July 24: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has started internal preparations to resume air service after the government decided to lift the ban on domestic and international flights from August…
July 24: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has started internal preparations to resume air service after the government decided to lift the ban on domestic and international flights from August…
July 24: Nepal’s economic growth is estimated to contract sharply to 2.1 percent in FY2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related…
July 23: The Insurance Board (IB) is preparing to form a separate policy for natural calamities like flood and…
July 23: Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has urged tourism entrepreneurs to follow the health directives issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure high standard of tourism in Nepal.…
July 23: The supply of vegetables in the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market has decreased significantly due to the obstruction in road connectivity caused by floods and landslides.…
July 23: Ride-sharing apps like Tootle and Pathao have decided to resume their service from July 23 after the government lifted the lockdown imposed to stem the spread of…
July 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has unveiled the Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 for the renewal of loan for businesses affected by coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of the…
July 23: The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport is preparing to issue tender process to purchase electric buses.…
July 22: Incessant rainfall since the last few days has triggered landslides, obstructing dozens of roads and highways.…
July 22: The government has decided to give the contract of printing excise duty stickers to the state-owned Janak Education Materials Centre (JEMC) Limited.…
July 22: The government has allowed exporters to take back their shipments of black pepper held at Birgunj Dry Port and Indian…
July 22: The agitating drug manufacturers of Nepal have postponed their protest programmes after the Ministry of Health and Population formed an advisory committee to address their…
July 22: The government has announced lifting of the lockdown which was imposed since March 24 to contain the spread of…
July 22: The government has decided to allow operation of long-route vehicles from August…
July 21: Rasuwagadhi transit point, which had reopened just two weeks ago after nearly five months of closure due to coronavirus, is facing obstruction once…
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Therefore, the domestic as well as international flights are not possible at the moment, said Chhetri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“CAAN, TIA and the air service providers have all prepared their own guidelines for safety measures during flight service. Although air service will resume from August 17, there will be limited number of flights and passengers,” said Chhetri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“The number of flights can be increased or decreased depending on the situation,” 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 Unicode MS"">According to Spokesperson Chhetri, Tribhuvan International Airport observes around 500 movements (take off and landing) per day during peak season, including domestic and international flights. Meanwhile, the airport witnesses 370 movements during normal days.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-24', 'modified' => '2020-07-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11969', 'image' => '20200724122138_1595541466.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-24 12:20:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank Projects Nepal’s Growth at 2.1 percent in FY2021 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 24: Nepal’s economic growth is estimated to contract sharply to 2.1 percent in FY2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">July 24: Nepal’s economic growth is estimated to contract sharply to 2.1 percent in FY2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown, despite efforts by the government to curb the economic fallout from the crisis, states the World Bank’s latest Nepal Development Update. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to the World Bank report, transitioning the economy from the relief stage through to restructuring and resilient recovery requires a strategic approach to get the country back on a sustainable and inclusive growth path.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Economic activity in the tourism sector will remain weak and inflow of remittances will be moderate. Supply chain disruptions will keep industrial and agricultural production low. Low economic activity and oil prices will also keep imports low and below the pre-crisis levels, leading to a projected narrowing of the current account deficit to 6.5 percent of GDP. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Lower imports will continue to limit revenue collection. However, fiscal measures announced as part of the FY2021 budget, including a revision of custom duties, will provide some support to the budget as spending levels on relief and recovery efforts remain elevated. Taken together, the fiscal deficit is projected to marginally decline to 6.6 percent of GDP in FY2021.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">While the government has adopted various relief measures to contain the pandemic, reduce the impact on households and provide economic support to the most vulnerable firms, the report highlights the importance of reforms to support a resilient recovery.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“For a resilient recovery and inclusive growth, economic support measures to firms and workers in the informal sector will be important,” said Dr. Kene Ezemenari, World Bank Senior Economist and author of the update. “Incentives to agribusiness-based and forest-based SMEs, with a focus on returnee migrants and youths, could help increase employment and food security. Inclusive growth could be further promoted through entrepreneurship support programs and grants to small and medium enterprises,” she added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The report outlines four pillars in the areas of health, social support, economic support and cross-cutting priorities including fiscal sustainability and focus on digital and green economies. This includes measures to strengthen the health system and scale up social protection systems, including the adoption of a social registry to make these systems more resilient against future shocks. Enhanced school sanitation and health protocols including health screening, water and sanitation facilities would be needed to enable a return to schooling for children. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“In the rapidly unfolding global scenario brought by COVID-19, insights from the Nepal Development Update on Nepal’s outlook, challenges and way forward is very helpful. We need to address the crisis with macroeconomic and sectoral policy focused on fiscal sustainability, financial sector stability, a digitally-oriented green economy and resilient public services,” stated Minister for Finance Yuba Raj Khatiwada. “I appreciate the rapid action taken by our development partners including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, IMF and others for providing us with tangible resources and support to maintain our fiscal balance and accelerate growth and inclusive development.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Expansionary fiscal and monetary policies will be important in the initial relief stage to support banking sector liquidity and provide relief to households and firms. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to the World Bank, investments and reforms would be critical to expand coverage of digital services and infrastructure to support e-services and help promote e-commerce. This would also help expand the reach and coverage of mobile banking and digital financial services to underpin development of e-commerce. However, digitization is also limited across the economy. Addressing this will require removal of access restrictions to any under-utilized fiber optic backbone managed by the governments and public utilities and the introduction of appropriate rules to manage conditions of access, capacity allocation, and access pricing, the report further states. This would also help expand access in rural and remote areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">For Nepal to emerge stronger from the crisis, it is important to adapt quickly to the new reality,” stated Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. “We are encouraged to note the early start made by the government with the development of Nepal’s Relief, Restructuring and Resilience plan and are committed to work together with multilateral development banks and development partners in helping the country build back greener and better.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-24', 'modified' => '2020-07-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11968', 'image' => '20200724104456_1595542457.wb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-24 10:44:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IB Drafts Insurance Policy to Cover Natural Calamities', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: The Insurance Board (IB) is preparing to form a separate policy for natural calamities like flood and landslides.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 23: The Insurance Board Nepa (IBN) is preparing to form a separate policy for natural calamities like flood and landslides. The board has initiated the process to formulate a separate insurance policy for the financial security of losses incurred due to flood and landslides. The board realized the need of such policy due to increase in losses from natural calamities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">IBN said it is currently studying the prospect of the new policy and the insurance premium rate. The board confirmed that it is preparing the new policy to provide compensation to the victims of flood and landslides. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Once the policy is formed, insurance companies can start selling the policy. The proposed insurance policy includes a package of insurance for house and other properties as well as accidental insurance in case of natural disaster.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">According to the IBN, the new policy will can be availed in coordination with the local units. Executive Director of IBN Raju Raman Poudel informed that they have prepared a draft of the policy which provides insurance package for all the residents of a particular local unit. The local unit has to submit the details of all the households within its jurisdiction as well as property details to the insurance companies to avail the insurance facility. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-08-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11967', 'image' => '20200723052228_1595454631.Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 17:21:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12219', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Urges Tourism Entrepreneurs to Follow WHO Guidelines', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has urged tourism entrepreneurs to follow the health directives issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure high standard of tourism in Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">July 23: Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has urged tourism entrepreneurs to follow the health directives issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure high standard of tourism in Nepal. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Speaking at a discussion program held in the capital on Wednesday (July 22), Minister Bhattarai informed tourism entrepreneurs that there will be no shortage of capital for the revival of the tourism industry. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to the minister, the monetary policy unveiled by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) along with a fund of Rs 50 billion allocated by the government for small and medium scale industries would help revive the tourism sector.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Government authorities assured that there will be no shortage of capital as the monetary policy has given priority to tourism sector in response to the demands made by the tourism entrepreneurs.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The fund of Rs 50 billion allocated by the government is the annual budget is expected to facilitate tourism entrepreneurs to make payments of wages to the staffers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The fund set up by the government will be released immediately after it is made available to Nepal Rastra Bank. In addition, soft loan will be available for tourism entrepreneurs at an interest rate of only 5 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Minister Bhattarai expressed his hope that the flow of tourists will gradually increase after the government resumes domestic and international flights after August 17.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Likewise, he also emphasized the need to adhere strictly to the guidelines set by the WHO for the operation of the tourism industry to overcome the risk of coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">"Even though the coronavirus infection seems to be declining at present, the risk is far from over. So, if the tourism sector doesn’t follow the guidelines, there is a chance of resurgence of the virus," he said.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11966', 'image' => '20200723050216_20200506031951_120_1571271950.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 17:01:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12218', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prices of Vegetables Skyrocketing due Road Obstruction ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: The supply of vegetables in the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market has decreased significantly due to the obstruction in road connectivity caused by floods and landslides. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 23: The supply of vegetables in the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market has decreased significantly due to the obstruction in road connectivity caused by floods and landslides. The prices of vegetables have started skyrocketing due to the short-supply.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Normally, the Kalimati vegetable market used to be receive supply of 700 to 800 tons of vegetables and fruits on a daily basis, but the daily supply was reduced to 400 to 500 tons during the lockdown. Likewise, it has now decreased to 200 tons after floods and landslides blocked roads in many parts of the country. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Development Board (KFVDB), only 327 tons vegetables were imported in the market on Monday, 297 ton on Tuesday and 170 ton till Wednesday afternoon. According to Binaya Shrestha, Information Officer at the board, although the lockdown was eased, the demand has decreased due to the closure of school, college, hotel, and restaurants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He further said that around 700 tons of vegetables should have been imported during this time but due to flood and landslide, the supply has decreased. “It is not suitable season for vegetable production as well. It is now certain that the price will increase as the supply reduced significantly,” he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The prices of most of the vegetables including tomato, potato, local cabbage, radish, beans, soybean, pointed gourd, and lady’s finger have increased in the last one week. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The price of tomato, which was being sold at Rs 12 per kg on July 15, has increased by 50 percent to Rs 18 per kg on July 22. Likewise, the price of local cabbage has increased by 111% from Rs 18 to Rs 38 per kg within a week. The price of beans has increased by 105% from Rs 38 per kg to Rs 78 per kg. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In addition, the price of lady’s finger has increased by 52% from Rs 38 to Rs 58 per kg. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, with 40% increase, soybean is priced at Rs 98 per kg from Rs 68. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">As the production of vegetables decreases during the rainy season, the price of vegetables increases every year during this season. The development committee informed that the price of vegetables has inclined upwards as traders did not even bring vegetables from India due to the fear of coronavirus. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The supply of Indian vegetables has dropped by about 80 percent due to the fear of coronavirus. Gita Prasad Acharya, a member of the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Entrepreneurs' Association, said that the import of Indian vegetables has decreased as more priority is given to local vegetables. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11965', 'image' => '20200723012952_1595453904.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 13:29:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12216', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tootle, Pathao to Resume Ride-Hailing Service from Today ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: Ride-sharing apps like Tootle and Pathao have decided to resume their service from July 23 after the government lifted the lockdown imposed to stem 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 23: Ride-sharing apps like Tootle and Pathao have decided to resume their service from July 23 after the government lifted the lockdown imposed to stem 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">Tootle and Pathao remained closed since March 24 following government decision to impose nationwide lockdown. These two apps have gained popularity in the capital within a short period of their launch. Tootle has been providing ride-sharing service since the last three years while Pathao came into operation around one and a half years ago. These two companies have become a reliable means of alternative transport 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">The two companies decided to resume their service after the government lifted ban on short-route vehicles. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In fact, Pathao had started providing limited service with 100 riders one week ago. Pathao said it will add 50 more riders from July 23 and gradually increase the number. During normal days, Pathao charges 20 percent commission from riders. But for the time being, it has decided not to charge any amount. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Meanwhile, Tootle has decided to resume its service after providing mask, gloves and other protective gears to the riders. Tootle’s Executive Director Sixit Bhatta informed New Business Age that they will gradually increase the number of riders. He added that they have updated their app to help the customers during the current crisis. According to Bhatta, out of 30,000 riders, 1,500 have come into contact with 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">Pathao has handed over Breathable Protective Gear (BPG) to all of its riders. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We have been providing service only after handing over protective gears to our riders. The supplier company is able to provide only 50 BPG per day so we have been adding only 50 new riders,” said Shashank Thapa, deputy manager of the company. He said that around 45,000 Patho riders have been granted permission to provide the service. Among them, 5,000 have contacted the office after lockdown.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11964', 'image' => '20200723124701_1595453826.Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 12:46:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12215', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank Unveils Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has unveiled the Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 for the renewal of loan for businesses affected by coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of the disease.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has unveiled the Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 for the renewal of loan for businesses affected by coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of the disease.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The refinancing facility which was earlier limited to only a few industries and entrepreneurs has now been made available for small and medium scale industries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to NRB, the time period for the loan taken for refinancing will be a maximum of one year and this loan cannot be renewed. Only those customers who have been severely affected by coronavirus can avail such facility for up to one year. Those partially affected by the pandemic will have to clear their loan within six months. The maximum limit of refinancing facility is Rs 50 million. Small and medium scale industries can avail the loan for refinancing at 5 percent interest per annum. On the other hand, special refinancing facility can be availed at 3 percent interest rate.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The work procedure specifies loan up to Rs 1.5 million given to entrepreneurs who themselves operate their industry as small-scale loan. Likewise, the loan provided to some specific sector for some specific purpose has been categorized as special loan. Export businesses, women entrepreneurship, businesses run by differently abled persons, and loan provided to sectors affected by natural disasters have been categorized as special loan. The loan which do not fall under the above two categories have been classified as normal loan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The work procedure is in line with the Monetary Policy for the current fiscal year, which has a provision to provide refinancing facility of up to 70 percent through commercial banks, development banks and finance companies while 10 percent refinancing facility will be provided by micro finance companies.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11963', 'image' => '20200723115348_1595453970.Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 11:51:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12217', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government begins Fresh Bid to Purchase Electric Buses ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport is preparing to issue tender process to purchase electric buses. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 23: The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport is preparing to issue tender process to purchase electric buses. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier, the ministry had scrapped with Sajha Yatayat for the purchase and issued a public notice to bus manufacturers and distributors to submit details of battery operated electric bus by June end. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the ministry, among the 41 companies that have submitted the specifications of electric bus, most are Chinese companies and five of them are Indian companies. As per the specifications provided by those companies, the process for the tender of electric bus is being initiated. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government had decided to buy 300 electric buses in December 2018 through a cabinet meeting. The government had also announced to operate electric buses in Kathmandu from April 2019 and the responsibility of purchasing the buses was given to Sajha Yatayat in mid July 2019. In addition, Rs 3 billion was also disbursed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, within the three months, the ministry issued a notice to Sajha to stop the purchase of the buses stating that it could not purchase the bus within the stipulated time and as per the criteria set by the government. In February 2020, the responsibility was given to the ministry. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Since then, the ministry has been working to issue tender bids for 300 buses at a time. However, the process was halted due to a nationwide lockdown to control the coronavirus infection. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11962', 'image' => '20200723011908_1595369412.Clipboard11.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 13:18:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12214', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Landslides, Floods Obstruct Different Highways', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: Incessant rainfall since the last few days has triggered landslides, obstructing dozens of roads and highways. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 22: Incessant rainfall since the last few days has triggered landslides, obstructing dozens of roads and highways. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Prithvi Highway, which connects the capital Kathmandu with the rest of the country, has been obstructed by landslides in various places. Some sections of different highways have been swept away by floods. Massive floods have also washed away concrete bridges as well as Bailey bridges in some places. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Transportation has come to a complete halt in some highways.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The Department of Roads has said it will take some more time to resume transportation along the Jogimara-Mawakhola road section of Prithvi Highway due to obstructions created by flood and landslides. The department has urged the transporters to use Tribhuvan Highway and BP Highway as alternative routes to supply goods to 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:"Bangla MN"">The Narayanghat-Mugling road section, which was obstructed due to landslide in Kalikhola area, has been reopened. But the road only serves one-way traffic at the moment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Director General at the Department of Roads Keshav Kumar Sharma said that although they are working to clear the debris, they are unable to reopen some roads because the floods have swept bridges in some areas while chunks of road section have also been swept away elsewhere. He said that they will not be able to repair the roads in some places unless the level or water recedes and the rainfall comes to a halt.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11961', 'image' => '20200722031823_1595369744.Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 15:17:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12213', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'State-owned JEMC to Print Excise Duty Stickers', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has decided to give the contract of printing excise duty stickers to the state-owned Janak Education Materials Centre (JEMC) Limited. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 22: The government has decided to give the contract of printing excise duty stickers to the state-owned Janak Education Materials Centre (JEMC) Limited. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The took such decision as the excise duty stickers started running out of stock.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The finance ministry agreed to the proposal of Inland Revenue Department to print the stickers, which are primarily used in alcoholic and tobacco products, at JEMC. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The department proposed handing the responsibility to JSSK as they are running out of time to issue global tender.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">This is not the first time JEMC has been given such responsibility. Earlier, the stickers printed by the state-owned organisation was found to be of sub-standard. Therefore, the government later chose foreign company for the 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:"Bangla MN"">An official at the department said that they have decided to give the contract to JEMC for the time being and will side-by-side also issue global tender. The department has also formed a study committee to initiate the procurement process. The committee will present its report within 15 days and the department will take action according, said the source requesting anonymity.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The government had been printing 40 different kinds of stickers in foreign countries through global tender process. However, the process has been halted after a parliamentary committee initiated a probe into alleged irregularities in the procurement process. The house panel has been discussing whether to hand the contract to foreign company or to print the stickers in the country itself since a long time.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11960', 'image' => '20200722030229_1595368915.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 14:58:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12211', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Exporters allowed to take back Black Peppers held at Checkpoints', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has allowed exporters to take back their shipments of black pepper held at Birgunj Dry Port and Indian ports.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">July 22: The government has allowed exporters to take back their shipments of black pepper held at Birgunj Dry Port and Indian ports.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies on Tuesday decided to let the exporters take back the black peppers brought without prior permission from the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">At present, almost 1,000 containers of unauthorized food items have been held at the check points following the government directive to restrict the import of chickpeas, black pepper, betel nuts and dates on April 30. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Nawaraj Dhakal informed that the ministry has decided to allow exporters to take back the containers of black pepper shipped to Nepal before the ban was imposed. However, the exporters have to complete some formal procedures, the secretary added. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The containers have been stuck in the port of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam for three months after the Birgunj Dry Port Customs stopped issuing the inspection pass. The ministry has allowed the exporters only to take back black pepper among the consignments.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Joint Secretary Dhakal informed that the exporters have been directed to make arrangements ensuring that foreign currency is not misappropriated while taking back the pepper.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The ministry has forwarded the notice to the Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection Department as well as the Department of Customs regarding the decision. Consignments imported without prior permission have been stopped at the border check points while those brought before the ban were allowed to enter.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11958', 'image' => '20200722021030_1595369463.Clipboard04.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 14:09:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12209', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Drug Manufacturers Defer Protest Programmes', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The agitating drug manufacturers of Nepal have postponed their protest programmes after the Ministry of Health and Population formed an advisory committee to address their demands.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 22: The agitating drug manufacturers of Nepal have postponed their protest programmes after the Ministry of Health and Population formed an advisory committee to address their demands.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The Association of Pharmaceutical Producers of Nepal (APPON) on Tuesday (July 21) decided to defer all protest programmes after the ministry formed the three-member committee headed by joint secretary Dr Bikas Devkota.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Director General of the Department of Drug Administration Narayan Prasad Dhakal and president of APPON Narayan Bahadur Chhetri have been appointed members of the committee.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Chhetri informed New Business Age that they postponed their protest programmes for the time being after the ministry formed the committee to address their demands.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">“It is not appropriate to organize protest programmes while we are holding discussion with the government,” said Chhetri, adding, “So, we have decided to postpone the protest programmes for some days from Tuesday.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The committee is currently studying the demands of the drug manufacturers of Nepal. Director General of DDA Dhakal informed that they are discussing about the demands of the drug manufacturers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">“So far, the committee is involved in discussions. The ministry will take necessary decision based on the recommendation of the committee,” said Dhakal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The committee is likely to submit its recommendation to Health Minister Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal on July 22, according to APPON President Chhetri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">“The ministry has agreed to some of our demands. But other demands are yet to be addressed,” said Chhetri. He warned that they would resume their protest if the committee forwards the recommendations without addressing their demands.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">One of the major demands of the drug manufacturers is that the government must ban the import of drugs that are produced in significant quantity in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11957', 'image' => '20200722125043_1595369813.Clipboard06.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 12:47:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12206', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Lifts Lockdown, Some Restriction to Remain in Force', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has announced lifting of the lockdown which was imposed since March 24 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:Arial">July 22: The government has announced lifting of the lockdown which was imposed since March 24 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:Arial">A cabinet meeting on Monday decided to end the lockdown effective from Tuesday midnight (July 21).</span></span></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">Government spokesperson Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, who holds the portfolio of finance and communication ministries, formally announced the government decision amid a programme on Tuesday.</span></span></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 has decided to end the lockdown from Tuesday midnight….. Despite the lifting of the lockdown, Nepal’s international borders will remain closed till August 16,” said minister Khatiwada.</span></span></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 lockdown imposed by the government since March 24 was extended time and again and was fully enforced until June 8. Then onward, the government eased the lockdown to some extent, allowing shops to reopen and private vehicles to ply on odd-even system.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has also decided to allow hotels and restaurants to operate from July 30 onward. The hotel industry is completely closed due to the effects of coronavirus while restaurants are providing limited services. Although the government has decided to allow hotels to operate from next week, ban on mass gatherings and parties will still remain in force, informed Khatiwada.</span></span></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 has also decided to allow schools to take admission of students and hold examinations from August 17. Schools and educational institutions will be allowed to run educational programmes by maintaining safety standards and necessary precaution. However, the government is yet to decide on resuming classes altogether.</span></span></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">Although the lockdown has ended, the government has urged the public to adopt necessary precautions while some activities will remain banned 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:Arial">Educational institutions, tuition centres, cinema halls, dance bar, saloons and beauty parlours, swimming pools and religious sites will remain closed while public gathering is also banned.</span></span></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">Meanwhile, the government has decided to allow trekking and travel agencies to operate their business keeping in mind the tourism season.</span></span></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 has also decided to resume domestic and international flights from August 17. Likewise, transport entrepreneurs will be allowed to operate long-route vehicles from the same date (August 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 odd-even number system has also been scrapped and all kinds of vehicles will be allowed to operate from Wednesday onward.</span></span></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, entry into Nepal from neighbouring countries will be prohibited until August 16 unless there is any urgency.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11954', 'image' => '20200722115413_1595368592.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 11:53:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Long-Route Vehicles to Operate from August 17 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has decided to allow operation of long-route vehicles from August 17.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Devanagari Sangam MN"">July 22: </span><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has decided to allow operation of long-route vehicles from August 17.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Government spokesperson Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada made the announcement on Tuesday following a cabinet meeting on Monday. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Meanwhile, the odd-even number system on vehicles has been lifted from Tuesday. All kinds of vehicles can now operate without any hindrance.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">The cabinet meeting has also ended the two shifts of work in government offices.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Minister Khatiwada, who holds the portfolio of finance and communication ministries, informed that the government will facilitate in normalizing the situation in the coming days.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11953', 'image' => '20200722015124_20171109120628_20171108035347_busbus.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 13:50:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12205', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Cargo Vehicles Stranded in Rasuwagadhi due to Rainfall ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 21: Rasuwagadhi transit point, which had reopened just two weeks ago after nearly five months of closure due to coronavirus, is facing obstruction once again.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">July 21: Rasuwagadhi transit point, which had reopened just two weeks ago after nearly five months of closure due to coronavirus, is facing obstruction 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">This time it is because of monsoon. Landslides triggered by heavy rainfall has not only stranded cargo vehicles but also delayed clearance of Nepal-bound goods.</span></span></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">Chief of Rasuwagadhi Customs Point, Punya Bikram Khadka, informed that they are facing difficulty in loading goods from the border area due to incessant rainfall since the last three days. </span></span></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 further said that they are unable to clear more than 50 percent goods that have been loaded from across the border. According to Khadka, mostly cargo vehicles carrying electronic goods and clothes have been stranded in the border area.</span></span></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">This customs point, which collects revenue of around Rs 10 million in an average day, has not been able to collect any amount in the last few days due to obstruction created by rainfall. </span></span></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">Khadka informed that there is no provision at the customs point to protect goods from rain. </span></span></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">“We are facing problems because we have to unload goods in a narrow area and the give clearance. We are making effort to sort out the problem,” 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">Customs chief Khadka said they are consulting with Chinese authorities for proper management of clearance of goods.</span></span></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 informed that more than 100 containers of goods have entered Nepal in two weeks since the border opened. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-21', 'modified' => '2020-07-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11952', 'image' => '20200721032617_1595263977.rasuwagadhi.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-21 15:25:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity "" [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60]file not found!Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/indexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CAAN Starts Internal Preparation to Resume Air Service', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 24: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has started internal preparations to resume air service after the government decided to lift the ban on domestic and international flights from August 17.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 24: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has started internal preparations to resume air service after the government decided to lift the ban on domestic and international flights from August 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 Unicode MS"">CAAN has formed a committee under the coordination of Tribhuvan International Airport’s spokesperson Dev Chandra Lal Karna to give suggestions regarding how to operate air service during the coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The committee is mandated to submit a report within a week after conducting a study on the possibility of resuming air service and by including the necessary processes required to restart domestic and international flights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The committee is expected to suggest necessary measures required to resume regular commercial flights that have been halted due to the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus since March 24.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The flight schedule will be prepared base on the report submitted by the committee, informed Raj Kumar Chhetri, spokesperson at CAAN.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation is preparing a protocol to curb the transmission of the virus during flights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Although the government has lifted the lockdown, the risk of coronavirus infection still remains high. Therefore, the domestic as well as international flights are not possible at the moment, said Chhetri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“CAAN, TIA and the air service providers have all prepared their own guidelines for safety measures during flight service. Although air service will resume from August 17, there will be limited number of flights and passengers,” said Chhetri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“The number of flights can be increased or decreased depending on the situation,” 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 Unicode MS"">According to Spokesperson Chhetri, Tribhuvan International Airport observes around 500 movements (take off and landing) per day during peak season, including domestic and international flights. Meanwhile, the airport witnesses 370 movements during normal days.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-24', 'modified' => '2020-07-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11969', 'image' => '20200724122138_1595541466.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-24 12:20:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank Projects Nepal’s Growth at 2.1 percent in FY2021 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 24: Nepal’s economic growth is estimated to contract sharply to 2.1 percent in FY2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">July 24: Nepal’s economic growth is estimated to contract sharply to 2.1 percent in FY2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown, despite efforts by the government to curb the economic fallout from the crisis, states the World Bank’s latest Nepal Development Update. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to the World Bank report, transitioning the economy from the relief stage through to restructuring and resilient recovery requires a strategic approach to get the country back on a sustainable and inclusive growth path.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Economic activity in the tourism sector will remain weak and inflow of remittances will be moderate. Supply chain disruptions will keep industrial and agricultural production low. Low economic activity and oil prices will also keep imports low and below the pre-crisis levels, leading to a projected narrowing of the current account deficit to 6.5 percent of GDP. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Lower imports will continue to limit revenue collection. However, fiscal measures announced as part of the FY2021 budget, including a revision of custom duties, will provide some support to the budget as spending levels on relief and recovery efforts remain elevated. Taken together, the fiscal deficit is projected to marginally decline to 6.6 percent of GDP in FY2021.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">While the government has adopted various relief measures to contain the pandemic, reduce the impact on households and provide economic support to the most vulnerable firms, the report highlights the importance of reforms to support a resilient recovery.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“For a resilient recovery and inclusive growth, economic support measures to firms and workers in the informal sector will be important,” said Dr. Kene Ezemenari, World Bank Senior Economist and author of the update. “Incentives to agribusiness-based and forest-based SMEs, with a focus on returnee migrants and youths, could help increase employment and food security. Inclusive growth could be further promoted through entrepreneurship support programs and grants to small and medium enterprises,” she added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The report outlines four pillars in the areas of health, social support, economic support and cross-cutting priorities including fiscal sustainability and focus on digital and green economies. This includes measures to strengthen the health system and scale up social protection systems, including the adoption of a social registry to make these systems more resilient against future shocks. Enhanced school sanitation and health protocols including health screening, water and sanitation facilities would be needed to enable a return to schooling for children. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“In the rapidly unfolding global scenario brought by COVID-19, insights from the Nepal Development Update on Nepal’s outlook, challenges and way forward is very helpful. We need to address the crisis with macroeconomic and sectoral policy focused on fiscal sustainability, financial sector stability, a digitally-oriented green economy and resilient public services,” stated Minister for Finance Yuba Raj Khatiwada. “I appreciate the rapid action taken by our development partners including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, IMF and others for providing us with tangible resources and support to maintain our fiscal balance and accelerate growth and inclusive development.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Expansionary fiscal and monetary policies will be important in the initial relief stage to support banking sector liquidity and provide relief to households and firms. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to the World Bank, investments and reforms would be critical to expand coverage of digital services and infrastructure to support e-services and help promote e-commerce. This would also help expand the reach and coverage of mobile banking and digital financial services to underpin development of e-commerce. However, digitization is also limited across the economy. Addressing this will require removal of access restrictions to any under-utilized fiber optic backbone managed by the governments and public utilities and the introduction of appropriate rules to manage conditions of access, capacity allocation, and access pricing, the report further states. This would also help expand access in rural and remote areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">For Nepal to emerge stronger from the crisis, it is important to adapt quickly to the new reality,” stated Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. “We are encouraged to note the early start made by the government with the development of Nepal’s Relief, Restructuring and Resilience plan and are committed to work together with multilateral development banks and development partners in helping the country build back greener and better.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-24', 'modified' => '2020-07-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11968', 'image' => '20200724104456_1595542457.wb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-24 10:44:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IB Drafts Insurance Policy to Cover Natural Calamities', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: The Insurance Board (IB) is preparing to form a separate policy for natural calamities like flood and landslides.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 23: The Insurance Board Nepa (IBN) is preparing to form a separate policy for natural calamities like flood and landslides. The board has initiated the process to formulate a separate insurance policy for the financial security of losses incurred due to flood and landslides. The board realized the need of such policy due to increase in losses from natural calamities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">IBN said it is currently studying the prospect of the new policy and the insurance premium rate. The board confirmed that it is preparing the new policy to provide compensation to the victims of flood and landslides. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Once the policy is formed, insurance companies can start selling the policy. The proposed insurance policy includes a package of insurance for house and other properties as well as accidental insurance in case of natural disaster.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">According to the IBN, the new policy will can be availed in coordination with the local units. Executive Director of IBN Raju Raman Poudel informed that they have prepared a draft of the policy which provides insurance package for all the residents of a particular local unit. The local unit has to submit the details of all the households within its jurisdiction as well as property details to the insurance companies to avail the insurance facility. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-08-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11967', 'image' => '20200723052228_1595454631.Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 17:21:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12219', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Urges Tourism Entrepreneurs to Follow WHO Guidelines', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has urged tourism entrepreneurs to follow the health directives issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure high standard of tourism in Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">July 23: Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has urged tourism entrepreneurs to follow the health directives issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure high standard of tourism in Nepal. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Speaking at a discussion program held in the capital on Wednesday (July 22), Minister Bhattarai informed tourism entrepreneurs that there will be no shortage of capital for the revival of the tourism industry. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to the minister, the monetary policy unveiled by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) along with a fund of Rs 50 billion allocated by the government for small and medium scale industries would help revive the tourism sector.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Government authorities assured that there will be no shortage of capital as the monetary policy has given priority to tourism sector in response to the demands made by the tourism entrepreneurs.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The fund of Rs 50 billion allocated by the government is the annual budget is expected to facilitate tourism entrepreneurs to make payments of wages to the staffers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The fund set up by the government will be released immediately after it is made available to Nepal Rastra Bank. In addition, soft loan will be available for tourism entrepreneurs at an interest rate of only 5 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Minister Bhattarai expressed his hope that the flow of tourists will gradually increase after the government resumes domestic and international flights after August 17.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Likewise, he also emphasized the need to adhere strictly to the guidelines set by the WHO for the operation of the tourism industry to overcome the risk of coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">"Even though the coronavirus infection seems to be declining at present, the risk is far from over. So, if the tourism sector doesn’t follow the guidelines, there is a chance of resurgence of the virus," he said.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11966', 'image' => '20200723050216_20200506031951_120_1571271950.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 17:01:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12218', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prices of Vegetables Skyrocketing due Road Obstruction ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: The supply of vegetables in the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market has decreased significantly due to the obstruction in road connectivity caused by floods and landslides. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 23: The supply of vegetables in the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market has decreased significantly due to the obstruction in road connectivity caused by floods and landslides. The prices of vegetables have started skyrocketing due to the short-supply.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Normally, the Kalimati vegetable market used to be receive supply of 700 to 800 tons of vegetables and fruits on a daily basis, but the daily supply was reduced to 400 to 500 tons during the lockdown. Likewise, it has now decreased to 200 tons after floods and landslides blocked roads in many parts of the country. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Development Board (KFVDB), only 327 tons vegetables were imported in the market on Monday, 297 ton on Tuesday and 170 ton till Wednesday afternoon. According to Binaya Shrestha, Information Officer at the board, although the lockdown was eased, the demand has decreased due to the closure of school, college, hotel, and restaurants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He further said that around 700 tons of vegetables should have been imported during this time but due to flood and landslide, the supply has decreased. “It is not suitable season for vegetable production as well. It is now certain that the price will increase as the supply reduced significantly,” he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The prices of most of the vegetables including tomato, potato, local cabbage, radish, beans, soybean, pointed gourd, and lady’s finger have increased in the last one week. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The price of tomato, which was being sold at Rs 12 per kg on July 15, has increased by 50 percent to Rs 18 per kg on July 22. Likewise, the price of local cabbage has increased by 111% from Rs 18 to Rs 38 per kg within a week. The price of beans has increased by 105% from Rs 38 per kg to Rs 78 per kg. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In addition, the price of lady’s finger has increased by 52% from Rs 38 to Rs 58 per kg. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, with 40% increase, soybean is priced at Rs 98 per kg from Rs 68. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">As the production of vegetables decreases during the rainy season, the price of vegetables increases every year during this season. The development committee informed that the price of vegetables has inclined upwards as traders did not even bring vegetables from India due to the fear of coronavirus. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The supply of Indian vegetables has dropped by about 80 percent due to the fear of coronavirus. Gita Prasad Acharya, a member of the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Entrepreneurs' Association, said that the import of Indian vegetables has decreased as more priority is given to local vegetables. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11965', 'image' => '20200723012952_1595453904.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 13:29:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12216', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tootle, Pathao to Resume Ride-Hailing Service from Today ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: Ride-sharing apps like Tootle and Pathao have decided to resume their service from July 23 after the government lifted the lockdown imposed to stem 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 23: Ride-sharing apps like Tootle and Pathao have decided to resume their service from July 23 after the government lifted the lockdown imposed to stem 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">Tootle and Pathao remained closed since March 24 following government decision to impose nationwide lockdown. These two apps have gained popularity in the capital within a short period of their launch. Tootle has been providing ride-sharing service since the last three years while Pathao came into operation around one and a half years ago. These two companies have become a reliable means of alternative transport 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">The two companies decided to resume their service after the government lifted ban on short-route vehicles. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In fact, Pathao had started providing limited service with 100 riders one week ago. Pathao said it will add 50 more riders from July 23 and gradually increase the number. During normal days, Pathao charges 20 percent commission from riders. But for the time being, it has decided not to charge any amount. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Meanwhile, Tootle has decided to resume its service after providing mask, gloves and other protective gears to the riders. Tootle’s Executive Director Sixit Bhatta informed New Business Age that they will gradually increase the number of riders. He added that they have updated their app to help the customers during the current crisis. According to Bhatta, out of 30,000 riders, 1,500 have come into contact with 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">Pathao has handed over Breathable Protective Gear (BPG) to all of its riders. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We have been providing service only after handing over protective gears to our riders. The supplier company is able to provide only 50 BPG per day so we have been adding only 50 new riders,” said Shashank Thapa, deputy manager of the company. He said that around 45,000 Patho riders have been granted permission to provide the service. Among them, 5,000 have contacted the office after lockdown.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11964', 'image' => '20200723124701_1595453826.Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 12:46:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12215', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank Unveils Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has unveiled the Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 for the renewal of loan for businesses affected by coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of the disease.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has unveiled the Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 for the renewal of loan for businesses affected by coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of the disease.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The refinancing facility which was earlier limited to only a few industries and entrepreneurs has now been made available for small and medium scale industries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to NRB, the time period for the loan taken for refinancing will be a maximum of one year and this loan cannot be renewed. Only those customers who have been severely affected by coronavirus can avail such facility for up to one year. Those partially affected by the pandemic will have to clear their loan within six months. The maximum limit of refinancing facility is Rs 50 million. Small and medium scale industries can avail the loan for refinancing at 5 percent interest per annum. On the other hand, special refinancing facility can be availed at 3 percent interest rate.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The work procedure specifies loan up to Rs 1.5 million given to entrepreneurs who themselves operate their industry as small-scale loan. Likewise, the loan provided to some specific sector for some specific purpose has been categorized as special loan. Export businesses, women entrepreneurship, businesses run by differently abled persons, and loan provided to sectors affected by natural disasters have been categorized as special loan. The loan which do not fall under the above two categories have been classified as normal loan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The work procedure is in line with the Monetary Policy for the current fiscal year, which has a provision to provide refinancing facility of up to 70 percent through commercial banks, development banks and finance companies while 10 percent refinancing facility will be provided by micro finance companies.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11963', 'image' => '20200723115348_1595453970.Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 11:51:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12217', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government begins Fresh Bid to Purchase Electric Buses ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport is preparing to issue tender process to purchase electric buses. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 23: The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport is preparing to issue tender process to purchase electric buses. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier, the ministry had scrapped with Sajha Yatayat for the purchase and issued a public notice to bus manufacturers and distributors to submit details of battery operated electric bus by June end. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the ministry, among the 41 companies that have submitted the specifications of electric bus, most are Chinese companies and five of them are Indian companies. As per the specifications provided by those companies, the process for the tender of electric bus is being initiated. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government had decided to buy 300 electric buses in December 2018 through a cabinet meeting. The government had also announced to operate electric buses in Kathmandu from April 2019 and the responsibility of purchasing the buses was given to Sajha Yatayat in mid July 2019. In addition, Rs 3 billion was also disbursed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, within the three months, the ministry issued a notice to Sajha to stop the purchase of the buses stating that it could not purchase the bus within the stipulated time and as per the criteria set by the government. In February 2020, the responsibility was given to the ministry. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Since then, the ministry has been working to issue tender bids for 300 buses at a time. However, the process was halted due to a nationwide lockdown to control the coronavirus infection. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11962', 'image' => '20200723011908_1595369412.Clipboard11.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 13:18:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12214', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Landslides, Floods Obstruct Different Highways', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: Incessant rainfall since the last few days has triggered landslides, obstructing dozens of roads and highways. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 22: Incessant rainfall since the last few days has triggered landslides, obstructing dozens of roads and highways. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Prithvi Highway, which connects the capital Kathmandu with the rest of the country, has been obstructed by landslides in various places. Some sections of different highways have been swept away by floods. Massive floods have also washed away concrete bridges as well as Bailey bridges in some places. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Transportation has come to a complete halt in some highways.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The Department of Roads has said it will take some more time to resume transportation along the Jogimara-Mawakhola road section of Prithvi Highway due to obstructions created by flood and landslides. The department has urged the transporters to use Tribhuvan Highway and BP Highway as alternative routes to supply goods to 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:"Bangla MN"">The Narayanghat-Mugling road section, which was obstructed due to landslide in Kalikhola area, has been reopened. But the road only serves one-way traffic at the moment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Director General at the Department of Roads Keshav Kumar Sharma said that although they are working to clear the debris, they are unable to reopen some roads because the floods have swept bridges in some areas while chunks of road section have also been swept away elsewhere. He said that they will not be able to repair the roads in some places unless the level or water recedes and the rainfall comes to a halt.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11961', 'image' => '20200722031823_1595369744.Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 15:17:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12213', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'State-owned JEMC to Print Excise Duty Stickers', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has decided to give the contract of printing excise duty stickers to the state-owned Janak Education Materials Centre (JEMC) Limited. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 22: The government has decided to give the contract of printing excise duty stickers to the state-owned Janak Education Materials Centre (JEMC) Limited. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The took such decision as the excise duty stickers started running out of stock.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The finance ministry agreed to the proposal of Inland Revenue Department to print the stickers, which are primarily used in alcoholic and tobacco products, at JEMC. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The department proposed handing the responsibility to JSSK as they are running out of time to issue global tender.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">This is not the first time JEMC has been given such responsibility. Earlier, the stickers printed by the state-owned organisation was found to be of sub-standard. Therefore, the government later chose foreign company for the 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:"Bangla MN"">An official at the department said that they have decided to give the contract to JEMC for the time being and will side-by-side also issue global tender. The department has also formed a study committee to initiate the procurement process. The committee will present its report within 15 days and the department will take action according, said the source requesting anonymity.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The government had been printing 40 different kinds of stickers in foreign countries through global tender process. However, the process has been halted after a parliamentary committee initiated a probe into alleged irregularities in the procurement process. The house panel has been discussing whether to hand the contract to foreign company or to print the stickers in the country itself since a long time.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11960', 'image' => '20200722030229_1595368915.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 14:58:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12211', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Exporters allowed to take back Black Peppers held at Checkpoints', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has allowed exporters to take back their shipments of black pepper held at Birgunj Dry Port and Indian ports.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">July 22: The government has allowed exporters to take back their shipments of black pepper held at Birgunj Dry Port and Indian ports.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies on Tuesday decided to let the exporters take back the black peppers brought without prior permission from the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">At present, almost 1,000 containers of unauthorized food items have been held at the check points following the government directive to restrict the import of chickpeas, black pepper, betel nuts and dates on April 30. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Nawaraj Dhakal informed that the ministry has decided to allow exporters to take back the containers of black pepper shipped to Nepal before the ban was imposed. However, the exporters have to complete some formal procedures, the secretary added. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The containers have been stuck in the port of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam for three months after the Birgunj Dry Port Customs stopped issuing the inspection pass. The ministry has allowed the exporters only to take back black pepper among the consignments.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Joint Secretary Dhakal informed that the exporters have been directed to make arrangements ensuring that foreign currency is not misappropriated while taking back the pepper.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The ministry has forwarded the notice to the Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection Department as well as the Department of Customs regarding the decision. Consignments imported without prior permission have been stopped at the border check points while those brought before the ban were allowed to enter.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11958', 'image' => '20200722021030_1595369463.Clipboard04.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 14:09:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12209', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Drug Manufacturers Defer Protest Programmes', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The agitating drug manufacturers of Nepal have postponed their protest programmes after the Ministry of Health and Population formed an advisory committee to address their demands.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 22: The agitating drug manufacturers of Nepal have postponed their protest programmes after the Ministry of Health and Population formed an advisory committee to address their demands.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The Association of Pharmaceutical Producers of Nepal (APPON) on Tuesday (July 21) decided to defer all protest programmes after the ministry formed the three-member committee headed by joint secretary Dr Bikas Devkota.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Director General of the Department of Drug Administration Narayan Prasad Dhakal and president of APPON Narayan Bahadur Chhetri have been appointed members of the committee.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Chhetri informed New Business Age that they postponed their protest programmes for the time being after the ministry formed the committee to address their demands.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">“It is not appropriate to organize protest programmes while we are holding discussion with the government,” said Chhetri, adding, “So, we have decided to postpone the protest programmes for some days from Tuesday.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The committee is currently studying the demands of the drug manufacturers of Nepal. Director General of DDA Dhakal informed that they are discussing about the demands of the drug manufacturers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">“So far, the committee is involved in discussions. The ministry will take necessary decision based on the recommendation of the committee,” said Dhakal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The committee is likely to submit its recommendation to Health Minister Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal on July 22, according to APPON President Chhetri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">“The ministry has agreed to some of our demands. But other demands are yet to be addressed,” said Chhetri. He warned that they would resume their protest if the committee forwards the recommendations without addressing their demands.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">One of the major demands of the drug manufacturers is that the government must ban the import of drugs that are produced in significant quantity in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11957', 'image' => '20200722125043_1595369813.Clipboard06.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 12:47:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12206', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Lifts Lockdown, Some Restriction to Remain in Force', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has announced lifting of the lockdown which was imposed since March 24 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:Arial">July 22: The government has announced lifting of the lockdown which was imposed since March 24 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:Arial">A cabinet meeting on Monday decided to end the lockdown effective from Tuesday midnight (July 21).</span></span></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">Government spokesperson Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, who holds the portfolio of finance and communication ministries, formally announced the government decision amid a programme on Tuesday.</span></span></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 has decided to end the lockdown from Tuesday midnight….. Despite the lifting of the lockdown, Nepal’s international borders will remain closed till August 16,” said minister Khatiwada.</span></span></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 lockdown imposed by the government since March 24 was extended time and again and was fully enforced until June 8. Then onward, the government eased the lockdown to some extent, allowing shops to reopen and private vehicles to ply on odd-even system.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has also decided to allow hotels and restaurants to operate from July 30 onward. The hotel industry is completely closed due to the effects of coronavirus while restaurants are providing limited services. Although the government has decided to allow hotels to operate from next week, ban on mass gatherings and parties will still remain in force, informed Khatiwada.</span></span></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 has also decided to allow schools to take admission of students and hold examinations from August 17. Schools and educational institutions will be allowed to run educational programmes by maintaining safety standards and necessary precaution. However, the government is yet to decide on resuming classes altogether.</span></span></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">Although the lockdown has ended, the government has urged the public to adopt necessary precautions while some activities will remain banned 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:Arial">Educational institutions, tuition centres, cinema halls, dance bar, saloons and beauty parlours, swimming pools and religious sites will remain closed while public gathering is also banned.</span></span></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">Meanwhile, the government has decided to allow trekking and travel agencies to operate their business keeping in mind the tourism season.</span></span></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 has also decided to resume domestic and international flights from August 17. Likewise, transport entrepreneurs will be allowed to operate long-route vehicles from the same date (August 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 odd-even number system has also been scrapped and all kinds of vehicles will be allowed to operate from Wednesday onward.</span></span></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, entry into Nepal from neighbouring countries will be prohibited until August 16 unless there is any urgency.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11954', 'image' => '20200722115413_1595368592.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 11:53:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Long-Route Vehicles to Operate from August 17 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has decided to allow operation of long-route vehicles from August 17.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Devanagari Sangam MN"">July 22: </span><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has decided to allow operation of long-route vehicles from August 17.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Government spokesperson Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada made the announcement on Tuesday following a cabinet meeting on Monday. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Meanwhile, the odd-even number system on vehicles has been lifted from Tuesday. All kinds of vehicles can now operate without any hindrance.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">The cabinet meeting has also ended the two shifts of work in government offices.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Minister Khatiwada, who holds the portfolio of finance and communication ministries, informed that the government will facilitate in normalizing the situation in the coming days.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11953', 'image' => '20200722015124_20171109120628_20171108035347_busbus.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 13:50:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12205', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Cargo Vehicles Stranded in Rasuwagadhi due to Rainfall ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 21: Rasuwagadhi transit point, which had reopened just two weeks ago after nearly five months of closure due to coronavirus, is facing obstruction once again.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">July 21: Rasuwagadhi transit point, which had reopened just two weeks ago after nearly five months of closure due to coronavirus, is facing obstruction 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">This time it is because of monsoon. Landslides triggered by heavy rainfall has not only stranded cargo vehicles but also delayed clearance of Nepal-bound goods.</span></span></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">Chief of Rasuwagadhi Customs Point, Punya Bikram Khadka, informed that they are facing difficulty in loading goods from the border area due to incessant rainfall since the last three days. </span></span></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 further said that they are unable to clear more than 50 percent goods that have been loaded from across the border. According to Khadka, mostly cargo vehicles carrying electronic goods and clothes have been stranded in the border area.</span></span></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">This customs point, which collects revenue of around Rs 10 million in an average day, has not been able to collect any amount in the last few days due to obstruction created by rainfall. </span></span></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">Khadka informed that there is no provision at the customs point to protect goods from rain. </span></span></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">“We are facing problems because we have to unload goods in a narrow area and the give clearance. We are making effort to sort out the problem,” 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">Customs chief Khadka said they are consulting with Chinese authorities for proper management of clearance of goods.</span></span></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 informed that more than 100 containers of goods have entered Nepal in two weeks since the border opened. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-21', 'modified' => '2020-07-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11952', 'image' => '20200721032617_1595263977.rasuwagadhi.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-21 15:25:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CAAN Starts Internal Preparation to Resume Air Service', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 24: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has started internal preparations to resume air service after the government decided to lift the ban on domestic and international flights from August 17.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 24: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has started internal preparations to resume air service after the government decided to lift the ban on domestic and international flights from August 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 Unicode MS"">CAAN has formed a committee under the coordination of Tribhuvan International Airport’s spokesperson Dev Chandra Lal Karna to give suggestions regarding how to operate air service during the coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The committee is mandated to submit a report within a week after conducting a study on the possibility of resuming air service and by including the necessary processes required to restart domestic and international flights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The committee is expected to suggest necessary measures required to resume regular commercial flights that have been halted due to the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus since March 24.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The flight schedule will be prepared base on the report submitted by the committee, informed Raj Kumar Chhetri, spokesperson at CAAN.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation is preparing a protocol to curb the transmission of the virus during flights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Although the government has lifted the lockdown, the risk of coronavirus infection still remains high. Therefore, the domestic as well as international flights are not possible at the moment, said Chhetri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“CAAN, TIA and the air service providers have all prepared their own guidelines for safety measures during flight service. Although air service will resume from August 17, there will be limited number of flights and passengers,” said Chhetri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“The number of flights can be increased or decreased depending on the situation,” 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 Unicode MS"">According to Spokesperson Chhetri, Tribhuvan International Airport observes around 500 movements (take off and landing) per day during peak season, including domestic and international flights. Meanwhile, the airport witnesses 370 movements during normal days.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-24', 'modified' => '2020-07-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11969', 'image' => '20200724122138_1595541466.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-24 12:20:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank Projects Nepal’s Growth at 2.1 percent in FY2021 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 24: Nepal’s economic growth is estimated to contract sharply to 2.1 percent in FY2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">July 24: Nepal’s economic growth is estimated to contract sharply to 2.1 percent in FY2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown, despite efforts by the government to curb the economic fallout from the crisis, states the World Bank’s latest Nepal Development Update. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to the World Bank report, transitioning the economy from the relief stage through to restructuring and resilient recovery requires a strategic approach to get the country back on a sustainable and inclusive growth path.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Economic activity in the tourism sector will remain weak and inflow of remittances will be moderate. Supply chain disruptions will keep industrial and agricultural production low. Low economic activity and oil prices will also keep imports low and below the pre-crisis levels, leading to a projected narrowing of the current account deficit to 6.5 percent of GDP. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Lower imports will continue to limit revenue collection. However, fiscal measures announced as part of the FY2021 budget, including a revision of custom duties, will provide some support to the budget as spending levels on relief and recovery efforts remain elevated. Taken together, the fiscal deficit is projected to marginally decline to 6.6 percent of GDP in FY2021.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">While the government has adopted various relief measures to contain the pandemic, reduce the impact on households and provide economic support to the most vulnerable firms, the report highlights the importance of reforms to support a resilient recovery.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“For a resilient recovery and inclusive growth, economic support measures to firms and workers in the informal sector will be important,” said Dr. Kene Ezemenari, World Bank Senior Economist and author of the update. “Incentives to agribusiness-based and forest-based SMEs, with a focus on returnee migrants and youths, could help increase employment and food security. Inclusive growth could be further promoted through entrepreneurship support programs and grants to small and medium enterprises,” she added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The report outlines four pillars in the areas of health, social support, economic support and cross-cutting priorities including fiscal sustainability and focus on digital and green economies. This includes measures to strengthen the health system and scale up social protection systems, including the adoption of a social registry to make these systems more resilient against future shocks. Enhanced school sanitation and health protocols including health screening, water and sanitation facilities would be needed to enable a return to schooling for children. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“In the rapidly unfolding global scenario brought by COVID-19, insights from the Nepal Development Update on Nepal’s outlook, challenges and way forward is very helpful. We need to address the crisis with macroeconomic and sectoral policy focused on fiscal sustainability, financial sector stability, a digitally-oriented green economy and resilient public services,” stated Minister for Finance Yuba Raj Khatiwada. “I appreciate the rapid action taken by our development partners including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, IMF and others for providing us with tangible resources and support to maintain our fiscal balance and accelerate growth and inclusive development.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Expansionary fiscal and monetary policies will be important in the initial relief stage to support banking sector liquidity and provide relief to households and firms. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to the World Bank, investments and reforms would be critical to expand coverage of digital services and infrastructure to support e-services and help promote e-commerce. This would also help expand the reach and coverage of mobile banking and digital financial services to underpin development of e-commerce. However, digitization is also limited across the economy. Addressing this will require removal of access restrictions to any under-utilized fiber optic backbone managed by the governments and public utilities and the introduction of appropriate rules to manage conditions of access, capacity allocation, and access pricing, the report further states. This would also help expand access in rural and remote areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">For Nepal to emerge stronger from the crisis, it is important to adapt quickly to the new reality,” stated Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. “We are encouraged to note the early start made by the government with the development of Nepal’s Relief, Restructuring and Resilience plan and are committed to work together with multilateral development banks and development partners in helping the country build back greener and better.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-24', 'modified' => '2020-07-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11968', 'image' => '20200724104456_1595542457.wb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-24 10:44:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IB Drafts Insurance Policy to Cover Natural Calamities', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: The Insurance Board (IB) is preparing to form a separate policy for natural calamities like flood and landslides.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 23: The Insurance Board Nepa (IBN) is preparing to form a separate policy for natural calamities like flood and landslides. The board has initiated the process to formulate a separate insurance policy for the financial security of losses incurred due to flood and landslides. The board realized the need of such policy due to increase in losses from natural calamities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">IBN said it is currently studying the prospect of the new policy and the insurance premium rate. The board confirmed that it is preparing the new policy to provide compensation to the victims of flood and landslides. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Once the policy is formed, insurance companies can start selling the policy. The proposed insurance policy includes a package of insurance for house and other properties as well as accidental insurance in case of natural disaster.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">According to the IBN, the new policy will can be availed in coordination with the local units. Executive Director of IBN Raju Raman Poudel informed that they have prepared a draft of the policy which provides insurance package for all the residents of a particular local unit. The local unit has to submit the details of all the households within its jurisdiction as well as property details to the insurance companies to avail the insurance facility. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-08-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11967', 'image' => '20200723052228_1595454631.Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 17:21:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12219', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Urges Tourism Entrepreneurs to Follow WHO Guidelines', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has urged tourism entrepreneurs to follow the health directives issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure high standard of tourism in Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">July 23: Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has urged tourism entrepreneurs to follow the health directives issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure high standard of tourism in Nepal. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Speaking at a discussion program held in the capital on Wednesday (July 22), Minister Bhattarai informed tourism entrepreneurs that there will be no shortage of capital for the revival of the tourism industry. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to the minister, the monetary policy unveiled by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) along with a fund of Rs 50 billion allocated by the government for small and medium scale industries would help revive the tourism sector.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Government authorities assured that there will be no shortage of capital as the monetary policy has given priority to tourism sector in response to the demands made by the tourism entrepreneurs.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The fund of Rs 50 billion allocated by the government is the annual budget is expected to facilitate tourism entrepreneurs to make payments of wages to the staffers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The fund set up by the government will be released immediately after it is made available to Nepal Rastra Bank. In addition, soft loan will be available for tourism entrepreneurs at an interest rate of only 5 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Minister Bhattarai expressed his hope that the flow of tourists will gradually increase after the government resumes domestic and international flights after August 17.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Likewise, he also emphasized the need to adhere strictly to the guidelines set by the WHO for the operation of the tourism industry to overcome the risk of coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">"Even though the coronavirus infection seems to be declining at present, the risk is far from over. So, if the tourism sector doesn’t follow the guidelines, there is a chance of resurgence of the virus," he said.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11966', 'image' => '20200723050216_20200506031951_120_1571271950.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 17:01:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12218', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prices of Vegetables Skyrocketing due Road Obstruction ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: The supply of vegetables in the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market has decreased significantly due to the obstruction in road connectivity caused by floods and landslides. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 23: The supply of vegetables in the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market has decreased significantly due to the obstruction in road connectivity caused by floods and landslides. The prices of vegetables have started skyrocketing due to the short-supply.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Normally, the Kalimati vegetable market used to be receive supply of 700 to 800 tons of vegetables and fruits on a daily basis, but the daily supply was reduced to 400 to 500 tons during the lockdown. Likewise, it has now decreased to 200 tons after floods and landslides blocked roads in many parts of the country. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Development Board (KFVDB), only 327 tons vegetables were imported in the market on Monday, 297 ton on Tuesday and 170 ton till Wednesday afternoon. According to Binaya Shrestha, Information Officer at the board, although the lockdown was eased, the demand has decreased due to the closure of school, college, hotel, and restaurants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He further said that around 700 tons of vegetables should have been imported during this time but due to flood and landslide, the supply has decreased. “It is not suitable season for vegetable production as well. It is now certain that the price will increase as the supply reduced significantly,” he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The prices of most of the vegetables including tomato, potato, local cabbage, radish, beans, soybean, pointed gourd, and lady’s finger have increased in the last one week. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The price of tomato, which was being sold at Rs 12 per kg on July 15, has increased by 50 percent to Rs 18 per kg on July 22. Likewise, the price of local cabbage has increased by 111% from Rs 18 to Rs 38 per kg within a week. The price of beans has increased by 105% from Rs 38 per kg to Rs 78 per kg. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In addition, the price of lady’s finger has increased by 52% from Rs 38 to Rs 58 per kg. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, with 40% increase, soybean is priced at Rs 98 per kg from Rs 68. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">As the production of vegetables decreases during the rainy season, the price of vegetables increases every year during this season. The development committee informed that the price of vegetables has inclined upwards as traders did not even bring vegetables from India due to the fear of coronavirus. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The supply of Indian vegetables has dropped by about 80 percent due to the fear of coronavirus. Gita Prasad Acharya, a member of the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Entrepreneurs' Association, said that the import of Indian vegetables has decreased as more priority is given to local vegetables. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11965', 'image' => '20200723012952_1595453904.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 13:29:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12216', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tootle, Pathao to Resume Ride-Hailing Service from Today ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: Ride-sharing apps like Tootle and Pathao have decided to resume their service from July 23 after the government lifted the lockdown imposed to stem 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 23: Ride-sharing apps like Tootle and Pathao have decided to resume their service from July 23 after the government lifted the lockdown imposed to stem 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">Tootle and Pathao remained closed since March 24 following government decision to impose nationwide lockdown. These two apps have gained popularity in the capital within a short period of their launch. Tootle has been providing ride-sharing service since the last three years while Pathao came into operation around one and a half years ago. These two companies have become a reliable means of alternative transport 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">The two companies decided to resume their service after the government lifted ban on short-route vehicles. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In fact, Pathao had started providing limited service with 100 riders one week ago. Pathao said it will add 50 more riders from July 23 and gradually increase the number. During normal days, Pathao charges 20 percent commission from riders. But for the time being, it has decided not to charge any amount. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Meanwhile, Tootle has decided to resume its service after providing mask, gloves and other protective gears to the riders. Tootle’s Executive Director Sixit Bhatta informed New Business Age that they will gradually increase the number of riders. He added that they have updated their app to help the customers during the current crisis. According to Bhatta, out of 30,000 riders, 1,500 have come into contact with 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">Pathao has handed over Breathable Protective Gear (BPG) to all of its riders. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We have been providing service only after handing over protective gears to our riders. The supplier company is able to provide only 50 BPG per day so we have been adding only 50 new riders,” said Shashank Thapa, deputy manager of the company. He said that around 45,000 Patho riders have been granted permission to provide the service. Among them, 5,000 have contacted the office after lockdown.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11964', 'image' => '20200723124701_1595453826.Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 12:46:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12215', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank Unveils Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has unveiled the Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 for the renewal of loan for businesses affected by coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of the disease.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has unveiled the Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 for the renewal of loan for businesses affected by coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of the disease.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The refinancing facility which was earlier limited to only a few industries and entrepreneurs has now been made available for small and medium scale industries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to NRB, the time period for the loan taken for refinancing will be a maximum of one year and this loan cannot be renewed. Only those customers who have been severely affected by coronavirus can avail such facility for up to one year. Those partially affected by the pandemic will have to clear their loan within six months. The maximum limit of refinancing facility is Rs 50 million. Small and medium scale industries can avail the loan for refinancing at 5 percent interest per annum. On the other hand, special refinancing facility can be availed at 3 percent interest rate.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The work procedure specifies loan up to Rs 1.5 million given to entrepreneurs who themselves operate their industry as small-scale loan. Likewise, the loan provided to some specific sector for some specific purpose has been categorized as special loan. Export businesses, women entrepreneurship, businesses run by differently abled persons, and loan provided to sectors affected by natural disasters have been categorized as special loan. The loan which do not fall under the above two categories have been classified as normal loan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The work procedure is in line with the Monetary Policy for the current fiscal year, which has a provision to provide refinancing facility of up to 70 percent through commercial banks, development banks and finance companies while 10 percent refinancing facility will be provided by micro finance companies.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11963', 'image' => '20200723115348_1595453970.Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 11:51:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12217', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government begins Fresh Bid to Purchase Electric Buses ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport is preparing to issue tender process to purchase electric buses. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 23: The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport is preparing to issue tender process to purchase electric buses. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier, the ministry had scrapped with Sajha Yatayat for the purchase and issued a public notice to bus manufacturers and distributors to submit details of battery operated electric bus by June end. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the ministry, among the 41 companies that have submitted the specifications of electric bus, most are Chinese companies and five of them are Indian companies. As per the specifications provided by those companies, the process for the tender of electric bus is being initiated. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government had decided to buy 300 electric buses in December 2018 through a cabinet meeting. The government had also announced to operate electric buses in Kathmandu from April 2019 and the responsibility of purchasing the buses was given to Sajha Yatayat in mid July 2019. In addition, Rs 3 billion was also disbursed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, within the three months, the ministry issued a notice to Sajha to stop the purchase of the buses stating that it could not purchase the bus within the stipulated time and as per the criteria set by the government. In February 2020, the responsibility was given to the ministry. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Since then, the ministry has been working to issue tender bids for 300 buses at a time. However, the process was halted due to a nationwide lockdown to control the coronavirus infection. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11962', 'image' => '20200723011908_1595369412.Clipboard11.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 13:18:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12214', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Landslides, Floods Obstruct Different Highways', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: Incessant rainfall since the last few days has triggered landslides, obstructing dozens of roads and highways. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 22: Incessant rainfall since the last few days has triggered landslides, obstructing dozens of roads and highways. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Prithvi Highway, which connects the capital Kathmandu with the rest of the country, has been obstructed by landslides in various places. Some sections of different highways have been swept away by floods. Massive floods have also washed away concrete bridges as well as Bailey bridges in some places. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Transportation has come to a complete halt in some highways.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The Department of Roads has said it will take some more time to resume transportation along the Jogimara-Mawakhola road section of Prithvi Highway due to obstructions created by flood and landslides. The department has urged the transporters to use Tribhuvan Highway and BP Highway as alternative routes to supply goods to 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:"Bangla MN"">The Narayanghat-Mugling road section, which was obstructed due to landslide in Kalikhola area, has been reopened. But the road only serves one-way traffic at the moment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Director General at the Department of Roads Keshav Kumar Sharma said that although they are working to clear the debris, they are unable to reopen some roads because the floods have swept bridges in some areas while chunks of road section have also been swept away elsewhere. He said that they will not be able to repair the roads in some places unless the level or water recedes and the rainfall comes to a halt.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11961', 'image' => '20200722031823_1595369744.Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 15:17:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12213', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'State-owned JEMC to Print Excise Duty Stickers', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has decided to give the contract of printing excise duty stickers to the state-owned Janak Education Materials Centre (JEMC) Limited. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 22: The government has decided to give the contract of printing excise duty stickers to the state-owned Janak Education Materials Centre (JEMC) Limited. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The took such decision as the excise duty stickers started running out of stock.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The finance ministry agreed to the proposal of Inland Revenue Department to print the stickers, which are primarily used in alcoholic and tobacco products, at JEMC. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The department proposed handing the responsibility to JSSK as they are running out of time to issue global tender.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">This is not the first time JEMC has been given such responsibility. Earlier, the stickers printed by the state-owned organisation was found to be of sub-standard. Therefore, the government later chose foreign company for the 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:"Bangla MN"">An official at the department said that they have decided to give the contract to JEMC for the time being and will side-by-side also issue global tender. The department has also formed a study committee to initiate the procurement process. The committee will present its report within 15 days and the department will take action according, said the source requesting anonymity.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The government had been printing 40 different kinds of stickers in foreign countries through global tender process. However, the process has been halted after a parliamentary committee initiated a probe into alleged irregularities in the procurement process. The house panel has been discussing whether to hand the contract to foreign company or to print the stickers in the country itself since a long time.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11960', 'image' => '20200722030229_1595368915.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 14:58:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12211', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Exporters allowed to take back Black Peppers held at Checkpoints', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has allowed exporters to take back their shipments of black pepper held at Birgunj Dry Port and Indian ports.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">July 22: The government has allowed exporters to take back their shipments of black pepper held at Birgunj Dry Port and Indian ports.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies on Tuesday decided to let the exporters take back the black peppers brought without prior permission from the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">At present, almost 1,000 containers of unauthorized food items have been held at the check points following the government directive to restrict the import of chickpeas, black pepper, betel nuts and dates on April 30. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Nawaraj Dhakal informed that the ministry has decided to allow exporters to take back the containers of black pepper shipped to Nepal before the ban was imposed. However, the exporters have to complete some formal procedures, the secretary added. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The containers have been stuck in the port of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam for three months after the Birgunj Dry Port Customs stopped issuing the inspection pass. The ministry has allowed the exporters only to take back black pepper among the consignments.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Joint Secretary Dhakal informed that the exporters have been directed to make arrangements ensuring that foreign currency is not misappropriated while taking back the pepper.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The ministry has forwarded the notice to the Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection Department as well as the Department of Customs regarding the decision. Consignments imported without prior permission have been stopped at the border check points while those brought before the ban were allowed to enter.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11958', 'image' => '20200722021030_1595369463.Clipboard04.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 14:09:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12209', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Drug Manufacturers Defer Protest Programmes', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The agitating drug manufacturers of Nepal have postponed their protest programmes after the Ministry of Health and Population formed an advisory committee to address their demands.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 22: The agitating drug manufacturers of Nepal have postponed their protest programmes after the Ministry of Health and Population formed an advisory committee to address their demands.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The Association of Pharmaceutical Producers of Nepal (APPON) on Tuesday (July 21) decided to defer all protest programmes after the ministry formed the three-member committee headed by joint secretary Dr Bikas Devkota.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Director General of the Department of Drug Administration Narayan Prasad Dhakal and president of APPON Narayan Bahadur Chhetri have been appointed members of the committee.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Chhetri informed New Business Age that they postponed their protest programmes for the time being after the ministry formed the committee to address their demands.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">“It is not appropriate to organize protest programmes while we are holding discussion with the government,” said Chhetri, adding, “So, we have decided to postpone the protest programmes for some days from Tuesday.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The committee is currently studying the demands of the drug manufacturers of Nepal. Director General of DDA Dhakal informed that they are discussing about the demands of the drug manufacturers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">“So far, the committee is involved in discussions. The ministry will take necessary decision based on the recommendation of the committee,” said Dhakal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The committee is likely to submit its recommendation to Health Minister Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal on July 22, according to APPON President Chhetri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">“The ministry has agreed to some of our demands. But other demands are yet to be addressed,” said Chhetri. He warned that they would resume their protest if the committee forwards the recommendations without addressing their demands.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">One of the major demands of the drug manufacturers is that the government must ban the import of drugs that are produced in significant quantity in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11957', 'image' => '20200722125043_1595369813.Clipboard06.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 12:47:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12206', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Lifts Lockdown, Some Restriction to Remain in Force', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has announced lifting of the lockdown which was imposed since March 24 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:Arial">July 22: The government has announced lifting of the lockdown which was imposed since March 24 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:Arial">A cabinet meeting on Monday decided to end the lockdown effective from Tuesday midnight (July 21).</span></span></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">Government spokesperson Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, who holds the portfolio of finance and communication ministries, formally announced the government decision amid a programme on Tuesday.</span></span></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 has decided to end the lockdown from Tuesday midnight….. Despite the lifting of the lockdown, Nepal’s international borders will remain closed till August 16,” said minister Khatiwada.</span></span></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 lockdown imposed by the government since March 24 was extended time and again and was fully enforced until June 8. Then onward, the government eased the lockdown to some extent, allowing shops to reopen and private vehicles to ply on odd-even system.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has also decided to allow hotels and restaurants to operate from July 30 onward. The hotel industry is completely closed due to the effects of coronavirus while restaurants are providing limited services. Although the government has decided to allow hotels to operate from next week, ban on mass gatherings and parties will still remain in force, informed Khatiwada.</span></span></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 has also decided to allow schools to take admission of students and hold examinations from August 17. Schools and educational institutions will be allowed to run educational programmes by maintaining safety standards and necessary precaution. However, the government is yet to decide on resuming classes altogether.</span></span></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">Although the lockdown has ended, the government has urged the public to adopt necessary precautions while some activities will remain banned 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:Arial">Educational institutions, tuition centres, cinema halls, dance bar, saloons and beauty parlours, swimming pools and religious sites will remain closed while public gathering is also banned.</span></span></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">Meanwhile, the government has decided to allow trekking and travel agencies to operate their business keeping in mind the tourism season.</span></span></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 has also decided to resume domestic and international flights from August 17. Likewise, transport entrepreneurs will be allowed to operate long-route vehicles from the same date (August 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 odd-even number system has also been scrapped and all kinds of vehicles will be allowed to operate from Wednesday onward.</span></span></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, entry into Nepal from neighbouring countries will be prohibited until August 16 unless there is any urgency.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11954', 'image' => '20200722115413_1595368592.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 11:53:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Long-Route Vehicles to Operate from August 17 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has decided to allow operation of long-route vehicles from August 17.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Devanagari Sangam MN"">July 22: </span><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has decided to allow operation of long-route vehicles from August 17.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Government spokesperson Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada made the announcement on Tuesday following a cabinet meeting on Monday. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Meanwhile, the odd-even number system on vehicles has been lifted from Tuesday. All kinds of vehicles can now operate without any hindrance.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">The cabinet meeting has also ended the two shifts of work in government offices.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Minister Khatiwada, who holds the portfolio of finance and communication ministries, informed that the government will facilitate in normalizing the situation in the coming days.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11953', 'image' => '20200722015124_20171109120628_20171108035347_busbus.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 13:50:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12205', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Cargo Vehicles Stranded in Rasuwagadhi due to Rainfall ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 21: Rasuwagadhi transit point, which had reopened just two weeks ago after nearly five months of closure due to coronavirus, is facing obstruction once again.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">July 21: Rasuwagadhi transit point, which had reopened just two weeks ago after nearly five months of closure due to coronavirus, is facing obstruction 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">This time it is because of monsoon. Landslides triggered by heavy rainfall has not only stranded cargo vehicles but also delayed clearance of Nepal-bound goods.</span></span></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">Chief of Rasuwagadhi Customs Point, Punya Bikram Khadka, informed that they are facing difficulty in loading goods from the border area due to incessant rainfall since the last three days. </span></span></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 further said that they are unable to clear more than 50 percent goods that have been loaded from across the border. According to Khadka, mostly cargo vehicles carrying electronic goods and clothes have been stranded in the border area.</span></span></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">This customs point, which collects revenue of around Rs 10 million in an average day, has not been able to collect any amount in the last few days due to obstruction created by rainfall. </span></span></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">Khadka informed that there is no provision at the customs point to protect goods from rain. </span></span></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">“We are facing problems because we have to unload goods in a narrow area and the give clearance. We are making effort to sort out the problem,” 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">Customs chief Khadka said they are consulting with Chinese authorities for proper management of clearance of goods.</span></span></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 informed that more than 100 containers of goods have entered Nepal in two weeks since the border opened. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-21', 'modified' => '2020-07-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11952', 'image' => '20200721032617_1595263977.rasuwagadhi.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-21 15:25:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity "" [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]file not found!Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CAAN Starts Internal Preparation to Resume Air Service', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 24: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has started internal preparations to resume air service after the government decided to lift the ban on domestic and international flights from August 17.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 24: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has started internal preparations to resume air service after the government decided to lift the ban on domestic and international flights from August 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 Unicode MS"">CAAN has formed a committee under the coordination of Tribhuvan International Airport’s spokesperson Dev Chandra Lal Karna to give suggestions regarding how to operate air service during the coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The committee is mandated to submit a report within a week after conducting a study on the possibility of resuming air service and by including the necessary processes required to restart domestic and international flights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The committee is expected to suggest necessary measures required to resume regular commercial flights that have been halted due to the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus since March 24.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The flight schedule will be prepared base on the report submitted by the committee, informed Raj Kumar Chhetri, spokesperson at CAAN.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation is preparing a protocol to curb the transmission of the virus during flights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Although the government has lifted the lockdown, the risk of coronavirus infection still remains high. Therefore, the domestic as well as international flights are not possible at the moment, said Chhetri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“CAAN, TIA and the air service providers have all prepared their own guidelines for safety measures during flight service. Although air service will resume from August 17, there will be limited number of flights and passengers,” said Chhetri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“The number of flights can be increased or decreased depending on the situation,” 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 Unicode MS"">According to Spokesperson Chhetri, Tribhuvan International Airport observes around 500 movements (take off and landing) per day during peak season, including domestic and international flights. Meanwhile, the airport witnesses 370 movements during normal days.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-24', 'modified' => '2020-07-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11969', 'image' => '20200724122138_1595541466.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-24 12:20:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Bank Projects Nepal’s Growth at 2.1 percent in FY2021 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 24: Nepal’s economic growth is estimated to contract sharply to 2.1 percent in FY2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">July 24: Nepal’s economic growth is estimated to contract sharply to 2.1 percent in FY2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown, despite efforts by the government to curb the economic fallout from the crisis, states the World Bank’s latest Nepal Development Update. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to the World Bank report, transitioning the economy from the relief stage through to restructuring and resilient recovery requires a strategic approach to get the country back on a sustainable and inclusive growth path.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Economic activity in the tourism sector will remain weak and inflow of remittances will be moderate. Supply chain disruptions will keep industrial and agricultural production low. Low economic activity and oil prices will also keep imports low and below the pre-crisis levels, leading to a projected narrowing of the current account deficit to 6.5 percent of GDP. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Lower imports will continue to limit revenue collection. However, fiscal measures announced as part of the FY2021 budget, including a revision of custom duties, will provide some support to the budget as spending levels on relief and recovery efforts remain elevated. Taken together, the fiscal deficit is projected to marginally decline to 6.6 percent of GDP in FY2021.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">While the government has adopted various relief measures to contain the pandemic, reduce the impact on households and provide economic support to the most vulnerable firms, the report highlights the importance of reforms to support a resilient recovery.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“For a resilient recovery and inclusive growth, economic support measures to firms and workers in the informal sector will be important,” said Dr. Kene Ezemenari, World Bank Senior Economist and author of the update. “Incentives to agribusiness-based and forest-based SMEs, with a focus on returnee migrants and youths, could help increase employment and food security. Inclusive growth could be further promoted through entrepreneurship support programs and grants to small and medium enterprises,” she added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The report outlines four pillars in the areas of health, social support, economic support and cross-cutting priorities including fiscal sustainability and focus on digital and green economies. This includes measures to strengthen the health system and scale up social protection systems, including the adoption of a social registry to make these systems more resilient against future shocks. Enhanced school sanitation and health protocols including health screening, water and sanitation facilities would be needed to enable a return to schooling for children. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">“In the rapidly unfolding global scenario brought by COVID-19, insights from the Nepal Development Update on Nepal’s outlook, challenges and way forward is very helpful. We need to address the crisis with macroeconomic and sectoral policy focused on fiscal sustainability, financial sector stability, a digitally-oriented green economy and resilient public services,” stated Minister for Finance Yuba Raj Khatiwada. “I appreciate the rapid action taken by our development partners including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, IMF and others for providing us with tangible resources and support to maintain our fiscal balance and accelerate growth and inclusive development.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Expansionary fiscal and monetary policies will be important in the initial relief stage to support banking sector liquidity and provide relief to households and firms. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to the World Bank, investments and reforms would be critical to expand coverage of digital services and infrastructure to support e-services and help promote e-commerce. This would also help expand the reach and coverage of mobile banking and digital financial services to underpin development of e-commerce. However, digitization is also limited across the economy. Addressing this will require removal of access restrictions to any under-utilized fiber optic backbone managed by the governments and public utilities and the introduction of appropriate rules to manage conditions of access, capacity allocation, and access pricing, the report further states. This would also help expand access in rural and remote areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri">For Nepal to emerge stronger from the crisis, it is important to adapt quickly to the new reality,” stated Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. “We are encouraged to note the early start made by the government with the development of Nepal’s Relief, Restructuring and Resilience plan and are committed to work together with multilateral development banks and development partners in helping the country build back greener and better.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-24', 'modified' => '2020-07-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11968', 'image' => '20200724104456_1595542457.wb.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-24 10:44:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'IB Drafts Insurance Policy to Cover Natural Calamities', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: The Insurance Board (IB) is preparing to form a separate policy for natural calamities like flood and landslides.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 23: The Insurance Board Nepa (IBN) is preparing to form a separate policy for natural calamities like flood and landslides. The board has initiated the process to formulate a separate insurance policy for the financial security of losses incurred due to flood and landslides. The board realized the need of such policy due to increase in losses from natural calamities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">IBN said it is currently studying the prospect of the new policy and the insurance premium rate. The board confirmed that it is preparing the new policy to provide compensation to the victims of flood and landslides. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Once the policy is formed, insurance companies can start selling the policy. The proposed insurance policy includes a package of insurance for house and other properties as well as accidental insurance in case of natural disaster.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">According to the IBN, the new policy will can be availed in coordination with the local units. Executive Director of IBN Raju Raman Poudel informed that they have prepared a draft of the policy which provides insurance package for all the residents of a particular local unit. The local unit has to submit the details of all the households within its jurisdiction as well as property details to the insurance companies to avail the insurance facility. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-08-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11967', 'image' => '20200723052228_1595454631.Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 17:21:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12219', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Urges Tourism Entrepreneurs to Follow WHO Guidelines', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has urged tourism entrepreneurs to follow the health directives issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure high standard of tourism in Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">July 23: Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has urged tourism entrepreneurs to follow the health directives issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure high standard of tourism in Nepal. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Speaking at a discussion program held in the capital on Wednesday (July 22), Minister Bhattarai informed tourism entrepreneurs that there will be no shortage of capital for the revival of the tourism industry. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">According to the minister, the monetary policy unveiled by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) along with a fund of Rs 50 billion allocated by the government for small and medium scale industries would help revive the tourism sector.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Government authorities assured that there will be no shortage of capital as the monetary policy has given priority to tourism sector in response to the demands made by the tourism entrepreneurs.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The fund of Rs 50 billion allocated by the government is the annual budget is expected to facilitate tourism entrepreneurs to make payments of wages to the staffers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The fund set up by the government will be released immediately after it is made available to Nepal Rastra Bank. In addition, soft loan will be available for tourism entrepreneurs at an interest rate of only 5 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Minister Bhattarai expressed his hope that the flow of tourists will gradually increase after the government resumes domestic and international flights after August 17.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Likewise, he also emphasized the need to adhere strictly to the guidelines set by the WHO for the operation of the tourism industry to overcome the risk of coronavirus.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">"Even though the coronavirus infection seems to be declining at present, the risk is far from over. So, if the tourism sector doesn’t follow the guidelines, there is a chance of resurgence of the virus," he said.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11966', 'image' => '20200723050216_20200506031951_120_1571271950.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 17:01:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12218', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prices of Vegetables Skyrocketing due Road Obstruction ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: The supply of vegetables in the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market has decreased significantly due to the obstruction in road connectivity caused by floods and landslides. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 23: The supply of vegetables in the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market has decreased significantly due to the obstruction in road connectivity caused by floods and landslides. The prices of vegetables have started skyrocketing due to the short-supply.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Normally, the Kalimati vegetable market used to be receive supply of 700 to 800 tons of vegetables and fruits on a daily basis, but the daily supply was reduced to 400 to 500 tons during the lockdown. Likewise, it has now decreased to 200 tons after floods and landslides blocked roads in many parts of the country. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Development Board (KFVDB), only 327 tons vegetables were imported in the market on Monday, 297 ton on Tuesday and 170 ton till Wednesday afternoon. According to Binaya Shrestha, Information Officer at the board, although the lockdown was eased, the demand has decreased due to the closure of school, college, hotel, and restaurants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He further said that around 700 tons of vegetables should have been imported during this time but due to flood and landslide, the supply has decreased. “It is not suitable season for vegetable production as well. It is now certain that the price will increase as the supply reduced significantly,” he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The prices of most of the vegetables including tomato, potato, local cabbage, radish, beans, soybean, pointed gourd, and lady’s finger have increased in the last one week. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The price of tomato, which was being sold at Rs 12 per kg on July 15, has increased by 50 percent to Rs 18 per kg on July 22. Likewise, the price of local cabbage has increased by 111% from Rs 18 to Rs 38 per kg within a week. The price of beans has increased by 105% from Rs 38 per kg to Rs 78 per kg. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In addition, the price of lady’s finger has increased by 52% from Rs 38 to Rs 58 per kg. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, with 40% increase, soybean is priced at Rs 98 per kg from Rs 68. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">As the production of vegetables decreases during the rainy season, the price of vegetables increases every year during this season. The development committee informed that the price of vegetables has inclined upwards as traders did not even bring vegetables from India due to the fear of coronavirus. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The supply of Indian vegetables has dropped by about 80 percent due to the fear of coronavirus. Gita Prasad Acharya, a member of the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Entrepreneurs' Association, said that the import of Indian vegetables has decreased as more priority is given to local vegetables. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11965', 'image' => '20200723012952_1595453904.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 13:29:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12216', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tootle, Pathao to Resume Ride-Hailing Service from Today ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: Ride-sharing apps like Tootle and Pathao have decided to resume their service from July 23 after the government lifted the lockdown imposed to stem 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 23: Ride-sharing apps like Tootle and Pathao have decided to resume their service from July 23 after the government lifted the lockdown imposed to stem 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">Tootle and Pathao remained closed since March 24 following government decision to impose nationwide lockdown. These two apps have gained popularity in the capital within a short period of their launch. Tootle has been providing ride-sharing service since the last three years while Pathao came into operation around one and a half years ago. These two companies have become a reliable means of alternative transport 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">The two companies decided to resume their service after the government lifted ban on short-route vehicles. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In fact, Pathao had started providing limited service with 100 riders one week ago. Pathao said it will add 50 more riders from July 23 and gradually increase the number. During normal days, Pathao charges 20 percent commission from riders. But for the time being, it has decided not to charge any amount. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Meanwhile, Tootle has decided to resume its service after providing mask, gloves and other protective gears to the riders. Tootle’s Executive Director Sixit Bhatta informed New Business Age that they will gradually increase the number of riders. He added that they have updated their app to help the customers during the current crisis. According to Bhatta, out of 30,000 riders, 1,500 have come into contact with 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:"Arial Unicode MS"">Pathao has handed over Breathable Protective Gear (BPG) to all of its riders. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“We have been providing service only after handing over protective gears to our riders. The supplier company is able to provide only 50 BPG per day so we have been adding only 50 new riders,” said Shashank Thapa, deputy manager of the company. He said that around 45,000 Patho riders have been granted permission to provide the service. Among them, 5,000 have contacted the office after lockdown.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11964', 'image' => '20200723124701_1595453826.Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 12:46:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12215', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank Unveils Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has unveiled the Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 for the renewal of loan for businesses affected by coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of the disease.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 23: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has unveiled the Refinancing Work Procedure 2077 for the renewal of loan for businesses affected by coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of the disease.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The refinancing facility which was earlier limited to only a few industries and entrepreneurs has now been made available for small and medium scale industries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to NRB, the time period for the loan taken for refinancing will be a maximum of one year and this loan cannot be renewed. Only those customers who have been severely affected by coronavirus can avail such facility for up to one year. Those partially affected by the pandemic will have to clear their loan within six months. The maximum limit of refinancing facility is Rs 50 million. Small and medium scale industries can avail the loan for refinancing at 5 percent interest per annum. On the other hand, special refinancing facility can be availed at 3 percent interest rate.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The work procedure specifies loan up to Rs 1.5 million given to entrepreneurs who themselves operate their industry as small-scale loan. Likewise, the loan provided to some specific sector for some specific purpose has been categorized as special loan. Export businesses, women entrepreneurship, businesses run by differently abled persons, and loan provided to sectors affected by natural disasters have been categorized as special loan. The loan which do not fall under the above two categories have been classified as normal loan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The work procedure is in line with the Monetary Policy for the current fiscal year, which has a provision to provide refinancing facility of up to 70 percent through commercial banks, development banks and finance companies while 10 percent refinancing facility will be provided by micro finance companies.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11963', 'image' => '20200723115348_1595453970.Clipboard05.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 11:51:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12217', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government begins Fresh Bid to Purchase Electric Buses ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 23: The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport is preparing to issue tender process to purchase electric buses. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 23: The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport is preparing to issue tender process to purchase electric buses. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier, the ministry had scrapped with Sajha Yatayat for the purchase and issued a public notice to bus manufacturers and distributors to submit details of battery operated electric bus by June end. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the ministry, among the 41 companies that have submitted the specifications of electric bus, most are Chinese companies and five of them are Indian companies. As per the specifications provided by those companies, the process for the tender of electric bus is being initiated. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government had decided to buy 300 electric buses in December 2018 through a cabinet meeting. The government had also announced to operate electric buses in Kathmandu from April 2019 and the responsibility of purchasing the buses was given to Sajha Yatayat in mid July 2019. In addition, Rs 3 billion was also disbursed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, within the three months, the ministry issued a notice to Sajha to stop the purchase of the buses stating that it could not purchase the bus within the stipulated time and as per the criteria set by the government. In February 2020, the responsibility was given to the ministry. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Since then, the ministry has been working to issue tender bids for 300 buses at a time. However, the process was halted due to a nationwide lockdown to control the coronavirus infection. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-23', 'modified' => '2020-07-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11962', 'image' => '20200723011908_1595369412.Clipboard11.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-23 13:18:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12214', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Landslides, Floods Obstruct Different Highways', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: Incessant rainfall since the last few days has triggered landslides, obstructing dozens of roads and highways. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 22: Incessant rainfall since the last few days has triggered landslides, obstructing dozens of roads and highways. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Prithvi Highway, which connects the capital Kathmandu with the rest of the country, has been obstructed by landslides in various places. Some sections of different highways have been swept away by floods. Massive floods have also washed away concrete bridges as well as Bailey bridges in some places. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Transportation has come to a complete halt in some highways.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The Department of Roads has said it will take some more time to resume transportation along the Jogimara-Mawakhola road section of Prithvi Highway due to obstructions created by flood and landslides. The department has urged the transporters to use Tribhuvan Highway and BP Highway as alternative routes to supply goods to 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:"Bangla MN"">The Narayanghat-Mugling road section, which was obstructed due to landslide in Kalikhola area, has been reopened. But the road only serves one-way traffic at the moment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Director General at the Department of Roads Keshav Kumar Sharma said that although they are working to clear the debris, they are unable to reopen some roads because the floods have swept bridges in some areas while chunks of road section have also been swept away elsewhere. He said that they will not be able to repair the roads in some places unless the level or water recedes and the rainfall comes to a halt.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11961', 'image' => '20200722031823_1595369744.Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 15:17:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12213', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'State-owned JEMC to Print Excise Duty Stickers', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has decided to give the contract of printing excise duty stickers to the state-owned Janak Education Materials Centre (JEMC) Limited. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 22: The government has decided to give the contract of printing excise duty stickers to the state-owned Janak Education Materials Centre (JEMC) Limited. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The took such decision as the excise duty stickers started running out of stock.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The finance ministry agreed to the proposal of Inland Revenue Department to print the stickers, which are primarily used in alcoholic and tobacco products, at JEMC. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The department proposed handing the responsibility to JSSK as they are running out of time to issue global tender.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">This is not the first time JEMC has been given such responsibility. Earlier, the stickers printed by the state-owned organisation was found to be of sub-standard. Therefore, the government later chose foreign company for the 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:"Bangla MN"">An official at the department said that they have decided to give the contract to JEMC for the time being and will side-by-side also issue global tender. The department has also formed a study committee to initiate the procurement process. The committee will present its report within 15 days and the department will take action according, said the source requesting anonymity.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The government had been printing 40 different kinds of stickers in foreign countries through global tender process. However, the process has been halted after a parliamentary committee initiated a probe into alleged irregularities in the procurement process. The house panel has been discussing whether to hand the contract to foreign company or to print the stickers in the country itself since a long time.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11960', 'image' => '20200722030229_1595368915.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 14:58:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12211', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Exporters allowed to take back Black Peppers held at Checkpoints', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has allowed exporters to take back their shipments of black pepper held at Birgunj Dry Port and Indian ports.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">July 22: The government has allowed exporters to take back their shipments of black pepper held at Birgunj Dry Port and Indian ports.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies on Tuesday decided to let the exporters take back the black peppers brought without prior permission from the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">At present, almost 1,000 containers of unauthorized food items have been held at the check points following the government directive to restrict the import of chickpeas, black pepper, betel nuts and dates on April 30. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Nawaraj Dhakal informed that the ministry has decided to allow exporters to take back the containers of black pepper shipped to Nepal before the ban was imposed. However, the exporters have to complete some formal procedures, the secretary added. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The containers have been stuck in the port of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam for three months after the Birgunj Dry Port Customs stopped issuing the inspection pass. The ministry has allowed the exporters only to take back black pepper among the consignments.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">Joint Secretary Dhakal informed that the exporters have been directed to make arrangements ensuring that foreign currency is not misappropriated while taking back the pepper.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Calibri">The ministry has forwarded the notice to the Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection Department as well as the Department of Customs regarding the decision. Consignments imported without prior permission have been stopped at the border check points while those brought before the ban were allowed to enter.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11958', 'image' => '20200722021030_1595369463.Clipboard04.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 14:09:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12209', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Drug Manufacturers Defer Protest Programmes', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The agitating drug manufacturers of Nepal have postponed their protest programmes after the Ministry of Health and Population formed an advisory committee to address their demands.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">July 22: The agitating drug manufacturers of Nepal have postponed their protest programmes after the Ministry of Health and Population formed an advisory committee to address their demands.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The Association of Pharmaceutical Producers of Nepal (APPON) on Tuesday (July 21) decided to defer all protest programmes after the ministry formed the three-member committee headed by joint secretary Dr Bikas Devkota.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Director General of the Department of Drug Administration Narayan Prasad Dhakal and president of APPON Narayan Bahadur Chhetri have been appointed members of the committee.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">Chhetri informed New Business Age that they postponed their protest programmes for the time being after the ministry formed the committee to address their demands.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">“It is not appropriate to organize protest programmes while we are holding discussion with the government,” said Chhetri, adding, “So, we have decided to postpone the protest programmes for some days from Tuesday.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The committee is currently studying the demands of the drug manufacturers of Nepal. Director General of DDA Dhakal informed that they are discussing about the demands of the drug manufacturers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">“So far, the committee is involved in discussions. The ministry will take necessary decision based on the recommendation of the committee,” said Dhakal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">The committee is likely to submit its recommendation to Health Minister Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal on July 22, according to APPON President Chhetri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">“The ministry has agreed to some of our demands. But other demands are yet to be addressed,” said Chhetri. He warned that they would resume their protest if the committee forwards the recommendations without addressing their demands.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Bangla MN"">One of the major demands of the drug manufacturers is that the government must ban the import of drugs that are produced in significant quantity in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11957', 'image' => '20200722125043_1595369813.Clipboard06.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 12:47:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12206', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Lifts Lockdown, Some Restriction to Remain in Force', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has announced lifting of the lockdown which was imposed since March 24 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:Arial">July 22: The government has announced lifting of the lockdown which was imposed since March 24 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:Arial">A cabinet meeting on Monday decided to end the lockdown effective from Tuesday midnight (July 21).</span></span></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">Government spokesperson Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, who holds the portfolio of finance and communication ministries, formally announced the government decision amid a programme on Tuesday.</span></span></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 has decided to end the lockdown from Tuesday midnight….. Despite the lifting of the lockdown, Nepal’s international borders will remain closed till August 16,” said minister Khatiwada.</span></span></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 lockdown imposed by the government since March 24 was extended time and again and was fully enforced until June 8. Then onward, the government eased the lockdown to some extent, allowing shops to reopen and private vehicles to ply on odd-even system.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has also decided to allow hotels and restaurants to operate from July 30 onward. The hotel industry is completely closed due to the effects of coronavirus while restaurants are providing limited services. Although the government has decided to allow hotels to operate from next week, ban on mass gatherings and parties will still remain in force, informed Khatiwada.</span></span></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 has also decided to allow schools to take admission of students and hold examinations from August 17. Schools and educational institutions will be allowed to run educational programmes by maintaining safety standards and necessary precaution. However, the government is yet to decide on resuming classes altogether.</span></span></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">Although the lockdown has ended, the government has urged the public to adopt necessary precautions while some activities will remain banned 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:Arial">Educational institutions, tuition centres, cinema halls, dance bar, saloons and beauty parlours, swimming pools and religious sites will remain closed while public gathering is also banned.</span></span></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">Meanwhile, the government has decided to allow trekking and travel agencies to operate their business keeping in mind the tourism season.</span></span></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 has also decided to resume domestic and international flights from August 17. Likewise, transport entrepreneurs will be allowed to operate long-route vehicles from the same date (August 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 odd-even number system has also been scrapped and all kinds of vehicles will be allowed to operate from Wednesday onward.</span></span></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, entry into Nepal from neighbouring countries will be prohibited until August 16 unless there is any urgency.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11954', 'image' => '20200722115413_1595368592.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 11:53:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Long-Route Vehicles to Operate from August 17 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 22: The government has decided to allow operation of long-route vehicles from August 17.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:"Devanagari Sangam MN"">July 22: </span><span style="font-family:Arial">The government has decided to allow operation of long-route vehicles from August 17.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Government spokesperson Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada made the announcement on Tuesday following a cabinet meeting on Monday. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Meanwhile, the odd-even number system on vehicles has been lifted from Tuesday. All kinds of vehicles can now operate without any hindrance.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">The cabinet meeting has also ended the two shifts of work in government offices.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Arial">Minister Khatiwada, who holds the portfolio of finance and communication ministries, informed that the government will facilitate in normalizing the situation in the coming days.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-22', 'modified' => '2020-07-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11953', 'image' => '20200722015124_20171109120628_20171108035347_busbus.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-22 13:50:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '12205', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Cargo Vehicles Stranded in Rasuwagadhi due to Rainfall ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 21: Rasuwagadhi transit point, which had reopened just two weeks ago after nearly five months of closure due to coronavirus, is facing obstruction once again.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">July 21: Rasuwagadhi transit point, which had reopened just two weeks ago after nearly five months of closure due to coronavirus, is facing obstruction 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">This time it is because of monsoon. Landslides triggered by heavy rainfall has not only stranded cargo vehicles but also delayed clearance of Nepal-bound goods.</span></span></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">Chief of Rasuwagadhi Customs Point, Punya Bikram Khadka, informed that they are facing difficulty in loading goods from the border area due to incessant rainfall since the last three days. </span></span></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 further said that they are unable to clear more than 50 percent goods that have been loaded from across the border. According to Khadka, mostly cargo vehicles carrying electronic goods and clothes have been stranded in the border area.</span></span></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">This customs point, which collects revenue of around Rs 10 million in an average day, has not been able to collect any amount in the last few days due to obstruction created by rainfall. </span></span></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">Khadka informed that there is no provision at the customs point to protect goods from rain. </span></span></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">“We are facing problems because we have to unload goods in a narrow area and the give clearance. We are making effort to sort out the problem,” 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">Customs chief Khadka said they are consulting with Chinese authorities for proper management of clearance of goods.</span></span></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 informed that more than 100 containers of goods have entered Nepal in two weeks since the border opened. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2020-07-21', 'modified' => '2020-07-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '11952', 'image' => '20200721032617_1595263977.rasuwagadhi.jpg', 'article_date' => '2020-07-21 15:25:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
