April 26: In each and every periodic plan and annual budget, the government has been setting ambitious economic growth targets but those targets have never been achieved in most of the…
April 26: In each and every periodic plan and annual budget, the government has been setting ambitious economic growth targets but those targets have never been achieved in most of the…
April 25: The government is preparing to review the legal system to address the problems seen in the cooperatives…
April 26: The state-owned Diary Development Corporation (DDC) has made payment of dues worth Rs 480 million to the…
April 25: The 17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Economic Trade Fair is going to be held in the federal capital on April…
Sabaiko Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha and Sadhana Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha have singed the final agreement for…
April 25: The ongoing tensions in the Middle East threaten to halt -- or even reverse -- some of the recent progress made in tackling global inflation, the AFP reported citing the World…
April 25: President Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the Himalayan Hydro Expo 2024 at the Exhibition Hall in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu on Thursday.…
April 25: Nepal imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million in the first nine months of the current fiscal…
April 25: The Ministry of Health and Population has urged the public to take preventive measures against the heat wave that has already started sweeping across the Tarai…
April 25: Nepal took the initiative for the export of bottled drinking water to Qatar during the recent state visit of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to…
April 25: The first meeting of the Aid Projects of China's Autonomous Region Tibet to Nepal (2024-2028) was held in Tibet's capital Lhasa on April…
April 25: The two-day state visit of Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to Nepal has encouraged tourism entrepreneurs in…
April 24: Nepal and Qatar have reached an understanding to collaborate in the fields of art and culture, education, communication, youth and sports, legal assistance, and the industry and…
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index saw a slight increase of 0.15 points, or 0.00%, closing at 1969.17 on Wednesday, the third trading day of the…
April 24: Twenty two trucks carrying tea from Nepal were allowed to enter West Bengal by the Indian Customs Office on Tuesday night after holding them at the Indian checkpoint across Mechi for six…
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The target was to achieve economic growth of 10.3 percent in basic prices in the last year of the plan ie 2080/81.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The government suffered a serious setback in achieving this ambitious goal in the first year of the plan. As the coronavirus pandemic started in the year 2076/77 when the scheme was initiated, it had a severe impact on the economy of Nepal, like the economies of the world. In that year, the economic growth rate was negative by 2.4 percent. In the following years too, there was no significant improvement in the economy. According to the National Statistics Office, economic growth was 4.5 percent, 5.3 percent, and 2.2 percent respectively in the following three years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">While reviewing the 15th Plan, the officials of the National Planning Commission said that the government could not achieve economic growth as per the target due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The 15th Plan had set a target of 10.3 percent economic growth in the current fiscal year 2080/81. However, the then Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, while presenting the budget in the House, announced that the country will achieve economic growth of around 6 percent this year. However, the country is not even likely to meet that target.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Towards the end of March, the National Statistics Office had initially estimated economic growth of only 4 percent in the second quarter of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The World Bank said some time ago that Nepal's economic growth rate will be limited to 3.3 percent this year. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Stakeholders do not see the possibility of high economic growth even in the 16th Plan period. They have said that there is no basis for achieving the proposed goals for the new plan.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Former Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat said that it will not be possible to achieve the proposed economic growth target due to the lack of political stability. Because the government is not stable, it is difficult to achieve economic growth target until stability is achieved. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">“The government cannot achieve the target of 7.3 percent economic growth as proposed in the draft of the 16th Plan. The maximum growth that it can achieve is likely 5 percent," he said at a meeting of the National Development Council on Thursday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Although the prime minister remains the same, three governments have been formed in the past one year. The private sector insists that there is no conducive environment for investment due to political instability.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">At the recent annual general meeting of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries, its President Chandra Dhakal accused the government of adopting a control-oriented policy.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He argued that Nepal's economic growth has slowed down compared to many countries in South Asia due to the lack of an environment for the private sector to work.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Former Finance Minister and UML leader Yuba Raj Khatiwada said that the government needs to the political barriers in order to achieve the goals set in the periodic plan.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He was of the view that the government must revise tax policy and economic strategy to attract foreign direct investment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha said that the draft of the 16th Plan has been prepared after reviewing the weaknesses in the 15th Plan. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">“There are structural problems. Consumption and imports have increased. Domestic employment is pathetic. Education is not linked to production. Expenditure on social security has increased. Therefore, our goals are incomplete,” he said, adding, “Now, a plan has been devised keeping the implementation-oriented goals in mind," he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Shrestha added that the e 16th Plan is estimated to cost up to Rs 9196 billion, which is expected to further increase by over 118 billion by the time of its implementation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The draft of the upcoming periodic plan aims to improve the corruption perception index from 35 in the base year 2079/80 to 43 within the 16th periodic plan period and the rule of law index from 0.52 in the base year to 0.80.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In the draft of the periodic plan submitted by the National Development Council meeting organized by the National Planning Commission on Thursday, the ratio of expenditure to total allocation should be increased from 80 percent to 90 percent, the birth registration percentage of children under 5 years should be increased to 100 percent from the current 74 percent, the rate of forced labor should be reduced to zero, and the ratio of families with high food insecurity should be reduced to 1 percent. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In the meeting of the National Development Council, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that the 16th Plan will focus on the commercialization of agriculture, the manufacturing industry, employment-oriented education, and increasing the quality of the health sector. He also directed the NPC to bring the plan by incorporating the suggestions of all stakeholders before the announcement of the policies and programs for the upcoming fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Labor Minister Dol Prasad Aryal stressed the need of safeguarding the private sector as it is linked with employment generation. If the state fails in the front, the trend of young people going overseas for employment will continue.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He also pointed out the need to put an end to unnecessary hassles for the industrialists.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20546', 'image' => '20240426010045_20220817123841_economic-growth.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 12:59:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20818', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt to Review Laws to Address the Problems of Cooperatives', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The government is preparing to review the legal system to address the problems seen in the cooperatives sector.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Govt to Review Laws to Address the Problems of Cooperatives</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">April 25: The government is preparing to review the legal system to address the problems seen in the cooperatives sector. The government has also pledged to assist in the process of addressing the concerns of the depositors of the cooperatives. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Minister for Communications and Information Technology and Government Spokesperson and Rekha Sharma shared that the cabinet meeting held on Thursday at the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers took a decision to this effect. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The number of cooperatives declared problematic by the government has reached 18. Such cooperatives have now come under the responsibility of the Problematic Cooperatives Management Committee.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The committee must be chaired by a former judge of the high court or a person working in a special category in the judicial service, and must have one representative nominated by the government, one representative from the national cooperative federation, two experts in the cooperative sector, one person who is a chartered accountant and has worked in a bank and financial institution for three years, and a member secretary appointed by the government. The committee has the right to investigate the assets and liabilities and to auction them and return the money to the depositors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A commission formed by the government to study the problematic cooperatives had suggested to solve the problems of the cooperatives by forming a management committee. According to the suggestion of the commission headed by Gauri Bahadur Karki, the government incorporated the provision for the formation of the committee in the Cooperatives Act itself.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Although the government formed the problematic cooperative management committee six years ago, it has failed to manage problematic cooperatives. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The committee has not been able to distribute the assets and liabilities even in a single case.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20545', 'image' => '20240426120933_cooerativesssss.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 12:01:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20817', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'DDC Pays Dues worth Rs 480 Million to Farmers ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 26: The state-owned Diary Development Corporation (DDC) has made payment of dues worth Rs 480 million to the farmers. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 26: The state-owned Diary Development Corporation (DDC) has made payment of dues worth Rs 480 million to the farmers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The DDC cleared the dues after generating good income post mid-April due to the increase in sale of milk products.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Acting General Manager of the DDC, Rajendra Prasad Adhikari, told RSS that it was easier to pay the dues to the farmers with an increase in the sale of milk products (milk, curd, cottage cheese, lassi and ice-cream) with the onset of the summer season. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The sale of milk products has increased by 50 per cent in summer, which has increased the cash flow and gradually eased farmers' payments and other clearance," Adhikari said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">DDC paid Rs 100 million to farmers in Biratnagar, Rs 10 million in Janakpur, Rs 80 million in Hetauda, Rs 42.5 million in Lumbini, Rs 27.5 million in Nepalgunj, Rs 15 million in Dhangadhi and Rs 130 million in Kathmandu region, the sources informed. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20544', 'image' => '20240426110942_20220211081950_20220203111904_20220121121357_20200423093954_1542865405_16685959.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 11:09:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20816', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Trade Fair on April 29 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The 17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Economic Trade Fair is going to be held in the federal capital on April 29. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The 17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Economic Trade Fair is going to be held in the federal capital on April 29. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The trade fair is held in every two years alternately in Nepal and China as per the agreement reached between the government of Nepal and the commerce department of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in 1990. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Trade and Export Promotion Center, the main objective of the fair is to further expand the bilateral economic and trade relations between Nepal and China (Tibet). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Around 125 businesspersons including a five-member high-level delegation will participate in the fair. The official delegation will be led by Vice Chair of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, Long Fukuan. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There will be 50 exhibition stalls on behalf of China (Tibet) in the fair, including herbs, agricultural products, modern agricultural tools, tea, electrical appliances, household appliances, carpets, beverages, handicrafts, incense, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, electric vehicles and beauty products. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, there will be 15 exhibition stalls on behalf of Nepal, including herbs, coffee, tea, handicrafts/carpentry, metalwork, carpet, pashmina and other products. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The fair will be open from 10 am to 6 pm and the entry is free. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20543', 'image' => '20240426104936_20240307123344_Nepal-china-trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 10:49:00', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20815', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sabaiko and Sadhana Laghubitta Sign Final Merger Agreement', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Sabaiko Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha and Sadhana Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha have singed the final agreement for merger.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">April 26: Sabaiko Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha and Sadhana Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha have singed the final agreement for merger. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The final agreement for the merger between the two companies took place on Wednesday. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The two companies are merging on an equal basis, with 1:1 swap ratio. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Annual general assemblies of the both companies had endorsed merger proposal on March 2, 2024. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20542', 'image' => '20240426055342_collage (65).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 05:52:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20814', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Mideast Tensions Threaten Global Progress on Inflation: World Bank', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The ongoing tensions in the Middle East threaten to halt -- or even reverse -- some of the recent progress made in tackling global inflation, the AFP reported citing the World Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">April 25: The ongoing tensions in the Middle East threaten to halt -- or even reverse -- some of the recent progress made in tackling global inflation, the AFP reported citing the World Bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a news report published by AFP, Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza has caused tensions to rise across the region and pushed up oil prices.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Heightened tensions in the Middle East have been exerting upward pressure on prices for key commodities, notably oil and gold," the World Bank announced in its outlook for global commodity markets.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Disinflationary tailwinds from moderating commodity prices appear essentially over," it added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A worst-case scenario shock to oil prices meanwhile could raise global inflation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Regional tensions remain high more than 200 days into Israel's devastating war in Gaza, launched after Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack which resulted in the deaths of around 1,170 people, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 34,262 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Disinflation 'hit a wall' </strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"A key force for disinflation -- falling commodity prices -- has essentially hit a wall," World Bank chief economist Indermit Gill said in a statement.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"That means interest rates could remain higher than currently expected this year and next," he continued.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The world is at a vulnerable moment: a major energy shock could undermine much of the progress in reducing inflation over the past two years," he added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The World Bank estimated that a "moderate conflict-related supply disruption" could raise the average cost of a barrel of Brent crude oil to $92 per barrel, while a "severe disruption" could push it above $100.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">That worst-case scenario would have the impact of raising global inflation by nearly one percentage point this year, the World Bank said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As well as delaying interest rate cuts, it could also cause an increase to food insecurity, which had already "worsened markedly last year reflecting armed conflicts and elevated food prices," the Bank added.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20541', 'image' => '20240425091623_20240215010906_World.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 21:13:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20813', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'President Inaugurates Himalayan Hydro Expo', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: President Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the Himalayan Hydro Expo 2024 at the Exhibition Hall in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu on Thursday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">April 25: President Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the Himalayan Hydro Expo 2024 at the Exhibition Hall in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu on Thursday. Addressing the opening ceremony of the expo, the president said that it is important to transform Nepal from an electricity importing country to an electricity exporting country. President Paudel mentioned that this is a matter of pride and happiness for everyone.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Stating that Nepal has reached an agreement to sell 10,000 megawatts of electricity to neighboring India within ten years, he expressed confidence that more investment will be made in this sector. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">He said that it is possible to achieve the goals set for power generation through the facilitation and coordination of the government and the involvement of the private sector. The president further said that the expo will help to bring together all parties involved in energy development. The president urged all domestic and foreign investors to work together in green energy development.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, said that the huge potential of hydropower development is an important basis for Nepal's progress. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"The government has brought an action plan to generate 28,700 megawatts of electricity within the next 12 years. Although it looks ambitious, it has been done based on reality and needs," he said. He added that there is a need to bring foreign investment in this sector. He mentioned that the electricity bill, which is now registered in the parliament, will be passed and implemented soon.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Minister Basnet expressed confidence that the new Electricity Act will facilitate the development of hydropower projects and the investment will increase further. He said that the government will continue to facilitate land acquisition, clearing forest and other procedural matters for the projects. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Ganesh Karki, president of the Independent Power Producers Association, Nepal (IPPAN), said that the private sector has invested Rs 13 billion in hydropower projects.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"It is playing an important role in economic growth and job creation and more than 500,000 skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled citizens are getting jobs," he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">He said that Nepal has succeeded in earning foreign currency through electricity export in recent times and expressed his belief that the income from electricity exports will increase further in the coming days. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">In order to increase foreign investment, he urged the government to make policy reforms and ease procedural hurdles. Development of hydropower projects has provided significant support for local development, he shared. Karki added that the promoters of hydropower projects have contributed to the construction of infrastructure such as local roads, drinking water facilities, health posts, playgrounds, etc.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Canada's ambassador to Nepal, Cameron McKee, through a video message, mentioned that the development of hydropower is important for Nepal's prosperity. He said, "We believe that Canada's extensive knowledge and experience will be useful for developing hydropower projects in Nepal." He said that emphasis should be placed on the use of updated technology for the development of renewable energy. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">The expo, which started with the slogan Green Energy for Prosperity, will conclude on Friday.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20540', 'image' => '20240425031055_38db00c3.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 15:10:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20812', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Imports Toothpicks worth Rs 19 Million in Nine Months', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: Nepal imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">April 25: Nepal imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to government data, the country imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million from mid-July to mid-March of the current fiscal year. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, the country imported 60,427 kg of toothpicks during the review period.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">During the corresponding period of last fiscal year, Nepal imported 27,996 kg of toothpicks worth Rs 9 million. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Compared to the same period of last year, the import of toothpicks has increased by 111 percent in terms of value and 115 percent in terms of volume this year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">In the same period last year, the government collected revenue of Rs 3.5 million from the import of toothpicks and this year it has collected Rs 7.7 million.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Nepal has been importing toothpicks from China and India. In the review period, Nepal has imported 60,376 kilograms of toothpicks worth Rs 19,660,000 from China. Similarly, it has imported 51 kg of toothpicks worth Rs 9,000 from India.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20539', 'image' => '20240425024745_71uygnl-C+L.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 14:46:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20811', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Health Ministry Urges Public to Take Precaution against Heat Wave ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The Ministry of Health and Population has urged the public to take preventive measures against the heat wave that has already started sweeping across the Tarai region. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The Ministry of Health and Population has urged the public to take preventive measures against the heat wave that has already started sweeping across the Tarai region. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The effects of the heat wave include rapid heartbeat, breathing complications, low blood pressure, sweating, severe headache, dizziness, sickness, and so on. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to physician Dr Bimal Chalise, the chief consultant at Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, the Tarai settlements are prone to the effects of heat wave with the soaring temperatures. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The heat wave may affect the brain, the doctor said, urging the public to avoid exposure to sunshine during daytime as much as possible. Dr Chalise said that heat wave may cause dehydration, affecting the kidneys and heart. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Preventive measures: </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The doctor suggests intake of plenty of drinking water, having a cold shower, using an umbrella and covering of head with a thin cloth while going outside, wearing cotton clothes, choosing morning or evening hours to undertake work outside the home, intake of lemon and water, coconut water and fresh juice, intake of fruits and cucumber. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">If possible, one should not venture outside the home during the day time, should not spend much time in the kitchen, must stay away from smoking and drinking beverages, tea, coffee, and soda-mixed water. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20538', 'image' => '20240425011418_20240423103916_Document.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 13:13:40', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20810', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Proposes Exporting Bottled Water to Qatar', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: Nepal took the initiative for the export of bottled drinking water to Qatar during the recent state visit of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">April 25: Nepal took the initiative for the export of bottled drinking water to Qatar during the recent state visit of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">At a time when Qatar and other Gulf countries are facing severe shortage of drinking water, Nepal, which is rich in water resources, is looking for the possibility of exporting water to the oil-rich nation. The Trade and Export Promotion Center’s data shows that Nepal has exporting bottled water in some quantity to India and Japan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s International Affairs Adviser, Rupak Sapkota, informed New Business Age that a formal discussion was held with the Qatari Emir for the first time from the prime minister's level.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif""> "During the bilateral talks, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal himself asked to open the door to export water to Qatar as there is sufficient source of pure drinking water in Nepal," Sapkota told New Business Age, adding, "There is a great potential to export water from Nepal. The government received a 'green signal' for exporting water from Nepal to Qatar.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">A senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed that there was a positive discussion on the agenda for the export of drinking water. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"Even though there was no concrete agreement for water export, the two sides reached an understanding to continue efforts to reach an agreement to export water. We hope that we will finalize this matter soon," said Amrit Bahadur Rai, joint secretary and spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">According to the World Research Institute, Bahrain, Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and Qatar are the most water-scarce countries in the world. According to the recently published report of the institute, the demand for water for domestic use, agriculture and industrial sectors is increasing but the supply is low and there is a shortage in those countries. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">According to the institute, 83 percent of the population in the Middle East and North Africa does not have enough water, while 74 percent of the population in South Asia is suffering from water problems.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">A report published by the Time magazine in January also mentions there is a water scarcity in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In particular, Saudi Arabia is now the world's third largest per capita water consumer after the United States and Canada.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">According to a study conducted by the Policy Research Council in 2019, countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Qatar, spent USD 172.3 million to import bottled drinking water in 2018.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">The study also mentions that the market for such water is flourishing. Altogether 19 billion liters of bottled water were sold in these countries in 2018 and its demand is estimated to reach 25.4 billion liters by 2024. Stakeholders say that there is an opportunity for Nepal to export water from the mountains as the shortage of drinking water in the Gulf nation increases.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Mukti Shree Pvt Ltd is exporting water from Nepal to foreign countries. The director of the company, Arunraj Sumargi, told New Business Age that the company is exporting more than 120,000 bottles of water daily to countries such as the USA, Japan, and Korea. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"We have started preparations for water export targeting Middle East countries by adding plants. We are preparing to increase the production in a few days," he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">The Sumargi family is considered close to Prime Minister Dahal. He said that the government's discussion with Qatar for the export of water was positive. According to him, there are some challenges in export. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"It is very difficult to maintain international standards for production and export of water," he said, adding that Nepal exported water to two countries – India and Japan – in the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">As of mid-March this year, the country exported bottled water worth Rs 1.5 million to India and Rs 2 million to Japan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">In the year 2078/79, Nepal exported 18,403 liters of water to Qatar and earned Rs 2.5 million. In the following years, Nepal did not export any water to Qatar. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Besides the issue of water export, Nepal raised the concerns about the safety of its migrant workers and labor contract renewal during the visit of the Qatari Emir, but there was no significant achievement. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Rai, the joint secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, "Despite intensive discussions on labor issue, we could not reach any agreement. However, the two countries have decided to continue the talks. The initiative will continue through the embassy.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Although the two countries had signed a labor agreement in 2005, it has not been revised. Nepal has been put forth conditions such as wage hike, full-time insurance, and increase in quota of workers. However, these issues have yet to be resolved by the bilateral negotiation team.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">A statement issued by the Prime Minister's Secretariat after a bilateral talks on Wednesday mentions that the Qatari side wants to work together with Nepal to increase the number of workers and is willing to cooperate on the matter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Similarly, during the visit of the Emir of Qatar to Nepal, the government raised the issue of expanding the air service between the two countries. Sapkota informed Nepal and Qatar agreed to form a team and discuss the cooperation of air connectivity, especially since the Prime Minister himself proposed to expand the flights of Qatar Airways to Pokhara and Bhairahawa. Government officials say that Prime Minister Dahal and the Emir of Qatar discussed investment in Nepal in sectors such as labor, infrastructure, energy, education and transportation, along with water.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20537', 'image' => '20240425123110_AP24115270598867.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 12:30:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20809', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'First Meeting of Nepal-China Aid Projects Concludes ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The first meeting of the Aid Projects of China's Autonomous Region Tibet to Nepal (2024-2028) was held in Tibet's capital Lhasa on April 23-24. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The first meeting of the Aid Projects of China's Autonomous Region Tibet to Nepal (2024-2028) was held in Tibet's capital Lhasa on April 23-24. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Discussions during the meeting which concluded on Wednesday focused on aid projects to be implemented in Nepal, the Lhasa-based Consulate of Nepal said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, the two sides discussed on the coordination mechanism including work schedule, selection modality of the projects, and the ways to implement and monitor the aid projects funded by Tibet to Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the meeting, both sides agreed to hold the meeting of aid projects twice in the first half of the year, so as to focus on the projects arrangements and twice in the second half of the year for the implementation and review of the implemented projects. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Furthermore, the two sides underlined the need to enhance the level of support for improving the livelihood of people residing in bordering districts in the Northern Himalayan region of Nepal through the aid projects. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The first meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration of Nepal Kamal Prasad Bhattarai and Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Tibet Baiman Yangzong. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Joint Secretary Bhattarai and the head of the Nepali delegation also paid a courtesy call on Executive Vice-Chairman of the People’s Government of Tibet Chen Yongqi. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the meeting, the two exchanged views on matters of mutual interests; including the promotion of socio-economic linkages for further strengthening Nepal-China relations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The second meeting of the Aid Projects to Nepal will take place next month. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20536', 'image' => '20240425113714_f399288e-city-20379-16751221faf.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 11:36:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20808', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Entrepreneurs Buoyed by Qatar Amir's Visit', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The two-day state visit of Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to Nepal has encouraged tourism entrepreneurs in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The two-day state visit of Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to Nepal has encouraged tourism entrepreneurs in Nepal. The stakeholders said that the visit spread a positive message in the tourism sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The two-day state visit of the Qatar Amir is the most high-profile visit from Gulf countries, which would undoubtedly help prop Nepali tourism, the stakeholders added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Former chair of Nepal Mountaineering Association, Ang Chhiring Sherpa, shared, "Qatar Amir's visit to Nepal would help increase Qatar tourists to Nepal." The senior tourism entrepreneur further hoped high-end tourists from middle east- Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait could come to Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The royal family members from Qatar come to Nepal for trekking and mountaineering. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdullha Al Thani is the first person to scale world's highest peak, Sagarmatha from Qatar. He was atop the Sagarmatha on May 22, 2013, while he climbed Mt Amadablam successfully on November 11, 2020. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, the royal member of Qatar, Sheikh Asma Al Thani had climbed the Annapurna-I peak. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Qatari royals are fond of mountain climbing and trekking. The people from Qatar enjoy luxury hotel stay. Nepal is also expanding the number of deluxe hotels of late. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chair of Hotel Association of Nepal, Binayak Shah, also shares similar observation on Qatari tourists. The royal family members of the Gulf countries, including from Qatar, prefer to stay in deluxe hotels like Sintamani of Mustang and Soaltee West End Resort of Chitwan and others. Qatar Amir's visit to Nepal has given a positive message to Nepal’s tourism sector,” he argued. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Qatar is an emerging country in the globe. The visit of such distinguished guest promotes Nepal's tourism across the globe," he viewed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, noted tourism entrepreneur Yogendra Shakya hoped that the arrival of foreign tourists would grow in Nepal in the wake Amir Thani's visit. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 255 people from Qatar had visited Nepal in 2023. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Importantly, Qatar Airways is known as one of the best airlines in the world. It provides air service to over 150 countries through a fleet of over 200 aircraft. Currently, Qatar Airways conducts four flights a day to Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In two years since 2021, Qatar Airways has brought more than 733,000 people to Nepal while ferried over 823,000 people from Nepal to different countries across the globe. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Following the visit of Qatar’s Amir, authorities in Nepal are expecting the launch of air service to Doha, Qatar from Bhairahawa and Pokhara international airports. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal reportedly requested the Qatari Amir to consider air service to the two new international airports in Nepal. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20535', 'image' => '20240425102229_KRB_KTM-image_123650291(9).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 10:21:35', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20807', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal and Qatar Agree on Collaboration in Eight Sectors ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 24: Nepal and Qatar have reached an understanding to collaborate in the fields of art and culture, education, communication, youth and sports, legal assistance, and the industry and commerce. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 24: Nepal and Qatar have reached an understanding to collaborate in the fields of art and culture, education, communication, youth and sports, legal assistance, and the industry and commerce. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The two countries signed agreements and MoUs to this effect on the occasion of the state visit of Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, said Amrit Bahadur Rai, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on collaboration in the area of art and culture, exchange of news between the official news agencies of Nepal and Qatar, and exchange of cooperation in the education sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The agreements and MoUs were signed in the presence of the Qatari Amir and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal following bilateral talks between them at the Soaltee Hotel on Wednesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoUs signed include: the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in the Fields of Culture and Arts between the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal and the Ministry of Culture of the State of Qatar; the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in the Field of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research between the Government of Nepal and the Government of the State of Qatar; the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Youth and Sports between the Government of Nepal and the Government of the State of Qatar; the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation between the Office of the Attorney General of Nepal and the Public Prosecution of the State of Qatar and the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Diplomatic Training and Education between The Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA) of the Government of Nepal and the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Padam Giri and Qatar's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sultan Bin Saad Al Muraikhi signed on the MoUs at the government level on behalf of Nepal and Qatar, respectively. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, a MoU related to exchange of investment has been signed between the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Qatar Chamber of Commerce. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">FNCCI President Chandra Prasad Dhakal and Shekh Khalif Bin Jasim Al Thani signed the MoU on behalf of FNCCI and Qatar Chamber of Commerce respectively. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-24', 'modified' => '2024-04-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20534', 'image' => '20240424061926_PRO_KTM-6F8A0555.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-24 18:18:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20806', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Records Minimal Gain of 0.15 Points to Close at 1969.17', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index saw a slight increase of 0.15 points, or 0.00%, closing at 1969.17 on Wednesday, the third trading day of the week.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">April 24: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index saw a slight increase of 0.15 points, or 0.00%, closing at 1969.17 on Wednesday, the third trading day of the week.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During today's trading session, 313 scrips were traded on the NEPSE through 36,483 transactions, with a total of 7,284,272 shares changing hands, resulting in transactions worth Rs 2.53 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nepal Reinsurance Company Limited Promoter Share (NRICP) led the turnover amount with transactions worth Rs 63 crores. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pokhara Finance Limited (PFL) witnessed the highest gain of 10%, closing at a market price of Rs 565 per share. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Conversely, Mai Khola Hydropower Limited (MKHL) incurred the maximum loss at 7.84%, settling at a market price of Rs 470 per share.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of sector indices, ten sectors closed in the red territory, while the remaining sectors closed in the green zone. The Finance Index saw the highest gain of 2.44%. Conversely, the Hotels and Tourism Index experienced the highest loss at 0.44%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-24', 'modified' => '2024-04-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20533', 'image' => '20240424034310_collage.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-24 15:41:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20805', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Customs Releases 22 Trucks Carrying Tea from Nepal after Six Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 24: Twenty two trucks carrying tea from Nepal were allowed to enter West Bengal by the Indian Customs Office on Tuesday night after holding them at the Indian checkpoint across Mechi for six days.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">April 24: Twenty two trucks carrying tea from Nepal were allowed to enter West Bengal by the Indian Customs Office on Tuesday night after holding them at the Indian checkpoint across Mechi for six days.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">These trucks were carrying 2,200 tons of tea produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Indian Customs Office, Panitanki, stopped the Nepali trucks at the checkpoint last Thursday demanding 100 per cent lab test certificate along with quality assurance papers. The trucks were stopped at Panitanki for almost a week.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Before this, only 5 to 25 per cent of tea samples used to be tested and released. However, the Panitanki Customs last week refused customs clearance of the tea saying that new provisions were implemented.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A delegation led by Aditya Parajuli, president of the Nepal Tea Producers Association, met Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and asked him to take the initiative to resolve the problem in tea export and also urged for a long-term solution. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Due to the joint initiative of the prime minister, the Department of Customs as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indian Customs Office called the customs agents at 9:30 PM on Tuesday night and released the truck carrying tea.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ram Prasad Regmi, head of the Mechi customs office, also confirmed that 22 vehicles carrying tea were released from Panitanki Customs. He said, "When I informally met with Panitanki customs, thet informed that Nepali tea was released on the basis of verbal order from above."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tea is the second most exported item from Nepal. The export of tea from Nepal, however, has decreased in the ninth months of the current fiscal year. The monetary value of ready-made tea exported from Nepal amounted to Rs 3 billion. Traders informed that the market of Nepali tea is decreasing due to the Indian blockade, the price of tea falling in the market and the lack of auctions. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Nepal exported 9.83 million kilograms of tea worth Rs 2.66 billion in the 9 months of the current year. Looking at the data, compared to last year, tea exports decreased by 3.5 million kg amounting to Rs 476.76 million.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-24', 'modified' => '2024-04-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20532', 'image' => '20240424021223_Tea.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-24 14:11:46', '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' => '20819', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt to Lower Economic Growth Target in 16th Plan', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 26: In each and every periodic plan and annual budget, the government has been setting ambitious economic growth targets but those targets have never been achieved in most of the years.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">April 26: In each and every periodic plan and annual budget, the government has been setting ambitious economic growth targets but those targets have never been achieved in most of the years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The final draft of the 16th Plan prepared by the National Planning Commission has set an economic growth target of 7.3 percent for the fiscal year (FY) 2085/86, which is lower than the average target of the current 15th Plan but higher than the forecast made by the World Bank for the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">During the 15th Plan (2076/77-2080/81), the government had set a target of achieving average economic growth of 9.6 percent. The target was to achieve economic growth of 10.3 percent in basic prices in the last year of the plan ie 2080/81.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The government suffered a serious setback in achieving this ambitious goal in the first year of the plan. As the coronavirus pandemic started in the year 2076/77 when the scheme was initiated, it had a severe impact on the economy of Nepal, like the economies of the world. In that year, the economic growth rate was negative by 2.4 percent. In the following years too, there was no significant improvement in the economy. According to the National Statistics Office, economic growth was 4.5 percent, 5.3 percent, and 2.2 percent respectively in the following three years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">While reviewing the 15th Plan, the officials of the National Planning Commission said that the government could not achieve economic growth as per the target due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The 15th Plan had set a target of 10.3 percent economic growth in the current fiscal year 2080/81. However, the then Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, while presenting the budget in the House, announced that the country will achieve economic growth of around 6 percent this year. However, the country is not even likely to meet that target.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Towards the end of March, the National Statistics Office had initially estimated economic growth of only 4 percent in the second quarter of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The World Bank said some time ago that Nepal's economic growth rate will be limited to 3.3 percent this year. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Stakeholders do not see the possibility of high economic growth even in the 16th Plan period. They have said that there is no basis for achieving the proposed goals for the new plan.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Former Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat said that it will not be possible to achieve the proposed economic growth target due to the lack of political stability. Because the government is not stable, it is difficult to achieve economic growth target until stability is achieved. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">“The government cannot achieve the target of 7.3 percent economic growth as proposed in the draft of the 16th Plan. The maximum growth that it can achieve is likely 5 percent," he said at a meeting of the National Development Council on Thursday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Although the prime minister remains the same, three governments have been formed in the past one year. The private sector insists that there is no conducive environment for investment due to political instability.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">At the recent annual general meeting of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries, its President Chandra Dhakal accused the government of adopting a control-oriented policy.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He argued that Nepal's economic growth has slowed down compared to many countries in South Asia due to the lack of an environment for the private sector to work.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Former Finance Minister and UML leader Yuba Raj Khatiwada said that the government needs to the political barriers in order to achieve the goals set in the periodic plan.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He was of the view that the government must revise tax policy and economic strategy to attract foreign direct investment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha said that the draft of the 16th Plan has been prepared after reviewing the weaknesses in the 15th Plan. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">“There are structural problems. Consumption and imports have increased. Domestic employment is pathetic. Education is not linked to production. Expenditure on social security has increased. Therefore, our goals are incomplete,” he said, adding, “Now, a plan has been devised keeping the implementation-oriented goals in mind," he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Shrestha added that the e 16th Plan is estimated to cost up to Rs 9196 billion, which is expected to further increase by over 118 billion by the time of its implementation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The draft of the upcoming periodic plan aims to improve the corruption perception index from 35 in the base year 2079/80 to 43 within the 16th periodic plan period and the rule of law index from 0.52 in the base year to 0.80.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In the draft of the periodic plan submitted by the National Development Council meeting organized by the National Planning Commission on Thursday, the ratio of expenditure to total allocation should be increased from 80 percent to 90 percent, the birth registration percentage of children under 5 years should be increased to 100 percent from the current 74 percent, the rate of forced labor should be reduced to zero, and the ratio of families with high food insecurity should be reduced to 1 percent. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In the meeting of the National Development Council, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that the 16th Plan will focus on the commercialization of agriculture, the manufacturing industry, employment-oriented education, and increasing the quality of the health sector. He also directed the NPC to bring the plan by incorporating the suggestions of all stakeholders before the announcement of the policies and programs for the upcoming fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Labor Minister Dol Prasad Aryal stressed the need of safeguarding the private sector as it is linked with employment generation. If the state fails in the front, the trend of young people going overseas for employment will continue.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He also pointed out the need to put an end to unnecessary hassles for the industrialists.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20546', 'image' => '20240426010045_20220817123841_economic-growth.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 12:59:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20818', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt to Review Laws to Address the Problems of Cooperatives', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The government is preparing to review the legal system to address the problems seen in the cooperatives sector.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Govt to Review Laws to Address the Problems of Cooperatives</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">April 25: The government is preparing to review the legal system to address the problems seen in the cooperatives sector. The government has also pledged to assist in the process of addressing the concerns of the depositors of the cooperatives. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Minister for Communications and Information Technology and Government Spokesperson and Rekha Sharma shared that the cabinet meeting held on Thursday at the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers took a decision to this effect. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The number of cooperatives declared problematic by the government has reached 18. Such cooperatives have now come under the responsibility of the Problematic Cooperatives Management Committee.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The committee must be chaired by a former judge of the high court or a person working in a special category in the judicial service, and must have one representative nominated by the government, one representative from the national cooperative federation, two experts in the cooperative sector, one person who is a chartered accountant and has worked in a bank and financial institution for three years, and a member secretary appointed by the government. The committee has the right to investigate the assets and liabilities and to auction them and return the money to the depositors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A commission formed by the government to study the problematic cooperatives had suggested to solve the problems of the cooperatives by forming a management committee. According to the suggestion of the commission headed by Gauri Bahadur Karki, the government incorporated the provision for the formation of the committee in the Cooperatives Act itself.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Although the government formed the problematic cooperative management committee six years ago, it has failed to manage problematic cooperatives. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The committee has not been able to distribute the assets and liabilities even in a single case.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20545', 'image' => '20240426120933_cooerativesssss.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 12:01:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20817', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'DDC Pays Dues worth Rs 480 Million to Farmers ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 26: The state-owned Diary Development Corporation (DDC) has made payment of dues worth Rs 480 million to the farmers. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 26: The state-owned Diary Development Corporation (DDC) has made payment of dues worth Rs 480 million to the farmers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The DDC cleared the dues after generating good income post mid-April due to the increase in sale of milk products.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Acting General Manager of the DDC, Rajendra Prasad Adhikari, told RSS that it was easier to pay the dues to the farmers with an increase in the sale of milk products (milk, curd, cottage cheese, lassi and ice-cream) with the onset of the summer season. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The sale of milk products has increased by 50 per cent in summer, which has increased the cash flow and gradually eased farmers' payments and other clearance," Adhikari said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">DDC paid Rs 100 million to farmers in Biratnagar, Rs 10 million in Janakpur, Rs 80 million in Hetauda, Rs 42.5 million in Lumbini, Rs 27.5 million in Nepalgunj, Rs 15 million in Dhangadhi and Rs 130 million in Kathmandu region, the sources informed. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20544', 'image' => '20240426110942_20220211081950_20220203111904_20220121121357_20200423093954_1542865405_16685959.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 11:09:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20816', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Trade Fair on April 29 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The 17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Economic Trade Fair is going to be held in the federal capital on April 29. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The 17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Economic Trade Fair is going to be held in the federal capital on April 29. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The trade fair is held in every two years alternately in Nepal and China as per the agreement reached between the government of Nepal and the commerce department of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in 1990. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Trade and Export Promotion Center, the main objective of the fair is to further expand the bilateral economic and trade relations between Nepal and China (Tibet). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Around 125 businesspersons including a five-member high-level delegation will participate in the fair. The official delegation will be led by Vice Chair of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, Long Fukuan. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There will be 50 exhibition stalls on behalf of China (Tibet) in the fair, including herbs, agricultural products, modern agricultural tools, tea, electrical appliances, household appliances, carpets, beverages, handicrafts, incense, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, electric vehicles and beauty products. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, there will be 15 exhibition stalls on behalf of Nepal, including herbs, coffee, tea, handicrafts/carpentry, metalwork, carpet, pashmina and other products. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The fair will be open from 10 am to 6 pm and the entry is free. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20543', 'image' => '20240426104936_20240307123344_Nepal-china-trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 10:49:00', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20815', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sabaiko and Sadhana Laghubitta Sign Final Merger Agreement', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Sabaiko Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha and Sadhana Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha have singed the final agreement for merger.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">April 26: Sabaiko Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha and Sadhana Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha have singed the final agreement for merger. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The final agreement for the merger between the two companies took place on Wednesday. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The two companies are merging on an equal basis, with 1:1 swap ratio. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Annual general assemblies of the both companies had endorsed merger proposal on March 2, 2024. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20542', 'image' => '20240426055342_collage (65).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 05:52:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20814', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Mideast Tensions Threaten Global Progress on Inflation: World Bank', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The ongoing tensions in the Middle East threaten to halt -- or even reverse -- some of the recent progress made in tackling global inflation, the AFP reported citing the World Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">April 25: The ongoing tensions in the Middle East threaten to halt -- or even reverse -- some of the recent progress made in tackling global inflation, the AFP reported citing the World Bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a news report published by AFP, Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza has caused tensions to rise across the region and pushed up oil prices.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Heightened tensions in the Middle East have been exerting upward pressure on prices for key commodities, notably oil and gold," the World Bank announced in its outlook for global commodity markets.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Disinflationary tailwinds from moderating commodity prices appear essentially over," it added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A worst-case scenario shock to oil prices meanwhile could raise global inflation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Regional tensions remain high more than 200 days into Israel's devastating war in Gaza, launched after Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack which resulted in the deaths of around 1,170 people, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 34,262 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Disinflation 'hit a wall' </strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"A key force for disinflation -- falling commodity prices -- has essentially hit a wall," World Bank chief economist Indermit Gill said in a statement.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"That means interest rates could remain higher than currently expected this year and next," he continued.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The world is at a vulnerable moment: a major energy shock could undermine much of the progress in reducing inflation over the past two years," he added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The World Bank estimated that a "moderate conflict-related supply disruption" could raise the average cost of a barrel of Brent crude oil to $92 per barrel, while a "severe disruption" could push it above $100.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">That worst-case scenario would have the impact of raising global inflation by nearly one percentage point this year, the World Bank said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As well as delaying interest rate cuts, it could also cause an increase to food insecurity, which had already "worsened markedly last year reflecting armed conflicts and elevated food prices," the Bank added.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20541', 'image' => '20240425091623_20240215010906_World.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 21:13:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20813', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'President Inaugurates Himalayan Hydro Expo', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: President Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the Himalayan Hydro Expo 2024 at the Exhibition Hall in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu on Thursday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">April 25: President Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the Himalayan Hydro Expo 2024 at the Exhibition Hall in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu on Thursday. Addressing the opening ceremony of the expo, the president said that it is important to transform Nepal from an electricity importing country to an electricity exporting country. President Paudel mentioned that this is a matter of pride and happiness for everyone.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Stating that Nepal has reached an agreement to sell 10,000 megawatts of electricity to neighboring India within ten years, he expressed confidence that more investment will be made in this sector. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">He said that it is possible to achieve the goals set for power generation through the facilitation and coordination of the government and the involvement of the private sector. The president further said that the expo will help to bring together all parties involved in energy development. The president urged all domestic and foreign investors to work together in green energy development.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, said that the huge potential of hydropower development is an important basis for Nepal's progress. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"The government has brought an action plan to generate 28,700 megawatts of electricity within the next 12 years. Although it looks ambitious, it has been done based on reality and needs," he said. He added that there is a need to bring foreign investment in this sector. He mentioned that the electricity bill, which is now registered in the parliament, will be passed and implemented soon.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Minister Basnet expressed confidence that the new Electricity Act will facilitate the development of hydropower projects and the investment will increase further. He said that the government will continue to facilitate land acquisition, clearing forest and other procedural matters for the projects. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Ganesh Karki, president of the Independent Power Producers Association, Nepal (IPPAN), said that the private sector has invested Rs 13 billion in hydropower projects.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"It is playing an important role in economic growth and job creation and more than 500,000 skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled citizens are getting jobs," he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">He said that Nepal has succeeded in earning foreign currency through electricity export in recent times and expressed his belief that the income from electricity exports will increase further in the coming days. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">In order to increase foreign investment, he urged the government to make policy reforms and ease procedural hurdles. Development of hydropower projects has provided significant support for local development, he shared. Karki added that the promoters of hydropower projects have contributed to the construction of infrastructure such as local roads, drinking water facilities, health posts, playgrounds, etc.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Canada's ambassador to Nepal, Cameron McKee, through a video message, mentioned that the development of hydropower is important for Nepal's prosperity. He said, "We believe that Canada's extensive knowledge and experience will be useful for developing hydropower projects in Nepal." He said that emphasis should be placed on the use of updated technology for the development of renewable energy. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">The expo, which started with the slogan Green Energy for Prosperity, will conclude on Friday.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20540', 'image' => '20240425031055_38db00c3.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 15:10:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20812', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Imports Toothpicks worth Rs 19 Million in Nine Months', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: Nepal imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">April 25: Nepal imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to government data, the country imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million from mid-July to mid-March of the current fiscal year. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, the country imported 60,427 kg of toothpicks during the review period.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">During the corresponding period of last fiscal year, Nepal imported 27,996 kg of toothpicks worth Rs 9 million. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Compared to the same period of last year, the import of toothpicks has increased by 111 percent in terms of value and 115 percent in terms of volume this year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">In the same period last year, the government collected revenue of Rs 3.5 million from the import of toothpicks and this year it has collected Rs 7.7 million.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Nepal has been importing toothpicks from China and India. In the review period, Nepal has imported 60,376 kilograms of toothpicks worth Rs 19,660,000 from China. Similarly, it has imported 51 kg of toothpicks worth Rs 9,000 from India.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20539', 'image' => '20240425024745_71uygnl-C+L.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 14:46:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20811', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Health Ministry Urges Public to Take Precaution against Heat Wave ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The Ministry of Health and Population has urged the public to take preventive measures against the heat wave that has already started sweeping across the Tarai region. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The Ministry of Health and Population has urged the public to take preventive measures against the heat wave that has already started sweeping across the Tarai region. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The effects of the heat wave include rapid heartbeat, breathing complications, low blood pressure, sweating, severe headache, dizziness, sickness, and so on. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to physician Dr Bimal Chalise, the chief consultant at Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, the Tarai settlements are prone to the effects of heat wave with the soaring temperatures. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The heat wave may affect the brain, the doctor said, urging the public to avoid exposure to sunshine during daytime as much as possible. Dr Chalise said that heat wave may cause dehydration, affecting the kidneys and heart. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Preventive measures: </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The doctor suggests intake of plenty of drinking water, having a cold shower, using an umbrella and covering of head with a thin cloth while going outside, wearing cotton clothes, choosing morning or evening hours to undertake work outside the home, intake of lemon and water, coconut water and fresh juice, intake of fruits and cucumber. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">If possible, one should not venture outside the home during the day time, should not spend much time in the kitchen, must stay away from smoking and drinking beverages, tea, coffee, and soda-mixed water. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20538', 'image' => '20240425011418_20240423103916_Document.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 13:13:40', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20810', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Proposes Exporting Bottled Water to Qatar', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: Nepal took the initiative for the export of bottled drinking water to Qatar during the recent state visit of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">April 25: Nepal took the initiative for the export of bottled drinking water to Qatar during the recent state visit of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">At a time when Qatar and other Gulf countries are facing severe shortage of drinking water, Nepal, which is rich in water resources, is looking for the possibility of exporting water to the oil-rich nation. The Trade and Export Promotion Center’s data shows that Nepal has exporting bottled water in some quantity to India and Japan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s International Affairs Adviser, Rupak Sapkota, informed New Business Age that a formal discussion was held with the Qatari Emir for the first time from the prime minister's level.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif""> "During the bilateral talks, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal himself asked to open the door to export water to Qatar as there is sufficient source of pure drinking water in Nepal," Sapkota told New Business Age, adding, "There is a great potential to export water from Nepal. The government received a 'green signal' for exporting water from Nepal to Qatar.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">A senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed that there was a positive discussion on the agenda for the export of drinking water. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"Even though there was no concrete agreement for water export, the two sides reached an understanding to continue efforts to reach an agreement to export water. We hope that we will finalize this matter soon," said Amrit Bahadur Rai, joint secretary and spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">According to the World Research Institute, Bahrain, Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and Qatar are the most water-scarce countries in the world. According to the recently published report of the institute, the demand for water for domestic use, agriculture and industrial sectors is increasing but the supply is low and there is a shortage in those countries. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">According to the institute, 83 percent of the population in the Middle East and North Africa does not have enough water, while 74 percent of the population in South Asia is suffering from water problems.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">A report published by the Time magazine in January also mentions there is a water scarcity in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In particular, Saudi Arabia is now the world's third largest per capita water consumer after the United States and Canada.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">According to a study conducted by the Policy Research Council in 2019, countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Qatar, spent USD 172.3 million to import bottled drinking water in 2018.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">The study also mentions that the market for such water is flourishing. Altogether 19 billion liters of bottled water were sold in these countries in 2018 and its demand is estimated to reach 25.4 billion liters by 2024. Stakeholders say that there is an opportunity for Nepal to export water from the mountains as the shortage of drinking water in the Gulf nation increases.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Mukti Shree Pvt Ltd is exporting water from Nepal to foreign countries. The director of the company, Arunraj Sumargi, told New Business Age that the company is exporting more than 120,000 bottles of water daily to countries such as the USA, Japan, and Korea. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"We have started preparations for water export targeting Middle East countries by adding plants. We are preparing to increase the production in a few days," he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">The Sumargi family is considered close to Prime Minister Dahal. He said that the government's discussion with Qatar for the export of water was positive. According to him, there are some challenges in export. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"It is very difficult to maintain international standards for production and export of water," he said, adding that Nepal exported water to two countries – India and Japan – in the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">As of mid-March this year, the country exported bottled water worth Rs 1.5 million to India and Rs 2 million to Japan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">In the year 2078/79, Nepal exported 18,403 liters of water to Qatar and earned Rs 2.5 million. In the following years, Nepal did not export any water to Qatar. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Besides the issue of water export, Nepal raised the concerns about the safety of its migrant workers and labor contract renewal during the visit of the Qatari Emir, but there was no significant achievement. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Rai, the joint secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, "Despite intensive discussions on labor issue, we could not reach any agreement. However, the two countries have decided to continue the talks. The initiative will continue through the embassy.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Although the two countries had signed a labor agreement in 2005, it has not been revised. Nepal has been put forth conditions such as wage hike, full-time insurance, and increase in quota of workers. However, these issues have yet to be resolved by the bilateral negotiation team.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">A statement issued by the Prime Minister's Secretariat after a bilateral talks on Wednesday mentions that the Qatari side wants to work together with Nepal to increase the number of workers and is willing to cooperate on the matter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Similarly, during the visit of the Emir of Qatar to Nepal, the government raised the issue of expanding the air service between the two countries. Sapkota informed Nepal and Qatar agreed to form a team and discuss the cooperation of air connectivity, especially since the Prime Minister himself proposed to expand the flights of Qatar Airways to Pokhara and Bhairahawa. Government officials say that Prime Minister Dahal and the Emir of Qatar discussed investment in Nepal in sectors such as labor, infrastructure, energy, education and transportation, along with water.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20537', 'image' => '20240425123110_AP24115270598867.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 12:30:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20809', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'First Meeting of Nepal-China Aid Projects Concludes ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The first meeting of the Aid Projects of China's Autonomous Region Tibet to Nepal (2024-2028) was held in Tibet's capital Lhasa on April 23-24. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The first meeting of the Aid Projects of China's Autonomous Region Tibet to Nepal (2024-2028) was held in Tibet's capital Lhasa on April 23-24. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Discussions during the meeting which concluded on Wednesday focused on aid projects to be implemented in Nepal, the Lhasa-based Consulate of Nepal said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, the two sides discussed on the coordination mechanism including work schedule, selection modality of the projects, and the ways to implement and monitor the aid projects funded by Tibet to Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the meeting, both sides agreed to hold the meeting of aid projects twice in the first half of the year, so as to focus on the projects arrangements and twice in the second half of the year for the implementation and review of the implemented projects. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Furthermore, the two sides underlined the need to enhance the level of support for improving the livelihood of people residing in bordering districts in the Northern Himalayan region of Nepal through the aid projects. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The first meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration of Nepal Kamal Prasad Bhattarai and Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Tibet Baiman Yangzong. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Joint Secretary Bhattarai and the head of the Nepali delegation also paid a courtesy call on Executive Vice-Chairman of the People’s Government of Tibet Chen Yongqi. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the meeting, the two exchanged views on matters of mutual interests; including the promotion of socio-economic linkages for further strengthening Nepal-China relations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The second meeting of the Aid Projects to Nepal will take place next month. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20536', 'image' => '20240425113714_f399288e-city-20379-16751221faf.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 11:36:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20808', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Entrepreneurs Buoyed by Qatar Amir's Visit', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The two-day state visit of Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to Nepal has encouraged tourism entrepreneurs in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The two-day state visit of Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to Nepal has encouraged tourism entrepreneurs in Nepal. The stakeholders said that the visit spread a positive message in the tourism sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The two-day state visit of the Qatar Amir is the most high-profile visit from Gulf countries, which would undoubtedly help prop Nepali tourism, the stakeholders added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Former chair of Nepal Mountaineering Association, Ang Chhiring Sherpa, shared, "Qatar Amir's visit to Nepal would help increase Qatar tourists to Nepal." The senior tourism entrepreneur further hoped high-end tourists from middle east- Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait could come to Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The royal family members from Qatar come to Nepal for trekking and mountaineering. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdullha Al Thani is the first person to scale world's highest peak, Sagarmatha from Qatar. He was atop the Sagarmatha on May 22, 2013, while he climbed Mt Amadablam successfully on November 11, 2020. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, the royal member of Qatar, Sheikh Asma Al Thani had climbed the Annapurna-I peak. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Qatari royals are fond of mountain climbing and trekking. The people from Qatar enjoy luxury hotel stay. Nepal is also expanding the number of deluxe hotels of late. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chair of Hotel Association of Nepal, Binayak Shah, also shares similar observation on Qatari tourists. The royal family members of the Gulf countries, including from Qatar, prefer to stay in deluxe hotels like Sintamani of Mustang and Soaltee West End Resort of Chitwan and others. Qatar Amir's visit to Nepal has given a positive message to Nepal’s tourism sector,” he argued. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Qatar is an emerging country in the globe. The visit of such distinguished guest promotes Nepal's tourism across the globe," he viewed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, noted tourism entrepreneur Yogendra Shakya hoped that the arrival of foreign tourists would grow in Nepal in the wake Amir Thani's visit. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 255 people from Qatar had visited Nepal in 2023. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Importantly, Qatar Airways is known as one of the best airlines in the world. It provides air service to over 150 countries through a fleet of over 200 aircraft. Currently, Qatar Airways conducts four flights a day to Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In two years since 2021, Qatar Airways has brought more than 733,000 people to Nepal while ferried over 823,000 people from Nepal to different countries across the globe. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Following the visit of Qatar’s Amir, authorities in Nepal are expecting the launch of air service to Doha, Qatar from Bhairahawa and Pokhara international airports. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal reportedly requested the Qatari Amir to consider air service to the two new international airports in Nepal. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20535', 'image' => '20240425102229_KRB_KTM-image_123650291(9).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 10:21:35', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20807', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal and Qatar Agree on Collaboration in Eight Sectors ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 24: Nepal and Qatar have reached an understanding to collaborate in the fields of art and culture, education, communication, youth and sports, legal assistance, and the industry and commerce. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 24: Nepal and Qatar have reached an understanding to collaborate in the fields of art and culture, education, communication, youth and sports, legal assistance, and the industry and commerce. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The two countries signed agreements and MoUs to this effect on the occasion of the state visit of Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, said Amrit Bahadur Rai, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on collaboration in the area of art and culture, exchange of news between the official news agencies of Nepal and Qatar, and exchange of cooperation in the education sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The agreements and MoUs were signed in the presence of the Qatari Amir and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal following bilateral talks between them at the Soaltee Hotel on Wednesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoUs signed include: the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in the Fields of Culture and Arts between the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal and the Ministry of Culture of the State of Qatar; the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in the Field of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research between the Government of Nepal and the Government of the State of Qatar; the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Youth and Sports between the Government of Nepal and the Government of the State of Qatar; the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation between the Office of the Attorney General of Nepal and the Public Prosecution of the State of Qatar and the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Diplomatic Training and Education between The Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA) of the Government of Nepal and the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Padam Giri and Qatar's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sultan Bin Saad Al Muraikhi signed on the MoUs at the government level on behalf of Nepal and Qatar, respectively. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, a MoU related to exchange of investment has been signed between the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Qatar Chamber of Commerce. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">FNCCI President Chandra Prasad Dhakal and Shekh Khalif Bin Jasim Al Thani signed the MoU on behalf of FNCCI and Qatar Chamber of Commerce respectively. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-24', 'modified' => '2024-04-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20534', 'image' => '20240424061926_PRO_KTM-6F8A0555.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-24 18:18:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20806', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Records Minimal Gain of 0.15 Points to Close at 1969.17', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index saw a slight increase of 0.15 points, or 0.00%, closing at 1969.17 on Wednesday, the third trading day of the week.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">April 24: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index saw a slight increase of 0.15 points, or 0.00%, closing at 1969.17 on Wednesday, the third trading day of the week.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During today's trading session, 313 scrips were traded on the NEPSE through 36,483 transactions, with a total of 7,284,272 shares changing hands, resulting in transactions worth Rs 2.53 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nepal Reinsurance Company Limited Promoter Share (NRICP) led the turnover amount with transactions worth Rs 63 crores. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pokhara Finance Limited (PFL) witnessed the highest gain of 10%, closing at a market price of Rs 565 per share. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Conversely, Mai Khola Hydropower Limited (MKHL) incurred the maximum loss at 7.84%, settling at a market price of Rs 470 per share.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of sector indices, ten sectors closed in the red territory, while the remaining sectors closed in the green zone. The Finance Index saw the highest gain of 2.44%. Conversely, the Hotels and Tourism Index experienced the highest loss at 0.44%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-24', 'modified' => '2024-04-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20533', 'image' => '20240424034310_collage.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-24 15:41:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20805', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Customs Releases 22 Trucks Carrying Tea from Nepal after Six Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 24: Twenty two trucks carrying tea from Nepal were allowed to enter West Bengal by the Indian Customs Office on Tuesday night after holding them at the Indian checkpoint across Mechi for six days.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">April 24: Twenty two trucks carrying tea from Nepal were allowed to enter West Bengal by the Indian Customs Office on Tuesday night after holding them at the Indian checkpoint across Mechi for six days.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">These trucks were carrying 2,200 tons of tea produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Indian Customs Office, Panitanki, stopped the Nepali trucks at the checkpoint last Thursday demanding 100 per cent lab test certificate along with quality assurance papers. The trucks were stopped at Panitanki for almost a week.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Before this, only 5 to 25 per cent of tea samples used to be tested and released. However, the Panitanki Customs last week refused customs clearance of the tea saying that new provisions were implemented.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A delegation led by Aditya Parajuli, president of the Nepal Tea Producers Association, met Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and asked him to take the initiative to resolve the problem in tea export and also urged for a long-term solution. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Due to the joint initiative of the prime minister, the Department of Customs as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indian Customs Office called the customs agents at 9:30 PM on Tuesday night and released the truck carrying tea.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ram Prasad Regmi, head of the Mechi customs office, also confirmed that 22 vehicles carrying tea were released from Panitanki Customs. He said, "When I informally met with Panitanki customs, thet informed that Nepali tea was released on the basis of verbal order from above."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tea is the second most exported item from Nepal. The export of tea from Nepal, however, has decreased in the ninth months of the current fiscal year. The monetary value of ready-made tea exported from Nepal amounted to Rs 3 billion. Traders informed that the market of Nepali tea is decreasing due to the Indian blockade, the price of tea falling in the market and the lack of auctions. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Nepal exported 9.83 million kilograms of tea worth Rs 2.66 billion in the 9 months of the current year. Looking at the data, compared to last year, tea exports decreased by 3.5 million kg amounting to Rs 476.76 million.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-24', 'modified' => '2024-04-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20532', 'image' => '20240424021223_Tea.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-24 14:11:46', '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
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The target was to achieve economic growth of 10.3 percent in basic prices in the last year of the plan ie 2080/81.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The government suffered a serious setback in achieving this ambitious goal in the first year of the plan. As the coronavirus pandemic started in the year 2076/77 when the scheme was initiated, it had a severe impact on the economy of Nepal, like the economies of the world. In that year, the economic growth rate was negative by 2.4 percent. In the following years too, there was no significant improvement in the economy. According to the National Statistics Office, economic growth was 4.5 percent, 5.3 percent, and 2.2 percent respectively in the following three years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">While reviewing the 15th Plan, the officials of the National Planning Commission said that the government could not achieve economic growth as per the target due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The 15th Plan had set a target of 10.3 percent economic growth in the current fiscal year 2080/81. However, the then Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, while presenting the budget in the House, announced that the country will achieve economic growth of around 6 percent this year. However, the country is not even likely to meet that target.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Towards the end of March, the National Statistics Office had initially estimated economic growth of only 4 percent in the second quarter of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The World Bank said some time ago that Nepal's economic growth rate will be limited to 3.3 percent this year. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Stakeholders do not see the possibility of high economic growth even in the 16th Plan period. They have said that there is no basis for achieving the proposed goals for the new plan.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Former Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat said that it will not be possible to achieve the proposed economic growth target due to the lack of political stability. Because the government is not stable, it is difficult to achieve economic growth target until stability is achieved. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">“The government cannot achieve the target of 7.3 percent economic growth as proposed in the draft of the 16th Plan. The maximum growth that it can achieve is likely 5 percent," he said at a meeting of the National Development Council on Thursday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Although the prime minister remains the same, three governments have been formed in the past one year. The private sector insists that there is no conducive environment for investment due to political instability.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">At the recent annual general meeting of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries, its President Chandra Dhakal accused the government of adopting a control-oriented policy.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He argued that Nepal's economic growth has slowed down compared to many countries in South Asia due to the lack of an environment for the private sector to work.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Former Finance Minister and UML leader Yuba Raj Khatiwada said that the government needs to the political barriers in order to achieve the goals set in the periodic plan.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He was of the view that the government must revise tax policy and economic strategy to attract foreign direct investment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha said that the draft of the 16th Plan has been prepared after reviewing the weaknesses in the 15th Plan. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">“There are structural problems. Consumption and imports have increased. Domestic employment is pathetic. Education is not linked to production. Expenditure on social security has increased. Therefore, our goals are incomplete,” he said, adding, “Now, a plan has been devised keeping the implementation-oriented goals in mind," he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Shrestha added that the e 16th Plan is estimated to cost up to Rs 9196 billion, which is expected to further increase by over 118 billion by the time of its implementation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The draft of the upcoming periodic plan aims to improve the corruption perception index from 35 in the base year 2079/80 to 43 within the 16th periodic plan period and the rule of law index from 0.52 in the base year to 0.80.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In the draft of the periodic plan submitted by the National Development Council meeting organized by the National Planning Commission on Thursday, the ratio of expenditure to total allocation should be increased from 80 percent to 90 percent, the birth registration percentage of children under 5 years should be increased to 100 percent from the current 74 percent, the rate of forced labor should be reduced to zero, and the ratio of families with high food insecurity should be reduced to 1 percent. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In the meeting of the National Development Council, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that the 16th Plan will focus on the commercialization of agriculture, the manufacturing industry, employment-oriented education, and increasing the quality of the health sector. He also directed the NPC to bring the plan by incorporating the suggestions of all stakeholders before the announcement of the policies and programs for the upcoming fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Labor Minister Dol Prasad Aryal stressed the need of safeguarding the private sector as it is linked with employment generation. If the state fails in the front, the trend of young people going overseas for employment will continue.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He also pointed out the need to put an end to unnecessary hassles for the industrialists.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20546', 'image' => '20240426010045_20220817123841_economic-growth.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 12:59:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20818', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt to Review Laws to Address the Problems of Cooperatives', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The government is preparing to review the legal system to address the problems seen in the cooperatives sector.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Govt to Review Laws to Address the Problems of Cooperatives</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">April 25: The government is preparing to review the legal system to address the problems seen in the cooperatives sector. The government has also pledged to assist in the process of addressing the concerns of the depositors of the cooperatives. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Minister for Communications and Information Technology and Government Spokesperson and Rekha Sharma shared that the cabinet meeting held on Thursday at the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers took a decision to this effect. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The number of cooperatives declared problematic by the government has reached 18. Such cooperatives have now come under the responsibility of the Problematic Cooperatives Management Committee.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The committee must be chaired by a former judge of the high court or a person working in a special category in the judicial service, and must have one representative nominated by the government, one representative from the national cooperative federation, two experts in the cooperative sector, one person who is a chartered accountant and has worked in a bank and financial institution for three years, and a member secretary appointed by the government. The committee has the right to investigate the assets and liabilities and to auction them and return the money to the depositors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A commission formed by the government to study the problematic cooperatives had suggested to solve the problems of the cooperatives by forming a management committee. According to the suggestion of the commission headed by Gauri Bahadur Karki, the government incorporated the provision for the formation of the committee in the Cooperatives Act itself.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Although the government formed the problematic cooperative management committee six years ago, it has failed to manage problematic cooperatives. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The committee has not been able to distribute the assets and liabilities even in a single case.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20545', 'image' => '20240426120933_cooerativesssss.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 12:01:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20817', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'DDC Pays Dues worth Rs 480 Million to Farmers ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 26: The state-owned Diary Development Corporation (DDC) has made payment of dues worth Rs 480 million to the farmers. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 26: The state-owned Diary Development Corporation (DDC) has made payment of dues worth Rs 480 million to the farmers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The DDC cleared the dues after generating good income post mid-April due to the increase in sale of milk products.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Acting General Manager of the DDC, Rajendra Prasad Adhikari, told RSS that it was easier to pay the dues to the farmers with an increase in the sale of milk products (milk, curd, cottage cheese, lassi and ice-cream) with the onset of the summer season. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The sale of milk products has increased by 50 per cent in summer, which has increased the cash flow and gradually eased farmers' payments and other clearance," Adhikari said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">DDC paid Rs 100 million to farmers in Biratnagar, Rs 10 million in Janakpur, Rs 80 million in Hetauda, Rs 42.5 million in Lumbini, Rs 27.5 million in Nepalgunj, Rs 15 million in Dhangadhi and Rs 130 million in Kathmandu region, the sources informed. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20544', 'image' => '20240426110942_20220211081950_20220203111904_20220121121357_20200423093954_1542865405_16685959.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 11:09:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20816', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Trade Fair on April 29 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The 17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Economic Trade Fair is going to be held in the federal capital on April 29. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The 17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Economic Trade Fair is going to be held in the federal capital on April 29. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The trade fair is held in every two years alternately in Nepal and China as per the agreement reached between the government of Nepal and the commerce department of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in 1990. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Trade and Export Promotion Center, the main objective of the fair is to further expand the bilateral economic and trade relations between Nepal and China (Tibet). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Around 125 businesspersons including a five-member high-level delegation will participate in the fair. The official delegation will be led by Vice Chair of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, Long Fukuan. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There will be 50 exhibition stalls on behalf of China (Tibet) in the fair, including herbs, agricultural products, modern agricultural tools, tea, electrical appliances, household appliances, carpets, beverages, handicrafts, incense, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, electric vehicles and beauty products. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, there will be 15 exhibition stalls on behalf of Nepal, including herbs, coffee, tea, handicrafts/carpentry, metalwork, carpet, pashmina and other products. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The fair will be open from 10 am to 6 pm and the entry is free. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20543', 'image' => '20240426104936_20240307123344_Nepal-china-trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 10:49:00', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20815', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sabaiko and Sadhana Laghubitta Sign Final Merger Agreement', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Sabaiko Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha and Sadhana Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha have singed the final agreement for merger.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">April 26: Sabaiko Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha and Sadhana Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha have singed the final agreement for merger. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The final agreement for the merger between the two companies took place on Wednesday. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The two companies are merging on an equal basis, with 1:1 swap ratio. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Annual general assemblies of the both companies had endorsed merger proposal on March 2, 2024. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20542', 'image' => '20240426055342_collage (65).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 05:52:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20814', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Mideast Tensions Threaten Global Progress on Inflation: World Bank', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The ongoing tensions in the Middle East threaten to halt -- or even reverse -- some of the recent progress made in tackling global inflation, the AFP reported citing the World Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">April 25: The ongoing tensions in the Middle East threaten to halt -- or even reverse -- some of the recent progress made in tackling global inflation, the AFP reported citing the World Bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a news report published by AFP, Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza has caused tensions to rise across the region and pushed up oil prices.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Heightened tensions in the Middle East have been exerting upward pressure on prices for key commodities, notably oil and gold," the World Bank announced in its outlook for global commodity markets.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Disinflationary tailwinds from moderating commodity prices appear essentially over," it added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A worst-case scenario shock to oil prices meanwhile could raise global inflation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Regional tensions remain high more than 200 days into Israel's devastating war in Gaza, launched after Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack which resulted in the deaths of around 1,170 people, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 34,262 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Disinflation 'hit a wall' </strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"A key force for disinflation -- falling commodity prices -- has essentially hit a wall," World Bank chief economist Indermit Gill said in a statement.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"That means interest rates could remain higher than currently expected this year and next," he continued.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The world is at a vulnerable moment: a major energy shock could undermine much of the progress in reducing inflation over the past two years," he added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The World Bank estimated that a "moderate conflict-related supply disruption" could raise the average cost of a barrel of Brent crude oil to $92 per barrel, while a "severe disruption" could push it above $100.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">That worst-case scenario would have the impact of raising global inflation by nearly one percentage point this year, the World Bank said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As well as delaying interest rate cuts, it could also cause an increase to food insecurity, which had already "worsened markedly last year reflecting armed conflicts and elevated food prices," the Bank added.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20541', 'image' => '20240425091623_20240215010906_World.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 21:13:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20813', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'President Inaugurates Himalayan Hydro Expo', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: President Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the Himalayan Hydro Expo 2024 at the Exhibition Hall in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu on Thursday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">April 25: President Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the Himalayan Hydro Expo 2024 at the Exhibition Hall in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu on Thursday. Addressing the opening ceremony of the expo, the president said that it is important to transform Nepal from an electricity importing country to an electricity exporting country. President Paudel mentioned that this is a matter of pride and happiness for everyone.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Stating that Nepal has reached an agreement to sell 10,000 megawatts of electricity to neighboring India within ten years, he expressed confidence that more investment will be made in this sector. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">He said that it is possible to achieve the goals set for power generation through the facilitation and coordination of the government and the involvement of the private sector. The president further said that the expo will help to bring together all parties involved in energy development. The president urged all domestic and foreign investors to work together in green energy development.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, said that the huge potential of hydropower development is an important basis for Nepal's progress. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"The government has brought an action plan to generate 28,700 megawatts of electricity within the next 12 years. Although it looks ambitious, it has been done based on reality and needs," he said. He added that there is a need to bring foreign investment in this sector. He mentioned that the electricity bill, which is now registered in the parliament, will be passed and implemented soon.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Minister Basnet expressed confidence that the new Electricity Act will facilitate the development of hydropower projects and the investment will increase further. He said that the government will continue to facilitate land acquisition, clearing forest and other procedural matters for the projects. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Ganesh Karki, president of the Independent Power Producers Association, Nepal (IPPAN), said that the private sector has invested Rs 13 billion in hydropower projects.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"It is playing an important role in economic growth and job creation and more than 500,000 skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled citizens are getting jobs," he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">He said that Nepal has succeeded in earning foreign currency through electricity export in recent times and expressed his belief that the income from electricity exports will increase further in the coming days. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">In order to increase foreign investment, he urged the government to make policy reforms and ease procedural hurdles. Development of hydropower projects has provided significant support for local development, he shared. Karki added that the promoters of hydropower projects have contributed to the construction of infrastructure such as local roads, drinking water facilities, health posts, playgrounds, etc.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Canada's ambassador to Nepal, Cameron McKee, through a video message, mentioned that the development of hydropower is important for Nepal's prosperity. He said, "We believe that Canada's extensive knowledge and experience will be useful for developing hydropower projects in Nepal." He said that emphasis should be placed on the use of updated technology for the development of renewable energy. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">The expo, which started with the slogan Green Energy for Prosperity, will conclude on Friday.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20540', 'image' => '20240425031055_38db00c3.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 15:10:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20812', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Imports Toothpicks worth Rs 19 Million in Nine Months', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: Nepal imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">April 25: Nepal imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to government data, the country imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million from mid-July to mid-March of the current fiscal year. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, the country imported 60,427 kg of toothpicks during the review period.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">During the corresponding period of last fiscal year, Nepal imported 27,996 kg of toothpicks worth Rs 9 million. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Compared to the same period of last year, the import of toothpicks has increased by 111 percent in terms of value and 115 percent in terms of volume this year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">In the same period last year, the government collected revenue of Rs 3.5 million from the import of toothpicks and this year it has collected Rs 7.7 million.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Nepal has been importing toothpicks from China and India. In the review period, Nepal has imported 60,376 kilograms of toothpicks worth Rs 19,660,000 from China. Similarly, it has imported 51 kg of toothpicks worth Rs 9,000 from India.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20539', 'image' => '20240425024745_71uygnl-C+L.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 14:46:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20811', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Health Ministry Urges Public to Take Precaution against Heat Wave ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The Ministry of Health and Population has urged the public to take preventive measures against the heat wave that has already started sweeping across the Tarai region. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The Ministry of Health and Population has urged the public to take preventive measures against the heat wave that has already started sweeping across the Tarai region. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The effects of the heat wave include rapid heartbeat, breathing complications, low blood pressure, sweating, severe headache, dizziness, sickness, and so on. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to physician Dr Bimal Chalise, the chief consultant at Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, the Tarai settlements are prone to the effects of heat wave with the soaring temperatures. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The heat wave may affect the brain, the doctor said, urging the public to avoid exposure to sunshine during daytime as much as possible. Dr Chalise said that heat wave may cause dehydration, affecting the kidneys and heart. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Preventive measures: </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The doctor suggests intake of plenty of drinking water, having a cold shower, using an umbrella and covering of head with a thin cloth while going outside, wearing cotton clothes, choosing morning or evening hours to undertake work outside the home, intake of lemon and water, coconut water and fresh juice, intake of fruits and cucumber. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">If possible, one should not venture outside the home during the day time, should not spend much time in the kitchen, must stay away from smoking and drinking beverages, tea, coffee, and soda-mixed water. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20538', 'image' => '20240425011418_20240423103916_Document.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 13:13:40', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20810', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Proposes Exporting Bottled Water to Qatar', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: Nepal took the initiative for the export of bottled drinking water to Qatar during the recent state visit of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">April 25: Nepal took the initiative for the export of bottled drinking water to Qatar during the recent state visit of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">At a time when Qatar and other Gulf countries are facing severe shortage of drinking water, Nepal, which is rich in water resources, is looking for the possibility of exporting water to the oil-rich nation. The Trade and Export Promotion Center’s data shows that Nepal has exporting bottled water in some quantity to India and Japan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s International Affairs Adviser, Rupak Sapkota, informed New Business Age that a formal discussion was held with the Qatari Emir for the first time from the prime minister's level.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif""> "During the bilateral talks, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal himself asked to open the door to export water to Qatar as there is sufficient source of pure drinking water in Nepal," Sapkota told New Business Age, adding, "There is a great potential to export water from Nepal. The government received a 'green signal' for exporting water from Nepal to Qatar.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">A senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed that there was a positive discussion on the agenda for the export of drinking water. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"Even though there was no concrete agreement for water export, the two sides reached an understanding to continue efforts to reach an agreement to export water. We hope that we will finalize this matter soon," said Amrit Bahadur Rai, joint secretary and spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">According to the World Research Institute, Bahrain, Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and Qatar are the most water-scarce countries in the world. According to the recently published report of the institute, the demand for water for domestic use, agriculture and industrial sectors is increasing but the supply is low and there is a shortage in those countries. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">According to the institute, 83 percent of the population in the Middle East and North Africa does not have enough water, while 74 percent of the population in South Asia is suffering from water problems.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">A report published by the Time magazine in January also mentions there is a water scarcity in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In particular, Saudi Arabia is now the world's third largest per capita water consumer after the United States and Canada.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">According to a study conducted by the Policy Research Council in 2019, countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Qatar, spent USD 172.3 million to import bottled drinking water in 2018.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">The study also mentions that the market for such water is flourishing. Altogether 19 billion liters of bottled water were sold in these countries in 2018 and its demand is estimated to reach 25.4 billion liters by 2024. Stakeholders say that there is an opportunity for Nepal to export water from the mountains as the shortage of drinking water in the Gulf nation increases.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Mukti Shree Pvt Ltd is exporting water from Nepal to foreign countries. The director of the company, Arunraj Sumargi, told New Business Age that the company is exporting more than 120,000 bottles of water daily to countries such as the USA, Japan, and Korea. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"We have started preparations for water export targeting Middle East countries by adding plants. We are preparing to increase the production in a few days," he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">The Sumargi family is considered close to Prime Minister Dahal. He said that the government's discussion with Qatar for the export of water was positive. According to him, there are some challenges in export. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"It is very difficult to maintain international standards for production and export of water," he said, adding that Nepal exported water to two countries – India and Japan – in the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">As of mid-March this year, the country exported bottled water worth Rs 1.5 million to India and Rs 2 million to Japan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">In the year 2078/79, Nepal exported 18,403 liters of water to Qatar and earned Rs 2.5 million. In the following years, Nepal did not export any water to Qatar. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Besides the issue of water export, Nepal raised the concerns about the safety of its migrant workers and labor contract renewal during the visit of the Qatari Emir, but there was no significant achievement. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Rai, the joint secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, "Despite intensive discussions on labor issue, we could not reach any agreement. However, the two countries have decided to continue the talks. The initiative will continue through the embassy.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Although the two countries had signed a labor agreement in 2005, it has not been revised. Nepal has been put forth conditions such as wage hike, full-time insurance, and increase in quota of workers. However, these issues have yet to be resolved by the bilateral negotiation team.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">A statement issued by the Prime Minister's Secretariat after a bilateral talks on Wednesday mentions that the Qatari side wants to work together with Nepal to increase the number of workers and is willing to cooperate on the matter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Similarly, during the visit of the Emir of Qatar to Nepal, the government raised the issue of expanding the air service between the two countries. Sapkota informed Nepal and Qatar agreed to form a team and discuss the cooperation of air connectivity, especially since the Prime Minister himself proposed to expand the flights of Qatar Airways to Pokhara and Bhairahawa. Government officials say that Prime Minister Dahal and the Emir of Qatar discussed investment in Nepal in sectors such as labor, infrastructure, energy, education and transportation, along with water.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20537', 'image' => '20240425123110_AP24115270598867.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 12:30:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20809', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'First Meeting of Nepal-China Aid Projects Concludes ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The first meeting of the Aid Projects of China's Autonomous Region Tibet to Nepal (2024-2028) was held in Tibet's capital Lhasa on April 23-24. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The first meeting of the Aid Projects of China's Autonomous Region Tibet to Nepal (2024-2028) was held in Tibet's capital Lhasa on April 23-24. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Discussions during the meeting which concluded on Wednesday focused on aid projects to be implemented in Nepal, the Lhasa-based Consulate of Nepal said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, the two sides discussed on the coordination mechanism including work schedule, selection modality of the projects, and the ways to implement and monitor the aid projects funded by Tibet to Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the meeting, both sides agreed to hold the meeting of aid projects twice in the first half of the year, so as to focus on the projects arrangements and twice in the second half of the year for the implementation and review of the implemented projects. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Furthermore, the two sides underlined the need to enhance the level of support for improving the livelihood of people residing in bordering districts in the Northern Himalayan region of Nepal through the aid projects. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The first meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration of Nepal Kamal Prasad Bhattarai and Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Tibet Baiman Yangzong. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Joint Secretary Bhattarai and the head of the Nepali delegation also paid a courtesy call on Executive Vice-Chairman of the People’s Government of Tibet Chen Yongqi. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the meeting, the two exchanged views on matters of mutual interests; including the promotion of socio-economic linkages for further strengthening Nepal-China relations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The second meeting of the Aid Projects to Nepal will take place next month. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20536', 'image' => '20240425113714_f399288e-city-20379-16751221faf.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 11:36:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20808', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Entrepreneurs Buoyed by Qatar Amir's Visit', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The two-day state visit of Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to Nepal has encouraged tourism entrepreneurs in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The two-day state visit of Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to Nepal has encouraged tourism entrepreneurs in Nepal. The stakeholders said that the visit spread a positive message in the tourism sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The two-day state visit of the Qatar Amir is the most high-profile visit from Gulf countries, which would undoubtedly help prop Nepali tourism, the stakeholders added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Former chair of Nepal Mountaineering Association, Ang Chhiring Sherpa, shared, "Qatar Amir's visit to Nepal would help increase Qatar tourists to Nepal." The senior tourism entrepreneur further hoped high-end tourists from middle east- Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait could come to Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The royal family members from Qatar come to Nepal for trekking and mountaineering. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdullha Al Thani is the first person to scale world's highest peak, Sagarmatha from Qatar. He was atop the Sagarmatha on May 22, 2013, while he climbed Mt Amadablam successfully on November 11, 2020. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, the royal member of Qatar, Sheikh Asma Al Thani had climbed the Annapurna-I peak. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Qatari royals are fond of mountain climbing and trekking. The people from Qatar enjoy luxury hotel stay. Nepal is also expanding the number of deluxe hotels of late. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chair of Hotel Association of Nepal, Binayak Shah, also shares similar observation on Qatari tourists. The royal family members of the Gulf countries, including from Qatar, prefer to stay in deluxe hotels like Sintamani of Mustang and Soaltee West End Resort of Chitwan and others. Qatar Amir's visit to Nepal has given a positive message to Nepal’s tourism sector,” he argued. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Qatar is an emerging country in the globe. The visit of such distinguished guest promotes Nepal's tourism across the globe," he viewed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, noted tourism entrepreneur Yogendra Shakya hoped that the arrival of foreign tourists would grow in Nepal in the wake Amir Thani's visit. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 255 people from Qatar had visited Nepal in 2023. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Importantly, Qatar Airways is known as one of the best airlines in the world. It provides air service to over 150 countries through a fleet of over 200 aircraft. Currently, Qatar Airways conducts four flights a day to Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In two years since 2021, Qatar Airways has brought more than 733,000 people to Nepal while ferried over 823,000 people from Nepal to different countries across the globe. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Following the visit of Qatar’s Amir, authorities in Nepal are expecting the launch of air service to Doha, Qatar from Bhairahawa and Pokhara international airports. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal reportedly requested the Qatari Amir to consider air service to the two new international airports in Nepal. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20535', 'image' => '20240425102229_KRB_KTM-image_123650291(9).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 10:21:35', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20807', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal and Qatar Agree on Collaboration in Eight Sectors ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 24: Nepal and Qatar have reached an understanding to collaborate in the fields of art and culture, education, communication, youth and sports, legal assistance, and the industry and commerce. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 24: Nepal and Qatar have reached an understanding to collaborate in the fields of art and culture, education, communication, youth and sports, legal assistance, and the industry and commerce. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The two countries signed agreements and MoUs to this effect on the occasion of the state visit of Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, said Amrit Bahadur Rai, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on collaboration in the area of art and culture, exchange of news between the official news agencies of Nepal and Qatar, and exchange of cooperation in the education sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The agreements and MoUs were signed in the presence of the Qatari Amir and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal following bilateral talks between them at the Soaltee Hotel on Wednesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoUs signed include: the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in the Fields of Culture and Arts between the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal and the Ministry of Culture of the State of Qatar; the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in the Field of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research between the Government of Nepal and the Government of the State of Qatar; the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Youth and Sports between the Government of Nepal and the Government of the State of Qatar; the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation between the Office of the Attorney General of Nepal and the Public Prosecution of the State of Qatar and the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Diplomatic Training and Education between The Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA) of the Government of Nepal and the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Padam Giri and Qatar's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sultan Bin Saad Al Muraikhi signed on the MoUs at the government level on behalf of Nepal and Qatar, respectively. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, a MoU related to exchange of investment has been signed between the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Qatar Chamber of Commerce. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">FNCCI President Chandra Prasad Dhakal and Shekh Khalif Bin Jasim Al Thani signed the MoU on behalf of FNCCI and Qatar Chamber of Commerce respectively. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-24', 'modified' => '2024-04-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20534', 'image' => '20240424061926_PRO_KTM-6F8A0555.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-24 18:18:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20806', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Records Minimal Gain of 0.15 Points to Close at 1969.17', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index saw a slight increase of 0.15 points, or 0.00%, closing at 1969.17 on Wednesday, the third trading day of the week.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">April 24: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index saw a slight increase of 0.15 points, or 0.00%, closing at 1969.17 on Wednesday, the third trading day of the week.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During today's trading session, 313 scrips were traded on the NEPSE through 36,483 transactions, with a total of 7,284,272 shares changing hands, resulting in transactions worth Rs 2.53 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nepal Reinsurance Company Limited Promoter Share (NRICP) led the turnover amount with transactions worth Rs 63 crores. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pokhara Finance Limited (PFL) witnessed the highest gain of 10%, closing at a market price of Rs 565 per share. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Conversely, Mai Khola Hydropower Limited (MKHL) incurred the maximum loss at 7.84%, settling at a market price of Rs 470 per share.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of sector indices, ten sectors closed in the red territory, while the remaining sectors closed in the green zone. The Finance Index saw the highest gain of 2.44%. Conversely, the Hotels and Tourism Index experienced the highest loss at 0.44%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-24', 'modified' => '2024-04-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20533', 'image' => '20240424034310_collage.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-24 15:41:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20805', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Customs Releases 22 Trucks Carrying Tea from Nepal after Six Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 24: Twenty two trucks carrying tea from Nepal were allowed to enter West Bengal by the Indian Customs Office on Tuesday night after holding them at the Indian checkpoint across Mechi for six days.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">April 24: Twenty two trucks carrying tea from Nepal were allowed to enter West Bengal by the Indian Customs Office on Tuesday night after holding them at the Indian checkpoint across Mechi for six days.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">These trucks were carrying 2,200 tons of tea produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Indian Customs Office, Panitanki, stopped the Nepali trucks at the checkpoint last Thursday demanding 100 per cent lab test certificate along with quality assurance papers. The trucks were stopped at Panitanki for almost a week.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Before this, only 5 to 25 per cent of tea samples used to be tested and released. However, the Panitanki Customs last week refused customs clearance of the tea saying that new provisions were implemented.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A delegation led by Aditya Parajuli, president of the Nepal Tea Producers Association, met Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and asked him to take the initiative to resolve the problem in tea export and also urged for a long-term solution. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Due to the joint initiative of the prime minister, the Department of Customs as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indian Customs Office called the customs agents at 9:30 PM on Tuesday night and released the truck carrying tea.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ram Prasad Regmi, head of the Mechi customs office, also confirmed that 22 vehicles carrying tea were released from Panitanki Customs. He said, "When I informally met with Panitanki customs, thet informed that Nepali tea was released on the basis of verbal order from above."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tea is the second most exported item from Nepal. The export of tea from Nepal, however, has decreased in the ninth months of the current fiscal year. The monetary value of ready-made tea exported from Nepal amounted to Rs 3 billion. Traders informed that the market of Nepali tea is decreasing due to the Indian blockade, the price of tea falling in the market and the lack of auctions. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Nepal exported 9.83 million kilograms of tea worth Rs 2.66 billion in the 9 months of the current year. Looking at the data, compared to last year, tea exports decreased by 3.5 million kg amounting to Rs 476.76 million.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-24', 'modified' => '2024-04-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20532', 'image' => '20240424021223_Tea.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-24 14:11:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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The target was to achieve economic growth of 10.3 percent in basic prices in the last year of the plan ie 2080/81.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The government suffered a serious setback in achieving this ambitious goal in the first year of the plan. As the coronavirus pandemic started in the year 2076/77 when the scheme was initiated, it had a severe impact on the economy of Nepal, like the economies of the world. In that year, the economic growth rate was negative by 2.4 percent. In the following years too, there was no significant improvement in the economy. According to the National Statistics Office, economic growth was 4.5 percent, 5.3 percent, and 2.2 percent respectively in the following three years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">While reviewing the 15th Plan, the officials of the National Planning Commission said that the government could not achieve economic growth as per the target due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The 15th Plan had set a target of 10.3 percent economic growth in the current fiscal year 2080/81. However, the then Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, while presenting the budget in the House, announced that the country will achieve economic growth of around 6 percent this year. However, the country is not even likely to meet that target.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Towards the end of March, the National Statistics Office had initially estimated economic growth of only 4 percent in the second quarter of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The World Bank said some time ago that Nepal's economic growth rate will be limited to 3.3 percent this year. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Stakeholders do not see the possibility of high economic growth even in the 16th Plan period. They have said that there is no basis for achieving the proposed goals for the new plan.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Former Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat said that it will not be possible to achieve the proposed economic growth target due to the lack of political stability. Because the government is not stable, it is difficult to achieve economic growth target until stability is achieved. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">“The government cannot achieve the target of 7.3 percent economic growth as proposed in the draft of the 16th Plan. The maximum growth that it can achieve is likely 5 percent," he said at a meeting of the National Development Council on Thursday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Although the prime minister remains the same, three governments have been formed in the past one year. The private sector insists that there is no conducive environment for investment due to political instability.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">At the recent annual general meeting of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries, its President Chandra Dhakal accused the government of adopting a control-oriented policy.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He argued that Nepal's economic growth has slowed down compared to many countries in South Asia due to the lack of an environment for the private sector to work.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Former Finance Minister and UML leader Yuba Raj Khatiwada said that the government needs to the political barriers in order to achieve the goals set in the periodic plan.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He was of the view that the government must revise tax policy and economic strategy to attract foreign direct investment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha said that the draft of the 16th Plan has been prepared after reviewing the weaknesses in the 15th Plan. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">“There are structural problems. Consumption and imports have increased. Domestic employment is pathetic. Education is not linked to production. Expenditure on social security has increased. Therefore, our goals are incomplete,” he said, adding, “Now, a plan has been devised keeping the implementation-oriented goals in mind," he said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Shrestha added that the e 16th Plan is estimated to cost up to Rs 9196 billion, which is expected to further increase by over 118 billion by the time of its implementation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The draft of the upcoming periodic plan aims to improve the corruption perception index from 35 in the base year 2079/80 to 43 within the 16th periodic plan period and the rule of law index from 0.52 in the base year to 0.80.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In the draft of the periodic plan submitted by the National Development Council meeting organized by the National Planning Commission on Thursday, the ratio of expenditure to total allocation should be increased from 80 percent to 90 percent, the birth registration percentage of children under 5 years should be increased to 100 percent from the current 74 percent, the rate of forced labor should be reduced to zero, and the ratio of families with high food insecurity should be reduced to 1 percent. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In the meeting of the National Development Council, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that the 16th Plan will focus on the commercialization of agriculture, the manufacturing industry, employment-oriented education, and increasing the quality of the health sector. He also directed the NPC to bring the plan by incorporating the suggestions of all stakeholders before the announcement of the policies and programs for the upcoming fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Labor Minister Dol Prasad Aryal stressed the need of safeguarding the private sector as it is linked with employment generation. If the state fails in the front, the trend of young people going overseas for employment will continue.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He also pointed out the need to put an end to unnecessary hassles for the industrialists.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20546', 'image' => '20240426010045_20220817123841_economic-growth.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 12:59:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20818', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt to Review Laws to Address the Problems of Cooperatives', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The government is preparing to review the legal system to address the problems seen in the cooperatives sector.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Govt to Review Laws to Address the Problems of Cooperatives</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">April 25: The government is preparing to review the legal system to address the problems seen in the cooperatives sector. The government has also pledged to assist in the process of addressing the concerns of the depositors of the cooperatives. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Minister for Communications and Information Technology and Government Spokesperson and Rekha Sharma shared that the cabinet meeting held on Thursday at the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers took a decision to this effect. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The number of cooperatives declared problematic by the government has reached 18. Such cooperatives have now come under the responsibility of the Problematic Cooperatives Management Committee.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The committee must be chaired by a former judge of the high court or a person working in a special category in the judicial service, and must have one representative nominated by the government, one representative from the national cooperative federation, two experts in the cooperative sector, one person who is a chartered accountant and has worked in a bank and financial institution for three years, and a member secretary appointed by the government. The committee has the right to investigate the assets and liabilities and to auction them and return the money to the depositors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A commission formed by the government to study the problematic cooperatives had suggested to solve the problems of the cooperatives by forming a management committee. According to the suggestion of the commission headed by Gauri Bahadur Karki, the government incorporated the provision for the formation of the committee in the Cooperatives Act itself.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Although the government formed the problematic cooperative management committee six years ago, it has failed to manage problematic cooperatives. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The committee has not been able to distribute the assets and liabilities even in a single case.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20545', 'image' => '20240426120933_cooerativesssss.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 12:01:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20817', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'DDC Pays Dues worth Rs 480 Million to Farmers ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 26: The state-owned Diary Development Corporation (DDC) has made payment of dues worth Rs 480 million to the farmers. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 26: The state-owned Diary Development Corporation (DDC) has made payment of dues worth Rs 480 million to the farmers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The DDC cleared the dues after generating good income post mid-April due to the increase in sale of milk products.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Acting General Manager of the DDC, Rajendra Prasad Adhikari, told RSS that it was easier to pay the dues to the farmers with an increase in the sale of milk products (milk, curd, cottage cheese, lassi and ice-cream) with the onset of the summer season. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The sale of milk products has increased by 50 per cent in summer, which has increased the cash flow and gradually eased farmers' payments and other clearance," Adhikari said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">DDC paid Rs 100 million to farmers in Biratnagar, Rs 10 million in Janakpur, Rs 80 million in Hetauda, Rs 42.5 million in Lumbini, Rs 27.5 million in Nepalgunj, Rs 15 million in Dhangadhi and Rs 130 million in Kathmandu region, the sources informed. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20544', 'image' => '20240426110942_20220211081950_20220203111904_20220121121357_20200423093954_1542865405_16685959.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 11:09:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20816', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Trade Fair on April 29 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The 17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Economic Trade Fair is going to be held in the federal capital on April 29. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The 17th Nepal-China (Tibet) Economic Trade Fair is going to be held in the federal capital on April 29. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The trade fair is held in every two years alternately in Nepal and China as per the agreement reached between the government of Nepal and the commerce department of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in 1990. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Trade and Export Promotion Center, the main objective of the fair is to further expand the bilateral economic and trade relations between Nepal and China (Tibet). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Around 125 businesspersons including a five-member high-level delegation will participate in the fair. The official delegation will be led by Vice Chair of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, Long Fukuan. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There will be 50 exhibition stalls on behalf of China (Tibet) in the fair, including herbs, agricultural products, modern agricultural tools, tea, electrical appliances, household appliances, carpets, beverages, handicrafts, incense, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, electric vehicles and beauty products. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, there will be 15 exhibition stalls on behalf of Nepal, including herbs, coffee, tea, handicrafts/carpentry, metalwork, carpet, pashmina and other products. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The fair will be open from 10 am to 6 pm and the entry is free. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20543', 'image' => '20240426104936_20240307123344_Nepal-china-trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 10:49:00', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20815', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sabaiko and Sadhana Laghubitta Sign Final Merger Agreement', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Sabaiko Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha and Sadhana Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha have singed the final agreement for merger.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">April 26: Sabaiko Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha and Sadhana Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha have singed the final agreement for merger. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The final agreement for the merger between the two companies took place on Wednesday. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The two companies are merging on an equal basis, with 1:1 swap ratio. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Annual general assemblies of the both companies had endorsed merger proposal on March 2, 2024. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-26', 'modified' => '2024-04-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20542', 'image' => '20240426055342_collage (65).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-26 05:52:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20814', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Mideast Tensions Threaten Global Progress on Inflation: World Bank', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The ongoing tensions in the Middle East threaten to halt -- or even reverse -- some of the recent progress made in tackling global inflation, the AFP reported citing the World Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">April 25: The ongoing tensions in the Middle East threaten to halt -- or even reverse -- some of the recent progress made in tackling global inflation, the AFP reported citing the World Bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a news report published by AFP, Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza has caused tensions to rise across the region and pushed up oil prices.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Heightened tensions in the Middle East have been exerting upward pressure on prices for key commodities, notably oil and gold," the World Bank announced in its outlook for global commodity markets.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"Disinflationary tailwinds from moderating commodity prices appear essentially over," it added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A worst-case scenario shock to oil prices meanwhile could raise global inflation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Regional tensions remain high more than 200 days into Israel's devastating war in Gaza, launched after Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack which resulted in the deaths of around 1,170 people, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 34,262 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Disinflation 'hit a wall' </strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"A key force for disinflation -- falling commodity prices -- has essentially hit a wall," World Bank chief economist Indermit Gill said in a statement.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"That means interest rates could remain higher than currently expected this year and next," he continued.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The world is at a vulnerable moment: a major energy shock could undermine much of the progress in reducing inflation over the past two years," he added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The World Bank estimated that a "moderate conflict-related supply disruption" could raise the average cost of a barrel of Brent crude oil to $92 per barrel, while a "severe disruption" could push it above $100.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">That worst-case scenario would have the impact of raising global inflation by nearly one percentage point this year, the World Bank said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As well as delaying interest rate cuts, it could also cause an increase to food insecurity, which had already "worsened markedly last year reflecting armed conflicts and elevated food prices," the Bank added.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20541', 'image' => '20240425091623_20240215010906_World.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 21:13:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20813', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'President Inaugurates Himalayan Hydro Expo', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: President Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the Himalayan Hydro Expo 2024 at the Exhibition Hall in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu on Thursday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">April 25: President Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the Himalayan Hydro Expo 2024 at the Exhibition Hall in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu on Thursday. Addressing the opening ceremony of the expo, the president said that it is important to transform Nepal from an electricity importing country to an electricity exporting country. President Paudel mentioned that this is a matter of pride and happiness for everyone.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Stating that Nepal has reached an agreement to sell 10,000 megawatts of electricity to neighboring India within ten years, he expressed confidence that more investment will be made in this sector. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">He said that it is possible to achieve the goals set for power generation through the facilitation and coordination of the government and the involvement of the private sector. The president further said that the expo will help to bring together all parties involved in energy development. The president urged all domestic and foreign investors to work together in green energy development.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, said that the huge potential of hydropower development is an important basis for Nepal's progress. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"The government has brought an action plan to generate 28,700 megawatts of electricity within the next 12 years. Although it looks ambitious, it has been done based on reality and needs," he said. He added that there is a need to bring foreign investment in this sector. He mentioned that the electricity bill, which is now registered in the parliament, will be passed and implemented soon.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Minister Basnet expressed confidence that the new Electricity Act will facilitate the development of hydropower projects and the investment will increase further. He said that the government will continue to facilitate land acquisition, clearing forest and other procedural matters for the projects. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Ganesh Karki, president of the Independent Power Producers Association, Nepal (IPPAN), said that the private sector has invested Rs 13 billion in hydropower projects.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"It is playing an important role in economic growth and job creation and more than 500,000 skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled citizens are getting jobs," he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">He said that Nepal has succeeded in earning foreign currency through electricity export in recent times and expressed his belief that the income from electricity exports will increase further in the coming days. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">In order to increase foreign investment, he urged the government to make policy reforms and ease procedural hurdles. Development of hydropower projects has provided significant support for local development, he shared. Karki added that the promoters of hydropower projects have contributed to the construction of infrastructure such as local roads, drinking water facilities, health posts, playgrounds, etc.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Canada's ambassador to Nepal, Cameron McKee, through a video message, mentioned that the development of hydropower is important for Nepal's prosperity. He said, "We believe that Canada's extensive knowledge and experience will be useful for developing hydropower projects in Nepal." He said that emphasis should be placed on the use of updated technology for the development of renewable energy. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">The expo, which started with the slogan Green Energy for Prosperity, will conclude on Friday.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20540', 'image' => '20240425031055_38db00c3.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 15:10:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20812', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Imports Toothpicks worth Rs 19 Million in Nine Months', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: Nepal imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">April 25: Nepal imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to government data, the country imported toothpicks worth Rs 19 million from mid-July to mid-March of the current fiscal year. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, the country imported 60,427 kg of toothpicks during the review period.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">During the corresponding period of last fiscal year, Nepal imported 27,996 kg of toothpicks worth Rs 9 million. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Compared to the same period of last year, the import of toothpicks has increased by 111 percent in terms of value and 115 percent in terms of volume this year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">In the same period last year, the government collected revenue of Rs 3.5 million from the import of toothpicks and this year it has collected Rs 7.7 million.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Nepal has been importing toothpicks from China and India. In the review period, Nepal has imported 60,376 kilograms of toothpicks worth Rs 19,660,000 from China. Similarly, it has imported 51 kg of toothpicks worth Rs 9,000 from India.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20539', 'image' => '20240425024745_71uygnl-C+L.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 14:46:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20811', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Health Ministry Urges Public to Take Precaution against Heat Wave ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The Ministry of Health and Population has urged the public to take preventive measures against the heat wave that has already started sweeping across the Tarai region. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The Ministry of Health and Population has urged the public to take preventive measures against the heat wave that has already started sweeping across the Tarai region. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The effects of the heat wave include rapid heartbeat, breathing complications, low blood pressure, sweating, severe headache, dizziness, sickness, and so on. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to physician Dr Bimal Chalise, the chief consultant at Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, the Tarai settlements are prone to the effects of heat wave with the soaring temperatures. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The heat wave may affect the brain, the doctor said, urging the public to avoid exposure to sunshine during daytime as much as possible. Dr Chalise said that heat wave may cause dehydration, affecting the kidneys and heart. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Preventive measures: </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The doctor suggests intake of plenty of drinking water, having a cold shower, using an umbrella and covering of head with a thin cloth while going outside, wearing cotton clothes, choosing morning or evening hours to undertake work outside the home, intake of lemon and water, coconut water and fresh juice, intake of fruits and cucumber. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">If possible, one should not venture outside the home during the day time, should not spend much time in the kitchen, must stay away from smoking and drinking beverages, tea, coffee, and soda-mixed water. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20538', 'image' => '20240425011418_20240423103916_Document.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 13:13:40', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20810', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Proposes Exporting Bottled Water to Qatar', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: Nepal took the initiative for the export of bottled drinking water to Qatar during the recent state visit of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">April 25: Nepal took the initiative for the export of bottled drinking water to Qatar during the recent state visit of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">At a time when Qatar and other Gulf countries are facing severe shortage of drinking water, Nepal, which is rich in water resources, is looking for the possibility of exporting water to the oil-rich nation. The Trade and Export Promotion Center’s data shows that Nepal has exporting bottled water in some quantity to India and Japan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s International Affairs Adviser, Rupak Sapkota, informed New Business Age that a formal discussion was held with the Qatari Emir for the first time from the prime minister's level.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif""> "During the bilateral talks, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal himself asked to open the door to export water to Qatar as there is sufficient source of pure drinking water in Nepal," Sapkota told New Business Age, adding, "There is a great potential to export water from Nepal. The government received a 'green signal' for exporting water from Nepal to Qatar.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">A senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed that there was a positive discussion on the agenda for the export of drinking water. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"Even though there was no concrete agreement for water export, the two sides reached an understanding to continue efforts to reach an agreement to export water. We hope that we will finalize this matter soon," said Amrit Bahadur Rai, joint secretary and spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">According to the World Research Institute, Bahrain, Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and Qatar are the most water-scarce countries in the world. According to the recently published report of the institute, the demand for water for domestic use, agriculture and industrial sectors is increasing but the supply is low and there is a shortage in those countries. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">According to the institute, 83 percent of the population in the Middle East and North Africa does not have enough water, while 74 percent of the population in South Asia is suffering from water problems.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">A report published by the Time magazine in January also mentions there is a water scarcity in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In particular, Saudi Arabia is now the world's third largest per capita water consumer after the United States and Canada.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">According to a study conducted by the Policy Research Council in 2019, countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Qatar, spent USD 172.3 million to import bottled drinking water in 2018.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">The study also mentions that the market for such water is flourishing. Altogether 19 billion liters of bottled water were sold in these countries in 2018 and its demand is estimated to reach 25.4 billion liters by 2024. Stakeholders say that there is an opportunity for Nepal to export water from the mountains as the shortage of drinking water in the Gulf nation increases.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Mukti Shree Pvt Ltd is exporting water from Nepal to foreign countries. The director of the company, Arunraj Sumargi, told New Business Age that the company is exporting more than 120,000 bottles of water daily to countries such as the USA, Japan, and Korea. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"We have started preparations for water export targeting Middle East countries by adding plants. We are preparing to increase the production in a few days," he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">The Sumargi family is considered close to Prime Minister Dahal. He said that the government's discussion with Qatar for the export of water was positive. According to him, there are some challenges in export. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">"It is very difficult to maintain international standards for production and export of water," he said, adding that Nepal exported water to two countries – India and Japan – in the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">As of mid-March this year, the country exported bottled water worth Rs 1.5 million to India and Rs 2 million to Japan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">In the year 2078/79, Nepal exported 18,403 liters of water to Qatar and earned Rs 2.5 million. In the following years, Nepal did not export any water to Qatar. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Besides the issue of water export, Nepal raised the concerns about the safety of its migrant workers and labor contract renewal during the visit of the Qatari Emir, but there was no significant achievement. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Rai, the joint secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, "Despite intensive discussions on labor issue, we could not reach any agreement. However, the two countries have decided to continue the talks. The initiative will continue through the embassy.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Although the two countries had signed a labor agreement in 2005, it has not been revised. Nepal has been put forth conditions such as wage hike, full-time insurance, and increase in quota of workers. However, these issues have yet to be resolved by the bilateral negotiation team.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">A statement issued by the Prime Minister's Secretariat after a bilateral talks on Wednesday mentions that the Qatari side wants to work together with Nepal to increase the number of workers and is willing to cooperate on the matter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"ekmukta","serif"">Similarly, during the visit of the Emir of Qatar to Nepal, the government raised the issue of expanding the air service between the two countries. Sapkota informed Nepal and Qatar agreed to form a team and discuss the cooperation of air connectivity, especially since the Prime Minister himself proposed to expand the flights of Qatar Airways to Pokhara and Bhairahawa. Government officials say that Prime Minister Dahal and the Emir of Qatar discussed investment in Nepal in sectors such as labor, infrastructure, energy, education and transportation, along with water.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20537', 'image' => '20240425123110_AP24115270598867.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 12:30:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20809', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'First Meeting of Nepal-China Aid Projects Concludes ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The first meeting of the Aid Projects of China's Autonomous Region Tibet to Nepal (2024-2028) was held in Tibet's capital Lhasa on April 23-24. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The first meeting of the Aid Projects of China's Autonomous Region Tibet to Nepal (2024-2028) was held in Tibet's capital Lhasa on April 23-24. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Discussions during the meeting which concluded on Wednesday focused on aid projects to be implemented in Nepal, the Lhasa-based Consulate of Nepal said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, the two sides discussed on the coordination mechanism including work schedule, selection modality of the projects, and the ways to implement and monitor the aid projects funded by Tibet to Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the meeting, both sides agreed to hold the meeting of aid projects twice in the first half of the year, so as to focus on the projects arrangements and twice in the second half of the year for the implementation and review of the implemented projects. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Furthermore, the two sides underlined the need to enhance the level of support for improving the livelihood of people residing in bordering districts in the Northern Himalayan region of Nepal through the aid projects. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The first meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration of Nepal Kamal Prasad Bhattarai and Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Tibet Baiman Yangzong. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Joint Secretary Bhattarai and the head of the Nepali delegation also paid a courtesy call on Executive Vice-Chairman of the People’s Government of Tibet Chen Yongqi. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the meeting, the two exchanged views on matters of mutual interests; including the promotion of socio-economic linkages for further strengthening Nepal-China relations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The second meeting of the Aid Projects to Nepal will take place next month. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20536', 'image' => '20240425113714_f399288e-city-20379-16751221faf.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 11:36:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20808', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Entrepreneurs Buoyed by Qatar Amir's Visit', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 25: The two-day state visit of Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to Nepal has encouraged tourism entrepreneurs in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 25: The two-day state visit of Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to Nepal has encouraged tourism entrepreneurs in Nepal. The stakeholders said that the visit spread a positive message in the tourism sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The two-day state visit of the Qatar Amir is the most high-profile visit from Gulf countries, which would undoubtedly help prop Nepali tourism, the stakeholders added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Former chair of Nepal Mountaineering Association, Ang Chhiring Sherpa, shared, "Qatar Amir's visit to Nepal would help increase Qatar tourists to Nepal." The senior tourism entrepreneur further hoped high-end tourists from middle east- Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait could come to Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The royal family members from Qatar come to Nepal for trekking and mountaineering. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdullha Al Thani is the first person to scale world's highest peak, Sagarmatha from Qatar. He was atop the Sagarmatha on May 22, 2013, while he climbed Mt Amadablam successfully on November 11, 2020. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, the royal member of Qatar, Sheikh Asma Al Thani had climbed the Annapurna-I peak. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Qatari royals are fond of mountain climbing and trekking. The people from Qatar enjoy luxury hotel stay. Nepal is also expanding the number of deluxe hotels of late. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chair of Hotel Association of Nepal, Binayak Shah, also shares similar observation on Qatari tourists. The royal family members of the Gulf countries, including from Qatar, prefer to stay in deluxe hotels like Sintamani of Mustang and Soaltee West End Resort of Chitwan and others. Qatar Amir's visit to Nepal has given a positive message to Nepal’s tourism sector,” he argued. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Qatar is an emerging country in the globe. The visit of such distinguished guest promotes Nepal's tourism across the globe," he viewed. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, noted tourism entrepreneur Yogendra Shakya hoped that the arrival of foreign tourists would grow in Nepal in the wake Amir Thani's visit. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 255 people from Qatar had visited Nepal in 2023. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Importantly, Qatar Airways is known as one of the best airlines in the world. It provides air service to over 150 countries through a fleet of over 200 aircraft. Currently, Qatar Airways conducts four flights a day to Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In two years since 2021, Qatar Airways has brought more than 733,000 people to Nepal while ferried over 823,000 people from Nepal to different countries across the globe. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Following the visit of Qatar’s Amir, authorities in Nepal are expecting the launch of air service to Doha, Qatar from Bhairahawa and Pokhara international airports. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal reportedly requested the Qatari Amir to consider air service to the two new international airports in Nepal. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-25', 'modified' => '2024-04-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20535', 'image' => '20240425102229_KRB_KTM-image_123650291(9).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-25 10:21:35', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20807', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal and Qatar Agree on Collaboration in Eight Sectors ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 24: Nepal and Qatar have reached an understanding to collaborate in the fields of art and culture, education, communication, youth and sports, legal assistance, and the industry and commerce. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">April 24: Nepal and Qatar have reached an understanding to collaborate in the fields of art and culture, education, communication, youth and sports, legal assistance, and the industry and commerce. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The two countries signed agreements and MoUs to this effect on the occasion of the state visit of Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, said Amrit Bahadur Rai, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on collaboration in the area of art and culture, exchange of news between the official news agencies of Nepal and Qatar, and exchange of cooperation in the education sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The agreements and MoUs were signed in the presence of the Qatari Amir and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal following bilateral talks between them at the Soaltee Hotel on Wednesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoUs signed include: the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in the Fields of Culture and Arts between the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal and the Ministry of Culture of the State of Qatar; the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in the Field of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research between the Government of Nepal and the Government of the State of Qatar; the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Youth and Sports between the Government of Nepal and the Government of the State of Qatar; the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation between the Office of the Attorney General of Nepal and the Public Prosecution of the State of Qatar and the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Diplomatic Training and Education between The Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA) of the Government of Nepal and the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Padam Giri and Qatar's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sultan Bin Saad Al Muraikhi signed on the MoUs at the government level on behalf of Nepal and Qatar, respectively. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, a MoU related to exchange of investment has been signed between the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Qatar Chamber of Commerce. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">FNCCI President Chandra Prasad Dhakal and Shekh Khalif Bin Jasim Al Thani signed the MoU on behalf of FNCCI and Qatar Chamber of Commerce respectively. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-24', 'modified' => '2024-04-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20534', 'image' => '20240424061926_PRO_KTM-6F8A0555.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-24 18:18:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20806', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Records Minimal Gain of 0.15 Points to Close at 1969.17', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index saw a slight increase of 0.15 points, or 0.00%, closing at 1969.17 on Wednesday, the third trading day of the week.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">April 24: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index saw a slight increase of 0.15 points, or 0.00%, closing at 1969.17 on Wednesday, the third trading day of the week.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During today's trading session, 313 scrips were traded on the NEPSE through 36,483 transactions, with a total of 7,284,272 shares changing hands, resulting in transactions worth Rs 2.53 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nepal Reinsurance Company Limited Promoter Share (NRICP) led the turnover amount with transactions worth Rs 63 crores. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pokhara Finance Limited (PFL) witnessed the highest gain of 10%, closing at a market price of Rs 565 per share. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Conversely, Mai Khola Hydropower Limited (MKHL) incurred the maximum loss at 7.84%, settling at a market price of Rs 470 per share.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of sector indices, ten sectors closed in the red territory, while the remaining sectors closed in the green zone. The Finance Index saw the highest gain of 2.44%. Conversely, the Hotels and Tourism Index experienced the highest loss at 0.44%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-24', 'modified' => '2024-04-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20533', 'image' => '20240424034310_collage.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-24 15:41:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20805', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Customs Releases 22 Trucks Carrying Tea from Nepal after Six Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'April 24: Twenty two trucks carrying tea from Nepal were allowed to enter West Bengal by the Indian Customs Office on Tuesday night after holding them at the Indian checkpoint across Mechi for six days.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">April 24: Twenty two trucks carrying tea from Nepal were allowed to enter West Bengal by the Indian Customs Office on Tuesday night after holding them at the Indian checkpoint across Mechi for six days.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">These trucks were carrying 2,200 tons of tea produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Indian Customs Office, Panitanki, stopped the Nepali trucks at the checkpoint last Thursday demanding 100 per cent lab test certificate along with quality assurance papers. The trucks were stopped at Panitanki for almost a week.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Before this, only 5 to 25 per cent of tea samples used to be tested and released. However, the Panitanki Customs last week refused customs clearance of the tea saying that new provisions were implemented.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A delegation led by Aditya Parajuli, president of the Nepal Tea Producers Association, met Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and asked him to take the initiative to resolve the problem in tea export and also urged for a long-term solution. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Due to the joint initiative of the prime minister, the Department of Customs as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indian Customs Office called the customs agents at 9:30 PM on Tuesday night and released the truck carrying tea.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ram Prasad Regmi, head of the Mechi customs office, also confirmed that 22 vehicles carrying tea were released from Panitanki Customs. He said, "When I informally met with Panitanki customs, thet informed that Nepali tea was released on the basis of verbal order from above."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tea is the second most exported item from Nepal. The export of tea from Nepal, however, has decreased in the ninth months of the current fiscal year. The monetary value of ready-made tea exported from Nepal amounted to Rs 3 billion. Traders informed that the market of Nepali tea is decreasing due to the Indian blockade, the price of tea falling in the market and the lack of auctions. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Nepal exported 9.83 million kilograms of tea worth Rs 2.66 billion in the 9 months of the current year. Looking at the data, compared to last year, tea exports decreased by 3.5 million kg amounting to Rs 476.76 million.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-04-24', 'modified' => '2024-04-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20532', 'image' => '20240424021223_Tea.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-04-24 14:11:46', '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
