Foreign Trade of Rs 300 billion Took Place through Birgunj Customs

Feb 19, 2021 0 1 minutes 58 seconds to read

February 19: In the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2020/21, Birgunj customs accounted for Nepal’s foreign trade worth Rs 300 billion.…

Stock of Food Management and Trading Company Falls Short of Requirement

Feb 19, 2021 0 3 minutes 49 seconds to read

February 19: The Food Management and Trading Company of the government has less that required stock of food due to its inability to purchase paddy as per the target.…

Tourism Ministry Allocates Signs to Hotels Based on their Category

Feb 19, 2021 0 1 minutes 31 seconds to read

February 19: The Tourism Ministry has decided to categorize hotels in accordance to their…

Oxford University Recruits Patients from Nepal for Covid-19 Clinical Trial

Feb 19, 2021 0 4 minutes 19 seconds to read

February 19: The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) Trial, the world’s largest clinical trial for COVID-19 treatments, has now expanded internationally with Indonesia and Nepal among the first countries to join, according to the University of…

Department of Tourism Starts Issuing Permits for Springtime Expedition

Feb 19, 2021 0 1 minutes 37 seconds to read

February 19: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring season expedition.…

Thangka Business Declines Due to the Impact of Covid-19

Feb 19, 2021 0 2 minutes 59 seconds to read

February 18: Traders have not been able to perform well this year even during the peak season of ‘thangka’ business.…

Biscuit Factories of Nepal in Crisis due to ‘Smuggling’ of Indian Products

Feb 18, 2021 0 4 minutes 9 seconds to read

February 19: Nepali biscuit factories have been “forced” to lower their production by 50 percent due to smuggling of Indian biscuits into the country through the open border.…

South Korean Motrex yet to Set up Plant to Assemble Four-Wheelers

Feb 18, 2021 0 3 minutes 23 seconds to read

February 18: The process to set up an assemble plant by South Korean company Motrex has not been able to move forward despite its commitment to assemble 6,000 vehicles in Nepal by mid-February last…

Delay in Formulating Work Procedures Prevents Nepali Workers from going to Israel

Feb 18, 2021 0 2 minutes 38 seconds to read

February 19: Nepali migrant workers aspiring to go to Israel for foreign employment have not been able to do so due to the delay in formulating work procedure by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS).…

NEA to Collect Tariff of Dedicated Feeder and Trunk Line

Feb 18, 2021 0 1 minutes 29 seconds to read

February 18: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided to collect electricity tariff for dedicated feeders and trunk lines despite objection from…

NTA to Revise Broadband and ICT Policies

Feb 18, 2021 0 1 minutes 55 seconds to read

February 18: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is planning to revise the telecommunication policies including the Broadband Policy 2015 and the ICT Policy for their effective…

Tourism Stakeholders 'Unaware' of Government Plans to Revive the Industry

Feb 17, 2021 0 2 minutes 32 seconds to read

February 18: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is preparing launch promotional campaign to revive the tourism sector that has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown.…

Three Chinese Companies Shortlisted for Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track Project

Feb 17, 2021 0 1 minutes 57 seconds to read

February 18: Three Chinese companies have been selected in the prequalification round to build bridges and tunnels along the Kathmandu-Terai fast track.…

Traders Face Difficulty in Importing Summer Garments from China

Feb 17, 2021 0 3 minutes 4 seconds to read

February 17: Traders have been facing problems in importing readymade garments for the summer season due to the closure of Nepal-China border for more than a year.…

Himalaya Airlines Resumes Commercial Flights to Dubai

Feb 17, 2021 0 2 minutes 31 seconds to read

February 17: Himalaya Airlines, a Nepal-China joint venture company, has resumed commercial flights to Dubai starting from February 14.…

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No Laughing Matter

The Sweet Rewards of Power

By Madan Lamsal

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NEPSE

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			'title' => 'Foreign Trade of Rs 300 billion Took Place through Birgunj Customs ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: In the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2020/21, Birgunj customs accounted for Nepal’s foreign trade worth Rs 300 billion. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">February 19: In the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2020/21, Birgunj customs accounted for Nepal&rsquo;s foreign trade worth Rs 300 billion. Birgunj customs informed that trade of Rs 2.98 billion has been done through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Birgunj. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Automobiles, petroleum products and industrial raw materials were the major items imported from Birgunj customs point. &nbsp;Nepal Oil Corporation imports more than half of the petroleum product required for the country through this customs point. &nbsp;NOC has imported diesel worth Rs 27 billion, petrol worth Rs 9.86 billion, and LP gas worth Rs 9.29 billion. Meanwhile import of petrol and LP gas has declined compared to last fiscal year. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Ramesh Sukmani, customs officer of Birgunj Customs Point, believes that the import of petroleum product has gone down due to the lockdown in the first two months of the current fiscal year and surplus of power inside the country. In the first few months, import of diesel had also declined but it increased subsequently with the rise in demand. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Four-wheelers worth Rs 3.85 billion have been imported from this customs point. In the corresponding period of last fiscal year, 5,215 four-wheelers were imported into Nepal while the number of vehicles imported this year stands at 3,449. According to the customs office, restriction on import of expensive vehicles in accordance to the new policy has led to the decline in number of vehicles being imported into the country. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Customs Officer Sukmani informed that the overall import from this customs point has declined by 7 percent during the review period compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year. However export has increased by 9 percent. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Export of refined soybean oil has increased through this customs point. Altogether 14 industries of Bara- Parsa Corridor have been involved in the export of soybean oil. Besides soybean oil, readymade clothes, shoes, carpet, Ayurvedic medicines, steel utensils among others were the other major items exported through Birgunj. </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '13071',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Stock of Food Management and Trading Company Falls Short of Requirement',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Food Management and Trading Company of the government has less that required stock of food due to its inability to purchase paddy as per the target. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 19: The Food Management and Trading Company of the government has less that required stock of food due to its inability to purchase paddy as per the target. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">There is a provision for the government to have 33,000 metric tons of food grains in stock for immediate supply during times of crisis like earthquake, flood, landslide, and pandemic. However, the state-owned company has only around 30,000 metric tons of food grains in stock including rice, wheat and paddy. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although the company had started the work with the aim of purchasing 60,000 metric tons of paddy for the current fiscal year, only 24,279 metric tons of paddy has been purchased till now. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Sharmila Neupane, information officer of the company, said that they have not been able to buy paddy as per their target as the price fixed by the local traders for the varieties of grains purchased by the company is higher than the minimum support price set by the government. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The company is buying paddy from 11 different places of the country in minimum support price. The government had fixed the minimum support price of coarse paddy at Rs 2,735 per quintal and medium paddy at Rs 2,885 per quintal this year. The company is buying Makwanpur paddy from farmers at Rs 2,820 per quintal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">However, local traders in Rajapur of Bardiya are buying the same paddy at Rs 3,000 per quintal. Due to this, the company has not been able to buy paddy as per the target in Bardiya. The Rajapur Rice Mill, which was responsible to buy 40,000 quintals of paddy, has been able to buy only 3,600 quintals so far. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&quot;It is good that farmers are getting higher prices. The government sets the support prices for that. However, due to this, we could not buy it as per our target,&rdquo; said Dharmaraj Pant, chief of Rajapur Rice Mill. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The company is facing a similar problem in Janakpur as well. They are buying Basmati rice at Rs 4,750 per quintal while the local traders are buying it at Rs 5,000 per quintal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Jayananda Pandey, senior accounting assistant at the company&rsquo;s depot in Janakpur, said that 1,000 quintals of Basmati and 1,612 metric tons of Sona Mansuli rice were purchased in Janakpur as of Wednesday. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">So far, the company has purchased 5,386 metric ton of Makwanpur paddy from Dhangadhi, 1,499 metric tons of Sona Mansuli and 50 metric ton of Ranjit paddy from Birtamod. Likewise, a total of 1,548 metric tons of Sona Mansuli, Ranjit and Basmati paddy have been brought from Biratnagar, 2,256 metric ton of Sona Mansuli from Lahan, 10 metric tons of Jira Masino and 2,948 metric tons of Sona Mansuli paddy from Birgunj. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Similarly, 18 metric tons of sawa rice has been purchased from Bhairahawa, 947 metric ton of coarse paddy from Mahendranagar, 1,428 metric tons of coarse paddy and 2,361 metric tons of medium paddy from Nepalgunj. They have not been able to buy Marsi rice in Jumla so far. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '13072',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Tourism Ministry Allocates Signs to Hotels Based on their Category ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Tourism Ministry has decided to categorize hotels in accordance to their standard.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">February 19: The Tourism Ministry has decided to categorize hotels in accordance to their standard. As per the decision, hotels and resorts have to keep a sign at their entrances denoting their category based on their standard of service. &nbsp;<br />
According to a press statement issued by the ministry, the government has determined the star signs of hotels and resorts. Hotels need to place a brass plate at their entrance, crafted with the Nepal Government&rsquo;s official emblem, with black horizontal lines and red stars denoting the category of the service offered at the hotel, and it must also include the hotel&rsquo;s name.<br />
The hotels have been categorized from one-star to five-star hotels.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">In the case of hotels that have been classified as tourist hotels by the Department of Tourism and its subordinate offices in the past, the sign TS written in red has to be kept at the entrance.<br />
The government has determined the letter M for motels.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Likewise, tourists Inns have to use the letter I written in red as their sign, while bread and breakfast have to use B&amp;B written in red colour as their sign.<br />
Resorts of all levels, star hotels, and boutique hotels of all levels should have a signboard at the entrance of the hotel/resort with a specified number of star signs in the size specified by the concerned local levels.<br />
Hotels/resorts that are members of Hotel Association Nepal or a joint organization of hoteliers also have to place the symbol of their associated organization on the plate.</span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13070',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Oxford University Recruits Patients from Nepal for Covid-19 Clinical Trial',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) Trial, the world’s largest clinical trial for COVID-19 treatments, has now expanded internationally with Indonesia and Nepal among the first countries to join, according to the University of Oxford.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">February 19: The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) Trial, the world&rsquo;s largest clinical trial for COVID-19 treatments, has now expanded internationally with Indonesia and Nepal among the first countries to join, according to the University of Oxford. The university said in a statement that the first patients have already been recruited for the trial.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;The RECOVERY trial has been an enormous success, enrolling over 36,000 patients and delivering clear results on six treatments already,&rdquo; the statement quoted Professor Peter Horby of Oxford University as saying. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;By building on this success through international partnership we can speed up the assessment of novel treatments, increase the global relevance of the trial results, build capacity, and reduce wasted efforts on small uninformative studies,&rdquo; added Horby, professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Global Health in the Nuffield Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford, and joint chief investigator for the trial.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Professor Horby is of the view that it is particularly important to find readily available and affordable treatments for COVID-19 that can be used worldwide. RECOVERY International will &ldquo;help us&rdquo; to identify effective treatments that can be used in less well-resourced settings, he added.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">The RECOVERY trial was launched rapidly in the UK in March 2020 to investigate whether any existing treatments were effective against COVID-19. The statement added that the trial is open to all patients admitted to NHS hospitals with COVID-19, with over 36,000 patients recruited so far. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">According to the university, the trial has already delivered results that have changed clinical care, including the findings that the inexpensive steroid, dexamethasone, and the anti-inflammatory treatment, tocilizumab, significantly reduce the risk of death when given to hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">In Indonesia and Nepal, the trial will initially focus on the treatments aspirin and colchicine, since these are readily available and affordable but, like RECOVERY in the UK, the trial is adaptive and new drugs will be added over time, the statement further says.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica">The expansion of RECOVERY internationally has been made possible thanks to the longstanding work of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), which has campuses in Kathmandu in Nepal (OUCRU Nepal) and Jakarta in Indonesia (Eijkman-Oxford Clinical Research Unit, EOCRU).&rdquo; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">OUCRU Nepal exists in partnership with Patan Academy of Health Sciences and Patan Hospital in Kathmandu and the trial is being delivered in collaboration with the Nepal Health Research Council. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;The Nepal team is super-excited to be aligned with Oxford University&#39;s RECOVERY, the largest COVID-19 drug trial in the world so that these ground-breaking findings also become relevant in the context of low- and middle-income countries,&rdquo; the statement quoted Professor Buddha Basnyat, Director of OUCRU Nepal, as saying.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-family:Helvetica">The Co-lead from Nepal, Dr Pradip Gyanwali, member secretary of the Nepal Health Research Council adds that Recovery International has excellent potential for being very useful for Nepal.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;Dr Nick Cammack, COVID-19 Therapeutics Lead at Wellcome, said, </span><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica">This new research will also help us to understand how other diseases that are endemic in some countries, such as TB and HIV, can affect COVID-19 and its treatments.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">He added that COVID-19 can be a preventable and treatable disease, but only if we invest in research now. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;A pipeline of new treatments is essential if we are to reduce further deaths and suffering, and to keep pressure off health systems. Investing in research into a wide range of treatments, alongside vaccines and testing, and ensuring all advances are fairly available globally, remains our only exit from the pandemic.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13068',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Department of Tourism Starts Issuing Permits for Springtime Expedition',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring season expedition. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">February 19: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring season expedition. The department has so far issued pre-mountaineering permits to five expedition teams from Nepal and India to climb four mountains, including Mount Everest. The spring expedition season of 2021 begins from March 20.<br />
The spring season is the most preferable time for mountaineering in Nepal.<br />
Any expedition team which is looking for permits the season starts is required to submit an application and fee to the department. According to an official of the department, 12 people from four expedition teams of India and three people from one team of Nepal (for climbing Mt. Everest) have received prior approval for climbing. According to him, two people from India have received permits to climb Mt Everest, four for Nuptse, two for Lhotse, and four for Pumori.<br />
He said that the Indian mountaineers paid Rs 222,000 to the revenue department and the Nepali climbers paid Rs 12,250 for the permits. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The Indians who had climbed Nepal&#39;s mountains in the winter season have now formed a team and sought prior permission to climb these mountains. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Officials of the department informed that permits cannot be obtained without paying the fee in advance. Spring is the most favourable season for mountaineering. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The mountaineering sector of Nepal saw enthusiastic participation from climbers during the autumn and&nbsp; winter season this year despite the risk of coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The Department of Tourism expects the number of climbers to rise in the spring season.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'Thangka Business Declines Due to the Impact of Covid-19  ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Traders have not been able to perform well this year even during the peak season of ‘thangka’ business. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Manisha Balami</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 18: Traders have not been able to perform well this year even during the peak season of &lsquo;thangka&rsquo; business. The time period between September to November and February to April is considered the best season for the business of thangka, an intricate painting depicting different gods of Buddhism. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;During this season, I used to sell thangkas of around Rs 900,000 to one million in a month. But at present, the sale is scarce,&rdquo; says Maila Ghising, who has been operating Maitreya Thangka Art Gallery in Bouddha. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The situation of Binod Ghising is no different from that of Maila Ghising. Binod, the proprietor of Heritage Thangka Gallery at Swoyambhu, says, &ldquo;The thangka business has declined by 90 percent due to the impact of coronavirus.&rdquo; He further informed that the meditation practitioners, devoted followers of Buddism, and few who wish to gift thangka to their relatives and friends are their only customers at present. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to the data provided by the Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN), thangkas worth Rs 16.5 million were exported in the Fiscal Year 2019/20, which is comparatively 75 percent less than in FY 2018/19. Thangkas amounting Rs 65.3 million were exported in 2018/19, according to the data. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Thangkas, which are usually painted on canvas of cotton and silk by using natural pigments, crayons, acrylic color and gold and silver, costs anything between Rs 150 to over a million rupees. Traders say that the price of the thangka depends of the quality rather than the size. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Surendra Bhai Shakya, president of the federation, says not even 20 percent of thangkas have been exported this year. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;As the sales of thangka is directly associated with tourism, the sales have declined with the decline in arrival of tourists,&rdquo; he says. As soon as the tourism business improves the situation of thangka and the whole handicraft sector will improve, he says expressing some hope. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">At present, the thanka producers have been relying on local market to sustain their business. &ldquo;Since the export of thangka is nil, we are dependent on domestic market,&rdquo; says Ghising. However, due to the lockdown, the purchasing capacity of people has decreased which has, again, impacted the thangka industry. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Thangkas are exported in countries like the United States, China, Japan, India, Germany, Thailand, Bhutan, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Taiwan, among others. </span></span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2021-02-19',
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12814',
			'image' => '20210219105824_tibetan-thangka--44339.jpg',
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13067',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Biscuit Factories of Nepal in Crisis due to ‘Smuggling’ of Indian Products',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: Nepali biscuit factories have been “forced” to lower their production by 50 percent due to smuggling of Indian biscuits into the country through the open border. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">February 19: Nepali biscuit factories have been &ldquo;forced&rdquo; to lower their production by 50 percent due to smuggling of Indian biscuits into the country through the open border. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The industrialists say that their production used to be full-fledged when the border remained completely sealed owing to the threat of coronavirus. However, they complained that they have been compelled to lower the production to 50 percent because of the illegal entry of biscuits from India by smugglers taking advantage of the porous border.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Until five years ago, there were 53 biscuit industries operational in Nepal. However, 21 of them were closed as they could not compete with the Indian products because they had been producing biscuit by importing sugar and flour from India.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Even the existing 14 industries that produce biscuit are in crisis as the government has not given them customs duty waiver for the import of sugar and flour, says Mahesh Jaju, operator of Goodlife Biscuit and the chairman of Nepal Biscuit Producers&rsquo; Association.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to him, biscuits produced within the country had good access to the domestic market during the lockdown period. He says that the industries had excessive demand during the lockdown period and had to opt for adding new plant if they were to meet the demand. But now, biscuits produced in India are being imported to Nepal by avoiding customs duty and this has forced the local industries to reduce their production by 50 percent, says Jaju.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He says that the government needs to waive customs duty on import of sugar and flour by 20 percent if it is to protect the industries that have been producing biscuits within Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He added that the illegal entry of Indian biscuits has not stopped even though they drew the attention of the secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Provincial Government. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Similarly, operator of Kwality Buscuits and central committee member of the Nepal Biscuit Producers&rsquo; Association Nawal Kishor Kabra says that the government must put an end to smuggling of Indian biscuit and also declare sugar and flour as raw materials so that the industries can import them at subsidized rate.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He said that the biscuit factories that give employment to thousands of people are on the verge of collapse due to the negligence of the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Spokesperson of Biratnagar Customs Santosh Yadav informed New Business Age that the customs office alone cannot stop smuggling of biscuits into the country and therefore they have been coordinating with security forces to stop the illegal entry of goods. He admitted that it would be difficult to fully curb smuggling because Nepal and India share 1800-kilometer border.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Meanwhile, Director General of the Industry, Supply and Consumer Protection Department Netra Prasad Subedi said that they will make attempts to stop smuggling in coordination with the local units. He said that they have received complaints of illegal entry of other goods besides biscuits when the border was reopened after the threat of Covid-19 largely subsided.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">It is estimated that around 15,000 people have lost employment due to the closure of biscuit factories in the last five years.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13066',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'South Korean Motrex yet to Set up Plant to Assemble Four-Wheelers ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: The process to set up an assemble plant by South Korean company Motrex has not been able to move forward despite its commitment to assemble 6,000 vehicles in Nepal by mid-February last year.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 18: The process to set up an assemble plant by South Korean company Motrex has not been able to move forward despite its commitment to assemble 6,000 vehicles in Nepal by mid-February last year. The Investment Board Nepal had approved Motrex to invest in Nepal for assembling vehicles on March 15, 2019. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As soon as the investment was approved, the company had committed to set up plant within 10 months and assemble 6,000 vehicles within a year. However, the process to set up the plant has no signs of progress even after 22 months of approval. Last November, a preliminary agreement was signed between the board and company. Motrex was interested in assembling Hyundai and Kia vehicles in Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">After the agreement, the company had made various demands to the Government of Nepal which has not been addressed so far. The company put forward their demand such as monopoly of the company in the automobile assembly industry in Nepal for seven years of signing the agreement, customs exemption on the import of machinery parts but the vehicles should be sold at the same price. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The government had decided to provide 100 ropanis of land to set up the plant in Motipur Industrial Area of Butwal. However, the land to be provided to the company has not been finalized yet. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Motipur Industrial Area is divided into Motipur &lsquo;A&rsquo; and Motipur &lsquo;B&rsquo;. Since Motipur &lsquo;A&rsquo; consists of forest, there is confusion regarding how to provide the forest area to the company. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to information office of the Board, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, the concerned authorities are working to resolve the forest related issues in Motipur &lsquo;A&rsquo;. Since it was not possible to physically meet the representative of Motrex and discuss the issue due to coronavirus, virtual discussion was done on last November. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">He further informed that preparations are underway to sign a partnership agreement (PI) with the company soon. Similarly, Himesh Kharel, Nepal&rsquo;s representative for Motrex, said that the company is in contact with the Investment Board. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Motrex is not the first company to assemble vehicle in Nepal. Golchha group had assembled vehicles under the Mustang brand in Nepal, but the plant was closed in 2018 citing policy reasons of the government. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Laxmi Intercontinental, the official distributor of Hyundai and Kia for Nepal, has also applied for registration of an assembly plant after Motrex took the initiative to assemble Hyundai and Kia vehicles. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">So far, 22 companies have been registered with the Department of Industry for vehicle assembly. </span></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13065',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Delay in Formulating Work Procedures Prevents Nepali Workers from going to Israel',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: Nepali migrant workers aspiring to go to Israel for foreign employment have not been able to do so due to the delay in formulating work procedure by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS). ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 19: Nepali migrant workers aspiring to go to Israel for foreign employment have not been able to do so due to the delay in formulating work procedure by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS). </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The Government of Nepal had signed a bilateral labor agreement with Israel for sending Nepali workers to Israel on September 30. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">&nbsp;&ldquo;We are prepared to call for the applications but MoLESS has not sent the work procedure, said Kumar Prasad Dahal, Director General of the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE). According to him, the DoFE has prepared online system to receive applications from aspiring migrant workers who are interested to work in Israel. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">&ldquo;They can submit the application from home. &nbsp;As soon as the work procedure is ready, we will call for applications.&rdquo; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Dahal added that Israel is interested to hire workers as soon as possible but the delay on part of the MoLESS is affecting the process. A high-level official from the MoLESS informed that although the work procedure has been drafted, it has been put on hold due to self-interest of some officials. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Once the applications are open, 500 caregivers will be going to Israel for employment. The workers will be sent under the government-to-government (G2G) initiative. Workers will be employed as caregivers in nursing homes, day care centers and hospitals. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">DoFE has also requested job seekers not to be duped if any individual promises to send them to Israel in exchange for money. &ldquo;There are rumors that some agents are active in the market to dupe people on the pretext of sending them to Israel, if report is filed with evidence, DoFE will take action,&rdquo; said Dahal. He also added that foreign employment companies and private sector don&rsquo;t have any kind of roles in sending workers to Israel. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">As per the new protocol, Nepali workers will have to bear the travel cost themselves. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Nepali workers willing to go to Israel for work will have to pay the visa fee, medical test fee as well as orientation charge and a certain amount to the welfare fund themselves.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13064',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NEA to Collect Tariff of Dedicated Feeder and Trunk Line ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided to collect electricity tariff for dedicated feeders and trunk lines despite objection from industrialists.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 18: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided to collect electricity tariff for dedicated feeders and trunk lines despite objection from industrialists. As per the decision, NEA will collect all the arrears from the date of fixing the electricity tariff for dedicated feeder and trunk line till mid-April 2020.<br />
NEA&#39;s board of directors took such a decision during a recent meeting.<br />
However, the decision has not been made public. Even though the decision has been taken, some of the board members are yet to sign the minute. &nbsp;<br />
However, NEA has decided to adjust the tariff if the court and the Electricity Regulatory Commission order to do so. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Nepal Electricity Authority had supplied electricity to industries through dedicated feeder and trunk line at 65 percent additional charge between 2071 BS to 2075 BS amid load-shedding crisis.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Although the problem of load-shedding came to an end since early 2075, NEA has been charging the same rate to the industrialists till date. However, the industrialists are not ready to pay any additional charges after the load-shedding cane to an end.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The government had handed over the responsibility to the Electricity Regulatory Commission for taking the necessary decision.&nbsp; However, NEA has decided to collect all the tariffs to adjust it later if the commission decides.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>
',
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			'modified' => '2021-02-18',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12810',
			'image' => '20210218115310_20200818043659_1597700431.Clipboard08.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-02-18 11:52:05',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13063',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NTA to Revise Broadband and ICT Policies',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is planning to revise the telecommunication policies including the Broadband Policy 2015 and the ICT Policy for their effective implementation.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">February 18: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is planning to revise the telecommunication policies including the Broadband Policy 2015 and the ICT Policy for their effective implementation. NTA will form a new single policy by incorporating major ideas of these policies for their effective execution.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Speaking at a program organized by the Society of Economic Journalists Nepal, Director of NTA, Min Prasad Aryal said that there is a need to revise the broadband policy and the ICT policy in accordance to the huge changes technology has gone through. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Broadband policy 2015 had set the target of reducing broadband price to 5 percent of monthly GNI per capita. In 2019, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) had changed the target to 2 percent of the monthly GNI per capita for developing countries. Likewise, other targets set by broadband and ICT policies were achieving digital literacy of 75 percent, broadband penetration of 90 percent and increasing internet penetration to 100 percent. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Dilliram Adhikari, managing director of Nepal Telecom, also stressed on the need of revising these policies to make them contextual and timely. Shedding light on the progress of 4G expansion and progress of laying optical fiber along the Midhill Highway, he said that services such as telecom and internet should be made consumer-centric for sustainability. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">On behalf of the Internet Service Providers, former president of the Internet Service Providers&rsquo; Association of Nepal (ISPAN) Binaya Bohara urged the government to reduce various kinds of tax being levied on internet service and rental charge for using poles. He also stressed on the need to establish a new infrastructure company to end duplication of network and to ensure quality of service. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">SEJON had organized an interaction programme on &lsquo;internet delivery, issues and challenges&rsquo;. Representatives from the Nepal Telecommunication Authority, Nepal Telecom, ISPAN, Ministry of Finance and Nepal Electricity Authority spoke on various issues in relation to internet service delivery. </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13062',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Tourism Stakeholders 'Unaware' of Government Plans to Revive the Industry ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is preparing launch promotional campaign to revive the tourism sector that has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Tamish Giri<br />
February 18: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is preparing launch promotional campaign to revive the tourism sector that has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The tourism board aims to focus more on Asia, and one-stop away tourism destinations to help both the country and tourism stakeholders to sustain the tourism industry.<br />
Mani Lamichhane, director of NTB, informed that NTB is currently preparing a promotional plan targeting regional and Asian tourists. &quot;Under this strategy, NTB and Nepal Airlines are planning a sales scheme in Indian cities of Mumbai and Delhi. We are also planning to attend SATTE, Delhi, and OTM Mumbai fairs - physically, and are also planning for at least two sales missions in India. Likewise, we are also getting ourselves ready for participating in fairs in China and other Asian Destinations,&rdquo; he informed.<br />
Even though NTB suggests it has made some initiation to revive the tourism industry from the current crisis, tourism entrepreneurs express a different view. They are distressed due to the &ldquo;indifferent attitude&rdquo; of the government and for not consulting with them for their opinion.<br />
According to CN Pandey, past president of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travels Agents (NATTA), the government has not consulted with NATTA about any plans and policies.<br />
&quot;Even though the decision of focusing on regional tourist destinations is relevant, no consultation has been made with us,&quot; he expressed.<br />
Tourist arrival in Nepal declined by 80 percent in 2020, compared to 2019, due to Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 230,000 foreigners had visited Nepal last year, while only 14 visited in April, the lowest-ever in history since government started keeping records. This downfall in tourist arrival has shattered the tourism entrepreneurs, who are still facing crisis and are struggling to sustain their business.<br />
Binayak Shah, vice president of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), said that the private sector is unaware of what the government is doing.<br />
&quot;We see the government and tourism authorities are lagging behind during the current crisis. The decision and plans are unclear and lack proper management. The government, especially the tourism minister, has done nothing substantial to help us. They are sleeping while we are struggling to sustain. We have repeatedly urged them to open up visas on arrival for the tourists, but the decision is pending at the CCMC and cabinet,&quot; he shared.<br />
Currently, tourism stakeholders are concerned about opening the country for tourism by following mandatory quarantine provision. They have been requesting the government to open visa on arrival and online visas.<br />
Tourism stakeholders have urged the government to allow foreigners with negative PCR tests to enter the country. They have been requesting to conduct a PCR test at the airport for all the arriving tourists and allow the foreigners with negative test results to enter the country and individuals testing positive to be referred to hotel isolation or returned home.</span></span></p>
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			'article_date' => '2021-02-17 16:46:55',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13061',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Three Chinese Companies Shortlisted for Kathmandu-Terai  Fast Track Project',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Three Chinese companies have been selected in the prequalification round to build bridges and tunnels along the Kathmandu-Terai fast track. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">February 18: Three Chinese companies have been selected in the prequalification round to build bridges and tunnels along the Kathmandu-Terai fast track. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">A total of 43 companies had submitted proposals for the pre-qualification round. Only three companies that met the requirements have been selected for the project. The Nepalese Army (NA), which has been assigned the responsibility to construct the fast track, has asked those three companies to submit financial and technical proposals. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The NA had sought proposals for tunnel packages 1 and 2 for the fast track which is currently under construction. It took almost five months for the NA to complete the evaluation process of those companies. Of the shortlisted companies, Poly Changda Engineerng Corporation Limited has been selected for both the packages and China Engineering Corporation Limited has been selected for the first package. The first package consist of construction of four major bridges and the second package constitutes construction of one major bridge and other special bridges. Along with this, construction of roads connecting to fast track also fall under the packages. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Brigadier General Santosh Ballav Poudel, spokesperson of NA, told that only a few companies have been shortlisted as majority of the companies could not meet the requirements like.&nbsp; According to him three companies have been shortlisted in accordance to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The shortlisted companies have to submit financial and technical proposals within the next 45 days. If the financial and technical reports meet the criteria they will be awarded the contract in the second week of June. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The construction of tunnels and bridges constitute a major part of the fast track. As the construction of tunnels and bridges has not started, it has affected the overall progress of the fast track project. Three tunnels and 16 bridges will be built along the 76.2-kilometre-long Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track. The tunnels are 41 km long and combined length of the bridges is 10.59km. </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13060',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Traders Face Difficulty in Importing Summer Garments from China',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 17: Traders have been facing problems in importing readymade garments for the summer season due to the closure of Nepal-China border for more than a year. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 17: Traders have been facing problems in importing readymade garments for the summer season due to the closure of Nepal-China border for more than a year. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Importers and traders have to import goods through India after the northern border of Nepal was closed to prevent coronavirus from spreading. Traders complain that it has made the transportation cost expensive and they even have to spend more time importing goods. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Under normal circumstances, traders used to import goods from China through Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani customs. However, at present, goods have to be imported from India via the sea route for which they have to pay three times more than the normal fare. Due to this, the price of goods has also increased.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to Dil Sunder Shrestha, executive committee member of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the charge for importing a container of goods via sea route was just US$ 1800 during normal circumstances. But, at present, it costs more than US$ 5,000 per container. Shrestha added that this has led to price hike and the general consumers have to face the burden at the end.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">At present, importers and traders have not been able to go to China to select goods and import them. So the goods are being ordered online. China is one of the major suppliers of readymade garments to Nepal. According to traders, 60 percent of the readymade garments imported to Nepal come from China, 30 percent from India and 10 percent from Bangladesh and Thailand. Garments worth Rs 80 billion are imported annually for both winter and summer seasons. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Under normal circumstances, it would take up to 15 days to bring the goods via sea. However, now the traders complain that the goods take up to two months to arrive in the country. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Rajendra Lama, a local trader of New Road, said that the failure to import goods on time has affected their business as they have not been able to provide goods to the retailers on time. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">At present, the import from Tatopani Customs and Rasuwagadi Customs has been halted as the customs and other offices have been closed for the Chinese New Year celebrations. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Prior to this, five vehicles carrying goods used to enter Nepal through Rasuwagadi customs on a daily basis. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13059',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Himalaya Airlines Resumes Commercial Flights to Dubai',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 17: Himalaya Airlines, a Nepal-China joint venture company, has resumed commercial flights to Dubai starting from  February 14. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">February 17: Himalaya Airlines, a Nepal-China joint venture company, has resumed commercial flights to Dubai starting from&nbsp; February 14. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The first flight after a long gap departed from Tribhuvan International Airport at 22:36 hours (local time) and landed at Dubai International Airport (DXB) at 01:40 hours (local time). The return flight from Dubai departed at 04:10 hours (local time) the next day and landed in Kathmandu at 09:25 hours (local time) on February 15, the airline said in a statement.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">As the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic has largely subsided, the UAE has opened up for visitors with COVID-19 safety protocols resulting into substantial increase in passenger flow both ways on KTM-DXB-KTM route.&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The airline company informed that it has resumed commercial flights to Dubai International Airport and will conduct three flights per week. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">&ldquo;Kathmandu-Dubai flights are scheduled to fly every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and will depart from Dubai on every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday,&rdquo; the statement reads. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">Zhou Enyong, president of Himalaya Airlines, had personally handed over the boarding passes to the first three passengers along with a special souvenir kit at the check-in counter on February 14. The airlines marking the special occasion, provided all passengers on both outbound and inbound flights with a special travel amenity kit on board.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">&ldquo;With all the constraints of COVID-19 pandemic, resuming flight operations to our scheduled destinations has been indeed challenging for us. However, with the easing of travel ban and quarantine restrictions, we are all geared up to rebuild our network with the UAE, complying with mandatory health protocols of civil aviation authorities and government agencies,&rdquo; the statement quoted Zhou Enyong as saying.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The airlines first took off to Dubai International Airport on April 28, 2017 connecting with Abu Dhabi via free shuttle bus for passengers. However with increased passenger flow, direct flights to Abu Dhabi International Airport was initiated on March 31, 2019.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The airline has appointed Hello Himalaya Travel &amp; Tourism LLC, Dubai as its General Sales Agents (GSA) for passenger handling in the United Arab of Emirates, responsible for the airline&rsquo;s sales and marketing, market development, reservations and ticketing services for the UAE market.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13073',
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			'title' => 'Foreign Trade of Rs 300 billion Took Place through Birgunj Customs ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: In the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2020/21, Birgunj customs accounted for Nepal’s foreign trade worth Rs 300 billion. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">February 19: In the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2020/21, Birgunj customs accounted for Nepal&rsquo;s foreign trade worth Rs 300 billion. Birgunj customs informed that trade of Rs 2.98 billion has been done through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Birgunj. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Automobiles, petroleum products and industrial raw materials were the major items imported from Birgunj customs point. &nbsp;Nepal Oil Corporation imports more than half of the petroleum product required for the country through this customs point. &nbsp;NOC has imported diesel worth Rs 27 billion, petrol worth Rs 9.86 billion, and LP gas worth Rs 9.29 billion. Meanwhile import of petrol and LP gas has declined compared to last fiscal year. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Ramesh Sukmani, customs officer of Birgunj Customs Point, believes that the import of petroleum product has gone down due to the lockdown in the first two months of the current fiscal year and surplus of power inside the country. In the first few months, import of diesel had also declined but it increased subsequently with the rise in demand. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Four-wheelers worth Rs 3.85 billion have been imported from this customs point. In the corresponding period of last fiscal year, 5,215 four-wheelers were imported into Nepal while the number of vehicles imported this year stands at 3,449. According to the customs office, restriction on import of expensive vehicles in accordance to the new policy has led to the decline in number of vehicles being imported into the country. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Customs Officer Sukmani informed that the overall import from this customs point has declined by 7 percent during the review period compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year. However export has increased by 9 percent. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Export of refined soybean oil has increased through this customs point. Altogether 14 industries of Bara- Parsa Corridor have been involved in the export of soybean oil. Besides soybean oil, readymade clothes, shoes, carpet, Ayurvedic medicines, steel utensils among others were the other major items exported through Birgunj. </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13071',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Stock of Food Management and Trading Company Falls Short of Requirement',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Food Management and Trading Company of the government has less that required stock of food due to its inability to purchase paddy as per the target. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 19: The Food Management and Trading Company of the government has less that required stock of food due to its inability to purchase paddy as per the target. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">There is a provision for the government to have 33,000 metric tons of food grains in stock for immediate supply during times of crisis like earthquake, flood, landslide, and pandemic. However, the state-owned company has only around 30,000 metric tons of food grains in stock including rice, wheat and paddy. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although the company had started the work with the aim of purchasing 60,000 metric tons of paddy for the current fiscal year, only 24,279 metric tons of paddy has been purchased till now. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Sharmila Neupane, information officer of the company, said that they have not been able to buy paddy as per their target as the price fixed by the local traders for the varieties of grains purchased by the company is higher than the minimum support price set by the government. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The company is buying paddy from 11 different places of the country in minimum support price. The government had fixed the minimum support price of coarse paddy at Rs 2,735 per quintal and medium paddy at Rs 2,885 per quintal this year. The company is buying Makwanpur paddy from farmers at Rs 2,820 per quintal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">However, local traders in Rajapur of Bardiya are buying the same paddy at Rs 3,000 per quintal. Due to this, the company has not been able to buy paddy as per the target in Bardiya. The Rajapur Rice Mill, which was responsible to buy 40,000 quintals of paddy, has been able to buy only 3,600 quintals so far. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&quot;It is good that farmers are getting higher prices. The government sets the support prices for that. However, due to this, we could not buy it as per our target,&rdquo; said Dharmaraj Pant, chief of Rajapur Rice Mill. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The company is facing a similar problem in Janakpur as well. They are buying Basmati rice at Rs 4,750 per quintal while the local traders are buying it at Rs 5,000 per quintal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Jayananda Pandey, senior accounting assistant at the company&rsquo;s depot in Janakpur, said that 1,000 quintals of Basmati and 1,612 metric tons of Sona Mansuli rice were purchased in Janakpur as of Wednesday. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">So far, the company has purchased 5,386 metric ton of Makwanpur paddy from Dhangadhi, 1,499 metric tons of Sona Mansuli and 50 metric ton of Ranjit paddy from Birtamod. Likewise, a total of 1,548 metric tons of Sona Mansuli, Ranjit and Basmati paddy have been brought from Biratnagar, 2,256 metric ton of Sona Mansuli from Lahan, 10 metric tons of Jira Masino and 2,948 metric tons of Sona Mansuli paddy from Birgunj. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Similarly, 18 metric tons of sawa rice has been purchased from Bhairahawa, 947 metric ton of coarse paddy from Mahendranagar, 1,428 metric tons of coarse paddy and 2,361 metric tons of medium paddy from Nepalgunj. They have not been able to buy Marsi rice in Jumla so far. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'Tourism Ministry Allocates Signs to Hotels Based on their Category ',
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			'summary' => 'February 19: The Tourism Ministry has decided to categorize hotels in accordance to their standard.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">February 19: The Tourism Ministry has decided to categorize hotels in accordance to their standard. As per the decision, hotels and resorts have to keep a sign at their entrances denoting their category based on their standard of service. &nbsp;<br />
According to a press statement issued by the ministry, the government has determined the star signs of hotels and resorts. Hotels need to place a brass plate at their entrance, crafted with the Nepal Government&rsquo;s official emblem, with black horizontal lines and red stars denoting the category of the service offered at the hotel, and it must also include the hotel&rsquo;s name.<br />
The hotels have been categorized from one-star to five-star hotels.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">In the case of hotels that have been classified as tourist hotels by the Department of Tourism and its subordinate offices in the past, the sign TS written in red has to be kept at the entrance.<br />
The government has determined the letter M for motels.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Likewise, tourists Inns have to use the letter I written in red as their sign, while bread and breakfast have to use B&amp;B written in red colour as their sign.<br />
Resorts of all levels, star hotels, and boutique hotels of all levels should have a signboard at the entrance of the hotel/resort with a specified number of star signs in the size specified by the concerned local levels.<br />
Hotels/resorts that are members of Hotel Association Nepal or a joint organization of hoteliers also have to place the symbol of their associated organization on the plate.</span></span></p>
',
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12817',
			'image' => '20210219025116_hotal greding in nepal dainiki tourism ministrey (1).jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-02-19 14:48:58',
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	(int) 3 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13070',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Oxford University Recruits Patients from Nepal for Covid-19 Clinical Trial',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) Trial, the world’s largest clinical trial for COVID-19 treatments, has now expanded internationally with Indonesia and Nepal among the first countries to join, according to the University of Oxford.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">February 19: The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) Trial, the world&rsquo;s largest clinical trial for COVID-19 treatments, has now expanded internationally with Indonesia and Nepal among the first countries to join, according to the University of Oxford. The university said in a statement that the first patients have already been recruited for the trial.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;The RECOVERY trial has been an enormous success, enrolling over 36,000 patients and delivering clear results on six treatments already,&rdquo; the statement quoted Professor Peter Horby of Oxford University as saying. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;By building on this success through international partnership we can speed up the assessment of novel treatments, increase the global relevance of the trial results, build capacity, and reduce wasted efforts on small uninformative studies,&rdquo; added Horby, professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Global Health in the Nuffield Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford, and joint chief investigator for the trial.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Professor Horby is of the view that it is particularly important to find readily available and affordable treatments for COVID-19 that can be used worldwide. RECOVERY International will &ldquo;help us&rdquo; to identify effective treatments that can be used in less well-resourced settings, he added.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">The RECOVERY trial was launched rapidly in the UK in March 2020 to investigate whether any existing treatments were effective against COVID-19. The statement added that the trial is open to all patients admitted to NHS hospitals with COVID-19, with over 36,000 patients recruited so far. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">According to the university, the trial has already delivered results that have changed clinical care, including the findings that the inexpensive steroid, dexamethasone, and the anti-inflammatory treatment, tocilizumab, significantly reduce the risk of death when given to hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">In Indonesia and Nepal, the trial will initially focus on the treatments aspirin and colchicine, since these are readily available and affordable but, like RECOVERY in the UK, the trial is adaptive and new drugs will be added over time, the statement further says.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica">The expansion of RECOVERY internationally has been made possible thanks to the longstanding work of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), which has campuses in Kathmandu in Nepal (OUCRU Nepal) and Jakarta in Indonesia (Eijkman-Oxford Clinical Research Unit, EOCRU).&rdquo; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">OUCRU Nepal exists in partnership with Patan Academy of Health Sciences and Patan Hospital in Kathmandu and the trial is being delivered in collaboration with the Nepal Health Research Council. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;The Nepal team is super-excited to be aligned with Oxford University&#39;s RECOVERY, the largest COVID-19 drug trial in the world so that these ground-breaking findings also become relevant in the context of low- and middle-income countries,&rdquo; the statement quoted Professor Buddha Basnyat, Director of OUCRU Nepal, as saying.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-family:Helvetica">The Co-lead from Nepal, Dr Pradip Gyanwali, member secretary of the Nepal Health Research Council adds that Recovery International has excellent potential for being very useful for Nepal.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;Dr Nick Cammack, COVID-19 Therapeutics Lead at Wellcome, said, </span><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica">This new research will also help us to understand how other diseases that are endemic in some countries, such as TB and HIV, can affect COVID-19 and its treatments.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">He added that COVID-19 can be a preventable and treatable disease, but only if we invest in research now. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;A pipeline of new treatments is essential if we are to reduce further deaths and suffering, and to keep pressure off health systems. Investing in research into a wide range of treatments, alongside vaccines and testing, and ensuring all advances are fairly available globally, remains our only exit from the pandemic.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13068',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Department of Tourism Starts Issuing Permits for Springtime Expedition',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring season expedition. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">February 19: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring season expedition. The department has so far issued pre-mountaineering permits to five expedition teams from Nepal and India to climb four mountains, including Mount Everest. The spring expedition season of 2021 begins from March 20.<br />
The spring season is the most preferable time for mountaineering in Nepal.<br />
Any expedition team which is looking for permits the season starts is required to submit an application and fee to the department. According to an official of the department, 12 people from four expedition teams of India and three people from one team of Nepal (for climbing Mt. Everest) have received prior approval for climbing. According to him, two people from India have received permits to climb Mt Everest, four for Nuptse, two for Lhotse, and four for Pumori.<br />
He said that the Indian mountaineers paid Rs 222,000 to the revenue department and the Nepali climbers paid Rs 12,250 for the permits. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The Indians who had climbed Nepal&#39;s mountains in the winter season have now formed a team and sought prior permission to climb these mountains. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Officials of the department informed that permits cannot be obtained without paying the fee in advance. Spring is the most favourable season for mountaineering. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The mountaineering sector of Nepal saw enthusiastic participation from climbers during the autumn and&nbsp; winter season this year despite the risk of coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The Department of Tourism expects the number of climbers to rise in the spring season.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'created' => '2021-02-19',
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12815',
			'image' => '20210219104343_20201108030120_Contribution of Mountains to the Tourism Economy_1.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-02-19 10:42:45',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13069',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Thangka Business Declines Due to the Impact of Covid-19  ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Traders have not been able to perform well this year even during the peak season of ‘thangka’ business. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Manisha Balami</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 18: Traders have not been able to perform well this year even during the peak season of &lsquo;thangka&rsquo; business. The time period between September to November and February to April is considered the best season for the business of thangka, an intricate painting depicting different gods of Buddhism. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;During this season, I used to sell thangkas of around Rs 900,000 to one million in a month. But at present, the sale is scarce,&rdquo; says Maila Ghising, who has been operating Maitreya Thangka Art Gallery in Bouddha. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The situation of Binod Ghising is no different from that of Maila Ghising. Binod, the proprietor of Heritage Thangka Gallery at Swoyambhu, says, &ldquo;The thangka business has declined by 90 percent due to the impact of coronavirus.&rdquo; He further informed that the meditation practitioners, devoted followers of Buddism, and few who wish to gift thangka to their relatives and friends are their only customers at present. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to the data provided by the Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN), thangkas worth Rs 16.5 million were exported in the Fiscal Year 2019/20, which is comparatively 75 percent less than in FY 2018/19. Thangkas amounting Rs 65.3 million were exported in 2018/19, according to the data. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Thangkas, which are usually painted on canvas of cotton and silk by using natural pigments, crayons, acrylic color and gold and silver, costs anything between Rs 150 to over a million rupees. Traders say that the price of the thangka depends of the quality rather than the size. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Surendra Bhai Shakya, president of the federation, says not even 20 percent of thangkas have been exported this year. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;As the sales of thangka is directly associated with tourism, the sales have declined with the decline in arrival of tourists,&rdquo; he says. As soon as the tourism business improves the situation of thangka and the whole handicraft sector will improve, he says expressing some hope. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">At present, the thanka producers have been relying on local market to sustain their business. &ldquo;Since the export of thangka is nil, we are dependent on domestic market,&rdquo; says Ghising. However, due to the lockdown, the purchasing capacity of people has decreased which has, again, impacted the thangka industry. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Thangkas are exported in countries like the United States, China, Japan, India, Germany, Thailand, Bhutan, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Taiwan, among others. </span></span></span></p>
',
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			'sortorder' => '12814',
			'image' => '20210219105824_tibetan-thangka--44339.jpg',
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13067',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Biscuit Factories of Nepal in Crisis due to ‘Smuggling’ of Indian Products',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: Nepali biscuit factories have been “forced” to lower their production by 50 percent due to smuggling of Indian biscuits into the country through the open border. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">February 19: Nepali biscuit factories have been &ldquo;forced&rdquo; to lower their production by 50 percent due to smuggling of Indian biscuits into the country through the open border. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The industrialists say that their production used to be full-fledged when the border remained completely sealed owing to the threat of coronavirus. However, they complained that they have been compelled to lower the production to 50 percent because of the illegal entry of biscuits from India by smugglers taking advantage of the porous border.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Until five years ago, there were 53 biscuit industries operational in Nepal. However, 21 of them were closed as they could not compete with the Indian products because they had been producing biscuit by importing sugar and flour from India.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Even the existing 14 industries that produce biscuit are in crisis as the government has not given them customs duty waiver for the import of sugar and flour, says Mahesh Jaju, operator of Goodlife Biscuit and the chairman of Nepal Biscuit Producers&rsquo; Association.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to him, biscuits produced within the country had good access to the domestic market during the lockdown period. He says that the industries had excessive demand during the lockdown period and had to opt for adding new plant if they were to meet the demand. But now, biscuits produced in India are being imported to Nepal by avoiding customs duty and this has forced the local industries to reduce their production by 50 percent, says Jaju.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He says that the government needs to waive customs duty on import of sugar and flour by 20 percent if it is to protect the industries that have been producing biscuits within Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He added that the illegal entry of Indian biscuits has not stopped even though they drew the attention of the secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Provincial Government. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Similarly, operator of Kwality Buscuits and central committee member of the Nepal Biscuit Producers&rsquo; Association Nawal Kishor Kabra says that the government must put an end to smuggling of Indian biscuit and also declare sugar and flour as raw materials so that the industries can import them at subsidized rate.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He said that the biscuit factories that give employment to thousands of people are on the verge of collapse due to the negligence of the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Spokesperson of Biratnagar Customs Santosh Yadav informed New Business Age that the customs office alone cannot stop smuggling of biscuits into the country and therefore they have been coordinating with security forces to stop the illegal entry of goods. He admitted that it would be difficult to fully curb smuggling because Nepal and India share 1800-kilometer border.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Meanwhile, Director General of the Industry, Supply and Consumer Protection Department Netra Prasad Subedi said that they will make attempts to stop smuggling in coordination with the local units. He said that they have received complaints of illegal entry of other goods besides biscuits when the border was reopened after the threat of Covid-19 largely subsided.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">It is estimated that around 15,000 people have lost employment due to the closure of biscuit factories in the last five years.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13066',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'South Korean Motrex yet to Set up Plant to Assemble Four-Wheelers ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: The process to set up an assemble plant by South Korean company Motrex has not been able to move forward despite its commitment to assemble 6,000 vehicles in Nepal by mid-February last year.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 18: The process to set up an assemble plant by South Korean company Motrex has not been able to move forward despite its commitment to assemble 6,000 vehicles in Nepal by mid-February last year. The Investment Board Nepal had approved Motrex to invest in Nepal for assembling vehicles on March 15, 2019. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As soon as the investment was approved, the company had committed to set up plant within 10 months and assemble 6,000 vehicles within a year. However, the process to set up the plant has no signs of progress even after 22 months of approval. Last November, a preliminary agreement was signed between the board and company. Motrex was interested in assembling Hyundai and Kia vehicles in Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">After the agreement, the company had made various demands to the Government of Nepal which has not been addressed so far. The company put forward their demand such as monopoly of the company in the automobile assembly industry in Nepal for seven years of signing the agreement, customs exemption on the import of machinery parts but the vehicles should be sold at the same price. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The government had decided to provide 100 ropanis of land to set up the plant in Motipur Industrial Area of Butwal. However, the land to be provided to the company has not been finalized yet. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Motipur Industrial Area is divided into Motipur &lsquo;A&rsquo; and Motipur &lsquo;B&rsquo;. Since Motipur &lsquo;A&rsquo; consists of forest, there is confusion regarding how to provide the forest area to the company. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to information office of the Board, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, the concerned authorities are working to resolve the forest related issues in Motipur &lsquo;A&rsquo;. Since it was not possible to physically meet the representative of Motrex and discuss the issue due to coronavirus, virtual discussion was done on last November. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">He further informed that preparations are underway to sign a partnership agreement (PI) with the company soon. Similarly, Himesh Kharel, Nepal&rsquo;s representative for Motrex, said that the company is in contact with the Investment Board. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Motrex is not the first company to assemble vehicle in Nepal. Golchha group had assembled vehicles under the Mustang brand in Nepal, but the plant was closed in 2018 citing policy reasons of the government. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Laxmi Intercontinental, the official distributor of Hyundai and Kia for Nepal, has also applied for registration of an assembly plant after Motrex took the initiative to assemble Hyundai and Kia vehicles. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">So far, 22 companies have been registered with the Department of Industry for vehicle assembly. </span></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13065',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Delay in Formulating Work Procedures Prevents Nepali Workers from going to Israel',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: Nepali migrant workers aspiring to go to Israel for foreign employment have not been able to do so due to the delay in formulating work procedure by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS). ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 19: Nepali migrant workers aspiring to go to Israel for foreign employment have not been able to do so due to the delay in formulating work procedure by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS). </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The Government of Nepal had signed a bilateral labor agreement with Israel for sending Nepali workers to Israel on September 30. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">&nbsp;&ldquo;We are prepared to call for the applications but MoLESS has not sent the work procedure, said Kumar Prasad Dahal, Director General of the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE). According to him, the DoFE has prepared online system to receive applications from aspiring migrant workers who are interested to work in Israel. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">&ldquo;They can submit the application from home. &nbsp;As soon as the work procedure is ready, we will call for applications.&rdquo; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Dahal added that Israel is interested to hire workers as soon as possible but the delay on part of the MoLESS is affecting the process. A high-level official from the MoLESS informed that although the work procedure has been drafted, it has been put on hold due to self-interest of some officials. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Once the applications are open, 500 caregivers will be going to Israel for employment. The workers will be sent under the government-to-government (G2G) initiative. Workers will be employed as caregivers in nursing homes, day care centers and hospitals. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">DoFE has also requested job seekers not to be duped if any individual promises to send them to Israel in exchange for money. &ldquo;There are rumors that some agents are active in the market to dupe people on the pretext of sending them to Israel, if report is filed with evidence, DoFE will take action,&rdquo; said Dahal. He also added that foreign employment companies and private sector don&rsquo;t have any kind of roles in sending workers to Israel. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">As per the new protocol, Nepali workers will have to bear the travel cost themselves. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Nepali workers willing to go to Israel for work will have to pay the visa fee, medical test fee as well as orientation charge and a certain amount to the welfare fund themselves.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13064',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NEA to Collect Tariff of Dedicated Feeder and Trunk Line ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided to collect electricity tariff for dedicated feeders and trunk lines despite objection from industrialists.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 18: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided to collect electricity tariff for dedicated feeders and trunk lines despite objection from industrialists. As per the decision, NEA will collect all the arrears from the date of fixing the electricity tariff for dedicated feeder and trunk line till mid-April 2020.<br />
NEA&#39;s board of directors took such a decision during a recent meeting.<br />
However, the decision has not been made public. Even though the decision has been taken, some of the board members are yet to sign the minute. &nbsp;<br />
However, NEA has decided to adjust the tariff if the court and the Electricity Regulatory Commission order to do so. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Nepal Electricity Authority had supplied electricity to industries through dedicated feeder and trunk line at 65 percent additional charge between 2071 BS to 2075 BS amid load-shedding crisis.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Although the problem of load-shedding came to an end since early 2075, NEA has been charging the same rate to the industrialists till date. However, the industrialists are not ready to pay any additional charges after the load-shedding cane to an end.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The government had handed over the responsibility to the Electricity Regulatory Commission for taking the necessary decision.&nbsp; However, NEA has decided to collect all the tariffs to adjust it later if the commission decides.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>
',
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12810',
			'image' => '20210218115310_20200818043659_1597700431.Clipboard08.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-02-18 11:52:05',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13063',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NTA to Revise Broadband and ICT Policies',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is planning to revise the telecommunication policies including the Broadband Policy 2015 and the ICT Policy for their effective implementation.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">February 18: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is planning to revise the telecommunication policies including the Broadband Policy 2015 and the ICT Policy for their effective implementation. NTA will form a new single policy by incorporating major ideas of these policies for their effective execution.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Speaking at a program organized by the Society of Economic Journalists Nepal, Director of NTA, Min Prasad Aryal said that there is a need to revise the broadband policy and the ICT policy in accordance to the huge changes technology has gone through. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Broadband policy 2015 had set the target of reducing broadband price to 5 percent of monthly GNI per capita. In 2019, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) had changed the target to 2 percent of the monthly GNI per capita for developing countries. Likewise, other targets set by broadband and ICT policies were achieving digital literacy of 75 percent, broadband penetration of 90 percent and increasing internet penetration to 100 percent. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Dilliram Adhikari, managing director of Nepal Telecom, also stressed on the need of revising these policies to make them contextual and timely. Shedding light on the progress of 4G expansion and progress of laying optical fiber along the Midhill Highway, he said that services such as telecom and internet should be made consumer-centric for sustainability. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">On behalf of the Internet Service Providers, former president of the Internet Service Providers&rsquo; Association of Nepal (ISPAN) Binaya Bohara urged the government to reduce various kinds of tax being levied on internet service and rental charge for using poles. He also stressed on the need to establish a new infrastructure company to end duplication of network and to ensure quality of service. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">SEJON had organized an interaction programme on &lsquo;internet delivery, issues and challenges&rsquo;. Representatives from the Nepal Telecommunication Authority, Nepal Telecom, ISPAN, Ministry of Finance and Nepal Electricity Authority spoke on various issues in relation to internet service delivery. </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'sortorder' => '12809',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13062',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Tourism Stakeholders 'Unaware' of Government Plans to Revive the Industry ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is preparing launch promotional campaign to revive the tourism sector that has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Tamish Giri<br />
February 18: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is preparing launch promotional campaign to revive the tourism sector that has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The tourism board aims to focus more on Asia, and one-stop away tourism destinations to help both the country and tourism stakeholders to sustain the tourism industry.<br />
Mani Lamichhane, director of NTB, informed that NTB is currently preparing a promotional plan targeting regional and Asian tourists. &quot;Under this strategy, NTB and Nepal Airlines are planning a sales scheme in Indian cities of Mumbai and Delhi. We are also planning to attend SATTE, Delhi, and OTM Mumbai fairs - physically, and are also planning for at least two sales missions in India. Likewise, we are also getting ourselves ready for participating in fairs in China and other Asian Destinations,&rdquo; he informed.<br />
Even though NTB suggests it has made some initiation to revive the tourism industry from the current crisis, tourism entrepreneurs express a different view. They are distressed due to the &ldquo;indifferent attitude&rdquo; of the government and for not consulting with them for their opinion.<br />
According to CN Pandey, past president of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travels Agents (NATTA), the government has not consulted with NATTA about any plans and policies.<br />
&quot;Even though the decision of focusing on regional tourist destinations is relevant, no consultation has been made with us,&quot; he expressed.<br />
Tourist arrival in Nepal declined by 80 percent in 2020, compared to 2019, due to Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 230,000 foreigners had visited Nepal last year, while only 14 visited in April, the lowest-ever in history since government started keeping records. This downfall in tourist arrival has shattered the tourism entrepreneurs, who are still facing crisis and are struggling to sustain their business.<br />
Binayak Shah, vice president of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), said that the private sector is unaware of what the government is doing.<br />
&quot;We see the government and tourism authorities are lagging behind during the current crisis. The decision and plans are unclear and lack proper management. The government, especially the tourism minister, has done nothing substantial to help us. They are sleeping while we are struggling to sustain. We have repeatedly urged them to open up visas on arrival for the tourists, but the decision is pending at the CCMC and cabinet,&quot; he shared.<br />
Currently, tourism stakeholders are concerned about opening the country for tourism by following mandatory quarantine provision. They have been requesting the government to open visa on arrival and online visas.<br />
Tourism stakeholders have urged the government to allow foreigners with negative PCR tests to enter the country. They have been requesting to conduct a PCR test at the airport for all the arriving tourists and allow the foreigners with negative test results to enter the country and individuals testing positive to be referred to hotel isolation or returned home.</span></span></p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2021-02-17',
			'modified' => '2021-02-17',
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12808',
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			'article_date' => '2021-02-17 16:46:55',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13061',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Three Chinese Companies Shortlisted for Kathmandu-Terai  Fast Track Project',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Three Chinese companies have been selected in the prequalification round to build bridges and tunnels along the Kathmandu-Terai fast track. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">February 18: Three Chinese companies have been selected in the prequalification round to build bridges and tunnels along the Kathmandu-Terai fast track. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">A total of 43 companies had submitted proposals for the pre-qualification round. Only three companies that met the requirements have been selected for the project. The Nepalese Army (NA), which has been assigned the responsibility to construct the fast track, has asked those three companies to submit financial and technical proposals. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The NA had sought proposals for tunnel packages 1 and 2 for the fast track which is currently under construction. It took almost five months for the NA to complete the evaluation process of those companies. Of the shortlisted companies, Poly Changda Engineerng Corporation Limited has been selected for both the packages and China Engineering Corporation Limited has been selected for the first package. The first package consist of construction of four major bridges and the second package constitutes construction of one major bridge and other special bridges. Along with this, construction of roads connecting to fast track also fall under the packages. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Brigadier General Santosh Ballav Poudel, spokesperson of NA, told that only a few companies have been shortlisted as majority of the companies could not meet the requirements like.&nbsp; According to him three companies have been shortlisted in accordance to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The shortlisted companies have to submit financial and technical proposals within the next 45 days. If the financial and technical reports meet the criteria they will be awarded the contract in the second week of June. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The construction of tunnels and bridges constitute a major part of the fast track. As the construction of tunnels and bridges has not started, it has affected the overall progress of the fast track project. Three tunnels and 16 bridges will be built along the 76.2-kilometre-long Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track. The tunnels are 41 km long and combined length of the bridges is 10.59km. </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13060',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Traders Face Difficulty in Importing Summer Garments from China',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 17: Traders have been facing problems in importing readymade garments for the summer season due to the closure of Nepal-China border for more than a year. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 17: Traders have been facing problems in importing readymade garments for the summer season due to the closure of Nepal-China border for more than a year. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Importers and traders have to import goods through India after the northern border of Nepal was closed to prevent coronavirus from spreading. Traders complain that it has made the transportation cost expensive and they even have to spend more time importing goods. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Under normal circumstances, traders used to import goods from China through Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani customs. However, at present, goods have to be imported from India via the sea route for which they have to pay three times more than the normal fare. Due to this, the price of goods has also increased.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to Dil Sunder Shrestha, executive committee member of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the charge for importing a container of goods via sea route was just US$ 1800 during normal circumstances. But, at present, it costs more than US$ 5,000 per container. Shrestha added that this has led to price hike and the general consumers have to face the burden at the end.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">At present, importers and traders have not been able to go to China to select goods and import them. So the goods are being ordered online. China is one of the major suppliers of readymade garments to Nepal. According to traders, 60 percent of the readymade garments imported to Nepal come from China, 30 percent from India and 10 percent from Bangladesh and Thailand. Garments worth Rs 80 billion are imported annually for both winter and summer seasons. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Under normal circumstances, it would take up to 15 days to bring the goods via sea. However, now the traders complain that the goods take up to two months to arrive in the country. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Rajendra Lama, a local trader of New Road, said that the failure to import goods on time has affected their business as they have not been able to provide goods to the retailers on time. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">At present, the import from Tatopani Customs and Rasuwagadi Customs has been halted as the customs and other offices have been closed for the Chinese New Year celebrations. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Prior to this, five vehicles carrying goods used to enter Nepal through Rasuwagadi customs on a daily basis. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13059',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Himalaya Airlines Resumes Commercial Flights to Dubai',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 17: Himalaya Airlines, a Nepal-China joint venture company, has resumed commercial flights to Dubai starting from  February 14. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">February 17: Himalaya Airlines, a Nepal-China joint venture company, has resumed commercial flights to Dubai starting from&nbsp; February 14. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The first flight after a long gap departed from Tribhuvan International Airport at 22:36 hours (local time) and landed at Dubai International Airport (DXB) at 01:40 hours (local time). The return flight from Dubai departed at 04:10 hours (local time) the next day and landed in Kathmandu at 09:25 hours (local time) on February 15, the airline said in a statement.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">As the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic has largely subsided, the UAE has opened up for visitors with COVID-19 safety protocols resulting into substantial increase in passenger flow both ways on KTM-DXB-KTM route.&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The airline company informed that it has resumed commercial flights to Dubai International Airport and will conduct three flights per week. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">&ldquo;Kathmandu-Dubai flights are scheduled to fly every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and will depart from Dubai on every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday,&rdquo; the statement reads. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">Zhou Enyong, president of Himalaya Airlines, had personally handed over the boarding passes to the first three passengers along with a special souvenir kit at the check-in counter on February 14. The airlines marking the special occasion, provided all passengers on both outbound and inbound flights with a special travel amenity kit on board.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">&ldquo;With all the constraints of COVID-19 pandemic, resuming flight operations to our scheduled destinations has been indeed challenging for us. However, with the easing of travel ban and quarantine restrictions, we are all geared up to rebuild our network with the UAE, complying with mandatory health protocols of civil aviation authorities and government agencies,&rdquo; the statement quoted Zhou Enyong as saying.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The airlines first took off to Dubai International Airport on April 28, 2017 connecting with Abu Dhabi via free shuttle bus for passengers. However with increased passenger flow, direct flights to Abu Dhabi International Airport was initiated on March 31, 2019.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The airline has appointed Hello Himalaya Travel &amp; Tourism LLC, Dubai as its General Sales Agents (GSA) for passenger handling in the United Arab of Emirates, responsible for the airline&rsquo;s sales and marketing, market development, reservations and ticketing services for the UAE market.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>
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	(int) 0 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13073',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Foreign Trade of Rs 300 billion Took Place through Birgunj Customs ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: In the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2020/21, Birgunj customs accounted for Nepal’s foreign trade worth Rs 300 billion. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">February 19: In the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2020/21, Birgunj customs accounted for Nepal&rsquo;s foreign trade worth Rs 300 billion. Birgunj customs informed that trade of Rs 2.98 billion has been done through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Birgunj. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Automobiles, petroleum products and industrial raw materials were the major items imported from Birgunj customs point. &nbsp;Nepal Oil Corporation imports more than half of the petroleum product required for the country through this customs point. &nbsp;NOC has imported diesel worth Rs 27 billion, petrol worth Rs 9.86 billion, and LP gas worth Rs 9.29 billion. Meanwhile import of petrol and LP gas has declined compared to last fiscal year. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Ramesh Sukmani, customs officer of Birgunj Customs Point, believes that the import of petroleum product has gone down due to the lockdown in the first two months of the current fiscal year and surplus of power inside the country. In the first few months, import of diesel had also declined but it increased subsequently with the rise in demand. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Four-wheelers worth Rs 3.85 billion have been imported from this customs point. In the corresponding period of last fiscal year, 5,215 four-wheelers were imported into Nepal while the number of vehicles imported this year stands at 3,449. According to the customs office, restriction on import of expensive vehicles in accordance to the new policy has led to the decline in number of vehicles being imported into the country. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Customs Officer Sukmani informed that the overall import from this customs point has declined by 7 percent during the review period compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year. However export has increased by 9 percent. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Export of refined soybean oil has increased through this customs point. Altogether 14 industries of Bara- Parsa Corridor have been involved in the export of soybean oil. Besides soybean oil, readymade clothes, shoes, carpet, Ayurvedic medicines, steel utensils among others were the other major items exported through Birgunj. </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'created' => '2021-02-19',
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12819',
			'image' => '20210219040829_1613686827.Clipboard15.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-02-19 16:07:15',
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	(int) 1 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13071',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Stock of Food Management and Trading Company Falls Short of Requirement',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Food Management and Trading Company of the government has less that required stock of food due to its inability to purchase paddy as per the target. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 19: The Food Management and Trading Company of the government has less that required stock of food due to its inability to purchase paddy as per the target. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">There is a provision for the government to have 33,000 metric tons of food grains in stock for immediate supply during times of crisis like earthquake, flood, landslide, and pandemic. However, the state-owned company has only around 30,000 metric tons of food grains in stock including rice, wheat and paddy. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although the company had started the work with the aim of purchasing 60,000 metric tons of paddy for the current fiscal year, only 24,279 metric tons of paddy has been purchased till now. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Sharmila Neupane, information officer of the company, said that they have not been able to buy paddy as per their target as the price fixed by the local traders for the varieties of grains purchased by the company is higher than the minimum support price set by the government. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The company is buying paddy from 11 different places of the country in minimum support price. The government had fixed the minimum support price of coarse paddy at Rs 2,735 per quintal and medium paddy at Rs 2,885 per quintal this year. The company is buying Makwanpur paddy from farmers at Rs 2,820 per quintal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">However, local traders in Rajapur of Bardiya are buying the same paddy at Rs 3,000 per quintal. Due to this, the company has not been able to buy paddy as per the target in Bardiya. The Rajapur Rice Mill, which was responsible to buy 40,000 quintals of paddy, has been able to buy only 3,600 quintals so far. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&quot;It is good that farmers are getting higher prices. The government sets the support prices for that. However, due to this, we could not buy it as per our target,&rdquo; said Dharmaraj Pant, chief of Rajapur Rice Mill. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The company is facing a similar problem in Janakpur as well. They are buying Basmati rice at Rs 4,750 per quintal while the local traders are buying it at Rs 5,000 per quintal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Jayananda Pandey, senior accounting assistant at the company&rsquo;s depot in Janakpur, said that 1,000 quintals of Basmati and 1,612 metric tons of Sona Mansuli rice were purchased in Janakpur as of Wednesday. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">So far, the company has purchased 5,386 metric ton of Makwanpur paddy from Dhangadhi, 1,499 metric tons of Sona Mansuli and 50 metric ton of Ranjit paddy from Birtamod. Likewise, a total of 1,548 metric tons of Sona Mansuli, Ranjit and Basmati paddy have been brought from Biratnagar, 2,256 metric ton of Sona Mansuli from Lahan, 10 metric tons of Jira Masino and 2,948 metric tons of Sona Mansuli paddy from Birgunj. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Similarly, 18 metric tons of sawa rice has been purchased from Bhairahawa, 947 metric ton of coarse paddy from Mahendranagar, 1,428 metric tons of coarse paddy and 2,361 metric tons of medium paddy from Nepalgunj. They have not been able to buy Marsi rice in Jumla so far. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12818',
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			'article_date' => '2021-02-19 13:39:04',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13072',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Tourism Ministry Allocates Signs to Hotels Based on their Category ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Tourism Ministry has decided to categorize hotels in accordance to their standard.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">February 19: The Tourism Ministry has decided to categorize hotels in accordance to their standard. As per the decision, hotels and resorts have to keep a sign at their entrances denoting their category based on their standard of service. &nbsp;<br />
According to a press statement issued by the ministry, the government has determined the star signs of hotels and resorts. Hotels need to place a brass plate at their entrance, crafted with the Nepal Government&rsquo;s official emblem, with black horizontal lines and red stars denoting the category of the service offered at the hotel, and it must also include the hotel&rsquo;s name.<br />
The hotels have been categorized from one-star to five-star hotels.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">In the case of hotels that have been classified as tourist hotels by the Department of Tourism and its subordinate offices in the past, the sign TS written in red has to be kept at the entrance.<br />
The government has determined the letter M for motels.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Likewise, tourists Inns have to use the letter I written in red as their sign, while bread and breakfast have to use B&amp;B written in red colour as their sign.<br />
Resorts of all levels, star hotels, and boutique hotels of all levels should have a signboard at the entrance of the hotel/resort with a specified number of star signs in the size specified by the concerned local levels.<br />
Hotels/resorts that are members of Hotel Association Nepal or a joint organization of hoteliers also have to place the symbol of their associated organization on the plate.</span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2021-02-19',
			'modified' => '2021-02-21',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12817',
			'image' => '20210219025116_hotal greding in nepal dainiki tourism ministrey (1).jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-02-19 14:48:58',
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	(int) 3 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13070',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Oxford University Recruits Patients from Nepal for Covid-19 Clinical Trial',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) Trial, the world’s largest clinical trial for COVID-19 treatments, has now expanded internationally with Indonesia and Nepal among the first countries to join, according to the University of Oxford.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">February 19: The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) Trial, the world&rsquo;s largest clinical trial for COVID-19 treatments, has now expanded internationally with Indonesia and Nepal among the first countries to join, according to the University of Oxford. The university said in a statement that the first patients have already been recruited for the trial.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;The RECOVERY trial has been an enormous success, enrolling over 36,000 patients and delivering clear results on six treatments already,&rdquo; the statement quoted Professor Peter Horby of Oxford University as saying. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;By building on this success through international partnership we can speed up the assessment of novel treatments, increase the global relevance of the trial results, build capacity, and reduce wasted efforts on small uninformative studies,&rdquo; added Horby, professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Global Health in the Nuffield Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford, and joint chief investigator for the trial.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Professor Horby is of the view that it is particularly important to find readily available and affordable treatments for COVID-19 that can be used worldwide. RECOVERY International will &ldquo;help us&rdquo; to identify effective treatments that can be used in less well-resourced settings, he added.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">The RECOVERY trial was launched rapidly in the UK in March 2020 to investigate whether any existing treatments were effective against COVID-19. The statement added that the trial is open to all patients admitted to NHS hospitals with COVID-19, with over 36,000 patients recruited so far. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">According to the university, the trial has already delivered results that have changed clinical care, including the findings that the inexpensive steroid, dexamethasone, and the anti-inflammatory treatment, tocilizumab, significantly reduce the risk of death when given to hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">In Indonesia and Nepal, the trial will initially focus on the treatments aspirin and colchicine, since these are readily available and affordable but, like RECOVERY in the UK, the trial is adaptive and new drugs will be added over time, the statement further says.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica">The expansion of RECOVERY internationally has been made possible thanks to the longstanding work of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), which has campuses in Kathmandu in Nepal (OUCRU Nepal) and Jakarta in Indonesia (Eijkman-Oxford Clinical Research Unit, EOCRU).&rdquo; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">OUCRU Nepal exists in partnership with Patan Academy of Health Sciences and Patan Hospital in Kathmandu and the trial is being delivered in collaboration with the Nepal Health Research Council. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;The Nepal team is super-excited to be aligned with Oxford University&#39;s RECOVERY, the largest COVID-19 drug trial in the world so that these ground-breaking findings also become relevant in the context of low- and middle-income countries,&rdquo; the statement quoted Professor Buddha Basnyat, Director of OUCRU Nepal, as saying.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-family:Helvetica">The Co-lead from Nepal, Dr Pradip Gyanwali, member secretary of the Nepal Health Research Council adds that Recovery International has excellent potential for being very useful for Nepal.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;Dr Nick Cammack, COVID-19 Therapeutics Lead at Wellcome, said, </span><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica">This new research will also help us to understand how other diseases that are endemic in some countries, such as TB and HIV, can affect COVID-19 and its treatments.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">He added that COVID-19 can be a preventable and treatable disease, but only if we invest in research now. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;A pipeline of new treatments is essential if we are to reduce further deaths and suffering, and to keep pressure off health systems. Investing in research into a wide range of treatments, alongside vaccines and testing, and ensuring all advances are fairly available globally, remains our only exit from the pandemic.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2021-02-19',
			'modified' => '2021-02-19',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12816',
			'image' => '20210219120159_10.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-02-19 12:01:05',
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	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13068',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Department of Tourism Starts Issuing Permits for Springtime Expedition',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring season expedition. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">February 19: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring season expedition. The department has so far issued pre-mountaineering permits to five expedition teams from Nepal and India to climb four mountains, including Mount Everest. The spring expedition season of 2021 begins from March 20.<br />
The spring season is the most preferable time for mountaineering in Nepal.<br />
Any expedition team which is looking for permits the season starts is required to submit an application and fee to the department. According to an official of the department, 12 people from four expedition teams of India and three people from one team of Nepal (for climbing Mt. Everest) have received prior approval for climbing. According to him, two people from India have received permits to climb Mt Everest, four for Nuptse, two for Lhotse, and four for Pumori.<br />
He said that the Indian mountaineers paid Rs 222,000 to the revenue department and the Nepali climbers paid Rs 12,250 for the permits. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The Indians who had climbed Nepal&#39;s mountains in the winter season have now formed a team and sought prior permission to climb these mountains. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Officials of the department informed that permits cannot be obtained without paying the fee in advance. Spring is the most favourable season for mountaineering. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The mountaineering sector of Nepal saw enthusiastic participation from climbers during the autumn and&nbsp; winter season this year despite the risk of coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The Department of Tourism expects the number of climbers to rise in the spring season.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2021-02-19',
			'modified' => '2021-02-19',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12815',
			'image' => '20210219104343_20201108030120_Contribution of Mountains to the Tourism Economy_1.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-02-19 10:42:45',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13069',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Thangka Business Declines Due to the Impact of Covid-19  ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Traders have not been able to perform well this year even during the peak season of ‘thangka’ business. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Manisha Balami</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 18: Traders have not been able to perform well this year even during the peak season of &lsquo;thangka&rsquo; business. The time period between September to November and February to April is considered the best season for the business of thangka, an intricate painting depicting different gods of Buddhism. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;During this season, I used to sell thangkas of around Rs 900,000 to one million in a month. But at present, the sale is scarce,&rdquo; says Maila Ghising, who has been operating Maitreya Thangka Art Gallery in Bouddha. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The situation of Binod Ghising is no different from that of Maila Ghising. Binod, the proprietor of Heritage Thangka Gallery at Swoyambhu, says, &ldquo;The thangka business has declined by 90 percent due to the impact of coronavirus.&rdquo; He further informed that the meditation practitioners, devoted followers of Buddism, and few who wish to gift thangka to their relatives and friends are their only customers at present. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to the data provided by the Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN), thangkas worth Rs 16.5 million were exported in the Fiscal Year 2019/20, which is comparatively 75 percent less than in FY 2018/19. Thangkas amounting Rs 65.3 million were exported in 2018/19, according to the data. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Thangkas, which are usually painted on canvas of cotton and silk by using natural pigments, crayons, acrylic color and gold and silver, costs anything between Rs 150 to over a million rupees. Traders say that the price of the thangka depends of the quality rather than the size. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Surendra Bhai Shakya, president of the federation, says not even 20 percent of thangkas have been exported this year. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;As the sales of thangka is directly associated with tourism, the sales have declined with the decline in arrival of tourists,&rdquo; he says. As soon as the tourism business improves the situation of thangka and the whole handicraft sector will improve, he says expressing some hope. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">At present, the thanka producers have been relying on local market to sustain their business. &ldquo;Since the export of thangka is nil, we are dependent on domestic market,&rdquo; says Ghising. However, due to the lockdown, the purchasing capacity of people has decreased which has, again, impacted the thangka industry. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Thangkas are exported in countries like the United States, China, Japan, India, Germany, Thailand, Bhutan, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Taiwan, among others. </span></span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2021-02-19',
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12814',
			'image' => '20210219105824_tibetan-thangka--44339.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-02-19 10:57:38',
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13067',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Biscuit Factories of Nepal in Crisis due to ‘Smuggling’ of Indian Products',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: Nepali biscuit factories have been “forced” to lower their production by 50 percent due to smuggling of Indian biscuits into the country through the open border. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">February 19: Nepali biscuit factories have been &ldquo;forced&rdquo; to lower their production by 50 percent due to smuggling of Indian biscuits into the country through the open border. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The industrialists say that their production used to be full-fledged when the border remained completely sealed owing to the threat of coronavirus. However, they complained that they have been compelled to lower the production to 50 percent because of the illegal entry of biscuits from India by smugglers taking advantage of the porous border.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Until five years ago, there were 53 biscuit industries operational in Nepal. However, 21 of them were closed as they could not compete with the Indian products because they had been producing biscuit by importing sugar and flour from India.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Even the existing 14 industries that produce biscuit are in crisis as the government has not given them customs duty waiver for the import of sugar and flour, says Mahesh Jaju, operator of Goodlife Biscuit and the chairman of Nepal Biscuit Producers&rsquo; Association.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to him, biscuits produced within the country had good access to the domestic market during the lockdown period. He says that the industries had excessive demand during the lockdown period and had to opt for adding new plant if they were to meet the demand. But now, biscuits produced in India are being imported to Nepal by avoiding customs duty and this has forced the local industries to reduce their production by 50 percent, says Jaju.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He says that the government needs to waive customs duty on import of sugar and flour by 20 percent if it is to protect the industries that have been producing biscuits within Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He added that the illegal entry of Indian biscuits has not stopped even though they drew the attention of the secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Provincial Government. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Similarly, operator of Kwality Buscuits and central committee member of the Nepal Biscuit Producers&rsquo; Association Nawal Kishor Kabra says that the government must put an end to smuggling of Indian biscuit and also declare sugar and flour as raw materials so that the industries can import them at subsidized rate.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He said that the biscuit factories that give employment to thousands of people are on the verge of collapse due to the negligence of the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Spokesperson of Biratnagar Customs Santosh Yadav informed New Business Age that the customs office alone cannot stop smuggling of biscuits into the country and therefore they have been coordinating with security forces to stop the illegal entry of goods. He admitted that it would be difficult to fully curb smuggling because Nepal and India share 1800-kilometer border.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Meanwhile, Director General of the Industry, Supply and Consumer Protection Department Netra Prasad Subedi said that they will make attempts to stop smuggling in coordination with the local units. He said that they have received complaints of illegal entry of other goods besides biscuits when the border was reopened after the threat of Covid-19 largely subsided.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">It is estimated that around 15,000 people have lost employment due to the closure of biscuit factories in the last five years.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13066',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'South Korean Motrex yet to Set up Plant to Assemble Four-Wheelers ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: The process to set up an assemble plant by South Korean company Motrex has not been able to move forward despite its commitment to assemble 6,000 vehicles in Nepal by mid-February last year.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 18: The process to set up an assemble plant by South Korean company Motrex has not been able to move forward despite its commitment to assemble 6,000 vehicles in Nepal by mid-February last year. The Investment Board Nepal had approved Motrex to invest in Nepal for assembling vehicles on March 15, 2019. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As soon as the investment was approved, the company had committed to set up plant within 10 months and assemble 6,000 vehicles within a year. However, the process to set up the plant has no signs of progress even after 22 months of approval. Last November, a preliminary agreement was signed between the board and company. Motrex was interested in assembling Hyundai and Kia vehicles in Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">After the agreement, the company had made various demands to the Government of Nepal which has not been addressed so far. The company put forward their demand such as monopoly of the company in the automobile assembly industry in Nepal for seven years of signing the agreement, customs exemption on the import of machinery parts but the vehicles should be sold at the same price. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The government had decided to provide 100 ropanis of land to set up the plant in Motipur Industrial Area of Butwal. However, the land to be provided to the company has not been finalized yet. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Motipur Industrial Area is divided into Motipur &lsquo;A&rsquo; and Motipur &lsquo;B&rsquo;. Since Motipur &lsquo;A&rsquo; consists of forest, there is confusion regarding how to provide the forest area to the company. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to information office of the Board, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, the concerned authorities are working to resolve the forest related issues in Motipur &lsquo;A&rsquo;. Since it was not possible to physically meet the representative of Motrex and discuss the issue due to coronavirus, virtual discussion was done on last November. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">He further informed that preparations are underway to sign a partnership agreement (PI) with the company soon. Similarly, Himesh Kharel, Nepal&rsquo;s representative for Motrex, said that the company is in contact with the Investment Board. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Motrex is not the first company to assemble vehicle in Nepal. Golchha group had assembled vehicles under the Mustang brand in Nepal, but the plant was closed in 2018 citing policy reasons of the government. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Laxmi Intercontinental, the official distributor of Hyundai and Kia for Nepal, has also applied for registration of an assembly plant after Motrex took the initiative to assemble Hyundai and Kia vehicles. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">So far, 22 companies have been registered with the Department of Industry for vehicle assembly. </span></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13065',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Delay in Formulating Work Procedures Prevents Nepali Workers from going to Israel',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: Nepali migrant workers aspiring to go to Israel for foreign employment have not been able to do so due to the delay in formulating work procedure by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS). ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 19: Nepali migrant workers aspiring to go to Israel for foreign employment have not been able to do so due to the delay in formulating work procedure by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS). </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The Government of Nepal had signed a bilateral labor agreement with Israel for sending Nepali workers to Israel on September 30. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">&nbsp;&ldquo;We are prepared to call for the applications but MoLESS has not sent the work procedure, said Kumar Prasad Dahal, Director General of the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE). According to him, the DoFE has prepared online system to receive applications from aspiring migrant workers who are interested to work in Israel. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">&ldquo;They can submit the application from home. &nbsp;As soon as the work procedure is ready, we will call for applications.&rdquo; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Dahal added that Israel is interested to hire workers as soon as possible but the delay on part of the MoLESS is affecting the process. A high-level official from the MoLESS informed that although the work procedure has been drafted, it has been put on hold due to self-interest of some officials. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Once the applications are open, 500 caregivers will be going to Israel for employment. The workers will be sent under the government-to-government (G2G) initiative. Workers will be employed as caregivers in nursing homes, day care centers and hospitals. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">DoFE has also requested job seekers not to be duped if any individual promises to send them to Israel in exchange for money. &ldquo;There are rumors that some agents are active in the market to dupe people on the pretext of sending them to Israel, if report is filed with evidence, DoFE will take action,&rdquo; said Dahal. He also added that foreign employment companies and private sector don&rsquo;t have any kind of roles in sending workers to Israel. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">As per the new protocol, Nepali workers will have to bear the travel cost themselves. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Nepali workers willing to go to Israel for work will have to pay the visa fee, medical test fee as well as orientation charge and a certain amount to the welfare fund themselves.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13064',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NEA to Collect Tariff of Dedicated Feeder and Trunk Line ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided to collect electricity tariff for dedicated feeders and trunk lines despite objection from industrialists.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 18: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided to collect electricity tariff for dedicated feeders and trunk lines despite objection from industrialists. As per the decision, NEA will collect all the arrears from the date of fixing the electricity tariff for dedicated feeder and trunk line till mid-April 2020.<br />
NEA&#39;s board of directors took such a decision during a recent meeting.<br />
However, the decision has not been made public. Even though the decision has been taken, some of the board members are yet to sign the minute. &nbsp;<br />
However, NEA has decided to adjust the tariff if the court and the Electricity Regulatory Commission order to do so. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Nepal Electricity Authority had supplied electricity to industries through dedicated feeder and trunk line at 65 percent additional charge between 2071 BS to 2075 BS amid load-shedding crisis.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Although the problem of load-shedding came to an end since early 2075, NEA has been charging the same rate to the industrialists till date. However, the industrialists are not ready to pay any additional charges after the load-shedding cane to an end.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The government had handed over the responsibility to the Electricity Regulatory Commission for taking the necessary decision.&nbsp; However, NEA has decided to collect all the tariffs to adjust it later if the commission decides.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>
',
			'published' => true,
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12810',
			'image' => '20210218115310_20200818043659_1597700431.Clipboard08.jpg',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13063',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NTA to Revise Broadband and ICT Policies',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is planning to revise the telecommunication policies including the Broadband Policy 2015 and the ICT Policy for their effective implementation.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">February 18: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is planning to revise the telecommunication policies including the Broadband Policy 2015 and the ICT Policy for their effective implementation. NTA will form a new single policy by incorporating major ideas of these policies for their effective execution.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Speaking at a program organized by the Society of Economic Journalists Nepal, Director of NTA, Min Prasad Aryal said that there is a need to revise the broadband policy and the ICT policy in accordance to the huge changes technology has gone through. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Broadband policy 2015 had set the target of reducing broadband price to 5 percent of monthly GNI per capita. In 2019, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) had changed the target to 2 percent of the monthly GNI per capita for developing countries. Likewise, other targets set by broadband and ICT policies were achieving digital literacy of 75 percent, broadband penetration of 90 percent and increasing internet penetration to 100 percent. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Dilliram Adhikari, managing director of Nepal Telecom, also stressed on the need of revising these policies to make them contextual and timely. Shedding light on the progress of 4G expansion and progress of laying optical fiber along the Midhill Highway, he said that services such as telecom and internet should be made consumer-centric for sustainability. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">On behalf of the Internet Service Providers, former president of the Internet Service Providers&rsquo; Association of Nepal (ISPAN) Binaya Bohara urged the government to reduce various kinds of tax being levied on internet service and rental charge for using poles. He also stressed on the need to establish a new infrastructure company to end duplication of network and to ensure quality of service. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">SEJON had organized an interaction programme on &lsquo;internet delivery, issues and challenges&rsquo;. Representatives from the Nepal Telecommunication Authority, Nepal Telecom, ISPAN, Ministry of Finance and Nepal Electricity Authority spoke on various issues in relation to internet service delivery. </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13062',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Tourism Stakeholders 'Unaware' of Government Plans to Revive the Industry ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is preparing launch promotional campaign to revive the tourism sector that has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Tamish Giri<br />
February 18: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is preparing launch promotional campaign to revive the tourism sector that has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The tourism board aims to focus more on Asia, and one-stop away tourism destinations to help both the country and tourism stakeholders to sustain the tourism industry.<br />
Mani Lamichhane, director of NTB, informed that NTB is currently preparing a promotional plan targeting regional and Asian tourists. &quot;Under this strategy, NTB and Nepal Airlines are planning a sales scheme in Indian cities of Mumbai and Delhi. We are also planning to attend SATTE, Delhi, and OTM Mumbai fairs - physically, and are also planning for at least two sales missions in India. Likewise, we are also getting ourselves ready for participating in fairs in China and other Asian Destinations,&rdquo; he informed.<br />
Even though NTB suggests it has made some initiation to revive the tourism industry from the current crisis, tourism entrepreneurs express a different view. They are distressed due to the &ldquo;indifferent attitude&rdquo; of the government and for not consulting with them for their opinion.<br />
According to CN Pandey, past president of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travels Agents (NATTA), the government has not consulted with NATTA about any plans and policies.<br />
&quot;Even though the decision of focusing on regional tourist destinations is relevant, no consultation has been made with us,&quot; he expressed.<br />
Tourist arrival in Nepal declined by 80 percent in 2020, compared to 2019, due to Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 230,000 foreigners had visited Nepal last year, while only 14 visited in April, the lowest-ever in history since government started keeping records. This downfall in tourist arrival has shattered the tourism entrepreneurs, who are still facing crisis and are struggling to sustain their business.<br />
Binayak Shah, vice president of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), said that the private sector is unaware of what the government is doing.<br />
&quot;We see the government and tourism authorities are lagging behind during the current crisis. The decision and plans are unclear and lack proper management. The government, especially the tourism minister, has done nothing substantial to help us. They are sleeping while we are struggling to sustain. We have repeatedly urged them to open up visas on arrival for the tourists, but the decision is pending at the CCMC and cabinet,&quot; he shared.<br />
Currently, tourism stakeholders are concerned about opening the country for tourism by following mandatory quarantine provision. They have been requesting the government to open visa on arrival and online visas.<br />
Tourism stakeholders have urged the government to allow foreigners with negative PCR tests to enter the country. They have been requesting to conduct a PCR test at the airport for all the arriving tourists and allow the foreigners with negative test results to enter the country and individuals testing positive to be referred to hotel isolation or returned home.</span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2021-02-17',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13061',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Three Chinese Companies Shortlisted for Kathmandu-Terai  Fast Track Project',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Three Chinese companies have been selected in the prequalification round to build bridges and tunnels along the Kathmandu-Terai fast track. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">February 18: Three Chinese companies have been selected in the prequalification round to build bridges and tunnels along the Kathmandu-Terai fast track. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">A total of 43 companies had submitted proposals for the pre-qualification round. Only three companies that met the requirements have been selected for the project. The Nepalese Army (NA), which has been assigned the responsibility to construct the fast track, has asked those three companies to submit financial and technical proposals. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The NA had sought proposals for tunnel packages 1 and 2 for the fast track which is currently under construction. It took almost five months for the NA to complete the evaluation process of those companies. Of the shortlisted companies, Poly Changda Engineerng Corporation Limited has been selected for both the packages and China Engineering Corporation Limited has been selected for the first package. The first package consist of construction of four major bridges and the second package constitutes construction of one major bridge and other special bridges. Along with this, construction of roads connecting to fast track also fall under the packages. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Brigadier General Santosh Ballav Poudel, spokesperson of NA, told that only a few companies have been shortlisted as majority of the companies could not meet the requirements like.&nbsp; According to him three companies have been shortlisted in accordance to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The shortlisted companies have to submit financial and technical proposals within the next 45 days. If the financial and technical reports meet the criteria they will be awarded the contract in the second week of June. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The construction of tunnels and bridges constitute a major part of the fast track. As the construction of tunnels and bridges has not started, it has affected the overall progress of the fast track project. Three tunnels and 16 bridges will be built along the 76.2-kilometre-long Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track. The tunnels are 41 km long and combined length of the bridges is 10.59km. </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13060',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Traders Face Difficulty in Importing Summer Garments from China',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 17: Traders have been facing problems in importing readymade garments for the summer season due to the closure of Nepal-China border for more than a year. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 17: Traders have been facing problems in importing readymade garments for the summer season due to the closure of Nepal-China border for more than a year. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Importers and traders have to import goods through India after the northern border of Nepal was closed to prevent coronavirus from spreading. Traders complain that it has made the transportation cost expensive and they even have to spend more time importing goods. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Under normal circumstances, traders used to import goods from China through Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani customs. However, at present, goods have to be imported from India via the sea route for which they have to pay three times more than the normal fare. Due to this, the price of goods has also increased.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to Dil Sunder Shrestha, executive committee member of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the charge for importing a container of goods via sea route was just US$ 1800 during normal circumstances. But, at present, it costs more than US$ 5,000 per container. Shrestha added that this has led to price hike and the general consumers have to face the burden at the end.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">At present, importers and traders have not been able to go to China to select goods and import them. So the goods are being ordered online. China is one of the major suppliers of readymade garments to Nepal. According to traders, 60 percent of the readymade garments imported to Nepal come from China, 30 percent from India and 10 percent from Bangladesh and Thailand. Garments worth Rs 80 billion are imported annually for both winter and summer seasons. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Under normal circumstances, it would take up to 15 days to bring the goods via sea. However, now the traders complain that the goods take up to two months to arrive in the country. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Rajendra Lama, a local trader of New Road, said that the failure to import goods on time has affected their business as they have not been able to provide goods to the retailers on time. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">At present, the import from Tatopani Customs and Rasuwagadi Customs has been halted as the customs and other offices have been closed for the Chinese New Year celebrations. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Prior to this, five vehicles carrying goods used to enter Nepal through Rasuwagadi customs on a daily basis. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13059',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Himalaya Airlines Resumes Commercial Flights to Dubai',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 17: Himalaya Airlines, a Nepal-China joint venture company, has resumed commercial flights to Dubai starting from  February 14. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">February 17: Himalaya Airlines, a Nepal-China joint venture company, has resumed commercial flights to Dubai starting from&nbsp; February 14. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The first flight after a long gap departed from Tribhuvan International Airport at 22:36 hours (local time) and landed at Dubai International Airport (DXB) at 01:40 hours (local time). The return flight from Dubai departed at 04:10 hours (local time) the next day and landed in Kathmandu at 09:25 hours (local time) on February 15, the airline said in a statement.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">As the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic has largely subsided, the UAE has opened up for visitors with COVID-19 safety protocols resulting into substantial increase in passenger flow both ways on KTM-DXB-KTM route.&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The airline company informed that it has resumed commercial flights to Dubai International Airport and will conduct three flights per week. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">&ldquo;Kathmandu-Dubai flights are scheduled to fly every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and will depart from Dubai on every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday,&rdquo; the statement reads. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">Zhou Enyong, president of Himalaya Airlines, had personally handed over the boarding passes to the first three passengers along with a special souvenir kit at the check-in counter on February 14. The airlines marking the special occasion, provided all passengers on both outbound and inbound flights with a special travel amenity kit on board.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">&ldquo;With all the constraints of COVID-19 pandemic, resuming flight operations to our scheduled destinations has been indeed challenging for us. However, with the easing of travel ban and quarantine restrictions, we are all geared up to rebuild our network with the UAE, complying with mandatory health protocols of civil aviation authorities and government agencies,&rdquo; the statement quoted Zhou Enyong as saying.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The airlines first took off to Dubai International Airport on April 28, 2017 connecting with Abu Dhabi via free shuttle bus for passengers. However with increased passenger flow, direct flights to Abu Dhabi International Airport was initiated on March 31, 2019.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The airline has appointed Hello Himalaya Travel &amp; Tourism LLC, Dubai as its General Sales Agents (GSA) for passenger handling in the United Arab of Emirates, responsible for the airline&rsquo;s sales and marketing, market development, reservations and ticketing services for the UAE market.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13073',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Foreign Trade of Rs 300 billion Took Place through Birgunj Customs ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: In the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2020/21, Birgunj customs accounted for Nepal’s foreign trade worth Rs 300 billion. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">February 19: In the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2020/21, Birgunj customs accounted for Nepal&rsquo;s foreign trade worth Rs 300 billion. Birgunj customs informed that trade of Rs 2.98 billion has been done through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Birgunj. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Automobiles, petroleum products and industrial raw materials were the major items imported from Birgunj customs point. &nbsp;Nepal Oil Corporation imports more than half of the petroleum product required for the country through this customs point. &nbsp;NOC has imported diesel worth Rs 27 billion, petrol worth Rs 9.86 billion, and LP gas worth Rs 9.29 billion. Meanwhile import of petrol and LP gas has declined compared to last fiscal year. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Ramesh Sukmani, customs officer of Birgunj Customs Point, believes that the import of petroleum product has gone down due to the lockdown in the first two months of the current fiscal year and surplus of power inside the country. In the first few months, import of diesel had also declined but it increased subsequently with the rise in demand. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Four-wheelers worth Rs 3.85 billion have been imported from this customs point. In the corresponding period of last fiscal year, 5,215 four-wheelers were imported into Nepal while the number of vehicles imported this year stands at 3,449. According to the customs office, restriction on import of expensive vehicles in accordance to the new policy has led to the decline in number of vehicles being imported into the country. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Customs Officer Sukmani informed that the overall import from this customs point has declined by 7 percent during the review period compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year. However export has increased by 9 percent. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Export of refined soybean oil has increased through this customs point. Altogether 14 industries of Bara- Parsa Corridor have been involved in the export of soybean oil. Besides soybean oil, readymade clothes, shoes, carpet, Ayurvedic medicines, steel utensils among others were the other major items exported through Birgunj. </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'sortorder' => '12819',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13071',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Stock of Food Management and Trading Company Falls Short of Requirement',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Food Management and Trading Company of the government has less that required stock of food due to its inability to purchase paddy as per the target. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 19: The Food Management and Trading Company of the government has less that required stock of food due to its inability to purchase paddy as per the target. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">There is a provision for the government to have 33,000 metric tons of food grains in stock for immediate supply during times of crisis like earthquake, flood, landslide, and pandemic. However, the state-owned company has only around 30,000 metric tons of food grains in stock including rice, wheat and paddy. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Although the company had started the work with the aim of purchasing 60,000 metric tons of paddy for the current fiscal year, only 24,279 metric tons of paddy has been purchased till now. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Sharmila Neupane, information officer of the company, said that they have not been able to buy paddy as per their target as the price fixed by the local traders for the varieties of grains purchased by the company is higher than the minimum support price set by the government. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The company is buying paddy from 11 different places of the country in minimum support price. The government had fixed the minimum support price of coarse paddy at Rs 2,735 per quintal and medium paddy at Rs 2,885 per quintal this year. The company is buying Makwanpur paddy from farmers at Rs 2,820 per quintal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">However, local traders in Rajapur of Bardiya are buying the same paddy at Rs 3,000 per quintal. Due to this, the company has not been able to buy paddy as per the target in Bardiya. The Rajapur Rice Mill, which was responsible to buy 40,000 quintals of paddy, has been able to buy only 3,600 quintals so far. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&quot;It is good that farmers are getting higher prices. The government sets the support prices for that. However, due to this, we could not buy it as per our target,&rdquo; said Dharmaraj Pant, chief of Rajapur Rice Mill. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The company is facing a similar problem in Janakpur as well. They are buying Basmati rice at Rs 4,750 per quintal while the local traders are buying it at Rs 5,000 per quintal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Jayananda Pandey, senior accounting assistant at the company&rsquo;s depot in Janakpur, said that 1,000 quintals of Basmati and 1,612 metric tons of Sona Mansuli rice were purchased in Janakpur as of Wednesday. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">So far, the company has purchased 5,386 metric ton of Makwanpur paddy from Dhangadhi, 1,499 metric tons of Sona Mansuli and 50 metric ton of Ranjit paddy from Birtamod. Likewise, a total of 1,548 metric tons of Sona Mansuli, Ranjit and Basmati paddy have been brought from Biratnagar, 2,256 metric ton of Sona Mansuli from Lahan, 10 metric tons of Jira Masino and 2,948 metric tons of Sona Mansuli paddy from Birgunj. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Similarly, 18 metric tons of sawa rice has been purchased from Bhairahawa, 947 metric ton of coarse paddy from Mahendranagar, 1,428 metric tons of coarse paddy and 2,361 metric tons of medium paddy from Nepalgunj. They have not been able to buy Marsi rice in Jumla so far. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13072',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Tourism Ministry Allocates Signs to Hotels Based on their Category ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Tourism Ministry has decided to categorize hotels in accordance to their standard.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">February 19: The Tourism Ministry has decided to categorize hotels in accordance to their standard. As per the decision, hotels and resorts have to keep a sign at their entrances denoting their category based on their standard of service. &nbsp;<br />
According to a press statement issued by the ministry, the government has determined the star signs of hotels and resorts. Hotels need to place a brass plate at their entrance, crafted with the Nepal Government&rsquo;s official emblem, with black horizontal lines and red stars denoting the category of the service offered at the hotel, and it must also include the hotel&rsquo;s name.<br />
The hotels have been categorized from one-star to five-star hotels.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">In the case of hotels that have been classified as tourist hotels by the Department of Tourism and its subordinate offices in the past, the sign TS written in red has to be kept at the entrance.<br />
The government has determined the letter M for motels.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Likewise, tourists Inns have to use the letter I written in red as their sign, while bread and breakfast have to use B&amp;B written in red colour as their sign.<br />
Resorts of all levels, star hotels, and boutique hotels of all levels should have a signboard at the entrance of the hotel/resort with a specified number of star signs in the size specified by the concerned local levels.<br />
Hotels/resorts that are members of Hotel Association Nepal or a joint organization of hoteliers also have to place the symbol of their associated organization on the plate.</span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13070',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Oxford University Recruits Patients from Nepal for Covid-19 Clinical Trial',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) Trial, the world’s largest clinical trial for COVID-19 treatments, has now expanded internationally with Indonesia and Nepal among the first countries to join, according to the University of Oxford.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">February 19: The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) Trial, the world&rsquo;s largest clinical trial for COVID-19 treatments, has now expanded internationally with Indonesia and Nepal among the first countries to join, according to the University of Oxford. The university said in a statement that the first patients have already been recruited for the trial.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;The RECOVERY trial has been an enormous success, enrolling over 36,000 patients and delivering clear results on six treatments already,&rdquo; the statement quoted Professor Peter Horby of Oxford University as saying. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;By building on this success through international partnership we can speed up the assessment of novel treatments, increase the global relevance of the trial results, build capacity, and reduce wasted efforts on small uninformative studies,&rdquo; added Horby, professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Global Health in the Nuffield Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford, and joint chief investigator for the trial.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Professor Horby is of the view that it is particularly important to find readily available and affordable treatments for COVID-19 that can be used worldwide. RECOVERY International will &ldquo;help us&rdquo; to identify effective treatments that can be used in less well-resourced settings, he added.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">The RECOVERY trial was launched rapidly in the UK in March 2020 to investigate whether any existing treatments were effective against COVID-19. The statement added that the trial is open to all patients admitted to NHS hospitals with COVID-19, with over 36,000 patients recruited so far. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">According to the university, the trial has already delivered results that have changed clinical care, including the findings that the inexpensive steroid, dexamethasone, and the anti-inflammatory treatment, tocilizumab, significantly reduce the risk of death when given to hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">In Indonesia and Nepal, the trial will initially focus on the treatments aspirin and colchicine, since these are readily available and affordable but, like RECOVERY in the UK, the trial is adaptive and new drugs will be added over time, the statement further says.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica">The expansion of RECOVERY internationally has been made possible thanks to the longstanding work of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), which has campuses in Kathmandu in Nepal (OUCRU Nepal) and Jakarta in Indonesia (Eijkman-Oxford Clinical Research Unit, EOCRU).&rdquo; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">OUCRU Nepal exists in partnership with Patan Academy of Health Sciences and Patan Hospital in Kathmandu and the trial is being delivered in collaboration with the Nepal Health Research Council. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;The Nepal team is super-excited to be aligned with Oxford University&#39;s RECOVERY, the largest COVID-19 drug trial in the world so that these ground-breaking findings also become relevant in the context of low- and middle-income countries,&rdquo; the statement quoted Professor Buddha Basnyat, Director of OUCRU Nepal, as saying.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;<span style="font-family:Helvetica">The Co-lead from Nepal, Dr Pradip Gyanwali, member secretary of the Nepal Health Research Council adds that Recovery International has excellent potential for being very useful for Nepal.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&nbsp;Dr Nick Cammack, COVID-19 Therapeutics Lead at Wellcome, said, </span><span style="font-family:Times">&ldquo;</span><span style="font-family:Helvetica">This new research will also help us to understand how other diseases that are endemic in some countries, such as TB and HIV, can affect COVID-19 and its treatments.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">He added that COVID-19 can be a preventable and treatable disease, but only if we invest in research now. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">&ldquo;A pipeline of new treatments is essential if we are to reduce further deaths and suffering, and to keep pressure off health systems. Investing in research into a wide range of treatments, alongside vaccines and testing, and ensuring all advances are fairly available globally, remains our only exit from the pandemic.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13068',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Department of Tourism Starts Issuing Permits for Springtime Expedition',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring season expedition. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">February 19: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring season expedition. The department has so far issued pre-mountaineering permits to five expedition teams from Nepal and India to climb four mountains, including Mount Everest. The spring expedition season of 2021 begins from March 20.<br />
The spring season is the most preferable time for mountaineering in Nepal.<br />
Any expedition team which is looking for permits the season starts is required to submit an application and fee to the department. According to an official of the department, 12 people from four expedition teams of India and three people from one team of Nepal (for climbing Mt. Everest) have received prior approval for climbing. According to him, two people from India have received permits to climb Mt Everest, four for Nuptse, two for Lhotse, and four for Pumori.<br />
He said that the Indian mountaineers paid Rs 222,000 to the revenue department and the Nepali climbers paid Rs 12,250 for the permits. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The Indians who had climbed Nepal&#39;s mountains in the winter season have now formed a team and sought prior permission to climb these mountains. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Officials of the department informed that permits cannot be obtained without paying the fee in advance. Spring is the most favourable season for mountaineering. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The mountaineering sector of Nepal saw enthusiastic participation from climbers during the autumn and&nbsp; winter season this year despite the risk of coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The Department of Tourism expects the number of climbers to rise in the spring season.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'created' => '2021-02-19',
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '12815',
			'image' => '20210219104343_20201108030120_Contribution of Mountains to the Tourism Economy_1.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2021-02-19 10:42:45',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13069',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Thangka Business Declines Due to the Impact of Covid-19  ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Traders have not been able to perform well this year even during the peak season of ‘thangka’ business. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Manisha Balami</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 18: Traders have not been able to perform well this year even during the peak season of &lsquo;thangka&rsquo; business. The time period between September to November and February to April is considered the best season for the business of thangka, an intricate painting depicting different gods of Buddhism. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;During this season, I used to sell thangkas of around Rs 900,000 to one million in a month. But at present, the sale is scarce,&rdquo; says Maila Ghising, who has been operating Maitreya Thangka Art Gallery in Bouddha. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The situation of Binod Ghising is no different from that of Maila Ghising. Binod, the proprietor of Heritage Thangka Gallery at Swoyambhu, says, &ldquo;The thangka business has declined by 90 percent due to the impact of coronavirus.&rdquo; He further informed that the meditation practitioners, devoted followers of Buddism, and few who wish to gift thangka to their relatives and friends are their only customers at present. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to the data provided by the Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN), thangkas worth Rs 16.5 million were exported in the Fiscal Year 2019/20, which is comparatively 75 percent less than in FY 2018/19. Thangkas amounting Rs 65.3 million were exported in 2018/19, according to the data. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Thangkas, which are usually painted on canvas of cotton and silk by using natural pigments, crayons, acrylic color and gold and silver, costs anything between Rs 150 to over a million rupees. Traders say that the price of the thangka depends of the quality rather than the size. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Surendra Bhai Shakya, president of the federation, says not even 20 percent of thangkas have been exported this year. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;As the sales of thangka is directly associated with tourism, the sales have declined with the decline in arrival of tourists,&rdquo; he says. As soon as the tourism business improves the situation of thangka and the whole handicraft sector will improve, he says expressing some hope. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">At present, the thanka producers have been relying on local market to sustain their business. &ldquo;Since the export of thangka is nil, we are dependent on domestic market,&rdquo; says Ghising. However, due to the lockdown, the purchasing capacity of people has decreased which has, again, impacted the thangka industry. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Thangkas are exported in countries like the United States, China, Japan, India, Germany, Thailand, Bhutan, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Taiwan, among others. </span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13067',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Biscuit Factories of Nepal in Crisis due to ‘Smuggling’ of Indian Products',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: Nepali biscuit factories have been “forced” to lower their production by 50 percent due to smuggling of Indian biscuits into the country through the open border. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">February 19: Nepali biscuit factories have been &ldquo;forced&rdquo; to lower their production by 50 percent due to smuggling of Indian biscuits into the country through the open border. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The industrialists say that their production used to be full-fledged when the border remained completely sealed owing to the threat of coronavirus. However, they complained that they have been compelled to lower the production to 50 percent because of the illegal entry of biscuits from India by smugglers taking advantage of the porous border.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Until five years ago, there were 53 biscuit industries operational in Nepal. However, 21 of them were closed as they could not compete with the Indian products because they had been producing biscuit by importing sugar and flour from India.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Even the existing 14 industries that produce biscuit are in crisis as the government has not given them customs duty waiver for the import of sugar and flour, says Mahesh Jaju, operator of Goodlife Biscuit and the chairman of Nepal Biscuit Producers&rsquo; Association.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to him, biscuits produced within the country had good access to the domestic market during the lockdown period. He says that the industries had excessive demand during the lockdown period and had to opt for adding new plant if they were to meet the demand. But now, biscuits produced in India are being imported to Nepal by avoiding customs duty and this has forced the local industries to reduce their production by 50 percent, says Jaju.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He says that the government needs to waive customs duty on import of sugar and flour by 20 percent if it is to protect the industries that have been producing biscuits within Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He added that the illegal entry of Indian biscuits has not stopped even though they drew the attention of the secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Provincial Government. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Similarly, operator of Kwality Buscuits and central committee member of the Nepal Biscuit Producers&rsquo; Association Nawal Kishor Kabra says that the government must put an end to smuggling of Indian biscuit and also declare sugar and flour as raw materials so that the industries can import them at subsidized rate.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He said that the biscuit factories that give employment to thousands of people are on the verge of collapse due to the negligence of the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Spokesperson of Biratnagar Customs Santosh Yadav informed New Business Age that the customs office alone cannot stop smuggling of biscuits into the country and therefore they have been coordinating with security forces to stop the illegal entry of goods. He admitted that it would be difficult to fully curb smuggling because Nepal and India share 1800-kilometer border.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Meanwhile, Director General of the Industry, Supply and Consumer Protection Department Netra Prasad Subedi said that they will make attempts to stop smuggling in coordination with the local units. He said that they have received complaints of illegal entry of other goods besides biscuits when the border was reopened after the threat of Covid-19 largely subsided.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">It is estimated that around 15,000 people have lost employment due to the closure of biscuit factories in the last five years.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13066',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'South Korean Motrex yet to Set up Plant to Assemble Four-Wheelers ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: The process to set up an assemble plant by South Korean company Motrex has not been able to move forward despite its commitment to assemble 6,000 vehicles in Nepal by mid-February last year.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 18: The process to set up an assemble plant by South Korean company Motrex has not been able to move forward despite its commitment to assemble 6,000 vehicles in Nepal by mid-February last year. The Investment Board Nepal had approved Motrex to invest in Nepal for assembling vehicles on March 15, 2019. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">As soon as the investment was approved, the company had committed to set up plant within 10 months and assemble 6,000 vehicles within a year. However, the process to set up the plant has no signs of progress even after 22 months of approval. Last November, a preliminary agreement was signed between the board and company. Motrex was interested in assembling Hyundai and Kia vehicles in Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">After the agreement, the company had made various demands to the Government of Nepal which has not been addressed so far. The company put forward their demand such as monopoly of the company in the automobile assembly industry in Nepal for seven years of signing the agreement, customs exemption on the import of machinery parts but the vehicles should be sold at the same price. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The government had decided to provide 100 ropanis of land to set up the plant in Motipur Industrial Area of Butwal. However, the land to be provided to the company has not been finalized yet. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Motipur Industrial Area is divided into Motipur &lsquo;A&rsquo; and Motipur &lsquo;B&rsquo;. Since Motipur &lsquo;A&rsquo; consists of forest, there is confusion regarding how to provide the forest area to the company. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to information office of the Board, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, the concerned authorities are working to resolve the forest related issues in Motipur &lsquo;A&rsquo;. Since it was not possible to physically meet the representative of Motrex and discuss the issue due to coronavirus, virtual discussion was done on last November. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">He further informed that preparations are underway to sign a partnership agreement (PI) with the company soon. Similarly, Himesh Kharel, Nepal&rsquo;s representative for Motrex, said that the company is in contact with the Investment Board. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Motrex is not the first company to assemble vehicle in Nepal. Golchha group had assembled vehicles under the Mustang brand in Nepal, but the plant was closed in 2018 citing policy reasons of the government. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Laxmi Intercontinental, the official distributor of Hyundai and Kia for Nepal, has also applied for registration of an assembly plant after Motrex took the initiative to assemble Hyundai and Kia vehicles. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">So far, 22 companies have been registered with the Department of Industry for vehicle assembly. </span></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13065',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Delay in Formulating Work Procedures Prevents Nepali Workers from going to Israel',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 19: Nepali migrant workers aspiring to go to Israel for foreign employment have not been able to do so due to the delay in formulating work procedure by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS). ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 19: Nepali migrant workers aspiring to go to Israel for foreign employment have not been able to do so due to the delay in formulating work procedure by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS). </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The Government of Nepal had signed a bilateral labor agreement with Israel for sending Nepali workers to Israel on September 30. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">&nbsp;&ldquo;We are prepared to call for the applications but MoLESS has not sent the work procedure, said Kumar Prasad Dahal, Director General of the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE). According to him, the DoFE has prepared online system to receive applications from aspiring migrant workers who are interested to work in Israel. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">&ldquo;They can submit the application from home. &nbsp;As soon as the work procedure is ready, we will call for applications.&rdquo; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Dahal added that Israel is interested to hire workers as soon as possible but the delay on part of the MoLESS is affecting the process. A high-level official from the MoLESS informed that although the work procedure has been drafted, it has been put on hold due to self-interest of some officials. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Once the applications are open, 500 caregivers will be going to Israel for employment. The workers will be sent under the government-to-government (G2G) initiative. Workers will be employed as caregivers in nursing homes, day care centers and hospitals. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">DoFE has also requested job seekers not to be duped if any individual promises to send them to Israel in exchange for money. &ldquo;There are rumors that some agents are active in the market to dupe people on the pretext of sending them to Israel, if report is filed with evidence, DoFE will take action,&rdquo; said Dahal. He also added that foreign employment companies and private sector don&rsquo;t have any kind of roles in sending workers to Israel. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">As per the new protocol, Nepali workers will have to bear the travel cost themselves. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Nepali workers willing to go to Israel for work will have to pay the visa fee, medical test fee as well as orientation charge and a certain amount to the welfare fund themselves.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13064',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NEA to Collect Tariff of Dedicated Feeder and Trunk Line ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided to collect electricity tariff for dedicated feeders and trunk lines despite objection from industrialists.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 18: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided to collect electricity tariff for dedicated feeders and trunk lines despite objection from industrialists. As per the decision, NEA will collect all the arrears from the date of fixing the electricity tariff for dedicated feeder and trunk line till mid-April 2020.<br />
NEA&#39;s board of directors took such a decision during a recent meeting.<br />
However, the decision has not been made public. Even though the decision has been taken, some of the board members are yet to sign the minute. &nbsp;<br />
However, NEA has decided to adjust the tariff if the court and the Electricity Regulatory Commission order to do so. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Nepal Electricity Authority had supplied electricity to industries through dedicated feeder and trunk line at 65 percent additional charge between 2071 BS to 2075 BS amid load-shedding crisis.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Although the problem of load-shedding came to an end since early 2075, NEA has been charging the same rate to the industrialists till date. However, the industrialists are not ready to pay any additional charges after the load-shedding cane to an end.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The government had handed over the responsibility to the Electricity Regulatory Commission for taking the necessary decision.&nbsp; However, NEA has decided to collect all the tariffs to adjust it later if the commission decides.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13063',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NTA to Revise Broadband and ICT Policies',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is planning to revise the telecommunication policies including the Broadband Policy 2015 and the ICT Policy for their effective implementation.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">February 18: Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is planning to revise the telecommunication policies including the Broadband Policy 2015 and the ICT Policy for their effective implementation. NTA will form a new single policy by incorporating major ideas of these policies for their effective execution.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Speaking at a program organized by the Society of Economic Journalists Nepal, Director of NTA, Min Prasad Aryal said that there is a need to revise the broadband policy and the ICT policy in accordance to the huge changes technology has gone through. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Broadband policy 2015 had set the target of reducing broadband price to 5 percent of monthly GNI per capita. In 2019, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) had changed the target to 2 percent of the monthly GNI per capita for developing countries. Likewise, other targets set by broadband and ICT policies were achieving digital literacy of 75 percent, broadband penetration of 90 percent and increasing internet penetration to 100 percent. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Dilliram Adhikari, managing director of Nepal Telecom, also stressed on the need of revising these policies to make them contextual and timely. Shedding light on the progress of 4G expansion and progress of laying optical fiber along the Midhill Highway, he said that services such as telecom and internet should be made consumer-centric for sustainability. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">On behalf of the Internet Service Providers, former president of the Internet Service Providers&rsquo; Association of Nepal (ISPAN) Binaya Bohara urged the government to reduce various kinds of tax being levied on internet service and rental charge for using poles. He also stressed on the need to establish a new infrastructure company to end duplication of network and to ensure quality of service. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">SEJON had organized an interaction programme on &lsquo;internet delivery, issues and challenges&rsquo;. Representatives from the Nepal Telecommunication Authority, Nepal Telecom, ISPAN, Ministry of Finance and Nepal Electricity Authority spoke on various issues in relation to internet service delivery. </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13062',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Tourism Stakeholders 'Unaware' of Government Plans to Revive the Industry ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is preparing launch promotional campaign to revive the tourism sector that has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Tamish Giri<br />
February 18: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is preparing launch promotional campaign to revive the tourism sector that has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The tourism board aims to focus more on Asia, and one-stop away tourism destinations to help both the country and tourism stakeholders to sustain the tourism industry.<br />
Mani Lamichhane, director of NTB, informed that NTB is currently preparing a promotional plan targeting regional and Asian tourists. &quot;Under this strategy, NTB and Nepal Airlines are planning a sales scheme in Indian cities of Mumbai and Delhi. We are also planning to attend SATTE, Delhi, and OTM Mumbai fairs - physically, and are also planning for at least two sales missions in India. Likewise, we are also getting ourselves ready for participating in fairs in China and other Asian Destinations,&rdquo; he informed.<br />
Even though NTB suggests it has made some initiation to revive the tourism industry from the current crisis, tourism entrepreneurs express a different view. They are distressed due to the &ldquo;indifferent attitude&rdquo; of the government and for not consulting with them for their opinion.<br />
According to CN Pandey, past president of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travels Agents (NATTA), the government has not consulted with NATTA about any plans and policies.<br />
&quot;Even though the decision of focusing on regional tourist destinations is relevant, no consultation has been made with us,&quot; he expressed.<br />
Tourist arrival in Nepal declined by 80 percent in 2020, compared to 2019, due to Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 230,000 foreigners had visited Nepal last year, while only 14 visited in April, the lowest-ever in history since government started keeping records. This downfall in tourist arrival has shattered the tourism entrepreneurs, who are still facing crisis and are struggling to sustain their business.<br />
Binayak Shah, vice president of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), said that the private sector is unaware of what the government is doing.<br />
&quot;We see the government and tourism authorities are lagging behind during the current crisis. The decision and plans are unclear and lack proper management. The government, especially the tourism minister, has done nothing substantial to help us. They are sleeping while we are struggling to sustain. We have repeatedly urged them to open up visas on arrival for the tourists, but the decision is pending at the CCMC and cabinet,&quot; he shared.<br />
Currently, tourism stakeholders are concerned about opening the country for tourism by following mandatory quarantine provision. They have been requesting the government to open visa on arrival and online visas.<br />
Tourism stakeholders have urged the government to allow foreigners with negative PCR tests to enter the country. They have been requesting to conduct a PCR test at the airport for all the arriving tourists and allow the foreigners with negative test results to enter the country and individuals testing positive to be referred to hotel isolation or returned home.</span></span></p>
',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13061',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Three Chinese Companies Shortlisted for Kathmandu-Terai  Fast Track Project',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 18: Three Chinese companies have been selected in the prequalification round to build bridges and tunnels along the Kathmandu-Terai fast track. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">February 18: Three Chinese companies have been selected in the prequalification round to build bridges and tunnels along the Kathmandu-Terai fast track. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">A total of 43 companies had submitted proposals for the pre-qualification round. Only three companies that met the requirements have been selected for the project. The Nepalese Army (NA), which has been assigned the responsibility to construct the fast track, has asked those three companies to submit financial and technical proposals. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The NA had sought proposals for tunnel packages 1 and 2 for the fast track which is currently under construction. It took almost five months for the NA to complete the evaluation process of those companies. Of the shortlisted companies, Poly Changda Engineerng Corporation Limited has been selected for both the packages and China Engineering Corporation Limited has been selected for the first package. The first package consist of construction of four major bridges and the second package constitutes construction of one major bridge and other special bridges. Along with this, construction of roads connecting to fast track also fall under the packages. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Brigadier General Santosh Ballav Poudel, spokesperson of NA, told that only a few companies have been shortlisted as majority of the companies could not meet the requirements like.&nbsp; According to him three companies have been shortlisted in accordance to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The shortlisted companies have to submit financial and technical proposals within the next 45 days. If the financial and technical reports meet the criteria they will be awarded the contract in the second week of June. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The construction of tunnels and bridges constitute a major part of the fast track. As the construction of tunnels and bridges has not started, it has affected the overall progress of the fast track project. Three tunnels and 16 bridges will be built along the 76.2-kilometre-long Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track. The tunnels are 41 km long and combined length of the bridges is 10.59km. </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13060',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Traders Face Difficulty in Importing Summer Garments from China',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 17: Traders have been facing problems in importing readymade garments for the summer season due to the closure of Nepal-China border for more than a year. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">February 17: Traders have been facing problems in importing readymade garments for the summer season due to the closure of Nepal-China border for more than a year. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Importers and traders have to import goods through India after the northern border of Nepal was closed to prevent coronavirus from spreading. Traders complain that it has made the transportation cost expensive and they even have to spend more time importing goods. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Under normal circumstances, traders used to import goods from China through Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani customs. However, at present, goods have to be imported from India via the sea route for which they have to pay three times more than the normal fare. Due to this, the price of goods has also increased.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">According to Dil Sunder Shrestha, executive committee member of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the charge for importing a container of goods via sea route was just US$ 1800 during normal circumstances. But, at present, it costs more than US$ 5,000 per container. Shrestha added that this has led to price hike and the general consumers have to face the burden at the end.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">At present, importers and traders have not been able to go to China to select goods and import them. So the goods are being ordered online. China is one of the major suppliers of readymade garments to Nepal. According to traders, 60 percent of the readymade garments imported to Nepal come from China, 30 percent from India and 10 percent from Bangladesh and Thailand. Garments worth Rs 80 billion are imported annually for both winter and summer seasons. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Under normal circumstances, it would take up to 15 days to bring the goods via sea. However, now the traders complain that the goods take up to two months to arrive in the country. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Rajendra Lama, a local trader of New Road, said that the failure to import goods on time has affected their business as they have not been able to provide goods to the retailers on time. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">At present, the import from Tatopani Customs and Rasuwagadi Customs has been halted as the customs and other offices have been closed for the Chinese New Year celebrations. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Prior to this, five vehicles carrying goods used to enter Nepal through Rasuwagadi customs on a daily basis. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '13059',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Himalaya Airlines Resumes Commercial Flights to Dubai',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'February 17: Himalaya Airlines, a Nepal-China joint venture company, has resumed commercial flights to Dubai starting from  February 14. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">February 17: Himalaya Airlines, a Nepal-China joint venture company, has resumed commercial flights to Dubai starting from&nbsp; February 14. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The first flight after a long gap departed from Tribhuvan International Airport at 22:36 hours (local time) and landed at Dubai International Airport (DXB) at 01:40 hours (local time). The return flight from Dubai departed at 04:10 hours (local time) the next day and landed in Kathmandu at 09:25 hours (local time) on February 15, the airline said in a statement.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">As the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic has largely subsided, the UAE has opened up for visitors with COVID-19 safety protocols resulting into substantial increase in passenger flow both ways on KTM-DXB-KTM route.&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The airline company informed that it has resumed commercial flights to Dubai International Airport and will conduct three flights per week. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">&ldquo;Kathmandu-Dubai flights are scheduled to fly every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and will depart from Dubai on every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday,&rdquo; the statement reads. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">Zhou Enyong, president of Himalaya Airlines, had personally handed over the boarding passes to the first three passengers along with a special souvenir kit at the check-in counter on February 14. The airlines marking the special occasion, provided all passengers on both outbound and inbound flights with a special travel amenity kit on board.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">&ldquo;With all the constraints of COVID-19 pandemic, resuming flight operations to our scheduled destinations has been indeed challenging for us. However, with the easing of travel ban and quarantine restrictions, we are all geared up to rebuild our network with the UAE, complying with mandatory health protocols of civil aviation authorities and government agencies,&rdquo; the statement quoted Zhou Enyong as saying.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The airlines first took off to Dubai International Airport on April 28, 2017 connecting with Abu Dhabi via free shuttle bus for passengers. However with increased passenger flow, direct flights to Abu Dhabi International Airport was initiated on March 31, 2019.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The airline has appointed Hello Himalaya Travel &amp; Tourism LLC, Dubai as its General Sales Agents (GSA) for passenger handling in the United Arab of Emirates, responsible for the airline&rsquo;s sales and marketing, market development, reservations and ticketing services for the UAE market.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Georgia">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>
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file not found!

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FOREX

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)

Bullion

Fine Gold	1 tola	77000.00
Tejabi Gold	1 tola	76700.00
Silver	1 tola	720.00

Update : 2020-03-25

Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association

Petroleum

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