March 23: Nepal Insurance Authority has implemented a provision that one insurance agent cannot work in more than one insurance company of the same…
March 23: Nepal Insurance Authority has implemented a provision that one insurance agent cannot work in more than one insurance company of the same…
March 23: Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava has said that India will take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty imposed by India on the import of readymade jute from Nepal.…
March 23: Nepali migrant workers who are employed abroad or are self-employed have been included in the social security scheme of the…
March 23: With the end of winter, construction of infrastructure has started in the Himalayan district of Manang.…
March 23: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) Birgunj has filed cases against two industries of Chitwan in the current fiscal…
Country’s foreign trade has decreased by 20.14 percent in the eight months of the current fiscal…
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit and Mart 23 will take place in Pokhara, a major tourist destination of Nepal, from 29 May to June…
March 22: Start-up enterprises will now get collateral-free concessional loans up to Rs 2.5…
Over a decade into construction, completion of one of the national pride Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation projects is nowhere in sight as it is moving at snail’s pace in…
March 22: There is a higher rate of occurrence of cancer among illiterate people than literate ones in Nepal, according to a study by Action Nepal, a non-governmental organisation working on tobacco control in…
March 22: In the last one year, the iPhone market has almost doubled in…
March 22: Foreign investment commitment declined by 38 percent in eight months of current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of last FY.…
March 22: There are 13 big fruit and vegetable markets in Kathmandu Valley, where hundreds of tons of fruits and vegetables are brought in every day.…
March 22: Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) has distributed agriculture equipment to farmers at subsidized rate. The metropolis also informed the farmers about the use of modern…
Government restrictions on import and fall of demand in domestic market have dealt a blow to revenue collection from Birgunj Customs…
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Among them, 5045 agents are affiliated to more than one insurance company of the same type.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the authority, the number of agents affiliated to two insurance companies doing the same type of business is 4,847 and 178 are affiliated to three companies, while 16 are affiliated are to four companies, 2 each with five and 10 companies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">With the implementation of the 'One Agent, One Insurance Company' policy by the Insurance Authority, agents affiliated to more than one insurance company of the same type will now be able to choose only one company online. The agent can choose the company and renew it through the One Time Password (OTP) received on the mobile.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chairman of the Authority, Surya Prasad Silwal, said that the policy will benefit all the agents, insurance companies and the authority with the implementation of the provision in the Insurance Act.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We have implemented the provisions of the Act. With the implementation of this arrangement, it will be easy for the agents to renew, and they will work honestly with only one company,” he added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that now the insurance companies will have complete information about their agents, and it will be easier for the authority to regulate them.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17088', 'image' => '20230323105757_Insurance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:57:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17352', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Envoy Assures to take Initiative to Remove Anti-Dumping Duty on Jute', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava has said that India will take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty imposed by India on the import of readymade jute from Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 23: Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava has said that India will take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty imposed by India on the import of readymade jute from Nepal. After businessmen informed the stakeholders about the problems during a program organized by the Morang Merchants Association, Srivastava said that he would take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty in order to facilitate the trade of jute. India has been imposing the anti-dumping duty of up to 4 percent on Nepalese jute imports.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Srivastava also said that the amount of food grains required for Nepal will be easily made available despite the export ban. He said that the Government of India will provide the necessary food if there is a demand with real data.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that the Government of India has adopted a policy of taking its neighbors along in development. He also added that the railway service from Bathnaha to Biratnagar ICP will be operational within a short time. He informed that the railway which has been completed up to ICP will be handed over to the Government of Nepal within a few days.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Srivastava said that the essence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Neighbors First' policy is to move forward for development, and mentioned that both India and Nepal are brothers. He said, “Both countries are equal. None of them is big or small. We should help each other in development.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After industrialists and businessmen demanded the opening of the closed Indian Embassy office in Biratnagar, Srivastava clarified that the office will be opened if the Nepalese government and the people of Biratnagar want it. He said, “Nepal government should give permission on this matter, if the government allows, the embassy office will be opened here as well.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17087', 'image' => '20230323105211_jute.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:51:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17351', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Social Security to Cover Nepali Migrant Workers', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Nepali migrant workers who are employed abroad or are self-employed have been included in the social security scheme of the government.', '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"">March 23: Nepali migrant workers who are employed abroad or are self-employed have been included in the social security scheme of the government. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has launched the work of listing the workers abroad in the scheme amid a special program on Wednesday. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the program, Prime Minister Dahal said that the government is effortful to establish the culture to encourage every sector to join the social security fund. He informed that the fund will be used to invest in the physical infrastructure development of the state, entrepreneurship and other productive sectors. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“I am particularly saddened by the fact that even the contract workers in the government service could not be included in the social security fund so far. I will start making necessary arrangements in this regard," he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Making it clear that the government will not tolerate cheating of young people who go abroad for employment, he said that the days of hurting young people who go abroad for employment are over. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to Dahal, the government is preparing to send those who are going abroad only after training them and making them skilled. Prime Minister Dahal also expressed the government's commitment to the full implementation of the five-year strategic plan announced by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Labor Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal, who is the chairman of the Social Security Fund, said that the government has started implementing the 'Contribution-based Social Security Scheme Operation Procedures 2079 for Workers in Foreign Employment and Self-Employed Persons Abroad'.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, no Nepali worker abroad needs to live outside the scope of social security. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to Secretary Aryal, this has ensured the social security of 2.2 million workers who are employed abroad. To join the fund, workers have to complete the prescribed process. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Kapilmani Gyawali, executive director of the SSF said that hundreds of thousands of Nepalis living abroad will benefit from this scheme. According to him, this scheme has been introduced so that the workers who are employed abroad can get benefits including pension.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In order to bring foreign employment or self-employed workers under the umbrella of social security, the fund has already approved the procedures for listing informal, self-employed and foreign workers in the social security fund, he added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 permission of the employer company is not required to participate in the fund. You can apply by yourself by keeping your passport and work permit. The specified amount can be deposited directly into the account.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the fund, the procedure has opened the way for millions of informal, self-employed and foreign workers to participate in the contribution-based social security scheme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 trade unions have been demanding for a long time to bring the informal and self-employed workers under the scope of social security.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even though the workers in Nepal's formal sector have been benefiting from the social security scheme for three years, those who are employed abroad and self-employed were deprived of it. The Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) had also been lobbying to include foreign workers in the social security scheme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17086', 'image' => '20230323104308_PRO-KTM-PMPRACHANDA.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:42:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17350', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Construction Works in Manang Resume with the End of Winter', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: With the end of winter, construction of infrastructure has started in the Himalayan district of Manang. ', '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"">March 23: With the end of winter, construction of infrastructure has started in the Himalayan district of Manang. The infrastructure office informed that the construction work, which was halted due to the cold weather, has once again gained momentum. The head of the office Jay Bista said that the construction work which was stopped due to extreme cold has now started. Due to the extreme cold weather in the district, the construction work of the physical infrastructures damaged by the continuous rainfall last year was halted.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief District Officer Suprabha Khanal Dhungel said that the construction of roads, bridges and hydropower in Upper Manang which had been stopped earlier has resumed now. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief Engineer Bista said that development work is going on in Chame, Nason, Narpabhumi and Ngisyang Rural Municipality of the district. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Due to the extreme cold in winter, the infrastructure construction work in upper Manang could not be done, but now it has started. The work here can only be done for a total of three months in a year," said Bista.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, construction of such a retaining wall, drain construction, road maintenance are being done under the road construction work. He said that the work stopped by the cold is now being done intensively with the aim of making things easier before the onset of the rainy season. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 construction work of the Chame-Bensisahar road section, which is the lifeline of Manang, has also been accelerated since the weather has been favorable. For the construction of this road section, the budget has been allocated annually under the multi-year plan. The government has been allocating budget specifically for road construction and development to facilitate transportation in the district.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17085', 'image' => '20230323101835_Manang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:17:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17349', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NBSM Takes Action against 973 Firms', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) Birgunj has filed cases against two industries of Chitwan in the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 23: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) Birgunj has filed cases against two industries of Chitwan in the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Manish Kumar Das, head of the office, informed that the cases were filed after it was found that the industries were using weighing machines without obtaining a license.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The office has also taken action and fined 973 commercial and industrial establishments that did not renew their measuring devices from mid-July to mid-March of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During the review period, the office also claimed that 391 commercial and industrial establishments were granted new licenses related to weighing. Also, during the same period, the office renewed the measuring devices of 814 commercial and industrial establishments. In the last eight months, the office collected Rs 8,021,855 in revenue.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Das said that from mid-July to mid-March of the current fiscal year, the office conducted single monitoring 24 times and joint monitoring 22 times. Similarly, he also informed that the office also inspected 604 pump nozzles and 36 tankers in its area of operation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As per the information provided by Das, the office is also giving training on industrial production and weighing equipment every Friday. NBSM has also been warning not to self-produce against the standards set by the department. If found doing so, there is a provision for a fine from Rs 5000 up to Rs 10,000.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17084', 'image' => '20230323093853_market monitoring.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 09:38:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17348', 'article_category_id' => '268', 'title' => 'Foreign Trade Shrinks Despite Import Ban Lift ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Country’s foreign trade has decreased by 20.14 percent in the eight months of the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">March 23: Country’s foreign trade has decreased by 20.14 percent in the eight months of the current fiscal year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Despite the surge of the foreign exchange reserve, lifting of the ban on the import of luxurious goods and removal of 50 and 100 percent cash margin while opening letter of credit(LC), foreign trade has not improved. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Soaring inflation triggered by Russia-Ukraine war and high banking interest rates have badly affected the import and export, causing the international trade to drop compared to the last fiscal year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In the first eight months of the current fiscal year Nepal’s total foreign trade was Rs 1,163 billion compared to Rs 1456.48 billion in the last fiscal year, according to the Department of Customs. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The country’s trade deficit has shrunk by 17.86 per cent to Rs 953 billion in the first eight months of the fiscal year compared to last year when the trade gap stood at Rs 1,160 billion.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Statistics released by the Department of Customs on Wednesday show that Nepal imported goods worth over Rs 1,058 billion in the review period, a decrease by 19.13 per cent compared to the imports over the same period last year. The goods were imported from over 158 countries.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, exports from the country stood at Rs 104 billion in the eight months of the current fiscal, down 29.07 per cent compared to the same review period last fiscal year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In the review period, the imports to exports ratio increased by 14.02 per cent compared to last year in the first eight months of this fiscal year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Nepal continues to have the highest trade deficit with its neighbours — India and China.<br /> According to the data, Nepal imported goods worth Rs 656.80 billion from the southern neighbour in the review period, while exports to India amounted to Rs 74 billion.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"> The trade deficit with India stood at Rs 582 billion in the review period. Meanwhile, the trade deficit with China stood at Rs 145.26 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17083', 'image' => '20230323065442_collage (33).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 06:51:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17347', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Pokhara to Host PATA Summit 2023 From May 29 to June 1', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit and Mart 23 will take place in Pokhara, a major tourist destination of Nepal, from 29 May to June 1. ', 'content' => '<p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px">March 22: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit and Mart 23 will take place in Pokhara, a major tourist destination of Nepal, from 29 May to June 1. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Co-organised by the Government of Nepal, the Nepal Tourism Board, and the PATA, this is the first time that the Summit is taking place in Pokhara since Nepal got its international membership in 1975, said the NTB chief executive officer, Dr Dhananjaya Regmi at a press conference in Pokhara on Wednesday. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The local government will coordinate the Summit. For the event, a main organising committee has been formed under the chairpersonship of the NTB chairperson, and organisations relating to tourism are members. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">This conclave is expected to be a milestone in the promotion of tourism in Nepal in general, and Pokhara and Gandaki Province in particular, at a time when the sector hit-hard by the COVID-19 pandemic is reviving, Regmi said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The summit has also provided an opportunity for Nepali and international tourism entrepreneurs to meet and share at the same platform, Regmi added. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“This is the third time that Nepal is hosting the Adventure Mart, and the first time that the Summit is taking place in Nepal. We expect the summit to further boost Nepal’s tourism and return the tourism situation to the same pre-COVID by the end of 2023 by increasing inflows of tourists,” said Regmi.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"> Around 300 representatives from 15 different countries and the PATA executive board members are expected to participate in the event. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"> A wide range of issues from sustainable tourism to crisis management, aviation safety, and adventure and mountainous tourism will be discussed, said Secretary of the PATA International, Suman Pandey. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya pledged to provide required assistances to make the PATA Summit a success. ---RSS </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17082', 'image' => '20230322051752_collage - 2023-03-22T171729.016.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 17:14:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17346', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Start-ups to get upto Rs 2.5 Million Collateral-free Loans ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: Start-up enterprises will now get collateral-free concessional loans up to Rs 2.5 million. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 22: Start-up enterprises will now get collateral-free concessional loans up to Rs 2.5 million. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has prepared and approved the start-up loan procedure to provide loan facilities at subsidized interest rate without collateral to 14 types of enterprises.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the procedure, the enterprises designated to get concessional loans under start-up should not be operating for more than seven years. It is mentioned in the procedure that concessional loans can be granted to those enterprises that meet at least five of the seven criteria set by the government, including the paid-up capital not exceeding Rs 50 million, the total income of the business not exceeding Rs 50 million a year, the fixed capital not exceeding Rs 20 million, and the enterprise not having more than 10 full-time employees.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government has allocated a budget of Rs 250 million in the current fiscal year for the disbursement of start-up loans. After the implementation of the procedure, the start-up enterprises that meet the standards set by the government will get a loan of Rs 2.5 million without collateral from the commercial banks for 7 years at an annual interest rate of 3 per cent. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Joint Secretary Baburam Gautam, head of the Industrial Division under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies said that the start-up loan procedure has been sent to the related agencies for implementation. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"The Ministry of Industry has approved the start-up loan procedure and sent it to the Department of Industry for implementation," Division Head Gautam told New Business Age on Tuesday, "The start-up policy has been sent to the Ministry of Finance and the National Planning Commission for consultation."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Joint Secretary Gautam, eligible start-ups can now apply for concessional loans. "We will evaluate their application and provide loans as soon as possible," he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The start-up enterprise credit fund procedure 2079 is about to be implemented for the first time in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Industrialists are happy after the government introduced this kind of arrangement. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ranjit Acharya, coordinator of the Start-Up Innovation Committee under the Federation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that everything possible to encourage and support start-up enterprises is included in the start-up policy. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, "The start-up policy will make the current ecosystem sustainable and innovative." Even though this arrangement is already in place, it has been delayed because the officials of the ministry took a long time to understand the start-up issue.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Acharya also expressed his apprehension that the start-up process may become a victim of political conflict. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17081', 'image' => '20230322044214_startup.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 16:41:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17345', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Completion of Rani-Kulariya Irrigation Project Nowhere In Sight Though Deadline Nears Expiration ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Over a decade into construction, completion of one of the national pride Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation projects is nowhere in sight as it is moving at snail’s pace in Kailali.', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 22: Over a decade into construction, completion of one of the national pride Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation projects is nowhere in sight as it is moving at snail’s pace in Kailali. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">To everyone’s dismay, less than 50 percent of the construction has been completed, though the deadline nears its expiration. The deadline will expire in the next fiscal year, 2023/24. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The project funded by the World Bank aims to irrigate the total 38,300 hectares of land. The Rani side has seen only 18 percent progress while 20 percent work is completed on the Gulariya part, said the project engineer Prem Lasiwa. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, 65 percent work has been completed in Jamara. Lasiwa blamed the contractors for a delay. “Construction work started simultaneously in all three parts. But, the contractors have failed to work in uniformity. We are asking them to speed up the construction,” he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Three construction companies were awarded the contract for the construction of the irrigation project. Of them, Gaurishankar Nirman Sewa and an Indian GVV company are jointly working on the Rani Kulo side. Similarly, Ramechhap Nirman Sewa and Kanchharam Nirman Sewa are awarded the contract to jointly work in the Jamara part, and High Himalaya Hydro Construct Pvt. Ltd. is looking over the Kulariya side. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The construction companies blamed the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis for the delay. As a result, the project cannot be completed within the deadline, said Tshering Sherpa, site in-charge for the Ramechhap Nirman Sewa. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“We are working. The deadline is nearing. Still, over 30 percent construction remains,” he said. The company won the contract at Rs 540 million. Kumar Raj Shahi, chairperson of the Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation system consumers’ main committee, accused negligence on the part of the contractors for the delay. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Contractors are irresponsible. The construction work is not going ahead as per the direction of the project office. Farmers, however, have blamed the consumers’ committee instead. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Farmers are in real problems. They have not been able to grow crops in time due to lack of irrigation facility,” Shahi said. ---RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17080', 'image' => '20230322041214_collage - 2023-03-22T160506.681.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 16:04:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17344', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Higher Rate of Cancer Detected among Illiterates in Nepal: Study ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: There is a higher rate of occurrence of cancer among illiterate people than literate ones in Nepal, according to a study by Action Nepal, a non-governmental organisation working on tobacco control in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 22: There is a higher rate of occurrence of cancer among illiterate people than literate ones in Nepal, according to a study by Action Nepal, a non-governmental organisation working on tobacco control in Nepal. Forty six percent illiterate people contracted cancer caused by the consumption of tobacco products, says the study. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In 2019, the organisation carried out a study on financial burden faced by patients seeking treatment for tobacco-induced cancer. Tobacco-induced cancer cases in people pursuing higher education stood at 1.9 percent. Sixteen percent of them sought treatment by selling off their properties including houses and land. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, 27.2 percent bore treatment costs through their savings, and 60 percent took loans from their relatives. Tobacco-induced cancer has put life expectancy rate at 53.5 years of age, according to the study. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Three hundred tobacco-induced cancer patients were included in the study. Of them, 42.7 percent were dependent on agriculture as main source of income for treatment costs, 22.3 on trade, 11.7 on daily wages, and 8.7 each on government job and foreign employment.-- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17079', 'image' => '20230322040720_FTqqUUmWAAIC-CZ - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 16:06:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17343', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'iPhone Market in Nepal Grows Almost Double in a Year ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: In the last one year, the iPhone market has almost doubled in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 22: In the last one year, the iPhone market has almost doubled in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has been found that the iPhone market increased in Nepal when the government banned the import of expensive phones. Although the import of expensive mobile phones has been stopped in Nepal, the market of Apple, which is considered an expensive brand, has increased by </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""> percentage points in one year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Apple's market share, which was only </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6.39</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in March last year, has almost doubled to around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent within a year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In the last nine months alone, Apple has increased its market share by almost </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percentage points to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11.77</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">When the government banned the import of expensive mobile phones, Apple's mobile phones priced below </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">$600</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> were not available in the Nepali market. However, Apple's smartphone sales have increased after the government lifted the import ban from last January. In the last three months alone, Apple has increased its market share by about three percentage points.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 market share of Apple, which sells mobile phones ranging from Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">85</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,000 to Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">35</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">0,000 in the Nepali market, has increased at a time when the economic condition of the country is not so encouraging. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Apple’s market was rising constantly even when the economy was shrinking and the government had imposed a ban on import of expensive phones, cars and alcohol. Apple's market continues to rise after the government lifted the import ban.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the iPhone dealers, the sale of iPhone-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> in Nepal has increased rapidly. Businessmen say that after the increase in the sale of iPhone-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> series phones, priced from a minimum of Rs 1</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">55</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,000 to a maximum of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">3</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">50,000, its share in the Nepali market has doubled within a year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">If there was no import ban, the market share of Apple phones in Nepal would reach around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">15</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent, one businessman claimed.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Users who have used iPhone once have a habit of buying the new series of phones as soon as they are released. Even though Apple's market share has increased in Nepal, businessmen say that it is the old users who are buying new phones rather than the new customers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Samsung also has more than a dozen models of expensive phones ranging from Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">58,000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> to Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">245,000</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">in the Nepali market. However, while Samsung's market is going down, Apple is making leaps and bounds day by day.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Samsung's market share has now dropped to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">27</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. It was </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">31</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent a year ago. Apple seems to have taken over Samsung's declining market share.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Apple's tablet business, which was </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">29.49</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in February last year, has increased by </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">17</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">46.54</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in one year. Samsung has also lost a large market in Tab. The market share of Samsung tablets, which was more than </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">64</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent a year ago, is now limited to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">43.82</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. In a period of one year, Samsung has also lost </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent market share in Tab.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even in global competition, the market share of Apple Tab is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">51.26</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. The global market share of Samsung Tab is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">31.21</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. Apple's global market share in mobile phones is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">27.11</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent, while Samsung's is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">26.74</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, over </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1.1 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">million smartphones worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.76</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion were imported into Nepal between last July to January. Since the government opened up imports from December 16 last year, </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">201</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">smartphones entered the market in just two</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">months.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17078', 'image' => '20230322013726_aaaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 13:36:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17342', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Foreign Investment Commitment Declines by 38 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: Foreign investment commitment declined by 38 percent in eight months of current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of last FY. ', '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"">March 22: Foreign investment commitment declined by </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">38</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in eight months of current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of last FY. In terms of monetary value, foreign investment commitment in the review period this year was Rs </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""> billion less than last year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the data of the Department of Industry, foreign investment commitment from mid-July to mid-March of last year was Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">33.33</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion, which dropped to Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20.56</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion this year . This amount is Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12.77</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion less than the same period of last year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As of mid-March in the current fiscal year, the most of the foreign investment commitments were made in mid-December to mid-January. In the review month, foreign investment commitment of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4.85</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion was pledged. The lowest commitment of foreign investment came in mid-November to mid-December. The data of the department shows that foreign investment commitments of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">0 million were received in that particular period. Foreign investment commitments have been made for </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">183</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> industries in the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the last fiscal year, most of the foreign investment commitments came in mid-October to mid-November. In that period, foreign investment commitment of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.96 billion was pledged by the foreign agencies. The lowest foreign investment commitment came in mid-January to mid-February. According to the data of the department, foreign investment commitments of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">53.95</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> million were received in that month.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the data of the department, so far foreign investment commitments of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2782 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion have been received for </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">8</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">947 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">industries. According to the department, </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">670</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">255 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">people have got employment from these industries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17077', 'image' => '20230322011216_Foreign investment.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 13:11:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17341', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Only Two Employees to Inspect Pesticide Residue on Vegetables entering KTM Valley', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: There are 13 big fruit and vegetable markets in Kathmandu Valley, where hundreds of tons of fruits and vegetables are brought in every day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 22: There are 13 big fruit and vegetable markets in Kathmandu Valley, where hundreds of tons of fruits and vegetables are brought in every day. However, it has been found that the government has been extremely negligent in testing the pesticide residue on the imported fruits and vegetables. The vegetables and fruits that make it to those 13 markets are tested for pesticides by just two employees.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rajivdas Rajbhandari, senior crop protection officer of the Central Agriculture Laboratory informed New Business Age that pesticide residue testing of fruits and vegetables entering 13 vegetable markets including Kalimati, Balkhu, Kuleshwar, Kalanki Jadibuti, Tinkune, Balaju Machhapokhari, Tukucha, Dhumbarahi, Chabahil, Baneshwar is done by one technician and one assistant. According to him, those employees test pesticide residues only on vegetables and fruits entering the Kalimati market on a daily basis except on public holidays. In Kalimati, 700 to 900 tons of vegetables arrive daily from within Nepal and also from India. Out of them, a maximum of 10 vegetable samples are tested for pesticides. Rajbhandari says that is not enough.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> “As there are only two employees, it is a problem to test all the vegetables that reach the market for pesticides. Pesticides are checked in other markets only occasionally. That is not effective. But how much work can two people do?” he questioned.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rajbhandari remarked that pesticides are being cooked in consumers' kitchens every day because these pesticide tests are not effective.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The laboratory tests two types of pesticides called organophosphate and cabramite in vegetables and fruits. Apart from that, other types of pesticides are also present in vegetables. This confirms that the government is indifferent to the adverse effects it has on human health. Apart from these, the laboratory does not have the technology to check the amount of pesticides.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Consumer rights activists have criticized this action of the government. Bishnu Prasad Timilsina, general secretary of Consumer Protection Forum Nepal says that the government is taking the lead in forcefully feeding poison to the common consumers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Timilsina said, “Does the government not have the capacity to test pesticides in just 13 vegetable markets?”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Laboratory data shows that green vegetables coming from the domestic market as well as India have high levels of pesticides. According to the laboratory, out of 1,778 vegetable samples tested in Kalimati till March 10, 1,751 samples contained cabramite and organophosphate less than 35 percent (edible). In 10 samples, the amount of pesticide was found between 35 percent to 45 percent. Such vegetables should be kept in quarantine and after a few days they can be consumed after re-testing. The laboratory informed that 17 sample products with pesticide inhibition more than 45 percent were destroyed. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Highest pesticide content is found in vegetables like cauliflower, flat beans, and broccoli. It has been found that vegetables with more pesticides are imported from the domestic market. Laboratory records reveal that vegetables coming from Sarlahi, Bhaktapur, Makwanpur and Dhading have high levels of pesticides. The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control is in charge of testing vegetables coming from foreign countries at the pesticide checkpoint, and the Central Agricultural Laboratory is in charge of testing them in the country. Under the laboratory, pesticides are tested at seven locations namely Birtamod, Lalbandi, Kalimati, Pokhara, Butwal, Nepalganj and Attaria.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17076', 'image' => '20230322114827_p02-120209-78.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 11:47:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17340', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Farmers get Agriculture Equipment at Subsidized Rate ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) has distributed agriculture equipment to farmers at subsidized rate. The metropolis also informed the farmers about the use of modern equipment. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 22: Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) has distributed agriculture equipment to farmers at subsidized rate. The metropolis also informed the farmers about the use of modern equipment. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chief of Pokhara Agriculture Development Division Manohar Kadariya said that various equipment were distributed on 50 percent subsidy from the budget allocated in the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The metropolis provided 261 hand tractors, 62 combined mill, six thrashers, 108 grass cutters, 30 power sprays, six oil crusher machines and 29 other machineries to the framers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Acting on the demands of farmers of 25 wards, the Agriculture Division arranged and distributed the equipment. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">PMC Mayor Dhanraj Acharya shared that the metropolis distributed the equipment to the farmers at subsidized rate to increase production and reduce costs by using machines in the agriculture sector. He stressed the need for maximizing the use of machines. The mayor added that the agriculture sector needs commercialization and marketing.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“It would help us save our time and costs,” said Jyoti Gurung, a farmer of Pokhara metropolis-33, who received hand tractor on subsidy. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17075', 'image' => '20230322105047_Agri.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 10:50:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17339', 'article_category_id' => '274', 'title' => 'Birgunj Customs Office Fails to Meet Its Revenue Collection Target ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Government restrictions on import and fall of demand in domestic market have dealt a blow to revenue collection from Birgunj Customs Office.', 'content' => '<p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px">March 22: Government restrictions on import and fall of demand in domestic market have dealt a blow to revenue collection from Birgunj Customs Office.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The revenue collection from the country’s major customs Birgunj Customs Office has collected only 60 percent of its target in the eight months of the current fiscal year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Deemed a major customs point, Birgunj Customs Office provides a significant contribution to revenue collection in the country. Industrial raw materials, petroleum products and vehicles are imported via the Birgunj Customs point while processed oil, readymade garments, juice and thread are exported through it. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Birgunj Customs Office has collected Rs 101.49 billion in revenue against its target of Rs 168.23 billion in the eight months of the current fiscal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Import restrictions placed by the government from beginning of the current fiscal year caused the total trade to dive, affecting the revenue collection from the customs office, said Information Officer Ram Chandra Dhakal of the customs office. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Political instability and polls have encouraged the illegal import of goods, having toll on the revenue collection. “Revenue leakage due to ‘setting’ is also responsible for the fall of revenue collection,” said officials of customs office.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Birgunj Customs Office has set the target to collect Rs 260.97 billion revenue in the current fiscal year. The customs office, however, has failed to meet revenue collcetion target in either months of the current fiscal year so far. </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17074', 'image' => '20230322062302_collage (31).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 06:19:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ) ) $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' => '17353', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'One Agent, One Insurance Company Policy Comes into Effect', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Nepal Insurance Authority has implemented a provision that one insurance agent cannot work in more than one insurance company of the same type.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 23: Nepal Insurance Authority has implemented a provision that one insurance agent cannot work in more than one insurance company of the same type.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In subsection 6 of section 93 of the Insurance Act, 2079, it is mentioned that an insurance agent of one insurer cannot work as an insurance agent of another insurer of the same type of company during the same period.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the provisions of the Insurance Act, 2079, the authority has implemented the policy of 'one agent, one insurance company'. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">With the implementation of the provision, now one person will not be allowed to work as an agent of more than one insurance company of the same type. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the authority, the number of insurance agents has reached 256,322 by mid-March. Among them, 5045 agents are affiliated to more than one insurance company of the same type.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the authority, the number of agents affiliated to two insurance companies doing the same type of business is 4,847 and 178 are affiliated to three companies, while 16 are affiliated are to four companies, 2 each with five and 10 companies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">With the implementation of the 'One Agent, One Insurance Company' policy by the Insurance Authority, agents affiliated to more than one insurance company of the same type will now be able to choose only one company online. The agent can choose the company and renew it through the One Time Password (OTP) received on the mobile.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chairman of the Authority, Surya Prasad Silwal, said that the policy will benefit all the agents, insurance companies and the authority with the implementation of the provision in the Insurance Act.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We have implemented the provisions of the Act. With the implementation of this arrangement, it will be easy for the agents to renew, and they will work honestly with only one company,” he added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that now the insurance companies will have complete information about their agents, and it will be easier for the authority to regulate them.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17088', 'image' => '20230323105757_Insurance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:57:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17352', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Envoy Assures to take Initiative to Remove Anti-Dumping Duty on Jute', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava has said that India will take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty imposed by India on the import of readymade jute from Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 23: Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava has said that India will take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty imposed by India on the import of readymade jute from Nepal. After businessmen informed the stakeholders about the problems during a program organized by the Morang Merchants Association, Srivastava said that he would take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty in order to facilitate the trade of jute. India has been imposing the anti-dumping duty of up to 4 percent on Nepalese jute imports.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Srivastava also said that the amount of food grains required for Nepal will be easily made available despite the export ban. He said that the Government of India will provide the necessary food if there is a demand with real data.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that the Government of India has adopted a policy of taking its neighbors along in development. He also added that the railway service from Bathnaha to Biratnagar ICP will be operational within a short time. He informed that the railway which has been completed up to ICP will be handed over to the Government of Nepal within a few days.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Srivastava said that the essence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Neighbors First' policy is to move forward for development, and mentioned that both India and Nepal are brothers. He said, “Both countries are equal. None of them is big or small. We should help each other in development.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After industrialists and businessmen demanded the opening of the closed Indian Embassy office in Biratnagar, Srivastava clarified that the office will be opened if the Nepalese government and the people of Biratnagar want it. He said, “Nepal government should give permission on this matter, if the government allows, the embassy office will be opened here as well.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17087', 'image' => '20230323105211_jute.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:51:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17351', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Social Security to Cover Nepali Migrant Workers', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Nepali migrant workers who are employed abroad or are self-employed have been included in the social security scheme of the government.', '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"">March 23: Nepali migrant workers who are employed abroad or are self-employed have been included in the social security scheme of the government. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has launched the work of listing the workers abroad in the scheme amid a special program on Wednesday. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the program, Prime Minister Dahal said that the government is effortful to establish the culture to encourage every sector to join the social security fund. He informed that the fund will be used to invest in the physical infrastructure development of the state, entrepreneurship and other productive sectors. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“I am particularly saddened by the fact that even the contract workers in the government service could not be included in the social security fund so far. I will start making necessary arrangements in this regard," he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Making it clear that the government will not tolerate cheating of young people who go abroad for employment, he said that the days of hurting young people who go abroad for employment are over. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to Dahal, the government is preparing to send those who are going abroad only after training them and making them skilled. Prime Minister Dahal also expressed the government's commitment to the full implementation of the five-year strategic plan announced by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Labor Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal, who is the chairman of the Social Security Fund, said that the government has started implementing the 'Contribution-based Social Security Scheme Operation Procedures 2079 for Workers in Foreign Employment and Self-Employed Persons Abroad'.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, no Nepali worker abroad needs to live outside the scope of social security. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to Secretary Aryal, this has ensured the social security of 2.2 million workers who are employed abroad. To join the fund, workers have to complete the prescribed process. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Kapilmani Gyawali, executive director of the SSF said that hundreds of thousands of Nepalis living abroad will benefit from this scheme. According to him, this scheme has been introduced so that the workers who are employed abroad can get benefits including pension.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In order to bring foreign employment or self-employed workers under the umbrella of social security, the fund has already approved the procedures for listing informal, self-employed and foreign workers in the social security fund, he added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 permission of the employer company is not required to participate in the fund. You can apply by yourself by keeping your passport and work permit. The specified amount can be deposited directly into the account.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the fund, the procedure has opened the way for millions of informal, self-employed and foreign workers to participate in the contribution-based social security scheme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 trade unions have been demanding for a long time to bring the informal and self-employed workers under the scope of social security.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even though the workers in Nepal's formal sector have been benefiting from the social security scheme for three years, those who are employed abroad and self-employed were deprived of it. The Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) had also been lobbying to include foreign workers in the social security scheme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17086', 'image' => '20230323104308_PRO-KTM-PMPRACHANDA.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:42:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17350', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Construction Works in Manang Resume with the End of Winter', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: With the end of winter, construction of infrastructure has started in the Himalayan district of Manang. ', '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"">March 23: With the end of winter, construction of infrastructure has started in the Himalayan district of Manang. The infrastructure office informed that the construction work, which was halted due to the cold weather, has once again gained momentum. The head of the office Jay Bista said that the construction work which was stopped due to extreme cold has now started. Due to the extreme cold weather in the district, the construction work of the physical infrastructures damaged by the continuous rainfall last year was halted.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief District Officer Suprabha Khanal Dhungel said that the construction of roads, bridges and hydropower in Upper Manang which had been stopped earlier has resumed now. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief Engineer Bista said that development work is going on in Chame, Nason, Narpabhumi and Ngisyang Rural Municipality of the district. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Due to the extreme cold in winter, the infrastructure construction work in upper Manang could not be done, but now it has started. The work here can only be done for a total of three months in a year," said Bista.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, construction of such a retaining wall, drain construction, road maintenance are being done under the road construction work. He said that the work stopped by the cold is now being done intensively with the aim of making things easier before the onset of the rainy season. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 construction work of the Chame-Bensisahar road section, which is the lifeline of Manang, has also been accelerated since the weather has been favorable. For the construction of this road section, the budget has been allocated annually under the multi-year plan. The government has been allocating budget specifically for road construction and development to facilitate transportation in the district.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17085', 'image' => '20230323101835_Manang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:17:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17349', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NBSM Takes Action against 973 Firms', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) Birgunj has filed cases against two industries of Chitwan in the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 23: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) Birgunj has filed cases against two industries of Chitwan in the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Manish Kumar Das, head of the office, informed that the cases were filed after it was found that the industries were using weighing machines without obtaining a license.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The office has also taken action and fined 973 commercial and industrial establishments that did not renew their measuring devices from mid-July to mid-March of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During the review period, the office also claimed that 391 commercial and industrial establishments were granted new licenses related to weighing. Also, during the same period, the office renewed the measuring devices of 814 commercial and industrial establishments. In the last eight months, the office collected Rs 8,021,855 in revenue.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Das said that from mid-July to mid-March of the current fiscal year, the office conducted single monitoring 24 times and joint monitoring 22 times. Similarly, he also informed that the office also inspected 604 pump nozzles and 36 tankers in its area of operation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As per the information provided by Das, the office is also giving training on industrial production and weighing equipment every Friday. NBSM has also been warning not to self-produce against the standards set by the department. If found doing so, there is a provision for a fine from Rs 5000 up to Rs 10,000.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17084', 'image' => '20230323093853_market monitoring.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 09:38:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17348', 'article_category_id' => '268', 'title' => 'Foreign Trade Shrinks Despite Import Ban Lift ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Country’s foreign trade has decreased by 20.14 percent in the eight months of the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">March 23: Country’s foreign trade has decreased by 20.14 percent in the eight months of the current fiscal year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Despite the surge of the foreign exchange reserve, lifting of the ban on the import of luxurious goods and removal of 50 and 100 percent cash margin while opening letter of credit(LC), foreign trade has not improved. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Soaring inflation triggered by Russia-Ukraine war and high banking interest rates have badly affected the import and export, causing the international trade to drop compared to the last fiscal year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In the first eight months of the current fiscal year Nepal’s total foreign trade was Rs 1,163 billion compared to Rs 1456.48 billion in the last fiscal year, according to the Department of Customs. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The country’s trade deficit has shrunk by 17.86 per cent to Rs 953 billion in the first eight months of the fiscal year compared to last year when the trade gap stood at Rs 1,160 billion.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Statistics released by the Department of Customs on Wednesday show that Nepal imported goods worth over Rs 1,058 billion in the review period, a decrease by 19.13 per cent compared to the imports over the same period last year. The goods were imported from over 158 countries.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, exports from the country stood at Rs 104 billion in the eight months of the current fiscal, down 29.07 per cent compared to the same review period last fiscal year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In the review period, the imports to exports ratio increased by 14.02 per cent compared to last year in the first eight months of this fiscal year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Nepal continues to have the highest trade deficit with its neighbours — India and China.<br /> According to the data, Nepal imported goods worth Rs 656.80 billion from the southern neighbour in the review period, while exports to India amounted to Rs 74 billion.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"> The trade deficit with India stood at Rs 582 billion in the review period. Meanwhile, the trade deficit with China stood at Rs 145.26 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17083', 'image' => '20230323065442_collage (33).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 06:51:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17347', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Pokhara to Host PATA Summit 2023 From May 29 to June 1', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit and Mart 23 will take place in Pokhara, a major tourist destination of Nepal, from 29 May to June 1. ', 'content' => '<p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px">March 22: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit and Mart 23 will take place in Pokhara, a major tourist destination of Nepal, from 29 May to June 1. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Co-organised by the Government of Nepal, the Nepal Tourism Board, and the PATA, this is the first time that the Summit is taking place in Pokhara since Nepal got its international membership in 1975, said the NTB chief executive officer, Dr Dhananjaya Regmi at a press conference in Pokhara on Wednesday. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The local government will coordinate the Summit. For the event, a main organising committee has been formed under the chairpersonship of the NTB chairperson, and organisations relating to tourism are members. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">This conclave is expected to be a milestone in the promotion of tourism in Nepal in general, and Pokhara and Gandaki Province in particular, at a time when the sector hit-hard by the COVID-19 pandemic is reviving, Regmi said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The summit has also provided an opportunity for Nepali and international tourism entrepreneurs to meet and share at the same platform, Regmi added. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“This is the third time that Nepal is hosting the Adventure Mart, and the first time that the Summit is taking place in Nepal. We expect the summit to further boost Nepal’s tourism and return the tourism situation to the same pre-COVID by the end of 2023 by increasing inflows of tourists,” said Regmi.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"> Around 300 representatives from 15 different countries and the PATA executive board members are expected to participate in the event. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"> A wide range of issues from sustainable tourism to crisis management, aviation safety, and adventure and mountainous tourism will be discussed, said Secretary of the PATA International, Suman Pandey. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya pledged to provide required assistances to make the PATA Summit a success. ---RSS </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17082', 'image' => '20230322051752_collage - 2023-03-22T171729.016.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 17:14:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17346', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Start-ups to get upto Rs 2.5 Million Collateral-free Loans ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: Start-up enterprises will now get collateral-free concessional loans up to Rs 2.5 million. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 22: Start-up enterprises will now get collateral-free concessional loans up to Rs 2.5 million. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has prepared and approved the start-up loan procedure to provide loan facilities at subsidized interest rate without collateral to 14 types of enterprises.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the procedure, the enterprises designated to get concessional loans under start-up should not be operating for more than seven years. It is mentioned in the procedure that concessional loans can be granted to those enterprises that meet at least five of the seven criteria set by the government, including the paid-up capital not exceeding Rs 50 million, the total income of the business not exceeding Rs 50 million a year, the fixed capital not exceeding Rs 20 million, and the enterprise not having more than 10 full-time employees.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government has allocated a budget of Rs 250 million in the current fiscal year for the disbursement of start-up loans. After the implementation of the procedure, the start-up enterprises that meet the standards set by the government will get a loan of Rs 2.5 million without collateral from the commercial banks for 7 years at an annual interest rate of 3 per cent. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Joint Secretary Baburam Gautam, head of the Industrial Division under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies said that the start-up loan procedure has been sent to the related agencies for implementation. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"The Ministry of Industry has approved the start-up loan procedure and sent it to the Department of Industry for implementation," Division Head Gautam told New Business Age on Tuesday, "The start-up policy has been sent to the Ministry of Finance and the National Planning Commission for consultation."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Joint Secretary Gautam, eligible start-ups can now apply for concessional loans. "We will evaluate their application and provide loans as soon as possible," he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The start-up enterprise credit fund procedure 2079 is about to be implemented for the first time in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Industrialists are happy after the government introduced this kind of arrangement. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ranjit Acharya, coordinator of the Start-Up Innovation Committee under the Federation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that everything possible to encourage and support start-up enterprises is included in the start-up policy. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, "The start-up policy will make the current ecosystem sustainable and innovative." Even though this arrangement is already in place, it has been delayed because the officials of the ministry took a long time to understand the start-up issue.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Acharya also expressed his apprehension that the start-up process may become a victim of political conflict. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17081', 'image' => '20230322044214_startup.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 16:41:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17345', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Completion of Rani-Kulariya Irrigation Project Nowhere In Sight Though Deadline Nears Expiration ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Over a decade into construction, completion of one of the national pride Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation projects is nowhere in sight as it is moving at snail’s pace in Kailali.', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 22: Over a decade into construction, completion of one of the national pride Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation projects is nowhere in sight as it is moving at snail’s pace in Kailali. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">To everyone’s dismay, less than 50 percent of the construction has been completed, though the deadline nears its expiration. The deadline will expire in the next fiscal year, 2023/24. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The project funded by the World Bank aims to irrigate the total 38,300 hectares of land. The Rani side has seen only 18 percent progress while 20 percent work is completed on the Gulariya part, said the project engineer Prem Lasiwa. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, 65 percent work has been completed in Jamara. Lasiwa blamed the contractors for a delay. “Construction work started simultaneously in all three parts. But, the contractors have failed to work in uniformity. We are asking them to speed up the construction,” he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Three construction companies were awarded the contract for the construction of the irrigation project. Of them, Gaurishankar Nirman Sewa and an Indian GVV company are jointly working on the Rani Kulo side. Similarly, Ramechhap Nirman Sewa and Kanchharam Nirman Sewa are awarded the contract to jointly work in the Jamara part, and High Himalaya Hydro Construct Pvt. Ltd. is looking over the Kulariya side. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The construction companies blamed the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis for the delay. As a result, the project cannot be completed within the deadline, said Tshering Sherpa, site in-charge for the Ramechhap Nirman Sewa. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“We are working. The deadline is nearing. Still, over 30 percent construction remains,” he said. The company won the contract at Rs 540 million. Kumar Raj Shahi, chairperson of the Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation system consumers’ main committee, accused negligence on the part of the contractors for the delay. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Contractors are irresponsible. The construction work is not going ahead as per the direction of the project office. Farmers, however, have blamed the consumers’ committee instead. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Farmers are in real problems. They have not been able to grow crops in time due to lack of irrigation facility,” Shahi said. ---RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17080', 'image' => '20230322041214_collage - 2023-03-22T160506.681.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 16:04:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17344', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Higher Rate of Cancer Detected among Illiterates in Nepal: Study ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: There is a higher rate of occurrence of cancer among illiterate people than literate ones in Nepal, according to a study by Action Nepal, a non-governmental organisation working on tobacco control in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 22: There is a higher rate of occurrence of cancer among illiterate people than literate ones in Nepal, according to a study by Action Nepal, a non-governmental organisation working on tobacco control in Nepal. Forty six percent illiterate people contracted cancer caused by the consumption of tobacco products, says the study. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In 2019, the organisation carried out a study on financial burden faced by patients seeking treatment for tobacco-induced cancer. Tobacco-induced cancer cases in people pursuing higher education stood at 1.9 percent. Sixteen percent of them sought treatment by selling off their properties including houses and land. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, 27.2 percent bore treatment costs through their savings, and 60 percent took loans from their relatives. Tobacco-induced cancer has put life expectancy rate at 53.5 years of age, according to the study. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Three hundred tobacco-induced cancer patients were included in the study. Of them, 42.7 percent were dependent on agriculture as main source of income for treatment costs, 22.3 on trade, 11.7 on daily wages, and 8.7 each on government job and foreign employment.-- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17079', 'image' => '20230322040720_FTqqUUmWAAIC-CZ - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 16:06:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17343', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'iPhone Market in Nepal Grows Almost Double in a Year ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: In the last one year, the iPhone market has almost doubled in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 22: In the last one year, the iPhone market has almost doubled in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has been found that the iPhone market increased in Nepal when the government banned the import of expensive phones. Although the import of expensive mobile phones has been stopped in Nepal, the market of Apple, which is considered an expensive brand, has increased by </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""> percentage points in one year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Apple's market share, which was only </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6.39</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in March last year, has almost doubled to around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent within a year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In the last nine months alone, Apple has increased its market share by almost </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percentage points to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11.77</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">When the government banned the import of expensive mobile phones, Apple's mobile phones priced below </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">$600</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> were not available in the Nepali market. However, Apple's smartphone sales have increased after the government lifted the import ban from last January. In the last three months alone, Apple has increased its market share by about three percentage points.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 market share of Apple, which sells mobile phones ranging from Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">85</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,000 to Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">35</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">0,000 in the Nepali market, has increased at a time when the economic condition of the country is not so encouraging. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Apple’s market was rising constantly even when the economy was shrinking and the government had imposed a ban on import of expensive phones, cars and alcohol. Apple's market continues to rise after the government lifted the import ban.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the iPhone dealers, the sale of iPhone-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> in Nepal has increased rapidly. Businessmen say that after the increase in the sale of iPhone-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> series phones, priced from a minimum of Rs 1</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">55</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,000 to a maximum of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">3</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">50,000, its share in the Nepali market has doubled within a year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">If there was no import ban, the market share of Apple phones in Nepal would reach around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">15</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent, one businessman claimed.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Users who have used iPhone once have a habit of buying the new series of phones as soon as they are released. Even though Apple's market share has increased in Nepal, businessmen say that it is the old users who are buying new phones rather than the new customers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Samsung also has more than a dozen models of expensive phones ranging from Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">58,000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> to Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">245,000</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">in the Nepali market. However, while Samsung's market is going down, Apple is making leaps and bounds day by day.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Samsung's market share has now dropped to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">27</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. It was </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">31</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent a year ago. Apple seems to have taken over Samsung's declining market share.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Apple's tablet business, which was </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">29.49</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in February last year, has increased by </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">17</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">46.54</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in one year. Samsung has also lost a large market in Tab. The market share of Samsung tablets, which was more than </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">64</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent a year ago, is now limited to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">43.82</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. In a period of one year, Samsung has also lost </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent market share in Tab.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even in global competition, the market share of Apple Tab is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">51.26</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. The global market share of Samsung Tab is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">31.21</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. Apple's global market share in mobile phones is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">27.11</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent, while Samsung's is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">26.74</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, over </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1.1 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">million smartphones worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.76</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion were imported into Nepal between last July to January. Since the government opened up imports from December 16 last year, </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">201</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">smartphones entered the market in just two</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">months.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17078', 'image' => '20230322013726_aaaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 13:36:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17342', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Foreign Investment Commitment Declines by 38 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: Foreign investment commitment declined by 38 percent in eight months of current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of last FY. ', '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"">March 22: Foreign investment commitment declined by </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">38</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in eight months of current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of last FY. In terms of monetary value, foreign investment commitment in the review period this year was Rs </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""> billion less than last year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the data of the Department of Industry, foreign investment commitment from mid-July to mid-March of last year was Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">33.33</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion, which dropped to Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20.56</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion this year . This amount is Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12.77</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion less than the same period of last year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As of mid-March in the current fiscal year, the most of the foreign investment commitments were made in mid-December to mid-January. In the review month, foreign investment commitment of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4.85</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion was pledged. The lowest commitment of foreign investment came in mid-November to mid-December. The data of the department shows that foreign investment commitments of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">0 million were received in that particular period. Foreign investment commitments have been made for </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">183</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> industries in the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the last fiscal year, most of the foreign investment commitments came in mid-October to mid-November. In that period, foreign investment commitment of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.96 billion was pledged by the foreign agencies. The lowest foreign investment commitment came in mid-January to mid-February. According to the data of the department, foreign investment commitments of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">53.95</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> million were received in that month.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the data of the department, so far foreign investment commitments of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2782 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion have been received for </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">8</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">947 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">industries. According to the department, </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">670</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">255 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">people have got employment from these industries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17077', 'image' => '20230322011216_Foreign investment.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 13:11:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17341', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Only Two Employees to Inspect Pesticide Residue on Vegetables entering KTM Valley', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: There are 13 big fruit and vegetable markets in Kathmandu Valley, where hundreds of tons of fruits and vegetables are brought in every day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 22: There are 13 big fruit and vegetable markets in Kathmandu Valley, where hundreds of tons of fruits and vegetables are brought in every day. However, it has been found that the government has been extremely negligent in testing the pesticide residue on the imported fruits and vegetables. The vegetables and fruits that make it to those 13 markets are tested for pesticides by just two employees.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rajivdas Rajbhandari, senior crop protection officer of the Central Agriculture Laboratory informed New Business Age that pesticide residue testing of fruits and vegetables entering 13 vegetable markets including Kalimati, Balkhu, Kuleshwar, Kalanki Jadibuti, Tinkune, Balaju Machhapokhari, Tukucha, Dhumbarahi, Chabahil, Baneshwar is done by one technician and one assistant. According to him, those employees test pesticide residues only on vegetables and fruits entering the Kalimati market on a daily basis except on public holidays. In Kalimati, 700 to 900 tons of vegetables arrive daily from within Nepal and also from India. Out of them, a maximum of 10 vegetable samples are tested for pesticides. Rajbhandari says that is not enough.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> “As there are only two employees, it is a problem to test all the vegetables that reach the market for pesticides. Pesticides are checked in other markets only occasionally. That is not effective. But how much work can two people do?” he questioned.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rajbhandari remarked that pesticides are being cooked in consumers' kitchens every day because these pesticide tests are not effective.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The laboratory tests two types of pesticides called organophosphate and cabramite in vegetables and fruits. Apart from that, other types of pesticides are also present in vegetables. This confirms that the government is indifferent to the adverse effects it has on human health. Apart from these, the laboratory does not have the technology to check the amount of pesticides.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Consumer rights activists have criticized this action of the government. Bishnu Prasad Timilsina, general secretary of Consumer Protection Forum Nepal says that the government is taking the lead in forcefully feeding poison to the common consumers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Timilsina said, “Does the government not have the capacity to test pesticides in just 13 vegetable markets?”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Laboratory data shows that green vegetables coming from the domestic market as well as India have high levels of pesticides. According to the laboratory, out of 1,778 vegetable samples tested in Kalimati till March 10, 1,751 samples contained cabramite and organophosphate less than 35 percent (edible). In 10 samples, the amount of pesticide was found between 35 percent to 45 percent. Such vegetables should be kept in quarantine and after a few days they can be consumed after re-testing. The laboratory informed that 17 sample products with pesticide inhibition more than 45 percent were destroyed. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Highest pesticide content is found in vegetables like cauliflower, flat beans, and broccoli. It has been found that vegetables with more pesticides are imported from the domestic market. Laboratory records reveal that vegetables coming from Sarlahi, Bhaktapur, Makwanpur and Dhading have high levels of pesticides. The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control is in charge of testing vegetables coming from foreign countries at the pesticide checkpoint, and the Central Agricultural Laboratory is in charge of testing them in the country. Under the laboratory, pesticides are tested at seven locations namely Birtamod, Lalbandi, Kalimati, Pokhara, Butwal, Nepalganj and Attaria.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17076', 'image' => '20230322114827_p02-120209-78.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 11:47:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17340', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Farmers get Agriculture Equipment at Subsidized Rate ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) has distributed agriculture equipment to farmers at subsidized rate. The metropolis also informed the farmers about the use of modern equipment. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 22: Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) has distributed agriculture equipment to farmers at subsidized rate. The metropolis also informed the farmers about the use of modern equipment. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chief of Pokhara Agriculture Development Division Manohar Kadariya said that various equipment were distributed on 50 percent subsidy from the budget allocated in the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The metropolis provided 261 hand tractors, 62 combined mill, six thrashers, 108 grass cutters, 30 power sprays, six oil crusher machines and 29 other machineries to the framers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Acting on the demands of farmers of 25 wards, the Agriculture Division arranged and distributed the equipment. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">PMC Mayor Dhanraj Acharya shared that the metropolis distributed the equipment to the farmers at subsidized rate to increase production and reduce costs by using machines in the agriculture sector. He stressed the need for maximizing the use of machines. The mayor added that the agriculture sector needs commercialization and marketing.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“It would help us save our time and costs,” said Jyoti Gurung, a farmer of Pokhara metropolis-33, who received hand tractor on subsidy. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17075', 'image' => '20230322105047_Agri.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 10:50:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17339', 'article_category_id' => '274', 'title' => 'Birgunj Customs Office Fails to Meet Its Revenue Collection Target ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Government restrictions on import and fall of demand in domestic market have dealt a blow to revenue collection from Birgunj Customs Office.', 'content' => '<p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px">March 22: Government restrictions on import and fall of demand in domestic market have dealt a blow to revenue collection from Birgunj Customs Office.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The revenue collection from the country’s major customs Birgunj Customs Office has collected only 60 percent of its target in the eight months of the current fiscal year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Deemed a major customs point, Birgunj Customs Office provides a significant contribution to revenue collection in the country. Industrial raw materials, petroleum products and vehicles are imported via the Birgunj Customs point while processed oil, readymade garments, juice and thread are exported through it. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Birgunj Customs Office has collected Rs 101.49 billion in revenue against its target of Rs 168.23 billion in the eight months of the current fiscal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Import restrictions placed by the government from beginning of the current fiscal year caused the total trade to dive, affecting the revenue collection from the customs office, said Information Officer Ram Chandra Dhakal of the customs office. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Political instability and polls have encouraged the illegal import of goods, having toll on the revenue collection. “Revenue leakage due to ‘setting’ is also responsible for the fall of revenue collection,” said officials of customs office.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Birgunj Customs Office has set the target to collect Rs 260.97 billion revenue in the current fiscal year. The customs office, however, has failed to meet revenue collcetion target in either months of the current fiscal year so far. </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17074', 'image' => '20230322062302_collage (31).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 06:19:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ) ) $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' => '17353', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'One Agent, One Insurance Company Policy Comes into Effect', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Nepal Insurance Authority has implemented a provision that one insurance agent cannot work in more than one insurance company of the same type.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 23: Nepal Insurance Authority has implemented a provision that one insurance agent cannot work in more than one insurance company of the same type.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In subsection 6 of section 93 of the Insurance Act, 2079, it is mentioned that an insurance agent of one insurer cannot work as an insurance agent of another insurer of the same type of company during the same period.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the provisions of the Insurance Act, 2079, the authority has implemented the policy of 'one agent, one insurance company'. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">With the implementation of the provision, now one person will not be allowed to work as an agent of more than one insurance company of the same type. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the authority, the number of insurance agents has reached 256,322 by mid-March. Among them, 5045 agents are affiliated to more than one insurance company of the same type.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the authority, the number of agents affiliated to two insurance companies doing the same type of business is 4,847 and 178 are affiliated to three companies, while 16 are affiliated are to four companies, 2 each with five and 10 companies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">With the implementation of the 'One Agent, One Insurance Company' policy by the Insurance Authority, agents affiliated to more than one insurance company of the same type will now be able to choose only one company online. The agent can choose the company and renew it through the One Time Password (OTP) received on the mobile.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chairman of the Authority, Surya Prasad Silwal, said that the policy will benefit all the agents, insurance companies and the authority with the implementation of the provision in the Insurance Act.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We have implemented the provisions of the Act. With the implementation of this arrangement, it will be easy for the agents to renew, and they will work honestly with only one company,” he added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that now the insurance companies will have complete information about their agents, and it will be easier for the authority to regulate them.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17088', 'image' => '20230323105757_Insurance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:57:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17352', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Envoy Assures to take Initiative to Remove Anti-Dumping Duty on Jute', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava has said that India will take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty imposed by India on the import of readymade jute from Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 23: Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava has said that India will take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty imposed by India on the import of readymade jute from Nepal. After businessmen informed the stakeholders about the problems during a program organized by the Morang Merchants Association, Srivastava said that he would take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty in order to facilitate the trade of jute. India has been imposing the anti-dumping duty of up to 4 percent on Nepalese jute imports.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Srivastava also said that the amount of food grains required for Nepal will be easily made available despite the export ban. He said that the Government of India will provide the necessary food if there is a demand with real data.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that the Government of India has adopted a policy of taking its neighbors along in development. He also added that the railway service from Bathnaha to Biratnagar ICP will be operational within a short time. He informed that the railway which has been completed up to ICP will be handed over to the Government of Nepal within a few days.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Srivastava said that the essence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Neighbors First' policy is to move forward for development, and mentioned that both India and Nepal are brothers. He said, “Both countries are equal. None of them is big or small. We should help each other in development.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After industrialists and businessmen demanded the opening of the closed Indian Embassy office in Biratnagar, Srivastava clarified that the office will be opened if the Nepalese government and the people of Biratnagar want it. He said, “Nepal government should give permission on this matter, if the government allows, the embassy office will be opened here as well.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17087', 'image' => '20230323105211_jute.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:51:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17351', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Social Security to Cover Nepali Migrant Workers', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Nepali migrant workers who are employed abroad or are self-employed have been included in the social security scheme of the government.', '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"">March 23: Nepali migrant workers who are employed abroad or are self-employed have been included in the social security scheme of the government. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has launched the work of listing the workers abroad in the scheme amid a special program on Wednesday. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the program, Prime Minister Dahal said that the government is effortful to establish the culture to encourage every sector to join the social security fund. He informed that the fund will be used to invest in the physical infrastructure development of the state, entrepreneurship and other productive sectors. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“I am particularly saddened by the fact that even the contract workers in the government service could not be included in the social security fund so far. I will start making necessary arrangements in this regard," he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Making it clear that the government will not tolerate cheating of young people who go abroad for employment, he said that the days of hurting young people who go abroad for employment are over. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to Dahal, the government is preparing to send those who are going abroad only after training them and making them skilled. Prime Minister Dahal also expressed the government's commitment to the full implementation of the five-year strategic plan announced by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Labor Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal, who is the chairman of the Social Security Fund, said that the government has started implementing the 'Contribution-based Social Security Scheme Operation Procedures 2079 for Workers in Foreign Employment and Self-Employed Persons Abroad'.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, no Nepali worker abroad needs to live outside the scope of social security. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to Secretary Aryal, this has ensured the social security of 2.2 million workers who are employed abroad. To join the fund, workers have to complete the prescribed process. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Kapilmani Gyawali, executive director of the SSF said that hundreds of thousands of Nepalis living abroad will benefit from this scheme. According to him, this scheme has been introduced so that the workers who are employed abroad can get benefits including pension.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In order to bring foreign employment or self-employed workers under the umbrella of social security, the fund has already approved the procedures for listing informal, self-employed and foreign workers in the social security fund, he added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 permission of the employer company is not required to participate in the fund. You can apply by yourself by keeping your passport and work permit. The specified amount can be deposited directly into the account.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the fund, the procedure has opened the way for millions of informal, self-employed and foreign workers to participate in the contribution-based social security scheme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 trade unions have been demanding for a long time to bring the informal and self-employed workers under the scope of social security.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even though the workers in Nepal's formal sector have been benefiting from the social security scheme for three years, those who are employed abroad and self-employed were deprived of it. The Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) had also been lobbying to include foreign workers in the social security scheme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17086', 'image' => '20230323104308_PRO-KTM-PMPRACHANDA.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:42:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17350', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Construction Works in Manang Resume with the End of Winter', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: With the end of winter, construction of infrastructure has started in the Himalayan district of Manang. ', '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"">March 23: With the end of winter, construction of infrastructure has started in the Himalayan district of Manang. The infrastructure office informed that the construction work, which was halted due to the cold weather, has once again gained momentum. The head of the office Jay Bista said that the construction work which was stopped due to extreme cold has now started. Due to the extreme cold weather in the district, the construction work of the physical infrastructures damaged by the continuous rainfall last year was halted.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief District Officer Suprabha Khanal Dhungel said that the construction of roads, bridges and hydropower in Upper Manang which had been stopped earlier has resumed now. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief Engineer Bista said that development work is going on in Chame, Nason, Narpabhumi and Ngisyang Rural Municipality of the district. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Due to the extreme cold in winter, the infrastructure construction work in upper Manang could not be done, but now it has started. The work here can only be done for a total of three months in a year," said Bista.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, construction of such a retaining wall, drain construction, road maintenance are being done under the road construction work. He said that the work stopped by the cold is now being done intensively with the aim of making things easier before the onset of the rainy season. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 construction work of the Chame-Bensisahar road section, which is the lifeline of Manang, has also been accelerated since the weather has been favorable. For the construction of this road section, the budget has been allocated annually under the multi-year plan. The government has been allocating budget specifically for road construction and development to facilitate transportation in the district.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17085', 'image' => '20230323101835_Manang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:17:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17349', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NBSM Takes Action against 973 Firms', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) Birgunj has filed cases against two industries of Chitwan in the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 23: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) Birgunj has filed cases against two industries of Chitwan in the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Manish Kumar Das, head of the office, informed that the cases were filed after it was found that the industries were using weighing machines without obtaining a license.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The office has also taken action and fined 973 commercial and industrial establishments that did not renew their measuring devices from mid-July to mid-March of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During the review period, the office also claimed that 391 commercial and industrial establishments were granted new licenses related to weighing. Also, during the same period, the office renewed the measuring devices of 814 commercial and industrial establishments. In the last eight months, the office collected Rs 8,021,855 in revenue.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Das said that from mid-July to mid-March of the current fiscal year, the office conducted single monitoring 24 times and joint monitoring 22 times. Similarly, he also informed that the office also inspected 604 pump nozzles and 36 tankers in its area of operation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As per the information provided by Das, the office is also giving training on industrial production and weighing equipment every Friday. NBSM has also been warning not to self-produce against the standards set by the department. If found doing so, there is a provision for a fine from Rs 5000 up to Rs 10,000.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17084', 'image' => '20230323093853_market monitoring.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 09:38:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17348', 'article_category_id' => '268', 'title' => 'Foreign Trade Shrinks Despite Import Ban Lift ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Country’s foreign trade has decreased by 20.14 percent in the eight months of the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">March 23: Country’s foreign trade has decreased by 20.14 percent in the eight months of the current fiscal year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Despite the surge of the foreign exchange reserve, lifting of the ban on the import of luxurious goods and removal of 50 and 100 percent cash margin while opening letter of credit(LC), foreign trade has not improved. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Soaring inflation triggered by Russia-Ukraine war and high banking interest rates have badly affected the import and export, causing the international trade to drop compared to the last fiscal year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In the first eight months of the current fiscal year Nepal’s total foreign trade was Rs 1,163 billion compared to Rs 1456.48 billion in the last fiscal year, according to the Department of Customs. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The country’s trade deficit has shrunk by 17.86 per cent to Rs 953 billion in the first eight months of the fiscal year compared to last year when the trade gap stood at Rs 1,160 billion.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Statistics released by the Department of Customs on Wednesday show that Nepal imported goods worth over Rs 1,058 billion in the review period, a decrease by 19.13 per cent compared to the imports over the same period last year. The goods were imported from over 158 countries.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, exports from the country stood at Rs 104 billion in the eight months of the current fiscal, down 29.07 per cent compared to the same review period last fiscal year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In the review period, the imports to exports ratio increased by 14.02 per cent compared to last year in the first eight months of this fiscal year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Nepal continues to have the highest trade deficit with its neighbours — India and China.<br /> According to the data, Nepal imported goods worth Rs 656.80 billion from the southern neighbour in the review period, while exports to India amounted to Rs 74 billion.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"> The trade deficit with India stood at Rs 582 billion in the review period. Meanwhile, the trade deficit with China stood at Rs 145.26 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17083', 'image' => '20230323065442_collage (33).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 06:51:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17347', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Pokhara to Host PATA Summit 2023 From May 29 to June 1', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit and Mart 23 will take place in Pokhara, a major tourist destination of Nepal, from 29 May to June 1. ', 'content' => '<p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px">March 22: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit and Mart 23 will take place in Pokhara, a major tourist destination of Nepal, from 29 May to June 1. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Co-organised by the Government of Nepal, the Nepal Tourism Board, and the PATA, this is the first time that the Summit is taking place in Pokhara since Nepal got its international membership in 1975, said the NTB chief executive officer, Dr Dhananjaya Regmi at a press conference in Pokhara on Wednesday. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The local government will coordinate the Summit. For the event, a main organising committee has been formed under the chairpersonship of the NTB chairperson, and organisations relating to tourism are members. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">This conclave is expected to be a milestone in the promotion of tourism in Nepal in general, and Pokhara and Gandaki Province in particular, at a time when the sector hit-hard by the COVID-19 pandemic is reviving, Regmi said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The summit has also provided an opportunity for Nepali and international tourism entrepreneurs to meet and share at the same platform, Regmi added. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“This is the third time that Nepal is hosting the Adventure Mart, and the first time that the Summit is taking place in Nepal. We expect the summit to further boost Nepal’s tourism and return the tourism situation to the same pre-COVID by the end of 2023 by increasing inflows of tourists,” said Regmi.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"> Around 300 representatives from 15 different countries and the PATA executive board members are expected to participate in the event. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"> A wide range of issues from sustainable tourism to crisis management, aviation safety, and adventure and mountainous tourism will be discussed, said Secretary of the PATA International, Suman Pandey. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya pledged to provide required assistances to make the PATA Summit a success. ---RSS </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17082', 'image' => '20230322051752_collage - 2023-03-22T171729.016.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 17:14:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17346', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Start-ups to get upto Rs 2.5 Million Collateral-free Loans ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: Start-up enterprises will now get collateral-free concessional loans up to Rs 2.5 million. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 22: Start-up enterprises will now get collateral-free concessional loans up to Rs 2.5 million. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has prepared and approved the start-up loan procedure to provide loan facilities at subsidized interest rate without collateral to 14 types of enterprises.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the procedure, the enterprises designated to get concessional loans under start-up should not be operating for more than seven years. It is mentioned in the procedure that concessional loans can be granted to those enterprises that meet at least five of the seven criteria set by the government, including the paid-up capital not exceeding Rs 50 million, the total income of the business not exceeding Rs 50 million a year, the fixed capital not exceeding Rs 20 million, and the enterprise not having more than 10 full-time employees.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government has allocated a budget of Rs 250 million in the current fiscal year for the disbursement of start-up loans. After the implementation of the procedure, the start-up enterprises that meet the standards set by the government will get a loan of Rs 2.5 million without collateral from the commercial banks for 7 years at an annual interest rate of 3 per cent. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Joint Secretary Baburam Gautam, head of the Industrial Division under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies said that the start-up loan procedure has been sent to the related agencies for implementation. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"The Ministry of Industry has approved the start-up loan procedure and sent it to the Department of Industry for implementation," Division Head Gautam told New Business Age on Tuesday, "The start-up policy has been sent to the Ministry of Finance and the National Planning Commission for consultation."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Joint Secretary Gautam, eligible start-ups can now apply for concessional loans. "We will evaluate their application and provide loans as soon as possible," he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The start-up enterprise credit fund procedure 2079 is about to be implemented for the first time in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Industrialists are happy after the government introduced this kind of arrangement. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ranjit Acharya, coordinator of the Start-Up Innovation Committee under the Federation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that everything possible to encourage and support start-up enterprises is included in the start-up policy. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, "The start-up policy will make the current ecosystem sustainable and innovative." Even though this arrangement is already in place, it has been delayed because the officials of the ministry took a long time to understand the start-up issue.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Acharya also expressed his apprehension that the start-up process may become a victim of political conflict. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17081', 'image' => '20230322044214_startup.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 16:41:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17345', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Completion of Rani-Kulariya Irrigation Project Nowhere In Sight Though Deadline Nears Expiration ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Over a decade into construction, completion of one of the national pride Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation projects is nowhere in sight as it is moving at snail’s pace in Kailali.', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 22: Over a decade into construction, completion of one of the national pride Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation projects is nowhere in sight as it is moving at snail’s pace in Kailali. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">To everyone’s dismay, less than 50 percent of the construction has been completed, though the deadline nears its expiration. The deadline will expire in the next fiscal year, 2023/24. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The project funded by the World Bank aims to irrigate the total 38,300 hectares of land. The Rani side has seen only 18 percent progress while 20 percent work is completed on the Gulariya part, said the project engineer Prem Lasiwa. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, 65 percent work has been completed in Jamara. Lasiwa blamed the contractors for a delay. “Construction work started simultaneously in all three parts. But, the contractors have failed to work in uniformity. We are asking them to speed up the construction,” he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Three construction companies were awarded the contract for the construction of the irrigation project. Of them, Gaurishankar Nirman Sewa and an Indian GVV company are jointly working on the Rani Kulo side. Similarly, Ramechhap Nirman Sewa and Kanchharam Nirman Sewa are awarded the contract to jointly work in the Jamara part, and High Himalaya Hydro Construct Pvt. Ltd. is looking over the Kulariya side. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The construction companies blamed the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis for the delay. As a result, the project cannot be completed within the deadline, said Tshering Sherpa, site in-charge for the Ramechhap Nirman Sewa. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“We are working. The deadline is nearing. Still, over 30 percent construction remains,” he said. The company won the contract at Rs 540 million. Kumar Raj Shahi, chairperson of the Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation system consumers’ main committee, accused negligence on the part of the contractors for the delay. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Contractors are irresponsible. The construction work is not going ahead as per the direction of the project office. Farmers, however, have blamed the consumers’ committee instead. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Farmers are in real problems. They have not been able to grow crops in time due to lack of irrigation facility,” Shahi said. ---RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17080', 'image' => '20230322041214_collage - 2023-03-22T160506.681.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 16:04:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17344', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Higher Rate of Cancer Detected among Illiterates in Nepal: Study ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: There is a higher rate of occurrence of cancer among illiterate people than literate ones in Nepal, according to a study by Action Nepal, a non-governmental organisation working on tobacco control in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 22: There is a higher rate of occurrence of cancer among illiterate people than literate ones in Nepal, according to a study by Action Nepal, a non-governmental organisation working on tobacco control in Nepal. Forty six percent illiterate people contracted cancer caused by the consumption of tobacco products, says the study. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In 2019, the organisation carried out a study on financial burden faced by patients seeking treatment for tobacco-induced cancer. Tobacco-induced cancer cases in people pursuing higher education stood at 1.9 percent. Sixteen percent of them sought treatment by selling off their properties including houses and land. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, 27.2 percent bore treatment costs through their savings, and 60 percent took loans from their relatives. Tobacco-induced cancer has put life expectancy rate at 53.5 years of age, according to the study. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Three hundred tobacco-induced cancer patients were included in the study. Of them, 42.7 percent were dependent on agriculture as main source of income for treatment costs, 22.3 on trade, 11.7 on daily wages, and 8.7 each on government job and foreign employment.-- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17079', 'image' => '20230322040720_FTqqUUmWAAIC-CZ - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 16:06:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17343', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'iPhone Market in Nepal Grows Almost Double in a Year ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: In the last one year, the iPhone market has almost doubled in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 22: In the last one year, the iPhone market has almost doubled in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has been found that the iPhone market increased in Nepal when the government banned the import of expensive phones. Although the import of expensive mobile phones has been stopped in Nepal, the market of Apple, which is considered an expensive brand, has increased by </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""> percentage points in one year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Apple's market share, which was only </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6.39</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in March last year, has almost doubled to around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent within a year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In the last nine months alone, Apple has increased its market share by almost </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percentage points to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11.77</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">When the government banned the import of expensive mobile phones, Apple's mobile phones priced below </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">$600</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> were not available in the Nepali market. However, Apple's smartphone sales have increased after the government lifted the import ban from last January. In the last three months alone, Apple has increased its market share by about three percentage points.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 market share of Apple, which sells mobile phones ranging from Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">85</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,000 to Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">35</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">0,000 in the Nepali market, has increased at a time when the economic condition of the country is not so encouraging. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Apple’s market was rising constantly even when the economy was shrinking and the government had imposed a ban on import of expensive phones, cars and alcohol. Apple's market continues to rise after the government lifted the import ban.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the iPhone dealers, the sale of iPhone-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> in Nepal has increased rapidly. Businessmen say that after the increase in the sale of iPhone-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> series phones, priced from a minimum of Rs 1</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">55</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,000 to a maximum of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">3</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">50,000, its share in the Nepali market has doubled within a year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">If there was no import ban, the market share of Apple phones in Nepal would reach around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">15</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent, one businessman claimed.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Users who have used iPhone once have a habit of buying the new series of phones as soon as they are released. Even though Apple's market share has increased in Nepal, businessmen say that it is the old users who are buying new phones rather than the new customers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Samsung also has more than a dozen models of expensive phones ranging from Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">58,000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> to Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">245,000</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">in the Nepali market. However, while Samsung's market is going down, Apple is making leaps and bounds day by day.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Samsung's market share has now dropped to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">27</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. It was </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">31</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent a year ago. Apple seems to have taken over Samsung's declining market share.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Apple's tablet business, which was </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">29.49</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in February last year, has increased by </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">17</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">46.54</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in one year. Samsung has also lost a large market in Tab. The market share of Samsung tablets, which was more than </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">64</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent a year ago, is now limited to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">43.82</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. In a period of one year, Samsung has also lost </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent market share in Tab.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even in global competition, the market share of Apple Tab is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">51.26</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. The global market share of Samsung Tab is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">31.21</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. Apple's global market share in mobile phones is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">27.11</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent, while Samsung's is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">26.74</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, over </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1.1 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">million smartphones worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.76</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion were imported into Nepal between last July to January. Since the government opened up imports from December 16 last year, </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">201</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">smartphones entered the market in just two</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">months.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17078', 'image' => '20230322013726_aaaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 13:36:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17342', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Foreign Investment Commitment Declines by 38 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: Foreign investment commitment declined by 38 percent in eight months of current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of last FY. ', '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"">March 22: Foreign investment commitment declined by </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">38</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in eight months of current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of last FY. In terms of monetary value, foreign investment commitment in the review period this year was Rs </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""> billion less than last year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the data of the Department of Industry, foreign investment commitment from mid-July to mid-March of last year was Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">33.33</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion, which dropped to Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20.56</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion this year . This amount is Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12.77</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion less than the same period of last year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As of mid-March in the current fiscal year, the most of the foreign investment commitments were made in mid-December to mid-January. In the review month, foreign investment commitment of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4.85</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion was pledged. The lowest commitment of foreign investment came in mid-November to mid-December. The data of the department shows that foreign investment commitments of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">0 million were received in that particular period. Foreign investment commitments have been made for </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">183</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> industries in the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the last fiscal year, most of the foreign investment commitments came in mid-October to mid-November. In that period, foreign investment commitment of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.96 billion was pledged by the foreign agencies. The lowest foreign investment commitment came in mid-January to mid-February. According to the data of the department, foreign investment commitments of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">53.95</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> million were received in that month.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the data of the department, so far foreign investment commitments of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2782 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion have been received for </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">8</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">947 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">industries. According to the department, </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">670</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">255 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">people have got employment from these industries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17077', 'image' => '20230322011216_Foreign investment.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 13:11:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17341', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Only Two Employees to Inspect Pesticide Residue on Vegetables entering KTM Valley', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: There are 13 big fruit and vegetable markets in Kathmandu Valley, where hundreds of tons of fruits and vegetables are brought in every day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 22: There are 13 big fruit and vegetable markets in Kathmandu Valley, where hundreds of tons of fruits and vegetables are brought in every day. However, it has been found that the government has been extremely negligent in testing the pesticide residue on the imported fruits and vegetables. The vegetables and fruits that make it to those 13 markets are tested for pesticides by just two employees.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rajivdas Rajbhandari, senior crop protection officer of the Central Agriculture Laboratory informed New Business Age that pesticide residue testing of fruits and vegetables entering 13 vegetable markets including Kalimati, Balkhu, Kuleshwar, Kalanki Jadibuti, Tinkune, Balaju Machhapokhari, Tukucha, Dhumbarahi, Chabahil, Baneshwar is done by one technician and one assistant. According to him, those employees test pesticide residues only on vegetables and fruits entering the Kalimati market on a daily basis except on public holidays. In Kalimati, 700 to 900 tons of vegetables arrive daily from within Nepal and also from India. Out of them, a maximum of 10 vegetable samples are tested for pesticides. Rajbhandari says that is not enough.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> “As there are only two employees, it is a problem to test all the vegetables that reach the market for pesticides. Pesticides are checked in other markets only occasionally. That is not effective. But how much work can two people do?” he questioned.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rajbhandari remarked that pesticides are being cooked in consumers' kitchens every day because these pesticide tests are not effective.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The laboratory tests two types of pesticides called organophosphate and cabramite in vegetables and fruits. Apart from that, other types of pesticides are also present in vegetables. This confirms that the government is indifferent to the adverse effects it has on human health. Apart from these, the laboratory does not have the technology to check the amount of pesticides.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Consumer rights activists have criticized this action of the government. Bishnu Prasad Timilsina, general secretary of Consumer Protection Forum Nepal says that the government is taking the lead in forcefully feeding poison to the common consumers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Timilsina said, “Does the government not have the capacity to test pesticides in just 13 vegetable markets?”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Laboratory data shows that green vegetables coming from the domestic market as well as India have high levels of pesticides. According to the laboratory, out of 1,778 vegetable samples tested in Kalimati till March 10, 1,751 samples contained cabramite and organophosphate less than 35 percent (edible). In 10 samples, the amount of pesticide was found between 35 percent to 45 percent. Such vegetables should be kept in quarantine and after a few days they can be consumed after re-testing. The laboratory informed that 17 sample products with pesticide inhibition more than 45 percent were destroyed. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Highest pesticide content is found in vegetables like cauliflower, flat beans, and broccoli. It has been found that vegetables with more pesticides are imported from the domestic market. Laboratory records reveal that vegetables coming from Sarlahi, Bhaktapur, Makwanpur and Dhading have high levels of pesticides. The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control is in charge of testing vegetables coming from foreign countries at the pesticide checkpoint, and the Central Agricultural Laboratory is in charge of testing them in the country. Under the laboratory, pesticides are tested at seven locations namely Birtamod, Lalbandi, Kalimati, Pokhara, Butwal, Nepalganj and Attaria.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17076', 'image' => '20230322114827_p02-120209-78.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 11:47:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17340', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Farmers get Agriculture Equipment at Subsidized Rate ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) has distributed agriculture equipment to farmers at subsidized rate. The metropolis also informed the farmers about the use of modern equipment. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 22: Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) has distributed agriculture equipment to farmers at subsidized rate. The metropolis also informed the farmers about the use of modern equipment. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chief of Pokhara Agriculture Development Division Manohar Kadariya said that various equipment were distributed on 50 percent subsidy from the budget allocated in the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The metropolis provided 261 hand tractors, 62 combined mill, six thrashers, 108 grass cutters, 30 power sprays, six oil crusher machines and 29 other machineries to the framers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Acting on the demands of farmers of 25 wards, the Agriculture Division arranged and distributed the equipment. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">PMC Mayor Dhanraj Acharya shared that the metropolis distributed the equipment to the farmers at subsidized rate to increase production and reduce costs by using machines in the agriculture sector. He stressed the need for maximizing the use of machines. The mayor added that the agriculture sector needs commercialization and marketing.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“It would help us save our time and costs,” said Jyoti Gurung, a farmer of Pokhara metropolis-33, who received hand tractor on subsidy. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17075', 'image' => '20230322105047_Agri.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 10:50:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17339', 'article_category_id' => '274', 'title' => 'Birgunj Customs Office Fails to Meet Its Revenue Collection Target ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Government restrictions on import and fall of demand in domestic market have dealt a blow to revenue collection from Birgunj Customs Office.', 'content' => '<p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px">March 22: Government restrictions on import and fall of demand in domestic market have dealt a blow to revenue collection from Birgunj Customs Office.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The revenue collection from the country’s major customs Birgunj Customs Office has collected only 60 percent of its target in the eight months of the current fiscal year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Deemed a major customs point, Birgunj Customs Office provides a significant contribution to revenue collection in the country. Industrial raw materials, petroleum products and vehicles are imported via the Birgunj Customs point while processed oil, readymade garments, juice and thread are exported through it. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Birgunj Customs Office has collected Rs 101.49 billion in revenue against its target of Rs 168.23 billion in the eight months of the current fiscal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Import restrictions placed by the government from beginning of the current fiscal year caused the total trade to dive, affecting the revenue collection from the customs office, said Information Officer Ram Chandra Dhakal of the customs office. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Political instability and polls have encouraged the illegal import of goods, having toll on the revenue collection. “Revenue leakage due to ‘setting’ is also responsible for the fall of revenue collection,” said officials of customs office.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Birgunj Customs Office has set the target to collect Rs 260.97 billion revenue in the current fiscal year. The customs office, however, has failed to meet revenue collcetion target in either months of the current fiscal year so far. </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17074', 'image' => '20230322062302_collage (31).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 06:19:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ) ) $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
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 133]file not found!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' => '17353', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'One Agent, One Insurance Company Policy Comes into Effect', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Nepal Insurance Authority has implemented a provision that one insurance agent cannot work in more than one insurance company of the same type.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 23: Nepal Insurance Authority has implemented a provision that one insurance agent cannot work in more than one insurance company of the same type.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In subsection 6 of section 93 of the Insurance Act, 2079, it is mentioned that an insurance agent of one insurer cannot work as an insurance agent of another insurer of the same type of company during the same period.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the provisions of the Insurance Act, 2079, the authority has implemented the policy of 'one agent, one insurance company'. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">With the implementation of the provision, now one person will not be allowed to work as an agent of more than one insurance company of the same type. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the authority, the number of insurance agents has reached 256,322 by mid-March. Among them, 5045 agents are affiliated to more than one insurance company of the same type.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the authority, the number of agents affiliated to two insurance companies doing the same type of business is 4,847 and 178 are affiliated to three companies, while 16 are affiliated are to four companies, 2 each with five and 10 companies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">With the implementation of the 'One Agent, One Insurance Company' policy by the Insurance Authority, agents affiliated to more than one insurance company of the same type will now be able to choose only one company online. The agent can choose the company and renew it through the One Time Password (OTP) received on the mobile.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chairman of the Authority, Surya Prasad Silwal, said that the policy will benefit all the agents, insurance companies and the authority with the implementation of the provision in the Insurance Act.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We have implemented the provisions of the Act. With the implementation of this arrangement, it will be easy for the agents to renew, and they will work honestly with only one company,” he added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that now the insurance companies will have complete information about their agents, and it will be easier for the authority to regulate them.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17088', 'image' => '20230323105757_Insurance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:57:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17352', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Envoy Assures to take Initiative to Remove Anti-Dumping Duty on Jute', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava has said that India will take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty imposed by India on the import of readymade jute from Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 23: Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava has said that India will take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty imposed by India on the import of readymade jute from Nepal. After businessmen informed the stakeholders about the problems during a program organized by the Morang Merchants Association, Srivastava said that he would take initiatives to remove the anti-dumping duty in order to facilitate the trade of jute. India has been imposing the anti-dumping duty of up to 4 percent on Nepalese jute imports.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Srivastava also said that the amount of food grains required for Nepal will be easily made available despite the export ban. He said that the Government of India will provide the necessary food if there is a demand with real data.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that the Government of India has adopted a policy of taking its neighbors along in development. He also added that the railway service from Bathnaha to Biratnagar ICP will be operational within a short time. He informed that the railway which has been completed up to ICP will be handed over to the Government of Nepal within a few days.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Srivastava said that the essence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Neighbors First' policy is to move forward for development, and mentioned that both India and Nepal are brothers. He said, “Both countries are equal. None of them is big or small. We should help each other in development.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After industrialists and businessmen demanded the opening of the closed Indian Embassy office in Biratnagar, Srivastava clarified that the office will be opened if the Nepalese government and the people of Biratnagar want it. He said, “Nepal government should give permission on this matter, if the government allows, the embassy office will be opened here as well.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17087', 'image' => '20230323105211_jute.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:51:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17351', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Social Security to Cover Nepali Migrant Workers', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: Nepali migrant workers who are employed abroad or are self-employed have been included in the social security scheme of the government.', '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"">March 23: Nepali migrant workers who are employed abroad or are self-employed have been included in the social security scheme of the government. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has launched the work of listing the workers abroad in the scheme amid a special program on Wednesday. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the program, Prime Minister Dahal said that the government is effortful to establish the culture to encourage every sector to join the social security fund. He informed that the fund will be used to invest in the physical infrastructure development of the state, entrepreneurship and other productive sectors. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“I am particularly saddened by the fact that even the contract workers in the government service could not be included in the social security fund so far. I will start making necessary arrangements in this regard," he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Making it clear that the government will not tolerate cheating of young people who go abroad for employment, he said that the days of hurting young people who go abroad for employment are over. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to Dahal, the government is preparing to send those who are going abroad only after training them and making them skilled. Prime Minister Dahal also expressed the government's commitment to the full implementation of the five-year strategic plan announced by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Labor Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal, who is the chairman of the Social Security Fund, said that the government has started implementing the 'Contribution-based Social Security Scheme Operation Procedures 2079 for Workers in Foreign Employment and Self-Employed Persons Abroad'.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, no Nepali worker abroad needs to live outside the scope of social security. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to Secretary Aryal, this has ensured the social security of 2.2 million workers who are employed abroad. To join the fund, workers have to complete the prescribed process. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Kapilmani Gyawali, executive director of the SSF said that hundreds of thousands of Nepalis living abroad will benefit from this scheme. According to him, this scheme has been introduced so that the workers who are employed abroad can get benefits including pension.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In order to bring foreign employment or self-employed workers under the umbrella of social security, the fund has already approved the procedures for listing informal, self-employed and foreign workers in the social security fund, he added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 permission of the employer company is not required to participate in the fund. You can apply by yourself by keeping your passport and work permit. The specified amount can be deposited directly into the account.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the fund, the procedure has opened the way for millions of informal, self-employed and foreign workers to participate in the contribution-based social security scheme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 trade unions have been demanding for a long time to bring the informal and self-employed workers under the scope of social security.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even though the workers in Nepal's formal sector have been benefiting from the social security scheme for three years, those who are employed abroad and self-employed were deprived of it. The Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) had also been lobbying to include foreign workers in the social security scheme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17086', 'image' => '20230323104308_PRO-KTM-PMPRACHANDA.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:42:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17350', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Construction Works in Manang Resume with the End of Winter', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: With the end of winter, construction of infrastructure has started in the Himalayan district of Manang. ', '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"">March 23: With the end of winter, construction of infrastructure has started in the Himalayan district of Manang. The infrastructure office informed that the construction work, which was halted due to the cold weather, has once again gained momentum. The head of the office Jay Bista said that the construction work which was stopped due to extreme cold has now started. Due to the extreme cold weather in the district, the construction work of the physical infrastructures damaged by the continuous rainfall last year was halted.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief District Officer Suprabha Khanal Dhungel said that the construction of roads, bridges and hydropower in Upper Manang which had been stopped earlier has resumed now. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief Engineer Bista said that development work is going on in Chame, Nason, Narpabhumi and Ngisyang Rural Municipality of the district. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Due to the extreme cold in winter, the infrastructure construction work in upper Manang could not be done, but now it has started. The work here can only be done for a total of three months in a year," said Bista.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, construction of such a retaining wall, drain construction, road maintenance are being done under the road construction work. He said that the work stopped by the cold is now being done intensively with the aim of making things easier before the onset of the rainy season. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 construction work of the Chame-Bensisahar road section, which is the lifeline of Manang, has also been accelerated since the weather has been favorable. For the construction of this road section, the budget has been allocated annually under the multi-year plan. The government has been allocating budget specifically for road construction and development to facilitate transportation in the district.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17085', 'image' => '20230323101835_Manang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 10:17:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17349', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NBSM Takes Action against 973 Firms', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 23: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) Birgunj has filed cases against two industries of Chitwan in the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 23: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) Birgunj has filed cases against two industries of Chitwan in the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Manish Kumar Das, head of the office, informed that the cases were filed after it was found that the industries were using weighing machines without obtaining a license.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The office has also taken action and fined 973 commercial and industrial establishments that did not renew their measuring devices from mid-July to mid-March of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During the review period, the office also claimed that 391 commercial and industrial establishments were granted new licenses related to weighing. Also, during the same period, the office renewed the measuring devices of 814 commercial and industrial establishments. In the last eight months, the office collected Rs 8,021,855 in revenue.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Das said that from mid-July to mid-March of the current fiscal year, the office conducted single monitoring 24 times and joint monitoring 22 times. Similarly, he also informed that the office also inspected 604 pump nozzles and 36 tankers in its area of operation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As per the information provided by Das, the office is also giving training on industrial production and weighing equipment every Friday. NBSM has also been warning not to self-produce against the standards set by the department. If found doing so, there is a provision for a fine from Rs 5000 up to Rs 10,000.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17084', 'image' => '20230323093853_market monitoring.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 09:38:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17348', 'article_category_id' => '268', 'title' => 'Foreign Trade Shrinks Despite Import Ban Lift ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Country’s foreign trade has decreased by 20.14 percent in the eight months of the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">March 23: Country’s foreign trade has decreased by 20.14 percent in the eight months of the current fiscal year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Despite the surge of the foreign exchange reserve, lifting of the ban on the import of luxurious goods and removal of 50 and 100 percent cash margin while opening letter of credit(LC), foreign trade has not improved. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Soaring inflation triggered by Russia-Ukraine war and high banking interest rates have badly affected the import and export, causing the international trade to drop compared to the last fiscal year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In the first eight months of the current fiscal year Nepal’s total foreign trade was Rs 1,163 billion compared to Rs 1456.48 billion in the last fiscal year, according to the Department of Customs. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The country’s trade deficit has shrunk by 17.86 per cent to Rs 953 billion in the first eight months of the fiscal year compared to last year when the trade gap stood at Rs 1,160 billion.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Statistics released by the Department of Customs on Wednesday show that Nepal imported goods worth over Rs 1,058 billion in the review period, a decrease by 19.13 per cent compared to the imports over the same period last year. The goods were imported from over 158 countries.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, exports from the country stood at Rs 104 billion in the eight months of the current fiscal, down 29.07 per cent compared to the same review period last fiscal year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In the review period, the imports to exports ratio increased by 14.02 per cent compared to last year in the first eight months of this fiscal year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Nepal continues to have the highest trade deficit with its neighbours — India and China.<br /> According to the data, Nepal imported goods worth Rs 656.80 billion from the southern neighbour in the review period, while exports to India amounted to Rs 74 billion.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"> The trade deficit with India stood at Rs 582 billion in the review period. Meanwhile, the trade deficit with China stood at Rs 145.26 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-23', 'modified' => '2023-03-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17083', 'image' => '20230323065442_collage (33).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-23 06:51:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17347', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Pokhara to Host PATA Summit 2023 From May 29 to June 1', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit and Mart 23 will take place in Pokhara, a major tourist destination of Nepal, from 29 May to June 1. ', 'content' => '<p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px">March 22: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit and Mart 23 will take place in Pokhara, a major tourist destination of Nepal, from 29 May to June 1. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Co-organised by the Government of Nepal, the Nepal Tourism Board, and the PATA, this is the first time that the Summit is taking place in Pokhara since Nepal got its international membership in 1975, said the NTB chief executive officer, Dr Dhananjaya Regmi at a press conference in Pokhara on Wednesday. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The local government will coordinate the Summit. For the event, a main organising committee has been formed under the chairpersonship of the NTB chairperson, and organisations relating to tourism are members. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">This conclave is expected to be a milestone in the promotion of tourism in Nepal in general, and Pokhara and Gandaki Province in particular, at a time when the sector hit-hard by the COVID-19 pandemic is reviving, Regmi said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The summit has also provided an opportunity for Nepali and international tourism entrepreneurs to meet and share at the same platform, Regmi added. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“This is the third time that Nepal is hosting the Adventure Mart, and the first time that the Summit is taking place in Nepal. We expect the summit to further boost Nepal’s tourism and return the tourism situation to the same pre-COVID by the end of 2023 by increasing inflows of tourists,” said Regmi.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"> Around 300 representatives from 15 different countries and the PATA executive board members are expected to participate in the event. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"> A wide range of issues from sustainable tourism to crisis management, aviation safety, and adventure and mountainous tourism will be discussed, said Secretary of the PATA International, Suman Pandey. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya pledged to provide required assistances to make the PATA Summit a success. ---RSS </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17082', 'image' => '20230322051752_collage - 2023-03-22T171729.016.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 17:14:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17346', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Start-ups to get upto Rs 2.5 Million Collateral-free Loans ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: Start-up enterprises will now get collateral-free concessional loans up to Rs 2.5 million. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 22: Start-up enterprises will now get collateral-free concessional loans up to Rs 2.5 million. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has prepared and approved the start-up loan procedure to provide loan facilities at subsidized interest rate without collateral to 14 types of enterprises.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the procedure, the enterprises designated to get concessional loans under start-up should not be operating for more than seven years. It is mentioned in the procedure that concessional loans can be granted to those enterprises that meet at least five of the seven criteria set by the government, including the paid-up capital not exceeding Rs 50 million, the total income of the business not exceeding Rs 50 million a year, the fixed capital not exceeding Rs 20 million, and the enterprise not having more than 10 full-time employees.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government has allocated a budget of Rs 250 million in the current fiscal year for the disbursement of start-up loans. After the implementation of the procedure, the start-up enterprises that meet the standards set by the government will get a loan of Rs 2.5 million without collateral from the commercial banks for 7 years at an annual interest rate of 3 per cent. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Joint Secretary Baburam Gautam, head of the Industrial Division under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies said that the start-up loan procedure has been sent to the related agencies for implementation. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"The Ministry of Industry has approved the start-up loan procedure and sent it to the Department of Industry for implementation," Division Head Gautam told New Business Age on Tuesday, "The start-up policy has been sent to the Ministry of Finance and the National Planning Commission for consultation."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Joint Secretary Gautam, eligible start-ups can now apply for concessional loans. "We will evaluate their application and provide loans as soon as possible," he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The start-up enterprise credit fund procedure 2079 is about to be implemented for the first time in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Industrialists are happy after the government introduced this kind of arrangement. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ranjit Acharya, coordinator of the Start-Up Innovation Committee under the Federation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that everything possible to encourage and support start-up enterprises is included in the start-up policy. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, "The start-up policy will make the current ecosystem sustainable and innovative." Even though this arrangement is already in place, it has been delayed because the officials of the ministry took a long time to understand the start-up issue.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Acharya also expressed his apprehension that the start-up process may become a victim of political conflict. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17081', 'image' => '20230322044214_startup.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 16:41:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17345', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Completion of Rani-Kulariya Irrigation Project Nowhere In Sight Though Deadline Nears Expiration ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Over a decade into construction, completion of one of the national pride Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation projects is nowhere in sight as it is moving at snail’s pace in Kailali.', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 22: Over a decade into construction, completion of one of the national pride Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation projects is nowhere in sight as it is moving at snail’s pace in Kailali. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">To everyone’s dismay, less than 50 percent of the construction has been completed, though the deadline nears its expiration. The deadline will expire in the next fiscal year, 2023/24. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The project funded by the World Bank aims to irrigate the total 38,300 hectares of land. The Rani side has seen only 18 percent progress while 20 percent work is completed on the Gulariya part, said the project engineer Prem Lasiwa. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, 65 percent work has been completed in Jamara. Lasiwa blamed the contractors for a delay. “Construction work started simultaneously in all three parts. But, the contractors have failed to work in uniformity. We are asking them to speed up the construction,” he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Three construction companies were awarded the contract for the construction of the irrigation project. Of them, Gaurishankar Nirman Sewa and an Indian GVV company are jointly working on the Rani Kulo side. Similarly, Ramechhap Nirman Sewa and Kanchharam Nirman Sewa are awarded the contract to jointly work in the Jamara part, and High Himalaya Hydro Construct Pvt. Ltd. is looking over the Kulariya side. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The construction companies blamed the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis for the delay. As a result, the project cannot be completed within the deadline, said Tshering Sherpa, site in-charge for the Ramechhap Nirman Sewa. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“We are working. The deadline is nearing. Still, over 30 percent construction remains,” he said. The company won the contract at Rs 540 million. Kumar Raj Shahi, chairperson of the Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation system consumers’ main committee, accused negligence on the part of the contractors for the delay. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Contractors are irresponsible. The construction work is not going ahead as per the direction of the project office. Farmers, however, have blamed the consumers’ committee instead. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Farmers are in real problems. They have not been able to grow crops in time due to lack of irrigation facility,” Shahi said. ---RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17080', 'image' => '20230322041214_collage - 2023-03-22T160506.681.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 16:04:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17344', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Higher Rate of Cancer Detected among Illiterates in Nepal: Study ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: There is a higher rate of occurrence of cancer among illiterate people than literate ones in Nepal, according to a study by Action Nepal, a non-governmental organisation working on tobacco control in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 22: There is a higher rate of occurrence of cancer among illiterate people than literate ones in Nepal, according to a study by Action Nepal, a non-governmental organisation working on tobacco control in Nepal. Forty six percent illiterate people contracted cancer caused by the consumption of tobacco products, says the study. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In 2019, the organisation carried out a study on financial burden faced by patients seeking treatment for tobacco-induced cancer. Tobacco-induced cancer cases in people pursuing higher education stood at 1.9 percent. Sixteen percent of them sought treatment by selling off their properties including houses and land. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, 27.2 percent bore treatment costs through their savings, and 60 percent took loans from their relatives. Tobacco-induced cancer has put life expectancy rate at 53.5 years of age, according to the study. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Three hundred tobacco-induced cancer patients were included in the study. Of them, 42.7 percent were dependent on agriculture as main source of income for treatment costs, 22.3 on trade, 11.7 on daily wages, and 8.7 each on government job and foreign employment.-- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17079', 'image' => '20230322040720_FTqqUUmWAAIC-CZ - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 16:06:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17343', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'iPhone Market in Nepal Grows Almost Double in a Year ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: In the last one year, the iPhone market has almost doubled in Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 22: In the last one year, the iPhone market has almost doubled in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It has been found that the iPhone market increased in Nepal when the government banned the import of expensive phones. Although the import of expensive mobile phones has been stopped in Nepal, the market of Apple, which is considered an expensive brand, has increased by </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""> percentage points in one year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Apple's market share, which was only </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6.39</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in March last year, has almost doubled to around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent within a year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In the last nine months alone, Apple has increased its market share by almost </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">5</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percentage points to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11.77</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">When the government banned the import of expensive mobile phones, Apple's mobile phones priced below </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">$600</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> were not available in the Nepali market. However, Apple's smartphone sales have increased after the government lifted the import ban from last January. In the last three months alone, Apple has increased its market share by about three percentage points.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 market share of Apple, which sells mobile phones ranging from Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">85</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,000 to Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">35</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">0,000 in the Nepali market, has increased at a time when the economic condition of the country is not so encouraging. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Apple’s market was rising constantly even when the economy was shrinking and the government had imposed a ban on import of expensive phones, cars and alcohol. Apple's market continues to rise after the government lifted the import ban.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the iPhone dealers, the sale of iPhone-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> in Nepal has increased rapidly. Businessmen say that after the increase in the sale of iPhone-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> series phones, priced from a minimum of Rs 1</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">55</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,000 to a maximum of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">3</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">50,000, its share in the Nepali market has doubled within a year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">If there was no import ban, the market share of Apple phones in Nepal would reach around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">15</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent, one businessman claimed.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Users who have used iPhone once have a habit of buying the new series of phones as soon as they are released. Even though Apple's market share has increased in Nepal, businessmen say that it is the old users who are buying new phones rather than the new customers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Samsung also has more than a dozen models of expensive phones ranging from Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">58,000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> to Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">245,000</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">in the Nepali market. However, while Samsung's market is going down, Apple is making leaps and bounds day by day.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Samsung's market share has now dropped to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">27</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. It was </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">31</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent a year ago. Apple seems to have taken over Samsung's declining market share.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Apple's tablet business, which was </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">29.49</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in February last year, has increased by </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">17</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">46.54</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in one year. Samsung has also lost a large market in Tab. The market share of Samsung tablets, which was more than </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">64</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent a year ago, is now limited to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">43.82</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. In a period of one year, Samsung has also lost </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent market share in Tab.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Even in global competition, the market share of Apple Tab is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">51.26</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. The global market share of Samsung Tab is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">31.21</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent. Apple's global market share in mobile phones is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">27.11</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent, while Samsung's is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">26.74</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, over </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1.1 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">million smartphones worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">14</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.76</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion were imported into Nepal between last July to January. Since the government opened up imports from December 16 last year, </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">201</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">000 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">smartphones entered the market in just two</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">months.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17078', 'image' => '20230322013726_aaaa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 13:36:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17342', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Foreign Investment Commitment Declines by 38 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: Foreign investment commitment declined by 38 percent in eight months of current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of last FY. ', '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"">March 22: Foreign investment commitment declined by </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">38</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> percent in eight months of current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of last FY. In terms of monetary value, foreign investment commitment in the review period this year was Rs </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""> billion less than last year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the data of the Department of Industry, foreign investment commitment from mid-July to mid-March of last year was Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">33.33</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion, which dropped to Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20.56</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion this year . This amount is Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12.77</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion less than the same period of last year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As of mid-March in the current fiscal year, the most of the foreign investment commitments were made in mid-December to mid-January. In the review month, foreign investment commitment of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4.85</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion was pledged. The lowest commitment of foreign investment came in mid-November to mid-December. The data of the department shows that foreign investment commitments of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">80</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">0 million were received in that particular period. Foreign investment commitments have been made for </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">183</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> industries in the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the last fiscal year, most of the foreign investment commitments came in mid-October to mid-November. In that period, foreign investment commitment of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.96 billion was pledged by the foreign agencies. The lowest foreign investment commitment came in mid-January to mid-February. According to the data of the department, foreign investment commitments of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">53.95</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> million were received in that month.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the data of the department, so far foreign investment commitments of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2782 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">billion have been received for </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">8</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">947 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">industries. According to the department, </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">670</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">255 </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">people have got employment from these industries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17077', 'image' => '20230322011216_Foreign investment.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 13:11:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17341', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Only Two Employees to Inspect Pesticide Residue on Vegetables entering KTM Valley', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: There are 13 big fruit and vegetable markets in Kathmandu Valley, where hundreds of tons of fruits and vegetables are brought in every day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 22: There are 13 big fruit and vegetable markets in Kathmandu Valley, where hundreds of tons of fruits and vegetables are brought in every day. However, it has been found that the government has been extremely negligent in testing the pesticide residue on the imported fruits and vegetables. The vegetables and fruits that make it to those 13 markets are tested for pesticides by just two employees.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rajivdas Rajbhandari, senior crop protection officer of the Central Agriculture Laboratory informed New Business Age that pesticide residue testing of fruits and vegetables entering 13 vegetable markets including Kalimati, Balkhu, Kuleshwar, Kalanki Jadibuti, Tinkune, Balaju Machhapokhari, Tukucha, Dhumbarahi, Chabahil, Baneshwar is done by one technician and one assistant. According to him, those employees test pesticide residues only on vegetables and fruits entering the Kalimati market on a daily basis except on public holidays. In Kalimati, 700 to 900 tons of vegetables arrive daily from within Nepal and also from India. Out of them, a maximum of 10 vegetable samples are tested for pesticides. Rajbhandari says that is not enough.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> “As there are only two employees, it is a problem to test all the vegetables that reach the market for pesticides. Pesticides are checked in other markets only occasionally. That is not effective. But how much work can two people do?” he questioned.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rajbhandari remarked that pesticides are being cooked in consumers' kitchens every day because these pesticide tests are not effective.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The laboratory tests two types of pesticides called organophosphate and cabramite in vegetables and fruits. Apart from that, other types of pesticides are also present in vegetables. This confirms that the government is indifferent to the adverse effects it has on human health. Apart from these, the laboratory does not have the technology to check the amount of pesticides.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Consumer rights activists have criticized this action of the government. Bishnu Prasad Timilsina, general secretary of Consumer Protection Forum Nepal says that the government is taking the lead in forcefully feeding poison to the common consumers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Timilsina said, “Does the government not have the capacity to test pesticides in just 13 vegetable markets?”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Laboratory data shows that green vegetables coming from the domestic market as well as India have high levels of pesticides. According to the laboratory, out of 1,778 vegetable samples tested in Kalimati till March 10, 1,751 samples contained cabramite and organophosphate less than 35 percent (edible). In 10 samples, the amount of pesticide was found between 35 percent to 45 percent. Such vegetables should be kept in quarantine and after a few days they can be consumed after re-testing. The laboratory informed that 17 sample products with pesticide inhibition more than 45 percent were destroyed. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Highest pesticide content is found in vegetables like cauliflower, flat beans, and broccoli. It has been found that vegetables with more pesticides are imported from the domestic market. Laboratory records reveal that vegetables coming from Sarlahi, Bhaktapur, Makwanpur and Dhading have high levels of pesticides. The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control is in charge of testing vegetables coming from foreign countries at the pesticide checkpoint, and the Central Agricultural Laboratory is in charge of testing them in the country. Under the laboratory, pesticides are tested at seven locations namely Birtamod, Lalbandi, Kalimati, Pokhara, Butwal, Nepalganj and Attaria.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17076', 'image' => '20230322114827_p02-120209-78.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 11:47:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17340', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Farmers get Agriculture Equipment at Subsidized Rate ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 22: Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) has distributed agriculture equipment to farmers at subsidized rate. The metropolis also informed the farmers about the use of modern equipment. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 22: Pokhara Metropolitan City (PMC) has distributed agriculture equipment to farmers at subsidized rate. The metropolis also informed the farmers about the use of modern equipment. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chief of Pokhara Agriculture Development Division Manohar Kadariya said that various equipment were distributed on 50 percent subsidy from the budget allocated in the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The metropolis provided 261 hand tractors, 62 combined mill, six thrashers, 108 grass cutters, 30 power sprays, six oil crusher machines and 29 other machineries to the framers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Acting on the demands of farmers of 25 wards, the Agriculture Division arranged and distributed the equipment. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">PMC Mayor Dhanraj Acharya shared that the metropolis distributed the equipment to the farmers at subsidized rate to increase production and reduce costs by using machines in the agriculture sector. He stressed the need for maximizing the use of machines. The mayor added that the agriculture sector needs commercialization and marketing.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“It would help us save our time and costs,” said Jyoti Gurung, a farmer of Pokhara metropolis-33, who received hand tractor on subsidy. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17075', 'image' => '20230322105047_Agri.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 10:50:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17339', 'article_category_id' => '274', 'title' => 'Birgunj Customs Office Fails to Meet Its Revenue Collection Target ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Government restrictions on import and fall of demand in domestic market have dealt a blow to revenue collection from Birgunj Customs Office.', 'content' => '<p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px">March 22: Government restrictions on import and fall of demand in domestic market have dealt a blow to revenue collection from Birgunj Customs Office.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The revenue collection from the country’s major customs Birgunj Customs Office has collected only 60 percent of its target in the eight months of the current fiscal year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Deemed a major customs point, Birgunj Customs Office provides a significant contribution to revenue collection in the country. Industrial raw materials, petroleum products and vehicles are imported via the Birgunj Customs point while processed oil, readymade garments, juice and thread are exported through it. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Birgunj Customs Office has collected Rs 101.49 billion in revenue against its target of Rs 168.23 billion in the eight months of the current fiscal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Import restrictions placed by the government from beginning of the current fiscal year caused the total trade to dive, affecting the revenue collection from the customs office, said Information Officer Ram Chandra Dhakal of the customs office. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Political instability and polls have encouraged the illegal import of goods, having toll on the revenue collection. “Revenue leakage due to ‘setting’ is also responsible for the fall of revenue collection,” said officials of customs office.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Birgunj Customs Office has set the target to collect Rs 260.97 billion revenue in the current fiscal year. The customs office, however, has failed to meet revenue collcetion target in either months of the current fiscal year so far. </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-22', 'modified' => '2023-03-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '17074', 'image' => '20230322062302_collage (31).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-22 06:19:46', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ) ) $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
