December 24: The number of new COVID cases increased by 52 per cent during the past four-odd weeks, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, with over 850 000 new cases reported during this…
December 24: The number of new COVID cases increased by 52 per cent during the past four-odd weeks, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, with over 850 000 new cases reported during this…
December 24: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has cut off power supply to some large-scale industries that have failed for a long time to pay their electricity tariff for using dedicated and truck…
Two out of three sugar mills in Sarlahi have commenced operations. Indushankar Sugar Mills, the nation's largest sugar mill located in Harion, and Mahalakshmi Sugar Mills in Bagdah are now actively involved in crushing sugarcane. The third sugar mill, Annapurna Sugar Mills in Dhankaul, remains closed at…
December 22: The proprietor of Bhatbhateni Superstore, the country's leading retail shopping center and department store, is planning to invest in the agricultural sector of Nepal.…
December 22: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday inaugurated the Inaruwa Substation, which is considered one of the important projects for strengthening power transmission and distribution system of…
December 22: Due to excess liquidity (investable capital) in banks and financial institutions, the interest rate of development bonds has fallen to the lowest level in two years.…
December 22: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division has urged people to take necessary precaution against cold as the temperature has been plummeting across the…
December 22: Until now, the government had been endorsing the budget without any change. However, such a provision has been removed now and the government can amend the budget from the coming…
December 22: The temperature of the Kathmandu Valley has been plummeting each day.…
December 22: Nepal and Sri Lanka discussed issues relating to trade, investment, mutual concerns and bilateral interests during the Nepal-Sri Lanka ministerial-level meeting on…
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has prepared a draft bill aimed at regulating and managing social sites. The government is set to present this groundbreaking bill in the federal parliament, responding to the calls from the general public and stakeholders for effective measures in overseeing social media…
December 21: Hult Prize, an annual global social entrepreneurship competition, has announced this year’s competition for students to develop innovative solutions to address pressing social…
December 21: The construction of the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway (fast track) is taking place at a snail's pace.…
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index underwent a correction of 32.77 points or 1.53%, settling at 2109.10 on the last trading day of the week on…
December 21: Stakeholders have said that economic relations between Nepal and India should be redefined from a new perspective.…
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 24: The number of new COVID cases increased by 52 per cent during the past four-odd weeks, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, with over 850 000 new cases reported during this period. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The number of new deaths decreased by 8 per cent as compared to the previous 28-day period, with over 3,000 new fatalities reported, WHO said in its latest press release. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As of December 17, over 772 million confirmed cases and nearly seven million deaths have been reported globally since the onset of COVID-19, the WHO noted. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Furthermore, the WHO said over 118,000 new COVID-19 hospitalisations and over 1600 new intensive care unit (ICU) admissions have been recorded, with an overall increase of 23 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively, globally. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As of December 18, 2023, JN.1, a sub-lineage of BA.2.86 Omicron variant has been designated a separate variant of interest (VOI) apart from its parent lineage BA.2.86 due to its rapid increase in prevalence in recent weeks. Globally, EG.5 remains the most reported variant of interest. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Due to its rapidly increasing spread, WHO is classifying the variant JN.1 as a separate variant of interest (VOI) from the parent lineage BA.2.86. It was previously classified as VOI as part of BA.2.86 sublineages. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Based on the available evidence, the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low. Despite this, with the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, JN.1 could increase the burden of respiratory infections in many countries. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The WHO had earlier said it was continuously monitoring the evidence and would update the JN.1 risk evaluation as needed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Current vaccines continue to protect against severe disease and death from JN.1 and other circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, it noted. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">COVID-19 is not the only respiratory disease circulating. Influenza, RSV, and common childhood pneumonia are also on the rise. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The WHO advises people to take measures to prevent infections and severe disease using all available tools. These include wearing a mask in crowded, enclosed, or poorly ventilated areas, keeping a safe distance from others, practicing respiratory etiquette (covering coughs and sneezes), cleaning hands regularly, and getting tested if one has any symptoms or if you might have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or influenza. – ANI/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-24', 'modified' => '2023-12-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19529', 'image' => '20231224105344_WHO eight.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-24 10:52:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19801', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Power Supply to Defaulter Industries Cut Off ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 24: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has cut off power supply to some large-scale industries that have failed for a long time to pay their electricity tariff for using dedicated and truck lines. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 24: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has cut off power supply to some large-scale industries that have failed for a long time to pay their electricity tariff for using dedicated and truck lines. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The NEA took the measure after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday ordered the state-owned power utility to plug off the power lines and recover the tariff from them. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The NEA had been facing public criticism for cutting off power supply of household consumers but exempting the large-scale industries. According to the NEA, power supply to Jagdamba Steel, Reliance Spinning Mills, Ghorahi Cement and Arghakhanchi Cement industries have been cut off. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">NEA sources informed that Jagdamba Steel alone has to pay tariff worth Rs 4.14 billion. Similarly, Reliance Spinning Mills has to pay Rs 1.09 billion, Ghorahi Cement has to pay Rs 1.36 billion and Arghakhanchi Cement owes Rs. 1.3 billion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Despite repeated calls the industries have not cleared their dues to the NEA. The latest report of the Office of the Auditor General too had instructed the NEA to collect the arrears. Furthermore, various committees of the parliament had also directed to raise the tariff immediately. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-24', 'modified' => '2023-12-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19528', 'image' => '20231224102117_NEA_20191104081559.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-24 10:20:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19800', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Two Sugar Mills Come into Operation in Sralahi', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Two out of three sugar mills in Sarlahi have commenced operations. Indushankar Sugar Mills, the nation's largest sugar mill located in Harion, and Mahalakshmi Sugar Mills in Bagdah are now actively involved in crushing sugarcane. The third sugar mill, Annapurna Sugar Mills in Dhankaul, remains closed at present.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 24: Two out of three sugar mills in Sarlahi have commenced operations. Indushankar Sugar Mills, the nation's largest sugar mill located in Harion, and Mahalakshmi Sugar Mills in Bagdah are now actively involved in crushing sugarcane. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The third sugar mill, Annapurna Sugar Mills in Dhankaul, remains closed at present.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Yognarayan Rajak, the Manager of Indushanker Mills, attributed the resumption of operations to the resolution of a recent protest by sugarcane farmers in the district. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The farmers had conducted a protest from last Saturday to Wednesday, urging the government to address their concerns, including fixing the minimum support price of sugarcane and disbursing the Rs 520 million subsidy owed to sugarcane farmers who sold their produce last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Rajak informed that the farmers, in a strategic move, decided to escalate their protest to the federal level while allowing the sugar industry to resume operations.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indushanker Mills has set an ambitious target of crushing approximately 3.5 million quintals of sugarcane in the current season, reflecting an increase from the 2.8 lakh million quintals crushed last year.</span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> This surge in production can be attributed to the growing yield of sugarcane this year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Despite the government setting the price of sugarcane for the current year at Rs 635 per quintal, there is dissent among sugarcane farmers. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Kapil Muni Mainali, President of the Nepal Sugarcane Farmers Federation, stated that the farmers do not agree with the government-fixed price. (RSS)</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-24', 'modified' => '2023-12-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19527', 'image' => '20231224070726_collage (8).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-24 07:05:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19799', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bhatbhateni Superstore to Invest in Agriculture', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: The proprietor of Bhatbhateni Superstore, the country's leading retail shopping center and department store, is planning to invest in the agricultural sector of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 22: The proprietor of Bhatbhateni Superstore, the country's leading retail shopping center and department store, is planning to invest in the agricultural sector of Nepal. The department store’s owner Min Bahadur Gurung said that Bhatbhateni is preparing to invest in agriculture upon realizing that commercial agriculture is necessary to replace foreign agricultural products that are influencing the domestic market of Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He believes that even though there is a huge potential in the agricultural sector, this sector is always neglected in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“My future professional plan is agriculture,” Gurung said in a special conversation with New Business Age, adding, “If the state can make some good policy reforms in the agricultural sector, this sector can take a big leap.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung said that in the initial phase, his company has a plan to rent about 1,000 bighas of land and cultivate rice, wheat, corn and paddy using modern technology. He said that he will gradually connect the small and big farmers and give them the profit. When Bhatbhateni started business, it sold only 5 percent of Nepali goods. Now it has increased domestically produced goods to 30-35 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung says that Bhatbhateni Superstore, which started in the year 2041 BS by selling chocolates, biscuits, cheese, butter, some foreign drinks, etc, has now become a store that sells maximum types of goods on par with most of the department stores in the world.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has 26 branches operating all over the country inside and outside Kathmandu Valley. A new branch is opening soon in Birtamode. Bhatbhateni has directly employed more than 7,000 people in its branches across the country. He says he achieved this success due to determination, hard work, honesty and perseverance to work in business expansion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Plan to launch an IPO within five years</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Bhatbhateni, which has a successful history of 30/35 years, is now planning to issue shares to the public (IPO) within the next five years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Saying that it is necessary to issue an IPO, Gurung said that if some technical aspects are met, the plan is to issue IPO within the next five years. Gurung also said that he aspires to establish Bhatbhateni as the largest taxpayer in the country by further expanding the business.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung, who was born in 2015 BS in an ordinary farmer's family in Khotang district, says that he entered Kathmandu with Rs 400 to pursue his postgraduate degree in 2031 after completing his undergraduate studies in Dharan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He started working at Nepal Bank Limited shortly after coming to Kathmandu and said that he was impressed when he saw a woman running a department store while visiting Hong Kong. After returning from Hong Kong, he opened a small shop for his wife and started the business. He said as the business got better, he left his banking job in 2050 and went into ful-scale business. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung's business now has 60 percent of his share and 40 percent is owned by his wife. He attributed Bhatbhateni's success to low margin profit and good response to customers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19526', 'image' => '20231222035507_1703211168.2023-12-22 07.58.17.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 15:54:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19798', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inaruwa substation comes into Operation ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday inaugurated the Inaruwa Substation, which is considered one of the important projects for strengthening power transmission and distribution system of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday inaugurated the Inaruwa Substation, which is considered one of the important projects for strengthening power transmission and distribution system of Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Constructed at Bhokraha Narsingh Rural Municipality-4 of Sunsari district, the 400-Kv substation is one of the largest substations constructed in the country. The second largest substation based on Gas Insulated System (GIS) was charged on second week of October. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister for Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, former minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, high-officials of the Energy Ministry, Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, Kul Man Ghising, among others were present during the inauguration ceremony. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There are three power transformers of 315-MVA in the 400/220 kV Inaruwa substation constructed under 400-kVHetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa substation expansion project. This substation has the capacity to transmit around 4,000 MW electricity after the completion of 400 kV Inaruwa-Dhalkebar transmission line. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">NEA Executive Director Ghising said Inaruwa substation is the backbone for transmitting electricity produced from hydropower projects at different districts of Koshi Province to the national grid, which will then be consumed domestically while the surplus electricity will be exported to India.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Executive Director Ghising further said that the Inaruwa-Purnia 400 KV cross-country transmission line has been proposed for power trade with India and the Inaruwa-Anarmani 400 KV transmission line has been proposed for trade among Nepal-India and Bangladesh from this sub-station. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Inaruwa sub-station, according to him, has become another huge electricity centre to supply electricity from east to west within the country and export to India besides regional power trade. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, the sub-station would be significant to supply additional electricity to the industries within the Morang-Sunsari Industrial Corridor. The electricity generated from Arun and Tamor rivers and their tributaries would be linked to the Inaruwa Sub-Station through Koshi Corridor 220 KC transmission line. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The NEA said that the Inaruwa Sub-Station has been built in such a way that it can be expanded in future. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Various factors such as inundation, COVID-19 pandemic and prohibitory order and lack of timely availability of tools and technicians among others had adversely affected the sub-station construction process. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19525', 'image' => '20231222031704_DhanrajGurung_DharanSunsari_RSS_06_393098650_pm_sunsari(2).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 15:16:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19797', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Interest Rate of Development Bonds Lowest in Two Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Due to excess liquidity (investable capital) in banks and financial institutions, the interest rate of development bonds has fallen to the lowest level in two years. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 22: Due to excess liquidity (investable capital) in banks and financial institutions, the interest rate of development bonds has fallen to the lowest level in two years. The interest rate of five</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">year development bonds worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">7</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion sold by the government on Thursday remained at </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5.65</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the interest rate of development bond had dropped to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5.65</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in October </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">21. During last December, the interest rate of bonds reached as high as </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10.93</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent due to the liquidity crisis</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">. </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In the current fiscal year (FY), interest rates of banks have decreased due to non-disbursement of loans compared to the increase in deposits collection of banks.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The interest rate of bonds issued earlier this year was maintained at </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">7</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. Due to excess liquidity, banks have started reducing interest rates on deposits and have started investing in bonds and treasury bills.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The government is also raising internal debt by changing its revenue collection schedule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As of Tuesday, banks had deposits of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6027</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion and extended loans of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5002</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion. In the current fiscal year, bank deposits have increased by Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">256</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion, but the credit flow stands at Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">124</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Due to excess liquidity, the inter-bank interest rate is below the target limit despite the central bank raising around Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">172</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion by issuing deposit collection tools dozens of times in one month. Of that amount, Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">75</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion have already matured and have been returned to the market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On Tuesday, the average interbank interest rate was </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2.71</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. According to the interest rate corridor, this interest rate should be maintained above </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">3</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As the interbank interest rate is still below the limit, the central bank announced its decision to issue a </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">day deposit collection tools worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion on Friday. The central bank had mopped Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion through deposit collection tools on Wednesday as well.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On Tuesday, the average credit-deposit ratio (CD ratio) of banks remained at </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80.21 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">percent. As per the provision that banks can give loans by maintaining the CD ratio up to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">90 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">percent, banks are in a position to extend loans by an additional Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">600 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Due to excess liquidity in the banking system, the central bank has reduced the policy rates through the first quarterly review of the monetary policy. Banks have also reduced interest rates. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19524', 'image' => '20231222025402_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 14:53:15', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19796', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Department of Hydrology urges People to take Precautions against Cold ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division has urged people to take necessary precaution against cold as the temperature has been plummeting across the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division has urged people to take necessary precaution against cold as the temperature has been plummeting across the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Cold has increased with the drop in mercury throughout the country, including in the Kathmandu Valley. The minimum temperature in Kathmandu today has been measured at 4.5 degrees Celsius and the maximum at 19 degrees Celsius. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The minimum temperature in Kathmandu is between 4 to 5 degrees Celsius and the maximum in the range of around 17 to 19 degrees Celsius since the last three to four days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Extreme cold has intensified in Kathmandu due to the fall in temperature. Although the days are sunny, the morning and evening tends to be quite chilly. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The lowest temperature of minus 3.5 degrees Celsius has been recorded in Jomsom and minus 2.8 degrees Celsius in Jumla, the division said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Westerly wind is having partial impact in Nepal at present and the weather is partly cloudy to generally fair due to this weather system. The weather will be partly to generally cloudy in the hill areas of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki provinces and partly cloudy to generally fair in the rest of the provinces tonight. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There are chances of light rain in one or two places of the hill regions of Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Division stated that there is possibility of light snowfall in one or two places of the high-hills and mountainous region of Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19523', 'image' => '20231222023421_20211230045251_HK_Jajarkot-2 (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 14:33:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19795', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NPC Revises Budget Calendar, Introduces Provision to Allow Govt to Amend Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Until now, the government had been endorsing the budget without any change. However, such a provision has been removed now and the government can amend the budget from the coming year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 22: Until now, the government had been endorsing the budget without any change. However, such a provision has been removed now and the government can amend the budget from the coming year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Vice chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha said that they have made an attempt to make the budget more result oriented by revising the budget calendar from the next fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Organising a press conference on Thursday to inform about the upcoming budget and the schedule of the 16th plan, Shrestha said that the budget calendar has been revised based on a report incorporating suggestions from stakeholders. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Until now, the budget presented by the finance minister in the parliament is discussed for one month, but it is passed without any amendment. Even if there are errors and issues in the budget, it is customary not to amend it. After extensive debate and discussion, the issue of revision was raised in the budget of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">NPC Vice Chairman Shrestha said that after questions were raised about why the budget needs to be discussed for a month if it cannot be amended, arrangements were made for necessary amendments from next year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the Commission, the work schedule has been revised before bringing next year's budget. Accordingly, the pre-budget discussion, policy and program and budget preparations are being moved a little earlier than the current schedule. Opinions should be taken for the budget by the month of Falgun (mid-February to mid-March). Similarly, policies and programs will have to be announced one week earlier than the current one. Apart from this, the work of drafting the budget should also be done one month before the presentation of the budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The National Planning Commission has already started the budget preparation for the upcoming fiscal year. Accordingly, the NPC has already written to all the ministries to start the preparation of the budget for the FY 2023/24. The upcoming budget is being prepared keeping three subjects in top priority. Budget will be allocated only for projects and programs that have been included in the national plan and have met the necessary criteria. Vice Chairman Dr Shrestha said that there should be enough homework in budget preparation and every programme should be proposed with logic. Projects that do not meet the criteria will not be included in the budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the National Planning Commission said it has expedited preparations to release the 16th five-year plan at the proposed date. The commission had earlier prepared a schedule to unveil the plan by mid-February.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As the work so far has been according to the schedule, the periodic plan will be published at the scheduled date, informed Vice President of the National Planning Commission Shrestha. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NPC said that it will complete the preparation of the revised draft of the plan based on the suggestions received from the state and local levels in the coming week. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19522', 'image' => '20231222124849_20230714023452_1683767264.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 12:47:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19793', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Kathmandu Valley’s Temperature Plummets to 4.5 Degrees Celsius ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: The temperature of the Kathmandu Valley has been plummeting each day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: The temperature of the Kathmandu Valley has been plummeting each day. On Thursday, the valley recorded the lowest temperature of the year. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to meteorologist Rojan Lamichhane, the temperature dropped to 4.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning.</span> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On Wednesday, the valley's minimum temperature was measured at 5 degrees Celsius.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The Kathmandu Valley on Thursday recorded this year's lowest temperature which was 4.5 degrees Celsius at 8:45 am," he said. </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19521', 'image' => '20231222113935_20231220124842_20210.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 11:32:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19792', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal-Sri Lanka Joint Commission Meeting Discusses Trade and Investment Promotion Issues', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Nepal and Sri Lanka discussed issues relating to trade, investment, mutual concerns and bilateral interests during the Nepal-Sri Lanka ministerial-level meeting on Thursday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: Nepal and Sri Lanka discussed issues relating to trade, investment, mutual concerns and bilateral interests during the Nepal-Sri Lanka ministerial-level meeting on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the Nepal-Sri Lanka Joint Commission meeting held in Kathmandu on Thursday, the two sides discussed topics related to trade, investment promotion, expansion of air connectivity between the two countries, cooperation in culture, tourism and education sector, strengthening of SAARC and BIMSTEC and cooperation in the regional and multi-sectoral forums, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud led the Nepali delegation and Sri Lankan Minister for Foreign Affairs M U M Ali Sabry headed the delegation from Sri Lanka during the meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion both sides expressed satisfactions over the launch of the Kathmandu-Colombo air service. The two sides also discussed about the plan to connect Colombo and Lumbini by air. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministers exchanged views on consequences of climate change faced by both countries. They insisted on the need to mobilize Climate Justice Fund and the Climate Impact Fund, and the promotion of regional and international cooperation, the ministry stated. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19520', 'image' => '20231222105630_blank eight by six.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 10:55:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19791', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Prepares Draft Bill for Social Media Regulation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has prepared a draft bill aimed at regulating and managing social sites. The government is set to present this groundbreaking bill in the federal parliament, responding to the calls from the general public and stakeholders for effective measures in overseeing social media platforms.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 21: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has prepared a draft bill aimed at regulating and managing social sites. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government is set to present this groundbreaking bill in the federal parliament, responding to the calls from the general public and stakeholders for effective measures in overseeing social media platforms.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Netra Prasad Subedi, Joint-Secretary at the Ministry, emphasized the draft's responsiveness to the concerns raised by citizens and stakeholders, underscoring the need for public participation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During an orientation organized by the Advertisement Board, Subedi revealed that the draft would soon be made public to invite suggestions, marking a pivotal moment as the country aims to formulate such legislation for the first time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> The bill draft committee coordinator highlighted that the proposed law would not only focus on the regulation of social sites but also address the crucial issues of advertisement regulation. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The primary goal is to curb the misuse of social platforms, combat misinformation, and mitigate the potential harms associated with them.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government of Nepal had previously issued guidelines related to social media, and Laxman Humagain, the Board Chairperson, expressed the importance of seeking input from advertisers, agencies, and stakeholders in refining the proposed bill. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Humagain noted that suggestions would be actively sought to ensure a well-rounded perspective during the legislative process.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Additionally, the Advertisement Board, in collaboration with stakeholders, has formulated criteria for the regulation of advertisements on digital platforms and social sites.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Emphasizing the necessity of such regulation and management, Som Dhital, Chairperson of the Advertising Association of Nepal, highlighted the importance of preserving a 15% service charge for advertisement agencies. (RSS) </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19519', 'image' => '20231222061827_collage (7).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 06:15:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19790', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Hult Prize Announces Global Competition', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 21: Hult Prize, an annual global social entrepreneurship competition, has announced this year’s competition for students to develop innovative solutions to address pressing social issues.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 21: Hult Prize, an annual global social entrepreneurship competition, has announced this year’s competition for students to develop innovative solutions to address pressing social issues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the organisers, the winning teams will receive support and funding to turn their ideas into reality that can help address these important issues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Issuing a statement, the organisers said the theme for this year is ‘unlimited’, offering students a broad outlook to choose any field that appeals to them and align it to the Sustainable Development Goals accordingly to create a positive impact on the world.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We provide a platform for students to bring forward their innovative ideas which are linked to sustainable goals and making a positive impact on the world,” reads the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The statement added that applications are open for the OnCampus Competition at Hult Prize KCM. Applicants need to join in a group of minimum of three individuals and come up with revolutionary and sustainable solutions to curb growing social issues. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Participating in this event provides students with networking opportunities, entrepreneurial skills, guidance from experts and eventually the winners are provided with a seed capital of $1 million for their sustainable business by the Hult Prize Foundation, added the statement. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The OnCampus competition finale will be held on February 23, 2024. The winners of the OnCampus Finals will have the opportunity to compete in the Hult Prize Summits. The winners will get the opportunity to select the summit that they want to compete in. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the orgnaisers, the summit competition can be attained physically if possible or via online platforms. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“In the Summits, the OnCampus winners get the opportunity to compete against sustainable solutions from all around the world. Only a few best teams will be selected to move forward to the next round and eventually participate in the Hult Prize Finals.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The global finals is the climax of this competition where the top teams compete against each other and present their ideas to a panel of judges and experts, according to the statement. The winners of the finals will be awarded with $1 million as seed capital to start their journey to solve social issues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The application deadline for the upcoming competition is December 31, 2024. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19518', 'image' => '20231221054851_20231221_171945.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 17:47:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19789', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'MPs, Army Chief Trade Barbs over KTM-Tarai Fast Track', 'sub_title' => 'Army says it is not possible to complete the project within the deadline without amending laws', 'summary' => 'December 21: The construction of the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway (fast track) is taking place at a snail's pace. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 21: The construction of the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway (fast track) is taking place at a snail's pace. According to the Nepalese Army, which has been entrusted the responsibility of construction management of the project, the physical progress of this project is less than one third in six years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The government had entrusted the project management to the army on May 4, 2017. The foundation stone was laid by the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on May 28 the same year. According to the last extended deadline, the project should be completed by mid-April 2027.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, the army officials say that it is not possible to complete the project within the extended deadline.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the army, the reason for the delay in construction of the expressway is the existing laws and India's reluctance in providing explosives.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Prabhuram Sharma was summoned by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday to discuss the delay in the construction of the expressway. During the discussion, the MPs presented a barrage of questions. The army chief had a hard time answering the questions of the lawmakers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Commander-in-Chief Sharma claimed that the prevailing law prevented the construction of the expressway. He also said that they were not the only ones to blame for the delay. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“If you have to make a fast track, you should also make rules for the fast track. It took nine months to cut four trees, whose fault is it? I don't blame anyone. This is a rule made by you,” said Sharma. Sharma said that the tree that he had shown to the prime minister and the defense minister that should be cut in May last year has not been cut yet.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“It is ironic to say that we need to do the work on a war footing on the basis of outdated laws drafted in 2017. If this is the case, the fast track will not be built by 2027,” said Sharma.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He said that the Land Acquisition Act should be amended along with the provision of cutting trees in the Forest Act for the construction of fast track. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The land does not belong to the government and the people's property cannot be usurped. The people’s property can be acquired only by paying compensation,” he said, adding, “The government fixes one price while the market price is different. Such problems have delayed the project."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even if it is not possible to blacktop the expressway from Kathmandu to Nijgadh by 2027, we are effortful to ensure that vehicles will be able to ply the road by that time, said Sharma adding that it can be considered a big achievement is we succeed in it.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to CoAS Sharma, it will take another two to three years to to give the finishing touch to the expressway.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sharma said that strict laws made in the past to protect the environment have now hindered development and construction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"If the rules are not amended, it will not only be difficult to complete the fast track, but any other project in Nepal," he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the army, the land dispute at the entry point in Khokna has not been resolved yet while the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has proposed to change the interchange design of Nijgadh International Airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">MPs raised questions about the slow pace of construction. CPN United Socialist MP Rajendra Pandey said that the progress of the Kathmandu-Terai Expressway is not satisfactory. He expressed doubt that the construction will be completed within the extended deadline.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">MP Raghuji Pant said that the Khokana dispute for the construction of the expressway should be resolved quickly. He also questioned the supplementary environmental assessment process of the project. What happened to the SEIA report? Who stopped the work? How much of the allocated budget of Rs 22 billion was spent in this fiscal year?'' he asked.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He also asked the army to clarify why India stopped the explosives. “Can't the army prepare the explosives it needs? Is it because there is no gunpowder to prepare the explosives? Has the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure helped to make the fast track or not?”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the meeting, MPs Gagan Kumar Thapa, Ravi Lamichhane and others expressed their displeasure that the army was involved in the construction of infrastructure. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">They also raised concerns that the Military Act does now allow probe into possible corruption.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the army, the financial progress of the expressway with an estimated cost of Rs 211.93 billion stands at 29.44 percent. In the current fiscal year, the physical progress of the expressway has reached 32.66 percent. The army claims that this year's financial progress is 10.8 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The army has divided the work in 13 packages for the expressway. Five of them have not been contracted yet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Instructions to Finish the Project within the Deadline </span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The State Affairs and Good Governance Committee has instructed the Nepalese Army to complete the expressway construction within the given deadline. Chairman Ramhari Khatiwada said that the committee meeting had instructed the army to complete all the construction work of the expressway within the timeframe.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The committee has also decided to hold a meeting with the prime minister, deputy prime minister and minister for defense, minister for forests and environment, minister for physical infrastructure and transport, minister for land management, cooperatives and poverty alleviation, chief secretary and secretaries of related ministries regarding the fast track.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The committee has instructed the ministries concerned including the Ministry of Forests, Environment, and the Ministry of Finance to set a deadline for supplementary environmental impact assessment of national pride projects and facilitate necessary completion of works such as felling tree and land acquisition.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Government of Nepal, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Forest and Environment and Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport have been instructed to provide necessary support to the projects of national pride on time.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19517', 'image' => '20231221042822_20230423033434_fast track.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 16:22:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19788', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Ends Week with 32.77 Point Correction, Closing at 2109.10', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index underwent a correction of 32.77 points or 1.53%, settling at 2109.10 on the last trading day of the week on Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 21: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index underwent a correction of 32.77 points or 1.53%, settling at 2109.10 on the last trading day of the week on Thursday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Analysts and investors attribute this correction to a week-long continuous upward trend, expressing confidence that such corrections contribute to the market's overall sustainability.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During today's trading session, a total of 304 scrips were traded through 111,980 transactions, involving 17,172,149 shares. The market's total turnover reached Rs 6.27 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Shivam Cements Limited (SHIVM) stood out with the highest turnover of Rs 30 crores. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Among the noteworthy movements, five companies, including Bottlers Nepal Limited (BNL) and Asha Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha (ALBSL), each experienced a 10% gain, hitting the positive circuit for the day.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Conversely, Surya Jyoti Life Insurance Company Limited (SJLIC) incurred the highest loss of 7.44%. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of sector indices, all sectors closed in the red zone except for Manufacturing and Processing and Trading.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> The Development Bank Index experienced the most significant loss at 3.23%, while the Hydropower Index incurred the least loss at 0.33%. The Manufacturing and Processing Index showed the highest gain at 2.36%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19516', 'image' => '20231221040455_collage (4).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 16:03:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19786', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Experts Demand New Approach for Nepal-India Economic Cooperation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 21: Stakeholders have said that economic relations between Nepal and India should be redefined from a new perspective. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 21: Stakeholders have said that economic relations between Nepal and India should be redefined from a new perspective. They made such remarks during the 'India-Nepal Economic Partnership Summit </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2023</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">' organized by PhD Chamber of Commerce and Industry India in Birgunj on Wednesday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Lokraj Baral, Nepal's former ambassador to India, pointed out the need for a new approach for economic development and cooperation between Nepal and India. Baral expressed his concern that even though Nepal is called an agricultural country, plotting of arable land for residential purpose is being done intensively in recent times.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He commented that tourism and hydroelectricity sectors have potential in Nepal's economic development, but the two countries have not been able to capitalize on political agreements due to bureaucratic red tape.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Analyst and Chairman of Nimbus Group Jagdish Prasad Agarwal said that India should have a clear policy in Nepal's development. Stating that Nepal and India can cooperate on the issue of food security, Agarwal said, “Every country has taken food security seriously since the coronavirus pandemic. In this issue, there is a good chance of cooperation between Nepal and India.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Subodh Kumar Gupta, chairman of the trade committee of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said that a plan should be made for the next </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> years after analyzing the business trends of the past </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> years between Nepal and India. He also clarified that there is a need for coordination between the two countries to stop unauthorized trade in the border areas.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ashok Kumar Temani, president of the Madhesh Province chapter of FNCCI said that Nepal and India can cooperate on education and health sectors which requires cooperation between the private sector and intergovernmental agencies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ashok Kumar Baid, chairman of Nepal-India Cooperation Forum, said that there can be cooperation between Nepal and India on issues of mutual economic interests. Abhishek Chaudhary, president of Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry Birgunj, stressed the need to promote economic potential between Nepal and India. Stating that the two countries have special social and economic relations, he said that export concessions from Nepal to the Indian market should be used.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Speaking on the occasion, Indian Consul General Devi Sahay Meena claimed that the dimensions of economic and social cooperation between Nepal and India are exemplary. Meena said that the Amlekhgunj-Motihari Petroleum Pipeline is a model project in South Asia.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Consul Satish Patapu mentioned that India is supplying </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent petroleum product to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Anil Kumar Agarwal, president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the Nepal-India trade agreement should be revised in a timely manner. He demanded that a modern laboratory for quality testing should be built at the Nepal-India integrated check post.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sohan Sah, a member of the Madhesh Province Planning Commission, said that Nepal's gross domestic product is the lowest in South Asia and that Madhesh Province is lagging behind in economic development. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19514', 'image' => '20231221032505_Flag-Pins-India-Nepal_600x600.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 15:24:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 24: The number of new COVID cases increased by 52 per cent during the past four-odd weeks, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, with over 850 000 new cases reported during this period. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The number of new deaths decreased by 8 per cent as compared to the previous 28-day period, with over 3,000 new fatalities reported, WHO said in its latest press release. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As of December 17, over 772 million confirmed cases and nearly seven million deaths have been reported globally since the onset of COVID-19, the WHO noted. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Furthermore, the WHO said over 118,000 new COVID-19 hospitalisations and over 1600 new intensive care unit (ICU) admissions have been recorded, with an overall increase of 23 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively, globally. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As of December 18, 2023, JN.1, a sub-lineage of BA.2.86 Omicron variant has been designated a separate variant of interest (VOI) apart from its parent lineage BA.2.86 due to its rapid increase in prevalence in recent weeks. Globally, EG.5 remains the most reported variant of interest. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Due to its rapidly increasing spread, WHO is classifying the variant JN.1 as a separate variant of interest (VOI) from the parent lineage BA.2.86. It was previously classified as VOI as part of BA.2.86 sublineages. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Based on the available evidence, the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low. Despite this, with the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, JN.1 could increase the burden of respiratory infections in many countries. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The WHO had earlier said it was continuously monitoring the evidence and would update the JN.1 risk evaluation as needed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Current vaccines continue to protect against severe disease and death from JN.1 and other circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, it noted. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">COVID-19 is not the only respiratory disease circulating. Influenza, RSV, and common childhood pneumonia are also on the rise. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The WHO advises people to take measures to prevent infections and severe disease using all available tools. These include wearing a mask in crowded, enclosed, or poorly ventilated areas, keeping a safe distance from others, practicing respiratory etiquette (covering coughs and sneezes), cleaning hands regularly, and getting tested if one has any symptoms or if you might have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or influenza. – ANI/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-24', 'modified' => '2023-12-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19529', 'image' => '20231224105344_WHO eight.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-24 10:52:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19801', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Power Supply to Defaulter Industries Cut Off ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 24: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has cut off power supply to some large-scale industries that have failed for a long time to pay their electricity tariff for using dedicated and truck lines. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 24: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has cut off power supply to some large-scale industries that have failed for a long time to pay their electricity tariff for using dedicated and truck lines. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The NEA took the measure after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday ordered the state-owned power utility to plug off the power lines and recover the tariff from them. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The NEA had been facing public criticism for cutting off power supply of household consumers but exempting the large-scale industries. According to the NEA, power supply to Jagdamba Steel, Reliance Spinning Mills, Ghorahi Cement and Arghakhanchi Cement industries have been cut off. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">NEA sources informed that Jagdamba Steel alone has to pay tariff worth Rs 4.14 billion. Similarly, Reliance Spinning Mills has to pay Rs 1.09 billion, Ghorahi Cement has to pay Rs 1.36 billion and Arghakhanchi Cement owes Rs. 1.3 billion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Despite repeated calls the industries have not cleared their dues to the NEA. The latest report of the Office of the Auditor General too had instructed the NEA to collect the arrears. Furthermore, various committees of the parliament had also directed to raise the tariff immediately. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-24', 'modified' => '2023-12-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19528', 'image' => '20231224102117_NEA_20191104081559.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-24 10:20:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19800', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Two Sugar Mills Come into Operation in Sralahi', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Two out of three sugar mills in Sarlahi have commenced operations. Indushankar Sugar Mills, the nation's largest sugar mill located in Harion, and Mahalakshmi Sugar Mills in Bagdah are now actively involved in crushing sugarcane. The third sugar mill, Annapurna Sugar Mills in Dhankaul, remains closed at present.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 24: Two out of three sugar mills in Sarlahi have commenced operations. Indushankar Sugar Mills, the nation's largest sugar mill located in Harion, and Mahalakshmi Sugar Mills in Bagdah are now actively involved in crushing sugarcane. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The third sugar mill, Annapurna Sugar Mills in Dhankaul, remains closed at present.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Yognarayan Rajak, the Manager of Indushanker Mills, attributed the resumption of operations to the resolution of a recent protest by sugarcane farmers in the district. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The farmers had conducted a protest from last Saturday to Wednesday, urging the government to address their concerns, including fixing the minimum support price of sugarcane and disbursing the Rs 520 million subsidy owed to sugarcane farmers who sold their produce last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Rajak informed that the farmers, in a strategic move, decided to escalate their protest to the federal level while allowing the sugar industry to resume operations.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indushanker Mills has set an ambitious target of crushing approximately 3.5 million quintals of sugarcane in the current season, reflecting an increase from the 2.8 lakh million quintals crushed last year.</span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> This surge in production can be attributed to the growing yield of sugarcane this year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Despite the government setting the price of sugarcane for the current year at Rs 635 per quintal, there is dissent among sugarcane farmers. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Kapil Muni Mainali, President of the Nepal Sugarcane Farmers Federation, stated that the farmers do not agree with the government-fixed price. (RSS)</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-24', 'modified' => '2023-12-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19527', 'image' => '20231224070726_collage (8).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-24 07:05:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19799', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bhatbhateni Superstore to Invest in Agriculture', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: The proprietor of Bhatbhateni Superstore, the country's leading retail shopping center and department store, is planning to invest in the agricultural sector of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 22: The proprietor of Bhatbhateni Superstore, the country's leading retail shopping center and department store, is planning to invest in the agricultural sector of Nepal. The department store’s owner Min Bahadur Gurung said that Bhatbhateni is preparing to invest in agriculture upon realizing that commercial agriculture is necessary to replace foreign agricultural products that are influencing the domestic market of Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He believes that even though there is a huge potential in the agricultural sector, this sector is always neglected in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“My future professional plan is agriculture,” Gurung said in a special conversation with New Business Age, adding, “If the state can make some good policy reforms in the agricultural sector, this sector can take a big leap.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung said that in the initial phase, his company has a plan to rent about 1,000 bighas of land and cultivate rice, wheat, corn and paddy using modern technology. He said that he will gradually connect the small and big farmers and give them the profit. When Bhatbhateni started business, it sold only 5 percent of Nepali goods. Now it has increased domestically produced goods to 30-35 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung says that Bhatbhateni Superstore, which started in the year 2041 BS by selling chocolates, biscuits, cheese, butter, some foreign drinks, etc, has now become a store that sells maximum types of goods on par with most of the department stores in the world.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has 26 branches operating all over the country inside and outside Kathmandu Valley. A new branch is opening soon in Birtamode. Bhatbhateni has directly employed more than 7,000 people in its branches across the country. He says he achieved this success due to determination, hard work, honesty and perseverance to work in business expansion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Plan to launch an IPO within five years</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Bhatbhateni, which has a successful history of 30/35 years, is now planning to issue shares to the public (IPO) within the next five years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Saying that it is necessary to issue an IPO, Gurung said that if some technical aspects are met, the plan is to issue IPO within the next five years. Gurung also said that he aspires to establish Bhatbhateni as the largest taxpayer in the country by further expanding the business.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung, who was born in 2015 BS in an ordinary farmer's family in Khotang district, says that he entered Kathmandu with Rs 400 to pursue his postgraduate degree in 2031 after completing his undergraduate studies in Dharan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He started working at Nepal Bank Limited shortly after coming to Kathmandu and said that he was impressed when he saw a woman running a department store while visiting Hong Kong. After returning from Hong Kong, he opened a small shop for his wife and started the business. He said as the business got better, he left his banking job in 2050 and went into ful-scale business. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung's business now has 60 percent of his share and 40 percent is owned by his wife. He attributed Bhatbhateni's success to low margin profit and good response to customers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19526', 'image' => '20231222035507_1703211168.2023-12-22 07.58.17.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 15:54:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19798', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inaruwa substation comes into Operation ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday inaugurated the Inaruwa Substation, which is considered one of the important projects for strengthening power transmission and distribution system of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday inaugurated the Inaruwa Substation, which is considered one of the important projects for strengthening power transmission and distribution system of Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Constructed at Bhokraha Narsingh Rural Municipality-4 of Sunsari district, the 400-Kv substation is one of the largest substations constructed in the country. The second largest substation based on Gas Insulated System (GIS) was charged on second week of October. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister for Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, former minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, high-officials of the Energy Ministry, Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, Kul Man Ghising, among others were present during the inauguration ceremony. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There are three power transformers of 315-MVA in the 400/220 kV Inaruwa substation constructed under 400-kVHetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa substation expansion project. This substation has the capacity to transmit around 4,000 MW electricity after the completion of 400 kV Inaruwa-Dhalkebar transmission line. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">NEA Executive Director Ghising said Inaruwa substation is the backbone for transmitting electricity produced from hydropower projects at different districts of Koshi Province to the national grid, which will then be consumed domestically while the surplus electricity will be exported to India.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Executive Director Ghising further said that the Inaruwa-Purnia 400 KV cross-country transmission line has been proposed for power trade with India and the Inaruwa-Anarmani 400 KV transmission line has been proposed for trade among Nepal-India and Bangladesh from this sub-station. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Inaruwa sub-station, according to him, has become another huge electricity centre to supply electricity from east to west within the country and export to India besides regional power trade. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, the sub-station would be significant to supply additional electricity to the industries within the Morang-Sunsari Industrial Corridor. The electricity generated from Arun and Tamor rivers and their tributaries would be linked to the Inaruwa Sub-Station through Koshi Corridor 220 KC transmission line. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The NEA said that the Inaruwa Sub-Station has been built in such a way that it can be expanded in future. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Various factors such as inundation, COVID-19 pandemic and prohibitory order and lack of timely availability of tools and technicians among others had adversely affected the sub-station construction process. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19525', 'image' => '20231222031704_DhanrajGurung_DharanSunsari_RSS_06_393098650_pm_sunsari(2).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 15:16:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19797', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Interest Rate of Development Bonds Lowest in Two Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Due to excess liquidity (investable capital) in banks and financial institutions, the interest rate of development bonds has fallen to the lowest level in two years. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 22: Due to excess liquidity (investable capital) in banks and financial institutions, the interest rate of development bonds has fallen to the lowest level in two years. The interest rate of five</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">year development bonds worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">7</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion sold by the government on Thursday remained at </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5.65</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the interest rate of development bond had dropped to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5.65</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in October </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">21. During last December, the interest rate of bonds reached as high as </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10.93</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent due to the liquidity crisis</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">. </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In the current fiscal year (FY), interest rates of banks have decreased due to non-disbursement of loans compared to the increase in deposits collection of banks.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The interest rate of bonds issued earlier this year was maintained at </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">7</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. Due to excess liquidity, banks have started reducing interest rates on deposits and have started investing in bonds and treasury bills.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The government is also raising internal debt by changing its revenue collection schedule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As of Tuesday, banks had deposits of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6027</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion and extended loans of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5002</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion. In the current fiscal year, bank deposits have increased by Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">256</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion, but the credit flow stands at Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">124</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Due to excess liquidity, the inter-bank interest rate is below the target limit despite the central bank raising around Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">172</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion by issuing deposit collection tools dozens of times in one month. Of that amount, Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">75</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion have already matured and have been returned to the market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On Tuesday, the average interbank interest rate was </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2.71</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. According to the interest rate corridor, this interest rate should be maintained above </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">3</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As the interbank interest rate is still below the limit, the central bank announced its decision to issue a </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">day deposit collection tools worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion on Friday. The central bank had mopped Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion through deposit collection tools on Wednesday as well.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On Tuesday, the average credit-deposit ratio (CD ratio) of banks remained at </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80.21 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">percent. As per the provision that banks can give loans by maintaining the CD ratio up to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">90 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">percent, banks are in a position to extend loans by an additional Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">600 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Due to excess liquidity in the banking system, the central bank has reduced the policy rates through the first quarterly review of the monetary policy. Banks have also reduced interest rates. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19524', 'image' => '20231222025402_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 14:53:15', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19796', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Department of Hydrology urges People to take Precautions against Cold ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division has urged people to take necessary precaution against cold as the temperature has been plummeting across the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division has urged people to take necessary precaution against cold as the temperature has been plummeting across the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Cold has increased with the drop in mercury throughout the country, including in the Kathmandu Valley. The minimum temperature in Kathmandu today has been measured at 4.5 degrees Celsius and the maximum at 19 degrees Celsius. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The minimum temperature in Kathmandu is between 4 to 5 degrees Celsius and the maximum in the range of around 17 to 19 degrees Celsius since the last three to four days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Extreme cold has intensified in Kathmandu due to the fall in temperature. Although the days are sunny, the morning and evening tends to be quite chilly. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The lowest temperature of minus 3.5 degrees Celsius has been recorded in Jomsom and minus 2.8 degrees Celsius in Jumla, the division said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Westerly wind is having partial impact in Nepal at present and the weather is partly cloudy to generally fair due to this weather system. The weather will be partly to generally cloudy in the hill areas of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki provinces and partly cloudy to generally fair in the rest of the provinces tonight. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There are chances of light rain in one or two places of the hill regions of Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Division stated that there is possibility of light snowfall in one or two places of the high-hills and mountainous region of Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19523', 'image' => '20231222023421_20211230045251_HK_Jajarkot-2 (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 14:33:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19795', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NPC Revises Budget Calendar, Introduces Provision to Allow Govt to Amend Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Until now, the government had been endorsing the budget without any change. However, such a provision has been removed now and the government can amend the budget from the coming year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 22: Until now, the government had been endorsing the budget without any change. However, such a provision has been removed now and the government can amend the budget from the coming year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Vice chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha said that they have made an attempt to make the budget more result oriented by revising the budget calendar from the next fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Organising a press conference on Thursday to inform about the upcoming budget and the schedule of the 16th plan, Shrestha said that the budget calendar has been revised based on a report incorporating suggestions from stakeholders. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Until now, the budget presented by the finance minister in the parliament is discussed for one month, but it is passed without any amendment. Even if there are errors and issues in the budget, it is customary not to amend it. After extensive debate and discussion, the issue of revision was raised in the budget of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">NPC Vice Chairman Shrestha said that after questions were raised about why the budget needs to be discussed for a month if it cannot be amended, arrangements were made for necessary amendments from next year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the Commission, the work schedule has been revised before bringing next year's budget. Accordingly, the pre-budget discussion, policy and program and budget preparations are being moved a little earlier than the current schedule. Opinions should be taken for the budget by the month of Falgun (mid-February to mid-March). Similarly, policies and programs will have to be announced one week earlier than the current one. Apart from this, the work of drafting the budget should also be done one month before the presentation of the budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The National Planning Commission has already started the budget preparation for the upcoming fiscal year. Accordingly, the NPC has already written to all the ministries to start the preparation of the budget for the FY 2023/24. The upcoming budget is being prepared keeping three subjects in top priority. Budget will be allocated only for projects and programs that have been included in the national plan and have met the necessary criteria. Vice Chairman Dr Shrestha said that there should be enough homework in budget preparation and every programme should be proposed with logic. Projects that do not meet the criteria will not be included in the budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the National Planning Commission said it has expedited preparations to release the 16th five-year plan at the proposed date. The commission had earlier prepared a schedule to unveil the plan by mid-February.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As the work so far has been according to the schedule, the periodic plan will be published at the scheduled date, informed Vice President of the National Planning Commission Shrestha. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NPC said that it will complete the preparation of the revised draft of the plan based on the suggestions received from the state and local levels in the coming week. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19522', 'image' => '20231222124849_20230714023452_1683767264.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 12:47:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19793', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Kathmandu Valley’s Temperature Plummets to 4.5 Degrees Celsius ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: The temperature of the Kathmandu Valley has been plummeting each day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: The temperature of the Kathmandu Valley has been plummeting each day. On Thursday, the valley recorded the lowest temperature of the year. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to meteorologist Rojan Lamichhane, the temperature dropped to 4.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning.</span> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On Wednesday, the valley's minimum temperature was measured at 5 degrees Celsius.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The Kathmandu Valley on Thursday recorded this year's lowest temperature which was 4.5 degrees Celsius at 8:45 am," he said. </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19521', 'image' => '20231222113935_20231220124842_20210.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 11:32:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19792', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal-Sri Lanka Joint Commission Meeting Discusses Trade and Investment Promotion Issues', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Nepal and Sri Lanka discussed issues relating to trade, investment, mutual concerns and bilateral interests during the Nepal-Sri Lanka ministerial-level meeting on Thursday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: Nepal and Sri Lanka discussed issues relating to trade, investment, mutual concerns and bilateral interests during the Nepal-Sri Lanka ministerial-level meeting on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the Nepal-Sri Lanka Joint Commission meeting held in Kathmandu on Thursday, the two sides discussed topics related to trade, investment promotion, expansion of air connectivity between the two countries, cooperation in culture, tourism and education sector, strengthening of SAARC and BIMSTEC and cooperation in the regional and multi-sectoral forums, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud led the Nepali delegation and Sri Lankan Minister for Foreign Affairs M U M Ali Sabry headed the delegation from Sri Lanka during the meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion both sides expressed satisfactions over the launch of the Kathmandu-Colombo air service. The two sides also discussed about the plan to connect Colombo and Lumbini by air. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministers exchanged views on consequences of climate change faced by both countries. They insisted on the need to mobilize Climate Justice Fund and the Climate Impact Fund, and the promotion of regional and international cooperation, the ministry stated. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19520', 'image' => '20231222105630_blank eight by six.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 10:55:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19791', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Prepares Draft Bill for Social Media Regulation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has prepared a draft bill aimed at regulating and managing social sites. The government is set to present this groundbreaking bill in the federal parliament, responding to the calls from the general public and stakeholders for effective measures in overseeing social media platforms.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 21: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has prepared a draft bill aimed at regulating and managing social sites. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government is set to present this groundbreaking bill in the federal parliament, responding to the calls from the general public and stakeholders for effective measures in overseeing social media platforms.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Netra Prasad Subedi, Joint-Secretary at the Ministry, emphasized the draft's responsiveness to the concerns raised by citizens and stakeholders, underscoring the need for public participation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During an orientation organized by the Advertisement Board, Subedi revealed that the draft would soon be made public to invite suggestions, marking a pivotal moment as the country aims to formulate such legislation for the first time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> The bill draft committee coordinator highlighted that the proposed law would not only focus on the regulation of social sites but also address the crucial issues of advertisement regulation. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The primary goal is to curb the misuse of social platforms, combat misinformation, and mitigate the potential harms associated with them.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government of Nepal had previously issued guidelines related to social media, and Laxman Humagain, the Board Chairperson, expressed the importance of seeking input from advertisers, agencies, and stakeholders in refining the proposed bill. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Humagain noted that suggestions would be actively sought to ensure a well-rounded perspective during the legislative process.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Additionally, the Advertisement Board, in collaboration with stakeholders, has formulated criteria for the regulation of advertisements on digital platforms and social sites.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Emphasizing the necessity of such regulation and management, Som Dhital, Chairperson of the Advertising Association of Nepal, highlighted the importance of preserving a 15% service charge for advertisement agencies. (RSS) </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19519', 'image' => '20231222061827_collage (7).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 06:15:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19790', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Hult Prize Announces Global Competition', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 21: Hult Prize, an annual global social entrepreneurship competition, has announced this year’s competition for students to develop innovative solutions to address pressing social issues.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 21: Hult Prize, an annual global social entrepreneurship competition, has announced this year’s competition for students to develop innovative solutions to address pressing social issues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the organisers, the winning teams will receive support and funding to turn their ideas into reality that can help address these important issues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Issuing a statement, the organisers said the theme for this year is ‘unlimited’, offering students a broad outlook to choose any field that appeals to them and align it to the Sustainable Development Goals accordingly to create a positive impact on the world.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We provide a platform for students to bring forward their innovative ideas which are linked to sustainable goals and making a positive impact on the world,” reads the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The statement added that applications are open for the OnCampus Competition at Hult Prize KCM. Applicants need to join in a group of minimum of three individuals and come up with revolutionary and sustainable solutions to curb growing social issues. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Participating in this event provides students with networking opportunities, entrepreneurial skills, guidance from experts and eventually the winners are provided with a seed capital of $1 million for their sustainable business by the Hult Prize Foundation, added the statement. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The OnCampus competition finale will be held on February 23, 2024. The winners of the OnCampus Finals will have the opportunity to compete in the Hult Prize Summits. The winners will get the opportunity to select the summit that they want to compete in. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the orgnaisers, the summit competition can be attained physically if possible or via online platforms. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“In the Summits, the OnCampus winners get the opportunity to compete against sustainable solutions from all around the world. Only a few best teams will be selected to move forward to the next round and eventually participate in the Hult Prize Finals.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The global finals is the climax of this competition where the top teams compete against each other and present their ideas to a panel of judges and experts, according to the statement. The winners of the finals will be awarded with $1 million as seed capital to start their journey to solve social issues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The application deadline for the upcoming competition is December 31, 2024. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19518', 'image' => '20231221054851_20231221_171945.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 17:47:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19789', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'MPs, Army Chief Trade Barbs over KTM-Tarai Fast Track', 'sub_title' => 'Army says it is not possible to complete the project within the deadline without amending laws', 'summary' => 'December 21: The construction of the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway (fast track) is taking place at a snail's pace. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 21: The construction of the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway (fast track) is taking place at a snail's pace. According to the Nepalese Army, which has been entrusted the responsibility of construction management of the project, the physical progress of this project is less than one third in six years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The government had entrusted the project management to the army on May 4, 2017. The foundation stone was laid by the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on May 28 the same year. According to the last extended deadline, the project should be completed by mid-April 2027.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, the army officials say that it is not possible to complete the project within the extended deadline.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the army, the reason for the delay in construction of the expressway is the existing laws and India's reluctance in providing explosives.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Prabhuram Sharma was summoned by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday to discuss the delay in the construction of the expressway. During the discussion, the MPs presented a barrage of questions. The army chief had a hard time answering the questions of the lawmakers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Commander-in-Chief Sharma claimed that the prevailing law prevented the construction of the expressway. He also said that they were not the only ones to blame for the delay. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“If you have to make a fast track, you should also make rules for the fast track. It took nine months to cut four trees, whose fault is it? I don't blame anyone. This is a rule made by you,” said Sharma. Sharma said that the tree that he had shown to the prime minister and the defense minister that should be cut in May last year has not been cut yet.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“It is ironic to say that we need to do the work on a war footing on the basis of outdated laws drafted in 2017. If this is the case, the fast track will not be built by 2027,” said Sharma.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He said that the Land Acquisition Act should be amended along with the provision of cutting trees in the Forest Act for the construction of fast track. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The land does not belong to the government and the people's property cannot be usurped. The people’s property can be acquired only by paying compensation,” he said, adding, “The government fixes one price while the market price is different. Such problems have delayed the project."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even if it is not possible to blacktop the expressway from Kathmandu to Nijgadh by 2027, we are effortful to ensure that vehicles will be able to ply the road by that time, said Sharma adding that it can be considered a big achievement is we succeed in it.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to CoAS Sharma, it will take another two to three years to to give the finishing touch to the expressway.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sharma said that strict laws made in the past to protect the environment have now hindered development and construction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"If the rules are not amended, it will not only be difficult to complete the fast track, but any other project in Nepal," he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the army, the land dispute at the entry point in Khokna has not been resolved yet while the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has proposed to change the interchange design of Nijgadh International Airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">MPs raised questions about the slow pace of construction. CPN United Socialist MP Rajendra Pandey said that the progress of the Kathmandu-Terai Expressway is not satisfactory. He expressed doubt that the construction will be completed within the extended deadline.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">MP Raghuji Pant said that the Khokana dispute for the construction of the expressway should be resolved quickly. He also questioned the supplementary environmental assessment process of the project. What happened to the SEIA report? Who stopped the work? How much of the allocated budget of Rs 22 billion was spent in this fiscal year?'' he asked.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He also asked the army to clarify why India stopped the explosives. “Can't the army prepare the explosives it needs? Is it because there is no gunpowder to prepare the explosives? Has the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure helped to make the fast track or not?”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the meeting, MPs Gagan Kumar Thapa, Ravi Lamichhane and others expressed their displeasure that the army was involved in the construction of infrastructure. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">They also raised concerns that the Military Act does now allow probe into possible corruption.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the army, the financial progress of the expressway with an estimated cost of Rs 211.93 billion stands at 29.44 percent. In the current fiscal year, the physical progress of the expressway has reached 32.66 percent. The army claims that this year's financial progress is 10.8 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The army has divided the work in 13 packages for the expressway. Five of them have not been contracted yet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Instructions to Finish the Project within the Deadline </span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The State Affairs and Good Governance Committee has instructed the Nepalese Army to complete the expressway construction within the given deadline. Chairman Ramhari Khatiwada said that the committee meeting had instructed the army to complete all the construction work of the expressway within the timeframe.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The committee has also decided to hold a meeting with the prime minister, deputy prime minister and minister for defense, minister for forests and environment, minister for physical infrastructure and transport, minister for land management, cooperatives and poverty alleviation, chief secretary and secretaries of related ministries regarding the fast track.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The committee has instructed the ministries concerned including the Ministry of Forests, Environment, and the Ministry of Finance to set a deadline for supplementary environmental impact assessment of national pride projects and facilitate necessary completion of works such as felling tree and land acquisition.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Government of Nepal, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Forest and Environment and Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport have been instructed to provide necessary support to the projects of national pride on time.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19517', 'image' => '20231221042822_20230423033434_fast track.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 16:22:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19788', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Ends Week with 32.77 Point Correction, Closing at 2109.10', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index underwent a correction of 32.77 points or 1.53%, settling at 2109.10 on the last trading day of the week on Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 21: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index underwent a correction of 32.77 points or 1.53%, settling at 2109.10 on the last trading day of the week on Thursday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Analysts and investors attribute this correction to a week-long continuous upward trend, expressing confidence that such corrections contribute to the market's overall sustainability.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During today's trading session, a total of 304 scrips were traded through 111,980 transactions, involving 17,172,149 shares. The market's total turnover reached Rs 6.27 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Shivam Cements Limited (SHIVM) stood out with the highest turnover of Rs 30 crores. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Among the noteworthy movements, five companies, including Bottlers Nepal Limited (BNL) and Asha Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha (ALBSL), each experienced a 10% gain, hitting the positive circuit for the day.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Conversely, Surya Jyoti Life Insurance Company Limited (SJLIC) incurred the highest loss of 7.44%. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of sector indices, all sectors closed in the red zone except for Manufacturing and Processing and Trading.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> The Development Bank Index experienced the most significant loss at 3.23%, while the Hydropower Index incurred the least loss at 0.33%. The Manufacturing and Processing Index showed the highest gain at 2.36%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19516', 'image' => '20231221040455_collage (4).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 16:03:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19786', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Experts Demand New Approach for Nepal-India Economic Cooperation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 21: Stakeholders have said that economic relations between Nepal and India should be redefined from a new perspective. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 21: Stakeholders have said that economic relations between Nepal and India should be redefined from a new perspective. They made such remarks during the 'India-Nepal Economic Partnership Summit </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2023</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">' organized by PhD Chamber of Commerce and Industry India in Birgunj on Wednesday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Lokraj Baral, Nepal's former ambassador to India, pointed out the need for a new approach for economic development and cooperation between Nepal and India. Baral expressed his concern that even though Nepal is called an agricultural country, plotting of arable land for residential purpose is being done intensively in recent times.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He commented that tourism and hydroelectricity sectors have potential in Nepal's economic development, but the two countries have not been able to capitalize on political agreements due to bureaucratic red tape.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Analyst and Chairman of Nimbus Group Jagdish Prasad Agarwal said that India should have a clear policy in Nepal's development. Stating that Nepal and India can cooperate on the issue of food security, Agarwal said, “Every country has taken food security seriously since the coronavirus pandemic. In this issue, there is a good chance of cooperation between Nepal and India.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Subodh Kumar Gupta, chairman of the trade committee of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said that a plan should be made for the next </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> years after analyzing the business trends of the past </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> years between Nepal and India. He also clarified that there is a need for coordination between the two countries to stop unauthorized trade in the border areas.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ashok Kumar Temani, president of the Madhesh Province chapter of FNCCI said that Nepal and India can cooperate on education and health sectors which requires cooperation between the private sector and intergovernmental agencies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ashok Kumar Baid, chairman of Nepal-India Cooperation Forum, said that there can be cooperation between Nepal and India on issues of mutual economic interests. Abhishek Chaudhary, president of Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry Birgunj, stressed the need to promote economic potential between Nepal and India. Stating that the two countries have special social and economic relations, he said that export concessions from Nepal to the Indian market should be used.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Speaking on the occasion, Indian Consul General Devi Sahay Meena claimed that the dimensions of economic and social cooperation between Nepal and India are exemplary. Meena said that the Amlekhgunj-Motihari Petroleum Pipeline is a model project in South Asia.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Consul Satish Patapu mentioned that India is supplying </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent petroleum product to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Anil Kumar Agarwal, president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the Nepal-India trade agreement should be revised in a timely manner. He demanded that a modern laboratory for quality testing should be built at the Nepal-India integrated check post.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sohan Sah, a member of the Madhesh Province Planning Commission, said that Nepal's gross domestic product is the lowest in South Asia and that Madhesh Province is lagging behind in economic development. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19514', 'image' => '20231221032505_Flag-Pins-India-Nepal_600x600.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 15:24:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 24: The number of new COVID cases increased by 52 per cent during the past four-odd weeks, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, with over 850 000 new cases reported during this period. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The number of new deaths decreased by 8 per cent as compared to the previous 28-day period, with over 3,000 new fatalities reported, WHO said in its latest press release. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As of December 17, over 772 million confirmed cases and nearly seven million deaths have been reported globally since the onset of COVID-19, the WHO noted. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Furthermore, the WHO said over 118,000 new COVID-19 hospitalisations and over 1600 new intensive care unit (ICU) admissions have been recorded, with an overall increase of 23 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively, globally. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As of December 18, 2023, JN.1, a sub-lineage of BA.2.86 Omicron variant has been designated a separate variant of interest (VOI) apart from its parent lineage BA.2.86 due to its rapid increase in prevalence in recent weeks. Globally, EG.5 remains the most reported variant of interest. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Due to its rapidly increasing spread, WHO is classifying the variant JN.1 as a separate variant of interest (VOI) from the parent lineage BA.2.86. It was previously classified as VOI as part of BA.2.86 sublineages. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Based on the available evidence, the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low. Despite this, with the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, JN.1 could increase the burden of respiratory infections in many countries. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The WHO had earlier said it was continuously monitoring the evidence and would update the JN.1 risk evaluation as needed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Current vaccines continue to protect against severe disease and death from JN.1 and other circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, it noted. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">COVID-19 is not the only respiratory disease circulating. Influenza, RSV, and common childhood pneumonia are also on the rise. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The WHO advises people to take measures to prevent infections and severe disease using all available tools. These include wearing a mask in crowded, enclosed, or poorly ventilated areas, keeping a safe distance from others, practicing respiratory etiquette (covering coughs and sneezes), cleaning hands regularly, and getting tested if one has any symptoms or if you might have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or influenza. – ANI/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-24', 'modified' => '2023-12-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19529', 'image' => '20231224105344_WHO eight.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-24 10:52:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19801', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Power Supply to Defaulter Industries Cut Off ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 24: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has cut off power supply to some large-scale industries that have failed for a long time to pay their electricity tariff for using dedicated and truck lines. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 24: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has cut off power supply to some large-scale industries that have failed for a long time to pay their electricity tariff for using dedicated and truck lines. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The NEA took the measure after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday ordered the state-owned power utility to plug off the power lines and recover the tariff from them. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The NEA had been facing public criticism for cutting off power supply of household consumers but exempting the large-scale industries. According to the NEA, power supply to Jagdamba Steel, Reliance Spinning Mills, Ghorahi Cement and Arghakhanchi Cement industries have been cut off. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">NEA sources informed that Jagdamba Steel alone has to pay tariff worth Rs 4.14 billion. Similarly, Reliance Spinning Mills has to pay Rs 1.09 billion, Ghorahi Cement has to pay Rs 1.36 billion and Arghakhanchi Cement owes Rs. 1.3 billion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Despite repeated calls the industries have not cleared their dues to the NEA. The latest report of the Office of the Auditor General too had instructed the NEA to collect the arrears. Furthermore, various committees of the parliament had also directed to raise the tariff immediately. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-24', 'modified' => '2023-12-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19528', 'image' => '20231224102117_NEA_20191104081559.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-24 10:20:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19800', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Two Sugar Mills Come into Operation in Sralahi', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Two out of three sugar mills in Sarlahi have commenced operations. Indushankar Sugar Mills, the nation's largest sugar mill located in Harion, and Mahalakshmi Sugar Mills in Bagdah are now actively involved in crushing sugarcane. The third sugar mill, Annapurna Sugar Mills in Dhankaul, remains closed at present.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 24: Two out of three sugar mills in Sarlahi have commenced operations. Indushankar Sugar Mills, the nation's largest sugar mill located in Harion, and Mahalakshmi Sugar Mills in Bagdah are now actively involved in crushing sugarcane. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The third sugar mill, Annapurna Sugar Mills in Dhankaul, remains closed at present.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Yognarayan Rajak, the Manager of Indushanker Mills, attributed the resumption of operations to the resolution of a recent protest by sugarcane farmers in the district. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The farmers had conducted a protest from last Saturday to Wednesday, urging the government to address their concerns, including fixing the minimum support price of sugarcane and disbursing the Rs 520 million subsidy owed to sugarcane farmers who sold their produce last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Rajak informed that the farmers, in a strategic move, decided to escalate their protest to the federal level while allowing the sugar industry to resume operations.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indushanker Mills has set an ambitious target of crushing approximately 3.5 million quintals of sugarcane in the current season, reflecting an increase from the 2.8 lakh million quintals crushed last year.</span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> This surge in production can be attributed to the growing yield of sugarcane this year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Despite the government setting the price of sugarcane for the current year at Rs 635 per quintal, there is dissent among sugarcane farmers. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Kapil Muni Mainali, President of the Nepal Sugarcane Farmers Federation, stated that the farmers do not agree with the government-fixed price. (RSS)</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-24', 'modified' => '2023-12-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19527', 'image' => '20231224070726_collage (8).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-24 07:05:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19799', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bhatbhateni Superstore to Invest in Agriculture', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: The proprietor of Bhatbhateni Superstore, the country's leading retail shopping center and department store, is planning to invest in the agricultural sector of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 22: The proprietor of Bhatbhateni Superstore, the country's leading retail shopping center and department store, is planning to invest in the agricultural sector of Nepal. The department store’s owner Min Bahadur Gurung said that Bhatbhateni is preparing to invest in agriculture upon realizing that commercial agriculture is necessary to replace foreign agricultural products that are influencing the domestic market of Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He believes that even though there is a huge potential in the agricultural sector, this sector is always neglected in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“My future professional plan is agriculture,” Gurung said in a special conversation with New Business Age, adding, “If the state can make some good policy reforms in the agricultural sector, this sector can take a big leap.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung said that in the initial phase, his company has a plan to rent about 1,000 bighas of land and cultivate rice, wheat, corn and paddy using modern technology. He said that he will gradually connect the small and big farmers and give them the profit. When Bhatbhateni started business, it sold only 5 percent of Nepali goods. Now it has increased domestically produced goods to 30-35 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung says that Bhatbhateni Superstore, which started in the year 2041 BS by selling chocolates, biscuits, cheese, butter, some foreign drinks, etc, has now become a store that sells maximum types of goods on par with most of the department stores in the world.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has 26 branches operating all over the country inside and outside Kathmandu Valley. A new branch is opening soon in Birtamode. Bhatbhateni has directly employed more than 7,000 people in its branches across the country. He says he achieved this success due to determination, hard work, honesty and perseverance to work in business expansion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Plan to launch an IPO within five years</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Bhatbhateni, which has a successful history of 30/35 years, is now planning to issue shares to the public (IPO) within the next five years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Saying that it is necessary to issue an IPO, Gurung said that if some technical aspects are met, the plan is to issue IPO within the next five years. Gurung also said that he aspires to establish Bhatbhateni as the largest taxpayer in the country by further expanding the business.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung, who was born in 2015 BS in an ordinary farmer's family in Khotang district, says that he entered Kathmandu with Rs 400 to pursue his postgraduate degree in 2031 after completing his undergraduate studies in Dharan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He started working at Nepal Bank Limited shortly after coming to Kathmandu and said that he was impressed when he saw a woman running a department store while visiting Hong Kong. After returning from Hong Kong, he opened a small shop for his wife and started the business. He said as the business got better, he left his banking job in 2050 and went into ful-scale business. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung's business now has 60 percent of his share and 40 percent is owned by his wife. He attributed Bhatbhateni's success to low margin profit and good response to customers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19526', 'image' => '20231222035507_1703211168.2023-12-22 07.58.17.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 15:54:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19798', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inaruwa substation comes into Operation ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday inaugurated the Inaruwa Substation, which is considered one of the important projects for strengthening power transmission and distribution system of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday inaugurated the Inaruwa Substation, which is considered one of the important projects for strengthening power transmission and distribution system of Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Constructed at Bhokraha Narsingh Rural Municipality-4 of Sunsari district, the 400-Kv substation is one of the largest substations constructed in the country. The second largest substation based on Gas Insulated System (GIS) was charged on second week of October. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister for Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, former minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, high-officials of the Energy Ministry, Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, Kul Man Ghising, among others were present during the inauguration ceremony. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There are three power transformers of 315-MVA in the 400/220 kV Inaruwa substation constructed under 400-kVHetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa substation expansion project. This substation has the capacity to transmit around 4,000 MW electricity after the completion of 400 kV Inaruwa-Dhalkebar transmission line. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">NEA Executive Director Ghising said Inaruwa substation is the backbone for transmitting electricity produced from hydropower projects at different districts of Koshi Province to the national grid, which will then be consumed domestically while the surplus electricity will be exported to India.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Executive Director Ghising further said that the Inaruwa-Purnia 400 KV cross-country transmission line has been proposed for power trade with India and the Inaruwa-Anarmani 400 KV transmission line has been proposed for trade among Nepal-India and Bangladesh from this sub-station. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Inaruwa sub-station, according to him, has become another huge electricity centre to supply electricity from east to west within the country and export to India besides regional power trade. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, the sub-station would be significant to supply additional electricity to the industries within the Morang-Sunsari Industrial Corridor. The electricity generated from Arun and Tamor rivers and their tributaries would be linked to the Inaruwa Sub-Station through Koshi Corridor 220 KC transmission line. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The NEA said that the Inaruwa Sub-Station has been built in such a way that it can be expanded in future. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Various factors such as inundation, COVID-19 pandemic and prohibitory order and lack of timely availability of tools and technicians among others had adversely affected the sub-station construction process. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19525', 'image' => '20231222031704_DhanrajGurung_DharanSunsari_RSS_06_393098650_pm_sunsari(2).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 15:16:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19797', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Interest Rate of Development Bonds Lowest in Two Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Due to excess liquidity (investable capital) in banks and financial institutions, the interest rate of development bonds has fallen to the lowest level in two years. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 22: Due to excess liquidity (investable capital) in banks and financial institutions, the interest rate of development bonds has fallen to the lowest level in two years. The interest rate of five</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">year development bonds worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">7</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion sold by the government on Thursday remained at </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5.65</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the interest rate of development bond had dropped to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5.65</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in October </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">21. During last December, the interest rate of bonds reached as high as </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10.93</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent due to the liquidity crisis</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">. </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In the current fiscal year (FY), interest rates of banks have decreased due to non-disbursement of loans compared to the increase in deposits collection of banks.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The interest rate of bonds issued earlier this year was maintained at </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">7</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. Due to excess liquidity, banks have started reducing interest rates on deposits and have started investing in bonds and treasury bills.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The government is also raising internal debt by changing its revenue collection schedule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As of Tuesday, banks had deposits of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6027</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion and extended loans of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5002</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion. In the current fiscal year, bank deposits have increased by Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">256</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion, but the credit flow stands at Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">124</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Due to excess liquidity, the inter-bank interest rate is below the target limit despite the central bank raising around Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">172</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion by issuing deposit collection tools dozens of times in one month. Of that amount, Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">75</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion have already matured and have been returned to the market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On Tuesday, the average interbank interest rate was </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2.71</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. According to the interest rate corridor, this interest rate should be maintained above </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">3</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As the interbank interest rate is still below the limit, the central bank announced its decision to issue a </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">day deposit collection tools worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion on Friday. The central bank had mopped Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion through deposit collection tools on Wednesday as well.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On Tuesday, the average credit-deposit ratio (CD ratio) of banks remained at </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80.21 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">percent. As per the provision that banks can give loans by maintaining the CD ratio up to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">90 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">percent, banks are in a position to extend loans by an additional Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">600 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Due to excess liquidity in the banking system, the central bank has reduced the policy rates through the first quarterly review of the monetary policy. Banks have also reduced interest rates. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19524', 'image' => '20231222025402_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 14:53:15', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19796', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Department of Hydrology urges People to take Precautions against Cold ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division has urged people to take necessary precaution against cold as the temperature has been plummeting across the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division has urged people to take necessary precaution against cold as the temperature has been plummeting across the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Cold has increased with the drop in mercury throughout the country, including in the Kathmandu Valley. The minimum temperature in Kathmandu today has been measured at 4.5 degrees Celsius and the maximum at 19 degrees Celsius. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The minimum temperature in Kathmandu is between 4 to 5 degrees Celsius and the maximum in the range of around 17 to 19 degrees Celsius since the last three to four days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Extreme cold has intensified in Kathmandu due to the fall in temperature. Although the days are sunny, the morning and evening tends to be quite chilly. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The lowest temperature of minus 3.5 degrees Celsius has been recorded in Jomsom and minus 2.8 degrees Celsius in Jumla, the division said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Westerly wind is having partial impact in Nepal at present and the weather is partly cloudy to generally fair due to this weather system. The weather will be partly to generally cloudy in the hill areas of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki provinces and partly cloudy to generally fair in the rest of the provinces tonight. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There are chances of light rain in one or two places of the hill regions of Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Division stated that there is possibility of light snowfall in one or two places of the high-hills and mountainous region of Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19523', 'image' => '20231222023421_20211230045251_HK_Jajarkot-2 (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 14:33:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19795', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NPC Revises Budget Calendar, Introduces Provision to Allow Govt to Amend Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Until now, the government had been endorsing the budget without any change. However, such a provision has been removed now and the government can amend the budget from the coming year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 22: Until now, the government had been endorsing the budget without any change. However, such a provision has been removed now and the government can amend the budget from the coming year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Vice chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha said that they have made an attempt to make the budget more result oriented by revising the budget calendar from the next fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Organising a press conference on Thursday to inform about the upcoming budget and the schedule of the 16th plan, Shrestha said that the budget calendar has been revised based on a report incorporating suggestions from stakeholders. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Until now, the budget presented by the finance minister in the parliament is discussed for one month, but it is passed without any amendment. Even if there are errors and issues in the budget, it is customary not to amend it. After extensive debate and discussion, the issue of revision was raised in the budget of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">NPC Vice Chairman Shrestha said that after questions were raised about why the budget needs to be discussed for a month if it cannot be amended, arrangements were made for necessary amendments from next year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the Commission, the work schedule has been revised before bringing next year's budget. Accordingly, the pre-budget discussion, policy and program and budget preparations are being moved a little earlier than the current schedule. Opinions should be taken for the budget by the month of Falgun (mid-February to mid-March). Similarly, policies and programs will have to be announced one week earlier than the current one. Apart from this, the work of drafting the budget should also be done one month before the presentation of the budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The National Planning Commission has already started the budget preparation for the upcoming fiscal year. Accordingly, the NPC has already written to all the ministries to start the preparation of the budget for the FY 2023/24. The upcoming budget is being prepared keeping three subjects in top priority. Budget will be allocated only for projects and programs that have been included in the national plan and have met the necessary criteria. Vice Chairman Dr Shrestha said that there should be enough homework in budget preparation and every programme should be proposed with logic. Projects that do not meet the criteria will not be included in the budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the National Planning Commission said it has expedited preparations to release the 16th five-year plan at the proposed date. The commission had earlier prepared a schedule to unveil the plan by mid-February.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As the work so far has been according to the schedule, the periodic plan will be published at the scheduled date, informed Vice President of the National Planning Commission Shrestha. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NPC said that it will complete the preparation of the revised draft of the plan based on the suggestions received from the state and local levels in the coming week. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19522', 'image' => '20231222124849_20230714023452_1683767264.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 12:47:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19793', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Kathmandu Valley’s Temperature Plummets to 4.5 Degrees Celsius ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: The temperature of the Kathmandu Valley has been plummeting each day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: The temperature of the Kathmandu Valley has been plummeting each day. On Thursday, the valley recorded the lowest temperature of the year. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to meteorologist Rojan Lamichhane, the temperature dropped to 4.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning.</span> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On Wednesday, the valley's minimum temperature was measured at 5 degrees Celsius.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The Kathmandu Valley on Thursday recorded this year's lowest temperature which was 4.5 degrees Celsius at 8:45 am," he said. </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19521', 'image' => '20231222113935_20231220124842_20210.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 11:32:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19792', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal-Sri Lanka Joint Commission Meeting Discusses Trade and Investment Promotion Issues', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Nepal and Sri Lanka discussed issues relating to trade, investment, mutual concerns and bilateral interests during the Nepal-Sri Lanka ministerial-level meeting on Thursday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: Nepal and Sri Lanka discussed issues relating to trade, investment, mutual concerns and bilateral interests during the Nepal-Sri Lanka ministerial-level meeting on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the Nepal-Sri Lanka Joint Commission meeting held in Kathmandu on Thursday, the two sides discussed topics related to trade, investment promotion, expansion of air connectivity between the two countries, cooperation in culture, tourism and education sector, strengthening of SAARC and BIMSTEC and cooperation in the regional and multi-sectoral forums, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud led the Nepali delegation and Sri Lankan Minister for Foreign Affairs M U M Ali Sabry headed the delegation from Sri Lanka during the meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion both sides expressed satisfactions over the launch of the Kathmandu-Colombo air service. The two sides also discussed about the plan to connect Colombo and Lumbini by air. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministers exchanged views on consequences of climate change faced by both countries. They insisted on the need to mobilize Climate Justice Fund and the Climate Impact Fund, and the promotion of regional and international cooperation, the ministry stated. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19520', 'image' => '20231222105630_blank eight by six.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 10:55:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19791', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Prepares Draft Bill for Social Media Regulation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has prepared a draft bill aimed at regulating and managing social sites. The government is set to present this groundbreaking bill in the federal parliament, responding to the calls from the general public and stakeholders for effective measures in overseeing social media platforms.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 21: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has prepared a draft bill aimed at regulating and managing social sites. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government is set to present this groundbreaking bill in the federal parliament, responding to the calls from the general public and stakeholders for effective measures in overseeing social media platforms.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Netra Prasad Subedi, Joint-Secretary at the Ministry, emphasized the draft's responsiveness to the concerns raised by citizens and stakeholders, underscoring the need for public participation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During an orientation organized by the Advertisement Board, Subedi revealed that the draft would soon be made public to invite suggestions, marking a pivotal moment as the country aims to formulate such legislation for the first time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> The bill draft committee coordinator highlighted that the proposed law would not only focus on the regulation of social sites but also address the crucial issues of advertisement regulation. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The primary goal is to curb the misuse of social platforms, combat misinformation, and mitigate the potential harms associated with them.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government of Nepal had previously issued guidelines related to social media, and Laxman Humagain, the Board Chairperson, expressed the importance of seeking input from advertisers, agencies, and stakeholders in refining the proposed bill. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Humagain noted that suggestions would be actively sought to ensure a well-rounded perspective during the legislative process.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Additionally, the Advertisement Board, in collaboration with stakeholders, has formulated criteria for the regulation of advertisements on digital platforms and social sites.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Emphasizing the necessity of such regulation and management, Som Dhital, Chairperson of the Advertising Association of Nepal, highlighted the importance of preserving a 15% service charge for advertisement agencies. (RSS) </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19519', 'image' => '20231222061827_collage (7).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 06:15:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19790', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Hult Prize Announces Global Competition', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 21: Hult Prize, an annual global social entrepreneurship competition, has announced this year’s competition for students to develop innovative solutions to address pressing social issues.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 21: Hult Prize, an annual global social entrepreneurship competition, has announced this year’s competition for students to develop innovative solutions to address pressing social issues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the organisers, the winning teams will receive support and funding to turn their ideas into reality that can help address these important issues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Issuing a statement, the organisers said the theme for this year is ‘unlimited’, offering students a broad outlook to choose any field that appeals to them and align it to the Sustainable Development Goals accordingly to create a positive impact on the world.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We provide a platform for students to bring forward their innovative ideas which are linked to sustainable goals and making a positive impact on the world,” reads the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The statement added that applications are open for the OnCampus Competition at Hult Prize KCM. Applicants need to join in a group of minimum of three individuals and come up with revolutionary and sustainable solutions to curb growing social issues. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Participating in this event provides students with networking opportunities, entrepreneurial skills, guidance from experts and eventually the winners are provided with a seed capital of $1 million for their sustainable business by the Hult Prize Foundation, added the statement. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The OnCampus competition finale will be held on February 23, 2024. The winners of the OnCampus Finals will have the opportunity to compete in the Hult Prize Summits. The winners will get the opportunity to select the summit that they want to compete in. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the orgnaisers, the summit competition can be attained physically if possible or via online platforms. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“In the Summits, the OnCampus winners get the opportunity to compete against sustainable solutions from all around the world. Only a few best teams will be selected to move forward to the next round and eventually participate in the Hult Prize Finals.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The global finals is the climax of this competition where the top teams compete against each other and present their ideas to a panel of judges and experts, according to the statement. The winners of the finals will be awarded with $1 million as seed capital to start their journey to solve social issues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The application deadline for the upcoming competition is December 31, 2024. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19518', 'image' => '20231221054851_20231221_171945.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 17:47:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19789', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'MPs, Army Chief Trade Barbs over KTM-Tarai Fast Track', 'sub_title' => 'Army says it is not possible to complete the project within the deadline without amending laws', 'summary' => 'December 21: The construction of the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway (fast track) is taking place at a snail's pace. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 21: The construction of the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway (fast track) is taking place at a snail's pace. According to the Nepalese Army, which has been entrusted the responsibility of construction management of the project, the physical progress of this project is less than one third in six years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The government had entrusted the project management to the army on May 4, 2017. The foundation stone was laid by the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on May 28 the same year. According to the last extended deadline, the project should be completed by mid-April 2027.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, the army officials say that it is not possible to complete the project within the extended deadline.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the army, the reason for the delay in construction of the expressway is the existing laws and India's reluctance in providing explosives.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Prabhuram Sharma was summoned by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday to discuss the delay in the construction of the expressway. During the discussion, the MPs presented a barrage of questions. The army chief had a hard time answering the questions of the lawmakers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Commander-in-Chief Sharma claimed that the prevailing law prevented the construction of the expressway. He also said that they were not the only ones to blame for the delay. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“If you have to make a fast track, you should also make rules for the fast track. It took nine months to cut four trees, whose fault is it? I don't blame anyone. This is a rule made by you,” said Sharma. Sharma said that the tree that he had shown to the prime minister and the defense minister that should be cut in May last year has not been cut yet.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“It is ironic to say that we need to do the work on a war footing on the basis of outdated laws drafted in 2017. If this is the case, the fast track will not be built by 2027,” said Sharma.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He said that the Land Acquisition Act should be amended along with the provision of cutting trees in the Forest Act for the construction of fast track. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The land does not belong to the government and the people's property cannot be usurped. The people’s property can be acquired only by paying compensation,” he said, adding, “The government fixes one price while the market price is different. Such problems have delayed the project."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even if it is not possible to blacktop the expressway from Kathmandu to Nijgadh by 2027, we are effortful to ensure that vehicles will be able to ply the road by that time, said Sharma adding that it can be considered a big achievement is we succeed in it.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to CoAS Sharma, it will take another two to three years to to give the finishing touch to the expressway.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sharma said that strict laws made in the past to protect the environment have now hindered development and construction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"If the rules are not amended, it will not only be difficult to complete the fast track, but any other project in Nepal," he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the army, the land dispute at the entry point in Khokna has not been resolved yet while the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has proposed to change the interchange design of Nijgadh International Airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">MPs raised questions about the slow pace of construction. CPN United Socialist MP Rajendra Pandey said that the progress of the Kathmandu-Terai Expressway is not satisfactory. He expressed doubt that the construction will be completed within the extended deadline.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">MP Raghuji Pant said that the Khokana dispute for the construction of the expressway should be resolved quickly. He also questioned the supplementary environmental assessment process of the project. What happened to the SEIA report? Who stopped the work? How much of the allocated budget of Rs 22 billion was spent in this fiscal year?'' he asked.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He also asked the army to clarify why India stopped the explosives. “Can't the army prepare the explosives it needs? Is it because there is no gunpowder to prepare the explosives? Has the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure helped to make the fast track or not?”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the meeting, MPs Gagan Kumar Thapa, Ravi Lamichhane and others expressed their displeasure that the army was involved in the construction of infrastructure. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">They also raised concerns that the Military Act does now allow probe into possible corruption.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the army, the financial progress of the expressway with an estimated cost of Rs 211.93 billion stands at 29.44 percent. In the current fiscal year, the physical progress of the expressway has reached 32.66 percent. The army claims that this year's financial progress is 10.8 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The army has divided the work in 13 packages for the expressway. Five of them have not been contracted yet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Instructions to Finish the Project within the Deadline </span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The State Affairs and Good Governance Committee has instructed the Nepalese Army to complete the expressway construction within the given deadline. Chairman Ramhari Khatiwada said that the committee meeting had instructed the army to complete all the construction work of the expressway within the timeframe.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The committee has also decided to hold a meeting with the prime minister, deputy prime minister and minister for defense, minister for forests and environment, minister for physical infrastructure and transport, minister for land management, cooperatives and poverty alleviation, chief secretary and secretaries of related ministries regarding the fast track.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The committee has instructed the ministries concerned including the Ministry of Forests, Environment, and the Ministry of Finance to set a deadline for supplementary environmental impact assessment of national pride projects and facilitate necessary completion of works such as felling tree and land acquisition.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Government of Nepal, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Forest and Environment and Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport have been instructed to provide necessary support to the projects of national pride on time.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19517', 'image' => '20231221042822_20230423033434_fast track.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 16:22:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19788', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Ends Week with 32.77 Point Correction, Closing at 2109.10', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index underwent a correction of 32.77 points or 1.53%, settling at 2109.10 on the last trading day of the week on Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 21: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index underwent a correction of 32.77 points or 1.53%, settling at 2109.10 on the last trading day of the week on Thursday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Analysts and investors attribute this correction to a week-long continuous upward trend, expressing confidence that such corrections contribute to the market's overall sustainability.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During today's trading session, a total of 304 scrips were traded through 111,980 transactions, involving 17,172,149 shares. The market's total turnover reached Rs 6.27 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Shivam Cements Limited (SHIVM) stood out with the highest turnover of Rs 30 crores. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Among the noteworthy movements, five companies, including Bottlers Nepal Limited (BNL) and Asha Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha (ALBSL), each experienced a 10% gain, hitting the positive circuit for the day.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Conversely, Surya Jyoti Life Insurance Company Limited (SJLIC) incurred the highest loss of 7.44%. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of sector indices, all sectors closed in the red zone except for Manufacturing and Processing and Trading.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> The Development Bank Index experienced the most significant loss at 3.23%, while the Hydropower Index incurred the least loss at 0.33%. The Manufacturing and Processing Index showed the highest gain at 2.36%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19516', 'image' => '20231221040455_collage (4).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 16:03:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19786', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Experts Demand New Approach for Nepal-India Economic Cooperation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 21: Stakeholders have said that economic relations between Nepal and India should be redefined from a new perspective. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 21: Stakeholders have said that economic relations between Nepal and India should be redefined from a new perspective. They made such remarks during the 'India-Nepal Economic Partnership Summit </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2023</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">' organized by PhD Chamber of Commerce and Industry India in Birgunj on Wednesday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Lokraj Baral, Nepal's former ambassador to India, pointed out the need for a new approach for economic development and cooperation between Nepal and India. Baral expressed his concern that even though Nepal is called an agricultural country, plotting of arable land for residential purpose is being done intensively in recent times.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He commented that tourism and hydroelectricity sectors have potential in Nepal's economic development, but the two countries have not been able to capitalize on political agreements due to bureaucratic red tape.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Analyst and Chairman of Nimbus Group Jagdish Prasad Agarwal said that India should have a clear policy in Nepal's development. Stating that Nepal and India can cooperate on the issue of food security, Agarwal said, “Every country has taken food security seriously since the coronavirus pandemic. In this issue, there is a good chance of cooperation between Nepal and India.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Subodh Kumar Gupta, chairman of the trade committee of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said that a plan should be made for the next </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> years after analyzing the business trends of the past </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> years between Nepal and India. He also clarified that there is a need for coordination between the two countries to stop unauthorized trade in the border areas.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ashok Kumar Temani, president of the Madhesh Province chapter of FNCCI said that Nepal and India can cooperate on education and health sectors which requires cooperation between the private sector and intergovernmental agencies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ashok Kumar Baid, chairman of Nepal-India Cooperation Forum, said that there can be cooperation between Nepal and India on issues of mutual economic interests. Abhishek Chaudhary, president of Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry Birgunj, stressed the need to promote economic potential between Nepal and India. Stating that the two countries have special social and economic relations, he said that export concessions from Nepal to the Indian market should be used.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Speaking on the occasion, Indian Consul General Devi Sahay Meena claimed that the dimensions of economic and social cooperation between Nepal and India are exemplary. Meena said that the Amlekhgunj-Motihari Petroleum Pipeline is a model project in South Asia.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Consul Satish Patapu mentioned that India is supplying </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent petroleum product to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Anil Kumar Agarwal, president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the Nepal-India trade agreement should be revised in a timely manner. He demanded that a modern laboratory for quality testing should be built at the Nepal-India integrated check post.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sohan Sah, a member of the Madhesh Province Planning Commission, said that Nepal's gross domestic product is the lowest in South Asia and that Madhesh Province is lagging behind in economic development. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19514', 'image' => '20231221032505_Flag-Pins-India-Nepal_600x600.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 15:24:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 24: The number of new COVID cases increased by 52 per cent during the past four-odd weeks, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, with over 850 000 new cases reported during this period. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The number of new deaths decreased by 8 per cent as compared to the previous 28-day period, with over 3,000 new fatalities reported, WHO said in its latest press release. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As of December 17, over 772 million confirmed cases and nearly seven million deaths have been reported globally since the onset of COVID-19, the WHO noted. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Furthermore, the WHO said over 118,000 new COVID-19 hospitalisations and over 1600 new intensive care unit (ICU) admissions have been recorded, with an overall increase of 23 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively, globally. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As of December 18, 2023, JN.1, a sub-lineage of BA.2.86 Omicron variant has been designated a separate variant of interest (VOI) apart from its parent lineage BA.2.86 due to its rapid increase in prevalence in recent weeks. Globally, EG.5 remains the most reported variant of interest. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Due to its rapidly increasing spread, WHO is classifying the variant JN.1 as a separate variant of interest (VOI) from the parent lineage BA.2.86. It was previously classified as VOI as part of BA.2.86 sublineages. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Based on the available evidence, the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low. Despite this, with the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, JN.1 could increase the burden of respiratory infections in many countries. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The WHO had earlier said it was continuously monitoring the evidence and would update the JN.1 risk evaluation as needed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Current vaccines continue to protect against severe disease and death from JN.1 and other circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, it noted. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">COVID-19 is not the only respiratory disease circulating. Influenza, RSV, and common childhood pneumonia are also on the rise. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The WHO advises people to take measures to prevent infections and severe disease using all available tools. These include wearing a mask in crowded, enclosed, or poorly ventilated areas, keeping a safe distance from others, practicing respiratory etiquette (covering coughs and sneezes), cleaning hands regularly, and getting tested if one has any symptoms or if you might have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or influenza. – ANI/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-24', 'modified' => '2023-12-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19529', 'image' => '20231224105344_WHO eight.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-24 10:52:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19801', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Power Supply to Defaulter Industries Cut Off ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 24: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has cut off power supply to some large-scale industries that have failed for a long time to pay their electricity tariff for using dedicated and truck lines. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 24: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has cut off power supply to some large-scale industries that have failed for a long time to pay their electricity tariff for using dedicated and truck lines. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The NEA took the measure after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday ordered the state-owned power utility to plug off the power lines and recover the tariff from them. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The NEA had been facing public criticism for cutting off power supply of household consumers but exempting the large-scale industries. According to the NEA, power supply to Jagdamba Steel, Reliance Spinning Mills, Ghorahi Cement and Arghakhanchi Cement industries have been cut off. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">NEA sources informed that Jagdamba Steel alone has to pay tariff worth Rs 4.14 billion. Similarly, Reliance Spinning Mills has to pay Rs 1.09 billion, Ghorahi Cement has to pay Rs 1.36 billion and Arghakhanchi Cement owes Rs. 1.3 billion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Despite repeated calls the industries have not cleared their dues to the NEA. The latest report of the Office of the Auditor General too had instructed the NEA to collect the arrears. Furthermore, various committees of the parliament had also directed to raise the tariff immediately. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-24', 'modified' => '2023-12-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19528', 'image' => '20231224102117_NEA_20191104081559.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-24 10:20:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19800', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Two Sugar Mills Come into Operation in Sralahi', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Two out of three sugar mills in Sarlahi have commenced operations. Indushankar Sugar Mills, the nation's largest sugar mill located in Harion, and Mahalakshmi Sugar Mills in Bagdah are now actively involved in crushing sugarcane. The third sugar mill, Annapurna Sugar Mills in Dhankaul, remains closed at present.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 24: Two out of three sugar mills in Sarlahi have commenced operations. Indushankar Sugar Mills, the nation's largest sugar mill located in Harion, and Mahalakshmi Sugar Mills in Bagdah are now actively involved in crushing sugarcane. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The third sugar mill, Annapurna Sugar Mills in Dhankaul, remains closed at present.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Yognarayan Rajak, the Manager of Indushanker Mills, attributed the resumption of operations to the resolution of a recent protest by sugarcane farmers in the district. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The farmers had conducted a protest from last Saturday to Wednesday, urging the government to address their concerns, including fixing the minimum support price of sugarcane and disbursing the Rs 520 million subsidy owed to sugarcane farmers who sold their produce last year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Rajak informed that the farmers, in a strategic move, decided to escalate their protest to the federal level while allowing the sugar industry to resume operations.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indushanker Mills has set an ambitious target of crushing approximately 3.5 million quintals of sugarcane in the current season, reflecting an increase from the 2.8 lakh million quintals crushed last year.</span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> This surge in production can be attributed to the growing yield of sugarcane this year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Despite the government setting the price of sugarcane for the current year at Rs 635 per quintal, there is dissent among sugarcane farmers. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Kapil Muni Mainali, President of the Nepal Sugarcane Farmers Federation, stated that the farmers do not agree with the government-fixed price. (RSS)</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-24', 'modified' => '2023-12-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19527', 'image' => '20231224070726_collage (8).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-24 07:05:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19799', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bhatbhateni Superstore to Invest in Agriculture', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: The proprietor of Bhatbhateni Superstore, the country's leading retail shopping center and department store, is planning to invest in the agricultural sector of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 22: The proprietor of Bhatbhateni Superstore, the country's leading retail shopping center and department store, is planning to invest in the agricultural sector of Nepal. The department store’s owner Min Bahadur Gurung said that Bhatbhateni is preparing to invest in agriculture upon realizing that commercial agriculture is necessary to replace foreign agricultural products that are influencing the domestic market of Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He believes that even though there is a huge potential in the agricultural sector, this sector is always neglected in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“My future professional plan is agriculture,” Gurung said in a special conversation with New Business Age, adding, “If the state can make some good policy reforms in the agricultural sector, this sector can take a big leap.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung said that in the initial phase, his company has a plan to rent about 1,000 bighas of land and cultivate rice, wheat, corn and paddy using modern technology. He said that he will gradually connect the small and big farmers and give them the profit. When Bhatbhateni started business, it sold only 5 percent of Nepali goods. Now it has increased domestically produced goods to 30-35 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung says that Bhatbhateni Superstore, which started in the year 2041 BS by selling chocolates, biscuits, cheese, butter, some foreign drinks, etc, has now become a store that sells maximum types of goods on par with most of the department stores in the world.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has 26 branches operating all over the country inside and outside Kathmandu Valley. A new branch is opening soon in Birtamode. Bhatbhateni has directly employed more than 7,000 people in its branches across the country. He says he achieved this success due to determination, hard work, honesty and perseverance to work in business expansion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Plan to launch an IPO within five years</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Bhatbhateni, which has a successful history of 30/35 years, is now planning to issue shares to the public (IPO) within the next five years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Saying that it is necessary to issue an IPO, Gurung said that if some technical aspects are met, the plan is to issue IPO within the next five years. Gurung also said that he aspires to establish Bhatbhateni as the largest taxpayer in the country by further expanding the business.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung, who was born in 2015 BS in an ordinary farmer's family in Khotang district, says that he entered Kathmandu with Rs 400 to pursue his postgraduate degree in 2031 after completing his undergraduate studies in Dharan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He started working at Nepal Bank Limited shortly after coming to Kathmandu and said that he was impressed when he saw a woman running a department store while visiting Hong Kong. After returning from Hong Kong, he opened a small shop for his wife and started the business. He said as the business got better, he left his banking job in 2050 and went into ful-scale business. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gurung's business now has 60 percent of his share and 40 percent is owned by his wife. He attributed Bhatbhateni's success to low margin profit and good response to customers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19526', 'image' => '20231222035507_1703211168.2023-12-22 07.58.17.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 15:54:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19798', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inaruwa substation comes into Operation ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday inaugurated the Inaruwa Substation, which is considered one of the important projects for strengthening power transmission and distribution system of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday inaugurated the Inaruwa Substation, which is considered one of the important projects for strengthening power transmission and distribution system of Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Constructed at Bhokraha Narsingh Rural Municipality-4 of Sunsari district, the 400-Kv substation is one of the largest substations constructed in the country. The second largest substation based on Gas Insulated System (GIS) was charged on second week of October. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister for Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, former minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, high-officials of the Energy Ministry, Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, Kul Man Ghising, among others were present during the inauguration ceremony. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There are three power transformers of 315-MVA in the 400/220 kV Inaruwa substation constructed under 400-kVHetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa substation expansion project. This substation has the capacity to transmit around 4,000 MW electricity after the completion of 400 kV Inaruwa-Dhalkebar transmission line. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">NEA Executive Director Ghising said Inaruwa substation is the backbone for transmitting electricity produced from hydropower projects at different districts of Koshi Province to the national grid, which will then be consumed domestically while the surplus electricity will be exported to India.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Executive Director Ghising further said that the Inaruwa-Purnia 400 KV cross-country transmission line has been proposed for power trade with India and the Inaruwa-Anarmani 400 KV transmission line has been proposed for trade among Nepal-India and Bangladesh from this sub-station. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Inaruwa sub-station, according to him, has become another huge electricity centre to supply electricity from east to west within the country and export to India besides regional power trade. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, the sub-station would be significant to supply additional electricity to the industries within the Morang-Sunsari Industrial Corridor. The electricity generated from Arun and Tamor rivers and their tributaries would be linked to the Inaruwa Sub-Station through Koshi Corridor 220 KC transmission line. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The NEA said that the Inaruwa Sub-Station has been built in such a way that it can be expanded in future. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Various factors such as inundation, COVID-19 pandemic and prohibitory order and lack of timely availability of tools and technicians among others had adversely affected the sub-station construction process. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19525', 'image' => '20231222031704_DhanrajGurung_DharanSunsari_RSS_06_393098650_pm_sunsari(2).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 15:16:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19797', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Interest Rate of Development Bonds Lowest in Two Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Due to excess liquidity (investable capital) in banks and financial institutions, the interest rate of development bonds has fallen to the lowest level in two years. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 22: Due to excess liquidity (investable capital) in banks and financial institutions, the interest rate of development bonds has fallen to the lowest level in two years. The interest rate of five</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">year development bonds worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">7</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion sold by the government on Thursday remained at </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5.65</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the interest rate of development bond had dropped to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5.65</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in October </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">21. During last December, the interest rate of bonds reached as high as </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10.93</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent due to the liquidity crisis</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">. </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In the current fiscal year (FY), interest rates of banks have decreased due to non-disbursement of loans compared to the increase in deposits collection of banks.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The interest rate of bonds issued earlier this year was maintained at </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">7</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. Due to excess liquidity, banks have started reducing interest rates on deposits and have started investing in bonds and treasury bills.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The government is also raising internal debt by changing its revenue collection schedule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As of Tuesday, banks had deposits of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6027</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion and extended loans of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5002</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion. In the current fiscal year, bank deposits have increased by Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">256</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion, but the credit flow stands at Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">124</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Due to excess liquidity, the inter-bank interest rate is below the target limit despite the central bank raising around Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">172</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion by issuing deposit collection tools dozens of times in one month. Of that amount, Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">75</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion have already matured and have been returned to the market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On Tuesday, the average interbank interest rate was </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2.71</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. According to the interest rate corridor, this interest rate should be maintained above </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">3</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As the interbank interest rate is still below the limit, the central bank announced its decision to issue a </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">day deposit collection tools worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion on Friday. The central bank had mopped Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion through deposit collection tools on Wednesday as well.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On Tuesday, the average credit-deposit ratio (CD ratio) of banks remained at </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80.21 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">percent. As per the provision that banks can give loans by maintaining the CD ratio up to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">90 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">percent, banks are in a position to extend loans by an additional Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">600 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Due to excess liquidity in the banking system, the central bank has reduced the policy rates through the first quarterly review of the monetary policy. Banks have also reduced interest rates. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19524', 'image' => '20231222025402_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 14:53:15', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19796', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Department of Hydrology urges People to take Precautions against Cold ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division has urged people to take necessary precaution against cold as the temperature has been plummeting across the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division has urged people to take necessary precaution against cold as the temperature has been plummeting across the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Cold has increased with the drop in mercury throughout the country, including in the Kathmandu Valley. The minimum temperature in Kathmandu today has been measured at 4.5 degrees Celsius and the maximum at 19 degrees Celsius. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The minimum temperature in Kathmandu is between 4 to 5 degrees Celsius and the maximum in the range of around 17 to 19 degrees Celsius since the last three to four days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Extreme cold has intensified in Kathmandu due to the fall in temperature. Although the days are sunny, the morning and evening tends to be quite chilly. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The lowest temperature of minus 3.5 degrees Celsius has been recorded in Jomsom and minus 2.8 degrees Celsius in Jumla, the division said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Westerly wind is having partial impact in Nepal at present and the weather is partly cloudy to generally fair due to this weather system. The weather will be partly to generally cloudy in the hill areas of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki provinces and partly cloudy to generally fair in the rest of the provinces tonight. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There are chances of light rain in one or two places of the hill regions of Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Division stated that there is possibility of light snowfall in one or two places of the high-hills and mountainous region of Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19523', 'image' => '20231222023421_20211230045251_HK_Jajarkot-2 (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 14:33:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19795', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NPC Revises Budget Calendar, Introduces Provision to Allow Govt to Amend Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Until now, the government had been endorsing the budget without any change. However, such a provision has been removed now and the government can amend the budget from the coming year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 22: Until now, the government had been endorsing the budget without any change. However, such a provision has been removed now and the government can amend the budget from the coming year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Vice chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha said that they have made an attempt to make the budget more result oriented by revising the budget calendar from the next fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Organising a press conference on Thursday to inform about the upcoming budget and the schedule of the 16th plan, Shrestha said that the budget calendar has been revised based on a report incorporating suggestions from stakeholders. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Until now, the budget presented by the finance minister in the parliament is discussed for one month, but it is passed without any amendment. Even if there are errors and issues in the budget, it is customary not to amend it. After extensive debate and discussion, the issue of revision was raised in the budget of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">NPC Vice Chairman Shrestha said that after questions were raised about why the budget needs to be discussed for a month if it cannot be amended, arrangements were made for necessary amendments from next year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the Commission, the work schedule has been revised before bringing next year's budget. Accordingly, the pre-budget discussion, policy and program and budget preparations are being moved a little earlier than the current schedule. Opinions should be taken for the budget by the month of Falgun (mid-February to mid-March). Similarly, policies and programs will have to be announced one week earlier than the current one. Apart from this, the work of drafting the budget should also be done one month before the presentation of the budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The National Planning Commission has already started the budget preparation for the upcoming fiscal year. Accordingly, the NPC has already written to all the ministries to start the preparation of the budget for the FY 2023/24. The upcoming budget is being prepared keeping three subjects in top priority. Budget will be allocated only for projects and programs that have been included in the national plan and have met the necessary criteria. Vice Chairman Dr Shrestha said that there should be enough homework in budget preparation and every programme should be proposed with logic. Projects that do not meet the criteria will not be included in the budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the National Planning Commission said it has expedited preparations to release the 16th five-year plan at the proposed date. The commission had earlier prepared a schedule to unveil the plan by mid-February.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As the work so far has been according to the schedule, the periodic plan will be published at the scheduled date, informed Vice President of the National Planning Commission Shrestha. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NPC said that it will complete the preparation of the revised draft of the plan based on the suggestions received from the state and local levels in the coming week. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19522', 'image' => '20231222124849_20230714023452_1683767264.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 12:47:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19793', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Kathmandu Valley’s Temperature Plummets to 4.5 Degrees Celsius ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: The temperature of the Kathmandu Valley has been plummeting each day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: The temperature of the Kathmandu Valley has been plummeting each day. On Thursday, the valley recorded the lowest temperature of the year. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to meteorologist Rojan Lamichhane, the temperature dropped to 4.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning.</span> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On Wednesday, the valley's minimum temperature was measured at 5 degrees Celsius.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The Kathmandu Valley on Thursday recorded this year's lowest temperature which was 4.5 degrees Celsius at 8:45 am," he said. </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19521', 'image' => '20231222113935_20231220124842_20210.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 11:32:43', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19792', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal-Sri Lanka Joint Commission Meeting Discusses Trade and Investment Promotion Issues', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 22: Nepal and Sri Lanka discussed issues relating to trade, investment, mutual concerns and bilateral interests during the Nepal-Sri Lanka ministerial-level meeting on Thursday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 22: Nepal and Sri Lanka discussed issues relating to trade, investment, mutual concerns and bilateral interests during the Nepal-Sri Lanka ministerial-level meeting on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the Nepal-Sri Lanka Joint Commission meeting held in Kathmandu on Thursday, the two sides discussed topics related to trade, investment promotion, expansion of air connectivity between the two countries, cooperation in culture, tourism and education sector, strengthening of SAARC and BIMSTEC and cooperation in the regional and multi-sectoral forums, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud led the Nepali delegation and Sri Lankan Minister for Foreign Affairs M U M Ali Sabry headed the delegation from Sri Lanka during the meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion both sides expressed satisfactions over the launch of the Kathmandu-Colombo air service. The two sides also discussed about the plan to connect Colombo and Lumbini by air. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministers exchanged views on consequences of climate change faced by both countries. They insisted on the need to mobilize Climate Justice Fund and the Climate Impact Fund, and the promotion of regional and international cooperation, the ministry stated. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19520', 'image' => '20231222105630_blank eight by six.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 10:55:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19791', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Prepares Draft Bill for Social Media Regulation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has prepared a draft bill aimed at regulating and managing social sites. The government is set to present this groundbreaking bill in the federal parliament, responding to the calls from the general public and stakeholders for effective measures in overseeing social media platforms.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 21: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has prepared a draft bill aimed at regulating and managing social sites. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government is set to present this groundbreaking bill in the federal parliament, responding to the calls from the general public and stakeholders for effective measures in overseeing social media platforms.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Netra Prasad Subedi, Joint-Secretary at the Ministry, emphasized the draft's responsiveness to the concerns raised by citizens and stakeholders, underscoring the need for public participation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During an orientation organized by the Advertisement Board, Subedi revealed that the draft would soon be made public to invite suggestions, marking a pivotal moment as the country aims to formulate such legislation for the first time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> The bill draft committee coordinator highlighted that the proposed law would not only focus on the regulation of social sites but also address the crucial issues of advertisement regulation. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The primary goal is to curb the misuse of social platforms, combat misinformation, and mitigate the potential harms associated with them.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government of Nepal had previously issued guidelines related to social media, and Laxman Humagain, the Board Chairperson, expressed the importance of seeking input from advertisers, agencies, and stakeholders in refining the proposed bill. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Humagain noted that suggestions would be actively sought to ensure a well-rounded perspective during the legislative process.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Additionally, the Advertisement Board, in collaboration with stakeholders, has formulated criteria for the regulation of advertisements on digital platforms and social sites.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Emphasizing the necessity of such regulation and management, Som Dhital, Chairperson of the Advertising Association of Nepal, highlighted the importance of preserving a 15% service charge for advertisement agencies. (RSS) </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-22', 'modified' => '2023-12-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19519', 'image' => '20231222061827_collage (7).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-22 06:15:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19790', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Hult Prize Announces Global Competition', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 21: Hult Prize, an annual global social entrepreneurship competition, has announced this year’s competition for students to develop innovative solutions to address pressing social issues.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 21: Hult Prize, an annual global social entrepreneurship competition, has announced this year’s competition for students to develop innovative solutions to address pressing social issues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the organisers, the winning teams will receive support and funding to turn their ideas into reality that can help address these important issues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Issuing a statement, the organisers said the theme for this year is ‘unlimited’, offering students a broad outlook to choose any field that appeals to them and align it to the Sustainable Development Goals accordingly to create a positive impact on the world.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We provide a platform for students to bring forward their innovative ideas which are linked to sustainable goals and making a positive impact on the world,” reads the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The statement added that applications are open for the OnCampus Competition at Hult Prize KCM. Applicants need to join in a group of minimum of three individuals and come up with revolutionary and sustainable solutions to curb growing social issues. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Participating in this event provides students with networking opportunities, entrepreneurial skills, guidance from experts and eventually the winners are provided with a seed capital of $1 million for their sustainable business by the Hult Prize Foundation, added the statement. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The OnCampus competition finale will be held on February 23, 2024. The winners of the OnCampus Finals will have the opportunity to compete in the Hult Prize Summits. The winners will get the opportunity to select the summit that they want to compete in. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the orgnaisers, the summit competition can be attained physically if possible or via online platforms. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“In the Summits, the OnCampus winners get the opportunity to compete against sustainable solutions from all around the world. Only a few best teams will be selected to move forward to the next round and eventually participate in the Hult Prize Finals.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The global finals is the climax of this competition where the top teams compete against each other and present their ideas to a panel of judges and experts, according to the statement. The winners of the finals will be awarded with $1 million as seed capital to start their journey to solve social issues.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Arial,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The application deadline for the upcoming competition is December 31, 2024. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19518', 'image' => '20231221054851_20231221_171945.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 17:47:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19789', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'MPs, Army Chief Trade Barbs over KTM-Tarai Fast Track', 'sub_title' => 'Army says it is not possible to complete the project within the deadline without amending laws', 'summary' => 'December 21: The construction of the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway (fast track) is taking place at a snail's pace. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 21: The construction of the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway (fast track) is taking place at a snail's pace. According to the Nepalese Army, which has been entrusted the responsibility of construction management of the project, the physical progress of this project is less than one third in six years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The government had entrusted the project management to the army on May 4, 2017. The foundation stone was laid by the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on May 28 the same year. According to the last extended deadline, the project should be completed by mid-April 2027.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, the army officials say that it is not possible to complete the project within the extended deadline.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the army, the reason for the delay in construction of the expressway is the existing laws and India's reluctance in providing explosives.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Prabhuram Sharma was summoned by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday to discuss the delay in the construction of the expressway. During the discussion, the MPs presented a barrage of questions. The army chief had a hard time answering the questions of the lawmakers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Commander-in-Chief Sharma claimed that the prevailing law prevented the construction of the expressway. He also said that they were not the only ones to blame for the delay. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“If you have to make a fast track, you should also make rules for the fast track. It took nine months to cut four trees, whose fault is it? I don't blame anyone. This is a rule made by you,” said Sharma. Sharma said that the tree that he had shown to the prime minister and the defense minister that should be cut in May last year has not been cut yet.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“It is ironic to say that we need to do the work on a war footing on the basis of outdated laws drafted in 2017. If this is the case, the fast track will not be built by 2027,” said Sharma.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He said that the Land Acquisition Act should be amended along with the provision of cutting trees in the Forest Act for the construction of fast track. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The land does not belong to the government and the people's property cannot be usurped. The people’s property can be acquired only by paying compensation,” he said, adding, “The government fixes one price while the market price is different. Such problems have delayed the project."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even if it is not possible to blacktop the expressway from Kathmandu to Nijgadh by 2027, we are effortful to ensure that vehicles will be able to ply the road by that time, said Sharma adding that it can be considered a big achievement is we succeed in it.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to CoAS Sharma, it will take another two to three years to to give the finishing touch to the expressway.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sharma said that strict laws made in the past to protect the environment have now hindered development and construction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"If the rules are not amended, it will not only be difficult to complete the fast track, but any other project in Nepal," he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the army, the land dispute at the entry point in Khokna has not been resolved yet while the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has proposed to change the interchange design of Nijgadh International Airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">MPs raised questions about the slow pace of construction. CPN United Socialist MP Rajendra Pandey said that the progress of the Kathmandu-Terai Expressway is not satisfactory. He expressed doubt that the construction will be completed within the extended deadline.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">MP Raghuji Pant said that the Khokana dispute for the construction of the expressway should be resolved quickly. He also questioned the supplementary environmental assessment process of the project. What happened to the SEIA report? Who stopped the work? How much of the allocated budget of Rs 22 billion was spent in this fiscal year?'' he asked.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He also asked the army to clarify why India stopped the explosives. “Can't the army prepare the explosives it needs? Is it because there is no gunpowder to prepare the explosives? Has the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure helped to make the fast track or not?”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the meeting, MPs Gagan Kumar Thapa, Ravi Lamichhane and others expressed their displeasure that the army was involved in the construction of infrastructure. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">They also raised concerns that the Military Act does now allow probe into possible corruption.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the army, the financial progress of the expressway with an estimated cost of Rs 211.93 billion stands at 29.44 percent. In the current fiscal year, the physical progress of the expressway has reached 32.66 percent. The army claims that this year's financial progress is 10.8 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The army has divided the work in 13 packages for the expressway. Five of them have not been contracted yet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Instructions to Finish the Project within the Deadline </span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The State Affairs and Good Governance Committee has instructed the Nepalese Army to complete the expressway construction within the given deadline. Chairman Ramhari Khatiwada said that the committee meeting had instructed the army to complete all the construction work of the expressway within the timeframe.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The committee has also decided to hold a meeting with the prime minister, deputy prime minister and minister for defense, minister for forests and environment, minister for physical infrastructure and transport, minister for land management, cooperatives and poverty alleviation, chief secretary and secretaries of related ministries regarding the fast track.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The committee has instructed the ministries concerned including the Ministry of Forests, Environment, and the Ministry of Finance to set a deadline for supplementary environmental impact assessment of national pride projects and facilitate necessary completion of works such as felling tree and land acquisition.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Government of Nepal, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Forest and Environment and Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport have been instructed to provide necessary support to the projects of national pride on time.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19517', 'image' => '20231221042822_20230423033434_fast track.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 16:22:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19788', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEPSE Ends Week with 32.77 Point Correction, Closing at 2109.10', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index underwent a correction of 32.77 points or 1.53%, settling at 2109.10 on the last trading day of the week on Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 21: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) Index underwent a correction of 32.77 points or 1.53%, settling at 2109.10 on the last trading day of the week on Thursday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Analysts and investors attribute this correction to a week-long continuous upward trend, expressing confidence that such corrections contribute to the market's overall sustainability.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During today's trading session, a total of 304 scrips were traded through 111,980 transactions, involving 17,172,149 shares. The market's total turnover reached Rs 6.27 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Shivam Cements Limited (SHIVM) stood out with the highest turnover of Rs 30 crores. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Among the noteworthy movements, five companies, including Bottlers Nepal Limited (BNL) and Asha Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha (ALBSL), each experienced a 10% gain, hitting the positive circuit for the day.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Conversely, Surya Jyoti Life Insurance Company Limited (SJLIC) incurred the highest loss of 7.44%. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of sector indices, all sectors closed in the red zone except for Manufacturing and Processing and Trading.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> The Development Bank Index experienced the most significant loss at 3.23%, while the Hydropower Index incurred the least loss at 0.33%. The Manufacturing and Processing Index showed the highest gain at 2.36%.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19516', 'image' => '20231221040455_collage (4).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 16:03:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19786', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Experts Demand New Approach for Nepal-India Economic Cooperation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 21: Stakeholders have said that economic relations between Nepal and India should be redefined from a new perspective. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 21: Stakeholders have said that economic relations between Nepal and India should be redefined from a new perspective. They made such remarks during the 'India-Nepal Economic Partnership Summit </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2023</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">' organized by PhD Chamber of Commerce and Industry India in Birgunj on Wednesday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Lokraj Baral, Nepal's former ambassador to India, pointed out the need for a new approach for economic development and cooperation between Nepal and India. Baral expressed his concern that even though Nepal is called an agricultural country, plotting of arable land for residential purpose is being done intensively in recent times.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He commented that tourism and hydroelectricity sectors have potential in Nepal's economic development, but the two countries have not been able to capitalize on political agreements due to bureaucratic red tape.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Analyst and Chairman of Nimbus Group Jagdish Prasad Agarwal said that India should have a clear policy in Nepal's development. Stating that Nepal and India can cooperate on the issue of food security, Agarwal said, “Every country has taken food security seriously since the coronavirus pandemic. In this issue, there is a good chance of cooperation between Nepal and India.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Subodh Kumar Gupta, chairman of the trade committee of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said that a plan should be made for the next </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> years after analyzing the business trends of the past </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">10</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> years between Nepal and India. He also clarified that there is a need for coordination between the two countries to stop unauthorized trade in the border areas.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ashok Kumar Temani, president of the Madhesh Province chapter of FNCCI said that Nepal and India can cooperate on education and health sectors which requires cooperation between the private sector and intergovernmental agencies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ashok Kumar Baid, chairman of Nepal-India Cooperation Forum, said that there can be cooperation between Nepal and India on issues of mutual economic interests. Abhishek Chaudhary, president of Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry Birgunj, stressed the need to promote economic potential between Nepal and India. Stating that the two countries have special social and economic relations, he said that export concessions from Nepal to the Indian market should be used.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Speaking on the occasion, Indian Consul General Devi Sahay Meena claimed that the dimensions of economic and social cooperation between Nepal and India are exemplary. Meena said that the Amlekhgunj-Motihari Petroleum Pipeline is a model project in South Asia.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Consul Satish Patapu mentioned that India is supplying </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">100</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent petroleum product to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Anil Kumar Agarwal, president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the Nepal-India trade agreement should be revised in a timely manner. He demanded that a modern laboratory for quality testing should be built at the Nepal-India integrated check post.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sohan Sah, a member of the Madhesh Province Planning Commission, said that Nepal's gross domestic product is the lowest in South Asia and that Madhesh Province is lagging behind in economic development. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-21', 'modified' => '2023-12-21', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19514', 'image' => '20231221032505_Flag-Pins-India-Nepal_600x600.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-21 15:24:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
