NEWS

India Denying Air Entry Routes to Nepal Citing Security Concerns

Sep 13, 2020 0 2 minutes 58 seconds to read

September 13: Although the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport is in final phase, the airport is yet to get approval to use the air route through Mahendranagar and…

Transport Entrepreneurs Urge Government to Facilitate in Resuming Service

Sep 13, 2020 0 1 minutes 53 seconds to read

September 13: Transport entrepreneurs have urged Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembang to facilitate in resuming long, medium and short-route vehicles at the…

Harmful Chemicals found in Sanitizers Produced by 5 Local Companies

Sep 13, 2020 0 2 minutes 21 seconds to read

September 13: Government authorities have found harmful chemicals in sanitizers produced by five companies based in Kathmandu Valley.…

Slight Improvement in Credit Flow during Prohibitory Order

Sep 13, 2020 0 2 minutes 58 seconds to read

September 13: Banks and Financial Institutions had been experiencing a contraction in their flow of loans over the past one and a half months but, there has been some improvement during the prohibitory order period.…

Contractors Weighing Options after Cancellation of Tender

Sep 11, 2020 0 1 minutes 49 seconds to read

September 11: Construction companies are divided over the cancellation of the contract of the disputed Kakadvitta-Inaruwa section of the East-West Electric…

Operation of Domestic Flights Likely to get Delayed by 2 Weeks

Sep 11, 2020 0 2 minutes 23 seconds to read

September 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has submitted a proposal to the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) to reopen domestic air service from October…

IRD to Charge Taxpayers with Late Fee, Interest and Fine

Sep 11, 2020 0 1 minutes 39 seconds to read

September 11: The government is unlikely to address the demand of the private sector to extend the deadline for payment of…

Production of Food Industries Declining

Sep 11, 2020 0 2 minutes 8 seconds to read

September 11: The production capacity of food industries producing essential commodities has not improved due to the extended lockdown and prohibitory order.…

Nepal’s Foreign Trade Declines due to Lockdown and Prohibitory Order

Sep 11, 2020 0 2 minutes 7 seconds to read

September 11: The volume of Nepal’s foreign trade has declined significantly due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government to contain the spread of…

4 Million Jobs Added to Nepal’s Economy in the Past Decade: WB

Sep 11, 2020 0 4 minutes 55 seconds to read

September 11: Nepal’s economy added nearly four million jobs over the past decade, and average job quality increased significantly, according to the World Bank’s recent Nepal Jobs Diagnostic report.…

NAC Gets the Nod for Procurement of New Aircraft

Sep 10, 2020 0 2 minutes 19 seconds to read

September 10: The Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattrai has directed Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to immediately move ahead with the aircraft procurement plan.…

We are not Doing Business: Army Chief

Sep 10, 2020 0 2 minutes 49 seconds to read

September 10: Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Purna Chandra Thapa has urged the public not to consider the Army’s undertakings such as the welfare fund, petrol station, road construction and other activities as profitable…

Industrialists Demand Alternative Measures to Operate Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor

Sep 10, 2020 0 2 minutes 2 seconds to read

September 10: Troubled by the six-month long lockdown and prohibitory order, entrepreneurs of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have requested the government to adopt alternative measures to operate the industrial sector.…

Transport Entrepreneurs Warn of Defying Government Order from September 17

Sep 10, 2020 0 2 minutes 22 seconds to read

September 10: Transport entrepreneurs have announced to resume all kinds of public transportation services from September 17.…

Government Authorities Ease Prohibitory Order in Kathmandu Valley

Sep 10, 2020 0 2 minutes 35 seconds to read

September 10: Government authorities have eased the prohibitory order in Kathmandu Valley amid threats from the business community that they would defy the government order if the restrictions are extended any…

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No Laughing Matter

The Sweet Rewards of Power

By Madan Lamsal

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NEPSE

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			'id' => '12463',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'India Denying Air Entry Routes to Nepal Citing Security Concerns',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Although the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport is in final phase, the airport is yet to get approval to use the air route through Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">September 13: Although the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport is in final phase, the airport is yet to get approval to use the air route through Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The operation of the airport has become uncertain due to the delay in granting permission for the airport to use those two routes by India. Experts say that the government must make diplomatic efforts to resolve this issue with India.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Officials at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation say that Prime Minister KP Oli had discussed the issue with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during his last visit to India but there has been no further development.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Although the political actors of India have not rejected the proposal of Nepal to use the two air routes, which is shorter than the other route in use, India&rsquo;s bureaucracy has been delaying the process, according to officials at the tourism ministry.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai has time and again said he will make diplomatic efforts with India to resolve the issue but there has been no tangible progress. The minister claims that the airport will be operational by the start of 2021.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Two years ago, India had agreed to allow Nepal to use four additional air routes for the aircraft entering the country through India. However, the Airport Authority of India had denied permission due to technical issues and the need for safety assessment.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Although India had in principle agreed to allow Nepal to use the air entry routes of Bhairahawa, Janakpur, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj and Mahendranagar. However, India has allowed Nepal to use only Bhairahawa and Janakpur entry routes.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Officials at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) say that India denied permission to use the other air routes citing security concerns. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">All aircraft entering Nepal through India have to use the route near Simara. However, the aircraft leaving Nepal can use Mahendranagar, Nepalgunj, Bhairahawa and Janakpur routes.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">According to officials, using the Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj routes to enter Nepal would lessen the distance by 14 nautical miles</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'summary' => 'September 13: Transport entrepreneurs have urged Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembang to facilitate in resuming long, medium and short-route vehicles at the earliest.',
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<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">September 13: Transport entrepreneurs have urged Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembang to facilitate in resuming long, medium and short-route vehicles at the earliest.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The Federation of Nepal National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) and the workers&rsquo; union met with the minister on Friday (September 11) and made such request. They demanded resumption of all kinds of public transportation service from September 17. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">During the meeting, the transport entrepreneurs informed the minister that they would be forced to resume service if the government does not lift the ban on public transport.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The government has enforced a ban on public transportation since March 24 after imposing lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Although the government had allowed intra-district transportation service for a month between July and August, it again reimposed restriction after a rapid surge in coronavirus cases across the country, and especially in the capital.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The transport entrepreneurs informed that the restrictions since the last six months has directly affected around 360,000 people who are involved in this sector and more than 4.5 million people who are dependent on them.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">FNNTE President Yogendra Nath Karmacharya informed the ministers that hunger has become more threatening to them than the virus and therefore they would no longer abide by the government orders anymore.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12460',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Harmful Chemicals found in Sanitizers Produced by 5 Local Companies ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Government authorities have found harmful chemicals in sanitizers produced by five companies based in Kathmandu Valley. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">September 13: Government authorities have found harmful chemicals in sanitizers produced by five companies based in Kathmandu Valley. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Tests conducted by the Department of Drug Administration (DDA) has revealed that the sanitizers produced by the five companies contained considerable amount of methanol, which is considered hazardous to human health.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Stating that the use of such sanitizers might adversely affect the health of the people, the department has appealed to the public to be aware of such products.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to Santosh KC, information officer at DDA, the department found considerable amount of methanol, which is considered harmful for human health. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The department has already instructed the five companies to stop &nbsp;the production and sale of those products that do not meet the standard set by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The department informed that Sanitized Hand Sanitizer produced by Hygienic Soap and Chemical Pvt Ltd, Advanced Hand Sanitizer produced by Aadhar Chemicals and Food Industries Pvt Ltd,&nbsp; Instant Hand Sanitizer Refreshment Gel produced by Search Chem Cum Herbal Products, Suryamukhi Hand Sanitizer produced by Suryamukhi Herbal Products and Instant Hand Sanitizer produced by Nepal Kayakalpa Industry have been found containing methanol above the standard set by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">KC informed that four out of ten samples collected from the market had high levels of methanol while one was previously found breaching the standard protocol.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Information Officer KC further said that the department is currently studying the samples of all 40 local companies that are manufacturing sanitizers but are yet to be registered with the department. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '12461',
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			'title' => 'Slight Improvement in Credit Flow during Prohibitory Order ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Banks and Financial Institutions had been experiencing a contraction in their flow of loans over the past one and a half months but, there has been some improvement during the prohibitory order period. ',
			'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">September 13: Banks and Financial Institutions had been experiencing a contraction in their flow of loans over the past one and a half months but, there has been some improvement during the prohibitory order period. Nepal Rastra Bank expects further improvements in the credit flow because of the new fixed interest rate policy.</span></span></h1>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The net credit flow of the 27 commercial banks had decreased by Rs 25 billion &nbsp;in the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August). However, loans worth Rs 19 billion were distributed as of last week (September 4). Nepal Bankers&rsquo; Association informed that the credit flow that had improved in the month of Ashad (mid-June to mid-July) had become negative in the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August). According to the Association, the net flow of loans had reached Rs. 2,903 billion after the disbursal of Rs 87 billion in the month of Ashad (mid-June to mid-July). However, the net amount totaled to Rs. 2,878 billion after it decreased by Rs. 25 billion in the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August).</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The market has had a liquidity of more than Rs 200 billion since the last few months because of the contraction in the credit flow. Dr Gunakar Bhatta, the spokesperson for Nepal Rastra Bank, said that in order to manage the liquidity in the market, the central bank has introduced policies that will encourage the debtors to get new loans. Rastra Bank has also increased the limit on current loans to enable the businesses affected by coronavirus to pay for their expenses like salaries, rents, etc. In addition, a policy has been introduced to stabilize the rate of interest on loans.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Banks and financial institutions are not permitted to increase the interest rates on personal term loans like auto loans and home loans for at least a year. Previously, the interest rates used to change with the change in the base rates of the banks in every quarter. Loans taken at the rate of 8 percent in the beginning would reach as high as 13 percent by the end of the year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Spokesperson Bhatta firmly believes that this provision made by the central bank will definitely increase the demand and the flow of loan in the market. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;There is a provision that prohibits banks from increasing the interest rates on personal term loans. This will give the customers a sense of relief for a year. This will also increase the demand of debt,&rdquo; he said. He also said that the economy will improve with the increase in the credit flow.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Bhuwan Kumar Dahal, the Chairman of Nepal Bankers&rsquo; Association, says that the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown affeted the overall banking sector negatively. The Credit to Core Capital plus Deposit ratio (CCD) of the banks is currently in a bad state because of the lack of new loans.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&nbsp;</span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12459',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Contractors Weighing Options after Cancellation of Tender',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: Construction companies are divided over the cancellation of the contract of the disputed Kakadvitta-Inaruwa section of the East-West Electric Railway.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">September 11: Construction companies are divided over the cancellation of the contract of the disputed Kakadvitta-Inaruwa section of the East-West Electric Railway.</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:Calibri">Some contractors have decided not to go through the legal process considering that cancellation of tender is a common issue while others are in the process of seeking legal remedy. The companies seeking legal remedy are now consulting with lawyers.</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:Calibri">However, the government agencies while inviting bids generally include a&nbsp;clause stating that the tender can be canceled at any time. Contractors have been bidding for proposals by accepting the provision.</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:Calibri">Due to this, the right to cancel the tender will be vested upon the public body, informed an official of the Railway Department. &ldquo;As this provision has been made while inviting tenders, the canceled tenders will be automatically rejected legally. So a new tender should be called again to move the contract forward,&rdquo; the official added.</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:Calibri">However, Ravi Singh, president of Mahadev Khimti Construction Services Pvt Ltd on Tuesday, September 8, informed that he will seek legal solution against the department for cancelation of the contract of 54 packages of 106 km long railway line. </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:Calibri">Singh is also the president of the Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal, an umbrella organization of construction companies. He said that he had written to the Railway Department on Thursday seeking a written reply for reasons for the cancellation of the contract.</span></span>&nbsp;</span></span></p>
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	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12458',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Operation of Domestic Flights Likely to get Delayed by 2 Weeks',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has submitted a proposal to the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) to reopen domestic air service from October 1.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">September 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has submitted a proposal to the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) to reopen domestic air service from October 1.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Minister Bhattarai informed that the ministry has sent the proposal to the CCMC while it was preparing to resume air service to mountain and hill districts with few cases of coronavirus.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Speaking at a virtual interaction organised by the Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal (SEJON), Minister Bhattarai clarified that although the government was preparing to resume flights to remote districts from September 17 the plan has been put on hold for the time being.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Minister Bhattarai said that the government needs to revise a few things in its plan and therefore it proposed resuming air service two weeks later.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He further said that the ministry has sought permission from the CCMC to increase the number of international flights in accordance to the demand.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&ldquo;The government is thinking about ways to resume the service sector after five months by adopting safety measures,&rdquo; said Bhattarai, adding, &ldquo;We had to impose restrictions again in areas like Kathmandu and Tarai districts with high population density after coronavirus cases increased drastically.&rdquo; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government had resumed limited number of regular international flights from September 1 and is preparing to gradually reopen domestic flights depending on the situation, said the minister.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The airline operators had earlier warned of protest if the government extended the ban on domestic flights beyond September 17. The government has delayed reopening domestic flights time and again due to the increase in coronavirus cases.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12457',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'IRD to Charge Taxpayers with Late Fee, Interest and Fine ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: The government is unlikely to address the demand of the private sector to extend the deadline for payment of tax.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">September 11: The government is unlikely to address the demand of the private sector to extend the deadline for payment of tax. The private sector has been demanding deadline extension arguing that they are unable to pay taxes due to the prohibitory order in force across the country.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to the Inland Revenue Department, the taxpayers were given until September 10 to pay the taxes and the government has not extended the deadline.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Director General of IRD Binod Bahadur Kunwar says that that taxpayers who come to pay the tax after the deadline will be fined as per the legal provision. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&ldquo;The private sector had sought extension of the deadline. We informed the Finance Ministry about it but the ministry hasn&rsquo;t given us any instructions,&rdquo; said Kunwar.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to him, the tax payers will not have to submit late fee, interest and fine to clear their value added tax, income tax and excise duty.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The IRD informed that it collected revenue of around Rs 12 billion as of September 9.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12456',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Production of Food Industries Declining',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: The production capacity of food industries producing essential commodities has not improved due to the extended lockdown and prohibitory order. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">September 11: The production capacity of food industries producing essential commodities has not improved due to the extended lockdown and prohibitory order. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The government had allowed the food industries to operate even during the lockdown period, which was imposed on March 24 to control the spread of coronavirus infection. However, the production capacity of the industries kept declining due to the lack of necessary environment for their operation. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The food industry, which was operating at 30 percent capacity in mid-April, is now running at only 15 percent capacity. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">President of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">, Subodh Kumar Gupta, says that the main reason for the lack of improvement in production capacity is the problem of labor management and lack of market mobility. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">He believes that the government should create separate quarantine and isolation facilities for the industrial workers but the lack of interest shown by the government has posed further challenges in labor management. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Only 20 percent of the workers in the food industries operating in Birgunj, Biratnagar and other cities are from the respective districts, while 20 percent are from outside the district and 60 percent are Indians. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Currently, the workers from outside the district and India have not been able to return back to work due to the recent lockdown and prohibitory order. Industrialists say that the returned ones are also having problem staying at the workplace. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12455',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal’s Foreign Trade Declines due to Lockdown and Prohibitory Order',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: The volume of Nepal’s foreign trade has declined significantly due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">September 11: The volume of Nepal&rsquo;s foreign trade has declined due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Domestic production as well as daily consumption market has shrunk because of the impact of Covid-19. As a result, import from third countries has declined greatly during the last five months.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to Laxman Khadka, chief of the Kolkata-based Nepal Transshipment and Warehouse Management Company (NTWC), Nepal-bound shipments have decreased by 23 percent during the lockdown period.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Altogether 31,851 containers (20 feet) have left for Nepal from Kolkata and Visakhapatman between April to August of the current fiscal year. The number of containers that left for Nepal during the corresponding period of last fiscal year was 41,486, according to NTWC.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Almost 90 percent of Nepal&rsquo;s overseas trade take place through Indian ports. Importers say that Nepal&rsquo;s foreign trade has been growing every year by 10 to 15 percent. However, this year, statistics show that the country&rsquo;s foreign trade has declined due to Covid-19 crisis.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&ldquo;In an average, around 300 Nepal-bound containers had arrived at the ports of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam during the month of August last year. But the number has dropped to 224 at present,&rdquo; said NTWC chief Khadka.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government had lifted the lockdown imposed since March&nbsp; 24 on the third week of July. But the local authorities again imposed prohibitory orders a month later, bringing the business down again.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12454',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => '4 Million Jobs Added to Nepal’s Economy in the Past Decade: WB',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: Nepal’s economy added nearly four million jobs over the past decade, and average job quality increased significantly, according to the World Bank’s recent Nepal Jobs Diagnostic report. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">September 11:</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial"> Nepal&rsquo;s economy added nearly four million jobs over the past decade, and average job quality increased significantly, according to the World Bank&rsquo;s recent&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Nepal Jobs Diagnostic</span></span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">&nbsp;report.&nbsp; But continued job creation, especially of wage jobs, is needed to absorb underutilized workers into better-quality, stable, and well-paid jobs. The economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic &ndash; while not addressed in this report &ndash; highlights the importance of increasing stable and secure employment in the post-pandemic recovery period.</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">Nepal&rsquo;s economy has been gradually shifting from largely subsistence agriculture to more modern industry and services, and this structural transition is bringing&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">better work opportunities for the labor force. Despite great strides, not all job seekers are able to access quality jobs, especially women.&nbsp;In the last decade, large numbers of men have entered jobs in construction, manufacturing, commerce and transportation, or have migrated abroad. </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">Even though many of these are informal jobs or temporary wage jobs, they are nevertheless more productive and provide improved livelihoods compared to traditional low-productivity farm work. Women, on the other hand, have not transitioned in significant numbers.&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The share of wage work in Nepal jumped from 17 percent to 24 percent of total employment between 2008 and 2018, as nearly half of the jobs added since 2008 were wage jobs.</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">&nbsp;&ldquo;The shift toward wage employment signals a fundamental change in Nepal&rsquo;s economic development and is&nbsp;similar to patterns seen around the world. As economies diversify their production activities and increase scale economies, employment becomes more specialized and more productive, and jobs are increasingly based in firms rather than self-employment, and pay more,&rdquo; stated&nbsp;Dr Elizabeth Ruppert Bulmer, World Bank lead economist&nbsp;and main author of the report. &ldquo;Urbanization amplifies these effects by concentrating economic activities while increasing the variety of products and services.&rdquo;</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">&nbsp;Evidence from a combination of data sources &ndash; national labor force surveys from 1998, 2008 and 2018, the 2018 Economic Census, and a 2019 survey of 900 SMEs across 6 districts &ndash; points to a number of constraints to achieving better labor market outcomes in Nepal. </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">One key impediment is Nepal&rsquo;s dramatic topography, which makes access to wage jobs and to product markets costly. Most jobs are informal and concentrate in relatively low productivity sectors, while most firms are micro-sized with one or two employees, and target small local markets rather than exporting or connecting to regional or global value chains. In addition to credit constraints, many SMEs&nbsp;cite tax regulations, high taxes, scarce skills, and bureaucratic inefficiencies as obstacles to growth and therefore job creation.</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">&nbsp;Gendered social norms have limited female labor mobility and work opportunities, reflected by the fact that most women remain in unpaid work. Three-quarters of new jobs taken up by women between 2008 and 2018 were in non-wage self-employment or unpaid family work, much of which was farm work. Occupational segregation and social norms contribute to the large earnings gap between men and women, as per the report.</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">&nbsp;In order to improve job outcomes in Nepal, the report recommends policies focusing on fostering SME productivity and growth; improving the business environment and labor market policies; increasing the individual, family, and economy-wide benefits of international migration; and preparing and connecting women and youth to better jobs, including entrepreneurship.</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">&nbsp;&ldquo;While the report does not address the shocks from COVID-19 experienced by Nepal&rsquo;s economy and its people, it underscores the imminent priority for Nepal to save livelihoods of the most vulnerable workers, including those in subsistence agriculture and urban and rural informal day laborers or self-employed workers who lost their income sources,&rdquo; states&nbsp;Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. </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">&ldquo;The Government of Nepal has already initiated programs including the&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Youth Employment Transformation Initiative</span></span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">&nbsp;Project to address the immediate labor market challenges, and it is hoped that this analysis will further guide policy interventions to improve job outcomes as part of Nepal&rsquo;s resilient recovery efforts from the crisis.&rdquo;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12453',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NAC Gets the Nod for Procurement of New Aircraft',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: The Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattrai has directed Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to immediately move ahead with the aircraft procurement plan. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">September 10: The Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattrai has directed Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to immediately move ahead with the aircraft procurement plan. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Minister Bhattarai gave such instruction to facilitate air service to the citizens of remote areas of the country including hill and mountain districts.</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:Calibri">The minister instructed NAC to submit a report for the purchase of domestic aircraft during a joint meeting with the executive chairman of the NAC Sushil Ghimire and the departmental heads of the ministry on Wednesday, September 8.</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:Calibri">NAC currently has only two twin-engine aircraft in operation for domestic flights to the mountain region basically known as short takeoff and landing routes (STOL) while three of its Harbin Y 12 Chinese aircraft are running out of manpower. </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:Calibri">Minister Bhattarai said that the&nbsp;corporation has been instructed to move ahead with the procurement plan immediately as it needs new aircraft to expand its domestic flights.</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:Calibri">He also informed that the NAC officials have been instructed to prepare a detailed report for this by discussing with the Citizens Investment Trust, Provident Fund, and the Tourism Ministry and Finance Ministry.</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:Calibri">&quot;Nepal Airlines is the national flag carrier and it needs to work to preserve its legacy,&quot; he added. </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:Calibri">He also instructed NAC to reduce the expenses as well as the meeting allowance, and to cut down the number of staffers abroad. </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:Calibri">The minister also directed NAC to reduce the facilities provided to staff members, board officials and retired employees.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12451',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'We are not Doing Business: Army Chief',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Purna Chandra Thapa has urged the public not to consider the Army’s undertakings such as the welfare fund, petrol station, road construction and other activities as profitable business.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Devanagari Sangam MN&quot;">September 10: </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Purna Chandra Thapa has urged the public not to consider the Army&rsquo;s undertakings such as the welfare fund, petrol station, road construction and other activities as profitable business.</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">Speaking on the occasion of his two years in office as the army chief, General Thapa on Wednesday said, &ldquo;We are not doing business. Please don&rsquo;t take it that way.&rdquo;</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">At a time when the national army is facing criticism for its involvement in business undertakings, CoAS Thapa clarified that the income generated from the Army&rsquo;s welfare fund, petrol station, and other activities is not pocketed by the generals but is utilized for charitable purpose.</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">&ldquo;Our country has not reached that state in which it is able to provide us all the required services,&rdquo; said Thapa, adding, &ldquo;If we do not operate welfare fund, who is going to join the army?&rdquo;</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">Thapa compared the activities of army&rsquo;s welfare fund to the CSR activities of banks.</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">&ldquo;The only difference is that the banks spend 1 percent on CSR while the army&rsquo;s fund spends cent percent on CSR,&rdquo; he added.</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">&ldquo;Therefore, this is not a business.&rdquo;</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">CoAS Thapa said that he has seen many of the retired soldiers working on road-side stalls in Bhotahity or begging on the streets of Narayangadh.</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">&ldquo;It really saddens me. The need of the hour is to end such situation,&rdquo; he said.</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">He also clarified that the army has not invested in hydropower as it has been publicized but they have only discussed the issue..</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">Thapa reiterated the army&rsquo;s stance on zero tolerance towards corruption and added that the word &ldquo;professionalism&rdquo; better suits the army instead of &ldquo;democratization&rdquo; of army.</span></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12452',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Industrialists Demand Alternative Measures to Operate Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Troubled by the six-month long lockdown and prohibitory order, entrepreneurs of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have requested the government to adopt alternative measures to operate the industrial sector. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">September 10: Troubled by the six-month long lockdown and prohibitory order, entrepreneurs of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have requested the government to adopt alternative measures to operate the industrial sector. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The private sector has urged the government to look for alternatives after the administration tightened the precautionary measures due to increase in the number of coronavirus cases. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">After coronavirus infection was detected among the workers in the industrial corridor, the administration directed the industries to operate by creating quarantine facilities within the industry, or in the community if it is not possible within the industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Stating that it is not possible to create separate quarantine for each industry, the entrepreneurs have suggested for group quarantine and isolation for industrial corridor. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Subodh Gupta, senior vice president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce, says that, around 1000-bed quarantine centre and 200-bed isolation ward should be made in Birgunj in collaboration between the government and the private sector. He further said that the risk of infection will be decreased and easy operation of the industry can be done by keeping the workers from India and other districts in industrial quarantine for certain time. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;Most of the industries are running in low capacity now. Workers have to be brought in to run the industry in full capacity. Industrial quarantine and isolation is the easiest way for this,&rdquo; said Gupta, who is also a&nbsp; former &nbsp;president of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12450',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Transport Entrepreneurs Warn of Defying Government Order from September 17',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Transport entrepreneurs have announced to resume all kinds of public transportation services from September 17. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">September 10: Transport entrepreneurs have announced to resume all kinds of public transportation services from September 17. </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">The Federation of Nepal National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) along with three trade unions on Wednesday decided to operate public vehicles along long and short routes from September 17.</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">The government had banned public transportation on March 24 to control the spread of coronavirus. The government briefly lifted the ban on intra-district transportation on July 9, with the three districts of Kathmandu valley being the only exception. Although public transportation was allowed within other districts, Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur were the only three districts where inter-district transportation was allowed briefly.</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">However, the district administration offices of Kathmandu Valley again imposed prohibitory order on August 19 along with various other districts, bringing transportation to a halt once again.</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">The irked transport entrepreneurs have now decided to operate their vehicles even if the government does not lift the restriction.</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">The transport entrepreneurs recently met with the Director General of the Department of Transport Management Gogal Bahadur Hamal and urged him to take the initiative for resuming transportation service.</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">&ldquo;We have requested the government to resume transportation service. If the government doesn&rsquo;t fulfill our demand, we will still operate our vehicles,&rdquo; says Yogendra Nath Karmacharya, president of FNNTE. </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">He warned that the transport entrepreneurs are ready to defy the prohibitory order. He is of the view that transport entrepreneurs should be allowed to operate their vehicles by following safety standards set by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">It is estimated that more than 1 million people associated with the transportation sector have been rendered jobless due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12449',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Authorities Ease Prohibitory Order in Kathmandu Valley',
			'sub_title' => 'Odd-even rule to apply for vehicles from today',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Government authorities have eased the prohibitory order in Kathmandu Valley amid threats from the business community that they would defy the government order if the restrictions are extended any longer.',
			'content' => '<p><em>A deserted road of Kathmandu Valley seen in this file photo.</em></p>

<p><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-09-10%20at%2010.55.24%20AM%202.png" style="height:199px; width:800px" /></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">September 10: Government authorities have eased the prohibitory order in Kathmandu Valley amid threats from the business community that they would defy the government order if the restrictions are extended any longer.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The district administration offices of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur decided to ease the prohibitory order to some extent in the valley from today (September 10). The restrictions imposed on August 19 will remain in force till September 16, but in a changed modality.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">A few days ago, automobile dealers of Nepal had threatened to defy the government order if the restrictions were extended beyond September 9. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">A meeting of the chief district officers of the three districts on Wednesday (September 9) decided to allow businesses to resume under certain conditions.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The authorities have decided to open various sectors by taking necessary safety measures. But educational institutions and cinema halls as well as other places likely to draw crowd will remain closed until further notice.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The local government has allocated separate days to run different businesses.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Starting from today, shops and other businesses can remain open on the days fixed by the authorities. As per the decision, shopping malls, fancy dress stores, shoe and cosmetic shops will remain open on&nbsp; Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Likewise, shops selling kitchen wares and utensils will remain open on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Similarly, automobiles and furniture shops can remain open on Mondays and Wednesdays. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">On the other hand, road-side vendors, footpath shops, stationary shops, electronics and departmental stores can remain open till 11 in the morning and from 4 to 7 in the evening.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">As per the new provision, vehicles will be allowed to operate on the basis of odd-even rule.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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$articles = array(
	(int) 0 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12463',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'India Denying Air Entry Routes to Nepal Citing Security Concerns',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Although the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport is in final phase, the airport is yet to get approval to use the air route through Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">September 13: Although the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport is in final phase, the airport is yet to get approval to use the air route through Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The operation of the airport has become uncertain due to the delay in granting permission for the airport to use those two routes by India. Experts say that the government must make diplomatic efforts to resolve this issue with India.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Officials at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation say that Prime Minister KP Oli had discussed the issue with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during his last visit to India but there has been no further development.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Although the political actors of India have not rejected the proposal of Nepal to use the two air routes, which is shorter than the other route in use, India&rsquo;s bureaucracy has been delaying the process, according to officials at the tourism ministry.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai has time and again said he will make diplomatic efforts with India to resolve the issue but there has been no tangible progress. The minister claims that the airport will be operational by the start of 2021.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Two years ago, India had agreed to allow Nepal to use four additional air routes for the aircraft entering the country through India. However, the Airport Authority of India had denied permission due to technical issues and the need for safety assessment.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Although India had in principle agreed to allow Nepal to use the air entry routes of Bhairahawa, Janakpur, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj and Mahendranagar. However, India has allowed Nepal to use only Bhairahawa and Janakpur entry routes.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Officials at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) say that India denied permission to use the other air routes citing security concerns. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">All aircraft entering Nepal through India have to use the route near Simara. However, the aircraft leaving Nepal can use Mahendranagar, Nepalgunj, Bhairahawa and Janakpur routes.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">According to officials, using the Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj routes to enter Nepal would lessen the distance by 14 nautical miles</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'Transport Entrepreneurs Urge Government to Facilitate in Resuming Service ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Transport entrepreneurs have urged Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembang to facilitate in resuming long, medium and short-route vehicles at the earliest.',
			'content' => '<p><em>Public vehicles seen parked in this file photo.</em></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">September 13: Transport entrepreneurs have urged Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembang to facilitate in resuming long, medium and short-route vehicles at the earliest.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The Federation of Nepal National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) and the workers&rsquo; union met with the minister on Friday (September 11) and made such request. They demanded resumption of all kinds of public transportation service from September 17. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">During the meeting, the transport entrepreneurs informed the minister that they would be forced to resume service if the government does not lift the ban on public transport.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The government has enforced a ban on public transportation since March 24 after imposing lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Although the government had allowed intra-district transportation service for a month between July and August, it again reimposed restriction after a rapid surge in coronavirus cases across the country, and especially in the capital.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The transport entrepreneurs informed that the restrictions since the last six months has directly affected around 360,000 people who are involved in this sector and more than 4.5 million people who are dependent on them.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">FNNTE President Yogendra Nath Karmacharya informed the ministers that hunger has become more threatening to them than the virus and therefore they would no longer abide by the government orders anymore.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12460',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Harmful Chemicals found in Sanitizers Produced by 5 Local Companies ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Government authorities have found harmful chemicals in sanitizers produced by five companies based in Kathmandu Valley. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">September 13: Government authorities have found harmful chemicals in sanitizers produced by five companies based in Kathmandu Valley. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Tests conducted by the Department of Drug Administration (DDA) has revealed that the sanitizers produced by the five companies contained considerable amount of methanol, which is considered hazardous to human health.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Stating that the use of such sanitizers might adversely affect the health of the people, the department has appealed to the public to be aware of such products.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to Santosh KC, information officer at DDA, the department found considerable amount of methanol, which is considered harmful for human health. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The department has already instructed the five companies to stop &nbsp;the production and sale of those products that do not meet the standard set by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The department informed that Sanitized Hand Sanitizer produced by Hygienic Soap and Chemical Pvt Ltd, Advanced Hand Sanitizer produced by Aadhar Chemicals and Food Industries Pvt Ltd,&nbsp; Instant Hand Sanitizer Refreshment Gel produced by Search Chem Cum Herbal Products, Suryamukhi Hand Sanitizer produced by Suryamukhi Herbal Products and Instant Hand Sanitizer produced by Nepal Kayakalpa Industry have been found containing methanol above the standard set by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">KC informed that four out of ten samples collected from the market had high levels of methanol while one was previously found breaching the standard protocol.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Information Officer KC further said that the department is currently studying the samples of all 40 local companies that are manufacturing sanitizers but are yet to be registered with the department. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 3 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12461',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Slight Improvement in Credit Flow during Prohibitory Order ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Banks and Financial Institutions had been experiencing a contraction in their flow of loans over the past one and a half months but, there has been some improvement during the prohibitory order period. ',
			'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">September 13: Banks and Financial Institutions had been experiencing a contraction in their flow of loans over the past one and a half months but, there has been some improvement during the prohibitory order period. Nepal Rastra Bank expects further improvements in the credit flow because of the new fixed interest rate policy.</span></span></h1>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The net credit flow of the 27 commercial banks had decreased by Rs 25 billion &nbsp;in the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August). However, loans worth Rs 19 billion were distributed as of last week (September 4). Nepal Bankers&rsquo; Association informed that the credit flow that had improved in the month of Ashad (mid-June to mid-July) had become negative in the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August). According to the Association, the net flow of loans had reached Rs. 2,903 billion after the disbursal of Rs 87 billion in the month of Ashad (mid-June to mid-July). However, the net amount totaled to Rs. 2,878 billion after it decreased by Rs. 25 billion in the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August).</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The market has had a liquidity of more than Rs 200 billion since the last few months because of the contraction in the credit flow. Dr Gunakar Bhatta, the spokesperson for Nepal Rastra Bank, said that in order to manage the liquidity in the market, the central bank has introduced policies that will encourage the debtors to get new loans. Rastra Bank has also increased the limit on current loans to enable the businesses affected by coronavirus to pay for their expenses like salaries, rents, etc. In addition, a policy has been introduced to stabilize the rate of interest on loans.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Banks and financial institutions are not permitted to increase the interest rates on personal term loans like auto loans and home loans for at least a year. Previously, the interest rates used to change with the change in the base rates of the banks in every quarter. Loans taken at the rate of 8 percent in the beginning would reach as high as 13 percent by the end of the year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Spokesperson Bhatta firmly believes that this provision made by the central bank will definitely increase the demand and the flow of loan in the market. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;There is a provision that prohibits banks from increasing the interest rates on personal term loans. This will give the customers a sense of relief for a year. This will also increase the demand of debt,&rdquo; he said. He also said that the economy will improve with the increase in the credit flow.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Bhuwan Kumar Dahal, the Chairman of Nepal Bankers&rsquo; Association, says that the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown affeted the overall banking sector negatively. The Credit to Core Capital plus Deposit ratio (CCD) of the banks is currently in a bad state because of the lack of new loans.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&nbsp;</span></span></p>
',
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	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12459',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Contractors Weighing Options after Cancellation of Tender',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: Construction companies are divided over the cancellation of the contract of the disputed Kakadvitta-Inaruwa section of the East-West Electric Railway.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">September 11: Construction companies are divided over the cancellation of the contract of the disputed Kakadvitta-Inaruwa section of the East-West Electric Railway.</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:Calibri">Some contractors have decided not to go through the legal process considering that cancellation of tender is a common issue while others are in the process of seeking legal remedy. The companies seeking legal remedy are now consulting with lawyers.</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:Calibri">However, the government agencies while inviting bids generally include a&nbsp;clause stating that the tender can be canceled at any time. Contractors have been bidding for proposals by accepting the provision.</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:Calibri">Due to this, the right to cancel the tender will be vested upon the public body, informed an official of the Railway Department. &ldquo;As this provision has been made while inviting tenders, the canceled tenders will be automatically rejected legally. So a new tender should be called again to move the contract forward,&rdquo; the official added.</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:Calibri">However, Ravi Singh, president of Mahadev Khimti Construction Services Pvt Ltd on Tuesday, September 8, informed that he will seek legal solution against the department for cancelation of the contract of 54 packages of 106 km long railway line. </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:Calibri">Singh is also the president of the Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal, an umbrella organization of construction companies. He said that he had written to the Railway Department on Thursday seeking a written reply for reasons for the cancellation of the contract.</span></span>&nbsp;</span></span></p>
',
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	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12458',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Operation of Domestic Flights Likely to get Delayed by 2 Weeks',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has submitted a proposal to the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) to reopen domestic air service from October 1.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">September 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has submitted a proposal to the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) to reopen domestic air service from October 1.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Minister Bhattarai informed that the ministry has sent the proposal to the CCMC while it was preparing to resume air service to mountain and hill districts with few cases of coronavirus.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Speaking at a virtual interaction organised by the Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal (SEJON), Minister Bhattarai clarified that although the government was preparing to resume flights to remote districts from September 17 the plan has been put on hold for the time being.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Minister Bhattarai said that the government needs to revise a few things in its plan and therefore it proposed resuming air service two weeks later.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He further said that the ministry has sought permission from the CCMC to increase the number of international flights in accordance to the demand.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&ldquo;The government is thinking about ways to resume the service sector after five months by adopting safety measures,&rdquo; said Bhattarai, adding, &ldquo;We had to impose restrictions again in areas like Kathmandu and Tarai districts with high population density after coronavirus cases increased drastically.&rdquo; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government had resumed limited number of regular international flights from September 1 and is preparing to gradually reopen domestic flights depending on the situation, said the minister.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The airline operators had earlier warned of protest if the government extended the ban on domestic flights beyond September 17. The government has delayed reopening domestic flights time and again due to the increase in coronavirus cases.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'description' => '',
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12457',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'IRD to Charge Taxpayers with Late Fee, Interest and Fine ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: The government is unlikely to address the demand of the private sector to extend the deadline for payment of tax.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">September 11: The government is unlikely to address the demand of the private sector to extend the deadline for payment of tax. The private sector has been demanding deadline extension arguing that they are unable to pay taxes due to the prohibitory order in force across the country.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to the Inland Revenue Department, the taxpayers were given until September 10 to pay the taxes and the government has not extended the deadline.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Director General of IRD Binod Bahadur Kunwar says that that taxpayers who come to pay the tax after the deadline will be fined as per the legal provision. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&ldquo;The private sector had sought extension of the deadline. We informed the Finance Ministry about it but the ministry hasn&rsquo;t given us any instructions,&rdquo; said Kunwar.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to him, the tax payers will not have to submit late fee, interest and fine to clear their value added tax, income tax and excise duty.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The IRD informed that it collected revenue of around Rs 12 billion as of September 9.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12456',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Production of Food Industries Declining',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: The production capacity of food industries producing essential commodities has not improved due to the extended lockdown and prohibitory order. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">September 11: The production capacity of food industries producing essential commodities has not improved due to the extended lockdown and prohibitory order. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The government had allowed the food industries to operate even during the lockdown period, which was imposed on March 24 to control the spread of coronavirus infection. However, the production capacity of the industries kept declining due to the lack of necessary environment for their operation. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The food industry, which was operating at 30 percent capacity in mid-April, is now running at only 15 percent capacity. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">President of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">, Subodh Kumar Gupta, says that the main reason for the lack of improvement in production capacity is the problem of labor management and lack of market mobility. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">He believes that the government should create separate quarantine and isolation facilities for the industrial workers but the lack of interest shown by the government has posed further challenges in labor management. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Only 20 percent of the workers in the food industries operating in Birgunj, Biratnagar and other cities are from the respective districts, while 20 percent are from outside the district and 60 percent are Indians. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Currently, the workers from outside the district and India have not been able to return back to work due to the recent lockdown and prohibitory order. Industrialists say that the returned ones are also having problem staying at the workplace. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12455',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal’s Foreign Trade Declines due to Lockdown and Prohibitory Order',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: The volume of Nepal’s foreign trade has declined significantly due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">September 11: The volume of Nepal&rsquo;s foreign trade has declined due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Domestic production as well as daily consumption market has shrunk because of the impact of Covid-19. As a result, import from third countries has declined greatly during the last five months.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to Laxman Khadka, chief of the Kolkata-based Nepal Transshipment and Warehouse Management Company (NTWC), Nepal-bound shipments have decreased by 23 percent during the lockdown period.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Altogether 31,851 containers (20 feet) have left for Nepal from Kolkata and Visakhapatman between April to August of the current fiscal year. The number of containers that left for Nepal during the corresponding period of last fiscal year was 41,486, according to NTWC.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Almost 90 percent of Nepal&rsquo;s overseas trade take place through Indian ports. Importers say that Nepal&rsquo;s foreign trade has been growing every year by 10 to 15 percent. However, this year, statistics show that the country&rsquo;s foreign trade has declined due to Covid-19 crisis.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&ldquo;In an average, around 300 Nepal-bound containers had arrived at the ports of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam during the month of August last year. But the number has dropped to 224 at present,&rdquo; said NTWC chief Khadka.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government had lifted the lockdown imposed since March&nbsp; 24 on the third week of July. But the local authorities again imposed prohibitory orders a month later, bringing the business down again.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12454',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => '4 Million Jobs Added to Nepal’s Economy in the Past Decade: WB',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: Nepal’s economy added nearly four million jobs over the past decade, and average job quality increased significantly, according to the World Bank’s recent Nepal Jobs Diagnostic report. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">September 11:</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial"> Nepal&rsquo;s economy added nearly four million jobs over the past decade, and average job quality increased significantly, according to the World Bank&rsquo;s recent&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Nepal Jobs Diagnostic</span></span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">&nbsp;report.&nbsp; But continued job creation, especially of wage jobs, is needed to absorb underutilized workers into better-quality, stable, and well-paid jobs. The economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic &ndash; while not addressed in this report &ndash; highlights the importance of increasing stable and secure employment in the post-pandemic recovery period.</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">Nepal&rsquo;s economy has been gradually shifting from largely subsistence agriculture to more modern industry and services, and this structural transition is bringing&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">better work opportunities for the labor force. Despite great strides, not all job seekers are able to access quality jobs, especially women.&nbsp;In the last decade, large numbers of men have entered jobs in construction, manufacturing, commerce and transportation, or have migrated abroad. </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">Even though many of these are informal jobs or temporary wage jobs, they are nevertheless more productive and provide improved livelihoods compared to traditional low-productivity farm work. Women, on the other hand, have not transitioned in significant numbers.&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The share of wage work in Nepal jumped from 17 percent to 24 percent of total employment between 2008 and 2018, as nearly half of the jobs added since 2008 were wage jobs.</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">&nbsp;&ldquo;The shift toward wage employment signals a fundamental change in Nepal&rsquo;s economic development and is&nbsp;similar to patterns seen around the world. As economies diversify their production activities and increase scale economies, employment becomes more specialized and more productive, and jobs are increasingly based in firms rather than self-employment, and pay more,&rdquo; stated&nbsp;Dr Elizabeth Ruppert Bulmer, World Bank lead economist&nbsp;and main author of the report. &ldquo;Urbanization amplifies these effects by concentrating economic activities while increasing the variety of products and services.&rdquo;</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">&nbsp;Evidence from a combination of data sources &ndash; national labor force surveys from 1998, 2008 and 2018, the 2018 Economic Census, and a 2019 survey of 900 SMEs across 6 districts &ndash; points to a number of constraints to achieving better labor market outcomes in Nepal. </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">One key impediment is Nepal&rsquo;s dramatic topography, which makes access to wage jobs and to product markets costly. Most jobs are informal and concentrate in relatively low productivity sectors, while most firms are micro-sized with one or two employees, and target small local markets rather than exporting or connecting to regional or global value chains. In addition to credit constraints, many SMEs&nbsp;cite tax regulations, high taxes, scarce skills, and bureaucratic inefficiencies as obstacles to growth and therefore job creation.</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">&nbsp;Gendered social norms have limited female labor mobility and work opportunities, reflected by the fact that most women remain in unpaid work. Three-quarters of new jobs taken up by women between 2008 and 2018 were in non-wage self-employment or unpaid family work, much of which was farm work. Occupational segregation and social norms contribute to the large earnings gap between men and women, as per the report.</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">&nbsp;In order to improve job outcomes in Nepal, the report recommends policies focusing on fostering SME productivity and growth; improving the business environment and labor market policies; increasing the individual, family, and economy-wide benefits of international migration; and preparing and connecting women and youth to better jobs, including entrepreneurship.</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">&nbsp;&ldquo;While the report does not address the shocks from COVID-19 experienced by Nepal&rsquo;s economy and its people, it underscores the imminent priority for Nepal to save livelihoods of the most vulnerable workers, including those in subsistence agriculture and urban and rural informal day laborers or self-employed workers who lost their income sources,&rdquo; states&nbsp;Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. </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">&ldquo;The Government of Nepal has already initiated programs including the&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Youth Employment Transformation Initiative</span></span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">&nbsp;Project to address the immediate labor market challenges, and it is hoped that this analysis will further guide policy interventions to improve job outcomes as part of Nepal&rsquo;s resilient recovery efforts from the crisis.&rdquo;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12453',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NAC Gets the Nod for Procurement of New Aircraft',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: The Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattrai has directed Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to immediately move ahead with the aircraft procurement plan. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">September 10: The Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattrai has directed Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to immediately move ahead with the aircraft procurement plan. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Minister Bhattarai gave such instruction to facilitate air service to the citizens of remote areas of the country including hill and mountain districts.</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:Calibri">The minister instructed NAC to submit a report for the purchase of domestic aircraft during a joint meeting with the executive chairman of the NAC Sushil Ghimire and the departmental heads of the ministry on Wednesday, September 8.</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:Calibri">NAC currently has only two twin-engine aircraft in operation for domestic flights to the mountain region basically known as short takeoff and landing routes (STOL) while three of its Harbin Y 12 Chinese aircraft are running out of manpower. </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:Calibri">Minister Bhattarai said that the&nbsp;corporation has been instructed to move ahead with the procurement plan immediately as it needs new aircraft to expand its domestic flights.</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:Calibri">He also informed that the NAC officials have been instructed to prepare a detailed report for this by discussing with the Citizens Investment Trust, Provident Fund, and the Tourism Ministry and Finance Ministry.</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:Calibri">&quot;Nepal Airlines is the national flag carrier and it needs to work to preserve its legacy,&quot; he added. </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:Calibri">He also instructed NAC to reduce the expenses as well as the meeting allowance, and to cut down the number of staffers abroad. </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:Calibri">The minister also directed NAC to reduce the facilities provided to staff members, board officials and retired employees.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12451',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'We are not Doing Business: Army Chief',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Purna Chandra Thapa has urged the public not to consider the Army’s undertakings such as the welfare fund, petrol station, road construction and other activities as profitable business.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Devanagari Sangam MN&quot;">September 10: </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Purna Chandra Thapa has urged the public not to consider the Army&rsquo;s undertakings such as the welfare fund, petrol station, road construction and other activities as profitable business.</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">Speaking on the occasion of his two years in office as the army chief, General Thapa on Wednesday said, &ldquo;We are not doing business. Please don&rsquo;t take it that way.&rdquo;</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">At a time when the national army is facing criticism for its involvement in business undertakings, CoAS Thapa clarified that the income generated from the Army&rsquo;s welfare fund, petrol station, and other activities is not pocketed by the generals but is utilized for charitable purpose.</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">&ldquo;Our country has not reached that state in which it is able to provide us all the required services,&rdquo; said Thapa, adding, &ldquo;If we do not operate welfare fund, who is going to join the army?&rdquo;</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">Thapa compared the activities of army&rsquo;s welfare fund to the CSR activities of banks.</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">&ldquo;The only difference is that the banks spend 1 percent on CSR while the army&rsquo;s fund spends cent percent on CSR,&rdquo; he added.</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">&ldquo;Therefore, this is not a business.&rdquo;</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">CoAS Thapa said that he has seen many of the retired soldiers working on road-side stalls in Bhotahity or begging on the streets of Narayangadh.</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">&ldquo;It really saddens me. The need of the hour is to end such situation,&rdquo; he said.</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">He also clarified that the army has not invested in hydropower as it has been publicized but they have only discussed the issue..</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">Thapa reiterated the army&rsquo;s stance on zero tolerance towards corruption and added that the word &ldquo;professionalism&rdquo; better suits the army instead of &ldquo;democratization&rdquo; of army.</span></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12452',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Industrialists Demand Alternative Measures to Operate Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Troubled by the six-month long lockdown and prohibitory order, entrepreneurs of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have requested the government to adopt alternative measures to operate the industrial sector. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">September 10: Troubled by the six-month long lockdown and prohibitory order, entrepreneurs of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have requested the government to adopt alternative measures to operate the industrial sector. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The private sector has urged the government to look for alternatives after the administration tightened the precautionary measures due to increase in the number of coronavirus cases. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">After coronavirus infection was detected among the workers in the industrial corridor, the administration directed the industries to operate by creating quarantine facilities within the industry, or in the community if it is not possible within the industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Stating that it is not possible to create separate quarantine for each industry, the entrepreneurs have suggested for group quarantine and isolation for industrial corridor. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Subodh Gupta, senior vice president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce, says that, around 1000-bed quarantine centre and 200-bed isolation ward should be made in Birgunj in collaboration between the government and the private sector. He further said that the risk of infection will be decreased and easy operation of the industry can be done by keeping the workers from India and other districts in industrial quarantine for certain time. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;Most of the industries are running in low capacity now. Workers have to be brought in to run the industry in full capacity. Industrial quarantine and isolation is the easiest way for this,&rdquo; said Gupta, who is also a&nbsp; former &nbsp;president of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12450',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Transport Entrepreneurs Warn of Defying Government Order from September 17',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Transport entrepreneurs have announced to resume all kinds of public transportation services from September 17. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">September 10: Transport entrepreneurs have announced to resume all kinds of public transportation services from September 17. </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">The Federation of Nepal National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) along with three trade unions on Wednesday decided to operate public vehicles along long and short routes from September 17.</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">The government had banned public transportation on March 24 to control the spread of coronavirus. The government briefly lifted the ban on intra-district transportation on July 9, with the three districts of Kathmandu valley being the only exception. Although public transportation was allowed within other districts, Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur were the only three districts where inter-district transportation was allowed briefly.</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">However, the district administration offices of Kathmandu Valley again imposed prohibitory order on August 19 along with various other districts, bringing transportation to a halt once again.</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">The irked transport entrepreneurs have now decided to operate their vehicles even if the government does not lift the restriction.</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">The transport entrepreneurs recently met with the Director General of the Department of Transport Management Gogal Bahadur Hamal and urged him to take the initiative for resuming transportation service.</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">&ldquo;We have requested the government to resume transportation service. If the government doesn&rsquo;t fulfill our demand, we will still operate our vehicles,&rdquo; says Yogendra Nath Karmacharya, president of FNNTE. </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">He warned that the transport entrepreneurs are ready to defy the prohibitory order. He is of the view that transport entrepreneurs should be allowed to operate their vehicles by following safety standards set by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">It is estimated that more than 1 million people associated with the transportation sector have been rendered jobless due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12449',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Authorities Ease Prohibitory Order in Kathmandu Valley',
			'sub_title' => 'Odd-even rule to apply for vehicles from today',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Government authorities have eased the prohibitory order in Kathmandu Valley amid threats from the business community that they would defy the government order if the restrictions are extended any longer.',
			'content' => '<p><em>A deserted road of Kathmandu Valley seen in this file photo.</em></p>

<p><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-09-10%20at%2010.55.24%20AM%202.png" style="height:199px; width:800px" /></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">September 10: Government authorities have eased the prohibitory order in Kathmandu Valley amid threats from the business community that they would defy the government order if the restrictions are extended any longer.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The district administration offices of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur decided to ease the prohibitory order to some extent in the valley from today (September 10). The restrictions imposed on August 19 will remain in force till September 16, but in a changed modality.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">A few days ago, automobile dealers of Nepal had threatened to defy the government order if the restrictions were extended beyond September 9. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">A meeting of the chief district officers of the three districts on Wednesday (September 9) decided to allow businesses to resume under certain conditions.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The authorities have decided to open various sectors by taking necessary safety measures. But educational institutions and cinema halls as well as other places likely to draw crowd will remain closed until further notice.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The local government has allocated separate days to run different businesses.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Starting from today, shops and other businesses can remain open on the days fixed by the authorities. As per the decision, shopping malls, fancy dress stores, shoe and cosmetic shops will remain open on&nbsp; Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Likewise, shops selling kitchen wares and utensils will remain open on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Similarly, automobiles and furniture shops can remain open on Mondays and Wednesdays. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">On the other hand, road-side vendors, footpath shops, stationary shops, electronics and departmental stores can remain open till 11 in the morning and from 4 to 7 in the evening.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">As per the new provision, vehicles will be allowed to operate on the basis of odd-even rule.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12463',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'India Denying Air Entry Routes to Nepal Citing Security Concerns',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Although the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport is in final phase, the airport is yet to get approval to use the air route through Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">September 13: Although the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport is in final phase, the airport is yet to get approval to use the air route through Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The operation of the airport has become uncertain due to the delay in granting permission for the airport to use those two routes by India. Experts say that the government must make diplomatic efforts to resolve this issue with India.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Officials at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation say that Prime Minister KP Oli had discussed the issue with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during his last visit to India but there has been no further development.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Although the political actors of India have not rejected the proposal of Nepal to use the two air routes, which is shorter than the other route in use, India&rsquo;s bureaucracy has been delaying the process, according to officials at the tourism ministry.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai has time and again said he will make diplomatic efforts with India to resolve the issue but there has been no tangible progress. The minister claims that the airport will be operational by the start of 2021.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Two years ago, India had agreed to allow Nepal to use four additional air routes for the aircraft entering the country through India. However, the Airport Authority of India had denied permission due to technical issues and the need for safety assessment.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Although India had in principle agreed to allow Nepal to use the air entry routes of Bhairahawa, Janakpur, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj and Mahendranagar. However, India has allowed Nepal to use only Bhairahawa and Janakpur entry routes.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Officials at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) say that India denied permission to use the other air routes citing security concerns. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">All aircraft entering Nepal through India have to use the route near Simara. However, the aircraft leaving Nepal can use Mahendranagar, Nepalgunj, Bhairahawa and Janakpur routes.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">According to officials, using the Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj routes to enter Nepal would lessen the distance by 14 nautical miles</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '12462',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Transport Entrepreneurs Urge Government to Facilitate in Resuming Service ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Transport entrepreneurs have urged Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembang to facilitate in resuming long, medium and short-route vehicles at the earliest.',
			'content' => '<p><em>Public vehicles seen parked in this file photo.</em></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">September 13: Transport entrepreneurs have urged Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembang to facilitate in resuming long, medium and short-route vehicles at the earliest.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The Federation of Nepal National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) and the workers&rsquo; union met with the minister on Friday (September 11) and made such request. They demanded resumption of all kinds of public transportation service from September 17. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">During the meeting, the transport entrepreneurs informed the minister that they would be forced to resume service if the government does not lift the ban on public transport.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The government has enforced a ban on public transportation since March 24 after imposing lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Although the government had allowed intra-district transportation service for a month between July and August, it again reimposed restriction after a rapid surge in coronavirus cases across the country, and especially in the capital.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The transport entrepreneurs informed that the restrictions since the last six months has directly affected around 360,000 people who are involved in this sector and more than 4.5 million people who are dependent on them.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">FNNTE President Yogendra Nath Karmacharya informed the ministers that hunger has become more threatening to them than the virus and therefore they would no longer abide by the government orders anymore.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12460',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Harmful Chemicals found in Sanitizers Produced by 5 Local Companies ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Government authorities have found harmful chemicals in sanitizers produced by five companies based in Kathmandu Valley. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">September 13: Government authorities have found harmful chemicals in sanitizers produced by five companies based in Kathmandu Valley. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Tests conducted by the Department of Drug Administration (DDA) has revealed that the sanitizers produced by the five companies contained considerable amount of methanol, which is considered hazardous to human health.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Stating that the use of such sanitizers might adversely affect the health of the people, the department has appealed to the public to be aware of such products.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to Santosh KC, information officer at DDA, the department found considerable amount of methanol, which is considered harmful for human health. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The department has already instructed the five companies to stop &nbsp;the production and sale of those products that do not meet the standard set by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The department informed that Sanitized Hand Sanitizer produced by Hygienic Soap and Chemical Pvt Ltd, Advanced Hand Sanitizer produced by Aadhar Chemicals and Food Industries Pvt Ltd,&nbsp; Instant Hand Sanitizer Refreshment Gel produced by Search Chem Cum Herbal Products, Suryamukhi Hand Sanitizer produced by Suryamukhi Herbal Products and Instant Hand Sanitizer produced by Nepal Kayakalpa Industry have been found containing methanol above the standard set by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">KC informed that four out of ten samples collected from the market had high levels of methanol while one was previously found breaching the standard protocol.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Information Officer KC further said that the department is currently studying the samples of all 40 local companies that are manufacturing sanitizers but are yet to be registered with the department. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 3 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12461',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Slight Improvement in Credit Flow during Prohibitory Order ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Banks and Financial Institutions had been experiencing a contraction in their flow of loans over the past one and a half months but, there has been some improvement during the prohibitory order period. ',
			'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">September 13: Banks and Financial Institutions had been experiencing a contraction in their flow of loans over the past one and a half months but, there has been some improvement during the prohibitory order period. Nepal Rastra Bank expects further improvements in the credit flow because of the new fixed interest rate policy.</span></span></h1>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The net credit flow of the 27 commercial banks had decreased by Rs 25 billion &nbsp;in the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August). However, loans worth Rs 19 billion were distributed as of last week (September 4). Nepal Bankers&rsquo; Association informed that the credit flow that had improved in the month of Ashad (mid-June to mid-July) had become negative in the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August). According to the Association, the net flow of loans had reached Rs. 2,903 billion after the disbursal of Rs 87 billion in the month of Ashad (mid-June to mid-July). However, the net amount totaled to Rs. 2,878 billion after it decreased by Rs. 25 billion in the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August).</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The market has had a liquidity of more than Rs 200 billion since the last few months because of the contraction in the credit flow. Dr Gunakar Bhatta, the spokesperson for Nepal Rastra Bank, said that in order to manage the liquidity in the market, the central bank has introduced policies that will encourage the debtors to get new loans. Rastra Bank has also increased the limit on current loans to enable the businesses affected by coronavirus to pay for their expenses like salaries, rents, etc. In addition, a policy has been introduced to stabilize the rate of interest on loans.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Banks and financial institutions are not permitted to increase the interest rates on personal term loans like auto loans and home loans for at least a year. Previously, the interest rates used to change with the change in the base rates of the banks in every quarter. Loans taken at the rate of 8 percent in the beginning would reach as high as 13 percent by the end of the year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Spokesperson Bhatta firmly believes that this provision made by the central bank will definitely increase the demand and the flow of loan in the market. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;There is a provision that prohibits banks from increasing the interest rates on personal term loans. This will give the customers a sense of relief for a year. This will also increase the demand of debt,&rdquo; he said. He also said that the economy will improve with the increase in the credit flow.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Bhuwan Kumar Dahal, the Chairman of Nepal Bankers&rsquo; Association, says that the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown affeted the overall banking sector negatively. The Credit to Core Capital plus Deposit ratio (CCD) of the banks is currently in a bad state because of the lack of new loans.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&nbsp;</span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12459',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Contractors Weighing Options after Cancellation of Tender',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: Construction companies are divided over the cancellation of the contract of the disputed Kakadvitta-Inaruwa section of the East-West Electric Railway.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">September 11: Construction companies are divided over the cancellation of the contract of the disputed Kakadvitta-Inaruwa section of the East-West Electric Railway.</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:Calibri">Some contractors have decided not to go through the legal process considering that cancellation of tender is a common issue while others are in the process of seeking legal remedy. The companies seeking legal remedy are now consulting with lawyers.</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:Calibri">However, the government agencies while inviting bids generally include a&nbsp;clause stating that the tender can be canceled at any time. Contractors have been bidding for proposals by accepting the provision.</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:Calibri">Due to this, the right to cancel the tender will be vested upon the public body, informed an official of the Railway Department. &ldquo;As this provision has been made while inviting tenders, the canceled tenders will be automatically rejected legally. So a new tender should be called again to move the contract forward,&rdquo; the official added.</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:Calibri">However, Ravi Singh, president of Mahadev Khimti Construction Services Pvt Ltd on Tuesday, September 8, informed that he will seek legal solution against the department for cancelation of the contract of 54 packages of 106 km long railway line. </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:Calibri">Singh is also the president of the Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal, an umbrella organization of construction companies. He said that he had written to the Railway Department on Thursday seeking a written reply for reasons for the cancellation of the contract.</span></span>&nbsp;</span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12458',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Operation of Domestic Flights Likely to get Delayed by 2 Weeks',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has submitted a proposal to the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) to reopen domestic air service from October 1.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">September 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has submitted a proposal to the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) to reopen domestic air service from October 1.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Minister Bhattarai informed that the ministry has sent the proposal to the CCMC while it was preparing to resume air service to mountain and hill districts with few cases of coronavirus.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Speaking at a virtual interaction organised by the Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal (SEJON), Minister Bhattarai clarified that although the government was preparing to resume flights to remote districts from September 17 the plan has been put on hold for the time being.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Minister Bhattarai said that the government needs to revise a few things in its plan and therefore it proposed resuming air service two weeks later.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He further said that the ministry has sought permission from the CCMC to increase the number of international flights in accordance to the demand.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&ldquo;The government is thinking about ways to resume the service sector after five months by adopting safety measures,&rdquo; said Bhattarai, adding, &ldquo;We had to impose restrictions again in areas like Kathmandu and Tarai districts with high population density after coronavirus cases increased drastically.&rdquo; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government had resumed limited number of regular international flights from September 1 and is preparing to gradually reopen domestic flights depending on the situation, said the minister.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The airline operators had earlier warned of protest if the government extended the ban on domestic flights beyond September 17. The government has delayed reopening domestic flights time and again due to the increase in coronavirus cases.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'IRD to Charge Taxpayers with Late Fee, Interest and Fine ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: The government is unlikely to address the demand of the private sector to extend the deadline for payment of tax.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">September 11: The government is unlikely to address the demand of the private sector to extend the deadline for payment of tax. The private sector has been demanding deadline extension arguing that they are unable to pay taxes due to the prohibitory order in force across the country.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to the Inland Revenue Department, the taxpayers were given until September 10 to pay the taxes and the government has not extended the deadline.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Director General of IRD Binod Bahadur Kunwar says that that taxpayers who come to pay the tax after the deadline will be fined as per the legal provision. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&ldquo;The private sector had sought extension of the deadline. We informed the Finance Ministry about it but the ministry hasn&rsquo;t given us any instructions,&rdquo; said Kunwar.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to him, the tax payers will not have to submit late fee, interest and fine to clear their value added tax, income tax and excise duty.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The IRD informed that it collected revenue of around Rs 12 billion as of September 9.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12456',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Production of Food Industries Declining',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: The production capacity of food industries producing essential commodities has not improved due to the extended lockdown and prohibitory order. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">September 11: The production capacity of food industries producing essential commodities has not improved due to the extended lockdown and prohibitory order. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The government had allowed the food industries to operate even during the lockdown period, which was imposed on March 24 to control the spread of coronavirus infection. However, the production capacity of the industries kept declining due to the lack of necessary environment for their operation. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The food industry, which was operating at 30 percent capacity in mid-April, is now running at only 15 percent capacity. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">President of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">, Subodh Kumar Gupta, says that the main reason for the lack of improvement in production capacity is the problem of labor management and lack of market mobility. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">He believes that the government should create separate quarantine and isolation facilities for the industrial workers but the lack of interest shown by the government has posed further challenges in labor management. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Only 20 percent of the workers in the food industries operating in Birgunj, Biratnagar and other cities are from the respective districts, while 20 percent are from outside the district and 60 percent are Indians. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Currently, the workers from outside the district and India have not been able to return back to work due to the recent lockdown and prohibitory order. Industrialists say that the returned ones are also having problem staying at the workplace. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12455',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal’s Foreign Trade Declines due to Lockdown and Prohibitory Order',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: The volume of Nepal’s foreign trade has declined significantly due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">September 11: The volume of Nepal&rsquo;s foreign trade has declined due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Domestic production as well as daily consumption market has shrunk because of the impact of Covid-19. As a result, import from third countries has declined greatly during the last five months.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to Laxman Khadka, chief of the Kolkata-based Nepal Transshipment and Warehouse Management Company (NTWC), Nepal-bound shipments have decreased by 23 percent during the lockdown period.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Altogether 31,851 containers (20 feet) have left for Nepal from Kolkata and Visakhapatman between April to August of the current fiscal year. The number of containers that left for Nepal during the corresponding period of last fiscal year was 41,486, according to NTWC.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Almost 90 percent of Nepal&rsquo;s overseas trade take place through Indian ports. Importers say that Nepal&rsquo;s foreign trade has been growing every year by 10 to 15 percent. However, this year, statistics show that the country&rsquo;s foreign trade has declined due to Covid-19 crisis.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&ldquo;In an average, around 300 Nepal-bound containers had arrived at the ports of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam during the month of August last year. But the number has dropped to 224 at present,&rdquo; said NTWC chief Khadka.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government had lifted the lockdown imposed since March&nbsp; 24 on the third week of July. But the local authorities again imposed prohibitory orders a month later, bringing the business down again.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12454',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => '4 Million Jobs Added to Nepal’s Economy in the Past Decade: WB',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: Nepal’s economy added nearly four million jobs over the past decade, and average job quality increased significantly, according to the World Bank’s recent Nepal Jobs Diagnostic report. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">September 11:</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial"> Nepal&rsquo;s economy added nearly four million jobs over the past decade, and average job quality increased significantly, according to the World Bank&rsquo;s recent&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Nepal Jobs Diagnostic</span></span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">&nbsp;report.&nbsp; But continued job creation, especially of wage jobs, is needed to absorb underutilized workers into better-quality, stable, and well-paid jobs. The economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic &ndash; while not addressed in this report &ndash; highlights the importance of increasing stable and secure employment in the post-pandemic recovery period.</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">Nepal&rsquo;s economy has been gradually shifting from largely subsistence agriculture to more modern industry and services, and this structural transition is bringing&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">better work opportunities for the labor force. Despite great strides, not all job seekers are able to access quality jobs, especially women.&nbsp;In the last decade, large numbers of men have entered jobs in construction, manufacturing, commerce and transportation, or have migrated abroad. </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">Even though many of these are informal jobs or temporary wage jobs, they are nevertheless more productive and provide improved livelihoods compared to traditional low-productivity farm work. Women, on the other hand, have not transitioned in significant numbers.&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The share of wage work in Nepal jumped from 17 percent to 24 percent of total employment between 2008 and 2018, as nearly half of the jobs added since 2008 were wage jobs.</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">&nbsp;&ldquo;The shift toward wage employment signals a fundamental change in Nepal&rsquo;s economic development and is&nbsp;similar to patterns seen around the world. As economies diversify their production activities and increase scale economies, employment becomes more specialized and more productive, and jobs are increasingly based in firms rather than self-employment, and pay more,&rdquo; stated&nbsp;Dr Elizabeth Ruppert Bulmer, World Bank lead economist&nbsp;and main author of the report. &ldquo;Urbanization amplifies these effects by concentrating economic activities while increasing the variety of products and services.&rdquo;</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">&nbsp;Evidence from a combination of data sources &ndash; national labor force surveys from 1998, 2008 and 2018, the 2018 Economic Census, and a 2019 survey of 900 SMEs across 6 districts &ndash; points to a number of constraints to achieving better labor market outcomes in Nepal. </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">One key impediment is Nepal&rsquo;s dramatic topography, which makes access to wage jobs and to product markets costly. Most jobs are informal and concentrate in relatively low productivity sectors, while most firms are micro-sized with one or two employees, and target small local markets rather than exporting or connecting to regional or global value chains. In addition to credit constraints, many SMEs&nbsp;cite tax regulations, high taxes, scarce skills, and bureaucratic inefficiencies as obstacles to growth and therefore job creation.</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">&nbsp;Gendered social norms have limited female labor mobility and work opportunities, reflected by the fact that most women remain in unpaid work. Three-quarters of new jobs taken up by women between 2008 and 2018 were in non-wage self-employment or unpaid family work, much of which was farm work. Occupational segregation and social norms contribute to the large earnings gap between men and women, as per the report.</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">&nbsp;In order to improve job outcomes in Nepal, the report recommends policies focusing on fostering SME productivity and growth; improving the business environment and labor market policies; increasing the individual, family, and economy-wide benefits of international migration; and preparing and connecting women and youth to better jobs, including entrepreneurship.</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">&nbsp;&ldquo;While the report does not address the shocks from COVID-19 experienced by Nepal&rsquo;s economy and its people, it underscores the imminent priority for Nepal to save livelihoods of the most vulnerable workers, including those in subsistence agriculture and urban and rural informal day laborers or self-employed workers who lost their income sources,&rdquo; states&nbsp;Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. </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">&ldquo;The Government of Nepal has already initiated programs including the&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Youth Employment Transformation Initiative</span></span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">&nbsp;Project to address the immediate labor market challenges, and it is hoped that this analysis will further guide policy interventions to improve job outcomes as part of Nepal&rsquo;s resilient recovery efforts from the crisis.&rdquo;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12453',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NAC Gets the Nod for Procurement of New Aircraft',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: The Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattrai has directed Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to immediately move ahead with the aircraft procurement plan. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">September 10: The Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattrai has directed Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to immediately move ahead with the aircraft procurement plan. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Minister Bhattarai gave such instruction to facilitate air service to the citizens of remote areas of the country including hill and mountain districts.</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:Calibri">The minister instructed NAC to submit a report for the purchase of domestic aircraft during a joint meeting with the executive chairman of the NAC Sushil Ghimire and the departmental heads of the ministry on Wednesday, September 8.</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:Calibri">NAC currently has only two twin-engine aircraft in operation for domestic flights to the mountain region basically known as short takeoff and landing routes (STOL) while three of its Harbin Y 12 Chinese aircraft are running out of manpower. </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:Calibri">Minister Bhattarai said that the&nbsp;corporation has been instructed to move ahead with the procurement plan immediately as it needs new aircraft to expand its domestic flights.</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:Calibri">He also informed that the NAC officials have been instructed to prepare a detailed report for this by discussing with the Citizens Investment Trust, Provident Fund, and the Tourism Ministry and Finance Ministry.</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:Calibri">&quot;Nepal Airlines is the national flag carrier and it needs to work to preserve its legacy,&quot; he added. </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:Calibri">He also instructed NAC to reduce the expenses as well as the meeting allowance, and to cut down the number of staffers abroad. </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:Calibri">The minister also directed NAC to reduce the facilities provided to staff members, board officials and retired employees.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12451',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'We are not Doing Business: Army Chief',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Purna Chandra Thapa has urged the public not to consider the Army’s undertakings such as the welfare fund, petrol station, road construction and other activities as profitable business.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Devanagari Sangam MN&quot;">September 10: </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Purna Chandra Thapa has urged the public not to consider the Army&rsquo;s undertakings such as the welfare fund, petrol station, road construction and other activities as profitable business.</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">Speaking on the occasion of his two years in office as the army chief, General Thapa on Wednesday said, &ldquo;We are not doing business. Please don&rsquo;t take it that way.&rdquo;</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">At a time when the national army is facing criticism for its involvement in business undertakings, CoAS Thapa clarified that the income generated from the Army&rsquo;s welfare fund, petrol station, and other activities is not pocketed by the generals but is utilized for charitable purpose.</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">&ldquo;Our country has not reached that state in which it is able to provide us all the required services,&rdquo; said Thapa, adding, &ldquo;If we do not operate welfare fund, who is going to join the army?&rdquo;</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">Thapa compared the activities of army&rsquo;s welfare fund to the CSR activities of banks.</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">&ldquo;The only difference is that the banks spend 1 percent on CSR while the army&rsquo;s fund spends cent percent on CSR,&rdquo; he added.</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">&ldquo;Therefore, this is not a business.&rdquo;</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">CoAS Thapa said that he has seen many of the retired soldiers working on road-side stalls in Bhotahity or begging on the streets of Narayangadh.</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">&ldquo;It really saddens me. The need of the hour is to end such situation,&rdquo; he said.</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">He also clarified that the army has not invested in hydropower as it has been publicized but they have only discussed the issue..</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">Thapa reiterated the army&rsquo;s stance on zero tolerance towards corruption and added that the word &ldquo;professionalism&rdquo; better suits the army instead of &ldquo;democratization&rdquo; of army.</span></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12452',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Industrialists Demand Alternative Measures to Operate Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Troubled by the six-month long lockdown and prohibitory order, entrepreneurs of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have requested the government to adopt alternative measures to operate the industrial sector. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">September 10: Troubled by the six-month long lockdown and prohibitory order, entrepreneurs of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have requested the government to adopt alternative measures to operate the industrial sector. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The private sector has urged the government to look for alternatives after the administration tightened the precautionary measures due to increase in the number of coronavirus cases. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">After coronavirus infection was detected among the workers in the industrial corridor, the administration directed the industries to operate by creating quarantine facilities within the industry, or in the community if it is not possible within the industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Stating that it is not possible to create separate quarantine for each industry, the entrepreneurs have suggested for group quarantine and isolation for industrial corridor. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Subodh Gupta, senior vice president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce, says that, around 1000-bed quarantine centre and 200-bed isolation ward should be made in Birgunj in collaboration between the government and the private sector. He further said that the risk of infection will be decreased and easy operation of the industry can be done by keeping the workers from India and other districts in industrial quarantine for certain time. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;Most of the industries are running in low capacity now. Workers have to be brought in to run the industry in full capacity. Industrial quarantine and isolation is the easiest way for this,&rdquo; said Gupta, who is also a&nbsp; former &nbsp;president of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12450',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Transport Entrepreneurs Warn of Defying Government Order from September 17',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Transport entrepreneurs have announced to resume all kinds of public transportation services from September 17. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">September 10: Transport entrepreneurs have announced to resume all kinds of public transportation services from September 17. </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">The Federation of Nepal National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) along with three trade unions on Wednesday decided to operate public vehicles along long and short routes from September 17.</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">The government had banned public transportation on March 24 to control the spread of coronavirus. The government briefly lifted the ban on intra-district transportation on July 9, with the three districts of Kathmandu valley being the only exception. Although public transportation was allowed within other districts, Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur were the only three districts where inter-district transportation was allowed briefly.</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">However, the district administration offices of Kathmandu Valley again imposed prohibitory order on August 19 along with various other districts, bringing transportation to a halt once again.</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">The irked transport entrepreneurs have now decided to operate their vehicles even if the government does not lift the restriction.</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">The transport entrepreneurs recently met with the Director General of the Department of Transport Management Gogal Bahadur Hamal and urged him to take the initiative for resuming transportation service.</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">&ldquo;We have requested the government to resume transportation service. If the government doesn&rsquo;t fulfill our demand, we will still operate our vehicles,&rdquo; says Yogendra Nath Karmacharya, president of FNNTE. </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">He warned that the transport entrepreneurs are ready to defy the prohibitory order. He is of the view that transport entrepreneurs should be allowed to operate their vehicles by following safety standards set by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">It is estimated that more than 1 million people associated with the transportation sector have been rendered jobless due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12449',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Authorities Ease Prohibitory Order in Kathmandu Valley',
			'sub_title' => 'Odd-even rule to apply for vehicles from today',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Government authorities have eased the prohibitory order in Kathmandu Valley amid threats from the business community that they would defy the government order if the restrictions are extended any longer.',
			'content' => '<p><em>A deserted road of Kathmandu Valley seen in this file photo.</em></p>

<p><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-09-10%20at%2010.55.24%20AM%202.png" style="height:199px; width:800px" /></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">September 10: Government authorities have eased the prohibitory order in Kathmandu Valley amid threats from the business community that they would defy the government order if the restrictions are extended any longer.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The district administration offices of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur decided to ease the prohibitory order to some extent in the valley from today (September 10). The restrictions imposed on August 19 will remain in force till September 16, but in a changed modality.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">A few days ago, automobile dealers of Nepal had threatened to defy the government order if the restrictions were extended beyond September 9. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">A meeting of the chief district officers of the three districts on Wednesday (September 9) decided to allow businesses to resume under certain conditions.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The authorities have decided to open various sectors by taking necessary safety measures. But educational institutions and cinema halls as well as other places likely to draw crowd will remain closed until further notice.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The local government has allocated separate days to run different businesses.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Starting from today, shops and other businesses can remain open on the days fixed by the authorities. As per the decision, shopping malls, fancy dress stores, shoe and cosmetic shops will remain open on&nbsp; Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Likewise, shops selling kitchen wares and utensils will remain open on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Similarly, automobiles and furniture shops can remain open on Mondays and Wednesdays. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">On the other hand, road-side vendors, footpath shops, stationary shops, electronics and departmental stores can remain open till 11 in the morning and from 4 to 7 in the evening.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">As per the new provision, vehicles will be allowed to operate on the basis of odd-even rule.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 0 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12463',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'India Denying Air Entry Routes to Nepal Citing Security Concerns',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Although the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport is in final phase, the airport is yet to get approval to use the air route through Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">September 13: Although the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport is in final phase, the airport is yet to get approval to use the air route through Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The operation of the airport has become uncertain due to the delay in granting permission for the airport to use those two routes by India. Experts say that the government must make diplomatic efforts to resolve this issue with India.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Officials at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation say that Prime Minister KP Oli had discussed the issue with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during his last visit to India but there has been no further development.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Although the political actors of India have not rejected the proposal of Nepal to use the two air routes, which is shorter than the other route in use, India&rsquo;s bureaucracy has been delaying the process, according to officials at the tourism ministry.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai has time and again said he will make diplomatic efforts with India to resolve the issue but there has been no tangible progress. The minister claims that the airport will be operational by the start of 2021.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Two years ago, India had agreed to allow Nepal to use four additional air routes for the aircraft entering the country through India. However, the Airport Authority of India had denied permission due to technical issues and the need for safety assessment.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Although India had in principle agreed to allow Nepal to use the air entry routes of Bhairahawa, Janakpur, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj and Mahendranagar. However, India has allowed Nepal to use only Bhairahawa and Janakpur entry routes.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">Officials at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) say that India denied permission to use the other air routes citing security concerns. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">All aircraft entering Nepal through India have to use the route near Simara. However, the aircraft leaving Nepal can use Mahendranagar, Nepalgunj, Bhairahawa and Janakpur routes.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">According to officials, using the Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj routes to enter Nepal would lessen the distance by 14 nautical miles</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '12462',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Transport Entrepreneurs Urge Government to Facilitate in Resuming Service ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Transport entrepreneurs have urged Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembang to facilitate in resuming long, medium and short-route vehicles at the earliest.',
			'content' => '<p><em>Public vehicles seen parked in this file photo.</em></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">September 13: Transport entrepreneurs have urged Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembang to facilitate in resuming long, medium and short-route vehicles at the earliest.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The Federation of Nepal National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) and the workers&rsquo; union met with the minister on Friday (September 11) and made such request. They demanded resumption of all kinds of public transportation service from September 17. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">During the meeting, the transport entrepreneurs informed the minister that they would be forced to resume service if the government does not lift the ban on public transport.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The government has enforced a ban on public transportation since March 24 after imposing lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Although the government had allowed intra-district transportation service for a month between July and August, it again reimposed restriction after a rapid surge in coronavirus cases across the country, and especially in the capital.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">The transport entrepreneurs informed that the restrictions since the last six months has directly affected around 360,000 people who are involved in this sector and more than 4.5 million people who are dependent on them.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Bangla MN&quot;">FNNTE President Yogendra Nath Karmacharya informed the ministers that hunger has become more threatening to them than the virus and therefore they would no longer abide by the government orders anymore.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12460',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Harmful Chemicals found in Sanitizers Produced by 5 Local Companies ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Government authorities have found harmful chemicals in sanitizers produced by five companies based in Kathmandu Valley. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">September 13: Government authorities have found harmful chemicals in sanitizers produced by five companies based in Kathmandu Valley. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Tests conducted by the Department of Drug Administration (DDA) has revealed that the sanitizers produced by the five companies contained considerable amount of methanol, which is considered hazardous to human health.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Stating that the use of such sanitizers might adversely affect the health of the people, the department has appealed to the public to be aware of such products.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to Santosh KC, information officer at DDA, the department found considerable amount of methanol, which is considered harmful for human health. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The department has already instructed the five companies to stop &nbsp;the production and sale of those products that do not meet the standard set by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The department informed that Sanitized Hand Sanitizer produced by Hygienic Soap and Chemical Pvt Ltd, Advanced Hand Sanitizer produced by Aadhar Chemicals and Food Industries Pvt Ltd,&nbsp; Instant Hand Sanitizer Refreshment Gel produced by Search Chem Cum Herbal Products, Suryamukhi Hand Sanitizer produced by Suryamukhi Herbal Products and Instant Hand Sanitizer produced by Nepal Kayakalpa Industry have been found containing methanol above the standard set by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">KC informed that four out of ten samples collected from the market had high levels of methanol while one was previously found breaching the standard protocol.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Information Officer KC further said that the department is currently studying the samples of all 40 local companies that are manufacturing sanitizers but are yet to be registered with the department. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'Slight Improvement in Credit Flow during Prohibitory Order ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 13: Banks and Financial Institutions had been experiencing a contraction in their flow of loans over the past one and a half months but, there has been some improvement during the prohibitory order period. ',
			'content' => '<h1><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">September 13: Banks and Financial Institutions had been experiencing a contraction in their flow of loans over the past one and a half months but, there has been some improvement during the prohibitory order period. Nepal Rastra Bank expects further improvements in the credit flow because of the new fixed interest rate policy.</span></span></h1>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The net credit flow of the 27 commercial banks had decreased by Rs 25 billion &nbsp;in the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August). However, loans worth Rs 19 billion were distributed as of last week (September 4). Nepal Bankers&rsquo; Association informed that the credit flow that had improved in the month of Ashad (mid-June to mid-July) had become negative in the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August). According to the Association, the net flow of loans had reached Rs. 2,903 billion after the disbursal of Rs 87 billion in the month of Ashad (mid-June to mid-July). However, the net amount totaled to Rs. 2,878 billion after it decreased by Rs. 25 billion in the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August).</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The market has had a liquidity of more than Rs 200 billion since the last few months because of the contraction in the credit flow. Dr Gunakar Bhatta, the spokesperson for Nepal Rastra Bank, said that in order to manage the liquidity in the market, the central bank has introduced policies that will encourage the debtors to get new loans. Rastra Bank has also increased the limit on current loans to enable the businesses affected by coronavirus to pay for their expenses like salaries, rents, etc. In addition, a policy has been introduced to stabilize the rate of interest on loans.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Banks and financial institutions are not permitted to increase the interest rates on personal term loans like auto loans and home loans for at least a year. Previously, the interest rates used to change with the change in the base rates of the banks in every quarter. Loans taken at the rate of 8 percent in the beginning would reach as high as 13 percent by the end of the year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Spokesperson Bhatta firmly believes that this provision made by the central bank will definitely increase the demand and the flow of loan in the market. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;There is a provision that prohibits banks from increasing the interest rates on personal term loans. This will give the customers a sense of relief for a year. This will also increase the demand of debt,&rdquo; he said. He also said that the economy will improve with the increase in the credit flow.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Bhuwan Kumar Dahal, the Chairman of Nepal Bankers&rsquo; Association, says that the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown affeted the overall banking sector negatively. The Credit to Core Capital plus Deposit ratio (CCD) of the banks is currently in a bad state because of the lack of new loans.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&nbsp;</span></span></p>
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	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12459',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Contractors Weighing Options after Cancellation of Tender',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: Construction companies are divided over the cancellation of the contract of the disputed Kakadvitta-Inaruwa section of the East-West Electric Railway.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">September 11: Construction companies are divided over the cancellation of the contract of the disputed Kakadvitta-Inaruwa section of the East-West Electric Railway.</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:Calibri">Some contractors have decided not to go through the legal process considering that cancellation of tender is a common issue while others are in the process of seeking legal remedy. The companies seeking legal remedy are now consulting with lawyers.</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:Calibri">However, the government agencies while inviting bids generally include a&nbsp;clause stating that the tender can be canceled at any time. Contractors have been bidding for proposals by accepting the provision.</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:Calibri">Due to this, the right to cancel the tender will be vested upon the public body, informed an official of the Railway Department. &ldquo;As this provision has been made while inviting tenders, the canceled tenders will be automatically rejected legally. So a new tender should be called again to move the contract forward,&rdquo; the official added.</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:Calibri">However, Ravi Singh, president of Mahadev Khimti Construction Services Pvt Ltd on Tuesday, September 8, informed that he will seek legal solution against the department for cancelation of the contract of 54 packages of 106 km long railway line. </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:Calibri">Singh is also the president of the Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal, an umbrella organization of construction companies. He said that he had written to the Railway Department on Thursday seeking a written reply for reasons for the cancellation of the contract.</span></span>&nbsp;</span></span></p>
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	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12458',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Operation of Domestic Flights Likely to get Delayed by 2 Weeks',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has submitted a proposal to the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) to reopen domestic air service from October 1.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">September 11: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has submitted a proposal to the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) to reopen domestic air service from October 1.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Minister Bhattarai informed that the ministry has sent the proposal to the CCMC while it was preparing to resume air service to mountain and hill districts with few cases of coronavirus.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Speaking at a virtual interaction organised by the Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal (SEJON), Minister Bhattarai clarified that although the government was preparing to resume flights to remote districts from September 17 the plan has been put on hold for the time being.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Minister Bhattarai said that the government needs to revise a few things in its plan and therefore it proposed resuming air service two weeks later.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He further said that the ministry has sought permission from the CCMC to increase the number of international flights in accordance to the demand.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&ldquo;The government is thinking about ways to resume the service sector after five months by adopting safety measures,&rdquo; said Bhattarai, adding, &ldquo;We had to impose restrictions again in areas like Kathmandu and Tarai districts with high population density after coronavirus cases increased drastically.&rdquo; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government had resumed limited number of regular international flights from September 1 and is preparing to gradually reopen domestic flights depending on the situation, said the minister.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The airline operators had earlier warned of protest if the government extended the ban on domestic flights beyond September 17. The government has delayed reopening domestic flights time and again due to the increase in coronavirus cases.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12457',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'IRD to Charge Taxpayers with Late Fee, Interest and Fine ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: The government is unlikely to address the demand of the private sector to extend the deadline for payment of tax.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">September 11: The government is unlikely to address the demand of the private sector to extend the deadline for payment of tax. The private sector has been demanding deadline extension arguing that they are unable to pay taxes due to the prohibitory order in force across the country.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to the Inland Revenue Department, the taxpayers were given until September 10 to pay the taxes and the government has not extended the deadline.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Director General of IRD Binod Bahadur Kunwar says that that taxpayers who come to pay the tax after the deadline will be fined as per the legal provision. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&ldquo;The private sector had sought extension of the deadline. We informed the Finance Ministry about it but the ministry hasn&rsquo;t given us any instructions,&rdquo; said Kunwar.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to him, the tax payers will not have to submit late fee, interest and fine to clear their value added tax, income tax and excise duty.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The IRD informed that it collected revenue of around Rs 12 billion as of September 9.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12456',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Production of Food Industries Declining',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: The production capacity of food industries producing essential commodities has not improved due to the extended lockdown and prohibitory order. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">September 11: The production capacity of food industries producing essential commodities has not improved due to the extended lockdown and prohibitory order. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The government had allowed the food industries to operate even during the lockdown period, which was imposed on March 24 to control the spread of coronavirus infection. However, the production capacity of the industries kept declining due to the lack of necessary environment for their operation. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The food industry, which was operating at 30 percent capacity in mid-April, is now running at only 15 percent capacity. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">President of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">, Subodh Kumar Gupta, says that the main reason for the lack of improvement in production capacity is the problem of labor management and lack of market mobility. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">He believes that the government should create separate quarantine and isolation facilities for the industrial workers but the lack of interest shown by the government has posed further challenges in labor management. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Only 20 percent of the workers in the food industries operating in Birgunj, Biratnagar and other cities are from the respective districts, while 20 percent are from outside the district and 60 percent are Indians. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Currently, the workers from outside the district and India have not been able to return back to work due to the recent lockdown and prohibitory order. Industrialists say that the returned ones are also having problem staying at the workplace. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12455',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal’s Foreign Trade Declines due to Lockdown and Prohibitory Order',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: The volume of Nepal’s foreign trade has declined significantly due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">September 11: The volume of Nepal&rsquo;s foreign trade has declined due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Domestic production as well as daily consumption market has shrunk because of the impact of Covid-19. As a result, import from third countries has declined greatly during the last five months.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">According to Laxman Khadka, chief of the Kolkata-based Nepal Transshipment and Warehouse Management Company (NTWC), Nepal-bound shipments have decreased by 23 percent during the lockdown period.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Altogether 31,851 containers (20 feet) have left for Nepal from Kolkata and Visakhapatman between April to August of the current fiscal year. The number of containers that left for Nepal during the corresponding period of last fiscal year was 41,486, according to NTWC.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Almost 90 percent of Nepal&rsquo;s overseas trade take place through Indian ports. Importers say that Nepal&rsquo;s foreign trade has been growing every year by 10 to 15 percent. However, this year, statistics show that the country&rsquo;s foreign trade has declined due to Covid-19 crisis.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">&ldquo;In an average, around 300 Nepal-bound containers had arrived at the ports of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam during the month of August last year. But the number has dropped to 224 at present,&rdquo; said NTWC chief Khadka.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government had lifted the lockdown imposed since March&nbsp; 24 on the third week of July. But the local authorities again imposed prohibitory orders a month later, bringing the business down again.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12454',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => '4 Million Jobs Added to Nepal’s Economy in the Past Decade: WB',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 11: Nepal’s economy added nearly four million jobs over the past decade, and average job quality increased significantly, according to the World Bank’s recent Nepal Jobs Diagnostic report. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">September 11:</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial"> Nepal&rsquo;s economy added nearly four million jobs over the past decade, and average job quality increased significantly, according to the World Bank&rsquo;s recent&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Nepal Jobs Diagnostic</span></span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">&nbsp;report.&nbsp; But continued job creation, especially of wage jobs, is needed to absorb underutilized workers into better-quality, stable, and well-paid jobs. The economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic &ndash; while not addressed in this report &ndash; highlights the importance of increasing stable and secure employment in the post-pandemic recovery period.</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">Nepal&rsquo;s economy has been gradually shifting from largely subsistence agriculture to more modern industry and services, and this structural transition is bringing&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">better work opportunities for the labor force. Despite great strides, not all job seekers are able to access quality jobs, especially women.&nbsp;In the last decade, large numbers of men have entered jobs in construction, manufacturing, commerce and transportation, or have migrated abroad. </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">Even though many of these are informal jobs or temporary wage jobs, they are nevertheless more productive and provide improved livelihoods compared to traditional low-productivity farm work. Women, on the other hand, have not transitioned in significant numbers.&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The share of wage work in Nepal jumped from 17 percent to 24 percent of total employment between 2008 and 2018, as nearly half of the jobs added since 2008 were wage jobs.</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">&nbsp;&ldquo;The shift toward wage employment signals a fundamental change in Nepal&rsquo;s economic development and is&nbsp;similar to patterns seen around the world. As economies diversify their production activities and increase scale economies, employment becomes more specialized and more productive, and jobs are increasingly based in firms rather than self-employment, and pay more,&rdquo; stated&nbsp;Dr Elizabeth Ruppert Bulmer, World Bank lead economist&nbsp;and main author of the report. &ldquo;Urbanization amplifies these effects by concentrating economic activities while increasing the variety of products and services.&rdquo;</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">&nbsp;Evidence from a combination of data sources &ndash; national labor force surveys from 1998, 2008 and 2018, the 2018 Economic Census, and a 2019 survey of 900 SMEs across 6 districts &ndash; points to a number of constraints to achieving better labor market outcomes in Nepal. </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">One key impediment is Nepal&rsquo;s dramatic topography, which makes access to wage jobs and to product markets costly. Most jobs are informal and concentrate in relatively low productivity sectors, while most firms are micro-sized with one or two employees, and target small local markets rather than exporting or connecting to regional or global value chains. In addition to credit constraints, many SMEs&nbsp;cite tax regulations, high taxes, scarce skills, and bureaucratic inefficiencies as obstacles to growth and therefore job creation.</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">&nbsp;Gendered social norms have limited female labor mobility and work opportunities, reflected by the fact that most women remain in unpaid work. Three-quarters of new jobs taken up by women between 2008 and 2018 were in non-wage self-employment or unpaid family work, much of which was farm work. Occupational segregation and social norms contribute to the large earnings gap between men and women, as per the report.</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">&nbsp;In order to improve job outcomes in Nepal, the report recommends policies focusing on fostering SME productivity and growth; improving the business environment and labor market policies; increasing the individual, family, and economy-wide benefits of international migration; and preparing and connecting women and youth to better jobs, including entrepreneurship.</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">&nbsp;&ldquo;While the report does not address the shocks from COVID-19 experienced by Nepal&rsquo;s economy and its people, it underscores the imminent priority for Nepal to save livelihoods of the most vulnerable workers, including those in subsistence agriculture and urban and rural informal day laborers or self-employed workers who lost their income sources,&rdquo; states&nbsp;Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. </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">&ldquo;The Government of Nepal has already initiated programs including the&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Youth Employment Transformation Initiative</span></span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">&nbsp;Project to address the immediate labor market challenges, and it is hoped that this analysis will further guide policy interventions to improve job outcomes as part of Nepal&rsquo;s resilient recovery efforts from the crisis.&rdquo;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12453',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NAC Gets the Nod for Procurement of New Aircraft',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: The Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattrai has directed Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to immediately move ahead with the aircraft procurement plan. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">September 10: The Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattrai has directed Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to immediately move ahead with the aircraft procurement plan. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Minister Bhattarai gave such instruction to facilitate air service to the citizens of remote areas of the country including hill and mountain districts.</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:Calibri">The minister instructed NAC to submit a report for the purchase of domestic aircraft during a joint meeting with the executive chairman of the NAC Sushil Ghimire and the departmental heads of the ministry on Wednesday, September 8.</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:Calibri">NAC currently has only two twin-engine aircraft in operation for domestic flights to the mountain region basically known as short takeoff and landing routes (STOL) while three of its Harbin Y 12 Chinese aircraft are running out of manpower. </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:Calibri">Minister Bhattarai said that the&nbsp;corporation has been instructed to move ahead with the procurement plan immediately as it needs new aircraft to expand its domestic flights.</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:Calibri">He also informed that the NAC officials have been instructed to prepare a detailed report for this by discussing with the Citizens Investment Trust, Provident Fund, and the Tourism Ministry and Finance Ministry.</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:Calibri">&quot;Nepal Airlines is the national flag carrier and it needs to work to preserve its legacy,&quot; he added. </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:Calibri">He also instructed NAC to reduce the expenses as well as the meeting allowance, and to cut down the number of staffers abroad. </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:Calibri">The minister also directed NAC to reduce the facilities provided to staff members, board officials and retired employees.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12451',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'We are not Doing Business: Army Chief',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Purna Chandra Thapa has urged the public not to consider the Army’s undertakings such as the welfare fund, petrol station, road construction and other activities as profitable business.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Devanagari Sangam MN&quot;">September 10: </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Purna Chandra Thapa has urged the public not to consider the Army&rsquo;s undertakings such as the welfare fund, petrol station, road construction and other activities as profitable business.</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">Speaking on the occasion of his two years in office as the army chief, General Thapa on Wednesday said, &ldquo;We are not doing business. Please don&rsquo;t take it that way.&rdquo;</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">At a time when the national army is facing criticism for its involvement in business undertakings, CoAS Thapa clarified that the income generated from the Army&rsquo;s welfare fund, petrol station, and other activities is not pocketed by the generals but is utilized for charitable purpose.</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">&ldquo;Our country has not reached that state in which it is able to provide us all the required services,&rdquo; said Thapa, adding, &ldquo;If we do not operate welfare fund, who is going to join the army?&rdquo;</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">Thapa compared the activities of army&rsquo;s welfare fund to the CSR activities of banks.</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">&ldquo;The only difference is that the banks spend 1 percent on CSR while the army&rsquo;s fund spends cent percent on CSR,&rdquo; he added.</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">&ldquo;Therefore, this is not a business.&rdquo;</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">CoAS Thapa said that he has seen many of the retired soldiers working on road-side stalls in Bhotahity or begging on the streets of Narayangadh.</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">&ldquo;It really saddens me. The need of the hour is to end such situation,&rdquo; he said.</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">He also clarified that the army has not invested in hydropower as it has been publicized but they have only discussed the issue..</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">Thapa reiterated the army&rsquo;s stance on zero tolerance towards corruption and added that the word &ldquo;professionalism&rdquo; better suits the army instead of &ldquo;democratization&rdquo; of army.</span></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12452',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Industrialists Demand Alternative Measures to Operate Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Troubled by the six-month long lockdown and prohibitory order, entrepreneurs of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have requested the government to adopt alternative measures to operate the industrial sector. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">September 10: Troubled by the six-month long lockdown and prohibitory order, entrepreneurs of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor have requested the government to adopt alternative measures to operate the industrial sector. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">The private sector has urged the government to look for alternatives after the administration tightened the precautionary measures due to increase in the number of coronavirus cases. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">After coronavirus infection was detected among the workers in the industrial corridor, the administration directed the industries to operate by creating quarantine facilities within the industry, or in the community if it is not possible within the industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Stating that it is not possible to create separate quarantine for each industry, the entrepreneurs have suggested for group quarantine and isolation for industrial corridor. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">Subodh Gupta, senior vice president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce, says that, around 1000-bed quarantine centre and 200-bed isolation ward should be made in Birgunj in collaboration between the government and the private sector. He further said that the risk of infection will be decreased and easy operation of the industry can be done by keeping the workers from India and other districts in industrial quarantine for certain time. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">&ldquo;Most of the industries are running in low capacity now. Workers have to be brought in to run the industry in full capacity. Industrial quarantine and isolation is the easiest way for this,&rdquo; said Gupta, who is also a&nbsp; former &nbsp;president of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12450',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Transport Entrepreneurs Warn of Defying Government Order from September 17',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Transport entrepreneurs have announced to resume all kinds of public transportation services from September 17. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">September 10: Transport entrepreneurs have announced to resume all kinds of public transportation services from September 17. </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">The Federation of Nepal National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) along with three trade unions on Wednesday decided to operate public vehicles along long and short routes from September 17.</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">The government had banned public transportation on March 24 to control the spread of coronavirus. The government briefly lifted the ban on intra-district transportation on July 9, with the three districts of Kathmandu valley being the only exception. Although public transportation was allowed within other districts, Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur were the only three districts where inter-district transportation was allowed briefly.</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">However, the district administration offices of Kathmandu Valley again imposed prohibitory order on August 19 along with various other districts, bringing transportation to a halt once again.</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">The irked transport entrepreneurs have now decided to operate their vehicles even if the government does not lift the restriction.</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">The transport entrepreneurs recently met with the Director General of the Department of Transport Management Gogal Bahadur Hamal and urged him to take the initiative for resuming transportation service.</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">&ldquo;We have requested the government to resume transportation service. If the government doesn&rsquo;t fulfill our demand, we will still operate our vehicles,&rdquo; says Yogendra Nath Karmacharya, president of FNNTE. </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">He warned that the transport entrepreneurs are ready to defy the prohibitory order. He is of the view that transport entrepreneurs should be allowed to operate their vehicles by following safety standards set by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">It is estimated that more than 1 million people associated with the transportation sector have been rendered jobless due to the lockdown and prohibitory order imposed by the government.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '12449',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Authorities Ease Prohibitory Order in Kathmandu Valley',
			'sub_title' => 'Odd-even rule to apply for vehicles from today',
			'summary' => 'September 10: Government authorities have eased the prohibitory order in Kathmandu Valley amid threats from the business community that they would defy the government order if the restrictions are extended any longer.',
			'content' => '<p><em>A deserted road of Kathmandu Valley seen in this file photo.</em></p>

<p><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-09-10%20at%2010.55.24%20AM%202.png" style="height:199px; width:800px" /></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">September 10: Government authorities have eased the prohibitory order in Kathmandu Valley amid threats from the business community that they would defy the government order if the restrictions are extended any longer.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The district administration offices of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur decided to ease the prohibitory order to some extent in the valley from today (September 10). The restrictions imposed on August 19 will remain in force till September 16, but in a changed modality.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">A few days ago, automobile dealers of Nepal had threatened to defy the government order if the restrictions were extended beyond September 9. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">A meeting of the chief district officers of the three districts on Wednesday (September 9) decided to allow businesses to resume under certain conditions.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The authorities have decided to open various sectors by taking necessary safety measures. But educational institutions and cinema halls as well as other places likely to draw crowd will remain closed until further notice.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The local government has allocated separate days to run different businesses.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Starting from today, shops and other businesses can remain open on the days fixed by the authorities. As per the decision, shopping malls, fancy dress stores, shoe and cosmetic shops will remain open on&nbsp; Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Likewise, shops selling kitchen wares and utensils will remain open on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Similarly, automobiles and furniture shops can remain open on Mondays and Wednesdays. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">On the other hand, road-side vendors, footpath shops, stationary shops, electronics and departmental stores can remain open till 11 in the morning and from 4 to 7 in the evening.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">As per the new provision, vehicles will be allowed to operate on the basis of odd-even rule.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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file not found!

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FOREX

Currency	Unit	Buy	Sell
U.S. Dollar	1	121.23	121.83
European Euro	1	131.65	132.31
UK Pound Sterling	1	142.47	143.18
Swiss Franc	1	124.29	124.90
Australian Dollar	1	71.69	72.05
Canadian Dollar	1	83.90	84.32
Japanese Yen	10	10.94	11.00
Chinese Yuan	1	17.17	17.26
Saudi Arabian Riyal	1	32.27	32.43
UAE Dirham	1	33.01	33.17
Malaysian Ringgit	1	27.36	27.50
South Korean Won	100	9.77	9.82

Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)

Bullion

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

Update : 2020-03-25

Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association

Petroleum

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