October 30: Amrit Tamrakar of Hetauda visited Manang to make good use of the Dashain…
October 30: Amrit Tamrakar of Hetauda visited Manang to make good use of the Dashain…
October 30: The commercial business of flowers in Nepal has increased by 33.5 percent in one year. According to the data of the Floriculture Association of Nepal, the flower business increased after the decline in the impacts of Covid-19…
October 30: Hetauda Cement Industry has suspended production as it could not buy coal in time due to financial crunch.…
October 29: President Ram Chandra Paudel has drawn attention of the United Nations high-level delegation on addressing the challenges posed by the impact of climate change in Nepal, conclusion of the peace process, Nepal's contributions to the UN peacekeeping mission and the issue of leadership, and other contemporary…
October 30: The Government of India has revised its policy on energy allowing the imported hydroelectricity also to be considered as part of its renewable…
The Thai Airways International, the national flag carrier of Thailand, has resumed its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights from October 29. The airlines had suspended its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights since March 25, 2020 after the COVID-19…
October 30: During the first three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s trade deficit soared to more than Rs 366.88…
Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company has provided training to its employees. The company provided training to its employees in Janakpur, the capital of Province 2, with the aim of enhancing the professional skills of employees working in the Madhesh Province on October 13 and…
October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on…
October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased…
October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago.…
October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement.…
October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of…
October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative…
October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic…
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He said, "I had been planning to visit Manang since a long time, but this year, I finally got the time to visit this beautiful place."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Like Tamrakar, Hari Tamang of Nuwakot is busy enjoying the natural beauty of Manang. According to Tamang, it is necessary to get proper information before the visit because the situation is getting colder and the risk is higher. He said that he is thoroughly enjoying the hospitality of Manang along with the experience of various customs, rituals, culture and traditions. “After coming here, you won’t feel like going back, you will want to keep enjoying the nature here,” said Tamang.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In recent years, the trend of Nepalis visiting various places has increased. They have started making full use of the vacation time. Nepalese returning home from abroad to celebrate Dashain and Tihar and students studying in colleges take advantage of the long vacation to visit Manang. Now, domestic tourists coming from different parts of Nepal to the Himalayan district of Manang have increased.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Thuten Lama, ward chairman of Nason Rural Municipality-1, said that the trend of Nepalis traveling within the country has increased which is evident from the rise in number of domestic tourists. According to him, the number of domestic tourists who come to Manang on a daily basis during the Dashain holiday has increased significantly. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">With the increase in domestic tourists, businessmen are happy with the expectation that the business that slowed down due to Covid-19 will pick up pace.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“With the arrival of domestic tourists, we are jam packed with work,” said Baburam Tamang, a hotel businessman, adding that 1,500 domestic tourists visit Manang daily during Dashain holidays. He said that now all the hotels in Manang are fully occupied.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">When domestic tourists visit Manang, the business of hotel and tourism increases. Binod Gurung, President of the Manang Association of Tourism Entrepreneurs said that the arrival of domestic tourists along with foreign tourists has breathed a new life to the business which was stagnant for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He suggested that tourists should get the necessary information for accommodation as there may be a problem of not getting a hotel in the cold weather.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"Only foreigners used to arrive here during this season in the past. Now, the arrival of domestic tourists has added great enthusiasm,” said Gurung. He further said that there are tourists in all types of hotels because this is the peak season. The best time to visit Manang is during the winter and before the beginning of the rainy season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In addition to seeing the Himalayan mountain peaks, Manang offers the visitors the experience of its unique customs and natural beauty. Some travel to Mustang from Manang en route to Pokhara through the Thorangla Pass. A large number of tourists visit Manang while trekking along the Annapurna Circuit. The entrance to Annapurna Circuit is Lamjung’s Besisahar, which leads to Manange Chautara. Tourists start their journey from here and travel to Mustang. The Annapurna Circuit covers five districts including Lamjung, Manang, Mustang, Myagdi and Kaski.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19087', 'image' => '20231030012939_20220928123415_Manang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 13:28:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19358', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Flower Business Expands by 33 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: The commercial business of flowers in Nepal has increased by 33.5 percent in one year. According to the data of the Floriculture Association of Nepal, the flower business increased after the decline in the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: The commercial business of flowers in Nepal has increased by 33.5 percent in one year. According to the data of the Floriculture Association of Nepal, the flower business increased after the decline in the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the fiscal year (FY) 2075/76, the flower business saw an annual turnover of Rs 2.42 billion, but due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the turnover slumped to Rs 1.63 billion in the following two years – FY 2076/77 and FY 2077/78. However, the business increased in the following years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the association, in the fiscal year 2078/79, the turnover was worth Rs 2.3 billion, which increased to Rs 3.7 billion in FY 2079/80.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Min Bahadur Tamang, president of the association, said that under normal conditions, the flower business grows by 10 to 15 percent annually, but it slowed down due to Covid-19 pandemic. He says that there has been improvement since the last two years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the association, at present, 221 hectares of land in 48 districts are cultivated with flowers. More than 1,000 farmers are involved in floriculture in Nepal while 44,000 people are employed directly and indirectly in this business.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, in FY 2079/80, flowers and floral products worth Rs 6.8 million were exported from Nepal while the imports accounted to Rs 33 million.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">16th Godavari Flower Exhibition</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The 16th Godavari Flower Exhibition is going to be held from October 31 to November 4 with the slogan 'Plant Chrysanthemum flowers, decorate your house and yard'. Aiming at the upcoming Tihar and Chhath festivals, the association is going to hold exhibition this year just like every year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There will be 55 commercial stalls, two competitive stalls and five informational stalls in the exhibition to be held at the Jawalakhel sports ground in Lalitpur.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It is estimated that more than 40,000 people will observe the exhibition, which will be inaugurated by Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister Beduram Bhusal. Fair coordinator Sitaram Panta said that they are expecting transaction of more than Rs 10 million at the exhibition. Organizers believe that this fair will help in commercial promotion of Chrysanthemum flower, development of timely varieties of flowers and to ensure quality production.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19086', 'image' => '20231030012753_20221012125640_74357524_3206364359438719_5295578166390161408_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 13:27:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19357', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Hetauda Cement Industry Halts Production due to Shortage of Coal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Hetauda Cement Industry has suspended production as it could not buy coal in time due to financial crunch. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: Hetauda Cement Industry has suspended production as it could not buy coal in time due to financial crunch. The industry consumes 3,600 metric tonnes coal per month. General Manager of the industry Basanta Raj Pandey said that the industry was in operation before the start of the Dashain festival and had produced 300,000 sacks of cement during that period. He shared that they had to suspend production as they could not buy coal from third countries due to financial crisis. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to him, the line minister and the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies have been informed of this dire situation of the industry, and the production can be resumed if the federal government provides financial assistance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He added that preparation has been made for selling a total 300,000 sacks of cement to various cities, including Kathmandu, and the income from this would be used for purchasing coal. </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 Hetauda Cement Industry has around 390 employees. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19085', 'image' => '20231030125618_20230224111424_cementtttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 12:54:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19356', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Seeks Leadership Role in UN Peacekeeping Mission ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: President Ram Chandra Paudel has drawn attention of the United Nations high-level delegation on addressing the challenges posed by the impact of climate change in Nepal, conclusion of the peace process, Nepal's contributions to the UN peacekeeping mission and the issue of leadership, and other contemporary issues. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: President Ram Chandra Paudel has drawn attention of the United Nations high-level delegation on addressing the challenges posed by the impact of climate change in Nepal, conclusion of the peace process, Nepal's contributions to the UN peacekeeping mission and the issue of leadership, and other contemporary issues. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During a meeting with the visiting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at Shital Niwas on Sunday, President Paudel called for serious attention to this end stating that Nepal was facing serious impacts of climate change though Nepal itself was not a cause of climate change. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">President Paudel's press advisor Kiran Pokharel said that the president urged the UN delegation to take initiatives to prod the developed countries to fulfill their responsibilities on the climate change issues. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We are not the cause of climate change. We are suffering due to excessive carbon emissions from other countries. Against this backdrop, the UN should ask the polluters to fulfill their responsibilities. We faced the impacts of the climate change and now the entire world and humanity has to suffer. So, let's make collective efforts against this. The UN should take its leadership," press advisor Pokharel quoted the president as saying. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, President Paudel said that the Government of Nepal was working to complete the remaining tasks of the peace process as per the Comprehensive Peace Accord. President Paudel also made commitment to complete the remaining tasks of the peace process on the basis of principle of reconciliation by considering the court's verdicts and also the concerns of the UN. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, President Paudel requested the UN secretary-general to provide leading responsibility to Nepal stating that Nepal is the second largest contributor to the UN Peacekeeping Mission. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, the UN Secretary-General said that he arrived in Nepal to give a message to the world about the negative impacts of climate change. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He also shared his three agendas of visit to Nepal and said that they are giving message to the world about Nepal's successful peace process, impacts of climate change and reducing inequality. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The meeting was attended by Foreign Affairs Minister Narayan Prakash Saud, advisors at the Office of the President and high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19084', 'image' => '20231030070651_ANI_2463.JPG', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 07:06:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19355', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India's New Policy Likely to Secure Good Market for Nepal's Hydropower Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: The Government of India has revised its policy on energy allowing the imported hydroelectricity also to be considered as part of its renewable energy.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: The Government of India has revised its policy on energy allowing the imported hydroelectricity also to be considered as part of its renewable energy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Publishing a notice in the Gazette of India on October 20, the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy of India has specified the minimum share of imported hydroelectricity under its renewable energy. The notice reads that the new policy will be valid from 2024 to 2030. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the new rule, the Government of India has fixed the quota of Hydropower Purchase Obligation (HPO) for licensed distribution companies and purchasers of India considering the imported hydroelectricity from neighboring countries as its renewable energy source. Until now, the HPO rule had been valid only for the hydroelectricity generated in India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India has set the target to increase the share of renewable energy in its energy consumption to 29.91 percent by 2025, and to 43.33 percent by 2030. For this, the hydropower sector is expected to contribute 0.38 percent by 2025 and 1.33 percent by 2030.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">For this purpose, India has allowed considering the output of only those hydropower plants that will start their production after March 31, 2024. The new provision talks about making it mandatory for the companies concerned to maintain the specified share of HPO within the given timeline.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kulman Ghising said that if the new system of compulsory hydropower purchase is implemented, it will benefit Nepal, India and Bhutan. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“We had been urging India for a long time to arrange for the inclusion of electricity purchased from hydropower projects outside its country in the HPO, and now it has been included. This will make it easier for India's electricity distribution companies and buyers to purchase electricity from hydropower projects in Nepal," Executive Director Ghising said, adding, "If this system is implemented practically, Nepal's hydropower will get a good market in India."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NEA has been exporting surplus electricity to India during the rainy season. The NEA has been selling around 110 MW of electricity to the Indian company NTPC Vidyut Vyar Nigam Ltd (NVVN) through competitive bids in the day-ahead market of IEX and under the medium-term power agreement. NVVN is selling the electricity purchased from Nepal in the state of Haryana.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Nepal Electricity Authority has received approval for the export of 632 MW to India including 522 MW of electricity in the competitive market of India and 110 MW to NVVN.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NEA exported electricity worth Rs 11.80 billion to India from mid-May to mid-October.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal has set an ambitious target of producing 15,000 MW of electricity by 2030. Due to its failure to export adequate amount of electricity, the country has been facing wastage of around 500 MW of electricity on a daily basis.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19083', 'image' => '20231030070550_Grid.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 07:05:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19352', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Thai Airways International Resumes Kathmandu-Bangkok Flights', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Thai Airways International, the national flag carrier of Thailand, has resumed its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights from October 29. The airlines had suspended its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights since March 25, 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt"> October 29: The Thai Airways International, the national flag carrier of Thailand, has resumed its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights from October 29. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The airlines had suspended its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights since March 25, 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">General Manager of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Pratap Babu Tiwari confirmed that the Thai Airways International restarted its flight. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Likewise, the flights of Thai Smile stopped its flight to Kathmandu from October 29 itself.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The Thai Airways International had begun its service in Nepal in December 1968. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The TIA Office has said that Nepal's international flights reached the pre-COVID-19 status. (RSS) </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19082', 'image' => '20231030064108_collage (5).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:39:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19354', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal's Trade Deficit Rises to Rs 366 Billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: During the first three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s trade deficit soared to more than Rs 366.88 billion.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: During the first three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s trade deficit soared to more than Rs 366.88 billion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the same period last year, the trade deficit was over Rs 359.17 billion. The trade deficit has inclined due to the increase in imports while the exports from Nepal have not increased in the same proportion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the data released by the Department of Customs on Sunday, Nepal imported goods worth Rs 407.75 billion in the review period while the exports stood at just Rs 40.87 billion. According to the Department of Customs, the trade deficit this year has increased by 2.15 percent compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This year, the share of imported goods has increased by 1.69 percent compared to last year. On the other hand, Nepal's exports decreased by 2.26 percent during the review period, according to the data of the Department of Customs. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal has the largest trade deficit with India. In the three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal's trade deficit with India stood at Rs 224.36 billion. Similarly, the trade deficit with China was Rs 79.8 billion, according to the department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal has a trade deficit of Rs 5.55 billion with the UAE, Rs 4.73 billion with Ukraine and Rs 4.5 billion with Malaysia.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19081', 'image' => '20231030064416_Trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:43:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19351', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company Imparts Two-Day Training Programmes to Employees', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company has provided training to its employees. The company provided training to its employees in Janakpur, the capital of Province 2, with the aim of enhancing the professional skills of employees working in the Madhesh Province on October 13 and 14.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">October 30: Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company has provided training to its employees. T</span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">he company provided training to its employees in Janakpur, the capital of Province 2, with the aim of enhancing the professional skills of employees working in the Madhesh Province on October 13 and 14. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Kushum Sharma, the Chief of the Madhes Province Office of the Nepal Insurance Regulatory Authority, was the chief guest at the programme. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">National Coordinator, Provincial Chief, and Department Heads of Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company gave their respective presentations to the participants.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19080', 'image' => '20231030062652_collage (4).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:25:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19353', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Chinese Economy to Grow 5.2 Percent in 2023: IFF Report ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on Saturday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on Saturday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global growth is projected to slow further this year at 3.1 percent, and is likely to remain weak at the same level in 2024, according to the IFF 2023 Global Finance and Development Report released during the IFF 20th Anniversary and Annual Meeting held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The report said that the monetary tightening cycle in most countries is likely to end by 2024. However, monetary and financial tightening are likely to continue and further depress demand growth and slow the global recovery. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It therefore forecast the global economy to grow by 3.1 percent in 2024, with developed economies growing by 1.3 percent and developing economies by 4.3 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global community should work together to address both short-and-longer-term challenges. Countries should pursue international cooperation and multilateralism in dealing with common challenges, including reducing poverty, protecting environment and mitigating climate change, resolving cross-country conflicts and reducing geopolitical tensions, said the report. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The International Finance Forum (IFF) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental international organization founded in Beijing in October 2003, established by financial leaders from more than 20 countries and regions including China, the United States, the European Union, emerging countries as well as leaders of international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. – Xinhua/RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19079', 'image' => '20231030064249_j1698580339.abhiyan (28).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:42:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19347', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Visitors Up in Mardi Himal Foot Trail during Dashain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly.', '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"">October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly. Since the start of Dashain, occupancy of hotels and restaurants has been full due to the increase in the number of tourists on this tour. Businessmen say that the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists has been encouraging since Ghatasthapana, the first day of the Dashain festival. Meanwhile, the arrival of tourists has increased sharply since the day after the celebration of Dashain.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi trail is one of the best trekking routes that can be done in a short time. It is the preferred choice of most of the people because it is possible to return to Pokhara in three days and two nights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tourists are attracted by the snow-capped mountains, lush green forests, beautiful hills and settlements along the trail.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 attraction of foreign and domestic tourists towards this trekking route is increasing year by year as there is an opportunity to see more than half a dozen mountains including Mt Machhapuchhre, Mardi, Annapurna South, Himchuli, Annapurna First, Gangapurna, Gandharva Chuli.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Raj Kumar Tamang, chairman of the Mardi Trek Tourism Management Committee, said that around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">400</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> domestic and foreign tourists are now enjoying the Mardi trek on a daily basis. According to him, with the increase in the number of tourists, businessmen are elated.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“We are excited by the current increase in arrival of tourists, which has been affected by the Covid-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">19. </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Since the day after Dashain, we have been struggling to manage the tourists," said Tamang.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">60</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> hotels and restaurants along the Mardi foot trail. It has the capacity to accommodate around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">550</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> tourists per day. It is said that the daily arrival of tourists is more than </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prakash Baral, a member of the provincial assembly of Gandaki Province, who did the Mardi trek two days ago, said that he was thrilled during the journey. He said that with the beautiful view from the "view point", all the fatigue and suffering experienced during the trek will be forgotten in one moment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Mardi trek has become the main choice of domestic tourists. This has contributed to the economic activity. There is no problem for fooding and lodging. It is a perfect destination for family travel,” said Baral.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Stating that the tourists are facing problems due to the lack of toilets at the "view point", Provincial Assembly member Baral said that he will take initiative with the provincial government to solve the problem.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi foot trail starts after a jeep ride to Kalimati and Siding through Ghalel of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, which is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">22</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km away from Pokhara. From there, one can climb uphill through the forest path and reach the Low Camp located at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2,970</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">From the Low Camp, the trail leads to the High Camp, view point and then the Mardi Himal base camp at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4,500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters. From the 'view point', one can enjoy the view of the Pokhara valley and other places with more than half a dozen mountains.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Most of the tourists reach Mardi Himal base camp through Ghalel, Kanoning and return to Pokhara via Lwang, also known as the tea village. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shiv Bhandari, the owner of Hotel Kalimati, which is located along the foot trail, said that the Mardi foot trail is a short trek that can be completed even during one or two days’ vacation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19075', 'image' => '20231029024955_20230305101707_20230304102843_20220718030551_fishtail-seen-from-mardi-himal-base-camp.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:49:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19346', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Capital Gains Tax Increases by Rs 80 Million', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. More than Rs 140.06 million were collected in mid-August to mid-September, but more than Rs 219.57 million were collected in mid-September to mid-October.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the information provided by Suresh Neupane, the information officer of CDS and Clearing Limited (CDSC), more than Rs 157.6 million were collected from short-term investors and more than Rs 61.9 million from long-term investors in the review month.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking at the data of CDSC, it seems that short-term investors have been more active in the secondary market in the last month as well. Brokers say that due to the lack of stability in market-related policy, investors are also active in booking profits in a short period of time. By mid-September, the securities market, NEPSE, stood at 1,964.91 points. In mid-October, the NEPSE was down to 1,864.62 points. Comparing the data of two months, NEPSE took a nosedive of 100.29 points. The income of the government increased despite the downfall of the secondary market. Brokers estimate that investors who are active in short-term trading made profit in mid-October based on the dividends of listed companies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government collects tax by dividing the investors who deal in the secondary market of securities into two types in the case of individual investors. By dividing those who hold shares for more than 1 year as long-term investors and those who hold shares for less than that as short-term investors, the government collects capital gains tax of 7.5 percent for short-term investors and 5 percent for long-term investors. Institutional investors have to pay 10 percent capital gains tax. These investors have to pay capital gains tax based on the weighted average cost if they have made a profit from the securities business.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stakeholders say that if the government's income can be increased along with the income of investors in the securities market, the confidence of the general public in the securities market will increase. The regulatory body of the capital market, SEBON, is currently working on the necessary legislation to increase institutional investors in the market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chairman of the board, Ramesh Kumar Hamal informed that in the coming days, work will be done to prepare the law to allow non-resident Nepali to enter the securities market as institutional investors. Hamal emphasized that for the sustainable development of the market, institutional investors should be brought forward as well.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19074', 'image' => '20231029022456_1698547751.1695517713.1692935579.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:23:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19345', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '21 Percent Nepalis Lack Minimum Calorie Intake Requirement', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. According to Januka Pandit, deputy director general of Department of Agriculture, the problem of people not getting enough calories has not improved yet as 21 percent of the common people are deprived of the necessary calories even now. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The World Food Organization's standard for adult requirement is a minimum of 2,220 calories per day. The government does not even have the data on how many calories are consumed by the 21 percent of people who do not have access to minimum calories. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to government data, Nepal's total food grain production reached 17.72 million metric tons in the fiscal year 2078/79. As per the government information, about 7,530,000 metric tons of consumable food can be obtained from the produce after deducting the amount of seeds, animal feed, storage and processing losses. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the results of the National Census and Household Survey 2078, the total population of Nepal is 29.1 million. It is said that about 5,867,000 metric tons of unprocessed food will be required for this population annually. Correlating to this data, there is about 1,663,000 metric tons of food in surplus in Nepal. But even though there is a food surplus, the stakeholders say that people are unable to get the prescribed calorie intake due to the weakness in the government’s policies and regulations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Increasing production and productivity is not a big deal. It is also an important whether all the people can get enough to eat or not. Because of their poor and weak financial condition, many people cannot consume the necessary calories. For that, it is important to emphasize on job growth. The government should take responsibility for their social security,” said Pandit.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr Hari Bahadur KC said India has a system of ration cards which Nepal lacks. Although the Food Sovereignty Act mentions that the government should take responsibility for the food security of the people, it is not accessible to everyone despite higher production.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022, 19 percent of children under the age of 5 in Nepal are underweight, 25 percent are stunted and 8 percent are undernourished. In addition, children are still deprived of access to sufficient clean and nutritious food according to their needs.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Even though the government data shows that the country is in a state of surplus food due to excess production to what the population needs, Nepal ironically imports food worth billions annually. Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Govinda Prasad Sharma said that all the food produced is not used for humans alone. According to him, a large amount of food is used as animal feed, so even though the production is higher, food has to be imported from outside.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19073', 'image' => '20231029014538_20230116032506_120238810_2409742145996788_1009834206072561128_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:44:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19344', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Express Bus Service on the Verge of Closure ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.', '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"">October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had launched the express bus service with an investment of Rs 20 million without necessary study. As a result, the service has almost come to a standstill.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 ministry has been running </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> buses along the the </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">13</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km Suryabinayak-Ratnapark route for delivering quick service during peak office hours. Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala had claimed that the express bus service was a great achievement in the transport sector. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A separate lane was painted with red colour for operating the express buses. It was said that express buses would ply on that lane from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">9</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> am to </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""> am and from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm daily. But now this service is in disarray.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Uddhav Prasad Rijal, director general of the Department of Transport Management, said that even though a separate lane has been arranged for express buses, the express bus service has not been effective as all the vehicles travel through the same lane. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 buses operating under the express bus service and other buses have been using the same lane, which has reduced its effectiveness," he said, adding, "We are still new in the matter of providing express transport services, we are still learning. There was little research before the operation of the express bus service. We will take the matter forward in a more effective manner after Tihar.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 express bus service has been criticized because the passengers of ordinary buses and other vehicles have had to face traffic congestion for hours because a separate lane was arranged in the name of express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Critics said that the express buses were given more priority than ambulances and fire engines. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Director General Rijal said that they are studying the prospect of making all public buses plying on the separate lane to be operated as express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 ministry claimed that the service was initiated only as a test and it is natural for some problems to arise in the management. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shubha Shrestha, information officer of the ministry, said that the express bus service will be made effective after further studies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19072', 'image' => '20231029010859_1698544107.3 bus.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:08:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19343', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Belt and Road Initiative Paves Way for Prosperous, Sustainable Future: Experts ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">With eight major steps and 458 outcomes announced at the gathering, the initiative is charting the course for a better connected world featuring prosperity, harmony and sustainability. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the past decade, China has signed more than 230 BRI cooperation agreements with over 150 countries and 30-plus international organizations. More than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Experts and officials said the initiative has delivered tangible benefits, offering more opportunities and pushing for an open, inclusive and interconnected world for common development. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">CONNECTIVITY BRINGS PROSPERITY </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Since its inception, many observers have envisaged the initiative would improve people's livelihood. Ten years on, the initiative has indeed promoted connectivity in BRI partners. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In some places once under colonial rule in Africa and South America, for example, transportation does not go through the continent, said Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China "has been doing a great deal to help both these continents open up internal transportation, and that will make a big difference to those countries' productivity," he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Asia, one good example is the China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, which runs 1,035 km, including 422 km in Laos, from the city of Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, to Lao capital Vientiane. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The China-Laos Railway has transformed Laos from a landlocked ASEAN member state to a land-linked country," said Ong Tee Keat, president of the BRI Caucus for Asia Pacific. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As a famous Chinese saying goes, "If you want to be wealthy, build roads first." Statistics show that two-way trade between China and ASEAN reached 975.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, more than double the 443.6 billion U.S. dollars recorded in 2013. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI remains committed to global connectivity and multilateralism in an era marked by de-globalization," Chheang Vannarith, president of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">TIMELY AND ESSENTIAL </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative has helped improve people's livelihood as the world is suffering from a slowing economy, rising interest rates, and higher inflation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Every participant of the initiative, which was proposed by China 10 years ago, is a winner, Alaa Thabet, editor-in-chief of Egypt's top daily Al-Ahram Newspaper, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The initiative has led to the construction of massive infrastructure projects across continents, including roads, railways, ports, and energy pipelines," said Thabet. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI is a timely initiative. Chinese initiatives are essential for humanity. They address global threats and promote the (building of a) community with a shared future," Egypt's former Prime Minister Essam Sharaf told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Over the past decade, more than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated, with an estimated investment of nearly 1 trillion U.S. dollars, Sharaf added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Based on the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, the initiative has the potential to make substantial contributions to a more reasonable and just global governance system and promote globalization, said Farhat Asif, president of the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a World Bank report, increased trade via Belt and Road cooperation is expected to raise global real income by 0.7 to 2.9 percent, and BRI projects could help lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The decade-old initiative has built up China's reputation as a responsible global player that seeks to pursue green and sustainable globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"On the ten-year anniversary we can declare the BRI an amazingly successful initiative," said Erik Solheim, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, he said, has contributed to very important green rail corridors in Kenya, Ethiopia, Laos and most recently Indonesia. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A white paper released ahead of the third BRF said the initiative embraces the global trend of green and low-carbon development, emphasizes respecting and protecting nature and following its laws, and respects the right of all parties to pursue sustainable and eco-friendly growth. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"As the world's largest manufacturer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles, China is well-placed to help enable the adoption of low-carbon technologies at scale in emerging economies and developing nations through the BRI," Damilola Ogunbiyi, special representative of the UN secretary-general for sustainable energy for all, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In pursuing the "dual goals" to peak its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, China has been improving the sustainability and efficiency of the BRI as an international public good, in line with the current trend of globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to one of the eight major steps announced by China last week in support of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the country will continue to promote green development and step up support for the BRI International Green Development Coalition. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China will also implement the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road, and provide 100,000 training opportunities for partner countries by 2030. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, as "a massive project" with "immense potential," can help accelerate efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Ghada Waly, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, told Xinhua. – Xinhua/RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19071', 'image' => '20231029120234_20231011113404_20201117123742_88500034 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 12:01:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19342', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Travelers Call for Improved Facilities to Ensure Safety on the Way to Phoksundo Lake', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.</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"">Better bridges and trails will most likely attract even more tourists, say the international and domestic tourists who visited Phoksundo Lake.</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"">Currently, tourists visiting the lake have to travel through the district headquarters of Jajarkot along the Mid-Hill Highway and spend a night at the district headquarters of Dolpa before reaching the lake. To reach the lake, the visitors have to cross a dozen of dilapidated wooden bridges built over the Suligad River.</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"">Life is at risk while crossing the river through the dilapidated wooden bridges, says Ram Prasad Khatri of Nalgad Municipality-8. One can reach Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa, by any means of transport. The lake is within a two-day walk from Suligad. </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"">It would be convenient for domestic and foreign tourists to reach the lake if there had been concrete bridges over the Suligad River and a reliable trekking route, according to stakeholders. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">At an elevation of 3,600 metres above the sea level, the lake spanning 4.94 square kilometres in area lies near the Rigmo village of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality-8. Although the depth of the lake is said to be 145 metres, the locals claim that it is 650 metres deep. </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 lake, which changes its colour from time to time according to the weather, is shaped like the English alphabet Y, and it also looks like a human lung from another angle. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Visitors have to use a foot trail to reach the Phoksundo Lake from Suligad via Kathepul, Thoso, Lapku and Sankul. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although the government has been building suspension bridges over most of rivers in Dolpa, the trail leading to Phoksundo Lake from Suligad still has wooden bridges which are in dilapidated condition.</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"">Nima Lama, ward chair of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality, argues that the wooden bridges need to be preserved along with the construction of suspension bridges.</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"">“As the area is a trekking route, the stakeholders should stress the need for the preservation of wooden bridges to attract tourists,” he said. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19070', 'image' => '20231029103644_20220904011304_bibek-raj-shrestha-z2m3t4z88aI-unsplash-1024x685.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 10:35:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity "" [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60]file not found!Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/indexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19359', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Manang becoming a Preferred Choice among Domestic Tourists', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Amrit Tamrakar of Hetauda visited Manang to make good use of the Dashain holidays.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: Amrit Tamrakar of Hetauda visited Manang to make good use of the Dashain holidays. He said, "I had been planning to visit Manang since a long time, but this year, I finally got the time to visit this beautiful place."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Like Tamrakar, Hari Tamang of Nuwakot is busy enjoying the natural beauty of Manang. According to Tamang, it is necessary to get proper information before the visit because the situation is getting colder and the risk is higher. He said that he is thoroughly enjoying the hospitality of Manang along with the experience of various customs, rituals, culture and traditions. “After coming here, you won’t feel like going back, you will want to keep enjoying the nature here,” said Tamang.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In recent years, the trend of Nepalis visiting various places has increased. They have started making full use of the vacation time. Nepalese returning home from abroad to celebrate Dashain and Tihar and students studying in colleges take advantage of the long vacation to visit Manang. Now, domestic tourists coming from different parts of Nepal to the Himalayan district of Manang have increased.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Thuten Lama, ward chairman of Nason Rural Municipality-1, said that the trend of Nepalis traveling within the country has increased which is evident from the rise in number of domestic tourists. According to him, the number of domestic tourists who come to Manang on a daily basis during the Dashain holiday has increased significantly. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">With the increase in domestic tourists, businessmen are happy with the expectation that the business that slowed down due to Covid-19 will pick up pace.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“With the arrival of domestic tourists, we are jam packed with work,” said Baburam Tamang, a hotel businessman, adding that 1,500 domestic tourists visit Manang daily during Dashain holidays. He said that now all the hotels in Manang are fully occupied.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">When domestic tourists visit Manang, the business of hotel and tourism increases. Binod Gurung, President of the Manang Association of Tourism Entrepreneurs said that the arrival of domestic tourists along with foreign tourists has breathed a new life to the business which was stagnant for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He suggested that tourists should get the necessary information for accommodation as there may be a problem of not getting a hotel in the cold weather.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"Only foreigners used to arrive here during this season in the past. Now, the arrival of domestic tourists has added great enthusiasm,” said Gurung. He further said that there are tourists in all types of hotels because this is the peak season. The best time to visit Manang is during the winter and before the beginning of the rainy season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In addition to seeing the Himalayan mountain peaks, Manang offers the visitors the experience of its unique customs and natural beauty. Some travel to Mustang from Manang en route to Pokhara through the Thorangla Pass. A large number of tourists visit Manang while trekking along the Annapurna Circuit. The entrance to Annapurna Circuit is Lamjung’s Besisahar, which leads to Manange Chautara. Tourists start their journey from here and travel to Mustang. The Annapurna Circuit covers five districts including Lamjung, Manang, Mustang, Myagdi and Kaski.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19087', 'image' => '20231030012939_20220928123415_Manang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 13:28:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19358', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Flower Business Expands by 33 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: The commercial business of flowers in Nepal has increased by 33.5 percent in one year. According to the data of the Floriculture Association of Nepal, the flower business increased after the decline in the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: The commercial business of flowers in Nepal has increased by 33.5 percent in one year. According to the data of the Floriculture Association of Nepal, the flower business increased after the decline in the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the fiscal year (FY) 2075/76, the flower business saw an annual turnover of Rs 2.42 billion, but due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the turnover slumped to Rs 1.63 billion in the following two years – FY 2076/77 and FY 2077/78. However, the business increased in the following years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the association, in the fiscal year 2078/79, the turnover was worth Rs 2.3 billion, which increased to Rs 3.7 billion in FY 2079/80.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Min Bahadur Tamang, president of the association, said that under normal conditions, the flower business grows by 10 to 15 percent annually, but it slowed down due to Covid-19 pandemic. He says that there has been improvement since the last two years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the association, at present, 221 hectares of land in 48 districts are cultivated with flowers. More than 1,000 farmers are involved in floriculture in Nepal while 44,000 people are employed directly and indirectly in this business.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, in FY 2079/80, flowers and floral products worth Rs 6.8 million were exported from Nepal while the imports accounted to Rs 33 million.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">16th Godavari Flower Exhibition</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The 16th Godavari Flower Exhibition is going to be held from October 31 to November 4 with the slogan 'Plant Chrysanthemum flowers, decorate your house and yard'. Aiming at the upcoming Tihar and Chhath festivals, the association is going to hold exhibition this year just like every year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There will be 55 commercial stalls, two competitive stalls and five informational stalls in the exhibition to be held at the Jawalakhel sports ground in Lalitpur.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It is estimated that more than 40,000 people will observe the exhibition, which will be inaugurated by Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister Beduram Bhusal. Fair coordinator Sitaram Panta said that they are expecting transaction of more than Rs 10 million at the exhibition. Organizers believe that this fair will help in commercial promotion of Chrysanthemum flower, development of timely varieties of flowers and to ensure quality production.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19086', 'image' => '20231030012753_20221012125640_74357524_3206364359438719_5295578166390161408_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 13:27:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19357', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Hetauda Cement Industry Halts Production due to Shortage of Coal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Hetauda Cement Industry has suspended production as it could not buy coal in time due to financial crunch. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: Hetauda Cement Industry has suspended production as it could not buy coal in time due to financial crunch. The industry consumes 3,600 metric tonnes coal per month. General Manager of the industry Basanta Raj Pandey said that the industry was in operation before the start of the Dashain festival and had produced 300,000 sacks of cement during that period. He shared that they had to suspend production as they could not buy coal from third countries due to financial crisis. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to him, the line minister and the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies have been informed of this dire situation of the industry, and the production can be resumed if the federal government provides financial assistance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He added that preparation has been made for selling a total 300,000 sacks of cement to various cities, including Kathmandu, and the income from this would be used for purchasing coal. </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 Hetauda Cement Industry has around 390 employees. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19085', 'image' => '20231030125618_20230224111424_cementtttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 12:54:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19356', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Seeks Leadership Role in UN Peacekeeping Mission ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: President Ram Chandra Paudel has drawn attention of the United Nations high-level delegation on addressing the challenges posed by the impact of climate change in Nepal, conclusion of the peace process, Nepal's contributions to the UN peacekeeping mission and the issue of leadership, and other contemporary issues. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: President Ram Chandra Paudel has drawn attention of the United Nations high-level delegation on addressing the challenges posed by the impact of climate change in Nepal, conclusion of the peace process, Nepal's contributions to the UN peacekeeping mission and the issue of leadership, and other contemporary issues. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During a meeting with the visiting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at Shital Niwas on Sunday, President Paudel called for serious attention to this end stating that Nepal was facing serious impacts of climate change though Nepal itself was not a cause of climate change. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">President Paudel's press advisor Kiran Pokharel said that the president urged the UN delegation to take initiatives to prod the developed countries to fulfill their responsibilities on the climate change issues. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We are not the cause of climate change. We are suffering due to excessive carbon emissions from other countries. Against this backdrop, the UN should ask the polluters to fulfill their responsibilities. We faced the impacts of the climate change and now the entire world and humanity has to suffer. So, let's make collective efforts against this. The UN should take its leadership," press advisor Pokharel quoted the president as saying. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, President Paudel said that the Government of Nepal was working to complete the remaining tasks of the peace process as per the Comprehensive Peace Accord. President Paudel also made commitment to complete the remaining tasks of the peace process on the basis of principle of reconciliation by considering the court's verdicts and also the concerns of the UN. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, President Paudel requested the UN secretary-general to provide leading responsibility to Nepal stating that Nepal is the second largest contributor to the UN Peacekeeping Mission. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, the UN Secretary-General said that he arrived in Nepal to give a message to the world about the negative impacts of climate change. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He also shared his three agendas of visit to Nepal and said that they are giving message to the world about Nepal's successful peace process, impacts of climate change and reducing inequality. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The meeting was attended by Foreign Affairs Minister Narayan Prakash Saud, advisors at the Office of the President and high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19084', 'image' => '20231030070651_ANI_2463.JPG', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 07:06:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19355', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India's New Policy Likely to Secure Good Market for Nepal's Hydropower Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: The Government of India has revised its policy on energy allowing the imported hydroelectricity also to be considered as part of its renewable energy.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: The Government of India has revised its policy on energy allowing the imported hydroelectricity also to be considered as part of its renewable energy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Publishing a notice in the Gazette of India on October 20, the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy of India has specified the minimum share of imported hydroelectricity under its renewable energy. The notice reads that the new policy will be valid from 2024 to 2030. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the new rule, the Government of India has fixed the quota of Hydropower Purchase Obligation (HPO) for licensed distribution companies and purchasers of India considering the imported hydroelectricity from neighboring countries as its renewable energy source. Until now, the HPO rule had been valid only for the hydroelectricity generated in India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India has set the target to increase the share of renewable energy in its energy consumption to 29.91 percent by 2025, and to 43.33 percent by 2030. For this, the hydropower sector is expected to contribute 0.38 percent by 2025 and 1.33 percent by 2030.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">For this purpose, India has allowed considering the output of only those hydropower plants that will start their production after March 31, 2024. The new provision talks about making it mandatory for the companies concerned to maintain the specified share of HPO within the given timeline.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kulman Ghising said that if the new system of compulsory hydropower purchase is implemented, it will benefit Nepal, India and Bhutan. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“We had been urging India for a long time to arrange for the inclusion of electricity purchased from hydropower projects outside its country in the HPO, and now it has been included. This will make it easier for India's electricity distribution companies and buyers to purchase electricity from hydropower projects in Nepal," Executive Director Ghising said, adding, "If this system is implemented practically, Nepal's hydropower will get a good market in India."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NEA has been exporting surplus electricity to India during the rainy season. The NEA has been selling around 110 MW of electricity to the Indian company NTPC Vidyut Vyar Nigam Ltd (NVVN) through competitive bids in the day-ahead market of IEX and under the medium-term power agreement. NVVN is selling the electricity purchased from Nepal in the state of Haryana.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Nepal Electricity Authority has received approval for the export of 632 MW to India including 522 MW of electricity in the competitive market of India and 110 MW to NVVN.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NEA exported electricity worth Rs 11.80 billion to India from mid-May to mid-October.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal has set an ambitious target of producing 15,000 MW of electricity by 2030. Due to its failure to export adequate amount of electricity, the country has been facing wastage of around 500 MW of electricity on a daily basis.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19083', 'image' => '20231030070550_Grid.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 07:05:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19352', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Thai Airways International Resumes Kathmandu-Bangkok Flights', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Thai Airways International, the national flag carrier of Thailand, has resumed its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights from October 29. The airlines had suspended its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights since March 25, 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt"> October 29: The Thai Airways International, the national flag carrier of Thailand, has resumed its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights from October 29. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The airlines had suspended its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights since March 25, 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">General Manager of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Pratap Babu Tiwari confirmed that the Thai Airways International restarted its flight. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Likewise, the flights of Thai Smile stopped its flight to Kathmandu from October 29 itself.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The Thai Airways International had begun its service in Nepal in December 1968. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The TIA Office has said that Nepal's international flights reached the pre-COVID-19 status. (RSS) </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19082', 'image' => '20231030064108_collage (5).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:39:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19354', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal's Trade Deficit Rises to Rs 366 Billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: During the first three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s trade deficit soared to more than Rs 366.88 billion.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: During the first three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s trade deficit soared to more than Rs 366.88 billion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the same period last year, the trade deficit was over Rs 359.17 billion. The trade deficit has inclined due to the increase in imports while the exports from Nepal have not increased in the same proportion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the data released by the Department of Customs on Sunday, Nepal imported goods worth Rs 407.75 billion in the review period while the exports stood at just Rs 40.87 billion. According to the Department of Customs, the trade deficit this year has increased by 2.15 percent compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This year, the share of imported goods has increased by 1.69 percent compared to last year. On the other hand, Nepal's exports decreased by 2.26 percent during the review period, according to the data of the Department of Customs. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal has the largest trade deficit with India. In the three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal's trade deficit with India stood at Rs 224.36 billion. Similarly, the trade deficit with China was Rs 79.8 billion, according to the department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal has a trade deficit of Rs 5.55 billion with the UAE, Rs 4.73 billion with Ukraine and Rs 4.5 billion with Malaysia.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19081', 'image' => '20231030064416_Trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:43:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19351', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company Imparts Two-Day Training Programmes to Employees', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company has provided training to its employees. The company provided training to its employees in Janakpur, the capital of Province 2, with the aim of enhancing the professional skills of employees working in the Madhesh Province on October 13 and 14.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">October 30: Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company has provided training to its employees. T</span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">he company provided training to its employees in Janakpur, the capital of Province 2, with the aim of enhancing the professional skills of employees working in the Madhesh Province on October 13 and 14. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Kushum Sharma, the Chief of the Madhes Province Office of the Nepal Insurance Regulatory Authority, was the chief guest at the programme. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">National Coordinator, Provincial Chief, and Department Heads of Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company gave their respective presentations to the participants.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19080', 'image' => '20231030062652_collage (4).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:25:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19353', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Chinese Economy to Grow 5.2 Percent in 2023: IFF Report ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on Saturday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on Saturday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global growth is projected to slow further this year at 3.1 percent, and is likely to remain weak at the same level in 2024, according to the IFF 2023 Global Finance and Development Report released during the IFF 20th Anniversary and Annual Meeting held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The report said that the monetary tightening cycle in most countries is likely to end by 2024. However, monetary and financial tightening are likely to continue and further depress demand growth and slow the global recovery. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It therefore forecast the global economy to grow by 3.1 percent in 2024, with developed economies growing by 1.3 percent and developing economies by 4.3 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global community should work together to address both short-and-longer-term challenges. Countries should pursue international cooperation and multilateralism in dealing with common challenges, including reducing poverty, protecting environment and mitigating climate change, resolving cross-country conflicts and reducing geopolitical tensions, said the report. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The International Finance Forum (IFF) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental international organization founded in Beijing in October 2003, established by financial leaders from more than 20 countries and regions including China, the United States, the European Union, emerging countries as well as leaders of international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. – Xinhua/RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19079', 'image' => '20231030064249_j1698580339.abhiyan (28).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:42:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19347', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Visitors Up in Mardi Himal Foot Trail during Dashain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly.', '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"">October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly. Since the start of Dashain, occupancy of hotels and restaurants has been full due to the increase in the number of tourists on this tour. Businessmen say that the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists has been encouraging since Ghatasthapana, the first day of the Dashain festival. Meanwhile, the arrival of tourists has increased sharply since the day after the celebration of Dashain.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi trail is one of the best trekking routes that can be done in a short time. It is the preferred choice of most of the people because it is possible to return to Pokhara in three days and two nights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tourists are attracted by the snow-capped mountains, lush green forests, beautiful hills and settlements along the trail.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 attraction of foreign and domestic tourists towards this trekking route is increasing year by year as there is an opportunity to see more than half a dozen mountains including Mt Machhapuchhre, Mardi, Annapurna South, Himchuli, Annapurna First, Gangapurna, Gandharva Chuli.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Raj Kumar Tamang, chairman of the Mardi Trek Tourism Management Committee, said that around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">400</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> domestic and foreign tourists are now enjoying the Mardi trek on a daily basis. According to him, with the increase in the number of tourists, businessmen are elated.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“We are excited by the current increase in arrival of tourists, which has been affected by the Covid-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">19. </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Since the day after Dashain, we have been struggling to manage the tourists," said Tamang.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">60</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> hotels and restaurants along the Mardi foot trail. It has the capacity to accommodate around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">550</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> tourists per day. It is said that the daily arrival of tourists is more than </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prakash Baral, a member of the provincial assembly of Gandaki Province, who did the Mardi trek two days ago, said that he was thrilled during the journey. He said that with the beautiful view from the "view point", all the fatigue and suffering experienced during the trek will be forgotten in one moment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Mardi trek has become the main choice of domestic tourists. This has contributed to the economic activity. There is no problem for fooding and lodging. It is a perfect destination for family travel,” said Baral.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Stating that the tourists are facing problems due to the lack of toilets at the "view point", Provincial Assembly member Baral said that he will take initiative with the provincial government to solve the problem.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi foot trail starts after a jeep ride to Kalimati and Siding through Ghalel of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, which is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">22</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km away from Pokhara. From there, one can climb uphill through the forest path and reach the Low Camp located at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2,970</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">From the Low Camp, the trail leads to the High Camp, view point and then the Mardi Himal base camp at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4,500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters. From the 'view point', one can enjoy the view of the Pokhara valley and other places with more than half a dozen mountains.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Most of the tourists reach Mardi Himal base camp through Ghalel, Kanoning and return to Pokhara via Lwang, also known as the tea village. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shiv Bhandari, the owner of Hotel Kalimati, which is located along the foot trail, said that the Mardi foot trail is a short trek that can be completed even during one or two days’ vacation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19075', 'image' => '20231029024955_20230305101707_20230304102843_20220718030551_fishtail-seen-from-mardi-himal-base-camp.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:49:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19346', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Capital Gains Tax Increases by Rs 80 Million', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. More than Rs 140.06 million were collected in mid-August to mid-September, but more than Rs 219.57 million were collected in mid-September to mid-October.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the information provided by Suresh Neupane, the information officer of CDS and Clearing Limited (CDSC), more than Rs 157.6 million were collected from short-term investors and more than Rs 61.9 million from long-term investors in the review month.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking at the data of CDSC, it seems that short-term investors have been more active in the secondary market in the last month as well. Brokers say that due to the lack of stability in market-related policy, investors are also active in booking profits in a short period of time. By mid-September, the securities market, NEPSE, stood at 1,964.91 points. In mid-October, the NEPSE was down to 1,864.62 points. Comparing the data of two months, NEPSE took a nosedive of 100.29 points. The income of the government increased despite the downfall of the secondary market. Brokers estimate that investors who are active in short-term trading made profit in mid-October based on the dividends of listed companies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government collects tax by dividing the investors who deal in the secondary market of securities into two types in the case of individual investors. By dividing those who hold shares for more than 1 year as long-term investors and those who hold shares for less than that as short-term investors, the government collects capital gains tax of 7.5 percent for short-term investors and 5 percent for long-term investors. Institutional investors have to pay 10 percent capital gains tax. These investors have to pay capital gains tax based on the weighted average cost if they have made a profit from the securities business.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stakeholders say that if the government's income can be increased along with the income of investors in the securities market, the confidence of the general public in the securities market will increase. The regulatory body of the capital market, SEBON, is currently working on the necessary legislation to increase institutional investors in the market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chairman of the board, Ramesh Kumar Hamal informed that in the coming days, work will be done to prepare the law to allow non-resident Nepali to enter the securities market as institutional investors. Hamal emphasized that for the sustainable development of the market, institutional investors should be brought forward as well.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19074', 'image' => '20231029022456_1698547751.1695517713.1692935579.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:23:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19345', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '21 Percent Nepalis Lack Minimum Calorie Intake Requirement', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. According to Januka Pandit, deputy director general of Department of Agriculture, the problem of people not getting enough calories has not improved yet as 21 percent of the common people are deprived of the necessary calories even now. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The World Food Organization's standard for adult requirement is a minimum of 2,220 calories per day. The government does not even have the data on how many calories are consumed by the 21 percent of people who do not have access to minimum calories. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to government data, Nepal's total food grain production reached 17.72 million metric tons in the fiscal year 2078/79. As per the government information, about 7,530,000 metric tons of consumable food can be obtained from the produce after deducting the amount of seeds, animal feed, storage and processing losses. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the results of the National Census and Household Survey 2078, the total population of Nepal is 29.1 million. It is said that about 5,867,000 metric tons of unprocessed food will be required for this population annually. Correlating to this data, there is about 1,663,000 metric tons of food in surplus in Nepal. But even though there is a food surplus, the stakeholders say that people are unable to get the prescribed calorie intake due to the weakness in the government’s policies and regulations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Increasing production and productivity is not a big deal. It is also an important whether all the people can get enough to eat or not. Because of their poor and weak financial condition, many people cannot consume the necessary calories. For that, it is important to emphasize on job growth. The government should take responsibility for their social security,” said Pandit.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr Hari Bahadur KC said India has a system of ration cards which Nepal lacks. Although the Food Sovereignty Act mentions that the government should take responsibility for the food security of the people, it is not accessible to everyone despite higher production.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022, 19 percent of children under the age of 5 in Nepal are underweight, 25 percent are stunted and 8 percent are undernourished. In addition, children are still deprived of access to sufficient clean and nutritious food according to their needs.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Even though the government data shows that the country is in a state of surplus food due to excess production to what the population needs, Nepal ironically imports food worth billions annually. Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Govinda Prasad Sharma said that all the food produced is not used for humans alone. According to him, a large amount of food is used as animal feed, so even though the production is higher, food has to be imported from outside.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19073', 'image' => '20231029014538_20230116032506_120238810_2409742145996788_1009834206072561128_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:44:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19344', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Express Bus Service on the Verge of Closure ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.', '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"">October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had launched the express bus service with an investment of Rs 20 million without necessary study. As a result, the service has almost come to a standstill.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 ministry has been running </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> buses along the the </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">13</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km Suryabinayak-Ratnapark route for delivering quick service during peak office hours. Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala had claimed that the express bus service was a great achievement in the transport sector. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A separate lane was painted with red colour for operating the express buses. It was said that express buses would ply on that lane from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">9</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> am to </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""> am and from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm daily. But now this service is in disarray.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Uddhav Prasad Rijal, director general of the Department of Transport Management, said that even though a separate lane has been arranged for express buses, the express bus service has not been effective as all the vehicles travel through the same lane. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 buses operating under the express bus service and other buses have been using the same lane, which has reduced its effectiveness," he said, adding, "We are still new in the matter of providing express transport services, we are still learning. There was little research before the operation of the express bus service. We will take the matter forward in a more effective manner after Tihar.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 express bus service has been criticized because the passengers of ordinary buses and other vehicles have had to face traffic congestion for hours because a separate lane was arranged in the name of express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Critics said that the express buses were given more priority than ambulances and fire engines. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Director General Rijal said that they are studying the prospect of making all public buses plying on the separate lane to be operated as express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 ministry claimed that the service was initiated only as a test and it is natural for some problems to arise in the management. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shubha Shrestha, information officer of the ministry, said that the express bus service will be made effective after further studies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19072', 'image' => '20231029010859_1698544107.3 bus.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:08:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19343', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Belt and Road Initiative Paves Way for Prosperous, Sustainable Future: Experts ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">With eight major steps and 458 outcomes announced at the gathering, the initiative is charting the course for a better connected world featuring prosperity, harmony and sustainability. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the past decade, China has signed more than 230 BRI cooperation agreements with over 150 countries and 30-plus international organizations. More than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Experts and officials said the initiative has delivered tangible benefits, offering more opportunities and pushing for an open, inclusive and interconnected world for common development. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">CONNECTIVITY BRINGS PROSPERITY </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Since its inception, many observers have envisaged the initiative would improve people's livelihood. Ten years on, the initiative has indeed promoted connectivity in BRI partners. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In some places once under colonial rule in Africa and South America, for example, transportation does not go through the continent, said Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China "has been doing a great deal to help both these continents open up internal transportation, and that will make a big difference to those countries' productivity," he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Asia, one good example is the China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, which runs 1,035 km, including 422 km in Laos, from the city of Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, to Lao capital Vientiane. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The China-Laos Railway has transformed Laos from a landlocked ASEAN member state to a land-linked country," said Ong Tee Keat, president of the BRI Caucus for Asia Pacific. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As a famous Chinese saying goes, "If you want to be wealthy, build roads first." Statistics show that two-way trade between China and ASEAN reached 975.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, more than double the 443.6 billion U.S. dollars recorded in 2013. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI remains committed to global connectivity and multilateralism in an era marked by de-globalization," Chheang Vannarith, president of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">TIMELY AND ESSENTIAL </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative has helped improve people's livelihood as the world is suffering from a slowing economy, rising interest rates, and higher inflation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Every participant of the initiative, which was proposed by China 10 years ago, is a winner, Alaa Thabet, editor-in-chief of Egypt's top daily Al-Ahram Newspaper, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The initiative has led to the construction of massive infrastructure projects across continents, including roads, railways, ports, and energy pipelines," said Thabet. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI is a timely initiative. Chinese initiatives are essential for humanity. They address global threats and promote the (building of a) community with a shared future," Egypt's former Prime Minister Essam Sharaf told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Over the past decade, more than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated, with an estimated investment of nearly 1 trillion U.S. dollars, Sharaf added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Based on the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, the initiative has the potential to make substantial contributions to a more reasonable and just global governance system and promote globalization, said Farhat Asif, president of the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a World Bank report, increased trade via Belt and Road cooperation is expected to raise global real income by 0.7 to 2.9 percent, and BRI projects could help lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The decade-old initiative has built up China's reputation as a responsible global player that seeks to pursue green and sustainable globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"On the ten-year anniversary we can declare the BRI an amazingly successful initiative," said Erik Solheim, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, he said, has contributed to very important green rail corridors in Kenya, Ethiopia, Laos and most recently Indonesia. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A white paper released ahead of the third BRF said the initiative embraces the global trend of green and low-carbon development, emphasizes respecting and protecting nature and following its laws, and respects the right of all parties to pursue sustainable and eco-friendly growth. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"As the world's largest manufacturer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles, China is well-placed to help enable the adoption of low-carbon technologies at scale in emerging economies and developing nations through the BRI," Damilola Ogunbiyi, special representative of the UN secretary-general for sustainable energy for all, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In pursuing the "dual goals" to peak its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, China has been improving the sustainability and efficiency of the BRI as an international public good, in line with the current trend of globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to one of the eight major steps announced by China last week in support of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the country will continue to promote green development and step up support for the BRI International Green Development Coalition. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China will also implement the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road, and provide 100,000 training opportunities for partner countries by 2030. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, as "a massive project" with "immense potential," can help accelerate efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Ghada Waly, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, told Xinhua. – Xinhua/RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19071', 'image' => '20231029120234_20231011113404_20201117123742_88500034 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 12:01:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19342', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Travelers Call for Improved Facilities to Ensure Safety on the Way to Phoksundo Lake', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.</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"">Better bridges and trails will most likely attract even more tourists, say the international and domestic tourists who visited Phoksundo Lake.</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"">Currently, tourists visiting the lake have to travel through the district headquarters of Jajarkot along the Mid-Hill Highway and spend a night at the district headquarters of Dolpa before reaching the lake. To reach the lake, the visitors have to cross a dozen of dilapidated wooden bridges built over the Suligad River.</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"">Life is at risk while crossing the river through the dilapidated wooden bridges, says Ram Prasad Khatri of Nalgad Municipality-8. One can reach Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa, by any means of transport. The lake is within a two-day walk from Suligad. </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"">It would be convenient for domestic and foreign tourists to reach the lake if there had been concrete bridges over the Suligad River and a reliable trekking route, according to stakeholders. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">At an elevation of 3,600 metres above the sea level, the lake spanning 4.94 square kilometres in area lies near the Rigmo village of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality-8. Although the depth of the lake is said to be 145 metres, the locals claim that it is 650 metres deep. </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 lake, which changes its colour from time to time according to the weather, is shaped like the English alphabet Y, and it also looks like a human lung from another angle. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Visitors have to use a foot trail to reach the Phoksundo Lake from Suligad via Kathepul, Thoso, Lapku and Sankul. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although the government has been building suspension bridges over most of rivers in Dolpa, the trail leading to Phoksundo Lake from Suligad still has wooden bridges which are in dilapidated condition.</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"">Nima Lama, ward chair of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality, argues that the wooden bridges need to be preserved along with the construction of suspension bridges.</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"">“As the area is a trekking route, the stakeholders should stress the need for the preservation of wooden bridges to attract tourists,” he said. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19070', 'image' => '20231029103644_20220904011304_bibek-raj-shrestha-z2m3t4z88aI-unsplash-1024x685.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 10:35:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19359', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Manang becoming a Preferred Choice among Domestic Tourists', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Amrit Tamrakar of Hetauda visited Manang to make good use of the Dashain holidays.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: Amrit Tamrakar of Hetauda visited Manang to make good use of the Dashain holidays. He said, "I had been planning to visit Manang since a long time, but this year, I finally got the time to visit this beautiful place."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Like Tamrakar, Hari Tamang of Nuwakot is busy enjoying the natural beauty of Manang. According to Tamang, it is necessary to get proper information before the visit because the situation is getting colder and the risk is higher. He said that he is thoroughly enjoying the hospitality of Manang along with the experience of various customs, rituals, culture and traditions. “After coming here, you won’t feel like going back, you will want to keep enjoying the nature here,” said Tamang.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In recent years, the trend of Nepalis visiting various places has increased. They have started making full use of the vacation time. Nepalese returning home from abroad to celebrate Dashain and Tihar and students studying in colleges take advantage of the long vacation to visit Manang. Now, domestic tourists coming from different parts of Nepal to the Himalayan district of Manang have increased.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Thuten Lama, ward chairman of Nason Rural Municipality-1, said that the trend of Nepalis traveling within the country has increased which is evident from the rise in number of domestic tourists. According to him, the number of domestic tourists who come to Manang on a daily basis during the Dashain holiday has increased significantly. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">With the increase in domestic tourists, businessmen are happy with the expectation that the business that slowed down due to Covid-19 will pick up pace.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“With the arrival of domestic tourists, we are jam packed with work,” said Baburam Tamang, a hotel businessman, adding that 1,500 domestic tourists visit Manang daily during Dashain holidays. He said that now all the hotels in Manang are fully occupied.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">When domestic tourists visit Manang, the business of hotel and tourism increases. Binod Gurung, President of the Manang Association of Tourism Entrepreneurs said that the arrival of domestic tourists along with foreign tourists has breathed a new life to the business which was stagnant for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He suggested that tourists should get the necessary information for accommodation as there may be a problem of not getting a hotel in the cold weather.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"Only foreigners used to arrive here during this season in the past. Now, the arrival of domestic tourists has added great enthusiasm,” said Gurung. He further said that there are tourists in all types of hotels because this is the peak season. The best time to visit Manang is during the winter and before the beginning of the rainy season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In addition to seeing the Himalayan mountain peaks, Manang offers the visitors the experience of its unique customs and natural beauty. Some travel to Mustang from Manang en route to Pokhara through the Thorangla Pass. A large number of tourists visit Manang while trekking along the Annapurna Circuit. The entrance to Annapurna Circuit is Lamjung’s Besisahar, which leads to Manange Chautara. Tourists start their journey from here and travel to Mustang. The Annapurna Circuit covers five districts including Lamjung, Manang, Mustang, Myagdi and Kaski.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19087', 'image' => '20231030012939_20220928123415_Manang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 13:28:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19358', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Flower Business Expands by 33 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: The commercial business of flowers in Nepal has increased by 33.5 percent in one year. According to the data of the Floriculture Association of Nepal, the flower business increased after the decline in the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: The commercial business of flowers in Nepal has increased by 33.5 percent in one year. According to the data of the Floriculture Association of Nepal, the flower business increased after the decline in the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the fiscal year (FY) 2075/76, the flower business saw an annual turnover of Rs 2.42 billion, but due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the turnover slumped to Rs 1.63 billion in the following two years – FY 2076/77 and FY 2077/78. However, the business increased in the following years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the association, in the fiscal year 2078/79, the turnover was worth Rs 2.3 billion, which increased to Rs 3.7 billion in FY 2079/80.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Min Bahadur Tamang, president of the association, said that under normal conditions, the flower business grows by 10 to 15 percent annually, but it slowed down due to Covid-19 pandemic. He says that there has been improvement since the last two years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the association, at present, 221 hectares of land in 48 districts are cultivated with flowers. More than 1,000 farmers are involved in floriculture in Nepal while 44,000 people are employed directly and indirectly in this business.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, in FY 2079/80, flowers and floral products worth Rs 6.8 million were exported from Nepal while the imports accounted to Rs 33 million.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">16th Godavari Flower Exhibition</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The 16th Godavari Flower Exhibition is going to be held from October 31 to November 4 with the slogan 'Plant Chrysanthemum flowers, decorate your house and yard'. Aiming at the upcoming Tihar and Chhath festivals, the association is going to hold exhibition this year just like every year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There will be 55 commercial stalls, two competitive stalls and five informational stalls in the exhibition to be held at the Jawalakhel sports ground in Lalitpur.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It is estimated that more than 40,000 people will observe the exhibition, which will be inaugurated by Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister Beduram Bhusal. Fair coordinator Sitaram Panta said that they are expecting transaction of more than Rs 10 million at the exhibition. Organizers believe that this fair will help in commercial promotion of Chrysanthemum flower, development of timely varieties of flowers and to ensure quality production.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19086', 'image' => '20231030012753_20221012125640_74357524_3206364359438719_5295578166390161408_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 13:27:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19357', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Hetauda Cement Industry Halts Production due to Shortage of Coal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Hetauda Cement Industry has suspended production as it could not buy coal in time due to financial crunch. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: Hetauda Cement Industry has suspended production as it could not buy coal in time due to financial crunch. The industry consumes 3,600 metric tonnes coal per month. General Manager of the industry Basanta Raj Pandey said that the industry was in operation before the start of the Dashain festival and had produced 300,000 sacks of cement during that period. He shared that they had to suspend production as they could not buy coal from third countries due to financial crisis. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to him, the line minister and the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies have been informed of this dire situation of the industry, and the production can be resumed if the federal government provides financial assistance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He added that preparation has been made for selling a total 300,000 sacks of cement to various cities, including Kathmandu, and the income from this would be used for purchasing coal. </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 Hetauda Cement Industry has around 390 employees. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19085', 'image' => '20231030125618_20230224111424_cementtttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 12:54:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19356', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Seeks Leadership Role in UN Peacekeeping Mission ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: President Ram Chandra Paudel has drawn attention of the United Nations high-level delegation on addressing the challenges posed by the impact of climate change in Nepal, conclusion of the peace process, Nepal's contributions to the UN peacekeeping mission and the issue of leadership, and other contemporary issues. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: President Ram Chandra Paudel has drawn attention of the United Nations high-level delegation on addressing the challenges posed by the impact of climate change in Nepal, conclusion of the peace process, Nepal's contributions to the UN peacekeeping mission and the issue of leadership, and other contemporary issues. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During a meeting with the visiting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at Shital Niwas on Sunday, President Paudel called for serious attention to this end stating that Nepal was facing serious impacts of climate change though Nepal itself was not a cause of climate change. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">President Paudel's press advisor Kiran Pokharel said that the president urged the UN delegation to take initiatives to prod the developed countries to fulfill their responsibilities on the climate change issues. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We are not the cause of climate change. We are suffering due to excessive carbon emissions from other countries. Against this backdrop, the UN should ask the polluters to fulfill their responsibilities. We faced the impacts of the climate change and now the entire world and humanity has to suffer. So, let's make collective efforts against this. The UN should take its leadership," press advisor Pokharel quoted the president as saying. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, President Paudel said that the Government of Nepal was working to complete the remaining tasks of the peace process as per the Comprehensive Peace Accord. President Paudel also made commitment to complete the remaining tasks of the peace process on the basis of principle of reconciliation by considering the court's verdicts and also the concerns of the UN. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, President Paudel requested the UN secretary-general to provide leading responsibility to Nepal stating that Nepal is the second largest contributor to the UN Peacekeeping Mission. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, the UN Secretary-General said that he arrived in Nepal to give a message to the world about the negative impacts of climate change. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He also shared his three agendas of visit to Nepal and said that they are giving message to the world about Nepal's successful peace process, impacts of climate change and reducing inequality. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The meeting was attended by Foreign Affairs Minister Narayan Prakash Saud, advisors at the Office of the President and high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19084', 'image' => '20231030070651_ANI_2463.JPG', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 07:06:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19355', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India's New Policy Likely to Secure Good Market for Nepal's Hydropower Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: The Government of India has revised its policy on energy allowing the imported hydroelectricity also to be considered as part of its renewable energy.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: The Government of India has revised its policy on energy allowing the imported hydroelectricity also to be considered as part of its renewable energy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Publishing a notice in the Gazette of India on October 20, the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy of India has specified the minimum share of imported hydroelectricity under its renewable energy. The notice reads that the new policy will be valid from 2024 to 2030. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the new rule, the Government of India has fixed the quota of Hydropower Purchase Obligation (HPO) for licensed distribution companies and purchasers of India considering the imported hydroelectricity from neighboring countries as its renewable energy source. Until now, the HPO rule had been valid only for the hydroelectricity generated in India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India has set the target to increase the share of renewable energy in its energy consumption to 29.91 percent by 2025, and to 43.33 percent by 2030. For this, the hydropower sector is expected to contribute 0.38 percent by 2025 and 1.33 percent by 2030.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">For this purpose, India has allowed considering the output of only those hydropower plants that will start their production after March 31, 2024. The new provision talks about making it mandatory for the companies concerned to maintain the specified share of HPO within the given timeline.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kulman Ghising said that if the new system of compulsory hydropower purchase is implemented, it will benefit Nepal, India and Bhutan. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“We had been urging India for a long time to arrange for the inclusion of electricity purchased from hydropower projects outside its country in the HPO, and now it has been included. This will make it easier for India's electricity distribution companies and buyers to purchase electricity from hydropower projects in Nepal," Executive Director Ghising said, adding, "If this system is implemented practically, Nepal's hydropower will get a good market in India."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NEA has been exporting surplus electricity to India during the rainy season. The NEA has been selling around 110 MW of electricity to the Indian company NTPC Vidyut Vyar Nigam Ltd (NVVN) through competitive bids in the day-ahead market of IEX and under the medium-term power agreement. NVVN is selling the electricity purchased from Nepal in the state of Haryana.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Nepal Electricity Authority has received approval for the export of 632 MW to India including 522 MW of electricity in the competitive market of India and 110 MW to NVVN.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NEA exported electricity worth Rs 11.80 billion to India from mid-May to mid-October.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal has set an ambitious target of producing 15,000 MW of electricity by 2030. Due to its failure to export adequate amount of electricity, the country has been facing wastage of around 500 MW of electricity on a daily basis.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19083', 'image' => '20231030070550_Grid.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 07:05:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19352', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Thai Airways International Resumes Kathmandu-Bangkok Flights', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Thai Airways International, the national flag carrier of Thailand, has resumed its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights from October 29. The airlines had suspended its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights since March 25, 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt"> October 29: The Thai Airways International, the national flag carrier of Thailand, has resumed its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights from October 29. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The airlines had suspended its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights since March 25, 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">General Manager of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Pratap Babu Tiwari confirmed that the Thai Airways International restarted its flight. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Likewise, the flights of Thai Smile stopped its flight to Kathmandu from October 29 itself.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The Thai Airways International had begun its service in Nepal in December 1968. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The TIA Office has said that Nepal's international flights reached the pre-COVID-19 status. (RSS) </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19082', 'image' => '20231030064108_collage (5).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:39:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19354', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal's Trade Deficit Rises to Rs 366 Billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: During the first three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s trade deficit soared to more than Rs 366.88 billion.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: During the first three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s trade deficit soared to more than Rs 366.88 billion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the same period last year, the trade deficit was over Rs 359.17 billion. The trade deficit has inclined due to the increase in imports while the exports from Nepal have not increased in the same proportion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the data released by the Department of Customs on Sunday, Nepal imported goods worth Rs 407.75 billion in the review period while the exports stood at just Rs 40.87 billion. According to the Department of Customs, the trade deficit this year has increased by 2.15 percent compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This year, the share of imported goods has increased by 1.69 percent compared to last year. On the other hand, Nepal's exports decreased by 2.26 percent during the review period, according to the data of the Department of Customs. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal has the largest trade deficit with India. In the three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal's trade deficit with India stood at Rs 224.36 billion. Similarly, the trade deficit with China was Rs 79.8 billion, according to the department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal has a trade deficit of Rs 5.55 billion with the UAE, Rs 4.73 billion with Ukraine and Rs 4.5 billion with Malaysia.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19081', 'image' => '20231030064416_Trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:43:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19351', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company Imparts Two-Day Training Programmes to Employees', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company has provided training to its employees. The company provided training to its employees in Janakpur, the capital of Province 2, with the aim of enhancing the professional skills of employees working in the Madhesh Province on October 13 and 14.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">October 30: Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company has provided training to its employees. T</span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">he company provided training to its employees in Janakpur, the capital of Province 2, with the aim of enhancing the professional skills of employees working in the Madhesh Province on October 13 and 14. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Kushum Sharma, the Chief of the Madhes Province Office of the Nepal Insurance Regulatory Authority, was the chief guest at the programme. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">National Coordinator, Provincial Chief, and Department Heads of Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company gave their respective presentations to the participants.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19080', 'image' => '20231030062652_collage (4).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:25:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19353', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Chinese Economy to Grow 5.2 Percent in 2023: IFF Report ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on Saturday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on Saturday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global growth is projected to slow further this year at 3.1 percent, and is likely to remain weak at the same level in 2024, according to the IFF 2023 Global Finance and Development Report released during the IFF 20th Anniversary and Annual Meeting held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The report said that the monetary tightening cycle in most countries is likely to end by 2024. However, monetary and financial tightening are likely to continue and further depress demand growth and slow the global recovery. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It therefore forecast the global economy to grow by 3.1 percent in 2024, with developed economies growing by 1.3 percent and developing economies by 4.3 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global community should work together to address both short-and-longer-term challenges. Countries should pursue international cooperation and multilateralism in dealing with common challenges, including reducing poverty, protecting environment and mitigating climate change, resolving cross-country conflicts and reducing geopolitical tensions, said the report. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The International Finance Forum (IFF) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental international organization founded in Beijing in October 2003, established by financial leaders from more than 20 countries and regions including China, the United States, the European Union, emerging countries as well as leaders of international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. – Xinhua/RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19079', 'image' => '20231030064249_j1698580339.abhiyan (28).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:42:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19347', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Visitors Up in Mardi Himal Foot Trail during Dashain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly.', '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"">October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly. Since the start of Dashain, occupancy of hotels and restaurants has been full due to the increase in the number of tourists on this tour. Businessmen say that the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists has been encouraging since Ghatasthapana, the first day of the Dashain festival. Meanwhile, the arrival of tourists has increased sharply since the day after the celebration of Dashain.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi trail is one of the best trekking routes that can be done in a short time. It is the preferred choice of most of the people because it is possible to return to Pokhara in three days and two nights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tourists are attracted by the snow-capped mountains, lush green forests, beautiful hills and settlements along the trail.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 attraction of foreign and domestic tourists towards this trekking route is increasing year by year as there is an opportunity to see more than half a dozen mountains including Mt Machhapuchhre, Mardi, Annapurna South, Himchuli, Annapurna First, Gangapurna, Gandharva Chuli.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Raj Kumar Tamang, chairman of the Mardi Trek Tourism Management Committee, said that around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">400</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> domestic and foreign tourists are now enjoying the Mardi trek on a daily basis. According to him, with the increase in the number of tourists, businessmen are elated.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“We are excited by the current increase in arrival of tourists, which has been affected by the Covid-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">19. </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Since the day after Dashain, we have been struggling to manage the tourists," said Tamang.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">60</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> hotels and restaurants along the Mardi foot trail. It has the capacity to accommodate around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">550</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> tourists per day. It is said that the daily arrival of tourists is more than </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prakash Baral, a member of the provincial assembly of Gandaki Province, who did the Mardi trek two days ago, said that he was thrilled during the journey. He said that with the beautiful view from the "view point", all the fatigue and suffering experienced during the trek will be forgotten in one moment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Mardi trek has become the main choice of domestic tourists. This has contributed to the economic activity. There is no problem for fooding and lodging. It is a perfect destination for family travel,” said Baral.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Stating that the tourists are facing problems due to the lack of toilets at the "view point", Provincial Assembly member Baral said that he will take initiative with the provincial government to solve the problem.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi foot trail starts after a jeep ride to Kalimati and Siding through Ghalel of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, which is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">22</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km away from Pokhara. From there, one can climb uphill through the forest path and reach the Low Camp located at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2,970</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">From the Low Camp, the trail leads to the High Camp, view point and then the Mardi Himal base camp at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4,500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters. From the 'view point', one can enjoy the view of the Pokhara valley and other places with more than half a dozen mountains.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Most of the tourists reach Mardi Himal base camp through Ghalel, Kanoning and return to Pokhara via Lwang, also known as the tea village. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shiv Bhandari, the owner of Hotel Kalimati, which is located along the foot trail, said that the Mardi foot trail is a short trek that can be completed even during one or two days’ vacation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19075', 'image' => '20231029024955_20230305101707_20230304102843_20220718030551_fishtail-seen-from-mardi-himal-base-camp.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:49:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19346', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Capital Gains Tax Increases by Rs 80 Million', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. More than Rs 140.06 million were collected in mid-August to mid-September, but more than Rs 219.57 million were collected in mid-September to mid-October.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the information provided by Suresh Neupane, the information officer of CDS and Clearing Limited (CDSC), more than Rs 157.6 million were collected from short-term investors and more than Rs 61.9 million from long-term investors in the review month.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking at the data of CDSC, it seems that short-term investors have been more active in the secondary market in the last month as well. Brokers say that due to the lack of stability in market-related policy, investors are also active in booking profits in a short period of time. By mid-September, the securities market, NEPSE, stood at 1,964.91 points. In mid-October, the NEPSE was down to 1,864.62 points. Comparing the data of two months, NEPSE took a nosedive of 100.29 points. The income of the government increased despite the downfall of the secondary market. Brokers estimate that investors who are active in short-term trading made profit in mid-October based on the dividends of listed companies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government collects tax by dividing the investors who deal in the secondary market of securities into two types in the case of individual investors. By dividing those who hold shares for more than 1 year as long-term investors and those who hold shares for less than that as short-term investors, the government collects capital gains tax of 7.5 percent for short-term investors and 5 percent for long-term investors. Institutional investors have to pay 10 percent capital gains tax. These investors have to pay capital gains tax based on the weighted average cost if they have made a profit from the securities business.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stakeholders say that if the government's income can be increased along with the income of investors in the securities market, the confidence of the general public in the securities market will increase. The regulatory body of the capital market, SEBON, is currently working on the necessary legislation to increase institutional investors in the market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chairman of the board, Ramesh Kumar Hamal informed that in the coming days, work will be done to prepare the law to allow non-resident Nepali to enter the securities market as institutional investors. Hamal emphasized that for the sustainable development of the market, institutional investors should be brought forward as well.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19074', 'image' => '20231029022456_1698547751.1695517713.1692935579.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:23:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19345', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '21 Percent Nepalis Lack Minimum Calorie Intake Requirement', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. According to Januka Pandit, deputy director general of Department of Agriculture, the problem of people not getting enough calories has not improved yet as 21 percent of the common people are deprived of the necessary calories even now. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The World Food Organization's standard for adult requirement is a minimum of 2,220 calories per day. The government does not even have the data on how many calories are consumed by the 21 percent of people who do not have access to minimum calories. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to government data, Nepal's total food grain production reached 17.72 million metric tons in the fiscal year 2078/79. As per the government information, about 7,530,000 metric tons of consumable food can be obtained from the produce after deducting the amount of seeds, animal feed, storage and processing losses. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the results of the National Census and Household Survey 2078, the total population of Nepal is 29.1 million. It is said that about 5,867,000 metric tons of unprocessed food will be required for this population annually. Correlating to this data, there is about 1,663,000 metric tons of food in surplus in Nepal. But even though there is a food surplus, the stakeholders say that people are unable to get the prescribed calorie intake due to the weakness in the government’s policies and regulations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Increasing production and productivity is not a big deal. It is also an important whether all the people can get enough to eat or not. Because of their poor and weak financial condition, many people cannot consume the necessary calories. For that, it is important to emphasize on job growth. The government should take responsibility for their social security,” said Pandit.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr Hari Bahadur KC said India has a system of ration cards which Nepal lacks. Although the Food Sovereignty Act mentions that the government should take responsibility for the food security of the people, it is not accessible to everyone despite higher production.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022, 19 percent of children under the age of 5 in Nepal are underweight, 25 percent are stunted and 8 percent are undernourished. In addition, children are still deprived of access to sufficient clean and nutritious food according to their needs.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Even though the government data shows that the country is in a state of surplus food due to excess production to what the population needs, Nepal ironically imports food worth billions annually. Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Govinda Prasad Sharma said that all the food produced is not used for humans alone. According to him, a large amount of food is used as animal feed, so even though the production is higher, food has to be imported from outside.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19073', 'image' => '20231029014538_20230116032506_120238810_2409742145996788_1009834206072561128_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:44:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19344', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Express Bus Service on the Verge of Closure ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.', '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"">October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had launched the express bus service with an investment of Rs 20 million without necessary study. As a result, the service has almost come to a standstill.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 ministry has been running </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> buses along the the </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">13</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km Suryabinayak-Ratnapark route for delivering quick service during peak office hours. Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala had claimed that the express bus service was a great achievement in the transport sector. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A separate lane was painted with red colour for operating the express buses. It was said that express buses would ply on that lane from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">9</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> am to </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""> am and from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm daily. But now this service is in disarray.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Uddhav Prasad Rijal, director general of the Department of Transport Management, said that even though a separate lane has been arranged for express buses, the express bus service has not been effective as all the vehicles travel through the same lane. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 buses operating under the express bus service and other buses have been using the same lane, which has reduced its effectiveness," he said, adding, "We are still new in the matter of providing express transport services, we are still learning. There was little research before the operation of the express bus service. We will take the matter forward in a more effective manner after Tihar.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 express bus service has been criticized because the passengers of ordinary buses and other vehicles have had to face traffic congestion for hours because a separate lane was arranged in the name of express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Critics said that the express buses were given more priority than ambulances and fire engines. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Director General Rijal said that they are studying the prospect of making all public buses plying on the separate lane to be operated as express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 ministry claimed that the service was initiated only as a test and it is natural for some problems to arise in the management. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shubha Shrestha, information officer of the ministry, said that the express bus service will be made effective after further studies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19072', 'image' => '20231029010859_1698544107.3 bus.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:08:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19343', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Belt and Road Initiative Paves Way for Prosperous, Sustainable Future: Experts ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">With eight major steps and 458 outcomes announced at the gathering, the initiative is charting the course for a better connected world featuring prosperity, harmony and sustainability. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the past decade, China has signed more than 230 BRI cooperation agreements with over 150 countries and 30-plus international organizations. More than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Experts and officials said the initiative has delivered tangible benefits, offering more opportunities and pushing for an open, inclusive and interconnected world for common development. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">CONNECTIVITY BRINGS PROSPERITY </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Since its inception, many observers have envisaged the initiative would improve people's livelihood. Ten years on, the initiative has indeed promoted connectivity in BRI partners. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In some places once under colonial rule in Africa and South America, for example, transportation does not go through the continent, said Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China "has been doing a great deal to help both these continents open up internal transportation, and that will make a big difference to those countries' productivity," he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Asia, one good example is the China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, which runs 1,035 km, including 422 km in Laos, from the city of Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, to Lao capital Vientiane. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The China-Laos Railway has transformed Laos from a landlocked ASEAN member state to a land-linked country," said Ong Tee Keat, president of the BRI Caucus for Asia Pacific. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As a famous Chinese saying goes, "If you want to be wealthy, build roads first." Statistics show that two-way trade between China and ASEAN reached 975.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, more than double the 443.6 billion U.S. dollars recorded in 2013. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI remains committed to global connectivity and multilateralism in an era marked by de-globalization," Chheang Vannarith, president of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">TIMELY AND ESSENTIAL </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative has helped improve people's livelihood as the world is suffering from a slowing economy, rising interest rates, and higher inflation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Every participant of the initiative, which was proposed by China 10 years ago, is a winner, Alaa Thabet, editor-in-chief of Egypt's top daily Al-Ahram Newspaper, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The initiative has led to the construction of massive infrastructure projects across continents, including roads, railways, ports, and energy pipelines," said Thabet. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI is a timely initiative. Chinese initiatives are essential for humanity. They address global threats and promote the (building of a) community with a shared future," Egypt's former Prime Minister Essam Sharaf told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Over the past decade, more than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated, with an estimated investment of nearly 1 trillion U.S. dollars, Sharaf added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Based on the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, the initiative has the potential to make substantial contributions to a more reasonable and just global governance system and promote globalization, said Farhat Asif, president of the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a World Bank report, increased trade via Belt and Road cooperation is expected to raise global real income by 0.7 to 2.9 percent, and BRI projects could help lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The decade-old initiative has built up China's reputation as a responsible global player that seeks to pursue green and sustainable globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"On the ten-year anniversary we can declare the BRI an amazingly successful initiative," said Erik Solheim, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, he said, has contributed to very important green rail corridors in Kenya, Ethiopia, Laos and most recently Indonesia. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A white paper released ahead of the third BRF said the initiative embraces the global trend of green and low-carbon development, emphasizes respecting and protecting nature and following its laws, and respects the right of all parties to pursue sustainable and eco-friendly growth. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"As the world's largest manufacturer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles, China is well-placed to help enable the adoption of low-carbon technologies at scale in emerging economies and developing nations through the BRI," Damilola Ogunbiyi, special representative of the UN secretary-general for sustainable energy for all, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In pursuing the "dual goals" to peak its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, China has been improving the sustainability and efficiency of the BRI as an international public good, in line with the current trend of globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to one of the eight major steps announced by China last week in support of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the country will continue to promote green development and step up support for the BRI International Green Development Coalition. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China will also implement the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road, and provide 100,000 training opportunities for partner countries by 2030. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, as "a massive project" with "immense potential," can help accelerate efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Ghada Waly, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, told Xinhua. – Xinhua/RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19071', 'image' => '20231029120234_20231011113404_20201117123742_88500034 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 12:01:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19342', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Travelers Call for Improved Facilities to Ensure Safety on the Way to Phoksundo Lake', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.</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"">Better bridges and trails will most likely attract even more tourists, say the international and domestic tourists who visited Phoksundo Lake.</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"">Currently, tourists visiting the lake have to travel through the district headquarters of Jajarkot along the Mid-Hill Highway and spend a night at the district headquarters of Dolpa before reaching the lake. To reach the lake, the visitors have to cross a dozen of dilapidated wooden bridges built over the Suligad River.</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"">Life is at risk while crossing the river through the dilapidated wooden bridges, says Ram Prasad Khatri of Nalgad Municipality-8. One can reach Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa, by any means of transport. The lake is within a two-day walk from Suligad. </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"">It would be convenient for domestic and foreign tourists to reach the lake if there had been concrete bridges over the Suligad River and a reliable trekking route, according to stakeholders. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">At an elevation of 3,600 metres above the sea level, the lake spanning 4.94 square kilometres in area lies near the Rigmo village of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality-8. Although the depth of the lake is said to be 145 metres, the locals claim that it is 650 metres deep. </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 lake, which changes its colour from time to time according to the weather, is shaped like the English alphabet Y, and it also looks like a human lung from another angle. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Visitors have to use a foot trail to reach the Phoksundo Lake from Suligad via Kathepul, Thoso, Lapku and Sankul. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although the government has been building suspension bridges over most of rivers in Dolpa, the trail leading to Phoksundo Lake from Suligad still has wooden bridges which are in dilapidated condition.</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"">Nima Lama, ward chair of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality, argues that the wooden bridges need to be preserved along with the construction of suspension bridges.</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"">“As the area is a trekking route, the stakeholders should stress the need for the preservation of wooden bridges to attract tourists,” he said. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19070', 'image' => '20231029103644_20220904011304_bibek-raj-shrestha-z2m3t4z88aI-unsplash-1024x685.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 10:35:48', '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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He said, "I had been planning to visit Manang since a long time, but this year, I finally got the time to visit this beautiful place."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Like Tamrakar, Hari Tamang of Nuwakot is busy enjoying the natural beauty of Manang. According to Tamang, it is necessary to get proper information before the visit because the situation is getting colder and the risk is higher. He said that he is thoroughly enjoying the hospitality of Manang along with the experience of various customs, rituals, culture and traditions. “After coming here, you won’t feel like going back, you will want to keep enjoying the nature here,” said Tamang.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In recent years, the trend of Nepalis visiting various places has increased. They have started making full use of the vacation time. Nepalese returning home from abroad to celebrate Dashain and Tihar and students studying in colleges take advantage of the long vacation to visit Manang. Now, domestic tourists coming from different parts of Nepal to the Himalayan district of Manang have increased.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Thuten Lama, ward chairman of Nason Rural Municipality-1, said that the trend of Nepalis traveling within the country has increased which is evident from the rise in number of domestic tourists. According to him, the number of domestic tourists who come to Manang on a daily basis during the Dashain holiday has increased significantly. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">With the increase in domestic tourists, businessmen are happy with the expectation that the business that slowed down due to Covid-19 will pick up pace.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“With the arrival of domestic tourists, we are jam packed with work,” said Baburam Tamang, a hotel businessman, adding that 1,500 domestic tourists visit Manang daily during Dashain holidays. He said that now all the hotels in Manang are fully occupied.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">When domestic tourists visit Manang, the business of hotel and tourism increases. Binod Gurung, President of the Manang Association of Tourism Entrepreneurs said that the arrival of domestic tourists along with foreign tourists has breathed a new life to the business which was stagnant for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He suggested that tourists should get the necessary information for accommodation as there may be a problem of not getting a hotel in the cold weather.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"Only foreigners used to arrive here during this season in the past. Now, the arrival of domestic tourists has added great enthusiasm,” said Gurung. He further said that there are tourists in all types of hotels because this is the peak season. The best time to visit Manang is during the winter and before the beginning of the rainy season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In addition to seeing the Himalayan mountain peaks, Manang offers the visitors the experience of its unique customs and natural beauty. Some travel to Mustang from Manang en route to Pokhara through the Thorangla Pass. A large number of tourists visit Manang while trekking along the Annapurna Circuit. The entrance to Annapurna Circuit is Lamjung’s Besisahar, which leads to Manange Chautara. Tourists start their journey from here and travel to Mustang. The Annapurna Circuit covers five districts including Lamjung, Manang, Mustang, Myagdi and Kaski.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19087', 'image' => '20231030012939_20220928123415_Manang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 13:28:59', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19358', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Flower Business Expands by 33 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: The commercial business of flowers in Nepal has increased by 33.5 percent in one year. According to the data of the Floriculture Association of Nepal, the flower business increased after the decline in the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 30: The commercial business of flowers in Nepal has increased by 33.5 percent in one year. According to the data of the Floriculture Association of Nepal, the flower business increased after the decline in the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the fiscal year (FY) 2075/76, the flower business saw an annual turnover of Rs 2.42 billion, but due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the turnover slumped to Rs 1.63 billion in the following two years – FY 2076/77 and FY 2077/78. However, the business increased in the following years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the association, in the fiscal year 2078/79, the turnover was worth Rs 2.3 billion, which increased to Rs 3.7 billion in FY 2079/80.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Min Bahadur Tamang, president of the association, said that under normal conditions, the flower business grows by 10 to 15 percent annually, but it slowed down due to Covid-19 pandemic. He says that there has been improvement since the last two years.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the association, at present, 221 hectares of land in 48 districts are cultivated with flowers. More than 1,000 farmers are involved in floriculture in Nepal while 44,000 people are employed directly and indirectly in this business.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, in FY 2079/80, flowers and floral products worth Rs 6.8 million were exported from Nepal while the imports accounted to Rs 33 million.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">16th Godavari Flower Exhibition</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The 16th Godavari Flower Exhibition is going to be held from October 31 to November 4 with the slogan 'Plant Chrysanthemum flowers, decorate your house and yard'. Aiming at the upcoming Tihar and Chhath festivals, the association is going to hold exhibition this year just like every year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There will be 55 commercial stalls, two competitive stalls and five informational stalls in the exhibition to be held at the Jawalakhel sports ground in Lalitpur.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It is estimated that more than 40,000 people will observe the exhibition, which will be inaugurated by Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister Beduram Bhusal. Fair coordinator Sitaram Panta said that they are expecting transaction of more than Rs 10 million at the exhibition. Organizers believe that this fair will help in commercial promotion of Chrysanthemum flower, development of timely varieties of flowers and to ensure quality production.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19086', 'image' => '20231030012753_20221012125640_74357524_3206364359438719_5295578166390161408_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 13:27:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19357', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Hetauda Cement Industry Halts Production due to Shortage of Coal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: Hetauda Cement Industry has suspended production as it could not buy coal in time due to financial crunch. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: Hetauda Cement Industry has suspended production as it could not buy coal in time due to financial crunch. The industry consumes 3,600 metric tonnes coal per month. General Manager of the industry Basanta Raj Pandey said that the industry was in operation before the start of the Dashain festival and had produced 300,000 sacks of cement during that period. He shared that they had to suspend production as they could not buy coal from third countries due to financial crisis. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to him, the line minister and the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies have been informed of this dire situation of the industry, and the production can be resumed if the federal government provides financial assistance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He added that preparation has been made for selling a total 300,000 sacks of cement to various cities, including Kathmandu, and the income from this would be used for purchasing coal. </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 Hetauda Cement Industry has around 390 employees. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19085', 'image' => '20231030125618_20230224111424_cementtttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 12:54:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19356', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Seeks Leadership Role in UN Peacekeeping Mission ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: President Ram Chandra Paudel has drawn attention of the United Nations high-level delegation on addressing the challenges posed by the impact of climate change in Nepal, conclusion of the peace process, Nepal's contributions to the UN peacekeeping mission and the issue of leadership, and other contemporary issues. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: President Ram Chandra Paudel has drawn attention of the United Nations high-level delegation on addressing the challenges posed by the impact of climate change in Nepal, conclusion of the peace process, Nepal's contributions to the UN peacekeeping mission and the issue of leadership, and other contemporary issues. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During a meeting with the visiting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at Shital Niwas on Sunday, President Paudel called for serious attention to this end stating that Nepal was facing serious impacts of climate change though Nepal itself was not a cause of climate change. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">President Paudel's press advisor Kiran Pokharel said that the president urged the UN delegation to take initiatives to prod the developed countries to fulfill their responsibilities on the climate change issues. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We are not the cause of climate change. We are suffering due to excessive carbon emissions from other countries. Against this backdrop, the UN should ask the polluters to fulfill their responsibilities. We faced the impacts of the climate change and now the entire world and humanity has to suffer. So, let's make collective efforts against this. The UN should take its leadership," press advisor Pokharel quoted the president as saying. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, President Paudel said that the Government of Nepal was working to complete the remaining tasks of the peace process as per the Comprehensive Peace Accord. President Paudel also made commitment to complete the remaining tasks of the peace process on the basis of principle of reconciliation by considering the court's verdicts and also the concerns of the UN. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, President Paudel requested the UN secretary-general to provide leading responsibility to Nepal stating that Nepal is the second largest contributor to the UN Peacekeeping Mission. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, the UN Secretary-General said that he arrived in Nepal to give a message to the world about the negative impacts of climate change. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">He also shared his three agendas of visit to Nepal and said that they are giving message to the world about Nepal's successful peace process, impacts of climate change and reducing inequality. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The meeting was attended by Foreign Affairs Minister Narayan Prakash Saud, advisors at the Office of the President and high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19084', 'image' => '20231030070651_ANI_2463.JPG', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 07:06:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19355', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India's New Policy Likely to Secure Good Market for Nepal's Hydropower Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: The Government of India has revised its policy on energy allowing the imported hydroelectricity also to be considered as part of its renewable energy.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: The Government of India has revised its policy on energy allowing the imported hydroelectricity also to be considered as part of its renewable energy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Publishing a notice in the Gazette of India on October 20, the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy of India has specified the minimum share of imported hydroelectricity under its renewable energy. The notice reads that the new policy will be valid from 2024 to 2030. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the new rule, the Government of India has fixed the quota of Hydropower Purchase Obligation (HPO) for licensed distribution companies and purchasers of India considering the imported hydroelectricity from neighboring countries as its renewable energy source. Until now, the HPO rule had been valid only for the hydroelectricity generated in India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India has set the target to increase the share of renewable energy in its energy consumption to 29.91 percent by 2025, and to 43.33 percent by 2030. For this, the hydropower sector is expected to contribute 0.38 percent by 2025 and 1.33 percent by 2030.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">For this purpose, India has allowed considering the output of only those hydropower plants that will start their production after March 31, 2024. The new provision talks about making it mandatory for the companies concerned to maintain the specified share of HPO within the given timeline.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kulman Ghising said that if the new system of compulsory hydropower purchase is implemented, it will benefit Nepal, India and Bhutan. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“We had been urging India for a long time to arrange for the inclusion of electricity purchased from hydropower projects outside its country in the HPO, and now it has been included. This will make it easier for India's electricity distribution companies and buyers to purchase electricity from hydropower projects in Nepal," Executive Director Ghising said, adding, "If this system is implemented practically, Nepal's hydropower will get a good market in India."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NEA has been exporting surplus electricity to India during the rainy season. The NEA has been selling around 110 MW of electricity to the Indian company NTPC Vidyut Vyar Nigam Ltd (NVVN) through competitive bids in the day-ahead market of IEX and under the medium-term power agreement. NVVN is selling the electricity purchased from Nepal in the state of Haryana.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Nepal Electricity Authority has received approval for the export of 632 MW to India including 522 MW of electricity in the competitive market of India and 110 MW to NVVN.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NEA exported electricity worth Rs 11.80 billion to India from mid-May to mid-October.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal has set an ambitious target of producing 15,000 MW of electricity by 2030. Due to its failure to export adequate amount of electricity, the country has been facing wastage of around 500 MW of electricity on a daily basis.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19083', 'image' => '20231030070550_Grid.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 07:05:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19352', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Thai Airways International Resumes Kathmandu-Bangkok Flights', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Thai Airways International, the national flag carrier of Thailand, has resumed its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights from October 29. The airlines had suspended its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights since March 25, 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt"> October 29: The Thai Airways International, the national flag carrier of Thailand, has resumed its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights from October 29. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The airlines had suspended its Kathmandu-Bangkok flights since March 25, 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">General Manager of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Pratap Babu Tiwari confirmed that the Thai Airways International restarted its flight. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Likewise, the flights of Thai Smile stopped its flight to Kathmandu from October 29 itself.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The Thai Airways International had begun its service in Nepal in December 1968. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The TIA Office has said that Nepal's international flights reached the pre-COVID-19 status. (RSS) </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19082', 'image' => '20231030064108_collage (5).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:39:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19354', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal's Trade Deficit Rises to Rs 366 Billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: During the first three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s trade deficit soared to more than Rs 366.88 billion.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 30: During the first three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s trade deficit soared to more than Rs 366.88 billion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the same period last year, the trade deficit was over Rs 359.17 billion. The trade deficit has inclined due to the increase in imports while the exports from Nepal have not increased in the same proportion.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the data released by the Department of Customs on Sunday, Nepal imported goods worth Rs 407.75 billion in the review period while the exports stood at just Rs 40.87 billion. According to the Department of Customs, the trade deficit this year has increased by 2.15 percent compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This year, the share of imported goods has increased by 1.69 percent compared to last year. On the other hand, Nepal's exports decreased by 2.26 percent during the review period, according to the data of the Department of Customs. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal has the largest trade deficit with India. In the three months of the current fiscal year, Nepal's trade deficit with India stood at Rs 224.36 billion. Similarly, the trade deficit with China was Rs 79.8 billion, according to the department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepal has a trade deficit of Rs 5.55 billion with the UAE, Rs 4.73 billion with Ukraine and Rs 4.5 billion with Malaysia.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19081', 'image' => '20231030064416_Trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:43:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19351', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company Imparts Two-Day Training Programmes to Employees', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company has provided training to its employees. The company provided training to its employees in Janakpur, the capital of Province 2, with the aim of enhancing the professional skills of employees working in the Madhesh Province on October 13 and 14.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">October 30: Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company has provided training to its employees. T</span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">he company provided training to its employees in Janakpur, the capital of Province 2, with the aim of enhancing the professional skills of employees working in the Madhesh Province on October 13 and 14. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Kushum Sharma, the Chief of the Madhes Province Office of the Nepal Insurance Regulatory Authority, was the chief guest at the programme. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">National Coordinator, Provincial Chief, and Department Heads of Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company gave their respective presentations to the participants.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19080', 'image' => '20231030062652_collage (4).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:25:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19353', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Chinese Economy to Grow 5.2 Percent in 2023: IFF Report ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on Saturday. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on Saturday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global growth is projected to slow further this year at 3.1 percent, and is likely to remain weak at the same level in 2024, according to the IFF 2023 Global Finance and Development Report released during the IFF 20th Anniversary and Annual Meeting held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The report said that the monetary tightening cycle in most countries is likely to end by 2024. However, monetary and financial tightening are likely to continue and further depress demand growth and slow the global recovery. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It therefore forecast the global economy to grow by 3.1 percent in 2024, with developed economies growing by 1.3 percent and developing economies by 4.3 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global community should work together to address both short-and-longer-term challenges. Countries should pursue international cooperation and multilateralism in dealing with common challenges, including reducing poverty, protecting environment and mitigating climate change, resolving cross-country conflicts and reducing geopolitical tensions, said the report. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The International Finance Forum (IFF) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental international organization founded in Beijing in October 2003, established by financial leaders from more than 20 countries and regions including China, the United States, the European Union, emerging countries as well as leaders of international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. – Xinhua/RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19079', 'image' => '20231030064249_j1698580339.abhiyan (28).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:42:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19347', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Visitors Up in Mardi Himal Foot Trail during Dashain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly.', '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"">October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly. Since the start of Dashain, occupancy of hotels and restaurants has been full due to the increase in the number of tourists on this tour. Businessmen say that the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists has been encouraging since Ghatasthapana, the first day of the Dashain festival. Meanwhile, the arrival of tourists has increased sharply since the day after the celebration of Dashain.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi trail is one of the best trekking routes that can be done in a short time. It is the preferred choice of most of the people because it is possible to return to Pokhara in three days and two nights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tourists are attracted by the snow-capped mountains, lush green forests, beautiful hills and settlements along the trail.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 attraction of foreign and domestic tourists towards this trekking route is increasing year by year as there is an opportunity to see more than half a dozen mountains including Mt Machhapuchhre, Mardi, Annapurna South, Himchuli, Annapurna First, Gangapurna, Gandharva Chuli.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Raj Kumar Tamang, chairman of the Mardi Trek Tourism Management Committee, said that around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">400</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> domestic and foreign tourists are now enjoying the Mardi trek on a daily basis. According to him, with the increase in the number of tourists, businessmen are elated.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“We are excited by the current increase in arrival of tourists, which has been affected by the Covid-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">19. </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Since the day after Dashain, we have been struggling to manage the tourists," said Tamang.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">60</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> hotels and restaurants along the Mardi foot trail. It has the capacity to accommodate around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">550</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> tourists per day. It is said that the daily arrival of tourists is more than </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prakash Baral, a member of the provincial assembly of Gandaki Province, who did the Mardi trek two days ago, said that he was thrilled during the journey. He said that with the beautiful view from the "view point", all the fatigue and suffering experienced during the trek will be forgotten in one moment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Mardi trek has become the main choice of domestic tourists. This has contributed to the economic activity. There is no problem for fooding and lodging. It is a perfect destination for family travel,” said Baral.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Stating that the tourists are facing problems due to the lack of toilets at the "view point", Provincial Assembly member Baral said that he will take initiative with the provincial government to solve the problem.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi foot trail starts after a jeep ride to Kalimati and Siding through Ghalel of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, which is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">22</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km away from Pokhara. From there, one can climb uphill through the forest path and reach the Low Camp located at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2,970</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">From the Low Camp, the trail leads to the High Camp, view point and then the Mardi Himal base camp at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4,500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters. From the 'view point', one can enjoy the view of the Pokhara valley and other places with more than half a dozen mountains.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Most of the tourists reach Mardi Himal base camp through Ghalel, Kanoning and return to Pokhara via Lwang, also known as the tea village. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shiv Bhandari, the owner of Hotel Kalimati, which is located along the foot trail, said that the Mardi foot trail is a short trek that can be completed even during one or two days’ vacation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19075', 'image' => '20231029024955_20230305101707_20230304102843_20220718030551_fishtail-seen-from-mardi-himal-base-camp.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:49:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19346', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Capital Gains Tax Increases by Rs 80 Million', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. More than Rs 140.06 million were collected in mid-August to mid-September, but more than Rs 219.57 million were collected in mid-September to mid-October.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the information provided by Suresh Neupane, the information officer of CDS and Clearing Limited (CDSC), more than Rs 157.6 million were collected from short-term investors and more than Rs 61.9 million from long-term investors in the review month.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking at the data of CDSC, it seems that short-term investors have been more active in the secondary market in the last month as well. Brokers say that due to the lack of stability in market-related policy, investors are also active in booking profits in a short period of time. By mid-September, the securities market, NEPSE, stood at 1,964.91 points. In mid-October, the NEPSE was down to 1,864.62 points. Comparing the data of two months, NEPSE took a nosedive of 100.29 points. The income of the government increased despite the downfall of the secondary market. Brokers estimate that investors who are active in short-term trading made profit in mid-October based on the dividends of listed companies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government collects tax by dividing the investors who deal in the secondary market of securities into two types in the case of individual investors. By dividing those who hold shares for more than 1 year as long-term investors and those who hold shares for less than that as short-term investors, the government collects capital gains tax of 7.5 percent for short-term investors and 5 percent for long-term investors. Institutional investors have to pay 10 percent capital gains tax. These investors have to pay capital gains tax based on the weighted average cost if they have made a profit from the securities business.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stakeholders say that if the government's income can be increased along with the income of investors in the securities market, the confidence of the general public in the securities market will increase. The regulatory body of the capital market, SEBON, is currently working on the necessary legislation to increase institutional investors in the market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chairman of the board, Ramesh Kumar Hamal informed that in the coming days, work will be done to prepare the law to allow non-resident Nepali to enter the securities market as institutional investors. Hamal emphasized that for the sustainable development of the market, institutional investors should be brought forward as well.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19074', 'image' => '20231029022456_1698547751.1695517713.1692935579.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:23:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19345', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '21 Percent Nepalis Lack Minimum Calorie Intake Requirement', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. According to Januka Pandit, deputy director general of Department of Agriculture, the problem of people not getting enough calories has not improved yet as 21 percent of the common people are deprived of the necessary calories even now. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The World Food Organization's standard for adult requirement is a minimum of 2,220 calories per day. The government does not even have the data on how many calories are consumed by the 21 percent of people who do not have access to minimum calories. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to government data, Nepal's total food grain production reached 17.72 million metric tons in the fiscal year 2078/79. As per the government information, about 7,530,000 metric tons of consumable food can be obtained from the produce after deducting the amount of seeds, animal feed, storage and processing losses. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the results of the National Census and Household Survey 2078, the total population of Nepal is 29.1 million. It is said that about 5,867,000 metric tons of unprocessed food will be required for this population annually. Correlating to this data, there is about 1,663,000 metric tons of food in surplus in Nepal. But even though there is a food surplus, the stakeholders say that people are unable to get the prescribed calorie intake due to the weakness in the government’s policies and regulations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Increasing production and productivity is not a big deal. It is also an important whether all the people can get enough to eat or not. Because of their poor and weak financial condition, many people cannot consume the necessary calories. For that, it is important to emphasize on job growth. The government should take responsibility for their social security,” said Pandit.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr Hari Bahadur KC said India has a system of ration cards which Nepal lacks. Although the Food Sovereignty Act mentions that the government should take responsibility for the food security of the people, it is not accessible to everyone despite higher production.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022, 19 percent of children under the age of 5 in Nepal are underweight, 25 percent are stunted and 8 percent are undernourished. In addition, children are still deprived of access to sufficient clean and nutritious food according to their needs.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Even though the government data shows that the country is in a state of surplus food due to excess production to what the population needs, Nepal ironically imports food worth billions annually. Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Govinda Prasad Sharma said that all the food produced is not used for humans alone. According to him, a large amount of food is used as animal feed, so even though the production is higher, food has to be imported from outside.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19073', 'image' => '20231029014538_20230116032506_120238810_2409742145996788_1009834206072561128_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:44:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19344', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Express Bus Service on the Verge of Closure ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.', '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"">October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had launched the express bus service with an investment of Rs 20 million without necessary study. As a result, the service has almost come to a standstill.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 ministry has been running </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> buses along the the </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">13</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km Suryabinayak-Ratnapark route for delivering quick service during peak office hours. Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala had claimed that the express bus service was a great achievement in the transport sector. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A separate lane was painted with red colour for operating the express buses. It was said that express buses would ply on that lane from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">9</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> am to </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""> am and from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm daily. But now this service is in disarray.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Uddhav Prasad Rijal, director general of the Department of Transport Management, said that even though a separate lane has been arranged for express buses, the express bus service has not been effective as all the vehicles travel through the same lane. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 buses operating under the express bus service and other buses have been using the same lane, which has reduced its effectiveness," he said, adding, "We are still new in the matter of providing express transport services, we are still learning. There was little research before the operation of the express bus service. We will take the matter forward in a more effective manner after Tihar.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 express bus service has been criticized because the passengers of ordinary buses and other vehicles have had to face traffic congestion for hours because a separate lane was arranged in the name of express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Critics said that the express buses were given more priority than ambulances and fire engines. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Director General Rijal said that they are studying the prospect of making all public buses plying on the separate lane to be operated as express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 ministry claimed that the service was initiated only as a test and it is natural for some problems to arise in the management. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shubha Shrestha, information officer of the ministry, said that the express bus service will be made effective after further studies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19072', 'image' => '20231029010859_1698544107.3 bus.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:08:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19343', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Belt and Road Initiative Paves Way for Prosperous, Sustainable Future: Experts ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">With eight major steps and 458 outcomes announced at the gathering, the initiative is charting the course for a better connected world featuring prosperity, harmony and sustainability. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the past decade, China has signed more than 230 BRI cooperation agreements with over 150 countries and 30-plus international organizations. More than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Experts and officials said the initiative has delivered tangible benefits, offering more opportunities and pushing for an open, inclusive and interconnected world for common development. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">CONNECTIVITY BRINGS PROSPERITY </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Since its inception, many observers have envisaged the initiative would improve people's livelihood. Ten years on, the initiative has indeed promoted connectivity in BRI partners. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In some places once under colonial rule in Africa and South America, for example, transportation does not go through the continent, said Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China "has been doing a great deal to help both these continents open up internal transportation, and that will make a big difference to those countries' productivity," he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Asia, one good example is the China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, which runs 1,035 km, including 422 km in Laos, from the city of Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, to Lao capital Vientiane. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The China-Laos Railway has transformed Laos from a landlocked ASEAN member state to a land-linked country," said Ong Tee Keat, president of the BRI Caucus for Asia Pacific. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As a famous Chinese saying goes, "If you want to be wealthy, build roads first." Statistics show that two-way trade between China and ASEAN reached 975.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, more than double the 443.6 billion U.S. dollars recorded in 2013. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI remains committed to global connectivity and multilateralism in an era marked by de-globalization," Chheang Vannarith, president of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">TIMELY AND ESSENTIAL </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative has helped improve people's livelihood as the world is suffering from a slowing economy, rising interest rates, and higher inflation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Every participant of the initiative, which was proposed by China 10 years ago, is a winner, Alaa Thabet, editor-in-chief of Egypt's top daily Al-Ahram Newspaper, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The initiative has led to the construction of massive infrastructure projects across continents, including roads, railways, ports, and energy pipelines," said Thabet. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI is a timely initiative. Chinese initiatives are essential for humanity. They address global threats and promote the (building of a) community with a shared future," Egypt's former Prime Minister Essam Sharaf told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Over the past decade, more than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated, with an estimated investment of nearly 1 trillion U.S. dollars, Sharaf added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Based on the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, the initiative has the potential to make substantial contributions to a more reasonable and just global governance system and promote globalization, said Farhat Asif, president of the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a World Bank report, increased trade via Belt and Road cooperation is expected to raise global real income by 0.7 to 2.9 percent, and BRI projects could help lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The decade-old initiative has built up China's reputation as a responsible global player that seeks to pursue green and sustainable globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"On the ten-year anniversary we can declare the BRI an amazingly successful initiative," said Erik Solheim, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, he said, has contributed to very important green rail corridors in Kenya, Ethiopia, Laos and most recently Indonesia. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A white paper released ahead of the third BRF said the initiative embraces the global trend of green and low-carbon development, emphasizes respecting and protecting nature and following its laws, and respects the right of all parties to pursue sustainable and eco-friendly growth. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"As the world's largest manufacturer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles, China is well-placed to help enable the adoption of low-carbon technologies at scale in emerging economies and developing nations through the BRI," Damilola Ogunbiyi, special representative of the UN secretary-general for sustainable energy for all, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In pursuing the "dual goals" to peak its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, China has been improving the sustainability and efficiency of the BRI as an international public good, in line with the current trend of globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to one of the eight major steps announced by China last week in support of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the country will continue to promote green development and step up support for the BRI International Green Development Coalition. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China will also implement the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road, and provide 100,000 training opportunities for partner countries by 2030. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, as "a massive project" with "immense potential," can help accelerate efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Ghada Waly, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, told Xinhua. – Xinhua/RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19071', 'image' => '20231029120234_20231011113404_20201117123742_88500034 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 12:01:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19342', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Travelers Call for Improved Facilities to Ensure Safety on the Way to Phoksundo Lake', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.</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"">Better bridges and trails will most likely attract even more tourists, say the international and domestic tourists who visited Phoksundo Lake.</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"">Currently, tourists visiting the lake have to travel through the district headquarters of Jajarkot along the Mid-Hill Highway and spend a night at the district headquarters of Dolpa before reaching the lake. To reach the lake, the visitors have to cross a dozen of dilapidated wooden bridges built over the Suligad River.</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"">Life is at risk while crossing the river through the dilapidated wooden bridges, says Ram Prasad Khatri of Nalgad Municipality-8. One can reach Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa, by any means of transport. The lake is within a two-day walk from Suligad. </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"">It would be convenient for domestic and foreign tourists to reach the lake if there had been concrete bridges over the Suligad River and a reliable trekking route, according to stakeholders. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">At an elevation of 3,600 metres above the sea level, the lake spanning 4.94 square kilometres in area lies near the Rigmo village of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality-8. Although the depth of the lake is said to be 145 metres, the locals claim that it is 650 metres deep. </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 lake, which changes its colour from time to time according to the weather, is shaped like the English alphabet Y, and it also looks like a human lung from another angle. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Visitors have to use a foot trail to reach the Phoksundo Lake from Suligad via Kathepul, Thoso, Lapku and Sankul. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although the government has been building suspension bridges over most of rivers in Dolpa, the trail leading to Phoksundo Lake from Suligad still has wooden bridges which are in dilapidated condition.</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"">Nima Lama, ward chair of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality, argues that the wooden bridges need to be preserved along with the construction of suspension bridges.</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"">“As the area is a trekking route, the stakeholders should stress the need for the preservation of wooden bridges to attract tourists,” he said. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19070', 'image' => '20231029103644_20220904011304_bibek-raj-shrestha-z2m3t4z88aI-unsplash-1024x685.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 10:35:48', '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
