December 7: Airlines should carry a record number of passengers next year as the sector puts the Covid-19 pandemic behind it, the industry's top trade association said Wednesday, although profitability remains a…
December 7: Airlines should carry a record number of passengers next year as the sector puts the Covid-19 pandemic behind it, the industry's top trade association said Wednesday, although profitability remains a…
December 7: The government has been dilly-dallying in fixing the support price of sugarcane. On top of that, it has also shown lack of interest in the payment of subsidies of Rs 520 million to the…
December 7: With the decline in economic activities, the business of insurance companies as well has started…
December 7: The Public Accounts Committee under the House of Representatives has instructed the government to immediately stop the controversial purchase and sale of shares of Ncell, a private sector telecommunication company of…
December 7: Food crisis has surfaced in mountainous district, Humla, as the district did not receive food supplies on…
December 7: The Finance Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) has directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to submit the details relating to sale of Ncell shares with factual information within 15…
December 7: The distribution of insurance amount to the families of people killed in the earthquake that struck Jajarkot on November 3 has…
Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka affirmed Nepal's commitment to make available up to 10,000 military personnel upon the United Nations' request for peacekeeping missions…
The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised…
December 6: The price of local cauliflower has declined sharply within a period of one…
December 6: Nepal is considered to be one of the best places in the world for solar energy…
December 6: Nepal Police has urged the people concerned to use official channels for sending and receiving remittance from abroad to avoid potential legal issues and the risk of cyber…
December 6: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that the country's economy is on improvement…
December 6: Lumbini Province Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has demanded regular operation of international flights to and from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International…
December 6: Nepal Police have arrested members of a gang involved in sending Nepali youths to fight for the Russian…
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), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19671', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Record Passengers as Airline Industry Recovers from Pandemic', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: Airlines should carry a record number of passengers next year as the sector puts the Covid-19 pandemic behind it, the industry's top trade association said Wednesday, although profitability remains a concern.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 7: Airlines should carry a record number of passengers next year as the sector puts the Covid-19 pandemic behind it, the industry's top trade association said Wednesday, although profitability remains a concern.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in its traditional review of industry trends as the year draws to a close, said more normal growth patterns were expected from here on out as the sector has recovered to pre-pandemic levels.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"People love to travel and that has helped airlines to come roaring back to pre-pandemic levels of connectivity," IATA's director general Willie Walsh said as the body forecast a record 4.7 billion people will take to the skies in 2024.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA noted this is a "historic high that exceeds the pre-pandemic level of 4.5 billion recorded in 2019."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">For this year, it expects 4.29 billion passengers, a small drop from its June forecast of 4.35 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Walsh said "the speed of the recovery has been extraordinary" but also noted it "appears that the pandemic has cost aviation about four years of growth."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Aviation suffered immensely from the travel restrictions that countries imposed in a bid to slow the spread of Covid-19, with a number of airlines going out of business and others bailed out as the industry racked up $183 billion in losses during the 2020-2022 period.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA raised its profit outlook, expecting airlines to post $23.3 billion in net earnings in 2023, more than double the $9.8 billion it forecast in June.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA forecasts $25.7 billion in net profits in 2024 on a 7.6-percent rise in revenues to $964 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Walsh called the figures a "tribute to aviation's resilience" but said the industry's profits need to be put into perspective.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A "net profit margin of 2.7 percent is far below what investors in almost any other industry would accept," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">- Price of 'grande latte' -</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Airlines will on average retain just $5.45 for every passenger carried, according to IATA's calculations.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"That's about enough to buy a basic 'grande latte' at a London Starbucks," said Walsh, who formerly ran IAG, the parent company of British Airways.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"But it is far too little to build a future that is resilient to shocks for a critical global industry on which 3.5 percent of GDP depends and from which 3.05 million people directly earn their livelihoods," he added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The situation will continue to vary considerably by region.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">US, European and Middle Eastern carriers are expected to continue to post profits in 2024, with Asian-Pacific airlines expected to return to profitability.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">African and South American carriers are expected to remain in the red.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">- More want to fly -</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA said the optimistic outlook for the industry is supported by its survey data showing that nearly half of people's travelling habits have returned to pre-pandemic norms.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">One third reported travelling more and just 18 percent said they are still travelling less.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Furthermore, it said 44 percent of respondents said that they will travel more in the next 12 months than in the previous 12 months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Only seven percent said they will travel less and 48 percent expected to maintain similar levels of travel in the coming 12 months as in the previous 12 months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">This growth comes despite an increase in fares in 2023 as demand outstripped seat capacity, with airlines hobbled by some aircraft being out of service over engine issues and delayed delivery of new aircraft.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA expects growth in fares to moderate in 2024, while fuel costs are expected to remain high and continue to account for nearly a third of costs.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As negotiators debate the thorny issue of fossil fuels at the COP28 climate summit, IATA said the airline industry will use 374 billion litres of fuel in 2024 and put 939 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">While the airline industry accounts for less than three percent of global CO2 emissions, it serves only a tiny percentage of the world's population.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The sector hopes to shift to sustainable aviation fuels to achieve its 2050 net-zero target, but IATA expects they will account for just 0.53 percent of consumption compared to 0.2 percent this year. -- AFP/RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19399', 'image' => '20231207120538_Airline (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 12:04:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19670', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Yet Again Delays Fixing Support Price of Sugarcane', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The government has been dilly-dallying in fixing the support price of sugarcane. On top of that, it has also shown lack of interest in the payment of subsidies of Rs 520 million to the farmers.', '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 7: The government has been dilly-dallying in fixing the support price of sugarcane. On top of that, it has also shown lack of interest in the payment of subsidies of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">52</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">0 million to the farmers.</span></span></span></span></p> <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 has not fixed the support price due to the differences with the Sugarcane Producers and Farmers' Federation regarding the support price. The farmers are preparing to protest to put pressure on the government which is delaying in releasing the subsidy.</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Farmers have been forced to sell sugarcane at cheap prices due to the delay in fixing the support price. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Harishyam Rai, secretary of the Sugarcane Farmers' Struggle Committee, Sarlahi, informed that some farmers are selling sugarcane at the same price as last year due to the government’s delayed in fixing the support price. </span></span></span></span></p> <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 him, sugarcane starts to dry after being left in the field for a long time, due to which both yield and weight decrease, and farmers are forced to sell sugarcane as they can’t wait for the government to fix the support price. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Although the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development held a meeting at the ministry on Sunday to discuss the issue of fixing the support price, the price determination process was halted after the representatives of sugarcane farmers disagreed with the price proposed by the ministry. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Kapil Muni Mainali, president of the Sugarcane Producers and Farmers’ Federation, informed that after the ministry proposed to add only Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to last year's price, they rejected the offer. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Last year, the government had fixed the price of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">610</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> per quintal. "This year, the government tried to fix the price by adding Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to the price of last year and set the price at only Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">621</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">per quintal," President Mainali said, "The production cost of the farmer stands at 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"">per quintal including transportation cost. How can there be agreement in such a situation?”</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Farmers are yet to receive Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">520</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">million in subsidy from the government for the sale of sugarcane last year. Last year, the government paid only Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> million out of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">132</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> million subsidies to the farmers. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Spokesperson for the ministry Sabnam Sivakoti said that the biggest complaint of the farmers is not getting the due amount. According to her, the payment could not be sent on time due to lack of budget. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">“So far sugarcane farmers in nine districts have received full payment. The farmers of Sarlahi, Nawalparasi and Kanchanpur are yet to receive subsidies.”</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Sivakoti said that the ministry has sent a letter to the Ministry of Finance for the release of the budget, the latter did not respond.</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">There are currently </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"">industries producing sugar in Nepal. Based on the data of the National Census </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2078</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">, a total of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">294</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"">453 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">tons of sugar is consumed in Nepal every year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19398', 'image' => '20231207120415_20201224030139_20190107104522_sugarcane.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 12:03:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19669', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Business of Insurance Companies Declining', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: With the decline in economic activities, the business of insurance companies as well has started declining.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 7: With the decline in economic activities, the business of insurance companies as well has started declining. Insurance business has been affected due to the decline in the lending of banks and financial institutions, and the decline in business as well as income of individuals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Nepal Insurance Authority, the business of non-life insurance companies decreased by 4.57 percent in the first four months of the current fiscal year compared to the same period of the previous year. By mid-November of the last fiscal year, life insurance companies had collected a total of Rs 13.35 billion in insurance fees, but in the same period of the current fiscal year, the collection stood at Rs 12.74 billion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The business of non-life insurance companies is continuously declining in the current fiscal year. The non-life insurance companies collected Rs 3.98 billion in insurance fees from the sale and renewal of new insurance policies in the first month of the current fiscal year, but they collected only Rs 2.29 billion in the fourth month.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Non-life insurance companies sold 894,000 insurance policies since mid-July including 200,000 insurance policies during last month. Compared to the previous year, the number of insurance policies sold during this period has also decreased. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A normal increase has been seen in the business of life insurance companies. Life insurance companies collected Rs 46 billion in insurance fees from the sale and renewal of insurance policies till mid-November of the last fiscal year, which now stands at Rs 49.44 billion this year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, compared to mid-July of the current financial year, the business of life insurance companies is also decreasing. In mid- July to mid-August, they collected Rs 19.60 billion in insurance fee from new insurance policies and renewal of old ones, which decreased to Rs 8.63 billion in mid-October to mid-November. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Along with the economic recession, the credit flow of banks and financial institutions decreased and the business activities of insurance companies were affected. Since insurance is mandatory for taking bank loans, the lack of loan investment has also affected the business of insurance companies. Similarly, when there is a decline in economic activities, the income of common people also decreases. The number of people taking insurance has decreased after the decrease in income. Instead, the number of people who 'surrender' insurance policies seems to be increasing.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19397', 'image' => '20231207113454_Insurance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 11:33:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19666', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Public Accounts Committee Directs Govt to Immediately Stop the Sale and Purchase of Ncell's Shares', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The Public Accounts Committee under the House of Representatives has instructed the government to immediately stop the controversial purchase and sale of shares of Ncell, a private sector telecommunication company 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">December 7: The Public Accounts Committee under the House of Representatives has instructed the government to immediately stop the controversial purchase and sale of shares of Ncell, a private sector telecommunication company 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The committee meeting held at Singh Durbar on Wednesday decided to direct the government to immediately stop the ongoing Ncell share purchase and sale process. The committee is preparing to discuss this issue by inviting Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to the next meeting of the committee.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">"It has been decided to call the prime minister to discuss the issues of corruption and irregularities involving the purchase and sale of Ncell share and to instruct the government to immediately stop the process," said PAC Chairman Rishikesh Pokharel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to him, the committee has also instructed the government to conduct an independent investigation within 30 days regarding the purchase and sale of Ncell shares. The committee has instructed the government to make public its opinion regarding the Ncell controversy within 48 hours.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The committee meeting concluded that Axiata is trying to influence the capital gains tax, ownership transfer tax, etc, to be paid to the Government of Nepal by buying and selling shares outside Nepal at extremely low valuations in an opaque manner.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The committee said that the transaction can be termed dubious and unrealistic, there is lack of transparency, and the company is trying to convey a misleading message that there is no investment environment 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the Company Registrar's Office has sent a reply to the Public Accounts Committee saying that it has not received any information about the purchase and sale of Ncell’s shares by Axiata.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Most of the MPs who expressed their opinion in the meeting alleged that high-level leaders were also involved in the Ncell purchase and sale case. They also said that the government should have a clear opinion about Ncell's statement that there is no investment environment 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Axiata bought the shares of the company in 2016 from Sweden-based TeliaSonera for Rs 143 million. Now, the controversy has surfaced after Axiata announced the sale of its shares in Ncell for less than seven billion rupees to a UK-based company.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Writing a letter to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, Ncell said that it is in the process of collecting the documents regarding the purchase and sale of the shares </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">In the letter, Ncell also stated that it believes in the rule of law. It further said that the company will submit an application for the approval of the purchase and sale of the shares as per the regulations of the authority.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The NTA had earlier written to Ncell Axiata on Friday and said that the purchase and sale of shares must be done according to Rule 15 (8) of Telecommunications Regulations, 2054, under which there is a provision to obtain the prior approval from the authority for selling or buying shares of more than five percent of the paid-up capital. However, it seems that Ncell has already sold its shares in an offshore deal without taking such permission.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19396', 'image' => '20231207105016_ncell.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 10:49:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19668', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Humla Hit by Food Crisis ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: Food crisis has surfaced in mountainous district, Humla, as the district did not receive food supplies on time. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 7: Food crisis has surfaced in mountainous district, Humla, as the district did not receive food supplies on time. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Various companies contracted for supplying rice to the district and the Food Management and Trading Company (FMTC) Limited have been blamed for the worrying food situation in the district that heavily relies on rice subsidy from the government for food requirement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The FMTC branch in Simkot has run out of stock for the past two months. The government had endorsed supplies of a total of 14,000 quintals of rice to this district in the Karnali Province for the current fiscal year (FY 2023-24). However, it witnessed no food transportation till date. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Depot chief Krishna Adhikari said though it was agreed to transport 4,000 quintals of rice to Humla via road and remaining 10,000 by cargo by different suppliers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He said the food depot here was not in condition of supplying rice to the district residents. The branch requires 2,500 quintal of rice to distribute to the locals, market and employees immediately. Similarly, additional amount is needed to address the emergency food need, and to inmates and detainees. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Simrik Air was contracted for making the food supplies of 10,000 quintals: 6,000 from Surkhet (at Rs 137 per kg ) and 4,000 quintals from Nepalgunj ( Rs 143 per kg), but the progress is almost nil. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Rice meant for Humla remains in Surkhet, Nepalgunj </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The rice meant to be supplied to Simkot branch of the FMTL remains in Surkhet and Nepalgunj as Simrik Air which has been entrusted the responsibility of transporting the food grains to Humla failed to do so. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, LB Suppliers which has been awarded the contract to transport the rice to Humla by means of road transport has not transported the rice to Humla so far. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Changla Transport Service, which was assigned to transport 1,000 quintals of rice, has not fulfilled its obligations till date. -- RSS </span><br /> <br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19395', 'image' => '20231207111838_20220509081511_20220405110412_Simokot-Airport-in-Humla.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 11:17:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19665', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Committee Directs NTA to Submit Details of Ncell Shares Sale within 15 Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The Finance Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) has directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to submit the details relating to sale of Ncell shares with factual information within 15 days. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 7: The Finance Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) has directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to submit the details relating to sale of Ncell shares with factual information within 15 days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The committee enquired about the issue after calling the NTA for a discussion on Wednesday. After the discussion, the committee Chairperson Santosh Chalise said that the committee has asked the NTA to submit the details of factual information about the sale and purchase of Ncell shares in written within two weeks. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In the meeting, NTA Chairperson Purushottam Khanal shared that they received a letter from Ncell Axiata Limited, a private mobile service provider based in Nepal, that it would provide the details of sale and purchase of Ncell share soon as it was collecting documents in this regard. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"On December 1, the NTA had written to Ncell seeking details of the sale and purchase of its shares, and received the response from the company on December 5. The process of collecting related documents is underway and it would be submitted to the respective body in line with the existing laws of Nepal," he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, discussion was also held in the Public Accounts Committee about the purchase and sale of Ncell stakes on Wednesday. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19394', 'image' => '20231207101216_Parliament RSS 800.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 10:11:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19664', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Distribution of Insurance Amount to Kin of Earthquake Dead Starts in Jajarkot', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The distribution of insurance amount to the families of people killed in the earthquake that struck Jajarkot on November 3 has begun. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">December 7: The distribution of insurance amount to the families of people killed in the earthquake that struck Jajarkot on November 3 has begun. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The amount has been handed to the families of 29 of the 56 people who were killed in the disaster in Nalgad Municipality, said Krishna Bahadur GC, spokesperson for the Karnali province government and the Minister for Internal Affairs and Law.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">According to him, the amount has been distributed to the families at the rate of Rs 200,000 per deceased. GC said that the insurance amount would be gradually distributed to the beneficiaries of all the municipalities in three or four days. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The provincial government had already brought a programme of insuring against natural disasters the citizens domiciled in Karnali before this. The insurance amount has been distributed under this programme.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">More than 150 people were killed due to the earthquake in Jajarkot and Rukum West. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Minister GC is accompanied by Insurance Authority Karnali Province Chief Padam Sodari during the insurance amount distribution.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Meanwhile, the Karnali Province Government has decided to immediately start construction of the public structures damaged by the earthquake. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Scores of public structures like roads, schools, health posts and water supply and irrigation projects were damaged by the earthquake. It is said that these structures would be repaired from the one billion rupees the province government had earmarked for this purpose. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19392', 'image' => '20231207093356_Insurance ed.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 09:33:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19663', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Ready to Deploy 10,000 Troops for International Peacekeeping: DPM Khadka', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka affirmed Nepal's commitment to make available up to 10,000 military personnel upon the United Nations' request for peacekeeping missions worldwide.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 7: Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka affirmed Nepal's commitment to make available up to 10,000 military personnel upon the United Nations' request for peacekeeping missions worldwide.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Speaking at a UN ministerial-level conference on international peacekeeping in Ghana, DPM Khadka highlighted Nepal's fulfillment of most commitments related to global peacekeeping efforts, with ongoing efforts to meet the remaining ones.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Expressing gratitude to the Ghanaian government for hosting the summit, Khadka underscored Nepal's support for the 'Action for Peace' and 'Action for Peace Plus' programs initiated by the UN Secretary-General. He emphasized the programs' dedication to ensuring the security of both military personnel and civilians.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">"DPM Khadka stated, "Nepal maintains a standby army for any unforeseen challenges, adhering to the norms and disciplines of peacekeeping forces. We uphold a zero-tolerance policy against sexual abuse and exploitation," during the extensive meeting.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Khadka highlighted Nepal's belief in enhancing coordination mechanisms among major stakeholders, including the TPCC, to optimize the effectiveness of peacekeeping efforts. He called for unity among all concerned parties to achieve targets through collaborative partnerships.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Furthermore, the Deputy Prime Minister disclosed Nepal's commitment to increasing the meaningful participation of women in military roles to align with the gender equality strategy outlined by the UN Secretary-General. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">"We are dedicated to utilizing and promoting renewable energy to minimize environmental impact in peacekeeping missions. We actively use renewable energy in collaboration with UNMISS and training centers," he stated.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nepal has been contributing continuously to UN peacekeeping missions since 1958, ranking as the second-largest contributor in terms of the number of security personnel deployed in peacekeeping missions globally. The summit, themed 'peace begins with me,' commenced on Tuesday, featuring representatives from around 90 countries. (RSS)</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19391', 'image' => '20231207055234_collage (3).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 05:50:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19659', 'article_category_id' => '230', 'title' => 'Sanitary Ware: Shifting Trends and Consumer Preferences', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised aspect', 'content' => '<p><em>The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised aspect</em></p> <p><strong>By NewBiz Team</strong></p> <p>Nepal relies heavily on imports of goods and services to meet the demands of its population. According to data from the Nepal Rastra Bank for the fiscal year 2020/21, the country imported goods valued at Rs 1,500 trillion and exported goods worth Rs 141 billion. Key imports include fuels, machinery, steel and iron, cereals, electronic equipment, pharmaceuticals, and vehicles. Import values have consistently risen year on year, with an annual increase of over 20% compared to the fiscal year 2019/20.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Sanitation Landscape in Nepal</strong></p> <p>As per the 2021 census, there are a total of 6.66 million households in Nepal. While 4.47 million households are located in urban municipalities, 2.19 million are in rural municipalities. Examining the types of toilets used in these households, 653,000 have flush toilets connected to public sewerage systems, 3.67 million have flush toilets with septic tanks, and 2 million households use pit toilets. This breakdown provides an overview of the sanitary ware usage in Nepal based on household preferences and infrastructure.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Remittance and Urbanisation Dynamics</strong></p> <p>The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised aspect for Nepali citizens. This reflects a shift in societal trends attributed to increased prosperity. This prosperity can be linked to the rise in out-migration for economic reasons, as indicated by the 2021 census, which reports that 2.1 million Nepalis currently reside abroad. In the fiscal year 2020/21, remittances from these individuals amounted to Rs 961.05 billion, a 9.8% increase from the previous fiscal year.</p> <p>According to the Nepal Living Standard Survey, 2011, approximately 80% of remittances are utilised for daily consumption, followed by loan repayments, household property acquisitions, education expenses, capital formation activities, and other purposes within Nepal. Notably, a growing trend involves remittance funds being invested in urban property, contributing to the construction of new houses equipped with a decent level of amenities, including modern sanitary ware.</p> <p>According to the 1952/54 census, only 2.9% of the population resided in 10 urban centres of the country. Over the next five decades, by 2001, the urban population had increased to 13.9% with an urban growth rate of 6.65%. The reclassification of urban areas further accelerated urbanisation, reaching 27.2% by 2014 and a remarkable 66.2% by 2021, with urban dwellers distributed across 293 urban areas. Kathmandu Metropolitan City, which houses a majority of the federal government's central offices, issues permits for the construction of 40,000 houses annually. Other significant urban centres beyond Kathmandu are also experiencing rapid growth, highlighting the ongoing and prospective trend of urbanisation in Nepal.</p> <p> </p> <blockquote> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.newbusinessage.com/img/KomalPrasadMainali.jpg" style="float:left; height:100px; margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px; width:100px" />"Although it might sound counterintuitive to some people, the Nepali market in the urban area has matured and people are willing to pay higher price for and demand higher quality goods and its related services." </p> <p><span style="font-family:Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12px">- Komal Prasad Mainali, Managing Director, Mainali Business Concern Pvt Ltd. </span></span></p> </blockquote> <p><strong>Trends in the Use of Sanitary Ware</strong></p> <p>With 86% of Nepali households owning homes, as revealed by Nepal's 2021 Census, and an increasing desire for a more comfortable lifestyle, the use of sanitary ware is undergoing notable transformations. Industry experts, featured in a 2021 article in the New Business Age, affirm this shift. Yogendra Bajracharya, with 16 years of experience in the sanitary ware business and associated with Nepal Marble Bath House, said architects and homeowners are beginning to give priority to bathrooms. "Urban Nepalis are becoming increasingly conscious of design and the use of space, and are even willing to spend big bucks," he added.</p> <p>Komal Prasad Mainali, Managing Director of Mainali Business Concern Pvt Ltd, specialising in the trade of sanitary ware, including jacuzzis, taps, toilet commodes, kitchen sinks, and silk plaster, an eco-friendly alternative to wallpapers, said that sanitary products were witnessing sales growth of 10-12% annually. "Although it might sound counterintuitive to some people, the Nepali market in the urban area has matured and people are willing to pay higher price for and demand higher quality goods and its related services," he added.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Dependence on imports</strong></p> <p>While the sanitary ware industry in Nepal experiences robust growth, it faces notable challenges. The industry relies on imports from China, India, Spain, and Italy. Although the custom duty on bathroom installations remains low, duty on tiles can go as high as 70%. Nevertheless, the construction of apartments and hotels, along with the renovation of older houses seeking modernised bathrooms, has contributed to an upswing in consumer purchases of sanitary ware. The increasing urbanisation trend, coupled with a growing preference for such products in households and commercial buildings, paints a promising picture for the industry's future.</p> <p>However, since the business is heavily dependent on imports, it is susceptible to fluctuations in market conditions and international relations. While some products like pipes and tiles are manufactured locally, the current production is insufficient to meet the demands of Nepal's construction sector. To mitigate these challenges, there is a need for a government plan to boost manufacturing - first for import substitution and for exports in the long-run. The model of the cement industry, which successfully transitioned from import substitution to becoming an exporter to India, could serve as a template for the sanitary ware industry.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p> <p>The sanitary ware industry in Nepal holds immense potential driven by a flourishing market and increased consumer awareness. While the convenience of imports persists, sustainable advancement calls for a commitment to enhancing domestic production. Drawing inspiration from successful models in other sectors, Nepal has the potential to position itself as a frontrunner in the dynamic and evolving landscape of sanitary ware. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19387', 'image' => null, 'article_date' => '2022-02-16 16:21:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '10' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19658', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Local Cauliflower Takes a Nosedive', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The price of local cauliflower has declined sharply within a period of one month.', '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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">December 6: The price of local cauliflower has declined sharply within a period of one month.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Committee, the price of cauliflower has dropped by 64 percent in one month.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the committee, the supply of local cauliflower has increased by 26 percent. Traders say that with the start of the cauliflower season, the supply has increased and the prices have come down as a result.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the committee, local cauliflower which was sold at an average price of Rs 35 per kg last month is being sold at an average price of Rs 12 per kg 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Last month, around 58,750 kg of local cauliflower were supplied in the Kathmandu valley, which has now reached to 74, 070 kg.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19386', 'image' => '20231206025458_cauliflower-181864-2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 14:54:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19657', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Lags Behind in Solar Energy due to State Apathy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal is considered to be one of the best places in the world for solar energy production.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: Nepal is considered to be one of the best places in the world for solar energy production. However, stakeholders say that the country is lagging behind in the production of solar energy due to government’s apathy. According to a study, the average 'solar irrigation' around the world is 3.7 units per square meter. In Nepal it is 4.7 units per square meter. It means that Nepal has the capacity to produce 4.7 kilowatt units of solar energy per square meter per day.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Currently, only 15 projects, including that of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), are producing about 100 megawatts of solar electricity commercially, as per the government data. Out of this, 25 MW is produced by NEA and the remaining energy by private sector solar projects.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Experts say that since Nepal receives 300 days of sunlight annually, there is a potential of producing 50,000 treta hours of solar energy every year. However, due to government’s neglect, Nepal is lagging far behind in the field of solar energy, says Kuber Mani Nepal, executive director of Ridi Hydropower Company. According to him, Nepal's climate is excellent for solar energy. Due to the lack of a clear government policy, our position is far behind compared to other neighboring countries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In terms of solar energy production, China is now number one in the world. It is producing 367,710 megawatts of solar electricity annually. India ranks fourth in the world by producing 63,100 megawatts of solar energy. India is still making progress. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The NEA is currently purchasing electricity from solar projects at the rate of Rs 5.94 per unit. Earlier, when the energy crisis was announced in 2015, it purchased solar energy at Rs 9.61 per unit. At present, 40 projects with capacity of 750 MW have taken permission for survey of solar power generation in Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As per the experts, problems occur when NEA changes its policy several times. The NEA has repeatedly changed the process of entering into Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Earlier in the year 2015, private sector solar companies had adopted a competitive process while entering into a PPA with the NEA. In 2017, the process was changed and the authority set the purchase price. Now the authority has gone back to the policy of open competition. Nepal says that the private sector companies producing solar energy are discouraged due to such a complicated process of the government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Manoj Silwal, deputy executive director of NEA, said that since the authority itself produces 25 megawatts of solar energy and is promoting it, there is no obstacle from the authority's side. According to him, there are some shortcomings and said, “The authority is planning to gradually improve those shortcomings.” </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19385', 'image' => '20231206013730_422950-01-02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 13:36:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19655', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Police Urges all to use Authorised Channels to Send Remittance ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal Police has urged the people concerned to use official channels for sending and receiving remittance from abroad to avoid potential legal issues and the risk of cyber fraud. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Nepal Police has urged the people concerned to use official channels for sending and receiving remittance from abroad to avoid potential legal issues and the risk of cyber fraud. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that some Nepali citizens who are in foreign employment are found to have used unauthorised channels to send money back home at less cost than while transacting officially, the police urged the people concerned to avoid illegal transactions of remittance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It has come to the attention of the police that unknown people allure Nepali foreign migrant workers to pay them in foreign currency, promising that an equivalent amount in Nepalese rupees will be deposited in their bank accounts in Nepal, according to police spokesperson Kuber Kadayat. He said that cases of cyber-rackets are increasing and the engagement in illegal remittance transactions heightens the risk of falling victim to cyber fraud. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19383', 'image' => '20231206125444_Remittance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 12:53:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19654', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Economy has Started Picking Up Pace: Finance Minister Mahat ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that the country's economy is on improvement trajectory.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that the country's economy is on improvement trajectory. Talking to journalists in Chitwan on Tuesday, he said the economy has started to pick up pace. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The number of foreign tourists visiting Nepal and the remittance inflow have increased. The problems of entrepreneurs who are in difficulty would be addressed. Overall, remittance inflow from abroad has gone up by 30 percent. The tourism entrepreneurs are excited with the growing number of tourists," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He, however, said it will take some time for the economy to fully revive. Stating that many policy-level decisions have been made for improving the economy, the finance minister opined that some problems have been seen in the economy as the investment from these decisions takes time to give results. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Responding to journalists' query regarding the selling of shares of Ncell, the telecom service provider company, Minister Mahat said the government is not informed on this till now. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We have been gathering information. Nepal Telecommunication Authority is the regulatory body on this topic. There is provision that permission has to be taken while carrying out such a huge transaction," he added. Minister Mahat said the government is inquiring with the Telecom officials on the impact this would have. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">After the Malaysian company, Axiata Group Berhad decided to sell 80 per cent of Ncell's share to another company Spectrlite UK Limited last Friday, the agreement has generated widespread curiosity and concern in Nepal. Questions have been raised about the legal process and financial transparency of this offshore transaction. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On a different note, he made it clear that the government has not forwarded any process for mining sand and stone from the Chure region for now. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"No such process has moved ahead now. It is only a propaganda. However, in the related proposal we have not mentioned Chure specifically and you should also note this. Stones and gravel also fall under the mineral-based materials with production potentiality." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Finance Minister Mahat, how these resources could be utilized for the nation's benefit without harming the environment is an issue to be considered. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19382', 'image' => '20231206121623_20230922123559_HariramBhetuwal_KTM_RSS_04_20230921140427_IMG_2777.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 12:15:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19653', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CAAN Lumbini Office Demands Regular Flights at Gautam Buddha Int'l Airport ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Lumbini Province Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has demanded regular operation of international flights to and from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">December 6: Lumbini Province Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has demanded regular operation of international flights to and from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A delegation of CAAN Lumbini Province made such a demand while submitting a memorandum to CAAN Director General Pradeep Adhikari on Tuesday, according to the state-owned RSS. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Receiving the memo, Adhikari reportedly said CAAN would leave no stone unturned for regular operation of international flights from the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Meanwhile, the RSS reported that the delegation also met with officials of the Asian Development Bank on Monday and put forth the same demand as the airport was built with financial support from the ADB.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Outgoing Chairperson of CAAN Lumbini Province, Sagar Adhikari, stressed that ADB's support for regular operation of international flights at Gautam Buddha International Airport was necessary. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Similarly, the delegation also urged Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, for regular operation of international flights at the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Tourism entrepreneurs have invested billions of rupees in Bhairahawa and Lumbini area for tourism infrastructures after the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport and their investments have gone to waste in lack of full operation of the airport. So the entrepreneurs have been demanding regular operation of international flights at the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Built with an investment of Rs 35 billion, the airport was inaugurated on May 16, 2022. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport was expected to reduce the air traffic congestion at TIA and was also believed to promote religious tourism due to its proximity to Lumbini, a pilgrimage site of Buddhists from all over the world.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">However, the airport is struggling to attract airline companies due to lack of passengers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Government officials say that the passengers, mainly those leaving the country for foreign employment, are compelled to take labour permits and other documents from the Department of Foreign Employment and also undergo health check-ups in Kathmandu, and are reluctant to visit Bhairahawa for international flights.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19381', 'image' => '20231206113435_20220516125900_1652665732.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 11:33:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19652', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '12 People Involved in Sending Nepali Youths to Russian Army Arrested ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal Police have arrested members of a gang involved in sending Nepali youths to fight for the Russian Army. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Nepal Police have arrested members of a gang involved in sending Nepali youths to fight for the Russian Army. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The police team arrested 12 people after an operation conducted for several days in different places of Kathmandu. They were sending Nepali youths to Russia via India. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Among those arrested are Dipen Pariyar, Kshitij Giri, Subhash Lama, Manish Neupane, Rosal Maharjan, Hari Bahadur Bishwakarma, Ishwar Adhikari, Gokarna Aryal, Sujata Dahal, Santosh Adhikari, Santosh Nepal and Drona Dangi. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Spokesman for the District Police Range, Kathmandu, Superintendent of Police Kumod Dhungel confirmed that the arrested persons were involved in activities ranging from finding youths to join the Russian Army, arranging documents and arranging visit visas. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Six Nepali youths who joined the Russian army have already been confirmed dead in course of the fighting in Ukraine while one Nepali has been detained by Ukrainian forces. Further investigation into the case is underway, police said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Nepali nationals to receive approval letter to be issued from the Department of Consular Services if they are travelling to Russia for other reasons except for government assignment, study purpose in Russian scholarship and businesses. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministry has also urged Nepalis not to get recruited in the military service of the war-ravaged nations on the basis of false information or other's temptation. </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">-- RSS</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19380', 'image' => '20231206104932_20231201105827_Russian troops.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 10:48:53', '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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style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 7: Airlines should carry a record number of passengers next year as the sector puts the Covid-19 pandemic behind it, the industry's top trade association said Wednesday, although profitability remains a concern.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in its traditional review of industry trends as the year draws to a close, said more normal growth patterns were expected from here on out as the sector has recovered to pre-pandemic levels.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"People love to travel and that has helped airlines to come roaring back to pre-pandemic levels of connectivity," IATA's director general Willie Walsh said as the body forecast a record 4.7 billion people will take to the skies in 2024.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA noted this is a "historic high that exceeds the pre-pandemic level of 4.5 billion recorded in 2019."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">For this year, it expects 4.29 billion passengers, a small drop from its June forecast of 4.35 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Walsh said "the speed of the recovery has been extraordinary" but also noted it "appears that the pandemic has cost aviation about four years of growth."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Aviation suffered immensely from the travel restrictions that countries imposed in a bid to slow the spread of Covid-19, with a number of airlines going out of business and others bailed out as the industry racked up $183 billion in losses during the 2020-2022 period.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA raised its profit outlook, expecting airlines to post $23.3 billion in net earnings in 2023, more than double the $9.8 billion it forecast in June.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA forecasts $25.7 billion in net profits in 2024 on a 7.6-percent rise in revenues to $964 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Walsh called the figures a "tribute to aviation's resilience" but said the industry's profits need to be put into perspective.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A "net profit margin of 2.7 percent is far below what investors in almost any other industry would accept," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">- Price of 'grande latte' -</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Airlines will on average retain just $5.45 for every passenger carried, according to IATA's calculations.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"That's about enough to buy a basic 'grande latte' at a London Starbucks," said Walsh, who formerly ran IAG, the parent company of British Airways.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"But it is far too little to build a future that is resilient to shocks for a critical global industry on which 3.5 percent of GDP depends and from which 3.05 million people directly earn their livelihoods," he added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The situation will continue to vary considerably by region.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">US, European and Middle Eastern carriers are expected to continue to post profits in 2024, with Asian-Pacific airlines expected to return to profitability.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">African and South American carriers are expected to remain in the red.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">- More want to fly -</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA said the optimistic outlook for the industry is supported by its survey data showing that nearly half of people's travelling habits have returned to pre-pandemic norms.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">One third reported travelling more and just 18 percent said they are still travelling less.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Furthermore, it said 44 percent of respondents said that they will travel more in the next 12 months than in the previous 12 months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Only seven percent said they will travel less and 48 percent expected to maintain similar levels of travel in the coming 12 months as in the previous 12 months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">This growth comes despite an increase in fares in 2023 as demand outstripped seat capacity, with airlines hobbled by some aircraft being out of service over engine issues and delayed delivery of new aircraft.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA expects growth in fares to moderate in 2024, while fuel costs are expected to remain high and continue to account for nearly a third of costs.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As negotiators debate the thorny issue of fossil fuels at the COP28 climate summit, IATA said the airline industry will use 374 billion litres of fuel in 2024 and put 939 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">While the airline industry accounts for less than three percent of global CO2 emissions, it serves only a tiny percentage of the world's population.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The sector hopes to shift to sustainable aviation fuels to achieve its 2050 net-zero target, but IATA expects they will account for just 0.53 percent of consumption compared to 0.2 percent this year. -- AFP/RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19399', 'image' => '20231207120538_Airline (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 12:04:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19670', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Yet Again Delays Fixing Support Price of Sugarcane', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The government has been dilly-dallying in fixing the support price of sugarcane. On top of that, it has also shown lack of interest in the payment of subsidies of Rs 520 million to the farmers.', '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 7: The government has been dilly-dallying in fixing the support price of sugarcane. On top of that, it has also shown lack of interest in the payment of subsidies of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">52</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">0 million to the farmers.</span></span></span></span></p> <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 has not fixed the support price due to the differences with the Sugarcane Producers and Farmers' Federation regarding the support price. The farmers are preparing to protest to put pressure on the government which is delaying in releasing the subsidy.</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Farmers have been forced to sell sugarcane at cheap prices due to the delay in fixing the support price. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Harishyam Rai, secretary of the Sugarcane Farmers' Struggle Committee, Sarlahi, informed that some farmers are selling sugarcane at the same price as last year due to the government’s delayed in fixing the support price. </span></span></span></span></p> <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 him, sugarcane starts to dry after being left in the field for a long time, due to which both yield and weight decrease, and farmers are forced to sell sugarcane as they can’t wait for the government to fix the support price. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Although the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development held a meeting at the ministry on Sunday to discuss the issue of fixing the support price, the price determination process was halted after the representatives of sugarcane farmers disagreed with the price proposed by the ministry. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Kapil Muni Mainali, president of the Sugarcane Producers and Farmers’ Federation, informed that after the ministry proposed to add only Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to last year's price, they rejected the offer. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Last year, the government had fixed the price of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">610</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> per quintal. "This year, the government tried to fix the price by adding Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to the price of last year and set the price at only Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">621</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">per quintal," President Mainali said, "The production cost of the farmer stands at 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"">per quintal including transportation cost. How can there be agreement in such a situation?”</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Farmers are yet to receive Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">520</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">million in subsidy from the government for the sale of sugarcane last year. Last year, the government paid only Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> million out of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">132</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> million subsidies to the farmers. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Spokesperson for the ministry Sabnam Sivakoti said that the biggest complaint of the farmers is not getting the due amount. According to her, the payment could not be sent on time due to lack of budget. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">“So far sugarcane farmers in nine districts have received full payment. The farmers of Sarlahi, Nawalparasi and Kanchanpur are yet to receive subsidies.”</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Sivakoti said that the ministry has sent a letter to the Ministry of Finance for the release of the budget, the latter did not respond.</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">There are currently </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"">industries producing sugar in Nepal. Based on the data of the National Census </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2078</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">, a total of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">294</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"">453 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">tons of sugar is consumed in Nepal every year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19398', 'image' => '20231207120415_20201224030139_20190107104522_sugarcane.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 12:03:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19669', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Business of Insurance Companies Declining', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: With the decline in economic activities, the business of insurance companies as well has started declining.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 7: With the decline in economic activities, the business of insurance companies as well has started declining. Insurance business has been affected due to the decline in the lending of banks and financial institutions, and the decline in business as well as income of individuals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Nepal Insurance Authority, the business of non-life insurance companies decreased by 4.57 percent in the first four months of the current fiscal year compared to the same period of the previous year. By mid-November of the last fiscal year, life insurance companies had collected a total of Rs 13.35 billion in insurance fees, but in the same period of the current fiscal year, the collection stood at Rs 12.74 billion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The business of non-life insurance companies is continuously declining in the current fiscal year. The non-life insurance companies collected Rs 3.98 billion in insurance fees from the sale and renewal of new insurance policies in the first month of the current fiscal year, but they collected only Rs 2.29 billion in the fourth month.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Non-life insurance companies sold 894,000 insurance policies since mid-July including 200,000 insurance policies during last month. Compared to the previous year, the number of insurance policies sold during this period has also decreased. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A normal increase has been seen in the business of life insurance companies. Life insurance companies collected Rs 46 billion in insurance fees from the sale and renewal of insurance policies till mid-November of the last fiscal year, which now stands at Rs 49.44 billion this year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, compared to mid-July of the current financial year, the business of life insurance companies is also decreasing. In mid- July to mid-August, they collected Rs 19.60 billion in insurance fee from new insurance policies and renewal of old ones, which decreased to Rs 8.63 billion in mid-October to mid-November. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Along with the economic recession, the credit flow of banks and financial institutions decreased and the business activities of insurance companies were affected. Since insurance is mandatory for taking bank loans, the lack of loan investment has also affected the business of insurance companies. Similarly, when there is a decline in economic activities, the income of common people also decreases. The number of people taking insurance has decreased after the decrease in income. Instead, the number of people who 'surrender' insurance policies seems to be increasing.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19397', 'image' => '20231207113454_Insurance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 11:33:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19666', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Public Accounts Committee Directs Govt to Immediately Stop the Sale and Purchase of Ncell's Shares', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The Public Accounts Committee under the House of Representatives has instructed the government to immediately stop the controversial purchase and sale of shares of Ncell, a private sector telecommunication company 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">December 7: The Public Accounts Committee under the House of Representatives has instructed the government to immediately stop the controversial purchase and sale of shares of Ncell, a private sector telecommunication company 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The committee meeting held at Singh Durbar on Wednesday decided to direct the government to immediately stop the ongoing Ncell share purchase and sale process. The committee is preparing to discuss this issue by inviting Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to the next meeting of the committee.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">"It has been decided to call the prime minister to discuss the issues of corruption and irregularities involving the purchase and sale of Ncell share and to instruct the government to immediately stop the process," said PAC Chairman Rishikesh Pokharel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to him, the committee has also instructed the government to conduct an independent investigation within 30 days regarding the purchase and sale of Ncell shares. The committee has instructed the government to make public its opinion regarding the Ncell controversy within 48 hours.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The committee meeting concluded that Axiata is trying to influence the capital gains tax, ownership transfer tax, etc, to be paid to the Government of Nepal by buying and selling shares outside Nepal at extremely low valuations in an opaque manner.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The committee said that the transaction can be termed dubious and unrealistic, there is lack of transparency, and the company is trying to convey a misleading message that there is no investment environment 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the Company Registrar's Office has sent a reply to the Public Accounts Committee saying that it has not received any information about the purchase and sale of Ncell’s shares by Axiata.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Most of the MPs who expressed their opinion in the meeting alleged that high-level leaders were also involved in the Ncell purchase and sale case. They also said that the government should have a clear opinion about Ncell's statement that there is no investment environment 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Axiata bought the shares of the company in 2016 from Sweden-based TeliaSonera for Rs 143 million. Now, the controversy has surfaced after Axiata announced the sale of its shares in Ncell for less than seven billion rupees to a UK-based company.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Writing a letter to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, Ncell said that it is in the process of collecting the documents regarding the purchase and sale of the shares </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">In the letter, Ncell also stated that it believes in the rule of law. It further said that the company will submit an application for the approval of the purchase and sale of the shares as per the regulations of the authority.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The NTA had earlier written to Ncell Axiata on Friday and said that the purchase and sale of shares must be done according to Rule 15 (8) of Telecommunications Regulations, 2054, under which there is a provision to obtain the prior approval from the authority for selling or buying shares of more than five percent of the paid-up capital. However, it seems that Ncell has already sold its shares in an offshore deal without taking such permission.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19396', 'image' => '20231207105016_ncell.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 10:49:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19668', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Humla Hit by Food Crisis ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: Food crisis has surfaced in mountainous district, Humla, as the district did not receive food supplies on time. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 7: Food crisis has surfaced in mountainous district, Humla, as the district did not receive food supplies on time. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Various companies contracted for supplying rice to the district and the Food Management and Trading Company (FMTC) Limited have been blamed for the worrying food situation in the district that heavily relies on rice subsidy from the government for food requirement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The FMTC branch in Simkot has run out of stock for the past two months. The government had endorsed supplies of a total of 14,000 quintals of rice to this district in the Karnali Province for the current fiscal year (FY 2023-24). However, it witnessed no food transportation till date. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Depot chief Krishna Adhikari said though it was agreed to transport 4,000 quintals of rice to Humla via road and remaining 10,000 by cargo by different suppliers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He said the food depot here was not in condition of supplying rice to the district residents. The branch requires 2,500 quintal of rice to distribute to the locals, market and employees immediately. Similarly, additional amount is needed to address the emergency food need, and to inmates and detainees. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Simrik Air was contracted for making the food supplies of 10,000 quintals: 6,000 from Surkhet (at Rs 137 per kg ) and 4,000 quintals from Nepalgunj ( Rs 143 per kg), but the progress is almost nil. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Rice meant for Humla remains in Surkhet, Nepalgunj </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The rice meant to be supplied to Simkot branch of the FMTL remains in Surkhet and Nepalgunj as Simrik Air which has been entrusted the responsibility of transporting the food grains to Humla failed to do so. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, LB Suppliers which has been awarded the contract to transport the rice to Humla by means of road transport has not transported the rice to Humla so far. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Changla Transport Service, which was assigned to transport 1,000 quintals of rice, has not fulfilled its obligations till date. -- RSS </span><br /> <br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19395', 'image' => '20231207111838_20220509081511_20220405110412_Simokot-Airport-in-Humla.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 11:17:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19665', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Committee Directs NTA to Submit Details of Ncell Shares Sale within 15 Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The Finance Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) has directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to submit the details relating to sale of Ncell shares with factual information within 15 days. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 7: The Finance Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) has directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to submit the details relating to sale of Ncell shares with factual information within 15 days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The committee enquired about the issue after calling the NTA for a discussion on Wednesday. After the discussion, the committee Chairperson Santosh Chalise said that the committee has asked the NTA to submit the details of factual information about the sale and purchase of Ncell shares in written within two weeks. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In the meeting, NTA Chairperson Purushottam Khanal shared that they received a letter from Ncell Axiata Limited, a private mobile service provider based in Nepal, that it would provide the details of sale and purchase of Ncell share soon as it was collecting documents in this regard. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"On December 1, the NTA had written to Ncell seeking details of the sale and purchase of its shares, and received the response from the company on December 5. The process of collecting related documents is underway and it would be submitted to the respective body in line with the existing laws of Nepal," he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, discussion was also held in the Public Accounts Committee about the purchase and sale of Ncell stakes on Wednesday. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19394', 'image' => '20231207101216_Parliament RSS 800.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 10:11:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19664', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Distribution of Insurance Amount to Kin of Earthquake Dead Starts in Jajarkot', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The distribution of insurance amount to the families of people killed in the earthquake that struck Jajarkot on November 3 has begun. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">December 7: The distribution of insurance amount to the families of people killed in the earthquake that struck Jajarkot on November 3 has begun. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The amount has been handed to the families of 29 of the 56 people who were killed in the disaster in Nalgad Municipality, said Krishna Bahadur GC, spokesperson for the Karnali province government and the Minister for Internal Affairs and Law.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">According to him, the amount has been distributed to the families at the rate of Rs 200,000 per deceased. GC said that the insurance amount would be gradually distributed to the beneficiaries of all the municipalities in three or four days. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The provincial government had already brought a programme of insuring against natural disasters the citizens domiciled in Karnali before this. The insurance amount has been distributed under this programme.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">More than 150 people were killed due to the earthquake in Jajarkot and Rukum West. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Minister GC is accompanied by Insurance Authority Karnali Province Chief Padam Sodari during the insurance amount distribution.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Meanwhile, the Karnali Province Government has decided to immediately start construction of the public structures damaged by the earthquake. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Scores of public structures like roads, schools, health posts and water supply and irrigation projects were damaged by the earthquake. It is said that these structures would be repaired from the one billion rupees the province government had earmarked for this purpose. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19392', 'image' => '20231207093356_Insurance ed.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 09:33:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19663', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Ready to Deploy 10,000 Troops for International Peacekeeping: DPM Khadka', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka affirmed Nepal's commitment to make available up to 10,000 military personnel upon the United Nations' request for peacekeeping missions worldwide.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 7: Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka affirmed Nepal's commitment to make available up to 10,000 military personnel upon the United Nations' request for peacekeeping missions worldwide.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Speaking at a UN ministerial-level conference on international peacekeeping in Ghana, DPM Khadka highlighted Nepal's fulfillment of most commitments related to global peacekeeping efforts, with ongoing efforts to meet the remaining ones.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Expressing gratitude to the Ghanaian government for hosting the summit, Khadka underscored Nepal's support for the 'Action for Peace' and 'Action for Peace Plus' programs initiated by the UN Secretary-General. He emphasized the programs' dedication to ensuring the security of both military personnel and civilians.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">"DPM Khadka stated, "Nepal maintains a standby army for any unforeseen challenges, adhering to the norms and disciplines of peacekeeping forces. We uphold a zero-tolerance policy against sexual abuse and exploitation," during the extensive meeting.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Khadka highlighted Nepal's belief in enhancing coordination mechanisms among major stakeholders, including the TPCC, to optimize the effectiveness of peacekeeping efforts. He called for unity among all concerned parties to achieve targets through collaborative partnerships.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Furthermore, the Deputy Prime Minister disclosed Nepal's commitment to increasing the meaningful participation of women in military roles to align with the gender equality strategy outlined by the UN Secretary-General. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">"We are dedicated to utilizing and promoting renewable energy to minimize environmental impact in peacekeeping missions. We actively use renewable energy in collaboration with UNMISS and training centers," he stated.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nepal has been contributing continuously to UN peacekeeping missions since 1958, ranking as the second-largest contributor in terms of the number of security personnel deployed in peacekeeping missions globally. The summit, themed 'peace begins with me,' commenced on Tuesday, featuring representatives from around 90 countries. (RSS)</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19391', 'image' => '20231207055234_collage (3).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 05:50:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19659', 'article_category_id' => '230', 'title' => 'Sanitary Ware: Shifting Trends and Consumer Preferences', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised aspect', 'content' => '<p><em>The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised aspect</em></p> <p><strong>By NewBiz Team</strong></p> <p>Nepal relies heavily on imports of goods and services to meet the demands of its population. According to data from the Nepal Rastra Bank for the fiscal year 2020/21, the country imported goods valued at Rs 1,500 trillion and exported goods worth Rs 141 billion. Key imports include fuels, machinery, steel and iron, cereals, electronic equipment, pharmaceuticals, and vehicles. Import values have consistently risen year on year, with an annual increase of over 20% compared to the fiscal year 2019/20.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Sanitation Landscape in Nepal</strong></p> <p>As per the 2021 census, there are a total of 6.66 million households in Nepal. While 4.47 million households are located in urban municipalities, 2.19 million are in rural municipalities. Examining the types of toilets used in these households, 653,000 have flush toilets connected to public sewerage systems, 3.67 million have flush toilets with septic tanks, and 2 million households use pit toilets. This breakdown provides an overview of the sanitary ware usage in Nepal based on household preferences and infrastructure.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Remittance and Urbanisation Dynamics</strong></p> <p>The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised aspect for Nepali citizens. This reflects a shift in societal trends attributed to increased prosperity. This prosperity can be linked to the rise in out-migration for economic reasons, as indicated by the 2021 census, which reports that 2.1 million Nepalis currently reside abroad. In the fiscal year 2020/21, remittances from these individuals amounted to Rs 961.05 billion, a 9.8% increase from the previous fiscal year.</p> <p>According to the Nepal Living Standard Survey, 2011, approximately 80% of remittances are utilised for daily consumption, followed by loan repayments, household property acquisitions, education expenses, capital formation activities, and other purposes within Nepal. Notably, a growing trend involves remittance funds being invested in urban property, contributing to the construction of new houses equipped with a decent level of amenities, including modern sanitary ware.</p> <p>According to the 1952/54 census, only 2.9% of the population resided in 10 urban centres of the country. Over the next five decades, by 2001, the urban population had increased to 13.9% with an urban growth rate of 6.65%. The reclassification of urban areas further accelerated urbanisation, reaching 27.2% by 2014 and a remarkable 66.2% by 2021, with urban dwellers distributed across 293 urban areas. Kathmandu Metropolitan City, which houses a majority of the federal government's central offices, issues permits for the construction of 40,000 houses annually. Other significant urban centres beyond Kathmandu are also experiencing rapid growth, highlighting the ongoing and prospective trend of urbanisation in Nepal.</p> <p> </p> <blockquote> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.newbusinessage.com/img/KomalPrasadMainali.jpg" style="float:left; height:100px; margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px; width:100px" />"Although it might sound counterintuitive to some people, the Nepali market in the urban area has matured and people are willing to pay higher price for and demand higher quality goods and its related services." </p> <p><span style="font-family:Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12px">- Komal Prasad Mainali, Managing Director, Mainali Business Concern Pvt Ltd. </span></span></p> </blockquote> <p><strong>Trends in the Use of Sanitary Ware</strong></p> <p>With 86% of Nepali households owning homes, as revealed by Nepal's 2021 Census, and an increasing desire for a more comfortable lifestyle, the use of sanitary ware is undergoing notable transformations. Industry experts, featured in a 2021 article in the New Business Age, affirm this shift. Yogendra Bajracharya, with 16 years of experience in the sanitary ware business and associated with Nepal Marble Bath House, said architects and homeowners are beginning to give priority to bathrooms. "Urban Nepalis are becoming increasingly conscious of design and the use of space, and are even willing to spend big bucks," he added.</p> <p>Komal Prasad Mainali, Managing Director of Mainali Business Concern Pvt Ltd, specialising in the trade of sanitary ware, including jacuzzis, taps, toilet commodes, kitchen sinks, and silk plaster, an eco-friendly alternative to wallpapers, said that sanitary products were witnessing sales growth of 10-12% annually. "Although it might sound counterintuitive to some people, the Nepali market in the urban area has matured and people are willing to pay higher price for and demand higher quality goods and its related services," he added.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Dependence on imports</strong></p> <p>While the sanitary ware industry in Nepal experiences robust growth, it faces notable challenges. The industry relies on imports from China, India, Spain, and Italy. Although the custom duty on bathroom installations remains low, duty on tiles can go as high as 70%. Nevertheless, the construction of apartments and hotels, along with the renovation of older houses seeking modernised bathrooms, has contributed to an upswing in consumer purchases of sanitary ware. The increasing urbanisation trend, coupled with a growing preference for such products in households and commercial buildings, paints a promising picture for the industry's future.</p> <p>However, since the business is heavily dependent on imports, it is susceptible to fluctuations in market conditions and international relations. While some products like pipes and tiles are manufactured locally, the current production is insufficient to meet the demands of Nepal's construction sector. To mitigate these challenges, there is a need for a government plan to boost manufacturing - first for import substitution and for exports in the long-run. The model of the cement industry, which successfully transitioned from import substitution to becoming an exporter to India, could serve as a template for the sanitary ware industry.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p> <p>The sanitary ware industry in Nepal holds immense potential driven by a flourishing market and increased consumer awareness. While the convenience of imports persists, sustainable advancement calls for a commitment to enhancing domestic production. Drawing inspiration from successful models in other sectors, Nepal has the potential to position itself as a frontrunner in the dynamic and evolving landscape of sanitary ware. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19387', 'image' => null, 'article_date' => '2022-02-16 16:21:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '10' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19658', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Local Cauliflower Takes a Nosedive', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The price of local cauliflower has declined sharply within a period of one month.', '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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">December 6: The price of local cauliflower has declined sharply within a period of one month.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Committee, the price of cauliflower has dropped by 64 percent in one month.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the committee, the supply of local cauliflower has increased by 26 percent. Traders say that with the start of the cauliflower season, the supply has increased and the prices have come down as a result.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the committee, local cauliflower which was sold at an average price of Rs 35 per kg last month is being sold at an average price of Rs 12 per kg 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Last month, around 58,750 kg of local cauliflower were supplied in the Kathmandu valley, which has now reached to 74, 070 kg.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19386', 'image' => '20231206025458_cauliflower-181864-2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 14:54:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19657', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Lags Behind in Solar Energy due to State Apathy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal is considered to be one of the best places in the world for solar energy production.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: Nepal is considered to be one of the best places in the world for solar energy production. However, stakeholders say that the country is lagging behind in the production of solar energy due to government’s apathy. According to a study, the average 'solar irrigation' around the world is 3.7 units per square meter. In Nepal it is 4.7 units per square meter. It means that Nepal has the capacity to produce 4.7 kilowatt units of solar energy per square meter per day.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Currently, only 15 projects, including that of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), are producing about 100 megawatts of solar electricity commercially, as per the government data. Out of this, 25 MW is produced by NEA and the remaining energy by private sector solar projects.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Experts say that since Nepal receives 300 days of sunlight annually, there is a potential of producing 50,000 treta hours of solar energy every year. However, due to government’s neglect, Nepal is lagging far behind in the field of solar energy, says Kuber Mani Nepal, executive director of Ridi Hydropower Company. According to him, Nepal's climate is excellent for solar energy. Due to the lack of a clear government policy, our position is far behind compared to other neighboring countries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In terms of solar energy production, China is now number one in the world. It is producing 367,710 megawatts of solar electricity annually. India ranks fourth in the world by producing 63,100 megawatts of solar energy. India is still making progress. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The NEA is currently purchasing electricity from solar projects at the rate of Rs 5.94 per unit. Earlier, when the energy crisis was announced in 2015, it purchased solar energy at Rs 9.61 per unit. At present, 40 projects with capacity of 750 MW have taken permission for survey of solar power generation in Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As per the experts, problems occur when NEA changes its policy several times. The NEA has repeatedly changed the process of entering into Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Earlier in the year 2015, private sector solar companies had adopted a competitive process while entering into a PPA with the NEA. In 2017, the process was changed and the authority set the purchase price. Now the authority has gone back to the policy of open competition. Nepal says that the private sector companies producing solar energy are discouraged due to such a complicated process of the government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Manoj Silwal, deputy executive director of NEA, said that since the authority itself produces 25 megawatts of solar energy and is promoting it, there is no obstacle from the authority's side. According to him, there are some shortcomings and said, “The authority is planning to gradually improve those shortcomings.” </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19385', 'image' => '20231206013730_422950-01-02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 13:36:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19655', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Police Urges all to use Authorised Channels to Send Remittance ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal Police has urged the people concerned to use official channels for sending and receiving remittance from abroad to avoid potential legal issues and the risk of cyber fraud. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Nepal Police has urged the people concerned to use official channels for sending and receiving remittance from abroad to avoid potential legal issues and the risk of cyber fraud. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that some Nepali citizens who are in foreign employment are found to have used unauthorised channels to send money back home at less cost than while transacting officially, the police urged the people concerned to avoid illegal transactions of remittance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It has come to the attention of the police that unknown people allure Nepali foreign migrant workers to pay them in foreign currency, promising that an equivalent amount in Nepalese rupees will be deposited in their bank accounts in Nepal, according to police spokesperson Kuber Kadayat. He said that cases of cyber-rackets are increasing and the engagement in illegal remittance transactions heightens the risk of falling victim to cyber fraud. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19383', 'image' => '20231206125444_Remittance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 12:53:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19654', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Economy has Started Picking Up Pace: Finance Minister Mahat ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that the country's economy is on improvement trajectory.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that the country's economy is on improvement trajectory. Talking to journalists in Chitwan on Tuesday, he said the economy has started to pick up pace. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The number of foreign tourists visiting Nepal and the remittance inflow have increased. The problems of entrepreneurs who are in difficulty would be addressed. Overall, remittance inflow from abroad has gone up by 30 percent. The tourism entrepreneurs are excited with the growing number of tourists," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He, however, said it will take some time for the economy to fully revive. Stating that many policy-level decisions have been made for improving the economy, the finance minister opined that some problems have been seen in the economy as the investment from these decisions takes time to give results. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Responding to journalists' query regarding the selling of shares of Ncell, the telecom service provider company, Minister Mahat said the government is not informed on this till now. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We have been gathering information. Nepal Telecommunication Authority is the regulatory body on this topic. There is provision that permission has to be taken while carrying out such a huge transaction," he added. Minister Mahat said the government is inquiring with the Telecom officials on the impact this would have. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">After the Malaysian company, Axiata Group Berhad decided to sell 80 per cent of Ncell's share to another company Spectrlite UK Limited last Friday, the agreement has generated widespread curiosity and concern in Nepal. Questions have been raised about the legal process and financial transparency of this offshore transaction. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On a different note, he made it clear that the government has not forwarded any process for mining sand and stone from the Chure region for now. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"No such process has moved ahead now. It is only a propaganda. However, in the related proposal we have not mentioned Chure specifically and you should also note this. Stones and gravel also fall under the mineral-based materials with production potentiality." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Finance Minister Mahat, how these resources could be utilized for the nation's benefit without harming the environment is an issue to be considered. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19382', 'image' => '20231206121623_20230922123559_HariramBhetuwal_KTM_RSS_04_20230921140427_IMG_2777.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 12:15:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19653', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CAAN Lumbini Office Demands Regular Flights at Gautam Buddha Int'l Airport ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Lumbini Province Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has demanded regular operation of international flights to and from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">December 6: Lumbini Province Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has demanded regular operation of international flights to and from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A delegation of CAAN Lumbini Province made such a demand while submitting a memorandum to CAAN Director General Pradeep Adhikari on Tuesday, according to the state-owned RSS. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Receiving the memo, Adhikari reportedly said CAAN would leave no stone unturned for regular operation of international flights from the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Meanwhile, the RSS reported that the delegation also met with officials of the Asian Development Bank on Monday and put forth the same demand as the airport was built with financial support from the ADB.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Outgoing Chairperson of CAAN Lumbini Province, Sagar Adhikari, stressed that ADB's support for regular operation of international flights at Gautam Buddha International Airport was necessary. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Similarly, the delegation also urged Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, for regular operation of international flights at the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Tourism entrepreneurs have invested billions of rupees in Bhairahawa and Lumbini area for tourism infrastructures after the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport and their investments have gone to waste in lack of full operation of the airport. So the entrepreneurs have been demanding regular operation of international flights at the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Built with an investment of Rs 35 billion, the airport was inaugurated on May 16, 2022. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport was expected to reduce the air traffic congestion at TIA and was also believed to promote religious tourism due to its proximity to Lumbini, a pilgrimage site of Buddhists from all over the world.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">However, the airport is struggling to attract airline companies due to lack of passengers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Government officials say that the passengers, mainly those leaving the country for foreign employment, are compelled to take labour permits and other documents from the Department of Foreign Employment and also undergo health check-ups in Kathmandu, and are reluctant to visit Bhairahawa for international flights.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19381', 'image' => '20231206113435_20220516125900_1652665732.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 11:33:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19652', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '12 People Involved in Sending Nepali Youths to Russian Army Arrested ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal Police have arrested members of a gang involved in sending Nepali youths to fight for the Russian Army. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Nepal Police have arrested members of a gang involved in sending Nepali youths to fight for the Russian Army. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The police team arrested 12 people after an operation conducted for several days in different places of Kathmandu. They were sending Nepali youths to Russia via India. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Among those arrested are Dipen Pariyar, Kshitij Giri, Subhash Lama, Manish Neupane, Rosal Maharjan, Hari Bahadur Bishwakarma, Ishwar Adhikari, Gokarna Aryal, Sujata Dahal, Santosh Adhikari, Santosh Nepal and Drona Dangi. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Spokesman for the District Police Range, Kathmandu, Superintendent of Police Kumod Dhungel confirmed that the arrested persons were involved in activities ranging from finding youths to join the Russian Army, arranging documents and arranging visit visas. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Six Nepali youths who joined the Russian army have already been confirmed dead in course of the fighting in Ukraine while one Nepali has been detained by Ukrainian forces. Further investigation into the case is underway, police said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Nepali nationals to receive approval letter to be issued from the Department of Consular Services if they are travelling to Russia for other reasons except for government assignment, study purpose in Russian scholarship and businesses. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministry has also urged Nepalis not to get recruited in the military service of the war-ravaged nations on the basis of false information or other's temptation. </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">-- RSS</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19380', 'image' => '20231206104932_20231201105827_Russian troops.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 10:48:53', '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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) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19671', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Record Passengers as Airline Industry Recovers from Pandemic', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: Airlines should carry a record number of passengers next year as the sector puts the Covid-19 pandemic behind it, the industry's top trade association said Wednesday, although profitability remains a concern.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 7: Airlines should carry a record number of passengers next year as the sector puts the Covid-19 pandemic behind it, the industry's top trade association said Wednesday, although profitability remains a concern.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in its traditional review of industry trends as the year draws to a close, said more normal growth patterns were expected from here on out as the sector has recovered to pre-pandemic levels.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"People love to travel and that has helped airlines to come roaring back to pre-pandemic levels of connectivity," IATA's director general Willie Walsh said as the body forecast a record 4.7 billion people will take to the skies in 2024.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA noted this is a "historic high that exceeds the pre-pandemic level of 4.5 billion recorded in 2019."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">For this year, it expects 4.29 billion passengers, a small drop from its June forecast of 4.35 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Walsh said "the speed of the recovery has been extraordinary" but also noted it "appears that the pandemic has cost aviation about four years of growth."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Aviation suffered immensely from the travel restrictions that countries imposed in a bid to slow the spread of Covid-19, with a number of airlines going out of business and others bailed out as the industry racked up $183 billion in losses during the 2020-2022 period.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA raised its profit outlook, expecting airlines to post $23.3 billion in net earnings in 2023, more than double the $9.8 billion it forecast in June.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA forecasts $25.7 billion in net profits in 2024 on a 7.6-percent rise in revenues to $964 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Walsh called the figures a "tribute to aviation's resilience" but said the industry's profits need to be put into perspective.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A "net profit margin of 2.7 percent is far below what investors in almost any other industry would accept," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">- Price of 'grande latte' -</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Airlines will on average retain just $5.45 for every passenger carried, according to IATA's calculations.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"That's about enough to buy a basic 'grande latte' at a London Starbucks," said Walsh, who formerly ran IAG, the parent company of British Airways.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"But it is far too little to build a future that is resilient to shocks for a critical global industry on which 3.5 percent of GDP depends and from which 3.05 million people directly earn their livelihoods," he added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The situation will continue to vary considerably by region.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">US, European and Middle Eastern carriers are expected to continue to post profits in 2024, with Asian-Pacific airlines expected to return to profitability.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">African and South American carriers are expected to remain in the red.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">- More want to fly -</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA said the optimistic outlook for the industry is supported by its survey data showing that nearly half of people's travelling habits have returned to pre-pandemic norms.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">One third reported travelling more and just 18 percent said they are still travelling less.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Furthermore, it said 44 percent of respondents said that they will travel more in the next 12 months than in the previous 12 months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Only seven percent said they will travel less and 48 percent expected to maintain similar levels of travel in the coming 12 months as in the previous 12 months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">This growth comes despite an increase in fares in 2023 as demand outstripped seat capacity, with airlines hobbled by some aircraft being out of service over engine issues and delayed delivery of new aircraft.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA expects growth in fares to moderate in 2024, while fuel costs are expected to remain high and continue to account for nearly a third of costs.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As negotiators debate the thorny issue of fossil fuels at the COP28 climate summit, IATA said the airline industry will use 374 billion litres of fuel in 2024 and put 939 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">While the airline industry accounts for less than three percent of global CO2 emissions, it serves only a tiny percentage of the world's population.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The sector hopes to shift to sustainable aviation fuels to achieve its 2050 net-zero target, but IATA expects they will account for just 0.53 percent of consumption compared to 0.2 percent this year. -- AFP/RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19399', 'image' => '20231207120538_Airline (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 12:04:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19670', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Yet Again Delays Fixing Support Price of Sugarcane', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The government has been dilly-dallying in fixing the support price of sugarcane. On top of that, it has also shown lack of interest in the payment of subsidies of Rs 520 million to the farmers.', '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 7: The government has been dilly-dallying in fixing the support price of sugarcane. On top of that, it has also shown lack of interest in the payment of subsidies of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">52</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">0 million to the farmers.</span></span></span></span></p> <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 has not fixed the support price due to the differences with the Sugarcane Producers and Farmers' Federation regarding the support price. The farmers are preparing to protest to put pressure on the government which is delaying in releasing the subsidy.</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Farmers have been forced to sell sugarcane at cheap prices due to the delay in fixing the support price. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Harishyam Rai, secretary of the Sugarcane Farmers' Struggle Committee, Sarlahi, informed that some farmers are selling sugarcane at the same price as last year due to the government’s delayed in fixing the support price. </span></span></span></span></p> <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 him, sugarcane starts to dry after being left in the field for a long time, due to which both yield and weight decrease, and farmers are forced to sell sugarcane as they can’t wait for the government to fix the support price. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Although the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development held a meeting at the ministry on Sunday to discuss the issue of fixing the support price, the price determination process was halted after the representatives of sugarcane farmers disagreed with the price proposed by the ministry. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Kapil Muni Mainali, president of the Sugarcane Producers and Farmers’ Federation, informed that after the ministry proposed to add only Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to last year's price, they rejected the offer. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Last year, the government had fixed the price of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">610</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> per quintal. "This year, the government tried to fix the price by adding Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to the price of last year and set the price at only Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">621</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">per quintal," President Mainali said, "The production cost of the farmer stands at 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"">per quintal including transportation cost. How can there be agreement in such a situation?”</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Farmers are yet to receive Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">520</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">million in subsidy from the government for the sale of sugarcane last year. Last year, the government paid only Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> million out of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">132</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> million subsidies to the farmers. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Spokesperson for the ministry Sabnam Sivakoti said that the biggest complaint of the farmers is not getting the due amount. According to her, the payment could not be sent on time due to lack of budget. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">“So far sugarcane farmers in nine districts have received full payment. The farmers of Sarlahi, Nawalparasi and Kanchanpur are yet to receive subsidies.”</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Sivakoti said that the ministry has sent a letter to the Ministry of Finance for the release of the budget, the latter did not respond.</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">There are currently </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"">industries producing sugar in Nepal. Based on the data of the National Census </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2078</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">, a total of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">294</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"">453 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">tons of sugar is consumed in Nepal every year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19398', 'image' => '20231207120415_20201224030139_20190107104522_sugarcane.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 12:03:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19669', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Business of Insurance Companies Declining', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: With the decline in economic activities, the business of insurance companies as well has started declining.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 7: With the decline in economic activities, the business of insurance companies as well has started declining. Insurance business has been affected due to the decline in the lending of banks and financial institutions, and the decline in business as well as income of individuals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Nepal Insurance Authority, the business of non-life insurance companies decreased by 4.57 percent in the first four months of the current fiscal year compared to the same period of the previous year. By mid-November of the last fiscal year, life insurance companies had collected a total of Rs 13.35 billion in insurance fees, but in the same period of the current fiscal year, the collection stood at Rs 12.74 billion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The business of non-life insurance companies is continuously declining in the current fiscal year. The non-life insurance companies collected Rs 3.98 billion in insurance fees from the sale and renewal of new insurance policies in the first month of the current fiscal year, but they collected only Rs 2.29 billion in the fourth month.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Non-life insurance companies sold 894,000 insurance policies since mid-July including 200,000 insurance policies during last month. Compared to the previous year, the number of insurance policies sold during this period has also decreased. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A normal increase has been seen in the business of life insurance companies. Life insurance companies collected Rs 46 billion in insurance fees from the sale and renewal of insurance policies till mid-November of the last fiscal year, which now stands at Rs 49.44 billion this year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, compared to mid-July of the current financial year, the business of life insurance companies is also decreasing. In mid- July to mid-August, they collected Rs 19.60 billion in insurance fee from new insurance policies and renewal of old ones, which decreased to Rs 8.63 billion in mid-October to mid-November. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Along with the economic recession, the credit flow of banks and financial institutions decreased and the business activities of insurance companies were affected. Since insurance is mandatory for taking bank loans, the lack of loan investment has also affected the business of insurance companies. Similarly, when there is a decline in economic activities, the income of common people also decreases. The number of people taking insurance has decreased after the decrease in income. Instead, the number of people who 'surrender' insurance policies seems to be increasing.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19397', 'image' => '20231207113454_Insurance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 11:33:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19666', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Public Accounts Committee Directs Govt to Immediately Stop the Sale and Purchase of Ncell's Shares', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The Public Accounts Committee under the House of Representatives has instructed the government to immediately stop the controversial purchase and sale of shares of Ncell, a private sector telecommunication company 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">December 7: The Public Accounts Committee under the House of Representatives has instructed the government to immediately stop the controversial purchase and sale of shares of Ncell, a private sector telecommunication company 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The committee meeting held at Singh Durbar on Wednesday decided to direct the government to immediately stop the ongoing Ncell share purchase and sale process. The committee is preparing to discuss this issue by inviting Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to the next meeting of the committee.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">"It has been decided to call the prime minister to discuss the issues of corruption and irregularities involving the purchase and sale of Ncell share and to instruct the government to immediately stop the process," said PAC Chairman Rishikesh Pokharel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to him, the committee has also instructed the government to conduct an independent investigation within 30 days regarding the purchase and sale of Ncell shares. The committee has instructed the government to make public its opinion regarding the Ncell controversy within 48 hours.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The committee meeting concluded that Axiata is trying to influence the capital gains tax, ownership transfer tax, etc, to be paid to the Government of Nepal by buying and selling shares outside Nepal at extremely low valuations in an opaque manner.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The committee said that the transaction can be termed dubious and unrealistic, there is lack of transparency, and the company is trying to convey a misleading message that there is no investment environment 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the Company Registrar's Office has sent a reply to the Public Accounts Committee saying that it has not received any information about the purchase and sale of Ncell’s shares by Axiata.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Most of the MPs who expressed their opinion in the meeting alleged that high-level leaders were also involved in the Ncell purchase and sale case. They also said that the government should have a clear opinion about Ncell's statement that there is no investment environment 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Axiata bought the shares of the company in 2016 from Sweden-based TeliaSonera for Rs 143 million. Now, the controversy has surfaced after Axiata announced the sale of its shares in Ncell for less than seven billion rupees to a UK-based company.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Writing a letter to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, Ncell said that it is in the process of collecting the documents regarding the purchase and sale of the shares </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">In the letter, Ncell also stated that it believes in the rule of law. It further said that the company will submit an application for the approval of the purchase and sale of the shares as per the regulations of the authority.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The NTA had earlier written to Ncell Axiata on Friday and said that the purchase and sale of shares must be done according to Rule 15 (8) of Telecommunications Regulations, 2054, under which there is a provision to obtain the prior approval from the authority for selling or buying shares of more than five percent of the paid-up capital. However, it seems that Ncell has already sold its shares in an offshore deal without taking such permission.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19396', 'image' => '20231207105016_ncell.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 10:49:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19668', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Humla Hit by Food Crisis ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: Food crisis has surfaced in mountainous district, Humla, as the district did not receive food supplies on time. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 7: Food crisis has surfaced in mountainous district, Humla, as the district did not receive food supplies on time. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Various companies contracted for supplying rice to the district and the Food Management and Trading Company (FMTC) Limited have been blamed for the worrying food situation in the district that heavily relies on rice subsidy from the government for food requirement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The FMTC branch in Simkot has run out of stock for the past two months. The government had endorsed supplies of a total of 14,000 quintals of rice to this district in the Karnali Province for the current fiscal year (FY 2023-24). However, it witnessed no food transportation till date. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Depot chief Krishna Adhikari said though it was agreed to transport 4,000 quintals of rice to Humla via road and remaining 10,000 by cargo by different suppliers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He said the food depot here was not in condition of supplying rice to the district residents. The branch requires 2,500 quintal of rice to distribute to the locals, market and employees immediately. Similarly, additional amount is needed to address the emergency food need, and to inmates and detainees. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Simrik Air was contracted for making the food supplies of 10,000 quintals: 6,000 from Surkhet (at Rs 137 per kg ) and 4,000 quintals from Nepalgunj ( Rs 143 per kg), but the progress is almost nil. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Rice meant for Humla remains in Surkhet, Nepalgunj </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The rice meant to be supplied to Simkot branch of the FMTL remains in Surkhet and Nepalgunj as Simrik Air which has been entrusted the responsibility of transporting the food grains to Humla failed to do so. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, LB Suppliers which has been awarded the contract to transport the rice to Humla by means of road transport has not transported the rice to Humla so far. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Changla Transport Service, which was assigned to transport 1,000 quintals of rice, has not fulfilled its obligations till date. -- RSS </span><br /> <br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19395', 'image' => '20231207111838_20220509081511_20220405110412_Simokot-Airport-in-Humla.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 11:17:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19665', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Committee Directs NTA to Submit Details of Ncell Shares Sale within 15 Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The Finance Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) has directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to submit the details relating to sale of Ncell shares with factual information within 15 days. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 7: The Finance Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) has directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to submit the details relating to sale of Ncell shares with factual information within 15 days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The committee enquired about the issue after calling the NTA for a discussion on Wednesday. After the discussion, the committee Chairperson Santosh Chalise said that the committee has asked the NTA to submit the details of factual information about the sale and purchase of Ncell shares in written within two weeks. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In the meeting, NTA Chairperson Purushottam Khanal shared that they received a letter from Ncell Axiata Limited, a private mobile service provider based in Nepal, that it would provide the details of sale and purchase of Ncell share soon as it was collecting documents in this regard. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"On December 1, the NTA had written to Ncell seeking details of the sale and purchase of its shares, and received the response from the company on December 5. The process of collecting related documents is underway and it would be submitted to the respective body in line with the existing laws of Nepal," he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, discussion was also held in the Public Accounts Committee about the purchase and sale of Ncell stakes on Wednesday. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19394', 'image' => '20231207101216_Parliament RSS 800.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 10:11:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19664', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Distribution of Insurance Amount to Kin of Earthquake Dead Starts in Jajarkot', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The distribution of insurance amount to the families of people killed in the earthquake that struck Jajarkot on November 3 has begun. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">December 7: The distribution of insurance amount to the families of people killed in the earthquake that struck Jajarkot on November 3 has begun. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The amount has been handed to the families of 29 of the 56 people who were killed in the disaster in Nalgad Municipality, said Krishna Bahadur GC, spokesperson for the Karnali province government and the Minister for Internal Affairs and Law.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">According to him, the amount has been distributed to the families at the rate of Rs 200,000 per deceased. GC said that the insurance amount would be gradually distributed to the beneficiaries of all the municipalities in three or four days. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The provincial government had already brought a programme of insuring against natural disasters the citizens domiciled in Karnali before this. The insurance amount has been distributed under this programme.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">More than 150 people were killed due to the earthquake in Jajarkot and Rukum West. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Minister GC is accompanied by Insurance Authority Karnali Province Chief Padam Sodari during the insurance amount distribution.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Meanwhile, the Karnali Province Government has decided to immediately start construction of the public structures damaged by the earthquake. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Scores of public structures like roads, schools, health posts and water supply and irrigation projects were damaged by the earthquake. It is said that these structures would be repaired from the one billion rupees the province government had earmarked for this purpose. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19392', 'image' => '20231207093356_Insurance ed.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 09:33:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19663', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Ready to Deploy 10,000 Troops for International Peacekeeping: DPM Khadka', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka affirmed Nepal's commitment to make available up to 10,000 military personnel upon the United Nations' request for peacekeeping missions worldwide.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 7: Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka affirmed Nepal's commitment to make available up to 10,000 military personnel upon the United Nations' request for peacekeeping missions worldwide.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Speaking at a UN ministerial-level conference on international peacekeeping in Ghana, DPM Khadka highlighted Nepal's fulfillment of most commitments related to global peacekeeping efforts, with ongoing efforts to meet the remaining ones.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Expressing gratitude to the Ghanaian government for hosting the summit, Khadka underscored Nepal's support for the 'Action for Peace' and 'Action for Peace Plus' programs initiated by the UN Secretary-General. He emphasized the programs' dedication to ensuring the security of both military personnel and civilians.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">"DPM Khadka stated, "Nepal maintains a standby army for any unforeseen challenges, adhering to the norms and disciplines of peacekeeping forces. We uphold a zero-tolerance policy against sexual abuse and exploitation," during the extensive meeting.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Khadka highlighted Nepal's belief in enhancing coordination mechanisms among major stakeholders, including the TPCC, to optimize the effectiveness of peacekeeping efforts. He called for unity among all concerned parties to achieve targets through collaborative partnerships.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Furthermore, the Deputy Prime Minister disclosed Nepal's commitment to increasing the meaningful participation of women in military roles to align with the gender equality strategy outlined by the UN Secretary-General. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">"We are dedicated to utilizing and promoting renewable energy to minimize environmental impact in peacekeeping missions. We actively use renewable energy in collaboration with UNMISS and training centers," he stated.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nepal has been contributing continuously to UN peacekeeping missions since 1958, ranking as the second-largest contributor in terms of the number of security personnel deployed in peacekeeping missions globally. The summit, themed 'peace begins with me,' commenced on Tuesday, featuring representatives from around 90 countries. (RSS)</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19391', 'image' => '20231207055234_collage (3).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 05:50:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19659', 'article_category_id' => '230', 'title' => 'Sanitary Ware: Shifting Trends and Consumer Preferences', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised aspect', 'content' => '<p><em>The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised aspect</em></p> <p><strong>By NewBiz Team</strong></p> <p>Nepal relies heavily on imports of goods and services to meet the demands of its population. According to data from the Nepal Rastra Bank for the fiscal year 2020/21, the country imported goods valued at Rs 1,500 trillion and exported goods worth Rs 141 billion. Key imports include fuels, machinery, steel and iron, cereals, electronic equipment, pharmaceuticals, and vehicles. Import values have consistently risen year on year, with an annual increase of over 20% compared to the fiscal year 2019/20.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Sanitation Landscape in Nepal</strong></p> <p>As per the 2021 census, there are a total of 6.66 million households in Nepal. While 4.47 million households are located in urban municipalities, 2.19 million are in rural municipalities. Examining the types of toilets used in these households, 653,000 have flush toilets connected to public sewerage systems, 3.67 million have flush toilets with septic tanks, and 2 million households use pit toilets. This breakdown provides an overview of the sanitary ware usage in Nepal based on household preferences and infrastructure.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Remittance and Urbanisation Dynamics</strong></p> <p>The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised aspect for Nepali citizens. This reflects a shift in societal trends attributed to increased prosperity. This prosperity can be linked to the rise in out-migration for economic reasons, as indicated by the 2021 census, which reports that 2.1 million Nepalis currently reside abroad. In the fiscal year 2020/21, remittances from these individuals amounted to Rs 961.05 billion, a 9.8% increase from the previous fiscal year.</p> <p>According to the Nepal Living Standard Survey, 2011, approximately 80% of remittances are utilised for daily consumption, followed by loan repayments, household property acquisitions, education expenses, capital formation activities, and other purposes within Nepal. Notably, a growing trend involves remittance funds being invested in urban property, contributing to the construction of new houses equipped with a decent level of amenities, including modern sanitary ware.</p> <p>According to the 1952/54 census, only 2.9% of the population resided in 10 urban centres of the country. Over the next five decades, by 2001, the urban population had increased to 13.9% with an urban growth rate of 6.65%. The reclassification of urban areas further accelerated urbanisation, reaching 27.2% by 2014 and a remarkable 66.2% by 2021, with urban dwellers distributed across 293 urban areas. Kathmandu Metropolitan City, which houses a majority of the federal government's central offices, issues permits for the construction of 40,000 houses annually. Other significant urban centres beyond Kathmandu are also experiencing rapid growth, highlighting the ongoing and prospective trend of urbanisation in Nepal.</p> <p> </p> <blockquote> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.newbusinessage.com/img/KomalPrasadMainali.jpg" style="float:left; height:100px; margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px; width:100px" />"Although it might sound counterintuitive to some people, the Nepali market in the urban area has matured and people are willing to pay higher price for and demand higher quality goods and its related services." </p> <p><span style="font-family:Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12px">- Komal Prasad Mainali, Managing Director, Mainali Business Concern Pvt Ltd. </span></span></p> </blockquote> <p><strong>Trends in the Use of Sanitary Ware</strong></p> <p>With 86% of Nepali households owning homes, as revealed by Nepal's 2021 Census, and an increasing desire for a more comfortable lifestyle, the use of sanitary ware is undergoing notable transformations. Industry experts, featured in a 2021 article in the New Business Age, affirm this shift. Yogendra Bajracharya, with 16 years of experience in the sanitary ware business and associated with Nepal Marble Bath House, said architects and homeowners are beginning to give priority to bathrooms. "Urban Nepalis are becoming increasingly conscious of design and the use of space, and are even willing to spend big bucks," he added.</p> <p>Komal Prasad Mainali, Managing Director of Mainali Business Concern Pvt Ltd, specialising in the trade of sanitary ware, including jacuzzis, taps, toilet commodes, kitchen sinks, and silk plaster, an eco-friendly alternative to wallpapers, said that sanitary products were witnessing sales growth of 10-12% annually. "Although it might sound counterintuitive to some people, the Nepali market in the urban area has matured and people are willing to pay higher price for and demand higher quality goods and its related services," he added.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Dependence on imports</strong></p> <p>While the sanitary ware industry in Nepal experiences robust growth, it faces notable challenges. The industry relies on imports from China, India, Spain, and Italy. Although the custom duty on bathroom installations remains low, duty on tiles can go as high as 70%. Nevertheless, the construction of apartments and hotels, along with the renovation of older houses seeking modernised bathrooms, has contributed to an upswing in consumer purchases of sanitary ware. The increasing urbanisation trend, coupled with a growing preference for such products in households and commercial buildings, paints a promising picture for the industry's future.</p> <p>However, since the business is heavily dependent on imports, it is susceptible to fluctuations in market conditions and international relations. While some products like pipes and tiles are manufactured locally, the current production is insufficient to meet the demands of Nepal's construction sector. To mitigate these challenges, there is a need for a government plan to boost manufacturing - first for import substitution and for exports in the long-run. The model of the cement industry, which successfully transitioned from import substitution to becoming an exporter to India, could serve as a template for the sanitary ware industry.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p> <p>The sanitary ware industry in Nepal holds immense potential driven by a flourishing market and increased consumer awareness. While the convenience of imports persists, sustainable advancement calls for a commitment to enhancing domestic production. Drawing inspiration from successful models in other sectors, Nepal has the potential to position itself as a frontrunner in the dynamic and evolving landscape of sanitary ware. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19387', 'image' => null, 'article_date' => '2022-02-16 16:21:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '10' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19658', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Local Cauliflower Takes a Nosedive', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The price of local cauliflower has declined sharply within a period of one month.', '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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">December 6: The price of local cauliflower has declined sharply within a period of one month.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Committee, the price of cauliflower has dropped by 64 percent in one month.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the committee, the supply of local cauliflower has increased by 26 percent. Traders say that with the start of the cauliflower season, the supply has increased and the prices have come down as a result.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the committee, local cauliflower which was sold at an average price of Rs 35 per kg last month is being sold at an average price of Rs 12 per kg 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Last month, around 58,750 kg of local cauliflower were supplied in the Kathmandu valley, which has now reached to 74, 070 kg.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19386', 'image' => '20231206025458_cauliflower-181864-2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 14:54:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19657', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Lags Behind in Solar Energy due to State Apathy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal is considered to be one of the best places in the world for solar energy production.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: Nepal is considered to be one of the best places in the world for solar energy production. However, stakeholders say that the country is lagging behind in the production of solar energy due to government’s apathy. According to a study, the average 'solar irrigation' around the world is 3.7 units per square meter. In Nepal it is 4.7 units per square meter. It means that Nepal has the capacity to produce 4.7 kilowatt units of solar energy per square meter per day.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Currently, only 15 projects, including that of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), are producing about 100 megawatts of solar electricity commercially, as per the government data. Out of this, 25 MW is produced by NEA and the remaining energy by private sector solar projects.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Experts say that since Nepal receives 300 days of sunlight annually, there is a potential of producing 50,000 treta hours of solar energy every year. However, due to government’s neglect, Nepal is lagging far behind in the field of solar energy, says Kuber Mani Nepal, executive director of Ridi Hydropower Company. According to him, Nepal's climate is excellent for solar energy. Due to the lack of a clear government policy, our position is far behind compared to other neighboring countries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In terms of solar energy production, China is now number one in the world. It is producing 367,710 megawatts of solar electricity annually. India ranks fourth in the world by producing 63,100 megawatts of solar energy. India is still making progress. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The NEA is currently purchasing electricity from solar projects at the rate of Rs 5.94 per unit. Earlier, when the energy crisis was announced in 2015, it purchased solar energy at Rs 9.61 per unit. At present, 40 projects with capacity of 750 MW have taken permission for survey of solar power generation in Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As per the experts, problems occur when NEA changes its policy several times. The NEA has repeatedly changed the process of entering into Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Earlier in the year 2015, private sector solar companies had adopted a competitive process while entering into a PPA with the NEA. In 2017, the process was changed and the authority set the purchase price. Now the authority has gone back to the policy of open competition. Nepal says that the private sector companies producing solar energy are discouraged due to such a complicated process of the government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Manoj Silwal, deputy executive director of NEA, said that since the authority itself produces 25 megawatts of solar energy and is promoting it, there is no obstacle from the authority's side. According to him, there are some shortcomings and said, “The authority is planning to gradually improve those shortcomings.” </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19385', 'image' => '20231206013730_422950-01-02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 13:36:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19655', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Police Urges all to use Authorised Channels to Send Remittance ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal Police has urged the people concerned to use official channels for sending and receiving remittance from abroad to avoid potential legal issues and the risk of cyber fraud. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Nepal Police has urged the people concerned to use official channels for sending and receiving remittance from abroad to avoid potential legal issues and the risk of cyber fraud. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that some Nepali citizens who are in foreign employment are found to have used unauthorised channels to send money back home at less cost than while transacting officially, the police urged the people concerned to avoid illegal transactions of remittance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It has come to the attention of the police that unknown people allure Nepali foreign migrant workers to pay them in foreign currency, promising that an equivalent amount in Nepalese rupees will be deposited in their bank accounts in Nepal, according to police spokesperson Kuber Kadayat. He said that cases of cyber-rackets are increasing and the engagement in illegal remittance transactions heightens the risk of falling victim to cyber fraud. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19383', 'image' => '20231206125444_Remittance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 12:53:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19654', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Economy has Started Picking Up Pace: Finance Minister Mahat ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that the country's economy is on improvement trajectory.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that the country's economy is on improvement trajectory. Talking to journalists in Chitwan on Tuesday, he said the economy has started to pick up pace. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The number of foreign tourists visiting Nepal and the remittance inflow have increased. The problems of entrepreneurs who are in difficulty would be addressed. Overall, remittance inflow from abroad has gone up by 30 percent. The tourism entrepreneurs are excited with the growing number of tourists," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He, however, said it will take some time for the economy to fully revive. Stating that many policy-level decisions have been made for improving the economy, the finance minister opined that some problems have been seen in the economy as the investment from these decisions takes time to give results. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Responding to journalists' query regarding the selling of shares of Ncell, the telecom service provider company, Minister Mahat said the government is not informed on this till now. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We have been gathering information. Nepal Telecommunication Authority is the regulatory body on this topic. There is provision that permission has to be taken while carrying out such a huge transaction," he added. Minister Mahat said the government is inquiring with the Telecom officials on the impact this would have. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">After the Malaysian company, Axiata Group Berhad decided to sell 80 per cent of Ncell's share to another company Spectrlite UK Limited last Friday, the agreement has generated widespread curiosity and concern in Nepal. Questions have been raised about the legal process and financial transparency of this offshore transaction. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On a different note, he made it clear that the government has not forwarded any process for mining sand and stone from the Chure region for now. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"No such process has moved ahead now. It is only a propaganda. However, in the related proposal we have not mentioned Chure specifically and you should also note this. Stones and gravel also fall under the mineral-based materials with production potentiality." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Finance Minister Mahat, how these resources could be utilized for the nation's benefit without harming the environment is an issue to be considered. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19382', 'image' => '20231206121623_20230922123559_HariramBhetuwal_KTM_RSS_04_20230921140427_IMG_2777.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 12:15:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19653', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CAAN Lumbini Office Demands Regular Flights at Gautam Buddha Int'l Airport ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Lumbini Province Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has demanded regular operation of international flights to and from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">December 6: Lumbini Province Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has demanded regular operation of international flights to and from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A delegation of CAAN Lumbini Province made such a demand while submitting a memorandum to CAAN Director General Pradeep Adhikari on Tuesday, according to the state-owned RSS. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Receiving the memo, Adhikari reportedly said CAAN would leave no stone unturned for regular operation of international flights from the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Meanwhile, the RSS reported that the delegation also met with officials of the Asian Development Bank on Monday and put forth the same demand as the airport was built with financial support from the ADB.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Outgoing Chairperson of CAAN Lumbini Province, Sagar Adhikari, stressed that ADB's support for regular operation of international flights at Gautam Buddha International Airport was necessary. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Similarly, the delegation also urged Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, for regular operation of international flights at the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Tourism entrepreneurs have invested billions of rupees in Bhairahawa and Lumbini area for tourism infrastructures after the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport and their investments have gone to waste in lack of full operation of the airport. So the entrepreneurs have been demanding regular operation of international flights at the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Built with an investment of Rs 35 billion, the airport was inaugurated on May 16, 2022. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport was expected to reduce the air traffic congestion at TIA and was also believed to promote religious tourism due to its proximity to Lumbini, a pilgrimage site of Buddhists from all over the world.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">However, the airport is struggling to attract airline companies due to lack of passengers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Government officials say that the passengers, mainly those leaving the country for foreign employment, are compelled to take labour permits and other documents from the Department of Foreign Employment and also undergo health check-ups in Kathmandu, and are reluctant to visit Bhairahawa for international flights.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19381', 'image' => '20231206113435_20220516125900_1652665732.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 11:33:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19652', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '12 People Involved in Sending Nepali Youths to Russian Army Arrested ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal Police have arrested members of a gang involved in sending Nepali youths to fight for the Russian Army. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Nepal Police have arrested members of a gang involved in sending Nepali youths to fight for the Russian Army. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The police team arrested 12 people after an operation conducted for several days in different places of Kathmandu. They were sending Nepali youths to Russia via India. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Among those arrested are Dipen Pariyar, Kshitij Giri, Subhash Lama, Manish Neupane, Rosal Maharjan, Hari Bahadur Bishwakarma, Ishwar Adhikari, Gokarna Aryal, Sujata Dahal, Santosh Adhikari, Santosh Nepal and Drona Dangi. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Spokesman for the District Police Range, Kathmandu, Superintendent of Police Kumod Dhungel confirmed that the arrested persons were involved in activities ranging from finding youths to join the Russian Army, arranging documents and arranging visit visas. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Six Nepali youths who joined the Russian army have already been confirmed dead in course of the fighting in Ukraine while one Nepali has been detained by Ukrainian forces. Further investigation into the case is underway, police said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Nepali nationals to receive approval letter to be issued from the Department of Consular Services if they are travelling to Russia for other reasons except for government assignment, study purpose in Russian scholarship and businesses. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministry has also urged Nepalis not to get recruited in the military service of the war-ravaged nations on the basis of false information or other's temptation. </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">-- RSS</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19380', 'image' => '20231206104932_20231201105827_Russian troops.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 10:48:53', '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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'<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 7: Airlines should carry a record number of passengers next year as the sector puts the Covid-19 pandemic behind it, the industry's top trade association said Wednesday, although profitability remains a concern.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in its traditional review of industry trends as the year draws to a close, said more normal growth patterns were expected from here on out as the sector has recovered to pre-pandemic levels.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"People love to travel and that has helped airlines to come roaring back to pre-pandemic levels of connectivity," IATA's director general Willie Walsh said as the body forecast a record 4.7 billion people will take to the skies in 2024.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA noted this is a "historic high that exceeds the pre-pandemic level of 4.5 billion recorded in 2019."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">For this year, it expects 4.29 billion passengers, a small drop from its June forecast of 4.35 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Walsh said "the speed of the recovery has been extraordinary" but also noted it "appears that the pandemic has cost aviation about four years of growth."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Aviation suffered immensely from the travel restrictions that countries imposed in a bid to slow the spread of Covid-19, with a number of airlines going out of business and others bailed out as the industry racked up $183 billion in losses during the 2020-2022 period.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA raised its profit outlook, expecting airlines to post $23.3 billion in net earnings in 2023, more than double the $9.8 billion it forecast in June.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA forecasts $25.7 billion in net profits in 2024 on a 7.6-percent rise in revenues to $964 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Walsh called the figures a "tribute to aviation's resilience" but said the industry's profits need to be put into perspective.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A "net profit margin of 2.7 percent is far below what investors in almost any other industry would accept," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">- Price of 'grande latte' -</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Airlines will on average retain just $5.45 for every passenger carried, according to IATA's calculations.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"That's about enough to buy a basic 'grande latte' at a London Starbucks," said Walsh, who formerly ran IAG, the parent company of British Airways.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"But it is far too little to build a future that is resilient to shocks for a critical global industry on which 3.5 percent of GDP depends and from which 3.05 million people directly earn their livelihoods," he added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The situation will continue to vary considerably by region.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">US, European and Middle Eastern carriers are expected to continue to post profits in 2024, with Asian-Pacific airlines expected to return to profitability.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">African and South American carriers are expected to remain in the red.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">- More want to fly -</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA said the optimistic outlook for the industry is supported by its survey data showing that nearly half of people's travelling habits have returned to pre-pandemic norms.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">One third reported travelling more and just 18 percent said they are still travelling less.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Furthermore, it said 44 percent of respondents said that they will travel more in the next 12 months than in the previous 12 months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Only seven percent said they will travel less and 48 percent expected to maintain similar levels of travel in the coming 12 months as in the previous 12 months.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">This growth comes despite an increase in fares in 2023 as demand outstripped seat capacity, with airlines hobbled by some aircraft being out of service over engine issues and delayed delivery of new aircraft.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">IATA expects growth in fares to moderate in 2024, while fuel costs are expected to remain high and continue to account for nearly a third of costs.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As negotiators debate the thorny issue of fossil fuels at the COP28 climate summit, IATA said the airline industry will use 374 billion litres of fuel in 2024 and put 939 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">While the airline industry accounts for less than three percent of global CO2 emissions, it serves only a tiny percentage of the world's population.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The sector hopes to shift to sustainable aviation fuels to achieve its 2050 net-zero target, but IATA expects they will account for just 0.53 percent of consumption compared to 0.2 percent this year. -- AFP/RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19399', 'image' => '20231207120538_Airline (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 12:04:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19670', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Yet Again Delays Fixing Support Price of Sugarcane', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The government has been dilly-dallying in fixing the support price of sugarcane. On top of that, it has also shown lack of interest in the payment of subsidies of Rs 520 million to the farmers.', '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 7: The government has been dilly-dallying in fixing the support price of sugarcane. On top of that, it has also shown lack of interest in the payment of subsidies of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">52</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">0 million to the farmers.</span></span></span></span></p> <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 has not fixed the support price due to the differences with the Sugarcane Producers and Farmers' Federation regarding the support price. The farmers are preparing to protest to put pressure on the government which is delaying in releasing the subsidy.</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Farmers have been forced to sell sugarcane at cheap prices due to the delay in fixing the support price. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Harishyam Rai, secretary of the Sugarcane Farmers' Struggle Committee, Sarlahi, informed that some farmers are selling sugarcane at the same price as last year due to the government’s delayed in fixing the support price. </span></span></span></span></p> <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 him, sugarcane starts to dry after being left in the field for a long time, due to which both yield and weight decrease, and farmers are forced to sell sugarcane as they can’t wait for the government to fix the support price. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Although the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development held a meeting at the ministry on Sunday to discuss the issue of fixing the support price, the price determination process was halted after the representatives of sugarcane farmers disagreed with the price proposed by the ministry. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Kapil Muni Mainali, president of the Sugarcane Producers and Farmers’ Federation, informed that after the ministry proposed to add only Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to last year's price, they rejected the offer. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Last year, the government had fixed the price of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">610</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> per quintal. "This year, the government tried to fix the price by adding Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to the price of last year and set the price at only Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">621</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">per quintal," President Mainali said, "The production cost of the farmer stands at 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"">per quintal including transportation cost. How can there be agreement in such a situation?”</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Farmers are yet to receive Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">520</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">million in subsidy from the government for the sale of sugarcane last year. Last year, the government paid only Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> million out of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">132</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> million subsidies to the farmers. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Spokesperson for the ministry Sabnam Sivakoti said that the biggest complaint of the farmers is not getting the due amount. According to her, the payment could not be sent on time due to lack of budget. </span></span></span></span></p> <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"">“So far sugarcane farmers in nine districts have received full payment. The farmers of Sarlahi, Nawalparasi and Kanchanpur are yet to receive subsidies.”</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">Sivakoti said that the ministry has sent a letter to the Ministry of Finance for the release of the budget, the latter did not respond.</span></span></span></span></p> <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"">There are currently </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"">industries producing sugar in Nepal. Based on the data of the National Census </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2078</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">, a total of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">294</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"">453 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">tons of sugar is consumed in Nepal every year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19398', 'image' => '20231207120415_20201224030139_20190107104522_sugarcane.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 12:03:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19669', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Business of Insurance Companies Declining', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: With the decline in economic activities, the business of insurance companies as well has started declining.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 7: With the decline in economic activities, the business of insurance companies as well has started declining. Insurance business has been affected due to the decline in the lending of banks and financial institutions, and the decline in business as well as income of individuals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Nepal Insurance Authority, the business of non-life insurance companies decreased by 4.57 percent in the first four months of the current fiscal year compared to the same period of the previous year. By mid-November of the last fiscal year, life insurance companies had collected a total of Rs 13.35 billion in insurance fees, but in the same period of the current fiscal year, the collection stood at Rs 12.74 billion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The business of non-life insurance companies is continuously declining in the current fiscal year. The non-life insurance companies collected Rs 3.98 billion in insurance fees from the sale and renewal of new insurance policies in the first month of the current fiscal year, but they collected only Rs 2.29 billion in the fourth month.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Non-life insurance companies sold 894,000 insurance policies since mid-July including 200,000 insurance policies during last month. Compared to the previous year, the number of insurance policies sold during this period has also decreased. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A normal increase has been seen in the business of life insurance companies. Life insurance companies collected Rs 46 billion in insurance fees from the sale and renewal of insurance policies till mid-November of the last fiscal year, which now stands at Rs 49.44 billion this year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, compared to mid-July of the current financial year, the business of life insurance companies is also decreasing. In mid- July to mid-August, they collected Rs 19.60 billion in insurance fee from new insurance policies and renewal of old ones, which decreased to Rs 8.63 billion in mid-October to mid-November. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Along with the economic recession, the credit flow of banks and financial institutions decreased and the business activities of insurance companies were affected. Since insurance is mandatory for taking bank loans, the lack of loan investment has also affected the business of insurance companies. Similarly, when there is a decline in economic activities, the income of common people also decreases. The number of people taking insurance has decreased after the decrease in income. Instead, the number of people who 'surrender' insurance policies seems to be increasing.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19397', 'image' => '20231207113454_Insurance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 11:33:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19666', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Public Accounts Committee Directs Govt to Immediately Stop the Sale and Purchase of Ncell's Shares', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The Public Accounts Committee under the House of Representatives has instructed the government to immediately stop the controversial purchase and sale of shares of Ncell, a private sector telecommunication company 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">December 7: The Public Accounts Committee under the House of Representatives has instructed the government to immediately stop the controversial purchase and sale of shares of Ncell, a private sector telecommunication company 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The committee meeting held at Singh Durbar on Wednesday decided to direct the government to immediately stop the ongoing Ncell share purchase and sale process. The committee is preparing to discuss this issue by inviting Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to the next meeting of the committee.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">"It has been decided to call the prime minister to discuss the issues of corruption and irregularities involving the purchase and sale of Ncell share and to instruct the government to immediately stop the process," said PAC Chairman Rishikesh Pokharel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to him, the committee has also instructed the government to conduct an independent investigation within 30 days regarding the purchase and sale of Ncell shares. The committee has instructed the government to make public its opinion regarding the Ncell controversy within 48 hours.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The committee meeting concluded that Axiata is trying to influence the capital gains tax, ownership transfer tax, etc, to be paid to the Government of Nepal by buying and selling shares outside Nepal at extremely low valuations in an opaque manner.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The committee said that the transaction can be termed dubious and unrealistic, there is lack of transparency, and the company is trying to convey a misleading message that there is no investment environment 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the Company Registrar's Office has sent a reply to the Public Accounts Committee saying that it has not received any information about the purchase and sale of Ncell’s shares by Axiata.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Most of the MPs who expressed their opinion in the meeting alleged that high-level leaders were also involved in the Ncell purchase and sale case. They also said that the government should have a clear opinion about Ncell's statement that there is no investment environment 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Axiata bought the shares of the company in 2016 from Sweden-based TeliaSonera for Rs 143 million. Now, the controversy has surfaced after Axiata announced the sale of its shares in Ncell for less than seven billion rupees to a UK-based company.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Writing a letter to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, Ncell said that it is in the process of collecting the documents regarding the purchase and sale of the shares </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">In the letter, Ncell also stated that it believes in the rule of law. It further said that the company will submit an application for the approval of the purchase and sale of the shares as per the regulations of the authority.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">The NTA had earlier written to Ncell Axiata on Friday and said that the purchase and sale of shares must be done according to Rule 15 (8) of Telecommunications Regulations, 2054, under which there is a provision to obtain the prior approval from the authority for selling or buying shares of more than five percent of the paid-up capital. However, it seems that Ncell has already sold its shares in an offshore deal without taking such permission.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19396', 'image' => '20231207105016_ncell.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 10:49:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19668', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Humla Hit by Food Crisis ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: Food crisis has surfaced in mountainous district, Humla, as the district did not receive food supplies on time. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 7: Food crisis has surfaced in mountainous district, Humla, as the district did not receive food supplies on time. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Various companies contracted for supplying rice to the district and the Food Management and Trading Company (FMTC) Limited have been blamed for the worrying food situation in the district that heavily relies on rice subsidy from the government for food requirement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The FMTC branch in Simkot has run out of stock for the past two months. The government had endorsed supplies of a total of 14,000 quintals of rice to this district in the Karnali Province for the current fiscal year (FY 2023-24). However, it witnessed no food transportation till date. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Depot chief Krishna Adhikari said though it was agreed to transport 4,000 quintals of rice to Humla via road and remaining 10,000 by cargo by different suppliers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He said the food depot here was not in condition of supplying rice to the district residents. The branch requires 2,500 quintal of rice to distribute to the locals, market and employees immediately. Similarly, additional amount is needed to address the emergency food need, and to inmates and detainees. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Simrik Air was contracted for making the food supplies of 10,000 quintals: 6,000 from Surkhet (at Rs 137 per kg ) and 4,000 quintals from Nepalgunj ( Rs 143 per kg), but the progress is almost nil. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Rice meant for Humla remains in Surkhet, Nepalgunj </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The rice meant to be supplied to Simkot branch of the FMTL remains in Surkhet and Nepalgunj as Simrik Air which has been entrusted the responsibility of transporting the food grains to Humla failed to do so. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, LB Suppliers which has been awarded the contract to transport the rice to Humla by means of road transport has not transported the rice to Humla so far. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Changla Transport Service, which was assigned to transport 1,000 quintals of rice, has not fulfilled its obligations till date. -- RSS </span><br /> <br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19395', 'image' => '20231207111838_20220509081511_20220405110412_Simokot-Airport-in-Humla.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 11:17:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19665', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Committee Directs NTA to Submit Details of Ncell Shares Sale within 15 Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The Finance Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) has directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to submit the details relating to sale of Ncell shares with factual information within 15 days. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 7: The Finance Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) has directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to submit the details relating to sale of Ncell shares with factual information within 15 days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The committee enquired about the issue after calling the NTA for a discussion on Wednesday. After the discussion, the committee Chairperson Santosh Chalise said that the committee has asked the NTA to submit the details of factual information about the sale and purchase of Ncell shares in written within two weeks. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In the meeting, NTA Chairperson Purushottam Khanal shared that they received a letter from Ncell Axiata Limited, a private mobile service provider based in Nepal, that it would provide the details of sale and purchase of Ncell share soon as it was collecting documents in this regard. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"On December 1, the NTA had written to Ncell seeking details of the sale and purchase of its shares, and received the response from the company on December 5. The process of collecting related documents is underway and it would be submitted to the respective body in line with the existing laws of Nepal," he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, discussion was also held in the Public Accounts Committee about the purchase and sale of Ncell stakes on Wednesday. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19394', 'image' => '20231207101216_Parliament RSS 800.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 10:11:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19664', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Distribution of Insurance Amount to Kin of Earthquake Dead Starts in Jajarkot', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: The distribution of insurance amount to the families of people killed in the earthquake that struck Jajarkot on November 3 has begun. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">December 7: The distribution of insurance amount to the families of people killed in the earthquake that struck Jajarkot on November 3 has begun. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The amount has been handed to the families of 29 of the 56 people who were killed in the disaster in Nalgad Municipality, said Krishna Bahadur GC, spokesperson for the Karnali province government and the Minister for Internal Affairs and Law.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">According to him, the amount has been distributed to the families at the rate of Rs 200,000 per deceased. GC said that the insurance amount would be gradually distributed to the beneficiaries of all the municipalities in three or four days. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The provincial government had already brought a programme of insuring against natural disasters the citizens domiciled in Karnali before this. The insurance amount has been distributed under this programme.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">More than 150 people were killed due to the earthquake in Jajarkot and Rukum West. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Minister GC is accompanied by Insurance Authority Karnali Province Chief Padam Sodari during the insurance amount distribution.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Meanwhile, the Karnali Province Government has decided to immediately start construction of the public structures damaged by the earthquake. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Scores of public structures like roads, schools, health posts and water supply and irrigation projects were damaged by the earthquake. It is said that these structures would be repaired from the one billion rupees the province government had earmarked for this purpose. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19392', 'image' => '20231207093356_Insurance ed.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 09:33:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19663', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Ready to Deploy 10,000 Troops for International Peacekeeping: DPM Khadka', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka affirmed Nepal's commitment to make available up to 10,000 military personnel upon the United Nations' request for peacekeeping missions worldwide.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">December 7: Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka affirmed Nepal's commitment to make available up to 10,000 military personnel upon the United Nations' request for peacekeeping missions worldwide.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Speaking at a UN ministerial-level conference on international peacekeeping in Ghana, DPM Khadka highlighted Nepal's fulfillment of most commitments related to global peacekeeping efforts, with ongoing efforts to meet the remaining ones.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Expressing gratitude to the Ghanaian government for hosting the summit, Khadka underscored Nepal's support for the 'Action for Peace' and 'Action for Peace Plus' programs initiated by the UN Secretary-General. He emphasized the programs' dedication to ensuring the security of both military personnel and civilians.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">"DPM Khadka stated, "Nepal maintains a standby army for any unforeseen challenges, adhering to the norms and disciplines of peacekeeping forces. We uphold a zero-tolerance policy against sexual abuse and exploitation," during the extensive meeting.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Khadka highlighted Nepal's belief in enhancing coordination mechanisms among major stakeholders, including the TPCC, to optimize the effectiveness of peacekeeping efforts. He called for unity among all concerned parties to achieve targets through collaborative partnerships.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Furthermore, the Deputy Prime Minister disclosed Nepal's commitment to increasing the meaningful participation of women in military roles to align with the gender equality strategy outlined by the UN Secretary-General. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">"We are dedicated to utilizing and promoting renewable energy to minimize environmental impact in peacekeeping missions. We actively use renewable energy in collaboration with UNMISS and training centers," he stated.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nepal has been contributing continuously to UN peacekeeping missions since 1958, ranking as the second-largest contributor in terms of the number of security personnel deployed in peacekeeping missions globally. The summit, themed 'peace begins with me,' commenced on Tuesday, featuring representatives from around 90 countries. (RSS)</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-07', 'modified' => '2023-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19391', 'image' => '20231207055234_collage (3).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-07 05:50:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19659', 'article_category_id' => '230', 'title' => 'Sanitary Ware: Shifting Trends and Consumer Preferences', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised aspect', 'content' => '<p><em>The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised aspect</em></p> <p><strong>By NewBiz Team</strong></p> <p>Nepal relies heavily on imports of goods and services to meet the demands of its population. According to data from the Nepal Rastra Bank for the fiscal year 2020/21, the country imported goods valued at Rs 1,500 trillion and exported goods worth Rs 141 billion. Key imports include fuels, machinery, steel and iron, cereals, electronic equipment, pharmaceuticals, and vehicles. Import values have consistently risen year on year, with an annual increase of over 20% compared to the fiscal year 2019/20.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Sanitation Landscape in Nepal</strong></p> <p>As per the 2021 census, there are a total of 6.66 million households in Nepal. While 4.47 million households are located in urban municipalities, 2.19 million are in rural municipalities. Examining the types of toilets used in these households, 653,000 have flush toilets connected to public sewerage systems, 3.67 million have flush toilets with septic tanks, and 2 million households use pit toilets. This breakdown provides an overview of the sanitary ware usage in Nepal based on household preferences and infrastructure.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Remittance and Urbanisation Dynamics</strong></p> <p>The significance of constructing toilets and bathrooms has evolved from an afterthought to a prioritised aspect for Nepali citizens. This reflects a shift in societal trends attributed to increased prosperity. This prosperity can be linked to the rise in out-migration for economic reasons, as indicated by the 2021 census, which reports that 2.1 million Nepalis currently reside abroad. In the fiscal year 2020/21, remittances from these individuals amounted to Rs 961.05 billion, a 9.8% increase from the previous fiscal year.</p> <p>According to the Nepal Living Standard Survey, 2011, approximately 80% of remittances are utilised for daily consumption, followed by loan repayments, household property acquisitions, education expenses, capital formation activities, and other purposes within Nepal. Notably, a growing trend involves remittance funds being invested in urban property, contributing to the construction of new houses equipped with a decent level of amenities, including modern sanitary ware.</p> <p>According to the 1952/54 census, only 2.9% of the population resided in 10 urban centres of the country. Over the next five decades, by 2001, the urban population had increased to 13.9% with an urban growth rate of 6.65%. The reclassification of urban areas further accelerated urbanisation, reaching 27.2% by 2014 and a remarkable 66.2% by 2021, with urban dwellers distributed across 293 urban areas. Kathmandu Metropolitan City, which houses a majority of the federal government's central offices, issues permits for the construction of 40,000 houses annually. Other significant urban centres beyond Kathmandu are also experiencing rapid growth, highlighting the ongoing and prospective trend of urbanisation in Nepal.</p> <p> </p> <blockquote> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.newbusinessage.com/img/KomalPrasadMainali.jpg" style="float:left; height:100px; margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px; width:100px" />"Although it might sound counterintuitive to some people, the Nepali market in the urban area has matured and people are willing to pay higher price for and demand higher quality goods and its related services." </p> <p><span style="font-family:Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12px">- Komal Prasad Mainali, Managing Director, Mainali Business Concern Pvt Ltd. </span></span></p> </blockquote> <p><strong>Trends in the Use of Sanitary Ware</strong></p> <p>With 86% of Nepali households owning homes, as revealed by Nepal's 2021 Census, and an increasing desire for a more comfortable lifestyle, the use of sanitary ware is undergoing notable transformations. Industry experts, featured in a 2021 article in the New Business Age, affirm this shift. Yogendra Bajracharya, with 16 years of experience in the sanitary ware business and associated with Nepal Marble Bath House, said architects and homeowners are beginning to give priority to bathrooms. "Urban Nepalis are becoming increasingly conscious of design and the use of space, and are even willing to spend big bucks," he added.</p> <p>Komal Prasad Mainali, Managing Director of Mainali Business Concern Pvt Ltd, specialising in the trade of sanitary ware, including jacuzzis, taps, toilet commodes, kitchen sinks, and silk plaster, an eco-friendly alternative to wallpapers, said that sanitary products were witnessing sales growth of 10-12% annually. "Although it might sound counterintuitive to some people, the Nepali market in the urban area has matured and people are willing to pay higher price for and demand higher quality goods and its related services," he added.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Dependence on imports</strong></p> <p>While the sanitary ware industry in Nepal experiences robust growth, it faces notable challenges. The industry relies on imports from China, India, Spain, and Italy. Although the custom duty on bathroom installations remains low, duty on tiles can go as high as 70%. Nevertheless, the construction of apartments and hotels, along with the renovation of older houses seeking modernised bathrooms, has contributed to an upswing in consumer purchases of sanitary ware. The increasing urbanisation trend, coupled with a growing preference for such products in households and commercial buildings, paints a promising picture for the industry's future.</p> <p>However, since the business is heavily dependent on imports, it is susceptible to fluctuations in market conditions and international relations. While some products like pipes and tiles are manufactured locally, the current production is insufficient to meet the demands of Nepal's construction sector. To mitigate these challenges, there is a need for a government plan to boost manufacturing - first for import substitution and for exports in the long-run. The model of the cement industry, which successfully transitioned from import substitution to becoming an exporter to India, could serve as a template for the sanitary ware industry.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p> <p>The sanitary ware industry in Nepal holds immense potential driven by a flourishing market and increased consumer awareness. While the convenience of imports persists, sustainable advancement calls for a commitment to enhancing domestic production. Drawing inspiration from successful models in other sectors, Nepal has the potential to position itself as a frontrunner in the dynamic and evolving landscape of sanitary ware. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19387', 'image' => null, 'article_date' => '2022-02-16 16:21:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '10' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19658', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Local Cauliflower Takes a Nosedive', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The price of local cauliflower has declined sharply within a period of one month.', '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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">December 6: The price of local cauliflower has declined sharply within a period of one month.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Committee, the price of cauliflower has dropped by 64 percent in one month.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the committee, the supply of local cauliflower has increased by 26 percent. Traders say that with the start of the cauliflower season, the supply has increased and the prices have come down as a result.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">According to the committee, local cauliflower which was sold at an average price of Rs 35 per kg last month is being sold at an average price of Rs 12 per kg 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:"Nirmala UI","sans-serif"">Last month, around 58,750 kg of local cauliflower were supplied in the Kathmandu valley, which has now reached to 74, 070 kg.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19386', 'image' => '20231206025458_cauliflower-181864-2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 14:54:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19657', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Lags Behind in Solar Energy due to State Apathy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal is considered to be one of the best places in the world for solar energy production.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: Nepal is considered to be one of the best places in the world for solar energy production. However, stakeholders say that the country is lagging behind in the production of solar energy due to government’s apathy. According to a study, the average 'solar irrigation' around the world is 3.7 units per square meter. In Nepal it is 4.7 units per square meter. It means that Nepal has the capacity to produce 4.7 kilowatt units of solar energy per square meter per day.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Currently, only 15 projects, including that of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), are producing about 100 megawatts of solar electricity commercially, as per the government data. Out of this, 25 MW is produced by NEA and the remaining energy by private sector solar projects.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Experts say that since Nepal receives 300 days of sunlight annually, there is a potential of producing 50,000 treta hours of solar energy every year. However, due to government’s neglect, Nepal is lagging far behind in the field of solar energy, says Kuber Mani Nepal, executive director of Ridi Hydropower Company. According to him, Nepal's climate is excellent for solar energy. Due to the lack of a clear government policy, our position is far behind compared to other neighboring countries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In terms of solar energy production, China is now number one in the world. It is producing 367,710 megawatts of solar electricity annually. India ranks fourth in the world by producing 63,100 megawatts of solar energy. India is still making progress. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The NEA is currently purchasing electricity from solar projects at the rate of Rs 5.94 per unit. Earlier, when the energy crisis was announced in 2015, it purchased solar energy at Rs 9.61 per unit. At present, 40 projects with capacity of 750 MW have taken permission for survey of solar power generation in Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As per the experts, problems occur when NEA changes its policy several times. The NEA has repeatedly changed the process of entering into Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Earlier in the year 2015, private sector solar companies had adopted a competitive process while entering into a PPA with the NEA. In 2017, the process was changed and the authority set the purchase price. Now the authority has gone back to the policy of open competition. Nepal says that the private sector companies producing solar energy are discouraged due to such a complicated process of the government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Manoj Silwal, deputy executive director of NEA, said that since the authority itself produces 25 megawatts of solar energy and is promoting it, there is no obstacle from the authority's side. According to him, there are some shortcomings and said, “The authority is planning to gradually improve those shortcomings.” </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19385', 'image' => '20231206013730_422950-01-02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 13:36:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19655', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Police Urges all to use Authorised Channels to Send Remittance ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal Police has urged the people concerned to use official channels for sending and receiving remittance from abroad to avoid potential legal issues and the risk of cyber fraud. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Nepal Police has urged the people concerned to use official channels for sending and receiving remittance from abroad to avoid potential legal issues and the risk of cyber fraud. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that some Nepali citizens who are in foreign employment are found to have used unauthorised channels to send money back home at less cost than while transacting officially, the police urged the people concerned to avoid illegal transactions of remittance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It has come to the attention of the police that unknown people allure Nepali foreign migrant workers to pay them in foreign currency, promising that an equivalent amount in Nepalese rupees will be deposited in their bank accounts in Nepal, according to police spokesperson Kuber Kadayat. He said that cases of cyber-rackets are increasing and the engagement in illegal remittance transactions heightens the risk of falling victim to cyber fraud. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19383', 'image' => '20231206125444_Remittance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 12:53:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19654', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Economy has Started Picking Up Pace: Finance Minister Mahat ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that the country's economy is on improvement trajectory.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that the country's economy is on improvement trajectory. Talking to journalists in Chitwan on Tuesday, he said the economy has started to pick up pace. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The number of foreign tourists visiting Nepal and the remittance inflow have increased. The problems of entrepreneurs who are in difficulty would be addressed. Overall, remittance inflow from abroad has gone up by 30 percent. The tourism entrepreneurs are excited with the growing number of tourists," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He, however, said it will take some time for the economy to fully revive. Stating that many policy-level decisions have been made for improving the economy, the finance minister opined that some problems have been seen in the economy as the investment from these decisions takes time to give results. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Responding to journalists' query regarding the selling of shares of Ncell, the telecom service provider company, Minister Mahat said the government is not informed on this till now. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We have been gathering information. Nepal Telecommunication Authority is the regulatory body on this topic. There is provision that permission has to be taken while carrying out such a huge transaction," he added. Minister Mahat said the government is inquiring with the Telecom officials on the impact this would have. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">After the Malaysian company, Axiata Group Berhad decided to sell 80 per cent of Ncell's share to another company Spectrlite UK Limited last Friday, the agreement has generated widespread curiosity and concern in Nepal. Questions have been raised about the legal process and financial transparency of this offshore transaction. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On a different note, he made it clear that the government has not forwarded any process for mining sand and stone from the Chure region for now. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"No such process has moved ahead now. It is only a propaganda. However, in the related proposal we have not mentioned Chure specifically and you should also note this. Stones and gravel also fall under the mineral-based materials with production potentiality." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Finance Minister Mahat, how these resources could be utilized for the nation's benefit without harming the environment is an issue to be considered. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19382', 'image' => '20231206121623_20230922123559_HariramBhetuwal_KTM_RSS_04_20230921140427_IMG_2777.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 12:15:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19653', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'CAAN Lumbini Office Demands Regular Flights at Gautam Buddha Int'l Airport ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Lumbini Province Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has demanded regular operation of international flights to and from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">December 6: Lumbini Province Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has demanded regular operation of international flights to and from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A delegation of CAAN Lumbini Province made such a demand while submitting a memorandum to CAAN Director General Pradeep Adhikari on Tuesday, according to the state-owned RSS. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Receiving the memo, Adhikari reportedly said CAAN would leave no stone unturned for regular operation of international flights from the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Meanwhile, the RSS reported that the delegation also met with officials of the Asian Development Bank on Monday and put forth the same demand as the airport was built with financial support from the ADB.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Outgoing Chairperson of CAAN Lumbini Province, Sagar Adhikari, stressed that ADB's support for regular operation of international flights at Gautam Buddha International Airport was necessary. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Similarly, the delegation also urged Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, for regular operation of international flights at the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Tourism entrepreneurs have invested billions of rupees in Bhairahawa and Lumbini area for tourism infrastructures after the construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport and their investments have gone to waste in lack of full operation of the airport. So the entrepreneurs have been demanding regular operation of international flights at the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Built with an investment of Rs 35 billion, the airport was inaugurated on May 16, 2022. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport was expected to reduce the air traffic congestion at TIA and was also believed to promote religious tourism due to its proximity to Lumbini, a pilgrimage site of Buddhists from all over the world.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">However, the airport is struggling to attract airline companies due to lack of passengers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Government officials say that the passengers, mainly those leaving the country for foreign employment, are compelled to take labour permits and other documents from the Department of Foreign Employment and also undergo health check-ups in Kathmandu, and are reluctant to visit Bhairahawa for international flights.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19381', 'image' => '20231206113435_20220516125900_1652665732.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 11:33:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19652', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '12 People Involved in Sending Nepali Youths to Russian Army Arrested ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal Police have arrested members of a gang involved in sending Nepali youths to fight for the Russian Army. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Nepal Police have arrested members of a gang involved in sending Nepali youths to fight for the Russian Army. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The police team arrested 12 people after an operation conducted for several days in different places of Kathmandu. They were sending Nepali youths to Russia via India. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Among those arrested are Dipen Pariyar, Kshitij Giri, Subhash Lama, Manish Neupane, Rosal Maharjan, Hari Bahadur Bishwakarma, Ishwar Adhikari, Gokarna Aryal, Sujata Dahal, Santosh Adhikari, Santosh Nepal and Drona Dangi. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Spokesman for the District Police Range, Kathmandu, Superintendent of Police Kumod Dhungel confirmed that the arrested persons were involved in activities ranging from finding youths to join the Russian Army, arranging documents and arranging visit visas. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Six Nepali youths who joined the Russian army have already been confirmed dead in course of the fighting in Ukraine while one Nepali has been detained by Ukrainian forces. Further investigation into the case is underway, police said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Nepali nationals to receive approval letter to be issued from the Department of Consular Services if they are travelling to Russia for other reasons except for government assignment, study purpose in Russian scholarship and businesses. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministry has also urged Nepalis not to get recruited in the military service of the war-ravaged nations on the basis of false information or other's temptation. </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">-- RSS</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-12-06', 'modified' => '2023-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19380', 'image' => '20231206104932_20231201105827_Russian troops.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-12-06 10:48:53', '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
