NEWS

Nepal’s Economy Hard Hit by COVID-19: Stakeholders

Mar 15, 2020 0 3 minutes 9 seconds to read

March 15: The private sector of Nepal has started discussing ways to mitigate the threats of coronavirus on Nepal’s economy as the deadly virus has started taking toll on economic activities across the…

India’s Restriction won’t have any Impact on Nepali Nationals: Embassy

Mar 15, 2020 0 2 minutes 55 seconds to read

March 15: India has adopted a slew of measures including visa restriction, issuing new travel advisory and closing the international borders in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has already claimed two lives in India and more than 5000…

Government Increases Supply of Cooking Gas

Mar 15, 2020 0 2 minutes 7 seconds to read

March 15: In order to contain the artificial shortage of daily essentials in the market in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the government has made the monitoring of market more…

NAC Reduces Flights to New Delhi

Mar 15, 2020 0 1 minutes 35 seconds to read

March 15: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has reduced its flights to New Delhi effective from Sunday (March 15) due to the decline in flow of passengers following coronavirus outbreak in…

55,000 Nepali Migrant Workers Affected by Govt Decision to Stop Issuing Work Permit

Mar 15, 2020 0 1 minutes 23 seconds to read

March 15: The number of migrant workers leaving the country for foreign employment has dropped to zero after the government indefinitely stopped issuing foreign work permits amid coronavirus…

Government Stops Issuing Labour Permits Indefinitely

Mar 13, 2020 0 1 minutes 34 seconds to read

March 13: The government has stopped issuing labour permits indefinitely amid concerns regarding coronavirus outbreak.…

Government to Build Outer Tracks of Ring Road on its Own

Mar 13, 2020 0 3 minutes 16 seconds to read

March 13: The Government of Nepal has decided to build a six-meter track on each side of the Ring Road and footpaths with its own investment.…

Gautam Buddha Int’l Airport to Come into Operation only in 2021

Mar 13, 2020 0 1 minutes 49 seconds to read

March 13: The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus…

Migration Report Points Outs Lack of Good Governance

Mar 13, 2020 0 1 minutes 10 seconds to read

March 13: The government has released Nepal Migration Report 2020, featuring situation of migration, foreign employment, good governance relating to migrants and areas for reform. …

Rain or Thundershowers in Forecast for Today

Mar 13, 2020 0 50 seconds to read

March 13: The weather throughout the country would remain partly cloudy and rain or thundershower is likely to occur due to the effect of the westerly and local…

Government Agrees to Increase Taxi Fare, Decides to Take Action against Tootle, Pathao

Mar 12, 2020 0 1 minutes 34 seconds to read

March 12: The government has assured the taxi drivers to revise the fare within the next two months.…

Government to Adopt Integrated Approach to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19

Mar 12, 2020 0 2 minutes 37 seconds to read

March 12: The government has pledged to utilize all state mechanism in an integrated way to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the…

New Criteria for Awarding Multi-Year Projects

Mar 12, 2020 0 1 minutes 19 seconds to read

March 12: The government has adopted strict criteria while awarding multi-year projects to contractors due to the non-performance of the…

India Positive to Continue Supply of Medicines: State Minister

Mar 12, 2020 0 2 minutes 5 seconds to read

March 12: The Indian government has pledged to give continuity to supply of medicines to…

China Willing to Share Information and Technology with Nepal to Combat COVID-19

Mar 11, 2020 0 1 minutes 54 seconds to read

March 11: The Chinese government has said it is willing to share with Nepal all the information regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) including the technologies and medicines used to curb deadly…

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By Madan Lamsal

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NEPSE

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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11768',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal’s Economy Hard Hit by COVID-19: Stakeholders',
			'sub_title' => 'Entrepreneurs say Hotel Industry is on the Brink of Closure',
			'summary' => 'March 15: The private sector of Nepal has started discussing ways to mitigate the threats of coronavirus on Nepal’s economy as the deadly virus has started taking toll on economic activities across the globe.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: The private sector of Nepal has started discussing ways to mitigate the threats of coronavirus on Nepal&rsquo;s economy as the deadly virus has started taking toll on economic activities across the globe. Stakeholders have realized the need to discuss about the long-term impact of COVID-19 on Nepal&rsquo;s economy and the relief packages.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) is organizing a meeting on Sunday (March 15) to discuss the issues while the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) is holding a meeting on Wednesday to talk about the effects of COVID-19 on the tourism industry of Nepal, which has been affected the most due to the lack of tourists amid coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Senior Vice President of FNCCI Shekhar Golchha said that they will be discussing the long-term effects of coronavirus on Nepal&rsquo;s economy.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The meeting will dwell on what might be the possible long-term effects of coronavirus and what kind of packages would be appropriate to handle the situation,&rdquo; said Golchha.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The standing committee meeting of FNCCI held last Friday has already taken a decision to request the government to extend the date of loan repayment by businessmen to BFIs and the government by three months.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">FNCCI also decided to seek government&rsquo;s help for package relief to bail out the tourism industry from further trouble. According to the FNCCI, other countries have already started providing relief packages to the tourism industry and Nepal should also follow suit.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">President of HAN Shreejana Rana said that they will officially seek support from the government for protection of their business after Wednesday&rsquo;s meeting. She pointed out to the need to reduce electricity tariff and interest rates charged by the banks at a time when the whole industry is reeling under crisis.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chairman of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) Satish Kumar Moore also says that the government should announce relief packages as the entire economy has started bearing the brunt of coronavirus outbreak.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">He said that the deadly disease has severely affected all the businesses except food processing industries and machinery industries.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;We are not in a situation to recover our money from the market,&rdquo; said Moore.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The production has gone down due to low demand and there is also the lack of raw materials,&rdquo; he added.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to the hotel entrepreneurs, their condition has returned to that of 2003-4 when the country was at the peak of Maoist insurgency.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chairman of Ace Hotel and Resort Yogendra Shakya said that the hotel industry was on the brink of closure one and a half decades ago and we are facing similar situation again. The government must announce relief package to save this sector, according to Shakya.</span></span></p>
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11519',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11767',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'India’s Restriction won’t have any Impact on Nepali Nationals: Embassy',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: India has adopted a slew of measures including visa restriction, issuing new travel advisory and closing the international borders in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has already claimed two lives in India and more than 5000 globally.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">March 15: India has adopted a slew of measures including visa restriction, issuing new travel advisory and closing the international borders in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has already claimed two lives in India and more than 5000 globally.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">However, these measures do not currently have any impact on normal travel of Nepalese nationals to India, either by air or by existing land routes, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said in a recent statement.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">&ldquo;Existing travel arrangements for Nepalese nationals will, in other words, remain unaffected,&rdquo; the statement added.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">However, there will be intensified health inspections at all entry points and any traveller, Indian, Nepalese or from third countries presenting COVID-19 symptoms or with recent travel history to one of seven countries worst hit by COVID-19 outbreak may possibly be subject to quarantine if required, the statement added.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">According to the Indian Embassy, the current measures are solely for the purposes of managing public health and safety.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">&ldquo;Keeping in view the ramifications of current global spread of COVID-19 on public health and safety, certain health safety measures are being implemented for foreign and Indian nationals entering into and exiting from India,&rdquo; the statement further said, adding, &ldquo;The primary intention is to ensure the health and&nbsp; safety of both Indian as well as foreign nationals with bare minimum inconvenience to travel and mobility.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">The embassy added that these measures would be continuously reviewed depending on the evolving situation.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">The Ministry of Health and Family&nbsp; Welfare of India had recently issued a revised &lsquo;travel advisory&rsquo; while the Bureau of Immigration of India had issued &lsquo;visa restrictions related to COVID-19&rsquo; on </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">March 11 to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which has already been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11766',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Increases Supply of Cooking Gas',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: In order to contain the artificial shortage of daily essentials in the market in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the government has made the monitoring of market more effective.    ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: In order to contain the artificial shortage of daily essentials in the market in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the government has made the monitoring of market more effective.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta inspected various market places in Kathmandu and Pokhara where he warned of actions to the hoarders. He reiterated that there was no shortage of goods in the markets.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">After taking stock of the market places and the problems faced by consumers and retailers,&nbsp; Minister Bhatta said that the government has applied all possible ways to maintain stability in the market, while urging the commoners not to panic and avoid piling huge stock of goods at home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Likewise, the government has instructed Nepal Oli Corporation (NOC) to import petroleum products considering the market sentiments amid the threat of Covid- 19 outbreak.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">However, the NOC has been facing problems in unhindered supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), as people have kept additional cooking gas cylinders at home despite the government&#39;s repeated calls not to do so.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Of late, the NOC has largely increased the import of LP gas. The monthly consumption of LP gas in the capital city is 38,000 metric tonnes but the import has reached 45,000 metric tonnes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NOC Spokesperson Birendra Goit said that problems have surfaced as the people have reserved additional LP gas cylinders with the threat of crisis in the market.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Spokesperson Goit said that the import of LP gas has been increased of late and added that there was no problem in the supply system.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NOC has also urged the commoners not to purchase new cylinders but to refill their empty cylinders from the retailers. - RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11765',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NAC Reduces Flights to New Delhi   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has reduced its flights to New Delhi effective from Sunday (March 15) due to the decline in flow of passengers following coronavirus outbreak in India.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has reduced its flights to New Delhi effective from Sunday (March 15) due to the decline in flow of passengers following coronavirus outbreak in India.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NAC said in a recent statement that it decided to reduce the number of flights to India and suspend flights to some other destinations due to the impact of coronavirus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&nbsp;The flag carrier of Nepal used to operate two flights per day between Kathmandu and New Daily, which has now been reduced to only one flight.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to the state-owned airline company, the morning flight schedule to New Delhi will remain as it is while the evening flight has been suspended until further notice.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Likewise, the flights scheduled to Bangalore on March 19 and 31 have also been cancelled while the flight to Mumbai on every Friday has been suspended for a month from March 15 to April 15.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Similarly, the flight to Bangkok on March 11 and 25 and that to Hong Kong on March 19 and 26 have also been cancelled, NAC further said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NAC has already suspended the Kathmandu-Doha flights from March 10 until further notice.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NAC further said that it will fully refund the customers who have already bought the tickets for the cancelled flights. &nbsp;</span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-15',
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11516',
			'image' => '20200315092110_20180727021334_2.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-15 09:20:37',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11770',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => '55,000 Nepali Migrant Workers Affected by Govt Decision to Stop Issuing Work Permit',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: The number of migrant workers leaving the country for foreign employment has dropped to zero after the government indefinitely stopped issuing foreign work permits amid coronavirus concerns.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: The number of migrant workers leaving the country for foreign employment has dropped to zero after the government indefinitely stopped issuing foreign work permits amid coronavirus concerns.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Department of Foreign Employment has ordered all its units not to issue labour permits following instruction from the High Level Committee to Prevent COVID-19 in this regard last Thursday.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Director General of the department Kumar Dahal confirmed that the government has stopped issuing work permits abroad until further notice.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The decision has also affected 55,000 labourers who have already acquired work permits or those who have returned home on leave.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government is under intense pressure not to send migrant workers to its prime destinations like South Korea, Malaysia, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait among others as the countries are reeling under the effects of the deadly COVID-19.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The demand for workers had significantly decreased before the government stopped issuing work permits to those labour destinations.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to Nepal Association of Foreign Employment, the demand letter for Nepali migrant workers had plunged by 80 percent following the global outbreak of COVID-19 since the last few months.</span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-15',
			'modified' => '2020-03-16',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11515',
			'image' => '20200315123851_1111.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-15 12:38:23',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11764',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Stops Issuing Labour Permits Indefinitely',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The government has stopped issuing labour permits indefinitely amid concerns regarding coronavirus outbreak. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 13: The government has stopped issuing labour permits indefinitely amid concerns regarding coronavirus outbreak. According to the state-owned national news agency (RSS), the government took a decision to this effect with coronavirus (COVID-19) fast spreading&nbsp; across the globe.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The High Level Committee to Prevent Coronavirus on Thursday decided to stop issuing labour permit until further notice. The decision has come into effect from Friday (March 13), RSS reported citing chief of Tahachal-based Foreign Employment Office Umesh Basnet.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government was under immense pressure not to send migrant workers abroad after cases of coronavirus were reported in Nepal&rsquo;s prime employment destinations like South Korea, Malaysia, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait among others. According to RSS, the Ministry of Labour and Employment had already planned to stop issuing labour permits but had not taken an official decision till now.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government had earlier decided no to send migrant workers to South Korea throughout the month of March. Meanwhile, Qatar had recently banned visitors from 14 countries, including Nepal, in a measure to prevent the spread of the deadly disease which has already killed more than 3500 people and has spread to over 100 countries.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The World Health Organisations had declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on Wednesday (March 11).</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'Government to Build Outer Tracks of Ring Road on its Own',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The Government of Nepal has decided to build a six-meter track on each side of the Ring Road and footpaths with its own investment. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">March 13: The Government of Nepal has decided to build a six-meter track on each side of the Ring Road and footpaths with its own investment. In the second phase of Ring Road expansion.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The authorities concerned are upgrading the Kalanki-Maharajgunj-Dhobikhola section of Ring Road into eight lanes with the assistance of the Chinese government. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The estimated cost of constructing the outer tracks and footpaths is said to be Rs 1.15 billion. The Ring Road Expansion Project has submitted an investment proposal of Rs 1.15 billion to the Ministry of Finance, according to project chief Amrit Mani Rimal.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">With the addition of these two outer tracks, the Ring Road in this section will be of 10 lanes, informed Rimal. This section from Makalu Petrol Pump to Gopi Krishna Moves of Chabahil is 11.6 kilometers long. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">It has been learnt that the drainage system&nbsp; and other pipes will be laid underneath the outer tracks of Ring Road.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Although the project officials are planning to complete the expansion within three years, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is yet to be prepared due to the coronavirus outbreak in China. The project officials will have to inform the Chinese officials after site clearance. Then the Chinese delegation will visit Nepal to finalize the DPR. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Rimal said that they intended to start the expansion work after a month but the delay in arrival of the Chinese officials is likely to push back the project.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Cutting down of trees and shifting electricity poles have been almost complete.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The road section is being upgraded under the second phase of Ring Road Development Project with the support from the Chinese government.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The government has already upgraded Koteshwar-Kalanki section of Ring Road with the support from the Chinese government in the first phase. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">China&rsquo;s Shanghai Construction Group had bagged the contract to expand the road section. The same construction company will complete upgrading the remaining parts of the Ring Road.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Altogether 2100 trees were cut down to widen the road.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">As per the plan, the road will be 62 metres wide.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The Ring Road Development Project has prepared a list of 50 houses that are entitled for compensation as the structures need to be dismantled, said project chief Amrit Mani Rimal.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The total cost of site clearance is estimated to be around Rs 3 billion including Rs 1.5 billion for compensation.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The Department of Roads is not clear on whether to expand the road from Chabahil to Gaushala as the road section has lots of houses. Expanding the road would also endanger some ancient structures that fall in the World Heritage Site.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11513',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11762',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Gautam Buddha Int’l Airport to Come into Operation only in 2021',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 13: The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The infrastructure development of the airport is in final phase but the installation of vital equipment has not been possible due to the epidemic, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">CAAN informed New Business Age that the progress in physical infrastructure of the airport is 85 percent but it will take at least six more months for the airport to come into operation.&nbsp; The civil aviation governing body further said that although technically the airport can be operated in six months, commercial flights will be possible only after a year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Director of CAAN, Pradeep Adhikari, said that the operation of the airport will be delayed as they have to import some equipment from China, which is reeling under the effect of COVID-19.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The overall progress of the airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak although the physical infrastructures are almost ready,&rdquo; he said.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Adhikari further said that the full operation of the airport will be possible only in 2021 although the government had earlier said the airport would be ready by the time of the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign kicks off.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The project had started in 2015 with the target of completing it within December 2017. However, the delay on part of the contractor, obstruction caused by the locals, Madhes movement and lack of raw materials among others delayed the national pride project.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The deadline of the project had been extended up to March 2020 but it has once again been pushed further back.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 11:36:33',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11761',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Migration Report Points Outs Lack of Good Governance   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The government has released Nepal Migration Report 2020, featuring situation of migration, foreign employment, good governance relating to migrants and areas for reform.     ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 13: The government has released Nepal Migration Report 2020, featuring situation of migration, foreign employment, good governance relating to migrants and areas for reform.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Releasing the report, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Rameshwar Raya Yadav, said the report would help government realize the ambition of &#39;prosperous Nepal: Happy Nepali.&#39; The recommendations furnished by the report are useful to ensure good governance in the migration sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The report outlines the efforts Nepal made on national, bilateral, regional and global levels to bring reform in migration. It has prioritized evidence-based policy making and made analyses of Nepal&#39;s labour migration.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">At the report release programme on Thursday, Secretary Binod KC said the report has incorporated the issues on creating employment. He further mentioned that the report explicitly pointed out the dearth of good governance in labour migration. - RSS&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 11:19:52',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11760',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Rain or Thundershowers in Forecast for Today   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The weather throughout the country would remain partly cloudy and rain or thundershower is likely to occur due to the effect of the westerly and local winds.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 13: The weather throughout the country would remain partly cloudy and rain or thundershower is likely to occur due to the effect of the westerly and local winds, the Meteorological Forecasting Division of the Department Of Hydrology and Meteorology said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Meteorologist Manju Basi said that the westerly winds will remain active in eastern and central hills of the country from Friday. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">As per the details of the Division, the minimum temperature in Kathmandu was recorded at 8.4 degrees Celsius and 26.8 degrees Celsius was the highest temperature on Thursday. -RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-13',
			'modified' => '2020-03-13',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11510',
			'image' => '20200313111357_aaa.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 11:13:06',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11756',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Agrees to Increase Taxi Fare, Decides to Take Action against Tootle, Pathao',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The government has assured the taxi drivers to revise the fare within the next two months. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 12: The government has assured the taxi drivers to revise the fare within the next two months. The government authorities gave such assurance to the drivers during a recent meeting between the two sides at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During the meeting chaired by Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembant, the ministry promised the drivers to address their demand for revising the fare they have been charging to the passengers.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The taxi drivers had demanded increase in fare and action against private vehicles providing public transportation. In response, Minister Nembang assured them that their demands will be fulfilled soon.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The taxi fare hasn&rsquo;t increased since the last seven years. Therefore, their demand is logical. We will revise the fare after conducting a proper study,&rdquo; said Minister Nembang.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Despite such claim by the minister, the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) had increased the fare of taxis and other public vehicles by 10 percent last year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to sources at the ministry, the fare will be revised within two months after a committee will study the issue and submit its report.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Before the meeting, taxi operators had submitted a six-point demand to the DoTM. Among them, their major demands were action against Tootle and Pathao for using private vehicles for public transportation and increasing the fare.</span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-12',
			'modified' => '2020-03-12',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11507',
			'image' => '20200312123634_20190322022031_adsfafdff.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-12 12:36:09',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11743',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government to Adopt Integrated Approach to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The government has pledged to utilize all state mechanism in an integrated way to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 12: The government has pledged to utilize all state mechanism in an integrated way to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government made such announcement during an all-party meeting called by the High-Level Coordination Committee to Control COVID-19 at the office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday to review the works of the government and to take suggestions from all parties. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The participants of the meeting called by Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel, who is the coordinator of the committee, discussed about the efforts made by the government to prevent an outbreak in Nepal and the future strategy. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Leaders of the opposition parties attending the meeting said that the measures adopted by the government so far are not effective to prevent the disease that has spread to over 100 countries and killed more than 3500 people.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The main opposition party Nepali Congress has suggested the government to expedite preparedness to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 in the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">NC leader Gagan Thapa said that they suggested the government to take steps in an integrated manner by incorporating all sectors to combat the deadly disease.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The participants of the meeting suggested the government to make arrangement to keep those entering Nepal from coronavirus-affected countries in quarantine for at least two weeks and to improve the service of the hospitals.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Likewise, Rajendra Shrestha of Samajbadi Party shared that the meeting focused on how to cope with the possible spread of COVID-19 in a united manner at a time when the World Health Organisation has put Nepal at high risk of coronavirus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Nepal Communist Party Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, senior leaders Jhalanath Khanal and Madhav Kumar Nepal, NC leader Bal Krishna Khand, Rajendra Mahato of Rastriya Janata Party, Shrestha of Samajbadi Party and ministers were present in the meeting chaired by committee coordinator Ishwar Pokharel.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11757',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'New Criteria for Awarding Multi-Year Projects',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The government has adopted strict criteria while awarding multi-year projects to contractors due to the non-performance of the contractors.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 12: The government has adopted strict criteria while awarding multi-year projects to contractors due to the non-performance of the contractors. While the number of projects is increasing, the implementation part is quite pathetic. Therefore, the government has set new criteria for awarding multi-year projects to ensure timely completion of such projects.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The new criteria have made it mandatory for the contractors to secure the source of funds as per the medium-term expenditure framework before signing the contract. &nbsp;The contractors will now have to first sign agreement with donor agencies if the projects are to be funded with foreign investment.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As per the new criteria, the Ministry of Finance cannot sign an agreement with the contractors to waive customs duty, income tax, VAT and other taxes without the prior approval of the National Planning Commission (NPC).</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, more than 500 projects each worth Rs 300,000 to Rs 1 billion have been delayed, mainly due to non-performing contractors.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Other reasons for the delay is the contractors&rsquo; access to influential politicians, dispute in compensation for land acquisition, management of electric poles and drainage system, court orders, protests from the locals among others.</span></span></p>
',
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11742',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'India Positive to Continue Supply of Medicines: State Minister    ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The Indian government has pledged to give continuity to supply of medicines to Nepal. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 12: The Indian government has pledged to give continuity to supply of medicines to Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister of State for Industry, Commerce and Supply, Motilal Dugad, who returned home after participating in Global Summit 2020 held in India on March 6 and 7, shared that Civil Aviation Minister and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs of India, Hardeep Singh Puri, directed his secretaries to continue export of medicines to Nepal. The directive was issued after a meeting with State Minister Dugad.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&nbsp;Nepal imports 70 per cent of necessary medicines and medicated goods from foreign countries. Of them, 90 per cent is imported from India.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Talking with media persons at his office on Wednesday, Minister of State Dugad said, &quot;We requested for a separate policy for Nepal, which received a positive response.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On a different note, Minister of State Dugad urged the consumers not to hoard daily essentials as there is enough stock of daily essentials for three to six months. However, people have started to stock daily essentials and medicines thinking there might be shortage of such things following coronavirus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Stating that the government has fined those involved in black marketing and hiding goods, he opined, &quot;Do not stock goods unnecessarily. We will not allow shortage of medicines and daily essentials. Necessary goods are being imported. So there is no reason to be worried.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">State Minister Dugad said that the government has been carrying out monitoring regarding supply of mask and sanitizer and asked the businessmen not to increase the price of such things.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">He also shared that the Indian authorities have urged Nepal to supply mask. - RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'sortorder' => '11492',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-12 11:24:32',
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11739',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'China Willing to Share Information and Technology with Nepal to Combat COVID-19',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 11: The Chinese government has said it is willing to share with Nepal all the information regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) including the technologies and medicines used to curb deadly disease.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 11: The Chinese government has said it is willing to share with Nepal all the information regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) including the technologies and medicines used to curb deadly disease.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi made such commitment during a meeting with Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai at the latter&rsquo;s office in Singha Durbar on Tuesday (March 10).</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">During the meeting, Minister Bhattarai and the Chinese ambassador discussed about the problems created by coronavirus, measures to control the disease and Nepal&rsquo;s preparedness to handle a possible outbreak.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Ambassador Hou informed Minister Bhattarai that out of 80,900 Chinese infected by the virus, 59,000 people have already returned their homes after treatment. She also shared the experience of China in handling the epidemic and the measures taken by the government.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Ambassador Hou expressed her belief that coronavirus would not spread in Nepal but said that China is ready to extend any help if required in case there is an outbreak here in Nepal. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Meanwhile, Minister Bhattarai informed the Chinese ambassador that the government is doing everything possible to prevent the spread of the disease. He said that the authorities at the Tribhuvan International Airport have been screening passengers while they have set ho isolation wards and quarantine facilities.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He also said that the government has urged the people not to attend public gatherings to avoid the disease.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11768',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal’s Economy Hard Hit by COVID-19: Stakeholders',
			'sub_title' => 'Entrepreneurs say Hotel Industry is on the Brink of Closure',
			'summary' => 'March 15: The private sector of Nepal has started discussing ways to mitigate the threats of coronavirus on Nepal’s economy as the deadly virus has started taking toll on economic activities across the globe.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: The private sector of Nepal has started discussing ways to mitigate the threats of coronavirus on Nepal&rsquo;s economy as the deadly virus has started taking toll on economic activities across the globe. Stakeholders have realized the need to discuss about the long-term impact of COVID-19 on Nepal&rsquo;s economy and the relief packages.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) is organizing a meeting on Sunday (March 15) to discuss the issues while the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) is holding a meeting on Wednesday to talk about the effects of COVID-19 on the tourism industry of Nepal, which has been affected the most due to the lack of tourists amid coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Senior Vice President of FNCCI Shekhar Golchha said that they will be discussing the long-term effects of coronavirus on Nepal&rsquo;s economy.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The meeting will dwell on what might be the possible long-term effects of coronavirus and what kind of packages would be appropriate to handle the situation,&rdquo; said Golchha.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The standing committee meeting of FNCCI held last Friday has already taken a decision to request the government to extend the date of loan repayment by businessmen to BFIs and the government by three months.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">FNCCI also decided to seek government&rsquo;s help for package relief to bail out the tourism industry from further trouble. According to the FNCCI, other countries have already started providing relief packages to the tourism industry and Nepal should also follow suit.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">President of HAN Shreejana Rana said that they will officially seek support from the government for protection of their business after Wednesday&rsquo;s meeting. She pointed out to the need to reduce electricity tariff and interest rates charged by the banks at a time when the whole industry is reeling under crisis.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chairman of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) Satish Kumar Moore also says that the government should announce relief packages as the entire economy has started bearing the brunt of coronavirus outbreak.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">He said that the deadly disease has severely affected all the businesses except food processing industries and machinery industries.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;We are not in a situation to recover our money from the market,&rdquo; said Moore.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The production has gone down due to low demand and there is also the lack of raw materials,&rdquo; he added.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to the hotel entrepreneurs, their condition has returned to that of 2003-4 when the country was at the peak of Maoist insurgency.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chairman of Ace Hotel and Resort Yogendra Shakya said that the hotel industry was on the brink of closure one and a half decades ago and we are facing similar situation again. The government must announce relief package to save this sector, according to Shakya.</span></span></p>
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			'sortorder' => '11519',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11767',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'India’s Restriction won’t have any Impact on Nepali Nationals: Embassy',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: India has adopted a slew of measures including visa restriction, issuing new travel advisory and closing the international borders in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has already claimed two lives in India and more than 5000 globally.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">March 15: India has adopted a slew of measures including visa restriction, issuing new travel advisory and closing the international borders in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has already claimed two lives in India and more than 5000 globally.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">However, these measures do not currently have any impact on normal travel of Nepalese nationals to India, either by air or by existing land routes, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said in a recent statement.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">&ldquo;Existing travel arrangements for Nepalese nationals will, in other words, remain unaffected,&rdquo; the statement added.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">However, there will be intensified health inspections at all entry points and any traveller, Indian, Nepalese or from third countries presenting COVID-19 symptoms or with recent travel history to one of seven countries worst hit by COVID-19 outbreak may possibly be subject to quarantine if required, the statement added.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">According to the Indian Embassy, the current measures are solely for the purposes of managing public health and safety.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">&ldquo;Keeping in view the ramifications of current global spread of COVID-19 on public health and safety, certain health safety measures are being implemented for foreign and Indian nationals entering into and exiting from India,&rdquo; the statement further said, adding, &ldquo;The primary intention is to ensure the health and&nbsp; safety of both Indian as well as foreign nationals with bare minimum inconvenience to travel and mobility.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">The embassy added that these measures would be continuously reviewed depending on the evolving situation.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">The Ministry of Health and Family&nbsp; Welfare of India had recently issued a revised &lsquo;travel advisory&rsquo; while the Bureau of Immigration of India had issued &lsquo;visa restrictions related to COVID-19&rsquo; on </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">March 11 to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which has already been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>
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			'keywords' => '',
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			'sortorder' => '11518',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11766',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Increases Supply of Cooking Gas',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: In order to contain the artificial shortage of daily essentials in the market in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the government has made the monitoring of market more effective.    ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: In order to contain the artificial shortage of daily essentials in the market in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the government has made the monitoring of market more effective.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta inspected various market places in Kathmandu and Pokhara where he warned of actions to the hoarders. He reiterated that there was no shortage of goods in the markets.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">After taking stock of the market places and the problems faced by consumers and retailers,&nbsp; Minister Bhatta said that the government has applied all possible ways to maintain stability in the market, while urging the commoners not to panic and avoid piling huge stock of goods at home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Likewise, the government has instructed Nepal Oli Corporation (NOC) to import petroleum products considering the market sentiments amid the threat of Covid- 19 outbreak.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">However, the NOC has been facing problems in unhindered supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), as people have kept additional cooking gas cylinders at home despite the government&#39;s repeated calls not to do so.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Of late, the NOC has largely increased the import of LP gas. The monthly consumption of LP gas in the capital city is 38,000 metric tonnes but the import has reached 45,000 metric tonnes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NOC Spokesperson Birendra Goit said that problems have surfaced as the people have reserved additional LP gas cylinders with the threat of crisis in the market.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Spokesperson Goit said that the import of LP gas has been increased of late and added that there was no problem in the supply system.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NOC has also urged the commoners not to purchase new cylinders but to refill their empty cylinders from the retailers. - RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></p>
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11517',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11765',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NAC Reduces Flights to New Delhi   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has reduced its flights to New Delhi effective from Sunday (March 15) due to the decline in flow of passengers following coronavirus outbreak in India.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has reduced its flights to New Delhi effective from Sunday (March 15) due to the decline in flow of passengers following coronavirus outbreak in India.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NAC said in a recent statement that it decided to reduce the number of flights to India and suspend flights to some other destinations due to the impact of coronavirus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&nbsp;The flag carrier of Nepal used to operate two flights per day between Kathmandu and New Daily, which has now been reduced to only one flight.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to the state-owned airline company, the morning flight schedule to New Delhi will remain as it is while the evening flight has been suspended until further notice.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Likewise, the flights scheduled to Bangalore on March 19 and 31 have also been cancelled while the flight to Mumbai on every Friday has been suspended for a month from March 15 to April 15.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Similarly, the flight to Bangkok on March 11 and 25 and that to Hong Kong on March 19 and 26 have also been cancelled, NAC further said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NAC has already suspended the Kathmandu-Doha flights from March 10 until further notice.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NAC further said that it will fully refund the customers who have already bought the tickets for the cancelled flights. &nbsp;</span></span></p>
',
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11516',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-15 09:20:37',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11770',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => '55,000 Nepali Migrant Workers Affected by Govt Decision to Stop Issuing Work Permit',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: The number of migrant workers leaving the country for foreign employment has dropped to zero after the government indefinitely stopped issuing foreign work permits amid coronavirus concerns.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: The number of migrant workers leaving the country for foreign employment has dropped to zero after the government indefinitely stopped issuing foreign work permits amid coronavirus concerns.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Department of Foreign Employment has ordered all its units not to issue labour permits following instruction from the High Level Committee to Prevent COVID-19 in this regard last Thursday.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Director General of the department Kumar Dahal confirmed that the government has stopped issuing work permits abroad until further notice.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The decision has also affected 55,000 labourers who have already acquired work permits or those who have returned home on leave.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government is under intense pressure not to send migrant workers to its prime destinations like South Korea, Malaysia, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait among others as the countries are reeling under the effects of the deadly COVID-19.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The demand for workers had significantly decreased before the government stopped issuing work permits to those labour destinations.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to Nepal Association of Foreign Employment, the demand letter for Nepali migrant workers had plunged by 80 percent following the global outbreak of COVID-19 since the last few months.</span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-15',
			'modified' => '2020-03-16',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11515',
			'image' => '20200315123851_1111.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-15 12:38:23',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11764',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Stops Issuing Labour Permits Indefinitely',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The government has stopped issuing labour permits indefinitely amid concerns regarding coronavirus outbreak. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 13: The government has stopped issuing labour permits indefinitely amid concerns regarding coronavirus outbreak. According to the state-owned national news agency (RSS), the government took a decision to this effect with coronavirus (COVID-19) fast spreading&nbsp; across the globe.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The High Level Committee to Prevent Coronavirus on Thursday decided to stop issuing labour permit until further notice. The decision has come into effect from Friday (March 13), RSS reported citing chief of Tahachal-based Foreign Employment Office Umesh Basnet.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government was under immense pressure not to send migrant workers abroad after cases of coronavirus were reported in Nepal&rsquo;s prime employment destinations like South Korea, Malaysia, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait among others. According to RSS, the Ministry of Labour and Employment had already planned to stop issuing labour permits but had not taken an official decision till now.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government had earlier decided no to send migrant workers to South Korea throughout the month of March. Meanwhile, Qatar had recently banned visitors from 14 countries, including Nepal, in a measure to prevent the spread of the deadly disease which has already killed more than 3500 people and has spread to over 100 countries.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The World Health Organisations had declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on Wednesday (March 11).</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government to Build Outer Tracks of Ring Road on its Own',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The Government of Nepal has decided to build a six-meter track on each side of the Ring Road and footpaths with its own investment. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">March 13: The Government of Nepal has decided to build a six-meter track on each side of the Ring Road and footpaths with its own investment. In the second phase of Ring Road expansion.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The authorities concerned are upgrading the Kalanki-Maharajgunj-Dhobikhola section of Ring Road into eight lanes with the assistance of the Chinese government. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The estimated cost of constructing the outer tracks and footpaths is said to be Rs 1.15 billion. The Ring Road Expansion Project has submitted an investment proposal of Rs 1.15 billion to the Ministry of Finance, according to project chief Amrit Mani Rimal.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">With the addition of these two outer tracks, the Ring Road in this section will be of 10 lanes, informed Rimal. This section from Makalu Petrol Pump to Gopi Krishna Moves of Chabahil is 11.6 kilometers long. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">It has been learnt that the drainage system&nbsp; and other pipes will be laid underneath the outer tracks of Ring Road.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Although the project officials are planning to complete the expansion within three years, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is yet to be prepared due to the coronavirus outbreak in China. The project officials will have to inform the Chinese officials after site clearance. Then the Chinese delegation will visit Nepal to finalize the DPR. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Rimal said that they intended to start the expansion work after a month but the delay in arrival of the Chinese officials is likely to push back the project.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Cutting down of trees and shifting electricity poles have been almost complete.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The road section is being upgraded under the second phase of Ring Road Development Project with the support from the Chinese government.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The government has already upgraded Koteshwar-Kalanki section of Ring Road with the support from the Chinese government in the first phase. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">China&rsquo;s Shanghai Construction Group had bagged the contract to expand the road section. The same construction company will complete upgrading the remaining parts of the Ring Road.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Altogether 2100 trees were cut down to widen the road.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">As per the plan, the road will be 62 metres wide.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The Ring Road Development Project has prepared a list of 50 houses that are entitled for compensation as the structures need to be dismantled, said project chief Amrit Mani Rimal.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The total cost of site clearance is estimated to be around Rs 3 billion including Rs 1.5 billion for compensation.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The Department of Roads is not clear on whether to expand the road from Chabahil to Gaushala as the road section has lots of houses. Expanding the road would also endanger some ancient structures that fall in the World Heritage Site.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'modified' => '2020-03-13',
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11513',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11762',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Gautam Buddha Int’l Airport to Come into Operation only in 2021',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 13: The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The infrastructure development of the airport is in final phase but the installation of vital equipment has not been possible due to the epidemic, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">CAAN informed New Business Age that the progress in physical infrastructure of the airport is 85 percent but it will take at least six more months for the airport to come into operation.&nbsp; The civil aviation governing body further said that although technically the airport can be operated in six months, commercial flights will be possible only after a year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Director of CAAN, Pradeep Adhikari, said that the operation of the airport will be delayed as they have to import some equipment from China, which is reeling under the effect of COVID-19.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The overall progress of the airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak although the physical infrastructures are almost ready,&rdquo; he said.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Adhikari further said that the full operation of the airport will be possible only in 2021 although the government had earlier said the airport would be ready by the time of the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign kicks off.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The project had started in 2015 with the target of completing it within December 2017. However, the delay on part of the contractor, obstruction caused by the locals, Madhes movement and lack of raw materials among others delayed the national pride project.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The deadline of the project had been extended up to March 2020 but it has once again been pushed further back.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 11:36:33',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11761',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Migration Report Points Outs Lack of Good Governance   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The government has released Nepal Migration Report 2020, featuring situation of migration, foreign employment, good governance relating to migrants and areas for reform.     ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 13: The government has released Nepal Migration Report 2020, featuring situation of migration, foreign employment, good governance relating to migrants and areas for reform.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Releasing the report, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Rameshwar Raya Yadav, said the report would help government realize the ambition of &#39;prosperous Nepal: Happy Nepali.&#39; The recommendations furnished by the report are useful to ensure good governance in the migration sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The report outlines the efforts Nepal made on national, bilateral, regional and global levels to bring reform in migration. It has prioritized evidence-based policy making and made analyses of Nepal&#39;s labour migration.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">At the report release programme on Thursday, Secretary Binod KC said the report has incorporated the issues on creating employment. He further mentioned that the report explicitly pointed out the dearth of good governance in labour migration. - RSS&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 11:19:52',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11760',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Rain or Thundershowers in Forecast for Today   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The weather throughout the country would remain partly cloudy and rain or thundershower is likely to occur due to the effect of the westerly and local winds.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 13: The weather throughout the country would remain partly cloudy and rain or thundershower is likely to occur due to the effect of the westerly and local winds, the Meteorological Forecasting Division of the Department Of Hydrology and Meteorology said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Meteorologist Manju Basi said that the westerly winds will remain active in eastern and central hills of the country from Friday. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">As per the details of the Division, the minimum temperature in Kathmandu was recorded at 8.4 degrees Celsius and 26.8 degrees Celsius was the highest temperature on Thursday. -RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-13',
			'modified' => '2020-03-13',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11510',
			'image' => '20200313111357_aaa.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 11:13:06',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11756',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Agrees to Increase Taxi Fare, Decides to Take Action against Tootle, Pathao',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The government has assured the taxi drivers to revise the fare within the next two months. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 12: The government has assured the taxi drivers to revise the fare within the next two months. The government authorities gave such assurance to the drivers during a recent meeting between the two sides at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During the meeting chaired by Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembant, the ministry promised the drivers to address their demand for revising the fare they have been charging to the passengers.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The taxi drivers had demanded increase in fare and action against private vehicles providing public transportation. In response, Minister Nembang assured them that their demands will be fulfilled soon.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The taxi fare hasn&rsquo;t increased since the last seven years. Therefore, their demand is logical. We will revise the fare after conducting a proper study,&rdquo; said Minister Nembang.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Despite such claim by the minister, the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) had increased the fare of taxis and other public vehicles by 10 percent last year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to sources at the ministry, the fare will be revised within two months after a committee will study the issue and submit its report.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Before the meeting, taxi operators had submitted a six-point demand to the DoTM. Among them, their major demands were action against Tootle and Pathao for using private vehicles for public transportation and increasing the fare.</span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-12',
			'modified' => '2020-03-12',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11507',
			'image' => '20200312123634_20190322022031_adsfafdff.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-12 12:36:09',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11743',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government to Adopt Integrated Approach to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The government has pledged to utilize all state mechanism in an integrated way to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 12: The government has pledged to utilize all state mechanism in an integrated way to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government made such announcement during an all-party meeting called by the High-Level Coordination Committee to Control COVID-19 at the office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday to review the works of the government and to take suggestions from all parties. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The participants of the meeting called by Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel, who is the coordinator of the committee, discussed about the efforts made by the government to prevent an outbreak in Nepal and the future strategy. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Leaders of the opposition parties attending the meeting said that the measures adopted by the government so far are not effective to prevent the disease that has spread to over 100 countries and killed more than 3500 people.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The main opposition party Nepali Congress has suggested the government to expedite preparedness to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 in the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">NC leader Gagan Thapa said that they suggested the government to take steps in an integrated manner by incorporating all sectors to combat the deadly disease.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The participants of the meeting suggested the government to make arrangement to keep those entering Nepal from coronavirus-affected countries in quarantine for at least two weeks and to improve the service of the hospitals.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Likewise, Rajendra Shrestha of Samajbadi Party shared that the meeting focused on how to cope with the possible spread of COVID-19 in a united manner at a time when the World Health Organisation has put Nepal at high risk of coronavirus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Nepal Communist Party Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, senior leaders Jhalanath Khanal and Madhav Kumar Nepal, NC leader Bal Krishna Khand, Rajendra Mahato of Rastriya Janata Party, Shrestha of Samajbadi Party and ministers were present in the meeting chaired by committee coordinator Ishwar Pokharel.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11757',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'New Criteria for Awarding Multi-Year Projects',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The government has adopted strict criteria while awarding multi-year projects to contractors due to the non-performance of the contractors.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 12: The government has adopted strict criteria while awarding multi-year projects to contractors due to the non-performance of the contractors. While the number of projects is increasing, the implementation part is quite pathetic. Therefore, the government has set new criteria for awarding multi-year projects to ensure timely completion of such projects.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The new criteria have made it mandatory for the contractors to secure the source of funds as per the medium-term expenditure framework before signing the contract. &nbsp;The contractors will now have to first sign agreement with donor agencies if the projects are to be funded with foreign investment.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As per the new criteria, the Ministry of Finance cannot sign an agreement with the contractors to waive customs duty, income tax, VAT and other taxes without the prior approval of the National Planning Commission (NPC).</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, more than 500 projects each worth Rs 300,000 to Rs 1 billion have been delayed, mainly due to non-performing contractors.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Other reasons for the delay is the contractors&rsquo; access to influential politicians, dispute in compensation for land acquisition, management of electric poles and drainage system, court orders, protests from the locals among others.</span></span></p>
',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-12 13:01:27',
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11742',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'India Positive to Continue Supply of Medicines: State Minister    ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The Indian government has pledged to give continuity to supply of medicines to Nepal. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 12: The Indian government has pledged to give continuity to supply of medicines to Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister of State for Industry, Commerce and Supply, Motilal Dugad, who returned home after participating in Global Summit 2020 held in India on March 6 and 7, shared that Civil Aviation Minister and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs of India, Hardeep Singh Puri, directed his secretaries to continue export of medicines to Nepal. The directive was issued after a meeting with State Minister Dugad.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&nbsp;Nepal imports 70 per cent of necessary medicines and medicated goods from foreign countries. Of them, 90 per cent is imported from India.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Talking with media persons at his office on Wednesday, Minister of State Dugad said, &quot;We requested for a separate policy for Nepal, which received a positive response.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On a different note, Minister of State Dugad urged the consumers not to hoard daily essentials as there is enough stock of daily essentials for three to six months. However, people have started to stock daily essentials and medicines thinking there might be shortage of such things following coronavirus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Stating that the government has fined those involved in black marketing and hiding goods, he opined, &quot;Do not stock goods unnecessarily. We will not allow shortage of medicines and daily essentials. Necessary goods are being imported. So there is no reason to be worried.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">State Minister Dugad said that the government has been carrying out monitoring regarding supply of mask and sanitizer and asked the businessmen not to increase the price of such things.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">He also shared that the Indian authorities have urged Nepal to supply mask. - RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'sortorder' => '11492',
			'image' => '20200312112516_aaaa.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-12 11:24:32',
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11739',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'China Willing to Share Information and Technology with Nepal to Combat COVID-19',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 11: The Chinese government has said it is willing to share with Nepal all the information regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) including the technologies and medicines used to curb deadly disease.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 11: The Chinese government has said it is willing to share with Nepal all the information regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) including the technologies and medicines used to curb deadly disease.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi made such commitment during a meeting with Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai at the latter&rsquo;s office in Singha Durbar on Tuesday (March 10).</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">During the meeting, Minister Bhattarai and the Chinese ambassador discussed about the problems created by coronavirus, measures to control the disease and Nepal&rsquo;s preparedness to handle a possible outbreak.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Ambassador Hou informed Minister Bhattarai that out of 80,900 Chinese infected by the virus, 59,000 people have already returned their homes after treatment. She also shared the experience of China in handling the epidemic and the measures taken by the government.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Ambassador Hou expressed her belief that coronavirus would not spread in Nepal but said that China is ready to extend any help if required in case there is an outbreak here in Nepal. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Meanwhile, Minister Bhattarai informed the Chinese ambassador that the government is doing everything possible to prevent the spread of the disease. He said that the authorities at the Tribhuvan International Airport have been screening passengers while they have set ho isolation wards and quarantine facilities.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He also said that the government has urged the people not to attend public gatherings to avoid the disease.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11768',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal’s Economy Hard Hit by COVID-19: Stakeholders',
			'sub_title' => 'Entrepreneurs say Hotel Industry is on the Brink of Closure',
			'summary' => 'March 15: The private sector of Nepal has started discussing ways to mitigate the threats of coronavirus on Nepal’s economy as the deadly virus has started taking toll on economic activities across the globe.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: The private sector of Nepal has started discussing ways to mitigate the threats of coronavirus on Nepal&rsquo;s economy as the deadly virus has started taking toll on economic activities across the globe. Stakeholders have realized the need to discuss about the long-term impact of COVID-19 on Nepal&rsquo;s economy and the relief packages.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) is organizing a meeting on Sunday (March 15) to discuss the issues while the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) is holding a meeting on Wednesday to talk about the effects of COVID-19 on the tourism industry of Nepal, which has been affected the most due to the lack of tourists amid coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Senior Vice President of FNCCI Shekhar Golchha said that they will be discussing the long-term effects of coronavirus on Nepal&rsquo;s economy.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The meeting will dwell on what might be the possible long-term effects of coronavirus and what kind of packages would be appropriate to handle the situation,&rdquo; said Golchha.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The standing committee meeting of FNCCI held last Friday has already taken a decision to request the government to extend the date of loan repayment by businessmen to BFIs and the government by three months.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">FNCCI also decided to seek government&rsquo;s help for package relief to bail out the tourism industry from further trouble. According to the FNCCI, other countries have already started providing relief packages to the tourism industry and Nepal should also follow suit.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">President of HAN Shreejana Rana said that they will officially seek support from the government for protection of their business after Wednesday&rsquo;s meeting. She pointed out to the need to reduce electricity tariff and interest rates charged by the banks at a time when the whole industry is reeling under crisis.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chairman of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) Satish Kumar Moore also says that the government should announce relief packages as the entire economy has started bearing the brunt of coronavirus outbreak.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">He said that the deadly disease has severely affected all the businesses except food processing industries and machinery industries.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;We are not in a situation to recover our money from the market,&rdquo; said Moore.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The production has gone down due to low demand and there is also the lack of raw materials,&rdquo; he added.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to the hotel entrepreneurs, their condition has returned to that of 2003-4 when the country was at the peak of Maoist insurgency.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chairman of Ace Hotel and Resort Yogendra Shakya said that the hotel industry was on the brink of closure one and a half decades ago and we are facing similar situation again. The government must announce relief package to save this sector, according to Shakya.</span></span></p>
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11519',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11767',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'India’s Restriction won’t have any Impact on Nepali Nationals: Embassy',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: India has adopted a slew of measures including visa restriction, issuing new travel advisory and closing the international borders in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has already claimed two lives in India and more than 5000 globally.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">March 15: India has adopted a slew of measures including visa restriction, issuing new travel advisory and closing the international borders in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has already claimed two lives in India and more than 5000 globally.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">However, these measures do not currently have any impact on normal travel of Nepalese nationals to India, either by air or by existing land routes, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said in a recent statement.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">&ldquo;Existing travel arrangements for Nepalese nationals will, in other words, remain unaffected,&rdquo; the statement added.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">However, there will be intensified health inspections at all entry points and any traveller, Indian, Nepalese or from third countries presenting COVID-19 symptoms or with recent travel history to one of seven countries worst hit by COVID-19 outbreak may possibly be subject to quarantine if required, the statement added.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">According to the Indian Embassy, the current measures are solely for the purposes of managing public health and safety.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">&ldquo;Keeping in view the ramifications of current global spread of COVID-19 on public health and safety, certain health safety measures are being implemented for foreign and Indian nationals entering into and exiting from India,&rdquo; the statement further said, adding, &ldquo;The primary intention is to ensure the health and&nbsp; safety of both Indian as well as foreign nationals with bare minimum inconvenience to travel and mobility.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">The embassy added that these measures would be continuously reviewed depending on the evolving situation.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">The Ministry of Health and Family&nbsp; Welfare of India had recently issued a revised &lsquo;travel advisory&rsquo; while the Bureau of Immigration of India had issued &lsquo;visa restrictions related to COVID-19&rsquo; on </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">March 11 to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which has already been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>
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			'keywords' => '',
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			'sortorder' => '11518',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11766',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Increases Supply of Cooking Gas',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: In order to contain the artificial shortage of daily essentials in the market in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the government has made the monitoring of market more effective.    ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: In order to contain the artificial shortage of daily essentials in the market in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the government has made the monitoring of market more effective.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta inspected various market places in Kathmandu and Pokhara where he warned of actions to the hoarders. He reiterated that there was no shortage of goods in the markets.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">After taking stock of the market places and the problems faced by consumers and retailers,&nbsp; Minister Bhatta said that the government has applied all possible ways to maintain stability in the market, while urging the commoners not to panic and avoid piling huge stock of goods at home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Likewise, the government has instructed Nepal Oli Corporation (NOC) to import petroleum products considering the market sentiments amid the threat of Covid- 19 outbreak.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">However, the NOC has been facing problems in unhindered supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), as people have kept additional cooking gas cylinders at home despite the government&#39;s repeated calls not to do so.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Of late, the NOC has largely increased the import of LP gas. The monthly consumption of LP gas in the capital city is 38,000 metric tonnes but the import has reached 45,000 metric tonnes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NOC Spokesperson Birendra Goit said that problems have surfaced as the people have reserved additional LP gas cylinders with the threat of crisis in the market.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Spokesperson Goit said that the import of LP gas has been increased of late and added that there was no problem in the supply system.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NOC has also urged the commoners not to purchase new cylinders but to refill their empty cylinders from the retailers. - RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></p>
',
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11517',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11765',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NAC Reduces Flights to New Delhi   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has reduced its flights to New Delhi effective from Sunday (March 15) due to the decline in flow of passengers following coronavirus outbreak in India.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has reduced its flights to New Delhi effective from Sunday (March 15) due to the decline in flow of passengers following coronavirus outbreak in India.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NAC said in a recent statement that it decided to reduce the number of flights to India and suspend flights to some other destinations due to the impact of coronavirus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&nbsp;The flag carrier of Nepal used to operate two flights per day between Kathmandu and New Daily, which has now been reduced to only one flight.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to the state-owned airline company, the morning flight schedule to New Delhi will remain as it is while the evening flight has been suspended until further notice.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Likewise, the flights scheduled to Bangalore on March 19 and 31 have also been cancelled while the flight to Mumbai on every Friday has been suspended for a month from March 15 to April 15.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Similarly, the flight to Bangkok on March 11 and 25 and that to Hong Kong on March 19 and 26 have also been cancelled, NAC further said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NAC has already suspended the Kathmandu-Doha flights from March 10 until further notice.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NAC further said that it will fully refund the customers who have already bought the tickets for the cancelled flights. &nbsp;</span></span></p>
',
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11516',
			'image' => '20200315092110_20180727021334_2.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-15 09:20:37',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11770',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => '55,000 Nepali Migrant Workers Affected by Govt Decision to Stop Issuing Work Permit',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: The number of migrant workers leaving the country for foreign employment has dropped to zero after the government indefinitely stopped issuing foreign work permits amid coronavirus concerns.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: The number of migrant workers leaving the country for foreign employment has dropped to zero after the government indefinitely stopped issuing foreign work permits amid coronavirus concerns.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Department of Foreign Employment has ordered all its units not to issue labour permits following instruction from the High Level Committee to Prevent COVID-19 in this regard last Thursday.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Director General of the department Kumar Dahal confirmed that the government has stopped issuing work permits abroad until further notice.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The decision has also affected 55,000 labourers who have already acquired work permits or those who have returned home on leave.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government is under intense pressure not to send migrant workers to its prime destinations like South Korea, Malaysia, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait among others as the countries are reeling under the effects of the deadly COVID-19.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The demand for workers had significantly decreased before the government stopped issuing work permits to those labour destinations.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to Nepal Association of Foreign Employment, the demand letter for Nepali migrant workers had plunged by 80 percent following the global outbreak of COVID-19 since the last few months.</span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-15',
			'modified' => '2020-03-16',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11515',
			'image' => '20200315123851_1111.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-15 12:38:23',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11764',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Stops Issuing Labour Permits Indefinitely',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The government has stopped issuing labour permits indefinitely amid concerns regarding coronavirus outbreak. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 13: The government has stopped issuing labour permits indefinitely amid concerns regarding coronavirus outbreak. According to the state-owned national news agency (RSS), the government took a decision to this effect with coronavirus (COVID-19) fast spreading&nbsp; across the globe.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The High Level Committee to Prevent Coronavirus on Thursday decided to stop issuing labour permit until further notice. The decision has come into effect from Friday (March 13), RSS reported citing chief of Tahachal-based Foreign Employment Office Umesh Basnet.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government was under immense pressure not to send migrant workers abroad after cases of coronavirus were reported in Nepal&rsquo;s prime employment destinations like South Korea, Malaysia, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait among others. According to RSS, the Ministry of Labour and Employment had already planned to stop issuing labour permits but had not taken an official decision till now.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government had earlier decided no to send migrant workers to South Korea throughout the month of March. Meanwhile, Qatar had recently banned visitors from 14 countries, including Nepal, in a measure to prevent the spread of the deadly disease which has already killed more than 3500 people and has spread to over 100 countries.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The World Health Organisations had declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on Wednesday (March 11).</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	),
	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11763',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government to Build Outer Tracks of Ring Road on its Own',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The Government of Nepal has decided to build a six-meter track on each side of the Ring Road and footpaths with its own investment. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">March 13: The Government of Nepal has decided to build a six-meter track on each side of the Ring Road and footpaths with its own investment. In the second phase of Ring Road expansion.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The authorities concerned are upgrading the Kalanki-Maharajgunj-Dhobikhola section of Ring Road into eight lanes with the assistance of the Chinese government. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The estimated cost of constructing the outer tracks and footpaths is said to be Rs 1.15 billion. The Ring Road Expansion Project has submitted an investment proposal of Rs 1.15 billion to the Ministry of Finance, according to project chief Amrit Mani Rimal.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">With the addition of these two outer tracks, the Ring Road in this section will be of 10 lanes, informed Rimal. This section from Makalu Petrol Pump to Gopi Krishna Moves of Chabahil is 11.6 kilometers long. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">It has been learnt that the drainage system&nbsp; and other pipes will be laid underneath the outer tracks of Ring Road.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Although the project officials are planning to complete the expansion within three years, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is yet to be prepared due to the coronavirus outbreak in China. The project officials will have to inform the Chinese officials after site clearance. Then the Chinese delegation will visit Nepal to finalize the DPR. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Rimal said that they intended to start the expansion work after a month but the delay in arrival of the Chinese officials is likely to push back the project.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Cutting down of trees and shifting electricity poles have been almost complete.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The road section is being upgraded under the second phase of Ring Road Development Project with the support from the Chinese government.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The government has already upgraded Koteshwar-Kalanki section of Ring Road with the support from the Chinese government in the first phase. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">China&rsquo;s Shanghai Construction Group had bagged the contract to expand the road section. The same construction company will complete upgrading the remaining parts of the Ring Road.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Altogether 2100 trees were cut down to widen the road.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">As per the plan, the road will be 62 metres wide.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The Ring Road Development Project has prepared a list of 50 houses that are entitled for compensation as the structures need to be dismantled, said project chief Amrit Mani Rimal.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The total cost of site clearance is estimated to be around Rs 3 billion including Rs 1.5 billion for compensation.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The Department of Roads is not clear on whether to expand the road from Chabahil to Gaushala as the road section has lots of houses. Expanding the road would also endanger some ancient structures that fall in the World Heritage Site.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-13',
			'modified' => '2020-03-13',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11513',
			'image' => '20200313030544_3ca3104842e4a54d54.jpeg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 15:04:21',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11762',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Gautam Buddha Int’l Airport to Come into Operation only in 2021',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 13: The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The infrastructure development of the airport is in final phase but the installation of vital equipment has not been possible due to the epidemic, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">CAAN informed New Business Age that the progress in physical infrastructure of the airport is 85 percent but it will take at least six more months for the airport to come into operation.&nbsp; The civil aviation governing body further said that although technically the airport can be operated in six months, commercial flights will be possible only after a year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Director of CAAN, Pradeep Adhikari, said that the operation of the airport will be delayed as they have to import some equipment from China, which is reeling under the effect of COVID-19.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The overall progress of the airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak although the physical infrastructures are almost ready,&rdquo; he said.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Adhikari further said that the full operation of the airport will be possible only in 2021 although the government had earlier said the airport would be ready by the time of the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign kicks off.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The project had started in 2015 with the target of completing it within December 2017. However, the delay on part of the contractor, obstruction caused by the locals, Madhes movement and lack of raw materials among others delayed the national pride project.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The deadline of the project had been extended up to March 2020 but it has once again been pushed further back.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11512',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 11:36:33',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11761',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Migration Report Points Outs Lack of Good Governance   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The government has released Nepal Migration Report 2020, featuring situation of migration, foreign employment, good governance relating to migrants and areas for reform.     ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 13: The government has released Nepal Migration Report 2020, featuring situation of migration, foreign employment, good governance relating to migrants and areas for reform.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Releasing the report, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Rameshwar Raya Yadav, said the report would help government realize the ambition of &#39;prosperous Nepal: Happy Nepali.&#39; The recommendations furnished by the report are useful to ensure good governance in the migration sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The report outlines the efforts Nepal made on national, bilateral, regional and global levels to bring reform in migration. It has prioritized evidence-based policy making and made analyses of Nepal&#39;s labour migration.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">At the report release programme on Thursday, Secretary Binod KC said the report has incorporated the issues on creating employment. He further mentioned that the report explicitly pointed out the dearth of good governance in labour migration. - RSS&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11511',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 11:19:52',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11760',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Rain or Thundershowers in Forecast for Today   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The weather throughout the country would remain partly cloudy and rain or thundershower is likely to occur due to the effect of the westerly and local winds.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 13: The weather throughout the country would remain partly cloudy and rain or thundershower is likely to occur due to the effect of the westerly and local winds, the Meteorological Forecasting Division of the Department Of Hydrology and Meteorology said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Meteorologist Manju Basi said that the westerly winds will remain active in eastern and central hills of the country from Friday. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">As per the details of the Division, the minimum temperature in Kathmandu was recorded at 8.4 degrees Celsius and 26.8 degrees Celsius was the highest temperature on Thursday. -RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-13',
			'modified' => '2020-03-13',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11510',
			'image' => '20200313111357_aaa.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 11:13:06',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11756',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Agrees to Increase Taxi Fare, Decides to Take Action against Tootle, Pathao',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The government has assured the taxi drivers to revise the fare within the next two months. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 12: The government has assured the taxi drivers to revise the fare within the next two months. The government authorities gave such assurance to the drivers during a recent meeting between the two sides at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During the meeting chaired by Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembant, the ministry promised the drivers to address their demand for revising the fare they have been charging to the passengers.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The taxi drivers had demanded increase in fare and action against private vehicles providing public transportation. In response, Minister Nembang assured them that their demands will be fulfilled soon.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The taxi fare hasn&rsquo;t increased since the last seven years. Therefore, their demand is logical. We will revise the fare after conducting a proper study,&rdquo; said Minister Nembang.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Despite such claim by the minister, the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) had increased the fare of taxis and other public vehicles by 10 percent last year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to sources at the ministry, the fare will be revised within two months after a committee will study the issue and submit its report.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Before the meeting, taxi operators had submitted a six-point demand to the DoTM. Among them, their major demands were action against Tootle and Pathao for using private vehicles for public transportation and increasing the fare.</span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-12',
			'modified' => '2020-03-12',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11507',
			'image' => '20200312123634_20190322022031_adsfafdff.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-12 12:36:09',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11743',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government to Adopt Integrated Approach to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The government has pledged to utilize all state mechanism in an integrated way to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 12: The government has pledged to utilize all state mechanism in an integrated way to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government made such announcement during an all-party meeting called by the High-Level Coordination Committee to Control COVID-19 at the office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday to review the works of the government and to take suggestions from all parties. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The participants of the meeting called by Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel, who is the coordinator of the committee, discussed about the efforts made by the government to prevent an outbreak in Nepal and the future strategy. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Leaders of the opposition parties attending the meeting said that the measures adopted by the government so far are not effective to prevent the disease that has spread to over 100 countries and killed more than 3500 people.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The main opposition party Nepali Congress has suggested the government to expedite preparedness to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 in the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">NC leader Gagan Thapa said that they suggested the government to take steps in an integrated manner by incorporating all sectors to combat the deadly disease.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The participants of the meeting suggested the government to make arrangement to keep those entering Nepal from coronavirus-affected countries in quarantine for at least two weeks and to improve the service of the hospitals.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Likewise, Rajendra Shrestha of Samajbadi Party shared that the meeting focused on how to cope with the possible spread of COVID-19 in a united manner at a time when the World Health Organisation has put Nepal at high risk of coronavirus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Nepal Communist Party Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, senior leaders Jhalanath Khanal and Madhav Kumar Nepal, NC leader Bal Krishna Khand, Rajendra Mahato of Rastriya Janata Party, Shrestha of Samajbadi Party and ministers were present in the meeting chaired by committee coordinator Ishwar Pokharel.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'sortorder' => '11494',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11757',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'New Criteria for Awarding Multi-Year Projects',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The government has adopted strict criteria while awarding multi-year projects to contractors due to the non-performance of the contractors.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 12: The government has adopted strict criteria while awarding multi-year projects to contractors due to the non-performance of the contractors. While the number of projects is increasing, the implementation part is quite pathetic. Therefore, the government has set new criteria for awarding multi-year projects to ensure timely completion of such projects.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The new criteria have made it mandatory for the contractors to secure the source of funds as per the medium-term expenditure framework before signing the contract. &nbsp;The contractors will now have to first sign agreement with donor agencies if the projects are to be funded with foreign investment.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As per the new criteria, the Ministry of Finance cannot sign an agreement with the contractors to waive customs duty, income tax, VAT and other taxes without the prior approval of the National Planning Commission (NPC).</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, more than 500 projects each worth Rs 300,000 to Rs 1 billion have been delayed, mainly due to non-performing contractors.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Other reasons for the delay is the contractors&rsquo; access to influential politicians, dispute in compensation for land acquisition, management of electric poles and drainage system, court orders, protests from the locals among others.</span></span></p>
',
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			'sortorder' => '11493',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-12 13:01:27',
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11742',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'India Positive to Continue Supply of Medicines: State Minister    ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The Indian government has pledged to give continuity to supply of medicines to Nepal. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 12: The Indian government has pledged to give continuity to supply of medicines to Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister of State for Industry, Commerce and Supply, Motilal Dugad, who returned home after participating in Global Summit 2020 held in India on March 6 and 7, shared that Civil Aviation Minister and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs of India, Hardeep Singh Puri, directed his secretaries to continue export of medicines to Nepal. The directive was issued after a meeting with State Minister Dugad.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&nbsp;Nepal imports 70 per cent of necessary medicines and medicated goods from foreign countries. Of them, 90 per cent is imported from India.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Talking with media persons at his office on Wednesday, Minister of State Dugad said, &quot;We requested for a separate policy for Nepal, which received a positive response.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On a different note, Minister of State Dugad urged the consumers not to hoard daily essentials as there is enough stock of daily essentials for three to six months. However, people have started to stock daily essentials and medicines thinking there might be shortage of such things following coronavirus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Stating that the government has fined those involved in black marketing and hiding goods, he opined, &quot;Do not stock goods unnecessarily. We will not allow shortage of medicines and daily essentials. Necessary goods are being imported. So there is no reason to be worried.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">State Minister Dugad said that the government has been carrying out monitoring regarding supply of mask and sanitizer and asked the businessmen not to increase the price of such things.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">He also shared that the Indian authorities have urged Nepal to supply mask. - RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-12',
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			'sortorder' => '11492',
			'image' => '20200312112516_aaaa.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-12 11:24:32',
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11739',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'China Willing to Share Information and Technology with Nepal to Combat COVID-19',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 11: The Chinese government has said it is willing to share with Nepal all the information regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) including the technologies and medicines used to curb deadly disease.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 11: The Chinese government has said it is willing to share with Nepal all the information regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) including the technologies and medicines used to curb deadly disease.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi made such commitment during a meeting with Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai at the latter&rsquo;s office in Singha Durbar on Tuesday (March 10).</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">During the meeting, Minister Bhattarai and the Chinese ambassador discussed about the problems created by coronavirus, measures to control the disease and Nepal&rsquo;s preparedness to handle a possible outbreak.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Ambassador Hou informed Minister Bhattarai that out of 80,900 Chinese infected by the virus, 59,000 people have already returned their homes after treatment. She also shared the experience of China in handling the epidemic and the measures taken by the government.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Ambassador Hou expressed her belief that coronavirus would not spread in Nepal but said that China is ready to extend any help if required in case there is an outbreak here in Nepal. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Meanwhile, Minister Bhattarai informed the Chinese ambassador that the government is doing everything possible to prevent the spread of the disease. He said that the authorities at the Tribhuvan International Airport have been screening passengers while they have set ho isolation wards and quarantine facilities.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He also said that the government has urged the people not to attend public gatherings to avoid the disease.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11768',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Nepal’s Economy Hard Hit by COVID-19: Stakeholders',
			'sub_title' => 'Entrepreneurs say Hotel Industry is on the Brink of Closure',
			'summary' => 'March 15: The private sector of Nepal has started discussing ways to mitigate the threats of coronavirus on Nepal’s economy as the deadly virus has started taking toll on economic activities across the globe.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: The private sector of Nepal has started discussing ways to mitigate the threats of coronavirus on Nepal&rsquo;s economy as the deadly virus has started taking toll on economic activities across the globe. Stakeholders have realized the need to discuss about the long-term impact of COVID-19 on Nepal&rsquo;s economy and the relief packages.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) is organizing a meeting on Sunday (March 15) to discuss the issues while the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) is holding a meeting on Wednesday to talk about the effects of COVID-19 on the tourism industry of Nepal, which has been affected the most due to the lack of tourists amid coronavirus pandemic.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Senior Vice President of FNCCI Shekhar Golchha said that they will be discussing the long-term effects of coronavirus on Nepal&rsquo;s economy.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The meeting will dwell on what might be the possible long-term effects of coronavirus and what kind of packages would be appropriate to handle the situation,&rdquo; said Golchha.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The standing committee meeting of FNCCI held last Friday has already taken a decision to request the government to extend the date of loan repayment by businessmen to BFIs and the government by three months.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">FNCCI also decided to seek government&rsquo;s help for package relief to bail out the tourism industry from further trouble. According to the FNCCI, other countries have already started providing relief packages to the tourism industry and Nepal should also follow suit.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">President of HAN Shreejana Rana said that they will officially seek support from the government for protection of their business after Wednesday&rsquo;s meeting. She pointed out to the need to reduce electricity tariff and interest rates charged by the banks at a time when the whole industry is reeling under crisis.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chairman of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) Satish Kumar Moore also says that the government should announce relief packages as the entire economy has started bearing the brunt of coronavirus outbreak.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">He said that the deadly disease has severely affected all the businesses except food processing industries and machinery industries.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;We are not in a situation to recover our money from the market,&rdquo; said Moore.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The production has gone down due to low demand and there is also the lack of raw materials,&rdquo; he added.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to the hotel entrepreneurs, their condition has returned to that of 2003-4 when the country was at the peak of Maoist insurgency.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chairman of Ace Hotel and Resort Yogendra Shakya said that the hotel industry was on the brink of closure one and a half decades ago and we are facing similar situation again. The government must announce relief package to save this sector, according to Shakya.</span></span></p>
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			'sortorder' => '11519',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11767',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'India’s Restriction won’t have any Impact on Nepali Nationals: Embassy',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: India has adopted a slew of measures including visa restriction, issuing new travel advisory and closing the international borders in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has already claimed two lives in India and more than 5000 globally.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">March 15: India has adopted a slew of measures including visa restriction, issuing new travel advisory and closing the international borders in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has already claimed two lives in India and more than 5000 globally.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">However, these measures do not currently have any impact on normal travel of Nepalese nationals to India, either by air or by existing land routes, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said in a recent statement.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">&ldquo;Existing travel arrangements for Nepalese nationals will, in other words, remain unaffected,&rdquo; the statement added.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">However, there will be intensified health inspections at all entry points and any traveller, Indian, Nepalese or from third countries presenting COVID-19 symptoms or with recent travel history to one of seven countries worst hit by COVID-19 outbreak may possibly be subject to quarantine if required, the statement added.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">According to the Indian Embassy, the current measures are solely for the purposes of managing public health and safety.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">&ldquo;Keeping in view the ramifications of current global spread of COVID-19 on public health and safety, certain health safety measures are being implemented for foreign and Indian nationals entering into and exiting from India,&rdquo; the statement further said, adding, &ldquo;The primary intention is to ensure the health and&nbsp; safety of both Indian as well as foreign nationals with bare minimum inconvenience to travel and mobility.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">The embassy added that these measures would be continuously reviewed depending on the evolving situation.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">The Ministry of Health and Family&nbsp; Welfare of India had recently issued a revised &lsquo;travel advisory&rsquo; while the Bureau of Immigration of India had issued &lsquo;visa restrictions related to COVID-19&rsquo; on </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">March 11 to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which has already been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:&quot;Liberation Serif&quot;,serif">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>
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			'sortorder' => '11518',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11766',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Increases Supply of Cooking Gas',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: In order to contain the artificial shortage of daily essentials in the market in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the government has made the monitoring of market more effective.    ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: In order to contain the artificial shortage of daily essentials in the market in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the government has made the monitoring of market more effective.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta inspected various market places in Kathmandu and Pokhara where he warned of actions to the hoarders. He reiterated that there was no shortage of goods in the markets.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">After taking stock of the market places and the problems faced by consumers and retailers,&nbsp; Minister Bhatta said that the government has applied all possible ways to maintain stability in the market, while urging the commoners not to panic and avoid piling huge stock of goods at home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Likewise, the government has instructed Nepal Oli Corporation (NOC) to import petroleum products considering the market sentiments amid the threat of Covid- 19 outbreak.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">However, the NOC has been facing problems in unhindered supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), as people have kept additional cooking gas cylinders at home despite the government&#39;s repeated calls not to do so.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Of late, the NOC has largely increased the import of LP gas. The monthly consumption of LP gas in the capital city is 38,000 metric tonnes but the import has reached 45,000 metric tonnes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NOC Spokesperson Birendra Goit said that problems have surfaced as the people have reserved additional LP gas cylinders with the threat of crisis in the market.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Spokesperson Goit said that the import of LP gas has been increased of late and added that there was no problem in the supply system.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NOC has also urged the commoners not to purchase new cylinders but to refill their empty cylinders from the retailers. - RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></p>
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			'sortorder' => '11517',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11765',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NAC Reduces Flights to New Delhi   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has reduced its flights to New Delhi effective from Sunday (March 15) due to the decline in flow of passengers following coronavirus outbreak in India.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has reduced its flights to New Delhi effective from Sunday (March 15) due to the decline in flow of passengers following coronavirus outbreak in India.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NAC said in a recent statement that it decided to reduce the number of flights to India and suspend flights to some other destinations due to the impact of coronavirus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&nbsp;The flag carrier of Nepal used to operate two flights per day between Kathmandu and New Daily, which has now been reduced to only one flight.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to the state-owned airline company, the morning flight schedule to New Delhi will remain as it is while the evening flight has been suspended until further notice.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Likewise, the flights scheduled to Bangalore on March 19 and 31 have also been cancelled while the flight to Mumbai on every Friday has been suspended for a month from March 15 to April 15.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Similarly, the flight to Bangkok on March 11 and 25 and that to Hong Kong on March 19 and 26 have also been cancelled, NAC further said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NAC has already suspended the Kathmandu-Doha flights from March 10 until further notice.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NAC further said that it will fully refund the customers who have already bought the tickets for the cancelled flights. &nbsp;</span></span></p>
',
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11516',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-15 09:20:37',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11770',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => '55,000 Nepali Migrant Workers Affected by Govt Decision to Stop Issuing Work Permit',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 15: The number of migrant workers leaving the country for foreign employment has dropped to zero after the government indefinitely stopped issuing foreign work permits amid coronavirus concerns.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 15: The number of migrant workers leaving the country for foreign employment has dropped to zero after the government indefinitely stopped issuing foreign work permits amid coronavirus concerns.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Department of Foreign Employment has ordered all its units not to issue labour permits following instruction from the High Level Committee to Prevent COVID-19 in this regard last Thursday.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Director General of the department Kumar Dahal confirmed that the government has stopped issuing work permits abroad until further notice.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The decision has also affected 55,000 labourers who have already acquired work permits or those who have returned home on leave.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government is under intense pressure not to send migrant workers to its prime destinations like South Korea, Malaysia, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait among others as the countries are reeling under the effects of the deadly COVID-19.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The demand for workers had significantly decreased before the government stopped issuing work permits to those labour destinations.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to Nepal Association of Foreign Employment, the demand letter for Nepali migrant workers had plunged by 80 percent following the global outbreak of COVID-19 since the last few months.</span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-15',
			'modified' => '2020-03-16',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11515',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-15 12:38:23',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11764',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Stops Issuing Labour Permits Indefinitely',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The government has stopped issuing labour permits indefinitely amid concerns regarding coronavirus outbreak. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 13: The government has stopped issuing labour permits indefinitely amid concerns regarding coronavirus outbreak. According to the state-owned national news agency (RSS), the government took a decision to this effect with coronavirus (COVID-19) fast spreading&nbsp; across the globe.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The High Level Committee to Prevent Coronavirus on Thursday decided to stop issuing labour permit until further notice. The decision has come into effect from Friday (March 13), RSS reported citing chief of Tahachal-based Foreign Employment Office Umesh Basnet.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government was under immense pressure not to send migrant workers abroad after cases of coronavirus were reported in Nepal&rsquo;s prime employment destinations like South Korea, Malaysia, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait among others. According to RSS, the Ministry of Labour and Employment had already planned to stop issuing labour permits but had not taken an official decision till now.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The government had earlier decided no to send migrant workers to South Korea throughout the month of March. Meanwhile, Qatar had recently banned visitors from 14 countries, including Nepal, in a measure to prevent the spread of the deadly disease which has already killed more than 3500 people and has spread to over 100 countries.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">The World Health Organisations had declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on Wednesday (March 11).</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11763',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government to Build Outer Tracks of Ring Road on its Own',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The Government of Nepal has decided to build a six-meter track on each side of the Ring Road and footpaths with its own investment. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">March 13: The Government of Nepal has decided to build a six-meter track on each side of the Ring Road and footpaths with its own investment. In the second phase of Ring Road expansion.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The authorities concerned are upgrading the Kalanki-Maharajgunj-Dhobikhola section of Ring Road into eight lanes with the assistance of the Chinese government. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The estimated cost of constructing the outer tracks and footpaths is said to be Rs 1.15 billion. The Ring Road Expansion Project has submitted an investment proposal of Rs 1.15 billion to the Ministry of Finance, according to project chief Amrit Mani Rimal.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">With the addition of these two outer tracks, the Ring Road in this section will be of 10 lanes, informed Rimal. This section from Makalu Petrol Pump to Gopi Krishna Moves of Chabahil is 11.6 kilometers long. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">It has been learnt that the drainage system&nbsp; and other pipes will be laid underneath the outer tracks of Ring Road.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Although the project officials are planning to complete the expansion within three years, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is yet to be prepared due to the coronavirus outbreak in China. The project officials will have to inform the Chinese officials after site clearance. Then the Chinese delegation will visit Nepal to finalize the DPR. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Rimal said that they intended to start the expansion work after a month but the delay in arrival of the Chinese officials is likely to push back the project.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Cutting down of trees and shifting electricity poles have been almost complete.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The road section is being upgraded under the second phase of Ring Road Development Project with the support from the Chinese government.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The government has already upgraded Koteshwar-Kalanki section of Ring Road with the support from the Chinese government in the first phase. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">China&rsquo;s Shanghai Construction Group had bagged the contract to expand the road section. The same construction company will complete upgrading the remaining parts of the Ring Road.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">Altogether 2100 trees were cut down to widen the road.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">As per the plan, the road will be 62 metres wide.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The Ring Road Development Project has prepared a list of 50 houses that are entitled for compensation as the structures need to be dismantled, said project chief Amrit Mani Rimal.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The total cost of site clearance is estimated to be around Rs 3 billion including Rs 1.5 billion for compensation.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:20px">The Department of Roads is not clear on whether to expand the road from Chabahil to Gaushala as the road section has lots of houses. Expanding the road would also endanger some ancient structures that fall in the World Heritage Site.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-13',
			'modified' => '2020-03-13',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11513',
			'image' => '20200313030544_3ca3104842e4a54d54.jpeg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 15:04:21',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11762',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Gautam Buddha Int’l Airport to Come into Operation only in 2021',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 13: The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The infrastructure development of the airport is in final phase but the installation of vital equipment has not been possible due to the epidemic, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">CAAN informed New Business Age that the progress in physical infrastructure of the airport is 85 percent but it will take at least six more months for the airport to come into operation.&nbsp; The civil aviation governing body further said that although technically the airport can be operated in six months, commercial flights will be possible only after a year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Director of CAAN, Pradeep Adhikari, said that the operation of the airport will be delayed as they have to import some equipment from China, which is reeling under the effect of COVID-19.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The overall progress of the airport has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak although the physical infrastructures are almost ready,&rdquo; he said.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Adhikari further said that the full operation of the airport will be possible only in 2021 although the government had earlier said the airport would be ready by the time of the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign kicks off.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The project had started in 2015 with the target of completing it within December 2017. However, the delay on part of the contractor, obstruction caused by the locals, Madhes movement and lack of raw materials among others delayed the national pride project.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The deadline of the project had been extended up to March 2020 but it has once again been pushed further back.</span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 11:36:33',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11761',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Migration Report Points Outs Lack of Good Governance   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The government has released Nepal Migration Report 2020, featuring situation of migration, foreign employment, good governance relating to migrants and areas for reform.     ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 13: The government has released Nepal Migration Report 2020, featuring situation of migration, foreign employment, good governance relating to migrants and areas for reform.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Releasing the report, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Rameshwar Raya Yadav, said the report would help government realize the ambition of &#39;prosperous Nepal: Happy Nepali.&#39; The recommendations furnished by the report are useful to ensure good governance in the migration sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The report outlines the efforts Nepal made on national, bilateral, regional and global levels to bring reform in migration. It has prioritized evidence-based policy making and made analyses of Nepal&#39;s labour migration.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">At the report release programme on Thursday, Secretary Binod KC said the report has incorporated the issues on creating employment. He further mentioned that the report explicitly pointed out the dearth of good governance in labour migration. - RSS&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11511',
			'image' => '20200313112047_aaaaaaa.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 11:19:52',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11760',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Rain or Thundershowers in Forecast for Today   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 13: The weather throughout the country would remain partly cloudy and rain or thundershower is likely to occur due to the effect of the westerly and local winds.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 13: The weather throughout the country would remain partly cloudy and rain or thundershower is likely to occur due to the effect of the westerly and local winds, the Meteorological Forecasting Division of the Department Of Hydrology and Meteorology said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Meteorologist Manju Basi said that the westerly winds will remain active in eastern and central hills of the country from Friday. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">As per the details of the Division, the minimum temperature in Kathmandu was recorded at 8.4 degrees Celsius and 26.8 degrees Celsius was the highest temperature on Thursday. -RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-13',
			'modified' => '2020-03-13',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11510',
			'image' => '20200313111357_aaa.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-13 11:13:06',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11756',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Agrees to Increase Taxi Fare, Decides to Take Action against Tootle, Pathao',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The government has assured the taxi drivers to revise the fare within the next two months. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 12: The government has assured the taxi drivers to revise the fare within the next two months. The government authorities gave such assurance to the drivers during a recent meeting between the two sides at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During the meeting chaired by Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Nembant, the ministry promised the drivers to address their demand for revising the fare they have been charging to the passengers.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The taxi drivers had demanded increase in fare and action against private vehicles providing public transportation. In response, Minister Nembang assured them that their demands will be fulfilled soon.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">&ldquo;The taxi fare hasn&rsquo;t increased since the last seven years. Therefore, their demand is logical. We will revise the fare after conducting a proper study,&rdquo; said Minister Nembang.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Despite such claim by the minister, the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) had increased the fare of taxis and other public vehicles by 10 percent last year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to sources at the ministry, the fare will be revised within two months after a committee will study the issue and submit its report.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Before the meeting, taxi operators had submitted a six-point demand to the DoTM. Among them, their major demands were action against Tootle and Pathao for using private vehicles for public transportation and increasing the fare.</span></span></p>
',
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			'created' => '2020-03-12',
			'modified' => '2020-03-12',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '11507',
			'image' => '20200312123634_20190322022031_adsfafdff.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-12 12:36:09',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11743',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government to Adopt Integrated Approach to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The government has pledged to utilize all state mechanism in an integrated way to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 12: The government has pledged to utilize all state mechanism in an integrated way to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government made such announcement during an all-party meeting called by the High-Level Coordination Committee to Control COVID-19 at the office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday to review the works of the government and to take suggestions from all parties. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The participants of the meeting called by Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel, who is the coordinator of the committee, discussed about the efforts made by the government to prevent an outbreak in Nepal and the future strategy. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Leaders of the opposition parties attending the meeting said that the measures adopted by the government so far are not effective to prevent the disease that has spread to over 100 countries and killed more than 3500 people.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The main opposition party Nepali Congress has suggested the government to expedite preparedness to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 in the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">NC leader Gagan Thapa said that they suggested the government to take steps in an integrated manner by incorporating all sectors to combat the deadly disease.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The participants of the meeting suggested the government to make arrangement to keep those entering Nepal from coronavirus-affected countries in quarantine for at least two weeks and to improve the service of the hospitals.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Likewise, Rajendra Shrestha of Samajbadi Party shared that the meeting focused on how to cope with the possible spread of COVID-19 in a united manner at a time when the World Health Organisation has put Nepal at high risk of coronavirus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Nepal Communist Party Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, senior leaders Jhalanath Khanal and Madhav Kumar Nepal, NC leader Bal Krishna Khand, Rajendra Mahato of Rastriya Janata Party, Shrestha of Samajbadi Party and ministers were present in the meeting chaired by committee coordinator Ishwar Pokharel.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'sortorder' => '11494',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11757',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'New Criteria for Awarding Multi-Year Projects',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The government has adopted strict criteria while awarding multi-year projects to contractors due to the non-performance of the contractors.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 12: The government has adopted strict criteria while awarding multi-year projects to contractors due to the non-performance of the contractors. While the number of projects is increasing, the implementation part is quite pathetic. Therefore, the government has set new criteria for awarding multi-year projects to ensure timely completion of such projects.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The new criteria have made it mandatory for the contractors to secure the source of funds as per the medium-term expenditure framework before signing the contract. &nbsp;The contractors will now have to first sign agreement with donor agencies if the projects are to be funded with foreign investment.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As per the new criteria, the Ministry of Finance cannot sign an agreement with the contractors to waive customs duty, income tax, VAT and other taxes without the prior approval of the National Planning Commission (NPC).</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, more than 500 projects each worth Rs 300,000 to Rs 1 billion have been delayed, mainly due to non-performing contractors.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Other reasons for the delay is the contractors&rsquo; access to influential politicians, dispute in compensation for land acquisition, management of electric poles and drainage system, court orders, protests from the locals among others.</span></span></p>
',
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			'sortorder' => '11493',
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			'article_date' => '2020-03-12 13:01:27',
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11742',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'India Positive to Continue Supply of Medicines: State Minister    ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 12: The Indian government has pledged to give continuity to supply of medicines to Nepal. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">March 12: The Indian government has pledged to give continuity to supply of medicines to Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister of State for Industry, Commerce and Supply, Motilal Dugad, who returned home after participating in Global Summit 2020 held in India on March 6 and 7, shared that Civil Aviation Minister and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs of India, Hardeep Singh Puri, directed his secretaries to continue export of medicines to Nepal. The directive was issued after a meeting with State Minister Dugad.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&nbsp;Nepal imports 70 per cent of necessary medicines and medicated goods from foreign countries. Of them, 90 per cent is imported from India.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Talking with media persons at his office on Wednesday, Minister of State Dugad said, &quot;We requested for a separate policy for Nepal, which received a positive response.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On a different note, Minister of State Dugad urged the consumers not to hoard daily essentials as there is enough stock of daily essentials for three to six months. However, people have started to stock daily essentials and medicines thinking there might be shortage of such things following coronavirus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Stating that the government has fined those involved in black marketing and hiding goods, he opined, &quot;Do not stock goods unnecessarily. We will not allow shortage of medicines and daily essentials. Necessary goods are being imported. So there is no reason to be worried.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">State Minister Dugad said that the government has been carrying out monitoring regarding supply of mask and sanitizer and asked the businessmen not to increase the price of such things.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">He also shared that the Indian authorities have urged Nepal to supply mask. - RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'sortorder' => '11492',
			'image' => '20200312112516_aaaa.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2020-03-12 11:24:32',
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '11739',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'China Willing to Share Information and Technology with Nepal to Combat COVID-19',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'March 11: The Chinese government has said it is willing to share with Nepal all the information regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) including the technologies and medicines used to curb deadly disease.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">March 11: The Chinese government has said it is willing to share with Nepal all the information regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) including the technologies and medicines used to curb deadly disease.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi made such commitment during a meeting with Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai at the latter&rsquo;s office in Singha Durbar on Tuesday (March 10).</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">During the meeting, Minister Bhattarai and the Chinese ambassador discussed about the problems created by coronavirus, measures to control the disease and Nepal&rsquo;s preparedness to handle a possible outbreak.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Ambassador Hou informed Minister Bhattarai that out of 80,900 Chinese infected by the virus, 59,000 people have already returned their homes after treatment. She also shared the experience of China in handling the epidemic and the measures taken by the government.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Ambassador Hou expressed her belief that coronavirus would not spread in Nepal but said that China is ready to extend any help if required in case there is an outbreak here in Nepal. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">Meanwhile, Minister Bhattarai informed the Chinese ambassador that the government is doing everything possible to prevent the spread of the disease. He said that the authorities at the Tribhuvan International Airport have been screening passengers while they have set ho isolation wards and quarantine facilities.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;">He also said that the government has urged the people not to attend public gatherings to avoid the disease.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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FOREX

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

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

Bullion

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

Update : 2020-03-25

Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association

Petroleum

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