Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, stressed the need to protect and promote the IT sector by the…
Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, stressed the need to protect and promote the IT sector by the…
February 7: Nepal exported tea worth Rs 38 million in the first six months of the current fiscal year.…
February 7: Garment, one of the major export items of Nepal, has seen an improvement after Covid-19 pandemic subsided.…
February 7: Nepal’s trade deficit decreased by 19.2 percent to Rs 711.86 billion during the six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23), according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank…
February 7: A preliminary report of a probe panel formed by the government to study the crash of an ATR aircraft belonging to Yeti Airlines in Pokhara on January 15 has found that the ill-fated aircraft did not have any thrust in both the engines while making a final attempt to land at the newly-built Pokhara Regional International Airport, which led to the fatal…
February 7: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of petroleum products including that of diesel, petrol and kerosene.…
Nepal has witnessed improvement in foreign exchange reserves of…
February 6: Amid speculations of economic slowdown and challenges in the country’s financial situation, some positive signs are visible in the economy except for higher inflation…
February 6: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation increased to 7.26 percent in mid-January 2023 compared to 5.65 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank…
Lawmaker of the CPN (Maoist Centre) Urmila Aryal has been unanimously elected the Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly…
Import ban and strict provisions in the opening letter of credit (LC) have led to the fall of revenue at Birgunj Customs…
February 6: Government data shows that a large amount of wood and timber products are imported every year from…
February 6: Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd has decided to halt its electric bus service.…
February 6: A devastating earthquake early on Monday has flattened buildings and killed at least 100 people in Turkey and Syria as rescuers scramble to search for people trapped in…
February 6: The 17th food festival is going to be organised in Sauraha of Chitwan on the occasion of Valentine’s…
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', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">February 7: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, stressed the need to protect and promote the IT sector by the State. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of ‘ INFO Developers CAN Infotech-2023’ that kicked off at Bhrikutimandap Kathmandu on Tuesday, the Minister described the present time as an ‘IT era’, stating that it had significant contribution to the economic prosperity of the country. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“The IT sector has been a good source of revenue collection, but the production of human resources at a sufficient level has not been possible as it is yet to fall under the top priority of the State,” said Minister Sharma.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Highlighting the need to increase the use of IT in the delivery of basic services to the people, the Minister said the use of IT had its greater role in maintaining transparency in the public service delivery system.<br /> Minister Sharma assured that government would give priority to make Nepal’s IT sector more competitive by drafting required laws pertaining to the IT. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, Federation of Computer Association Nepal demanded for the formulation of policies that encourage using Nepal-made software in the government offices. <br /> Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 25th edition of INFO Developers CAN Infotech-2023, Federation of Computer Association Nepal General Secretary Ranajit Kumar Podar drew the government attention to promote domestic software companies and focus on their capacity building. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“I urge the government to encourage the use of Nepal-made software in the government offices and give emphasis on the capacity building of the human resources,” Podar added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The CAN Infotech includes programs such as branding of various ICT goods and services, product launching, IT career counseling for students. The Infotech is expected to draw around 350,000 visitors. </span></p> <p><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16697', 'image' => '20230207051620_collage - 2023-02-07T165151.696.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 17:10:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16959', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Exports Tea worth Rs 38 Million', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: Nepal exported tea worth Rs 38 million in the first six months of the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 7: Nepal exported tea worth Rs 38 million in the first six months of the current fiscal year. According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, tea farming is done in around 27,500 hectares of land in the country and Jhapa covers more than one third of the total tea gardens. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Of the total 28 million kilograms of tea produced during the review period, Jhapa alone produced 18 million kilograms, which is the highest in terms of district-wise production, said chief of the board Indra Prasad Adhikari. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The districts of the Province 1 produce almost 99 per cent of the total tea in the country, according to Adhikari. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In Nepal, a total of 68 large-scale tea industries including 38 CTC and 30 orthodox tea producing industries are in operation. Likewise, more than 150 small companies are processing orthodox tea. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The board said that more than 70,000 people have got direct employment from tea production and 15,000 plus small farmers are engaged in tea farming. -- RSS </span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif""> </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16696', 'image' => '20230207042911_Tea.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 16:28:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16956', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Garment Exports Improving after Covid-19', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: Garment, one of the major export items of Nepal, has seen an improvement after Covid-19 pandemic subsided. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 7: Garment, one of the major export items of Nepal, has seen an improvement after Covid-19 pandemic subsided. Garment exports of the country, which lost Rs 2.5 billion due to the cancellation of orders during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, have seen improvement in recent times.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">From mid-July to mid-January of the current fiscal year (FY) 2079/80, garments worth Rs 4.28 billion were exported from Nepal. According to the Trade and Export Promotion Center, during the corresponding period of the last fiscal year, Nepal exported ready-made garments worth Rs 3.84 billion. The Government of Nepal imposed a lockdown from March 24, 2020 to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 infection, halting the exports of ready-made garments as well according to Pashupatidev Pandey, president of Nepal Ready-Made Garment Industry Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that even though the export have been encouraging after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, the increase in bank interest rates, non-availability of subsidized loans, and increase in freight charges caused problems. He says that this sector lost Rs 2.5 billion due to the closure in the first and second waves of Covid-19. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Pandey said, “There were massive losses when orders were canceled and raw materials were stopped in countries like India and China. Only if there was export credit insurance, the businessmen would have received compensation for that.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Export Credit Insurance is applicable at international level. Such a system is yet to be implemented in Nepal. He said, “If such insurance was arranged through the Ministry of Finance, the compensation for the loss during the Covid-19 would have been available. The loss when the order was canceled would have been covered by the insurance. Cargo freight, which was $1 before Covid-19, has now reached $4.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The association has urged the government to make arrangements to export goods from Nepal's cargo ships to nearby countries and to keep 500 containers under the state in the border area to export goods from nearby sea ports.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There are now only around 100 industries in the readymade garments sector, which provided high employment in the 1980s. According to the association, more than 10,000 people are directly and indirectly employed in these industries. According to the statistics of the association, when 1200 industries were operating in the 80s, more than 400,000 people got employment in this sector. However, after the removal of customs exemptions and quotas provided by the US since 2005, exports began to decline.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Businessmen say that exports can be increased if necessary policies are adopted by the government after conducting researches on like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and China countries that export large quantities of garments. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, Pandey says that it is necessary to take initiatives to revive the facilities that were previously provided when the relations with the US were smooth. According to Pandey, it is necessary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister's Office to take a diplomatic initiative to regain the quota facilities given by the US in the 90s. He said, “At that time, when America provided the quota, garments worth US$ 400 million were exported. Now it has reduced to US$ 50 million.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16694', 'image' => '20230207023410_20210501021711_Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 14:33:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16955', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Trade Deficit Declines by more than Nineteen Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: Nepal’s trade deficit decreased by 19.2 percent to Rs 711.86 billion during the six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23), according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 7: Nepal’s trade deficit decreased by 19.2 percent to Rs 711.86 billion during the six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23), according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report published by the central bank on Monday revealed that such a deficit had increased 46.6 percent in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The export-import ratio decreased to 10.2 percent in the review period from 11.9 percent in the corresponding period of the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, merchandise exports decreased 32.0 percent to Rs 80.81 billion during the first six months of 2022/23 against an increase of 95.5 percent in the same period of the previous year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Destination-wise, exports to India and China decreased 40.1 percent and 25.2 percent respectively whereas exports to other countries increased 3.6 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Exports of zinc sheet, particle board, cardamom, woolen carpets, polyester yarn and thread, among others, increased whereas exports of soybean oil, palm oil, oil cakes, textiles, silverware and jewelries, among others, decreased in the review period, states the report.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, merchandise imports decreased 20.7 percent to Rs 792.67 billion during the review period against an increase of 51.1 percent a year ago. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Destination-wise, imports from India, China and other countries decreased 19.4 percent, 24.6 percent, and 21.4 percent respectively. Imports of petroleum products, sponge iron, chemical fertilizer, gold, other stationeries, among others, increased whereas imports of transport equipment and parts, medicine, MS billet, silver, telecommunication equipment and parts, among others, decreased in the review period. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Based on customs points, exports from customs offices of Bhairahawa, Jaleshwar, Kailali, Krishnanagar, Mechi, Nepalgunj, Rasuwa and Tribhuvan International Airport increased whereas exports from all the other major customs points decreased in the review period. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">On the import side, imports from all the major customs points decreased in the review period. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During the six months of FY 2022/23, merchandise imports from India by paying convertible foreign currency amounted to Rs 60.56 billion. Such an amount was Rs 110.91 billion in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16693', 'image' => '20230207011450_Trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 13:13:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16952', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Yeti Airlines Plane that Crashed in Pokhara did not have Thrust in Engines before Landing', 'sub_title' => 'Probe Panel Completes Analysis of Data Recorder of the Crashed Aircraft of Yeti Airlines ', 'summary' => 'February 7: A preliminary report of a probe panel formed by the government to study the crash of an ATR aircraft belonging to Yeti Airlines in Pokhara on January 15 has found that the ill-fated aircraft did not have any thrust in both the engines while making a final attempt to land at the newly-built Pokhara Regional International Airport, which led to the fatal accident.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 7: A preliminary report of a probe panel formed by the government to study the crash of an ATR aircraft belonging to Yeti Airlines in Pokhara on January 15 has found that the ill-fated aircraft did not have any thrust in both the engines while making a final attempt to land at the newly-built Pokhara Regional International Airport, which led to the fatal accident.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission on Monday revealed that it reached to this conclusion after completing the analysis of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of the ATR-72 aircraft conducted at Singapore-based Transport Safety Investigation Bureau. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The black boxes of the aircraft with call sign 9N-ANC, which crashed in the Seti River gorge near the Pokhara airport killing all 72 people on board last month, were sent to Singapore along with a team of experts for forensic study.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Member-Secretary of the investigation commission, Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, said that a team of aviation experts and commission members during the investigation found that the “propellers of both engines had gone to feathering in the base leg in course of landing” which means that there was no thrust in the engines to push the aircraft ahead. Analysts believe that this led to the aircraft to stall and take a nosedive minutes before it was scheduled to land.</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"">“Study of different flights and technical aspects was carried out at different simulator flights of ATR aircraft in Singapore,” said Lamichhane adding that the commission is carrying out further investigation about technical and human aspects on it. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A press release issued by the commission on Monday states that preparations are underway to come up with a preliminary report along with recommendation to increase aviation safety on the basis of analysis report and data received so far. The commission said that the final report would be published later. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16691', 'image' => '20230207121550_Yetii.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 12:14:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16951', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NOC Hikes Price of Petroleum Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of petroleum products including that of diesel, petrol and kerosene. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 7: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of petroleum products including that of diesel, petrol and kerosene. The price of fuel has been increased by Rs 3 per litre to take the retail price of diesel and kerosene at Rs 175 per litre and that of petrol to Rs 178 per litre. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The new price has come into effect from February 7. The price of aviation fuel and cooking cooking gas remains unchanged, reads a statement issued by the NOC on Monday. -- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16690', 'image' => '20230207113831_20210824101943_20210707102647_20190503125003_Petrol-Price-Increase.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 11:36:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16950', 'article_category_id' => '274', 'title' => 'Foreign Exchange Reserves Increases By Ten Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Nepal has witnessed improvement in foreign exchange reserves of late.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: Nepal has witnessed improvement in foreign exchange reserves of late.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The current macroeconomic and financial situation published by the Nepal Rastra Bank on Monday shows that foreign exchange reserve increased by 10 per cent till mid-January 2023 compared to mid-July 2022.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the Nepal Rastra Bank report, foreign exchange reserve increased to Rs 1337.29 billion till mid-January 2023 from Rs 1215.80 billion in mid-July, 2022. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the US Dollar, foreign exchange reserve soared by eight percent to 10.30 billion till mid-January, 2023 from 9.54 billion in mid-July 2022.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Foreign exchange reserve held by Nepal Rastra Bank has also increased. The foreign exchange reserve went up to Rs 1183.37 billion till mid-January 2023 from Rs 1056.39 billion in mid-July 2022. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">However, foreign exchange reserves held by banks and financial institutions (except NRB) have fallen. Foreign exchange reserve shrunk by 3.4 percent from Rs 159.41 billion in mid-July 2022 to 153.91 billion till mid-January 2023.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Indian currency covers 23.6 per cent of the total foreign exchange reserves. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The current foreign exchange reserve is adequate to import merchandise for 10.4 months and merchandise and services for 9.1 months, according to the Nepal Rastra Bank.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16689', 'image' => '20230207114205_FER - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 05:50:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16949', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Economy Shows Slight Improvement with Increase in Remittance Inflow and BOP Surplus ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: Amid speculations of economic slowdown and challenges in the country’s financial situation, some positive signs are visible in the economy except for higher inflation rate. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 6: Amid speculations of economic slowdown and challenges in the country’s financial situation, some positive signs are visible in the economy except for higher inflation rate. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the consumer price inflation was recorded at 7.25 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year compared to 5.65 percent a year ago. Food and beverage inflation stood at 5.62 percent whereas non-food and service inflation rose to 8.57 percent in the review month, the NRB said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Releasing the Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation of the country based on first six months’ data ending mid-January, the NRB said consumer price inflation in the Kathmandu Valley, Terai, Hill and Mountain belts surged to 6.93 percent, 7.49 percent, 7.30 percent and 6.69 percent, respectively. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the central bank said remittance inflows increased by 24.3 percent to Rs 585.08 billion in the review period against a decrease of 5 percent in the same period of the previous year. In the US Dollar terms, remittance inflows increased 13.9 percent to 4.5 billion against a decrease of 5.7 percent in the same period of the previous year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the number of Nepali workers taking approval for foreign employment increased 64.6 percent to 275,643 in the review period. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, the current account of the government remained at a deficit of Rs 29.47 billion compared to a deficit of Rs 352.16 billion in the same period of the previous year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Furthermore, the Balance of Payments (BOP) remained at a surplus of Rs 97.10 billion in the review period which was at a deficit of Rs 241.23 billion in the same period of the previous year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The country’s gross foreign exchange reserves increased 10 percent to Rs 1337.29 billion in mid-January 2023 from Rs 1215.80 billion in mid-July 2022. In the US dollar terms, the gross foreign exchange reserves increased 8.0 percent to 10.30 billion in mid-January 2023 from 9.54 billion in mid-July 2022. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, former governor of NRB Dipendra Bahadur Kshetri said that the current economic situation of the country should be taken cautiously because we are yet to return to the previous position. The major source of foreign reserve is remittance but we have failed to bring in foreign direct investment and we have not been able to offer an alternative to the import of petroleum products, Kshetri said. “We should promote EVs to reduce the consumption and import of petroleum products.” -- RSS</span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16688', 'image' => '20230206090958_20201228012934_20201106055408_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 21:09:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16948', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Consumer Price Inflation Rises to 7.26 Percent in mid-January: NRB Report', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation increased to 7.26 percent in mid-January 2023 compared to 5.65 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation increased to 7.26 percent in mid-January 2023 compared to 5.65 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report released by NRB on Monday states that the food and beverage inflation stood at 5.62 percent whereas non-food and service inflation rose to 8.57 percent in the review month.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Under the food and beverage category, y-o-y consumer price index of restaurant and hotel sub-category increased 15.56 percent, tobacco products 11.81 percent, milk products and eggs 9.70 percent, cereal grains and their products 9.56 percent and alcoholic drinks 8.84 percent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Under the non-food and services category, y-o-y consumer price index of transportation sub-category increased 16.43 percent, health 11.22 percent, recreation and culture 8.76 percent, miscellaneous goods and services 8.68 percent and furnishing and household equipment 8.33 percent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the review month, consumer price inflation in the Kathmandu Valley, Terai, Hill and Mountain surged to 6.93 percent, 7.49 percent, 7.30 percent and 6.69 percent respectively. Inflation in these regions were 5.28 percent, 6.15 percent, 5.34 percent and 5.22 percent respectively a year ago.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16687', 'image' => '20230206064814_20210924021304_636277035242086786-Inflation.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 18:47:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16947', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Maoists Center’ Aryal Elected National Assembly Vice-chair', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Lawmaker of the CPN (Maoist Centre) Urmila Aryal has been unanimously elected the Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly (NA).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: Lawmaker of the CPN (Maoist Centre) Urmila Aryal has been unanimously elected the Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly (NA). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, Chairperson of the upper house, informed Monday’s NA session about Aryal’s unanimous election to the post of vice-chair since she was the sole candidate to register her candidacy for the post. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The CPN UML lawmaker Debendra Dahal had seconded the proposal to elect Aryal to the post. Dahal had praised her saying that she was capable and qualified candidate for the job. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Speaking at the session of the National Assembly, lawmaker Khim Lal Devkota praised her for having played an important role in women's movement in Nepal. He stressed the need for electing women in the leading positions in other state organs. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">State Committee member of the ruling CPN-Maoists center, Aryal had served as the local development minister.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16686', 'image' => '20230206053121_collage - 2023-02-06T163421.733.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 17:29:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16946', 'article_category_id' => '274', 'title' => 'Birgunj Customs Office Fails to Meet Revenue Collection Target', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Import ban and strict provisions in the opening letter of credit (LC) have led to the fall of revenue at Birgunj Customs Office.', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: Import ban and strict provisions in the opening letter of credit (LC) have led to the fall of revenue at Birgunj Customs Office. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Birgunj Customs Office has collected only 61 percent revenue of its total target in the first six months of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The customs office amassed revenue of Rs 76.63 billion against its target of Rs 122.77 billion, according to information officer Ram Chandra Dhakal at the customs office. This is just 61.27 per cent of the total annual revenue target. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Customs office has set the target to collect Rs 261.99 billion in revenue in the current fiscal year. The office has collected only 51 percent revenue of the total annual target so far. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The customs office had collected 93 percent of its total revenue target in the last fiscal year, while 97 per cent revenue was collected in the previous fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The chance of meeting revenue collection target is very low,” said Dhakal. The ban on the import of luxurious goods, and tight provisions to open the letter of credit (LC) have led to fall of the revenue collection.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Despite the lifting of the ban on the import of liquor, mobile phones and vehicles by the government, it would take sometimes for the importers to import these goods by opening LC, which will affect the revenue collection for two more months,” Dhakal informed. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16685', 'image' => '20230206044703_collage - 2023-02-06T161920.611.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 16:44:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16945', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Importing Timber worth Millions due to Policy Hurdles', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: Government data shows that a large amount of wood and timber products are imported every year from abroad.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 6: Government data shows that a large amount of wood and timber products are imported every year from abroad. In the fiscal year (FY) 2077/78, wood and wood products worth Rs 15.18 billion were imported into Nepal. Meanwhile in FY 2078/79, this amount increased to Rs 17.82 billion, where the import of wood alone worth Rs 7.45 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2079/80), wood worth Rs 2.76 billion is already imported. This amount of wood import has shocked many people. Import of such a large amount of wood from abroad when Nepal itself is rich in forest resources, cannot be considered normal. It also points towards the need for a review of the policies adopted by the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Ministry of Forests, more than 45 percent of the total land area of Nepal is covered by forests where 41 percent of area has trees and the remaining 4 percent has other plants. According to the business organization involved in this sector, Nepal needs 100 million cubic feet of wood annually. However, in the last FY 2078/79, it seems that only 21.2 million cubic feet of wood was produced from the forests of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kapil Adhikari, chairman of Federation of Forest Based Industry and Trade Nepal (FenFit) says that the problem is mainly policy and procedural hurdles.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, “If the policy hurdle is to be removed, the timber produced in the country can be consumed here and exported abroad as well.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government introduced the Scientific Forest Management Procedure, 2014 to deal with the difficult supply system of wood and the need to import wood from abroad. The procedure mentioned that the forest will be managed in a community, with partnership and pooling approach. After the implementation of the procedure, it was estimated that there would be no need to import wood, but the procedure was canceled in 2020 after complaints of widespread deforestation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Forest management expert Bijay Subedi says that the scientific forest management procedure, 2014 had to be scrapped as the general public did not understand the procedure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, “It was a good procedure with neither policy error nor implementation problem. Common people took the cutting of forest trees as deforestation. There was a weakness in explaining the real meaning. Later, the procedure was canceled based on the complaints.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the cancellation of the Scientific Forest Management Procedure, 2071, cutting of trees stopped in more than 800 forests of the country for 3 years. The Ministry of Forest prepared the National Standard for Sustainable Forest Management, 2078, to facilitate the supply of wood from forests within the country smoothly. That too is yet to be implemented.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Megh Nath Kafle, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Forest also admits that there is a problem in wood collection and due to the high price of wood while businessmen complain of the problem in distribution. He said, “We formed a team to investigate the issue of wood produced in Nepal not getting a market. A report has been prepared.” He said that all these matters have been delayed due to the lack of ministers and secretaries in the ministry and will go to the implementation stage after their appointment. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16684', 'image' => '20230206040714_timber-harvesting-process.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 16:06:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16944', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sundar Yatayat Decides to Halt Electric Bus Service', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd has decided to halt its electric bus service. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 6: Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd has decided to halt its electric bus service. Issuing a statement on Sunday, the company complained that it had to take such a decision due to the lack of cooperation from the government. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the company, it has been almost a year since the Nepal Electricity Authority announced not to collect the demand fee from the EV charging stations, but the decision has not been implemented yet, compelling them to put a full stop to their services. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Earlier, Sundar Yatayat had requested the Government of Nepal, the Electricity Regulatory Commission and NEA to remove the demand fee they have been collecting from the charging stations. Addressing this demand, the commission had decided a year ago not to charge such a fee in the future.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, chairman of Sundar Yatayat, Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, says that the commission is reluctant to implement its own decision, and the company is forced to stop all electric bus services and also to shut down the charging stations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, public and private vehicles powered by electricity will be closed from Monday. He expressed that it is sad for the entire transport sector that the vehicles have to be stopped just because of the lack of cooperation from the government.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16683', 'image' => '20230206013515_20210910123141_20210826022928_20210706023411yatayat.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 13:34:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16943', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Kills at least 2,300 in Turkey, Syria', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: A devastating earthquake early on Monday has flattened buildings and killed at least 100 people in Turkey and Syria as rescuers scramble to search for people trapped in debris.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: A devastating earthquake early on Monday has flattened buildings and killed at least 2300 people in Turkey and Syria as rescuers scramble to search for people trapped in debris, according to media reports. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The BBC reported that the powerful hit a wide area in south-eastern Turkey, near the Syrian border.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the US Geological Survey, the 7.8 magnitude tremor struck at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT) at a depth of 11 miles near the city of Gaziantep.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Authorities have confirmed 1,498 casualties in Turkey and 810 in Syria, AFP said in an updated report. Authorities expect the death toll to rise as many people are still trapped inside flattened buildings.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Many buildings have collapsed and rescue teams have been deployed to search for survivors under huge piles of rubble, added the BBC.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the Guardian reported that the death toll is expected to climb substantially higher because the night-time disaster flattened dozens of apartment blocks across major cities.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Tremors were felt as far as Lebanon, Greece, Israel and the island of Cyprus,” the Guardian reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to media reports, there are around 5,000 Nepalis in Turkey and majority of them are undocumented workers. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Department of Immigration told New Business Age that they do not have the exact number of Nepalis currently living in Turkey.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It may be noted that Turkish aid agencies had sent a search and rescue team to help Nepal in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on its official website.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the ministry, Nepal exports carpets, pashmina and handicraft items to Turkey while it imports food items and machineries from there.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal and Turkey signed an Air Service Agreement in September 2010, opening a new avenue connecting Europe and Nepal. Turkish Airlines has been operating direct flights between Kathmandu and Istanbul from 2013, added the ministry.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16682', 'image' => '20230206120828_1675651039earthquakreturkey.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 12:06:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16942', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '17th Food Festival in Sauraha on the occasion of Valentine’s Day ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: The 17th food festival is going to be organised in Sauraha of Chitwan on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 6: The 17th food festival is going to be organised in Sauraha of Chitwan on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN) is organising the food festival on the street of Sauraha from February 12-14. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Programme coordinator Dhurba Giri shared that different types of local and foreign foods would be kept in the food festival. Similarly, local art, culture and attires would also be put on display in the festival. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Arrangement would be made where one can enjoy foods and cultural programmes on the street from Hattichowk to Dyak, added Giri. Likewise, art and culture of indigenous nationalities would also be performed in the evening every day during the festival. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The organiser is expecting around 5,000 tourists to attend the festival and transaction worth Rs 30 million every day during the festival. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The proceeds from the fair will be used for educational support to the poor and intelligent students while the organisers said priority would be given to lessen the use of plastic-made products with an objective of reducing environmental pollution. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16681', 'image' => '20230206114026_sauraha - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 11:39:37', '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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', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">February 7: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, stressed the need to protect and promote the IT sector by the State. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of ‘ INFO Developers CAN Infotech-2023’ that kicked off at Bhrikutimandap Kathmandu on Tuesday, the Minister described the present time as an ‘IT era’, stating that it had significant contribution to the economic prosperity of the country. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“The IT sector has been a good source of revenue collection, but the production of human resources at a sufficient level has not been possible as it is yet to fall under the top priority of the State,” said Minister Sharma.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Highlighting the need to increase the use of IT in the delivery of basic services to the people, the Minister said the use of IT had its greater role in maintaining transparency in the public service delivery system.<br /> Minister Sharma assured that government would give priority to make Nepal’s IT sector more competitive by drafting required laws pertaining to the IT. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, Federation of Computer Association Nepal demanded for the formulation of policies that encourage using Nepal-made software in the government offices. <br /> Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 25th edition of INFO Developers CAN Infotech-2023, Federation of Computer Association Nepal General Secretary Ranajit Kumar Podar drew the government attention to promote domestic software companies and focus on their capacity building. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“I urge the government to encourage the use of Nepal-made software in the government offices and give emphasis on the capacity building of the human resources,” Podar added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The CAN Infotech includes programs such as branding of various ICT goods and services, product launching, IT career counseling for students. The Infotech is expected to draw around 350,000 visitors. </span></p> <p><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16697', 'image' => '20230207051620_collage - 2023-02-07T165151.696.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 17:10:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16959', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Exports Tea worth Rs 38 Million', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: Nepal exported tea worth Rs 38 million in the first six months of the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 7: Nepal exported tea worth Rs 38 million in the first six months of the current fiscal year. According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, tea farming is done in around 27,500 hectares of land in the country and Jhapa covers more than one third of the total tea gardens. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Of the total 28 million kilograms of tea produced during the review period, Jhapa alone produced 18 million kilograms, which is the highest in terms of district-wise production, said chief of the board Indra Prasad Adhikari. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The districts of the Province 1 produce almost 99 per cent of the total tea in the country, according to Adhikari. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In Nepal, a total of 68 large-scale tea industries including 38 CTC and 30 orthodox tea producing industries are in operation. Likewise, more than 150 small companies are processing orthodox tea. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The board said that more than 70,000 people have got direct employment from tea production and 15,000 plus small farmers are engaged in tea farming. -- RSS </span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif""> </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16696', 'image' => '20230207042911_Tea.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 16:28:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16956', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Garment Exports Improving after Covid-19', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: Garment, one of the major export items of Nepal, has seen an improvement after Covid-19 pandemic subsided. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 7: Garment, one of the major export items of Nepal, has seen an improvement after Covid-19 pandemic subsided. Garment exports of the country, which lost Rs 2.5 billion due to the cancellation of orders during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, have seen improvement in recent times.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">From mid-July to mid-January of the current fiscal year (FY) 2079/80, garments worth Rs 4.28 billion were exported from Nepal. According to the Trade and Export Promotion Center, during the corresponding period of the last fiscal year, Nepal exported ready-made garments worth Rs 3.84 billion. The Government of Nepal imposed a lockdown from March 24, 2020 to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 infection, halting the exports of ready-made garments as well according to Pashupatidev Pandey, president of Nepal Ready-Made Garment Industry Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that even though the export have been encouraging after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, the increase in bank interest rates, non-availability of subsidized loans, and increase in freight charges caused problems. He says that this sector lost Rs 2.5 billion due to the closure in the first and second waves of Covid-19. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Pandey said, “There were massive losses when orders were canceled and raw materials were stopped in countries like India and China. Only if there was export credit insurance, the businessmen would have received compensation for that.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Export Credit Insurance is applicable at international level. Such a system is yet to be implemented in Nepal. He said, “If such insurance was arranged through the Ministry of Finance, the compensation for the loss during the Covid-19 would have been available. The loss when the order was canceled would have been covered by the insurance. Cargo freight, which was $1 before Covid-19, has now reached $4.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The association has urged the government to make arrangements to export goods from Nepal's cargo ships to nearby countries and to keep 500 containers under the state in the border area to export goods from nearby sea ports.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There are now only around 100 industries in the readymade garments sector, which provided high employment in the 1980s. According to the association, more than 10,000 people are directly and indirectly employed in these industries. According to the statistics of the association, when 1200 industries were operating in the 80s, more than 400,000 people got employment in this sector. However, after the removal of customs exemptions and quotas provided by the US since 2005, exports began to decline.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Businessmen say that exports can be increased if necessary policies are adopted by the government after conducting researches on like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and China countries that export large quantities of garments. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, Pandey says that it is necessary to take initiatives to revive the facilities that were previously provided when the relations with the US were smooth. According to Pandey, it is necessary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister's Office to take a diplomatic initiative to regain the quota facilities given by the US in the 90s. He said, “At that time, when America provided the quota, garments worth US$ 400 million were exported. Now it has reduced to US$ 50 million.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16694', 'image' => '20230207023410_20210501021711_Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 14:33:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16955', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Trade Deficit Declines by more than Nineteen Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: Nepal’s trade deficit decreased by 19.2 percent to Rs 711.86 billion during the six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23), according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 7: Nepal’s trade deficit decreased by 19.2 percent to Rs 711.86 billion during the six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23), according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report published by the central bank on Monday revealed that such a deficit had increased 46.6 percent in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The export-import ratio decreased to 10.2 percent in the review period from 11.9 percent in the corresponding period of the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, merchandise exports decreased 32.0 percent to Rs 80.81 billion during the first six months of 2022/23 against an increase of 95.5 percent in the same period of the previous year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Destination-wise, exports to India and China decreased 40.1 percent and 25.2 percent respectively whereas exports to other countries increased 3.6 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Exports of zinc sheet, particle board, cardamom, woolen carpets, polyester yarn and thread, among others, increased whereas exports of soybean oil, palm oil, oil cakes, textiles, silverware and jewelries, among others, decreased in the review period, states the report.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, merchandise imports decreased 20.7 percent to Rs 792.67 billion during the review period against an increase of 51.1 percent a year ago. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Destination-wise, imports from India, China and other countries decreased 19.4 percent, 24.6 percent, and 21.4 percent respectively. Imports of petroleum products, sponge iron, chemical fertilizer, gold, other stationeries, among others, increased whereas imports of transport equipment and parts, medicine, MS billet, silver, telecommunication equipment and parts, among others, decreased in the review period. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Based on customs points, exports from customs offices of Bhairahawa, Jaleshwar, Kailali, Krishnanagar, Mechi, Nepalgunj, Rasuwa and Tribhuvan International Airport increased whereas exports from all the other major customs points decreased in the review period. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">On the import side, imports from all the major customs points decreased in the review period. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During the six months of FY 2022/23, merchandise imports from India by paying convertible foreign currency amounted to Rs 60.56 billion. Such an amount was Rs 110.91 billion in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16693', 'image' => '20230207011450_Trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 13:13:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16952', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Yeti Airlines Plane that Crashed in Pokhara did not have Thrust in Engines before Landing', 'sub_title' => 'Probe Panel Completes Analysis of Data Recorder of the Crashed Aircraft of Yeti Airlines ', 'summary' => 'February 7: A preliminary report of a probe panel formed by the government to study the crash of an ATR aircraft belonging to Yeti Airlines in Pokhara on January 15 has found that the ill-fated aircraft did not have any thrust in both the engines while making a final attempt to land at the newly-built Pokhara Regional International Airport, which led to the fatal accident.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 7: A preliminary report of a probe panel formed by the government to study the crash of an ATR aircraft belonging to Yeti Airlines in Pokhara on January 15 has found that the ill-fated aircraft did not have any thrust in both the engines while making a final attempt to land at the newly-built Pokhara Regional International Airport, which led to the fatal accident.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission on Monday revealed that it reached to this conclusion after completing the analysis of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of the ATR-72 aircraft conducted at Singapore-based Transport Safety Investigation Bureau. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The black boxes of the aircraft with call sign 9N-ANC, which crashed in the Seti River gorge near the Pokhara airport killing all 72 people on board last month, were sent to Singapore along with a team of experts for forensic study.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Member-Secretary of the investigation commission, Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, said that a team of aviation experts and commission members during the investigation found that the “propellers of both engines had gone to feathering in the base leg in course of landing” which means that there was no thrust in the engines to push the aircraft ahead. Analysts believe that this led to the aircraft to stall and take a nosedive minutes before it was scheduled to land.</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"">“Study of different flights and technical aspects was carried out at different simulator flights of ATR aircraft in Singapore,” said Lamichhane adding that the commission is carrying out further investigation about technical and human aspects on it. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A press release issued by the commission on Monday states that preparations are underway to come up with a preliminary report along with recommendation to increase aviation safety on the basis of analysis report and data received so far. The commission said that the final report would be published later. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16691', 'image' => '20230207121550_Yetii.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 12:14:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16951', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NOC Hikes Price of Petroleum Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of petroleum products including that of diesel, petrol and kerosene. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 7: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of petroleum products including that of diesel, petrol and kerosene. The price of fuel has been increased by Rs 3 per litre to take the retail price of diesel and kerosene at Rs 175 per litre and that of petrol to Rs 178 per litre. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The new price has come into effect from February 7. The price of aviation fuel and cooking cooking gas remains unchanged, reads a statement issued by the NOC on Monday. -- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16690', 'image' => '20230207113831_20210824101943_20210707102647_20190503125003_Petrol-Price-Increase.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 11:36:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16950', 'article_category_id' => '274', 'title' => 'Foreign Exchange Reserves Increases By Ten Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Nepal has witnessed improvement in foreign exchange reserves of late.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: Nepal has witnessed improvement in foreign exchange reserves of late.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The current macroeconomic and financial situation published by the Nepal Rastra Bank on Monday shows that foreign exchange reserve increased by 10 per cent till mid-January 2023 compared to mid-July 2022.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the Nepal Rastra Bank report, foreign exchange reserve increased to Rs 1337.29 billion till mid-January 2023 from Rs 1215.80 billion in mid-July, 2022. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the US Dollar, foreign exchange reserve soared by eight percent to 10.30 billion till mid-January, 2023 from 9.54 billion in mid-July 2022.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Foreign exchange reserve held by Nepal Rastra Bank has also increased. The foreign exchange reserve went up to Rs 1183.37 billion till mid-January 2023 from Rs 1056.39 billion in mid-July 2022. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">However, foreign exchange reserves held by banks and financial institutions (except NRB) have fallen. Foreign exchange reserve shrunk by 3.4 percent from Rs 159.41 billion in mid-July 2022 to 153.91 billion till mid-January 2023.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Indian currency covers 23.6 per cent of the total foreign exchange reserves. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The current foreign exchange reserve is adequate to import merchandise for 10.4 months and merchandise and services for 9.1 months, according to the Nepal Rastra Bank.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16689', 'image' => '20230207114205_FER - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 05:50:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16949', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Economy Shows Slight Improvement with Increase in Remittance Inflow and BOP Surplus ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: Amid speculations of economic slowdown and challenges in the country’s financial situation, some positive signs are visible in the economy except for higher inflation rate. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 6: Amid speculations of economic slowdown and challenges in the country’s financial situation, some positive signs are visible in the economy except for higher inflation rate. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the consumer price inflation was recorded at 7.25 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year compared to 5.65 percent a year ago. Food and beverage inflation stood at 5.62 percent whereas non-food and service inflation rose to 8.57 percent in the review month, the NRB said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Releasing the Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation of the country based on first six months’ data ending mid-January, the NRB said consumer price inflation in the Kathmandu Valley, Terai, Hill and Mountain belts surged to 6.93 percent, 7.49 percent, 7.30 percent and 6.69 percent, respectively. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the central bank said remittance inflows increased by 24.3 percent to Rs 585.08 billion in the review period against a decrease of 5 percent in the same period of the previous year. In the US Dollar terms, remittance inflows increased 13.9 percent to 4.5 billion against a decrease of 5.7 percent in the same period of the previous year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the number of Nepali workers taking approval for foreign employment increased 64.6 percent to 275,643 in the review period. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, the current account of the government remained at a deficit of Rs 29.47 billion compared to a deficit of Rs 352.16 billion in the same period of the previous year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Furthermore, the Balance of Payments (BOP) remained at a surplus of Rs 97.10 billion in the review period which was at a deficit of Rs 241.23 billion in the same period of the previous year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The country’s gross foreign exchange reserves increased 10 percent to Rs 1337.29 billion in mid-January 2023 from Rs 1215.80 billion in mid-July 2022. In the US dollar terms, the gross foreign exchange reserves increased 8.0 percent to 10.30 billion in mid-January 2023 from 9.54 billion in mid-July 2022. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, former governor of NRB Dipendra Bahadur Kshetri said that the current economic situation of the country should be taken cautiously because we are yet to return to the previous position. The major source of foreign reserve is remittance but we have failed to bring in foreign direct investment and we have not been able to offer an alternative to the import of petroleum products, Kshetri said. “We should promote EVs to reduce the consumption and import of petroleum products.” -- RSS</span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16688', 'image' => '20230206090958_20201228012934_20201106055408_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 21:09:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16948', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Consumer Price Inflation Rises to 7.26 Percent in mid-January: NRB Report', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation increased to 7.26 percent in mid-January 2023 compared to 5.65 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation increased to 7.26 percent in mid-January 2023 compared to 5.65 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report released by NRB on Monday states that the food and beverage inflation stood at 5.62 percent whereas non-food and service inflation rose to 8.57 percent in the review month.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Under the food and beverage category, y-o-y consumer price index of restaurant and hotel sub-category increased 15.56 percent, tobacco products 11.81 percent, milk products and eggs 9.70 percent, cereal grains and their products 9.56 percent and alcoholic drinks 8.84 percent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Under the non-food and services category, y-o-y consumer price index of transportation sub-category increased 16.43 percent, health 11.22 percent, recreation and culture 8.76 percent, miscellaneous goods and services 8.68 percent and furnishing and household equipment 8.33 percent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the review month, consumer price inflation in the Kathmandu Valley, Terai, Hill and Mountain surged to 6.93 percent, 7.49 percent, 7.30 percent and 6.69 percent respectively. Inflation in these regions were 5.28 percent, 6.15 percent, 5.34 percent and 5.22 percent respectively a year ago.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16687', 'image' => '20230206064814_20210924021304_636277035242086786-Inflation.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 18:47:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16947', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Maoists Center’ Aryal Elected National Assembly Vice-chair', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Lawmaker of the CPN (Maoist Centre) Urmila Aryal has been unanimously elected the Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly (NA).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: Lawmaker of the CPN (Maoist Centre) Urmila Aryal has been unanimously elected the Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly (NA). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, Chairperson of the upper house, informed Monday’s NA session about Aryal’s unanimous election to the post of vice-chair since she was the sole candidate to register her candidacy for the post. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The CPN UML lawmaker Debendra Dahal had seconded the proposal to elect Aryal to the post. Dahal had praised her saying that she was capable and qualified candidate for the job. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Speaking at the session of the National Assembly, lawmaker Khim Lal Devkota praised her for having played an important role in women's movement in Nepal. He stressed the need for electing women in the leading positions in other state organs. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">State Committee member of the ruling CPN-Maoists center, Aryal had served as the local development minister.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16686', 'image' => '20230206053121_collage - 2023-02-06T163421.733.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 17:29:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16946', 'article_category_id' => '274', 'title' => 'Birgunj Customs Office Fails to Meet Revenue Collection Target', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Import ban and strict provisions in the opening letter of credit (LC) have led to the fall of revenue at Birgunj Customs Office.', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: Import ban and strict provisions in the opening letter of credit (LC) have led to the fall of revenue at Birgunj Customs Office. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Birgunj Customs Office has collected only 61 percent revenue of its total target in the first six months of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The customs office amassed revenue of Rs 76.63 billion against its target of Rs 122.77 billion, according to information officer Ram Chandra Dhakal at the customs office. This is just 61.27 per cent of the total annual revenue target. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Customs office has set the target to collect Rs 261.99 billion in revenue in the current fiscal year. The office has collected only 51 percent revenue of the total annual target so far. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The customs office had collected 93 percent of its total revenue target in the last fiscal year, while 97 per cent revenue was collected in the previous fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The chance of meeting revenue collection target is very low,” said Dhakal. The ban on the import of luxurious goods, and tight provisions to open the letter of credit (LC) have led to fall of the revenue collection.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Despite the lifting of the ban on the import of liquor, mobile phones and vehicles by the government, it would take sometimes for the importers to import these goods by opening LC, which will affect the revenue collection for two more months,” Dhakal informed. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16685', 'image' => '20230206044703_collage - 2023-02-06T161920.611.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 16:44:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16945', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Importing Timber worth Millions due to Policy Hurdles', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: Government data shows that a large amount of wood and timber products are imported every year from abroad.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 6: Government data shows that a large amount of wood and timber products are imported every year from abroad. In the fiscal year (FY) 2077/78, wood and wood products worth Rs 15.18 billion were imported into Nepal. Meanwhile in FY 2078/79, this amount increased to Rs 17.82 billion, where the import of wood alone worth Rs 7.45 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2079/80), wood worth Rs 2.76 billion is already imported. This amount of wood import has shocked many people. Import of such a large amount of wood from abroad when Nepal itself is rich in forest resources, cannot be considered normal. It also points towards the need for a review of the policies adopted by the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Ministry of Forests, more than 45 percent of the total land area of Nepal is covered by forests where 41 percent of area has trees and the remaining 4 percent has other plants. According to the business organization involved in this sector, Nepal needs 100 million cubic feet of wood annually. However, in the last FY 2078/79, it seems that only 21.2 million cubic feet of wood was produced from the forests of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kapil Adhikari, chairman of Federation of Forest Based Industry and Trade Nepal (FenFit) says that the problem is mainly policy and procedural hurdles.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, “If the policy hurdle is to be removed, the timber produced in the country can be consumed here and exported abroad as well.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government introduced the Scientific Forest Management Procedure, 2014 to deal with the difficult supply system of wood and the need to import wood from abroad. The procedure mentioned that the forest will be managed in a community, with partnership and pooling approach. After the implementation of the procedure, it was estimated that there would be no need to import wood, but the procedure was canceled in 2020 after complaints of widespread deforestation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Forest management expert Bijay Subedi says that the scientific forest management procedure, 2014 had to be scrapped as the general public did not understand the procedure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, “It was a good procedure with neither policy error nor implementation problem. Common people took the cutting of forest trees as deforestation. There was a weakness in explaining the real meaning. Later, the procedure was canceled based on the complaints.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the cancellation of the Scientific Forest Management Procedure, 2071, cutting of trees stopped in more than 800 forests of the country for 3 years. The Ministry of Forest prepared the National Standard for Sustainable Forest Management, 2078, to facilitate the supply of wood from forests within the country smoothly. That too is yet to be implemented.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Megh Nath Kafle, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Forest also admits that there is a problem in wood collection and due to the high price of wood while businessmen complain of the problem in distribution. He said, “We formed a team to investigate the issue of wood produced in Nepal not getting a market. A report has been prepared.” He said that all these matters have been delayed due to the lack of ministers and secretaries in the ministry and will go to the implementation stage after their appointment. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16684', 'image' => '20230206040714_timber-harvesting-process.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 16:06:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16944', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sundar Yatayat Decides to Halt Electric Bus Service', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd has decided to halt its electric bus service. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 6: Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd has decided to halt its electric bus service. Issuing a statement on Sunday, the company complained that it had to take such a decision due to the lack of cooperation from the government. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the company, it has been almost a year since the Nepal Electricity Authority announced not to collect the demand fee from the EV charging stations, but the decision has not been implemented yet, compelling them to put a full stop to their services. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Earlier, Sundar Yatayat had requested the Government of Nepal, the Electricity Regulatory Commission and NEA to remove the demand fee they have been collecting from the charging stations. Addressing this demand, the commission had decided a year ago not to charge such a fee in the future.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, chairman of Sundar Yatayat, Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, says that the commission is reluctant to implement its own decision, and the company is forced to stop all electric bus services and also to shut down the charging stations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, public and private vehicles powered by electricity will be closed from Monday. He expressed that it is sad for the entire transport sector that the vehicles have to be stopped just because of the lack of cooperation from the government.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16683', 'image' => '20230206013515_20210910123141_20210826022928_20210706023411yatayat.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 13:34:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16943', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Kills at least 2,300 in Turkey, Syria', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: A devastating earthquake early on Monday has flattened buildings and killed at least 100 people in Turkey and Syria as rescuers scramble to search for people trapped in debris.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: A devastating earthquake early on Monday has flattened buildings and killed at least 2300 people in Turkey and Syria as rescuers scramble to search for people trapped in debris, according to media reports. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The BBC reported that the powerful hit a wide area in south-eastern Turkey, near the Syrian border.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the US Geological Survey, the 7.8 magnitude tremor struck at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT) at a depth of 11 miles near the city of Gaziantep.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Authorities have confirmed 1,498 casualties in Turkey and 810 in Syria, AFP said in an updated report. Authorities expect the death toll to rise as many people are still trapped inside flattened buildings.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Many buildings have collapsed and rescue teams have been deployed to search for survivors under huge piles of rubble, added the BBC.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the Guardian reported that the death toll is expected to climb substantially higher because the night-time disaster flattened dozens of apartment blocks across major cities.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Tremors were felt as far as Lebanon, Greece, Israel and the island of Cyprus,” the Guardian reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to media reports, there are around 5,000 Nepalis in Turkey and majority of them are undocumented workers. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Department of Immigration told New Business Age that they do not have the exact number of Nepalis currently living in Turkey.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It may be noted that Turkish aid agencies had sent a search and rescue team to help Nepal in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on its official website.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the ministry, Nepal exports carpets, pashmina and handicraft items to Turkey while it imports food items and machineries from there.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal and Turkey signed an Air Service Agreement in September 2010, opening a new avenue connecting Europe and Nepal. Turkish Airlines has been operating direct flights between Kathmandu and Istanbul from 2013, added the ministry.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16682', 'image' => '20230206120828_1675651039earthquakreturkey.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 12:06:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16942', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '17th Food Festival in Sauraha on the occasion of Valentine’s Day ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: The 17th food festival is going to be organised in Sauraha of Chitwan on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 6: The 17th food festival is going to be organised in Sauraha of Chitwan on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN) is organising the food festival on the street of Sauraha from February 12-14. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Programme coordinator Dhurba Giri shared that different types of local and foreign foods would be kept in the food festival. Similarly, local art, culture and attires would also be put on display in the festival. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Arrangement would be made where one can enjoy foods and cultural programmes on the street from Hattichowk to Dyak, added Giri. Likewise, art and culture of indigenous nationalities would also be performed in the evening every day during the festival. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The organiser is expecting around 5,000 tourists to attend the festival and transaction worth Rs 30 million every day during the festival. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The proceeds from the fair will be used for educational support to the poor and intelligent students while the organisers said priority would be given to lessen the use of plastic-made products with an objective of reducing environmental pollution. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16681', 'image' => '20230206114026_sauraha - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 11:39:37', '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> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">February 7: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, stressed the need to protect and promote the IT sector by the State. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of ‘ INFO Developers CAN Infotech-2023’ that kicked off at Bhrikutimandap Kathmandu on Tuesday, the Minister described the present time as an ‘IT era’, stating that it had significant contribution to the economic prosperity of the country. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“The IT sector has been a good source of revenue collection, but the production of human resources at a sufficient level has not been possible as it is yet to fall under the top priority of the State,” said Minister Sharma.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Highlighting the need to increase the use of IT in the delivery of basic services to the people, the Minister said the use of IT had its greater role in maintaining transparency in the public service delivery system.<br /> Minister Sharma assured that government would give priority to make Nepal’s IT sector more competitive by drafting required laws pertaining to the IT. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, Federation of Computer Association Nepal demanded for the formulation of policies that encourage using Nepal-made software in the government offices. <br /> Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 25th edition of INFO Developers CAN Infotech-2023, Federation of Computer Association Nepal General Secretary Ranajit Kumar Podar drew the government attention to promote domestic software companies and focus on their capacity building. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“I urge the government to encourage the use of Nepal-made software in the government offices and give emphasis on the capacity building of the human resources,” Podar added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The CAN Infotech includes programs such as branding of various ICT goods and services, product launching, IT career counseling for students. The Infotech is expected to draw around 350,000 visitors. </span></p> <p><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16697', 'image' => '20230207051620_collage - 2023-02-07T165151.696.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 17:10:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16959', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Exports Tea worth Rs 38 Million', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: Nepal exported tea worth Rs 38 million in the first six months of the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 7: Nepal exported tea worth Rs 38 million in the first six months of the current fiscal year. According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, tea farming is done in around 27,500 hectares of land in the country and Jhapa covers more than one third of the total tea gardens. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Of the total 28 million kilograms of tea produced during the review period, Jhapa alone produced 18 million kilograms, which is the highest in terms of district-wise production, said chief of the board Indra Prasad Adhikari. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The districts of the Province 1 produce almost 99 per cent of the total tea in the country, according to Adhikari. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In Nepal, a total of 68 large-scale tea industries including 38 CTC and 30 orthodox tea producing industries are in operation. Likewise, more than 150 small companies are processing orthodox tea. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The board said that more than 70,000 people have got direct employment from tea production and 15,000 plus small farmers are engaged in tea farming. -- RSS </span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif""> </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16696', 'image' => '20230207042911_Tea.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 16:28:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16956', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Garment Exports Improving after Covid-19', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: Garment, one of the major export items of Nepal, has seen an improvement after Covid-19 pandemic subsided. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 7: Garment, one of the major export items of Nepal, has seen an improvement after Covid-19 pandemic subsided. Garment exports of the country, which lost Rs 2.5 billion due to the cancellation of orders during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, have seen improvement in recent times.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">From mid-July to mid-January of the current fiscal year (FY) 2079/80, garments worth Rs 4.28 billion were exported from Nepal. According to the Trade and Export Promotion Center, during the corresponding period of the last fiscal year, Nepal exported ready-made garments worth Rs 3.84 billion. The Government of Nepal imposed a lockdown from March 24, 2020 to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 infection, halting the exports of ready-made garments as well according to Pashupatidev Pandey, president of Nepal Ready-Made Garment Industry Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that even though the export have been encouraging after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, the increase in bank interest rates, non-availability of subsidized loans, and increase in freight charges caused problems. He says that this sector lost Rs 2.5 billion due to the closure in the first and second waves of Covid-19. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Pandey said, “There were massive losses when orders were canceled and raw materials were stopped in countries like India and China. Only if there was export credit insurance, the businessmen would have received compensation for that.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Export Credit Insurance is applicable at international level. Such a system is yet to be implemented in Nepal. He said, “If such insurance was arranged through the Ministry of Finance, the compensation for the loss during the Covid-19 would have been available. The loss when the order was canceled would have been covered by the insurance. Cargo freight, which was $1 before Covid-19, has now reached $4.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The association has urged the government to make arrangements to export goods from Nepal's cargo ships to nearby countries and to keep 500 containers under the state in the border area to export goods from nearby sea ports.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There are now only around 100 industries in the readymade garments sector, which provided high employment in the 1980s. According to the association, more than 10,000 people are directly and indirectly employed in these industries. According to the statistics of the association, when 1200 industries were operating in the 80s, more than 400,000 people got employment in this sector. However, after the removal of customs exemptions and quotas provided by the US since 2005, exports began to decline.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Businessmen say that exports can be increased if necessary policies are adopted by the government after conducting researches on like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and China countries that export large quantities of garments. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, Pandey says that it is necessary to take initiatives to revive the facilities that were previously provided when the relations with the US were smooth. According to Pandey, it is necessary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister's Office to take a diplomatic initiative to regain the quota facilities given by the US in the 90s. He said, “At that time, when America provided the quota, garments worth US$ 400 million were exported. Now it has reduced to US$ 50 million.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16694', 'image' => '20230207023410_20210501021711_Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 14:33:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16955', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Trade Deficit Declines by more than Nineteen Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: Nepal’s trade deficit decreased by 19.2 percent to Rs 711.86 billion during the six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23), according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 7: Nepal’s trade deficit decreased by 19.2 percent to Rs 711.86 billion during the six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23), according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report published by the central bank on Monday revealed that such a deficit had increased 46.6 percent in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The export-import ratio decreased to 10.2 percent in the review period from 11.9 percent in the corresponding period of the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, merchandise exports decreased 32.0 percent to Rs 80.81 billion during the first six months of 2022/23 against an increase of 95.5 percent in the same period of the previous year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Destination-wise, exports to India and China decreased 40.1 percent and 25.2 percent respectively whereas exports to other countries increased 3.6 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Exports of zinc sheet, particle board, cardamom, woolen carpets, polyester yarn and thread, among others, increased whereas exports of soybean oil, palm oil, oil cakes, textiles, silverware and jewelries, among others, decreased in the review period, states the report.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, merchandise imports decreased 20.7 percent to Rs 792.67 billion during the review period against an increase of 51.1 percent a year ago. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Destination-wise, imports from India, China and other countries decreased 19.4 percent, 24.6 percent, and 21.4 percent respectively. Imports of petroleum products, sponge iron, chemical fertilizer, gold, other stationeries, among others, increased whereas imports of transport equipment and parts, medicine, MS billet, silver, telecommunication equipment and parts, among others, decreased in the review period. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Based on customs points, exports from customs offices of Bhairahawa, Jaleshwar, Kailali, Krishnanagar, Mechi, Nepalgunj, Rasuwa and Tribhuvan International Airport increased whereas exports from all the other major customs points decreased in the review period. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">On the import side, imports from all the major customs points decreased in the review period. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During the six months of FY 2022/23, merchandise imports from India by paying convertible foreign currency amounted to Rs 60.56 billion. Such an amount was Rs 110.91 billion in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16693', 'image' => '20230207011450_Trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 13:13:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16952', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Yeti Airlines Plane that Crashed in Pokhara did not have Thrust in Engines before Landing', 'sub_title' => 'Probe Panel Completes Analysis of Data Recorder of the Crashed Aircraft of Yeti Airlines ', 'summary' => 'February 7: A preliminary report of a probe panel formed by the government to study the crash of an ATR aircraft belonging to Yeti Airlines in Pokhara on January 15 has found that the ill-fated aircraft did not have any thrust in both the engines while making a final attempt to land at the newly-built Pokhara Regional International Airport, which led to the fatal accident.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 7: A preliminary report of a probe panel formed by the government to study the crash of an ATR aircraft belonging to Yeti Airlines in Pokhara on January 15 has found that the ill-fated aircraft did not have any thrust in both the engines while making a final attempt to land at the newly-built Pokhara Regional International Airport, which led to the fatal accident.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission on Monday revealed that it reached to this conclusion after completing the analysis of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of the ATR-72 aircraft conducted at Singapore-based Transport Safety Investigation Bureau. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The black boxes of the aircraft with call sign 9N-ANC, which crashed in the Seti River gorge near the Pokhara airport killing all 72 people on board last month, were sent to Singapore along with a team of experts for forensic study.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Member-Secretary of the investigation commission, Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, said that a team of aviation experts and commission members during the investigation found that the “propellers of both engines had gone to feathering in the base leg in course of landing” which means that there was no thrust in the engines to push the aircraft ahead. Analysts believe that this led to the aircraft to stall and take a nosedive minutes before it was scheduled to land.</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"">“Study of different flights and technical aspects was carried out at different simulator flights of ATR aircraft in Singapore,” said Lamichhane adding that the commission is carrying out further investigation about technical and human aspects on it. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A press release issued by the commission on Monday states that preparations are underway to come up with a preliminary report along with recommendation to increase aviation safety on the basis of analysis report and data received so far. The commission said that the final report would be published later. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16691', 'image' => '20230207121550_Yetii.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 12:14:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16951', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NOC Hikes Price of Petroleum Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of petroleum products including that of diesel, petrol and kerosene. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 7: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of petroleum products including that of diesel, petrol and kerosene. The price of fuel has been increased by Rs 3 per litre to take the retail price of diesel and kerosene at Rs 175 per litre and that of petrol to Rs 178 per litre. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The new price has come into effect from February 7. The price of aviation fuel and cooking cooking gas remains unchanged, reads a statement issued by the NOC on Monday. -- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16690', 'image' => '20230207113831_20210824101943_20210707102647_20190503125003_Petrol-Price-Increase.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 11:36:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16950', 'article_category_id' => '274', 'title' => 'Foreign Exchange Reserves Increases By Ten Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Nepal has witnessed improvement in foreign exchange reserves of late.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: Nepal has witnessed improvement in foreign exchange reserves of late.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The current macroeconomic and financial situation published by the Nepal Rastra Bank on Monday shows that foreign exchange reserve increased by 10 per cent till mid-January 2023 compared to mid-July 2022.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the Nepal Rastra Bank report, foreign exchange reserve increased to Rs 1337.29 billion till mid-January 2023 from Rs 1215.80 billion in mid-July, 2022. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the US Dollar, foreign exchange reserve soared by eight percent to 10.30 billion till mid-January, 2023 from 9.54 billion in mid-July 2022.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Foreign exchange reserve held by Nepal Rastra Bank has also increased. The foreign exchange reserve went up to Rs 1183.37 billion till mid-January 2023 from Rs 1056.39 billion in mid-July 2022. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">However, foreign exchange reserves held by banks and financial institutions (except NRB) have fallen. Foreign exchange reserve shrunk by 3.4 percent from Rs 159.41 billion in mid-July 2022 to 153.91 billion till mid-January 2023.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Indian currency covers 23.6 per cent of the total foreign exchange reserves. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The current foreign exchange reserve is adequate to import merchandise for 10.4 months and merchandise and services for 9.1 months, according to the Nepal Rastra Bank.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16689', 'image' => '20230207114205_FER - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 05:50:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16949', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Economy Shows Slight Improvement with Increase in Remittance Inflow and BOP Surplus ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: Amid speculations of economic slowdown and challenges in the country’s financial situation, some positive signs are visible in the economy except for higher inflation rate. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 6: Amid speculations of economic slowdown and challenges in the country’s financial situation, some positive signs are visible in the economy except for higher inflation rate. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the consumer price inflation was recorded at 7.25 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year compared to 5.65 percent a year ago. Food and beverage inflation stood at 5.62 percent whereas non-food and service inflation rose to 8.57 percent in the review month, the NRB said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Releasing the Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation of the country based on first six months’ data ending mid-January, the NRB said consumer price inflation in the Kathmandu Valley, Terai, Hill and Mountain belts surged to 6.93 percent, 7.49 percent, 7.30 percent and 6.69 percent, respectively. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the central bank said remittance inflows increased by 24.3 percent to Rs 585.08 billion in the review period against a decrease of 5 percent in the same period of the previous year. In the US Dollar terms, remittance inflows increased 13.9 percent to 4.5 billion against a decrease of 5.7 percent in the same period of the previous year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the number of Nepali workers taking approval for foreign employment increased 64.6 percent to 275,643 in the review period. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, the current account of the government remained at a deficit of Rs 29.47 billion compared to a deficit of Rs 352.16 billion in the same period of the previous year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Furthermore, the Balance of Payments (BOP) remained at a surplus of Rs 97.10 billion in the review period which was at a deficit of Rs 241.23 billion in the same period of the previous year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The country’s gross foreign exchange reserves increased 10 percent to Rs 1337.29 billion in mid-January 2023 from Rs 1215.80 billion in mid-July 2022. In the US dollar terms, the gross foreign exchange reserves increased 8.0 percent to 10.30 billion in mid-January 2023 from 9.54 billion in mid-July 2022. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, former governor of NRB Dipendra Bahadur Kshetri said that the current economic situation of the country should be taken cautiously because we are yet to return to the previous position. The major source of foreign reserve is remittance but we have failed to bring in foreign direct investment and we have not been able to offer an alternative to the import of petroleum products, Kshetri said. “We should promote EVs to reduce the consumption and import of petroleum products.” -- RSS</span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16688', 'image' => '20230206090958_20201228012934_20201106055408_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 21:09:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16948', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Consumer Price Inflation Rises to 7.26 Percent in mid-January: NRB Report', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation increased to 7.26 percent in mid-January 2023 compared to 5.65 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation increased to 7.26 percent in mid-January 2023 compared to 5.65 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report released by NRB on Monday states that the food and beverage inflation stood at 5.62 percent whereas non-food and service inflation rose to 8.57 percent in the review month.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Under the food and beverage category, y-o-y consumer price index of restaurant and hotel sub-category increased 15.56 percent, tobacco products 11.81 percent, milk products and eggs 9.70 percent, cereal grains and their products 9.56 percent and alcoholic drinks 8.84 percent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Under the non-food and services category, y-o-y consumer price index of transportation sub-category increased 16.43 percent, health 11.22 percent, recreation and culture 8.76 percent, miscellaneous goods and services 8.68 percent and furnishing and household equipment 8.33 percent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the review month, consumer price inflation in the Kathmandu Valley, Terai, Hill and Mountain surged to 6.93 percent, 7.49 percent, 7.30 percent and 6.69 percent respectively. Inflation in these regions were 5.28 percent, 6.15 percent, 5.34 percent and 5.22 percent respectively a year ago.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16687', 'image' => '20230206064814_20210924021304_636277035242086786-Inflation.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 18:47:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16947', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Maoists Center’ Aryal Elected National Assembly Vice-chair', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Lawmaker of the CPN (Maoist Centre) Urmila Aryal has been unanimously elected the Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly (NA).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: Lawmaker of the CPN (Maoist Centre) Urmila Aryal has been unanimously elected the Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly (NA). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, Chairperson of the upper house, informed Monday’s NA session about Aryal’s unanimous election to the post of vice-chair since she was the sole candidate to register her candidacy for the post. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The CPN UML lawmaker Debendra Dahal had seconded the proposal to elect Aryal to the post. Dahal had praised her saying that she was capable and qualified candidate for the job. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Speaking at the session of the National Assembly, lawmaker Khim Lal Devkota praised her for having played an important role in women's movement in Nepal. He stressed the need for electing women in the leading positions in other state organs. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">State Committee member of the ruling CPN-Maoists center, Aryal had served as the local development minister.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16686', 'image' => '20230206053121_collage - 2023-02-06T163421.733.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 17:29:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16946', 'article_category_id' => '274', 'title' => 'Birgunj Customs Office Fails to Meet Revenue Collection Target', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Import ban and strict provisions in the opening letter of credit (LC) have led to the fall of revenue at Birgunj Customs Office.', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: Import ban and strict provisions in the opening letter of credit (LC) have led to the fall of revenue at Birgunj Customs Office. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Birgunj Customs Office has collected only 61 percent revenue of its total target in the first six months of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The customs office amassed revenue of Rs 76.63 billion against its target of Rs 122.77 billion, according to information officer Ram Chandra Dhakal at the customs office. This is just 61.27 per cent of the total annual revenue target. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Customs office has set the target to collect Rs 261.99 billion in revenue in the current fiscal year. The office has collected only 51 percent revenue of the total annual target so far. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The customs office had collected 93 percent of its total revenue target in the last fiscal year, while 97 per cent revenue was collected in the previous fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The chance of meeting revenue collection target is very low,” said Dhakal. The ban on the import of luxurious goods, and tight provisions to open the letter of credit (LC) have led to fall of the revenue collection.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Despite the lifting of the ban on the import of liquor, mobile phones and vehicles by the government, it would take sometimes for the importers to import these goods by opening LC, which will affect the revenue collection for two more months,” Dhakal informed. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16685', 'image' => '20230206044703_collage - 2023-02-06T161920.611.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 16:44:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16945', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Importing Timber worth Millions due to Policy Hurdles', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: Government data shows that a large amount of wood and timber products are imported every year from abroad.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 6: Government data shows that a large amount of wood and timber products are imported every year from abroad. In the fiscal year (FY) 2077/78, wood and wood products worth Rs 15.18 billion were imported into Nepal. Meanwhile in FY 2078/79, this amount increased to Rs 17.82 billion, where the import of wood alone worth Rs 7.45 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2079/80), wood worth Rs 2.76 billion is already imported. This amount of wood import has shocked many people. Import of such a large amount of wood from abroad when Nepal itself is rich in forest resources, cannot be considered normal. It also points towards the need for a review of the policies adopted by the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Ministry of Forests, more than 45 percent of the total land area of Nepal is covered by forests where 41 percent of area has trees and the remaining 4 percent has other plants. According to the business organization involved in this sector, Nepal needs 100 million cubic feet of wood annually. However, in the last FY 2078/79, it seems that only 21.2 million cubic feet of wood was produced from the forests of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kapil Adhikari, chairman of Federation of Forest Based Industry and Trade Nepal (FenFit) says that the problem is mainly policy and procedural hurdles.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, “If the policy hurdle is to be removed, the timber produced in the country can be consumed here and exported abroad as well.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government introduced the Scientific Forest Management Procedure, 2014 to deal with the difficult supply system of wood and the need to import wood from abroad. The procedure mentioned that the forest will be managed in a community, with partnership and pooling approach. After the implementation of the procedure, it was estimated that there would be no need to import wood, but the procedure was canceled in 2020 after complaints of widespread deforestation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Forest management expert Bijay Subedi says that the scientific forest management procedure, 2014 had to be scrapped as the general public did not understand the procedure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, “It was a good procedure with neither policy error nor implementation problem. Common people took the cutting of forest trees as deforestation. There was a weakness in explaining the real meaning. Later, the procedure was canceled based on the complaints.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the cancellation of the Scientific Forest Management Procedure, 2071, cutting of trees stopped in more than 800 forests of the country for 3 years. The Ministry of Forest prepared the National Standard for Sustainable Forest Management, 2078, to facilitate the supply of wood from forests within the country smoothly. That too is yet to be implemented.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Megh Nath Kafle, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Forest also admits that there is a problem in wood collection and due to the high price of wood while businessmen complain of the problem in distribution. He said, “We formed a team to investigate the issue of wood produced in Nepal not getting a market. A report has been prepared.” He said that all these matters have been delayed due to the lack of ministers and secretaries in the ministry and will go to the implementation stage after their appointment. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16684', 'image' => '20230206040714_timber-harvesting-process.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 16:06:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16944', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sundar Yatayat Decides to Halt Electric Bus Service', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd has decided to halt its electric bus service. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 6: Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd has decided to halt its electric bus service. Issuing a statement on Sunday, the company complained that it had to take such a decision due to the lack of cooperation from the government. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the company, it has been almost a year since the Nepal Electricity Authority announced not to collect the demand fee from the EV charging stations, but the decision has not been implemented yet, compelling them to put a full stop to their services. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Earlier, Sundar Yatayat had requested the Government of Nepal, the Electricity Regulatory Commission and NEA to remove the demand fee they have been collecting from the charging stations. Addressing this demand, the commission had decided a year ago not to charge such a fee in the future.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, chairman of Sundar Yatayat, Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, says that the commission is reluctant to implement its own decision, and the company is forced to stop all electric bus services and also to shut down the charging stations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, public and private vehicles powered by electricity will be closed from Monday. He expressed that it is sad for the entire transport sector that the vehicles have to be stopped just because of the lack of cooperation from the government.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16683', 'image' => '20230206013515_20210910123141_20210826022928_20210706023411yatayat.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 13:34:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16943', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Kills at least 2,300 in Turkey, Syria', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: A devastating earthquake early on Monday has flattened buildings and killed at least 100 people in Turkey and Syria as rescuers scramble to search for people trapped in debris.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: A devastating earthquake early on Monday has flattened buildings and killed at least 2300 people in Turkey and Syria as rescuers scramble to search for people trapped in debris, according to media reports. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The BBC reported that the powerful hit a wide area in south-eastern Turkey, near the Syrian border.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the US Geological Survey, the 7.8 magnitude tremor struck at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT) at a depth of 11 miles near the city of Gaziantep.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Authorities have confirmed 1,498 casualties in Turkey and 810 in Syria, AFP said in an updated report. Authorities expect the death toll to rise as many people are still trapped inside flattened buildings.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Many buildings have collapsed and rescue teams have been deployed to search for survivors under huge piles of rubble, added the BBC.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the Guardian reported that the death toll is expected to climb substantially higher because the night-time disaster flattened dozens of apartment blocks across major cities.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Tremors were felt as far as Lebanon, Greece, Israel and the island of Cyprus,” the Guardian reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to media reports, there are around 5,000 Nepalis in Turkey and majority of them are undocumented workers. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Department of Immigration told New Business Age that they do not have the exact number of Nepalis currently living in Turkey.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It may be noted that Turkish aid agencies had sent a search and rescue team to help Nepal in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on its official website.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the ministry, Nepal exports carpets, pashmina and handicraft items to Turkey while it imports food items and machineries from there.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal and Turkey signed an Air Service Agreement in September 2010, opening a new avenue connecting Europe and Nepal. Turkish Airlines has been operating direct flights between Kathmandu and Istanbul from 2013, added the ministry.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16682', 'image' => '20230206120828_1675651039earthquakreturkey.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 12:06:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16942', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '17th Food Festival in Sauraha on the occasion of Valentine’s Day ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: The 17th food festival is going to be organised in Sauraha of Chitwan on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 6: The 17th food festival is going to be organised in Sauraha of Chitwan on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN) is organising the food festival on the street of Sauraha from February 12-14. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Programme coordinator Dhurba Giri shared that different types of local and foreign foods would be kept in the food festival. Similarly, local art, culture and attires would also be put on display in the festival. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Arrangement would be made where one can enjoy foods and cultural programmes on the street from Hattichowk to Dyak, added Giri. Likewise, art and culture of indigenous nationalities would also be performed in the evening every day during the festival. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The organiser is expecting around 5,000 tourists to attend the festival and transaction worth Rs 30 million every day during the festival. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The proceeds from the fair will be used for educational support to the poor and intelligent students while the organisers said priority would be given to lessen the use of plastic-made products with an objective of reducing environmental pollution. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16681', 'image' => '20230206114026_sauraha - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 11:39:37', '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> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">February 7: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, stressed the need to protect and promote the IT sector by the State. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of ‘ INFO Developers CAN Infotech-2023’ that kicked off at Bhrikutimandap Kathmandu on Tuesday, the Minister described the present time as an ‘IT era’, stating that it had significant contribution to the economic prosperity of the country. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“The IT sector has been a good source of revenue collection, but the production of human resources at a sufficient level has not been possible as it is yet to fall under the top priority of the State,” said Minister Sharma.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Highlighting the need to increase the use of IT in the delivery of basic services to the people, the Minister said the use of IT had its greater role in maintaining transparency in the public service delivery system.<br /> Minister Sharma assured that government would give priority to make Nepal’s IT sector more competitive by drafting required laws pertaining to the IT. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, Federation of Computer Association Nepal demanded for the formulation of policies that encourage using Nepal-made software in the government offices. <br /> Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 25th edition of INFO Developers CAN Infotech-2023, Federation of Computer Association Nepal General Secretary Ranajit Kumar Podar drew the government attention to promote domestic software companies and focus on their capacity building. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“I urge the government to encourage the use of Nepal-made software in the government offices and give emphasis on the capacity building of the human resources,” Podar added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The CAN Infotech includes programs such as branding of various ICT goods and services, product launching, IT career counseling for students. The Infotech is expected to draw around 350,000 visitors. </span></p> <p><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16697', 'image' => '20230207051620_collage - 2023-02-07T165151.696.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 17:10:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16959', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Exports Tea worth Rs 38 Million', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: Nepal exported tea worth Rs 38 million in the first six months of the current fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 7: Nepal exported tea worth Rs 38 million in the first six months of the current fiscal year. According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, tea farming is done in around 27,500 hectares of land in the country and Jhapa covers more than one third of the total tea gardens. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Of the total 28 million kilograms of tea produced during the review period, Jhapa alone produced 18 million kilograms, which is the highest in terms of district-wise production, said chief of the board Indra Prasad Adhikari. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The districts of the Province 1 produce almost 99 per cent of the total tea in the country, according to Adhikari. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In Nepal, a total of 68 large-scale tea industries including 38 CTC and 30 orthodox tea producing industries are in operation. Likewise, more than 150 small companies are processing orthodox tea. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The board said that more than 70,000 people have got direct employment from tea production and 15,000 plus small farmers are engaged in tea farming. -- RSS </span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif""> </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16696', 'image' => '20230207042911_Tea.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 16:28:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16956', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Garment Exports Improving after Covid-19', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: Garment, one of the major export items of Nepal, has seen an improvement after Covid-19 pandemic subsided. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 7: Garment, one of the major export items of Nepal, has seen an improvement after Covid-19 pandemic subsided. Garment exports of the country, which lost Rs 2.5 billion due to the cancellation of orders during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, have seen improvement in recent times.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">From mid-July to mid-January of the current fiscal year (FY) 2079/80, garments worth Rs 4.28 billion were exported from Nepal. According to the Trade and Export Promotion Center, during the corresponding period of the last fiscal year, Nepal exported ready-made garments worth Rs 3.84 billion. The Government of Nepal imposed a lockdown from March 24, 2020 to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 infection, halting the exports of ready-made garments as well according to Pashupatidev Pandey, president of Nepal Ready-Made Garment Industry Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that even though the export have been encouraging after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, the increase in bank interest rates, non-availability of subsidized loans, and increase in freight charges caused problems. He says that this sector lost Rs 2.5 billion due to the closure in the first and second waves of Covid-19. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Pandey said, “There were massive losses when orders were canceled and raw materials were stopped in countries like India and China. Only if there was export credit insurance, the businessmen would have received compensation for that.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Export Credit Insurance is applicable at international level. Such a system is yet to be implemented in Nepal. He said, “If such insurance was arranged through the Ministry of Finance, the compensation for the loss during the Covid-19 would have been available. The loss when the order was canceled would have been covered by the insurance. Cargo freight, which was $1 before Covid-19, has now reached $4.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The association has urged the government to make arrangements to export goods from Nepal's cargo ships to nearby countries and to keep 500 containers under the state in the border area to export goods from nearby sea ports.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There are now only around 100 industries in the readymade garments sector, which provided high employment in the 1980s. According to the association, more than 10,000 people are directly and indirectly employed in these industries. According to the statistics of the association, when 1200 industries were operating in the 80s, more than 400,000 people got employment in this sector. However, after the removal of customs exemptions and quotas provided by the US since 2005, exports began to decline.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Businessmen say that exports can be increased if necessary policies are adopted by the government after conducting researches on like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and China countries that export large quantities of garments. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, Pandey says that it is necessary to take initiatives to revive the facilities that were previously provided when the relations with the US were smooth. According to Pandey, it is necessary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister's Office to take a diplomatic initiative to regain the quota facilities given by the US in the 90s. He said, “At that time, when America provided the quota, garments worth US$ 400 million were exported. Now it has reduced to US$ 50 million.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16694', 'image' => '20230207023410_20210501021711_Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 14:33:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16955', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Trade Deficit Declines by more than Nineteen Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: Nepal’s trade deficit decreased by 19.2 percent to Rs 711.86 billion during the six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23), according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 7: Nepal’s trade deficit decreased by 19.2 percent to Rs 711.86 billion during the six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23), according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report published by the central bank on Monday revealed that such a deficit had increased 46.6 percent in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The export-import ratio decreased to 10.2 percent in the review period from 11.9 percent in the corresponding period of the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, merchandise exports decreased 32.0 percent to Rs 80.81 billion during the first six months of 2022/23 against an increase of 95.5 percent in the same period of the previous year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Destination-wise, exports to India and China decreased 40.1 percent and 25.2 percent respectively whereas exports to other countries increased 3.6 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Exports of zinc sheet, particle board, cardamom, woolen carpets, polyester yarn and thread, among others, increased whereas exports of soybean oil, palm oil, oil cakes, textiles, silverware and jewelries, among others, decreased in the review period, states the report.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, merchandise imports decreased 20.7 percent to Rs 792.67 billion during the review period against an increase of 51.1 percent a year ago. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Destination-wise, imports from India, China and other countries decreased 19.4 percent, 24.6 percent, and 21.4 percent respectively. Imports of petroleum products, sponge iron, chemical fertilizer, gold, other stationeries, among others, increased whereas imports of transport equipment and parts, medicine, MS billet, silver, telecommunication equipment and parts, among others, decreased in the review period. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Based on customs points, exports from customs offices of Bhairahawa, Jaleshwar, Kailali, Krishnanagar, Mechi, Nepalgunj, Rasuwa and Tribhuvan International Airport increased whereas exports from all the other major customs points decreased in the review period. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">On the import side, imports from all the major customs points decreased in the review period. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">During the six months of FY 2022/23, merchandise imports from India by paying convertible foreign currency amounted to Rs 60.56 billion. Such an amount was Rs 110.91 billion in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16693', 'image' => '20230207011450_Trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 13:13:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16952', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Yeti Airlines Plane that Crashed in Pokhara did not have Thrust in Engines before Landing', 'sub_title' => 'Probe Panel Completes Analysis of Data Recorder of the Crashed Aircraft of Yeti Airlines ', 'summary' => 'February 7: A preliminary report of a probe panel formed by the government to study the crash of an ATR aircraft belonging to Yeti Airlines in Pokhara on January 15 has found that the ill-fated aircraft did not have any thrust in both the engines while making a final attempt to land at the newly-built Pokhara Regional International Airport, which led to the fatal accident.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 7: A preliminary report of a probe panel formed by the government to study the crash of an ATR aircraft belonging to Yeti Airlines in Pokhara on January 15 has found that the ill-fated aircraft did not have any thrust in both the engines while making a final attempt to land at the newly-built Pokhara Regional International Airport, which led to the fatal accident.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission on Monday revealed that it reached to this conclusion after completing the analysis of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of the ATR-72 aircraft conducted at Singapore-based Transport Safety Investigation Bureau. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The black boxes of the aircraft with call sign 9N-ANC, which crashed in the Seti River gorge near the Pokhara airport killing all 72 people on board last month, were sent to Singapore along with a team of experts for forensic study.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Member-Secretary of the investigation commission, Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, said that a team of aviation experts and commission members during the investigation found that the “propellers of both engines had gone to feathering in the base leg in course of landing” which means that there was no thrust in the engines to push the aircraft ahead. Analysts believe that this led to the aircraft to stall and take a nosedive minutes before it was scheduled to land.</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"">“Study of different flights and technical aspects was carried out at different simulator flights of ATR aircraft in Singapore,” said Lamichhane adding that the commission is carrying out further investigation about technical and human aspects on it. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A press release issued by the commission on Monday states that preparations are underway to come up with a preliminary report along with recommendation to increase aviation safety on the basis of analysis report and data received so far. The commission said that the final report would be published later. </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16691', 'image' => '20230207121550_Yetii.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 12:14:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16951', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NOC Hikes Price of Petroleum Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 7: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of petroleum products including that of diesel, petrol and kerosene. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 7: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of petroleum products including that of diesel, petrol and kerosene. The price of fuel has been increased by Rs 3 per litre to take the retail price of diesel and kerosene at Rs 175 per litre and that of petrol to Rs 178 per litre. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The new price has come into effect from February 7. The price of aviation fuel and cooking cooking gas remains unchanged, reads a statement issued by the NOC on Monday. -- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16690', 'image' => '20230207113831_20210824101943_20210707102647_20190503125003_Petrol-Price-Increase.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 11:36:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16950', 'article_category_id' => '274', 'title' => 'Foreign Exchange Reserves Increases By Ten Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Nepal has witnessed improvement in foreign exchange reserves of late.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: Nepal has witnessed improvement in foreign exchange reserves of late.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The current macroeconomic and financial situation published by the Nepal Rastra Bank on Monday shows that foreign exchange reserve increased by 10 per cent till mid-January 2023 compared to mid-July 2022.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the Nepal Rastra Bank report, foreign exchange reserve increased to Rs 1337.29 billion till mid-January 2023 from Rs 1215.80 billion in mid-July, 2022. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the US Dollar, foreign exchange reserve soared by eight percent to 10.30 billion till mid-January, 2023 from 9.54 billion in mid-July 2022.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Foreign exchange reserve held by Nepal Rastra Bank has also increased. The foreign exchange reserve went up to Rs 1183.37 billion till mid-January 2023 from Rs 1056.39 billion in mid-July 2022. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">However, foreign exchange reserves held by banks and financial institutions (except NRB) have fallen. Foreign exchange reserve shrunk by 3.4 percent from Rs 159.41 billion in mid-July 2022 to 153.91 billion till mid-January 2023.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Indian currency covers 23.6 per cent of the total foreign exchange reserves. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The current foreign exchange reserve is adequate to import merchandise for 10.4 months and merchandise and services for 9.1 months, according to the Nepal Rastra Bank.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-07', 'modified' => '2023-02-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16689', 'image' => '20230207114205_FER - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-07 05:50:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16949', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Economy Shows Slight Improvement with Increase in Remittance Inflow and BOP Surplus ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: Amid speculations of economic slowdown and challenges in the country’s financial situation, some positive signs are visible in the economy except for higher inflation rate. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 6: Amid speculations of economic slowdown and challenges in the country’s financial situation, some positive signs are visible in the economy except for higher inflation rate. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the consumer price inflation was recorded at 7.25 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year compared to 5.65 percent a year ago. Food and beverage inflation stood at 5.62 percent whereas non-food and service inflation rose to 8.57 percent in the review month, the NRB said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Releasing the Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation of the country based on first six months’ data ending mid-January, the NRB said consumer price inflation in the Kathmandu Valley, Terai, Hill and Mountain belts surged to 6.93 percent, 7.49 percent, 7.30 percent and 6.69 percent, respectively. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the central bank said remittance inflows increased by 24.3 percent to Rs 585.08 billion in the review period against a decrease of 5 percent in the same period of the previous year. In the US Dollar terms, remittance inflows increased 13.9 percent to 4.5 billion against a decrease of 5.7 percent in the same period of the previous year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, the number of Nepali workers taking approval for foreign employment increased 64.6 percent to 275,643 in the review period. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, the current account of the government remained at a deficit of Rs 29.47 billion compared to a deficit of Rs 352.16 billion in the same period of the previous year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Furthermore, the Balance of Payments (BOP) remained at a surplus of Rs 97.10 billion in the review period which was at a deficit of Rs 241.23 billion in the same period of the previous year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The country’s gross foreign exchange reserves increased 10 percent to Rs 1337.29 billion in mid-January 2023 from Rs 1215.80 billion in mid-July 2022. In the US dollar terms, the gross foreign exchange reserves increased 8.0 percent to 10.30 billion in mid-January 2023 from 9.54 billion in mid-July 2022. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, former governor of NRB Dipendra Bahadur Kshetri said that the current economic situation of the country should be taken cautiously because we are yet to return to the previous position. The major source of foreign reserve is remittance but we have failed to bring in foreign direct investment and we have not been able to offer an alternative to the import of petroleum products, Kshetri said. “We should promote EVs to reduce the consumption and import of petroleum products.” -- RSS</span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16688', 'image' => '20230206090958_20201228012934_20201106055408_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 21:09:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16948', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Consumer Price Inflation Rises to 7.26 Percent in mid-January: NRB Report', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation increased to 7.26 percent in mid-January 2023 compared to 5.65 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation increased to 7.26 percent in mid-January 2023 compared to 5.65 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report released by NRB on Monday states that the food and beverage inflation stood at 5.62 percent whereas non-food and service inflation rose to 8.57 percent in the review month.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Under the food and beverage category, y-o-y consumer price index of restaurant and hotel sub-category increased 15.56 percent, tobacco products 11.81 percent, milk products and eggs 9.70 percent, cereal grains and their products 9.56 percent and alcoholic drinks 8.84 percent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Under the non-food and services category, y-o-y consumer price index of transportation sub-category increased 16.43 percent, health 11.22 percent, recreation and culture 8.76 percent, miscellaneous goods and services 8.68 percent and furnishing and household equipment 8.33 percent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the review month, consumer price inflation in the Kathmandu Valley, Terai, Hill and Mountain surged to 6.93 percent, 7.49 percent, 7.30 percent and 6.69 percent respectively. Inflation in these regions were 5.28 percent, 6.15 percent, 5.34 percent and 5.22 percent respectively a year ago.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16687', 'image' => '20230206064814_20210924021304_636277035242086786-Inflation.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 18:47:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16947', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Maoists Center’ Aryal Elected National Assembly Vice-chair', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Lawmaker of the CPN (Maoist Centre) Urmila Aryal has been unanimously elected the Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly (NA).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: Lawmaker of the CPN (Maoist Centre) Urmila Aryal has been unanimously elected the Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly (NA). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, Chairperson of the upper house, informed Monday’s NA session about Aryal’s unanimous election to the post of vice-chair since she was the sole candidate to register her candidacy for the post. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The CPN UML lawmaker Debendra Dahal had seconded the proposal to elect Aryal to the post. Dahal had praised her saying that she was capable and qualified candidate for the job. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Speaking at the session of the National Assembly, lawmaker Khim Lal Devkota praised her for having played an important role in women's movement in Nepal. He stressed the need for electing women in the leading positions in other state organs. </span></span><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">State Committee member of the ruling CPN-Maoists center, Aryal had served as the local development minister.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16686', 'image' => '20230206053121_collage - 2023-02-06T163421.733.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 17:29:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16946', 'article_category_id' => '274', 'title' => 'Birgunj Customs Office Fails to Meet Revenue Collection Target', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Import ban and strict provisions in the opening letter of credit (LC) have led to the fall of revenue at Birgunj Customs Office.', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: Import ban and strict provisions in the opening letter of credit (LC) have led to the fall of revenue at Birgunj Customs Office. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Birgunj Customs Office has collected only 61 percent revenue of its total target in the first six months of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The customs office amassed revenue of Rs 76.63 billion against its target of Rs 122.77 billion, according to information officer Ram Chandra Dhakal at the customs office. This is just 61.27 per cent of the total annual revenue target. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Customs office has set the target to collect Rs 261.99 billion in revenue in the current fiscal year. The office has collected only 51 percent revenue of the total annual target so far. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The customs office had collected 93 percent of its total revenue target in the last fiscal year, while 97 per cent revenue was collected in the previous fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The chance of meeting revenue collection target is very low,” said Dhakal. The ban on the import of luxurious goods, and tight provisions to open the letter of credit (LC) have led to fall of the revenue collection.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Despite the lifting of the ban on the import of liquor, mobile phones and vehicles by the government, it would take sometimes for the importers to import these goods by opening LC, which will affect the revenue collection for two more months,” Dhakal informed. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16685', 'image' => '20230206044703_collage - 2023-02-06T161920.611.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 16:44:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16945', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Importing Timber worth Millions due to Policy Hurdles', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: Government data shows that a large amount of wood and timber products are imported every year from abroad.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 6: Government data shows that a large amount of wood and timber products are imported every year from abroad. In the fiscal year (FY) 2077/78, wood and wood products worth Rs 15.18 billion were imported into Nepal. Meanwhile in FY 2078/79, this amount increased to Rs 17.82 billion, where the import of wood alone worth Rs 7.45 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In six months of the current fiscal year (FY 2079/80), wood worth Rs 2.76 billion is already imported. This amount of wood import has shocked many people. Import of such a large amount of wood from abroad when Nepal itself is rich in forest resources, cannot be considered normal. It also points towards the need for a review of the policies adopted by the country.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Ministry of Forests, more than 45 percent of the total land area of Nepal is covered by forests where 41 percent of area has trees and the remaining 4 percent has other plants. According to the business organization involved in this sector, Nepal needs 100 million cubic feet of wood annually. However, in the last FY 2078/79, it seems that only 21.2 million cubic feet of wood was produced from the forests of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kapil Adhikari, chairman of Federation of Forest Based Industry and Trade Nepal (FenFit) says that the problem is mainly policy and procedural hurdles.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, “If the policy hurdle is to be removed, the timber produced in the country can be consumed here and exported abroad as well.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government introduced the Scientific Forest Management Procedure, 2014 to deal with the difficult supply system of wood and the need to import wood from abroad. The procedure mentioned that the forest will be managed in a community, with partnership and pooling approach. After the implementation of the procedure, it was estimated that there would be no need to import wood, but the procedure was canceled in 2020 after complaints of widespread deforestation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Forest management expert Bijay Subedi says that the scientific forest management procedure, 2014 had to be scrapped as the general public did not understand the procedure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said, “It was a good procedure with neither policy error nor implementation problem. Common people took the cutting of forest trees as deforestation. There was a weakness in explaining the real meaning. Later, the procedure was canceled based on the complaints.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the cancellation of the Scientific Forest Management Procedure, 2071, cutting of trees stopped in more than 800 forests of the country for 3 years. The Ministry of Forest prepared the National Standard for Sustainable Forest Management, 2078, to facilitate the supply of wood from forests within the country smoothly. That too is yet to be implemented.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Megh Nath Kafle, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Forest also admits that there is a problem in wood collection and due to the high price of wood while businessmen complain of the problem in distribution. He said, “We formed a team to investigate the issue of wood produced in Nepal not getting a market. A report has been prepared.” He said that all these matters have been delayed due to the lack of ministers and secretaries in the ministry and will go to the implementation stage after their appointment. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16684', 'image' => '20230206040714_timber-harvesting-process.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 16:06:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16944', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sundar Yatayat Decides to Halt Electric Bus Service', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd has decided to halt its electric bus service. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">February 6: Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd has decided to halt its electric bus service. Issuing a statement on Sunday, the company complained that it had to take such a decision due to the lack of cooperation from the government. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the company, it has been almost a year since the Nepal Electricity Authority announced not to collect the demand fee from the EV charging stations, but the decision has not been implemented yet, compelling them to put a full stop to their services. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Earlier, Sundar Yatayat had requested the Government of Nepal, the Electricity Regulatory Commission and NEA to remove the demand fee they have been collecting from the charging stations. Addressing this demand, the commission had decided a year ago not to charge such a fee in the future.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, chairman of Sundar Yatayat, Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, says that the commission is reluctant to implement its own decision, and the company is forced to stop all electric bus services and also to shut down the charging stations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, public and private vehicles powered by electricity will be closed from Monday. He expressed that it is sad for the entire transport sector that the vehicles have to be stopped just because of the lack of cooperation from the government.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16683', 'image' => '20230206013515_20210910123141_20210826022928_20210706023411yatayat.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 13:34:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16943', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Kills at least 2,300 in Turkey, Syria', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: A devastating earthquake early on Monday has flattened buildings and killed at least 100 people in Turkey and Syria as rescuers scramble to search for people trapped in debris.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 6: A devastating earthquake early on Monday has flattened buildings and killed at least 2300 people in Turkey and Syria as rescuers scramble to search for people trapped in debris, according to media reports. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The BBC reported that the powerful hit a wide area in south-eastern Turkey, near the Syrian border.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the US Geological Survey, the 7.8 magnitude tremor struck at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT) at a depth of 11 miles near the city of Gaziantep.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Authorities have confirmed 1,498 casualties in Turkey and 810 in Syria, AFP said in an updated report. Authorities expect the death toll to rise as many people are still trapped inside flattened buildings.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Many buildings have collapsed and rescue teams have been deployed to search for survivors under huge piles of rubble, added the BBC.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the Guardian reported that the death toll is expected to climb substantially higher because the night-time disaster flattened dozens of apartment blocks across major cities.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Tremors were felt as far as Lebanon, Greece, Israel and the island of Cyprus,” the Guardian reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to media reports, there are around 5,000 Nepalis in Turkey and majority of them are undocumented workers. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Department of Immigration told New Business Age that they do not have the exact number of Nepalis currently living in Turkey.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It may be noted that Turkish aid agencies had sent a search and rescue team to help Nepal in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on its official website.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the ministry, Nepal exports carpets, pashmina and handicraft items to Turkey while it imports food items and machineries from there.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal and Turkey signed an Air Service Agreement in September 2010, opening a new avenue connecting Europe and Nepal. Turkish Airlines has been operating direct flights between Kathmandu and Istanbul from 2013, added the ministry.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16682', 'image' => '20230206120828_1675651039earthquakreturkey.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 12:06:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16942', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '17th Food Festival in Sauraha on the occasion of Valentine’s Day ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 6: The 17th food festival is going to be organised in Sauraha of Chitwan on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 6: The 17th food festival is going to be organised in Sauraha of Chitwan on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN) is organising the food festival on the street of Sauraha from February 12-14. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Programme coordinator Dhurba Giri shared that different types of local and foreign foods would be kept in the food festival. Similarly, local art, culture and attires would also be put on display in the festival. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Arrangement would be made where one can enjoy foods and cultural programmes on the street from Hattichowk to Dyak, added Giri. Likewise, art and culture of indigenous nationalities would also be performed in the evening every day during the festival. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The organiser is expecting around 5,000 tourists to attend the festival and transaction worth Rs 30 million every day during the festival. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The proceeds from the fair will be used for educational support to the poor and intelligent students while the organisers said priority would be given to lessen the use of plastic-made products with an objective of reducing environmental pollution. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-02-06', 'modified' => '2023-02-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16681', 'image' => '20230206114026_sauraha - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-02-06 11:39:37', '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
