April 15: Authorities of Nepal and China have agreed to ease the import and export of health supplies and daily essentials from the Tatopani transit point.…
April 15: Authorities of Nepal and China have agreed to ease the import and export of health supplies and daily essentials from the Tatopani transit point.…
April 15: Industries producing construction materials have not been able to operate for the past three weeks following the lockdown imposed by the government to control the spread of…
April 15: Members of Parliament have agreed to provide the budget allocated for the local infrastructure development partnership programmes under the Parliamentary Constituency Development Fund to the fund established by the government for the prevention and treatment of…
April 15: Nepal Rastra Bank has presented a report on the National Payment Gateway to the central bank’s board for…
April 15: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) has urged Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank, to take immediate measures to reduce the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy.…
April 14: The government has decided to extend the nationwide lockdown until April…
April 14: The weather across the country would remain partial to general cloudy today (April 14) due to the impact of westerly and local…
April 14: Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has requested the insurance companies to cover 'ground risk’ from the existing insurance policy as they are unable to operate flights due to the…
April 14: It is estimated that the government had to spend Rs 150 billion to address the needs of sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.…
April 14: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has urged the government to bring extensive medium and long-term plan and strategy to tide over the adverse situation in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.…
April 14: In a bid to help Nepal combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced to provide financial support to…
April 13: The government is preparing to introduce e-passes for the operation of vehicles for essential services from Tuesday (April…
April 13: Economists have suggested that a strong mechanism is needed to reduce the impacts of coronavirus on the country's…
April 13: Ncell Limited, a leading private telecommunication company of Nepal, has submitted Rs 14.33 billion capital gains tax (CGT) to the government to clear all its…
April 13: COVID 19 lockdown has affected the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) and Pokhara Regional and International Airport (PRIA).…
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 15: Authorities of Nepal and China have agreed to ease the import and export of health supplies and daily essentials from the Tatopani transit point. The decision was taken during a routine meeting held between the administrative and border officials on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Sharing the decision of the meeting, Chief District Officer of Sindhupalchowk Umesh Dhakal said necessary health measures would be adopted for the container truck drivers, assistants and labourers going to bring goods from across the border. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">"The Chinese side will bring the goods up to the customs yard next to the Friendship Bridge and the Nepali side will fetch it from there to the dry port of Larcha," CDO Dhakal said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, crossing the bridge on the border will require health certificates for citizens from both the countries. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11684', 'image' => '20200415010219_1586468314.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 13:01:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11933', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Lockdown puts Construction Materials Industry in Crisis ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Industries producing construction materials have not been able to operate for the past three weeks following the lockdown imposed by the government to control the spread of coronavirus.', 'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 15: Industries producing construction materials have not been able to operate for the past three weeks following the lockdown imposed by the government to control the spread of coronavirus.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Most of the workers in this sector are not able to come to work.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Additionally, lack of transportation of raw material due to the lockdown has disrupted the supply chain.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">On an average, such industries keep stock of raw materials for at least three months. However, the industries are currently unable to operate due to the unviability of transportation and shipping facility, informed Rajesh Kayal, operator of Narayani Spat Industry.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal is self-dependent in production of cement and steel. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Analyzing the potential in the construction sector, investment in such industries has been encouraging</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, Terai Steel's managing director Pradeep Kedia informed that the construction industries was already hit by recession as it was not able to expand compared to investment and production and now has been additionally plagued by the lockdown.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The industries which were facing losses due to the limited market as compared to the production are now shattered as they are unable to keep up the production because of the lockdown, he informed.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government must pay special attention to the revival of such industries, Kedia added.</span></span></h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></h1> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11683', 'image' => '20200415125719_1586906108.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 12:56:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11931', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Local Infrastructure Budget to be Transferred to Fund set up against Coronavirus', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Members of Parliament have agreed to provide the budget allocated for the local infrastructure development partnership programmes under the Parliamentary Constituency Development Fund to the fund established by the government for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">April 15: Members of Parliament have agreed to provide the budget allocated for the local infrastructure development partnership programmes under the Parliamentary Constituency Development Fund to the fund established by the government for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The infrastructure development partnership programmes fall under the constituencies of the House of Representatives members in different provinces. The members on Tuesday agreed to hand over the budget to the Coronavirus Prevention, Control and Treatment Fund following India’s footsteps where similar kind of budget for two years has been transferred to the Prime Minister’s Fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The decision was taken right after a discussion between Agni Sapkota, speaker of House of Representative, and speakers and deputy speakers of the provincial assemblies. As per the agreement, the current budget of local infrastructure development partnership programmes and next year’s budget will be transferred to the fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">Leaders of various political parties had been pressuring the government to transfer the unspent budget of various development heads to the coronavirus fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">Economists and civil society members had also requested to dissolve the programmes. However, the government was silent on this topic until the lawmakers agreed to transfer the fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The federal government has allocated a total of Rs 10 billion for the programmes. Similarly, provincial governments also has similar kind of programmes. With this, the federal government and the local governments have allocated a total of Rs 20 billion for the fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">It has been reported that the budget for the infrastructure development wasn’t been used productively. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11682', 'image' => '20200415120726_1586905834.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 12:06:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11930', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank Prepares Report on National Payment Gateway', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Nepal Rastra Bank has presented a report on the National Payment Gateway to the central bank’s board for approval.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 15: Nepal Rastra Bank has presented a report on the National Payment Gateway to the central bank’s board for approval. The report prepared by a five-member committee formed to study the payment gateway had presented the report to the board meeting last weel.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The report will be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance after the board approves it, informed Rewati Prasad Nepal, executive director at the Payments System Department of NRB.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The new system will come into operation after the finance ministry approves the report. However, the central bank’s board meeting has not been able to take place due to the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NRB had formed the five-member committee headed by Subash Ghimire, director of the Payments System Department, after the finance ministry instructed the central bank to establish a national switch through banks for the payment. A representative each from the finance ministry, Financial Comptroller General’s Office, Information Technology Centre and Nepal Bankers’ Association are the members of the committee.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The committee report has given various suggestions to the central bank regarding the operation process of the payment gateway. The committee has also suggested a model in which the payment gateway can be operated in collaboration between the FCGO and the IT Centre.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Executive Director Nepal said that the report will be sent to the finance ministry once the board approves it. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The national switch of NRB will incorporate the revenue collection and payment of the government in the first phase.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In the second phase, the central bank plans to bring all the payments across the country under a single channel. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11681', 'image' => '20200415103309_15869.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 10:32:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11932', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NCC urges NRB to take Measures to Reduce Economic Impact of COVID-19', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) has urged Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank, to take immediate measures to reduce the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 15: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) has urged Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank, to take immediate measures to reduce the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NCC stated this in a memorandum to the NRB Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari on Tuesday. It has also urged the state to address the demands of the private sector saying the private sector is the main source of revenue of the state and promoting and protecting it contributed to the overall development of the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The NCC has called for constituting a high-level task force including the representatives of the private sector for carrying out a study on the impact of coronavirus pandemic on the economy, for forming a high-powered mechanism to restore the economy back to its previous state after assessing the impact of the pandemic and making provisions for the banks and financial institutions to issue loans to all types of businesses and traders for long period. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, it urged the NRB to make provisions for providing the refinancing facilities to all types of micro, small, medium and big enterprises and other businesses as well on the basis of the status of the impact of coronavirus on these sectors. It said this refinancing should be 10 per cent in addition to the current loan. It has also called for a three per cent spread rate of banks, making the CRR flexible and increasing the flow of investment capital. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11680', 'image' => '20200415123031_469902.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 12:29:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11929', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Extends Lockdown Until April 27', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: The government has decided to extend the nationwide lockdown until April 27.', 'content' => '<p><em>Prime Minister KP Oli attending a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Photo: RSS</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Devanagari Sangam MN"">April 14: </span><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has decided to extend the nationwide lockdown until April 27. A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday took a decision to this effect, according to multiple sources.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">The current lockdown, which was first imposed on March 24, expires on Wednesday midnight.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Informed sources said that the government decided to extend the lockdown upon the recommendation of the High-Level Committee to Prevent Coronavirus after new cases of the deadly disease were reported in the country in the last few days.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the official figures, the number of infected persons in Nepal stands at 16 so far with one person recovering from the disease. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">All regular international and domestic flights remain suspended till April 30, as per the decision taken by the cabinet earlier. However, the government has been allowing chartered flights to carry back stranded tourists.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has also decided to limit the mobility of people across the border and allow operation of only essential services in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease which has infected more than 1.9 million people and claimed over 120,000 lives across the globe.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11679', 'image' => '20200414042312_RSSSaujany-CabinetMeetingPMa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 16:21:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11928', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Rainfall with Thunderstorm in Forecast', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: The weather across the country would remain partial to general cloudy today (April 14) due to the impact of westerly and local winds', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 14: The weather across the country would remain partial to general cloudy today (April 14) due to the impact of westerly and local winds, the national news agency (RSS) reported citing the Meteorological Forecasting Division. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the division, different parts of the country would witness rainfall with thunderstorm. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Meteorologist Samir Shrestha said there is possibility of rain with thunderstorm and wind at mid-hill areas of the country Tuesday afternoon. The impact of westerly wind would last till Tuesday night. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On Wednesday, the weather across the nation would remain partially to general cloudy and there is possibility of rain with lightning and wind in some places of the country, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Similarly, rainfall with thunderstorm has been predicted in one or two places of hills in the central and western regions as well as some places of eastern region on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As per the latest update, the minimum temperature of Kathmandu valley on Tuesday has been recorded at 14.0 degrees Celsius and maximum temperature was 28.6 degree Celsius. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11678', 'image' => '20200414035409_90.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 15:53:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11927', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Operators Request Insurance Companies for Ground Risk Coverage ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has requested the insurance companies to cover 'ground risk’ from the existing insurance policy as they are unable to operate flights due to the lockdown.', 'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 14: Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has requested the insurance companies to cover 'ground risk’ from the existing insurance policy as they are unable to operate flights due to the lockdown.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier, the insurance companies had not responded to the request letter sent to them by the airlines operators. So, AOAN on behalf of all the airline operators has send a letter to the concerned insurance companis on Sunday, April 14.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Currently, Shikhar Insurance, Himalayan General Insurance and Prabhu Insurance are the only insurance companies providing insurance facilities for aircraft in Nepal. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The airline companies had earlier sent letters to the respective insurance companies individually urging them to cover the ground risk. However, AOAN informed that the operators did not receive any response from the insurance companies.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Yograj Kandel, spokesperson of AOAN, said that the association had sent a letter to Insurance Board after the insurance companies didn’t respond to their letters.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Generally, airline insurance covers two types of risks - full flight risk and parking risk (ground risk).</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, flight operation has been completely shut down following the government’s lockdown order since March 24 to stop the transmission of the coronavirus. Therefore, the AOAN has been requesting the insurance companies to insure their aircraft by completely converting their insurance into ground risk, Kandel informed.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The insurance policy only provides protection against the risk while parking and when the aircraft are not operated for a certain period of time.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, the airline companies argue that the insurance policies can be changed like in the past. By doing so, the airline operators that previously paid insurance premium can receive refunds from the insurance companies.</span></span></h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></h1> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11677', 'image' => '20200414011242_108_buddha air.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 13:12:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11926', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Budget of Rs 150 billion Needed for Relief Package ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: It is estimated that the government had to spend Rs 150 billion to address the needs of sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">April 14: It is estimated that the government had to spend Rs 150 billion to address the needs of sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">A meeting of the Council of Ministers had announced relief packages on March 29. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has to make most of the spending in the health sector to bail the country out of the current crisis. The government estimates that a total of Rs 64.14 billion will be spent on treatment of patients, quarantine, health equipment, food supply and incentives for the health workers. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the cost estimate of the government, Rs 11.22 billion will be spent in incentives for health workers and doctors deployed in the frontline against coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Similarly, government needs Rs 19.6 billion to treat the patients for 100 days. Likewise, Rs 10 billion has been allocated for coronavirus prevention, control and treatment. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The government had also announced food relief packages for the poor families. It is estimated that a budget of Rs 16.20 billion is needed to distribute the food relief for four months. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Besides, Rs 23.58 billion has been allocated for social security relief. The facility will be provided to the workers who have contributed to the social security fund. For that, the government has to contribute Rs 1.8 billion on Social Security Fund. According the Ministry of Finance, the amount will be sufficient for four months. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Also, Rs 12.50 billion has been allotted to provide minimum 50 days jobs under the Prime Minister Employment Program to the ones who have lost their jobs. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">Likewise, the government is also preparing to provide livelihood sustenance allowance to the workers in the informal sector. For that, the Finance Ministry has estimated a budget of Rs 10 billion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">According to the ministry, Rs 61.76 billion will be spent for the economic relief. The government also needs to bear loss of Rs 3 billion on income tax relief, Rs 4 billion on electricity charge and Rs 1 billion on other reliefs. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The government has allotted Rs 1 million to each of the 753 local units for transport allowance and compensation. A total of Rs 3.1 billion has been allocated for the purpose.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The government has adopted a strategy to seek foreign assistance and allocation of some amount from the budget of the current Fiscal Year to tackle the crisis created by coronavirus. According to the Revenue Secretary Ram Sharan Pudasaini, the government will ensure that the budget is enough for all these relief packages. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11676', 'image' => '20200414125728_20200320110025_1584659224.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 12:56:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11925', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CNI urges Government to bring Medium and Long Term Strategy ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has urged the government to bring extensive medium and long-term plan and strategy to tide over the adverse situation in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 14: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has urged the government to bring extensive medium and long-term plan and strategy to tide over the adverse situation in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A CNI delegation recently made this suggestion to the government during a meeting with the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Lekhraj Bhatta, the State Minister Motilal Dugad, and the Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Barshaman Pun. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The CNI team on the occasion urged the government to take immediate steps to save the economy, saying the national economy was passing through a very adverse situation owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">It drew the attention of the government to the need of adopting appropriate monetary and fiscal policy so as to revive the economy, suggesting implementing expansionary fiscal policy. It also suggested directly handing over the amount equivalent to approximately 3 per cent of the GDP to the people working in the informal sector, the impoverished and the deprived communities. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, it suggested decreasing the business and industrial investment cost at least by 5 per cent, retaining the CCD at 85 per cent and encouraging the commercial banks for a 7 per cent interest on fixed deposits and a 5 per cent interest on general deposit. The CNI believes that these measures will pump up approximately Rs 150 billion liquidity in the economy. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">CNI also urged the government to ease the movement of workers on the basis of the identity cards issued by the industries as well as to make arrangements for the invoice issued by the industries as the 'permit pass' for the transportation of raw materials and finished goods. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11675', 'image' => '20200414124006_CNI.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 12:39:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11924', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IMF Approves Immediate Debt Relief for Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: In a bid to help Nepal combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced to provide financial support to Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">April 14: In a bid to help Nepal combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced to provide financial support to Nepal. The Washington DC-based lender has said that 25 under-developed nations including Nepal will receive immediate grant-based debt service relief from IMF. “Today, I am pleased to say that our Executive Board approved immediate debt service relief to 25 of the IMF’s member countries under the IMF’s revamped Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) as part of the Fund’s response to help address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” reads a press statement issued by Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of IMF. According to the statement, this provides grants to IMF’s poorest and most vulnerable members will help the countries to cover their IMF debt obligations for an initial phase over the next six months and will help them channel more of their scarce financial resources towards vital emergency medical and other relief efforts. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The CCRT can currently provide about USD 500 million in grant-based debt service relief, including the recent USD185 million pledge by the United Kingdom and USD 100 million provided by Japan as immediately available resources. “Others, including China and the Netherlands, are also stepping forward with important contributions,” Georgieva said. She urged other donors to help replenish CCRT’s resources and boost further our ability to provide additional debt service relief for a full two years to the poorest member countries of IMF.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Besides Nepal, Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Togo, and Yemen are the recipients of the debt service relief.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:Arial">The latest move of IMF is one of the several steps the Fund has taken over the last few months to help its members to face the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. IMF has been focusing its efforts to help poorer nations coordinating with the World Bank. The two organisations have asked developed nations to halt collection of debt payments from poor countries until June 2021.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11674', 'image' => '20200414115244_IMF.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 11:51:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11923', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government to Introduce E-Passes from April 14', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: The government is preparing to introduce e-passes for the operation of vehicles for essential services from Tuesday (April 14).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">April 13: The government is preparing to introduce e-passes for the operation of vehicles for essential services from Tuesday (April 14).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The Ministry of Home Affairs informed in a press conference on Monday that the government will start issuing e-passes for the transportation of food stuffs, ambulances and other essential services or for emergency from Tuesday onward after filling an online form. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The applicants must enter the details for the e-pass at the home ministry’s website http://epass.moha.gov.np/. The ministry has instructed the District Administration Office to provide e-pass only for essential purpose.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Introducing the new system, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa said that the government has initiated a new process to make passes available for the general public in case of emergency.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The minister said anyone can fill the form but made it clear that passes will be provided to only those in need of emergency. -RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11673', 'image' => '20200413033255_1586769752.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 15:31:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11921', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Experts Demand Separate Mechanism for Improving Economy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: Economists have suggested that a strong mechanism is needed to reduce the impacts of coronavirus on the country's economy.', 'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 13: Economists have suggested that a strong mechanism is needed to reduce the impacts of coronavirus on the country's economy.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">They emphasized that a separate mechanism should be developed in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank and the Central Statistics Bureau for the economy to recover. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the experts, a separate body such as the National Reconstruction Authority which was formed to rebuild the country after the 2015 earthquake, should be established to overcome the economic crisis.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Addressing a video conference organized by the Nepal Economic Journalists Society (SEJON) on Sunday, April 12, economist duo Bishwambher Pyakhurel and Rameshwar Khanal informed that a separate mechanism is necessary to overcome the economic impacts of corona.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“We need relief and rehabilitation packages soon, but, the packages should be distributed only after analyzing the impact and setting priority,” Khanal said.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Khanal added that inflow of remittance is shrinking and foreign exchange from tourism is declining.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He opined that Nepal will not receive foreign aid and foreign investment, as committed by donors and development partners, because coronavirus has impacted the entire global economy.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"So, it will also affect the foreign exchange reserves of the country and the money invested in the financial sector as well as liquidity," Khanal added.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, economist Pyakhurel informed that the pandemic has impacted the small-scale and cottage industry the most. He says small and cottage industry has the highest contribution to the country’s economy. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He said that if the decline in domestic production and rise in price and unemployment increases, then the cost and expenditure will rise unbearably.</span></span></h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11672', 'image' => '20200413030531_coronavirus-economy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 15:04:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11919', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Ncell Clears CGT', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: Ncell Limited, a leading private telecommunication company of Nepal, has submitted Rs 14.33 billion capital gains tax (CGT) to the government to clear all its dues.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">April 13: Ncell Limited, a leading private telecommunication company of Nepal, has submitted Rs 14.33 billion capital gains tax (CGT) to the government to clear all its dues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the Large Tax Payers’ Office, Ncell submitted the amount on Sunday (April 12). Before this, Ncell had paid Rs 4.6 billion CGT to the office last Tuesday as per its commitment to clear the dues in installments. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Chief of the LTO Jhalak Ram Adhikari informed New Business Age that Ncell has paid Rs 4.5 billion on December 31 as the first installment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times">The LTO had last year sought Rs 60.71 billion from Ncell as CGT when the company changed hands some years ago. The LTO said it had only received 21.54 billion from Ncell and demanded Rs 39 billion from the company on April 16 last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">But the company filed a petition at the Supreme Court <span style="font-family:Times">on April 22, alleging the LTO of charging excessive tax.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> <span style="font-family:Times">In the petition, Ncell had argued that the LTO asked it to pay more than Rs 39 billion against the existing laws and previous verdict of the apex court when it is liable to pay only Rs 14.36 billion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Ncell said it has already paid Rs 21.54 billion as CGT to the Large Taxpayers’ Office in two installments on May 8, 2016 and June 4, 2017. It also paid Rs 2.2 billion as late fee.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The Supreme Court finally put the matter to rest in November last year ruling that Ncell is liable to pay 21.1 billion CGT, which the company cleared with the payment of the last installment on Sunday.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11671', 'image' => '20200413113018_thumb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 11:29:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11922', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Shortage of Construction Materials at 2 Int’l Airports', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: COVID 19 lockdown has affected the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) and Pokhara Regional and International Airport (PRIA). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">April 13: </span><span style="font-family:Arial">COVID 19 lockdown has affected the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) and Pokhara Regional and International Airport (PRIA). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Due to lack of essential equipment coming from foreign countries and shortage of construction material, these two international airports are being made with the limited available resources, said Rajan Pokharel, director general at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The construction has also been affected due to lack of workers. Currently, around 100 Nepali workers and 28 foreign workers have been working in GBIA. “Earlier we had 200 workers. Now, the workers inside the camp are only engaged,” said Prawesh Adhikari, chief of the Airport Construction Project. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Similarly, shortage of cement which is imported from India has hit the construction of PRIA. Due to lack of equipment and delay in supply of other materials, the construction work has been affected, said Binesh Munkarmi, chief of the airport project. According to him, the equipment needed for the construction are stuck in Kolkata port. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11670', 'image' => '20200413031316_1586727960.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 15:11:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 15: Authorities of Nepal and China have agreed to ease the import and export of health supplies and daily essentials from the Tatopani transit point. The decision was taken during a routine meeting held between the administrative and border officials on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Sharing the decision of the meeting, Chief District Officer of Sindhupalchowk Umesh Dhakal said necessary health measures would be adopted for the container truck drivers, assistants and labourers going to bring goods from across the border. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">"The Chinese side will bring the goods up to the customs yard next to the Friendship Bridge and the Nepali side will fetch it from there to the dry port of Larcha," CDO Dhakal said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, crossing the bridge on the border will require health certificates for citizens from both the countries. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11684', 'image' => '20200415010219_1586468314.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 13:01:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11933', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Lockdown puts Construction Materials Industry in Crisis ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Industries producing construction materials have not been able to operate for the past three weeks following the lockdown imposed by the government to control the spread of coronavirus.', 'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 15: Industries producing construction materials have not been able to operate for the past three weeks following the lockdown imposed by the government to control the spread of coronavirus.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Most of the workers in this sector are not able to come to work.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Additionally, lack of transportation of raw material due to the lockdown has disrupted the supply chain.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">On an average, such industries keep stock of raw materials for at least three months. However, the industries are currently unable to operate due to the unviability of transportation and shipping facility, informed Rajesh Kayal, operator of Narayani Spat Industry.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal is self-dependent in production of cement and steel. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Analyzing the potential in the construction sector, investment in such industries has been encouraging</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, Terai Steel's managing director Pradeep Kedia informed that the construction industries was already hit by recession as it was not able to expand compared to investment and production and now has been additionally plagued by the lockdown.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The industries which were facing losses due to the limited market as compared to the production are now shattered as they are unable to keep up the production because of the lockdown, he informed.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government must pay special attention to the revival of such industries, Kedia added.</span></span></h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></h1> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11683', 'image' => '20200415125719_1586906108.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 12:56:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11931', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Local Infrastructure Budget to be Transferred to Fund set up against Coronavirus', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Members of Parliament have agreed to provide the budget allocated for the local infrastructure development partnership programmes under the Parliamentary Constituency Development Fund to the fund established by the government for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">April 15: Members of Parliament have agreed to provide the budget allocated for the local infrastructure development partnership programmes under the Parliamentary Constituency Development Fund to the fund established by the government for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The infrastructure development partnership programmes fall under the constituencies of the House of Representatives members in different provinces. The members on Tuesday agreed to hand over the budget to the Coronavirus Prevention, Control and Treatment Fund following India’s footsteps where similar kind of budget for two years has been transferred to the Prime Minister’s Fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The decision was taken right after a discussion between Agni Sapkota, speaker of House of Representative, and speakers and deputy speakers of the provincial assemblies. As per the agreement, the current budget of local infrastructure development partnership programmes and next year’s budget will be transferred to the fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">Leaders of various political parties had been pressuring the government to transfer the unspent budget of various development heads to the coronavirus fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">Economists and civil society members had also requested to dissolve the programmes. However, the government was silent on this topic until the lawmakers agreed to transfer the fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The federal government has allocated a total of Rs 10 billion for the programmes. Similarly, provincial governments also has similar kind of programmes. With this, the federal government and the local governments have allocated a total of Rs 20 billion for the fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">It has been reported that the budget for the infrastructure development wasn’t been used productively. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11682', 'image' => '20200415120726_1586905834.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 12:06:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11930', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank Prepares Report on National Payment Gateway', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Nepal Rastra Bank has presented a report on the National Payment Gateway to the central bank’s board for approval.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 15: Nepal Rastra Bank has presented a report on the National Payment Gateway to the central bank’s board for approval. The report prepared by a five-member committee formed to study the payment gateway had presented the report to the board meeting last weel.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The report will be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance after the board approves it, informed Rewati Prasad Nepal, executive director at the Payments System Department of NRB.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The new system will come into operation after the finance ministry approves the report. However, the central bank’s board meeting has not been able to take place due to the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NRB had formed the five-member committee headed by Subash Ghimire, director of the Payments System Department, after the finance ministry instructed the central bank to establish a national switch through banks for the payment. A representative each from the finance ministry, Financial Comptroller General’s Office, Information Technology Centre and Nepal Bankers’ Association are the members of the committee.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The committee report has given various suggestions to the central bank regarding the operation process of the payment gateway. The committee has also suggested a model in which the payment gateway can be operated in collaboration between the FCGO and the IT Centre.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Executive Director Nepal said that the report will be sent to the finance ministry once the board approves it. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The national switch of NRB will incorporate the revenue collection and payment of the government in the first phase.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In the second phase, the central bank plans to bring all the payments across the country under a single channel. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11681', 'image' => '20200415103309_15869.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 10:32:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11932', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NCC urges NRB to take Measures to Reduce Economic Impact of COVID-19', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) has urged Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank, to take immediate measures to reduce the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 15: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) has urged Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank, to take immediate measures to reduce the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NCC stated this in a memorandum to the NRB Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari on Tuesday. It has also urged the state to address the demands of the private sector saying the private sector is the main source of revenue of the state and promoting and protecting it contributed to the overall development of the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The NCC has called for constituting a high-level task force including the representatives of the private sector for carrying out a study on the impact of coronavirus pandemic on the economy, for forming a high-powered mechanism to restore the economy back to its previous state after assessing the impact of the pandemic and making provisions for the banks and financial institutions to issue loans to all types of businesses and traders for long period. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, it urged the NRB to make provisions for providing the refinancing facilities to all types of micro, small, medium and big enterprises and other businesses as well on the basis of the status of the impact of coronavirus on these sectors. It said this refinancing should be 10 per cent in addition to the current loan. It has also called for a three per cent spread rate of banks, making the CRR flexible and increasing the flow of investment capital. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11680', 'image' => '20200415123031_469902.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 12:29:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11929', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Extends Lockdown Until April 27', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: The government has decided to extend the nationwide lockdown until April 27.', 'content' => '<p><em>Prime Minister KP Oli attending a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Photo: RSS</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Devanagari Sangam MN"">April 14: </span><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has decided to extend the nationwide lockdown until April 27. A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday took a decision to this effect, according to multiple sources.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">The current lockdown, which was first imposed on March 24, expires on Wednesday midnight.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Informed sources said that the government decided to extend the lockdown upon the recommendation of the High-Level Committee to Prevent Coronavirus after new cases of the deadly disease were reported in the country in the last few days.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the official figures, the number of infected persons in Nepal stands at 16 so far with one person recovering from the disease. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">All regular international and domestic flights remain suspended till April 30, as per the decision taken by the cabinet earlier. However, the government has been allowing chartered flights to carry back stranded tourists.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has also decided to limit the mobility of people across the border and allow operation of only essential services in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease which has infected more than 1.9 million people and claimed over 120,000 lives across the globe.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11679', 'image' => '20200414042312_RSSSaujany-CabinetMeetingPMa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 16:21:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11928', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Rainfall with Thunderstorm in Forecast', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: The weather across the country would remain partial to general cloudy today (April 14) due to the impact of westerly and local winds', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 14: The weather across the country would remain partial to general cloudy today (April 14) due to the impact of westerly and local winds, the national news agency (RSS) reported citing the Meteorological Forecasting Division. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the division, different parts of the country would witness rainfall with thunderstorm. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Meteorologist Samir Shrestha said there is possibility of rain with thunderstorm and wind at mid-hill areas of the country Tuesday afternoon. The impact of westerly wind would last till Tuesday night. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On Wednesday, the weather across the nation would remain partially to general cloudy and there is possibility of rain with lightning and wind in some places of the country, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Similarly, rainfall with thunderstorm has been predicted in one or two places of hills in the central and western regions as well as some places of eastern region on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As per the latest update, the minimum temperature of Kathmandu valley on Tuesday has been recorded at 14.0 degrees Celsius and maximum temperature was 28.6 degree Celsius. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11678', 'image' => '20200414035409_90.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 15:53:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11927', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Operators Request Insurance Companies for Ground Risk Coverage ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has requested the insurance companies to cover 'ground risk’ from the existing insurance policy as they are unable to operate flights due to the lockdown.', 'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 14: Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has requested the insurance companies to cover 'ground risk’ from the existing insurance policy as they are unable to operate flights due to the lockdown.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier, the insurance companies had not responded to the request letter sent to them by the airlines operators. So, AOAN on behalf of all the airline operators has send a letter to the concerned insurance companis on Sunday, April 14.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Currently, Shikhar Insurance, Himalayan General Insurance and Prabhu Insurance are the only insurance companies providing insurance facilities for aircraft in Nepal. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The airline companies had earlier sent letters to the respective insurance companies individually urging them to cover the ground risk. However, AOAN informed that the operators did not receive any response from the insurance companies.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Yograj Kandel, spokesperson of AOAN, said that the association had sent a letter to Insurance Board after the insurance companies didn’t respond to their letters.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Generally, airline insurance covers two types of risks - full flight risk and parking risk (ground risk).</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, flight operation has been completely shut down following the government’s lockdown order since March 24 to stop the transmission of the coronavirus. Therefore, the AOAN has been requesting the insurance companies to insure their aircraft by completely converting their insurance into ground risk, Kandel informed.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The insurance policy only provides protection against the risk while parking and when the aircraft are not operated for a certain period of time.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, the airline companies argue that the insurance policies can be changed like in the past. By doing so, the airline operators that previously paid insurance premium can receive refunds from the insurance companies.</span></span></h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></h1> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11677', 'image' => '20200414011242_108_buddha air.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 13:12:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11926', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Budget of Rs 150 billion Needed for Relief Package ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: It is estimated that the government had to spend Rs 150 billion to address the needs of sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">April 14: It is estimated that the government had to spend Rs 150 billion to address the needs of sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">A meeting of the Council of Ministers had announced relief packages on March 29. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has to make most of the spending in the health sector to bail the country out of the current crisis. The government estimates that a total of Rs 64.14 billion will be spent on treatment of patients, quarantine, health equipment, food supply and incentives for the health workers. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the cost estimate of the government, Rs 11.22 billion will be spent in incentives for health workers and doctors deployed in the frontline against coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Similarly, government needs Rs 19.6 billion to treat the patients for 100 days. Likewise, Rs 10 billion has been allocated for coronavirus prevention, control and treatment. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The government had also announced food relief packages for the poor families. It is estimated that a budget of Rs 16.20 billion is needed to distribute the food relief for four months. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Besides, Rs 23.58 billion has been allocated for social security relief. The facility will be provided to the workers who have contributed to the social security fund. For that, the government has to contribute Rs 1.8 billion on Social Security Fund. According the Ministry of Finance, the amount will be sufficient for four months. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Also, Rs 12.50 billion has been allotted to provide minimum 50 days jobs under the Prime Minister Employment Program to the ones who have lost their jobs. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">Likewise, the government is also preparing to provide livelihood sustenance allowance to the workers in the informal sector. For that, the Finance Ministry has estimated a budget of Rs 10 billion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">According to the ministry, Rs 61.76 billion will be spent for the economic relief. The government also needs to bear loss of Rs 3 billion on income tax relief, Rs 4 billion on electricity charge and Rs 1 billion on other reliefs. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The government has allotted Rs 1 million to each of the 753 local units for transport allowance and compensation. A total of Rs 3.1 billion has been allocated for the purpose.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The government has adopted a strategy to seek foreign assistance and allocation of some amount from the budget of the current Fiscal Year to tackle the crisis created by coronavirus. According to the Revenue Secretary Ram Sharan Pudasaini, the government will ensure that the budget is enough for all these relief packages. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11676', 'image' => '20200414125728_20200320110025_1584659224.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 12:56:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11925', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CNI urges Government to bring Medium and Long Term Strategy ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has urged the government to bring extensive medium and long-term plan and strategy to tide over the adverse situation in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 14: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has urged the government to bring extensive medium and long-term plan and strategy to tide over the adverse situation in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A CNI delegation recently made this suggestion to the government during a meeting with the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Lekhraj Bhatta, the State Minister Motilal Dugad, and the Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Barshaman Pun. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The CNI team on the occasion urged the government to take immediate steps to save the economy, saying the national economy was passing through a very adverse situation owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">It drew the attention of the government to the need of adopting appropriate monetary and fiscal policy so as to revive the economy, suggesting implementing expansionary fiscal policy. It also suggested directly handing over the amount equivalent to approximately 3 per cent of the GDP to the people working in the informal sector, the impoverished and the deprived communities. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, it suggested decreasing the business and industrial investment cost at least by 5 per cent, retaining the CCD at 85 per cent and encouraging the commercial banks for a 7 per cent interest on fixed deposits and a 5 per cent interest on general deposit. The CNI believes that these measures will pump up approximately Rs 150 billion liquidity in the economy. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">CNI also urged the government to ease the movement of workers on the basis of the identity cards issued by the industries as well as to make arrangements for the invoice issued by the industries as the 'permit pass' for the transportation of raw materials and finished goods. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11675', 'image' => '20200414124006_CNI.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 12:39:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11924', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IMF Approves Immediate Debt Relief for Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: In a bid to help Nepal combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced to provide financial support to Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">April 14: In a bid to help Nepal combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced to provide financial support to Nepal. The Washington DC-based lender has said that 25 under-developed nations including Nepal will receive immediate grant-based debt service relief from IMF. “Today, I am pleased to say that our Executive Board approved immediate debt service relief to 25 of the IMF’s member countries under the IMF’s revamped Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) as part of the Fund’s response to help address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” reads a press statement issued by Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of IMF. According to the statement, this provides grants to IMF’s poorest and most vulnerable members will help the countries to cover their IMF debt obligations for an initial phase over the next six months and will help them channel more of their scarce financial resources towards vital emergency medical and other relief efforts. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The CCRT can currently provide about USD 500 million in grant-based debt service relief, including the recent USD185 million pledge by the United Kingdom and USD 100 million provided by Japan as immediately available resources. “Others, including China and the Netherlands, are also stepping forward with important contributions,” Georgieva said. She urged other donors to help replenish CCRT’s resources and boost further our ability to provide additional debt service relief for a full two years to the poorest member countries of IMF.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Besides Nepal, Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Togo, and Yemen are the recipients of the debt service relief.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:Arial">The latest move of IMF is one of the several steps the Fund has taken over the last few months to help its members to face the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. IMF has been focusing its efforts to help poorer nations coordinating with the World Bank. The two organisations have asked developed nations to halt collection of debt payments from poor countries until June 2021.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11674', 'image' => '20200414115244_IMF.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 11:51:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11923', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government to Introduce E-Passes from April 14', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: The government is preparing to introduce e-passes for the operation of vehicles for essential services from Tuesday (April 14).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">April 13: The government is preparing to introduce e-passes for the operation of vehicles for essential services from Tuesday (April 14).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The Ministry of Home Affairs informed in a press conference on Monday that the government will start issuing e-passes for the transportation of food stuffs, ambulances and other essential services or for emergency from Tuesday onward after filling an online form. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The applicants must enter the details for the e-pass at the home ministry’s website http://epass.moha.gov.np/. The ministry has instructed the District Administration Office to provide e-pass only for essential purpose.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Introducing the new system, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa said that the government has initiated a new process to make passes available for the general public in case of emergency.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The minister said anyone can fill the form but made it clear that passes will be provided to only those in need of emergency. -RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11673', 'image' => '20200413033255_1586769752.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 15:31:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11921', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Experts Demand Separate Mechanism for Improving Economy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: Economists have suggested that a strong mechanism is needed to reduce the impacts of coronavirus on the country's economy.', 'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 13: Economists have suggested that a strong mechanism is needed to reduce the impacts of coronavirus on the country's economy.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">They emphasized that a separate mechanism should be developed in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank and the Central Statistics Bureau for the economy to recover. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the experts, a separate body such as the National Reconstruction Authority which was formed to rebuild the country after the 2015 earthquake, should be established to overcome the economic crisis.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Addressing a video conference organized by the Nepal Economic Journalists Society (SEJON) on Sunday, April 12, economist duo Bishwambher Pyakhurel and Rameshwar Khanal informed that a separate mechanism is necessary to overcome the economic impacts of corona.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“We need relief and rehabilitation packages soon, but, the packages should be distributed only after analyzing the impact and setting priority,” Khanal said.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Khanal added that inflow of remittance is shrinking and foreign exchange from tourism is declining.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He opined that Nepal will not receive foreign aid and foreign investment, as committed by donors and development partners, because coronavirus has impacted the entire global economy.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"So, it will also affect the foreign exchange reserves of the country and the money invested in the financial sector as well as liquidity," Khanal added.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, economist Pyakhurel informed that the pandemic has impacted the small-scale and cottage industry the most. He says small and cottage industry has the highest contribution to the country’s economy. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He said that if the decline in domestic production and rise in price and unemployment increases, then the cost and expenditure will rise unbearably.</span></span></h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11672', 'image' => '20200413030531_coronavirus-economy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 15:04:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11919', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Ncell Clears CGT', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: Ncell Limited, a leading private telecommunication company of Nepal, has submitted Rs 14.33 billion capital gains tax (CGT) to the government to clear all its dues.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">April 13: Ncell Limited, a leading private telecommunication company of Nepal, has submitted Rs 14.33 billion capital gains tax (CGT) to the government to clear all its dues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the Large Tax Payers’ Office, Ncell submitted the amount on Sunday (April 12). Before this, Ncell had paid Rs 4.6 billion CGT to the office last Tuesday as per its commitment to clear the dues in installments. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Chief of the LTO Jhalak Ram Adhikari informed New Business Age that Ncell has paid Rs 4.5 billion on December 31 as the first installment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times">The LTO had last year sought Rs 60.71 billion from Ncell as CGT when the company changed hands some years ago. The LTO said it had only received 21.54 billion from Ncell and demanded Rs 39 billion from the company on April 16 last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">But the company filed a petition at the Supreme Court <span style="font-family:Times">on April 22, alleging the LTO of charging excessive tax.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> <span style="font-family:Times">In the petition, Ncell had argued that the LTO asked it to pay more than Rs 39 billion against the existing laws and previous verdict of the apex court when it is liable to pay only Rs 14.36 billion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Ncell said it has already paid Rs 21.54 billion as CGT to the Large Taxpayers’ Office in two installments on May 8, 2016 and June 4, 2017. It also paid Rs 2.2 billion as late fee.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The Supreme Court finally put the matter to rest in November last year ruling that Ncell is liable to pay 21.1 billion CGT, which the company cleared with the payment of the last installment on Sunday.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11671', 'image' => '20200413113018_thumb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 11:29:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11922', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Shortage of Construction Materials at 2 Int’l Airports', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: COVID 19 lockdown has affected the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) and Pokhara Regional and International Airport (PRIA). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">April 13: </span><span style="font-family:Arial">COVID 19 lockdown has affected the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) and Pokhara Regional and International Airport (PRIA). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Due to lack of essential equipment coming from foreign countries and shortage of construction material, these two international airports are being made with the limited available resources, said Rajan Pokharel, director general at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The construction has also been affected due to lack of workers. Currently, around 100 Nepali workers and 28 foreign workers have been working in GBIA. “Earlier we had 200 workers. Now, the workers inside the camp are only engaged,” said Prawesh Adhikari, chief of the Airport Construction Project. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Similarly, shortage of cement which is imported from India has hit the construction of PRIA. Due to lack of equipment and delay in supply of other materials, the construction work has been affected, said Binesh Munkarmi, chief of the airport project. According to him, the equipment needed for the construction are stuck in Kolkata port. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11670', 'image' => '20200413031316_1586727960.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 15:11:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 15: Authorities of Nepal and China have agreed to ease the import and export of health supplies and daily essentials from the Tatopani transit point. The decision was taken during a routine meeting held between the administrative and border officials on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Sharing the decision of the meeting, Chief District Officer of Sindhupalchowk Umesh Dhakal said necessary health measures would be adopted for the container truck drivers, assistants and labourers going to bring goods from across the border. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">"The Chinese side will bring the goods up to the customs yard next to the Friendship Bridge and the Nepali side will fetch it from there to the dry port of Larcha," CDO Dhakal said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, crossing the bridge on the border will require health certificates for citizens from both the countries. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11684', 'image' => '20200415010219_1586468314.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 13:01:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11933', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Lockdown puts Construction Materials Industry in Crisis ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Industries producing construction materials have not been able to operate for the past three weeks following the lockdown imposed by the government to control the spread of coronavirus.', 'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 15: Industries producing construction materials have not been able to operate for the past three weeks following the lockdown imposed by the government to control the spread of coronavirus.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Most of the workers in this sector are not able to come to work.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Additionally, lack of transportation of raw material due to the lockdown has disrupted the supply chain.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">On an average, such industries keep stock of raw materials for at least three months. However, the industries are currently unable to operate due to the unviability of transportation and shipping facility, informed Rajesh Kayal, operator of Narayani Spat Industry.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal is self-dependent in production of cement and steel. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Analyzing the potential in the construction sector, investment in such industries has been encouraging</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, Terai Steel's managing director Pradeep Kedia informed that the construction industries was already hit by recession as it was not able to expand compared to investment and production and now has been additionally plagued by the lockdown.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The industries which were facing losses due to the limited market as compared to the production are now shattered as they are unable to keep up the production because of the lockdown, he informed.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government must pay special attention to the revival of such industries, Kedia added.</span></span></h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></h1> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11683', 'image' => '20200415125719_1586906108.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 12:56:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11931', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Local Infrastructure Budget to be Transferred to Fund set up against Coronavirus', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Members of Parliament have agreed to provide the budget allocated for the local infrastructure development partnership programmes under the Parliamentary Constituency Development Fund to the fund established by the government for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">April 15: Members of Parliament have agreed to provide the budget allocated for the local infrastructure development partnership programmes under the Parliamentary Constituency Development Fund to the fund established by the government for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The infrastructure development partnership programmes fall under the constituencies of the House of Representatives members in different provinces. The members on Tuesday agreed to hand over the budget to the Coronavirus Prevention, Control and Treatment Fund following India’s footsteps where similar kind of budget for two years has been transferred to the Prime Minister’s Fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The decision was taken right after a discussion between Agni Sapkota, speaker of House of Representative, and speakers and deputy speakers of the provincial assemblies. As per the agreement, the current budget of local infrastructure development partnership programmes and next year’s budget will be transferred to the fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">Leaders of various political parties had been pressuring the government to transfer the unspent budget of various development heads to the coronavirus fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">Economists and civil society members had also requested to dissolve the programmes. However, the government was silent on this topic until the lawmakers agreed to transfer the fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The federal government has allocated a total of Rs 10 billion for the programmes. Similarly, provincial governments also has similar kind of programmes. With this, the federal government and the local governments have allocated a total of Rs 20 billion for the fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">It has been reported that the budget for the infrastructure development wasn’t been used productively. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11682', 'image' => '20200415120726_1586905834.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 12:06:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11930', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank Prepares Report on National Payment Gateway', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Nepal Rastra Bank has presented a report on the National Payment Gateway to the central bank’s board for approval.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 15: Nepal Rastra Bank has presented a report on the National Payment Gateway to the central bank’s board for approval. The report prepared by a five-member committee formed to study the payment gateway had presented the report to the board meeting last weel.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The report will be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance after the board approves it, informed Rewati Prasad Nepal, executive director at the Payments System Department of NRB.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The new system will come into operation after the finance ministry approves the report. However, the central bank’s board meeting has not been able to take place due to the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NRB had formed the five-member committee headed by Subash Ghimire, director of the Payments System Department, after the finance ministry instructed the central bank to establish a national switch through banks for the payment. A representative each from the finance ministry, Financial Comptroller General’s Office, Information Technology Centre and Nepal Bankers’ Association are the members of the committee.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The committee report has given various suggestions to the central bank regarding the operation process of the payment gateway. The committee has also suggested a model in which the payment gateway can be operated in collaboration between the FCGO and the IT Centre.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Executive Director Nepal said that the report will be sent to the finance ministry once the board approves it. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The national switch of NRB will incorporate the revenue collection and payment of the government in the first phase.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In the second phase, the central bank plans to bring all the payments across the country under a single channel. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11681', 'image' => '20200415103309_15869.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 10:32:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11932', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NCC urges NRB to take Measures to Reduce Economic Impact of COVID-19', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) has urged Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank, to take immediate measures to reduce the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 15: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) has urged Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank, to take immediate measures to reduce the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NCC stated this in a memorandum to the NRB Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari on Tuesday. It has also urged the state to address the demands of the private sector saying the private sector is the main source of revenue of the state and promoting and protecting it contributed to the overall development of the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The NCC has called for constituting a high-level task force including the representatives of the private sector for carrying out a study on the impact of coronavirus pandemic on the economy, for forming a high-powered mechanism to restore the economy back to its previous state after assessing the impact of the pandemic and making provisions for the banks and financial institutions to issue loans to all types of businesses and traders for long period. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, it urged the NRB to make provisions for providing the refinancing facilities to all types of micro, small, medium and big enterprises and other businesses as well on the basis of the status of the impact of coronavirus on these sectors. It said this refinancing should be 10 per cent in addition to the current loan. It has also called for a three per cent spread rate of banks, making the CRR flexible and increasing the flow of investment capital. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11680', 'image' => '20200415123031_469902.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 12:29:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11929', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Extends Lockdown Until April 27', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: The government has decided to extend the nationwide lockdown until April 27.', 'content' => '<p><em>Prime Minister KP Oli attending a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Photo: RSS</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Devanagari Sangam MN"">April 14: </span><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has decided to extend the nationwide lockdown until April 27. A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday took a decision to this effect, according to multiple sources.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">The current lockdown, which was first imposed on March 24, expires on Wednesday midnight.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Informed sources said that the government decided to extend the lockdown upon the recommendation of the High-Level Committee to Prevent Coronavirus after new cases of the deadly disease were reported in the country in the last few days.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the official figures, the number of infected persons in Nepal stands at 16 so far with one person recovering from the disease. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">All regular international and domestic flights remain suspended till April 30, as per the decision taken by the cabinet earlier. However, the government has been allowing chartered flights to carry back stranded tourists.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has also decided to limit the mobility of people across the border and allow operation of only essential services in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease which has infected more than 1.9 million people and claimed over 120,000 lives across the globe.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11679', 'image' => '20200414042312_RSSSaujany-CabinetMeetingPMa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 16:21:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11928', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Rainfall with Thunderstorm in Forecast', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: The weather across the country would remain partial to general cloudy today (April 14) due to the impact of westerly and local winds', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 14: The weather across the country would remain partial to general cloudy today (April 14) due to the impact of westerly and local winds, the national news agency (RSS) reported citing the Meteorological Forecasting Division. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the division, different parts of the country would witness rainfall with thunderstorm. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Meteorologist Samir Shrestha said there is possibility of rain with thunderstorm and wind at mid-hill areas of the country Tuesday afternoon. The impact of westerly wind would last till Tuesday night. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On Wednesday, the weather across the nation would remain partially to general cloudy and there is possibility of rain with lightning and wind in some places of the country, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Similarly, rainfall with thunderstorm has been predicted in one or two places of hills in the central and western regions as well as some places of eastern region on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As per the latest update, the minimum temperature of Kathmandu valley on Tuesday has been recorded at 14.0 degrees Celsius and maximum temperature was 28.6 degree Celsius. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11678', 'image' => '20200414035409_90.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 15:53:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11927', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Operators Request Insurance Companies for Ground Risk Coverage ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has requested the insurance companies to cover 'ground risk’ from the existing insurance policy as they are unable to operate flights due to the lockdown.', 'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 14: Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has requested the insurance companies to cover 'ground risk’ from the existing insurance policy as they are unable to operate flights due to the lockdown.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier, the insurance companies had not responded to the request letter sent to them by the airlines operators. So, AOAN on behalf of all the airline operators has send a letter to the concerned insurance companis on Sunday, April 14.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Currently, Shikhar Insurance, Himalayan General Insurance and Prabhu Insurance are the only insurance companies providing insurance facilities for aircraft in Nepal. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The airline companies had earlier sent letters to the respective insurance companies individually urging them to cover the ground risk. However, AOAN informed that the operators did not receive any response from the insurance companies.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Yograj Kandel, spokesperson of AOAN, said that the association had sent a letter to Insurance Board after the insurance companies didn’t respond to their letters.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Generally, airline insurance covers two types of risks - full flight risk and parking risk (ground risk).</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, flight operation has been completely shut down following the government’s lockdown order since March 24 to stop the transmission of the coronavirus. Therefore, the AOAN has been requesting the insurance companies to insure their aircraft by completely converting their insurance into ground risk, Kandel informed.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The insurance policy only provides protection against the risk while parking and when the aircraft are not operated for a certain period of time.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, the airline companies argue that the insurance policies can be changed like in the past. By doing so, the airline operators that previously paid insurance premium can receive refunds from the insurance companies.</span></span></h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></h1> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11677', 'image' => '20200414011242_108_buddha air.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 13:12:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11926', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Budget of Rs 150 billion Needed for Relief Package ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: It is estimated that the government had to spend Rs 150 billion to address the needs of sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">April 14: It is estimated that the government had to spend Rs 150 billion to address the needs of sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">A meeting of the Council of Ministers had announced relief packages on March 29. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has to make most of the spending in the health sector to bail the country out of the current crisis. The government estimates that a total of Rs 64.14 billion will be spent on treatment of patients, quarantine, health equipment, food supply and incentives for the health workers. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the cost estimate of the government, Rs 11.22 billion will be spent in incentives for health workers and doctors deployed in the frontline against coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Similarly, government needs Rs 19.6 billion to treat the patients for 100 days. Likewise, Rs 10 billion has been allocated for coronavirus prevention, control and treatment. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The government had also announced food relief packages for the poor families. It is estimated that a budget of Rs 16.20 billion is needed to distribute the food relief for four months. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Besides, Rs 23.58 billion has been allocated for social security relief. The facility will be provided to the workers who have contributed to the social security fund. For that, the government has to contribute Rs 1.8 billion on Social Security Fund. According the Ministry of Finance, the amount will be sufficient for four months. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Also, Rs 12.50 billion has been allotted to provide minimum 50 days jobs under the Prime Minister Employment Program to the ones who have lost their jobs. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">Likewise, the government is also preparing to provide livelihood sustenance allowance to the workers in the informal sector. For that, the Finance Ministry has estimated a budget of Rs 10 billion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">According to the ministry, Rs 61.76 billion will be spent for the economic relief. The government also needs to bear loss of Rs 3 billion on income tax relief, Rs 4 billion on electricity charge and Rs 1 billion on other reliefs. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The government has allotted Rs 1 million to each of the 753 local units for transport allowance and compensation. A total of Rs 3.1 billion has been allocated for the purpose.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The government has adopted a strategy to seek foreign assistance and allocation of some amount from the budget of the current Fiscal Year to tackle the crisis created by coronavirus. According to the Revenue Secretary Ram Sharan Pudasaini, the government will ensure that the budget is enough for all these relief packages. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11676', 'image' => '20200414125728_20200320110025_1584659224.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 12:56:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11925', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CNI urges Government to bring Medium and Long Term Strategy ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has urged the government to bring extensive medium and long-term plan and strategy to tide over the adverse situation in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 14: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has urged the government to bring extensive medium and long-term plan and strategy to tide over the adverse situation in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A CNI delegation recently made this suggestion to the government during a meeting with the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Lekhraj Bhatta, the State Minister Motilal Dugad, and the Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Barshaman Pun. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The CNI team on the occasion urged the government to take immediate steps to save the economy, saying the national economy was passing through a very adverse situation owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">It drew the attention of the government to the need of adopting appropriate monetary and fiscal policy so as to revive the economy, suggesting implementing expansionary fiscal policy. It also suggested directly handing over the amount equivalent to approximately 3 per cent of the GDP to the people working in the informal sector, the impoverished and the deprived communities. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, it suggested decreasing the business and industrial investment cost at least by 5 per cent, retaining the CCD at 85 per cent and encouraging the commercial banks for a 7 per cent interest on fixed deposits and a 5 per cent interest on general deposit. The CNI believes that these measures will pump up approximately Rs 150 billion liquidity in the economy. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">CNI also urged the government to ease the movement of workers on the basis of the identity cards issued by the industries as well as to make arrangements for the invoice issued by the industries as the 'permit pass' for the transportation of raw materials and finished goods. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11675', 'image' => '20200414124006_CNI.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 12:39:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11924', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IMF Approves Immediate Debt Relief for Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: In a bid to help Nepal combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced to provide financial support to Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">April 14: In a bid to help Nepal combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced to provide financial support to Nepal. The Washington DC-based lender has said that 25 under-developed nations including Nepal will receive immediate grant-based debt service relief from IMF. “Today, I am pleased to say that our Executive Board approved immediate debt service relief to 25 of the IMF’s member countries under the IMF’s revamped Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) as part of the Fund’s response to help address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” reads a press statement issued by Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of IMF. According to the statement, this provides grants to IMF’s poorest and most vulnerable members will help the countries to cover their IMF debt obligations for an initial phase over the next six months and will help them channel more of their scarce financial resources towards vital emergency medical and other relief efforts. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The CCRT can currently provide about USD 500 million in grant-based debt service relief, including the recent USD185 million pledge by the United Kingdom and USD 100 million provided by Japan as immediately available resources. “Others, including China and the Netherlands, are also stepping forward with important contributions,” Georgieva said. She urged other donors to help replenish CCRT’s resources and boost further our ability to provide additional debt service relief for a full two years to the poorest member countries of IMF.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Besides Nepal, Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Togo, and Yemen are the recipients of the debt service relief.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:Arial">The latest move of IMF is one of the several steps the Fund has taken over the last few months to help its members to face the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. IMF has been focusing its efforts to help poorer nations coordinating with the World Bank. The two organisations have asked developed nations to halt collection of debt payments from poor countries until June 2021.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11674', 'image' => '20200414115244_IMF.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 11:51:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11923', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government to Introduce E-Passes from April 14', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: The government is preparing to introduce e-passes for the operation of vehicles for essential services from Tuesday (April 14).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">April 13: The government is preparing to introduce e-passes for the operation of vehicles for essential services from Tuesday (April 14).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The Ministry of Home Affairs informed in a press conference on Monday that the government will start issuing e-passes for the transportation of food stuffs, ambulances and other essential services or for emergency from Tuesday onward after filling an online form. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The applicants must enter the details for the e-pass at the home ministry’s website http://epass.moha.gov.np/. The ministry has instructed the District Administration Office to provide e-pass only for essential purpose.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Introducing the new system, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa said that the government has initiated a new process to make passes available for the general public in case of emergency.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The minister said anyone can fill the form but made it clear that passes will be provided to only those in need of emergency. -RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11673', 'image' => '20200413033255_1586769752.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 15:31:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11921', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Experts Demand Separate Mechanism for Improving Economy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: Economists have suggested that a strong mechanism is needed to reduce the impacts of coronavirus on the country's economy.', 'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 13: Economists have suggested that a strong mechanism is needed to reduce the impacts of coronavirus on the country's economy.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">They emphasized that a separate mechanism should be developed in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank and the Central Statistics Bureau for the economy to recover. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the experts, a separate body such as the National Reconstruction Authority which was formed to rebuild the country after the 2015 earthquake, should be established to overcome the economic crisis.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Addressing a video conference organized by the Nepal Economic Journalists Society (SEJON) on Sunday, April 12, economist duo Bishwambher Pyakhurel and Rameshwar Khanal informed that a separate mechanism is necessary to overcome the economic impacts of corona.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“We need relief and rehabilitation packages soon, but, the packages should be distributed only after analyzing the impact and setting priority,” Khanal said.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Khanal added that inflow of remittance is shrinking and foreign exchange from tourism is declining.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He opined that Nepal will not receive foreign aid and foreign investment, as committed by donors and development partners, because coronavirus has impacted the entire global economy.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"So, it will also affect the foreign exchange reserves of the country and the money invested in the financial sector as well as liquidity," Khanal added.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, economist Pyakhurel informed that the pandemic has impacted the small-scale and cottage industry the most. He says small and cottage industry has the highest contribution to the country’s economy. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He said that if the decline in domestic production and rise in price and unemployment increases, then the cost and expenditure will rise unbearably.</span></span></h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11672', 'image' => '20200413030531_coronavirus-economy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 15:04:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11919', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Ncell Clears CGT', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: Ncell Limited, a leading private telecommunication company of Nepal, has submitted Rs 14.33 billion capital gains tax (CGT) to the government to clear all its dues.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">April 13: Ncell Limited, a leading private telecommunication company of Nepal, has submitted Rs 14.33 billion capital gains tax (CGT) to the government to clear all its dues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the Large Tax Payers’ Office, Ncell submitted the amount on Sunday (April 12). Before this, Ncell had paid Rs 4.6 billion CGT to the office last Tuesday as per its commitment to clear the dues in installments. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Chief of the LTO Jhalak Ram Adhikari informed New Business Age that Ncell has paid Rs 4.5 billion on December 31 as the first installment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times">The LTO had last year sought Rs 60.71 billion from Ncell as CGT when the company changed hands some years ago. The LTO said it had only received 21.54 billion from Ncell and demanded Rs 39 billion from the company on April 16 last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">But the company filed a petition at the Supreme Court <span style="font-family:Times">on April 22, alleging the LTO of charging excessive tax.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> <span style="font-family:Times">In the petition, Ncell had argued that the LTO asked it to pay more than Rs 39 billion against the existing laws and previous verdict of the apex court when it is liable to pay only Rs 14.36 billion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Ncell said it has already paid Rs 21.54 billion as CGT to the Large Taxpayers’ Office in two installments on May 8, 2016 and June 4, 2017. It also paid Rs 2.2 billion as late fee.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The Supreme Court finally put the matter to rest in November last year ruling that Ncell is liable to pay 21.1 billion CGT, which the company cleared with the payment of the last installment on Sunday.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11671', 'image' => '20200413113018_thumb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 11:29:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11922', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Shortage of Construction Materials at 2 Int’l Airports', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: COVID 19 lockdown has affected the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) and Pokhara Regional and International Airport (PRIA). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">April 13: </span><span style="font-family:Arial">COVID 19 lockdown has affected the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) and Pokhara Regional and International Airport (PRIA). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Due to lack of essential equipment coming from foreign countries and shortage of construction material, these two international airports are being made with the limited available resources, said Rajan Pokharel, director general at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The construction has also been affected due to lack of workers. Currently, around 100 Nepali workers and 28 foreign workers have been working in GBIA. “Earlier we had 200 workers. Now, the workers inside the camp are only engaged,” said Prawesh Adhikari, chief of the Airport Construction Project. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Similarly, shortage of cement which is imported from India has hit the construction of PRIA. Due to lack of equipment and delay in supply of other materials, the construction work has been affected, said Binesh Munkarmi, chief of the airport project. According to him, the equipment needed for the construction are stuck in Kolkata port. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11670', 'image' => '20200413031316_1586727960.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 15:11:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 15: Authorities of Nepal and China have agreed to ease the import and export of health supplies and daily essentials from the Tatopani transit point. The decision was taken during a routine meeting held between the administrative and border officials on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Sharing the decision of the meeting, Chief District Officer of Sindhupalchowk Umesh Dhakal said necessary health measures would be adopted for the container truck drivers, assistants and labourers going to bring goods from across the border. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">"The Chinese side will bring the goods up to the customs yard next to the Friendship Bridge and the Nepali side will fetch it from there to the dry port of Larcha," CDO Dhakal said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, crossing the bridge on the border will require health certificates for citizens from both the countries. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11684', 'image' => '20200415010219_1586468314.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 13:01:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11933', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Lockdown puts Construction Materials Industry in Crisis ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Industries producing construction materials have not been able to operate for the past three weeks following the lockdown imposed by the government to control the spread of coronavirus.', 'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 15: Industries producing construction materials have not been able to operate for the past three weeks following the lockdown imposed by the government to control the spread of coronavirus.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Most of the workers in this sector are not able to come to work.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Additionally, lack of transportation of raw material due to the lockdown has disrupted the supply chain.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">On an average, such industries keep stock of raw materials for at least three months. However, the industries are currently unable to operate due to the unviability of transportation and shipping facility, informed Rajesh Kayal, operator of Narayani Spat Industry.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal is self-dependent in production of cement and steel. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Analyzing the potential in the construction sector, investment in such industries has been encouraging</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, Terai Steel's managing director Pradeep Kedia informed that the construction industries was already hit by recession as it was not able to expand compared to investment and production and now has been additionally plagued by the lockdown.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The industries which were facing losses due to the limited market as compared to the production are now shattered as they are unable to keep up the production because of the lockdown, he informed.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government must pay special attention to the revival of such industries, Kedia added.</span></span></h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></h1> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11683', 'image' => '20200415125719_1586906108.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 12:56:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11931', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Local Infrastructure Budget to be Transferred to Fund set up against Coronavirus', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Members of Parliament have agreed to provide the budget allocated for the local infrastructure development partnership programmes under the Parliamentary Constituency Development Fund to the fund established by the government for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">April 15: Members of Parliament have agreed to provide the budget allocated for the local infrastructure development partnership programmes under the Parliamentary Constituency Development Fund to the fund established by the government for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The infrastructure development partnership programmes fall under the constituencies of the House of Representatives members in different provinces. The members on Tuesday agreed to hand over the budget to the Coronavirus Prevention, Control and Treatment Fund following India’s footsteps where similar kind of budget for two years has been transferred to the Prime Minister’s Fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The decision was taken right after a discussion between Agni Sapkota, speaker of House of Representative, and speakers and deputy speakers of the provincial assemblies. As per the agreement, the current budget of local infrastructure development partnership programmes and next year’s budget will be transferred to the fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">Leaders of various political parties had been pressuring the government to transfer the unspent budget of various development heads to the coronavirus fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">Economists and civil society members had also requested to dissolve the programmes. However, the government was silent on this topic until the lawmakers agreed to transfer the fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The federal government has allocated a total of Rs 10 billion for the programmes. Similarly, provincial governments also has similar kind of programmes. With this, the federal government and the local governments have allocated a total of Rs 20 billion for the fund. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">It has been reported that the budget for the infrastructure development wasn’t been used productively. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11682', 'image' => '20200415120726_1586905834.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 12:06:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11930', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank Prepares Report on National Payment Gateway', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Nepal Rastra Bank has presented a report on the National Payment Gateway to the central bank’s board for approval.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 15: Nepal Rastra Bank has presented a report on the National Payment Gateway to the central bank’s board for approval. The report prepared by a five-member committee formed to study the payment gateway had presented the report to the board meeting last weel.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The report will be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance after the board approves it, informed Rewati Prasad Nepal, executive director at the Payments System Department of NRB.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The new system will come into operation after the finance ministry approves the report. However, the central bank’s board meeting has not been able to take place due to the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NRB had formed the five-member committee headed by Subash Ghimire, director of the Payments System Department, after the finance ministry instructed the central bank to establish a national switch through banks for the payment. A representative each from the finance ministry, Financial Comptroller General’s Office, Information Technology Centre and Nepal Bankers’ Association are the members of the committee.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The committee report has given various suggestions to the central bank regarding the operation process of the payment gateway. The committee has also suggested a model in which the payment gateway can be operated in collaboration between the FCGO and the IT Centre.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Executive Director Nepal said that the report will be sent to the finance ministry once the board approves it. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The national switch of NRB will incorporate the revenue collection and payment of the government in the first phase.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In the second phase, the central bank plans to bring all the payments across the country under a single channel. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11681', 'image' => '20200415103309_15869.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 10:32:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11932', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NCC urges NRB to take Measures to Reduce Economic Impact of COVID-19', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 15: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) has urged Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank, to take immediate measures to reduce the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 15: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) has urged Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank, to take immediate measures to reduce the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NCC stated this in a memorandum to the NRB Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari on Tuesday. It has also urged the state to address the demands of the private sector saying the private sector is the main source of revenue of the state and promoting and protecting it contributed to the overall development of the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The NCC has called for constituting a high-level task force including the representatives of the private sector for carrying out a study on the impact of coronavirus pandemic on the economy, for forming a high-powered mechanism to restore the economy back to its previous state after assessing the impact of the pandemic and making provisions for the banks and financial institutions to issue loans to all types of businesses and traders for long period. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, it urged the NRB to make provisions for providing the refinancing facilities to all types of micro, small, medium and big enterprises and other businesses as well on the basis of the status of the impact of coronavirus on these sectors. It said this refinancing should be 10 per cent in addition to the current loan. It has also called for a three per cent spread rate of banks, making the CRR flexible and increasing the flow of investment capital. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-15', 'modified' => '2020-04-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11680', 'image' => '20200415123031_469902.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-15 12:29:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11929', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Extends Lockdown Until April 27', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: The government has decided to extend the nationwide lockdown until April 27.', 'content' => '<p><em>Prime Minister KP Oli attending a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Photo: RSS</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Devanagari Sangam MN"">April 14: </span><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has decided to extend the nationwide lockdown until April 27. A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday took a decision to this effect, according to multiple sources.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">The current lockdown, which was first imposed on March 24, expires on Wednesday midnight.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Informed sources said that the government decided to extend the lockdown upon the recommendation of the High-Level Committee to Prevent Coronavirus after new cases of the deadly disease were reported in the country in the last few days.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the official figures, the number of infected persons in Nepal stands at 16 so far with one person recovering from the disease. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">All regular international and domestic flights remain suspended till April 30, as per the decision taken by the cabinet earlier. However, the government has been allowing chartered flights to carry back stranded tourists.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has also decided to limit the mobility of people across the border and allow operation of only essential services in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease which has infected more than 1.9 million people and claimed over 120,000 lives across the globe.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11679', 'image' => '20200414042312_RSSSaujany-CabinetMeetingPMa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 16:21:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11928', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Rainfall with Thunderstorm in Forecast', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: The weather across the country would remain partial to general cloudy today (April 14) due to the impact of westerly and local winds', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 14: The weather across the country would remain partial to general cloudy today (April 14) due to the impact of westerly and local winds, the national news agency (RSS) reported citing the Meteorological Forecasting Division. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the division, different parts of the country would witness rainfall with thunderstorm. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Meteorologist Samir Shrestha said there is possibility of rain with thunderstorm and wind at mid-hill areas of the country Tuesday afternoon. The impact of westerly wind would last till Tuesday night. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On Wednesday, the weather across the nation would remain partially to general cloudy and there is possibility of rain with lightning and wind in some places of the country, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Similarly, rainfall with thunderstorm has been predicted in one or two places of hills in the central and western regions as well as some places of eastern region on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As per the latest update, the minimum temperature of Kathmandu valley on Tuesday has been recorded at 14.0 degrees Celsius and maximum temperature was 28.6 degree Celsius. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11678', 'image' => '20200414035409_90.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 15:53:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11927', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Operators Request Insurance Companies for Ground Risk Coverage ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has requested the insurance companies to cover 'ground risk’ from the existing insurance policy as they are unable to operate flights due to the lockdown.', 'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 14: Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has requested the insurance companies to cover 'ground risk’ from the existing insurance policy as they are unable to operate flights due to the lockdown.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier, the insurance companies had not responded to the request letter sent to them by the airlines operators. So, AOAN on behalf of all the airline operators has send a letter to the concerned insurance companis on Sunday, April 14.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Currently, Shikhar Insurance, Himalayan General Insurance and Prabhu Insurance are the only insurance companies providing insurance facilities for aircraft in Nepal. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The airline companies had earlier sent letters to the respective insurance companies individually urging them to cover the ground risk. However, AOAN informed that the operators did not receive any response from the insurance companies.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Yograj Kandel, spokesperson of AOAN, said that the association had sent a letter to Insurance Board after the insurance companies didn’t respond to their letters.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Generally, airline insurance covers two types of risks - full flight risk and parking risk (ground risk).</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, flight operation has been completely shut down following the government’s lockdown order since March 24 to stop the transmission of the coronavirus. Therefore, the AOAN has been requesting the insurance companies to insure their aircraft by completely converting their insurance into ground risk, Kandel informed.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The insurance policy only provides protection against the risk while parking and when the aircraft are not operated for a certain period of time.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, the airline companies argue that the insurance policies can be changed like in the past. By doing so, the airline operators that previously paid insurance premium can receive refunds from the insurance companies.</span></span></h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></h1> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11677', 'image' => '20200414011242_108_buddha air.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 13:12:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11926', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Budget of Rs 150 billion Needed for Relief Package ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: It is estimated that the government had to spend Rs 150 billion to address the needs of sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">April 14: It is estimated that the government had to spend Rs 150 billion to address the needs of sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">A meeting of the Council of Ministers had announced relief packages on March 29. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has to make most of the spending in the health sector to bail the country out of the current crisis. The government estimates that a total of Rs 64.14 billion will be spent on treatment of patients, quarantine, health equipment, food supply and incentives for the health workers. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the cost estimate of the government, Rs 11.22 billion will be spent in incentives for health workers and doctors deployed in the frontline against coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Similarly, government needs Rs 19.6 billion to treat the patients for 100 days. Likewise, Rs 10 billion has been allocated for coronavirus prevention, control and treatment. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The government had also announced food relief packages for the poor families. It is estimated that a budget of Rs 16.20 billion is needed to distribute the food relief for four months. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Besides, Rs 23.58 billion has been allocated for social security relief. The facility will be provided to the workers who have contributed to the social security fund. For that, the government has to contribute Rs 1.8 billion on Social Security Fund. According the Ministry of Finance, the amount will be sufficient for four months. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Also, Rs 12.50 billion has been allotted to provide minimum 50 days jobs under the Prime Minister Employment Program to the ones who have lost their jobs. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">Likewise, the government is also preparing to provide livelihood sustenance allowance to the workers in the informal sector. For that, the Finance Ministry has estimated a budget of Rs 10 billion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">According to the ministry, Rs 61.76 billion will be spent for the economic relief. The government also needs to bear loss of Rs 3 billion on income tax relief, Rs 4 billion on electricity charge and Rs 1 billion on other reliefs. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The government has allotted Rs 1 million to each of the 753 local units for transport allowance and compensation. A total of Rs 3.1 billion has been allocated for the purpose.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">The government has adopted a strategy to seek foreign assistance and allocation of some amount from the budget of the current Fiscal Year to tackle the crisis created by coronavirus. According to the Revenue Secretary Ram Sharan Pudasaini, the government will ensure that the budget is enough for all these relief packages. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11676', 'image' => '20200414125728_20200320110025_1584659224.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 12:56:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11925', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CNI urges Government to bring Medium and Long Term Strategy ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has urged the government to bring extensive medium and long-term plan and strategy to tide over the adverse situation in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">April 14: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has urged the government to bring extensive medium and long-term plan and strategy to tide over the adverse situation in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A CNI delegation recently made this suggestion to the government during a meeting with the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Lekhraj Bhatta, the State Minister Motilal Dugad, and the Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Barshaman Pun. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The CNI team on the occasion urged the government to take immediate steps to save the economy, saying the national economy was passing through a very adverse situation owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">It drew the attention of the government to the need of adopting appropriate monetary and fiscal policy so as to revive the economy, suggesting implementing expansionary fiscal policy. It also suggested directly handing over the amount equivalent to approximately 3 per cent of the GDP to the people working in the informal sector, the impoverished and the deprived communities. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, it suggested decreasing the business and industrial investment cost at least by 5 per cent, retaining the CCD at 85 per cent and encouraging the commercial banks for a 7 per cent interest on fixed deposits and a 5 per cent interest on general deposit. The CNI believes that these measures will pump up approximately Rs 150 billion liquidity in the economy. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">CNI also urged the government to ease the movement of workers on the basis of the identity cards issued by the industries as well as to make arrangements for the invoice issued by the industries as the 'permit pass' for the transportation of raw materials and finished goods. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11675', 'image' => '20200414124006_CNI.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 12:39:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11924', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IMF Approves Immediate Debt Relief for Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 14: In a bid to help Nepal combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced to provide financial support to Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">April 14: In a bid to help Nepal combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced to provide financial support to Nepal. The Washington DC-based lender has said that 25 under-developed nations including Nepal will receive immediate grant-based debt service relief from IMF. “Today, I am pleased to say that our Executive Board approved immediate debt service relief to 25 of the IMF’s member countries under the IMF’s revamped Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) as part of the Fund’s response to help address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” reads a press statement issued by Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of IMF. According to the statement, this provides grants to IMF’s poorest and most vulnerable members will help the countries to cover their IMF debt obligations for an initial phase over the next six months and will help them channel more of their scarce financial resources towards vital emergency medical and other relief efforts. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The CCRT can currently provide about USD 500 million in grant-based debt service relief, including the recent USD185 million pledge by the United Kingdom and USD 100 million provided by Japan as immediately available resources. “Others, including China and the Netherlands, are also stepping forward with important contributions,” Georgieva said. She urged other donors to help replenish CCRT’s resources and boost further our ability to provide additional debt service relief for a full two years to the poorest member countries of IMF.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Besides Nepal, Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Togo, and Yemen are the recipients of the debt service relief.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:Arial">The latest move of IMF is one of the several steps the Fund has taken over the last few months to help its members to face the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. IMF has been focusing its efforts to help poorer nations coordinating with the World Bank. The two organisations have asked developed nations to halt collection of debt payments from poor countries until June 2021.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-14', 'modified' => '2020-04-14', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11674', 'image' => '20200414115244_IMF.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-14 11:51:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11923', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government to Introduce E-Passes from April 14', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: The government is preparing to introduce e-passes for the operation of vehicles for essential services from Tuesday (April 14).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">April 13: The government is preparing to introduce e-passes for the operation of vehicles for essential services from Tuesday (April 14).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The Ministry of Home Affairs informed in a press conference on Monday that the government will start issuing e-passes for the transportation of food stuffs, ambulances and other essential services or for emergency from Tuesday onward after filling an online form. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The applicants must enter the details for the e-pass at the home ministry’s website http://epass.moha.gov.np/. The ministry has instructed the District Administration Office to provide e-pass only for essential purpose.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Introducing the new system, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa said that the government has initiated a new process to make passes available for the general public in case of emergency.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The minister said anyone can fill the form but made it clear that passes will be provided to only those in need of emergency. -RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11673', 'image' => '20200413033255_1586769752.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 15:31:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11921', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Experts Demand Separate Mechanism for Improving Economy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: Economists have suggested that a strong mechanism is needed to reduce the impacts of coronavirus on the country's economy.', 'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">April 13: Economists have suggested that a strong mechanism is needed to reduce the impacts of coronavirus on the country's economy.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">They emphasized that a separate mechanism should be developed in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank and the Central Statistics Bureau for the economy to recover. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the experts, a separate body such as the National Reconstruction Authority which was formed to rebuild the country after the 2015 earthquake, should be established to overcome the economic crisis.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Addressing a video conference organized by the Nepal Economic Journalists Society (SEJON) on Sunday, April 12, economist duo Bishwambher Pyakhurel and Rameshwar Khanal informed that a separate mechanism is necessary to overcome the economic impacts of corona.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“We need relief and rehabilitation packages soon, but, the packages should be distributed only after analyzing the impact and setting priority,” Khanal said.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Khanal added that inflow of remittance is shrinking and foreign exchange from tourism is declining.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He opined that Nepal will not receive foreign aid and foreign investment, as committed by donors and development partners, because coronavirus has impacted the entire global economy.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"So, it will also affect the foreign exchange reserves of the country and the money invested in the financial sector as well as liquidity," Khanal added.</span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, economist Pyakhurel informed that the pandemic has impacted the small-scale and cottage industry the most. He says small and cottage industry has the highest contribution to the country’s economy. </span></span></h1> <h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He said that if the decline in domestic production and rise in price and unemployment increases, then the cost and expenditure will rise unbearably.</span></span></h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> <h1> </h1> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11672', 'image' => '20200413030531_coronavirus-economy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 15:04:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11919', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Ncell Clears CGT', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: Ncell Limited, a leading private telecommunication company of Nepal, has submitted Rs 14.33 billion capital gains tax (CGT) to the government to clear all its dues.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">April 13: Ncell Limited, a leading private telecommunication company of Nepal, has submitted Rs 14.33 billion capital gains tax (CGT) to the government to clear all its dues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the Large Tax Payers’ Office, Ncell submitted the amount on Sunday (April 12). Before this, Ncell had paid Rs 4.6 billion CGT to the office last Tuesday as per its commitment to clear the dues in installments. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Chief of the LTO Jhalak Ram Adhikari informed New Business Age that Ncell has paid Rs 4.5 billion on December 31 as the first installment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times">The LTO had last year sought Rs 60.71 billion from Ncell as CGT when the company changed hands some years ago. The LTO said it had only received 21.54 billion from Ncell and demanded Rs 39 billion from the company on April 16 last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">But the company filed a petition at the Supreme Court <span style="font-family:Times">on April 22, alleging the LTO of charging excessive tax.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> <span style="font-family:Times">In the petition, Ncell had argued that the LTO asked it to pay more than Rs 39 billion against the existing laws and previous verdict of the apex court when it is liable to pay only Rs 14.36 billion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">Ncell said it has already paid Rs 21.54 billion as CGT to the Large Taxpayers’ Office in two installments on May 8, 2016 and June 4, 2017. It also paid Rs 2.2 billion as late fee.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Times">The Supreme Court finally put the matter to rest in November last year ruling that Ncell is liable to pay 21.1 billion CGT, which the company cleared with the payment of the last installment on Sunday.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11671', 'image' => '20200413113018_thumb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 11:29:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '11922', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Shortage of Construction Materials at 2 Int’l Airports', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 13: COVID 19 lockdown has affected the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) and Pokhara Regional and International Airport (PRIA). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:"Mangal","serif"">April 13: </span><span style="font-family:Arial">COVID 19 lockdown has affected the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) and Pokhara Regional and International Airport (PRIA). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Due to lack of essential equipment coming from foreign countries and shortage of construction material, these two international airports are being made with the limited available resources, said Rajan Pokharel, director general at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">The construction has also been affected due to lack of workers. Currently, around 100 Nepali workers and 28 foreign workers have been working in GBIA. “Earlier we had 200 workers. Now, the workers inside the camp are only engaged,” said Prawesh Adhikari, chief of the Airport Construction Project. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-family:Arial">Similarly, shortage of cement which is imported from India has hit the construction of PRIA. Due to lack of equipment and delay in supply of other materials, the construction work has been affected, said Binesh Munkarmi, chief of the airport project. According to him, the equipment needed for the construction are stuck in Kolkata port. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-04-13', 'modified' => '2020-04-13', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11670', 'image' => '20200413031316_1586727960.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-04-13 15:11:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '20' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
