February 1: Nepal Rastra Bank has prepared a draft of Nepal QR Standardization Framework and Guideline for regulating the use of QR code in the…
February 1: Nepal Rastra Bank has prepared a draft of Nepal QR Standardization Framework and Guideline for regulating the use of QR code in the…
February 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has inaugurated the 400 KV Dhalkebar Substation on Monday, February…
February 1: The export of soybean oil has increased by 290 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year.…
February 1: The price of chicken has dropped in Kathmandu after bird flu was detected in the…
January 31: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has pledged to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs after acknowledging that it is not easy to lead business enterprises by women.…
January 31: The Government of Nepal has selected India’s SJVN Limited to prepare the project framework for the 679-megawat capacity Lower Arun Hyrdropower Project.…
January 31: Bird flu has been detected in a poultry farm in Tarakeswor municiplaity-7 of Kathmandu.…
January 29: New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publishers of New Business Age monthly magazine and Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily, has concluded the NewBiz Business Women Summit and Awards on January…
January 29: Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel today acknowledged that the process of empowering women has not moved ahead at a desired pace in the country despite adequate provisions in the…
January 28: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced the completion of the rehabilitation of a section of the BP Highway in Sindhuli.…
January 28: Nepal’s score at the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has further slipped to 33 in 2020 from 34 in 2019, indicating that the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the country has increased in last one year.…
January 28: The latest analysis of the International Labour Organization (ILO), on the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market shows massive damage to working time and income.…
January 28: The government’s plan to export citrus fruits to China has suffered a setback after the northern neighbor denied permission for such deal.…
January 28: Chief of the World Food Program (WFP) has reportedly said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen vulnerable supply chains to impoverished nations struggling to feed their…
January 27: The technical aspect of setting up Nepal’s national payment switch to ensure safe and cost-effective electronic transactions is in the final phase of approval.…
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Although the quick response (QR) code is already in use in the market, the central bank is yet to come up with a policy to regulate its use.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NRB was under pressure from Banks and Financial Institutions (BFIs) and payment service providers to regulate QR code, which is in use since the last three years. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Executive Director of the Payments Department of Nepal Rastra Bank Bhuvan Knadel says the central bank has given special attention to QR code while promoting electronic payment system.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He added that the draft has been prepared in line with international standard and practices.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We have prepared the QR Code Framework and Guideline and opened the floor for discussion. We are seeking feedbacks from concerned stakeholders including service providers, bank and merchants as well as customers,” said Kandel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We are receiving suggestions from some sectors and are still waiting for more feedbacks. The draft will be finalized after collecting feedbacks,” added Kandel. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The draft has a provision that the service providers cannot charge customers for the use of QR Code. However, the service providers can fix a certain charge in the future and the central bank can fix a ceiling, according to the proposed draft. Executive Director Kandel said that such measures were considered so that the customers would not get cheated while also keeping in view that the market trend would not be disrupted.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The draft has also outlined the need to ensure security measures for the electronic transaction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12754', 'image' => '20210201044333_1612137905.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 16:42:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13006', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM Oli Inaugurated Nepal’s Largest Substation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has inaugurated the 400 KV Dhalkebar Substation on Monday, February 1.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has inaugurated the 400 KV Dhalkebar Substation on Monday, February 1. It is the first substation of 400 KV in Nepal and also the biggest in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Dhanusha-based substation was set up by the Nepal Electricity Authority with an investment of 224.3 million. The state-owned NEA had awarded the contract to build the substation to Linxon India Private Limited (formerly ABB India Limited) in December 2017.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The substation has three 315 MVA transformers and nine GIS line way. The nine GIS lines have been fixed for the transmission of electricity to and from Hetauda, Inaruwa and Muzaffarpur. The substation also has six GIS transformers and reactors.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The substation has a capacity to exchange 1000 megawatts of electricity between Nepal and India via Muzaffarpur transmission line. Similarly, it has the capacity to exchange 2000 megawatts of electricity with Hetauda and Inaruwa transmission lines each, according to NEA.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12752', 'image' => '20210201014119_1612137114.Clipboard24.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 13:40:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13005', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Export of Soybean Oil up by 290 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: The export of soybean oil has increased by 290 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: The export of soybean oil has increased by 290 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year. According to the Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC), Nepal exported soybean oil worth Rs 17 billion during the review period. The export of soybean oil during the corresponding period of last fiscal year was worth Rs 4 billion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In the review period, palm oil – which was Nepal’s top export product last year – dropped to 27<sup>th</sup> position among the items exported by Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The country had exported palm oil worth Rs 13.89 billion in the first six months of the current fiscal year but the export dropped to Rs 400,000 in the current fiscal year after India banned the import of palm oil. India is the main market for palm oil and soybean oil produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepali businessmen used to import unrefined palm oil from third countries and then the finished produce used to be exported to India. The businessmen have shifted their focus toward soybean oil after India banned palm oil.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“Industries are gradually reopening as the situation is normalizing after Covid-19 and lockdown,” said industrialist Pradeep Muraraka, adding, “After the ban on palm oil, there has been an increase in demand for soybean oil. We have shifted our focus on production of soybean oil.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Wool, black cardamom, carpet, jute, readymade garments, tea are among the major export products of Nepal after soybean oil, according to Krishna Bajgain, senior officer at TEPC.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12751', 'image' => '20210201123822_1612135819.Clipboard21.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 12:37:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13004', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Chicken Drops after Emergence of Bird Flu in Capital', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: The price of chicken has dropped in Kathmandu after bird flu was detected in the capital.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: The price of chicken has dropped in Kathmandu after bird flu was detected in the capital. The Department of Livestock on Saturday had confirmed bird flu in a poultry farm in Sanglekhola of Tarkeshwar Municipality in the northern outskirts of Kathmandu. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The price of chicken had gradually increased to as much as Rs 370 per kilogram after the lockdown was lifted. The price has dropped to Rs 350 per kg after bird flu was reported on Saturday, January 30.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">However, the Meat Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal says that bird flu alone is not the reason in falling price of chicken. Chairman of the association Jung Bahadur BC says chicken have not been infected so far and therefor urged the consumers not to panic. According to him, the government has confirmed bird flu among ducks, turkeys and quails but not among chicken.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Meanwhile, poultry farmers have become worried due to the emergence of bird flu when their business was finally picking up pace after suffering for a long time due to the impact of coronavirus and lockdown.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On the other hand, government authorities have sealed the infected area to prevent the virus from spreading.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Bird flu was detected in different places of India last month and the government had made all possible efforts to prevent the disease from entering Nepal. As the virus has already been detected in Nepal, the department has urged everyone involved in poultry business to transport chicken and other avian animals only after getting certificates from the concerned government bodies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12750', 'image' => '20210201121610_index.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 12:15:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13002', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'President Bhandari Pledges to Resolve Problems Faced by Women Entrepreneurs', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 31: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has pledged to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs after acknowledging that it is not easy to lead business enterprises by women. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">January 31: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has pledged to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs after acknowledging that it is not easy to lead business enterprises by women. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">During a meeting with the winners of Nubiz Business Women Summit and Awards 2021 on Saturday (January 30), President Bhandari told the women entrepreneurs to share their problems in written form and she would take necessary measures in coordination with the government to resolve those problems.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“There is a big challenge for women to become entrepreneurs. I understand this clearly. Women should not lose confidence. The government is there to support women entrepreneurs with various programmes,” said President Bhandari.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“I will take the initiative to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs,” she added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The president also thanked New Business Age for organising the summit and training to women entrepreneurs from across the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel had inaugurated the summit and awards ceremony on Friday (January 29). During the inauguration, Minister Poudel had expressed government’s commitment to promote women entrepreneurship in the country. The awards ceremony was initially scheduled for March last year but was pushed back due to the Covid-19 pandemic.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-31', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12749', 'image' => '20210131083603__J4A1895 - Copy.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-31 12:34:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13003', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India’s SJVN Limited Selected for Arun Hydropower Project Development ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 31: The Government of Nepal has selected India’s SJVN Limited to prepare the project framework for the 679-megawat capacity Lower Arun Hyrdropower Project. ', 'content' => '<p><em>This file photo shared by SJVN Limited on its Facebook page shows PM KP Sharma Oli with SJVN Chairman Nanda Lal Sharma (right). A meeting of the Investment Board chaired by PM Oli has selected SJVN for project framework development of Lower Arun Hydropower Project.</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 31: The Government of Nepal has selected India’s SJVN Limited to prepare the project framework for the 679-megawat capacity Lower Arun Hyrdropower Project. </span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The framework for the project will be developed as Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model under the public-private partnership framework, according to the state-owned national news agency, RSS. A decision to this end was taken by a meeting on Friday of the Investment Board of Nepal chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. </span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">RSS further stated that the selection was made on the basis of an assessment of the companies listed through international bidding. The 679-MW project will be based in Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur districts. The project was proposed before international investors during the Nepal Investment Summit held in Kathmandu in 2019. </span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During Friday’s meeting, Prime Minister and Chair of the Board Oli said that a plan should also be developed to increase power consumption along with production, for which the infrastructure projects needs to be implemented on time, according to IBN spokesperson Dharmendra Kumar Mishra. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS""> Meanwhile the meeting decided to invite as experts to the Board Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, Hari Bhakta Sharma and Bhawani Rana, and Bal Krishna Shiwakoti as members. </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-31', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12748', 'image' => '20210131022048_143465423_1552556748264906_5756472219190650236_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-31 14:17:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13001', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bird Flu Detected in Kathmandu ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 31: Bird flu has been detected in a poultry farm in Tarakeswor municiplaity-7 of Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 31: Bird flu has been detected in a poultry farm in Tarakeswor municiplaity-7 of Kathmandu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the state-run news agency, RSS, the municipality's Livestock Division Chief Dhanipat Roy shared that 1865 ducks, 622 quail birds, 32 chicks, 25 turkeys, 542 eggs and 75-kg feed were destroyed and disposed off after the confirmation of bird flu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Poultry firms of local farmers have been sealed off with the assistance of a joint team of Nepal government's Department of Health Services, Department of Livestock and Tarakeswor Municipality's health section after the detection of the flu, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In view of the fear of the outbreak, the samples of poultry products from other firms have been sent for test, RSS quoted the municipality sources as saying. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Division Chief Roy reportedly informed that the bird flu affected areas have been disinfected with sprays. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-31', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12747', 'image' => '20210131120553_Avian-influenza-word-cloud.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-31 12:05:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13000', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NewBiz Celebrates Women Entrepreneurship Excellence', 'sub_title' => '12 Women Felicitated for their contributions to entrepreneurship in the country', 'summary' => 'January 29: New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publishers of New Business Age monthly magazine and Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily, has concluded the NewBiz Business Women Summit and Awards on January 29.', 'content' => '<p>January 29: New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publishers of New Business Age monthly magazine and Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily, has concluded the NewBiz Business Women Summit and Awards on January 29. In the event, which was originally scheduled for March last year and was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, working and entrepreneurial women of Nepal were honoured in various categories selected by independent panels of jury for their excellence in respective areas. Shanta Baskota Koirala, managing director of Kanchanjangha Tea Estate, was felicitated with the 'Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2021' award. Similarly, Shreejana Rana was honoured with the 'Business Women of the Year 2021' award, while Urmila Shrestha, CEO of Salt Trading Corporation Limited, received the 'Influential Business Women of the Year 2021' award. Similarly, Vidushi Rana, director of branding and business development at Kiran Shoes Manufactures was felicitated with the 'Charismatic Business Women of the Year 2021' award. Veteran hotelier Maharajkumari Rama Rana Malla, Chairperson of The Malla Hotel was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her four decades of contributions to the Nepali business sector. Malla, whose business portfolio includes a five-star property, a resort and a tour agency, is also a dedicated philanthropist who is still active even at the age of 75.</p> <p>Likewise, seven women entrepreneurs, one each from the seven provinces of the country, were honoured under the category 'Emerging Enterprising Women of the Year 2021'. Champa Nepal, proprietor of Champa Shoe Center and Training, Biratnagar (Province 1), Trishna Singh Bhandari, owner of Mithila House Pvt Ltd, Birgunj (Province 2), Chandrakala Baskota, owner of Rijal Plastic Udhyog, Bhaktapur (Bagmati Province), Ramkali Khadka, founder of Women’s Skills Development Center, Pokhara (Gandaki Province), Chitra Kali Budhamagar, owner of Kothi Himal Allo Kapada Udhyog, Pyuthan (Lumbini Province), Heema Kumari Upadhyay, owner of Bhawani Chhapakhana, Surkhet (Karnali Province) and Heera Bhandari, managing director of B Polytechnic Institute, Dhangadhi (Sudurpaschim Province) were awarded. The event comprised of two parts; the first part of the programme was completed last year but the final part was postponed due to the pandemic. Under the first part, full day training programmmes for business women from different parts of the country were organised on entrepreneurship and financial literacy at ten different centres of the country - Biratnagar, Birtamode, Birgunj, Janakpur, Hetauda, Narayangarh, Butwal, Surkhet, Dhangadhi and Pokhara. The programmes were participated by about 2,000 people. In these programmes the women entrepreneurs also had opportunity to interact with the representatives of various banks and financial institutions operating in those locations, the representatives of the regulating authorities concerned with business sectors and representatives of local government bodies. These programmes were highly successful based on the feedback the participants shared. The second and final part of the event, which was held at Radisson Hotel Kathmandu, comprised of two parts. Under the first part of the final programme, Women’s Summit was held in which leading business women and professionals from various sectors participated in a panel discussion titled ‘Promoting Women Entrepreneurship: Policies and Practices’ with another part being the awards distribution ceremony. The event was organised following the health safety guidelines as the pandemic situation is yet to come under total control. </p> <p>Standard Chartered Bank Nepal was Title Sponsor of the programme. The programme, which was held in association with Muktinath Bikas Bank, had Star Hospital as Medical Partner. The event had Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Federation of Women Entrepreneurs’ Association of Nepal (FWEAN) and Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) as Associate Partners. Likewise, Nimbus Group (Byanjan), Sitaram Gokul Milks, Progressive Finance, Reliable Life Insurance, General Insurance, Merigold Jewellers and Agni Group also supported the event. Also supporting were the 10 district chambers of commerce and industry. DishHome was the official TV platform of the event.<br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-29', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12746', 'image' => '20210131083539__DSC3719.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-29 18:15:54', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '10' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12999', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ''Newbiz Business Women Summit & Awards 2021' kicks off', 'sub_title' => ' Finance Minister Paudel vows to promote and support women entrepreneurs', 'summary' => 'January 29: Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel today acknowledged that the process of empowering women has not moved ahead at a desired pace in the country despite adequate provisions in the constitution.', 'content' => '<p>January 29: Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel today acknowledged that the process of empowering women has not moved ahead at a desired pace in the country despite adequate provisions in the constitution.</p> <p>Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 'Newbiz Business Women Summit & Awards 2021', Finance Minister Paudel said that women empowerment was necessary to foster entrepreneurship among women.</p> <p>"The constitution is progressive in terms of gender equality. However, we have to focus on to make women feel that there is no gender discrimination, they are equal to men and their potential and capacity are realized," said Finance Minister Paudel.</p> <p>Finance Minister Paudel also expressed the government's commitment to promote and facilitate women entrepreneurs that ultimately help in achieving economic prosperity of the country.</p> <p>New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publisher of Arthik Abhiyan Daily and New Business Age, in collaboration with Standard Chartered organized the summit and award ceremony.</p> <p>Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Madan Lamsal, Chairman of New Business Age Pvt Ltd, said that the initiative was aimed at honoring women entrepreneurs who have continued to pursue their businesses by overcoming all odds and adverse business conditions in the country.</p> <p>Zarin Daruwala, Cluster CEO India and Chairperson of Standard Charted Bank Nepal Ltd, said that easier access to finance, better tech connectivity and easier market access would help in scaling up women entrepreneurship.</p> <p>According to Daruwala, Standard Chartered Bank Nepal has observed nearly 16 folds increase in women entrepreneurship loans in 2020 compared to 2019 in line with the Nepal Rastra Bank's directed sector lending program.</p> <p>Also speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Bhawani Rana, Immediate Past President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), said that women have made a remarkable progress in economic and business sectors in last two decades. "There are still many challenges that women entrepreneurs are facing in our patriarchal society. The government must take a lead role in helping women entrepreneurs to overcome these challenges," she added.</p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-29', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12745', 'image' => '20210131083813__DSC3489.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-29 17:57:45', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '10' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12997', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'JICA Inaugurates Section of BP Highway Damaged by 2015 Earthquakes', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced the completion of the rehabilitation of a section of the BP Highway in Sindhuli. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">January 28: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced the completion of the rehabilitation of a section of the BP Highway in Sindhuli. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to JICA, the Sindhuli road was damaged in more than 24 places by the catastrophic earthquake on 25 April 2015 as well as its major aftershock on 12 May 2015.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The Japanese government provided grant assistance to rehabilitate five critically damaged portions of the Sindhuli Road following upon the request of the Government of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Following an Exchange of Note (E/N) between the two governments, JICA signed an agreement on 25<sup>th</sup> October 2018 with Nepal to provide grant assistance of 1,047 million Japanese Yen. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Issuing a statement, JICA said that the rehabilitated road section was inaugurated in a virtual ceremony on Thursday (January 28).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“Rehabilitation of the Sindhuli road will facilitate smooth traffic flow, which will not only result in having a reliable link between Kathmandu and the Eastern Terai but also cater to the need of the public by creating better mobility, easier accessibility to health facilities and education, better economic socio-cultural activities,” the statement added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> Furthermore, one of the major outcome of the rehabilitation project is the transfer of advanced and effective technology to the Nepalese counterparts and engineers, mainly for the slope stabilization of the mountainous roads, JICA further said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The Sindhuli Road is one of the most important roads in Nepal that links the capital, with Eastern Terai. According to JICA, the construction of the Sindhuli Road, with a total length of 160 km, started with Japanese grant in 1996 and was completed in March 2015.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12744', 'image' => '20210128070713_IMG_2102.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 19:06:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12996', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal’s Perceived Level of Corruption Increases ', 'sub_title' => 'Fall in the score to 33 also plunges Nepal’s global ranking to 117th position ', 'summary' => 'January 28: Nepal’s score at the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has further slipped to 33 in 2020 from 34 in 2019, indicating that the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the country has increased in last one year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">January 28: Nepal’s score at the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has further slipped to 33 in 2020 from 34 in 2019, indicating that the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the country has increased in last one year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The fall in the score also plunged Nepal into 117<sup>th</sup> position in the global ranking in 2020’s index from 113<sup>th</sup> in 2019 out of 180 countries and territories included in the research by Transparency International. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Transparency International uses a scale of 0 to 100 to measure the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the countries and territories included in the index where 0 is regarded as highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The deterioration of both score and ranking of Nepal indicates that the country’s corruption has become more prevalent and authorities failed to tackle the tackle the grafts, according to good governance experts. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Though the drop in the score or ranking does not necessarily mean the corruption has increased in Nepal, it reflects the perception of levels of public sector corruption among experts and businesspeople. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Transparency International, however, put Nepal in a list of significant improver in Asia Pacific based on the country’s progress in last 10 years. According to the CPI, Nepal’s score rose to 6 from the CPI 2012. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to Transparency International, more than two-thirds of countries score below 50 on this year’s CPI, with an average score of just 43. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">As in the past, Denmark and New Zealand stood in the top of the CPI with 88 score while South Sudan and Somalia with scores of 12 each remained in the bottom. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In Asia, key economies such as India (40), Indonesia (37) and Bangladesh (26) experienced slow progress in anti-corruption efforts, with several government commitments to reform not yet materialising effectively, according to Transparency International. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12743', 'image' => '20210128035011_11579841541.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 15:49:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12995', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Job Loss due to Covid-19 Four Times more than Global Financial Crisis of 2008: ILO ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: The latest analysis of the International Labour Organization (ILO), on the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market shows massive damage to working time and income. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">January 28: The latest analysis of the International Labour Organization (ILO), on the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market shows massive damage to working time and income. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"Prospects for recovery in 2021 are slow, uneven and uncertain and needs early improvements supported by human-centred recovery policies," the seventh edition of the ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work estimates.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The unprecedented disruption in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to greater job loss, four times greater than that during the global financial crisis over a decade ago.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">New annual estimates in the seventh edition of the ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work confirm the massive impact that labour markets suffered last year. The latest figures show that 8.8 percent of global working hours were lost for the whole of 2020 (relative to the fourth quarter of 2019), equivalent to 255 million full-time jobs or approximately quadruple the jobs lost during the 2009 global financial crisis.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">These lost working hours are accounted for either by reduced working hours for those in employment or “unprecedented” levels of employment loss, hitting 114 million people. Significantly, 71 percent of these employment losses (81 million people) came in the form of inactivity, rather than unemployment, meaning that people left the labour market because they were unable to work, perhaps because of pandemic restrictions, or simply ceased to look for work. Looking at unemployment alone drastically understates the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">These massive losses resulted in an 8.3 per cent decline in global labour income, equivalent to USD 3.7 trillion or 4.4 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Women have been more affected than men due to labour market disruptions led by the pandemic. Globally, employment losses for women stand at 5 per cent, versus 3.9 per cent for men. In particular, women were much more likely than men to drop out of the labour market and become inactive.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Younger workers have also been particularly hard hit, either losing jobs, dropping out of the labour force or delaying entry into it. The employment loss among youth (15-24 years old) stood at 8.7 per cent, compared to 3.7 per cent for adults.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The report shows the uneven impact on different economic, geographic, and labour market sectors. It highlights concerns of a “K-shaped recovery”, whereby those sectors and workers hit hardest could be left behind in the recovery, leading to increasing inequality, unless corrective measures are taken.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The worst affected sector has been accommodation and food services, where employment declined by more than 20 per cent, on average, followed by retail and manufacturing. In contrast, employment in information and communication, and finance and insurance, increased in the second and third quarters of 2020. However, mining, quarrying and utilities, witnessed a marginal growth.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12742', 'image' => '20210128015934_maxresdefault.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 13:58:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12994', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government’s Plan to Export Citrus Fruits to China Suffers a Blow', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: The government’s plan to export citrus fruits to China has suffered a setback after the northern neighbor denied permission for such deal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 28: The government’s plan to export citrus fruits to China has suffered a setback after the northern neighbor denied permission for such deal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Nepal last year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development had signed an agreement with China’s Agriculture Department to export citrus fruits to the northern neighbour.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Chinese government has delayed implementation of the agreement as a precautionary measure against coronavirus after the emergence of a new strain of coronavirus in China and many other countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development had earlier claimed that it would start exporting citrus fruits to China from late January this year. However, China sent a letter to the government stating that it would not be able to import citrus fruits from Nepal this year citing security reasons at a time when the Government of Nepal had completed the preparation to export such fruits to China. Spokesperson at the ministry Dr Shree Ram Ghimire confirmed that China delayed implementation of the agreement citing security risk.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We had completed all the preparations for exporting citrus fruits to China but the plan could not materialize due to China’s stance. We are hopeful that the fruits will be exported during next season,” said Dr Ghimire.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The farmers have now started selling the fruits in the domestic market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Citrus fruits are mostly produced in hill districts of Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Doti, Dadheldhura, Baitadi, Okhaldhunga, Lamjung, Dhankuta, Palpa, Taplejung among others.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to government data, Nepal produces 177,000 metric tons of oranges, 39,000 metric tons of lemon and 43,000 metric tons of mandarin oranges annually.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Citrus fruits are cultivated in 56 districts of Nepal, but only 44 districts have started commercial farming.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Oranges produced in the country make up for 80 percent of the market demand while the remaining 20 percent is imported from foreign countries, according to the government data.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/20201231121240_20190220125347_aaa.jpg" style="height:600px; width:800px" /></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12741', 'image' => '20210128102937_1611791192.Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 10:28:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12993', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'WFP Chief Warns of Vulnerable Supply Chains', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: Chief of the World Food Program (WFP) has reportedly said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen vulnerable supply chains to impoverished nations struggling to feed their populations.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">January 28: Chief of the World Food Program (WFP) has reportedly said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen vulnerable supply chains to impoverished nations struggling to feed their populations.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">According to the Associated Press (AP), David Beasley, executive director of the United Nations' Nobel Peace Prize-winning food program, said that the pandemic put further stress on supply chains getting food to the hungry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">“We’ve got to continue to work the system, we've got to make certain that we are ... less vulnerable to COVID type impacts,” AP quoted Beasley as saying in a virtual panel of the World Economic Forum.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">“If you think you’ve had trouble getting toilet paper in New York, because of supply chain disruption, what do you think’s happening in Chad and Niger and Mali and places like that?”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Beasley stressed that the food supply system is “not broken” but that 10 percent of the global population is in extreme poverty and need to be reached by suppliers and that the global pandemic exacerbated existing problems, AP reported.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">He said that “with 270 million people on the brink of starvation, if we don’t receive the support and the funds that we need, you will have mass famine, starvation, you’ll have destabilization of nations and you’ll have mass migration. And the cost of that is a thousand times more.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country is a center for agricultural innovation and a major exporter of farm produce, announced that his country would host a global coordination center for regional “food innovation hubs” established by the World Economic Forum to help tackle what he called “food system challenges.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12740', 'image' => '20210128095846_55222278_403.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 09:57:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12992', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Technical Report on National Payment Switch in Final Phase', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 27: The technical aspect of setting up Nepal’s national payment switch to ensure safe and cost-effective electronic transactions is in the final phase of approval. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 27: The technical aspect of setting up Nepal’s national payment switch to ensure safe and cost-effective electronic transactions is in the final phase of approval. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal Clearing House Limited (NCHL), which has been authorised by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to prepare the switch, informed New Business Age that its technical report has been almost finalized.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NCHL Chairman Naresh Shakya said that the report will be presented to the Payments System Department of NRB in two to three days after internal discussion. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to Shakya, all the electronic payment systems prevalent in the market including IPS, ConnectIPS, QR Code, debit and credit cards among others will be integrated in the national switch.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Shakya said that the technical report will be submitted to the central bank after a board meeting of the NCHL. The company is preparing to hire additional technical staff to complete the work.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Shakya informed that NCHL will only look after the technical aspect of the national payment switch while the legal issues, regulation and business aspects will be dealt with by the central bank.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Banks and financial institutions (BFIs) have been paying hefty price for digital transaction through international payment gateway like Visa and MasterCard due to lack of Nepal’s own payment gateway. The switch is crucial for connecting all the institutions involved in electronic transaction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Currently, banks have been relying on international switch for the payment through debit and credit cards as well as for the use of ATMs. Some banks have made their own switch for this purpose.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal Rastra Bank has been paying Rs 12 per transaction to the operators of foreign switch, according to NRB Spokesperson Gunakar Bhatta.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-27', 'modified' => '2021-01-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12739', 'image' => '20210127064317_1611704925.Clipboard14.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-27 18:42:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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Although the quick response (QR) code is already in use in the market, the central bank is yet to come up with a policy to regulate its use.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NRB was under pressure from Banks and Financial Institutions (BFIs) and payment service providers to regulate QR code, which is in use since the last three years. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Executive Director of the Payments Department of Nepal Rastra Bank Bhuvan Knadel says the central bank has given special attention to QR code while promoting electronic payment system.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He added that the draft has been prepared in line with international standard and practices.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We have prepared the QR Code Framework and Guideline and opened the floor for discussion. We are seeking feedbacks from concerned stakeholders including service providers, bank and merchants as well as customers,” said Kandel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We are receiving suggestions from some sectors and are still waiting for more feedbacks. The draft will be finalized after collecting feedbacks,” added Kandel. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The draft has a provision that the service providers cannot charge customers for the use of QR Code. However, the service providers can fix a certain charge in the future and the central bank can fix a ceiling, according to the proposed draft. Executive Director Kandel said that such measures were considered so that the customers would not get cheated while also keeping in view that the market trend would not be disrupted.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The draft has also outlined the need to ensure security measures for the electronic transaction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12754', 'image' => '20210201044333_1612137905.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 16:42:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13006', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM Oli Inaugurated Nepal’s Largest Substation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has inaugurated the 400 KV Dhalkebar Substation on Monday, February 1.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has inaugurated the 400 KV Dhalkebar Substation on Monday, February 1. It is the first substation of 400 KV in Nepal and also the biggest in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Dhanusha-based substation was set up by the Nepal Electricity Authority with an investment of 224.3 million. The state-owned NEA had awarded the contract to build the substation to Linxon India Private Limited (formerly ABB India Limited) in December 2017.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The substation has three 315 MVA transformers and nine GIS line way. The nine GIS lines have been fixed for the transmission of electricity to and from Hetauda, Inaruwa and Muzaffarpur. The substation also has six GIS transformers and reactors.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The substation has a capacity to exchange 1000 megawatts of electricity between Nepal and India via Muzaffarpur transmission line. Similarly, it has the capacity to exchange 2000 megawatts of electricity with Hetauda and Inaruwa transmission lines each, according to NEA.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12752', 'image' => '20210201014119_1612137114.Clipboard24.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 13:40:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13005', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Export of Soybean Oil up by 290 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: The export of soybean oil has increased by 290 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: The export of soybean oil has increased by 290 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year. According to the Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC), Nepal exported soybean oil worth Rs 17 billion during the review period. The export of soybean oil during the corresponding period of last fiscal year was worth Rs 4 billion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In the review period, palm oil – which was Nepal’s top export product last year – dropped to 27<sup>th</sup> position among the items exported by Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The country had exported palm oil worth Rs 13.89 billion in the first six months of the current fiscal year but the export dropped to Rs 400,000 in the current fiscal year after India banned the import of palm oil. India is the main market for palm oil and soybean oil produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepali businessmen used to import unrefined palm oil from third countries and then the finished produce used to be exported to India. The businessmen have shifted their focus toward soybean oil after India banned palm oil.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“Industries are gradually reopening as the situation is normalizing after Covid-19 and lockdown,” said industrialist Pradeep Muraraka, adding, “After the ban on palm oil, there has been an increase in demand for soybean oil. We have shifted our focus on production of soybean oil.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Wool, black cardamom, carpet, jute, readymade garments, tea are among the major export products of Nepal after soybean oil, according to Krishna Bajgain, senior officer at TEPC.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12751', 'image' => '20210201123822_1612135819.Clipboard21.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 12:37:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13004', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Chicken Drops after Emergence of Bird Flu in Capital', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: The price of chicken has dropped in Kathmandu after bird flu was detected in the capital.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: The price of chicken has dropped in Kathmandu after bird flu was detected in the capital. The Department of Livestock on Saturday had confirmed bird flu in a poultry farm in Sanglekhola of Tarkeshwar Municipality in the northern outskirts of Kathmandu. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The price of chicken had gradually increased to as much as Rs 370 per kilogram after the lockdown was lifted. The price has dropped to Rs 350 per kg after bird flu was reported on Saturday, January 30.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">However, the Meat Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal says that bird flu alone is not the reason in falling price of chicken. Chairman of the association Jung Bahadur BC says chicken have not been infected so far and therefor urged the consumers not to panic. According to him, the government has confirmed bird flu among ducks, turkeys and quails but not among chicken.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Meanwhile, poultry farmers have become worried due to the emergence of bird flu when their business was finally picking up pace after suffering for a long time due to the impact of coronavirus and lockdown.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On the other hand, government authorities have sealed the infected area to prevent the virus from spreading.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Bird flu was detected in different places of India last month and the government had made all possible efforts to prevent the disease from entering Nepal. As the virus has already been detected in Nepal, the department has urged everyone involved in poultry business to transport chicken and other avian animals only after getting certificates from the concerned government bodies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12750', 'image' => '20210201121610_index.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 12:15:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13002', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'President Bhandari Pledges to Resolve Problems Faced by Women Entrepreneurs', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 31: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has pledged to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs after acknowledging that it is not easy to lead business enterprises by women. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">January 31: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has pledged to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs after acknowledging that it is not easy to lead business enterprises by women. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">During a meeting with the winners of Nubiz Business Women Summit and Awards 2021 on Saturday (January 30), President Bhandari told the women entrepreneurs to share their problems in written form and she would take necessary measures in coordination with the government to resolve those problems.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“There is a big challenge for women to become entrepreneurs. I understand this clearly. Women should not lose confidence. The government is there to support women entrepreneurs with various programmes,” said President Bhandari.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“I will take the initiative to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs,” she added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The president also thanked New Business Age for organising the summit and training to women entrepreneurs from across the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel had inaugurated the summit and awards ceremony on Friday (January 29). During the inauguration, Minister Poudel had expressed government’s commitment to promote women entrepreneurship in the country. The awards ceremony was initially scheduled for March last year but was pushed back due to the Covid-19 pandemic.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-31', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12749', 'image' => '20210131083603__J4A1895 - Copy.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-31 12:34:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13003', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India’s SJVN Limited Selected for Arun Hydropower Project Development ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 31: The Government of Nepal has selected India’s SJVN Limited to prepare the project framework for the 679-megawat capacity Lower Arun Hyrdropower Project. ', 'content' => '<p><em>This file photo shared by SJVN Limited on its Facebook page shows PM KP Sharma Oli with SJVN Chairman Nanda Lal Sharma (right). A meeting of the Investment Board chaired by PM Oli has selected SJVN for project framework development of Lower Arun Hydropower Project.</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 31: The Government of Nepal has selected India’s SJVN Limited to prepare the project framework for the 679-megawat capacity Lower Arun Hyrdropower Project. </span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The framework for the project will be developed as Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model under the public-private partnership framework, according to the state-owned national news agency, RSS. A decision to this end was taken by a meeting on Friday of the Investment Board of Nepal chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. </span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">RSS further stated that the selection was made on the basis of an assessment of the companies listed through international bidding. The 679-MW project will be based in Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur districts. The project was proposed before international investors during the Nepal Investment Summit held in Kathmandu in 2019. </span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During Friday’s meeting, Prime Minister and Chair of the Board Oli said that a plan should also be developed to increase power consumption along with production, for which the infrastructure projects needs to be implemented on time, according to IBN spokesperson Dharmendra Kumar Mishra. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS""> Meanwhile the meeting decided to invite as experts to the Board Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, Hari Bhakta Sharma and Bhawani Rana, and Bal Krishna Shiwakoti as members. </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-31', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12748', 'image' => '20210131022048_143465423_1552556748264906_5756472219190650236_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-31 14:17:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13001', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bird Flu Detected in Kathmandu ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 31: Bird flu has been detected in a poultry farm in Tarakeswor municiplaity-7 of Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 31: Bird flu has been detected in a poultry farm in Tarakeswor municiplaity-7 of Kathmandu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the state-run news agency, RSS, the municipality's Livestock Division Chief Dhanipat Roy shared that 1865 ducks, 622 quail birds, 32 chicks, 25 turkeys, 542 eggs and 75-kg feed were destroyed and disposed off after the confirmation of bird flu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Poultry firms of local farmers have been sealed off with the assistance of a joint team of Nepal government's Department of Health Services, Department of Livestock and Tarakeswor Municipality's health section after the detection of the flu, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In view of the fear of the outbreak, the samples of poultry products from other firms have been sent for test, RSS quoted the municipality sources as saying. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Division Chief Roy reportedly informed that the bird flu affected areas have been disinfected with sprays. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-31', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12747', 'image' => '20210131120553_Avian-influenza-word-cloud.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-31 12:05:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13000', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NewBiz Celebrates Women Entrepreneurship Excellence', 'sub_title' => '12 Women Felicitated for their contributions to entrepreneurship in the country', 'summary' => 'January 29: New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publishers of New Business Age monthly magazine and Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily, has concluded the NewBiz Business Women Summit and Awards on January 29.', 'content' => '<p>January 29: New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publishers of New Business Age monthly magazine and Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily, has concluded the NewBiz Business Women Summit and Awards on January 29. In the event, which was originally scheduled for March last year and was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, working and entrepreneurial women of Nepal were honoured in various categories selected by independent panels of jury for their excellence in respective areas. Shanta Baskota Koirala, managing director of Kanchanjangha Tea Estate, was felicitated with the 'Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2021' award. Similarly, Shreejana Rana was honoured with the 'Business Women of the Year 2021' award, while Urmila Shrestha, CEO of Salt Trading Corporation Limited, received the 'Influential Business Women of the Year 2021' award. Similarly, Vidushi Rana, director of branding and business development at Kiran Shoes Manufactures was felicitated with the 'Charismatic Business Women of the Year 2021' award. Veteran hotelier Maharajkumari Rama Rana Malla, Chairperson of The Malla Hotel was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her four decades of contributions to the Nepali business sector. Malla, whose business portfolio includes a five-star property, a resort and a tour agency, is also a dedicated philanthropist who is still active even at the age of 75.</p> <p>Likewise, seven women entrepreneurs, one each from the seven provinces of the country, were honoured under the category 'Emerging Enterprising Women of the Year 2021'. Champa Nepal, proprietor of Champa Shoe Center and Training, Biratnagar (Province 1), Trishna Singh Bhandari, owner of Mithila House Pvt Ltd, Birgunj (Province 2), Chandrakala Baskota, owner of Rijal Plastic Udhyog, Bhaktapur (Bagmati Province), Ramkali Khadka, founder of Women’s Skills Development Center, Pokhara (Gandaki Province), Chitra Kali Budhamagar, owner of Kothi Himal Allo Kapada Udhyog, Pyuthan (Lumbini Province), Heema Kumari Upadhyay, owner of Bhawani Chhapakhana, Surkhet (Karnali Province) and Heera Bhandari, managing director of B Polytechnic Institute, Dhangadhi (Sudurpaschim Province) were awarded. The event comprised of two parts; the first part of the programme was completed last year but the final part was postponed due to the pandemic. Under the first part, full day training programmmes for business women from different parts of the country were organised on entrepreneurship and financial literacy at ten different centres of the country - Biratnagar, Birtamode, Birgunj, Janakpur, Hetauda, Narayangarh, Butwal, Surkhet, Dhangadhi and Pokhara. The programmes were participated by about 2,000 people. In these programmes the women entrepreneurs also had opportunity to interact with the representatives of various banks and financial institutions operating in those locations, the representatives of the regulating authorities concerned with business sectors and representatives of local government bodies. These programmes were highly successful based on the feedback the participants shared. The second and final part of the event, which was held at Radisson Hotel Kathmandu, comprised of two parts. Under the first part of the final programme, Women’s Summit was held in which leading business women and professionals from various sectors participated in a panel discussion titled ‘Promoting Women Entrepreneurship: Policies and Practices’ with another part being the awards distribution ceremony. The event was organised following the health safety guidelines as the pandemic situation is yet to come under total control. </p> <p>Standard Chartered Bank Nepal was Title Sponsor of the programme. The programme, which was held in association with Muktinath Bikas Bank, had Star Hospital as Medical Partner. The event had Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Federation of Women Entrepreneurs’ Association of Nepal (FWEAN) and Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) as Associate Partners. Likewise, Nimbus Group (Byanjan), Sitaram Gokul Milks, Progressive Finance, Reliable Life Insurance, General Insurance, Merigold Jewellers and Agni Group also supported the event. Also supporting were the 10 district chambers of commerce and industry. DishHome was the official TV platform of the event.<br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-29', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12746', 'image' => '20210131083539__DSC3719.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-29 18:15:54', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '10' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12999', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ''Newbiz Business Women Summit & Awards 2021' kicks off', 'sub_title' => ' Finance Minister Paudel vows to promote and support women entrepreneurs', 'summary' => 'January 29: Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel today acknowledged that the process of empowering women has not moved ahead at a desired pace in the country despite adequate provisions in the constitution.', 'content' => '<p>January 29: Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel today acknowledged that the process of empowering women has not moved ahead at a desired pace in the country despite adequate provisions in the constitution.</p> <p>Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 'Newbiz Business Women Summit & Awards 2021', Finance Minister Paudel said that women empowerment was necessary to foster entrepreneurship among women.</p> <p>"The constitution is progressive in terms of gender equality. However, we have to focus on to make women feel that there is no gender discrimination, they are equal to men and their potential and capacity are realized," said Finance Minister Paudel.</p> <p>Finance Minister Paudel also expressed the government's commitment to promote and facilitate women entrepreneurs that ultimately help in achieving economic prosperity of the country.</p> <p>New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publisher of Arthik Abhiyan Daily and New Business Age, in collaboration with Standard Chartered organized the summit and award ceremony.</p> <p>Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Madan Lamsal, Chairman of New Business Age Pvt Ltd, said that the initiative was aimed at honoring women entrepreneurs who have continued to pursue their businesses by overcoming all odds and adverse business conditions in the country.</p> <p>Zarin Daruwala, Cluster CEO India and Chairperson of Standard Charted Bank Nepal Ltd, said that easier access to finance, better tech connectivity and easier market access would help in scaling up women entrepreneurship.</p> <p>According to Daruwala, Standard Chartered Bank Nepal has observed nearly 16 folds increase in women entrepreneurship loans in 2020 compared to 2019 in line with the Nepal Rastra Bank's directed sector lending program.</p> <p>Also speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Bhawani Rana, Immediate Past President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), said that women have made a remarkable progress in economic and business sectors in last two decades. "There are still many challenges that women entrepreneurs are facing in our patriarchal society. The government must take a lead role in helping women entrepreneurs to overcome these challenges," she added.</p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-29', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12745', 'image' => '20210131083813__DSC3489.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-29 17:57:45', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '10' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12997', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'JICA Inaugurates Section of BP Highway Damaged by 2015 Earthquakes', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced the completion of the rehabilitation of a section of the BP Highway in Sindhuli. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">January 28: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced the completion of the rehabilitation of a section of the BP Highway in Sindhuli. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to JICA, the Sindhuli road was damaged in more than 24 places by the catastrophic earthquake on 25 April 2015 as well as its major aftershock on 12 May 2015.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The Japanese government provided grant assistance to rehabilitate five critically damaged portions of the Sindhuli Road following upon the request of the Government of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Following an Exchange of Note (E/N) between the two governments, JICA signed an agreement on 25<sup>th</sup> October 2018 with Nepal to provide grant assistance of 1,047 million Japanese Yen. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Issuing a statement, JICA said that the rehabilitated road section was inaugurated in a virtual ceremony on Thursday (January 28).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“Rehabilitation of the Sindhuli road will facilitate smooth traffic flow, which will not only result in having a reliable link between Kathmandu and the Eastern Terai but also cater to the need of the public by creating better mobility, easier accessibility to health facilities and education, better economic socio-cultural activities,” the statement added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> Furthermore, one of the major outcome of the rehabilitation project is the transfer of advanced and effective technology to the Nepalese counterparts and engineers, mainly for the slope stabilization of the mountainous roads, JICA further said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The Sindhuli Road is one of the most important roads in Nepal that links the capital, with Eastern Terai. According to JICA, the construction of the Sindhuli Road, with a total length of 160 km, started with Japanese grant in 1996 and was completed in March 2015.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12744', 'image' => '20210128070713_IMG_2102.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 19:06:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12996', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal’s Perceived Level of Corruption Increases ', 'sub_title' => 'Fall in the score to 33 also plunges Nepal’s global ranking to 117th position ', 'summary' => 'January 28: Nepal’s score at the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has further slipped to 33 in 2020 from 34 in 2019, indicating that the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the country has increased in last one year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">January 28: Nepal’s score at the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has further slipped to 33 in 2020 from 34 in 2019, indicating that the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the country has increased in last one year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The fall in the score also plunged Nepal into 117<sup>th</sup> position in the global ranking in 2020’s index from 113<sup>th</sup> in 2019 out of 180 countries and territories included in the research by Transparency International. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Transparency International uses a scale of 0 to 100 to measure the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the countries and territories included in the index where 0 is regarded as highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The deterioration of both score and ranking of Nepal indicates that the country’s corruption has become more prevalent and authorities failed to tackle the tackle the grafts, according to good governance experts. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Though the drop in the score or ranking does not necessarily mean the corruption has increased in Nepal, it reflects the perception of levels of public sector corruption among experts and businesspeople. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Transparency International, however, put Nepal in a list of significant improver in Asia Pacific based on the country’s progress in last 10 years. According to the CPI, Nepal’s score rose to 6 from the CPI 2012. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to Transparency International, more than two-thirds of countries score below 50 on this year’s CPI, with an average score of just 43. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">As in the past, Denmark and New Zealand stood in the top of the CPI with 88 score while South Sudan and Somalia with scores of 12 each remained in the bottom. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In Asia, key economies such as India (40), Indonesia (37) and Bangladesh (26) experienced slow progress in anti-corruption efforts, with several government commitments to reform not yet materialising effectively, according to Transparency International. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12743', 'image' => '20210128035011_11579841541.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 15:49:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12995', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Job Loss due to Covid-19 Four Times more than Global Financial Crisis of 2008: ILO ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: The latest analysis of the International Labour Organization (ILO), on the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market shows massive damage to working time and income. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">January 28: The latest analysis of the International Labour Organization (ILO), on the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market shows massive damage to working time and income. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"Prospects for recovery in 2021 are slow, uneven and uncertain and needs early improvements supported by human-centred recovery policies," the seventh edition of the ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work estimates.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The unprecedented disruption in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to greater job loss, four times greater than that during the global financial crisis over a decade ago.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">New annual estimates in the seventh edition of the ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work confirm the massive impact that labour markets suffered last year. The latest figures show that 8.8 percent of global working hours were lost for the whole of 2020 (relative to the fourth quarter of 2019), equivalent to 255 million full-time jobs or approximately quadruple the jobs lost during the 2009 global financial crisis.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">These lost working hours are accounted for either by reduced working hours for those in employment or “unprecedented” levels of employment loss, hitting 114 million people. Significantly, 71 percent of these employment losses (81 million people) came in the form of inactivity, rather than unemployment, meaning that people left the labour market because they were unable to work, perhaps because of pandemic restrictions, or simply ceased to look for work. Looking at unemployment alone drastically understates the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">These massive losses resulted in an 8.3 per cent decline in global labour income, equivalent to USD 3.7 trillion or 4.4 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Women have been more affected than men due to labour market disruptions led by the pandemic. Globally, employment losses for women stand at 5 per cent, versus 3.9 per cent for men. In particular, women were much more likely than men to drop out of the labour market and become inactive.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Younger workers have also been particularly hard hit, either losing jobs, dropping out of the labour force or delaying entry into it. The employment loss among youth (15-24 years old) stood at 8.7 per cent, compared to 3.7 per cent for adults.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The report shows the uneven impact on different economic, geographic, and labour market sectors. It highlights concerns of a “K-shaped recovery”, whereby those sectors and workers hit hardest could be left behind in the recovery, leading to increasing inequality, unless corrective measures are taken.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The worst affected sector has been accommodation and food services, where employment declined by more than 20 per cent, on average, followed by retail and manufacturing. In contrast, employment in information and communication, and finance and insurance, increased in the second and third quarters of 2020. However, mining, quarrying and utilities, witnessed a marginal growth.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12742', 'image' => '20210128015934_maxresdefault.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 13:58:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12994', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government’s Plan to Export Citrus Fruits to China Suffers a Blow', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: The government’s plan to export citrus fruits to China has suffered a setback after the northern neighbor denied permission for such deal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 28: The government’s plan to export citrus fruits to China has suffered a setback after the northern neighbor denied permission for such deal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Nepal last year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development had signed an agreement with China’s Agriculture Department to export citrus fruits to the northern neighbour.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Chinese government has delayed implementation of the agreement as a precautionary measure against coronavirus after the emergence of a new strain of coronavirus in China and many other countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development had earlier claimed that it would start exporting citrus fruits to China from late January this year. However, China sent a letter to the government stating that it would not be able to import citrus fruits from Nepal this year citing security reasons at a time when the Government of Nepal had completed the preparation to export such fruits to China. Spokesperson at the ministry Dr Shree Ram Ghimire confirmed that China delayed implementation of the agreement citing security risk.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We had completed all the preparations for exporting citrus fruits to China but the plan could not materialize due to China’s stance. We are hopeful that the fruits will be exported during next season,” said Dr Ghimire.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The farmers have now started selling the fruits in the domestic market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Citrus fruits are mostly produced in hill districts of Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Doti, Dadheldhura, Baitadi, Okhaldhunga, Lamjung, Dhankuta, Palpa, Taplejung among others.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to government data, Nepal produces 177,000 metric tons of oranges, 39,000 metric tons of lemon and 43,000 metric tons of mandarin oranges annually.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Citrus fruits are cultivated in 56 districts of Nepal, but only 44 districts have started commercial farming.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Oranges produced in the country make up for 80 percent of the market demand while the remaining 20 percent is imported from foreign countries, according to the government data.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/20201231121240_20190220125347_aaa.jpg" style="height:600px; width:800px" /></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12741', 'image' => '20210128102937_1611791192.Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 10:28:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12993', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'WFP Chief Warns of Vulnerable Supply Chains', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: Chief of the World Food Program (WFP) has reportedly said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen vulnerable supply chains to impoverished nations struggling to feed their populations.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">January 28: Chief of the World Food Program (WFP) has reportedly said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen vulnerable supply chains to impoverished nations struggling to feed their populations.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">According to the Associated Press (AP), David Beasley, executive director of the United Nations' Nobel Peace Prize-winning food program, said that the pandemic put further stress on supply chains getting food to the hungry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">“We’ve got to continue to work the system, we've got to make certain that we are ... less vulnerable to COVID type impacts,” AP quoted Beasley as saying in a virtual panel of the World Economic Forum.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">“If you think you’ve had trouble getting toilet paper in New York, because of supply chain disruption, what do you think’s happening in Chad and Niger and Mali and places like that?”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Beasley stressed that the food supply system is “not broken” but that 10 percent of the global population is in extreme poverty and need to be reached by suppliers and that the global pandemic exacerbated existing problems, AP reported.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">He said that “with 270 million people on the brink of starvation, if we don’t receive the support and the funds that we need, you will have mass famine, starvation, you’ll have destabilization of nations and you’ll have mass migration. And the cost of that is a thousand times more.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country is a center for agricultural innovation and a major exporter of farm produce, announced that his country would host a global coordination center for regional “food innovation hubs” established by the World Economic Forum to help tackle what he called “food system challenges.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12740', 'image' => '20210128095846_55222278_403.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 09:57:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12992', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Technical Report on National Payment Switch in Final Phase', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 27: The technical aspect of setting up Nepal’s national payment switch to ensure safe and cost-effective electronic transactions is in the final phase of approval. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 27: The technical aspect of setting up Nepal’s national payment switch to ensure safe and cost-effective electronic transactions is in the final phase of approval. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal Clearing House Limited (NCHL), which has been authorised by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to prepare the switch, informed New Business Age that its technical report has been almost finalized.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NCHL Chairman Naresh Shakya said that the report will be presented to the Payments System Department of NRB in two to three days after internal discussion. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to Shakya, all the electronic payment systems prevalent in the market including IPS, ConnectIPS, QR Code, debit and credit cards among others will be integrated in the national switch.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Shakya said that the technical report will be submitted to the central bank after a board meeting of the NCHL. The company is preparing to hire additional technical staff to complete the work.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Shakya informed that NCHL will only look after the technical aspect of the national payment switch while the legal issues, regulation and business aspects will be dealt with by the central bank.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Banks and financial institutions (BFIs) have been paying hefty price for digital transaction through international payment gateway like Visa and MasterCard due to lack of Nepal’s own payment gateway. The switch is crucial for connecting all the institutions involved in electronic transaction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Currently, banks have been relying on international switch for the payment through debit and credit cards as well as for the use of ATMs. Some banks have made their own switch for this purpose.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal Rastra Bank has been paying Rs 12 per transaction to the operators of foreign switch, according to NRB Spokesperson Gunakar Bhatta.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-27', 'modified' => '2021-01-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12739', 'image' => '20210127064317_1611704925.Clipboard14.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-27 18:42:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13008', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank Prepares Draft to Regulate Transactions through QR Code ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: Nepal Rastra Bank has prepared a draft of Nepal QR Standardization Framework and Guideline for regulating the use of QR code in the country.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: Nepal Rastra Bank has prepared a draft of Nepal QR Standardization Framework and Guideline for regulating the use of QR code in the country. Although the quick response (QR) code is already in use in the market, the central bank is yet to come up with a policy to regulate its use.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NRB was under pressure from Banks and Financial Institutions (BFIs) and payment service providers to regulate QR code, which is in use since the last three years. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Executive Director of the Payments Department of Nepal Rastra Bank Bhuvan Knadel says the central bank has given special attention to QR code while promoting electronic payment system.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He added that the draft has been prepared in line with international standard and practices.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We have prepared the QR Code Framework and Guideline and opened the floor for discussion. We are seeking feedbacks from concerned stakeholders including service providers, bank and merchants as well as customers,” said Kandel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We are receiving suggestions from some sectors and are still waiting for more feedbacks. The draft will be finalized after collecting feedbacks,” added Kandel. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The draft has a provision that the service providers cannot charge customers for the use of QR Code. However, the service providers can fix a certain charge in the future and the central bank can fix a ceiling, according to the proposed draft. Executive Director Kandel said that such measures were considered so that the customers would not get cheated while also keeping in view that the market trend would not be disrupted.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The draft has also outlined the need to ensure security measures for the electronic transaction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12754', 'image' => '20210201044333_1612137905.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 16:42:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13006', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM Oli Inaugurated Nepal’s Largest Substation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has inaugurated the 400 KV Dhalkebar Substation on Monday, February 1.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has inaugurated the 400 KV Dhalkebar Substation on Monday, February 1. It is the first substation of 400 KV in Nepal and also the biggest in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Dhanusha-based substation was set up by the Nepal Electricity Authority with an investment of 224.3 million. The state-owned NEA had awarded the contract to build the substation to Linxon India Private Limited (formerly ABB India Limited) in December 2017.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The substation has three 315 MVA transformers and nine GIS line way. The nine GIS lines have been fixed for the transmission of electricity to and from Hetauda, Inaruwa and Muzaffarpur. The substation also has six GIS transformers and reactors.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The substation has a capacity to exchange 1000 megawatts of electricity between Nepal and India via Muzaffarpur transmission line. Similarly, it has the capacity to exchange 2000 megawatts of electricity with Hetauda and Inaruwa transmission lines each, according to NEA.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12752', 'image' => '20210201014119_1612137114.Clipboard24.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 13:40:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13005', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Export of Soybean Oil up by 290 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: The export of soybean oil has increased by 290 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: The export of soybean oil has increased by 290 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year. According to the Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC), Nepal exported soybean oil worth Rs 17 billion during the review period. The export of soybean oil during the corresponding period of last fiscal year was worth Rs 4 billion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In the review period, palm oil – which was Nepal’s top export product last year – dropped to 27<sup>th</sup> position among the items exported by Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The country had exported palm oil worth Rs 13.89 billion in the first six months of the current fiscal year but the export dropped to Rs 400,000 in the current fiscal year after India banned the import of palm oil. India is the main market for palm oil and soybean oil produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepali businessmen used to import unrefined palm oil from third countries and then the finished produce used to be exported to India. The businessmen have shifted their focus toward soybean oil after India banned palm oil.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“Industries are gradually reopening as the situation is normalizing after Covid-19 and lockdown,” said industrialist Pradeep Muraraka, adding, “After the ban on palm oil, there has been an increase in demand for soybean oil. We have shifted our focus on production of soybean oil.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Wool, black cardamom, carpet, jute, readymade garments, tea are among the major export products of Nepal after soybean oil, according to Krishna Bajgain, senior officer at TEPC.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12751', 'image' => '20210201123822_1612135819.Clipboard21.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 12:37:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13004', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Chicken Drops after Emergence of Bird Flu in Capital', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: The price of chicken has dropped in Kathmandu after bird flu was detected in the capital.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: The price of chicken has dropped in Kathmandu after bird flu was detected in the capital. The Department of Livestock on Saturday had confirmed bird flu in a poultry farm in Sanglekhola of Tarkeshwar Municipality in the northern outskirts of Kathmandu. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The price of chicken had gradually increased to as much as Rs 370 per kilogram after the lockdown was lifted. The price has dropped to Rs 350 per kg after bird flu was reported on Saturday, January 30.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">However, the Meat Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal says that bird flu alone is not the reason in falling price of chicken. Chairman of the association Jung Bahadur BC says chicken have not been infected so far and therefor urged the consumers not to panic. According to him, the government has confirmed bird flu among ducks, turkeys and quails but not among chicken.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Meanwhile, poultry farmers have become worried due to the emergence of bird flu when their business was finally picking up pace after suffering for a long time due to the impact of coronavirus and lockdown.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On the other hand, government authorities have sealed the infected area to prevent the virus from spreading.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Bird flu was detected in different places of India last month and the government had made all possible efforts to prevent the disease from entering Nepal. As the virus has already been detected in Nepal, the department has urged everyone involved in poultry business to transport chicken and other avian animals only after getting certificates from the concerned government bodies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12750', 'image' => '20210201121610_index.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 12:15:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13002', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'President Bhandari Pledges to Resolve Problems Faced by Women Entrepreneurs', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 31: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has pledged to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs after acknowledging that it is not easy to lead business enterprises by women. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">January 31: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has pledged to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs after acknowledging that it is not easy to lead business enterprises by women. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">During a meeting with the winners of Nubiz Business Women Summit and Awards 2021 on Saturday (January 30), President Bhandari told the women entrepreneurs to share their problems in written form and she would take necessary measures in coordination with the government to resolve those problems.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“There is a big challenge for women to become entrepreneurs. I understand this clearly. Women should not lose confidence. The government is there to support women entrepreneurs with various programmes,” said President Bhandari.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“I will take the initiative to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs,” she added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The president also thanked New Business Age for organising the summit and training to women entrepreneurs from across the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel had inaugurated the summit and awards ceremony on Friday (January 29). During the inauguration, Minister Poudel had expressed government’s commitment to promote women entrepreneurship in the country. The awards ceremony was initially scheduled for March last year but was pushed back due to the Covid-19 pandemic.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-31', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12749', 'image' => '20210131083603__J4A1895 - Copy.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-31 12:34:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13003', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India’s SJVN Limited Selected for Arun Hydropower Project Development ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 31: The Government of Nepal has selected India’s SJVN Limited to prepare the project framework for the 679-megawat capacity Lower Arun Hyrdropower Project. ', 'content' => '<p><em>This file photo shared by SJVN Limited on its Facebook page shows PM KP Sharma Oli with SJVN Chairman Nanda Lal Sharma (right). A meeting of the Investment Board chaired by PM Oli has selected SJVN for project framework development of Lower Arun Hydropower Project.</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 31: The Government of Nepal has selected India’s SJVN Limited to prepare the project framework for the 679-megawat capacity Lower Arun Hyrdropower Project. </span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The framework for the project will be developed as Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model under the public-private partnership framework, according to the state-owned national news agency, RSS. A decision to this end was taken by a meeting on Friday of the Investment Board of Nepal chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. </span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">RSS further stated that the selection was made on the basis of an assessment of the companies listed through international bidding. The 679-MW project will be based in Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur districts. The project was proposed before international investors during the Nepal Investment Summit held in Kathmandu in 2019. </span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During Friday’s meeting, Prime Minister and Chair of the Board Oli said that a plan should also be developed to increase power consumption along with production, for which the infrastructure projects needs to be implemented on time, according to IBN spokesperson Dharmendra Kumar Mishra. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS""> Meanwhile the meeting decided to invite as experts to the Board Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, Hari Bhakta Sharma and Bhawani Rana, and Bal Krishna Shiwakoti as members. </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-31', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12748', 'image' => '20210131022048_143465423_1552556748264906_5756472219190650236_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-31 14:17:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13001', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bird Flu Detected in Kathmandu ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 31: Bird flu has been detected in a poultry farm in Tarakeswor municiplaity-7 of Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 31: Bird flu has been detected in a poultry farm in Tarakeswor municiplaity-7 of Kathmandu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the state-run news agency, RSS, the municipality's Livestock Division Chief Dhanipat Roy shared that 1865 ducks, 622 quail birds, 32 chicks, 25 turkeys, 542 eggs and 75-kg feed were destroyed and disposed off after the confirmation of bird flu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Poultry firms of local farmers have been sealed off with the assistance of a joint team of Nepal government's Department of Health Services, Department of Livestock and Tarakeswor Municipality's health section after the detection of the flu, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In view of the fear of the outbreak, the samples of poultry products from other firms have been sent for test, RSS quoted the municipality sources as saying. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Division Chief Roy reportedly informed that the bird flu affected areas have been disinfected with sprays. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-31', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12747', 'image' => '20210131120553_Avian-influenza-word-cloud.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-31 12:05:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13000', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NewBiz Celebrates Women Entrepreneurship Excellence', 'sub_title' => '12 Women Felicitated for their contributions to entrepreneurship in the country', 'summary' => 'January 29: New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publishers of New Business Age monthly magazine and Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily, has concluded the NewBiz Business Women Summit and Awards on January 29.', 'content' => '<p>January 29: New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publishers of New Business Age monthly magazine and Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily, has concluded the NewBiz Business Women Summit and Awards on January 29. In the event, which was originally scheduled for March last year and was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, working and entrepreneurial women of Nepal were honoured in various categories selected by independent panels of jury for their excellence in respective areas. Shanta Baskota Koirala, managing director of Kanchanjangha Tea Estate, was felicitated with the 'Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2021' award. Similarly, Shreejana Rana was honoured with the 'Business Women of the Year 2021' award, while Urmila Shrestha, CEO of Salt Trading Corporation Limited, received the 'Influential Business Women of the Year 2021' award. Similarly, Vidushi Rana, director of branding and business development at Kiran Shoes Manufactures was felicitated with the 'Charismatic Business Women of the Year 2021' award. Veteran hotelier Maharajkumari Rama Rana Malla, Chairperson of The Malla Hotel was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her four decades of contributions to the Nepali business sector. Malla, whose business portfolio includes a five-star property, a resort and a tour agency, is also a dedicated philanthropist who is still active even at the age of 75.</p> <p>Likewise, seven women entrepreneurs, one each from the seven provinces of the country, were honoured under the category 'Emerging Enterprising Women of the Year 2021'. Champa Nepal, proprietor of Champa Shoe Center and Training, Biratnagar (Province 1), Trishna Singh Bhandari, owner of Mithila House Pvt Ltd, Birgunj (Province 2), Chandrakala Baskota, owner of Rijal Plastic Udhyog, Bhaktapur (Bagmati Province), Ramkali Khadka, founder of Women’s Skills Development Center, Pokhara (Gandaki Province), Chitra Kali Budhamagar, owner of Kothi Himal Allo Kapada Udhyog, Pyuthan (Lumbini Province), Heema Kumari Upadhyay, owner of Bhawani Chhapakhana, Surkhet (Karnali Province) and Heera Bhandari, managing director of B Polytechnic Institute, Dhangadhi (Sudurpaschim Province) were awarded. The event comprised of two parts; the first part of the programme was completed last year but the final part was postponed due to the pandemic. Under the first part, full day training programmmes for business women from different parts of the country were organised on entrepreneurship and financial literacy at ten different centres of the country - Biratnagar, Birtamode, Birgunj, Janakpur, Hetauda, Narayangarh, Butwal, Surkhet, Dhangadhi and Pokhara. The programmes were participated by about 2,000 people. In these programmes the women entrepreneurs also had opportunity to interact with the representatives of various banks and financial institutions operating in those locations, the representatives of the regulating authorities concerned with business sectors and representatives of local government bodies. These programmes were highly successful based on the feedback the participants shared. The second and final part of the event, which was held at Radisson Hotel Kathmandu, comprised of two parts. Under the first part of the final programme, Women’s Summit was held in which leading business women and professionals from various sectors participated in a panel discussion titled ‘Promoting Women Entrepreneurship: Policies and Practices’ with another part being the awards distribution ceremony. The event was organised following the health safety guidelines as the pandemic situation is yet to come under total control. </p> <p>Standard Chartered Bank Nepal was Title Sponsor of the programme. The programme, which was held in association with Muktinath Bikas Bank, had Star Hospital as Medical Partner. The event had Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Federation of Women Entrepreneurs’ Association of Nepal (FWEAN) and Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) as Associate Partners. Likewise, Nimbus Group (Byanjan), Sitaram Gokul Milks, Progressive Finance, Reliable Life Insurance, General Insurance, Merigold Jewellers and Agni Group also supported the event. Also supporting were the 10 district chambers of commerce and industry. DishHome was the official TV platform of the event.<br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-29', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12746', 'image' => '20210131083539__DSC3719.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-29 18:15:54', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '10' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12999', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ''Newbiz Business Women Summit & Awards 2021' kicks off', 'sub_title' => ' Finance Minister Paudel vows to promote and support women entrepreneurs', 'summary' => 'January 29: Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel today acknowledged that the process of empowering women has not moved ahead at a desired pace in the country despite adequate provisions in the constitution.', 'content' => '<p>January 29: Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel today acknowledged that the process of empowering women has not moved ahead at a desired pace in the country despite adequate provisions in the constitution.</p> <p>Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 'Newbiz Business Women Summit & Awards 2021', Finance Minister Paudel said that women empowerment was necessary to foster entrepreneurship among women.</p> <p>"The constitution is progressive in terms of gender equality. However, we have to focus on to make women feel that there is no gender discrimination, they are equal to men and their potential and capacity are realized," said Finance Minister Paudel.</p> <p>Finance Minister Paudel also expressed the government's commitment to promote and facilitate women entrepreneurs that ultimately help in achieving economic prosperity of the country.</p> <p>New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publisher of Arthik Abhiyan Daily and New Business Age, in collaboration with Standard Chartered organized the summit and award ceremony.</p> <p>Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Madan Lamsal, Chairman of New Business Age Pvt Ltd, said that the initiative was aimed at honoring women entrepreneurs who have continued to pursue their businesses by overcoming all odds and adverse business conditions in the country.</p> <p>Zarin Daruwala, Cluster CEO India and Chairperson of Standard Charted Bank Nepal Ltd, said that easier access to finance, better tech connectivity and easier market access would help in scaling up women entrepreneurship.</p> <p>According to Daruwala, Standard Chartered Bank Nepal has observed nearly 16 folds increase in women entrepreneurship loans in 2020 compared to 2019 in line with the Nepal Rastra Bank's directed sector lending program.</p> <p>Also speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Bhawani Rana, Immediate Past President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), said that women have made a remarkable progress in economic and business sectors in last two decades. "There are still many challenges that women entrepreneurs are facing in our patriarchal society. The government must take a lead role in helping women entrepreneurs to overcome these challenges," she added.</p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-29', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12745', 'image' => '20210131083813__DSC3489.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-29 17:57:45', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '10' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12997', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'JICA Inaugurates Section of BP Highway Damaged by 2015 Earthquakes', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced the completion of the rehabilitation of a section of the BP Highway in Sindhuli. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">January 28: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced the completion of the rehabilitation of a section of the BP Highway in Sindhuli. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to JICA, the Sindhuli road was damaged in more than 24 places by the catastrophic earthquake on 25 April 2015 as well as its major aftershock on 12 May 2015.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The Japanese government provided grant assistance to rehabilitate five critically damaged portions of the Sindhuli Road following upon the request of the Government of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Following an Exchange of Note (E/N) between the two governments, JICA signed an agreement on 25<sup>th</sup> October 2018 with Nepal to provide grant assistance of 1,047 million Japanese Yen. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Issuing a statement, JICA said that the rehabilitated road section was inaugurated in a virtual ceremony on Thursday (January 28).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“Rehabilitation of the Sindhuli road will facilitate smooth traffic flow, which will not only result in having a reliable link between Kathmandu and the Eastern Terai but also cater to the need of the public by creating better mobility, easier accessibility to health facilities and education, better economic socio-cultural activities,” the statement added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> Furthermore, one of the major outcome of the rehabilitation project is the transfer of advanced and effective technology to the Nepalese counterparts and engineers, mainly for the slope stabilization of the mountainous roads, JICA further said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The Sindhuli Road is one of the most important roads in Nepal that links the capital, with Eastern Terai. According to JICA, the construction of the Sindhuli Road, with a total length of 160 km, started with Japanese grant in 1996 and was completed in March 2015.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12744', 'image' => '20210128070713_IMG_2102.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 19:06:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12996', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal’s Perceived Level of Corruption Increases ', 'sub_title' => 'Fall in the score to 33 also plunges Nepal’s global ranking to 117th position ', 'summary' => 'January 28: Nepal’s score at the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has further slipped to 33 in 2020 from 34 in 2019, indicating that the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the country has increased in last one year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">January 28: Nepal’s score at the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has further slipped to 33 in 2020 from 34 in 2019, indicating that the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the country has increased in last one year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The fall in the score also plunged Nepal into 117<sup>th</sup> position in the global ranking in 2020’s index from 113<sup>th</sup> in 2019 out of 180 countries and territories included in the research by Transparency International. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Transparency International uses a scale of 0 to 100 to measure the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the countries and territories included in the index where 0 is regarded as highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The deterioration of both score and ranking of Nepal indicates that the country’s corruption has become more prevalent and authorities failed to tackle the tackle the grafts, according to good governance experts. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Though the drop in the score or ranking does not necessarily mean the corruption has increased in Nepal, it reflects the perception of levels of public sector corruption among experts and businesspeople. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Transparency International, however, put Nepal in a list of significant improver in Asia Pacific based on the country’s progress in last 10 years. According to the CPI, Nepal’s score rose to 6 from the CPI 2012. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to Transparency International, more than two-thirds of countries score below 50 on this year’s CPI, with an average score of just 43. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">As in the past, Denmark and New Zealand stood in the top of the CPI with 88 score while South Sudan and Somalia with scores of 12 each remained in the bottom. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In Asia, key economies such as India (40), Indonesia (37) and Bangladesh (26) experienced slow progress in anti-corruption efforts, with several government commitments to reform not yet materialising effectively, according to Transparency International. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12743', 'image' => '20210128035011_11579841541.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 15:49:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12995', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Job Loss due to Covid-19 Four Times more than Global Financial Crisis of 2008: ILO ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: The latest analysis of the International Labour Organization (ILO), on the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market shows massive damage to working time and income. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">January 28: The latest analysis of the International Labour Organization (ILO), on the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market shows massive damage to working time and income. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"Prospects for recovery in 2021 are slow, uneven and uncertain and needs early improvements supported by human-centred recovery policies," the seventh edition of the ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work estimates.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The unprecedented disruption in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to greater job loss, four times greater than that during the global financial crisis over a decade ago.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">New annual estimates in the seventh edition of the ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work confirm the massive impact that labour markets suffered last year. The latest figures show that 8.8 percent of global working hours were lost for the whole of 2020 (relative to the fourth quarter of 2019), equivalent to 255 million full-time jobs or approximately quadruple the jobs lost during the 2009 global financial crisis.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">These lost working hours are accounted for either by reduced working hours for those in employment or “unprecedented” levels of employment loss, hitting 114 million people. Significantly, 71 percent of these employment losses (81 million people) came in the form of inactivity, rather than unemployment, meaning that people left the labour market because they were unable to work, perhaps because of pandemic restrictions, or simply ceased to look for work. Looking at unemployment alone drastically understates the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">These massive losses resulted in an 8.3 per cent decline in global labour income, equivalent to USD 3.7 trillion or 4.4 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Women have been more affected than men due to labour market disruptions led by the pandemic. Globally, employment losses for women stand at 5 per cent, versus 3.9 per cent for men. In particular, women were much more likely than men to drop out of the labour market and become inactive.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Younger workers have also been particularly hard hit, either losing jobs, dropping out of the labour force or delaying entry into it. The employment loss among youth (15-24 years old) stood at 8.7 per cent, compared to 3.7 per cent for adults.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The report shows the uneven impact on different economic, geographic, and labour market sectors. It highlights concerns of a “K-shaped recovery”, whereby those sectors and workers hit hardest could be left behind in the recovery, leading to increasing inequality, unless corrective measures are taken.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The worst affected sector has been accommodation and food services, where employment declined by more than 20 per cent, on average, followed by retail and manufacturing. In contrast, employment in information and communication, and finance and insurance, increased in the second and third quarters of 2020. However, mining, quarrying and utilities, witnessed a marginal growth.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12742', 'image' => '20210128015934_maxresdefault.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 13:58:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12994', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government’s Plan to Export Citrus Fruits to China Suffers a Blow', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: The government’s plan to export citrus fruits to China has suffered a setback after the northern neighbor denied permission for such deal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 28: The government’s plan to export citrus fruits to China has suffered a setback after the northern neighbor denied permission for such deal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Nepal last year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development had signed an agreement with China’s Agriculture Department to export citrus fruits to the northern neighbour.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Chinese government has delayed implementation of the agreement as a precautionary measure against coronavirus after the emergence of a new strain of coronavirus in China and many other countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development had earlier claimed that it would start exporting citrus fruits to China from late January this year. However, China sent a letter to the government stating that it would not be able to import citrus fruits from Nepal this year citing security reasons at a time when the Government of Nepal had completed the preparation to export such fruits to China. Spokesperson at the ministry Dr Shree Ram Ghimire confirmed that China delayed implementation of the agreement citing security risk.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We had completed all the preparations for exporting citrus fruits to China but the plan could not materialize due to China’s stance. We are hopeful that the fruits will be exported during next season,” said Dr Ghimire.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The farmers have now started selling the fruits in the domestic market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Citrus fruits are mostly produced in hill districts of Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Doti, Dadheldhura, Baitadi, Okhaldhunga, Lamjung, Dhankuta, Palpa, Taplejung among others.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to government data, Nepal produces 177,000 metric tons of oranges, 39,000 metric tons of lemon and 43,000 metric tons of mandarin oranges annually.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Citrus fruits are cultivated in 56 districts of Nepal, but only 44 districts have started commercial farming.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Oranges produced in the country make up for 80 percent of the market demand while the remaining 20 percent is imported from foreign countries, according to the government data.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/20201231121240_20190220125347_aaa.jpg" style="height:600px; width:800px" /></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12741', 'image' => '20210128102937_1611791192.Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 10:28:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12993', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'WFP Chief Warns of Vulnerable Supply Chains', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: Chief of the World Food Program (WFP) has reportedly said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen vulnerable supply chains to impoverished nations struggling to feed their populations.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">January 28: Chief of the World Food Program (WFP) has reportedly said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen vulnerable supply chains to impoverished nations struggling to feed their populations.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">According to the Associated Press (AP), David Beasley, executive director of the United Nations' Nobel Peace Prize-winning food program, said that the pandemic put further stress on supply chains getting food to the hungry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">“We’ve got to continue to work the system, we've got to make certain that we are ... less vulnerable to COVID type impacts,” AP quoted Beasley as saying in a virtual panel of the World Economic Forum.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">“If you think you’ve had trouble getting toilet paper in New York, because of supply chain disruption, what do you think’s happening in Chad and Niger and Mali and places like that?”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Beasley stressed that the food supply system is “not broken” but that 10 percent of the global population is in extreme poverty and need to be reached by suppliers and that the global pandemic exacerbated existing problems, AP reported.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">He said that “with 270 million people on the brink of starvation, if we don’t receive the support and the funds that we need, you will have mass famine, starvation, you’ll have destabilization of nations and you’ll have mass migration. And the cost of that is a thousand times more.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country is a center for agricultural innovation and a major exporter of farm produce, announced that his country would host a global coordination center for regional “food innovation hubs” established by the World Economic Forum to help tackle what he called “food system challenges.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12740', 'image' => '20210128095846_55222278_403.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 09:57:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12992', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Technical Report on National Payment Switch in Final Phase', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 27: The technical aspect of setting up Nepal’s national payment switch to ensure safe and cost-effective electronic transactions is in the final phase of approval. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 27: The technical aspect of setting up Nepal’s national payment switch to ensure safe and cost-effective electronic transactions is in the final phase of approval. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal Clearing House Limited (NCHL), which has been authorised by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to prepare the switch, informed New Business Age that its technical report has been almost finalized.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NCHL Chairman Naresh Shakya said that the report will be presented to the Payments System Department of NRB in two to three days after internal discussion. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to Shakya, all the electronic payment systems prevalent in the market including IPS, ConnectIPS, QR Code, debit and credit cards among others will be integrated in the national switch.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Shakya said that the technical report will be submitted to the central bank after a board meeting of the NCHL. The company is preparing to hire additional technical staff to complete the work.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Shakya informed that NCHL will only look after the technical aspect of the national payment switch while the legal issues, regulation and business aspects will be dealt with by the central bank.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Banks and financial institutions (BFIs) have been paying hefty price for digital transaction through international payment gateway like Visa and MasterCard due to lack of Nepal’s own payment gateway. The switch is crucial for connecting all the institutions involved in electronic transaction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Currently, banks have been relying on international switch for the payment through debit and credit cards as well as for the use of ATMs. Some banks have made their own switch for this purpose.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal Rastra Bank has been paying Rs 12 per transaction to the operators of foreign switch, according to NRB Spokesperson Gunakar Bhatta.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-27', 'modified' => '2021-01-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12739', 'image' => '20210127064317_1611704925.Clipboard14.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-27 18:42:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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Although the quick response (QR) code is already in use in the market, the central bank is yet to come up with a policy to regulate its use.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NRB was under pressure from Banks and Financial Institutions (BFIs) and payment service providers to regulate QR code, which is in use since the last three years. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Executive Director of the Payments Department of Nepal Rastra Bank Bhuvan Knadel says the central bank has given special attention to QR code while promoting electronic payment system.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He added that the draft has been prepared in line with international standard and practices.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We have prepared the QR Code Framework and Guideline and opened the floor for discussion. We are seeking feedbacks from concerned stakeholders including service providers, bank and merchants as well as customers,” said Kandel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We are receiving suggestions from some sectors and are still waiting for more feedbacks. The draft will be finalized after collecting feedbacks,” added Kandel. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The draft has a provision that the service providers cannot charge customers for the use of QR Code. However, the service providers can fix a certain charge in the future and the central bank can fix a ceiling, according to the proposed draft. Executive Director Kandel said that such measures were considered so that the customers would not get cheated while also keeping in view that the market trend would not be disrupted.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The draft has also outlined the need to ensure security measures for the electronic transaction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12754', 'image' => '20210201044333_1612137905.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 16:42:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13006', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM Oli Inaugurated Nepal’s Largest Substation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has inaugurated the 400 KV Dhalkebar Substation on Monday, February 1.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has inaugurated the 400 KV Dhalkebar Substation on Monday, February 1. It is the first substation of 400 KV in Nepal and also the biggest in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Dhanusha-based substation was set up by the Nepal Electricity Authority with an investment of 224.3 million. The state-owned NEA had awarded the contract to build the substation to Linxon India Private Limited (formerly ABB India Limited) in December 2017.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The substation has three 315 MVA transformers and nine GIS line way. The nine GIS lines have been fixed for the transmission of electricity to and from Hetauda, Inaruwa and Muzaffarpur. The substation also has six GIS transformers and reactors.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The substation has a capacity to exchange 1000 megawatts of electricity between Nepal and India via Muzaffarpur transmission line. Similarly, it has the capacity to exchange 2000 megawatts of electricity with Hetauda and Inaruwa transmission lines each, according to NEA.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12752', 'image' => '20210201014119_1612137114.Clipboard24.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 13:40:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13005', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Export of Soybean Oil up by 290 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: The export of soybean oil has increased by 290 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: The export of soybean oil has increased by 290 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year. According to the Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC), Nepal exported soybean oil worth Rs 17 billion during the review period. The export of soybean oil during the corresponding period of last fiscal year was worth Rs 4 billion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In the review period, palm oil – which was Nepal’s top export product last year – dropped to 27<sup>th</sup> position among the items exported by Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The country had exported palm oil worth Rs 13.89 billion in the first six months of the current fiscal year but the export dropped to Rs 400,000 in the current fiscal year after India banned the import of palm oil. India is the main market for palm oil and soybean oil produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepali businessmen used to import unrefined palm oil from third countries and then the finished produce used to be exported to India. The businessmen have shifted their focus toward soybean oil after India banned palm oil.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“Industries are gradually reopening as the situation is normalizing after Covid-19 and lockdown,” said industrialist Pradeep Muraraka, adding, “After the ban on palm oil, there has been an increase in demand for soybean oil. We have shifted our focus on production of soybean oil.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Wool, black cardamom, carpet, jute, readymade garments, tea are among the major export products of Nepal after soybean oil, according to Krishna Bajgain, senior officer at TEPC.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12751', 'image' => '20210201123822_1612135819.Clipboard21.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 12:37:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13004', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Chicken Drops after Emergence of Bird Flu in Capital', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 1: The price of chicken has dropped in Kathmandu after bird flu was detected in the capital.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">February 1: The price of chicken has dropped in Kathmandu after bird flu was detected in the capital. The Department of Livestock on Saturday had confirmed bird flu in a poultry farm in Sanglekhola of Tarkeshwar Municipality in the northern outskirts of Kathmandu. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The price of chicken had gradually increased to as much as Rs 370 per kilogram after the lockdown was lifted. The price has dropped to Rs 350 per kg after bird flu was reported on Saturday, January 30.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">However, the Meat Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal says that bird flu alone is not the reason in falling price of chicken. Chairman of the association Jung Bahadur BC says chicken have not been infected so far and therefor urged the consumers not to panic. According to him, the government has confirmed bird flu among ducks, turkeys and quails but not among chicken.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Meanwhile, poultry farmers have become worried due to the emergence of bird flu when their business was finally picking up pace after suffering for a long time due to the impact of coronavirus and lockdown.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On the other hand, government authorities have sealed the infected area to prevent the virus from spreading.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Bird flu was detected in different places of India last month and the government had made all possible efforts to prevent the disease from entering Nepal. As the virus has already been detected in Nepal, the department has urged everyone involved in poultry business to transport chicken and other avian animals only after getting certificates from the concerned government bodies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-02-01', 'modified' => '2021-02-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12750', 'image' => '20210201121610_index.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-02-01 12:15:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13002', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'President Bhandari Pledges to Resolve Problems Faced by Women Entrepreneurs', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 31: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has pledged to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs after acknowledging that it is not easy to lead business enterprises by women. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">January 31: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has pledged to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs after acknowledging that it is not easy to lead business enterprises by women. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">During a meeting with the winners of Nubiz Business Women Summit and Awards 2021 on Saturday (January 30), President Bhandari told the women entrepreneurs to share their problems in written form and she would take necessary measures in coordination with the government to resolve those problems.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“There is a big challenge for women to become entrepreneurs. I understand this clearly. Women should not lose confidence. The government is there to support women entrepreneurs with various programmes,” said President Bhandari.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“I will take the initiative to resolve the problems faced by women entrepreneurs,” she added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The president also thanked New Business Age for organising the summit and training to women entrepreneurs from across the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel had inaugurated the summit and awards ceremony on Friday (January 29). During the inauguration, Minister Poudel had expressed government’s commitment to promote women entrepreneurship in the country. The awards ceremony was initially scheduled for March last year but was pushed back due to the Covid-19 pandemic.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-31', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12749', 'image' => '20210131083603__J4A1895 - Copy.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-31 12:34:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13003', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India’s SJVN Limited Selected for Arun Hydropower Project Development ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 31: The Government of Nepal has selected India’s SJVN Limited to prepare the project framework for the 679-megawat capacity Lower Arun Hyrdropower Project. ', 'content' => '<p><em>This file photo shared by SJVN Limited on its Facebook page shows PM KP Sharma Oli with SJVN Chairman Nanda Lal Sharma (right). A meeting of the Investment Board chaired by PM Oli has selected SJVN for project framework development of Lower Arun Hydropower Project.</em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 31: The Government of Nepal has selected India’s SJVN Limited to prepare the project framework for the 679-megawat capacity Lower Arun Hyrdropower Project. </span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The framework for the project will be developed as Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model under the public-private partnership framework, according to the state-owned national news agency, RSS. A decision to this end was taken by a meeting on Friday of the Investment Board of Nepal chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. </span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">RSS further stated that the selection was made on the basis of an assessment of the companies listed through international bidding. The 679-MW project will be based in Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur districts. The project was proposed before international investors during the Nepal Investment Summit held in Kathmandu in 2019. </span></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During Friday’s meeting, Prime Minister and Chair of the Board Oli said that a plan should also be developed to increase power consumption along with production, for which the infrastructure projects needs to be implemented on time, according to IBN spokesperson Dharmendra Kumar Mishra. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS""> Meanwhile the meeting decided to invite as experts to the Board Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, Hari Bhakta Sharma and Bhawani Rana, and Bal Krishna Shiwakoti as members. </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-31', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12748', 'image' => '20210131022048_143465423_1552556748264906_5756472219190650236_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-31 14:17:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13001', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bird Flu Detected in Kathmandu ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 31: Bird flu has been detected in a poultry farm in Tarakeswor municiplaity-7 of Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 31: Bird flu has been detected in a poultry farm in Tarakeswor municiplaity-7 of Kathmandu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the state-run news agency, RSS, the municipality's Livestock Division Chief Dhanipat Roy shared that 1865 ducks, 622 quail birds, 32 chicks, 25 turkeys, 542 eggs and 75-kg feed were destroyed and disposed off after the confirmation of bird flu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Poultry firms of local farmers have been sealed off with the assistance of a joint team of Nepal government's Department of Health Services, Department of Livestock and Tarakeswor Municipality's health section after the detection of the flu, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In view of the fear of the outbreak, the samples of poultry products from other firms have been sent for test, RSS quoted the municipality sources as saying. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Division Chief Roy reportedly informed that the bird flu affected areas have been disinfected with sprays. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-31', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12747', 'image' => '20210131120553_Avian-influenza-word-cloud.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-31 12:05:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13000', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NewBiz Celebrates Women Entrepreneurship Excellence', 'sub_title' => '12 Women Felicitated for their contributions to entrepreneurship in the country', 'summary' => 'January 29: New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publishers of New Business Age monthly magazine and Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily, has concluded the NewBiz Business Women Summit and Awards on January 29.', 'content' => '<p>January 29: New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publishers of New Business Age monthly magazine and Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily, has concluded the NewBiz Business Women Summit and Awards on January 29. In the event, which was originally scheduled for March last year and was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, working and entrepreneurial women of Nepal were honoured in various categories selected by independent panels of jury for their excellence in respective areas. Shanta Baskota Koirala, managing director of Kanchanjangha Tea Estate, was felicitated with the 'Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2021' award. Similarly, Shreejana Rana was honoured with the 'Business Women of the Year 2021' award, while Urmila Shrestha, CEO of Salt Trading Corporation Limited, received the 'Influential Business Women of the Year 2021' award. Similarly, Vidushi Rana, director of branding and business development at Kiran Shoes Manufactures was felicitated with the 'Charismatic Business Women of the Year 2021' award. Veteran hotelier Maharajkumari Rama Rana Malla, Chairperson of The Malla Hotel was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her four decades of contributions to the Nepali business sector. Malla, whose business portfolio includes a five-star property, a resort and a tour agency, is also a dedicated philanthropist who is still active even at the age of 75.</p> <p>Likewise, seven women entrepreneurs, one each from the seven provinces of the country, were honoured under the category 'Emerging Enterprising Women of the Year 2021'. Champa Nepal, proprietor of Champa Shoe Center and Training, Biratnagar (Province 1), Trishna Singh Bhandari, owner of Mithila House Pvt Ltd, Birgunj (Province 2), Chandrakala Baskota, owner of Rijal Plastic Udhyog, Bhaktapur (Bagmati Province), Ramkali Khadka, founder of Women’s Skills Development Center, Pokhara (Gandaki Province), Chitra Kali Budhamagar, owner of Kothi Himal Allo Kapada Udhyog, Pyuthan (Lumbini Province), Heema Kumari Upadhyay, owner of Bhawani Chhapakhana, Surkhet (Karnali Province) and Heera Bhandari, managing director of B Polytechnic Institute, Dhangadhi (Sudurpaschim Province) were awarded. The event comprised of two parts; the first part of the programme was completed last year but the final part was postponed due to the pandemic. Under the first part, full day training programmmes for business women from different parts of the country were organised on entrepreneurship and financial literacy at ten different centres of the country - Biratnagar, Birtamode, Birgunj, Janakpur, Hetauda, Narayangarh, Butwal, Surkhet, Dhangadhi and Pokhara. The programmes were participated by about 2,000 people. In these programmes the women entrepreneurs also had opportunity to interact with the representatives of various banks and financial institutions operating in those locations, the representatives of the regulating authorities concerned with business sectors and representatives of local government bodies. These programmes were highly successful based on the feedback the participants shared. The second and final part of the event, which was held at Radisson Hotel Kathmandu, comprised of two parts. Under the first part of the final programme, Women’s Summit was held in which leading business women and professionals from various sectors participated in a panel discussion titled ‘Promoting Women Entrepreneurship: Policies and Practices’ with another part being the awards distribution ceremony. The event was organised following the health safety guidelines as the pandemic situation is yet to come under total control. </p> <p>Standard Chartered Bank Nepal was Title Sponsor of the programme. The programme, which was held in association with Muktinath Bikas Bank, had Star Hospital as Medical Partner. The event had Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Federation of Women Entrepreneurs’ Association of Nepal (FWEAN) and Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) as Associate Partners. Likewise, Nimbus Group (Byanjan), Sitaram Gokul Milks, Progressive Finance, Reliable Life Insurance, General Insurance, Merigold Jewellers and Agni Group also supported the event. Also supporting were the 10 district chambers of commerce and industry. DishHome was the official TV platform of the event.<br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-29', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12746', 'image' => '20210131083539__DSC3719.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-29 18:15:54', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '10' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12999', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ''Newbiz Business Women Summit & Awards 2021' kicks off', 'sub_title' => ' Finance Minister Paudel vows to promote and support women entrepreneurs', 'summary' => 'January 29: Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel today acknowledged that the process of empowering women has not moved ahead at a desired pace in the country despite adequate provisions in the constitution.', 'content' => '<p>January 29: Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel today acknowledged that the process of empowering women has not moved ahead at a desired pace in the country despite adequate provisions in the constitution.</p> <p>Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 'Newbiz Business Women Summit & Awards 2021', Finance Minister Paudel said that women empowerment was necessary to foster entrepreneurship among women.</p> <p>"The constitution is progressive in terms of gender equality. However, we have to focus on to make women feel that there is no gender discrimination, they are equal to men and their potential and capacity are realized," said Finance Minister Paudel.</p> <p>Finance Minister Paudel also expressed the government's commitment to promote and facilitate women entrepreneurs that ultimately help in achieving economic prosperity of the country.</p> <p>New Business Age Pvt Ltd, the publisher of Arthik Abhiyan Daily and New Business Age, in collaboration with Standard Chartered organized the summit and award ceremony.</p> <p>Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Madan Lamsal, Chairman of New Business Age Pvt Ltd, said that the initiative was aimed at honoring women entrepreneurs who have continued to pursue their businesses by overcoming all odds and adverse business conditions in the country.</p> <p>Zarin Daruwala, Cluster CEO India and Chairperson of Standard Charted Bank Nepal Ltd, said that easier access to finance, better tech connectivity and easier market access would help in scaling up women entrepreneurship.</p> <p>According to Daruwala, Standard Chartered Bank Nepal has observed nearly 16 folds increase in women entrepreneurship loans in 2020 compared to 2019 in line with the Nepal Rastra Bank's directed sector lending program.</p> <p>Also speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Bhawani Rana, Immediate Past President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), said that women have made a remarkable progress in economic and business sectors in last two decades. "There are still many challenges that women entrepreneurs are facing in our patriarchal society. The government must take a lead role in helping women entrepreneurs to overcome these challenges," she added.</p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-29', 'modified' => '2021-01-31', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12745', 'image' => '20210131083813__DSC3489.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-29 17:57:45', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '10' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12997', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'JICA Inaugurates Section of BP Highway Damaged by 2015 Earthquakes', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced the completion of the rehabilitation of a section of the BP Highway in Sindhuli. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">January 28: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced the completion of the rehabilitation of a section of the BP Highway in Sindhuli. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">According to JICA, the Sindhuli road was damaged in more than 24 places by the catastrophic earthquake on 25 April 2015 as well as its major aftershock on 12 May 2015.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The Japanese government provided grant assistance to rehabilitate five critically damaged portions of the Sindhuli Road following upon the request of the Government of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Following an Exchange of Note (E/N) between the two governments, JICA signed an agreement on 25<sup>th</sup> October 2018 with Nepal to provide grant assistance of 1,047 million Japanese Yen. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Issuing a statement, JICA said that the rehabilitated road section was inaugurated in a virtual ceremony on Thursday (January 28).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">“Rehabilitation of the Sindhuli road will facilitate smooth traffic flow, which will not only result in having a reliable link between Kathmandu and the Eastern Terai but also cater to the need of the public by creating better mobility, easier accessibility to health facilities and education, better economic socio-cultural activities,” the statement added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> Furthermore, one of the major outcome of the rehabilitation project is the transfer of advanced and effective technology to the Nepalese counterparts and engineers, mainly for the slope stabilization of the mountainous roads, JICA further said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The Sindhuli Road is one of the most important roads in Nepal that links the capital, with Eastern Terai. According to JICA, the construction of the Sindhuli Road, with a total length of 160 km, started with Japanese grant in 1996 and was completed in March 2015.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12744', 'image' => '20210128070713_IMG_2102.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 19:06:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12996', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal’s Perceived Level of Corruption Increases ', 'sub_title' => 'Fall in the score to 33 also plunges Nepal’s global ranking to 117th position ', 'summary' => 'January 28: Nepal’s score at the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has further slipped to 33 in 2020 from 34 in 2019, indicating that the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the country has increased in last one year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">January 28: Nepal’s score at the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has further slipped to 33 in 2020 from 34 in 2019, indicating that the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the country has increased in last one year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The fall in the score also plunged Nepal into 117<sup>th</sup> position in the global ranking in 2020’s index from 113<sup>th</sup> in 2019 out of 180 countries and territories included in the research by Transparency International. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Transparency International uses a scale of 0 to 100 to measure the perceived levels of public sector corruption in the countries and territories included in the index where 0 is regarded as highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The deterioration of both score and ranking of Nepal indicates that the country’s corruption has become more prevalent and authorities failed to tackle the tackle the grafts, according to good governance experts. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Though the drop in the score or ranking does not necessarily mean the corruption has increased in Nepal, it reflects the perception of levels of public sector corruption among experts and businesspeople. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Transparency International, however, put Nepal in a list of significant improver in Asia Pacific based on the country’s progress in last 10 years. According to the CPI, Nepal’s score rose to 6 from the CPI 2012. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to Transparency International, more than two-thirds of countries score below 50 on this year’s CPI, with an average score of just 43. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">As in the past, Denmark and New Zealand stood in the top of the CPI with 88 score while South Sudan and Somalia with scores of 12 each remained in the bottom. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">In Asia, key economies such as India (40), Indonesia (37) and Bangladesh (26) experienced slow progress in anti-corruption efforts, with several government commitments to reform not yet materialising effectively, according to Transparency International. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12743', 'image' => '20210128035011_11579841541.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 15:49:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12995', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Job Loss due to Covid-19 Four Times more than Global Financial Crisis of 2008: ILO ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: The latest analysis of the International Labour Organization (ILO), on the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market shows massive damage to working time and income. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">January 28: The latest analysis of the International Labour Organization (ILO), on the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market shows massive damage to working time and income. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"Prospects for recovery in 2021 are slow, uneven and uncertain and needs early improvements supported by human-centred recovery policies," the seventh edition of the ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work estimates.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The unprecedented disruption in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to greater job loss, four times greater than that during the global financial crisis over a decade ago.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">New annual estimates in the seventh edition of the ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work confirm the massive impact that labour markets suffered last year. The latest figures show that 8.8 percent of global working hours were lost for the whole of 2020 (relative to the fourth quarter of 2019), equivalent to 255 million full-time jobs or approximately quadruple the jobs lost during the 2009 global financial crisis.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">These lost working hours are accounted for either by reduced working hours for those in employment or “unprecedented” levels of employment loss, hitting 114 million people. Significantly, 71 percent of these employment losses (81 million people) came in the form of inactivity, rather than unemployment, meaning that people left the labour market because they were unable to work, perhaps because of pandemic restrictions, or simply ceased to look for work. Looking at unemployment alone drastically understates the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">These massive losses resulted in an 8.3 per cent decline in global labour income, equivalent to USD 3.7 trillion or 4.4 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Women have been more affected than men due to labour market disruptions led by the pandemic. Globally, employment losses for women stand at 5 per cent, versus 3.9 per cent for men. In particular, women were much more likely than men to drop out of the labour market and become inactive.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Younger workers have also been particularly hard hit, either losing jobs, dropping out of the labour force or delaying entry into it. The employment loss among youth (15-24 years old) stood at 8.7 per cent, compared to 3.7 per cent for adults.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The report shows the uneven impact on different economic, geographic, and labour market sectors. It highlights concerns of a “K-shaped recovery”, whereby those sectors and workers hit hardest could be left behind in the recovery, leading to increasing inequality, unless corrective measures are taken.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The worst affected sector has been accommodation and food services, where employment declined by more than 20 per cent, on average, followed by retail and manufacturing. In contrast, employment in information and communication, and finance and insurance, increased in the second and third quarters of 2020. However, mining, quarrying and utilities, witnessed a marginal growth.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12742', 'image' => '20210128015934_maxresdefault.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 13:58:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12994', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government’s Plan to Export Citrus Fruits to China Suffers a Blow', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: The government’s plan to export citrus fruits to China has suffered a setback after the northern neighbor denied permission for such deal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 28: The government’s plan to export citrus fruits to China has suffered a setback after the northern neighbor denied permission for such deal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Nepal last year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development had signed an agreement with China’s Agriculture Department to export citrus fruits to the northern neighbour.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Chinese government has delayed implementation of the agreement as a precautionary measure against coronavirus after the emergence of a new strain of coronavirus in China and many other countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development had earlier claimed that it would start exporting citrus fruits to China from late January this year. However, China sent a letter to the government stating that it would not be able to import citrus fruits from Nepal this year citing security reasons at a time when the Government of Nepal had completed the preparation to export such fruits to China. Spokesperson at the ministry Dr Shree Ram Ghimire confirmed that China delayed implementation of the agreement citing security risk.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We had completed all the preparations for exporting citrus fruits to China but the plan could not materialize due to China’s stance. We are hopeful that the fruits will be exported during next season,” said Dr Ghimire.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The farmers have now started selling the fruits in the domestic market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Citrus fruits are mostly produced in hill districts of Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Doti, Dadheldhura, Baitadi, Okhaldhunga, Lamjung, Dhankuta, Palpa, Taplejung among others.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to government data, Nepal produces 177,000 metric tons of oranges, 39,000 metric tons of lemon and 43,000 metric tons of mandarin oranges annually.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Citrus fruits are cultivated in 56 districts of Nepal, but only 44 districts have started commercial farming.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Oranges produced in the country make up for 80 percent of the market demand while the remaining 20 percent is imported from foreign countries, according to the government data.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/20201231121240_20190220125347_aaa.jpg" style="height:600px; width:800px" /></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12741', 'image' => '20210128102937_1611791192.Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 10:28:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12993', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'WFP Chief Warns of Vulnerable Supply Chains', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 28: Chief of the World Food Program (WFP) has reportedly said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen vulnerable supply chains to impoverished nations struggling to feed their populations.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">January 28: Chief of the World Food Program (WFP) has reportedly said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen vulnerable supply chains to impoverished nations struggling to feed their populations.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">According to the Associated Press (AP), David Beasley, executive director of the United Nations' Nobel Peace Prize-winning food program, said that the pandemic put further stress on supply chains getting food to the hungry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">“We’ve got to continue to work the system, we've got to make certain that we are ... less vulnerable to COVID type impacts,” AP quoted Beasley as saying in a virtual panel of the World Economic Forum.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">“If you think you’ve had trouble getting toilet paper in New York, because of supply chain disruption, what do you think’s happening in Chad and Niger and Mali and places like that?”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Beasley stressed that the food supply system is “not broken” but that 10 percent of the global population is in extreme poverty and need to be reached by suppliers and that the global pandemic exacerbated existing problems, AP reported.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">He said that “with 270 million people on the brink of starvation, if we don’t receive the support and the funds that we need, you will have mass famine, starvation, you’ll have destabilization of nations and you’ll have mass migration. And the cost of that is a thousand times more.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:16.5pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country is a center for agricultural innovation and a major exporter of farm produce, announced that his country would host a global coordination center for regional “food innovation hubs” established by the World Economic Forum to help tackle what he called “food system challenges.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-28', 'modified' => '2021-01-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12740', 'image' => '20210128095846_55222278_403.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-28 09:57:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12992', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Technical Report on National Payment Switch in Final Phase', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'January 27: The technical aspect of setting up Nepal’s national payment switch to ensure safe and cost-effective electronic transactions is in the final phase of approval. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">January 27: The technical aspect of setting up Nepal’s national payment switch to ensure safe and cost-effective electronic transactions is in the final phase of approval. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal Clearing House Limited (NCHL), which has been authorised by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to prepare the switch, informed New Business Age that its technical report has been almost finalized.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">NCHL Chairman Naresh Shakya said that the report will be presented to the Payments System Department of NRB in two to three days after internal discussion. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to Shakya, all the electronic payment systems prevalent in the market including IPS, ConnectIPS, QR Code, debit and credit cards among others will be integrated in the national switch.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Shakya said that the technical report will be submitted to the central bank after a board meeting of the NCHL. The company is preparing to hire additional technical staff to complete the work.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Shakya informed that NCHL will only look after the technical aspect of the national payment switch while the legal issues, regulation and business aspects will be dealt with by the central bank.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Banks and financial institutions (BFIs) have been paying hefty price for digital transaction through international payment gateway like Visa and MasterCard due to lack of Nepal’s own payment gateway. The switch is crucial for connecting all the institutions involved in electronic transaction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Currently, banks have been relying on international switch for the payment through debit and credit cards as well as for the use of ATMs. Some banks have made their own switch for this purpose.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal Rastra Bank has been paying Rs 12 per transaction to the operators of foreign switch, according to NRB Spokesperson Gunakar Bhatta.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-01-27', 'modified' => '2021-01-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '12739', 'image' => '20210127064317_1611704925.Clipboard14.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-01-27 18:42:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
