March 9: The voting for the presidential election has concluded and the vote count has started.…
March 9: The voting for the presidential election has concluded and the vote count has started.…
Commercial banks have decided to slash interest rates for the next month of Chaitra(mid-March to mid-April). A meeting of the Nepal Bankers’ Association held on Thursday took the decision to cut the interest rates on deposits and lending for the next…
March 9: A Shree Airlines plane flying from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa made an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire on…
March 9: After decades of construction of road infrastructure, the first expressway (fast track) announced by the government is under construction.…
March 9: Regular international flights have resumed at the Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport, the second largest airport in the country, starting from today (March 9).…
March 9: Inflow of tourist has started to increase in various places of Nepal, including Thamel, the main tourist hub in the federal capital Kathmandu.…
March 9: The price of milk between the government and industry! 'Only 65 rupees for farmers, 35 rupees margin for…
March 9: Voting to elect a new president has begun at the Parliament Building in New Baneshwar amid tight security and…
Mai Khola Hydropower Limited is issuing Initial Public Offering (IPO) shares to the project-affected locals of Ilam district and Nepali citizens working in foreign countries from…
March 8: Digital platforms are found to have reported a sizable number of online violence.…
On the occasion of the 113th International Women’s Day, Tourism Entrepreneur Women Association Nepal (TEWAN) has initiated tourism promotion programme along the Korala checkpoint in Myagdi and Mustang from today…
March 8: Confederation of Commercial Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CBFIN) has demanded action against those who are threatening not to pay the principal and interest of banks and are involved in abusing the bank…
The Election Commission said that it had completed preparations for the presidential election slated for…
March 8: Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Dr Neelam Dhungana Timsina has said that climate change poses significant risk to the social inclusion, economic prosperity and financial stability of emerging and developing…
March 8: Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang he witnessed snowfall since early morning today.…
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 9: The voting for the presidential election has concluded and the vote count has started. The voting was held at separate voting centres for the federal parliament members and the provincial assembly members set up at Lhotse Hall of the Federal Parliament Building at New Baneshwor today. The voting was held from 10 am to 3pm. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The counting of votes has started a while ago and the results would be announced today itself, the Election Commission said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Three hundred and thirteen members of the federal parliament and 518 members of the provincial assemblies cast their votes in the Presidential election today. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Fifteen federal parliament members including 14 of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and one from the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) remained neutral and did not vote for any of the two candidates. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Six federal parliament lawmakers did not take part in the voting. They are Chandra Bhandari who is undergoing health treatment in India, Barshaman Pun who is under medical treatment in China, Laxmi Koiri who has a court case against him, Tek Bahadur Gurung who has been suspended, Rabi Lamichhane whose parliamentary seat has fallen vacant after his removal from the post and Sahanaz Rahman who passed away. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, among the provincial assembly members who were not present in the voting, 28 are from RPP, three from the NWPP who remained neutral and one from the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel and CPN (UML) Vice-chair Subas Chandra Nembang are in the race for the President. Both of them are the former Speakers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Poudel is the common candidate of the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Maoist Centre), the CPN (Unified Socialist), the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal, the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Nepal, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Samajbadi Party. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Electoral College for the election of the President comprises the members of the Federal Parliament and Province Assemblies. There are a total of 882 eligible voters in the Federal Parliament (the House of Representatives and the National Assembly) and the Province Assembly (332 under the Federal Parliament and 550 under the Province Assembly). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Federal Parliament has 79 weighted votes, and the Province Assembly 48. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16963', 'image' => '20230309045441_KB-KTM-RE3A2608.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 16:52:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17224', 'article_category_id' => '218', 'title' => 'Commercial Banks to Slash Interest Rates on Deposits and Lending From March 15 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Commercial banks have decided to slash interest rates for the next month of Chaitra(mid-March to mid-April). A meeting of the Nepal Bankers’ Association held on Thursday took the decision to cut the interest rates on deposits and lending for the next month. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 9: Commercial banks have decided to slash interest rates for the next month of Chaitra(mid-March to mid-April). A meeting of the Nepal Bankers’ Association held on Thursday took the decision to cut the interest rates on deposits and lending for the next month. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">As per the NBA’s decision, the interest rate on deposits will be slashed by 0.4 percent, while one percent premium rate will be trimmed on lending starting from March 15. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Nepal Bankers’ Association Chairman Sunil KC said that the umbrella organization was working to reduce the interest rate on credit flow gradually. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Banks have been adding up to six per cent premium in the base rate at the moment. With the reduction of premium rate by one percent, banks can add up to five percent premium on the base rate from March 15 onwards. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Similarly, banks will provide interest from 6 to 8 percent in normal savings. Earlier, they were providing interest from 6.42 to 8.42 percent in normal savings. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Banks, however, have kept the interest rates on fixed deposits unchanged. Banks have been offering 11 per cent interest on individual fixed deposits. Likewise, they have determined 9 percent and 12 percent interest rates on institutional and remittance accounts respectively. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Industrialists, entrepreneurs and representatives of banks and financial institutions have been demanding for the reduction of the interest rates. Following pressure from all sides, NBA decided to trim the interest rates marginally. </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16962', 'image' => '20230309041309_collage - 2023-03-09T161021.974.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 16:07:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17223', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Shree Airlines Plane makes Emergency Landing after its Engine Catches Fire', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: A Shree Airlines plane flying from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa made an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire on Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 9: A Shree Airlines plane flying from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa made an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire on Thursday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to airport sources, the aircraft returned to Kathmandu and landed safely after its engine caught fire.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Superintendent of Police (SP) Anil Manandhar said that the aircraft returned from Dhading’s Thakre after the engine of flight 821 of Shree Airlines caught fire.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">SP Manandhar confirmed that the plane landed safely at Tribhuvan International Airport and all the crew members and passengers on board are safe. Arrangements were made to send the passengers to Bhairahawa on another flight.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16961', 'image' => '20230309033900_1678336935.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 15:38:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Study of One Fast Track Begins, Fate of other 3 Uncertain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: After decades of construction of road infrastructure, the first expressway (fast track) announced by the government is under construction. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: After decades of construction of road infrastructure, the first expressway (fast track) announced by the government is under construction. Apart from this, announcement for the construction of four more expressways has announced in the budget of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The four fast tracks announced in the budget are Chandragiri-Chitlang-Palung-Chitwan Expressway, Chitwan-Rampur-Butwal Expressway, Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara Expressway and Mirchaiya-Lukla-Sagarmatha Expressway. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the first phase, the Investment Board of Nepal has started a feasibility study to develop the Chandragiri-Chitlang-Palung-Chitwan fast track. The government announced the construction of this fast track so that Chitwan can be accessed from Kathmandu in 1 hour.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although the Kathmandu-Terai fast track is being built by the government itself, the board carried out a feasibility study in accordance with the strategy of bringing the private sector as an investor in future fast track projects. An official of the board informed that the study report of this expressway will be prepared within 1 month. The report will confirm if the construction of this highway is possible or not. The official said that the study will be done this year and the work will commence next year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, the study of other three fast tracks announced by the government has not been planned yet. The government has said that the Chitwan-Rampur-Butwal and Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara fast tracks will be built in the second phase. It is mentioned in the budget that the Mirchaiya-Lukla-Sagarmatha fast track will connect the plains, hills and mountains and help in tourism promotion. However, some infrastructural experts have suggest the government to build fast tracks based on needs rather than for the sake of announcements.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Former secretary and infrastructure expert Tulsi Sitaula says that the government should not ignore the fact that road expansion can adversely affect renowned trekking routes.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Duplication is seen in the infrastructure built by the government. It should not be repeated. Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara fast track and Chitwan-Rampur-Butwal fast track do not seem to be practical because there are other subsidiary highways in good condition to reach Mahendra Highway,” he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Sitaula said that the Mirchaiya-Lukla-Sagarmata fast track is necessary but argued that the fast track should not be constructed up to the Lukla-Sangboche trekking route. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He suggested building fast track so that the trekking route is not destroyed. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16960', 'image' => '20230309032814_fastttt-transformed.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 15:27:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Regular Flights Resume at Gautam Buddha International Airport ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: Regular international flights have resumed at the Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport, the second largest airport in the country, starting from today (March 9). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 9: Regular international flights have resumed at the Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport, the second largest airport in the country, starting from today (March 9). The airport had remained closed during the winter due to poor visibility after Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways, the only airline company which had been operating international flights to and from this airport, suspended flights since December 21, 2022, citing bad weather. </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"">A plane of the Jazeera Airways carrying 66 passengers from Kuwait landed at the Gautam Buddha International Airport at 7:15 am on Thursday and it took off at 8:15 am with 99 passengers on board, said Jagannath Niraula, spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to him, operation of flights to and from Bhairahawa has become easier now with the weather becoming clear and Jazeera Airways will operate regular flights three days a week – Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Gautam Buddha International Airport has the capacity to handle 30 to 40 flights day.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The airport, which came into operation almost a year ago, is an alternative to the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. -- RSS</span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16959', 'image' => '20230309021622_20220830080845_1661848231.jazera.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 14:14:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Entrepreneurs of Thamel Happy with Tourist Activities', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: Inflow of tourist has started to increase in various places of Nepal, including Thamel, the main tourist hub in the federal capital Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: Inflow of tourist has started to increase in various places of Nepal, including Thamel, the main tourist hub in the federal capital Kathmandu. Tourism activities have gradually started to increase after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic largely subsided. Now, foreign tourists are gradually starting to appear in the Thamel area of Kathmandu. With the arrival of tourists on the streets of Thamel, tourism entrepreneurs are now hopeful of revival of their business, which was affected for a long time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nilhari Bastola, president of Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), says that the increasing activities of tourists has given some hope to the tourism industry. He said, “The tourism sector of Nepal, which has been suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic for a long time, is happy with the arrival of tourists.” </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">President of Thamel Tourism Development Council Bhaviswar Sharma also confirmed that foreign tourists have gradually started to be seen in the inner streets of Thamel.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In Thamel, 80 percent of business involves foreign tourists and 20 percent domestic tourists. There are more than a thousand hotels in the Thamel area.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Gopal Pangeni, the owner of Ramada Encore, a four-star hotel in Thamel, says that the number of tourists booking at his hotel increased with the start of the tourism season. The months of March, April and May are considered the prime tourist season in Nepal. In the 92-room Ramada Hotel in Kathmandu-16 Thamel, 70 percent of the rooms are booked for March and 90 percent for April and May.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Mahesh Phuyal, general manager of the same hotel, says that the tourist activities in Thamel is gradually increasing. He said, “The number of domestic and foreign guests coming to the hotel has increased compared to a month ago.” He expects that the tourism sector of Nepal will gradually gain momentum. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The night entertainment guests as well have started getting crowded in Thamel where Fridays and Saturdays are busier than other days. From business meetingd, family gatherings to night life of young generation, clubs in Thamel have started to return to the professional path.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Dharmaraj Paneru, the owner of The Short Station Restaurant and Bar, who is running a night business in Thamel, says that the number of foreign guests who come to Thamel for entertainment at night has increased. He said, “For the last 15 days, the night business is gradually getting better, this has made us happy.” More than 6000 people are doing business in Thamel area.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Nepal Tourism Board, 73,255 tourists came to Nepal by air in February 2023 and 55,074 in January. In February 2022, tourist arrival was 19,766 and 9,146 in the same month of 2021. Maniraj Lamichhane, director of Nepal Tourism Board says that the arrival of foreign tourists in recent days is encouraging. In February, 18,401 tourists came from India 7,887 from America, 4,802 from Thailand, 3,246 from South Korea, 2,969 from Australia, 2,266 from China, 2,232 from Myanmar, 2,117 from Sri Lanka and 2,108 from Germany.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16958', 'image' => '20230309010519_Tourist.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 13:04:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17219', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Increase in Milk Price to Benefit Middlemen more than the Farmers', 'sub_title' => 'Milk Producers to get Rs 65, Middlemen to Make a Profit of Rs 35 Per Litre of Milk', 'summary' => 'March 9: The price of milk between the government and industry! 'Only 65 rupees for farmers, 35 rupees margin for middlemen'', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 9: The price of milk between the government and industry! 'Only 65 rupees for farmers, 35 rupees margin for middlemen'</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The consumer price of milk has reached Rs 100 per liter. Dairymen and industrialists have increased the price of milk by Rs 14 per liter, putting a heavy burden on the consumers. Until now, the price of milk was Rs 86 per liter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A cabinet meeting held on last Friday had decided to increase the price of milk for farmers by Rs 8.86 per liter while the dairy industry increased the price by Rs 14 per liter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Two months ago, the dairy industrialists had unilaterally increased the price of milk by Rs 14 per litre arguing that the increase in the prices of cattle feed like grain, straw, bran among others had increased the cost of production.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, they decided to roll back the price following widespread criticism.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">After a scientific study of the market price, the cost of production and inflation, the Dairy Development Board submitted a proposal recommending the government to increase the price of milk by Rs 10 per litre. But, the government decided to hike the price of milk by Rs 14 per litre as per the suggestion of the industrialists.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Rajkumar Dahal, president of the Dairy Industry Association, said that the consumer price of milk has increased with effect from Thursday. He informed that private sector dairies have already increased the price of milk while the government-owned Dairy Development Corporation will set the new price by Sunday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the price fixed by the government at the level for the farmers, traders have to pay Rs 65.50 per liter to the farmers to purchase milk. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The cost of milk reaches Rs 70 per litre when it comes to the industrialist after adding the collection charge, the organization promotion charge and the transportation cost.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The industrialists then transport milk from the outer districts to the market in Kathmandu Rs 14 as transportation cost. The milk is then sold at a retail price of Rs 100 per litre in the market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Consumer rights activists have criticized the price hike stating that it is against the Dairy Development Policy and is not in the interest of the farmers and consumers. According to the Dairy Development Policy 2078, the price of milk can be revised every two years based on a study report of the Dairy Development Board. The consumer rights activists have concluded that the price of milk has been increased in collusion between the government and middlemen.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Madhav Timilsina, president of the Consumer Rights Forum, said that there is a lot of reason to suspect collusion between the government and the industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, instead of raising the price that benefits the industrialists and traders, it is necessary for the government to focus on farmer-centric programs such as providing subsidized loans to the farmers and providing them with advanced breed cattle.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He said that the decision to increase the price of milk seems to have benefitted the middlemen more than the farmers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16957', 'image' => '20230309120710_1678317174.Clipboard06.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 12:06:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17218', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Voting for Presidential Election Begins ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: Voting to elect a new president has begun at the Parliament Building in New Baneshwar amid tight security and surveillance. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 9: Voting to elect a new president has begun at the Parliament Building in New Baneshwar amid tight security and surveillance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Presidential candidate Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the voting by casting his vote. Voting that started at 10 am runs until 3 pm, said assistant returning officer Amrita Kumari Sharma. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Separate polling stations have been designated for the voters in the Lhotse chamber of the Parliament Building. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Ram Chandra Paudel from the Nepali Congress and Subash Chandra Nembang from the CPN (UML) are contesting for the coveted position. Former Speaker Paudel has been supported by the recently formed nine-party alliance of NC, CPN (Maoist Centre), CPN (Unified Socialist), Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party Nepal, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Samajwadi Party. Nembang, who previously served as chairperson of the then Constituent Assembly, is backed by the UML. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif""> According to the Constitution of Nepal, the president has a ceremonial role and is entrusted with the responsibility to protect and abide by the constitution. The country adopted the presidential system following the establishment of republic through the People’s Movement of 2006.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The electoral college comprising of the members of the Federal Parliament and provincial assemblies will elect the president. There are a total of 882 eligible voters in the Federal Parliament (the House of Representatives and the National Assembly) and the seven provincial assemblies (332 under the Federal Parliament and 550 under the provincial assemblies). The vote of a Federal Parliament MP has the weight of 79 votes, and the that of Province Assembly member is 48. According to the constitution, no person shall be elected to the Office of President more than twice. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16956', 'image' => '20230309111042_20230309101452_RATL6025_1 - Copy.JPG', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 11:09:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17217', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Mai Khola Hydropower Limited Opens Sale of Public Offering', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Mai Khola Hydropower Limited is issuing Initial Public Offering (IPO) shares to the project-affected locals of Ilam district and Nepali citizens working in foreign countries from Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 9: Mai Khola Hydropower Limited is issuing Initial Public Offering (IPO) shares to the project-affected locals of Ilam district and Nepali citizens working in foreign countries from Thursday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The hydropower company is issuing 10 percent of the total issued capital of Rs 39,21,56,800 i.e. 3,92,157 shares worth Rs 3,92,15,700 at the face value of Rs Rs100 for the residents of the project affected Ilam district.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Similarly, the hydropower company has issued 1,52,941 units of shares worth Rs 1,52,94,100 to the Nepali citizens working in foreign countries with labour permission received from the Department of Labour.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Project-affected locals can apply for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 10,000 units of shares, while workers employed in foreign countries can apply for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 50,000 units of shares.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Project-affected locals can apply for the public offering till March 26. If the IPO remains under-subscribed, the deadline to apply for the offering will extend till April 7. The deadline for the Nepali citizens employed in foreign countries to apply for the IPO will expire on March 26.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Local residents can visit Hydropower office, designated branch offices of Prabhu Bank, Century Bank, and Prime Commercial Bank to apply for the IPO. They can also apply for the IPO through the online system prepared by Prabhu Capital.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Likewise, Nepalis employed overseas can apply for the IPO through the 'Mero Share'.<br /> Prabhu Capital Limited is the company's share issue and sales manager. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The company has developed Super Mai Cascade Hydropower Project with the installed capacity of 3 megawatt. The total cost of the hydropower project stands at Rs 611 million. Per megawatt cost of the project is Rs 203.7 million. </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16955', 'image' => '20230309061510_collage - 2023-03-08T172116.161.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 06:07:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17216', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Digital Platforms Account for Rampant Cases of Violence: Report ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Digital platforms are found to have reported a sizable number of online violence. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 8: Digital platforms are found to have reported a sizable number of online violence. According to a report made public amid a function organised on the occasion of the 113th International Women's Day by the NGO Federation of Nepal, Facebook messenger dominated the number of complaints registered with the police in the fiscal year 2020/21. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Facebook messenger accounted for a whopping 3,451 cases of violence registered followed by 75 on Instagram. Similarly, Tiktok reported 70 cases of violence, YouTube 56, WhatsApp 47, email 29, E-sewa 28, IMO 17 and Twitter 15. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly at the province level, Bagmati Province reported the highest cases of violence at 139 between July 16 to November 16, 2021, followed by 135 cases in Lumbini. Likewise, Gandaki Province witnessed 113 cases, Koshi 73, Madhes 52, Karnali 41 and Sudurpaschim 27. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The report prepared by Babita Basnet, who works for the promotion of right to information, women's empowerment and gender equality and rights of marginalised communities through media mobilisation, has cited the Nepal Police Headquarters, Cyber Bureau, Kathmandu, as data sources. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The report cited types of online violence as misinformation and defamation, disinformation, cyber harassment, hate speech, impersonation, hacking and stalking, video and image-based abuse, violent threats, astro-turfing, FemTech and gender divide. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Speaking on the occasion, assistant professor Rukmini Maharjan stressed the need for tech friendly education to be safe from online violence. She also called for participatory and gender-friendly information technology and women's participation at the policy-making level. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Chairperson of the Association of International NGOs in Nepal (AIN) Bhagawan Shrestha called for all including the state and society to come together to deal with all sorts of violence including violence against women. He also stressed the need for making required laws related to violence. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Also, Bishnu Maya Ojha, member of the National Inclusive Commission, emphasised the right utilisation of digital platforms instead of blaming them. There is a need for creating awareness about information technology, she added. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16954', 'image' => '20230308070604_cyber.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 19:05:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17215', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'International Women's Day Marked With Tourism Promotion Drive', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'On the occasion of the 113th International Women’s Day, Tourism Entrepreneur Women Association Nepal (TEWAN) has initiated tourism promotion programme along the Korala checkpoint in Myagdi and Mustang from today onward. ', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">March 8: On the occasion of the 113th International Women’s Day, Tourism Entrepreneur Women Association Nepal (TEWAN) has initiated A tourism promotion programme along the Korala checkpoint in Myagdi and Mustang from today onward. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Representatives from tourism related organizations and media persons are participating in the promotional programme organized with support from the Nepal Tourism Board, Ministry of Tourism, Gandaki Province and Pokhara Metropolis. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">TEWAN Chair Kamala Giri shared that a four-day promotion programme was put in place to revive tourism industry battered by COVID-19. The programme includes capacity building training of local tourism entrepreneurs and interaction for the youths and women entrepreneurs in Beni, Jomsom, Thini and Lomanthang.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Giri informed that the promotion of religious and historical sites, including Muktinath and monastery would be given priority in the promotional programme up to Nepal-China border checkpoint, Korala. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Programme coordinator Shova Adhikari Poudel shared that capacity building of local tourism entrepreneurs, digital marketing training, branding of local product and homestay promotion would be gradually carried out. ---RSS</span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16953', 'image' => '20230308055614_collage - 2023-03-08T175402.908.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 17:51:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17214', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Curb Activities Against Banking Sector: CBFIN', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Confederation of Commercial Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CBFIN) has demanded action against those who are threatening not to pay the principal and interest of banks and are involved in abusing the bank employees.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">March 8: Confederation of Commercial Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CBFIN) has demanded action against those who are threatening not to pay the principal and interest of banks and are involved in abusing the bank employees.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation issued a statement on Tuesday and demanded to stop the unreasonable and chaotic activities and attacks on employees of a sensitive sector like banking service.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation has drawn the attention of the Government of Nepal and its subordinate agencies to take necessary action against those who intend to achieve their goals by taking the law in their own hands.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The statement noted that even highly developed countries are facing challenges such as liquidity, interest rate hike and inflation. According to the release, the interest rate is determined by issues such as national/international market conditions, adequacy of liquidity, demand and supply of credit.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">“In the present context, everyone should work together to find a proper solution to the unexpected problems faced by the Government of Nepal, general enterprises/businesses and even the general public,” reads the statement, adding that the banking sector has been terrified by the announcement to default on bank loans and targeting banks and financial institutions. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The banking sector has become alarmed and shaken by planned incidents like attacks and robberies on the employees of banks and financial institutions, the statement added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> “We would like to draw the attention of the Government of Nepal and its subordinate bodies to strictly stop such reckless, unreasonable, chaotic activities and attacks on bank employees," said the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation warned that if such unwanted activities, which are designed to destroy the country's economy, continue unabated, it will not be possible to estimate the extent of damage that the state itself and the common people will suffer in the days ahead. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">As the economy of Nepal continues to be affected by internal and external factors, raising concern among the ordinary people, politicians, policy makers, economists and investors, the Government of Nepal, its regulatory bodies and all stakeholders should be responsible to take possible measures to bring the economy back on track.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation stressed on collectively effort for economic recovery.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16952', 'image' => '20230308055221_20230308041941_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 17:51:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17213', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'EC Completes Preparations For Presidential Election ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Election Commission said that it had completed preparations for the presidential election slated for Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 8: The Election Commission said that it had completed preparations for the presidential election slated for Thursday.<br /> An eight-party alliance, including Nepali Congress and CPN-Maoist Center, has fielded Ram Chandra Poudel as the candidate for the head of the state while CPN-UML’s Subash Chandra Nembang has thrown his hat in the ring for the ceremonial post of the president. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The voting time has been fixed from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Thursday. The commission plans to start vote counting at 4 pm at Annapurna Sky Hall and declare the final results by Thursday night itself. “We are preparing to announce the results of the voting on Thursday itself,” said the Election Commission.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Two voting centers have been set up in the federal parliament building-one each for federal land provincial lawmakers. Election officer Mahesh Sharma Poudel said the voters will not be allowed to carry devices barred by the laws to the voting centres.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Lawmakers of House of Representatives, National Assembly and seven provinces will be eligible to cast their votes in the presidential poll. The election will be held on the weighted voting system. A candidate must secure a majority of the total votes to secure the top job. A total of 881 lawmakers will cast their vote in the presidential election if no one abstains.</span></p> <p><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16951', 'image' => '20230308042042_collage - 2023-03-08T161942.315.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 16:17:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Climate Change Poses Risk to Social Inclusion and Financial Stability’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Dr Neelam Dhungana Timsina has said that climate change poses significant risk to the social inclusion, economic prosperity and financial stability of emerging and developing countries.', '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 8: Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Dr Neelam Dhungana Timsina has said that climate change poses significant risk to the social inclusion, economic prosperity and financial stability of emerging and developing countries. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Addressing a meeting of the 'Inclusive Green Finance Working Group' and 'SME Working Group' organized by the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), which started in Kathmandu from Tuesday, she pointed out the need to make the policy system strong and effective for risk reduction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">She also shed light on the recent legal and policy arrangements adopted by the Government of Nepal and the central bank for the promotion of green financing.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, she discussed the efforts made by the NRB for the promotion of small and medium businesses and access to financial resources 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"">Executive Director of AFI Dr Alfred Hanning discussed the special contribution of small and medium enterprises in the creation of jobs and improvement of livelihood in developing countries. He expressed his view that concrete steps should be taken to reduce the impact of climate change in this region. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 this context, he expressed the belief that the meeting will be fruitful in policy cooperation, exchange of technical assistance and enhancement of capacity development among the member organizations of AFI. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Appreciating the policy initiative taken by the NRB for the promotion of green finance, he mentioned that it is exemplary for other member institutions.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">More than 80 representatives of the central banks of 41 countries and other regulatory bodies of the financial sector are attending the four-day meeting, which will be held until March 10.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 meeting, there will be a detailed discussion among the participants about the financial inclusion as well as the environmental and social impact caused by climate change, the policy practices at the regional and international levels to resolve the problems. Similarly, there will be an interaction on the contribution of small and medium businesses to the economy, gender equality and the existing challenges in this sector. Likewise, various member organizations will also present their experiences regarding the access to financial resources for the small and medium businesses and their contribution to the promotion of financial inclusion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">After the meeting, there is an agenda for discussion among the representatives of the member organizations regarding the policy practices and future course of action that can be adopted to address the challenges arising from climate change through small and medium enterprises.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">AFI was established on January 1, 2008 with the common objective of promoting financial inclusion and expanding access to quality financial services at regional and international levels. This organization has been active in policy cooperation, technical assistance and knowledge exchange for the expansion of financial access and promotion of financial inclusion. Seven different thematic groups are active under AFI.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16948', 'image' => '20230308035508_1678231473.Clipboard19.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 15:54:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17209', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Lo-Manthang Receives First Snowfall this Winter', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang he witnessed snowfall since early morning today. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 8: Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang he witnessed snowfall since early morning today. This is the first snowfall in Mustang this winter. There has been rainfall in lower Mustang, including the district headquarters Jomsom. Chiring Wangdi Gurung of Lo-Manthang said that it was the first time this year that they witnessed snowfall.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> Chairman of Gharpajhong Rural Municipality Mohan Singh Lalchan said that it has been snowing in the highlands and raining in the lower areas.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The snow has been melting as soon as it reaches the ground in the low-lying areas because the land’s temperature is high,” he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The hills on the other hand are blanketed in white snow.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Agriculture experts believe that snowfall will be helpful for winter crop </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief of the Agricultural Knowledge Center, Mustang, Prakash Bastakoti says that snow will act as a natural irrigation system by helping water reach deep into the layers of soil and therefore help in producing better crops.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The apple tree requires sub-zero temperature for its lowers to blossom, says Bastakoti.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16947', 'image' => '20230308033942_Mustang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 15:38:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity "" [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60]file not found!Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/indexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17225', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Vote Count for Presidential Election Begins', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: The voting for the presidential election has concluded and the vote count has started. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 9: The voting for the presidential election has concluded and the vote count has started. The voting was held at separate voting centres for the federal parliament members and the provincial assembly members set up at Lhotse Hall of the Federal Parliament Building at New Baneshwor today. The voting was held from 10 am to 3pm. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The counting of votes has started a while ago and the results would be announced today itself, the Election Commission said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Three hundred and thirteen members of the federal parliament and 518 members of the provincial assemblies cast their votes in the Presidential election today. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Fifteen federal parliament members including 14 of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and one from the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) remained neutral and did not vote for any of the two candidates. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Six federal parliament lawmakers did not take part in the voting. They are Chandra Bhandari who is undergoing health treatment in India, Barshaman Pun who is under medical treatment in China, Laxmi Koiri who has a court case against him, Tek Bahadur Gurung who has been suspended, Rabi Lamichhane whose parliamentary seat has fallen vacant after his removal from the post and Sahanaz Rahman who passed away. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, among the provincial assembly members who were not present in the voting, 28 are from RPP, three from the NWPP who remained neutral and one from the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel and CPN (UML) Vice-chair Subas Chandra Nembang are in the race for the President. Both of them are the former Speakers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Poudel is the common candidate of the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Maoist Centre), the CPN (Unified Socialist), the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal, the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Nepal, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Samajbadi Party. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Electoral College for the election of the President comprises the members of the Federal Parliament and Province Assemblies. There are a total of 882 eligible voters in the Federal Parliament (the House of Representatives and the National Assembly) and the Province Assembly (332 under the Federal Parliament and 550 under the Province Assembly). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Federal Parliament has 79 weighted votes, and the Province Assembly 48. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16963', 'image' => '20230309045441_KB-KTM-RE3A2608.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 16:52:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17224', 'article_category_id' => '218', 'title' => 'Commercial Banks to Slash Interest Rates on Deposits and Lending From March 15 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Commercial banks have decided to slash interest rates for the next month of Chaitra(mid-March to mid-April). A meeting of the Nepal Bankers’ Association held on Thursday took the decision to cut the interest rates on deposits and lending for the next month. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 9: Commercial banks have decided to slash interest rates for the next month of Chaitra(mid-March to mid-April). A meeting of the Nepal Bankers’ Association held on Thursday took the decision to cut the interest rates on deposits and lending for the next month. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">As per the NBA’s decision, the interest rate on deposits will be slashed by 0.4 percent, while one percent premium rate will be trimmed on lending starting from March 15. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Nepal Bankers’ Association Chairman Sunil KC said that the umbrella organization was working to reduce the interest rate on credit flow gradually. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Banks have been adding up to six per cent premium in the base rate at the moment. With the reduction of premium rate by one percent, banks can add up to five percent premium on the base rate from March 15 onwards. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Similarly, banks will provide interest from 6 to 8 percent in normal savings. Earlier, they were providing interest from 6.42 to 8.42 percent in normal savings. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Banks, however, have kept the interest rates on fixed deposits unchanged. Banks have been offering 11 per cent interest on individual fixed deposits. Likewise, they have determined 9 percent and 12 percent interest rates on institutional and remittance accounts respectively. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Industrialists, entrepreneurs and representatives of banks and financial institutions have been demanding for the reduction of the interest rates. Following pressure from all sides, NBA decided to trim the interest rates marginally. </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16962', 'image' => '20230309041309_collage - 2023-03-09T161021.974.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 16:07:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17223', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Shree Airlines Plane makes Emergency Landing after its Engine Catches Fire', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: A Shree Airlines plane flying from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa made an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire on Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 9: A Shree Airlines plane flying from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa made an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire on Thursday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to airport sources, the aircraft returned to Kathmandu and landed safely after its engine caught fire.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Superintendent of Police (SP) Anil Manandhar said that the aircraft returned from Dhading’s Thakre after the engine of flight 821 of Shree Airlines caught fire.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">SP Manandhar confirmed that the plane landed safely at Tribhuvan International Airport and all the crew members and passengers on board are safe. Arrangements were made to send the passengers to Bhairahawa on another flight.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16961', 'image' => '20230309033900_1678336935.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 15:38:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Study of One Fast Track Begins, Fate of other 3 Uncertain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: After decades of construction of road infrastructure, the first expressway (fast track) announced by the government is under construction. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: After decades of construction of road infrastructure, the first expressway (fast track) announced by the government is under construction. Apart from this, announcement for the construction of four more expressways has announced in the budget of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The four fast tracks announced in the budget are Chandragiri-Chitlang-Palung-Chitwan Expressway, Chitwan-Rampur-Butwal Expressway, Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara Expressway and Mirchaiya-Lukla-Sagarmatha Expressway. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the first phase, the Investment Board of Nepal has started a feasibility study to develop the Chandragiri-Chitlang-Palung-Chitwan fast track. The government announced the construction of this fast track so that Chitwan can be accessed from Kathmandu in 1 hour.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although the Kathmandu-Terai fast track is being built by the government itself, the board carried out a feasibility study in accordance with the strategy of bringing the private sector as an investor in future fast track projects. An official of the board informed that the study report of this expressway will be prepared within 1 month. The report will confirm if the construction of this highway is possible or not. The official said that the study will be done this year and the work will commence next year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, the study of other three fast tracks announced by the government has not been planned yet. The government has said that the Chitwan-Rampur-Butwal and Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara fast tracks will be built in the second phase. It is mentioned in the budget that the Mirchaiya-Lukla-Sagarmatha fast track will connect the plains, hills and mountains and help in tourism promotion. However, some infrastructural experts have suggest the government to build fast tracks based on needs rather than for the sake of announcements.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Former secretary and infrastructure expert Tulsi Sitaula says that the government should not ignore the fact that road expansion can adversely affect renowned trekking routes.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Duplication is seen in the infrastructure built by the government. It should not be repeated. Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara fast track and Chitwan-Rampur-Butwal fast track do not seem to be practical because there are other subsidiary highways in good condition to reach Mahendra Highway,” he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Sitaula said that the Mirchaiya-Lukla-Sagarmata fast track is necessary but argued that the fast track should not be constructed up to the Lukla-Sangboche trekking route. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He suggested building fast track so that the trekking route is not destroyed. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16960', 'image' => '20230309032814_fastttt-transformed.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 15:27:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Regular Flights Resume at Gautam Buddha International Airport ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: Regular international flights have resumed at the Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport, the second largest airport in the country, starting from today (March 9). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 9: Regular international flights have resumed at the Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport, the second largest airport in the country, starting from today (March 9). The airport had remained closed during the winter due to poor visibility after Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways, the only airline company which had been operating international flights to and from this airport, suspended flights since December 21, 2022, citing bad weather. </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"">A plane of the Jazeera Airways carrying 66 passengers from Kuwait landed at the Gautam Buddha International Airport at 7:15 am on Thursday and it took off at 8:15 am with 99 passengers on board, said Jagannath Niraula, spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to him, operation of flights to and from Bhairahawa has become easier now with the weather becoming clear and Jazeera Airways will operate regular flights three days a week – Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Gautam Buddha International Airport has the capacity to handle 30 to 40 flights day.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The airport, which came into operation almost a year ago, is an alternative to the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. -- RSS</span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16959', 'image' => '20230309021622_20220830080845_1661848231.jazera.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 14:14:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Entrepreneurs of Thamel Happy with Tourist Activities', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: Inflow of tourist has started to increase in various places of Nepal, including Thamel, the main tourist hub in the federal capital Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: Inflow of tourist has started to increase in various places of Nepal, including Thamel, the main tourist hub in the federal capital Kathmandu. Tourism activities have gradually started to increase after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic largely subsided. Now, foreign tourists are gradually starting to appear in the Thamel area of Kathmandu. With the arrival of tourists on the streets of Thamel, tourism entrepreneurs are now hopeful of revival of their business, which was affected for a long time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nilhari Bastola, president of Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), says that the increasing activities of tourists has given some hope to the tourism industry. He said, “The tourism sector of Nepal, which has been suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic for a long time, is happy with the arrival of tourists.” </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">President of Thamel Tourism Development Council Bhaviswar Sharma also confirmed that foreign tourists have gradually started to be seen in the inner streets of Thamel.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In Thamel, 80 percent of business involves foreign tourists and 20 percent domestic tourists. There are more than a thousand hotels in the Thamel area.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Gopal Pangeni, the owner of Ramada Encore, a four-star hotel in Thamel, says that the number of tourists booking at his hotel increased with the start of the tourism season. The months of March, April and May are considered the prime tourist season in Nepal. In the 92-room Ramada Hotel in Kathmandu-16 Thamel, 70 percent of the rooms are booked for March and 90 percent for April and May.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Mahesh Phuyal, general manager of the same hotel, says that the tourist activities in Thamel is gradually increasing. He said, “The number of domestic and foreign guests coming to the hotel has increased compared to a month ago.” He expects that the tourism sector of Nepal will gradually gain momentum. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The night entertainment guests as well have started getting crowded in Thamel where Fridays and Saturdays are busier than other days. From business meetingd, family gatherings to night life of young generation, clubs in Thamel have started to return to the professional path.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Dharmaraj Paneru, the owner of The Short Station Restaurant and Bar, who is running a night business in Thamel, says that the number of foreign guests who come to Thamel for entertainment at night has increased. He said, “For the last 15 days, the night business is gradually getting better, this has made us happy.” More than 6000 people are doing business in Thamel area.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Nepal Tourism Board, 73,255 tourists came to Nepal by air in February 2023 and 55,074 in January. In February 2022, tourist arrival was 19,766 and 9,146 in the same month of 2021. Maniraj Lamichhane, director of Nepal Tourism Board says that the arrival of foreign tourists in recent days is encouraging. In February, 18,401 tourists came from India 7,887 from America, 4,802 from Thailand, 3,246 from South Korea, 2,969 from Australia, 2,266 from China, 2,232 from Myanmar, 2,117 from Sri Lanka and 2,108 from Germany.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16958', 'image' => '20230309010519_Tourist.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 13:04:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17219', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Increase in Milk Price to Benefit Middlemen more than the Farmers', 'sub_title' => 'Milk Producers to get Rs 65, Middlemen to Make a Profit of Rs 35 Per Litre of Milk', 'summary' => 'March 9: The price of milk between the government and industry! 'Only 65 rupees for farmers, 35 rupees margin for middlemen'', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 9: The price of milk between the government and industry! 'Only 65 rupees for farmers, 35 rupees margin for middlemen'</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The consumer price of milk has reached Rs 100 per liter. Dairymen and industrialists have increased the price of milk by Rs 14 per liter, putting a heavy burden on the consumers. Until now, the price of milk was Rs 86 per liter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A cabinet meeting held on last Friday had decided to increase the price of milk for farmers by Rs 8.86 per liter while the dairy industry increased the price by Rs 14 per liter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Two months ago, the dairy industrialists had unilaterally increased the price of milk by Rs 14 per litre arguing that the increase in the prices of cattle feed like grain, straw, bran among others had increased the cost of production.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, they decided to roll back the price following widespread criticism.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">After a scientific study of the market price, the cost of production and inflation, the Dairy Development Board submitted a proposal recommending the government to increase the price of milk by Rs 10 per litre. But, the government decided to hike the price of milk by Rs 14 per litre as per the suggestion of the industrialists.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Rajkumar Dahal, president of the Dairy Industry Association, said that the consumer price of milk has increased with effect from Thursday. He informed that private sector dairies have already increased the price of milk while the government-owned Dairy Development Corporation will set the new price by Sunday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the price fixed by the government at the level for the farmers, traders have to pay Rs 65.50 per liter to the farmers to purchase milk. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The cost of milk reaches Rs 70 per litre when it comes to the industrialist after adding the collection charge, the organization promotion charge and the transportation cost.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The industrialists then transport milk from the outer districts to the market in Kathmandu Rs 14 as transportation cost. The milk is then sold at a retail price of Rs 100 per litre in the market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Consumer rights activists have criticized the price hike stating that it is against the Dairy Development Policy and is not in the interest of the farmers and consumers. According to the Dairy Development Policy 2078, the price of milk can be revised every two years based on a study report of the Dairy Development Board. The consumer rights activists have concluded that the price of milk has been increased in collusion between the government and middlemen.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Madhav Timilsina, president of the Consumer Rights Forum, said that there is a lot of reason to suspect collusion between the government and the industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, instead of raising the price that benefits the industrialists and traders, it is necessary for the government to focus on farmer-centric programs such as providing subsidized loans to the farmers and providing them with advanced breed cattle.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He said that the decision to increase the price of milk seems to have benefitted the middlemen more than the farmers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16957', 'image' => '20230309120710_1678317174.Clipboard06.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 12:06:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17218', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Voting for Presidential Election Begins ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: Voting to elect a new president has begun at the Parliament Building in New Baneshwar amid tight security and surveillance. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 9: Voting to elect a new president has begun at the Parliament Building in New Baneshwar amid tight security and surveillance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Presidential candidate Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the voting by casting his vote. Voting that started at 10 am runs until 3 pm, said assistant returning officer Amrita Kumari Sharma. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Separate polling stations have been designated for the voters in the Lhotse chamber of the Parliament Building. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Ram Chandra Paudel from the Nepali Congress and Subash Chandra Nembang from the CPN (UML) are contesting for the coveted position. Former Speaker Paudel has been supported by the recently formed nine-party alliance of NC, CPN (Maoist Centre), CPN (Unified Socialist), Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party Nepal, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Samajwadi Party. Nembang, who previously served as chairperson of the then Constituent Assembly, is backed by the UML. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif""> According to the Constitution of Nepal, the president has a ceremonial role and is entrusted with the responsibility to protect and abide by the constitution. The country adopted the presidential system following the establishment of republic through the People’s Movement of 2006.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The electoral college comprising of the members of the Federal Parliament and provincial assemblies will elect the president. There are a total of 882 eligible voters in the Federal Parliament (the House of Representatives and the National Assembly) and the seven provincial assemblies (332 under the Federal Parliament and 550 under the provincial assemblies). The vote of a Federal Parliament MP has the weight of 79 votes, and the that of Province Assembly member is 48. According to the constitution, no person shall be elected to the Office of President more than twice. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16956', 'image' => '20230309111042_20230309101452_RATL6025_1 - Copy.JPG', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 11:09:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17217', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Mai Khola Hydropower Limited Opens Sale of Public Offering', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Mai Khola Hydropower Limited is issuing Initial Public Offering (IPO) shares to the project-affected locals of Ilam district and Nepali citizens working in foreign countries from Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 9: Mai Khola Hydropower Limited is issuing Initial Public Offering (IPO) shares to the project-affected locals of Ilam district and Nepali citizens working in foreign countries from Thursday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The hydropower company is issuing 10 percent of the total issued capital of Rs 39,21,56,800 i.e. 3,92,157 shares worth Rs 3,92,15,700 at the face value of Rs Rs100 for the residents of the project affected Ilam district.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Similarly, the hydropower company has issued 1,52,941 units of shares worth Rs 1,52,94,100 to the Nepali citizens working in foreign countries with labour permission received from the Department of Labour.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Project-affected locals can apply for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 10,000 units of shares, while workers employed in foreign countries can apply for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 50,000 units of shares.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Project-affected locals can apply for the public offering till March 26. If the IPO remains under-subscribed, the deadline to apply for the offering will extend till April 7. The deadline for the Nepali citizens employed in foreign countries to apply for the IPO will expire on March 26.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Local residents can visit Hydropower office, designated branch offices of Prabhu Bank, Century Bank, and Prime Commercial Bank to apply for the IPO. They can also apply for the IPO through the online system prepared by Prabhu Capital.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Likewise, Nepalis employed overseas can apply for the IPO through the 'Mero Share'.<br /> Prabhu Capital Limited is the company's share issue and sales manager. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The company has developed Super Mai Cascade Hydropower Project with the installed capacity of 3 megawatt. The total cost of the hydropower project stands at Rs 611 million. Per megawatt cost of the project is Rs 203.7 million. </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16955', 'image' => '20230309061510_collage - 2023-03-08T172116.161.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 06:07:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17216', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Digital Platforms Account for Rampant Cases of Violence: Report ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Digital platforms are found to have reported a sizable number of online violence. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 8: Digital platforms are found to have reported a sizable number of online violence. According to a report made public amid a function organised on the occasion of the 113th International Women's Day by the NGO Federation of Nepal, Facebook messenger dominated the number of complaints registered with the police in the fiscal year 2020/21. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Facebook messenger accounted for a whopping 3,451 cases of violence registered followed by 75 on Instagram. Similarly, Tiktok reported 70 cases of violence, YouTube 56, WhatsApp 47, email 29, E-sewa 28, IMO 17 and Twitter 15. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly at the province level, Bagmati Province reported the highest cases of violence at 139 between July 16 to November 16, 2021, followed by 135 cases in Lumbini. Likewise, Gandaki Province witnessed 113 cases, Koshi 73, Madhes 52, Karnali 41 and Sudurpaschim 27. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The report prepared by Babita Basnet, who works for the promotion of right to information, women's empowerment and gender equality and rights of marginalised communities through media mobilisation, has cited the Nepal Police Headquarters, Cyber Bureau, Kathmandu, as data sources. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The report cited types of online violence as misinformation and defamation, disinformation, cyber harassment, hate speech, impersonation, hacking and stalking, video and image-based abuse, violent threats, astro-turfing, FemTech and gender divide. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Speaking on the occasion, assistant professor Rukmini Maharjan stressed the need for tech friendly education to be safe from online violence. She also called for participatory and gender-friendly information technology and women's participation at the policy-making level. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Chairperson of the Association of International NGOs in Nepal (AIN) Bhagawan Shrestha called for all including the state and society to come together to deal with all sorts of violence including violence against women. He also stressed the need for making required laws related to violence. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Also, Bishnu Maya Ojha, member of the National Inclusive Commission, emphasised the right utilisation of digital platforms instead of blaming them. There is a need for creating awareness about information technology, she added. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16954', 'image' => '20230308070604_cyber.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 19:05:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17215', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'International Women's Day Marked With Tourism Promotion Drive', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'On the occasion of the 113th International Women’s Day, Tourism Entrepreneur Women Association Nepal (TEWAN) has initiated tourism promotion programme along the Korala checkpoint in Myagdi and Mustang from today onward. ', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">March 8: On the occasion of the 113th International Women’s Day, Tourism Entrepreneur Women Association Nepal (TEWAN) has initiated A tourism promotion programme along the Korala checkpoint in Myagdi and Mustang from today onward. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Representatives from tourism related organizations and media persons are participating in the promotional programme organized with support from the Nepal Tourism Board, Ministry of Tourism, Gandaki Province and Pokhara Metropolis. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">TEWAN Chair Kamala Giri shared that a four-day promotion programme was put in place to revive tourism industry battered by COVID-19. The programme includes capacity building training of local tourism entrepreneurs and interaction for the youths and women entrepreneurs in Beni, Jomsom, Thini and Lomanthang.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Giri informed that the promotion of religious and historical sites, including Muktinath and monastery would be given priority in the promotional programme up to Nepal-China border checkpoint, Korala. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Programme coordinator Shova Adhikari Poudel shared that capacity building of local tourism entrepreneurs, digital marketing training, branding of local product and homestay promotion would be gradually carried out. ---RSS</span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16953', 'image' => '20230308055614_collage - 2023-03-08T175402.908.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 17:51:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17214', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Curb Activities Against Banking Sector: CBFIN', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Confederation of Commercial Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CBFIN) has demanded action against those who are threatening not to pay the principal and interest of banks and are involved in abusing the bank employees.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">March 8: Confederation of Commercial Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CBFIN) has demanded action against those who are threatening not to pay the principal and interest of banks and are involved in abusing the bank employees.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation issued a statement on Tuesday and demanded to stop the unreasonable and chaotic activities and attacks on employees of a sensitive sector like banking service.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation has drawn the attention of the Government of Nepal and its subordinate agencies to take necessary action against those who intend to achieve their goals by taking the law in their own hands.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The statement noted that even highly developed countries are facing challenges such as liquidity, interest rate hike and inflation. According to the release, the interest rate is determined by issues such as national/international market conditions, adequacy of liquidity, demand and supply of credit.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">“In the present context, everyone should work together to find a proper solution to the unexpected problems faced by the Government of Nepal, general enterprises/businesses and even the general public,” reads the statement, adding that the banking sector has been terrified by the announcement to default on bank loans and targeting banks and financial institutions. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The banking sector has become alarmed and shaken by planned incidents like attacks and robberies on the employees of banks and financial institutions, the statement added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> “We would like to draw the attention of the Government of Nepal and its subordinate bodies to strictly stop such reckless, unreasonable, chaotic activities and attacks on bank employees," said the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation warned that if such unwanted activities, which are designed to destroy the country's economy, continue unabated, it will not be possible to estimate the extent of damage that the state itself and the common people will suffer in the days ahead. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">As the economy of Nepal continues to be affected by internal and external factors, raising concern among the ordinary people, politicians, policy makers, economists and investors, the Government of Nepal, its regulatory bodies and all stakeholders should be responsible to take possible measures to bring the economy back on track.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation stressed on collectively effort for economic recovery.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16952', 'image' => '20230308055221_20230308041941_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 17:51:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17213', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'EC Completes Preparations For Presidential Election ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Election Commission said that it had completed preparations for the presidential election slated for Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 8: The Election Commission said that it had completed preparations for the presidential election slated for Thursday.<br /> An eight-party alliance, including Nepali Congress and CPN-Maoist Center, has fielded Ram Chandra Poudel as the candidate for the head of the state while CPN-UML’s Subash Chandra Nembang has thrown his hat in the ring for the ceremonial post of the president. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The voting time has been fixed from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Thursday. The commission plans to start vote counting at 4 pm at Annapurna Sky Hall and declare the final results by Thursday night itself. “We are preparing to announce the results of the voting on Thursday itself,” said the Election Commission.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Two voting centers have been set up in the federal parliament building-one each for federal land provincial lawmakers. Election officer Mahesh Sharma Poudel said the voters will not be allowed to carry devices barred by the laws to the voting centres.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Lawmakers of House of Representatives, National Assembly and seven provinces will be eligible to cast their votes in the presidential poll. The election will be held on the weighted voting system. A candidate must secure a majority of the total votes to secure the top job. A total of 881 lawmakers will cast their vote in the presidential election if no one abstains.</span></p> <p><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16951', 'image' => '20230308042042_collage - 2023-03-08T161942.315.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 16:17:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Climate Change Poses Risk to Social Inclusion and Financial Stability’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Dr Neelam Dhungana Timsina has said that climate change poses significant risk to the social inclusion, economic prosperity and financial stability of emerging and developing countries.', '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 8: Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Dr Neelam Dhungana Timsina has said that climate change poses significant risk to the social inclusion, economic prosperity and financial stability of emerging and developing countries. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Addressing a meeting of the 'Inclusive Green Finance Working Group' and 'SME Working Group' organized by the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), which started in Kathmandu from Tuesday, she pointed out the need to make the policy system strong and effective for risk reduction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">She also shed light on the recent legal and policy arrangements adopted by the Government of Nepal and the central bank for the promotion of green financing.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, she discussed the efforts made by the NRB for the promotion of small and medium businesses and access to financial resources 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"">Executive Director of AFI Dr Alfred Hanning discussed the special contribution of small and medium enterprises in the creation of jobs and improvement of livelihood in developing countries. He expressed his view that concrete steps should be taken to reduce the impact of climate change in this region. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 this context, he expressed the belief that the meeting will be fruitful in policy cooperation, exchange of technical assistance and enhancement of capacity development among the member organizations of AFI. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Appreciating the policy initiative taken by the NRB for the promotion of green finance, he mentioned that it is exemplary for other member institutions.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">More than 80 representatives of the central banks of 41 countries and other regulatory bodies of the financial sector are attending the four-day meeting, which will be held until March 10.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 meeting, there will be a detailed discussion among the participants about the financial inclusion as well as the environmental and social impact caused by climate change, the policy practices at the regional and international levels to resolve the problems. Similarly, there will be an interaction on the contribution of small and medium businesses to the economy, gender equality and the existing challenges in this sector. Likewise, various member organizations will also present their experiences regarding the access to financial resources for the small and medium businesses and their contribution to the promotion of financial inclusion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">After the meeting, there is an agenda for discussion among the representatives of the member organizations regarding the policy practices and future course of action that can be adopted to address the challenges arising from climate change through small and medium enterprises.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">AFI was established on January 1, 2008 with the common objective of promoting financial inclusion and expanding access to quality financial services at regional and international levels. This organization has been active in policy cooperation, technical assistance and knowledge exchange for the expansion of financial access and promotion of financial inclusion. Seven different thematic groups are active under AFI.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16948', 'image' => '20230308035508_1678231473.Clipboard19.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 15:54:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17209', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Lo-Manthang Receives First Snowfall this Winter', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang he witnessed snowfall since early morning today. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 8: Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang he witnessed snowfall since early morning today. This is the first snowfall in Mustang this winter. There has been rainfall in lower Mustang, including the district headquarters Jomsom. Chiring Wangdi Gurung of Lo-Manthang said that it was the first time this year that they witnessed snowfall.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> Chairman of Gharpajhong Rural Municipality Mohan Singh Lalchan said that it has been snowing in the highlands and raining in the lower areas.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The snow has been melting as soon as it reaches the ground in the low-lying areas because the land’s temperature is high,” he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The hills on the other hand are blanketed in white snow.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Agriculture experts believe that snowfall will be helpful for winter crop </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief of the Agricultural Knowledge Center, Mustang, Prakash Bastakoti says that snow will act as a natural irrigation system by helping water reach deep into the layers of soil and therefore help in producing better crops.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The apple tree requires sub-zero temperature for its lowers to blossom, says Bastakoti.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16947', 'image' => '20230308033942_Mustang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 15:38:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17225', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Vote Count for Presidential Election Begins', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: The voting for the presidential election has concluded and the vote count has started. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 9: The voting for the presidential election has concluded and the vote count has started. The voting was held at separate voting centres for the federal parliament members and the provincial assembly members set up at Lhotse Hall of the Federal Parliament Building at New Baneshwor today. The voting was held from 10 am to 3pm. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The counting of votes has started a while ago and the results would be announced today itself, the Election Commission said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Three hundred and thirteen members of the federal parliament and 518 members of the provincial assemblies cast their votes in the Presidential election today. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Fifteen federal parliament members including 14 of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and one from the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) remained neutral and did not vote for any of the two candidates. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Six federal parliament lawmakers did not take part in the voting. They are Chandra Bhandari who is undergoing health treatment in India, Barshaman Pun who is under medical treatment in China, Laxmi Koiri who has a court case against him, Tek Bahadur Gurung who has been suspended, Rabi Lamichhane whose parliamentary seat has fallen vacant after his removal from the post and Sahanaz Rahman who passed away. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, among the provincial assembly members who were not present in the voting, 28 are from RPP, three from the NWPP who remained neutral and one from the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel and CPN (UML) Vice-chair Subas Chandra Nembang are in the race for the President. Both of them are the former Speakers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Poudel is the common candidate of the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Maoist Centre), the CPN (Unified Socialist), the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal, the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Nepal, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Samajbadi Party. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Electoral College for the election of the President comprises the members of the Federal Parliament and Province Assemblies. There are a total of 882 eligible voters in the Federal Parliament (the House of Representatives and the National Assembly) and the Province Assembly (332 under the Federal Parliament and 550 under the Province Assembly). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Federal Parliament has 79 weighted votes, and the Province Assembly 48. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16963', 'image' => '20230309045441_KB-KTM-RE3A2608.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 16:52:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17224', 'article_category_id' => '218', 'title' => 'Commercial Banks to Slash Interest Rates on Deposits and Lending From March 15 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Commercial banks have decided to slash interest rates for the next month of Chaitra(mid-March to mid-April). A meeting of the Nepal Bankers’ Association held on Thursday took the decision to cut the interest rates on deposits and lending for the next month. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 9: Commercial banks have decided to slash interest rates for the next month of Chaitra(mid-March to mid-April). A meeting of the Nepal Bankers’ Association held on Thursday took the decision to cut the interest rates on deposits and lending for the next month. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">As per the NBA’s decision, the interest rate on deposits will be slashed by 0.4 percent, while one percent premium rate will be trimmed on lending starting from March 15. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Nepal Bankers’ Association Chairman Sunil KC said that the umbrella organization was working to reduce the interest rate on credit flow gradually. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Banks have been adding up to six per cent premium in the base rate at the moment. With the reduction of premium rate by one percent, banks can add up to five percent premium on the base rate from March 15 onwards. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Similarly, banks will provide interest from 6 to 8 percent in normal savings. Earlier, they were providing interest from 6.42 to 8.42 percent in normal savings. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Banks, however, have kept the interest rates on fixed deposits unchanged. Banks have been offering 11 per cent interest on individual fixed deposits. Likewise, they have determined 9 percent and 12 percent interest rates on institutional and remittance accounts respectively. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Industrialists, entrepreneurs and representatives of banks and financial institutions have been demanding for the reduction of the interest rates. Following pressure from all sides, NBA decided to trim the interest rates marginally. </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16962', 'image' => '20230309041309_collage - 2023-03-09T161021.974.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 16:07:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17223', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Shree Airlines Plane makes Emergency Landing after its Engine Catches Fire', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: A Shree Airlines plane flying from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa made an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire on Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 9: A Shree Airlines plane flying from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa made an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire on Thursday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to airport sources, the aircraft returned to Kathmandu and landed safely after its engine caught fire.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Superintendent of Police (SP) Anil Manandhar said that the aircraft returned from Dhading’s Thakre after the engine of flight 821 of Shree Airlines caught fire.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">SP Manandhar confirmed that the plane landed safely at Tribhuvan International Airport and all the crew members and passengers on board are safe. Arrangements were made to send the passengers to Bhairahawa on another flight.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16961', 'image' => '20230309033900_1678336935.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 15:38:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Study of One Fast Track Begins, Fate of other 3 Uncertain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: After decades of construction of road infrastructure, the first expressway (fast track) announced by the government is under construction. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: After decades of construction of road infrastructure, the first expressway (fast track) announced by the government is under construction. Apart from this, announcement for the construction of four more expressways has announced in the budget of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The four fast tracks announced in the budget are Chandragiri-Chitlang-Palung-Chitwan Expressway, Chitwan-Rampur-Butwal Expressway, Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara Expressway and Mirchaiya-Lukla-Sagarmatha Expressway. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the first phase, the Investment Board of Nepal has started a feasibility study to develop the Chandragiri-Chitlang-Palung-Chitwan fast track. The government announced the construction of this fast track so that Chitwan can be accessed from Kathmandu in 1 hour.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although the Kathmandu-Terai fast track is being built by the government itself, the board carried out a feasibility study in accordance with the strategy of bringing the private sector as an investor in future fast track projects. An official of the board informed that the study report of this expressway will be prepared within 1 month. The report will confirm if the construction of this highway is possible or not. The official said that the study will be done this year and the work will commence next year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, the study of other three fast tracks announced by the government has not been planned yet. The government has said that the Chitwan-Rampur-Butwal and Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara fast tracks will be built in the second phase. It is mentioned in the budget that the Mirchaiya-Lukla-Sagarmatha fast track will connect the plains, hills and mountains and help in tourism promotion. However, some infrastructural experts have suggest the government to build fast tracks based on needs rather than for the sake of announcements.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Former secretary and infrastructure expert Tulsi Sitaula says that the government should not ignore the fact that road expansion can adversely affect renowned trekking routes.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Duplication is seen in the infrastructure built by the government. It should not be repeated. Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara fast track and Chitwan-Rampur-Butwal fast track do not seem to be practical because there are other subsidiary highways in good condition to reach Mahendra Highway,” he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Sitaula said that the Mirchaiya-Lukla-Sagarmata fast track is necessary but argued that the fast track should not be constructed up to the Lukla-Sangboche trekking route. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He suggested building fast track so that the trekking route is not destroyed. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16960', 'image' => '20230309032814_fastttt-transformed.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 15:27:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Regular Flights Resume at Gautam Buddha International Airport ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: Regular international flights have resumed at the Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport, the second largest airport in the country, starting from today (March 9). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 9: Regular international flights have resumed at the Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport, the second largest airport in the country, starting from today (March 9). The airport had remained closed during the winter due to poor visibility after Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways, the only airline company which had been operating international flights to and from this airport, suspended flights since December 21, 2022, citing bad weather. </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"">A plane of the Jazeera Airways carrying 66 passengers from Kuwait landed at the Gautam Buddha International Airport at 7:15 am on Thursday and it took off at 8:15 am with 99 passengers on board, said Jagannath Niraula, spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to him, operation of flights to and from Bhairahawa has become easier now with the weather becoming clear and Jazeera Airways will operate regular flights three days a week – Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Gautam Buddha International Airport has the capacity to handle 30 to 40 flights day.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The airport, which came into operation almost a year ago, is an alternative to the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. -- RSS</span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16959', 'image' => '20230309021622_20220830080845_1661848231.jazera.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 14:14:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Entrepreneurs of Thamel Happy with Tourist Activities', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: Inflow of tourist has started to increase in various places of Nepal, including Thamel, the main tourist hub in the federal capital Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: Inflow of tourist has started to increase in various places of Nepal, including Thamel, the main tourist hub in the federal capital Kathmandu. Tourism activities have gradually started to increase after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic largely subsided. Now, foreign tourists are gradually starting to appear in the Thamel area of Kathmandu. With the arrival of tourists on the streets of Thamel, tourism entrepreneurs are now hopeful of revival of their business, which was affected for a long time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nilhari Bastola, president of Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), says that the increasing activities of tourists has given some hope to the tourism industry. He said, “The tourism sector of Nepal, which has been suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic for a long time, is happy with the arrival of tourists.” </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">President of Thamel Tourism Development Council Bhaviswar Sharma also confirmed that foreign tourists have gradually started to be seen in the inner streets of Thamel.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In Thamel, 80 percent of business involves foreign tourists and 20 percent domestic tourists. There are more than a thousand hotels in the Thamel area.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Gopal Pangeni, the owner of Ramada Encore, a four-star hotel in Thamel, says that the number of tourists booking at his hotel increased with the start of the tourism season. The months of March, April and May are considered the prime tourist season in Nepal. In the 92-room Ramada Hotel in Kathmandu-16 Thamel, 70 percent of the rooms are booked for March and 90 percent for April and May.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Mahesh Phuyal, general manager of the same hotel, says that the tourist activities in Thamel is gradually increasing. He said, “The number of domestic and foreign guests coming to the hotel has increased compared to a month ago.” He expects that the tourism sector of Nepal will gradually gain momentum. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The night entertainment guests as well have started getting crowded in Thamel where Fridays and Saturdays are busier than other days. From business meetingd, family gatherings to night life of young generation, clubs in Thamel have started to return to the professional path.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Dharmaraj Paneru, the owner of The Short Station Restaurant and Bar, who is running a night business in Thamel, says that the number of foreign guests who come to Thamel for entertainment at night has increased. He said, “For the last 15 days, the night business is gradually getting better, this has made us happy.” More than 6000 people are doing business in Thamel area.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Nepal Tourism Board, 73,255 tourists came to Nepal by air in February 2023 and 55,074 in January. In February 2022, tourist arrival was 19,766 and 9,146 in the same month of 2021. Maniraj Lamichhane, director of Nepal Tourism Board says that the arrival of foreign tourists in recent days is encouraging. In February, 18,401 tourists came from India 7,887 from America, 4,802 from Thailand, 3,246 from South Korea, 2,969 from Australia, 2,266 from China, 2,232 from Myanmar, 2,117 from Sri Lanka and 2,108 from Germany.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16958', 'image' => '20230309010519_Tourist.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 13:04:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17219', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Increase in Milk Price to Benefit Middlemen more than the Farmers', 'sub_title' => 'Milk Producers to get Rs 65, Middlemen to Make a Profit of Rs 35 Per Litre of Milk', 'summary' => 'March 9: The price of milk between the government and industry! 'Only 65 rupees for farmers, 35 rupees margin for middlemen'', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 9: The price of milk between the government and industry! 'Only 65 rupees for farmers, 35 rupees margin for middlemen'</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The consumer price of milk has reached Rs 100 per liter. Dairymen and industrialists have increased the price of milk by Rs 14 per liter, putting a heavy burden on the consumers. Until now, the price of milk was Rs 86 per liter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A cabinet meeting held on last Friday had decided to increase the price of milk for farmers by Rs 8.86 per liter while the dairy industry increased the price by Rs 14 per liter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Two months ago, the dairy industrialists had unilaterally increased the price of milk by Rs 14 per litre arguing that the increase in the prices of cattle feed like grain, straw, bran among others had increased the cost of production.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, they decided to roll back the price following widespread criticism.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">After a scientific study of the market price, the cost of production and inflation, the Dairy Development Board submitted a proposal recommending the government to increase the price of milk by Rs 10 per litre. But, the government decided to hike the price of milk by Rs 14 per litre as per the suggestion of the industrialists.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Rajkumar Dahal, president of the Dairy Industry Association, said that the consumer price of milk has increased with effect from Thursday. He informed that private sector dairies have already increased the price of milk while the government-owned Dairy Development Corporation will set the new price by Sunday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the price fixed by the government at the level for the farmers, traders have to pay Rs 65.50 per liter to the farmers to purchase milk. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The cost of milk reaches Rs 70 per litre when it comes to the industrialist after adding the collection charge, the organization promotion charge and the transportation cost.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The industrialists then transport milk from the outer districts to the market in Kathmandu Rs 14 as transportation cost. The milk is then sold at a retail price of Rs 100 per litre in the market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Consumer rights activists have criticized the price hike stating that it is against the Dairy Development Policy and is not in the interest of the farmers and consumers. According to the Dairy Development Policy 2078, the price of milk can be revised every two years based on a study report of the Dairy Development Board. The consumer rights activists have concluded that the price of milk has been increased in collusion between the government and middlemen.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Madhav Timilsina, president of the Consumer Rights Forum, said that there is a lot of reason to suspect collusion between the government and the industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, instead of raising the price that benefits the industrialists and traders, it is necessary for the government to focus on farmer-centric programs such as providing subsidized loans to the farmers and providing them with advanced breed cattle.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He said that the decision to increase the price of milk seems to have benefitted the middlemen more than the farmers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16957', 'image' => '20230309120710_1678317174.Clipboard06.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 12:06:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17218', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Voting for Presidential Election Begins ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: Voting to elect a new president has begun at the Parliament Building in New Baneshwar amid tight security and surveillance. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 9: Voting to elect a new president has begun at the Parliament Building in New Baneshwar amid tight security and surveillance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Presidential candidate Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the voting by casting his vote. Voting that started at 10 am runs until 3 pm, said assistant returning officer Amrita Kumari Sharma. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Separate polling stations have been designated for the voters in the Lhotse chamber of the Parliament Building. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Ram Chandra Paudel from the Nepali Congress and Subash Chandra Nembang from the CPN (UML) are contesting for the coveted position. Former Speaker Paudel has been supported by the recently formed nine-party alliance of NC, CPN (Maoist Centre), CPN (Unified Socialist), Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party Nepal, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Samajwadi Party. Nembang, who previously served as chairperson of the then Constituent Assembly, is backed by the UML. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif""> According to the Constitution of Nepal, the president has a ceremonial role and is entrusted with the responsibility to protect and abide by the constitution. The country adopted the presidential system following the establishment of republic through the People’s Movement of 2006.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The electoral college comprising of the members of the Federal Parliament and provincial assemblies will elect the president. There are a total of 882 eligible voters in the Federal Parliament (the House of Representatives and the National Assembly) and the seven provincial assemblies (332 under the Federal Parliament and 550 under the provincial assemblies). The vote of a Federal Parliament MP has the weight of 79 votes, and the that of Province Assembly member is 48. According to the constitution, no person shall be elected to the Office of President more than twice. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16956', 'image' => '20230309111042_20230309101452_RATL6025_1 - Copy.JPG', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 11:09:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17217', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Mai Khola Hydropower Limited Opens Sale of Public Offering', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Mai Khola Hydropower Limited is issuing Initial Public Offering (IPO) shares to the project-affected locals of Ilam district and Nepali citizens working in foreign countries from Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 9: Mai Khola Hydropower Limited is issuing Initial Public Offering (IPO) shares to the project-affected locals of Ilam district and Nepali citizens working in foreign countries from Thursday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The hydropower company is issuing 10 percent of the total issued capital of Rs 39,21,56,800 i.e. 3,92,157 shares worth Rs 3,92,15,700 at the face value of Rs Rs100 for the residents of the project affected Ilam district.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Similarly, the hydropower company has issued 1,52,941 units of shares worth Rs 1,52,94,100 to the Nepali citizens working in foreign countries with labour permission received from the Department of Labour.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Project-affected locals can apply for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 10,000 units of shares, while workers employed in foreign countries can apply for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 50,000 units of shares.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Project-affected locals can apply for the public offering till March 26. If the IPO remains under-subscribed, the deadline to apply for the offering will extend till April 7. The deadline for the Nepali citizens employed in foreign countries to apply for the IPO will expire on March 26.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Local residents can visit Hydropower office, designated branch offices of Prabhu Bank, Century Bank, and Prime Commercial Bank to apply for the IPO. They can also apply for the IPO through the online system prepared by Prabhu Capital.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Likewise, Nepalis employed overseas can apply for the IPO through the 'Mero Share'.<br /> Prabhu Capital Limited is the company's share issue and sales manager. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The company has developed Super Mai Cascade Hydropower Project with the installed capacity of 3 megawatt. The total cost of the hydropower project stands at Rs 611 million. Per megawatt cost of the project is Rs 203.7 million. </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16955', 'image' => '20230309061510_collage - 2023-03-08T172116.161.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 06:07:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17216', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Digital Platforms Account for Rampant Cases of Violence: Report ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Digital platforms are found to have reported a sizable number of online violence. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 8: Digital platforms are found to have reported a sizable number of online violence. According to a report made public amid a function organised on the occasion of the 113th International Women's Day by the NGO Federation of Nepal, Facebook messenger dominated the number of complaints registered with the police in the fiscal year 2020/21. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Facebook messenger accounted for a whopping 3,451 cases of violence registered followed by 75 on Instagram. Similarly, Tiktok reported 70 cases of violence, YouTube 56, WhatsApp 47, email 29, E-sewa 28, IMO 17 and Twitter 15. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly at the province level, Bagmati Province reported the highest cases of violence at 139 between July 16 to November 16, 2021, followed by 135 cases in Lumbini. Likewise, Gandaki Province witnessed 113 cases, Koshi 73, Madhes 52, Karnali 41 and Sudurpaschim 27. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The report prepared by Babita Basnet, who works for the promotion of right to information, women's empowerment and gender equality and rights of marginalised communities through media mobilisation, has cited the Nepal Police Headquarters, Cyber Bureau, Kathmandu, as data sources. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The report cited types of online violence as misinformation and defamation, disinformation, cyber harassment, hate speech, impersonation, hacking and stalking, video and image-based abuse, violent threats, astro-turfing, FemTech and gender divide. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Speaking on the occasion, assistant professor Rukmini Maharjan stressed the need for tech friendly education to be safe from online violence. She also called for participatory and gender-friendly information technology and women's participation at the policy-making level. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Chairperson of the Association of International NGOs in Nepal (AIN) Bhagawan Shrestha called for all including the state and society to come together to deal with all sorts of violence including violence against women. He also stressed the need for making required laws related to violence. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Also, Bishnu Maya Ojha, member of the National Inclusive Commission, emphasised the right utilisation of digital platforms instead of blaming them. There is a need for creating awareness about information technology, she added. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16954', 'image' => '20230308070604_cyber.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 19:05:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17215', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'International Women's Day Marked With Tourism Promotion Drive', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'On the occasion of the 113th International Women’s Day, Tourism Entrepreneur Women Association Nepal (TEWAN) has initiated tourism promotion programme along the Korala checkpoint in Myagdi and Mustang from today onward. ', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">March 8: On the occasion of the 113th International Women’s Day, Tourism Entrepreneur Women Association Nepal (TEWAN) has initiated A tourism promotion programme along the Korala checkpoint in Myagdi and Mustang from today onward. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Representatives from tourism related organizations and media persons are participating in the promotional programme organized with support from the Nepal Tourism Board, Ministry of Tourism, Gandaki Province and Pokhara Metropolis. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">TEWAN Chair Kamala Giri shared that a four-day promotion programme was put in place to revive tourism industry battered by COVID-19. The programme includes capacity building training of local tourism entrepreneurs and interaction for the youths and women entrepreneurs in Beni, Jomsom, Thini and Lomanthang.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Giri informed that the promotion of religious and historical sites, including Muktinath and monastery would be given priority in the promotional programme up to Nepal-China border checkpoint, Korala. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Programme coordinator Shova Adhikari Poudel shared that capacity building of local tourism entrepreneurs, digital marketing training, branding of local product and homestay promotion would be gradually carried out. ---RSS</span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16953', 'image' => '20230308055614_collage - 2023-03-08T175402.908.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 17:51:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17214', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Curb Activities Against Banking Sector: CBFIN', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Confederation of Commercial Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CBFIN) has demanded action against those who are threatening not to pay the principal and interest of banks and are involved in abusing the bank employees.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">March 8: Confederation of Commercial Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CBFIN) has demanded action against those who are threatening not to pay the principal and interest of banks and are involved in abusing the bank employees.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation issued a statement on Tuesday and demanded to stop the unreasonable and chaotic activities and attacks on employees of a sensitive sector like banking service.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation has drawn the attention of the Government of Nepal and its subordinate agencies to take necessary action against those who intend to achieve their goals by taking the law in their own hands.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The statement noted that even highly developed countries are facing challenges such as liquidity, interest rate hike and inflation. According to the release, the interest rate is determined by issues such as national/international market conditions, adequacy of liquidity, demand and supply of credit.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">“In the present context, everyone should work together to find a proper solution to the unexpected problems faced by the Government of Nepal, general enterprises/businesses and even the general public,” reads the statement, adding that the banking sector has been terrified by the announcement to default on bank loans and targeting banks and financial institutions. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The banking sector has become alarmed and shaken by planned incidents like attacks and robberies on the employees of banks and financial institutions, the statement added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> “We would like to draw the attention of the Government of Nepal and its subordinate bodies to strictly stop such reckless, unreasonable, chaotic activities and attacks on bank employees," said the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation warned that if such unwanted activities, which are designed to destroy the country's economy, continue unabated, it will not be possible to estimate the extent of damage that the state itself and the common people will suffer in the days ahead. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">As the economy of Nepal continues to be affected by internal and external factors, raising concern among the ordinary people, politicians, policy makers, economists and investors, the Government of Nepal, its regulatory bodies and all stakeholders should be responsible to take possible measures to bring the economy back on track.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation stressed on collectively effort for economic recovery.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16952', 'image' => '20230308055221_20230308041941_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 17:51:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17213', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'EC Completes Preparations For Presidential Election ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Election Commission said that it had completed preparations for the presidential election slated for Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 8: The Election Commission said that it had completed preparations for the presidential election slated for Thursday.<br /> An eight-party alliance, including Nepali Congress and CPN-Maoist Center, has fielded Ram Chandra Poudel as the candidate for the head of the state while CPN-UML’s Subash Chandra Nembang has thrown his hat in the ring for the ceremonial post of the president. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The voting time has been fixed from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Thursday. The commission plans to start vote counting at 4 pm at Annapurna Sky Hall and declare the final results by Thursday night itself. “We are preparing to announce the results of the voting on Thursday itself,” said the Election Commission.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Two voting centers have been set up in the federal parliament building-one each for federal land provincial lawmakers. Election officer Mahesh Sharma Poudel said the voters will not be allowed to carry devices barred by the laws to the voting centres.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Lawmakers of House of Representatives, National Assembly and seven provinces will be eligible to cast their votes in the presidential poll. The election will be held on the weighted voting system. A candidate must secure a majority of the total votes to secure the top job. A total of 881 lawmakers will cast their vote in the presidential election if no one abstains.</span></p> <p><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16951', 'image' => '20230308042042_collage - 2023-03-08T161942.315.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 16:17:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Climate Change Poses Risk to Social Inclusion and Financial Stability’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Dr Neelam Dhungana Timsina has said that climate change poses significant risk to the social inclusion, economic prosperity and financial stability of emerging and developing countries.', '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 8: Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Dr Neelam Dhungana Timsina has said that climate change poses significant risk to the social inclusion, economic prosperity and financial stability of emerging and developing countries. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Addressing a meeting of the 'Inclusive Green Finance Working Group' and 'SME Working Group' organized by the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), which started in Kathmandu from Tuesday, she pointed out the need to make the policy system strong and effective for risk reduction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">She also shed light on the recent legal and policy arrangements adopted by the Government of Nepal and the central bank for the promotion of green financing.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, she discussed the efforts made by the NRB for the promotion of small and medium businesses and access to financial resources 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"">Executive Director of AFI Dr Alfred Hanning discussed the special contribution of small and medium enterprises in the creation of jobs and improvement of livelihood in developing countries. He expressed his view that concrete steps should be taken to reduce the impact of climate change in this region. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 this context, he expressed the belief that the meeting will be fruitful in policy cooperation, exchange of technical assistance and enhancement of capacity development among the member organizations of AFI. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Appreciating the policy initiative taken by the NRB for the promotion of green finance, he mentioned that it is exemplary for other member institutions.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">More than 80 representatives of the central banks of 41 countries and other regulatory bodies of the financial sector are attending the four-day meeting, which will be held until March 10.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 meeting, there will be a detailed discussion among the participants about the financial inclusion as well as the environmental and social impact caused by climate change, the policy practices at the regional and international levels to resolve the problems. Similarly, there will be an interaction on the contribution of small and medium businesses to the economy, gender equality and the existing challenges in this sector. Likewise, various member organizations will also present their experiences regarding the access to financial resources for the small and medium businesses and their contribution to the promotion of financial inclusion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">After the meeting, there is an agenda for discussion among the representatives of the member organizations regarding the policy practices and future course of action that can be adopted to address the challenges arising from climate change through small and medium enterprises.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">AFI was established on January 1, 2008 with the common objective of promoting financial inclusion and expanding access to quality financial services at regional and international levels. This organization has been active in policy cooperation, technical assistance and knowledge exchange for the expansion of financial access and promotion of financial inclusion. Seven different thematic groups are active under AFI.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16948', 'image' => '20230308035508_1678231473.Clipboard19.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 15:54:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17209', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Lo-Manthang Receives First Snowfall this Winter', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang he witnessed snowfall since early morning today. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 8: Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang he witnessed snowfall since early morning today. This is the first snowfall in Mustang this winter. There has been rainfall in lower Mustang, including the district headquarters Jomsom. Chiring Wangdi Gurung of Lo-Manthang said that it was the first time this year that they witnessed snowfall.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> Chairman of Gharpajhong Rural Municipality Mohan Singh Lalchan said that it has been snowing in the highlands and raining in the lower areas.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The snow has been melting as soon as it reaches the ground in the low-lying areas because the land’s temperature is high,” he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The hills on the other hand are blanketed in white snow.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Agriculture experts believe that snowfall will be helpful for winter crop </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief of the Agricultural Knowledge Center, Mustang, Prakash Bastakoti says that snow will act as a natural irrigation system by helping water reach deep into the layers of soil and therefore help in producing better crops.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The apple tree requires sub-zero temperature for its lowers to blossom, says Bastakoti.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16947', 'image' => '20230308033942_Mustang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 15:38:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 9: The voting for the presidential election has concluded and the vote count has started. The voting was held at separate voting centres for the federal parliament members and the provincial assembly members set up at Lhotse Hall of the Federal Parliament Building at New Baneshwor today. The voting was held from 10 am to 3pm. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The counting of votes has started a while ago and the results would be announced today itself, the Election Commission said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Three hundred and thirteen members of the federal parliament and 518 members of the provincial assemblies cast their votes in the Presidential election today. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Fifteen federal parliament members including 14 of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and one from the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) remained neutral and did not vote for any of the two candidates. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Six federal parliament lawmakers did not take part in the voting. They are Chandra Bhandari who is undergoing health treatment in India, Barshaman Pun who is under medical treatment in China, Laxmi Koiri who has a court case against him, Tek Bahadur Gurung who has been suspended, Rabi Lamichhane whose parliamentary seat has fallen vacant after his removal from the post and Sahanaz Rahman who passed away. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, among the provincial assembly members who were not present in the voting, 28 are from RPP, three from the NWPP who remained neutral and one from the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel and CPN (UML) Vice-chair Subas Chandra Nembang are in the race for the President. Both of them are the former Speakers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Poudel is the common candidate of the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Maoist Centre), the CPN (Unified Socialist), the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal, the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Nepal, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Samajbadi Party. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Electoral College for the election of the President comprises the members of the Federal Parliament and Province Assemblies. There are a total of 882 eligible voters in the Federal Parliament (the House of Representatives and the National Assembly) and the Province Assembly (332 under the Federal Parliament and 550 under the Province Assembly). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Federal Parliament has 79 weighted votes, and the Province Assembly 48. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16963', 'image' => '20230309045441_KB-KTM-RE3A2608.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 16:52:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17224', 'article_category_id' => '218', 'title' => 'Commercial Banks to Slash Interest Rates on Deposits and Lending From March 15 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Commercial banks have decided to slash interest rates for the next month of Chaitra(mid-March to mid-April). A meeting of the Nepal Bankers’ Association held on Thursday took the decision to cut the interest rates on deposits and lending for the next month. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 9: Commercial banks have decided to slash interest rates for the next month of Chaitra(mid-March to mid-April). A meeting of the Nepal Bankers’ Association held on Thursday took the decision to cut the interest rates on deposits and lending for the next month. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">As per the NBA’s decision, the interest rate on deposits will be slashed by 0.4 percent, while one percent premium rate will be trimmed on lending starting from March 15. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Nepal Bankers’ Association Chairman Sunil KC said that the umbrella organization was working to reduce the interest rate on credit flow gradually. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Banks have been adding up to six per cent premium in the base rate at the moment. With the reduction of premium rate by one percent, banks can add up to five percent premium on the base rate from March 15 onwards. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Similarly, banks will provide interest from 6 to 8 percent in normal savings. Earlier, they were providing interest from 6.42 to 8.42 percent in normal savings. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Banks, however, have kept the interest rates on fixed deposits unchanged. Banks have been offering 11 per cent interest on individual fixed deposits. Likewise, they have determined 9 percent and 12 percent interest rates on institutional and remittance accounts respectively. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Industrialists, entrepreneurs and representatives of banks and financial institutions have been demanding for the reduction of the interest rates. Following pressure from all sides, NBA decided to trim the interest rates marginally. </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16962', 'image' => '20230309041309_collage - 2023-03-09T161021.974.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 16:07:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17223', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Shree Airlines Plane makes Emergency Landing after its Engine Catches Fire', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: A Shree Airlines plane flying from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa made an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire on Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 9: A Shree Airlines plane flying from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa made an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire on Thursday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to airport sources, the aircraft returned to Kathmandu and landed safely after its engine caught fire.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Superintendent of Police (SP) Anil Manandhar said that the aircraft returned from Dhading’s Thakre after the engine of flight 821 of Shree Airlines caught fire.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">SP Manandhar confirmed that the plane landed safely at Tribhuvan International Airport and all the crew members and passengers on board are safe. Arrangements were made to send the passengers to Bhairahawa on another flight.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16961', 'image' => '20230309033900_1678336935.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 15:38:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17222', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Study of One Fast Track Begins, Fate of other 3 Uncertain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: After decades of construction of road infrastructure, the first expressway (fast track) announced by the government is under construction. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: After decades of construction of road infrastructure, the first expressway (fast track) announced by the government is under construction. Apart from this, announcement for the construction of four more expressways has announced in the budget of the current fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The four fast tracks announced in the budget are Chandragiri-Chitlang-Palung-Chitwan Expressway, Chitwan-Rampur-Butwal Expressway, Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara Expressway and Mirchaiya-Lukla-Sagarmatha Expressway. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the first phase, the Investment Board of Nepal has started a feasibility study to develop the Chandragiri-Chitlang-Palung-Chitwan fast track. The government announced the construction of this fast track so that Chitwan can be accessed from Kathmandu in 1 hour.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Although the Kathmandu-Terai fast track is being built by the government itself, the board carried out a feasibility study in accordance with the strategy of bringing the private sector as an investor in future fast track projects. An official of the board informed that the study report of this expressway will be prepared within 1 month. The report will confirm if the construction of this highway is possible or not. The official said that the study will be done this year and the work will commence next year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, the study of other three fast tracks announced by the government has not been planned yet. The government has said that the Chitwan-Rampur-Butwal and Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara fast tracks will be built in the second phase. It is mentioned in the budget that the Mirchaiya-Lukla-Sagarmatha fast track will connect the plains, hills and mountains and help in tourism promotion. However, some infrastructural experts have suggest the government to build fast tracks based on needs rather than for the sake of announcements.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Former secretary and infrastructure expert Tulsi Sitaula says that the government should not ignore the fact that road expansion can adversely affect renowned trekking routes.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Duplication is seen in the infrastructure built by the government. It should not be repeated. Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara fast track and Chitwan-Rampur-Butwal fast track do not seem to be practical because there are other subsidiary highways in good condition to reach Mahendra Highway,” he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Sitaula said that the Mirchaiya-Lukla-Sagarmata fast track is necessary but argued that the fast track should not be constructed up to the Lukla-Sangboche trekking route. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He suggested building fast track so that the trekking route is not destroyed. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16960', 'image' => '20230309032814_fastttt-transformed.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 15:27:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17221', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Regular Flights Resume at Gautam Buddha International Airport ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: Regular international flights have resumed at the Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport, the second largest airport in the country, starting from today (March 9). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 9: Regular international flights have resumed at the Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport, the second largest airport in the country, starting from today (March 9). The airport had remained closed during the winter due to poor visibility after Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways, the only airline company which had been operating international flights to and from this airport, suspended flights since December 21, 2022, citing bad weather. </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"">A plane of the Jazeera Airways carrying 66 passengers from Kuwait landed at the Gautam Buddha International Airport at 7:15 am on Thursday and it took off at 8:15 am with 99 passengers on board, said Jagannath Niraula, spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to him, operation of flights to and from Bhairahawa has become easier now with the weather becoming clear and Jazeera Airways will operate regular flights three days a week – Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Gautam Buddha International Airport has the capacity to handle 30 to 40 flights day.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The airport, which came into operation almost a year ago, is an alternative to the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. -- RSS</span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16959', 'image' => '20230309021622_20220830080845_1661848231.jazera.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 14:14:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17220', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Entrepreneurs of Thamel Happy with Tourist Activities', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: Inflow of tourist has started to increase in various places of Nepal, including Thamel, the main tourist hub in the federal capital Kathmandu. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: Inflow of tourist has started to increase in various places of Nepal, including Thamel, the main tourist hub in the federal capital Kathmandu. Tourism activities have gradually started to increase after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic largely subsided. Now, foreign tourists are gradually starting to appear in the Thamel area of Kathmandu. With the arrival of tourists on the streets of Thamel, tourism entrepreneurs are now hopeful of revival of their business, which was affected for a long time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nilhari Bastola, president of Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), says that the increasing activities of tourists has given some hope to the tourism industry. He said, “The tourism sector of Nepal, which has been suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic for a long time, is happy with the arrival of tourists.” </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">President of Thamel Tourism Development Council Bhaviswar Sharma also confirmed that foreign tourists have gradually started to be seen in the inner streets of Thamel.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In Thamel, 80 percent of business involves foreign tourists and 20 percent domestic tourists. There are more than a thousand hotels in the Thamel area.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Gopal Pangeni, the owner of Ramada Encore, a four-star hotel in Thamel, says that the number of tourists booking at his hotel increased with the start of the tourism season. The months of March, April and May are considered the prime tourist season in Nepal. In the 92-room Ramada Hotel in Kathmandu-16 Thamel, 70 percent of the rooms are booked for March and 90 percent for April and May.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Mahesh Phuyal, general manager of the same hotel, says that the tourist activities in Thamel is gradually increasing. He said, “The number of domestic and foreign guests coming to the hotel has increased compared to a month ago.” He expects that the tourism sector of Nepal will gradually gain momentum. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The night entertainment guests as well have started getting crowded in Thamel where Fridays and Saturdays are busier than other days. From business meetingd, family gatherings to night life of young generation, clubs in Thamel have started to return to the professional path.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Dharmaraj Paneru, the owner of The Short Station Restaurant and Bar, who is running a night business in Thamel, says that the number of foreign guests who come to Thamel for entertainment at night has increased. He said, “For the last 15 days, the night business is gradually getting better, this has made us happy.” More than 6000 people are doing business in Thamel area.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Nepal Tourism Board, 73,255 tourists came to Nepal by air in February 2023 and 55,074 in January. In February 2022, tourist arrival was 19,766 and 9,146 in the same month of 2021. Maniraj Lamichhane, director of Nepal Tourism Board says that the arrival of foreign tourists in recent days is encouraging. In February, 18,401 tourists came from India 7,887 from America, 4,802 from Thailand, 3,246 from South Korea, 2,969 from Australia, 2,266 from China, 2,232 from Myanmar, 2,117 from Sri Lanka and 2,108 from Germany.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16958', 'image' => '20230309010519_Tourist.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 13:04:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17219', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Increase in Milk Price to Benefit Middlemen more than the Farmers', 'sub_title' => 'Milk Producers to get Rs 65, Middlemen to Make a Profit of Rs 35 Per Litre of Milk', 'summary' => 'March 9: The price of milk between the government and industry! 'Only 65 rupees for farmers, 35 rupees margin for middlemen'', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 9: The price of milk between the government and industry! 'Only 65 rupees for farmers, 35 rupees margin for middlemen'</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The consumer price of milk has reached Rs 100 per liter. Dairymen and industrialists have increased the price of milk by Rs 14 per liter, putting a heavy burden on the consumers. Until now, the price of milk was Rs 86 per liter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A cabinet meeting held on last Friday had decided to increase the price of milk for farmers by Rs 8.86 per liter while the dairy industry increased the price by Rs 14 per liter.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Two months ago, the dairy industrialists had unilaterally increased the price of milk by Rs 14 per litre arguing that the increase in the prices of cattle feed like grain, straw, bran among others had increased the cost of production.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">However, they decided to roll back the price following widespread criticism.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">After a scientific study of the market price, the cost of production and inflation, the Dairy Development Board submitted a proposal recommending the government to increase the price of milk by Rs 10 per litre. But, the government decided to hike the price of milk by Rs 14 per litre as per the suggestion of the industrialists.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Rajkumar Dahal, president of the Dairy Industry Association, said that the consumer price of milk has increased with effect from Thursday. He informed that private sector dairies have already increased the price of milk while the government-owned Dairy Development Corporation will set the new price by Sunday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the price fixed by the government at the level for the farmers, traders have to pay Rs 65.50 per liter to the farmers to purchase milk. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The cost of milk reaches Rs 70 per litre when it comes to the industrialist after adding the collection charge, the organization promotion charge and the transportation cost.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The industrialists then transport milk from the outer districts to the market in Kathmandu Rs 14 as transportation cost. The milk is then sold at a retail price of Rs 100 per litre in the market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Consumer rights activists have criticized the price hike stating that it is against the Dairy Development Policy and is not in the interest of the farmers and consumers. According to the Dairy Development Policy 2078, the price of milk can be revised every two years based on a study report of the Dairy Development Board. The consumer rights activists have concluded that the price of milk has been increased in collusion between the government and middlemen.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Madhav Timilsina, president of the Consumer Rights Forum, said that there is a lot of reason to suspect collusion between the government and the industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, instead of raising the price that benefits the industrialists and traders, it is necessary for the government to focus on farmer-centric programs such as providing subsidized loans to the farmers and providing them with advanced breed cattle.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He said that the decision to increase the price of milk seems to have benefitted the middlemen more than the farmers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16957', 'image' => '20230309120710_1678317174.Clipboard06.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 12:06:32', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17218', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Voting for Presidential Election Begins ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: Voting to elect a new president has begun at the Parliament Building in New Baneshwar amid tight security and surveillance. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 9: Voting to elect a new president has begun at the Parliament Building in New Baneshwar amid tight security and surveillance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Presidential candidate Ram Chandra Paudel inaugurated the voting by casting his vote. Voting that started at 10 am runs until 3 pm, said assistant returning officer Amrita Kumari Sharma. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Separate polling stations have been designated for the voters in the Lhotse chamber of the Parliament Building. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Ram Chandra Paudel from the Nepali Congress and Subash Chandra Nembang from the CPN (UML) are contesting for the coveted position. Former Speaker Paudel has been supported by the recently formed nine-party alliance of NC, CPN (Maoist Centre), CPN (Unified Socialist), Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party Nepal, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Samajwadi Party. Nembang, who previously served as chairperson of the then Constituent Assembly, is backed by the UML. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif""> According to the Constitution of Nepal, the president has a ceremonial role and is entrusted with the responsibility to protect and abide by the constitution. The country adopted the presidential system following the establishment of republic through the People’s Movement of 2006.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The electoral college comprising of the members of the Federal Parliament and provincial assemblies will elect the president. There are a total of 882 eligible voters in the Federal Parliament (the House of Representatives and the National Assembly) and the seven provincial assemblies (332 under the Federal Parliament and 550 under the provincial assemblies). The vote of a Federal Parliament MP has the weight of 79 votes, and the that of Province Assembly member is 48. According to the constitution, no person shall be elected to the Office of President more than twice. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16956', 'image' => '20230309111042_20230309101452_RATL6025_1 - Copy.JPG', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 11:09:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17217', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Mai Khola Hydropower Limited Opens Sale of Public Offering', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Mai Khola Hydropower Limited is issuing Initial Public Offering (IPO) shares to the project-affected locals of Ilam district and Nepali citizens working in foreign countries from Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 9: Mai Khola Hydropower Limited is issuing Initial Public Offering (IPO) shares to the project-affected locals of Ilam district and Nepali citizens working in foreign countries from Thursday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The hydropower company is issuing 10 percent of the total issued capital of Rs 39,21,56,800 i.e. 3,92,157 shares worth Rs 3,92,15,700 at the face value of Rs Rs100 for the residents of the project affected Ilam district.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Similarly, the hydropower company has issued 1,52,941 units of shares worth Rs 1,52,94,100 to the Nepali citizens working in foreign countries with labour permission received from the Department of Labour.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Project-affected locals can apply for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 10,000 units of shares, while workers employed in foreign countries can apply for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 50,000 units of shares.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Project-affected locals can apply for the public offering till March 26. If the IPO remains under-subscribed, the deadline to apply for the offering will extend till April 7. The deadline for the Nepali citizens employed in foreign countries to apply for the IPO will expire on March 26.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Local residents can visit Hydropower office, designated branch offices of Prabhu Bank, Century Bank, and Prime Commercial Bank to apply for the IPO. They can also apply for the IPO through the online system prepared by Prabhu Capital.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Likewise, Nepalis employed overseas can apply for the IPO through the 'Mero Share'.<br /> Prabhu Capital Limited is the company's share issue and sales manager. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The company has developed Super Mai Cascade Hydropower Project with the installed capacity of 3 megawatt. The total cost of the hydropower project stands at Rs 611 million. Per megawatt cost of the project is Rs 203.7 million. </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-09', 'modified' => '2023-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16955', 'image' => '20230309061510_collage - 2023-03-08T172116.161.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-09 06:07:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17216', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Digital Platforms Account for Rampant Cases of Violence: Report ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Digital platforms are found to have reported a sizable number of online violence. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 8: Digital platforms are found to have reported a sizable number of online violence. According to a report made public amid a function organised on the occasion of the 113th International Women's Day by the NGO Federation of Nepal, Facebook messenger dominated the number of complaints registered with the police in the fiscal year 2020/21. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Facebook messenger accounted for a whopping 3,451 cases of violence registered followed by 75 on Instagram. Similarly, Tiktok reported 70 cases of violence, YouTube 56, WhatsApp 47, email 29, E-sewa 28, IMO 17 and Twitter 15. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly at the province level, Bagmati Province reported the highest cases of violence at 139 between July 16 to November 16, 2021, followed by 135 cases in Lumbini. Likewise, Gandaki Province witnessed 113 cases, Koshi 73, Madhes 52, Karnali 41 and Sudurpaschim 27. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The report prepared by Babita Basnet, who works for the promotion of right to information, women's empowerment and gender equality and rights of marginalised communities through media mobilisation, has cited the Nepal Police Headquarters, Cyber Bureau, Kathmandu, as data sources. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The report cited types of online violence as misinformation and defamation, disinformation, cyber harassment, hate speech, impersonation, hacking and stalking, video and image-based abuse, violent threats, astro-turfing, FemTech and gender divide. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Speaking on the occasion, assistant professor Rukmini Maharjan stressed the need for tech friendly education to be safe from online violence. She also called for participatory and gender-friendly information technology and women's participation at the policy-making level. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Chairperson of the Association of International NGOs in Nepal (AIN) Bhagawan Shrestha called for all including the state and society to come together to deal with all sorts of violence including violence against women. He also stressed the need for making required laws related to violence. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Also, Bishnu Maya Ojha, member of the National Inclusive Commission, emphasised the right utilisation of digital platforms instead of blaming them. There is a need for creating awareness about information technology, she added. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16954', 'image' => '20230308070604_cyber.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 19:05:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17215', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'International Women's Day Marked With Tourism Promotion Drive', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'On the occasion of the 113th International Women’s Day, Tourism Entrepreneur Women Association Nepal (TEWAN) has initiated tourism promotion programme along the Korala checkpoint in Myagdi and Mustang from today onward. ', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">March 8: On the occasion of the 113th International Women’s Day, Tourism Entrepreneur Women Association Nepal (TEWAN) has initiated A tourism promotion programme along the Korala checkpoint in Myagdi and Mustang from today onward. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Representatives from tourism related organizations and media persons are participating in the promotional programme organized with support from the Nepal Tourism Board, Ministry of Tourism, Gandaki Province and Pokhara Metropolis. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">TEWAN Chair Kamala Giri shared that a four-day promotion programme was put in place to revive tourism industry battered by COVID-19. The programme includes capacity building training of local tourism entrepreneurs and interaction for the youths and women entrepreneurs in Beni, Jomsom, Thini and Lomanthang.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Giri informed that the promotion of religious and historical sites, including Muktinath and monastery would be given priority in the promotional programme up to Nepal-China border checkpoint, Korala. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Programme coordinator Shova Adhikari Poudel shared that capacity building of local tourism entrepreneurs, digital marketing training, branding of local product and homestay promotion would be gradually carried out. ---RSS</span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16953', 'image' => '20230308055614_collage - 2023-03-08T175402.908.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 17:51:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17214', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Curb Activities Against Banking Sector: CBFIN', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Confederation of Commercial Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CBFIN) has demanded action against those who are threatening not to pay the principal and interest of banks and are involved in abusing the bank employees.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">March 8: Confederation of Commercial Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CBFIN) has demanded action against those who are threatening not to pay the principal and interest of banks and are involved in abusing the bank employees.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation issued a statement on Tuesday and demanded to stop the unreasonable and chaotic activities and attacks on employees of a sensitive sector like banking service.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation has drawn the attention of the Government of Nepal and its subordinate agencies to take necessary action against those who intend to achieve their goals by taking the law in their own hands.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The statement noted that even highly developed countries are facing challenges such as liquidity, interest rate hike and inflation. According to the release, the interest rate is determined by issues such as national/international market conditions, adequacy of liquidity, demand and supply of credit.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">“In the present context, everyone should work together to find a proper solution to the unexpected problems faced by the Government of Nepal, general enterprises/businesses and even the general public,” reads the statement, adding that the banking sector has been terrified by the announcement to default on bank loans and targeting banks and financial institutions. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The banking sector has become alarmed and shaken by planned incidents like attacks and robberies on the employees of banks and financial institutions, the statement added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> “We would like to draw the attention of the Government of Nepal and its subordinate bodies to strictly stop such reckless, unreasonable, chaotic activities and attacks on bank employees," said the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation warned that if such unwanted activities, which are designed to destroy the country's economy, continue unabated, it will not be possible to estimate the extent of damage that the state itself and the common people will suffer in the days ahead. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">As the economy of Nepal continues to be affected by internal and external factors, raising concern among the ordinary people, politicians, policy makers, economists and investors, the Government of Nepal, its regulatory bodies and all stakeholders should be responsible to take possible measures to bring the economy back on track.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The confederation stressed on collectively effort for economic recovery.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16952', 'image' => '20230308055221_20230308041941_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 17:51:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17213', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'EC Completes Preparations For Presidential Election ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Election Commission said that it had completed preparations for the presidential election slated for Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 8: The Election Commission said that it had completed preparations for the presidential election slated for Thursday.<br /> An eight-party alliance, including Nepali Congress and CPN-Maoist Center, has fielded Ram Chandra Poudel as the candidate for the head of the state while CPN-UML’s Subash Chandra Nembang has thrown his hat in the ring for the ceremonial post of the president. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The voting time has been fixed from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Thursday. The commission plans to start vote counting at 4 pm at Annapurna Sky Hall and declare the final results by Thursday night itself. “We are preparing to announce the results of the voting on Thursday itself,” said the Election Commission.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Two voting centers have been set up in the federal parliament building-one each for federal land provincial lawmakers. Election officer Mahesh Sharma Poudel said the voters will not be allowed to carry devices barred by the laws to the voting centres.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Lawmakers of House of Representatives, National Assembly and seven provinces will be eligible to cast their votes in the presidential poll. The election will be held on the weighted voting system. A candidate must secure a majority of the total votes to secure the top job. A total of 881 lawmakers will cast their vote in the presidential election if no one abstains.</span></p> <p><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16951', 'image' => '20230308042042_collage - 2023-03-08T161942.315.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 16:17:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17210', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Climate Change Poses Risk to Social Inclusion and Financial Stability’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Dr Neelam Dhungana Timsina has said that climate change poses significant risk to the social inclusion, economic prosperity and financial stability of emerging and developing countries.', '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 8: Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Dr Neelam Dhungana Timsina has said that climate change poses significant risk to the social inclusion, economic prosperity and financial stability of emerging and developing countries. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Addressing a meeting of the 'Inclusive Green Finance Working Group' and 'SME Working Group' organized by the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), which started in Kathmandu from Tuesday, she pointed out the need to make the policy system strong and effective for risk reduction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">She also shed light on the recent legal and policy arrangements adopted by the Government of Nepal and the central bank for the promotion of green financing.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Similarly, she discussed the efforts made by the NRB for the promotion of small and medium businesses and access to financial resources 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"">Executive Director of AFI Dr Alfred Hanning discussed the special contribution of small and medium enterprises in the creation of jobs and improvement of livelihood in developing countries. He expressed his view that concrete steps should be taken to reduce the impact of climate change in this region. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 this context, he expressed the belief that the meeting will be fruitful in policy cooperation, exchange of technical assistance and enhancement of capacity development among the member organizations of AFI. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Appreciating the policy initiative taken by the NRB for the promotion of green finance, he mentioned that it is exemplary for other member institutions.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">More than 80 representatives of the central banks of 41 countries and other regulatory bodies of the financial sector are attending the four-day meeting, which will be held until March 10.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="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 meeting, there will be a detailed discussion among the participants about the financial inclusion as well as the environmental and social impact caused by climate change, the policy practices at the regional and international levels to resolve the problems. Similarly, there will be an interaction on the contribution of small and medium businesses to the economy, gender equality and the existing challenges in this sector. Likewise, various member organizations will also present their experiences regarding the access to financial resources for the small and medium businesses and their contribution to the promotion of financial inclusion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">After the meeting, there is an agenda for discussion among the representatives of the member organizations regarding the policy practices and future course of action that can be adopted to address the challenges arising from climate change through small and medium enterprises.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">AFI was established on January 1, 2008 with the common objective of promoting financial inclusion and expanding access to quality financial services at regional and international levels. This organization has been active in policy cooperation, technical assistance and knowledge exchange for the expansion of financial access and promotion of financial inclusion. Seven different thematic groups are active under AFI.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16948', 'image' => '20230308035508_1678231473.Clipboard19.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 15:54:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17209', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Lo-Manthang Receives First Snowfall this Winter', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang he witnessed snowfall since early morning today. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">March 8: Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang he witnessed snowfall since early morning today. This is the first snowfall in Mustang this winter. There has been rainfall in lower Mustang, including the district headquarters Jomsom. Chiring Wangdi Gurung of Lo-Manthang said that it was the first time this year that they witnessed snowfall.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> Chairman of Gharpajhong Rural Municipality Mohan Singh Lalchan said that it has been snowing in the highlands and raining in the lower areas.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The snow has been melting as soon as it reaches the ground in the low-lying areas because the land’s temperature is high,” he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The hills on the other hand are blanketed in white snow.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Agriculture experts believe that snowfall will be helpful for winter crop </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Chief of the Agricultural Knowledge Center, Mustang, Prakash Bastakoti says that snow will act as a natural irrigation system by helping water reach deep into the layers of soil and therefore help in producing better crops.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The apple tree requires sub-zero temperature for its lowers to blossom, says Bastakoti.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-03-08', 'modified' => '2023-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16947', 'image' => '20230308033942_Mustang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-03-08 15:38:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
