as lockdowns have been lifted. Yet growth rate is projected to stand at 2.7 percent in the current fiscal year, according to the World Bank. This growth rate is higher than the bank's previous estimate of 0.6 percent, but way below the government's target of seven percent.<br /> "Since Nepal's economy [virtually] did not grow in two years, per capita income is going to get hit," Hans Timmer, World Bank chief economist for the South Asia region, told a virtual press meet.<br /> There is more bad news for Nepal. The growth is unlikely to accelerate in the next fiscal year as well. Nepal's growth, despite a low base, is expected to hover around 3.9 percent in 2021-22, according to World Bank projections. The growth rate is expected to rise to 5.1 percent in 2022-23. But again this growth rate is way below the pre-pandemic levels.<br /> Nepal's economic growth is likely to remain tepid in the coming years due to slow recovery in tourism and industrial sectors. Tourism is expected to fully recover only in 2022-23, while industrial activities are likely to remain below pre-pandemic levels until early 2022-23, according to the World Bank's latest South Asia Economic Focus, an annual report. Agriculture will remain a strong growth driver, thanks to favourable monsoons and continued government investments in irrigation and commercialisation. But there is a risk that the current political uncertainty, if prolonged, may undermine investment sentiment, says the report titled, 'South Asia Vaccinates'. This warning comes at a time when investment is expected to grow by 12.7 percent in South Asia in the current fiscal year. Low investment may further hamper Nepal's growth prospects at a time when closure of enterprises has culled large number of jobs. To ensure the recovery is sustained and resilient, policy priorities will need to include: strengthening health systems, supporting agriculture production, and a focus on green, resilient, and inclusive development, says the World Bank report.<br /> Much of the projections made by the World Bank on the economy are contingent on effective vaccination campaigns in Nepal and abroad. Delays in vaccination or new outbreaks of Covid-19 both domestically and globally would dampen prospects of economic recovery and hit the tourism sector. The World Bank has, thus, called on the government to spend money on vaccination. Ending the pandemic a half to one-and-a-half years earlier and spurring an earlier economic recovery would prevent output loss in the range of 4.9 percent to 14.6 percent in Nepal, says the report. But vaccinating at least 70 percent of the population is easier said than done as Nepal is likely to face shortage of vaccines in the coming days due to global scarcity, albeit the country was one of the first recipients of the jabs in the world, thanks to support extended by India.<br /> Nepal cannot afford another lockdown or severe restriction in movements as significant jobs and income losses triggered by the pandemic have already increased vulnerability. At least 1.2 million people are estimated to have fallen into the trap of poverty and 1.6 million are expected to have lost their jobs because of the lockdown clamped to contain the spread of Covid-19.<br /> The lockdown is also expected to have worsened the problem of food insecurity in 18 percent of households in Nepal, while income losses instigated by the lockdown are expected to have increased the school dropout rate. A typical student can expect to lose as much as US$445 (2017 PPP) annually as a result of lost schooling and learning opportunities, according to the World Bank.<br /> Prior to the pandemic, Nepal's social sector, which includes education and health, had performed well because of remittances flowing into the country. "But going forward remittance is going to be a point of concern as there has been a reduction in migration," said Timmer. Number of people leaving the country for employment purpose had started taking a dip in the pre-pandemic period, as there were more opportunities in the country and the government had started negotiating with labour destinations, such as Malaysia, for better social security of its workers, which had reduced the charm for Nepali labourers.<br /> Lately, countries like Saudi Arabia and others in the Gulf, which absorb a bulk of Nepali labourers, have introduced policies that favour the employment of native-born workers, which might reduce job opportunities for Nepalis. There is also the danger that some migrants who were repatriated when host country activities were shut down may not be able to get their original jobs back. What's more, many of the economies in the Gulf are shifting out of oil production and the decline of migrant demand due to Covid-19 may have accelerated that process.<br /> If remittance inflow shrinks, Nepal's current account deficit will widen, exerting pressure on foreign exchange reserves. Already, Nepal's current account – largely the difference between income generated from exports and imports of goods and services – is in a deficit as imports are gradually growing with the resumption in economic activities. Nepal's current account deficit is expected to further widen over the medium term, according to the World Bank, as import growth is expected to accelerate due to growth in consumption, while service exports, mainly tourism, are expected to remain subdued until 2021-22. By 2021-22, the current account deficit is projected to reach 3.2 percent of GDP, financed primarily by long-term concessional borrowing.<br /> The fiscal deficit is also projected to remain elevated over the medium term. While revenue performance is expected to remain weak, additional spending on economic relief measures, vaccinations, and the resumption of project implementation will widen the fiscal deficit to just under eight percent of GDP in 2021-22, says the World Bank report.<br /> "Thereafter it is projected to stabilise at 6.5 percent of GDP in 2022-23 as revenues recover. Total public debt is expected to reach 41.9 percent of GDP in 2020-21 and gradually increase to 51.3 percent by 2022-23," adds the report.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-31', 'modified' => '2021-03-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12974', 'image' => '20210331063053_20200430025148_Economic-Growth-Decline 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-31 18:28:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13227', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank projects Nepal’s economy to grow by 2.7% in current fiscal year ', 'sub_title' => 'Recovery in current fiscal year due to fading disruptions from Covid-19 and govt relief spending, says World Bank’s latest edition of South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) ', 'summary' => 'Recovery in current fiscal year due to fading disruptions from Covid-19 and govt relief spending, says World Bank’s latest edition of South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) ', 'content' => '<p>March 31:<br /> Nepal’s economy is likely to grow by 2.7 percent in the current fiscal year 2020/21, according to a latest projection by the World Bank.</p> <p>Releasing the South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) on Wednesday, the World Bank said that the economy is expected to grow in the current fiscal year after a contraction in the last fiscal year as the Covid-19 related disruptions fade and government relief spending materializes.</p> <p>The World Bank through its March’s SAEF—a biannual publication providing recent economic developments and a near-term economic outlook for the region—revised Nepal’s growth forecast slightly up by 0.6 percentage point from a projection of 2.1 percent in January.</p> <p>While the World Bank’s growth forecast is an indication of economic recovery from the contraction of 1.9 percent in the last fiscal year 2019/20, it is way lower than the government’s target to achieve 7 percent of GDP growth in the current fiscal year.</p> <p>However, the World Bank, in its report, warned that significant jobs and income losses are likely to have increased vulnerability.</p> <p>“To ensure the recovery is sustained and resilient, policy priorities will need to include: strengthening health systems, supporting agriculture production, and a focus on green, resilient, and inclusive development,” read the report which lifts the growth forecast of South Asia due to efforts to keep Covid-19 caseload under control and swiftly roll out vaccine campaigns.</p> <p>But, there are still risks which could Nepal's recovery prospects. According to the World Bank’s latest report, downside risks to its outlook stem from new waves of Covid-19 infections and political uncertainties. </p> <p>“Delays in vaccination and/or new outbreaks of COVID-19 both domestically and globally would dampen prospects of economic recovery. The resumption of tourism would be delayed if international travel restrictions are imposed,” the report stated. “Domestic risks include political uncertainty, which could undermine investment sentiment,” it added.</p> <p>Agriculture will remain a strong growth driver, thanks to favorable monsoons and continued government investments in irrigation and commercialization, according to the World Bank’s report.<br /> The economic growth in South Asia is set to increase by 7.2 percent in 2021 in South Asia and 4.4 percent in 2022, climbing from historic lows in 2020 and putting the region on a path to recovery, according to the World Bank report. But growth is uneven and economic activity well below pre-COVID-19 estimates, as many businesses need to make up for lost revenue and millions of workers, most of them in the informal sector, still reel from job losses, falling incomes, worsening inequalities, and human capital deficits, the report said.</p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-31', 'modified' => '2021-03-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12973', 'image' => '20210331010612_Growth Forecast.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-03-31 13:02:21', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => true, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13226', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Hardik Fitness Club Inaugurates Newly-Built Swimming Pool', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 30: Nepal’s swimming sensation Gaurika Singh on Tuesday (March 30) inaugurated a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk, Lalitpur amid a low-key function organised with precautions against Covid-19 infection. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10px"><em>Swimmer Gaurika Singh inaugurating a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk on Tuesday, March 30. Photo Courtesy: NSJF</em></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 30: Nepal’s swimming sensation Gaurika Singh on Tuesday (March 30) inaugurated a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk, Lalitpur amid a low-key function organised with precautions against Covid-19 infection. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">During the inauguration, Hardik Fitness Club – which is arguably one of the biggest and oldest fitness clubs of Nepal – offered a lifetime membership to swimmer Singh, who holds national records in various categories of swimming. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club informed New Business Age that swimmer Gaurika Singh’s parents also used to be members of the club which was established in 1998. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the club’s proprietor Biraj Bista, Hardik Fitness Club was relocated to a new area in 2018 and is spread over 14,000 square feet, making it the biggest fitness club in the country. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club covers four storeys of a building with each storey providing a specific service like gym, sauna, cardio exercise, functional training and group fitness class.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Bista further said that the club has given high priority to the safety and wellbeing of its members by ensuring that all the equipment and changing rooms are disinfected with antimicrobial quoting which lasts for 365 days. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club has five licensed instructors and also offers customized service. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club also has a restaurant and a café and open space to ensure that there is no overcrowding. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Hardik Fitrness Club also offers kick-boxing classes to interested members. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club informed that Gaurika Singh will be leaving for England on April 2 for her A-levels exams and will be back in July to prepare for the upcoming Olympics. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the club, non-members can enjoy swimming for Rs 500 per day while members can get discount packages. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-30', 'modified' => '2021-03-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12972', 'image' => '20210330045721_received_487527982379696.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-30 16:55:35', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">April 4: The conflict between industries in Bara-Parsa corridor and locals is rising gradually over environment pollution caused by the industries. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Two years back, two cement industries operating in Bara-Parsa corridor – Nepal Shalimar Cement and Unitek Cement – were padlocked by the locals with the backing of the mayor for alleged pollution caused by the industries. The padlocks were opened later after the industries reached an agreement with the locals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Before the padlocking of these two industries, production of Himalayan Food International was halted for two months. The locals had obstructed the production of this industry for contaminating the water of Sirsiya river by releasing unprocessed fluid. The industry resumed operation after agreeing to follow waste management measures.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Similarly, Jagadamba Steel located in Simara bazar has been padlocked time and again. The locals have been alleging the industry for deteriorating their health condition due to the pollution generated by the industry. The local administration has mediated a deal between the two parties but still the industry gets padlocked repeatedly for not complying with the agreement. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">These are some of the representative cases of increasing conflict between industries and the locals. Since the establishment of industries along Tribhuvan Highway for the last eight decades, the conflict between the two sides have been never-ending. Though Bara-Parsa corridor is popular as the largest industrial area of the country, it is not a pre-planned industrial area. Due to its proximity with Indian port, the expansion of the industries has taken place rapidly due to the ease in import of raw materials. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Along with the establishment of industries along the highway located 26 km away from Birgunj, human settlement has also been getting densely populated at the same rate. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">"The increase in population density due to the rise in the number of industries has led to conflict between the two parties over the issue of industrial pollution,” said SubodhKumar Gupta, president of Birgunj Chambers of Commerce and Industry. “The government should take necessary steps to solve this issue,” he added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Industry Commerce and Consumer Welfare Committee of parliament had recently inspected about two dozen industries along the corridor. Pradip Yadav, member of parliament and member of the inspection team said almost all industries are yet to adopt pollution control measures. "Most of the industries have even shut down the plant set up to control pollution, industries should not be indifferent to public health to this extent," Yadav said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The committee had conducted field inspection of Sirsiya river that flows along the corridor. A study conducted by Parsa District Administration Office had found out that 46 industries were polluting the river with contaminated water. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Industries have not complied with the conditions signed by them to control pollution while taking approval for the establishment of the industry. Industries that are producing vegetable ghee, soap, meat, clothes are directly disposing chemical wastes into the river which is hampering the environment and the productivity of the land which has led to the conflict between the locals and the industries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Birendra Kumar Sanghai, coordinator of Birgunj Chapter Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said as long as industries and human settlement exist in the same area, this issue will not be resolved permanently. The government should come up with long-term solution to this problem, said Sanghai..</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The government's inability to set criteria for expansion of industries and human settlement has intensified this problem, says Ashok Kumar Ved, former president of Birgun chapter FNCCI. Industrialists had demanded to recognize this area as industrial corridor which would have facilitated to address this problem. But the government couldn't take timely measures regarding this, he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">MP Yadav believes that it would be better for the industries and the locals if the government can arrange land and infrastructure for the relocation of industries. Since Postal highway is in the final stage of completion, the rural parts of Parsa can be declared as an industrial area, he shared. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Industries running along Bara-Parsa corridor need 1000 to 2000 bigha of land, said Hari Gautam, vice president of Birgunj chapter of FNCCI. Industries will shift if the new area will be arranged with necessary infrastructure like road, electricity, sewage system, water processing unit.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-04', 'modified' => '2021-04-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12987', 'image' => '20210404020159_20200907020811_1599429995.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-04 14:01:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13240', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourist Arrival Increasing Gradually', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 4: Tourist arrival in Nepal has started to improve gradually. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">April 4: Tourist arrival in Nepal has started to improve gradually. Tourists have started visiting the country with the onset of the spring season and the government adopting new quarantine policy.<br /> In March, a total of 14,977 foreign tourists visited Nepal. Most of the visitors were from India, the USA, China, Britain, and Bangladesh.<br /> According to Nepal Tourism Board, more tourists have entered Nepal in March this year than last year. In the corresponding period of last fiscal year, tourist arrival was zero due to coronavirus and lockdown.<br /> During this time, most of the tourists come to Nepal for mountaineering and trekking. With the onset of the spring season, tourist arrival in March has been significant. A total of 1,790 tourists from 16 countries of Europe have come to Nepal. Among them, there are considerable number of tourists from Germany, France, Russia, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In total, 1,831 tourists arrived from Canada and the United States. Likewise, 1,570 tourists have visited Nepal from 8 countries of Asia, including China.<br /> According to NTB, 8,880 tourists have come to Nepal from SAARC countries. Of these, 7,658 tourists arrived from India and 568 from Bangladesh. The share of SAARC countries in the number of tourists is 55.95 percent.<br /> The Department of Tourism has issued climbing permits to 100 individuals from nine teams to climb Mt. Everest in the spring season. So far, 173 people from 20 teams have taken permission to climb seven mountain peaks.<br /> According to the department, apart from Everest, more permits have been issued for climbing Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and Nuptse.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Forty-four people of four different expedition teams have received climbing permits for Annapurna, 12 individuals from two teams for Dhaualagiri, and ten from two groups for climbing Nuptse.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-04', 'modified' => '2021-04-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12986', 'image' => '20210404125527_20200807075017_1596774556.Trekking pic.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-04 12:54:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13239', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' PM Oli lays Foundation Stone for 165 Road Projects ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 4: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday (April 3) laid the foundation stone for 165 road projects simultaneously amidst a special virtual programme held at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 4: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday (April 3) laid the foundation stone for 165 road projects simultaneously amidst a special virtual programme held at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The total cost of these projects is Rs 57.10 billion and they are expected to be completed within three years. There will be one project in each electoral constituency. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli urged the respective ministries, departments and bodies concerned not to delay in implementing the projects. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to him, so far the areas of black-topped and upgraded roads since he assumed his office covered 3,512 kilometers. Likewise, 628 bridges (suspension bridges) have been constructed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Minister for Transport and Physical Infrastructure Basant Nembang informed that in the past three years 3,512 kilometers of six-lane roads were constructed. Similarly, construction of 3,300 kilometers of gravel road and opening of 1,686 kilometers of new tracks are underway. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The widening of the East-West Highway (four to six lanes) has kicked off, according to Minister Nembang. The Federal Government constructs 6.5 kilometers of road each day. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-04', 'modified' => '2021-04-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12985', 'image' => '20210404104134_20200412100619_maxresdefault.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-04 10:40:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13238', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Malaysia, Kuwait yet to welcome new workers from Nepal ', 'sub_title' => 'Department of Foreign Employment has not issued any new work permit to Nepali workers bound to Malaysia and Kuwait in the current fiscal year due to lack of demands ', 'summary' => 'The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFe) has not issued any new permit to Malaysia and Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year 2020/21 due to a lack of demand for workers. ', 'content' => '<p><em><strong>Rebati Adhikari</strong></em><br /> April 3:<br /> The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFe) has not issued any new permit for wokers going to Malaysia and Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year 2020/21 due to a lack of demand from these two countries.<br /> Malaysia and Kuwait were top foreign employment destinations for Nepali migrant workers until last year.<br /> Chhatra Shah, Spokesperson of Foreign Employment Office at Tahachal under the DoFE, said there has not been any demand from these two countries because of Covid-19.<br /> Malaysia is allowing the re-entry of migrant of workers only in sectors which have been less affected by COVID.<br /> Malaysia had imposed a ban on arrivals of foreign workers following a surge in COVID-19 cases last year. Along with Malaysia, other Gulf countries Qatar, Kuwait and Dubai had also imposed restrictions on arrivals of foreign migrant worker due to the pandemic’s economic fallout.<br /> Following a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases in labor receiving countries, the DoFE had also stopped issuing permits from mid March in the last year. <br /> However, the DoFE in September last year started to issue permits to workers going to those countries deemed safe for travel due to a decline in Covid-19 cases. A total of 1,542 workers received the work permit in the month of Ashoj (between mid September and mid October) last year, up from 198 workers in the previous month Bhadra (between mid August and mid September). There has been a gradual increase in the number of new permits issued to workers seeking foreign employment as many destination countries reopen their labor markets amid a decline in Covid-19 cases and rollout of vaccines.<br /> But, Malaysia and Kuwait are yet to welcome new workers from Nepal in this fiscal year.<br /> “We have received reports that talks are about to be initiated from April to resume the flow of migrant workers in Kuwait. However, there is not any update or development regarding Malaysia taking in new migrant workers,” said Shah.<br /> The department has issued only re-new permits and individual regularized permits to Malaysia and Kuwait. According to the DoFE, it has provided five individual regularized permits to Malaysia while only one legalized permit has been issued to Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year.<br /> Malaysia and Kuwait has witnessed a decline in the number of foreign employment by 91.1% and 86.8% respectively in the last seven months of the fiscal year, according to the report published by Nepal Rastra Bank. 2,744 workers bound to Malaysia had received permits for legalization in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, down from a total of 30,925 workers who received both legalization and new permits in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year 2019/20.<br /> 1012 workers received permits for renewed entry to Kuwait in the current fiscal year compared to 7,677 workers who went to Kuwait in the same period of the last fiscal year.<br /> According to Nepal Migration Report, 2020 published by the Department of foreign Employment, Malaysia holds the third position in terms of share of Nepali workers. Along with Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait are top foreign destinations for Nepali migrants.</p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-03', 'modified' => '2021-04-03', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12984', 'image' => '20210403032054_Foreign Employment.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-03 15:19:06', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13237', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank to Finance Additional $75 Million for COVID-19 Vaccines to Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 2 : The Government of Nepal and the World Bank have signed an agreement for additional financing of $75 million to support access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for Nepal’s prioritized populations. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">April 2 : </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">The Government of Nepal and the World Bank have signed an agreement for additional financing of $75 million to support access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for Nepal’s prioritized populations. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> Issuing a statement, the World Bank said that Finance Secretary Sishir Kumar Dhungana and the World Bank’s Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations on Friday, April 2.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">“The additional financing is an important and timely support to the government’s overall plans to vaccinate at least 72 percent of the Nepali population,”</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> the statement quoted Finance Secretary Dhungana as saying. “It supports the government’s health response to the pandemic, by supporting procurement of COVID-19 vaccines as well as strengthening health systems for their effective deployment as per the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">According to the World Bank, the additional financing builds on the $29 million for the original Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project that was signed in April 2020. The project will be implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Population by the Department of Health Services and associated institutional bodies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> About 90 percent of the additional financing will support the purchase, supply and distribution of safe and effective COVID</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Cambria Math"">‐</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">19 vaccines, the statement added. The rest of the financing will support existing public health measures to test, trace and treat the COVID-19 infection through a strengthened health system; community engagement and risk communication to improve the demand and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines; and project implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and learning. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">“Equitable and fast access to effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines is vital to save lives and support a resilient recovery from the pandemic,”</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> stated Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank’s Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. “The World Bank is committed to support the government’s pandemic response to protect lives, strengthen systems for public health preparedness, and stimulate economic recovery in Nepal.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-02', 'modified' => '2021-04-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12983', 'image' => '20210402035735_Signing-photo 2.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-02 15:56:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13236', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourist Arrival Jumps Up in March', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 2: Tourist arrival via air to Nepal has jumped by 38.93 percent in March. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Tamish Giri</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">April 2: Tourist arrival via air to Nepal has jumped by 38.93 percent in March. <br /> According to the data released by the Department of Immigration on April 1, tourist arrival by air increased by 38.93 percent in March compared to February.<br /> In February, tourist arrival grew by 3.06 percent compared to the previous month.<br /> In total, 14977 foreigners landed in Nepal during March, while 9,146 foreigners had arrived in February and 8,874 in January.<br /> Out of the total visitors, 11002 were male, 3963 were female, while 12 were of the other sex.<br /> Country-wise, tourist arrival from India more than any other country. In total, 7658 Indian tourists landed at TIA in March, up from 3322 in February.<br /> Likewise, 1207 Chinese nationals arrived in Nepal during March. A total of 613 Chinese tourists had arrived in February. Similarly, 1703 American tourists landed on TIA in March, slightly higher than in February when 721 American tourists had arrived. <br /> According to the report, foreigners from 136 nations arrived in Nepal in March compared to tourists from 123 countries in February.<br /> Likewise, the number of Nepalis returning home has also increased in March. Altogether 56,293 Nepali nationals landed in Kathamndu in March, up from 46,471 a month ago.<br /> In the meantime, 49,005 Nepalis left for abroad in March, up from 44,152 in February.<br /> According to the data, eight refugees had landed in TIA in March.<br /> According to the report, 9,587 foreigners departed from TIA in March.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-02', 'modified' => '2021-04-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12982', 'image' => '20210402034327_20210324020010_20200930115831_1601420205.89.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-02 15:42:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13235', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'International Airliners can use Telecommunications Service in Nepali Sky', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 2: International airline companies can now onwards use internet and telecommunications service in the Nepali sky. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 2: International airline companies can now onwards use internet and telecommunications service in the Nepali sky. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has granted permission for the use of internet and telecommunications service above 10,000 feet for international airline companies in the Nepali sky. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A meeting of the board of directors of the Telecommunications Authority on March 22 took a decision in this regard. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">With this, Nepal has become the third country to grant such service to international airline companies in South Asia after India and Afghanistan. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Those airlines having got permission from the International Civil Aviation Organisation would be granted permission to avail internet and telecommunications service above 10,000 feet in the Nepali sky, said NTA’s spokesperson Santosh Poudel. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Granting permission to use internet service below 10,000 feet could result in disturbance in the service on the ground across the country, he said. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">To use the service, those willing to avail it should apply to the NTA. At present, three international airline companies have applied to the NTA for the service. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The NTA granted the service to the three international airlines companies after holding talks with the CAAN and bodies under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, added Poudel. – RSS</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-02', 'modified' => '2021-04-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12981', 'image' => '20210402114024_EHdVeZuVAAArjYS.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-02 11:39:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13233', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NTB holds Interaction on Development of Eco-Tourism', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on March 31 held an interaction on the development of Sustainable Tourism and eco-tourism activities.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 1: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on March 31 held an interaction on the development of Sustainable Tourism and eco-tourism activities.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Speaking at the program organised on NTB premises at Exhibition Road, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NTB Dr DhananjayRegmi pointed out the need for effective implementation of regulations related to protection and preservation of community forest. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, Regmi further expressed his commitment that NTB will take initiatives in developing eco-tourism activities and promoting it in the domestic as well as the international market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He further added that NTB will purchase and distribute eco-friendly products as souvenirs within and outside the country if produced by the local communities. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, Director of NTB Hikmat Singh Ayer informed that NTB will form a Sustainable Tourism Network at the provincial level.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Ayer added that a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between NTB and the Community Forest Research Centre under the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation to create a network for ecotourism development.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The program was attended by over 50 participants representing community forests of different parts of Nepal. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><strong> </strong></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12979', 'image' => '20210401055039_dolpa-iw-adventure.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 17:49:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13232', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'House Panel instructs Army to Scrap Fast Track Contract with Chinese Company', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Nepalese Army (NA) to scrap the second phase of contract awarding process for the construction of bridges and tunnels.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">April 1: The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Nepalese Army (NA) to scrap the second phase of contract awarding process for the construction of bridges and tunnels.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">PAC took a decision to this effect following a discussion held on March 31, Wednesday. The house panel has initiated formal investigation over the contract awarding process on suspicion of possible irregularities in selection of contractors. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Nepalese Army had selected Chinese Contractor Poly Chhangda Engineering Company Limited out of 21 companies. A total of 21 companies had submitted applications to build bridges and tunnelsunder the fast-track project. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Nepalese Army has been given full responsibility to construct the 76.5 Km long Fast Track which joins Kathmandu with the Terai. The NA has divided the construction of the project into three parts. It plans to construct 17 km on its own, recruit Nepali and international contractors for the construction of the remaining stretch of road section, tunnel and bridges. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Fast Track will have three tunnels covering 6.41 km and 71 small and big bridges with a total length of 10.59 km. The cost of the project has been estimated to be Rs 175 billion and the project is expected to be completed by 2024.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12978', 'image' => '20210401052924_20210317035230_Fast Track.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 17:28:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13231', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NAC to Lease Out Chinese Aircraft', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has decided to lease out its grounded aircraft in a bid to reduce the financial burden of the national flag carrier of Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">April 1: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has decided to lease out its grounded aircraft in a bid to reduce the financial burden of the national flag carrier of Nepal.</span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">NAC is facing a financial burden due to its inability to operate and manage six Chinese aircraft.<br /> NAC owns six Chinese aircraft including two MA 60 and four Y-12E. The aircraft were bought for domestic flights. Nepal received one MA 60 and one Harbin Y-12E each as grant from the Chinese government. Similarly, Nepal's national flag carrier had purchased an additional MA 60 aircraft and three Harbin Y-12E aircraft from the Chinese aircraft manufacturer Avic International on concessional loan.<br /> NAC incurred heavy financial losses while operating the Chinese aircraft due to load penalties, insurance, short-supply of spare parts, expensive parts, expensive simulator training cost. Sulekh Mishra, deputy-spokesperson of NAC, informed that all the Chinese aircraft are grounded since July 30, 2020.<br /> Out of the six Chinese aircraft, only five are functional, and one needs maintenance.<br /> The Harbin Y 12 E aircraft with call sign 9N AKU crashed on the runway of Nepalgunj Airport on March 28, 2020. NAC is planning to lease out the remaining five aircraft.<br /> NAC had been operating the Chinese aircraft on domestic routes since 2016.<br /> Karishma Shrestha, spokesperson of NAC, informed that a ministerial-level decision on March 17, 2021, paved the way for the corporation to manage the Chinese aircraft.<br /> In line with the decision, NAC has decided to lease out the aircraft to domestic or foreign aircraft operators for the best interest of the Government of Nepal and the corporation, said Shrestha. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12977', 'image' => '20210401035949_20200731122540_1596146267.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 15:58:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13230', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World not on Track to Achieve Zero Hunger by 2030: GHI Report ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: The globe is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger within the deadline of 2030, according to the 2020 GHI (Global Hunger Index) report published on Wednesday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 1: The globe is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger within the deadline of 2030, according to the 2020 GHI (Global Hunger Index) report published on Wednesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The GHI are based on the values of four component indicators, undernourishment (share of the population with insufficient caloric intake), child stunting (share of children under aged five who have low height for their age, reflecting acute under-nutrition), child wasting (share of children under aged five who are low weighed for their height, reflecting chronic under-nutrition) and child mortality (mortality rate of children under aged five, partly reflecting the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Based on the values of the four component indicators, the GHI defines hunger on a 100-point scale where 0 being the best possible score (nil hunger) and 100 being the worst. For the GHI report, data were accessed for 132 countries provided by various respective agencies under the United Nations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the report, 690 million people across the globe were being affected by starvation and 135 million people were suffering from malnutrition. At present, the average GHI is 18.2, which is relatively progressive as compared to 2000, but it needs much progress. More than 50 countries were still suffering from starvation. Over 140 million children have low height for their age as a result of malnutrition whereas 40.7 million children were suffering from malnutrition. In 2018, 5.3 million children died before the age of 5 as a result of malnutrition. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal however has done satisfactory work in the GHI. Out of 107 countries, Nepal is in the 73rd position. The country has climbed to 19.5 in the GHI in 2020, a big jump from 37.4 in 2000. Nepal has been ranked in the medium position of the GHI. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Covid-19 pandemic, conflict, poverty, inequality and climate change among others are blamed for countries suffering from starvation. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12976', 'image' => '20210401110707_My Effect 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 11:04:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13229', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM Oli giving ‘Undue Pressure’ to bring Populist Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is exerting pressure on Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel and other officials of finance Ministry to prepare a populist budget. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">April 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is exerting pressure on Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel and other officials of finance Ministry to prepare a populist budget. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Ministry of Finance is reeling under pressure following public statements given by the Prime Minister at public gatherings. Speaking at the anniversary programme of Reporters’ club, PM Oli said that elderly allowance will be increased from the next fiscal year. “Old-age allowance and social security allowance will be increased from July of the upcoming fiscal year. Most of the people may have objection regarding this which doesn’t affect me,” said Oli during the programme.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In the last election, the Nepal Communist Party formed after the unification of then CPN UML and Maoist Centre had announced to increase old-age allowance to Rs 5,000. Former governor of Nepal Rastra Bank Yuvaraj Khatiwada, who was then Minister for Finance, hadn’t increased the allowance in the current fiscal year pointing out to resources shortfall due to COVID-19. Currently, the elderly people get old age allowance of Rs 3,000 every month. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">On the other hand, Khatiwada’s successor Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel has a political background so populist budget is his priority, informed a source close to him. One of the senior officials of Finance Ministry said Minister Poudel is also working to develop a populist budget in accordance to the announcements made by PM Oli. Prime Minister Oli and other parliamentarians are trying hard to have their favorable programmes included in the budget. Various groups visit MoF daily for this purpose and lobby with Finance Secretary or Minister for Finance. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“Though such acts of pressurizing the Ministry have declined, there are still a good number of people visiting the Ministry to have their demands addressed in the budget,” said Yam Pandey, personal Secretary of the Finance Minister.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Instead of introducing programmes to uplift the economy affected by COVID-19, speculations are rife that these programmes will be sidelined since the PM is pressurizing Finance Ministry to bring populist budget. Shantaraj Subedi, former finance secretary, says that the government should prioritize programmes to uplift the economy in this time of crisis. Though politicians always desire for a populist budget it is not beneficial for the economy. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Referring to the private sector’s dissatisfaction over this year’s budget program, Subedi said government should introduce implementation-oriented programmes that support the private sector. “Popular programmess to get cheap popularity should not be included at this critical time,” says economist Keshav Acharya. He shared that negative economic growth and rise in COVID-19 cases have worried the private sector so the budget should introduce programmes to assure the security of private sector’s investment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to Acharya, the budget should focus on existing infrastructure projects rather than adding new ones. A report of the National Planning Commission states that 120,000 additional people have been forced below the poverty line due to COVID-19. The budget should attempt to include these people in its programmes, says Acharya.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12975', 'image' => '20210401105341_20200305102040_oli.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 10:53:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13228', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal's Economy Unlikely to Rebound to Pre-pandemic Levels Soon', 'sub_title' => 'World Bank Predicts 2.7% Growth Rate for this FY, 3.9% for Next', 'summary' => 'March 31: If the latest World Bank forecasts are anything to go by, it will take years for Nepal's economy to rebound to the pre-pandemic levels, as tourism and industrial activities are unlikely to recover anytime soon.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Rupak D Sharma<br /> March 31: If the latest World Bank forecasts are anything to go by, it will take years for Nepal's economy to rebound to the pre-pandemic levels, as tourism and industrial activities are unlikely to recover anytime soon.<br /> Nepal's economy grew at an average of 7.75 percent per annum in the three-year period from 2016-17 and 2018-19. In each of these years, the economy expanded by more than six percent -- 8.98 percent in 2016-17, 7.62 percent in 2017-18 and 6.66 percent in 2018-19. This was the first time Nepal's economic growth rate had remained above six percent for three consecutive years. Then the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country sending the economy into a tailspin. This caused the economy to shrink by 1.88 percent in the last fiscal year.<br /> Economic activities gradually started to gather pace after the second half of the current fiscal year as Covid-19 related disruptions started fading, leading to gradual resumption in industrial activities. Lately, incipient signs of recovery are also being seen in wholesale and retail trade, transport, and financial services, as lockdowns have been lifted. Yet growth rate is projected to stand at 2.7 percent in the current fiscal year, according to the World Bank. This growth rate is higher than the bank's previous estimate of 0.6 percent, but way below the government's target of seven percent.<br /> "Since Nepal's economy [virtually] did not grow in two years, per capita income is going to get hit," Hans Timmer, World Bank chief economist for the South Asia region, told a virtual press meet.<br /> There is more bad news for Nepal. The growth is unlikely to accelerate in the next fiscal year as well. Nepal's growth, despite a low base, is expected to hover around 3.9 percent in 2021-22, according to World Bank projections. The growth rate is expected to rise to 5.1 percent in 2022-23. But again this growth rate is way below the pre-pandemic levels.<br /> Nepal's economic growth is likely to remain tepid in the coming years due to slow recovery in tourism and industrial sectors. Tourism is expected to fully recover only in 2022-23, while industrial activities are likely to remain below pre-pandemic levels until early 2022-23, according to the World Bank's latest South Asia Economic Focus, an annual report. Agriculture will remain a strong growth driver, thanks to favourable monsoons and continued government investments in irrigation and commercialisation. But there is a risk that the current political uncertainty, if prolonged, may undermine investment sentiment, says the report titled, 'South Asia Vaccinates'. This warning comes at a time when investment is expected to grow by 12.7 percent in South Asia in the current fiscal year. Low investment may further hamper Nepal's growth prospects at a time when closure of enterprises has culled large number of jobs. To ensure the recovery is sustained and resilient, policy priorities will need to include: strengthening health systems, supporting agriculture production, and a focus on green, resilient, and inclusive development, says the World Bank report.<br /> Much of the projections made by the World Bank on the economy are contingent on effective vaccination campaigns in Nepal and abroad. Delays in vaccination or new outbreaks of Covid-19 both domestically and globally would dampen prospects of economic recovery and hit the tourism sector. The World Bank has, thus, called on the government to spend money on vaccination. Ending the pandemic a half to one-and-a-half years earlier and spurring an earlier economic recovery would prevent output loss in the range of 4.9 percent to 14.6 percent in Nepal, says the report. But vaccinating at least 70 percent of the population is easier said than done as Nepal is likely to face shortage of vaccines in the coming days due to global scarcity, albeit the country was one of the first recipients of the jabs in the world, thanks to support extended by India.<br /> Nepal cannot afford another lockdown or severe restriction in movements as significant jobs and income losses triggered by the pandemic have already increased vulnerability. At least 1.2 million people are estimated to have fallen into the trap of poverty and 1.6 million are expected to have lost their jobs because of the lockdown clamped to contain the spread of Covid-19.<br /> The lockdown is also expected to have worsened the problem of food insecurity in 18 percent of households in Nepal, while income losses instigated by the lockdown are expected to have increased the school dropout rate. A typical student can expect to lose as much as US$445 (2017 PPP) annually as a result of lost schooling and learning opportunities, according to the World Bank.<br /> Prior to the pandemic, Nepal's social sector, which includes education and health, had performed well because of remittances flowing into the country. "But going forward remittance is going to be a point of concern as there has been a reduction in migration," said Timmer. Number of people leaving the country for employment purpose had started taking a dip in the pre-pandemic period, as there were more opportunities in the country and the government had started negotiating with labour destinations, such as Malaysia, for better social security of its workers, which had reduced the charm for Nepali labourers.<br /> Lately, countries like Saudi Arabia and others in the Gulf, which absorb a bulk of Nepali labourers, have introduced policies that favour the employment of native-born workers, which might reduce job opportunities for Nepalis. There is also the danger that some migrants who were repatriated when host country activities were shut down may not be able to get their original jobs back. What's more, many of the economies in the Gulf are shifting out of oil production and the decline of migrant demand due to Covid-19 may have accelerated that process.<br /> If remittance inflow shrinks, Nepal's current account deficit will widen, exerting pressure on foreign exchange reserves. Already, Nepal's current account – largely the difference between income generated from exports and imports of goods and services – is in a deficit as imports are gradually growing with the resumption in economic activities. Nepal's current account deficit is expected to further widen over the medium term, according to the World Bank, as import growth is expected to accelerate due to growth in consumption, while service exports, mainly tourism, are expected to remain subdued until 2021-22. By 2021-22, the current account deficit is projected to reach 3.2 percent of GDP, financed primarily by long-term concessional borrowing.<br /> The fiscal deficit is also projected to remain elevated over the medium term. While revenue performance is expected to remain weak, additional spending on economic relief measures, vaccinations, and the resumption of project implementation will widen the fiscal deficit to just under eight percent of GDP in 2021-22, says the World Bank report.<br /> "Thereafter it is projected to stabilise at 6.5 percent of GDP in 2022-23 as revenues recover. Total public debt is expected to reach 41.9 percent of GDP in 2020-21 and gradually increase to 51.3 percent by 2022-23," adds the report.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-31', 'modified' => '2021-03-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12974', 'image' => '20210331063053_20200430025148_Economic-Growth-Decline 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-31 18:28:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13227', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank projects Nepal’s economy to grow by 2.7% in current fiscal year ', 'sub_title' => 'Recovery in current fiscal year due to fading disruptions from Covid-19 and govt relief spending, says World Bank’s latest edition of South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) ', 'summary' => 'Recovery in current fiscal year due to fading disruptions from Covid-19 and govt relief spending, says World Bank’s latest edition of South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) ', 'content' => '<p>March 31:<br /> Nepal’s economy is likely to grow by 2.7 percent in the current fiscal year 2020/21, according to a latest projection by the World Bank.</p> <p>Releasing the South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) on Wednesday, the World Bank said that the economy is expected to grow in the current fiscal year after a contraction in the last fiscal year as the Covid-19 related disruptions fade and government relief spending materializes.</p> <p>The World Bank through its March’s SAEF—a biannual publication providing recent economic developments and a near-term economic outlook for the region—revised Nepal’s growth forecast slightly up by 0.6 percentage point from a projection of 2.1 percent in January.</p> <p>While the World Bank’s growth forecast is an indication of economic recovery from the contraction of 1.9 percent in the last fiscal year 2019/20, it is way lower than the government’s target to achieve 7 percent of GDP growth in the current fiscal year.</p> <p>However, the World Bank, in its report, warned that significant jobs and income losses are likely to have increased vulnerability.</p> <p>“To ensure the recovery is sustained and resilient, policy priorities will need to include: strengthening health systems, supporting agriculture production, and a focus on green, resilient, and inclusive development,” read the report which lifts the growth forecast of South Asia due to efforts to keep Covid-19 caseload under control and swiftly roll out vaccine campaigns.</p> <p>But, there are still risks which could Nepal's recovery prospects. According to the World Bank’s latest report, downside risks to its outlook stem from new waves of Covid-19 infections and political uncertainties. </p> <p>“Delays in vaccination and/or new outbreaks of COVID-19 both domestically and globally would dampen prospects of economic recovery. The resumption of tourism would be delayed if international travel restrictions are imposed,” the report stated. “Domestic risks include political uncertainty, which could undermine investment sentiment,” it added.</p> <p>Agriculture will remain a strong growth driver, thanks to favorable monsoons and continued government investments in irrigation and commercialization, according to the World Bank’s report.<br /> The economic growth in South Asia is set to increase by 7.2 percent in 2021 in South Asia and 4.4 percent in 2022, climbing from historic lows in 2020 and putting the region on a path to recovery, according to the World Bank report. But growth is uneven and economic activity well below pre-COVID-19 estimates, as many businesses need to make up for lost revenue and millions of workers, most of them in the informal sector, still reel from job losses, falling incomes, worsening inequalities, and human capital deficits, the report said.</p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-31', 'modified' => '2021-03-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12973', 'image' => '20210331010612_Growth Forecast.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-03-31 13:02:21', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => true, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13226', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Hardik Fitness Club Inaugurates Newly-Built Swimming Pool', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 30: Nepal’s swimming sensation Gaurika Singh on Tuesday (March 30) inaugurated a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk, Lalitpur amid a low-key function organised with precautions against Covid-19 infection. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10px"><em>Swimmer Gaurika Singh inaugurating a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk on Tuesday, March 30. Photo Courtesy: NSJF</em></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 30: Nepal’s swimming sensation Gaurika Singh on Tuesday (March 30) inaugurated a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk, Lalitpur amid a low-key function organised with precautions against Covid-19 infection. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">During the inauguration, Hardik Fitness Club – which is arguably one of the biggest and oldest fitness clubs of Nepal – offered a lifetime membership to swimmer Singh, who holds national records in various categories of swimming. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club informed New Business Age that swimmer Gaurika Singh’s parents also used to be members of the club which was established in 1998. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the club’s proprietor Biraj Bista, Hardik Fitness Club was relocated to a new area in 2018 and is spread over 14,000 square feet, making it the biggest fitness club in the country. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club covers four storeys of a building with each storey providing a specific service like gym, sauna, cardio exercise, functional training and group fitness class.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Bista further said that the club has given high priority to the safety and wellbeing of its members by ensuring that all the equipment and changing rooms are disinfected with antimicrobial quoting which lasts for 365 days. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club has five licensed instructors and also offers customized service. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club also has a restaurant and a café and open space to ensure that there is no overcrowding. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Hardik Fitrness Club also offers kick-boxing classes to interested members. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club informed that Gaurika Singh will be leaving for England on April 2 for her A-levels exams and will be back in July to prepare for the upcoming Olympics. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the club, non-members can enjoy swimming for Rs 500 per day while members can get discount packages. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-30', 'modified' => '2021-03-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12972', 'image' => '20210330045721_received_487527982379696.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-30 16:55:35', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13241', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Indifferent towards Resolving Conflict between Industries and Locals', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 4: The conflict between industries in Bara-Parsa corridor and locals is rising gradually over environment pollution caused by the industries. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">April 4: The conflict between industries in Bara-Parsa corridor and locals is rising gradually over environment pollution caused by the industries. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Two years back, two cement industries operating in Bara-Parsa corridor – Nepal Shalimar Cement and Unitek Cement – were padlocked by the locals with the backing of the mayor for alleged pollution caused by the industries. The padlocks were opened later after the industries reached an agreement with the locals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Before the padlocking of these two industries, production of Himalayan Food International was halted for two months. The locals had obstructed the production of this industry for contaminating the water of Sirsiya river by releasing unprocessed fluid. The industry resumed operation after agreeing to follow waste management measures.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Similarly, Jagadamba Steel located in Simara bazar has been padlocked time and again. The locals have been alleging the industry for deteriorating their health condition due to the pollution generated by the industry. The local administration has mediated a deal between the two parties but still the industry gets padlocked repeatedly for not complying with the agreement. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">These are some of the representative cases of increasing conflict between industries and the locals. Since the establishment of industries along Tribhuvan Highway for the last eight decades, the conflict between the two sides have been never-ending. Though Bara-Parsa corridor is popular as the largest industrial area of the country, it is not a pre-planned industrial area. Due to its proximity with Indian port, the expansion of the industries has taken place rapidly due to the ease in import of raw materials. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Along with the establishment of industries along the highway located 26 km away from Birgunj, human settlement has also been getting densely populated at the same rate. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">"The increase in population density due to the rise in the number of industries has led to conflict between the two parties over the issue of industrial pollution,” said SubodhKumar Gupta, president of Birgunj Chambers of Commerce and Industry. “The government should take necessary steps to solve this issue,” he added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Industry Commerce and Consumer Welfare Committee of parliament had recently inspected about two dozen industries along the corridor. Pradip Yadav, member of parliament and member of the inspection team said almost all industries are yet to adopt pollution control measures. "Most of the industries have even shut down the plant set up to control pollution, industries should not be indifferent to public health to this extent," Yadav said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The committee had conducted field inspection of Sirsiya river that flows along the corridor. A study conducted by Parsa District Administration Office had found out that 46 industries were polluting the river with contaminated water. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Industries have not complied with the conditions signed by them to control pollution while taking approval for the establishment of the industry. Industries that are producing vegetable ghee, soap, meat, clothes are directly disposing chemical wastes into the river which is hampering the environment and the productivity of the land which has led to the conflict between the locals and the industries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Birendra Kumar Sanghai, coordinator of Birgunj Chapter Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said as long as industries and human settlement exist in the same area, this issue will not be resolved permanently. The government should come up with long-term solution to this problem, said Sanghai..</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The government's inability to set criteria for expansion of industries and human settlement has intensified this problem, says Ashok Kumar Ved, former president of Birgun chapter FNCCI. Industrialists had demanded to recognize this area as industrial corridor which would have facilitated to address this problem. But the government couldn't take timely measures regarding this, he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">MP Yadav believes that it would be better for the industries and the locals if the government can arrange land and infrastructure for the relocation of industries. Since Postal highway is in the final stage of completion, the rural parts of Parsa can be declared as an industrial area, he shared. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Industries running along Bara-Parsa corridor need 1000 to 2000 bigha of land, said Hari Gautam, vice president of Birgunj chapter of FNCCI. Industries will shift if the new area will be arranged with necessary infrastructure like road, electricity, sewage system, water processing unit.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-04', 'modified' => '2021-04-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12987', 'image' => '20210404020159_20200907020811_1599429995.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-04 14:01:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13240', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourist Arrival Increasing Gradually', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 4: Tourist arrival in Nepal has started to improve gradually. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">April 4: Tourist arrival in Nepal has started to improve gradually. Tourists have started visiting the country with the onset of the spring season and the government adopting new quarantine policy.<br /> In March, a total of 14,977 foreign tourists visited Nepal. Most of the visitors were from India, the USA, China, Britain, and Bangladesh.<br /> According to Nepal Tourism Board, more tourists have entered Nepal in March this year than last year. In the corresponding period of last fiscal year, tourist arrival was zero due to coronavirus and lockdown.<br /> During this time, most of the tourists come to Nepal for mountaineering and trekking. With the onset of the spring season, tourist arrival in March has been significant. A total of 1,790 tourists from 16 countries of Europe have come to Nepal. Among them, there are considerable number of tourists from Germany, France, Russia, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In total, 1,831 tourists arrived from Canada and the United States. Likewise, 1,570 tourists have visited Nepal from 8 countries of Asia, including China.<br /> According to NTB, 8,880 tourists have come to Nepal from SAARC countries. Of these, 7,658 tourists arrived from India and 568 from Bangladesh. The share of SAARC countries in the number of tourists is 55.95 percent.<br /> The Department of Tourism has issued climbing permits to 100 individuals from nine teams to climb Mt. Everest in the spring season. So far, 173 people from 20 teams have taken permission to climb seven mountain peaks.<br /> According to the department, apart from Everest, more permits have been issued for climbing Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and Nuptse.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Forty-four people of four different expedition teams have received climbing permits for Annapurna, 12 individuals from two teams for Dhaualagiri, and ten from two groups for climbing Nuptse.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-04', 'modified' => '2021-04-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12986', 'image' => '20210404125527_20200807075017_1596774556.Trekking pic.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-04 12:54:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13239', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' PM Oli lays Foundation Stone for 165 Road Projects ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 4: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday (April 3) laid the foundation stone for 165 road projects simultaneously amidst a special virtual programme held at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 4: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday (April 3) laid the foundation stone for 165 road projects simultaneously amidst a special virtual programme held at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The total cost of these projects is Rs 57.10 billion and they are expected to be completed within three years. There will be one project in each electoral constituency. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli urged the respective ministries, departments and bodies concerned not to delay in implementing the projects. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to him, so far the areas of black-topped and upgraded roads since he assumed his office covered 3,512 kilometers. Likewise, 628 bridges (suspension bridges) have been constructed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Minister for Transport and Physical Infrastructure Basant Nembang informed that in the past three years 3,512 kilometers of six-lane roads were constructed. Similarly, construction of 3,300 kilometers of gravel road and opening of 1,686 kilometers of new tracks are underway. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The widening of the East-West Highway (four to six lanes) has kicked off, according to Minister Nembang. The Federal Government constructs 6.5 kilometers of road each day. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-04', 'modified' => '2021-04-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12985', 'image' => '20210404104134_20200412100619_maxresdefault.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-04 10:40:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13238', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Malaysia, Kuwait yet to welcome new workers from Nepal ', 'sub_title' => 'Department of Foreign Employment has not issued any new work permit to Nepali workers bound to Malaysia and Kuwait in the current fiscal year due to lack of demands ', 'summary' => 'The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFe) has not issued any new permit to Malaysia and Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year 2020/21 due to a lack of demand for workers. ', 'content' => '<p><em><strong>Rebati Adhikari</strong></em><br /> April 3:<br /> The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFe) has not issued any new permit for wokers going to Malaysia and Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year 2020/21 due to a lack of demand from these two countries.<br /> Malaysia and Kuwait were top foreign employment destinations for Nepali migrant workers until last year.<br /> Chhatra Shah, Spokesperson of Foreign Employment Office at Tahachal under the DoFE, said there has not been any demand from these two countries because of Covid-19.<br /> Malaysia is allowing the re-entry of migrant of workers only in sectors which have been less affected by COVID.<br /> Malaysia had imposed a ban on arrivals of foreign workers following a surge in COVID-19 cases last year. Along with Malaysia, other Gulf countries Qatar, Kuwait and Dubai had also imposed restrictions on arrivals of foreign migrant worker due to the pandemic’s economic fallout.<br /> Following a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases in labor receiving countries, the DoFE had also stopped issuing permits from mid March in the last year. <br /> However, the DoFE in September last year started to issue permits to workers going to those countries deemed safe for travel due to a decline in Covid-19 cases. A total of 1,542 workers received the work permit in the month of Ashoj (between mid September and mid October) last year, up from 198 workers in the previous month Bhadra (between mid August and mid September). There has been a gradual increase in the number of new permits issued to workers seeking foreign employment as many destination countries reopen their labor markets amid a decline in Covid-19 cases and rollout of vaccines.<br /> But, Malaysia and Kuwait are yet to welcome new workers from Nepal in this fiscal year.<br /> “We have received reports that talks are about to be initiated from April to resume the flow of migrant workers in Kuwait. However, there is not any update or development regarding Malaysia taking in new migrant workers,” said Shah.<br /> The department has issued only re-new permits and individual regularized permits to Malaysia and Kuwait. According to the DoFE, it has provided five individual regularized permits to Malaysia while only one legalized permit has been issued to Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year.<br /> Malaysia and Kuwait has witnessed a decline in the number of foreign employment by 91.1% and 86.8% respectively in the last seven months of the fiscal year, according to the report published by Nepal Rastra Bank. 2,744 workers bound to Malaysia had received permits for legalization in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, down from a total of 30,925 workers who received both legalization and new permits in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year 2019/20.<br /> 1012 workers received permits for renewed entry to Kuwait in the current fiscal year compared to 7,677 workers who went to Kuwait in the same period of the last fiscal year.<br /> According to Nepal Migration Report, 2020 published by the Department of foreign Employment, Malaysia holds the third position in terms of share of Nepali workers. Along with Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait are top foreign destinations for Nepali migrants.</p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-03', 'modified' => '2021-04-03', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12984', 'image' => '20210403032054_Foreign Employment.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-03 15:19:06', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13237', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank to Finance Additional $75 Million for COVID-19 Vaccines to Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 2 : The Government of Nepal and the World Bank have signed an agreement for additional financing of $75 million to support access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for Nepal’s prioritized populations. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">April 2 : </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">The Government of Nepal and the World Bank have signed an agreement for additional financing of $75 million to support access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for Nepal’s prioritized populations. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> Issuing a statement, the World Bank said that Finance Secretary Sishir Kumar Dhungana and the World Bank’s Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations on Friday, April 2.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">“The additional financing is an important and timely support to the government’s overall plans to vaccinate at least 72 percent of the Nepali population,”</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> the statement quoted Finance Secretary Dhungana as saying. “It supports the government’s health response to the pandemic, by supporting procurement of COVID-19 vaccines as well as strengthening health systems for their effective deployment as per the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">According to the World Bank, the additional financing builds on the $29 million for the original Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project that was signed in April 2020. The project will be implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Population by the Department of Health Services and associated institutional bodies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> About 90 percent of the additional financing will support the purchase, supply and distribution of safe and effective COVID</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Cambria Math"">‐</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">19 vaccines, the statement added. The rest of the financing will support existing public health measures to test, trace and treat the COVID-19 infection through a strengthened health system; community engagement and risk communication to improve the demand and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines; and project implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and learning. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">“Equitable and fast access to effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines is vital to save lives and support a resilient recovery from the pandemic,”</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> stated Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank’s Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. “The World Bank is committed to support the government’s pandemic response to protect lives, strengthen systems for public health preparedness, and stimulate economic recovery in Nepal.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-02', 'modified' => '2021-04-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12983', 'image' => '20210402035735_Signing-photo 2.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-02 15:56:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13236', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourist Arrival Jumps Up in March', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 2: Tourist arrival via air to Nepal has jumped by 38.93 percent in March. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Tamish Giri</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">April 2: Tourist arrival via air to Nepal has jumped by 38.93 percent in March. <br /> According to the data released by the Department of Immigration on April 1, tourist arrival by air increased by 38.93 percent in March compared to February.<br /> In February, tourist arrival grew by 3.06 percent compared to the previous month.<br /> In total, 14977 foreigners landed in Nepal during March, while 9,146 foreigners had arrived in February and 8,874 in January.<br /> Out of the total visitors, 11002 were male, 3963 were female, while 12 were of the other sex.<br /> Country-wise, tourist arrival from India more than any other country. In total, 7658 Indian tourists landed at TIA in March, up from 3322 in February.<br /> Likewise, 1207 Chinese nationals arrived in Nepal during March. A total of 613 Chinese tourists had arrived in February. Similarly, 1703 American tourists landed on TIA in March, slightly higher than in February when 721 American tourists had arrived. <br /> According to the report, foreigners from 136 nations arrived in Nepal in March compared to tourists from 123 countries in February.<br /> Likewise, the number of Nepalis returning home has also increased in March. Altogether 56,293 Nepali nationals landed in Kathamndu in March, up from 46,471 a month ago.<br /> In the meantime, 49,005 Nepalis left for abroad in March, up from 44,152 in February.<br /> According to the data, eight refugees had landed in TIA in March.<br /> According to the report, 9,587 foreigners departed from TIA in March.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-02', 'modified' => '2021-04-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12982', 'image' => '20210402034327_20210324020010_20200930115831_1601420205.89.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-02 15:42:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13235', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'International Airliners can use Telecommunications Service in Nepali Sky', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 2: International airline companies can now onwards use internet and telecommunications service in the Nepali sky. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 2: International airline companies can now onwards use internet and telecommunications service in the Nepali sky. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has granted permission for the use of internet and telecommunications service above 10,000 feet for international airline companies in the Nepali sky. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A meeting of the board of directors of the Telecommunications Authority on March 22 took a decision in this regard. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">With this, Nepal has become the third country to grant such service to international airline companies in South Asia after India and Afghanistan. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Those airlines having got permission from the International Civil Aviation Organisation would be granted permission to avail internet and telecommunications service above 10,000 feet in the Nepali sky, said NTA’s spokesperson Santosh Poudel. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Granting permission to use internet service below 10,000 feet could result in disturbance in the service on the ground across the country, he said. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">To use the service, those willing to avail it should apply to the NTA. At present, three international airline companies have applied to the NTA for the service. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The NTA granted the service to the three international airlines companies after holding talks with the CAAN and bodies under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, added Poudel. – RSS</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-02', 'modified' => '2021-04-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12981', 'image' => '20210402114024_EHdVeZuVAAArjYS.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-02 11:39:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13233', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NTB holds Interaction on Development of Eco-Tourism', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on March 31 held an interaction on the development of Sustainable Tourism and eco-tourism activities.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 1: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on March 31 held an interaction on the development of Sustainable Tourism and eco-tourism activities.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Speaking at the program organised on NTB premises at Exhibition Road, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NTB Dr DhananjayRegmi pointed out the need for effective implementation of regulations related to protection and preservation of community forest. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, Regmi further expressed his commitment that NTB will take initiatives in developing eco-tourism activities and promoting it in the domestic as well as the international market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He further added that NTB will purchase and distribute eco-friendly products as souvenirs within and outside the country if produced by the local communities. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, Director of NTB Hikmat Singh Ayer informed that NTB will form a Sustainable Tourism Network at the provincial level.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Ayer added that a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between NTB and the Community Forest Research Centre under the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation to create a network for ecotourism development.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The program was attended by over 50 participants representing community forests of different parts of Nepal. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><strong> </strong></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12979', 'image' => '20210401055039_dolpa-iw-adventure.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 17:49:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13232', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'House Panel instructs Army to Scrap Fast Track Contract with Chinese Company', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Nepalese Army (NA) to scrap the second phase of contract awarding process for the construction of bridges and tunnels.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">April 1: The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Nepalese Army (NA) to scrap the second phase of contract awarding process for the construction of bridges and tunnels.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">PAC took a decision to this effect following a discussion held on March 31, Wednesday. The house panel has initiated formal investigation over the contract awarding process on suspicion of possible irregularities in selection of contractors. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Nepalese Army had selected Chinese Contractor Poly Chhangda Engineering Company Limited out of 21 companies. A total of 21 companies had submitted applications to build bridges and tunnelsunder the fast-track project. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Nepalese Army has been given full responsibility to construct the 76.5 Km long Fast Track which joins Kathmandu with the Terai. The NA has divided the construction of the project into three parts. It plans to construct 17 km on its own, recruit Nepali and international contractors for the construction of the remaining stretch of road section, tunnel and bridges. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Fast Track will have three tunnels covering 6.41 km and 71 small and big bridges with a total length of 10.59 km. The cost of the project has been estimated to be Rs 175 billion and the project is expected to be completed by 2024.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12978', 'image' => '20210401052924_20210317035230_Fast Track.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 17:28:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13231', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NAC to Lease Out Chinese Aircraft', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has decided to lease out its grounded aircraft in a bid to reduce the financial burden of the national flag carrier of Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">April 1: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has decided to lease out its grounded aircraft in a bid to reduce the financial burden of the national flag carrier of Nepal.</span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">NAC is facing a financial burden due to its inability to operate and manage six Chinese aircraft.<br /> NAC owns six Chinese aircraft including two MA 60 and four Y-12E. The aircraft were bought for domestic flights. Nepal received one MA 60 and one Harbin Y-12E each as grant from the Chinese government. Similarly, Nepal's national flag carrier had purchased an additional MA 60 aircraft and three Harbin Y-12E aircraft from the Chinese aircraft manufacturer Avic International on concessional loan.<br /> NAC incurred heavy financial losses while operating the Chinese aircraft due to load penalties, insurance, short-supply of spare parts, expensive parts, expensive simulator training cost. Sulekh Mishra, deputy-spokesperson of NAC, informed that all the Chinese aircraft are grounded since July 30, 2020.<br /> Out of the six Chinese aircraft, only five are functional, and one needs maintenance.<br /> The Harbin Y 12 E aircraft with call sign 9N AKU crashed on the runway of Nepalgunj Airport on March 28, 2020. NAC is planning to lease out the remaining five aircraft.<br /> NAC had been operating the Chinese aircraft on domestic routes since 2016.<br /> Karishma Shrestha, spokesperson of NAC, informed that a ministerial-level decision on March 17, 2021, paved the way for the corporation to manage the Chinese aircraft.<br /> In line with the decision, NAC has decided to lease out the aircraft to domestic or foreign aircraft operators for the best interest of the Government of Nepal and the corporation, said Shrestha. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12977', 'image' => '20210401035949_20200731122540_1596146267.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 15:58:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13230', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World not on Track to Achieve Zero Hunger by 2030: GHI Report ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: The globe is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger within the deadline of 2030, according to the 2020 GHI (Global Hunger Index) report published on Wednesday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 1: The globe is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger within the deadline of 2030, according to the 2020 GHI (Global Hunger Index) report published on Wednesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The GHI are based on the values of four component indicators, undernourishment (share of the population with insufficient caloric intake), child stunting (share of children under aged five who have low height for their age, reflecting acute under-nutrition), child wasting (share of children under aged five who are low weighed for their height, reflecting chronic under-nutrition) and child mortality (mortality rate of children under aged five, partly reflecting the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Based on the values of the four component indicators, the GHI defines hunger on a 100-point scale where 0 being the best possible score (nil hunger) and 100 being the worst. For the GHI report, data were accessed for 132 countries provided by various respective agencies under the United Nations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the report, 690 million people across the globe were being affected by starvation and 135 million people were suffering from malnutrition. At present, the average GHI is 18.2, which is relatively progressive as compared to 2000, but it needs much progress. More than 50 countries were still suffering from starvation. Over 140 million children have low height for their age as a result of malnutrition whereas 40.7 million children were suffering from malnutrition. In 2018, 5.3 million children died before the age of 5 as a result of malnutrition. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal however has done satisfactory work in the GHI. Out of 107 countries, Nepal is in the 73rd position. The country has climbed to 19.5 in the GHI in 2020, a big jump from 37.4 in 2000. Nepal has been ranked in the medium position of the GHI. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Covid-19 pandemic, conflict, poverty, inequality and climate change among others are blamed for countries suffering from starvation. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12976', 'image' => '20210401110707_My Effect 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 11:04:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13229', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM Oli giving ‘Undue Pressure’ to bring Populist Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is exerting pressure on Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel and other officials of finance Ministry to prepare a populist budget. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">April 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is exerting pressure on Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel and other officials of finance Ministry to prepare a populist budget. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Ministry of Finance is reeling under pressure following public statements given by the Prime Minister at public gatherings. Speaking at the anniversary programme of Reporters’ club, PM Oli said that elderly allowance will be increased from the next fiscal year. “Old-age allowance and social security allowance will be increased from July of the upcoming fiscal year. Most of the people may have objection regarding this which doesn’t affect me,” said Oli during the programme.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In the last election, the Nepal Communist Party formed after the unification of then CPN UML and Maoist Centre had announced to increase old-age allowance to Rs 5,000. Former governor of Nepal Rastra Bank Yuvaraj Khatiwada, who was then Minister for Finance, hadn’t increased the allowance in the current fiscal year pointing out to resources shortfall due to COVID-19. Currently, the elderly people get old age allowance of Rs 3,000 every month. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">On the other hand, Khatiwada’s successor Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel has a political background so populist budget is his priority, informed a source close to him. One of the senior officials of Finance Ministry said Minister Poudel is also working to develop a populist budget in accordance to the announcements made by PM Oli. Prime Minister Oli and other parliamentarians are trying hard to have their favorable programmes included in the budget. Various groups visit MoF daily for this purpose and lobby with Finance Secretary or Minister for Finance. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“Though such acts of pressurizing the Ministry have declined, there are still a good number of people visiting the Ministry to have their demands addressed in the budget,” said Yam Pandey, personal Secretary of the Finance Minister.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Instead of introducing programmes to uplift the economy affected by COVID-19, speculations are rife that these programmes will be sidelined since the PM is pressurizing Finance Ministry to bring populist budget. Shantaraj Subedi, former finance secretary, says that the government should prioritize programmes to uplift the economy in this time of crisis. Though politicians always desire for a populist budget it is not beneficial for the economy. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Referring to the private sector’s dissatisfaction over this year’s budget program, Subedi said government should introduce implementation-oriented programmes that support the private sector. “Popular programmess to get cheap popularity should not be included at this critical time,” says economist Keshav Acharya. He shared that negative economic growth and rise in COVID-19 cases have worried the private sector so the budget should introduce programmes to assure the security of private sector’s investment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to Acharya, the budget should focus on existing infrastructure projects rather than adding new ones. A report of the National Planning Commission states that 120,000 additional people have been forced below the poverty line due to COVID-19. The budget should attempt to include these people in its programmes, says Acharya.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12975', 'image' => '20210401105341_20200305102040_oli.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 10:53:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13228', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal's Economy Unlikely to Rebound to Pre-pandemic Levels Soon', 'sub_title' => 'World Bank Predicts 2.7% Growth Rate for this FY, 3.9% for Next', 'summary' => 'March 31: If the latest World Bank forecasts are anything to go by, it will take years for Nepal's economy to rebound to the pre-pandemic levels, as tourism and industrial activities are unlikely to recover anytime soon.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Rupak D Sharma<br /> March 31: If the latest World Bank forecasts are anything to go by, it will take years for Nepal's economy to rebound to the pre-pandemic levels, as tourism and industrial activities are unlikely to recover anytime soon.<br /> Nepal's economy grew at an average of 7.75 percent per annum in the three-year period from 2016-17 and 2018-19. In each of these years, the economy expanded by more than six percent -- 8.98 percent in 2016-17, 7.62 percent in 2017-18 and 6.66 percent in 2018-19. This was the first time Nepal's economic growth rate had remained above six percent for three consecutive years. Then the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country sending the economy into a tailspin. This caused the economy to shrink by 1.88 percent in the last fiscal year.<br /> Economic activities gradually started to gather pace after the second half of the current fiscal year as Covid-19 related disruptions started fading, leading to gradual resumption in industrial activities. Lately, incipient signs of recovery are also being seen in wholesale and retail trade, transport, and financial services, as lockdowns have been lifted. Yet growth rate is projected to stand at 2.7 percent in the current fiscal year, according to the World Bank. This growth rate is higher than the bank's previous estimate of 0.6 percent, but way below the government's target of seven percent.<br /> "Since Nepal's economy [virtually] did not grow in two years, per capita income is going to get hit," Hans Timmer, World Bank chief economist for the South Asia region, told a virtual press meet.<br /> There is more bad news for Nepal. The growth is unlikely to accelerate in the next fiscal year as well. Nepal's growth, despite a low base, is expected to hover around 3.9 percent in 2021-22, according to World Bank projections. The growth rate is expected to rise to 5.1 percent in 2022-23. But again this growth rate is way below the pre-pandemic levels.<br /> Nepal's economic growth is likely to remain tepid in the coming years due to slow recovery in tourism and industrial sectors. Tourism is expected to fully recover only in 2022-23, while industrial activities are likely to remain below pre-pandemic levels until early 2022-23, according to the World Bank's latest South Asia Economic Focus, an annual report. Agriculture will remain a strong growth driver, thanks to favourable monsoons and continued government investments in irrigation and commercialisation. But there is a risk that the current political uncertainty, if prolonged, may undermine investment sentiment, says the report titled, 'South Asia Vaccinates'. This warning comes at a time when investment is expected to grow by 12.7 percent in South Asia in the current fiscal year. Low investment may further hamper Nepal's growth prospects at a time when closure of enterprises has culled large number of jobs. To ensure the recovery is sustained and resilient, policy priorities will need to include: strengthening health systems, supporting agriculture production, and a focus on green, resilient, and inclusive development, says the World Bank report.<br /> Much of the projections made by the World Bank on the economy are contingent on effective vaccination campaigns in Nepal and abroad. Delays in vaccination or new outbreaks of Covid-19 both domestically and globally would dampen prospects of economic recovery and hit the tourism sector. The World Bank has, thus, called on the government to spend money on vaccination. Ending the pandemic a half to one-and-a-half years earlier and spurring an earlier economic recovery would prevent output loss in the range of 4.9 percent to 14.6 percent in Nepal, says the report. But vaccinating at least 70 percent of the population is easier said than done as Nepal is likely to face shortage of vaccines in the coming days due to global scarcity, albeit the country was one of the first recipients of the jabs in the world, thanks to support extended by India.<br /> Nepal cannot afford another lockdown or severe restriction in movements as significant jobs and income losses triggered by the pandemic have already increased vulnerability. At least 1.2 million people are estimated to have fallen into the trap of poverty and 1.6 million are expected to have lost their jobs because of the lockdown clamped to contain the spread of Covid-19.<br /> The lockdown is also expected to have worsened the problem of food insecurity in 18 percent of households in Nepal, while income losses instigated by the lockdown are expected to have increased the school dropout rate. A typical student can expect to lose as much as US$445 (2017 PPP) annually as a result of lost schooling and learning opportunities, according to the World Bank.<br /> Prior to the pandemic, Nepal's social sector, which includes education and health, had performed well because of remittances flowing into the country. "But going forward remittance is going to be a point of concern as there has been a reduction in migration," said Timmer. Number of people leaving the country for employment purpose had started taking a dip in the pre-pandemic period, as there were more opportunities in the country and the government had started negotiating with labour destinations, such as Malaysia, for better social security of its workers, which had reduced the charm for Nepali labourers.<br /> Lately, countries like Saudi Arabia and others in the Gulf, which absorb a bulk of Nepali labourers, have introduced policies that favour the employment of native-born workers, which might reduce job opportunities for Nepalis. There is also the danger that some migrants who were repatriated when host country activities were shut down may not be able to get their original jobs back. What's more, many of the economies in the Gulf are shifting out of oil production and the decline of migrant demand due to Covid-19 may have accelerated that process.<br /> If remittance inflow shrinks, Nepal's current account deficit will widen, exerting pressure on foreign exchange reserves. Already, Nepal's current account – largely the difference between income generated from exports and imports of goods and services – is in a deficit as imports are gradually growing with the resumption in economic activities. Nepal's current account deficit is expected to further widen over the medium term, according to the World Bank, as import growth is expected to accelerate due to growth in consumption, while service exports, mainly tourism, are expected to remain subdued until 2021-22. By 2021-22, the current account deficit is projected to reach 3.2 percent of GDP, financed primarily by long-term concessional borrowing.<br /> The fiscal deficit is also projected to remain elevated over the medium term. While revenue performance is expected to remain weak, additional spending on economic relief measures, vaccinations, and the resumption of project implementation will widen the fiscal deficit to just under eight percent of GDP in 2021-22, says the World Bank report.<br /> "Thereafter it is projected to stabilise at 6.5 percent of GDP in 2022-23 as revenues recover. Total public debt is expected to reach 41.9 percent of GDP in 2020-21 and gradually increase to 51.3 percent by 2022-23," adds the report.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-31', 'modified' => '2021-03-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12974', 'image' => '20210331063053_20200430025148_Economic-Growth-Decline 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-31 18:28:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13227', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank projects Nepal’s economy to grow by 2.7% in current fiscal year ', 'sub_title' => 'Recovery in current fiscal year due to fading disruptions from Covid-19 and govt relief spending, says World Bank’s latest edition of South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) ', 'summary' => 'Recovery in current fiscal year due to fading disruptions from Covid-19 and govt relief spending, says World Bank’s latest edition of South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) ', 'content' => '<p>March 31:<br /> Nepal’s economy is likely to grow by 2.7 percent in the current fiscal year 2020/21, according to a latest projection by the World Bank.</p> <p>Releasing the South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) on Wednesday, the World Bank said that the economy is expected to grow in the current fiscal year after a contraction in the last fiscal year as the Covid-19 related disruptions fade and government relief spending materializes.</p> <p>The World Bank through its March’s SAEF—a biannual publication providing recent economic developments and a near-term economic outlook for the region—revised Nepal’s growth forecast slightly up by 0.6 percentage point from a projection of 2.1 percent in January.</p> <p>While the World Bank’s growth forecast is an indication of economic recovery from the contraction of 1.9 percent in the last fiscal year 2019/20, it is way lower than the government’s target to achieve 7 percent of GDP growth in the current fiscal year.</p> <p>However, the World Bank, in its report, warned that significant jobs and income losses are likely to have increased vulnerability.</p> <p>“To ensure the recovery is sustained and resilient, policy priorities will need to include: strengthening health systems, supporting agriculture production, and a focus on green, resilient, and inclusive development,” read the report which lifts the growth forecast of South Asia due to efforts to keep Covid-19 caseload under control and swiftly roll out vaccine campaigns.</p> <p>But, there are still risks which could Nepal's recovery prospects. According to the World Bank’s latest report, downside risks to its outlook stem from new waves of Covid-19 infections and political uncertainties. </p> <p>“Delays in vaccination and/or new outbreaks of COVID-19 both domestically and globally would dampen prospects of economic recovery. The resumption of tourism would be delayed if international travel restrictions are imposed,” the report stated. “Domestic risks include political uncertainty, which could undermine investment sentiment,” it added.</p> <p>Agriculture will remain a strong growth driver, thanks to favorable monsoons and continued government investments in irrigation and commercialization, according to the World Bank’s report.<br /> The economic growth in South Asia is set to increase by 7.2 percent in 2021 in South Asia and 4.4 percent in 2022, climbing from historic lows in 2020 and putting the region on a path to recovery, according to the World Bank report. But growth is uneven and economic activity well below pre-COVID-19 estimates, as many businesses need to make up for lost revenue and millions of workers, most of them in the informal sector, still reel from job losses, falling incomes, worsening inequalities, and human capital deficits, the report said.</p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-31', 'modified' => '2021-03-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12973', 'image' => '20210331010612_Growth Forecast.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-03-31 13:02:21', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => true, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13226', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Hardik Fitness Club Inaugurates Newly-Built Swimming Pool', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 30: Nepal’s swimming sensation Gaurika Singh on Tuesday (March 30) inaugurated a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk, Lalitpur amid a low-key function organised with precautions against Covid-19 infection. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10px"><em>Swimmer Gaurika Singh inaugurating a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk on Tuesday, March 30. Photo Courtesy: NSJF</em></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 30: Nepal’s swimming sensation Gaurika Singh on Tuesday (March 30) inaugurated a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk, Lalitpur amid a low-key function organised with precautions against Covid-19 infection. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">During the inauguration, Hardik Fitness Club – which is arguably one of the biggest and oldest fitness clubs of Nepal – offered a lifetime membership to swimmer Singh, who holds national records in various categories of swimming. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club informed New Business Age that swimmer Gaurika Singh’s parents also used to be members of the club which was established in 1998. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the club’s proprietor Biraj Bista, Hardik Fitness Club was relocated to a new area in 2018 and is spread over 14,000 square feet, making it the biggest fitness club in the country. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club covers four storeys of a building with each storey providing a specific service like gym, sauna, cardio exercise, functional training and group fitness class.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Bista further said that the club has given high priority to the safety and wellbeing of its members by ensuring that all the equipment and changing rooms are disinfected with antimicrobial quoting which lasts for 365 days. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club has five licensed instructors and also offers customized service. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club also has a restaurant and a café and open space to ensure that there is no overcrowding. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Hardik Fitrness Club also offers kick-boxing classes to interested members. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club informed that Gaurika Singh will be leaving for England on April 2 for her A-levels exams and will be back in July to prepare for the upcoming Olympics. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the club, non-members can enjoy swimming for Rs 500 per day while members can get discount packages. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-30', 'modified' => '2021-03-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12972', 'image' => '20210330045721_received_487527982379696.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-30 16:55:35', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">April 4: The conflict between industries in Bara-Parsa corridor and locals is rising gradually over environment pollution caused by the industries. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Two years back, two cement industries operating in Bara-Parsa corridor – Nepal Shalimar Cement and Unitek Cement – were padlocked by the locals with the backing of the mayor for alleged pollution caused by the industries. The padlocks were opened later after the industries reached an agreement with the locals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Before the padlocking of these two industries, production of Himalayan Food International was halted for two months. The locals had obstructed the production of this industry for contaminating the water of Sirsiya river by releasing unprocessed fluid. The industry resumed operation after agreeing to follow waste management measures.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Similarly, Jagadamba Steel located in Simara bazar has been padlocked time and again. The locals have been alleging the industry for deteriorating their health condition due to the pollution generated by the industry. The local administration has mediated a deal between the two parties but still the industry gets padlocked repeatedly for not complying with the agreement. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">These are some of the representative cases of increasing conflict between industries and the locals. Since the establishment of industries along Tribhuvan Highway for the last eight decades, the conflict between the two sides have been never-ending. Though Bara-Parsa corridor is popular as the largest industrial area of the country, it is not a pre-planned industrial area. Due to its proximity with Indian port, the expansion of the industries has taken place rapidly due to the ease in import of raw materials. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Along with the establishment of industries along the highway located 26 km away from Birgunj, human settlement has also been getting densely populated at the same rate. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">"The increase in population density due to the rise in the number of industries has led to conflict between the two parties over the issue of industrial pollution,” said SubodhKumar Gupta, president of Birgunj Chambers of Commerce and Industry. “The government should take necessary steps to solve this issue,” he added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Industry Commerce and Consumer Welfare Committee of parliament had recently inspected about two dozen industries along the corridor. Pradip Yadav, member of parliament and member of the inspection team said almost all industries are yet to adopt pollution control measures. "Most of the industries have even shut down the plant set up to control pollution, industries should not be indifferent to public health to this extent," Yadav said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The committee had conducted field inspection of Sirsiya river that flows along the corridor. A study conducted by Parsa District Administration Office had found out that 46 industries were polluting the river with contaminated water. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Industries have not complied with the conditions signed by them to control pollution while taking approval for the establishment of the industry. Industries that are producing vegetable ghee, soap, meat, clothes are directly disposing chemical wastes into the river which is hampering the environment and the productivity of the land which has led to the conflict between the locals and the industries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Birendra Kumar Sanghai, coordinator of Birgunj Chapter Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said as long as industries and human settlement exist in the same area, this issue will not be resolved permanently. The government should come up with long-term solution to this problem, said Sanghai..</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The government's inability to set criteria for expansion of industries and human settlement has intensified this problem, says Ashok Kumar Ved, former president of Birgun chapter FNCCI. Industrialists had demanded to recognize this area as industrial corridor which would have facilitated to address this problem. But the government couldn't take timely measures regarding this, he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">MP Yadav believes that it would be better for the industries and the locals if the government can arrange land and infrastructure for the relocation of industries. Since Postal highway is in the final stage of completion, the rural parts of Parsa can be declared as an industrial area, he shared. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Industries running along Bara-Parsa corridor need 1000 to 2000 bigha of land, said Hari Gautam, vice president of Birgunj chapter of FNCCI. Industries will shift if the new area will be arranged with necessary infrastructure like road, electricity, sewage system, water processing unit.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-04', 'modified' => '2021-04-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12987', 'image' => '20210404020159_20200907020811_1599429995.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-04 14:01:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13240', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourist Arrival Increasing Gradually', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 4: Tourist arrival in Nepal has started to improve gradually. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">April 4: Tourist arrival in Nepal has started to improve gradually. Tourists have started visiting the country with the onset of the spring season and the government adopting new quarantine policy.<br /> In March, a total of 14,977 foreign tourists visited Nepal. Most of the visitors were from India, the USA, China, Britain, and Bangladesh.<br /> According to Nepal Tourism Board, more tourists have entered Nepal in March this year than last year. In the corresponding period of last fiscal year, tourist arrival was zero due to coronavirus and lockdown.<br /> During this time, most of the tourists come to Nepal for mountaineering and trekking. With the onset of the spring season, tourist arrival in March has been significant. A total of 1,790 tourists from 16 countries of Europe have come to Nepal. Among them, there are considerable number of tourists from Germany, France, Russia, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In total, 1,831 tourists arrived from Canada and the United States. Likewise, 1,570 tourists have visited Nepal from 8 countries of Asia, including China.<br /> According to NTB, 8,880 tourists have come to Nepal from SAARC countries. Of these, 7,658 tourists arrived from India and 568 from Bangladesh. The share of SAARC countries in the number of tourists is 55.95 percent.<br /> The Department of Tourism has issued climbing permits to 100 individuals from nine teams to climb Mt. Everest in the spring season. So far, 173 people from 20 teams have taken permission to climb seven mountain peaks.<br /> According to the department, apart from Everest, more permits have been issued for climbing Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and Nuptse.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Forty-four people of four different expedition teams have received climbing permits for Annapurna, 12 individuals from two teams for Dhaualagiri, and ten from two groups for climbing Nuptse.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-04', 'modified' => '2021-04-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12986', 'image' => '20210404125527_20200807075017_1596774556.Trekking pic.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-04 12:54:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13239', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' PM Oli lays Foundation Stone for 165 Road Projects ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 4: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday (April 3) laid the foundation stone for 165 road projects simultaneously amidst a special virtual programme held at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 4: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday (April 3) laid the foundation stone for 165 road projects simultaneously amidst a special virtual programme held at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The total cost of these projects is Rs 57.10 billion and they are expected to be completed within three years. There will be one project in each electoral constituency. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli urged the respective ministries, departments and bodies concerned not to delay in implementing the projects. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to him, so far the areas of black-topped and upgraded roads since he assumed his office covered 3,512 kilometers. Likewise, 628 bridges (suspension bridges) have been constructed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Minister for Transport and Physical Infrastructure Basant Nembang informed that in the past three years 3,512 kilometers of six-lane roads were constructed. Similarly, construction of 3,300 kilometers of gravel road and opening of 1,686 kilometers of new tracks are underway. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The widening of the East-West Highway (four to six lanes) has kicked off, according to Minister Nembang. The Federal Government constructs 6.5 kilometers of road each day. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-04', 'modified' => '2021-04-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12985', 'image' => '20210404104134_20200412100619_maxresdefault.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-04 10:40:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13238', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Malaysia, Kuwait yet to welcome new workers from Nepal ', 'sub_title' => 'Department of Foreign Employment has not issued any new work permit to Nepali workers bound to Malaysia and Kuwait in the current fiscal year due to lack of demands ', 'summary' => 'The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFe) has not issued any new permit to Malaysia and Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year 2020/21 due to a lack of demand for workers. ', 'content' => '<p><em><strong>Rebati Adhikari</strong></em><br /> April 3:<br /> The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFe) has not issued any new permit for wokers going to Malaysia and Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year 2020/21 due to a lack of demand from these two countries.<br /> Malaysia and Kuwait were top foreign employment destinations for Nepali migrant workers until last year.<br /> Chhatra Shah, Spokesperson of Foreign Employment Office at Tahachal under the DoFE, said there has not been any demand from these two countries because of Covid-19.<br /> Malaysia is allowing the re-entry of migrant of workers only in sectors which have been less affected by COVID.<br /> Malaysia had imposed a ban on arrivals of foreign workers following a surge in COVID-19 cases last year. Along with Malaysia, other Gulf countries Qatar, Kuwait and Dubai had also imposed restrictions on arrivals of foreign migrant worker due to the pandemic’s economic fallout.<br /> Following a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases in labor receiving countries, the DoFE had also stopped issuing permits from mid March in the last year. <br /> However, the DoFE in September last year started to issue permits to workers going to those countries deemed safe for travel due to a decline in Covid-19 cases. A total of 1,542 workers received the work permit in the month of Ashoj (between mid September and mid October) last year, up from 198 workers in the previous month Bhadra (between mid August and mid September). There has been a gradual increase in the number of new permits issued to workers seeking foreign employment as many destination countries reopen their labor markets amid a decline in Covid-19 cases and rollout of vaccines.<br /> But, Malaysia and Kuwait are yet to welcome new workers from Nepal in this fiscal year.<br /> “We have received reports that talks are about to be initiated from April to resume the flow of migrant workers in Kuwait. However, there is not any update or development regarding Malaysia taking in new migrant workers,” said Shah.<br /> The department has issued only re-new permits and individual regularized permits to Malaysia and Kuwait. According to the DoFE, it has provided five individual regularized permits to Malaysia while only one legalized permit has been issued to Kuwait in the last eight months of the current fiscal year.<br /> Malaysia and Kuwait has witnessed a decline in the number of foreign employment by 91.1% and 86.8% respectively in the last seven months of the fiscal year, according to the report published by Nepal Rastra Bank. 2,744 workers bound to Malaysia had received permits for legalization in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, down from a total of 30,925 workers who received both legalization and new permits in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year 2019/20.<br /> 1012 workers received permits for renewed entry to Kuwait in the current fiscal year compared to 7,677 workers who went to Kuwait in the same period of the last fiscal year.<br /> According to Nepal Migration Report, 2020 published by the Department of foreign Employment, Malaysia holds the third position in terms of share of Nepali workers. Along with Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait are top foreign destinations for Nepali migrants.</p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-03', 'modified' => '2021-04-03', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12984', 'image' => '20210403032054_Foreign Employment.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-03 15:19:06', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13237', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank to Finance Additional $75 Million for COVID-19 Vaccines to Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 2 : The Government of Nepal and the World Bank have signed an agreement for additional financing of $75 million to support access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for Nepal’s prioritized populations. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">April 2 : </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">The Government of Nepal and the World Bank have signed an agreement for additional financing of $75 million to support access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for Nepal’s prioritized populations. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> Issuing a statement, the World Bank said that Finance Secretary Sishir Kumar Dhungana and the World Bank’s Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations on Friday, April 2.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">“The additional financing is an important and timely support to the government’s overall plans to vaccinate at least 72 percent of the Nepali population,”</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> the statement quoted Finance Secretary Dhungana as saying. “It supports the government’s health response to the pandemic, by supporting procurement of COVID-19 vaccines as well as strengthening health systems for their effective deployment as per the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">According to the World Bank, the additional financing builds on the $29 million for the original Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project that was signed in April 2020. The project will be implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Population by the Department of Health Services and associated institutional bodies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> About 90 percent of the additional financing will support the purchase, supply and distribution of safe and effective COVID</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Cambria Math"">‐</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">19 vaccines, the statement added. The rest of the financing will support existing public health measures to test, trace and treat the COVID-19 infection through a strengthened health system; community engagement and risk communication to improve the demand and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines; and project implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and learning. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times">“Equitable and fast access to effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines is vital to save lives and support a resilient recovery from the pandemic,”</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"> stated Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank’s Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. “The World Bank is committed to support the government’s pandemic response to protect lives, strengthen systems for public health preparedness, and stimulate economic recovery in Nepal.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-02', 'modified' => '2021-04-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12983', 'image' => '20210402035735_Signing-photo 2.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-02 15:56:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13236', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourist Arrival Jumps Up in March', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 2: Tourist arrival via air to Nepal has jumped by 38.93 percent in March. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Tamish Giri</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">April 2: Tourist arrival via air to Nepal has jumped by 38.93 percent in March. <br /> According to the data released by the Department of Immigration on April 1, tourist arrival by air increased by 38.93 percent in March compared to February.<br /> In February, tourist arrival grew by 3.06 percent compared to the previous month.<br /> In total, 14977 foreigners landed in Nepal during March, while 9,146 foreigners had arrived in February and 8,874 in January.<br /> Out of the total visitors, 11002 were male, 3963 were female, while 12 were of the other sex.<br /> Country-wise, tourist arrival from India more than any other country. In total, 7658 Indian tourists landed at TIA in March, up from 3322 in February.<br /> Likewise, 1207 Chinese nationals arrived in Nepal during March. A total of 613 Chinese tourists had arrived in February. Similarly, 1703 American tourists landed on TIA in March, slightly higher than in February when 721 American tourists had arrived. <br /> According to the report, foreigners from 136 nations arrived in Nepal in March compared to tourists from 123 countries in February.<br /> Likewise, the number of Nepalis returning home has also increased in March. Altogether 56,293 Nepali nationals landed in Kathamndu in March, up from 46,471 a month ago.<br /> In the meantime, 49,005 Nepalis left for abroad in March, up from 44,152 in February.<br /> According to the data, eight refugees had landed in TIA in March.<br /> According to the report, 9,587 foreigners departed from TIA in March.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-02', 'modified' => '2021-04-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12982', 'image' => '20210402034327_20210324020010_20200930115831_1601420205.89.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-02 15:42:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13235', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'International Airliners can use Telecommunications Service in Nepali Sky', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 2: International airline companies can now onwards use internet and telecommunications service in the Nepali sky. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 2: International airline companies can now onwards use internet and telecommunications service in the Nepali sky. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has granted permission for the use of internet and telecommunications service above 10,000 feet for international airline companies in the Nepali sky. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A meeting of the board of directors of the Telecommunications Authority on March 22 took a decision in this regard. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">With this, Nepal has become the third country to grant such service to international airline companies in South Asia after India and Afghanistan. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Those airlines having got permission from the International Civil Aviation Organisation would be granted permission to avail internet and telecommunications service above 10,000 feet in the Nepali sky, said NTA’s spokesperson Santosh Poudel. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Granting permission to use internet service below 10,000 feet could result in disturbance in the service on the ground across the country, he said. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">To use the service, those willing to avail it should apply to the NTA. At present, three international airline companies have applied to the NTA for the service. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The NTA granted the service to the three international airlines companies after holding talks with the CAAN and bodies under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, added Poudel. – RSS</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-02', 'modified' => '2021-04-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12981', 'image' => '20210402114024_EHdVeZuVAAArjYS.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-02 11:39:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13233', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NTB holds Interaction on Development of Eco-Tourism', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on March 31 held an interaction on the development of Sustainable Tourism and eco-tourism activities.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 1: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on March 31 held an interaction on the development of Sustainable Tourism and eco-tourism activities.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Speaking at the program organised on NTB premises at Exhibition Road, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NTB Dr DhananjayRegmi pointed out the need for effective implementation of regulations related to protection and preservation of community forest. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, Regmi further expressed his commitment that NTB will take initiatives in developing eco-tourism activities and promoting it in the domestic as well as the international market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He further added that NTB will purchase and distribute eco-friendly products as souvenirs within and outside the country if produced by the local communities. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, Director of NTB Hikmat Singh Ayer informed that NTB will form a Sustainable Tourism Network at the provincial level.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Ayer added that a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between NTB and the Community Forest Research Centre under the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation to create a network for ecotourism development.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The program was attended by over 50 participants representing community forests of different parts of Nepal. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><strong> </strong></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12979', 'image' => '20210401055039_dolpa-iw-adventure.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 17:49:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13232', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'House Panel instructs Army to Scrap Fast Track Contract with Chinese Company', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Nepalese Army (NA) to scrap the second phase of contract awarding process for the construction of bridges and tunnels.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">April 1: The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Nepalese Army (NA) to scrap the second phase of contract awarding process for the construction of bridges and tunnels.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">PAC took a decision to this effect following a discussion held on March 31, Wednesday. The house panel has initiated formal investigation over the contract awarding process on suspicion of possible irregularities in selection of contractors. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Nepalese Army had selected Chinese Contractor Poly Chhangda Engineering Company Limited out of 21 companies. A total of 21 companies had submitted applications to build bridges and tunnelsunder the fast-track project. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Nepalese Army has been given full responsibility to construct the 76.5 Km long Fast Track which joins Kathmandu with the Terai. The NA has divided the construction of the project into three parts. It plans to construct 17 km on its own, recruit Nepali and international contractors for the construction of the remaining stretch of road section, tunnel and bridges. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Fast Track will have three tunnels covering 6.41 km and 71 small and big bridges with a total length of 10.59 km. The cost of the project has been estimated to be Rs 175 billion and the project is expected to be completed by 2024.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12978', 'image' => '20210401052924_20210317035230_Fast Track.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 17:28:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13231', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NAC to Lease Out Chinese Aircraft', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has decided to lease out its grounded aircraft in a bid to reduce the financial burden of the national flag carrier of Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">April 1: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has decided to lease out its grounded aircraft in a bid to reduce the financial burden of the national flag carrier of Nepal.</span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">NAC is facing a financial burden due to its inability to operate and manage six Chinese aircraft.<br /> NAC owns six Chinese aircraft including two MA 60 and four Y-12E. The aircraft were bought for domestic flights. Nepal received one MA 60 and one Harbin Y-12E each as grant from the Chinese government. Similarly, Nepal's national flag carrier had purchased an additional MA 60 aircraft and three Harbin Y-12E aircraft from the Chinese aircraft manufacturer Avic International on concessional loan.<br /> NAC incurred heavy financial losses while operating the Chinese aircraft due to load penalties, insurance, short-supply of spare parts, expensive parts, expensive simulator training cost. Sulekh Mishra, deputy-spokesperson of NAC, informed that all the Chinese aircraft are grounded since July 30, 2020.<br /> Out of the six Chinese aircraft, only five are functional, and one needs maintenance.<br /> The Harbin Y 12 E aircraft with call sign 9N AKU crashed on the runway of Nepalgunj Airport on March 28, 2020. NAC is planning to lease out the remaining five aircraft.<br /> NAC had been operating the Chinese aircraft on domestic routes since 2016.<br /> Karishma Shrestha, spokesperson of NAC, informed that a ministerial-level decision on March 17, 2021, paved the way for the corporation to manage the Chinese aircraft.<br /> In line with the decision, NAC has decided to lease out the aircraft to domestic or foreign aircraft operators for the best interest of the Government of Nepal and the corporation, said Shrestha. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12977', 'image' => '20210401035949_20200731122540_1596146267.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 15:58:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13230', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World not on Track to Achieve Zero Hunger by 2030: GHI Report ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: The globe is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger within the deadline of 2030, according to the 2020 GHI (Global Hunger Index) report published on Wednesday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 1: The globe is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger within the deadline of 2030, according to the 2020 GHI (Global Hunger Index) report published on Wednesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The GHI are based on the values of four component indicators, undernourishment (share of the population with insufficient caloric intake), child stunting (share of children under aged five who have low height for their age, reflecting acute under-nutrition), child wasting (share of children under aged five who are low weighed for their height, reflecting chronic under-nutrition) and child mortality (mortality rate of children under aged five, partly reflecting the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Based on the values of the four component indicators, the GHI defines hunger on a 100-point scale where 0 being the best possible score (nil hunger) and 100 being the worst. For the GHI report, data were accessed for 132 countries provided by various respective agencies under the United Nations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the report, 690 million people across the globe were being affected by starvation and 135 million people were suffering from malnutrition. At present, the average GHI is 18.2, which is relatively progressive as compared to 2000, but it needs much progress. More than 50 countries were still suffering from starvation. Over 140 million children have low height for their age as a result of malnutrition whereas 40.7 million children were suffering from malnutrition. In 2018, 5.3 million children died before the age of 5 as a result of malnutrition. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal however has done satisfactory work in the GHI. Out of 107 countries, Nepal is in the 73rd position. The country has climbed to 19.5 in the GHI in 2020, a big jump from 37.4 in 2000. Nepal has been ranked in the medium position of the GHI. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Covid-19 pandemic, conflict, poverty, inequality and climate change among others are blamed for countries suffering from starvation. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12976', 'image' => '20210401110707_My Effect 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 11:04:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13229', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM Oli giving ‘Undue Pressure’ to bring Populist Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is exerting pressure on Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel and other officials of finance Ministry to prepare a populist budget. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">April 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is exerting pressure on Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel and other officials of finance Ministry to prepare a populist budget. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Ministry of Finance is reeling under pressure following public statements given by the Prime Minister at public gatherings. Speaking at the anniversary programme of Reporters’ club, PM Oli said that elderly allowance will be increased from the next fiscal year. “Old-age allowance and social security allowance will be increased from July of the upcoming fiscal year. Most of the people may have objection regarding this which doesn’t affect me,” said Oli during the programme.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In the last election, the Nepal Communist Party formed after the unification of then CPN UML and Maoist Centre had announced to increase old-age allowance to Rs 5,000. Former governor of Nepal Rastra Bank Yuvaraj Khatiwada, who was then Minister for Finance, hadn’t increased the allowance in the current fiscal year pointing out to resources shortfall due to COVID-19. Currently, the elderly people get old age allowance of Rs 3,000 every month. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">On the other hand, Khatiwada’s successor Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel has a political background so populist budget is his priority, informed a source close to him. One of the senior officials of Finance Ministry said Minister Poudel is also working to develop a populist budget in accordance to the announcements made by PM Oli. Prime Minister Oli and other parliamentarians are trying hard to have their favorable programmes included in the budget. Various groups visit MoF daily for this purpose and lobby with Finance Secretary or Minister for Finance. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“Though such acts of pressurizing the Ministry have declined, there are still a good number of people visiting the Ministry to have their demands addressed in the budget,” said Yam Pandey, personal Secretary of the Finance Minister.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Instead of introducing programmes to uplift the economy affected by COVID-19, speculations are rife that these programmes will be sidelined since the PM is pressurizing Finance Ministry to bring populist budget. Shantaraj Subedi, former finance secretary, says that the government should prioritize programmes to uplift the economy in this time of crisis. Though politicians always desire for a populist budget it is not beneficial for the economy. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Referring to the private sector’s dissatisfaction over this year’s budget program, Subedi said government should introduce implementation-oriented programmes that support the private sector. “Popular programmess to get cheap popularity should not be included at this critical time,” says economist Keshav Acharya. He shared that negative economic growth and rise in COVID-19 cases have worried the private sector so the budget should introduce programmes to assure the security of private sector’s investment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to Acharya, the budget should focus on existing infrastructure projects rather than adding new ones. A report of the National Planning Commission states that 120,000 additional people have been forced below the poverty line due to COVID-19. The budget should attempt to include these people in its programmes, says Acharya.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-04-01', 'modified' => '2021-04-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12975', 'image' => '20210401105341_20200305102040_oli.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-04-01 10:53:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13228', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal's Economy Unlikely to Rebound to Pre-pandemic Levels Soon', 'sub_title' => 'World Bank Predicts 2.7% Growth Rate for this FY, 3.9% for Next', 'summary' => 'March 31: If the latest World Bank forecasts are anything to go by, it will take years for Nepal's economy to rebound to the pre-pandemic levels, as tourism and industrial activities are unlikely to recover anytime soon.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Rupak D Sharma<br /> March 31: If the latest World Bank forecasts are anything to go by, it will take years for Nepal's economy to rebound to the pre-pandemic levels, as tourism and industrial activities are unlikely to recover anytime soon.<br /> Nepal's economy grew at an average of 7.75 percent per annum in the three-year period from 2016-17 and 2018-19. In each of these years, the economy expanded by more than six percent -- 8.98 percent in 2016-17, 7.62 percent in 2017-18 and 6.66 percent in 2018-19. This was the first time Nepal's economic growth rate had remained above six percent for three consecutive years. Then the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country sending the economy into a tailspin. This caused the economy to shrink by 1.88 percent in the last fiscal year.<br /> Economic activities gradually started to gather pace after the second half of the current fiscal year as Covid-19 related disruptions started fading, leading to gradual resumption in industrial activities. Lately, incipient signs of recovery are also being seen in wholesale and retail trade, transport, and financial services, as lockdowns have been lifted. Yet growth rate is projected to stand at 2.7 percent in the current fiscal year, according to the World Bank. This growth rate is higher than the bank's previous estimate of 0.6 percent, but way below the government's target of seven percent.<br /> "Since Nepal's economy [virtually] did not grow in two years, per capita income is going to get hit," Hans Timmer, World Bank chief economist for the South Asia region, told a virtual press meet.<br /> There is more bad news for Nepal. The growth is unlikely to accelerate in the next fiscal year as well. Nepal's growth, despite a low base, is expected to hover around 3.9 percent in 2021-22, according to World Bank projections. The growth rate is expected to rise to 5.1 percent in 2022-23. But again this growth rate is way below the pre-pandemic levels.<br /> Nepal's economic growth is likely to remain tepid in the coming years due to slow recovery in tourism and industrial sectors. Tourism is expected to fully recover only in 2022-23, while industrial activities are likely to remain below pre-pandemic levels until early 2022-23, according to the World Bank's latest South Asia Economic Focus, an annual report. Agriculture will remain a strong growth driver, thanks to favourable monsoons and continued government investments in irrigation and commercialisation. But there is a risk that the current political uncertainty, if prolonged, may undermine investment sentiment, says the report titled, 'South Asia Vaccinates'. This warning comes at a time when investment is expected to grow by 12.7 percent in South Asia in the current fiscal year. Low investment may further hamper Nepal's growth prospects at a time when closure of enterprises has culled large number of jobs. To ensure the recovery is sustained and resilient, policy priorities will need to include: strengthening health systems, supporting agriculture production, and a focus on green, resilient, and inclusive development, says the World Bank report.<br /> Much of the projections made by the World Bank on the economy are contingent on effective vaccination campaigns in Nepal and abroad. Delays in vaccination or new outbreaks of Covid-19 both domestically and globally would dampen prospects of economic recovery and hit the tourism sector. The World Bank has, thus, called on the government to spend money on vaccination. Ending the pandemic a half to one-and-a-half years earlier and spurring an earlier economic recovery would prevent output loss in the range of 4.9 percent to 14.6 percent in Nepal, says the report. But vaccinating at least 70 percent of the population is easier said than done as Nepal is likely to face shortage of vaccines in the coming days due to global scarcity, albeit the country was one of the first recipients of the jabs in the world, thanks to support extended by India.<br /> Nepal cannot afford another lockdown or severe restriction in movements as significant jobs and income losses triggered by the pandemic have already increased vulnerability. At least 1.2 million people are estimated to have fallen into the trap of poverty and 1.6 million are expected to have lost their jobs because of the lockdown clamped to contain the spread of Covid-19.<br /> The lockdown is also expected to have worsened the problem of food insecurity in 18 percent of households in Nepal, while income losses instigated by the lockdown are expected to have increased the school dropout rate. A typical student can expect to lose as much as US$445 (2017 PPP) annually as a result of lost schooling and learning opportunities, according to the World Bank.<br /> Prior to the pandemic, Nepal's social sector, which includes education and health, had performed well because of remittances flowing into the country. "But going forward remittance is going to be a point of concern as there has been a reduction in migration," said Timmer. Number of people leaving the country for employment purpose had started taking a dip in the pre-pandemic period, as there were more opportunities in the country and the government had started negotiating with labour destinations, such as Malaysia, for better social security of its workers, which had reduced the charm for Nepali labourers.<br /> Lately, countries like Saudi Arabia and others in the Gulf, which absorb a bulk of Nepali labourers, have introduced policies that favour the employment of native-born workers, which might reduce job opportunities for Nepalis. There is also the danger that some migrants who were repatriated when host country activities were shut down may not be able to get their original jobs back. What's more, many of the economies in the Gulf are shifting out of oil production and the decline of migrant demand due to Covid-19 may have accelerated that process.<br /> If remittance inflow shrinks, Nepal's current account deficit will widen, exerting pressure on foreign exchange reserves. Already, Nepal's current account – largely the difference between income generated from exports and imports of goods and services – is in a deficit as imports are gradually growing with the resumption in economic activities. Nepal's current account deficit is expected to further widen over the medium term, according to the World Bank, as import growth is expected to accelerate due to growth in consumption, while service exports, mainly tourism, are expected to remain subdued until 2021-22. By 2021-22, the current account deficit is projected to reach 3.2 percent of GDP, financed primarily by long-term concessional borrowing.<br /> The fiscal deficit is also projected to remain elevated over the medium term. While revenue performance is expected to remain weak, additional spending on economic relief measures, vaccinations, and the resumption of project implementation will widen the fiscal deficit to just under eight percent of GDP in 2021-22, says the World Bank report.<br /> "Thereafter it is projected to stabilise at 6.5 percent of GDP in 2022-23 as revenues recover. Total public debt is expected to reach 41.9 percent of GDP in 2020-21 and gradually increase to 51.3 percent by 2022-23," adds the report.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-31', 'modified' => '2021-03-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12974', 'image' => '20210331063053_20200430025148_Economic-Growth-Decline 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-31 18:28:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13227', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank projects Nepal’s economy to grow by 2.7% in current fiscal year ', 'sub_title' => 'Recovery in current fiscal year due to fading disruptions from Covid-19 and govt relief spending, says World Bank’s latest edition of South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) ', 'summary' => 'Recovery in current fiscal year due to fading disruptions from Covid-19 and govt relief spending, says World Bank’s latest edition of South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) ', 'content' => '<p>March 31:<br /> Nepal’s economy is likely to grow by 2.7 percent in the current fiscal year 2020/21, according to a latest projection by the World Bank.</p> <p>Releasing the South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) on Wednesday, the World Bank said that the economy is expected to grow in the current fiscal year after a contraction in the last fiscal year as the Covid-19 related disruptions fade and government relief spending materializes.</p> <p>The World Bank through its March’s SAEF—a biannual publication providing recent economic developments and a near-term economic outlook for the region—revised Nepal’s growth forecast slightly up by 0.6 percentage point from a projection of 2.1 percent in January.</p> <p>While the World Bank’s growth forecast is an indication of economic recovery from the contraction of 1.9 percent in the last fiscal year 2019/20, it is way lower than the government’s target to achieve 7 percent of GDP growth in the current fiscal year.</p> <p>However, the World Bank, in its report, warned that significant jobs and income losses are likely to have increased vulnerability.</p> <p>“To ensure the recovery is sustained and resilient, policy priorities will need to include: strengthening health systems, supporting agriculture production, and a focus on green, resilient, and inclusive development,” read the report which lifts the growth forecast of South Asia due to efforts to keep Covid-19 caseload under control and swiftly roll out vaccine campaigns.</p> <p>But, there are still risks which could Nepal's recovery prospects. According to the World Bank’s latest report, downside risks to its outlook stem from new waves of Covid-19 infections and political uncertainties. </p> <p>“Delays in vaccination and/or new outbreaks of COVID-19 both domestically and globally would dampen prospects of economic recovery. The resumption of tourism would be delayed if international travel restrictions are imposed,” the report stated. “Domestic risks include political uncertainty, which could undermine investment sentiment,” it added.</p> <p>Agriculture will remain a strong growth driver, thanks to favorable monsoons and continued government investments in irrigation and commercialization, according to the World Bank’s report.<br /> The economic growth in South Asia is set to increase by 7.2 percent in 2021 in South Asia and 4.4 percent in 2022, climbing from historic lows in 2020 and putting the region on a path to recovery, according to the World Bank report. But growth is uneven and economic activity well below pre-COVID-19 estimates, as many businesses need to make up for lost revenue and millions of workers, most of them in the informal sector, still reel from job losses, falling incomes, worsening inequalities, and human capital deficits, the report said.</p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-31', 'modified' => '2021-03-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12973', 'image' => '20210331010612_Growth Forecast.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-03-31 13:02:21', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => true, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13226', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Hardik Fitness Club Inaugurates Newly-Built Swimming Pool', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 30: Nepal’s swimming sensation Gaurika Singh on Tuesday (March 30) inaugurated a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk, Lalitpur amid a low-key function organised with precautions against Covid-19 infection. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10px"><em>Swimmer Gaurika Singh inaugurating a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk on Tuesday, March 30. Photo Courtesy: NSJF</em></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">March 30: Nepal’s swimming sensation Gaurika Singh on Tuesday (March 30) inaugurated a newly-built swimming pool of Hardik Fitness Club in Pulchowk, Lalitpur amid a low-key function organised with precautions against Covid-19 infection. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">During the inauguration, Hardik Fitness Club – which is arguably one of the biggest and oldest fitness clubs of Nepal – offered a lifetime membership to swimmer Singh, who holds national records in various categories of swimming. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club informed New Business Age that swimmer Gaurika Singh’s parents also used to be members of the club which was established in 1998. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the club’s proprietor Biraj Bista, Hardik Fitness Club was relocated to a new area in 2018 and is spread over 14,000 square feet, making it the biggest fitness club in the country. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club covers four storeys of a building with each storey providing a specific service like gym, sauna, cardio exercise, functional training and group fitness class.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Bista further said that the club has given high priority to the safety and wellbeing of its members by ensuring that all the equipment and changing rooms are disinfected with antimicrobial quoting which lasts for 365 days. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club has five licensed instructors and also offers customized service. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club also has a restaurant and a café and open space to ensure that there is no overcrowding. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Hardik Fitrness Club also offers kick-boxing classes to interested members. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The club informed that Gaurika Singh will be leaving for England on April 2 for her A-levels exams and will be back in July to prepare for the upcoming Olympics. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to the club, non-members can enjoy swimming for Rs 500 per day while members can get discount packages. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-03-30', 'modified' => '2021-03-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12972', 'image' => '20210330045721_received_487527982379696.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-03-30 16:55:35', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
