August 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has directed remittance companies to provide their service despite the prohibitory order of the government. The central bank issued such order considering that many households in Nepal are dependent on remittance for their livelihood.

NRB in a circular issued to the remittance companies has instructed them to provide their service by adopting necessary safety precaution.

The instruction comes after the local governments in the Kathmandu Valley and some other infected districts imposed prohibitory orders to contain the spread of the disease.

The central bank clarified that such instruction was given so that the people dependent on remittance would not have to suffer during the current crisis.

“We have ordered the remittance companies not to compromise on their service so that the families relying on remittance would not face any problem. The remittance companies will have to facilitate in availing the money sent by Nepali migrant workers from abroad,” said an official at the Foreign Exchange Management Department of NRB.

The remittance companies have been urged to coordinate with the local units to keep their counters open for a limited period with minimum number of staffers.

The central bank has also instructed the remittance companies to coordinate with BFIs for availing foreign exchange facility and to make payment of remittance through banks if possible.