
February 17: The tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara quizzed Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati on various topics related to tourism, including the operation of international flights from the Pokhara International…
February 17: The tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara quizzed Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati on various topics related to tourism, including the operation of international flights from the Pokhara International…
Bharatpur Metropolitan City has been ahead of other six metropolises across the country in terms of performance evaluation…
February 17: The government has registered a bill to amend Securities Act 2063 in parliament with the proposal of handing over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the secondary market to the…
February 17: The police have arrested 15 people accused of being involved in a looting and arson at New Bus Park in Kathmandu on February…
February 17: The private sector has expressed concern about commercial insecurity and demanded to guarantee the security of businessmen and commercial establishments.…
February 17: Large cardamom farming has attracted farmers of Lamjung district because of the good…
February 17: The Labour Court has decided that the non-graded employees of Nepal Telecom should be employed based on a contract in accordance with the…
Dharan Sub-metropolitan City is set to implement one-way traffic system on some of its inner city roads to manage the increasing pressure of…
Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker Dr Chandra Bhandari has been taken to India for further treatment. Dr Bhandari was injured in a cooking gas cylinder explosion at his residence at Budhhanagar, Kathmandu, on Wednesday…
The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has confiscated the date-expired beer worth Rs 8.2…
February 16: In terms of production, wheat is the third major food crop of Nepal.…
Eight suspension bridges are under construction in Nishikhola Rural Municipality of Baglung in the current fiscal year. In the previous fiscal year, seven suspension bridges were constructed over different streams at the local…
February 16: Nepal has been importing timber worth billions of rupees from abroad annually to meet the domestic demand.…
February 16: The interest rates of banks cannot be lowered to a single digit immediately, insists Sunik KC, the president of Nepal Bankers…
February 16: The Narayangadh-Muglin road section will remain closed for traffic during the afternoon for another 15 days.…
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: The tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara quizzed Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati on various topics related to tourism, including the operation of international flights from the Pokhara International Airport. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">They put up various queries to the minister in the course of an interaction on tourism organised by the Pokhara Tourism Council. The tourism entrepreneurs asked questions to the minister as to why the federal government has not taken initiatives for conducting international flights and from when such flights would be started. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">International flights have not been operated at the Pokhara International Airport since its inauguration on January 1. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, Minister Kirati said that he has been taking initiatives for starting international flights from Pokhara. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Describing Pokhara as an outstanding destination, he said he has taken much interest for its development. He added that he would familiarize himself with the process for the operation of international flights from Pokhara and forward the works accordingly. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Tourism Minister also reiterated that he was positive towards resolving the problems seen in the tourism sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Tourism entrepreneur Ganesh Bhattarai said there was haste in inaugurating the international airport in Pokhara but without completing the necessary home work for starting the international flights. He urged the federal government to take the necessary initiation to that end. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Pokhara Tourism Council chairperson Pom Narayan Shrestha said that the level of enthusiasm of the tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara after the inauguration of the Pokhara International Airport has now dampened with the delay in starting the international flights from this airport. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Among other problems faced by the tourism sector, he pointed out lack of concrete tourism policy on the part of the government and the hefty interest rate charged by the financial institutions and the pressure they are exerting on the tourism entrepreneurs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Founding president of the Tourism Council Ashok Palikhe, former president Gopi Bahadur Bhattarai, and the presidents and representatives of various organisations as TAAN, HAN, NATTA, TESA, EGA, NTVA, WOTEF, Money Changer, the Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, VTOF, Nepal Air Sports Association expessed views on the problems in their respective sectors. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16792', 'image' => '20230217062136_Pokhara-Airport 800.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 18:20:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17052', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bharatpur Metropolis Ahead in Performance Evaluation ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Bharatpur Metropolitan City has been ahead of other six metropolises across the country in terms of performance evaluation (PE).', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">February 17: Bharatpur Metropolitan City has been ahead of other six metropolises across the country in terms of performance evaluation (PE).</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">PE of local levels is based on their whole performance ranging from the budget allocation to programme implementation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The National Natural Sources and Fiscal Commission evaluates performance of the government of all levels based on their performance index so as to recommend for the fiscal equalization grants provided by the government to province and local level equity on the basis of their expenditure need, their capacity in generating revenue and the efforts they make. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The Bharatpur metropolis has received highest 72.22 percent points. Similarly, Biratnagar Metropolitan City has stood second with 59.24 percent points, followed by Lalitpur with 58.43, Kathmandu with 56.52, Birgunj with 53.23 and Pokhara with 48.66 points. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Bharatpur metropolis is located in Chitwan district. Of seven local levels in Chitwan district, Bharatpur has scored the highest points. Similarly, Rapti Municipality has received 70.88 percent points, Kalika Municipality 56.75, and Ichhakamana Rural Municipality 59.51 points. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Likewise, Ratnanagar Municipality has received 57.63 points, Khairahani Municipality 55.83 and Madi Municipality 60.15 points. Bharatpur metropolis is ahead in terms of the construction of physical infrastructures and other performance in the country, said the metropolis mayor Renu Dahal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"The metropolitan city has been able to score the highest points in performance evaluation due to the efforts put in by its employees, people's representatives and service seekers' support," said metropolis' deputy mayor Chitrasen Adhikari. ---RSS </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16791', 'image' => '20230217054439_collage - 2023-02-17T173806.263.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 17:36:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17051', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt Registers Bill to Hand Over Investigation of Stock Market to Police', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The government has registered a bill to amend Securities Act 2063 in parliament with the proposal of handing over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the secondary market to the police.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 17: The government has registered a bill to amend Securities Act 2063 in parliament with the proposal of handing over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the secondary market to the police.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) had earlier prepared a draft with necessary provisions to hand over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the security markets including insider trading, artificial trading, and fraudulent trading to Nepal Police by amending the Securities Act 2063. SEBON is currently conducting such an investigation. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The amendment was passed by the previous session of the House of Representatives but could not be endirsed because the meeting of the National Assembly couldn't be held. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Minister for Law Dhruba Bahadue Pradhan presented the act along with Money Laundering Act in Parliament for amendment. Since the proposal was presented in the previous parliament but was not passed by both houses, it has become inactive, so it was registered again.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The amendment gets legal recognition only after it is passed by the House of Representatives and the National Assembly and then gets authenticated by the president.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Law Ministry Secretary Dhanraj Gyawali said the Some Nepal Acts to amend the Securities Act 2063 and other acts were presented in parliament after careful study. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ministry aims to reduce some of the responsibilities of the Securities Board and hand them to the police. The attempt to curtail the authority of the board was opposed by experts including those active in the securities market. Earlier, the Ministry of Law and the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers were criticized for trying to curtail the board's authority without discussing it with stakeholders. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ramesh Hamal, chairman of SEBON, said that the bill needs to be made stronger and in the interest of investors. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"The board has prepared accordingly. We are constantly doing homework to make the bill stronger and we are discussing with ministries and agencies," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that the main goal of the board is to strengthen the Act and pass the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Safety Protocol. Hamal said that when the AML safety protocol is passed, SEBON will be strong internationally and will have the possibility to receive international funding.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Advocate Jyoti Dahal said that the police cannot investigate crimes such as insider trading, false or artificial trading, and fraudulent trading in the stock market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"In any capital market in the world, the police do not investigate crimes like insider trading and artificial trading. An expert is needed to investigate the crimes of the securities market. Therefore, the police cannot investigate such crimes," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the amendment of the law, if a complaint is received by any police officer that someone has engaged in insider trading, the police can arrest them immediately and proceed with the investigation. Therefore, according to the amended Act, some people have criticized that investors will suffer just because someone has filed a complaint. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Dahal said, "The police can assist in the investigation, but the police should not be the ones leading the investigation of the securities market."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Experts suggest that since the securities market is sensitive, great care should be taken while amending the relevant laws and regulations. At present, there is a need to attract production companies to Nepal's securities market, so experts said that confidence should be maintained so that production companies are not discouraged by the government's behaviour. Experts suggest that the attraction of investors in securities market should increase after the amendment of the law, so if there is a wide discussion, it can be achieved.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16790', 'image' => '20230217034742_Sebonnn.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 15:47:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17049', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Police Arrest 15 People Involved in Looting in Kathmandu ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The police have arrested 15 people accused of being involved in a looting and arson at New Bus Park in Kathmandu on February 13.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: The police have arrested 15 people accused of being involved in a looting and arson at New Bus Park in Kathmandu on February 13. A team from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office arrested and made them public amid a press conference here on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">They have been accused of looting mobile shops by breaking into a shopping center called Lotse Mall, and torching police vehicles and police beats in Kathmandu in the name of a protest called by transport entrepreneurs on February 13. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The arrestees have been identified as Suraj Magar, 19, of Kavrepalanchok district, Ritesh Basnet, 30, of Udayapur, Yaman Rai, 30, of Morang, Sunil Kalikote, 18, of Nuwakot, Roman Nagarkoti, 22, Sudip Tamang, 18, Madhav Shahi, 33, Keshar Rai, 19, Indra Tamang, 18, of Sindhuli, Ilaraj Gurung, 26, of Dhading, Rajan Raut, 27, of Udayapur, Harisharan Tamang, 28, of Kavrepalanchok, Bikash Gurung, 18, of Dhading, Sambidhan Pariyar, 27, of Chitwan and Kabin Khadgi, 19, of Kathmandu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The arrestees are students, and drivers and their helpers, said Superintendent of Police Somendra Singh Rathaur, adding that investigations are underway. Earlier on Wednesday, the police had arrested 10 people for their involvement in the incident. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16788', 'image' => '20230217023602_nepal police.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 14:35:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17048', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Private Sector Seeks Security Guarantee', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The private sector has expressed concern about commercial insecurity and demanded to guarantee the security of businessmen and commercial establishments. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 17: The private sector has expressed concern about commercial insecurity and demanded to guarantee the security of businessmen and commercial establishments. Various organizations of the private sector have been alarmed by the lack of intervention by the security agencies during the vandalism and looting of shops at Lotse Mall in New Bus Park, Kathmandu and have sought guarantee for the safety of businesses and businessmen.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the umbrella organization of the private sector, issued a statement on Thursday and demanded immediate legal action against those involved in the incident.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The statement read, “In democracy, as much as people have the right to protest, they have the right to protect their lives, wealth and property. Openly vandalizing and looting people's property is not acceptable. It should be punishable in a legal state.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The federation says that if the state does not focus on timely control of such incidents of taking the law into their hands in the name of protest, such incidents will recur anytime anywhere. The federation demanded immediate legal action against those involved in the incident and to return the looted goods of the businessmen.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal Chamber of Commerce, another influential organization in the private sector, has drawn the attention of the government to guarantee professional safety. The chamber demanded a guarantee of security in the commercial sector drawing attention to the vandalism and looting in Lotse Mall.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chamber emphasized that legal action should be taken immediately against the culprits of the incident and compensation should be paid to the victim businessmen involved in the robbery.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the statement issued by the president of NCC Rajendra Malla, although there is a right to peaceful protest and demonstration, no one is allowed to engage in disorderly activities, looting and vandalism in the name of protest. Malla said that the security agencies should be kept active and deployed for the security of the industrial and commercial sector.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chamber says that if peace and security cannot be maintained in the business sector, the business will have to close down. The chamber also said that incidents like looting and vandalism in business have created another terror.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Saying that it is unfortunate that peace and security cannot be maintained even when businesses pay taxes to the state, the chamber has requested the government to provide immediate compensation to the victims of the Balaju incident and prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Federation of Contractor’s Association of Nepal, an organization of construction professionals, also published a statement and demanded a full guarantee of safety for the professionals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The statement issued by the federation stated, “'This kind of robbery incident, which happened despite the presence of a police cordon a few meters away, has revealed how weak the security situation of the country has become. Even the international community has received information about the fragile security situation in the country.” It is mentioned that the incident, which was a big challenge, has terrorized the private sector.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the federation, the morale of entrepreneurs who want to do something in the country has fallen due to the looting, which took place at a time when the economic condition of the country is also very poor amid political instabile. The federation has demanded that those involved in the incidents of vandalism, arson and looting be brought under the scope of immediate action and that the victim businessmen be provided immediate compensation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the incident took place in the heart of the capital, the federation demanded that reliable arrangements be made for the security of all levels of businessmen, their belongings and equipment, so as to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16787', 'image' => '20230217015252_38843 - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 13:52:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17047', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Farming of Black Cardamom Flourishing in Lamjung', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: Large cardamom farming has attracted farmers of Lamjung district because of the good income.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: Large cardamom farming has attracted farmers of Lamjung district because of the prospects of good income. Most of the farmers of the district are engaged in cardamom farming as it has generated good income lately, say the locals. One of them is Ajaya Tamang of Marsyangdi Rural Municipality-7. He expanded the farming to 40 ropanis of land from one ropani 15 years ago. He earns between Rs 1 million to Rs 1.5 million in income annually by selling cardamom and its saplings. He engaged in this business when Nepal's a large cardamom nursery was established at Tarachowk Shera and Chhinkhola. The nursery spans across 55 ropanis of land. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"I would have earned Rs 300,000 annually from a foreign job. But, now I earn more than Rs 1 million in income annually from the business at home," said Tamang, who is also the outgoing chairperson of the Federation of Large Cardamom Entrepreneurs of Nepal, Lamjung and its coordinator of the Gandaki Province. He has also come up with a drive to encourage foreign job aspirants into the farming. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Som Bahadur Tamang of Ludi in the rural municipality has grown large cardamom in 60 ropanis of land after spending 15 years of his life in foreign jobs. He is generating around Rs 500,000 in income annually from the business. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"I am finding it easier to support my family from this business. It generates good income than that from growing paddy and corn," he said, adding that 10 quintals of large cardamom were produced this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Attracted by lucrative incomes from it, a group of 42 farmers of Barapokhari has grown large cardamom in 1,500 ropanis of land by registering agriculture group, he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Balaram Lama of Chhinkhola has also grown cardamom. He drew over Rs 500,000 in income annually from this business. Started some 45 years ago, grand cardamom, also known as 'black gold', black cardamom and locally called 'alainchi', has been a lucrative business in the district. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although the farming has been done in 1,500 hectares of land, only 1,200 hectares have been producing cardamom, according to available data. This year, the district saw an 85 percent increment in cardamom production as compared to 35 metric tonnes last year, farmers estimate. The high value cash crop, which is used as medicinal herb and spices as well, is in high demand. The evergreen, perennial and herbaceous plant is grown on north-facing hill slopes, according to the government. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Black cardamom is being supplied to various countries including neighbouring India. Pocket area for the farming is Marsyangdi Rural Municipality, Bensisahar Municipality, Kyoholasothar Rural Municipality, Dordi Rural Municipality and Dudhpokhari Rural Municipality. One kilogram of black cardamom fetches from Rs 600 to Rs 700. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16786', 'image' => '20230217122815_BlackCardamom.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 12:27:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17046', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Labour Court Tells NT to give Contract to Non-Graded Employees ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The Labour Court has decided that the non-graded employees of Nepal Telecom should be employed based on a contract in accordance with the law. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: The Labour Court has decided that the non-graded employees of Nepal Telecom should be employed based on a contract in accordance with the law. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A joint bench of Labor Court judges Basudev Acharya and Nisha Baniya decided that the unranked employees working for Nepal Telecom should be employed by providing them with perks and benefits as per the law. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The court has referred to Labor Act 2074, Section 178(2) which says that the employment contract of such types of employees should be completed within three months. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There are a large number of unranked employees who have been working as gardeners, security guards and kitchen workers in Nepal Telecom for more than 15 years without a contract. Among them, 21 employees filed a complaint at the labor office stating that they have not been given minimum facilities and salary for a long time and denied a letter of appointment. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that the Labor Office had decided that perks should be provided to the employees according to the law. The Labor Court upheld the decision of the Labor Office. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16785', 'image' => '20230217112936_Nepal-Telecom-(NTC-Building).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 11:28:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17045', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Dharan Sub-metropolis to Implement One-way Traffic System', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Dharan Sub-metropolitan City is set to implement one-way traffic system on some of its inner city roads to manage the increasing pressure of vehicles.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 17: Dharan Sub-metropolitan City is set to implement one-way traffic system on some of its inner city roads to manage the increasing pressure of vehicles.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Haphazard parking of the vehicles has thrown the marketplaces in chaos and mess at Bhanuchowk. Keeping in view the traffic mess, Dharan’s Mayor Harkaraj Rai has announced to implement one-way traffic on some of the roads starting from February 20.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Rai, one-way traffic system will be implemented from Bhanuchowk to Laxmi Chowk. Similarly, one-way traffic system will be put in place from BHanuchowk to Prithvi Chowk, Singhdevi Chowk, Puranobazaar, and Desiline to Bhanuchowk under plan ‘A’.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Under plan ‘B’, public vehicles coming from hilly districts such as Dhankuta, Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur will be managed and parked in Dharan-13.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> In the same manner, vehicles coming from Itahari will be parked at under construction new bus park. Likewise, vehicles hailing from Chatara will be managed and parked at Fokland as per the long-term plan.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Transport entrepreneur Saroj Shrestha welcomed mayor Rai’s decision to manage the traffic and said that it would help manage the traffic system in Dharan. “Since the traffic problem is deteriorating by the day, hampering the smooth flow of the vehicular movement, I request to all and sundry to support mayor Rai’s decision,” Shrestha said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The sub-metropolis has already issued a notice regarding execution of the one-way traffic system on some roads in the city. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16784', 'image' => '20230217061631_collage - 2023-02-16T180646.788 (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 06:13:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17044', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Lawmaker Bhandari Taken to India for Further Treatment', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker Dr Chandra Bhandari has been taken to India for further treatment. Dr Bhandari was injured in a cooking gas cylinder explosion at his residence at Budhhanagar, Kathmandu, on Wednesday night.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> February 16: Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker Dr Chandra Bhandari has been taken to India for further treatment. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Dr Bhandari was injured in a cooking gas cylinder explosion at his residence at Budhhanagar, Kathmandu, on Wednesday night. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bhandari has been taken to Mumbai-based National Skin Burn Centre on a Shree Airlines air ambulance for further treatment, said NC central committee member, Ajay Babu Siwakoti. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Earlier, injured Bhandari was rushed to Kirtipur-based Kirtipur Burn Hospital following the incident. The Hospital had recommended taking Dr Bhandari outside the country for further treatment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Dr Bhandari and his mother, Harikala Bhandari, were injured in the incident that took place at their residence in Buddhanagar. His mother had succumbed to burns Thursday morning. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the hospital, Dr Bhandari has sustained 25-30 percent burns, including on his both hands and legs, and face.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16783', 'image' => '20230216054314_collage - 2023-02-16T173246.407.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 17:40:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17043', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Date-Expired Beer Worth Rs 8.2 Million Confiscated', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has confiscated the date-expired beer worth Rs 8.2 million.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">February 16: The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has confiscated the date-expired beer worth Rs 8.2 million. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The Department seized around 2,757 cartons of date-expired beer in the course of market monitoring carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Director General of the Department, Mahesh Bhattarai, said beers of different brands including Bahrasinghe, Tuborg, Mustang, Nepal Ice, Carlsberg, and Gorkha were seized in the course of market monitoring. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The Department on Tuesday seized 2,100 cartons of beer stored at three go-downs of Climax Trading Company, the dealer of Yak Brewing Company, at Dhumbarahi. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Similarly, 355 cartons of date-expired beer was seized from a go-down of Sanskar Traders Pvt Ltd, Sinamangal, as well as 302 cartons of beer from a go-down of CK Trading Pvt Ltd, Sinamangal, on Wednesday. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The department has urged the consumers to stay alert in the sale and distribution of low-quality and date- expired beer and other soft drinks and asked the consumers to inform the Department if date-expired beer and other soft drinks are found being sold in the market. ---RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16782', 'image' => '20230216050658_collage - 2023-02-16T165416.479.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 17:04:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17040', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Area of Wheat Farming Declines', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: In terms of production, wheat is the third major food crop of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 16: In terms of production, wheat is the third major food crop of Nepal. Data suggest that the area of cultivation of wheat is decreasing every year. According to the government data, the area of wheat farming in Nepal has decreased by 51,300 hectares in the last seven years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The main reason for the decline in the area of wheat production is the recurrent loss and the process of harvesting wheat is complicated than other crops. Uddhav Adhikari, the coordinator of the Agriculture for Food Campaign recalls that wheat farming is perceived to generate loss ever since he has known.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Adhikari said, “In the past, farmers had no other option and were forced to cultivate wheat despite the loss. Currently, farmers have other options that give profit in a short period of time. Due to this there is a lot of distraction in wheat production. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“It is difficult to extract grain form the plant. Threshing machines have not reached the hill areas yet. Since it is a winter crop, it is not possible to arrange irrigation in time. Farmers also have to suffer from lack of advanced varieties of seeds and fertilizers. Due to this, the area of land where wheat is produced has not expanded,” said Adhikari.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, wheat was cultivated in a total of 762,373 hectares of land in Nepal in the fiscal year (2071/72). In that year, 1,975,625 metric tons of wheat was produced. By the year 2077/78, the production area decreased by 51,306 hectares to 711,067 hectares. While on the other hand, production seems to have increased to 2,127,267 metric tons. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the year 2077/78, cultivation of paddy occupies 50.56 percent of the total cultivable land, corn 26.96 percent and wheat 19.13 percent. Although it is the third major crop in terms of production, due to the decrease in the area where wheat is grown, Nepal is forced to import wheat worth billions of rupees every year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, 191,000 metric tons of wheat worth more than Rs 6.32 billion was imported in Nepal last year, mostly from India. As per the information, current wheat production in Nepal is sufficient to meet the domestic consumption needs while the imported wheat is used for industrial purposes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ram Krishna Regmi, head of the Statistics Branch of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development said that due to the fragmentation of the land, the cultivable area is decreasing and the farmers' attraction towards wheat farming is decreasing due to the lack of profit in accordance with the cost of production. Also, due the tradition of eating rice for every meal in Nepal, there is more attraction towards paddy cultivation and less attraction towards wheat cultivation. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The coordinator of the campaign says that the government should initiate special initiatives to increase wheat production. According to him, if the government moves towards providing higher subsidies for wheat, expanding the wheat pocket area, increasing the easy access to equipment and providing universal access to fertilizers and advanced varieties of seeds, farmers can be attracted to wheat farming.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16781', 'image' => '20230216125909_Wheat_photo-cred-Adobe-stock_E-2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:58:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17042', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Eight Suspension Bridges to Be Construed in Baglung', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Eight suspension bridges are under construction in Nishikhola Rural Municipality of Baglung in the current fiscal year. In the previous fiscal year, seven suspension bridges were constructed over different streams at the local level.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 16: Eight suspension bridges are under construction in Nishikhola Rural Municipality of Baglung in the current fiscal year. In the previous fiscal year, seven suspension bridges were constructed over different streams at the local level. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Engineer Samundra Shahi at the rural municipality shared that eight bridges are being constructed with 87 percent investment of federal government and 13 percent of Nisikhola rural municipality. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Engineer Shahi informed the construction of the bridges has started after completing survey related works. "All bridges would be built within coming mid-July. Construction works are gaining momentum to meet the target," Shahi added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Shahi, suspension bridges are under construction in wards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 of the rural municipality. Shahi said the rural municipality would replace the deteriorating bridges and intensify campaign to install new ones. The bridges are expected to contribute to the improvement of livelihood of the local people. ---RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16780', 'image' => '20230216040119_collage - 2023-02-16T160041.045.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 15:58:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17039', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Unable to Resolve Problems Related to Timber Production', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: Nepal has been importing timber worth billions of rupees from abroad annually to meet the domestic demand. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 16: Nepal has been importing timber worth billions of rupees from abroad annually to meet the domestic demand. Due to policy hurdles, domestically produced timber is getting wasted, while a large amount is spent on imports. Even three years after the cancellation of the Scientific Forest Management Procedure, 2071, which was introduced to increase the production of wood in the forests of the country, a new provision has not been implemented yet. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Forest has prepared the National Standard for Sustainable Forest Management, 2078, to facilitate the supply of wood. However, it hasn't moved forward for a long time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Businessmen say that they face various difficulties while producing wood according to the old system. According to Kapil Adhikari, the former president and chief advisor to the Federation of Wood Industry Professionals, one of the main problems at present is the high cost of production of wood in the domestic market. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The price of buying wood from local forests is quite expensive,” said Adhikari, adding, “The cost goes further up due to the cumbersome process for the wood to reach the industry and the non-cooperation of the bureaucracy.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Businessmen complain that forest technicians are causing unnecessary trouble even for the re-measurement of wood. They shared that there is a risk that the wood brought to the market through these kinds of problems will be expensive and will not be sold. Due to these hassles, it is said that businessmen opt to import wood from abroad at a very cheap price by opening LC.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Experts share that due to the Chure conservation campaign, they have not been able to explore a vital source of wood supply.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to a government official, only dry and fallen wood is allowed to be cut even in national and community forests. "There is a ban on cutting other mature trees," he said, "Even in private forests, only 29 types of wood are allowed to be cut."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">From May-October, an individual isn't allowed to cut wood in the forest. During this period, all the wood are imported from abroad.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Government officials also say that if sustainable management is carried out, large quantities of wood can be produced from Nepal's forests to meet the demand of the country and can also be exported to foreign countries. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Despite this, they admit that their inability to implement scientific forest management procedures is their biggest weakness. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"Scientific management of forests is very important," shared Deveshmani Tripathi, director general of the Forest and Land Conservation Department. “The problem in Nepal is that there are people who pretend to know more than forest officials."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that even though forest management in Nepal is based on the same model used all over the world, they have to be defensive when this issue is politicized more than necessary. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Director General Tripathi said that if the forests that cover 45 per cent of the total land area are not made productive, the wood that can be produced will be wasted. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Should we let such a large resource go to waste or make it productive and stop importing and start exporting? It should not be too late to make a decision,” he opined.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16779', 'image' => '20230216125822_timber-harvesting-process.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:57:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17038', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Interest Rates will not Drop to a Single Digit Immediately: Sunil KC', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: The interest rates of banks cannot be lowered to a single digit immediately, insists Sunik KC, the president of Nepal Bankers Association.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 16: The interest rates of banks cannot be lowered to a single digit immediately, insists Sunik KC, the president of Nepal Bankers Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In an interaction program organized by the Nepal Bankers Association on Wednesday, KC said that although the improvement in economic indicators has led to a gradual decrease in interest rates, the situation where interest rates can be maintained at a single digit is yet to be achieved.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He mentioned that although there are some signs of improvement in the economy in recent months, the banks are still under pressure. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">KC admitted that the banks’ interest rates are high and there is a demand to reduce them to single digit. But it is not possible to reduce it immediately. He mentioned that the interest rates will go on decreasing gradually through policy adopted by the banks.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that the banks are aware that the interest on loans should be kept stable. But the interest rate is increasing all over the world and it has affected Nepal as well, said KC. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stating that banks have collected deposits of Rs 200 billion in the last seven months of the current fisdal year, he said that the target is to collect deposits of Rs 230 billion in the next five months. He said that in the current fiscal year, bank deposits will reach Rs 450 to 500 billion and loan disbursement will reach Rs 400 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that since BFIs are doing business by taking many times more than their capital from the general public, they should give priority to depositors rather than borrowers.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that there are a lot of talks about borrowers in the market, but nothing about depositors. KC added that now the banking sector is also under pressure as banks have to think about the protection of depositors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">KC further said that although there have been some positive signs in the economy recently, the economy is yet to fully recover. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, NRB extended the time for disbursing loans to small and domestic businessmen at the request of the banks, which will bring some relief. He added that the situation of bad loans in the banking sector is increasing and even the loans disbursed during the Covid-19 period are yet to be recovered. He said that the state of bad loans of banks is 2.24 percent.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16778', 'image' => '20230216124609_interest-rates-e1541025967190.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:45:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17037', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Narayangadh-Muglin Road to be Closed for Another 15 Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: The Narayangadh-Muglin road section will remain closed for traffic during the afternoon for another 15 days. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 16: The Narayangadh-Muglin road section will remain closed for traffic during the afternoon for another 15 days. The road section is being shut in order carry out expansion work and construction of bridges along the strategic road that connects the capital Kathmandu with the Terai. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Initially, it was decided to shut down the road section for traffic from 11 am to 3 pm for 30 days starting from December 20 last year. The road closure was later extended for another one month from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm each day. As the work of cutting off a hill is yet to be completed, the District Administration Office Chitwan decided to close the road for another 15 days, said Chief District Officer Surendra Paudel. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A total of 20 new bridges have been along the road to maintain the flow of traffic after the expansion of the road. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16777', 'image' => '20230216120415_20210307101257_20210203120420_20200611120202_WB Road Project.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:03:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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$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' => '17053', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'When will International Flights Start in Pokhara?', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara quizzed Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati on various topics related to tourism, including the operation of international flights from the Pokhara International Airport. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: The tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara quizzed Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati on various topics related to tourism, including the operation of international flights from the Pokhara International Airport. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">They put up various queries to the minister in the course of an interaction on tourism organised by the Pokhara Tourism Council. The tourism entrepreneurs asked questions to the minister as to why the federal government has not taken initiatives for conducting international flights and from when such flights would be started. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">International flights have not been operated at the Pokhara International Airport since its inauguration on January 1. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, Minister Kirati said that he has been taking initiatives for starting international flights from Pokhara. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Describing Pokhara as an outstanding destination, he said he has taken much interest for its development. He added that he would familiarize himself with the process for the operation of international flights from Pokhara and forward the works accordingly. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Tourism Minister also reiterated that he was positive towards resolving the problems seen in the tourism sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Tourism entrepreneur Ganesh Bhattarai said there was haste in inaugurating the international airport in Pokhara but without completing the necessary home work for starting the international flights. He urged the federal government to take the necessary initiation to that end. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Pokhara Tourism Council chairperson Pom Narayan Shrestha said that the level of enthusiasm of the tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara after the inauguration of the Pokhara International Airport has now dampened with the delay in starting the international flights from this airport. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Among other problems faced by the tourism sector, he pointed out lack of concrete tourism policy on the part of the government and the hefty interest rate charged by the financial institutions and the pressure they are exerting on the tourism entrepreneurs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Founding president of the Tourism Council Ashok Palikhe, former president Gopi Bahadur Bhattarai, and the presidents and representatives of various organisations as TAAN, HAN, NATTA, TESA, EGA, NTVA, WOTEF, Money Changer, the Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, VTOF, Nepal Air Sports Association expessed views on the problems in their respective sectors. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16792', 'image' => '20230217062136_Pokhara-Airport 800.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 18:20:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17052', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bharatpur Metropolis Ahead in Performance Evaluation ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Bharatpur Metropolitan City has been ahead of other six metropolises across the country in terms of performance evaluation (PE).', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">February 17: Bharatpur Metropolitan City has been ahead of other six metropolises across the country in terms of performance evaluation (PE).</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">PE of local levels is based on their whole performance ranging from the budget allocation to programme implementation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The National Natural Sources and Fiscal Commission evaluates performance of the government of all levels based on their performance index so as to recommend for the fiscal equalization grants provided by the government to province and local level equity on the basis of their expenditure need, their capacity in generating revenue and the efforts they make. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The Bharatpur metropolis has received highest 72.22 percent points. Similarly, Biratnagar Metropolitan City has stood second with 59.24 percent points, followed by Lalitpur with 58.43, Kathmandu with 56.52, Birgunj with 53.23 and Pokhara with 48.66 points. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Bharatpur metropolis is located in Chitwan district. Of seven local levels in Chitwan district, Bharatpur has scored the highest points. Similarly, Rapti Municipality has received 70.88 percent points, Kalika Municipality 56.75, and Ichhakamana Rural Municipality 59.51 points. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Likewise, Ratnanagar Municipality has received 57.63 points, Khairahani Municipality 55.83 and Madi Municipality 60.15 points. Bharatpur metropolis is ahead in terms of the construction of physical infrastructures and other performance in the country, said the metropolis mayor Renu Dahal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"The metropolitan city has been able to score the highest points in performance evaluation due to the efforts put in by its employees, people's representatives and service seekers' support," said metropolis' deputy mayor Chitrasen Adhikari. ---RSS </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16791', 'image' => '20230217054439_collage - 2023-02-17T173806.263.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 17:36:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17051', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt Registers Bill to Hand Over Investigation of Stock Market to Police', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The government has registered a bill to amend Securities Act 2063 in parliament with the proposal of handing over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the secondary market to the police.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 17: The government has registered a bill to amend Securities Act 2063 in parliament with the proposal of handing over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the secondary market to the police.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) had earlier prepared a draft with necessary provisions to hand over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the security markets including insider trading, artificial trading, and fraudulent trading to Nepal Police by amending the Securities Act 2063. SEBON is currently conducting such an investigation. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The amendment was passed by the previous session of the House of Representatives but could not be endirsed because the meeting of the National Assembly couldn't be held. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Minister for Law Dhruba Bahadue Pradhan presented the act along with Money Laundering Act in Parliament for amendment. Since the proposal was presented in the previous parliament but was not passed by both houses, it has become inactive, so it was registered again.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The amendment gets legal recognition only after it is passed by the House of Representatives and the National Assembly and then gets authenticated by the president.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Law Ministry Secretary Dhanraj Gyawali said the Some Nepal Acts to amend the Securities Act 2063 and other acts were presented in parliament after careful study. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ministry aims to reduce some of the responsibilities of the Securities Board and hand them to the police. The attempt to curtail the authority of the board was opposed by experts including those active in the securities market. Earlier, the Ministry of Law and the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers were criticized for trying to curtail the board's authority without discussing it with stakeholders. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ramesh Hamal, chairman of SEBON, said that the bill needs to be made stronger and in the interest of investors. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"The board has prepared accordingly. We are constantly doing homework to make the bill stronger and we are discussing with ministries and agencies," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that the main goal of the board is to strengthen the Act and pass the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Safety Protocol. Hamal said that when the AML safety protocol is passed, SEBON will be strong internationally and will have the possibility to receive international funding.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Advocate Jyoti Dahal said that the police cannot investigate crimes such as insider trading, false or artificial trading, and fraudulent trading in the stock market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"In any capital market in the world, the police do not investigate crimes like insider trading and artificial trading. An expert is needed to investigate the crimes of the securities market. Therefore, the police cannot investigate such crimes," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the amendment of the law, if a complaint is received by any police officer that someone has engaged in insider trading, the police can arrest them immediately and proceed with the investigation. Therefore, according to the amended Act, some people have criticized that investors will suffer just because someone has filed a complaint. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Dahal said, "The police can assist in the investigation, but the police should not be the ones leading the investigation of the securities market."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Experts suggest that since the securities market is sensitive, great care should be taken while amending the relevant laws and regulations. At present, there is a need to attract production companies to Nepal's securities market, so experts said that confidence should be maintained so that production companies are not discouraged by the government's behaviour. Experts suggest that the attraction of investors in securities market should increase after the amendment of the law, so if there is a wide discussion, it can be achieved.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16790', 'image' => '20230217034742_Sebonnn.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 15:47:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17049', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Police Arrest 15 People Involved in Looting in Kathmandu ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The police have arrested 15 people accused of being involved in a looting and arson at New Bus Park in Kathmandu on February 13.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: The police have arrested 15 people accused of being involved in a looting and arson at New Bus Park in Kathmandu on February 13. A team from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office arrested and made them public amid a press conference here on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">They have been accused of looting mobile shops by breaking into a shopping center called Lotse Mall, and torching police vehicles and police beats in Kathmandu in the name of a protest called by transport entrepreneurs on February 13. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The arrestees have been identified as Suraj Magar, 19, of Kavrepalanchok district, Ritesh Basnet, 30, of Udayapur, Yaman Rai, 30, of Morang, Sunil Kalikote, 18, of Nuwakot, Roman Nagarkoti, 22, Sudip Tamang, 18, Madhav Shahi, 33, Keshar Rai, 19, Indra Tamang, 18, of Sindhuli, Ilaraj Gurung, 26, of Dhading, Rajan Raut, 27, of Udayapur, Harisharan Tamang, 28, of Kavrepalanchok, Bikash Gurung, 18, of Dhading, Sambidhan Pariyar, 27, of Chitwan and Kabin Khadgi, 19, of Kathmandu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The arrestees are students, and drivers and their helpers, said Superintendent of Police Somendra Singh Rathaur, adding that investigations are underway. Earlier on Wednesday, the police had arrested 10 people for their involvement in the incident. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16788', 'image' => '20230217023602_nepal police.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 14:35:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17048', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Private Sector Seeks Security Guarantee', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The private sector has expressed concern about commercial insecurity and demanded to guarantee the security of businessmen and commercial establishments. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 17: The private sector has expressed concern about commercial insecurity and demanded to guarantee the security of businessmen and commercial establishments. Various organizations of the private sector have been alarmed by the lack of intervention by the security agencies during the vandalism and looting of shops at Lotse Mall in New Bus Park, Kathmandu and have sought guarantee for the safety of businesses and businessmen.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the umbrella organization of the private sector, issued a statement on Thursday and demanded immediate legal action against those involved in the incident.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The statement read, “In democracy, as much as people have the right to protest, they have the right to protect their lives, wealth and property. Openly vandalizing and looting people's property is not acceptable. It should be punishable in a legal state.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The federation says that if the state does not focus on timely control of such incidents of taking the law into their hands in the name of protest, such incidents will recur anytime anywhere. The federation demanded immediate legal action against those involved in the incident and to return the looted goods of the businessmen.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal Chamber of Commerce, another influential organization in the private sector, has drawn the attention of the government to guarantee professional safety. The chamber demanded a guarantee of security in the commercial sector drawing attention to the vandalism and looting in Lotse Mall.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chamber emphasized that legal action should be taken immediately against the culprits of the incident and compensation should be paid to the victim businessmen involved in the robbery.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the statement issued by the president of NCC Rajendra Malla, although there is a right to peaceful protest and demonstration, no one is allowed to engage in disorderly activities, looting and vandalism in the name of protest. Malla said that the security agencies should be kept active and deployed for the security of the industrial and commercial sector.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chamber says that if peace and security cannot be maintained in the business sector, the business will have to close down. The chamber also said that incidents like looting and vandalism in business have created another terror.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Saying that it is unfortunate that peace and security cannot be maintained even when businesses pay taxes to the state, the chamber has requested the government to provide immediate compensation to the victims of the Balaju incident and prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Federation of Contractor’s Association of Nepal, an organization of construction professionals, also published a statement and demanded a full guarantee of safety for the professionals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The statement issued by the federation stated, “'This kind of robbery incident, which happened despite the presence of a police cordon a few meters away, has revealed how weak the security situation of the country has become. Even the international community has received information about the fragile security situation in the country.” It is mentioned that the incident, which was a big challenge, has terrorized the private sector.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the federation, the morale of entrepreneurs who want to do something in the country has fallen due to the looting, which took place at a time when the economic condition of the country is also very poor amid political instabile. The federation has demanded that those involved in the incidents of vandalism, arson and looting be brought under the scope of immediate action and that the victim businessmen be provided immediate compensation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the incident took place in the heart of the capital, the federation demanded that reliable arrangements be made for the security of all levels of businessmen, their belongings and equipment, so as to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16787', 'image' => '20230217015252_38843 - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 13:52:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17047', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Farming of Black Cardamom Flourishing in Lamjung', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: Large cardamom farming has attracted farmers of Lamjung district because of the good income.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: Large cardamom farming has attracted farmers of Lamjung district because of the prospects of good income. Most of the farmers of the district are engaged in cardamom farming as it has generated good income lately, say the locals. One of them is Ajaya Tamang of Marsyangdi Rural Municipality-7. He expanded the farming to 40 ropanis of land from one ropani 15 years ago. He earns between Rs 1 million to Rs 1.5 million in income annually by selling cardamom and its saplings. He engaged in this business when Nepal's a large cardamom nursery was established at Tarachowk Shera and Chhinkhola. The nursery spans across 55 ropanis of land. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"I would have earned Rs 300,000 annually from a foreign job. But, now I earn more than Rs 1 million in income annually from the business at home," said Tamang, who is also the outgoing chairperson of the Federation of Large Cardamom Entrepreneurs of Nepal, Lamjung and its coordinator of the Gandaki Province. He has also come up with a drive to encourage foreign job aspirants into the farming. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Som Bahadur Tamang of Ludi in the rural municipality has grown large cardamom in 60 ropanis of land after spending 15 years of his life in foreign jobs. He is generating around Rs 500,000 in income annually from the business. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"I am finding it easier to support my family from this business. It generates good income than that from growing paddy and corn," he said, adding that 10 quintals of large cardamom were produced this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Attracted by lucrative incomes from it, a group of 42 farmers of Barapokhari has grown large cardamom in 1,500 ropanis of land by registering agriculture group, he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Balaram Lama of Chhinkhola has also grown cardamom. He drew over Rs 500,000 in income annually from this business. Started some 45 years ago, grand cardamom, also known as 'black gold', black cardamom and locally called 'alainchi', has been a lucrative business in the district. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although the farming has been done in 1,500 hectares of land, only 1,200 hectares have been producing cardamom, according to available data. This year, the district saw an 85 percent increment in cardamom production as compared to 35 metric tonnes last year, farmers estimate. The high value cash crop, which is used as medicinal herb and spices as well, is in high demand. The evergreen, perennial and herbaceous plant is grown on north-facing hill slopes, according to the government. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Black cardamom is being supplied to various countries including neighbouring India. Pocket area for the farming is Marsyangdi Rural Municipality, Bensisahar Municipality, Kyoholasothar Rural Municipality, Dordi Rural Municipality and Dudhpokhari Rural Municipality. One kilogram of black cardamom fetches from Rs 600 to Rs 700. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16786', 'image' => '20230217122815_BlackCardamom.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 12:27:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17046', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Labour Court Tells NT to give Contract to Non-Graded Employees ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The Labour Court has decided that the non-graded employees of Nepal Telecom should be employed based on a contract in accordance with the law. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: The Labour Court has decided that the non-graded employees of Nepal Telecom should be employed based on a contract in accordance with the law. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A joint bench of Labor Court judges Basudev Acharya and Nisha Baniya decided that the unranked employees working for Nepal Telecom should be employed by providing them with perks and benefits as per the law. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The court has referred to Labor Act 2074, Section 178(2) which says that the employment contract of such types of employees should be completed within three months. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There are a large number of unranked employees who have been working as gardeners, security guards and kitchen workers in Nepal Telecom for more than 15 years without a contract. Among them, 21 employees filed a complaint at the labor office stating that they have not been given minimum facilities and salary for a long time and denied a letter of appointment. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that the Labor Office had decided that perks should be provided to the employees according to the law. The Labor Court upheld the decision of the Labor Office. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16785', 'image' => '20230217112936_Nepal-Telecom-(NTC-Building).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 11:28:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17045', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Dharan Sub-metropolis to Implement One-way Traffic System', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Dharan Sub-metropolitan City is set to implement one-way traffic system on some of its inner city roads to manage the increasing pressure of vehicles.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 17: Dharan Sub-metropolitan City is set to implement one-way traffic system on some of its inner city roads to manage the increasing pressure of vehicles.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Haphazard parking of the vehicles has thrown the marketplaces in chaos and mess at Bhanuchowk. Keeping in view the traffic mess, Dharan’s Mayor Harkaraj Rai has announced to implement one-way traffic on some of the roads starting from February 20.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Rai, one-way traffic system will be implemented from Bhanuchowk to Laxmi Chowk. Similarly, one-way traffic system will be put in place from BHanuchowk to Prithvi Chowk, Singhdevi Chowk, Puranobazaar, and Desiline to Bhanuchowk under plan ‘A’.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Under plan ‘B’, public vehicles coming from hilly districts such as Dhankuta, Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur will be managed and parked in Dharan-13.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> In the same manner, vehicles coming from Itahari will be parked at under construction new bus park. Likewise, vehicles hailing from Chatara will be managed and parked at Fokland as per the long-term plan.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Transport entrepreneur Saroj Shrestha welcomed mayor Rai’s decision to manage the traffic and said that it would help manage the traffic system in Dharan. “Since the traffic problem is deteriorating by the day, hampering the smooth flow of the vehicular movement, I request to all and sundry to support mayor Rai’s decision,” Shrestha said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The sub-metropolis has already issued a notice regarding execution of the one-way traffic system on some roads in the city. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16784', 'image' => '20230217061631_collage - 2023-02-16T180646.788 (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 06:13:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17044', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Lawmaker Bhandari Taken to India for Further Treatment', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker Dr Chandra Bhandari has been taken to India for further treatment. Dr Bhandari was injured in a cooking gas cylinder explosion at his residence at Budhhanagar, Kathmandu, on Wednesday night.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> February 16: Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker Dr Chandra Bhandari has been taken to India for further treatment. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Dr Bhandari was injured in a cooking gas cylinder explosion at his residence at Budhhanagar, Kathmandu, on Wednesday night. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bhandari has been taken to Mumbai-based National Skin Burn Centre on a Shree Airlines air ambulance for further treatment, said NC central committee member, Ajay Babu Siwakoti. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Earlier, injured Bhandari was rushed to Kirtipur-based Kirtipur Burn Hospital following the incident. The Hospital had recommended taking Dr Bhandari outside the country for further treatment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Dr Bhandari and his mother, Harikala Bhandari, were injured in the incident that took place at their residence in Buddhanagar. His mother had succumbed to burns Thursday morning. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the hospital, Dr Bhandari has sustained 25-30 percent burns, including on his both hands and legs, and face.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16783', 'image' => '20230216054314_collage - 2023-02-16T173246.407.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 17:40:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17043', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Date-Expired Beer Worth Rs 8.2 Million Confiscated', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has confiscated the date-expired beer worth Rs 8.2 million.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">February 16: The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has confiscated the date-expired beer worth Rs 8.2 million. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The Department seized around 2,757 cartons of date-expired beer in the course of market monitoring carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Director General of the Department, Mahesh Bhattarai, said beers of different brands including Bahrasinghe, Tuborg, Mustang, Nepal Ice, Carlsberg, and Gorkha were seized in the course of market monitoring. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The Department on Tuesday seized 2,100 cartons of beer stored at three go-downs of Climax Trading Company, the dealer of Yak Brewing Company, at Dhumbarahi. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Similarly, 355 cartons of date-expired beer was seized from a go-down of Sanskar Traders Pvt Ltd, Sinamangal, as well as 302 cartons of beer from a go-down of CK Trading Pvt Ltd, Sinamangal, on Wednesday. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The department has urged the consumers to stay alert in the sale and distribution of low-quality and date- expired beer and other soft drinks and asked the consumers to inform the Department if date-expired beer and other soft drinks are found being sold in the market. ---RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16782', 'image' => '20230216050658_collage - 2023-02-16T165416.479.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 17:04:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17040', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Area of Wheat Farming Declines', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: In terms of production, wheat is the third major food crop of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 16: In terms of production, wheat is the third major food crop of Nepal. Data suggest that the area of cultivation of wheat is decreasing every year. According to the government data, the area of wheat farming in Nepal has decreased by 51,300 hectares in the last seven years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The main reason for the decline in the area of wheat production is the recurrent loss and the process of harvesting wheat is complicated than other crops. Uddhav Adhikari, the coordinator of the Agriculture for Food Campaign recalls that wheat farming is perceived to generate loss ever since he has known.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Adhikari said, “In the past, farmers had no other option and were forced to cultivate wheat despite the loss. Currently, farmers have other options that give profit in a short period of time. Due to this there is a lot of distraction in wheat production. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“It is difficult to extract grain form the plant. Threshing machines have not reached the hill areas yet. Since it is a winter crop, it is not possible to arrange irrigation in time. Farmers also have to suffer from lack of advanced varieties of seeds and fertilizers. Due to this, the area of land where wheat is produced has not expanded,” said Adhikari.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, wheat was cultivated in a total of 762,373 hectares of land in Nepal in the fiscal year (2071/72). In that year, 1,975,625 metric tons of wheat was produced. By the year 2077/78, the production area decreased by 51,306 hectares to 711,067 hectares. While on the other hand, production seems to have increased to 2,127,267 metric tons. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the year 2077/78, cultivation of paddy occupies 50.56 percent of the total cultivable land, corn 26.96 percent and wheat 19.13 percent. Although it is the third major crop in terms of production, due to the decrease in the area where wheat is grown, Nepal is forced to import wheat worth billions of rupees every year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, 191,000 metric tons of wheat worth more than Rs 6.32 billion was imported in Nepal last year, mostly from India. As per the information, current wheat production in Nepal is sufficient to meet the domestic consumption needs while the imported wheat is used for industrial purposes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ram Krishna Regmi, head of the Statistics Branch of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development said that due to the fragmentation of the land, the cultivable area is decreasing and the farmers' attraction towards wheat farming is decreasing due to the lack of profit in accordance with the cost of production. Also, due the tradition of eating rice for every meal in Nepal, there is more attraction towards paddy cultivation and less attraction towards wheat cultivation. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The coordinator of the campaign says that the government should initiate special initiatives to increase wheat production. According to him, if the government moves towards providing higher subsidies for wheat, expanding the wheat pocket area, increasing the easy access to equipment and providing universal access to fertilizers and advanced varieties of seeds, farmers can be attracted to wheat farming.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16781', 'image' => '20230216125909_Wheat_photo-cred-Adobe-stock_E-2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:58:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17042', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Eight Suspension Bridges to Be Construed in Baglung', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Eight suspension bridges are under construction in Nishikhola Rural Municipality of Baglung in the current fiscal year. In the previous fiscal year, seven suspension bridges were constructed over different streams at the local level.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 16: Eight suspension bridges are under construction in Nishikhola Rural Municipality of Baglung in the current fiscal year. In the previous fiscal year, seven suspension bridges were constructed over different streams at the local level. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Engineer Samundra Shahi at the rural municipality shared that eight bridges are being constructed with 87 percent investment of federal government and 13 percent of Nisikhola rural municipality. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Engineer Shahi informed the construction of the bridges has started after completing survey related works. "All bridges would be built within coming mid-July. Construction works are gaining momentum to meet the target," Shahi added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Shahi, suspension bridges are under construction in wards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 of the rural municipality. Shahi said the rural municipality would replace the deteriorating bridges and intensify campaign to install new ones. The bridges are expected to contribute to the improvement of livelihood of the local people. ---RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16780', 'image' => '20230216040119_collage - 2023-02-16T160041.045.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 15:58:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17039', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Unable to Resolve Problems Related to Timber Production', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: Nepal has been importing timber worth billions of rupees from abroad annually to meet the domestic demand. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 16: Nepal has been importing timber worth billions of rupees from abroad annually to meet the domestic demand. Due to policy hurdles, domestically produced timber is getting wasted, while a large amount is spent on imports. Even three years after the cancellation of the Scientific Forest Management Procedure, 2071, which was introduced to increase the production of wood in the forests of the country, a new provision has not been implemented yet. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Forest has prepared the National Standard for Sustainable Forest Management, 2078, to facilitate the supply of wood. However, it hasn't moved forward for a long time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Businessmen say that they face various difficulties while producing wood according to the old system. According to Kapil Adhikari, the former president and chief advisor to the Federation of Wood Industry Professionals, one of the main problems at present is the high cost of production of wood in the domestic market. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The price of buying wood from local forests is quite expensive,” said Adhikari, adding, “The cost goes further up due to the cumbersome process for the wood to reach the industry and the non-cooperation of the bureaucracy.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Businessmen complain that forest technicians are causing unnecessary trouble even for the re-measurement of wood. They shared that there is a risk that the wood brought to the market through these kinds of problems will be expensive and will not be sold. Due to these hassles, it is said that businessmen opt to import wood from abroad at a very cheap price by opening LC.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Experts share that due to the Chure conservation campaign, they have not been able to explore a vital source of wood supply.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to a government official, only dry and fallen wood is allowed to be cut even in national and community forests. "There is a ban on cutting other mature trees," he said, "Even in private forests, only 29 types of wood are allowed to be cut."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">From May-October, an individual isn't allowed to cut wood in the forest. During this period, all the wood are imported from abroad.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Government officials also say that if sustainable management is carried out, large quantities of wood can be produced from Nepal's forests to meet the demand of the country and can also be exported to foreign countries. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Despite this, they admit that their inability to implement scientific forest management procedures is their biggest weakness. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"Scientific management of forests is very important," shared Deveshmani Tripathi, director general of the Forest and Land Conservation Department. “The problem in Nepal is that there are people who pretend to know more than forest officials."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that even though forest management in Nepal is based on the same model used all over the world, they have to be defensive when this issue is politicized more than necessary. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Director General Tripathi said that if the forests that cover 45 per cent of the total land area are not made productive, the wood that can be produced will be wasted. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Should we let such a large resource go to waste or make it productive and stop importing and start exporting? It should not be too late to make a decision,” he opined.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16779', 'image' => '20230216125822_timber-harvesting-process.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:57:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17038', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Interest Rates will not Drop to a Single Digit Immediately: Sunil KC', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: The interest rates of banks cannot be lowered to a single digit immediately, insists Sunik KC, the president of Nepal Bankers Association.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 16: The interest rates of banks cannot be lowered to a single digit immediately, insists Sunik KC, the president of Nepal Bankers Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In an interaction program organized by the Nepal Bankers Association on Wednesday, KC said that although the improvement in economic indicators has led to a gradual decrease in interest rates, the situation where interest rates can be maintained at a single digit is yet to be achieved.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He mentioned that although there are some signs of improvement in the economy in recent months, the banks are still under pressure. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">KC admitted that the banks’ interest rates are high and there is a demand to reduce them to single digit. But it is not possible to reduce it immediately. He mentioned that the interest rates will go on decreasing gradually through policy adopted by the banks.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that the banks are aware that the interest on loans should be kept stable. But the interest rate is increasing all over the world and it has affected Nepal as well, said KC. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stating that banks have collected deposits of Rs 200 billion in the last seven months of the current fisdal year, he said that the target is to collect deposits of Rs 230 billion in the next five months. He said that in the current fiscal year, bank deposits will reach Rs 450 to 500 billion and loan disbursement will reach Rs 400 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that since BFIs are doing business by taking many times more than their capital from the general public, they should give priority to depositors rather than borrowers.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that there are a lot of talks about borrowers in the market, but nothing about depositors. KC added that now the banking sector is also under pressure as banks have to think about the protection of depositors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">KC further said that although there have been some positive signs in the economy recently, the economy is yet to fully recover. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, NRB extended the time for disbursing loans to small and domestic businessmen at the request of the banks, which will bring some relief. He added that the situation of bad loans in the banking sector is increasing and even the loans disbursed during the Covid-19 period are yet to be recovered. He said that the state of bad loans of banks is 2.24 percent.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16778', 'image' => '20230216124609_interest-rates-e1541025967190.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:45:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17037', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Narayangadh-Muglin Road to be Closed for Another 15 Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: The Narayangadh-Muglin road section will remain closed for traffic during the afternoon for another 15 days. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 16: The Narayangadh-Muglin road section will remain closed for traffic during the afternoon for another 15 days. The road section is being shut in order carry out expansion work and construction of bridges along the strategic road that connects the capital Kathmandu with the Terai. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Initially, it was decided to shut down the road section for traffic from 11 am to 3 pm for 30 days starting from December 20 last year. The road closure was later extended for another one month from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm each day. As the work of cutting off a hill is yet to be completed, the District Administration Office Chitwan decided to close the road for another 15 days, said Chief District Officer Surendra Paudel. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A total of 20 new bridges have been along the road to maintain the flow of traffic after the expansion of the road. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16777', 'image' => '20230216120415_20210307101257_20210203120420_20200611120202_WB Road Project.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:03:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: The tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara quizzed Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati on various topics related to tourism, including the operation of international flights from the Pokhara International Airport. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">They put up various queries to the minister in the course of an interaction on tourism organised by the Pokhara Tourism Council. The tourism entrepreneurs asked questions to the minister as to why the federal government has not taken initiatives for conducting international flights and from when such flights would be started. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">International flights have not been operated at the Pokhara International Airport since its inauguration on January 1. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, Minister Kirati said that he has been taking initiatives for starting international flights from Pokhara. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Describing Pokhara as an outstanding destination, he said he has taken much interest for its development. He added that he would familiarize himself with the process for the operation of international flights from Pokhara and forward the works accordingly. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Tourism Minister also reiterated that he was positive towards resolving the problems seen in the tourism sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Tourism entrepreneur Ganesh Bhattarai said there was haste in inaugurating the international airport in Pokhara but without completing the necessary home work for starting the international flights. He urged the federal government to take the necessary initiation to that end. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Pokhara Tourism Council chairperson Pom Narayan Shrestha said that the level of enthusiasm of the tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara after the inauguration of the Pokhara International Airport has now dampened with the delay in starting the international flights from this airport. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Among other problems faced by the tourism sector, he pointed out lack of concrete tourism policy on the part of the government and the hefty interest rate charged by the financial institutions and the pressure they are exerting on the tourism entrepreneurs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Founding president of the Tourism Council Ashok Palikhe, former president Gopi Bahadur Bhattarai, and the presidents and representatives of various organisations as TAAN, HAN, NATTA, TESA, EGA, NTVA, WOTEF, Money Changer, the Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, VTOF, Nepal Air Sports Association expessed views on the problems in their respective sectors. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16792', 'image' => '20230217062136_Pokhara-Airport 800.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 18:20:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17052', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bharatpur Metropolis Ahead in Performance Evaluation ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Bharatpur Metropolitan City has been ahead of other six metropolises across the country in terms of performance evaluation (PE).', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">February 17: Bharatpur Metropolitan City has been ahead of other six metropolises across the country in terms of performance evaluation (PE).</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">PE of local levels is based on their whole performance ranging from the budget allocation to programme implementation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The National Natural Sources and Fiscal Commission evaluates performance of the government of all levels based on their performance index so as to recommend for the fiscal equalization grants provided by the government to province and local level equity on the basis of their expenditure need, their capacity in generating revenue and the efforts they make. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The Bharatpur metropolis has received highest 72.22 percent points. Similarly, Biratnagar Metropolitan City has stood second with 59.24 percent points, followed by Lalitpur with 58.43, Kathmandu with 56.52, Birgunj with 53.23 and Pokhara with 48.66 points. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Bharatpur metropolis is located in Chitwan district. Of seven local levels in Chitwan district, Bharatpur has scored the highest points. Similarly, Rapti Municipality has received 70.88 percent points, Kalika Municipality 56.75, and Ichhakamana Rural Municipality 59.51 points. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Likewise, Ratnanagar Municipality has received 57.63 points, Khairahani Municipality 55.83 and Madi Municipality 60.15 points. Bharatpur metropolis is ahead in terms of the construction of physical infrastructures and other performance in the country, said the metropolis mayor Renu Dahal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"The metropolitan city has been able to score the highest points in performance evaluation due to the efforts put in by its employees, people's representatives and service seekers' support," said metropolis' deputy mayor Chitrasen Adhikari. ---RSS </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16791', 'image' => '20230217054439_collage - 2023-02-17T173806.263.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 17:36:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17051', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt Registers Bill to Hand Over Investigation of Stock Market to Police', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The government has registered a bill to amend Securities Act 2063 in parliament with the proposal of handing over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the secondary market to the police.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 17: The government has registered a bill to amend Securities Act 2063 in parliament with the proposal of handing over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the secondary market to the police.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) had earlier prepared a draft with necessary provisions to hand over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the security markets including insider trading, artificial trading, and fraudulent trading to Nepal Police by amending the Securities Act 2063. SEBON is currently conducting such an investigation. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The amendment was passed by the previous session of the House of Representatives but could not be endirsed because the meeting of the National Assembly couldn't be held. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Minister for Law Dhruba Bahadue Pradhan presented the act along with Money Laundering Act in Parliament for amendment. Since the proposal was presented in the previous parliament but was not passed by both houses, it has become inactive, so it was registered again.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The amendment gets legal recognition only after it is passed by the House of Representatives and the National Assembly and then gets authenticated by the president.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Law Ministry Secretary Dhanraj Gyawali said the Some Nepal Acts to amend the Securities Act 2063 and other acts were presented in parliament after careful study. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ministry aims to reduce some of the responsibilities of the Securities Board and hand them to the police. The attempt to curtail the authority of the board was opposed by experts including those active in the securities market. Earlier, the Ministry of Law and the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers were criticized for trying to curtail the board's authority without discussing it with stakeholders. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ramesh Hamal, chairman of SEBON, said that the bill needs to be made stronger and in the interest of investors. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"The board has prepared accordingly. We are constantly doing homework to make the bill stronger and we are discussing with ministries and agencies," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that the main goal of the board is to strengthen the Act and pass the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Safety Protocol. Hamal said that when the AML safety protocol is passed, SEBON will be strong internationally and will have the possibility to receive international funding.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Advocate Jyoti Dahal said that the police cannot investigate crimes such as insider trading, false or artificial trading, and fraudulent trading in the stock market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"In any capital market in the world, the police do not investigate crimes like insider trading and artificial trading. An expert is needed to investigate the crimes of the securities market. Therefore, the police cannot investigate such crimes," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the amendment of the law, if a complaint is received by any police officer that someone has engaged in insider trading, the police can arrest them immediately and proceed with the investigation. Therefore, according to the amended Act, some people have criticized that investors will suffer just because someone has filed a complaint. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Dahal said, "The police can assist in the investigation, but the police should not be the ones leading the investigation of the securities market."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Experts suggest that since the securities market is sensitive, great care should be taken while amending the relevant laws and regulations. At present, there is a need to attract production companies to Nepal's securities market, so experts said that confidence should be maintained so that production companies are not discouraged by the government's behaviour. Experts suggest that the attraction of investors in securities market should increase after the amendment of the law, so if there is a wide discussion, it can be achieved.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16790', 'image' => '20230217034742_Sebonnn.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 15:47:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17049', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Police Arrest 15 People Involved in Looting in Kathmandu ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The police have arrested 15 people accused of being involved in a looting and arson at New Bus Park in Kathmandu on February 13.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: The police have arrested 15 people accused of being involved in a looting and arson at New Bus Park in Kathmandu on February 13. A team from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office arrested and made them public amid a press conference here on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">They have been accused of looting mobile shops by breaking into a shopping center called Lotse Mall, and torching police vehicles and police beats in Kathmandu in the name of a protest called by transport entrepreneurs on February 13. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The arrestees have been identified as Suraj Magar, 19, of Kavrepalanchok district, Ritesh Basnet, 30, of Udayapur, Yaman Rai, 30, of Morang, Sunil Kalikote, 18, of Nuwakot, Roman Nagarkoti, 22, Sudip Tamang, 18, Madhav Shahi, 33, Keshar Rai, 19, Indra Tamang, 18, of Sindhuli, Ilaraj Gurung, 26, of Dhading, Rajan Raut, 27, of Udayapur, Harisharan Tamang, 28, of Kavrepalanchok, Bikash Gurung, 18, of Dhading, Sambidhan Pariyar, 27, of Chitwan and Kabin Khadgi, 19, of Kathmandu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The arrestees are students, and drivers and their helpers, said Superintendent of Police Somendra Singh Rathaur, adding that investigations are underway. Earlier on Wednesday, the police had arrested 10 people for their involvement in the incident. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16788', 'image' => '20230217023602_nepal police.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 14:35:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17048', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Private Sector Seeks Security Guarantee', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The private sector has expressed concern about commercial insecurity and demanded to guarantee the security of businessmen and commercial establishments. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 17: The private sector has expressed concern about commercial insecurity and demanded to guarantee the security of businessmen and commercial establishments. Various organizations of the private sector have been alarmed by the lack of intervention by the security agencies during the vandalism and looting of shops at Lotse Mall in New Bus Park, Kathmandu and have sought guarantee for the safety of businesses and businessmen.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the umbrella organization of the private sector, issued a statement on Thursday and demanded immediate legal action against those involved in the incident.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The statement read, “In democracy, as much as people have the right to protest, they have the right to protect their lives, wealth and property. Openly vandalizing and looting people's property is not acceptable. It should be punishable in a legal state.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The federation says that if the state does not focus on timely control of such incidents of taking the law into their hands in the name of protest, such incidents will recur anytime anywhere. The federation demanded immediate legal action against those involved in the incident and to return the looted goods of the businessmen.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal Chamber of Commerce, another influential organization in the private sector, has drawn the attention of the government to guarantee professional safety. The chamber demanded a guarantee of security in the commercial sector drawing attention to the vandalism and looting in Lotse Mall.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chamber emphasized that legal action should be taken immediately against the culprits of the incident and compensation should be paid to the victim businessmen involved in the robbery.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the statement issued by the president of NCC Rajendra Malla, although there is a right to peaceful protest and demonstration, no one is allowed to engage in disorderly activities, looting and vandalism in the name of protest. Malla said that the security agencies should be kept active and deployed for the security of the industrial and commercial sector.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chamber says that if peace and security cannot be maintained in the business sector, the business will have to close down. The chamber also said that incidents like looting and vandalism in business have created another terror.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Saying that it is unfortunate that peace and security cannot be maintained even when businesses pay taxes to the state, the chamber has requested the government to provide immediate compensation to the victims of the Balaju incident and prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Federation of Contractor’s Association of Nepal, an organization of construction professionals, also published a statement and demanded a full guarantee of safety for the professionals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The statement issued by the federation stated, “'This kind of robbery incident, which happened despite the presence of a police cordon a few meters away, has revealed how weak the security situation of the country has become. Even the international community has received information about the fragile security situation in the country.” It is mentioned that the incident, which was a big challenge, has terrorized the private sector.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the federation, the morale of entrepreneurs who want to do something in the country has fallen due to the looting, which took place at a time when the economic condition of the country is also very poor amid political instabile. The federation has demanded that those involved in the incidents of vandalism, arson and looting be brought under the scope of immediate action and that the victim businessmen be provided immediate compensation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the incident took place in the heart of the capital, the federation demanded that reliable arrangements be made for the security of all levels of businessmen, their belongings and equipment, so as to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16787', 'image' => '20230217015252_38843 - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 13:52:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17047', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Farming of Black Cardamom Flourishing in Lamjung', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: Large cardamom farming has attracted farmers of Lamjung district because of the good income.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: Large cardamom farming has attracted farmers of Lamjung district because of the prospects of good income. Most of the farmers of the district are engaged in cardamom farming as it has generated good income lately, say the locals. One of them is Ajaya Tamang of Marsyangdi Rural Municipality-7. He expanded the farming to 40 ropanis of land from one ropani 15 years ago. He earns between Rs 1 million to Rs 1.5 million in income annually by selling cardamom and its saplings. He engaged in this business when Nepal's a large cardamom nursery was established at Tarachowk Shera and Chhinkhola. The nursery spans across 55 ropanis of land. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"I would have earned Rs 300,000 annually from a foreign job. But, now I earn more than Rs 1 million in income annually from the business at home," said Tamang, who is also the outgoing chairperson of the Federation of Large Cardamom Entrepreneurs of Nepal, Lamjung and its coordinator of the Gandaki Province. He has also come up with a drive to encourage foreign job aspirants into the farming. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Som Bahadur Tamang of Ludi in the rural municipality has grown large cardamom in 60 ropanis of land after spending 15 years of his life in foreign jobs. He is generating around Rs 500,000 in income annually from the business. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"I am finding it easier to support my family from this business. It generates good income than that from growing paddy and corn," he said, adding that 10 quintals of large cardamom were produced this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Attracted by lucrative incomes from it, a group of 42 farmers of Barapokhari has grown large cardamom in 1,500 ropanis of land by registering agriculture group, he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Balaram Lama of Chhinkhola has also grown cardamom. He drew over Rs 500,000 in income annually from this business. Started some 45 years ago, grand cardamom, also known as 'black gold', black cardamom and locally called 'alainchi', has been a lucrative business in the district. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although the farming has been done in 1,500 hectares of land, only 1,200 hectares have been producing cardamom, according to available data. This year, the district saw an 85 percent increment in cardamom production as compared to 35 metric tonnes last year, farmers estimate. The high value cash crop, which is used as medicinal herb and spices as well, is in high demand. The evergreen, perennial and herbaceous plant is grown on north-facing hill slopes, according to the government. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Black cardamom is being supplied to various countries including neighbouring India. Pocket area for the farming is Marsyangdi Rural Municipality, Bensisahar Municipality, Kyoholasothar Rural Municipality, Dordi Rural Municipality and Dudhpokhari Rural Municipality. One kilogram of black cardamom fetches from Rs 600 to Rs 700. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16786', 'image' => '20230217122815_BlackCardamom.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 12:27:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17046', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Labour Court Tells NT to give Contract to Non-Graded Employees ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The Labour Court has decided that the non-graded employees of Nepal Telecom should be employed based on a contract in accordance with the law. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: The Labour Court has decided that the non-graded employees of Nepal Telecom should be employed based on a contract in accordance with the law. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A joint bench of Labor Court judges Basudev Acharya and Nisha Baniya decided that the unranked employees working for Nepal Telecom should be employed by providing them with perks and benefits as per the law. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The court has referred to Labor Act 2074, Section 178(2) which says that the employment contract of such types of employees should be completed within three months. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There are a large number of unranked employees who have been working as gardeners, security guards and kitchen workers in Nepal Telecom for more than 15 years without a contract. Among them, 21 employees filed a complaint at the labor office stating that they have not been given minimum facilities and salary for a long time and denied a letter of appointment. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that the Labor Office had decided that perks should be provided to the employees according to the law. The Labor Court upheld the decision of the Labor Office. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16785', 'image' => '20230217112936_Nepal-Telecom-(NTC-Building).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 11:28:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17045', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Dharan Sub-metropolis to Implement One-way Traffic System', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Dharan Sub-metropolitan City is set to implement one-way traffic system on some of its inner city roads to manage the increasing pressure of vehicles.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 17: Dharan Sub-metropolitan City is set to implement one-way traffic system on some of its inner city roads to manage the increasing pressure of vehicles.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Haphazard parking of the vehicles has thrown the marketplaces in chaos and mess at Bhanuchowk. Keeping in view the traffic mess, Dharan’s Mayor Harkaraj Rai has announced to implement one-way traffic on some of the roads starting from February 20.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Rai, one-way traffic system will be implemented from Bhanuchowk to Laxmi Chowk. Similarly, one-way traffic system will be put in place from BHanuchowk to Prithvi Chowk, Singhdevi Chowk, Puranobazaar, and Desiline to Bhanuchowk under plan ‘A’.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Under plan ‘B’, public vehicles coming from hilly districts such as Dhankuta, Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur will be managed and parked in Dharan-13.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> In the same manner, vehicles coming from Itahari will be parked at under construction new bus park. Likewise, vehicles hailing from Chatara will be managed and parked at Fokland as per the long-term plan.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Transport entrepreneur Saroj Shrestha welcomed mayor Rai’s decision to manage the traffic and said that it would help manage the traffic system in Dharan. “Since the traffic problem is deteriorating by the day, hampering the smooth flow of the vehicular movement, I request to all and sundry to support mayor Rai’s decision,” Shrestha said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The sub-metropolis has already issued a notice regarding execution of the one-way traffic system on some roads in the city. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16784', 'image' => '20230217061631_collage - 2023-02-16T180646.788 (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 06:13:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17044', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Lawmaker Bhandari Taken to India for Further Treatment', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker Dr Chandra Bhandari has been taken to India for further treatment. Dr Bhandari was injured in a cooking gas cylinder explosion at his residence at Budhhanagar, Kathmandu, on Wednesday night.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> February 16: Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker Dr Chandra Bhandari has been taken to India for further treatment. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Dr Bhandari was injured in a cooking gas cylinder explosion at his residence at Budhhanagar, Kathmandu, on Wednesday night. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bhandari has been taken to Mumbai-based National Skin Burn Centre on a Shree Airlines air ambulance for further treatment, said NC central committee member, Ajay Babu Siwakoti. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Earlier, injured Bhandari was rushed to Kirtipur-based Kirtipur Burn Hospital following the incident. The Hospital had recommended taking Dr Bhandari outside the country for further treatment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Dr Bhandari and his mother, Harikala Bhandari, were injured in the incident that took place at their residence in Buddhanagar. His mother had succumbed to burns Thursday morning. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the hospital, Dr Bhandari has sustained 25-30 percent burns, including on his both hands and legs, and face.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16783', 'image' => '20230216054314_collage - 2023-02-16T173246.407.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 17:40:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17043', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Date-Expired Beer Worth Rs 8.2 Million Confiscated', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has confiscated the date-expired beer worth Rs 8.2 million.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">February 16: The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has confiscated the date-expired beer worth Rs 8.2 million. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The Department seized around 2,757 cartons of date-expired beer in the course of market monitoring carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Director General of the Department, Mahesh Bhattarai, said beers of different brands including Bahrasinghe, Tuborg, Mustang, Nepal Ice, Carlsberg, and Gorkha were seized in the course of market monitoring. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The Department on Tuesday seized 2,100 cartons of beer stored at three go-downs of Climax Trading Company, the dealer of Yak Brewing Company, at Dhumbarahi. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Similarly, 355 cartons of date-expired beer was seized from a go-down of Sanskar Traders Pvt Ltd, Sinamangal, as well as 302 cartons of beer from a go-down of CK Trading Pvt Ltd, Sinamangal, on Wednesday. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The department has urged the consumers to stay alert in the sale and distribution of low-quality and date- expired beer and other soft drinks and asked the consumers to inform the Department if date-expired beer and other soft drinks are found being sold in the market. ---RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16782', 'image' => '20230216050658_collage - 2023-02-16T165416.479.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 17:04:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17040', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Area of Wheat Farming Declines', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: In terms of production, wheat is the third major food crop of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 16: In terms of production, wheat is the third major food crop of Nepal. Data suggest that the area of cultivation of wheat is decreasing every year. According to the government data, the area of wheat farming in Nepal has decreased by 51,300 hectares in the last seven years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The main reason for the decline in the area of wheat production is the recurrent loss and the process of harvesting wheat is complicated than other crops. Uddhav Adhikari, the coordinator of the Agriculture for Food Campaign recalls that wheat farming is perceived to generate loss ever since he has known.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Adhikari said, “In the past, farmers had no other option and were forced to cultivate wheat despite the loss. Currently, farmers have other options that give profit in a short period of time. Due to this there is a lot of distraction in wheat production. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“It is difficult to extract grain form the plant. Threshing machines have not reached the hill areas yet. Since it is a winter crop, it is not possible to arrange irrigation in time. Farmers also have to suffer from lack of advanced varieties of seeds and fertilizers. Due to this, the area of land where wheat is produced has not expanded,” said Adhikari.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, wheat was cultivated in a total of 762,373 hectares of land in Nepal in the fiscal year (2071/72). In that year, 1,975,625 metric tons of wheat was produced. By the year 2077/78, the production area decreased by 51,306 hectares to 711,067 hectares. While on the other hand, production seems to have increased to 2,127,267 metric tons. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the year 2077/78, cultivation of paddy occupies 50.56 percent of the total cultivable land, corn 26.96 percent and wheat 19.13 percent. Although it is the third major crop in terms of production, due to the decrease in the area where wheat is grown, Nepal is forced to import wheat worth billions of rupees every year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, 191,000 metric tons of wheat worth more than Rs 6.32 billion was imported in Nepal last year, mostly from India. As per the information, current wheat production in Nepal is sufficient to meet the domestic consumption needs while the imported wheat is used for industrial purposes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ram Krishna Regmi, head of the Statistics Branch of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development said that due to the fragmentation of the land, the cultivable area is decreasing and the farmers' attraction towards wheat farming is decreasing due to the lack of profit in accordance with the cost of production. Also, due the tradition of eating rice for every meal in Nepal, there is more attraction towards paddy cultivation and less attraction towards wheat cultivation. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The coordinator of the campaign says that the government should initiate special initiatives to increase wheat production. According to him, if the government moves towards providing higher subsidies for wheat, expanding the wheat pocket area, increasing the easy access to equipment and providing universal access to fertilizers and advanced varieties of seeds, farmers can be attracted to wheat farming.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16781', 'image' => '20230216125909_Wheat_photo-cred-Adobe-stock_E-2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:58:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17042', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Eight Suspension Bridges to Be Construed in Baglung', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Eight suspension bridges are under construction in Nishikhola Rural Municipality of Baglung in the current fiscal year. In the previous fiscal year, seven suspension bridges were constructed over different streams at the local level.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 16: Eight suspension bridges are under construction in Nishikhola Rural Municipality of Baglung in the current fiscal year. In the previous fiscal year, seven suspension bridges were constructed over different streams at the local level. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Engineer Samundra Shahi at the rural municipality shared that eight bridges are being constructed with 87 percent investment of federal government and 13 percent of Nisikhola rural municipality. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Engineer Shahi informed the construction of the bridges has started after completing survey related works. "All bridges would be built within coming mid-July. Construction works are gaining momentum to meet the target," Shahi added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Shahi, suspension bridges are under construction in wards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 of the rural municipality. Shahi said the rural municipality would replace the deteriorating bridges and intensify campaign to install new ones. The bridges are expected to contribute to the improvement of livelihood of the local people. ---RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16780', 'image' => '20230216040119_collage - 2023-02-16T160041.045.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 15:58:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17039', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Unable to Resolve Problems Related to Timber Production', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: Nepal has been importing timber worth billions of rupees from abroad annually to meet the domestic demand. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 16: Nepal has been importing timber worth billions of rupees from abroad annually to meet the domestic demand. Due to policy hurdles, domestically produced timber is getting wasted, while a large amount is spent on imports. Even three years after the cancellation of the Scientific Forest Management Procedure, 2071, which was introduced to increase the production of wood in the forests of the country, a new provision has not been implemented yet. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Forest has prepared the National Standard for Sustainable Forest Management, 2078, to facilitate the supply of wood. However, it hasn't moved forward for a long time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Businessmen say that they face various difficulties while producing wood according to the old system. According to Kapil Adhikari, the former president and chief advisor to the Federation of Wood Industry Professionals, one of the main problems at present is the high cost of production of wood in the domestic market. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The price of buying wood from local forests is quite expensive,” said Adhikari, adding, “The cost goes further up due to the cumbersome process for the wood to reach the industry and the non-cooperation of the bureaucracy.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Businessmen complain that forest technicians are causing unnecessary trouble even for the re-measurement of wood. They shared that there is a risk that the wood brought to the market through these kinds of problems will be expensive and will not be sold. Due to these hassles, it is said that businessmen opt to import wood from abroad at a very cheap price by opening LC.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Experts share that due to the Chure conservation campaign, they have not been able to explore a vital source of wood supply.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to a government official, only dry and fallen wood is allowed to be cut even in national and community forests. "There is a ban on cutting other mature trees," he said, "Even in private forests, only 29 types of wood are allowed to be cut."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">From May-October, an individual isn't allowed to cut wood in the forest. During this period, all the wood are imported from abroad.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Government officials also say that if sustainable management is carried out, large quantities of wood can be produced from Nepal's forests to meet the demand of the country and can also be exported to foreign countries. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Despite this, they admit that their inability to implement scientific forest management procedures is their biggest weakness. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"Scientific management of forests is very important," shared Deveshmani Tripathi, director general of the Forest and Land Conservation Department. “The problem in Nepal is that there are people who pretend to know more than forest officials."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that even though forest management in Nepal is based on the same model used all over the world, they have to be defensive when this issue is politicized more than necessary. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Director General Tripathi said that if the forests that cover 45 per cent of the total land area are not made productive, the wood that can be produced will be wasted. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Should we let such a large resource go to waste or make it productive and stop importing and start exporting? It should not be too late to make a decision,” he opined.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16779', 'image' => '20230216125822_timber-harvesting-process.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:57:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17038', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Interest Rates will not Drop to a Single Digit Immediately: Sunil KC', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: The interest rates of banks cannot be lowered to a single digit immediately, insists Sunik KC, the president of Nepal Bankers Association.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 16: The interest rates of banks cannot be lowered to a single digit immediately, insists Sunik KC, the president of Nepal Bankers Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In an interaction program organized by the Nepal Bankers Association on Wednesday, KC said that although the improvement in economic indicators has led to a gradual decrease in interest rates, the situation where interest rates can be maintained at a single digit is yet to be achieved.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He mentioned that although there are some signs of improvement in the economy in recent months, the banks are still under pressure. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">KC admitted that the banks’ interest rates are high and there is a demand to reduce them to single digit. But it is not possible to reduce it immediately. He mentioned that the interest rates will go on decreasing gradually through policy adopted by the banks.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that the banks are aware that the interest on loans should be kept stable. But the interest rate is increasing all over the world and it has affected Nepal as well, said KC. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stating that banks have collected deposits of Rs 200 billion in the last seven months of the current fisdal year, he said that the target is to collect deposits of Rs 230 billion in the next five months. He said that in the current fiscal year, bank deposits will reach Rs 450 to 500 billion and loan disbursement will reach Rs 400 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that since BFIs are doing business by taking many times more than their capital from the general public, they should give priority to depositors rather than borrowers.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that there are a lot of talks about borrowers in the market, but nothing about depositors. KC added that now the banking sector is also under pressure as banks have to think about the protection of depositors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">KC further said that although there have been some positive signs in the economy recently, the economy is yet to fully recover. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, NRB extended the time for disbursing loans to small and domestic businessmen at the request of the banks, which will bring some relief. He added that the situation of bad loans in the banking sector is increasing and even the loans disbursed during the Covid-19 period are yet to be recovered. He said that the state of bad loans of banks is 2.24 percent.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16778', 'image' => '20230216124609_interest-rates-e1541025967190.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:45:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17037', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Narayangadh-Muglin Road to be Closed for Another 15 Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: The Narayangadh-Muglin road section will remain closed for traffic during the afternoon for another 15 days. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 16: The Narayangadh-Muglin road section will remain closed for traffic during the afternoon for another 15 days. The road section is being shut in order carry out expansion work and construction of bridges along the strategic road that connects the capital Kathmandu with the Terai. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Initially, it was decided to shut down the road section for traffic from 11 am to 3 pm for 30 days starting from December 20 last year. The road closure was later extended for another one month from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm each day. As the work of cutting off a hill is yet to be completed, the District Administration Office Chitwan decided to close the road for another 15 days, said Chief District Officer Surendra Paudel. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A total of 20 new bridges have been along the road to maintain the flow of traffic after the expansion of the road. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16777', 'image' => '20230216120415_20210307101257_20210203120420_20200611120202_WB Road Project.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:03:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: The tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara quizzed Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati on various topics related to tourism, including the operation of international flights from the Pokhara International Airport. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">They put up various queries to the minister in the course of an interaction on tourism organised by the Pokhara Tourism Council. The tourism entrepreneurs asked questions to the minister as to why the federal government has not taken initiatives for conducting international flights and from when such flights would be started. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">International flights have not been operated at the Pokhara International Airport since its inauguration on January 1. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, Minister Kirati said that he has been taking initiatives for starting international flights from Pokhara. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Describing Pokhara as an outstanding destination, he said he has taken much interest for its development. He added that he would familiarize himself with the process for the operation of international flights from Pokhara and forward the works accordingly. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Tourism Minister also reiterated that he was positive towards resolving the problems seen in the tourism sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Tourism entrepreneur Ganesh Bhattarai said there was haste in inaugurating the international airport in Pokhara but without completing the necessary home work for starting the international flights. He urged the federal government to take the necessary initiation to that end. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Pokhara Tourism Council chairperson Pom Narayan Shrestha said that the level of enthusiasm of the tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara after the inauguration of the Pokhara International Airport has now dampened with the delay in starting the international flights from this airport. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Among other problems faced by the tourism sector, he pointed out lack of concrete tourism policy on the part of the government and the hefty interest rate charged by the financial institutions and the pressure they are exerting on the tourism entrepreneurs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Founding president of the Tourism Council Ashok Palikhe, former president Gopi Bahadur Bhattarai, and the presidents and representatives of various organisations as TAAN, HAN, NATTA, TESA, EGA, NTVA, WOTEF, Money Changer, the Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, VTOF, Nepal Air Sports Association expessed views on the problems in their respective sectors. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16792', 'image' => '20230217062136_Pokhara-Airport 800.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 18:20:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17052', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bharatpur Metropolis Ahead in Performance Evaluation ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Bharatpur Metropolitan City has been ahead of other six metropolises across the country in terms of performance evaluation (PE).', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">February 17: Bharatpur Metropolitan City has been ahead of other six metropolises across the country in terms of performance evaluation (PE).</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">PE of local levels is based on their whole performance ranging from the budget allocation to programme implementation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The National Natural Sources and Fiscal Commission evaluates performance of the government of all levels based on their performance index so as to recommend for the fiscal equalization grants provided by the government to province and local level equity on the basis of their expenditure need, their capacity in generating revenue and the efforts they make. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The Bharatpur metropolis has received highest 72.22 percent points. Similarly, Biratnagar Metropolitan City has stood second with 59.24 percent points, followed by Lalitpur with 58.43, Kathmandu with 56.52, Birgunj with 53.23 and Pokhara with 48.66 points. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Bharatpur metropolis is located in Chitwan district. Of seven local levels in Chitwan district, Bharatpur has scored the highest points. Similarly, Rapti Municipality has received 70.88 percent points, Kalika Municipality 56.75, and Ichhakamana Rural Municipality 59.51 points. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Likewise, Ratnanagar Municipality has received 57.63 points, Khairahani Municipality 55.83 and Madi Municipality 60.15 points. Bharatpur metropolis is ahead in terms of the construction of physical infrastructures and other performance in the country, said the metropolis mayor Renu Dahal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"The metropolitan city has been able to score the highest points in performance evaluation due to the efforts put in by its employees, people's representatives and service seekers' support," said metropolis' deputy mayor Chitrasen Adhikari. ---RSS </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16791', 'image' => '20230217054439_collage - 2023-02-17T173806.263.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 17:36:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17051', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt Registers Bill to Hand Over Investigation of Stock Market to Police', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The government has registered a bill to amend Securities Act 2063 in parliament with the proposal of handing over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the secondary market to the police.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 17: The government has registered a bill to amend Securities Act 2063 in parliament with the proposal of handing over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the secondary market to the police.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) had earlier prepared a draft with necessary provisions to hand over the responsibilities of investigating crimes related to the security markets including insider trading, artificial trading, and fraudulent trading to Nepal Police by amending the Securities Act 2063. SEBON is currently conducting such an investigation. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The amendment was passed by the previous session of the House of Representatives but could not be endirsed because the meeting of the National Assembly couldn't be held. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Minister for Law Dhruba Bahadue Pradhan presented the act along with Money Laundering Act in Parliament for amendment. Since the proposal was presented in the previous parliament but was not passed by both houses, it has become inactive, so it was registered again.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The amendment gets legal recognition only after it is passed by the House of Representatives and the National Assembly and then gets authenticated by the president.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Law Ministry Secretary Dhanraj Gyawali said the Some Nepal Acts to amend the Securities Act 2063 and other acts were presented in parliament after careful study. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ministry aims to reduce some of the responsibilities of the Securities Board and hand them to the police. The attempt to curtail the authority of the board was opposed by experts including those active in the securities market. Earlier, the Ministry of Law and the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers were criticized for trying to curtail the board's authority without discussing it with stakeholders. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ramesh Hamal, chairman of SEBON, said that the bill needs to be made stronger and in the interest of investors. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"The board has prepared accordingly. We are constantly doing homework to make the bill stronger and we are discussing with ministries and agencies," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that the main goal of the board is to strengthen the Act and pass the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Safety Protocol. Hamal said that when the AML safety protocol is passed, SEBON will be strong internationally and will have the possibility to receive international funding.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Advocate Jyoti Dahal said that the police cannot investigate crimes such as insider trading, false or artificial trading, and fraudulent trading in the stock market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"In any capital market in the world, the police do not investigate crimes like insider trading and artificial trading. An expert is needed to investigate the crimes of the securities market. Therefore, the police cannot investigate such crimes," he said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the amendment of the law, if a complaint is received by any police officer that someone has engaged in insider trading, the police can arrest them immediately and proceed with the investigation. Therefore, according to the amended Act, some people have criticized that investors will suffer just because someone has filed a complaint. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Dahal said, "The police can assist in the investigation, but the police should not be the ones leading the investigation of the securities market."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Experts suggest that since the securities market is sensitive, great care should be taken while amending the relevant laws and regulations. At present, there is a need to attract production companies to Nepal's securities market, so experts said that confidence should be maintained so that production companies are not discouraged by the government's behaviour. Experts suggest that the attraction of investors in securities market should increase after the amendment of the law, so if there is a wide discussion, it can be achieved.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16790', 'image' => '20230217034742_Sebonnn.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 15:47:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17049', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Police Arrest 15 People Involved in Looting in Kathmandu ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The police have arrested 15 people accused of being involved in a looting and arson at New Bus Park in Kathmandu on February 13.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: The police have arrested 15 people accused of being involved in a looting and arson at New Bus Park in Kathmandu on February 13. A team from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office arrested and made them public amid a press conference here on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">They have been accused of looting mobile shops by breaking into a shopping center called Lotse Mall, and torching police vehicles and police beats in Kathmandu in the name of a protest called by transport entrepreneurs on February 13. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The arrestees have been identified as Suraj Magar, 19, of Kavrepalanchok district, Ritesh Basnet, 30, of Udayapur, Yaman Rai, 30, of Morang, Sunil Kalikote, 18, of Nuwakot, Roman Nagarkoti, 22, Sudip Tamang, 18, Madhav Shahi, 33, Keshar Rai, 19, Indra Tamang, 18, of Sindhuli, Ilaraj Gurung, 26, of Dhading, Rajan Raut, 27, of Udayapur, Harisharan Tamang, 28, of Kavrepalanchok, Bikash Gurung, 18, of Dhading, Sambidhan Pariyar, 27, of Chitwan and Kabin Khadgi, 19, of Kathmandu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The arrestees are students, and drivers and their helpers, said Superintendent of Police Somendra Singh Rathaur, adding that investigations are underway. Earlier on Wednesday, the police had arrested 10 people for their involvement in the incident. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16788', 'image' => '20230217023602_nepal police.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 14:35:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17048', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Private Sector Seeks Security Guarantee', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The private sector has expressed concern about commercial insecurity and demanded to guarantee the security of businessmen and commercial establishments. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 17: The private sector has expressed concern about commercial insecurity and demanded to guarantee the security of businessmen and commercial establishments. Various organizations of the private sector have been alarmed by the lack of intervention by the security agencies during the vandalism and looting of shops at Lotse Mall in New Bus Park, Kathmandu and have sought guarantee for the safety of businesses and businessmen.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the umbrella organization of the private sector, issued a statement on Thursday and demanded immediate legal action against those involved in the incident.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The statement read, “In democracy, as much as people have the right to protest, they have the right to protect their lives, wealth and property. Openly vandalizing and looting people's property is not acceptable. It should be punishable in a legal state.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The federation says that if the state does not focus on timely control of such incidents of taking the law into their hands in the name of protest, such incidents will recur anytime anywhere. The federation demanded immediate legal action against those involved in the incident and to return the looted goods of the businessmen.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal Chamber of Commerce, another influential organization in the private sector, has drawn the attention of the government to guarantee professional safety. The chamber demanded a guarantee of security in the commercial sector drawing attention to the vandalism and looting in Lotse Mall.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chamber emphasized that legal action should be taken immediately against the culprits of the incident and compensation should be paid to the victim businessmen involved in the robbery.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the statement issued by the president of NCC Rajendra Malla, although there is a right to peaceful protest and demonstration, no one is allowed to engage in disorderly activities, looting and vandalism in the name of protest. Malla said that the security agencies should be kept active and deployed for the security of the industrial and commercial sector.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chamber says that if peace and security cannot be maintained in the business sector, the business will have to close down. The chamber also said that incidents like looting and vandalism in business have created another terror.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Saying that it is unfortunate that peace and security cannot be maintained even when businesses pay taxes to the state, the chamber has requested the government to provide immediate compensation to the victims of the Balaju incident and prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Federation of Contractor’s Association of Nepal, an organization of construction professionals, also published a statement and demanded a full guarantee of safety for the professionals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The statement issued by the federation stated, “'This kind of robbery incident, which happened despite the presence of a police cordon a few meters away, has revealed how weak the security situation of the country has become. Even the international community has received information about the fragile security situation in the country.” It is mentioned that the incident, which was a big challenge, has terrorized the private sector.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the federation, the morale of entrepreneurs who want to do something in the country has fallen due to the looting, which took place at a time when the economic condition of the country is also very poor amid political instabile. The federation has demanded that those involved in the incidents of vandalism, arson and looting be brought under the scope of immediate action and that the victim businessmen be provided immediate compensation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the incident took place in the heart of the capital, the federation demanded that reliable arrangements be made for the security of all levels of businessmen, their belongings and equipment, so as to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16787', 'image' => '20230217015252_38843 - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 13:52:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17047', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Farming of Black Cardamom Flourishing in Lamjung', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: Large cardamom farming has attracted farmers of Lamjung district because of the good income.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: Large cardamom farming has attracted farmers of Lamjung district because of the prospects of good income. Most of the farmers of the district are engaged in cardamom farming as it has generated good income lately, say the locals. One of them is Ajaya Tamang of Marsyangdi Rural Municipality-7. He expanded the farming to 40 ropanis of land from one ropani 15 years ago. He earns between Rs 1 million to Rs 1.5 million in income annually by selling cardamom and its saplings. He engaged in this business when Nepal's a large cardamom nursery was established at Tarachowk Shera and Chhinkhola. The nursery spans across 55 ropanis of land. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"I would have earned Rs 300,000 annually from a foreign job. But, now I earn more than Rs 1 million in income annually from the business at home," said Tamang, who is also the outgoing chairperson of the Federation of Large Cardamom Entrepreneurs of Nepal, Lamjung and its coordinator of the Gandaki Province. He has also come up with a drive to encourage foreign job aspirants into the farming. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Som Bahadur Tamang of Ludi in the rural municipality has grown large cardamom in 60 ropanis of land after spending 15 years of his life in foreign jobs. He is generating around Rs 500,000 in income annually from the business. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"I am finding it easier to support my family from this business. It generates good income than that from growing paddy and corn," he said, adding that 10 quintals of large cardamom were produced this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Attracted by lucrative incomes from it, a group of 42 farmers of Barapokhari has grown large cardamom in 1,500 ropanis of land by registering agriculture group, he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Balaram Lama of Chhinkhola has also grown cardamom. He drew over Rs 500,000 in income annually from this business. Started some 45 years ago, grand cardamom, also known as 'black gold', black cardamom and locally called 'alainchi', has been a lucrative business in the district. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although the farming has been done in 1,500 hectares of land, only 1,200 hectares have been producing cardamom, according to available data. This year, the district saw an 85 percent increment in cardamom production as compared to 35 metric tonnes last year, farmers estimate. The high value cash crop, which is used as medicinal herb and spices as well, is in high demand. The evergreen, perennial and herbaceous plant is grown on north-facing hill slopes, according to the government. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Black cardamom is being supplied to various countries including neighbouring India. Pocket area for the farming is Marsyangdi Rural Municipality, Bensisahar Municipality, Kyoholasothar Rural Municipality, Dordi Rural Municipality and Dudhpokhari Rural Municipality. One kilogram of black cardamom fetches from Rs 600 to Rs 700. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16786', 'image' => '20230217122815_BlackCardamom.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 12:27:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17046', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Labour Court Tells NT to give Contract to Non-Graded Employees ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 17: The Labour Court has decided that the non-graded employees of Nepal Telecom should be employed based on a contract in accordance with the law. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 17: The Labour Court has decided that the non-graded employees of Nepal Telecom should be employed based on a contract in accordance with the law. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A joint bench of Labor Court judges Basudev Acharya and Nisha Baniya decided that the unranked employees working for Nepal Telecom should be employed by providing them with perks and benefits as per the law. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The court has referred to Labor Act 2074, Section 178(2) which says that the employment contract of such types of employees should be completed within three months. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There are a large number of unranked employees who have been working as gardeners, security guards and kitchen workers in Nepal Telecom for more than 15 years without a contract. Among them, 21 employees filed a complaint at the labor office stating that they have not been given minimum facilities and salary for a long time and denied a letter of appointment. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that the Labor Office had decided that perks should be provided to the employees according to the law. The Labor Court upheld the decision of the Labor Office. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16785', 'image' => '20230217112936_Nepal-Telecom-(NTC-Building).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 11:28:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17045', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Dharan Sub-metropolis to Implement One-way Traffic System', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Dharan Sub-metropolitan City is set to implement one-way traffic system on some of its inner city roads to manage the increasing pressure of vehicles.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 17: Dharan Sub-metropolitan City is set to implement one-way traffic system on some of its inner city roads to manage the increasing pressure of vehicles.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Haphazard parking of the vehicles has thrown the marketplaces in chaos and mess at Bhanuchowk. Keeping in view the traffic mess, Dharan’s Mayor Harkaraj Rai has announced to implement one-way traffic on some of the roads starting from February 20.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Rai, one-way traffic system will be implemented from Bhanuchowk to Laxmi Chowk. Similarly, one-way traffic system will be put in place from BHanuchowk to Prithvi Chowk, Singhdevi Chowk, Puranobazaar, and Desiline to Bhanuchowk under plan ‘A’.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Under plan ‘B’, public vehicles coming from hilly districts such as Dhankuta, Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur will be managed and parked in Dharan-13.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> In the same manner, vehicles coming from Itahari will be parked at under construction new bus park. Likewise, vehicles hailing from Chatara will be managed and parked at Fokland as per the long-term plan.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Transport entrepreneur Saroj Shrestha welcomed mayor Rai’s decision to manage the traffic and said that it would help manage the traffic system in Dharan. “Since the traffic problem is deteriorating by the day, hampering the smooth flow of the vehicular movement, I request to all and sundry to support mayor Rai’s decision,” Shrestha said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The sub-metropolis has already issued a notice regarding execution of the one-way traffic system on some roads in the city. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-17', 'modified' => '2023-02-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16784', 'image' => '20230217061631_collage - 2023-02-16T180646.788 (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-17 06:13:01', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17044', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Lawmaker Bhandari Taken to India for Further Treatment', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker Dr Chandra Bhandari has been taken to India for further treatment. Dr Bhandari was injured in a cooking gas cylinder explosion at his residence at Budhhanagar, Kathmandu, on Wednesday night.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> February 16: Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker Dr Chandra Bhandari has been taken to India for further treatment. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Dr Bhandari was injured in a cooking gas cylinder explosion at his residence at Budhhanagar, Kathmandu, on Wednesday night. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bhandari has been taken to Mumbai-based National Skin Burn Centre on a Shree Airlines air ambulance for further treatment, said NC central committee member, Ajay Babu Siwakoti. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Earlier, injured Bhandari was rushed to Kirtipur-based Kirtipur Burn Hospital following the incident. The Hospital had recommended taking Dr Bhandari outside the country for further treatment. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Dr Bhandari and his mother, Harikala Bhandari, were injured in the incident that took place at their residence in Buddhanagar. His mother had succumbed to burns Thursday morning. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the hospital, Dr Bhandari has sustained 25-30 percent burns, including on his both hands and legs, and face.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16783', 'image' => '20230216054314_collage - 2023-02-16T173246.407.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 17:40:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17043', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Date-Expired Beer Worth Rs 8.2 Million Confiscated', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has confiscated the date-expired beer worth Rs 8.2 million.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">February 16: The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has confiscated the date-expired beer worth Rs 8.2 million. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The Department seized around 2,757 cartons of date-expired beer in the course of market monitoring carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Director General of the Department, Mahesh Bhattarai, said beers of different brands including Bahrasinghe, Tuborg, Mustang, Nepal Ice, Carlsberg, and Gorkha were seized in the course of market monitoring. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The Department on Tuesday seized 2,100 cartons of beer stored at three go-downs of Climax Trading Company, the dealer of Yak Brewing Company, at Dhumbarahi. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">Similarly, 355 cartons of date-expired beer was seized from a go-down of Sanskar Traders Pvt Ltd, Sinamangal, as well as 302 cartons of beer from a go-down of CK Trading Pvt Ltd, Sinamangal, on Wednesday. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt">The department has urged the consumers to stay alert in the sale and distribution of low-quality and date- expired beer and other soft drinks and asked the consumers to inform the Department if date-expired beer and other soft drinks are found being sold in the market. ---RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16782', 'image' => '20230216050658_collage - 2023-02-16T165416.479.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 17:04:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17040', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Area of Wheat Farming Declines', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: In terms of production, wheat is the third major food crop of Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 16: In terms of production, wheat is the third major food crop of Nepal. Data suggest that the area of cultivation of wheat is decreasing every year. According to the government data, the area of wheat farming in Nepal has decreased by 51,300 hectares in the last seven years.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The main reason for the decline in the area of wheat production is the recurrent loss and the process of harvesting wheat is complicated than other crops. Uddhav Adhikari, the coordinator of the Agriculture for Food Campaign recalls that wheat farming is perceived to generate loss ever since he has known.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Adhikari said, “In the past, farmers had no other option and were forced to cultivate wheat despite the loss. Currently, farmers have other options that give profit in a short period of time. Due to this there is a lot of distraction in wheat production. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“It is difficult to extract grain form the plant. Threshing machines have not reached the hill areas yet. Since it is a winter crop, it is not possible to arrange irrigation in time. Farmers also have to suffer from lack of advanced varieties of seeds and fertilizers. Due to this, the area of land where wheat is produced has not expanded,” said Adhikari.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, wheat was cultivated in a total of 762,373 hectares of land in Nepal in the fiscal year (2071/72). In that year, 1,975,625 metric tons of wheat was produced. By the year 2077/78, the production area decreased by 51,306 hectares to 711,067 hectares. While on the other hand, production seems to have increased to 2,127,267 metric tons. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the year 2077/78, cultivation of paddy occupies 50.56 percent of the total cultivable land, corn 26.96 percent and wheat 19.13 percent. Although it is the third major crop in terms of production, due to the decrease in the area where wheat is grown, Nepal is forced to import wheat worth billions of rupees every year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, 191,000 metric tons of wheat worth more than Rs 6.32 billion was imported in Nepal last year, mostly from India. As per the information, current wheat production in Nepal is sufficient to meet the domestic consumption needs while the imported wheat is used for industrial purposes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ram Krishna Regmi, head of the Statistics Branch of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development said that due to the fragmentation of the land, the cultivable area is decreasing and the farmers' attraction towards wheat farming is decreasing due to the lack of profit in accordance with the cost of production. Also, due the tradition of eating rice for every meal in Nepal, there is more attraction towards paddy cultivation and less attraction towards wheat cultivation. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The coordinator of the campaign says that the government should initiate special initiatives to increase wheat production. According to him, if the government moves towards providing higher subsidies for wheat, expanding the wheat pocket area, increasing the easy access to equipment and providing universal access to fertilizers and advanced varieties of seeds, farmers can be attracted to wheat farming.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16781', 'image' => '20230216125909_Wheat_photo-cred-Adobe-stock_E-2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:58:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17042', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Eight Suspension Bridges to Be Construed in Baglung', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Eight suspension bridges are under construction in Nishikhola Rural Municipality of Baglung in the current fiscal year. In the previous fiscal year, seven suspension bridges were constructed over different streams at the local level.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 16: Eight suspension bridges are under construction in Nishikhola Rural Municipality of Baglung in the current fiscal year. In the previous fiscal year, seven suspension bridges were constructed over different streams at the local level. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Engineer Samundra Shahi at the rural municipality shared that eight bridges are being constructed with 87 percent investment of federal government and 13 percent of Nisikhola rural municipality. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Engineer Shahi informed the construction of the bridges has started after completing survey related works. "All bridges would be built within coming mid-July. Construction works are gaining momentum to meet the target," Shahi added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Shahi, suspension bridges are under construction in wards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 of the rural municipality. Shahi said the rural municipality would replace the deteriorating bridges and intensify campaign to install new ones. The bridges are expected to contribute to the improvement of livelihood of the local people. ---RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16780', 'image' => '20230216040119_collage - 2023-02-16T160041.045.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 15:58:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17039', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Unable to Resolve Problems Related to Timber Production', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: Nepal has been importing timber worth billions of rupees from abroad annually to meet the domestic demand. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 16: Nepal has been importing timber worth billions of rupees from abroad annually to meet the domestic demand. Due to policy hurdles, domestically produced timber is getting wasted, while a large amount is spent on imports. Even three years after the cancellation of the Scientific Forest Management Procedure, 2071, which was introduced to increase the production of wood in the forests of the country, a new provision has not been implemented yet. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Ministry of Forest has prepared the National Standard for Sustainable Forest Management, 2078, to facilitate the supply of wood. However, it hasn't moved forward for a long time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Businessmen say that they face various difficulties while producing wood according to the old system. According to Kapil Adhikari, the former president and chief advisor to the Federation of Wood Industry Professionals, one of the main problems at present is the high cost of production of wood in the domestic market. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The price of buying wood from local forests is quite expensive,” said Adhikari, adding, “The cost goes further up due to the cumbersome process for the wood to reach the industry and the non-cooperation of the bureaucracy.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Businessmen complain that forest technicians are causing unnecessary trouble even for the re-measurement of wood. They shared that there is a risk that the wood brought to the market through these kinds of problems will be expensive and will not be sold. Due to these hassles, it is said that businessmen opt to import wood from abroad at a very cheap price by opening LC.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Experts share that due to the Chure conservation campaign, they have not been able to explore a vital source of wood supply.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to a government official, only dry and fallen wood is allowed to be cut even in national and community forests. "There is a ban on cutting other mature trees," he said, "Even in private forests, only 29 types of wood are allowed to be cut."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">From May-October, an individual isn't allowed to cut wood in the forest. During this period, all the wood are imported from abroad.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Government officials also say that if sustainable management is carried out, large quantities of wood can be produced from Nepal's forests to meet the demand of the country and can also be exported to foreign countries. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Despite this, they admit that their inability to implement scientific forest management procedures is their biggest weakness. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"Scientific management of forests is very important," shared Deveshmani Tripathi, director general of the Forest and Land Conservation Department. “The problem in Nepal is that there are people who pretend to know more than forest officials."</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that even though forest management in Nepal is based on the same model used all over the world, they have to be defensive when this issue is politicized more than necessary. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Director General Tripathi said that if the forests that cover 45 per cent of the total land area are not made productive, the wood that can be produced will be wasted. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Should we let such a large resource go to waste or make it productive and stop importing and start exporting? It should not be too late to make a decision,” he opined.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16779', 'image' => '20230216125822_timber-harvesting-process.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:57:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17038', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Interest Rates will not Drop to a Single Digit Immediately: Sunil KC', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: The interest rates of banks cannot be lowered to a single digit immediately, insists Sunik KC, the president of Nepal Bankers Association.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 16: The interest rates of banks cannot be lowered to a single digit immediately, insists Sunik KC, the president of Nepal Bankers Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In an interaction program organized by the Nepal Bankers Association on Wednesday, KC said that although the improvement in economic indicators has led to a gradual decrease in interest rates, the situation where interest rates can be maintained at a single digit is yet to be achieved.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He mentioned that although there are some signs of improvement in the economy in recent months, the banks are still under pressure. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">KC admitted that the banks’ interest rates are high and there is a demand to reduce them to single digit. But it is not possible to reduce it immediately. He mentioned that the interest rates will go on decreasing gradually through policy adopted by the banks.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that the banks are aware that the interest on loans should be kept stable. But the interest rate is increasing all over the world and it has affected Nepal as well, said KC. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stating that banks have collected deposits of Rs 200 billion in the last seven months of the current fisdal year, he said that the target is to collect deposits of Rs 230 billion in the next five months. He said that in the current fiscal year, bank deposits will reach Rs 450 to 500 billion and loan disbursement will reach Rs 400 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that since BFIs are doing business by taking many times more than their capital from the general public, they should give priority to depositors rather than borrowers.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that there are a lot of talks about borrowers in the market, but nothing about depositors. KC added that now the banking sector is also under pressure as banks have to think about the protection of depositors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">KC further said that although there have been some positive signs in the economy recently, the economy is yet to fully recover. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, NRB extended the time for disbursing loans to small and domestic businessmen at the request of the banks, which will bring some relief. He added that the situation of bad loans in the banking sector is increasing and even the loans disbursed during the Covid-19 period are yet to be recovered. He said that the state of bad loans of banks is 2.24 percent.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16778', 'image' => '20230216124609_interest-rates-e1541025967190.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:45:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '17037', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Narayangadh-Muglin Road to be Closed for Another 15 Days ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 16: The Narayangadh-Muglin road section will remain closed for traffic during the afternoon for another 15 days. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 16: The Narayangadh-Muglin road section will remain closed for traffic during the afternoon for another 15 days. The road section is being shut in order carry out expansion work and construction of bridges along the strategic road that connects the capital Kathmandu with the Terai. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Initially, it was decided to shut down the road section for traffic from 11 am to 3 pm for 30 days starting from December 20 last year. The road closure was later extended for another one month from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm each day. As the work of cutting off a hill is yet to be completed, the District Administration Office Chitwan decided to close the road for another 15 days, said Chief District Officer Surendra Paudel. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A total of 20 new bridges have been along the road to maintain the flow of traffic after the expansion of the road. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-16', 'modified' => '2023-02-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16777', 'image' => '20230216120415_20210307101257_20210203120420_20200611120202_WB Road Project.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-16 12:03:28', '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