December 25: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has appointed CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal as the new prime…
December 25: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has appointed CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal as the new prime…
December 25: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has launched a digital financial literacy programme from Darchula of Sudurpaschim…
December 25: The Kathmandu Valley Development Authority has started preparing an integrated master plan for the development of the Kathmandu Valley comprising three…
December 25: Amid concerns about rising cases of Covid-19 in China, the Government of Nepal has made it clear that no new variant of coronavirus has been detected in Nepal so…
December 25: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to study cartel in domestic…
December 25: The Christian community is celebrating Christmas Day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity today (December…
LG Air Solutions Conclave concluded at Hotel Aloft, Kathmandu last…
December 23: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) held a discussion with a visiting delegation of industrialists and businessmen of Bangladesh to facilitate trade between the two…
December 23: Nepali citiznes who are employed abroad along with informal sector workers will also be able to participate in the social security scheme of the government from April 14.…
December 23: Industrialists of eastern Nepal staged a sit-in for six hours in front of Province 1 office of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) in Biratnagar on…
December 23: The gap in consumer prices (inflation) between Nepal and India is increasing noticeably.…
December 23: The 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nepal Investment Bank Limited (NIBL) on Thursday endorsed the proposal for a merger of the bank with Mega…
December 23: As Pokhara Regional International Airport is getting ready for flights from January 1, domestic as well as international airlines have shown interest in starting services from this…
December 23: The government has prepared a strategic action plan for the Visit Nepal Decade (2023-2032) with a target to bring in 3.5 million tourists and create 1 million additional jobs in the country’s tourism…
December 23: India has partially lifted the ban on export of wheat to Nepal.…
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has appointed CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal as the new prime minister. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Dahal was appointed the PM as per Article 76 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal, the President stated in a press release issued on Sunday evening. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This is the third time Chairman Dahal has become the prime minister of Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Article 76 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal states “in cases where no party has a clear majority in the House of Representatives, the president shall appoint as the prime minister a member of the House of Representatives who can command majority with the support of two or more parties in the House of Representatives.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist Centre), Rastriya Swatantra Party Nepal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party and Janata Samajwadi Party, and three independent Members of Parliament (MPs) have supported Dahal’s premiership. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The newly-appointed prime minister would be sworn in on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, the president had given a weeklong time for the political parties to form a new government after the results of the November 20 election was unveiled by the Election Commission. The deadline given by the president expired at 5:00 pm Sunday. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16340', 'image' => '20221225072858_RSS-KTM-PMDabiDahal.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 19:28:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16598', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NRB Launches Campaign to Strengthen Digital Financial Literacy ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has launched a digital financial literacy programme from Darchula of Sudurpaschim Province. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has launched a digital financial literacy programme from Darchula of Sudurpaschim Province. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the central bank, the programme was launched amidst a function at Khalanga, the district headquarters, on December 24. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, NRB Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari said that the volume of electronic transaction has significantly increased of late and the literacy campaign aimed to further promote the digital transactions is being carried out to facilitate the general public. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“Transactions of over Rs 4.2 million were done using QR Code in a month alone and this trend itself is encouraging,” he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Terming digital transactions as the ‘benchmark for transparency and credibility’, the NRB Governor was of the view that it would help prevent corruption and promote good governance. He insisted on the need of further strengthening electronic payment system for the effective enforcement of ‘Digital Nepal Framework’, and urged the users to remain alert to possible risk in course of digital transactions. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Delivering a welcome speech on the occasion, NRB Payment Systems Department executive director Guru Prasad Poudel talked about objectives and relevance of digital financial literacy programmes. He briefed about the current scenario of electronic payment system and its indicators in Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Director at the Office of NRB Governor, Ajit Regmi, presented a paper on the occasion shedding light on different dimensions of digital transactions including its basic features, relevance, merits and possible risks. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The central bank has adopted a policy of promoting the digital payment system in the days ahead. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16339', 'image' => '20221225012256_digital payment.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 13:22:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16597', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Integrated Masterplan for Kathmandu Valley in the Making ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: The Kathmandu Valley Development Authority has started preparing an integrated master plan for the development of the Kathmandu Valley comprising three districts. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: The Kathmandu Valley Development Authority has started preparing an integrated master plan for the development of the Kathmandu Valley comprising three districts. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This plan is included in the annual plan and programme of the government in the current fiscal year as well. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nest Jiyocon Paragon JV has been awarded the contract for preparing the integrated masterplan, said the authority's information officer engineer Saurav Dhakal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Dhakal was confident that the Kathmandu Valley could be made clean, green and beautiful after implementation of the masterplan while all 18 municipalities within the Valley will feel more convenient to deliver. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The local level in those municipalities will be responsibility to implement the masterplan too, the authority said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A total of Rs 90 million has been allocated for preparing the integrated masterplan that commenced a month ago. The deadline for preparing the masterplan is 15 months from the time of commencement, according to the authority. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16338', 'image' => '20221225012059_Kathmandu Valley.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 13:20:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16596', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'No New Variant of Coronavirus Detected in Nepal: Health Ministry ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: Amid concerns about rising cases of Covid-19 in China, the Government of Nepal has made it clear that no new variant of coronavirus has been detected in Nepal so far.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: Amid concerns about rising cases of Covid-19 in China, the Government of Nepal has made it clear that no new variant of coronavirus has been detected in Nepal so far.</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"">Issuing a press statement on Saturday, the ministry said that the BF7 variant of coronavirus has not been found in Nepal. However, the ministry has urged the general public to maintain standard health protocols such as using face masks, hand sanitizers, washing hands and avoiding crowds while celebrating Christmas and New Year.</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"">Joint Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, said that the gene sequencing of the samples collected from various parts of the country during a month did not show the BF7 variant. </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"">“Only the omicron variant was found while testing 48 samples at the National Public Health Laboratory,” said Adhikari. </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 ministry warned that the new variant of coronavirus spreads rapidly and urged the public to take booster dose. The ministry has urged the people to contact the nearest health facilities to get the booster dose if they haven’t taken the booster dose yet.</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 ministry further said it would increase vigilance and coordinate with the neighbouring country to curb the possible spread of the virus.</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"">China has already reported massive outbreak of the new variant in many parts of the country while neighbouring India has reportedly confirmed the presence of the new variant. As Nepal shares open border with India, it is only a matter of time before the virus gets detected in Nepal. The ministry has advised prevention as the best way to tackle with the outbreak.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16337', 'image' => '20221225122411_health.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 12:23:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16595', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Ministry Directs CAAN to Study Airfare Cartel ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to study cartel in domestic flights. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to study cartel in domestic flights. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministry has asked the CAAN to study the matter after it was learnt that Buddha Air , Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines and Saurya Airlines fixed airfare in cahoots with each other. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Joint-Secretary at the ministry, Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, said they had asked the CAAN to study the issue of cartel. Ministry has warned of initiating action if the airline companies are found to be involved in cartel. He assured that such activities would be controlled. According to Lamichhane, air fare cannot not be determined in collusion with each other in the open market and liberal economy. The National Planning Commission is also studying the issue of cartel in the domestic airlines companies. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A committee has been formed under the coordination of NPC member Dr Ram Kumar Phunyal to carry out a study on carteling. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The airlines companies have been accused of being involved in syndicate while fixing the air fares. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16336', 'image' => '20221225104752_Airport.width-1024.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 10:46:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16594', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Christmas Day being Observed Today ', 'sub_title' => 'Government Announces Public Holiday on the Occasion of Christmas', 'summary' => 'December 25: The Christian community is celebrating Christmas Day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity today (December 25).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: The Christian community is celebrating Christmas Day in Nepal to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity today (December 25). Jesus Christ is believed to have been born in Bethlehem, Israel some 2022 years ago on December 25. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">President of the Nepal Christian Federation, CB Gahatraj, says that Jesus Christ gave three main things including salvation, love and peace, and the Christian community celebrates this day for all the three things. </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"">“Today is celebrated as Love Day for those who came to love people, Peace Day for those who came to establish peace, and Liberation Day for those who came for liberation.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The federation has been leading Christmas celebrations in Nepal since 2063 B.S. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, the government also has announced a public holiday today. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The federation is hosting a Christmas Festival 2079 event this afternoon where government representatives, human rights activists and the people from all walks of life will be present, Gahatraj said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Thamel, Bouddha, Pokhara, Sauraha and other tourist destinations in the country see a large footfall of people today to celebrate the Christmas festival. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16335', 'image' => '20221225103942_christmas-traditions-gettyimages-487756624.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 10:38:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16593', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'LG Organizes AC Solutions Conclave-2022 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'LG Air Solutions Conclave concluded at Hotel Aloft, Kathmandu last Friday. ', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">December 23: LG Air Solutions Conclave concluded at Hotel Aloft, Kathmandu last Friday. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">The LG Air Solutions Conclave was organized with an objective to inform participants and dignitaries about the business of the LG Air Solutions and their usage. </span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">The conclave was divided into two sessions. In the first session, LG Electronics representatives Mr. Seoyeon Choi, Jason Pok and Juno Lim gave presentations on different LG products. <br /> Similarly, Mr. Bibek Gyawali from CG Electronics gave a presentation on the footprint and future plans of Air Solutions in Nepal. The major attractions of this event were Multi VRF, Air Purifier, Dehumidifier, Round Cassette AC, Interactive Display, Digital Signage, etc. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">The second session of LG Air Solutions Conclave featured a discussion on "Role of Technology in Energy Transition". Various industry experts had taken part in the discussion.</span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">Mr. Nirvana Chaudhary, Managing Director of Chaudhary Group, H.V.A.C Consultant Mr. Ravindra Nath Bhattarai, Assistant Director of Alternative Energy Promotion Center Ms. Shubalakshmi Shrestha, Urban Planner Architect Mr. Bibhuti Man Singh, Mr. Seoyeon Choi from LG Korea and Assistant Professor of Kathmandu University put forward their views in the discussion. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"> His Excellency Mr. Park Chong Suk, Ambassador of South Korea to Nepal attended the second session of the event. </span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">Chaudhary Group has been partnering with LG for more than three decades. CG has been doing Air Solutions business for more than a decade in Nepal. </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16334', 'image' => '20221223050618_collage (19).jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 17:02:12', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16592', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NCC Discusses Trade Facilitation with Bangladeshi Businessmen', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) held a discussion with a visiting delegation of industrialists and businessmen of Bangladesh to facilitate trade between the two countries.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) held a discussion with a visiting delegation of industrialists and businessmen of Bangladesh to facilitate trade between the two countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During the discussion about increasing commercial activities of the chamber with their Bangladeshi counterparts, the NCC said that commercial activities should be increased by developing road and air infrastructure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Also, on the occasion of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Bangladesh, the business representatives of the two countries reached an agreement to cooperate in the fields of energy, tourism, and industry. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rajendra Malla, the president of NCC said, “There has been a tripartite agreement between Nepal, India and Bangladesh for energy trade. We call for investment along with its effective implementation.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">President Malla said that the relationship between Nepal and Bangladesh should be expanded from the citizens' side by expanding air connectivity. Regarding the fact that Nepal's trade deficit with Bangladesh is high, he emphasized on the need to search for items with export potential. As Nepal has the potential to reduce the trade deficit through energy trade, he requested for its facilitation and investment in electricity.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Regarding the high demand of energy in Bangladesh, there was a bilateral discussion on various options to export electricity from Nepal. Although there is an agreement on energy trade between Nepal, Bangladesh and India, it has not been practically implemented.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Malla requested the businessmen of Bangladesh to invest in hydropower in Nepal along with the facilitation of electricity trade. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Morol Humayun Kabir, senior vice president of Bangladesh's Chamber of Commerce and Industry emphasized on the need to develop road infrastructure to facilitate trade between the two countries. He said that both the countries should take initiative to connect the air route as well as the land route. Kabir said that they are ready for investment in energy, tourism and other sectors in Nepal, but the chamber should take initiatives for policy facilitation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16333', 'image' => '20221223010733_1671761823.collage (7).jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 13:07:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16590', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'SSF to Include Informal Sector Workers from April 14', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: Nepali citiznes who are employed abroad along with informal sector workers will also be able to participate in the social security scheme of the government from April 14. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: Nepali citiznes who are employed abroad along with informal sector workers will also be able to participate in the social security scheme of the government from April 14. For this, the government has issued the Social Security Scheme Operation Procedure 2079.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Labor Minister Sher Bahadur Kunwar informed that the scheme will start from April 14. The Ministry of Labor had initially planned to make this announcement on November 27. However, as Minister Kunwar was busy with the House of Representatives elections, the announcement process was delayed. Social Security Fund organized a program on December 20 and formally announced the plan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the procedures endorsed by the Ministry, Nepali workers in foreign employment will have to contribute 21.33 percent of the minimum basic salary set by the Nepalese government. The government of Nepal has fixed the minimum basic salary of workers in the industrial sector at Rs 15,000.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, 7.44 percent of the contribution amount made by the workers will be allocated for the Accident and Disability Protection Plan and the Dependent Family Protection Plan. Likewise, 13.25 percent amount will be allocated for old-age security scheme. People on foreign employment can contribute up to three times the minimum basic wage set for workers in the industrial sector in the scheme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kapilmani Gyawali, executive director of the Social Security Fund said that they will get most of the facilities received by the workers in the formal sector. Medicines, Health and Maternity Protection Scheme, Accident and Disability Protection Scheme, Dependent Family Protection Scheme and Old Age Protection Scheme will be available for contributors from the informal sector and those who are self-employed.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Workers in the informal sector and self-employed persons must contribute for at least 9 months to get benefits from the scheme. However, in order to get the benefits of the old age security scheme, the contributor must have ended their foreign employment or self-employment and returned to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">If informal sector workers and self-employed contributors need to be treated in a hospital, the cost of treatment will be provided by health facilities. Such amount will be paid directly to the concerned hospital. The medical expenses of the contributor's wife and newborn child will also be provided through health facilities. Contributors except those who need to be hospitalized and treated will be given facilities up to Rs 25,000 per year according to the doctor's prescription. In case of female contributor or male contributor's wife giving birth, an amount equal to the minimum basic salary of one month per child will be provided for child care.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16332', 'image' => '20221223122729_SSF (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 12:26:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16591', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Industrialists Stage Six-Hour Sit-in at NRB Office in Biratnagar', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: Industrialists of eastern Nepal staged a sit-in for six hours in front of Province 1 office of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) in Biratnagar on Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 23: Industrialists of eastern Nepal staged a sit-in for six hours in front of Province 1 office of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) in Biratnagar on Thursday. The sit-in protest was held from 10 am to 4 pm against the central’ bank’s reluctance to lower the exorbitant interest rates of banks.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Altogether 42 organisations of businessmen had picketed the NRB office in Biratnagar at the request of Morang Merchant’s Association, Chamber of Industries Morang and Province 1 chapter of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">President of Morang Merchant’s Association Naveen Rijal informed that the protest programme will continue until their demands are addressed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Rijal, the rally that started at 9:30 am on Thursday circled the city and reached the NRB office at 10 am. He warned that they will launch stern protests if their demands are not fulfilled.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Rijal argued that the monetary policy of Nepal Rastra Bank had put the industrialists and businessmen in difficult situation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He said that the protest will continue until the central bank lowers the interest rate to single digit, maintains the spread rate at 2 percent and scraps the Current Working Capital Guidelines.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">President of Province 1 chapter of CNI Bhim Ghimire accused the central bank of acting as a feudal lord despite championing liberal economy. He said that the banks and financial institutions have been looting the general public with the backing of the central bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, Vice President of the Chamber of Industries Morang Pradeep Muraraka said that although the NRB has reviewed its monetary policy and maintained the spread rate at 4 percent on papers, the decision is yet to be implemented.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He claimed that the central bank was responsible for the high interest rates.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Likewise, former president of Morang Merchant’s Association Prakash Mundada said that the government intends to “break the backbone” of the industrialists by maintaining high interest rates.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16331', 'image' => '20221223010054_1671757726.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 13:00:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16589', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inflation in Nepal Higher than India', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: The gap in consumer prices (inflation) between Nepal and India is increasing noticeably. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: The gap in consumer prices (inflation) between Nepal and India is increasing noticeably. Inflation is decreasing in India compared to that of Nepal but the gap is increasing due to the inabilityof Nepal to control inflation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Nepal Rastra Bank, by mid-August of the current financial year, the consumer price inflation in Nepal was only 1.26 percentage points higher than in India. However, by mid-November, Nepal's inflation was 2.2 percentage points higher than that of India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">By mid-August, the inflation in Nepal was 8.26 percent while it was only 7 percent in India. By mid-November, Nepal's inflation fell to 8.08 percent, while that of India dropped to 5.88 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nar Bahadur Thapa, former executive director of NRB said, “Since the Indian government's public distribution system is very much organized, it has controlled the price hike to a large extent. If the inflation in India was not brought under control, inflation in Nepal would have reached double digits.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Since the consumer price inflation is based on the price of agricultural produce and consumer goods, the price hike in Nepal depends on imports. Economist Haribol Kafle said that since most of the consumer goods are imported in Nepal, the inflation in Nepal is affected by inflation in neighbouring India. Kafle claimed that the production and distribution system of consumer goods in India is well organized and the price hike is low due to the practice of subsidizing low-income consumers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In Nepal, the consumer price inflation remained at 8.08 percent in mid-November 2022 compared to 6.04 percent a year ago. Food and beverage inflation stood at 7.38 percent whereas non-food and service inflation rose to 8.63 percent in the review month. Meanwhile, the wholesale price inflation increased 10.02 percent in the review month compared to 6.68 percent a year ago.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking at additional data from NRB, imports decreased 18.1 percent, exports decreased 33.3 percent and trade deficit decreased 15.9 percent. Similarly, remittances increased 20.4 percent while the Balance of Payments remained at a surplus of Rs 20.03 billion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16330', 'image' => '20221223122624_Inflation.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 12:25:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16588', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '36th AGM of NIBL Endorses Proposal to Merge the Bank with Mega Bank', 'sub_title' => 'NIBL Endorses 11 Percent Dividend to its Shareholders ', 'summary' => 'December 23: The 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nepal Investment Bank Limited (NIBL) on Thursday endorsed the proposal for a merger of the bank with Mega Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 23: The 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nepal Investment Bank Limited (NIBL) on Thursday endorsed the proposal for a merger of the bank with Mega Bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank informed that they will soon launch integrated transactions following the conclusion of the merger process. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">NIBL and Mega Bank had signed a final draft of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for merger in late November. As per the deadline set by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the banks can go for merger till January 6, 2023 to receive benefits announced by the central bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to merger committee member Gopal Khanal, who is also a member of the Board of Directors of Mega Bank, they plan to merge and launch integrated transactions within the deadline given by the central bank. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The banks signed a preliminary merger agreement with a swap ratio of 100: 90 on June 10. One unit of share of the NIBL will be equivalent to 0.90 of Mega Bank. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">NIBL has a paid-up capital is Rs 18.31 billion while that of Mega Bank is Rs 16.2 billion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Following the merger, the new entity is to be named Nepal Investment Mega Bank and Prithvi Bahadur Pande will be its chair and Jyoti Pandey the Chief Executive Officer. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, NIBL’s AGM also endorsed the proposal to distribute 11 percent dividend to its shareholders. The dividend endorsed by the bank includes four percent bonus share and seven percent cash dividend. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NIBL with Rs 19 billion market capitalisation earned Rs 6.2 billion in operational profit, and Rs 3.7 billion in net profit in the last fiscal year (FY 2021/22). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank’s deposit collection has slightly increased and stood at Rs 186.7 billion in the last FY against Rs 179.4 billion in the FY 2020/21. Similarly, its credit flow has also gone up slightly to reach Rs 164.8 billion in the same period as compared to Rs 161.9 billion in the FY 2020/21. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16329', 'image' => '20221223115152_20221129052420_20220713054958_merger.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 11:50:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16587', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Companies Interested in Operating Flights To and From Pokhara Int'l Airport', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: As Pokhara Regional International Airport is getting ready for flights from January 1, domestic as well as international airlines have shown interest in starting services from this airport.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: As Pokhara Regional International Airport is getting ready for flights from January 1, domestic as well as international airlines have shown interest in starting services from this airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal's Himalaya Airlines, along with Jazeera Airways, which have started flights from the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, have shown interest to operate flights to and from Pokhara Regional International Airport. With the airport all set to operate from the English New Year, Buddha Air, a leading Nepali private sector air service company, has already prepared a schedule to fly its aircraft from the airport to various destinations in India. However, other companies have just started showing interest to operate flights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Head of Pokhara Airport Office, Bikramraj Gautam, informed that Himalaya Airlines, Jazeera, Thai Smile and Qatar Airways have shown interests in operating international flights from this airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He says that since the international airport will be operational from January 1, companies are coming in for inquiries. Similarly, Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines each conducted a test flight on Thursday. Buddha Air is also preparing to operate night flights as well as international flights from the airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Yeti, which is preparing to operate domestic flights from the airport, also conducted a demo flight on Thursday. Yeti Airlines spokesperson Sudarshan Bartaula said that the airlines has not yet made any preparations for international flights from this airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The construction of the airport – a national pride project – which started in 2010 was set to be completed in 4 years. However, the construction started only after the loan agreement between the Government of Nepal and the Government of China in February 2016. Although the target was to complete the works by the year 2020, it was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => 'Pokhara, International, Airport, Hiamalya, Airlines, Qatar, Jazeera, Airways, Buddha, Yeti, Air, operate, flight', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16328', 'image' => '20221223113701_himalaya.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 11:36:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16586', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Comes up with Strategic Action Plan for Visit Nepal Decade ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: The government has prepared a strategic action plan for the Visit Nepal Decade (2023-2032) with a target to bring in 3.5 million tourists and create 1 million additional jobs in the country’s tourism industry. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 23: The government has prepared a strategic action plan for the Visit Nepal Decade (2023-2032) with a target to bring in 3.5 million tourists and create 1 million additional jobs in the country’s tourism industry. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The action plan also aims to revive the tourism industry affected by Covid-19 to the pre-pandemic stage within two years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A five-member taskforce formed by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation under the leadership of tourism expert Prachandaman Shrestha submitted its report to Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha on Thursday suggesting the government to conduct tourism promotional events in all seasons in the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Upon receiving the report, Minister Shrestha said that the concept of tourism decade was proposed realizing the need for a long-lasting idea for tourism revival as the country’s tourism sector suffered badly due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the past three years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister Shrestha also expressed confidence that the Visit Nepal Decade would help establish Nepal as a leading destination in the global tourism market. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The action plan has incorporated integrating Nepal’s geographic, natural, environmental, social, cultural and religious diversities with the tourism sector and declare special touristic sites on the basis of tourism feasibility while developing infrastructures in this sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, public, private and community sector’s cooperation and partnership is highlighted in the action plan for the promotion and development of the tourism sector. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => 'tourism, action, plan, strategic, Nepal, government, decade, pandemic, Covid-19', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16327', 'image' => '20221223104831_tournba.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 10:47:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16585', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India Lifts Ban on Wheat Export to Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: India has partially lifted the ban on export of wheat to Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 23: India has partially lifted the ban on export of wheat to Nepal. The southern neighbour had imposed a ban on export of wheat seven months ago in a bid to protect its domestic industry in the wake of Russia-Ukraine war.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that India imposed a ban on wheat exports on April 14 due to the decline in domestic production. Despite the ban, New Delhi said that wheat will be exported to the countries that are in need of food security by setting quotas.</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"">Although the flour industries of Nepal require 600,000 metric tons of wheat annually, India has decided to export 50,000 tons of wheat to Nepal.</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 Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India on Wednesday decided to export wheat to Nepal upon request from the Government of Nepal.</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 Government of Nepal had requested India to lift the ban on export of wheat arguing that the product was being smuggled into Nepal in huge quantities despite the ban. </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"">Following the request of Nepal, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India on Wednesday permitted the export of 50,000 tonnes of wheat till March 31, 2023, the state-owned national news agency of Nepal (RSS) reported.</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"">India has asked Nepal to submit the details regarding the quantity of wheat it requires.</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 traders in Nepal were forced to buy wheat in the black market as the price soared with the ban. The price had increased by 30 to 40 percent,” RSS added. Around 32 flour mills had to be closed due to the unavailability of wheat.</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"">India is the world's second largest wheat producer after China. Wheat supply through the Black Sea is now halted due to tensions between Russia, the third largest producer of wheat, and Ukraine, the eighth largest producer. This time, India imposed a ban on exports citing the decline in wheat production in India due to the scorching heat of March as well as the Russia-Ukraine war. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => 'wheat, ban, Nepal, India, Russia, Ukraine, export, smuggling', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16326', 'image' => '20221223101226_wheatttttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 10:10:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, '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><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has appointed CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal as the new prime minister. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Dahal was appointed the PM as per Article 76 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal, the President stated in a press release issued on Sunday evening. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This is the third time Chairman Dahal has become the prime minister of Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Article 76 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal states “in cases where no party has a clear majority in the House of Representatives, the president shall appoint as the prime minister a member of the House of Representatives who can command majority with the support of two or more parties in the House of Representatives.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist Centre), Rastriya Swatantra Party Nepal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party and Janata Samajwadi Party, and three independent Members of Parliament (MPs) have supported Dahal’s premiership. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The newly-appointed prime minister would be sworn in on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, the president had given a weeklong time for the political parties to form a new government after the results of the November 20 election was unveiled by the Election Commission. The deadline given by the president expired at 5:00 pm Sunday. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16340', 'image' => '20221225072858_RSS-KTM-PMDabiDahal.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 19:28:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16598', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NRB Launches Campaign to Strengthen Digital Financial Literacy ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has launched a digital financial literacy programme from Darchula of Sudurpaschim Province. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has launched a digital financial literacy programme from Darchula of Sudurpaschim Province. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the central bank, the programme was launched amidst a function at Khalanga, the district headquarters, on December 24. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, NRB Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari said that the volume of electronic transaction has significantly increased of late and the literacy campaign aimed to further promote the digital transactions is being carried out to facilitate the general public. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“Transactions of over Rs 4.2 million were done using QR Code in a month alone and this trend itself is encouraging,” he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Terming digital transactions as the ‘benchmark for transparency and credibility’, the NRB Governor was of the view that it would help prevent corruption and promote good governance. He insisted on the need of further strengthening electronic payment system for the effective enforcement of ‘Digital Nepal Framework’, and urged the users to remain alert to possible risk in course of digital transactions. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Delivering a welcome speech on the occasion, NRB Payment Systems Department executive director Guru Prasad Poudel talked about objectives and relevance of digital financial literacy programmes. He briefed about the current scenario of electronic payment system and its indicators in Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Director at the Office of NRB Governor, Ajit Regmi, presented a paper on the occasion shedding light on different dimensions of digital transactions including its basic features, relevance, merits and possible risks. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The central bank has adopted a policy of promoting the digital payment system in the days ahead. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16339', 'image' => '20221225012256_digital payment.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 13:22:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16597', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Integrated Masterplan for Kathmandu Valley in the Making ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: The Kathmandu Valley Development Authority has started preparing an integrated master plan for the development of the Kathmandu Valley comprising three districts. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: The Kathmandu Valley Development Authority has started preparing an integrated master plan for the development of the Kathmandu Valley comprising three districts. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This plan is included in the annual plan and programme of the government in the current fiscal year as well. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nest Jiyocon Paragon JV has been awarded the contract for preparing the integrated masterplan, said the authority's information officer engineer Saurav Dhakal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Dhakal was confident that the Kathmandu Valley could be made clean, green and beautiful after implementation of the masterplan while all 18 municipalities within the Valley will feel more convenient to deliver. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The local level in those municipalities will be responsibility to implement the masterplan too, the authority said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A total of Rs 90 million has been allocated for preparing the integrated masterplan that commenced a month ago. The deadline for preparing the masterplan is 15 months from the time of commencement, according to the authority. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16338', 'image' => '20221225012059_Kathmandu Valley.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 13:20:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16596', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'No New Variant of Coronavirus Detected in Nepal: Health Ministry ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: Amid concerns about rising cases of Covid-19 in China, the Government of Nepal has made it clear that no new variant of coronavirus has been detected in Nepal so far.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: Amid concerns about rising cases of Covid-19 in China, the Government of Nepal has made it clear that no new variant of coronavirus has been detected in Nepal so far.</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"">Issuing a press statement on Saturday, the ministry said that the BF7 variant of coronavirus has not been found in Nepal. However, the ministry has urged the general public to maintain standard health protocols such as using face masks, hand sanitizers, washing hands and avoiding crowds while celebrating Christmas and New Year.</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"">Joint Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, said that the gene sequencing of the samples collected from various parts of the country during a month did not show the BF7 variant. </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"">“Only the omicron variant was found while testing 48 samples at the National Public Health Laboratory,” said Adhikari. </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 ministry warned that the new variant of coronavirus spreads rapidly and urged the public to take booster dose. The ministry has urged the people to contact the nearest health facilities to get the booster dose if they haven’t taken the booster dose yet.</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 ministry further said it would increase vigilance and coordinate with the neighbouring country to curb the possible spread of the virus.</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"">China has already reported massive outbreak of the new variant in many parts of the country while neighbouring India has reportedly confirmed the presence of the new variant. As Nepal shares open border with India, it is only a matter of time before the virus gets detected in Nepal. The ministry has advised prevention as the best way to tackle with the outbreak.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16337', 'image' => '20221225122411_health.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 12:23:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16595', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Ministry Directs CAAN to Study Airfare Cartel ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to study cartel in domestic flights. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to study cartel in domestic flights. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministry has asked the CAAN to study the matter after it was learnt that Buddha Air , Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines and Saurya Airlines fixed airfare in cahoots with each other. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Joint-Secretary at the ministry, Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, said they had asked the CAAN to study the issue of cartel. Ministry has warned of initiating action if the airline companies are found to be involved in cartel. He assured that such activities would be controlled. According to Lamichhane, air fare cannot not be determined in collusion with each other in the open market and liberal economy. The National Planning Commission is also studying the issue of cartel in the domestic airlines companies. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A committee has been formed under the coordination of NPC member Dr Ram Kumar Phunyal to carry out a study on carteling. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The airlines companies have been accused of being involved in syndicate while fixing the air fares. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16336', 'image' => '20221225104752_Airport.width-1024.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 10:46:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16594', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Christmas Day being Observed Today ', 'sub_title' => 'Government Announces Public Holiday on the Occasion of Christmas', 'summary' => 'December 25: The Christian community is celebrating Christmas Day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity today (December 25).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: The Christian community is celebrating Christmas Day in Nepal to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity today (December 25). Jesus Christ is believed to have been born in Bethlehem, Israel some 2022 years ago on December 25. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">President of the Nepal Christian Federation, CB Gahatraj, says that Jesus Christ gave three main things including salvation, love and peace, and the Christian community celebrates this day for all the three things. </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"">“Today is celebrated as Love Day for those who came to love people, Peace Day for those who came to establish peace, and Liberation Day for those who came for liberation.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The federation has been leading Christmas celebrations in Nepal since 2063 B.S. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, the government also has announced a public holiday today. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The federation is hosting a Christmas Festival 2079 event this afternoon where government representatives, human rights activists and the people from all walks of life will be present, Gahatraj said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Thamel, Bouddha, Pokhara, Sauraha and other tourist destinations in the country see a large footfall of people today to celebrate the Christmas festival. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16335', 'image' => '20221225103942_christmas-traditions-gettyimages-487756624.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 10:38:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16593', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'LG Organizes AC Solutions Conclave-2022 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'LG Air Solutions Conclave concluded at Hotel Aloft, Kathmandu last Friday. ', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">December 23: LG Air Solutions Conclave concluded at Hotel Aloft, Kathmandu last Friday. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">The LG Air Solutions Conclave was organized with an objective to inform participants and dignitaries about the business of the LG Air Solutions and their usage. </span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">The conclave was divided into two sessions. In the first session, LG Electronics representatives Mr. Seoyeon Choi, Jason Pok and Juno Lim gave presentations on different LG products. <br /> Similarly, Mr. Bibek Gyawali from CG Electronics gave a presentation on the footprint and future plans of Air Solutions in Nepal. The major attractions of this event were Multi VRF, Air Purifier, Dehumidifier, Round Cassette AC, Interactive Display, Digital Signage, etc. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">The second session of LG Air Solutions Conclave featured a discussion on "Role of Technology in Energy Transition". Various industry experts had taken part in the discussion.</span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">Mr. Nirvana Chaudhary, Managing Director of Chaudhary Group, H.V.A.C Consultant Mr. Ravindra Nath Bhattarai, Assistant Director of Alternative Energy Promotion Center Ms. Shubalakshmi Shrestha, Urban Planner Architect Mr. Bibhuti Man Singh, Mr. Seoyeon Choi from LG Korea and Assistant Professor of Kathmandu University put forward their views in the discussion. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"> His Excellency Mr. Park Chong Suk, Ambassador of South Korea to Nepal attended the second session of the event. </span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">Chaudhary Group has been partnering with LG for more than three decades. CG has been doing Air Solutions business for more than a decade in Nepal. </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16334', 'image' => '20221223050618_collage (19).jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 17:02:12', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16592', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NCC Discusses Trade Facilitation with Bangladeshi Businessmen', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) held a discussion with a visiting delegation of industrialists and businessmen of Bangladesh to facilitate trade between the two countries.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) held a discussion with a visiting delegation of industrialists and businessmen of Bangladesh to facilitate trade between the two countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During the discussion about increasing commercial activities of the chamber with their Bangladeshi counterparts, the NCC said that commercial activities should be increased by developing road and air infrastructure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Also, on the occasion of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Bangladesh, the business representatives of the two countries reached an agreement to cooperate in the fields of energy, tourism, and industry. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rajendra Malla, the president of NCC said, “There has been a tripartite agreement between Nepal, India and Bangladesh for energy trade. We call for investment along with its effective implementation.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">President Malla said that the relationship between Nepal and Bangladesh should be expanded from the citizens' side by expanding air connectivity. Regarding the fact that Nepal's trade deficit with Bangladesh is high, he emphasized on the need to search for items with export potential. As Nepal has the potential to reduce the trade deficit through energy trade, he requested for its facilitation and investment in electricity.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Regarding the high demand of energy in Bangladesh, there was a bilateral discussion on various options to export electricity from Nepal. Although there is an agreement on energy trade between Nepal, Bangladesh and India, it has not been practically implemented.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Malla requested the businessmen of Bangladesh to invest in hydropower in Nepal along with the facilitation of electricity trade. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Morol Humayun Kabir, senior vice president of Bangladesh's Chamber of Commerce and Industry emphasized on the need to develop road infrastructure to facilitate trade between the two countries. He said that both the countries should take initiative to connect the air route as well as the land route. Kabir said that they are ready for investment in energy, tourism and other sectors in Nepal, but the chamber should take initiatives for policy facilitation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16333', 'image' => '20221223010733_1671761823.collage (7).jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 13:07:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16590', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'SSF to Include Informal Sector Workers from April 14', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: Nepali citiznes who are employed abroad along with informal sector workers will also be able to participate in the social security scheme of the government from April 14. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: Nepali citiznes who are employed abroad along with informal sector workers will also be able to participate in the social security scheme of the government from April 14. For this, the government has issued the Social Security Scheme Operation Procedure 2079.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Labor Minister Sher Bahadur Kunwar informed that the scheme will start from April 14. The Ministry of Labor had initially planned to make this announcement on November 27. However, as Minister Kunwar was busy with the House of Representatives elections, the announcement process was delayed. Social Security Fund organized a program on December 20 and formally announced the plan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the procedures endorsed by the Ministry, Nepali workers in foreign employment will have to contribute 21.33 percent of the minimum basic salary set by the Nepalese government. The government of Nepal has fixed the minimum basic salary of workers in the industrial sector at Rs 15,000.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, 7.44 percent of the contribution amount made by the workers will be allocated for the Accident and Disability Protection Plan and the Dependent Family Protection Plan. Likewise, 13.25 percent amount will be allocated for old-age security scheme. People on foreign employment can contribute up to three times the minimum basic wage set for workers in the industrial sector in the scheme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kapilmani Gyawali, executive director of the Social Security Fund said that they will get most of the facilities received by the workers in the formal sector. Medicines, Health and Maternity Protection Scheme, Accident and Disability Protection Scheme, Dependent Family Protection Scheme and Old Age Protection Scheme will be available for contributors from the informal sector and those who are self-employed.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Workers in the informal sector and self-employed persons must contribute for at least 9 months to get benefits from the scheme. However, in order to get the benefits of the old age security scheme, the contributor must have ended their foreign employment or self-employment and returned to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">If informal sector workers and self-employed contributors need to be treated in a hospital, the cost of treatment will be provided by health facilities. Such amount will be paid directly to the concerned hospital. The medical expenses of the contributor's wife and newborn child will also be provided through health facilities. Contributors except those who need to be hospitalized and treated will be given facilities up to Rs 25,000 per year according to the doctor's prescription. In case of female contributor or male contributor's wife giving birth, an amount equal to the minimum basic salary of one month per child will be provided for child care.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16332', 'image' => '20221223122729_SSF (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 12:26:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16591', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Industrialists Stage Six-Hour Sit-in at NRB Office in Biratnagar', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: Industrialists of eastern Nepal staged a sit-in for six hours in front of Province 1 office of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) in Biratnagar on Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 23: Industrialists of eastern Nepal staged a sit-in for six hours in front of Province 1 office of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) in Biratnagar on Thursday. The sit-in protest was held from 10 am to 4 pm against the central’ bank’s reluctance to lower the exorbitant interest rates of banks.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Altogether 42 organisations of businessmen had picketed the NRB office in Biratnagar at the request of Morang Merchant’s Association, Chamber of Industries Morang and Province 1 chapter of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">President of Morang Merchant’s Association Naveen Rijal informed that the protest programme will continue until their demands are addressed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Rijal, the rally that started at 9:30 am on Thursday circled the city and reached the NRB office at 10 am. He warned that they will launch stern protests if their demands are not fulfilled.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Rijal argued that the monetary policy of Nepal Rastra Bank had put the industrialists and businessmen in difficult situation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He said that the protest will continue until the central bank lowers the interest rate to single digit, maintains the spread rate at 2 percent and scraps the Current Working Capital Guidelines.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">President of Province 1 chapter of CNI Bhim Ghimire accused the central bank of acting as a feudal lord despite championing liberal economy. He said that the banks and financial institutions have been looting the general public with the backing of the central bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, Vice President of the Chamber of Industries Morang Pradeep Muraraka said that although the NRB has reviewed its monetary policy and maintained the spread rate at 4 percent on papers, the decision is yet to be implemented.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He claimed that the central bank was responsible for the high interest rates.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Likewise, former president of Morang Merchant’s Association Prakash Mundada said that the government intends to “break the backbone” of the industrialists by maintaining high interest rates.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16331', 'image' => '20221223010054_1671757726.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 13:00:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16589', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inflation in Nepal Higher than India', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: The gap in consumer prices (inflation) between Nepal and India is increasing noticeably. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: The gap in consumer prices (inflation) between Nepal and India is increasing noticeably. Inflation is decreasing in India compared to that of Nepal but the gap is increasing due to the inabilityof Nepal to control inflation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Nepal Rastra Bank, by mid-August of the current financial year, the consumer price inflation in Nepal was only 1.26 percentage points higher than in India. However, by mid-November, Nepal's inflation was 2.2 percentage points higher than that of India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">By mid-August, the inflation in Nepal was 8.26 percent while it was only 7 percent in India. By mid-November, Nepal's inflation fell to 8.08 percent, while that of India dropped to 5.88 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nar Bahadur Thapa, former executive director of NRB said, “Since the Indian government's public distribution system is very much organized, it has controlled the price hike to a large extent. If the inflation in India was not brought under control, inflation in Nepal would have reached double digits.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Since the consumer price inflation is based on the price of agricultural produce and consumer goods, the price hike in Nepal depends on imports. Economist Haribol Kafle said that since most of the consumer goods are imported in Nepal, the inflation in Nepal is affected by inflation in neighbouring India. Kafle claimed that the production and distribution system of consumer goods in India is well organized and the price hike is low due to the practice of subsidizing low-income consumers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In Nepal, the consumer price inflation remained at 8.08 percent in mid-November 2022 compared to 6.04 percent a year ago. Food and beverage inflation stood at 7.38 percent whereas non-food and service inflation rose to 8.63 percent in the review month. Meanwhile, the wholesale price inflation increased 10.02 percent in the review month compared to 6.68 percent a year ago.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking at additional data from NRB, imports decreased 18.1 percent, exports decreased 33.3 percent and trade deficit decreased 15.9 percent. Similarly, remittances increased 20.4 percent while the Balance of Payments remained at a surplus of Rs 20.03 billion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16330', 'image' => '20221223122624_Inflation.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 12:25:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16588', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '36th AGM of NIBL Endorses Proposal to Merge the Bank with Mega Bank', 'sub_title' => 'NIBL Endorses 11 Percent Dividend to its Shareholders ', 'summary' => 'December 23: The 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nepal Investment Bank Limited (NIBL) on Thursday endorsed the proposal for a merger of the bank with Mega Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 23: The 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nepal Investment Bank Limited (NIBL) on Thursday endorsed the proposal for a merger of the bank with Mega Bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank informed that they will soon launch integrated transactions following the conclusion of the merger process. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">NIBL and Mega Bank had signed a final draft of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for merger in late November. As per the deadline set by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the banks can go for merger till January 6, 2023 to receive benefits announced by the central bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to merger committee member Gopal Khanal, who is also a member of the Board of Directors of Mega Bank, they plan to merge and launch integrated transactions within the deadline given by the central bank. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The banks signed a preliminary merger agreement with a swap ratio of 100: 90 on June 10. One unit of share of the NIBL will be equivalent to 0.90 of Mega Bank. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">NIBL has a paid-up capital is Rs 18.31 billion while that of Mega Bank is Rs 16.2 billion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Following the merger, the new entity is to be named Nepal Investment Mega Bank and Prithvi Bahadur Pande will be its chair and Jyoti Pandey the Chief Executive Officer. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, NIBL’s AGM also endorsed the proposal to distribute 11 percent dividend to its shareholders. The dividend endorsed by the bank includes four percent bonus share and seven percent cash dividend. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NIBL with Rs 19 billion market capitalisation earned Rs 6.2 billion in operational profit, and Rs 3.7 billion in net profit in the last fiscal year (FY 2021/22). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank’s deposit collection has slightly increased and stood at Rs 186.7 billion in the last FY against Rs 179.4 billion in the FY 2020/21. Similarly, its credit flow has also gone up slightly to reach Rs 164.8 billion in the same period as compared to Rs 161.9 billion in the FY 2020/21. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16329', 'image' => '20221223115152_20221129052420_20220713054958_merger.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 11:50:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16587', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Companies Interested in Operating Flights To and From Pokhara Int'l Airport', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: As Pokhara Regional International Airport is getting ready for flights from January 1, domestic as well as international airlines have shown interest in starting services from this airport.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: As Pokhara Regional International Airport is getting ready for flights from January 1, domestic as well as international airlines have shown interest in starting services from this airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal's Himalaya Airlines, along with Jazeera Airways, which have started flights from the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, have shown interest to operate flights to and from Pokhara Regional International Airport. With the airport all set to operate from the English New Year, Buddha Air, a leading Nepali private sector air service company, has already prepared a schedule to fly its aircraft from the airport to various destinations in India. However, other companies have just started showing interest to operate flights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Head of Pokhara Airport Office, Bikramraj Gautam, informed that Himalaya Airlines, Jazeera, Thai Smile and Qatar Airways have shown interests in operating international flights from this airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He says that since the international airport will be operational from January 1, companies are coming in for inquiries. Similarly, Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines each conducted a test flight on Thursday. Buddha Air is also preparing to operate night flights as well as international flights from the airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Yeti, which is preparing to operate domestic flights from the airport, also conducted a demo flight on Thursday. Yeti Airlines spokesperson Sudarshan Bartaula said that the airlines has not yet made any preparations for international flights from this airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The construction of the airport – a national pride project – which started in 2010 was set to be completed in 4 years. However, the construction started only after the loan agreement between the Government of Nepal and the Government of China in February 2016. Although the target was to complete the works by the year 2020, it was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => 'Pokhara, International, Airport, Hiamalya, Airlines, Qatar, Jazeera, Airways, Buddha, Yeti, Air, operate, flight', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16328', 'image' => '20221223113701_himalaya.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 11:36:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16586', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Comes up with Strategic Action Plan for Visit Nepal Decade ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: The government has prepared a strategic action plan for the Visit Nepal Decade (2023-2032) with a target to bring in 3.5 million tourists and create 1 million additional jobs in the country’s tourism industry. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 23: The government has prepared a strategic action plan for the Visit Nepal Decade (2023-2032) with a target to bring in 3.5 million tourists and create 1 million additional jobs in the country’s tourism industry. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The action plan also aims to revive the tourism industry affected by Covid-19 to the pre-pandemic stage within two years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A five-member taskforce formed by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation under the leadership of tourism expert Prachandaman Shrestha submitted its report to Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha on Thursday suggesting the government to conduct tourism promotional events in all seasons in the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Upon receiving the report, Minister Shrestha said that the concept of tourism decade was proposed realizing the need for a long-lasting idea for tourism revival as the country’s tourism sector suffered badly due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the past three years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister Shrestha also expressed confidence that the Visit Nepal Decade would help establish Nepal as a leading destination in the global tourism market. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The action plan has incorporated integrating Nepal’s geographic, natural, environmental, social, cultural and religious diversities with the tourism sector and declare special touristic sites on the basis of tourism feasibility while developing infrastructures in this sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, public, private and community sector’s cooperation and partnership is highlighted in the action plan for the promotion and development of the tourism sector. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => 'tourism, action, plan, strategic, Nepal, government, decade, pandemic, Covid-19', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16327', 'image' => '20221223104831_tournba.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 10:47:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16585', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India Lifts Ban on Wheat Export to Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: India has partially lifted the ban on export of wheat to Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 23: India has partially lifted the ban on export of wheat to Nepal. The southern neighbour had imposed a ban on export of wheat seven months ago in a bid to protect its domestic industry in the wake of Russia-Ukraine war.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that India imposed a ban on wheat exports on April 14 due to the decline in domestic production. Despite the ban, New Delhi said that wheat will be exported to the countries that are in need of food security by setting quotas.</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"">Although the flour industries of Nepal require 600,000 metric tons of wheat annually, India has decided to export 50,000 tons of wheat to Nepal.</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 Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India on Wednesday decided to export wheat to Nepal upon request from the Government of Nepal.</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 Government of Nepal had requested India to lift the ban on export of wheat arguing that the product was being smuggled into Nepal in huge quantities despite the ban. </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"">Following the request of Nepal, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India on Wednesday permitted the export of 50,000 tonnes of wheat till March 31, 2023, the state-owned national news agency of Nepal (RSS) reported.</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"">India has asked Nepal to submit the details regarding the quantity of wheat it requires.</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 traders in Nepal were forced to buy wheat in the black market as the price soared with the ban. The price had increased by 30 to 40 percent,” RSS added. Around 32 flour mills had to be closed due to the unavailability of wheat.</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"">India is the world's second largest wheat producer after China. Wheat supply through the Black Sea is now halted due to tensions between Russia, the third largest producer of wheat, and Ukraine, the eighth largest producer. This time, India imposed a ban on exports citing the decline in wheat production in India due to the scorching heat of March as well as the Russia-Ukraine war. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => 'wheat, ban, Nepal, India, Russia, Ukraine, export, smuggling', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16326', 'image' => '20221223101226_wheatttttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 10:10:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has appointed CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal as the new prime minister. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Dahal was appointed the PM as per Article 76 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal, the President stated in a press release issued on Sunday evening. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This is the third time Chairman Dahal has become the prime minister of Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Article 76 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal states “in cases where no party has a clear majority in the House of Representatives, the president shall appoint as the prime minister a member of the House of Representatives who can command majority with the support of two or more parties in the House of Representatives.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist Centre), Rastriya Swatantra Party Nepal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party and Janata Samajwadi Party, and three independent Members of Parliament (MPs) have supported Dahal’s premiership. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The newly-appointed prime minister would be sworn in on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, the president had given a weeklong time for the political parties to form a new government after the results of the November 20 election was unveiled by the Election Commission. The deadline given by the president expired at 5:00 pm Sunday. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16340', 'image' => '20221225072858_RSS-KTM-PMDabiDahal.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 19:28:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16598', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NRB Launches Campaign to Strengthen Digital Financial Literacy ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has launched a digital financial literacy programme from Darchula of Sudurpaschim Province. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has launched a digital financial literacy programme from Darchula of Sudurpaschim Province. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the central bank, the programme was launched amidst a function at Khalanga, the district headquarters, on December 24. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, NRB Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari said that the volume of electronic transaction has significantly increased of late and the literacy campaign aimed to further promote the digital transactions is being carried out to facilitate the general public. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“Transactions of over Rs 4.2 million were done using QR Code in a month alone and this trend itself is encouraging,” he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Terming digital transactions as the ‘benchmark for transparency and credibility’, the NRB Governor was of the view that it would help prevent corruption and promote good governance. He insisted on the need of further strengthening electronic payment system for the effective enforcement of ‘Digital Nepal Framework’, and urged the users to remain alert to possible risk in course of digital transactions. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Delivering a welcome speech on the occasion, NRB Payment Systems Department executive director Guru Prasad Poudel talked about objectives and relevance of digital financial literacy programmes. He briefed about the current scenario of electronic payment system and its indicators in Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Director at the Office of NRB Governor, Ajit Regmi, presented a paper on the occasion shedding light on different dimensions of digital transactions including its basic features, relevance, merits and possible risks. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The central bank has adopted a policy of promoting the digital payment system in the days ahead. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16339', 'image' => '20221225012256_digital payment.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 13:22:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16597', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Integrated Masterplan for Kathmandu Valley in the Making ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: The Kathmandu Valley Development Authority has started preparing an integrated master plan for the development of the Kathmandu Valley comprising three districts. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: The Kathmandu Valley Development Authority has started preparing an integrated master plan for the development of the Kathmandu Valley comprising three districts. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This plan is included in the annual plan and programme of the government in the current fiscal year as well. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nest Jiyocon Paragon JV has been awarded the contract for preparing the integrated masterplan, said the authority's information officer engineer Saurav Dhakal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Dhakal was confident that the Kathmandu Valley could be made clean, green and beautiful after implementation of the masterplan while all 18 municipalities within the Valley will feel more convenient to deliver. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The local level in those municipalities will be responsibility to implement the masterplan too, the authority said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A total of Rs 90 million has been allocated for preparing the integrated masterplan that commenced a month ago. The deadline for preparing the masterplan is 15 months from the time of commencement, according to the authority. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16338', 'image' => '20221225012059_Kathmandu Valley.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 13:20:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16596', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'No New Variant of Coronavirus Detected in Nepal: Health Ministry ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: Amid concerns about rising cases of Covid-19 in China, the Government of Nepal has made it clear that no new variant of coronavirus has been detected in Nepal so far.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: Amid concerns about rising cases of Covid-19 in China, the Government of Nepal has made it clear that no new variant of coronavirus has been detected in Nepal so far.</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"">Issuing a press statement on Saturday, the ministry said that the BF7 variant of coronavirus has not been found in Nepal. However, the ministry has urged the general public to maintain standard health protocols such as using face masks, hand sanitizers, washing hands and avoiding crowds while celebrating Christmas and New Year.</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"">Joint Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, said that the gene sequencing of the samples collected from various parts of the country during a month did not show the BF7 variant. </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"">“Only the omicron variant was found while testing 48 samples at the National Public Health Laboratory,” said Adhikari. </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 ministry warned that the new variant of coronavirus spreads rapidly and urged the public to take booster dose. The ministry has urged the people to contact the nearest health facilities to get the booster dose if they haven’t taken the booster dose yet.</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 ministry further said it would increase vigilance and coordinate with the neighbouring country to curb the possible spread of the virus.</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"">China has already reported massive outbreak of the new variant in many parts of the country while neighbouring India has reportedly confirmed the presence of the new variant. As Nepal shares open border with India, it is only a matter of time before the virus gets detected in Nepal. The ministry has advised prevention as the best way to tackle with the outbreak.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16337', 'image' => '20221225122411_health.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 12:23:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16595', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Ministry Directs CAAN to Study Airfare Cartel ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to study cartel in domestic flights. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to study cartel in domestic flights. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministry has asked the CAAN to study the matter after it was learnt that Buddha Air , Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines and Saurya Airlines fixed airfare in cahoots with each other. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Joint-Secretary at the ministry, Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, said they had asked the CAAN to study the issue of cartel. Ministry has warned of initiating action if the airline companies are found to be involved in cartel. He assured that such activities would be controlled. According to Lamichhane, air fare cannot not be determined in collusion with each other in the open market and liberal economy. The National Planning Commission is also studying the issue of cartel in the domestic airlines companies. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A committee has been formed under the coordination of NPC member Dr Ram Kumar Phunyal to carry out a study on carteling. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The airlines companies have been accused of being involved in syndicate while fixing the air fares. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16336', 'image' => '20221225104752_Airport.width-1024.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 10:46:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16594', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Christmas Day being Observed Today ', 'sub_title' => 'Government Announces Public Holiday on the Occasion of Christmas', 'summary' => 'December 25: The Christian community is celebrating Christmas Day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity today (December 25).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: The Christian community is celebrating Christmas Day in Nepal to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity today (December 25). Jesus Christ is believed to have been born in Bethlehem, Israel some 2022 years ago on December 25. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">President of the Nepal Christian Federation, CB Gahatraj, says that Jesus Christ gave three main things including salvation, love and peace, and the Christian community celebrates this day for all the three things. </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"">“Today is celebrated as Love Day for those who came to love people, Peace Day for those who came to establish peace, and Liberation Day for those who came for liberation.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The federation has been leading Christmas celebrations in Nepal since 2063 B.S. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, the government also has announced a public holiday today. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The federation is hosting a Christmas Festival 2079 event this afternoon where government representatives, human rights activists and the people from all walks of life will be present, Gahatraj said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Thamel, Bouddha, Pokhara, Sauraha and other tourist destinations in the country see a large footfall of people today to celebrate the Christmas festival. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16335', 'image' => '20221225103942_christmas-traditions-gettyimages-487756624.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 10:38:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16593', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'LG Organizes AC Solutions Conclave-2022 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'LG Air Solutions Conclave concluded at Hotel Aloft, Kathmandu last Friday. ', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">December 23: LG Air Solutions Conclave concluded at Hotel Aloft, Kathmandu last Friday. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">The LG Air Solutions Conclave was organized with an objective to inform participants and dignitaries about the business of the LG Air Solutions and their usage. </span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">The conclave was divided into two sessions. In the first session, LG Electronics representatives Mr. Seoyeon Choi, Jason Pok and Juno Lim gave presentations on different LG products. <br /> Similarly, Mr. Bibek Gyawali from CG Electronics gave a presentation on the footprint and future plans of Air Solutions in Nepal. The major attractions of this event were Multi VRF, Air Purifier, Dehumidifier, Round Cassette AC, Interactive Display, Digital Signage, etc. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">The second session of LG Air Solutions Conclave featured a discussion on "Role of Technology in Energy Transition". Various industry experts had taken part in the discussion.</span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">Mr. Nirvana Chaudhary, Managing Director of Chaudhary Group, H.V.A.C Consultant Mr. Ravindra Nath Bhattarai, Assistant Director of Alternative Energy Promotion Center Ms. Shubalakshmi Shrestha, Urban Planner Architect Mr. Bibhuti Man Singh, Mr. Seoyeon Choi from LG Korea and Assistant Professor of Kathmandu University put forward their views in the discussion. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"> His Excellency Mr. Park Chong Suk, Ambassador of South Korea to Nepal attended the second session of the event. </span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">Chaudhary Group has been partnering with LG for more than three decades. CG has been doing Air Solutions business for more than a decade in Nepal. </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16334', 'image' => '20221223050618_collage (19).jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 17:02:12', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16592', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NCC Discusses Trade Facilitation with Bangladeshi Businessmen', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) held a discussion with a visiting delegation of industrialists and businessmen of Bangladesh to facilitate trade between the two countries.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) held a discussion with a visiting delegation of industrialists and businessmen of Bangladesh to facilitate trade between the two countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During the discussion about increasing commercial activities of the chamber with their Bangladeshi counterparts, the NCC said that commercial activities should be increased by developing road and air infrastructure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Also, on the occasion of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Bangladesh, the business representatives of the two countries reached an agreement to cooperate in the fields of energy, tourism, and industry. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rajendra Malla, the president of NCC said, “There has been a tripartite agreement between Nepal, India and Bangladesh for energy trade. We call for investment along with its effective implementation.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">President Malla said that the relationship between Nepal and Bangladesh should be expanded from the citizens' side by expanding air connectivity. Regarding the fact that Nepal's trade deficit with Bangladesh is high, he emphasized on the need to search for items with export potential. As Nepal has the potential to reduce the trade deficit through energy trade, he requested for its facilitation and investment in electricity.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Regarding the high demand of energy in Bangladesh, there was a bilateral discussion on various options to export electricity from Nepal. Although there is an agreement on energy trade between Nepal, Bangladesh and India, it has not been practically implemented.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Malla requested the businessmen of Bangladesh to invest in hydropower in Nepal along with the facilitation of electricity trade. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Morol Humayun Kabir, senior vice president of Bangladesh's Chamber of Commerce and Industry emphasized on the need to develop road infrastructure to facilitate trade between the two countries. He said that both the countries should take initiative to connect the air route as well as the land route. Kabir said that they are ready for investment in energy, tourism and other sectors in Nepal, but the chamber should take initiatives for policy facilitation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16333', 'image' => '20221223010733_1671761823.collage (7).jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 13:07:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16590', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'SSF to Include Informal Sector Workers from April 14', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: Nepali citiznes who are employed abroad along with informal sector workers will also be able to participate in the social security scheme of the government from April 14. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: Nepali citiznes who are employed abroad along with informal sector workers will also be able to participate in the social security scheme of the government from April 14. For this, the government has issued the Social Security Scheme Operation Procedure 2079.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Labor Minister Sher Bahadur Kunwar informed that the scheme will start from April 14. The Ministry of Labor had initially planned to make this announcement on November 27. However, as Minister Kunwar was busy with the House of Representatives elections, the announcement process was delayed. Social Security Fund organized a program on December 20 and formally announced the plan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the procedures endorsed by the Ministry, Nepali workers in foreign employment will have to contribute 21.33 percent of the minimum basic salary set by the Nepalese government. The government of Nepal has fixed the minimum basic salary of workers in the industrial sector at Rs 15,000.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, 7.44 percent of the contribution amount made by the workers will be allocated for the Accident and Disability Protection Plan and the Dependent Family Protection Plan. Likewise, 13.25 percent amount will be allocated for old-age security scheme. People on foreign employment can contribute up to three times the minimum basic wage set for workers in the industrial sector in the scheme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kapilmani Gyawali, executive director of the Social Security Fund said that they will get most of the facilities received by the workers in the formal sector. Medicines, Health and Maternity Protection Scheme, Accident and Disability Protection Scheme, Dependent Family Protection Scheme and Old Age Protection Scheme will be available for contributors from the informal sector and those who are self-employed.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Workers in the informal sector and self-employed persons must contribute for at least 9 months to get benefits from the scheme. However, in order to get the benefits of the old age security scheme, the contributor must have ended their foreign employment or self-employment and returned to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">If informal sector workers and self-employed contributors need to be treated in a hospital, the cost of treatment will be provided by health facilities. Such amount will be paid directly to the concerned hospital. The medical expenses of the contributor's wife and newborn child will also be provided through health facilities. Contributors except those who need to be hospitalized and treated will be given facilities up to Rs 25,000 per year according to the doctor's prescription. In case of female contributor or male contributor's wife giving birth, an amount equal to the minimum basic salary of one month per child will be provided for child care.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16332', 'image' => '20221223122729_SSF (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 12:26:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16591', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Industrialists Stage Six-Hour Sit-in at NRB Office in Biratnagar', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: Industrialists of eastern Nepal staged a sit-in for six hours in front of Province 1 office of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) in Biratnagar on Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 23: Industrialists of eastern Nepal staged a sit-in for six hours in front of Province 1 office of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) in Biratnagar on Thursday. The sit-in protest was held from 10 am to 4 pm against the central’ bank’s reluctance to lower the exorbitant interest rates of banks.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Altogether 42 organisations of businessmen had picketed the NRB office in Biratnagar at the request of Morang Merchant’s Association, Chamber of Industries Morang and Province 1 chapter of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">President of Morang Merchant’s Association Naveen Rijal informed that the protest programme will continue until their demands are addressed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Rijal, the rally that started at 9:30 am on Thursday circled the city and reached the NRB office at 10 am. He warned that they will launch stern protests if their demands are not fulfilled.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Rijal argued that the monetary policy of Nepal Rastra Bank had put the industrialists and businessmen in difficult situation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He said that the protest will continue until the central bank lowers the interest rate to single digit, maintains the spread rate at 2 percent and scraps the Current Working Capital Guidelines.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">President of Province 1 chapter of CNI Bhim Ghimire accused the central bank of acting as a feudal lord despite championing liberal economy. He said that the banks and financial institutions have been looting the general public with the backing of the central bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, Vice President of the Chamber of Industries Morang Pradeep Muraraka said that although the NRB has reviewed its monetary policy and maintained the spread rate at 4 percent on papers, the decision is yet to be implemented.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He claimed that the central bank was responsible for the high interest rates.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Likewise, former president of Morang Merchant’s Association Prakash Mundada said that the government intends to “break the backbone” of the industrialists by maintaining high interest rates.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16331', 'image' => '20221223010054_1671757726.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 13:00:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16589', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inflation in Nepal Higher than India', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: The gap in consumer prices (inflation) between Nepal and India is increasing noticeably. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: The gap in consumer prices (inflation) between Nepal and India is increasing noticeably. Inflation is decreasing in India compared to that of Nepal but the gap is increasing due to the inabilityof Nepal to control inflation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Nepal Rastra Bank, by mid-August of the current financial year, the consumer price inflation in Nepal was only 1.26 percentage points higher than in India. However, by mid-November, Nepal's inflation was 2.2 percentage points higher than that of India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">By mid-August, the inflation in Nepal was 8.26 percent while it was only 7 percent in India. By mid-November, Nepal's inflation fell to 8.08 percent, while that of India dropped to 5.88 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nar Bahadur Thapa, former executive director of NRB said, “Since the Indian government's public distribution system is very much organized, it has controlled the price hike to a large extent. If the inflation in India was not brought under control, inflation in Nepal would have reached double digits.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Since the consumer price inflation is based on the price of agricultural produce and consumer goods, the price hike in Nepal depends on imports. Economist Haribol Kafle said that since most of the consumer goods are imported in Nepal, the inflation in Nepal is affected by inflation in neighbouring India. Kafle claimed that the production and distribution system of consumer goods in India is well organized and the price hike is low due to the practice of subsidizing low-income consumers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In Nepal, the consumer price inflation remained at 8.08 percent in mid-November 2022 compared to 6.04 percent a year ago. Food and beverage inflation stood at 7.38 percent whereas non-food and service inflation rose to 8.63 percent in the review month. Meanwhile, the wholesale price inflation increased 10.02 percent in the review month compared to 6.68 percent a year ago.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking at additional data from NRB, imports decreased 18.1 percent, exports decreased 33.3 percent and trade deficit decreased 15.9 percent. Similarly, remittances increased 20.4 percent while the Balance of Payments remained at a surplus of Rs 20.03 billion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16330', 'image' => '20221223122624_Inflation.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 12:25:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16588', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '36th AGM of NIBL Endorses Proposal to Merge the Bank with Mega Bank', 'sub_title' => 'NIBL Endorses 11 Percent Dividend to its Shareholders ', 'summary' => 'December 23: The 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nepal Investment Bank Limited (NIBL) on Thursday endorsed the proposal for a merger of the bank with Mega Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 23: The 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nepal Investment Bank Limited (NIBL) on Thursday endorsed the proposal for a merger of the bank with Mega Bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank informed that they will soon launch integrated transactions following the conclusion of the merger process. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">NIBL and Mega Bank had signed a final draft of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for merger in late November. As per the deadline set by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the banks can go for merger till January 6, 2023 to receive benefits announced by the central bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to merger committee member Gopal Khanal, who is also a member of the Board of Directors of Mega Bank, they plan to merge and launch integrated transactions within the deadline given by the central bank. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The banks signed a preliminary merger agreement with a swap ratio of 100: 90 on June 10. One unit of share of the NIBL will be equivalent to 0.90 of Mega Bank. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">NIBL has a paid-up capital is Rs 18.31 billion while that of Mega Bank is Rs 16.2 billion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Following the merger, the new entity is to be named Nepal Investment Mega Bank and Prithvi Bahadur Pande will be its chair and Jyoti Pandey the Chief Executive Officer. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, NIBL’s AGM also endorsed the proposal to distribute 11 percent dividend to its shareholders. The dividend endorsed by the bank includes four percent bonus share and seven percent cash dividend. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NIBL with Rs 19 billion market capitalisation earned Rs 6.2 billion in operational profit, and Rs 3.7 billion in net profit in the last fiscal year (FY 2021/22). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank’s deposit collection has slightly increased and stood at Rs 186.7 billion in the last FY against Rs 179.4 billion in the FY 2020/21. Similarly, its credit flow has also gone up slightly to reach Rs 164.8 billion in the same period as compared to Rs 161.9 billion in the FY 2020/21. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16329', 'image' => '20221223115152_20221129052420_20220713054958_merger.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 11:50:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16587', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Companies Interested in Operating Flights To and From Pokhara Int'l Airport', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: As Pokhara Regional International Airport is getting ready for flights from January 1, domestic as well as international airlines have shown interest in starting services from this airport.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: As Pokhara Regional International Airport is getting ready for flights from January 1, domestic as well as international airlines have shown interest in starting services from this airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal's Himalaya Airlines, along with Jazeera Airways, which have started flights from the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, have shown interest to operate flights to and from Pokhara Regional International Airport. With the airport all set to operate from the English New Year, Buddha Air, a leading Nepali private sector air service company, has already prepared a schedule to fly its aircraft from the airport to various destinations in India. However, other companies have just started showing interest to operate flights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Head of Pokhara Airport Office, Bikramraj Gautam, informed that Himalaya Airlines, Jazeera, Thai Smile and Qatar Airways have shown interests in operating international flights from this airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He says that since the international airport will be operational from January 1, companies are coming in for inquiries. Similarly, Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines each conducted a test flight on Thursday. Buddha Air is also preparing to operate night flights as well as international flights from the airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Yeti, which is preparing to operate domestic flights from the airport, also conducted a demo flight on Thursday. Yeti Airlines spokesperson Sudarshan Bartaula said that the airlines has not yet made any preparations for international flights from this airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The construction of the airport – a national pride project – which started in 2010 was set to be completed in 4 years. However, the construction started only after the loan agreement between the Government of Nepal and the Government of China in February 2016. Although the target was to complete the works by the year 2020, it was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => 'Pokhara, International, Airport, Hiamalya, Airlines, Qatar, Jazeera, Airways, Buddha, Yeti, Air, operate, flight', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16328', 'image' => '20221223113701_himalaya.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 11:36:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16586', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Comes up with Strategic Action Plan for Visit Nepal Decade ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: The government has prepared a strategic action plan for the Visit Nepal Decade (2023-2032) with a target to bring in 3.5 million tourists and create 1 million additional jobs in the country’s tourism industry. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 23: The government has prepared a strategic action plan for the Visit Nepal Decade (2023-2032) with a target to bring in 3.5 million tourists and create 1 million additional jobs in the country’s tourism industry. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The action plan also aims to revive the tourism industry affected by Covid-19 to the pre-pandemic stage within two years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A five-member taskforce formed by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation under the leadership of tourism expert Prachandaman Shrestha submitted its report to Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha on Thursday suggesting the government to conduct tourism promotional events in all seasons in the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Upon receiving the report, Minister Shrestha said that the concept of tourism decade was proposed realizing the need for a long-lasting idea for tourism revival as the country’s tourism sector suffered badly due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the past three years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister Shrestha also expressed confidence that the Visit Nepal Decade would help establish Nepal as a leading destination in the global tourism market. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The action plan has incorporated integrating Nepal’s geographic, natural, environmental, social, cultural and religious diversities with the tourism sector and declare special touristic sites on the basis of tourism feasibility while developing infrastructures in this sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, public, private and community sector’s cooperation and partnership is highlighted in the action plan for the promotion and development of the tourism sector. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => 'tourism, action, plan, strategic, Nepal, government, decade, pandemic, Covid-19', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16327', 'image' => '20221223104831_tournba.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 10:47:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16585', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India Lifts Ban on Wheat Export to Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: India has partially lifted the ban on export of wheat to Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 23: India has partially lifted the ban on export of wheat to Nepal. The southern neighbour had imposed a ban on export of wheat seven months ago in a bid to protect its domestic industry in the wake of Russia-Ukraine war.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that India imposed a ban on wheat exports on April 14 due to the decline in domestic production. Despite the ban, New Delhi said that wheat will be exported to the countries that are in need of food security by setting quotas.</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"">Although the flour industries of Nepal require 600,000 metric tons of wheat annually, India has decided to export 50,000 tons of wheat to Nepal.</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 Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India on Wednesday decided to export wheat to Nepal upon request from the Government of Nepal.</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 Government of Nepal had requested India to lift the ban on export of wheat arguing that the product was being smuggled into Nepal in huge quantities despite the ban. </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"">Following the request of Nepal, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India on Wednesday permitted the export of 50,000 tonnes of wheat till March 31, 2023, the state-owned national news agency of Nepal (RSS) reported.</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"">India has asked Nepal to submit the details regarding the quantity of wheat it requires.</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 traders in Nepal were forced to buy wheat in the black market as the price soared with the ban. The price had increased by 30 to 40 percent,” RSS added. Around 32 flour mills had to be closed due to the unavailability of wheat.</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"">India is the world's second largest wheat producer after China. Wheat supply through the Black Sea is now halted due to tensions between Russia, the third largest producer of wheat, and Ukraine, the eighth largest producer. This time, India imposed a ban on exports citing the decline in wheat production in India due to the scorching heat of March as well as the Russia-Ukraine war. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => 'wheat, ban, Nepal, India, Russia, Ukraine, export, smuggling', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16326', 'image' => '20221223101226_wheatttttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 10:10:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has appointed CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal as the new prime minister. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Dahal was appointed the PM as per Article 76 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal, the President stated in a press release issued on Sunday evening. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This is the third time Chairman Dahal has become the prime minister of Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Article 76 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal states “in cases where no party has a clear majority in the House of Representatives, the president shall appoint as the prime minister a member of the House of Representatives who can command majority with the support of two or more parties in the House of Representatives.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist Centre), Rastriya Swatantra Party Nepal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party and Janata Samajwadi Party, and three independent Members of Parliament (MPs) have supported Dahal’s premiership. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The newly-appointed prime minister would be sworn in on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier, the president had given a weeklong time for the political parties to form a new government after the results of the November 20 election was unveiled by the Election Commission. The deadline given by the president expired at 5:00 pm Sunday. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16340', 'image' => '20221225072858_RSS-KTM-PMDabiDahal.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 19:28:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16598', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NRB Launches Campaign to Strengthen Digital Financial Literacy ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has launched a digital financial literacy programme from Darchula of Sudurpaschim Province. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has launched a digital financial literacy programme from Darchula of Sudurpaschim Province. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the central bank, the programme was launched amidst a function at Khalanga, the district headquarters, on December 24. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, NRB Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari said that the volume of electronic transaction has significantly increased of late and the literacy campaign aimed to further promote the digital transactions is being carried out to facilitate the general public. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“Transactions of over Rs 4.2 million were done using QR Code in a month alone and this trend itself is encouraging,” he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Terming digital transactions as the ‘benchmark for transparency and credibility’, the NRB Governor was of the view that it would help prevent corruption and promote good governance. He insisted on the need of further strengthening electronic payment system for the effective enforcement of ‘Digital Nepal Framework’, and urged the users to remain alert to possible risk in course of digital transactions. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Delivering a welcome speech on the occasion, NRB Payment Systems Department executive director Guru Prasad Poudel talked about objectives and relevance of digital financial literacy programmes. He briefed about the current scenario of electronic payment system and its indicators in Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Director at the Office of NRB Governor, Ajit Regmi, presented a paper on the occasion shedding light on different dimensions of digital transactions including its basic features, relevance, merits and possible risks. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The central bank has adopted a policy of promoting the digital payment system in the days ahead. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16339', 'image' => '20221225012256_digital payment.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 13:22:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16597', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Integrated Masterplan for Kathmandu Valley in the Making ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: The Kathmandu Valley Development Authority has started preparing an integrated master plan for the development of the Kathmandu Valley comprising three districts. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: The Kathmandu Valley Development Authority has started preparing an integrated master plan for the development of the Kathmandu Valley comprising three districts. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This plan is included in the annual plan and programme of the government in the current fiscal year as well. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nest Jiyocon Paragon JV has been awarded the contract for preparing the integrated masterplan, said the authority's information officer engineer Saurav Dhakal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Dhakal was confident that the Kathmandu Valley could be made clean, green and beautiful after implementation of the masterplan while all 18 municipalities within the Valley will feel more convenient to deliver. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The local level in those municipalities will be responsibility to implement the masterplan too, the authority said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A total of Rs 90 million has been allocated for preparing the integrated masterplan that commenced a month ago. The deadline for preparing the masterplan is 15 months from the time of commencement, according to the authority. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16338', 'image' => '20221225012059_Kathmandu Valley.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 13:20:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16596', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'No New Variant of Coronavirus Detected in Nepal: Health Ministry ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: Amid concerns about rising cases of Covid-19 in China, the Government of Nepal has made it clear that no new variant of coronavirus has been detected in Nepal so far.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: Amid concerns about rising cases of Covid-19 in China, the Government of Nepal has made it clear that no new variant of coronavirus has been detected in Nepal so far.</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"">Issuing a press statement on Saturday, the ministry said that the BF7 variant of coronavirus has not been found in Nepal. However, the ministry has urged the general public to maintain standard health protocols such as using face masks, hand sanitizers, washing hands and avoiding crowds while celebrating Christmas and New Year.</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"">Joint Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, said that the gene sequencing of the samples collected from various parts of the country during a month did not show the BF7 variant. </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"">“Only the omicron variant was found while testing 48 samples at the National Public Health Laboratory,” said Adhikari. </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 ministry warned that the new variant of coronavirus spreads rapidly and urged the public to take booster dose. The ministry has urged the people to contact the nearest health facilities to get the booster dose if they haven’t taken the booster dose yet.</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 ministry further said it would increase vigilance and coordinate with the neighbouring country to curb the possible spread of the virus.</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"">China has already reported massive outbreak of the new variant in many parts of the country while neighbouring India has reportedly confirmed the presence of the new variant. As Nepal shares open border with India, it is only a matter of time before the virus gets detected in Nepal. The ministry has advised prevention as the best way to tackle with the outbreak.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16337', 'image' => '20221225122411_health.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 12:23:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16595', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Ministry Directs CAAN to Study Airfare Cartel ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 25: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to study cartel in domestic flights. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to study cartel in domestic flights. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministry has asked the CAAN to study the matter after it was learnt that Buddha Air , Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines and Saurya Airlines fixed airfare in cahoots with each other. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Joint-Secretary at the ministry, Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, said they had asked the CAAN to study the issue of cartel. Ministry has warned of initiating action if the airline companies are found to be involved in cartel. He assured that such activities would be controlled. According to Lamichhane, air fare cannot not be determined in collusion with each other in the open market and liberal economy. The National Planning Commission is also studying the issue of cartel in the domestic airlines companies. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A committee has been formed under the coordination of NPC member Dr Ram Kumar Phunyal to carry out a study on carteling. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The airlines companies have been accused of being involved in syndicate while fixing the air fares. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16336', 'image' => '20221225104752_Airport.width-1024.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 10:46:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16594', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Christmas Day being Observed Today ', 'sub_title' => 'Government Announces Public Holiday on the Occasion of Christmas', 'summary' => 'December 25: The Christian community is celebrating Christmas Day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity today (December 25).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 25: The Christian community is celebrating Christmas Day in Nepal to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity today (December 25). Jesus Christ is believed to have been born in Bethlehem, Israel some 2022 years ago on December 25. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">President of the Nepal Christian Federation, CB Gahatraj, says that Jesus Christ gave three main things including salvation, love and peace, and the Christian community celebrates this day for all the three things. </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"">“Today is celebrated as Love Day for those who came to love people, Peace Day for those who came to establish peace, and Liberation Day for those who came for liberation.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The federation has been leading Christmas celebrations in Nepal since 2063 B.S. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, the government also has announced a public holiday today. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The federation is hosting a Christmas Festival 2079 event this afternoon where government representatives, human rights activists and the people from all walks of life will be present, Gahatraj said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Thamel, Bouddha, Pokhara, Sauraha and other tourist destinations in the country see a large footfall of people today to celebrate the Christmas festival. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-25', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16335', 'image' => '20221225103942_christmas-traditions-gettyimages-487756624.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-25 10:38:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16593', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'LG Organizes AC Solutions Conclave-2022 ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'LG Air Solutions Conclave concluded at Hotel Aloft, Kathmandu last Friday. ', 'content' => '<p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">December 23: LG Air Solutions Conclave concluded at Hotel Aloft, Kathmandu last Friday. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">The LG Air Solutions Conclave was organized with an objective to inform participants and dignitaries about the business of the LG Air Solutions and their usage. </span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">The conclave was divided into two sessions. In the first session, LG Electronics representatives Mr. Seoyeon Choi, Jason Pok and Juno Lim gave presentations on different LG products. <br /> Similarly, Mr. Bibek Gyawali from CG Electronics gave a presentation on the footprint and future plans of Air Solutions in Nepal. The major attractions of this event were Multi VRF, Air Purifier, Dehumidifier, Round Cassette AC, Interactive Display, Digital Signage, etc. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">The second session of LG Air Solutions Conclave featured a discussion on "Role of Technology in Energy Transition". Various industry experts had taken part in the discussion.</span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">Mr. Nirvana Chaudhary, Managing Director of Chaudhary Group, H.V.A.C Consultant Mr. Ravindra Nath Bhattarai, Assistant Director of Alternative Energy Promotion Center Ms. Shubalakshmi Shrestha, Urban Planner Architect Mr. Bibhuti Man Singh, Mr. Seoyeon Choi from LG Korea and Assistant Professor of Kathmandu University put forward their views in the discussion. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"> His Excellency Mr. Park Chong Suk, Ambassador of South Korea to Nepal attended the second session of the event. </span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">Chaudhary Group has been partnering with LG for more than three decades. CG has been doing Air Solutions business for more than a decade in Nepal. </span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16334', 'image' => '20221223050618_collage (19).jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 17:02:12', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16592', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NCC Discusses Trade Facilitation with Bangladeshi Businessmen', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) held a discussion with a visiting delegation of industrialists and businessmen of Bangladesh to facilitate trade between the two countries.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) held a discussion with a visiting delegation of industrialists and businessmen of Bangladesh to facilitate trade between the two countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During the discussion about increasing commercial activities of the chamber with their Bangladeshi counterparts, the NCC said that commercial activities should be increased by developing road and air infrastructure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Also, on the occasion of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Bangladesh, the business representatives of the two countries reached an agreement to cooperate in the fields of energy, tourism, and industry. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rajendra Malla, the president of NCC said, “There has been a tripartite agreement between Nepal, India and Bangladesh for energy trade. We call for investment along with its effective implementation.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">President Malla said that the relationship between Nepal and Bangladesh should be expanded from the citizens' side by expanding air connectivity. Regarding the fact that Nepal's trade deficit with Bangladesh is high, he emphasized on the need to search for items with export potential. As Nepal has the potential to reduce the trade deficit through energy trade, he requested for its facilitation and investment in electricity.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Regarding the high demand of energy in Bangladesh, there was a bilateral discussion on various options to export electricity from Nepal. Although there is an agreement on energy trade between Nepal, Bangladesh and India, it has not been practically implemented.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Malla requested the businessmen of Bangladesh to invest in hydropower in Nepal along with the facilitation of electricity trade. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Morol Humayun Kabir, senior vice president of Bangladesh's Chamber of Commerce and Industry emphasized on the need to develop road infrastructure to facilitate trade between the two countries. He said that both the countries should take initiative to connect the air route as well as the land route. Kabir said that they are ready for investment in energy, tourism and other sectors in Nepal, but the chamber should take initiatives for policy facilitation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16333', 'image' => '20221223010733_1671761823.collage (7).jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 13:07:03', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16590', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'SSF to Include Informal Sector Workers from April 14', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: Nepali citiznes who are employed abroad along with informal sector workers will also be able to participate in the social security scheme of the government from April 14. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: Nepali citiznes who are employed abroad along with informal sector workers will also be able to participate in the social security scheme of the government from April 14. For this, the government has issued the Social Security Scheme Operation Procedure 2079.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Labor Minister Sher Bahadur Kunwar informed that the scheme will start from April 14. The Ministry of Labor had initially planned to make this announcement on November 27. However, as Minister Kunwar was busy with the House of Representatives elections, the announcement process was delayed. Social Security Fund organized a program on December 20 and formally announced the plan.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the procedures endorsed by the Ministry, Nepali workers in foreign employment will have to contribute 21.33 percent of the minimum basic salary set by the Nepalese government. The government of Nepal has fixed the minimum basic salary of workers in the industrial sector at Rs 15,000.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, 7.44 percent of the contribution amount made by the workers will be allocated for the Accident and Disability Protection Plan and the Dependent Family Protection Plan. Likewise, 13.25 percent amount will be allocated for old-age security scheme. People on foreign employment can contribute up to three times the minimum basic wage set for workers in the industrial sector in the scheme.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kapilmani Gyawali, executive director of the Social Security Fund said that they will get most of the facilities received by the workers in the formal sector. Medicines, Health and Maternity Protection Scheme, Accident and Disability Protection Scheme, Dependent Family Protection Scheme and Old Age Protection Scheme will be available for contributors from the informal sector and those who are self-employed.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Workers in the informal sector and self-employed persons must contribute for at least 9 months to get benefits from the scheme. However, in order to get the benefits of the old age security scheme, the contributor must have ended their foreign employment or self-employment and returned to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">If informal sector workers and self-employed contributors need to be treated in a hospital, the cost of treatment will be provided by health facilities. Such amount will be paid directly to the concerned hospital. The medical expenses of the contributor's wife and newborn child will also be provided through health facilities. Contributors except those who need to be hospitalized and treated will be given facilities up to Rs 25,000 per year according to the doctor's prescription. In case of female contributor or male contributor's wife giving birth, an amount equal to the minimum basic salary of one month per child will be provided for child care.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16332', 'image' => '20221223122729_SSF (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 12:26:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16591', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Industrialists Stage Six-Hour Sit-in at NRB Office in Biratnagar', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: Industrialists of eastern Nepal staged a sit-in for six hours in front of Province 1 office of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) in Biratnagar on Thursday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 23: Industrialists of eastern Nepal staged a sit-in for six hours in front of Province 1 office of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) in Biratnagar on Thursday. The sit-in protest was held from 10 am to 4 pm against the central’ bank’s reluctance to lower the exorbitant interest rates of banks.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Altogether 42 organisations of businessmen had picketed the NRB office in Biratnagar at the request of Morang Merchant’s Association, Chamber of Industries Morang and Province 1 chapter of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">President of Morang Merchant’s Association Naveen Rijal informed that the protest programme will continue until their demands are addressed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Rijal, the rally that started at 9:30 am on Thursday circled the city and reached the NRB office at 10 am. He warned that they will launch stern protests if their demands are not fulfilled.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Rijal argued that the monetary policy of Nepal Rastra Bank had put the industrialists and businessmen in difficult situation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He said that the protest will continue until the central bank lowers the interest rate to single digit, maintains the spread rate at 2 percent and scraps the Current Working Capital Guidelines.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">President of Province 1 chapter of CNI Bhim Ghimire accused the central bank of acting as a feudal lord despite championing liberal economy. He said that the banks and financial institutions have been looting the general public with the backing of the central bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, Vice President of the Chamber of Industries Morang Pradeep Muraraka said that although the NRB has reviewed its monetary policy and maintained the spread rate at 4 percent on papers, the decision is yet to be implemented.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He claimed that the central bank was responsible for the high interest rates.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Likewise, former president of Morang Merchant’s Association Prakash Mundada said that the government intends to “break the backbone” of the industrialists by maintaining high interest rates.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16331', 'image' => '20221223010054_1671757726.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 13:00:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16589', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inflation in Nepal Higher than India', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: The gap in consumer prices (inflation) between Nepal and India is increasing noticeably. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: The gap in consumer prices (inflation) between Nepal and India is increasing noticeably. Inflation is decreasing in India compared to that of Nepal but the gap is increasing due to the inabilityof Nepal to control inflation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Nepal Rastra Bank, by mid-August of the current financial year, the consumer price inflation in Nepal was only 1.26 percentage points higher than in India. However, by mid-November, Nepal's inflation was 2.2 percentage points higher than that of India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">By mid-August, the inflation in Nepal was 8.26 percent while it was only 7 percent in India. By mid-November, Nepal's inflation fell to 8.08 percent, while that of India dropped to 5.88 percent.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nar Bahadur Thapa, former executive director of NRB said, “Since the Indian government's public distribution system is very much organized, it has controlled the price hike to a large extent. If the inflation in India was not brought under control, inflation in Nepal would have reached double digits.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Since the consumer price inflation is based on the price of agricultural produce and consumer goods, the price hike in Nepal depends on imports. Economist Haribol Kafle said that since most of the consumer goods are imported in Nepal, the inflation in Nepal is affected by inflation in neighbouring India. Kafle claimed that the production and distribution system of consumer goods in India is well organized and the price hike is low due to the practice of subsidizing low-income consumers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In Nepal, the consumer price inflation remained at 8.08 percent in mid-November 2022 compared to 6.04 percent a year ago. Food and beverage inflation stood at 7.38 percent whereas non-food and service inflation rose to 8.63 percent in the review month. Meanwhile, the wholesale price inflation increased 10.02 percent in the review month compared to 6.68 percent a year ago.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking at additional data from NRB, imports decreased 18.1 percent, exports decreased 33.3 percent and trade deficit decreased 15.9 percent. Similarly, remittances increased 20.4 percent while the Balance of Payments remained at a surplus of Rs 20.03 billion.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16330', 'image' => '20221223122624_Inflation.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 12:25:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16588', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '36th AGM of NIBL Endorses Proposal to Merge the Bank with Mega Bank', 'sub_title' => 'NIBL Endorses 11 Percent Dividend to its Shareholders ', 'summary' => 'December 23: The 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nepal Investment Bank Limited (NIBL) on Thursday endorsed the proposal for a merger of the bank with Mega Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">December 23: The 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nepal Investment Bank Limited (NIBL) on Thursday endorsed the proposal for a merger of the bank with Mega Bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank informed that they will soon launch integrated transactions following the conclusion of the merger process. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">NIBL and Mega Bank had signed a final draft of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for merger in late November. As per the deadline set by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the banks can go for merger till January 6, 2023 to receive benefits announced by the central bank.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to merger committee member Gopal Khanal, who is also a member of the Board of Directors of Mega Bank, they plan to merge and launch integrated transactions within the deadline given by the central bank. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The banks signed a preliminary merger agreement with a swap ratio of 100: 90 on June 10. One unit of share of the NIBL will be equivalent to 0.90 of Mega Bank. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">NIBL has a paid-up capital is Rs 18.31 billion while that of Mega Bank is Rs 16.2 billion. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Following the merger, the new entity is to be named Nepal Investment Mega Bank and Prithvi Bahadur Pande will be its chair and Jyoti Pandey the Chief Executive Officer. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, NIBL’s AGM also endorsed the proposal to distribute 11 percent dividend to its shareholders. The dividend endorsed by the bank includes four percent bonus share and seven percent cash dividend. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NIBL with Rs 19 billion market capitalisation earned Rs 6.2 billion in operational profit, and Rs 3.7 billion in net profit in the last fiscal year (FY 2021/22). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank’s deposit collection has slightly increased and stood at Rs 186.7 billion in the last FY against Rs 179.4 billion in the FY 2020/21. Similarly, its credit flow has also gone up slightly to reach Rs 164.8 billion in the same period as compared to Rs 161.9 billion in the FY 2020/21. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16329', 'image' => '20221223115152_20221129052420_20220713054958_merger.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 11:50:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16587', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Companies Interested in Operating Flights To and From Pokhara Int'l Airport', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: As Pokhara Regional International Airport is getting ready for flights from January 1, domestic as well as international airlines have shown interest in starting services from this airport.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 23: As Pokhara Regional International Airport is getting ready for flights from January 1, domestic as well as international airlines have shown interest in starting services from this airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal's Himalaya Airlines, along with Jazeera Airways, which have started flights from the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, have shown interest to operate flights to and from Pokhara Regional International Airport. With the airport all set to operate from the English New Year, Buddha Air, a leading Nepali private sector air service company, has already prepared a schedule to fly its aircraft from the airport to various destinations in India. However, other companies have just started showing interest to operate flights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Head of Pokhara Airport Office, Bikramraj Gautam, informed that Himalaya Airlines, Jazeera, Thai Smile and Qatar Airways have shown interests in operating international flights from this airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He says that since the international airport will be operational from January 1, companies are coming in for inquiries. Similarly, Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines each conducted a test flight on Thursday. Buddha Air is also preparing to operate night flights as well as international flights from the airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Yeti, which is preparing to operate domestic flights from the airport, also conducted a demo flight on Thursday. Yeti Airlines spokesperson Sudarshan Bartaula said that the airlines has not yet made any preparations for international flights from this airport.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The construction of the airport – a national pride project – which started in 2010 was set to be completed in 4 years. However, the construction started only after the loan agreement between the Government of Nepal and the Government of China in February 2016. Although the target was to complete the works by the year 2020, it was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => 'Pokhara, International, Airport, Hiamalya, Airlines, Qatar, Jazeera, Airways, Buddha, Yeti, Air, operate, flight', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16328', 'image' => '20221223113701_himalaya.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 11:36:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16586', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Comes up with Strategic Action Plan for Visit Nepal Decade ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: The government has prepared a strategic action plan for the Visit Nepal Decade (2023-2032) with a target to bring in 3.5 million tourists and create 1 million additional jobs in the country’s tourism industry. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 23: The government has prepared a strategic action plan for the Visit Nepal Decade (2023-2032) with a target to bring in 3.5 million tourists and create 1 million additional jobs in the country’s tourism industry. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The action plan also aims to revive the tourism industry affected by Covid-19 to the pre-pandemic stage within two years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A five-member taskforce formed by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation under the leadership of tourism expert Prachandaman Shrestha submitted its report to Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha on Thursday suggesting the government to conduct tourism promotional events in all seasons in the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Upon receiving the report, Minister Shrestha said that the concept of tourism decade was proposed realizing the need for a long-lasting idea for tourism revival as the country’s tourism sector suffered badly due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the past three years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Minister Shrestha also expressed confidence that the Visit Nepal Decade would help establish Nepal as a leading destination in the global tourism market. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The action plan has incorporated integrating Nepal’s geographic, natural, environmental, social, cultural and religious diversities with the tourism sector and declare special touristic sites on the basis of tourism feasibility while developing infrastructures in this sector. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, public, private and community sector’s cooperation and partnership is highlighted in the action plan for the promotion and development of the tourism sector. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => 'tourism, action, plan, strategic, Nepal, government, decade, pandemic, Covid-19', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16327', 'image' => '20221223104831_tournba.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 10:47:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '16585', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India Lifts Ban on Wheat Export to Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 23: India has partially lifted the ban on export of wheat to Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 23: India has partially lifted the ban on export of wheat to Nepal. The southern neighbour had imposed a ban on export of wheat seven months ago in a bid to protect its domestic industry in the wake of Russia-Ukraine war.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that India imposed a ban on wheat exports on April 14 due to the decline in domestic production. Despite the ban, New Delhi said that wheat will be exported to the countries that are in need of food security by setting quotas.</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"">Although the flour industries of Nepal require 600,000 metric tons of wheat annually, India has decided to export 50,000 tons of wheat to Nepal.</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 Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India on Wednesday decided to export wheat to Nepal upon request from the Government of Nepal.</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 Government of Nepal had requested India to lift the ban on export of wheat arguing that the product was being smuggled into Nepal in huge quantities despite the ban. </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"">Following the request of Nepal, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India on Wednesday permitted the export of 50,000 tonnes of wheat till March 31, 2023, the state-owned national news agency of Nepal (RSS) reported.</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"">India has asked Nepal to submit the details regarding the quantity of wheat it requires.</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 traders in Nepal were forced to buy wheat in the black market as the price soared with the ban. The price had increased by 30 to 40 percent,” RSS added. Around 32 flour mills had to be closed due to the unavailability of wheat.</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"">India is the world's second largest wheat producer after China. Wheat supply through the Black Sea is now halted due to tensions between Russia, the third largest producer of wheat, and Ukraine, the eighth largest producer. This time, India imposed a ban on exports citing the decline in wheat production in India due to the scorching heat of March as well as the Russia-Ukraine war. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-12-23', 'modified' => '2022-12-23', 'keywords' => 'wheat, ban, Nepal, India, Russia, Ukraine, export, smuggling', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '16326', 'image' => '20221223101226_wheatttttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-12-23 10:10:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, '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
