August 24: Nepal’s trade deficit declined by 10 percent in the first month of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last fiscal…
August 24: Nepal’s trade deficit declined by 10 percent in the first month of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last fiscal…
August 23: The Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs-FNNTE has urged the government to adjust the prices of the petroleum products on the eve of the…
August 23: Global IME Bank has started the 'Global IME Student Scholarship' programme as part of its corporate social…
August 23: NMB Bank has launched 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', targeting women in the country and abroad.…
August 23: Hyundai Nepal concluded its tree planting programme at Ratomate Danda, Chunikhel, under the “Be the Change” campaign.…
August 23: The business of multinational company Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd is increasing every year.…
August 23: The government has invested more than Rs 1 billion in four years since launching the concept of industrial villages to develop micro, domestic and small industries at the municipal…
August 23: With the opening of Janakpur-Jayanagar railway service, it has become easier for Indian pilgrims to visit Nepal.…
August 23: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha has stressed on the need to create a favourable environment for attracting religious tourists to…
August 23: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nepal Police (NP) for the construction and operation of charging stations for electric vehicles…
August 22: The government has signed a bilateral agreement with the UK with the aim to provide highly-paid jobs to Nepali youths in the…
August 22: Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi customs, the major trade checkpoints in the north, will not be opened anytime soon.…
August 22: There is hardly any person who hasn’t heard about Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, which are used synonymously in the domestic market of…
August 22: Bank deposits declined by more than Rs 100 billion in the first month of the current fiscal…
August 22: The field survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu railway is likely to be completed soon.…
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The bank will remain in force till mid-August.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It is estimated that the imports have declined after banks stopped credit flow for import of goods amid liquidity crisis. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Department of Customs informed that the government collected revenue of Rs 31.96 billion in the first month of the current FY through customs duty. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The consumption of diesel, which is one of the top imported items of the country, declined significantly in recent months. The country had imported 94,104 kilolitres of diesel during the first month of the last fiscal year, which declined to 65,186 kilolitres this year. The import of petrol also dropped to 54,704 kilolitres in the review month from 58,556 kilolitres during the corresponding period of last FY. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Although the import of petroleum products declined significantly in the review month, there has been a significant rise in the amount spent for the import of fuel due to price hike.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The country spent Rs 6.64 for the import of diesel during the first month of last fiscal year which rose to Rs 8.98 this year.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-24', 'modified' => '2022-08-24', 'keywords' => 'trade, deficit, import, export, fuel, petrol, diesel, BoP', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15592', 'image' => '20220824095330_Trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-24 09:52:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15850', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'FNTTE Urges Government to Adjust Petro Prices for Festivals ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: The Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs-FNNTE has urged the government to adjust the prices of the petroleum products on the eve of the festivals.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 23: The Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs-FNNTE has urged the government to adjust the prices of the petroleum products on the eve of the festivals. Issuing a press statement on Tuesday, FNNTE urged the government to ensure a respite to the people during the time of festival as they are hit hard by the skyrocketing prices of petroleum products. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The federation wants the government to slash the petro prices in line with the falling prices in the international market. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The Nepal Oil Corporation goes with the old price list when the prices fell three times in the international market," the federation said in the statement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“It is unfortunate to have the unchanged price list despite the fall in international prices. The public transport sector which greatly suffered economic loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic has to clamour for the adjustment of fuel prices instead of getting a relief for the loss," the press release added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chairperson of the federation Bijay Bahadur Swar said transport entrepreneurs are largely affected by the unexceptional rise in motor vehicle tax, bank interest, route-permit charge, vehicle-test insurance and motor engines. The price should be quickly revised as per the international market prices. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15591', 'image' => '20220823050340_Petrol-Price-Increase.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 17:03:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15849', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Global IME Announces Scholarship Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Global IME Bank has started the 'Global IME Student Scholarship' programme as part of its corporate social responsibility.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 23: Global IME Bank has started the 'Global IME Student Scholarship' programme as part of its corporate social responsibility.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank will provide scholarships to students studying in public schools under the programme. The bank informed that 35 deserving girls from underprivileged classes who passed class 6 and entered class 7 from various schools are given scholarships this year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank informed that scholarship will be provided every year to the selected girl students for their studies up to class 12. The bank expects that this program will help girls who are forced to drop out of school due to financial problems to complete the secondary school education.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank informed that it will continue the programme every year and provide scholarships to 35 female students every year covering all seven provinces.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15590', 'image' => '20220823013343_scholarship.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:33:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15848', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: NMB Bank has launched 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', targeting women in the country and abroad. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: NMB Bank has launched 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', targeting women in the country and abroad. The bank informed that the account scheme is introduced with the aim of encouraging women to save and make them active in digital transactions. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the bank, under this plan, customers will get cashback up to Rs 5,000 per year on digital payments made for medical/health check-ups.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, as per the account plan, the customers will also get free debit card, credit card, Mero share, demat and other facilities. As informed by the bank, customers will also get a discount on loan administrative fees for retail loans and women entrepreneur loans under this scheme.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15589', 'image' => '20220823012644_nari.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:26:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15847', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Hyundai Nepal Organizes Tree Plantation Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Hyundai Nepal concluded its tree planting programme at Ratomate Danda, Chunikhel, under the “Be the Change” campaign. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: Hyundai Nepal concluded its tree planting programme at Ratomate Danda, Chunikhel, under the “Be the Change” campaign. The company informed that more than 200 saplings were planted in coordination with Ratomate Danda Community Forest. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">About 150 people of different age groups participated in the programme. More than 40 electric vehicles including Kona and Ionic-6 were driven from Thapathali to Budhanilkantha for the tree plantation programme.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the company, tree plantation is expected to minimize the impact of carbon emissions of ordinary vehicles. Similarly, in the upcoming days, the company is planning to organize other programmes related to environmental activities under the same campaign.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In September last year, Hyundai Motor Company announced the goal of maintaining carbon neutrality in all stages of its production and operations by 2045, which is five years prior to the global carbon neutral goal of 2050.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company is also planning to produce more than 1 million electric vehicles by 2025 with 23 eco-friendly lineups in its journey towards carbon neutrality.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15588', 'image' => '20220823011817_Hyundai.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:17:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15846', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Surya Nepal's Annual Turnover is Rs 24 Billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: The business of multinational company Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd is increasing every year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: The business of multinational company Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd is increasing every year. The annual turnover of company in 2021 was about Rs 24.5 billion. The company, which has a large share in the cigarette trade of Nepal, did business worth Rs 24 billion 493 million during the review year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company has a unique identity in the business world of Nepal. It did business worth Rs 24.47 billion in 2020 and Rs 25.13 billion in 2019. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the rating agency Care Rating Nepal, Surya Nepal earned a net profit of Rs 9.41 billion in 2021 and Rs 9.55 billion in 2020.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company produces Surya brand cigarettes, matchsticks, incense sticks and chocolates. Currently, the company produces Surya Legend, Surya 24 Karat, Surya Luxury, Shikhar Filter Kings, Khukuri Filter, Pilot Filter, Electric Filter, and Chautari brand cigarettes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Sanjeev Puri, is the chairman of the company which is doing the most business among FMCG in Nepal. He is also the chairman of the Indian company ITC India Limited. ITC, which is run through joint investment of foreign and local businessmen of India, has 59 percent share in Surya Nepal, while 39 percent stakes are owned by Nepali companies and investors and 2 percent by British American Tobacco (Investment) Limited UK. Surya Nepal, which was established in 1986, has been among the top taxpayers of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Surya Nepal has managed to remain in the top-ten list of taxpayers for a long. Care Rating has rated the company in A-One category.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Due to the lockdown imposed to contain the Covid-19 pandemic in the country and the increase in the price of raw materials, the company's business during that period was affected and the projected income shrunk. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Since Surya Nepal is not a public company, ordinary investors do not have any benefit or loss from its profit. However, the revenue received by the government, the employment created by the company and the contribution made to the Nepalese economy are important.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There are other companies operating in Nepal with domestic and foreign investment as well. However, others have not achieved as much success as Surya Nepal. Foreign direct investment in companies in Nepal has been giving good returns due to the excellence in business by those companies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Lately, Surya Nepal is planning to invest in five-star hotels as part of its business expansion programme. The company has more than 100 distributors across the country. It has industries in Simra of Bara and Tanahun. The company is also involved in various social works under its corporate social responsibility as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15587', 'image' => '20220823011401_Company-HO1 - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:13:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15845', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt Spent Rs 1.05 Billion for Industrial Village but Infrastructure not Yet Ready', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: The government has invested more than Rs 1 billion in four years since launching the concept of industrial villages to develop micro, domestic and small industries at the municipal level.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: The government has invested more than Rs 1 billion in four years since launching the concept of industrial villages to develop micro, domestic and small industries at the municipal level. Although the government has declared more than 105 industrial villages since the approval of the procedure in 2018, it has so far failed to build the required industrial infrastructure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">This programme was officially started after the Council of Ministers approved the 'Industrial Village Declaration and Operation Procedure-2075' in March 2018. Since then, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has already spent Rs 1.05 billion in the first phase of setting up those industrial villages. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the recommendation of the rural municipality to develop the industrial village up to the municipal level, the ministry provides a budget of Rs 10 million per industrial village. Accordingly, the investment has been made in that industrial villages so far.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It has been four years since it was announced that the industrial villages would be built by mobilizing local resources, raw materials, technology and skills, but not a single village has been operational so far.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chandrakala Paudel, joint secretary at the ministry, admitted that not a single industrial village has been completed so far. She clarified that it took a long time to set up the industrial village because the detailed project report and environmental impact assessment took more time than expected.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"There wasn’t any problem about land acquisition because the concept of industrial village concept based on government land," Poudel said, adding that some DPRs revealed that the cost estimate would be more than the allocated budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We will assess the current delay and work to bring the industrial villages into operation as soon as possible,” she added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government has announced the establishment of industrial villages in all 753 local units of the country. The work of infrastructure development for the industrial villages has not been able to pick up speed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Poudel said that since the concept of creating industrial villages has already started and more than 100 villages have been announced, the focus will be on building industrial infrastructure from the current financial year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">s</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15586', 'image' => '20220823121105_Industrial-Policy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 12:10:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15844', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Passengers Overwhelmed by Janakpur-Jaynagar Railway Service', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: With the opening of Janakpur-Jayanagar railway service, it has become easier for Indian pilgrims to visit Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: With the opening of Janakpur-Jayanagar railway service, it has become easier for Indian pilgrims to visit Nepal. Since the train started running regularly from Kurtha of Nepal to Jayanagar of India, it has become easy for religious tourists as well as other passengers to travel in Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the cross-border train service virtually on April 2, 2022. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">India had completely stopped the train service since 2014 for the upgrading the railways. With the resumption of train services from April, it has become convenient for Indian tourists to visit Janaki Temple in Janakpur as well as Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. Passengers also say that the railway route has made it easy for them to travel. They say that the operation of the train has helped the transport service between India and Nepal has become organized.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Indian tourist Suman Bhiwa said that he felt happy visiting Nepal. He said that travelling has become much easier than it was before. Another Indian passenger, Sarita Kumari said that the operation of Nepal-India railway service has facilitated the passengers a lot. She requested to increase it further as the railway service only runs twice a day. She added that the cost of traveling by train has also decreased over time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Train ticket seller Santu Kumar Yadav informed that the number of passengers is on the rise of late. He said that more trains should be added to handle the crowd of passengers. According to him, about 45 percent of passengers come from India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government issued the Railway Ordinance for the third time on March 22, 2022 to run the train. India handed over the railway to the Nepal Railway Company after extending the section towards Nepal to broad gauge and conducting a speed test.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">All the civil works for broad gauge expansion on the 34 km Janakpur-Jayanagar railway were completed four years ago. The government had announced to run trains on the Janakpur-Jayanagar route from January 2018. However, due to various reasons, it was not possible to run the train. However, with the re-operation of the train from April last year, it has become easier for Nepali and Indian citizens to travel.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15585', 'image' => '20220823112051_1661169484.NepaliRailway.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 11:20:15', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15843', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Minister in Favour of Promoting Religious Tourism', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha has stressed on the need to create a favourable environment for attracting religious tourists to Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 23: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha has stressed on the need to create a favourable environment for attracting religious tourists to Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He made such remark while inaugurating a museum in Pashupati area on Monday. On the occasion, Minister Shrestha pledged to do his best to create a favourable environment to bring in foreign pilgrims to Pashupatinath Temple. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He said that the Pashupati Temple holds great significance among the Hindus around the world and many of them aspire to visit the temple once in their lifetime. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The Pashupatinath Temple is the identity of our culture. Therefore, the Pashupati Area Development Trust needs to pay proper attention in facilitating the tourists who visit this holy shrine. It is also necessary to take care of the cleanliness and hygiene of the temple and the maintenance and renovation of the infrastructure,” said Minister Shrestha.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He claimed that Nepal can promote religious tourism only if the country can preserve and promote its cultural heritage. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Minister Shrestha added that the government has included protection of cultural heritage in its 73-point plan for revitalizing the tourism sector. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Preservation of cultural heritage can only ensure promotion of religious tourism,” said Minister Shrestha, adding, “It also contributes to the economy.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He argued that promotion of tourism can help create employment opportunities within the country and help in realizing the dream of prosperous Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The museum, which was damaged by the mega earthquake of 2015, was renovated with the support from Nepal Investment Bank Limited. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15584', 'image' => '20220823101523_main-qimg-2a1ebd792ce31c2b5fb833af387014a0-lq.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 10:14:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15842', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEA signs MoU with Nepal Police for Operation of Charging Station', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nepal Police (NP) for the construction and operation of charging stations for electric vehicles (EV). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 23: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nepal Police (NP) for the construction and operation of charging stations for electric vehicles (EV). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Inspector General of Nepal Police Dhiraj Pratap Singh and Nepal Electricity Authority's Executive Director Kulman Ghising signed the MoU amid a function on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Inspector General Singh, extending gratitude towards the NEA for the MoU, urged the NEA leadership for expanding charging stations in the police offices having huge workforce. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that Nepal Police had been collaborating with NEA in cases of theft and leakage of electricity, Singh assured that the Nepal Police was ever ready to give security to the charging stations to be built along the highways and hill areas. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Ghising shared that NEA was planning to build a charging station in every 60 kilometres in the highway and opined that the role of police was very important in this regard. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to him, collaborating with Nepal Police would be very important in addressing the security concerns of the charging stations and issues related to locating the right venue to build the charging stations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoU aims to promote usage of EV. The deal has been inked in the context of the environment, ecology and living creatures being affected by carbon emission from fossil-fuel powered vehicles as well as industries. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15583', 'image' => '20220823094530_EV.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 09:44:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15841', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'MoU with UK Opens New Avenue of Employment for Nepali Healthcare Professionals ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: The government has signed a bilateral agreement with the UK with the aim to provide highly-paid jobs to Nepali youths in the UK.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 22: The government has signed a bilateral agreement with the UK with the aim to provide highly-paid jobs to Nepali youths in the UK.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Eaknarayan Aryal, and British Ambassador to Nepal, Nicola Pollitt signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) to recruit Nepali healthcare professionals in the UK's health sector. The MoU was signed in presence of Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Welfare, Sher Bahadur Kunwar. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoU has become a new milestone for Nepal in terms of diversifying employment destinations for the country’s youth. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoU has established Government to Government (G2G) bilateral agreement on fair and ethical recruitment of Nepali healthcare professionals to work in the UK's health sector. This pact is expected to encourage individuals seeking healthcare career and help strengthen the healthcare workforce in Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Once selected, the Nepali healthcare professional will be provided the support required for them to be placed in the UK health system. They will also receive equal rights, privileges, protections and dignity as health professionals from the UK. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the government has signed labour agreement with countries providing high remuneration including Israel, Japan and Mauritius. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Department of Foreign Employment of Nepal will work with the Department of Health and Social Care of the UK and its designated entity to undertake the recruitment process. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A joint press release issued after the programme reads, "An understanding has been reached to determine implementation protocol at the participation of government bodies of both countries in order to take the recruitment process to the conclusion." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">All the information related to recruitment process of health workers would be kept at Labour Ministry's website. Applicants, who fulfill the eligibility criteria, shall need to submit all required documents to the Department of Foreign Employment's online platform. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepali citizens aged between 20 and 45 years holding a valid Nepali passport, who have pursued Staff Nurse, Bachelors's Degree in Nursing (B Sc) or Bachelor of Nursing or Master's degree in Nursing from a recognized institution by the Government of Nepal can file application. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The applicant should have an active professional license from the Nepal Nursing Council and at least two years of experience in a registered hospital in Nepal. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15582', 'image' => '20220823093716_RS_KTM_IMGL626008222022.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 18:21:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15840', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Goods Being Imported for Festive Season Stuck across the Northern Border', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi customs, the major trade checkpoints in the north, will not be opened anytime soon. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 22: Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi customs, the major trade checkpoints in the north, will not be opened anytime soon. Both of these checkpoints have been closed since the last two weeks due to the extension of lockdown in Lhasa amid rise in coronavirus infection. Officials say that the border points with China will not be opened immediately.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the Nepali Consulate in Lhasa, China had announced a lockdown there until Sunday. However, the lockdown has been extended till Tuesday as the Covid patients are still seen and the tests have not been completed. China has not released any goods to Nepal for the last two weeks citing the reason of Covid-19. According to the Nepal Trans Himalayan Border Commerce Association, 400 containers carrying goods worth around Rs 5 billion have been currently stuck on the road across the border.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Bharat Karki, the owner of New Sugam Enterprises and general secretary of the association informed that around 350 to 400 containers are stopped at Kerung-Rasuwa and Khasa-Tatopani areas.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">His company imports goods from China. The stopped container contains items for Teej and Dashain festivals. "China has not allowed containers carrying clothes, shoes, Chinese walnuts to be brought to Nepal," he told New Business Age.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Karki informed citing Nepal’s Consul General in Lhasa, Navraj Dhakal, that the closure announced by the Chinese side is unlikely to be lifted immediately. "Goods worth billions of rupees have been stopped. We are asking the Consul General to take the initiative to open the border. However, he is saying that it is not going to open immediately,” said Karki.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The association is preparing to meet Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Dilendra Prasad Badu and request him to take initiatives to ease the border obstruction. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prabhu Adhikari, the owner of PNP Enterprises, says that the business has become chaotic due to the stoppage of goods during the festive season. According to him, due to the sudden closure of the northern border, the businessmen are facing double expenses and debt.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"The situation has worsened as goods worth billions of rupees have been held up on the way," he said, "We are in trouble because the border has been closed on the eve of the festival." The government should take the initiative to resume imports, he added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs is of the view that traders are in trouble after goods were stopped at the Chinese border on the eve of Dashain. The federation has also requested the government to solve the problem at the border immediately through diplomatic initiatives. President of the Federation Kumar Karki said, “There has been a problem at Tatopani and Kerung checkpoints for some time. Imported materials are being stopped at the Chinese border. Exports have been stalled for a long time. The government should take the initiative to open it immediately.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, the goods intended for the festivals have been stopped at the Chinese border. If those goods do not arrive on time, the entire business is under risk of going bankrupt. If the border is not opened, there is a situation where many industrialists may flee from their businesses. Karki says that the government should start diplomatic initiatives as soon as possible to solve the problems seen at the border.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15581', 'image' => '20220822061309_1661142938.Tatopani Naka.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 18:12:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15838', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Counterfeit Shoes Helping in Promotion of Goldstar Brand', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: There is hardly any person who hasn’t heard about Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, which are used synonymously in the domestic market of Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 22: There is hardly any person who hasn’t heard about Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, which are used synonymously in the domestic market of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Goldstar, known as the shoes of Nepali lifestyle, is now not limited to the choice of the old generation, but is also accepted as a fashionable brand by urban youth. Goldstar is now so popular that counterfeit brands using its logo are rampant in the market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During a conversation with New Business Age on Sunday, Amir Pratap Rana, chairman and managing director of Kiran Shoes Manufactures, the company that produces Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, said that even though counterfeit shoes have hit the market in the guise of Goldstar brand, the company's business is not affected that much. Rana says that the company did not have to spend much on branding because the brand is being promoted by of those who put the Goldstar stamp on the shoes brought from abroad.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Noor Pratap Rana of Palpa started this business from Hetauda, which is now handled by his son Amir Pratap and daughter-in-law Vidushi. The production of Hattichap slippers started in 1970. Due to political changes and labor strikes, the industry was brought from Hetauda to Kathmandu in 1985. Since the Hattichap slipper factory was set up in Ring Road, the entire stretch of two kilometers area from Narayan Gopal Showk in Maharajganj towards Chabahill is known as slipper factory (Chappal Karkhana). According to Rana, after moving the industry from Hetauda to Kathmandu, Kiran Shoes Manufacturers started producing shoes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Goldstar is one of the latest items to be exported from Nepal. According to Rana, after Goldstar got a good market, some traders and shoe manufacturers started selling counterfeit Goldstar shoes to destroy the reputation of the company. Despite repeated attempts to tarnish the company's brand, original Goldstar's market remains good.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He says that many fake shoes have come in the market lately and the customers are being cheated. According to Rana, foreign brand shoes are also sold with fake stickers. The company is currently producing 100 million pairs of slippers and Goldstar shoes daily. In Bhairahawa, seven bighas of land have been bought and a production plant is being set up. The plant will be operational shortly after. While expanding the business, the company opened showrooms and outlets in different districts and franchises in America and Australia.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company's products are exported to India, Qatar, Bahrain, Japan, Malaysia and other countries. The company provides direct employment to 2700 people, among whom 65 percent are women.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After Covid-19, the company also started producing leather shoes. Rana said that the company's goal is to increase production and export to all countries of the world by 2025, despite the decline in production due to problems in importing raw materials during the earthquake and Covid-19. Indians are also excited about the Goldstar brand for the past few years. Currently, the company exports about 75 percent of its total production to India besides other countries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rana sees the need for industry-friendly policies and laws to run industries and businesses in the country. He suggested that the government should cooperate with the private sector. Rana, who is also the chairman of Kumari Bank, said that he is moving ahead in a planned manner, seeing the good future of attractive, durable, affordable footwear in Nepal and abroad.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that since long-term thinking and investment are necessary to run industries and businesses, he is also considering the issue of initial public offering (IPO).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15580', 'image' => '20220822012338_20211012093138_Goldstar.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 13:22:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15836', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bank Deposits Decline in First Month of Current Fiscal Year', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: Bank deposits declined by more than Rs 100 billion in the first month of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 22: Bank deposits declined by more than Rs 100 billion in the first month of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the Nepal Bankers Association, the total deposits of commercial banks in the last month of Fiscal Year 2021/22 stood at Rs 4541 billion, which dropped to Rs 4433 billion due to withdrawal of Rs 108 billion in the Nepali month of Shrawn (mid-July to mid-August).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bank deposits had increased by Rs 150 billion in the month of Asar (mid-June to mid-July) but the deposits started declining continually the very next month. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bank deposits declined by Rs 64 billion in the third week of July followed by withdrawal of Rs 28 billion in the third week. Likewise, bank deposits declined by Rs 4 billion in the first week of August and by Rs 25 billion in the second week followed by a decline of 13 billion the next week.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal Rastra Bank’s Spokesperson Dr Gunakar Bhatta believes that the bank deposits declined in the review month because the state-owned Nepal Oil Corporation paid its long-standing debt to the Indian Oil Corporation during the beginning of the new fiscal year and the construction companies also withdrew the amount deposited in their names by the government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bhatta believes that the amount will slowly return back to the banking system.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NOC had borrowed Rs 16 billion from the government and paid its dues to the IOC in the third week of July.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The central bank also estimates that the bank deposits declined in the first month of the current fiscal year because the unspent budget of the local levels were returned back to the state coffers.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Although the bank deposits declined, credit flow of banks have increased nominally during the review period.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The total credit flow of banks in the last month of FY 2021/22 was Rs 4175 billion which increased to Rs 4177 billion by mid-August.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15579', 'image' => '20220822091844_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 09:17:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15837', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Field Survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway within 2022', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: The field survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu railway is likely to be completed soon. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 22: The field survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu railway is likely to be completed soon. By next December, the Konkan Railway team of India will submit the final report of the project along with the DPR and other test reports to the Government of India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The study of this railway is being done with the grant of the Government of India. Indian newspaper Prabhat Khabar has published the news that the construction of this railway is likely to start within the year 2023 after completion of all pre-construction studies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Studies have shown that a train can run at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour on this route. According to the survey team, the Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway will be 140 km long. It is mentioned in the news that the last 40 km section will be electrified with double track. Similarly, it has been reported that a single line broad gauge from Raxaul extending up to 99 kilometers will be electrified. The last 40 kilometers ie the section towards Kathmandu will be built on a double track due to the geographical location. In order to avoid problems in the future, it is being tried to make the section on a double track. As the remaining 99 km will be in the Terai section, it will be easy to make the track.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The team of Konkan Railway is currently undertaking the final survey from Raxaul to Kathmandu. Along with the field survey, the team is also conducting soil tests at the places where bridges and tunnels are to be built. It is mentioned in the news published by Prabhat Khabar that the Government of Nepal, the Indian Consulate and locals are assisting the survey team.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the survey team, 12 stations will be built on this railway from Raxaul to Kathmandu. Railway stations will be built in Raxaul, Birgunj, Belwa, Manharwa, Saphi Bazar, Nijgadh, Makwanpur, Diyal, Shikharpur, Sahitakhel, Sisneri and Kathmandu.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the preliminary reports, a total of 33 tunnels will have to be built along the railway line. The survey team has informed that the longest tunnel will be of 8 kilometers. In addition, 305 small bridges will have to be built between Raxaul and Kathmandu, including an 800-meter long cable bridge. The longest bridge of the railway will be 1,500 meters. Forty seven kilometers away from Raxaul, the railway will be built in forest and hill areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the year 2077, the Government of Nepal had requested the Indian government to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) of this railway, but the survey was stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">From the current survey, it will be known what kind of train can be run, and at which point the main structures like tunnels, bridges and stations should be built.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In August 2075, an agreement was reached between the governments of Nepal and India to conduct the feasibility study of this railway. Similarly, an agreement was signed with China in October 2076 to study the feasibility of the Kerung-Kathmandu railway.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15578', 'image' => '20220822093824_1661070546.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 09:37:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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The bank will remain in force till mid-August.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It is estimated that the imports have declined after banks stopped credit flow for import of goods amid liquidity crisis. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Department of Customs informed that the government collected revenue of Rs 31.96 billion in the first month of the current FY through customs duty. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The consumption of diesel, which is one of the top imported items of the country, declined significantly in recent months. The country had imported 94,104 kilolitres of diesel during the first month of the last fiscal year, which declined to 65,186 kilolitres this year. The import of petrol also dropped to 54,704 kilolitres in the review month from 58,556 kilolitres during the corresponding period of last FY. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Although the import of petroleum products declined significantly in the review month, there has been a significant rise in the amount spent for the import of fuel due to price hike.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The country spent Rs 6.64 for the import of diesel during the first month of last fiscal year which rose to Rs 8.98 this year.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-24', 'modified' => '2022-08-24', 'keywords' => 'trade, deficit, import, export, fuel, petrol, diesel, BoP', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15592', 'image' => '20220824095330_Trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-24 09:52:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15850', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'FNTTE Urges Government to Adjust Petro Prices for Festivals ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: The Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs-FNNTE has urged the government to adjust the prices of the petroleum products on the eve of the festivals.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 23: The Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs-FNNTE has urged the government to adjust the prices of the petroleum products on the eve of the festivals. Issuing a press statement on Tuesday, FNNTE urged the government to ensure a respite to the people during the time of festival as they are hit hard by the skyrocketing prices of petroleum products. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The federation wants the government to slash the petro prices in line with the falling prices in the international market. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The Nepal Oil Corporation goes with the old price list when the prices fell three times in the international market," the federation said in the statement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“It is unfortunate to have the unchanged price list despite the fall in international prices. The public transport sector which greatly suffered economic loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic has to clamour for the adjustment of fuel prices instead of getting a relief for the loss," the press release added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chairperson of the federation Bijay Bahadur Swar said transport entrepreneurs are largely affected by the unexceptional rise in motor vehicle tax, bank interest, route-permit charge, vehicle-test insurance and motor engines. The price should be quickly revised as per the international market prices. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15591', 'image' => '20220823050340_Petrol-Price-Increase.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 17:03:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15849', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Global IME Announces Scholarship Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Global IME Bank has started the 'Global IME Student Scholarship' programme as part of its corporate social responsibility.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 23: Global IME Bank has started the 'Global IME Student Scholarship' programme as part of its corporate social responsibility.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank will provide scholarships to students studying in public schools under the programme. The bank informed that 35 deserving girls from underprivileged classes who passed class 6 and entered class 7 from various schools are given scholarships this year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank informed that scholarship will be provided every year to the selected girl students for their studies up to class 12. The bank expects that this program will help girls who are forced to drop out of school due to financial problems to complete the secondary school education.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank informed that it will continue the programme every year and provide scholarships to 35 female students every year covering all seven provinces.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15590', 'image' => '20220823013343_scholarship.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:33:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15848', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: NMB Bank has launched 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', targeting women in the country and abroad. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: NMB Bank has launched 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', targeting women in the country and abroad. The bank informed that the account scheme is introduced with the aim of encouraging women to save and make them active in digital transactions. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the bank, under this plan, customers will get cashback up to Rs 5,000 per year on digital payments made for medical/health check-ups.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, as per the account plan, the customers will also get free debit card, credit card, Mero share, demat and other facilities. As informed by the bank, customers will also get a discount on loan administrative fees for retail loans and women entrepreneur loans under this scheme.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15589', 'image' => '20220823012644_nari.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:26:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15847', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Hyundai Nepal Organizes Tree Plantation Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Hyundai Nepal concluded its tree planting programme at Ratomate Danda, Chunikhel, under the “Be the Change” campaign. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: Hyundai Nepal concluded its tree planting programme at Ratomate Danda, Chunikhel, under the “Be the Change” campaign. The company informed that more than 200 saplings were planted in coordination with Ratomate Danda Community Forest. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">About 150 people of different age groups participated in the programme. More than 40 electric vehicles including Kona and Ionic-6 were driven from Thapathali to Budhanilkantha for the tree plantation programme.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the company, tree plantation is expected to minimize the impact of carbon emissions of ordinary vehicles. Similarly, in the upcoming days, the company is planning to organize other programmes related to environmental activities under the same campaign.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In September last year, Hyundai Motor Company announced the goal of maintaining carbon neutrality in all stages of its production and operations by 2045, which is five years prior to the global carbon neutral goal of 2050.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company is also planning to produce more than 1 million electric vehicles by 2025 with 23 eco-friendly lineups in its journey towards carbon neutrality.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15588', 'image' => '20220823011817_Hyundai.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:17:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15846', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Surya Nepal's Annual Turnover is Rs 24 Billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: The business of multinational company Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd is increasing every year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: The business of multinational company Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd is increasing every year. The annual turnover of company in 2021 was about Rs 24.5 billion. The company, which has a large share in the cigarette trade of Nepal, did business worth Rs 24 billion 493 million during the review year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company has a unique identity in the business world of Nepal. It did business worth Rs 24.47 billion in 2020 and Rs 25.13 billion in 2019. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the rating agency Care Rating Nepal, Surya Nepal earned a net profit of Rs 9.41 billion in 2021 and Rs 9.55 billion in 2020.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company produces Surya brand cigarettes, matchsticks, incense sticks and chocolates. Currently, the company produces Surya Legend, Surya 24 Karat, Surya Luxury, Shikhar Filter Kings, Khukuri Filter, Pilot Filter, Electric Filter, and Chautari brand cigarettes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Sanjeev Puri, is the chairman of the company which is doing the most business among FMCG in Nepal. He is also the chairman of the Indian company ITC India Limited. ITC, which is run through joint investment of foreign and local businessmen of India, has 59 percent share in Surya Nepal, while 39 percent stakes are owned by Nepali companies and investors and 2 percent by British American Tobacco (Investment) Limited UK. Surya Nepal, which was established in 1986, has been among the top taxpayers of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Surya Nepal has managed to remain in the top-ten list of taxpayers for a long. Care Rating has rated the company in A-One category.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Due to the lockdown imposed to contain the Covid-19 pandemic in the country and the increase in the price of raw materials, the company's business during that period was affected and the projected income shrunk. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Since Surya Nepal is not a public company, ordinary investors do not have any benefit or loss from its profit. However, the revenue received by the government, the employment created by the company and the contribution made to the Nepalese economy are important.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There are other companies operating in Nepal with domestic and foreign investment as well. However, others have not achieved as much success as Surya Nepal. Foreign direct investment in companies in Nepal has been giving good returns due to the excellence in business by those companies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Lately, Surya Nepal is planning to invest in five-star hotels as part of its business expansion programme. The company has more than 100 distributors across the country. It has industries in Simra of Bara and Tanahun. The company is also involved in various social works under its corporate social responsibility as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15587', 'image' => '20220823011401_Company-HO1 - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:13:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15845', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt Spent Rs 1.05 Billion for Industrial Village but Infrastructure not Yet Ready', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: The government has invested more than Rs 1 billion in four years since launching the concept of industrial villages to develop micro, domestic and small industries at the municipal level.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: The government has invested more than Rs 1 billion in four years since launching the concept of industrial villages to develop micro, domestic and small industries at the municipal level. Although the government has declared more than 105 industrial villages since the approval of the procedure in 2018, it has so far failed to build the required industrial infrastructure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">This programme was officially started after the Council of Ministers approved the 'Industrial Village Declaration and Operation Procedure-2075' in March 2018. Since then, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has already spent Rs 1.05 billion in the first phase of setting up those industrial villages. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the recommendation of the rural municipality to develop the industrial village up to the municipal level, the ministry provides a budget of Rs 10 million per industrial village. Accordingly, the investment has been made in that industrial villages so far.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It has been four years since it was announced that the industrial villages would be built by mobilizing local resources, raw materials, technology and skills, but not a single village has been operational so far.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chandrakala Paudel, joint secretary at the ministry, admitted that not a single industrial village has been completed so far. She clarified that it took a long time to set up the industrial village because the detailed project report and environmental impact assessment took more time than expected.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"There wasn’t any problem about land acquisition because the concept of industrial village concept based on government land," Poudel said, adding that some DPRs revealed that the cost estimate would be more than the allocated budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We will assess the current delay and work to bring the industrial villages into operation as soon as possible,” she added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government has announced the establishment of industrial villages in all 753 local units of the country. The work of infrastructure development for the industrial villages has not been able to pick up speed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Poudel said that since the concept of creating industrial villages has already started and more than 100 villages have been announced, the focus will be on building industrial infrastructure from the current financial year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">s</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15586', 'image' => '20220823121105_Industrial-Policy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 12:10:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15844', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Passengers Overwhelmed by Janakpur-Jaynagar Railway Service', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: With the opening of Janakpur-Jayanagar railway service, it has become easier for Indian pilgrims to visit Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: With the opening of Janakpur-Jayanagar railway service, it has become easier for Indian pilgrims to visit Nepal. Since the train started running regularly from Kurtha of Nepal to Jayanagar of India, it has become easy for religious tourists as well as other passengers to travel in Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the cross-border train service virtually on April 2, 2022. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">India had completely stopped the train service since 2014 for the upgrading the railways. With the resumption of train services from April, it has become convenient for Indian tourists to visit Janaki Temple in Janakpur as well as Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. Passengers also say that the railway route has made it easy for them to travel. They say that the operation of the train has helped the transport service between India and Nepal has become organized.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Indian tourist Suman Bhiwa said that he felt happy visiting Nepal. He said that travelling has become much easier than it was before. Another Indian passenger, Sarita Kumari said that the operation of Nepal-India railway service has facilitated the passengers a lot. She requested to increase it further as the railway service only runs twice a day. She added that the cost of traveling by train has also decreased over time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Train ticket seller Santu Kumar Yadav informed that the number of passengers is on the rise of late. He said that more trains should be added to handle the crowd of passengers. According to him, about 45 percent of passengers come from India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government issued the Railway Ordinance for the third time on March 22, 2022 to run the train. India handed over the railway to the Nepal Railway Company after extending the section towards Nepal to broad gauge and conducting a speed test.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">All the civil works for broad gauge expansion on the 34 km Janakpur-Jayanagar railway were completed four years ago. The government had announced to run trains on the Janakpur-Jayanagar route from January 2018. However, due to various reasons, it was not possible to run the train. However, with the re-operation of the train from April last year, it has become easier for Nepali and Indian citizens to travel.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15585', 'image' => '20220823112051_1661169484.NepaliRailway.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 11:20:15', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15843', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Minister in Favour of Promoting Religious Tourism', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha has stressed on the need to create a favourable environment for attracting religious tourists to Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 23: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha has stressed on the need to create a favourable environment for attracting religious tourists to Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He made such remark while inaugurating a museum in Pashupati area on Monday. On the occasion, Minister Shrestha pledged to do his best to create a favourable environment to bring in foreign pilgrims to Pashupatinath Temple. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He said that the Pashupati Temple holds great significance among the Hindus around the world and many of them aspire to visit the temple once in their lifetime. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The Pashupatinath Temple is the identity of our culture. Therefore, the Pashupati Area Development Trust needs to pay proper attention in facilitating the tourists who visit this holy shrine. It is also necessary to take care of the cleanliness and hygiene of the temple and the maintenance and renovation of the infrastructure,” said Minister Shrestha.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He claimed that Nepal can promote religious tourism only if the country can preserve and promote its cultural heritage. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Minister Shrestha added that the government has included protection of cultural heritage in its 73-point plan for revitalizing the tourism sector. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Preservation of cultural heritage can only ensure promotion of religious tourism,” said Minister Shrestha, adding, “It also contributes to the economy.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He argued that promotion of tourism can help create employment opportunities within the country and help in realizing the dream of prosperous Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The museum, which was damaged by the mega earthquake of 2015, was renovated with the support from Nepal Investment Bank Limited. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15584', 'image' => '20220823101523_main-qimg-2a1ebd792ce31c2b5fb833af387014a0-lq.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 10:14:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15842', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEA signs MoU with Nepal Police for Operation of Charging Station', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nepal Police (NP) for the construction and operation of charging stations for electric vehicles (EV). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 23: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nepal Police (NP) for the construction and operation of charging stations for electric vehicles (EV). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Inspector General of Nepal Police Dhiraj Pratap Singh and Nepal Electricity Authority's Executive Director Kulman Ghising signed the MoU amid a function on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Inspector General Singh, extending gratitude towards the NEA for the MoU, urged the NEA leadership for expanding charging stations in the police offices having huge workforce. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that Nepal Police had been collaborating with NEA in cases of theft and leakage of electricity, Singh assured that the Nepal Police was ever ready to give security to the charging stations to be built along the highways and hill areas. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Ghising shared that NEA was planning to build a charging station in every 60 kilometres in the highway and opined that the role of police was very important in this regard. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to him, collaborating with Nepal Police would be very important in addressing the security concerns of the charging stations and issues related to locating the right venue to build the charging stations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoU aims to promote usage of EV. The deal has been inked in the context of the environment, ecology and living creatures being affected by carbon emission from fossil-fuel powered vehicles as well as industries. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15583', 'image' => '20220823094530_EV.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 09:44:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15841', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'MoU with UK Opens New Avenue of Employment for Nepali Healthcare Professionals ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: The government has signed a bilateral agreement with the UK with the aim to provide highly-paid jobs to Nepali youths in the UK.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 22: The government has signed a bilateral agreement with the UK with the aim to provide highly-paid jobs to Nepali youths in the UK.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Eaknarayan Aryal, and British Ambassador to Nepal, Nicola Pollitt signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) to recruit Nepali healthcare professionals in the UK's health sector. The MoU was signed in presence of Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Welfare, Sher Bahadur Kunwar. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoU has become a new milestone for Nepal in terms of diversifying employment destinations for the country’s youth. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoU has established Government to Government (G2G) bilateral agreement on fair and ethical recruitment of Nepali healthcare professionals to work in the UK's health sector. This pact is expected to encourage individuals seeking healthcare career and help strengthen the healthcare workforce in Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Once selected, the Nepali healthcare professional will be provided the support required for them to be placed in the UK health system. They will also receive equal rights, privileges, protections and dignity as health professionals from the UK. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the government has signed labour agreement with countries providing high remuneration including Israel, Japan and Mauritius. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Department of Foreign Employment of Nepal will work with the Department of Health and Social Care of the UK and its designated entity to undertake the recruitment process. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A joint press release issued after the programme reads, "An understanding has been reached to determine implementation protocol at the participation of government bodies of both countries in order to take the recruitment process to the conclusion." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">All the information related to recruitment process of health workers would be kept at Labour Ministry's website. Applicants, who fulfill the eligibility criteria, shall need to submit all required documents to the Department of Foreign Employment's online platform. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepali citizens aged between 20 and 45 years holding a valid Nepali passport, who have pursued Staff Nurse, Bachelors's Degree in Nursing (B Sc) or Bachelor of Nursing or Master's degree in Nursing from a recognized institution by the Government of Nepal can file application. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The applicant should have an active professional license from the Nepal Nursing Council and at least two years of experience in a registered hospital in Nepal. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15582', 'image' => '20220823093716_RS_KTM_IMGL626008222022.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 18:21:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15840', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Goods Being Imported for Festive Season Stuck across the Northern Border', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi customs, the major trade checkpoints in the north, will not be opened anytime soon. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 22: Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi customs, the major trade checkpoints in the north, will not be opened anytime soon. Both of these checkpoints have been closed since the last two weeks due to the extension of lockdown in Lhasa amid rise in coronavirus infection. Officials say that the border points with China will not be opened immediately.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the Nepali Consulate in Lhasa, China had announced a lockdown there until Sunday. However, the lockdown has been extended till Tuesday as the Covid patients are still seen and the tests have not been completed. China has not released any goods to Nepal for the last two weeks citing the reason of Covid-19. According to the Nepal Trans Himalayan Border Commerce Association, 400 containers carrying goods worth around Rs 5 billion have been currently stuck on the road across the border.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Bharat Karki, the owner of New Sugam Enterprises and general secretary of the association informed that around 350 to 400 containers are stopped at Kerung-Rasuwa and Khasa-Tatopani areas.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">His company imports goods from China. The stopped container contains items for Teej and Dashain festivals. "China has not allowed containers carrying clothes, shoes, Chinese walnuts to be brought to Nepal," he told New Business Age.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Karki informed citing Nepal’s Consul General in Lhasa, Navraj Dhakal, that the closure announced by the Chinese side is unlikely to be lifted immediately. "Goods worth billions of rupees have been stopped. We are asking the Consul General to take the initiative to open the border. However, he is saying that it is not going to open immediately,” said Karki.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The association is preparing to meet Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Dilendra Prasad Badu and request him to take initiatives to ease the border obstruction. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prabhu Adhikari, the owner of PNP Enterprises, says that the business has become chaotic due to the stoppage of goods during the festive season. According to him, due to the sudden closure of the northern border, the businessmen are facing double expenses and debt.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"The situation has worsened as goods worth billions of rupees have been held up on the way," he said, "We are in trouble because the border has been closed on the eve of the festival." The government should take the initiative to resume imports, he added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs is of the view that traders are in trouble after goods were stopped at the Chinese border on the eve of Dashain. The federation has also requested the government to solve the problem at the border immediately through diplomatic initiatives. President of the Federation Kumar Karki said, “There has been a problem at Tatopani and Kerung checkpoints for some time. Imported materials are being stopped at the Chinese border. Exports have been stalled for a long time. The government should take the initiative to open it immediately.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, the goods intended for the festivals have been stopped at the Chinese border. If those goods do not arrive on time, the entire business is under risk of going bankrupt. If the border is not opened, there is a situation where many industrialists may flee from their businesses. Karki says that the government should start diplomatic initiatives as soon as possible to solve the problems seen at the border.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15581', 'image' => '20220822061309_1661142938.Tatopani Naka.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 18:12:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15838', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Counterfeit Shoes Helping in Promotion of Goldstar Brand', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: There is hardly any person who hasn’t heard about Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, which are used synonymously in the domestic market of Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 22: There is hardly any person who hasn’t heard about Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, which are used synonymously in the domestic market of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Goldstar, known as the shoes of Nepali lifestyle, is now not limited to the choice of the old generation, but is also accepted as a fashionable brand by urban youth. Goldstar is now so popular that counterfeit brands using its logo are rampant in the market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During a conversation with New Business Age on Sunday, Amir Pratap Rana, chairman and managing director of Kiran Shoes Manufactures, the company that produces Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, said that even though counterfeit shoes have hit the market in the guise of Goldstar brand, the company's business is not affected that much. Rana says that the company did not have to spend much on branding because the brand is being promoted by of those who put the Goldstar stamp on the shoes brought from abroad.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Noor Pratap Rana of Palpa started this business from Hetauda, which is now handled by his son Amir Pratap and daughter-in-law Vidushi. The production of Hattichap slippers started in 1970. Due to political changes and labor strikes, the industry was brought from Hetauda to Kathmandu in 1985. Since the Hattichap slipper factory was set up in Ring Road, the entire stretch of two kilometers area from Narayan Gopal Showk in Maharajganj towards Chabahill is known as slipper factory (Chappal Karkhana). According to Rana, after moving the industry from Hetauda to Kathmandu, Kiran Shoes Manufacturers started producing shoes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Goldstar is one of the latest items to be exported from Nepal. According to Rana, after Goldstar got a good market, some traders and shoe manufacturers started selling counterfeit Goldstar shoes to destroy the reputation of the company. Despite repeated attempts to tarnish the company's brand, original Goldstar's market remains good.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He says that many fake shoes have come in the market lately and the customers are being cheated. According to Rana, foreign brand shoes are also sold with fake stickers. The company is currently producing 100 million pairs of slippers and Goldstar shoes daily. In Bhairahawa, seven bighas of land have been bought and a production plant is being set up. The plant will be operational shortly after. While expanding the business, the company opened showrooms and outlets in different districts and franchises in America and Australia.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company's products are exported to India, Qatar, Bahrain, Japan, Malaysia and other countries. The company provides direct employment to 2700 people, among whom 65 percent are women.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After Covid-19, the company also started producing leather shoes. Rana said that the company's goal is to increase production and export to all countries of the world by 2025, despite the decline in production due to problems in importing raw materials during the earthquake and Covid-19. Indians are also excited about the Goldstar brand for the past few years. Currently, the company exports about 75 percent of its total production to India besides other countries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rana sees the need for industry-friendly policies and laws to run industries and businesses in the country. He suggested that the government should cooperate with the private sector. Rana, who is also the chairman of Kumari Bank, said that he is moving ahead in a planned manner, seeing the good future of attractive, durable, affordable footwear in Nepal and abroad.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that since long-term thinking and investment are necessary to run industries and businesses, he is also considering the issue of initial public offering (IPO).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15580', 'image' => '20220822012338_20211012093138_Goldstar.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 13:22:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15836', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bank Deposits Decline in First Month of Current Fiscal Year', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: Bank deposits declined by more than Rs 100 billion in the first month of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 22: Bank deposits declined by more than Rs 100 billion in the first month of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the Nepal Bankers Association, the total deposits of commercial banks in the last month of Fiscal Year 2021/22 stood at Rs 4541 billion, which dropped to Rs 4433 billion due to withdrawal of Rs 108 billion in the Nepali month of Shrawn (mid-July to mid-August).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bank deposits had increased by Rs 150 billion in the month of Asar (mid-June to mid-July) but the deposits started declining continually the very next month. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bank deposits declined by Rs 64 billion in the third week of July followed by withdrawal of Rs 28 billion in the third week. Likewise, bank deposits declined by Rs 4 billion in the first week of August and by Rs 25 billion in the second week followed by a decline of 13 billion the next week.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal Rastra Bank’s Spokesperson Dr Gunakar Bhatta believes that the bank deposits declined in the review month because the state-owned Nepal Oil Corporation paid its long-standing debt to the Indian Oil Corporation during the beginning of the new fiscal year and the construction companies also withdrew the amount deposited in their names by the government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bhatta believes that the amount will slowly return back to the banking system.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NOC had borrowed Rs 16 billion from the government and paid its dues to the IOC in the third week of July.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The central bank also estimates that the bank deposits declined in the first month of the current fiscal year because the unspent budget of the local levels were returned back to the state coffers.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Although the bank deposits declined, credit flow of banks have increased nominally during the review period.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The total credit flow of banks in the last month of FY 2021/22 was Rs 4175 billion which increased to Rs 4177 billion by mid-August.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15579', 'image' => '20220822091844_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 09:17:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15837', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Field Survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway within 2022', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: The field survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu railway is likely to be completed soon. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 22: The field survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu railway is likely to be completed soon. By next December, the Konkan Railway team of India will submit the final report of the project along with the DPR and other test reports to the Government of India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The study of this railway is being done with the grant of the Government of India. Indian newspaper Prabhat Khabar has published the news that the construction of this railway is likely to start within the year 2023 after completion of all pre-construction studies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Studies have shown that a train can run at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour on this route. According to the survey team, the Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway will be 140 km long. It is mentioned in the news that the last 40 km section will be electrified with double track. Similarly, it has been reported that a single line broad gauge from Raxaul extending up to 99 kilometers will be electrified. The last 40 kilometers ie the section towards Kathmandu will be built on a double track due to the geographical location. In order to avoid problems in the future, it is being tried to make the section on a double track. As the remaining 99 km will be in the Terai section, it will be easy to make the track.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The team of Konkan Railway is currently undertaking the final survey from Raxaul to Kathmandu. Along with the field survey, the team is also conducting soil tests at the places where bridges and tunnels are to be built. It is mentioned in the news published by Prabhat Khabar that the Government of Nepal, the Indian Consulate and locals are assisting the survey team.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the survey team, 12 stations will be built on this railway from Raxaul to Kathmandu. Railway stations will be built in Raxaul, Birgunj, Belwa, Manharwa, Saphi Bazar, Nijgadh, Makwanpur, Diyal, Shikharpur, Sahitakhel, Sisneri and Kathmandu.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the preliminary reports, a total of 33 tunnels will have to be built along the railway line. The survey team has informed that the longest tunnel will be of 8 kilometers. In addition, 305 small bridges will have to be built between Raxaul and Kathmandu, including an 800-meter long cable bridge. The longest bridge of the railway will be 1,500 meters. Forty seven kilometers away from Raxaul, the railway will be built in forest and hill areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the year 2077, the Government of Nepal had requested the Indian government to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) of this railway, but the survey was stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">From the current survey, it will be known what kind of train can be run, and at which point the main structures like tunnels, bridges and stations should be built.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In August 2075, an agreement was reached between the governments of Nepal and India to conduct the feasibility study of this railway. Similarly, an agreement was signed with China in October 2076 to study the feasibility of the Kerung-Kathmandu railway.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15578', 'image' => '20220822093824_1661070546.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 09:37:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15851', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Trade Deficit Declines by Ten Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 24: Nepal’s trade deficit declined by 10 percent in the first month of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 24: Nepal’s trade deficit declined by 10 percent in the first month of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It is believed that the imports have declined due to the policy adopted by the government to discourage imports in addition to liquidity crisis faced by the banks and financial institutions and rising inflation. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the data released by the Department of Customs on Tuesday, the country’s imports declined by 13 percent in the first month of the current fiscal year (mid-July to mid-August). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The country imported goods worth Rs 131.28 billion in the review month against the total import of Rs 150.73 billion in the corresponding period of last year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the export of goods from Nepal also declined by 28.68 percent in the month of Shrawn (mid-July to mid-August). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the data of the Department of Customs, the country exported goods worth Rs 14.81 billion in the review month against exports worth Rs 20.76 billion in the same period of the last fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The country’s trade deficit declined basically due to the decline in imports. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The trade deficit in the first month of the current fiscal year stands at Rs 116. 47 billion against Rs 129.96 during the corresponding period of last FY.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Nepal Rastra Bank had adopted a policy to discourage imports during last winter after excessive imports led to a rise in Balance of Payments and also caused a decline in foreign exchange reserves. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Subsequently, the government banned the imports of ten luxury items such as costly vehicles for private use, readymade liquor, expensive mobile phones and television sets, toys, playing cards and snacks such as Kurkure and Lays as well as high-capacity motorbikes. The bank will remain in force till mid-August.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It is estimated that the imports have declined after banks stopped credit flow for import of goods amid liquidity crisis. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Department of Customs informed that the government collected revenue of Rs 31.96 billion in the first month of the current FY through customs duty. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The consumption of diesel, which is one of the top imported items of the country, declined significantly in recent months. The country had imported 94,104 kilolitres of diesel during the first month of the last fiscal year, which declined to 65,186 kilolitres this year. The import of petrol also dropped to 54,704 kilolitres in the review month from 58,556 kilolitres during the corresponding period of last FY. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Although the import of petroleum products declined significantly in the review month, there has been a significant rise in the amount spent for the import of fuel due to price hike.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The country spent Rs 6.64 for the import of diesel during the first month of last fiscal year which rose to Rs 8.98 this year.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-24', 'modified' => '2022-08-24', 'keywords' => 'trade, deficit, import, export, fuel, petrol, diesel, BoP', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15592', 'image' => '20220824095330_Trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-24 09:52:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15850', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'FNTTE Urges Government to Adjust Petro Prices for Festivals ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: The Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs-FNNTE has urged the government to adjust the prices of the petroleum products on the eve of the festivals.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 23: The Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs-FNNTE has urged the government to adjust the prices of the petroleum products on the eve of the festivals. Issuing a press statement on Tuesday, FNNTE urged the government to ensure a respite to the people during the time of festival as they are hit hard by the skyrocketing prices of petroleum products. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The federation wants the government to slash the petro prices in line with the falling prices in the international market. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The Nepal Oil Corporation goes with the old price list when the prices fell three times in the international market," the federation said in the statement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“It is unfortunate to have the unchanged price list despite the fall in international prices. The public transport sector which greatly suffered economic loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic has to clamour for the adjustment of fuel prices instead of getting a relief for the loss," the press release added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chairperson of the federation Bijay Bahadur Swar said transport entrepreneurs are largely affected by the unexceptional rise in motor vehicle tax, bank interest, route-permit charge, vehicle-test insurance and motor engines. The price should be quickly revised as per the international market prices. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15591', 'image' => '20220823050340_Petrol-Price-Increase.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 17:03:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15849', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Global IME Announces Scholarship Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Global IME Bank has started the 'Global IME Student Scholarship' programme as part of its corporate social responsibility.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 23: Global IME Bank has started the 'Global IME Student Scholarship' programme as part of its corporate social responsibility.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank will provide scholarships to students studying in public schools under the programme. The bank informed that 35 deserving girls from underprivileged classes who passed class 6 and entered class 7 from various schools are given scholarships this year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank informed that scholarship will be provided every year to the selected girl students for their studies up to class 12. The bank expects that this program will help girls who are forced to drop out of school due to financial problems to complete the secondary school education.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank informed that it will continue the programme every year and provide scholarships to 35 female students every year covering all seven provinces.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15590', 'image' => '20220823013343_scholarship.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:33:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15848', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: NMB Bank has launched 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', targeting women in the country and abroad. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: NMB Bank has launched 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', targeting women in the country and abroad. The bank informed that the account scheme is introduced with the aim of encouraging women to save and make them active in digital transactions. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the bank, under this plan, customers will get cashback up to Rs 5,000 per year on digital payments made for medical/health check-ups.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, as per the account plan, the customers will also get free debit card, credit card, Mero share, demat and other facilities. As informed by the bank, customers will also get a discount on loan administrative fees for retail loans and women entrepreneur loans under this scheme.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15589', 'image' => '20220823012644_nari.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:26:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15847', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Hyundai Nepal Organizes Tree Plantation Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Hyundai Nepal concluded its tree planting programme at Ratomate Danda, Chunikhel, under the “Be the Change” campaign. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: Hyundai Nepal concluded its tree planting programme at Ratomate Danda, Chunikhel, under the “Be the Change” campaign. The company informed that more than 200 saplings were planted in coordination with Ratomate Danda Community Forest. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">About 150 people of different age groups participated in the programme. More than 40 electric vehicles including Kona and Ionic-6 were driven from Thapathali to Budhanilkantha for the tree plantation programme.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the company, tree plantation is expected to minimize the impact of carbon emissions of ordinary vehicles. Similarly, in the upcoming days, the company is planning to organize other programmes related to environmental activities under the same campaign.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In September last year, Hyundai Motor Company announced the goal of maintaining carbon neutrality in all stages of its production and operations by 2045, which is five years prior to the global carbon neutral goal of 2050.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company is also planning to produce more than 1 million electric vehicles by 2025 with 23 eco-friendly lineups in its journey towards carbon neutrality.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15588', 'image' => '20220823011817_Hyundai.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:17:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15846', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Surya Nepal's Annual Turnover is Rs 24 Billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: The business of multinational company Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd is increasing every year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: The business of multinational company Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd is increasing every year. The annual turnover of company in 2021 was about Rs 24.5 billion. The company, which has a large share in the cigarette trade of Nepal, did business worth Rs 24 billion 493 million during the review year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company has a unique identity in the business world of Nepal. It did business worth Rs 24.47 billion in 2020 and Rs 25.13 billion in 2019. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the rating agency Care Rating Nepal, Surya Nepal earned a net profit of Rs 9.41 billion in 2021 and Rs 9.55 billion in 2020.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company produces Surya brand cigarettes, matchsticks, incense sticks and chocolates. Currently, the company produces Surya Legend, Surya 24 Karat, Surya Luxury, Shikhar Filter Kings, Khukuri Filter, Pilot Filter, Electric Filter, and Chautari brand cigarettes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Sanjeev Puri, is the chairman of the company which is doing the most business among FMCG in Nepal. He is also the chairman of the Indian company ITC India Limited. ITC, which is run through joint investment of foreign and local businessmen of India, has 59 percent share in Surya Nepal, while 39 percent stakes are owned by Nepali companies and investors and 2 percent by British American Tobacco (Investment) Limited UK. Surya Nepal, which was established in 1986, has been among the top taxpayers of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Surya Nepal has managed to remain in the top-ten list of taxpayers for a long. Care Rating has rated the company in A-One category.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Due to the lockdown imposed to contain the Covid-19 pandemic in the country and the increase in the price of raw materials, the company's business during that period was affected and the projected income shrunk. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Since Surya Nepal is not a public company, ordinary investors do not have any benefit or loss from its profit. However, the revenue received by the government, the employment created by the company and the contribution made to the Nepalese economy are important.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There are other companies operating in Nepal with domestic and foreign investment as well. However, others have not achieved as much success as Surya Nepal. Foreign direct investment in companies in Nepal has been giving good returns due to the excellence in business by those companies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Lately, Surya Nepal is planning to invest in five-star hotels as part of its business expansion programme. The company has more than 100 distributors across the country. It has industries in Simra of Bara and Tanahun. The company is also involved in various social works under its corporate social responsibility as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15587', 'image' => '20220823011401_Company-HO1 - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:13:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15845', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt Spent Rs 1.05 Billion for Industrial Village but Infrastructure not Yet Ready', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: The government has invested more than Rs 1 billion in four years since launching the concept of industrial villages to develop micro, domestic and small industries at the municipal level.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: The government has invested more than Rs 1 billion in four years since launching the concept of industrial villages to develop micro, domestic and small industries at the municipal level. Although the government has declared more than 105 industrial villages since the approval of the procedure in 2018, it has so far failed to build the required industrial infrastructure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">This programme was officially started after the Council of Ministers approved the 'Industrial Village Declaration and Operation Procedure-2075' in March 2018. Since then, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has already spent Rs 1.05 billion in the first phase of setting up those industrial villages. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the recommendation of the rural municipality to develop the industrial village up to the municipal level, the ministry provides a budget of Rs 10 million per industrial village. Accordingly, the investment has been made in that industrial villages so far.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It has been four years since it was announced that the industrial villages would be built by mobilizing local resources, raw materials, technology and skills, but not a single village has been operational so far.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chandrakala Paudel, joint secretary at the ministry, admitted that not a single industrial village has been completed so far. She clarified that it took a long time to set up the industrial village because the detailed project report and environmental impact assessment took more time than expected.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"There wasn’t any problem about land acquisition because the concept of industrial village concept based on government land," Poudel said, adding that some DPRs revealed that the cost estimate would be more than the allocated budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We will assess the current delay and work to bring the industrial villages into operation as soon as possible,” she added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government has announced the establishment of industrial villages in all 753 local units of the country. The work of infrastructure development for the industrial villages has not been able to pick up speed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Poudel said that since the concept of creating industrial villages has already started and more than 100 villages have been announced, the focus will be on building industrial infrastructure from the current financial year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">s</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15586', 'image' => '20220823121105_Industrial-Policy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 12:10:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15844', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Passengers Overwhelmed by Janakpur-Jaynagar Railway Service', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: With the opening of Janakpur-Jayanagar railway service, it has become easier for Indian pilgrims to visit Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: With the opening of Janakpur-Jayanagar railway service, it has become easier for Indian pilgrims to visit Nepal. Since the train started running regularly from Kurtha of Nepal to Jayanagar of India, it has become easy for religious tourists as well as other passengers to travel in Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the cross-border train service virtually on April 2, 2022. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">India had completely stopped the train service since 2014 for the upgrading the railways. With the resumption of train services from April, it has become convenient for Indian tourists to visit Janaki Temple in Janakpur as well as Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. Passengers also say that the railway route has made it easy for them to travel. They say that the operation of the train has helped the transport service between India and Nepal has become organized.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Indian tourist Suman Bhiwa said that he felt happy visiting Nepal. He said that travelling has become much easier than it was before. Another Indian passenger, Sarita Kumari said that the operation of Nepal-India railway service has facilitated the passengers a lot. She requested to increase it further as the railway service only runs twice a day. She added that the cost of traveling by train has also decreased over time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Train ticket seller Santu Kumar Yadav informed that the number of passengers is on the rise of late. He said that more trains should be added to handle the crowd of passengers. According to him, about 45 percent of passengers come from India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government issued the Railway Ordinance for the third time on March 22, 2022 to run the train. India handed over the railway to the Nepal Railway Company after extending the section towards Nepal to broad gauge and conducting a speed test.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">All the civil works for broad gauge expansion on the 34 km Janakpur-Jayanagar railway were completed four years ago. The government had announced to run trains on the Janakpur-Jayanagar route from January 2018. However, due to various reasons, it was not possible to run the train. However, with the re-operation of the train from April last year, it has become easier for Nepali and Indian citizens to travel.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15585', 'image' => '20220823112051_1661169484.NepaliRailway.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 11:20:15', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15843', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Minister in Favour of Promoting Religious Tourism', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha has stressed on the need to create a favourable environment for attracting religious tourists to Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 23: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha has stressed on the need to create a favourable environment for attracting religious tourists to Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He made such remark while inaugurating a museum in Pashupati area on Monday. On the occasion, Minister Shrestha pledged to do his best to create a favourable environment to bring in foreign pilgrims to Pashupatinath Temple. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He said that the Pashupati Temple holds great significance among the Hindus around the world and many of them aspire to visit the temple once in their lifetime. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The Pashupatinath Temple is the identity of our culture. Therefore, the Pashupati Area Development Trust needs to pay proper attention in facilitating the tourists who visit this holy shrine. It is also necessary to take care of the cleanliness and hygiene of the temple and the maintenance and renovation of the infrastructure,” said Minister Shrestha.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He claimed that Nepal can promote religious tourism only if the country can preserve and promote its cultural heritage. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Minister Shrestha added that the government has included protection of cultural heritage in its 73-point plan for revitalizing the tourism sector. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Preservation of cultural heritage can only ensure promotion of religious tourism,” said Minister Shrestha, adding, “It also contributes to the economy.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He argued that promotion of tourism can help create employment opportunities within the country and help in realizing the dream of prosperous Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The museum, which was damaged by the mega earthquake of 2015, was renovated with the support from Nepal Investment Bank Limited. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15584', 'image' => '20220823101523_main-qimg-2a1ebd792ce31c2b5fb833af387014a0-lq.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 10:14:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15842', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEA signs MoU with Nepal Police for Operation of Charging Station', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nepal Police (NP) for the construction and operation of charging stations for electric vehicles (EV). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 23: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nepal Police (NP) for the construction and operation of charging stations for electric vehicles (EV). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Inspector General of Nepal Police Dhiraj Pratap Singh and Nepal Electricity Authority's Executive Director Kulman Ghising signed the MoU amid a function on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Inspector General Singh, extending gratitude towards the NEA for the MoU, urged the NEA leadership for expanding charging stations in the police offices having huge workforce. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that Nepal Police had been collaborating with NEA in cases of theft and leakage of electricity, Singh assured that the Nepal Police was ever ready to give security to the charging stations to be built along the highways and hill areas. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Ghising shared that NEA was planning to build a charging station in every 60 kilometres in the highway and opined that the role of police was very important in this regard. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to him, collaborating with Nepal Police would be very important in addressing the security concerns of the charging stations and issues related to locating the right venue to build the charging stations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoU aims to promote usage of EV. The deal has been inked in the context of the environment, ecology and living creatures being affected by carbon emission from fossil-fuel powered vehicles as well as industries. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15583', 'image' => '20220823094530_EV.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 09:44:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15841', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'MoU with UK Opens New Avenue of Employment for Nepali Healthcare Professionals ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: The government has signed a bilateral agreement with the UK with the aim to provide highly-paid jobs to Nepali youths in the UK.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 22: The government has signed a bilateral agreement with the UK with the aim to provide highly-paid jobs to Nepali youths in the UK.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Eaknarayan Aryal, and British Ambassador to Nepal, Nicola Pollitt signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) to recruit Nepali healthcare professionals in the UK's health sector. The MoU was signed in presence of Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Welfare, Sher Bahadur Kunwar. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoU has become a new milestone for Nepal in terms of diversifying employment destinations for the country’s youth. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoU has established Government to Government (G2G) bilateral agreement on fair and ethical recruitment of Nepali healthcare professionals to work in the UK's health sector. This pact is expected to encourage individuals seeking healthcare career and help strengthen the healthcare workforce in Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Once selected, the Nepali healthcare professional will be provided the support required for them to be placed in the UK health system. They will also receive equal rights, privileges, protections and dignity as health professionals from the UK. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the government has signed labour agreement with countries providing high remuneration including Israel, Japan and Mauritius. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Department of Foreign Employment of Nepal will work with the Department of Health and Social Care of the UK and its designated entity to undertake the recruitment process. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A joint press release issued after the programme reads, "An understanding has been reached to determine implementation protocol at the participation of government bodies of both countries in order to take the recruitment process to the conclusion." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">All the information related to recruitment process of health workers would be kept at Labour Ministry's website. Applicants, who fulfill the eligibility criteria, shall need to submit all required documents to the Department of Foreign Employment's online platform. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepali citizens aged between 20 and 45 years holding a valid Nepali passport, who have pursued Staff Nurse, Bachelors's Degree in Nursing (B Sc) or Bachelor of Nursing or Master's degree in Nursing from a recognized institution by the Government of Nepal can file application. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The applicant should have an active professional license from the Nepal Nursing Council and at least two years of experience in a registered hospital in Nepal. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15582', 'image' => '20220823093716_RS_KTM_IMGL626008222022.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 18:21:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15840', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Goods Being Imported for Festive Season Stuck across the Northern Border', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi customs, the major trade checkpoints in the north, will not be opened anytime soon. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 22: Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi customs, the major trade checkpoints in the north, will not be opened anytime soon. Both of these checkpoints have been closed since the last two weeks due to the extension of lockdown in Lhasa amid rise in coronavirus infection. Officials say that the border points with China will not be opened immediately.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the Nepali Consulate in Lhasa, China had announced a lockdown there until Sunday. However, the lockdown has been extended till Tuesday as the Covid patients are still seen and the tests have not been completed. China has not released any goods to Nepal for the last two weeks citing the reason of Covid-19. According to the Nepal Trans Himalayan Border Commerce Association, 400 containers carrying goods worth around Rs 5 billion have been currently stuck on the road across the border.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Bharat Karki, the owner of New Sugam Enterprises and general secretary of the association informed that around 350 to 400 containers are stopped at Kerung-Rasuwa and Khasa-Tatopani areas.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">His company imports goods from China. The stopped container contains items for Teej and Dashain festivals. "China has not allowed containers carrying clothes, shoes, Chinese walnuts to be brought to Nepal," he told New Business Age.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Karki informed citing Nepal’s Consul General in Lhasa, Navraj Dhakal, that the closure announced by the Chinese side is unlikely to be lifted immediately. "Goods worth billions of rupees have been stopped. We are asking the Consul General to take the initiative to open the border. However, he is saying that it is not going to open immediately,” said Karki.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The association is preparing to meet Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Dilendra Prasad Badu and request him to take initiatives to ease the border obstruction. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prabhu Adhikari, the owner of PNP Enterprises, says that the business has become chaotic due to the stoppage of goods during the festive season. According to him, due to the sudden closure of the northern border, the businessmen are facing double expenses and debt.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"The situation has worsened as goods worth billions of rupees have been held up on the way," he said, "We are in trouble because the border has been closed on the eve of the festival." The government should take the initiative to resume imports, he added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs is of the view that traders are in trouble after goods were stopped at the Chinese border on the eve of Dashain. The federation has also requested the government to solve the problem at the border immediately through diplomatic initiatives. President of the Federation Kumar Karki said, “There has been a problem at Tatopani and Kerung checkpoints for some time. Imported materials are being stopped at the Chinese border. Exports have been stalled for a long time. The government should take the initiative to open it immediately.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, the goods intended for the festivals have been stopped at the Chinese border. If those goods do not arrive on time, the entire business is under risk of going bankrupt. If the border is not opened, there is a situation where many industrialists may flee from their businesses. Karki says that the government should start diplomatic initiatives as soon as possible to solve the problems seen at the border.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15581', 'image' => '20220822061309_1661142938.Tatopani Naka.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 18:12:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15838', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Counterfeit Shoes Helping in Promotion of Goldstar Brand', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: There is hardly any person who hasn’t heard about Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, which are used synonymously in the domestic market of Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 22: There is hardly any person who hasn’t heard about Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, which are used synonymously in the domestic market of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Goldstar, known as the shoes of Nepali lifestyle, is now not limited to the choice of the old generation, but is also accepted as a fashionable brand by urban youth. Goldstar is now so popular that counterfeit brands using its logo are rampant in the market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During a conversation with New Business Age on Sunday, Amir Pratap Rana, chairman and managing director of Kiran Shoes Manufactures, the company that produces Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, said that even though counterfeit shoes have hit the market in the guise of Goldstar brand, the company's business is not affected that much. Rana says that the company did not have to spend much on branding because the brand is being promoted by of those who put the Goldstar stamp on the shoes brought from abroad.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Noor Pratap Rana of Palpa started this business from Hetauda, which is now handled by his son Amir Pratap and daughter-in-law Vidushi. The production of Hattichap slippers started in 1970. Due to political changes and labor strikes, the industry was brought from Hetauda to Kathmandu in 1985. Since the Hattichap slipper factory was set up in Ring Road, the entire stretch of two kilometers area from Narayan Gopal Showk in Maharajganj towards Chabahill is known as slipper factory (Chappal Karkhana). According to Rana, after moving the industry from Hetauda to Kathmandu, Kiran Shoes Manufacturers started producing shoes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Goldstar is one of the latest items to be exported from Nepal. According to Rana, after Goldstar got a good market, some traders and shoe manufacturers started selling counterfeit Goldstar shoes to destroy the reputation of the company. Despite repeated attempts to tarnish the company's brand, original Goldstar's market remains good.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He says that many fake shoes have come in the market lately and the customers are being cheated. According to Rana, foreign brand shoes are also sold with fake stickers. The company is currently producing 100 million pairs of slippers and Goldstar shoes daily. In Bhairahawa, seven bighas of land have been bought and a production plant is being set up. The plant will be operational shortly after. While expanding the business, the company opened showrooms and outlets in different districts and franchises in America and Australia.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company's products are exported to India, Qatar, Bahrain, Japan, Malaysia and other countries. The company provides direct employment to 2700 people, among whom 65 percent are women.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After Covid-19, the company also started producing leather shoes. Rana said that the company's goal is to increase production and export to all countries of the world by 2025, despite the decline in production due to problems in importing raw materials during the earthquake and Covid-19. Indians are also excited about the Goldstar brand for the past few years. Currently, the company exports about 75 percent of its total production to India besides other countries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rana sees the need for industry-friendly policies and laws to run industries and businesses in the country. He suggested that the government should cooperate with the private sector. Rana, who is also the chairman of Kumari Bank, said that he is moving ahead in a planned manner, seeing the good future of attractive, durable, affordable footwear in Nepal and abroad.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that since long-term thinking and investment are necessary to run industries and businesses, he is also considering the issue of initial public offering (IPO).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15580', 'image' => '20220822012338_20211012093138_Goldstar.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 13:22:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15836', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bank Deposits Decline in First Month of Current Fiscal Year', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: Bank deposits declined by more than Rs 100 billion in the first month of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 22: Bank deposits declined by more than Rs 100 billion in the first month of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the Nepal Bankers Association, the total deposits of commercial banks in the last month of Fiscal Year 2021/22 stood at Rs 4541 billion, which dropped to Rs 4433 billion due to withdrawal of Rs 108 billion in the Nepali month of Shrawn (mid-July to mid-August).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bank deposits had increased by Rs 150 billion in the month of Asar (mid-June to mid-July) but the deposits started declining continually the very next month. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bank deposits declined by Rs 64 billion in the third week of July followed by withdrawal of Rs 28 billion in the third week. Likewise, bank deposits declined by Rs 4 billion in the first week of August and by Rs 25 billion in the second week followed by a decline of 13 billion the next week.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal Rastra Bank’s Spokesperson Dr Gunakar Bhatta believes that the bank deposits declined in the review month because the state-owned Nepal Oil Corporation paid its long-standing debt to the Indian Oil Corporation during the beginning of the new fiscal year and the construction companies also withdrew the amount deposited in their names by the government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bhatta believes that the amount will slowly return back to the banking system.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NOC had borrowed Rs 16 billion from the government and paid its dues to the IOC in the third week of July.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The central bank also estimates that the bank deposits declined in the first month of the current fiscal year because the unspent budget of the local levels were returned back to the state coffers.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Although the bank deposits declined, credit flow of banks have increased nominally during the review period.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The total credit flow of banks in the last month of FY 2021/22 was Rs 4175 billion which increased to Rs 4177 billion by mid-August.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15579', 'image' => '20220822091844_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 09:17:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15837', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Field Survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway within 2022', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: The field survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu railway is likely to be completed soon. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 22: The field survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu railway is likely to be completed soon. By next December, the Konkan Railway team of India will submit the final report of the project along with the DPR and other test reports to the Government of India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The study of this railway is being done with the grant of the Government of India. Indian newspaper Prabhat Khabar has published the news that the construction of this railway is likely to start within the year 2023 after completion of all pre-construction studies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Studies have shown that a train can run at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour on this route. According to the survey team, the Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway will be 140 km long. It is mentioned in the news that the last 40 km section will be electrified with double track. Similarly, it has been reported that a single line broad gauge from Raxaul extending up to 99 kilometers will be electrified. The last 40 kilometers ie the section towards Kathmandu will be built on a double track due to the geographical location. In order to avoid problems in the future, it is being tried to make the section on a double track. As the remaining 99 km will be in the Terai section, it will be easy to make the track.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The team of Konkan Railway is currently undertaking the final survey from Raxaul to Kathmandu. Along with the field survey, the team is also conducting soil tests at the places where bridges and tunnels are to be built. It is mentioned in the news published by Prabhat Khabar that the Government of Nepal, the Indian Consulate and locals are assisting the survey team.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the survey team, 12 stations will be built on this railway from Raxaul to Kathmandu. Railway stations will be built in Raxaul, Birgunj, Belwa, Manharwa, Saphi Bazar, Nijgadh, Makwanpur, Diyal, Shikharpur, Sahitakhel, Sisneri and Kathmandu.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the preliminary reports, a total of 33 tunnels will have to be built along the railway line. The survey team has informed that the longest tunnel will be of 8 kilometers. In addition, 305 small bridges will have to be built between Raxaul and Kathmandu, including an 800-meter long cable bridge. The longest bridge of the railway will be 1,500 meters. Forty seven kilometers away from Raxaul, the railway will be built in forest and hill areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the year 2077, the Government of Nepal had requested the Indian government to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) of this railway, but the survey was stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">From the current survey, it will be known what kind of train can be run, and at which point the main structures like tunnels, bridges and stations should be built.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In August 2075, an agreement was reached between the governments of Nepal and India to conduct the feasibility study of this railway. Similarly, an agreement was signed with China in October 2076 to study the feasibility of the Kerung-Kathmandu railway.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15578', 'image' => '20220822093824_1661070546.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 09:37:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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The bank will remain in force till mid-August.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It is estimated that the imports have declined after banks stopped credit flow for import of goods amid liquidity crisis. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Department of Customs informed that the government collected revenue of Rs 31.96 billion in the first month of the current FY through customs duty. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The consumption of diesel, which is one of the top imported items of the country, declined significantly in recent months. The country had imported 94,104 kilolitres of diesel during the first month of the last fiscal year, which declined to 65,186 kilolitres this year. The import of petrol also dropped to 54,704 kilolitres in the review month from 58,556 kilolitres during the corresponding period of last FY. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Although the import of petroleum products declined significantly in the review month, there has been a significant rise in the amount spent for the import of fuel due to price hike.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The country spent Rs 6.64 for the import of diesel during the first month of last fiscal year which rose to Rs 8.98 this year.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-24', 'modified' => '2022-08-24', 'keywords' => 'trade, deficit, import, export, fuel, petrol, diesel, BoP', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15592', 'image' => '20220824095330_Trade.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-24 09:52:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15850', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'FNTTE Urges Government to Adjust Petro Prices for Festivals ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: The Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs-FNNTE has urged the government to adjust the prices of the petroleum products on the eve of the festivals.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 23: The Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs-FNNTE has urged the government to adjust the prices of the petroleum products on the eve of the festivals. Issuing a press statement on Tuesday, FNNTE urged the government to ensure a respite to the people during the time of festival as they are hit hard by the skyrocketing prices of petroleum products. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The federation wants the government to slash the petro prices in line with the falling prices in the international market. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The Nepal Oil Corporation goes with the old price list when the prices fell three times in the international market," the federation said in the statement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“It is unfortunate to have the unchanged price list despite the fall in international prices. The public transport sector which greatly suffered economic loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic has to clamour for the adjustment of fuel prices instead of getting a relief for the loss," the press release added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chairperson of the federation Bijay Bahadur Swar said transport entrepreneurs are largely affected by the unexceptional rise in motor vehicle tax, bank interest, route-permit charge, vehicle-test insurance and motor engines. The price should be quickly revised as per the international market prices. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15591', 'image' => '20220823050340_Petrol-Price-Increase.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 17:03:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15849', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Global IME Announces Scholarship Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Global IME Bank has started the 'Global IME Student Scholarship' programme as part of its corporate social responsibility.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 23: Global IME Bank has started the 'Global IME Student Scholarship' programme as part of its corporate social responsibility.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank will provide scholarships to students studying in public schools under the programme. The bank informed that 35 deserving girls from underprivileged classes who passed class 6 and entered class 7 from various schools are given scholarships this year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank informed that scholarship will be provided every year to the selected girl students for their studies up to class 12. The bank expects that this program will help girls who are forced to drop out of school due to financial problems to complete the secondary school education.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The bank informed that it will continue the programme every year and provide scholarships to 35 female students every year covering all seven provinces.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15590', 'image' => '20220823013343_scholarship.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:33:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15848', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: NMB Bank has launched 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', targeting women in the country and abroad. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: NMB Bank has launched 'NMB Smart Nari Savings Account', targeting women in the country and abroad. The bank informed that the account scheme is introduced with the aim of encouraging women to save and make them active in digital transactions. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the bank, under this plan, customers will get cashback up to Rs 5,000 per year on digital payments made for medical/health check-ups.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Similarly, as per the account plan, the customers will also get free debit card, credit card, Mero share, demat and other facilities. As informed by the bank, customers will also get a discount on loan administrative fees for retail loans and women entrepreneur loans under this scheme.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15589', 'image' => '20220823012644_nari.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:26:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15847', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Hyundai Nepal Organizes Tree Plantation Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Hyundai Nepal concluded its tree planting programme at Ratomate Danda, Chunikhel, under the “Be the Change” campaign. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: Hyundai Nepal concluded its tree planting programme at Ratomate Danda, Chunikhel, under the “Be the Change” campaign. The company informed that more than 200 saplings were planted in coordination with Ratomate Danda Community Forest. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">About 150 people of different age groups participated in the programme. More than 40 electric vehicles including Kona and Ionic-6 were driven from Thapathali to Budhanilkantha for the tree plantation programme.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the company, tree plantation is expected to minimize the impact of carbon emissions of ordinary vehicles. Similarly, in the upcoming days, the company is planning to organize other programmes related to environmental activities under the same campaign.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In September last year, Hyundai Motor Company announced the goal of maintaining carbon neutrality in all stages of its production and operations by 2045, which is five years prior to the global carbon neutral goal of 2050.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company is also planning to produce more than 1 million electric vehicles by 2025 with 23 eco-friendly lineups in its journey towards carbon neutrality.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15588', 'image' => '20220823011817_Hyundai.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:17:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15846', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Surya Nepal's Annual Turnover is Rs 24 Billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: The business of multinational company Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd is increasing every year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: The business of multinational company Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd is increasing every year. The annual turnover of company in 2021 was about Rs 24.5 billion. The company, which has a large share in the cigarette trade of Nepal, did business worth Rs 24 billion 493 million during the review year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company has a unique identity in the business world of Nepal. It did business worth Rs 24.47 billion in 2020 and Rs 25.13 billion in 2019. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the rating agency Care Rating Nepal, Surya Nepal earned a net profit of Rs 9.41 billion in 2021 and Rs 9.55 billion in 2020.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company produces Surya brand cigarettes, matchsticks, incense sticks and chocolates. Currently, the company produces Surya Legend, Surya 24 Karat, Surya Luxury, Shikhar Filter Kings, Khukuri Filter, Pilot Filter, Electric Filter, and Chautari brand cigarettes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Sanjeev Puri, is the chairman of the company which is doing the most business among FMCG in Nepal. He is also the chairman of the Indian company ITC India Limited. ITC, which is run through joint investment of foreign and local businessmen of India, has 59 percent share in Surya Nepal, while 39 percent stakes are owned by Nepali companies and investors and 2 percent by British American Tobacco (Investment) Limited UK. Surya Nepal, which was established in 1986, has been among the top taxpayers of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Surya Nepal has managed to remain in the top-ten list of taxpayers for a long. Care Rating has rated the company in A-One category.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Due to the lockdown imposed to contain the Covid-19 pandemic in the country and the increase in the price of raw materials, the company's business during that period was affected and the projected income shrunk. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Since Surya Nepal is not a public company, ordinary investors do not have any benefit or loss from its profit. However, the revenue received by the government, the employment created by the company and the contribution made to the Nepalese economy are important.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">There are other companies operating in Nepal with domestic and foreign investment as well. However, others have not achieved as much success as Surya Nepal. Foreign direct investment in companies in Nepal has been giving good returns due to the excellence in business by those companies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Lately, Surya Nepal is planning to invest in five-star hotels as part of its business expansion programme. The company has more than 100 distributors across the country. It has industries in Simra of Bara and Tanahun. The company is also involved in various social works under its corporate social responsibility as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15587', 'image' => '20220823011401_Company-HO1 - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 13:13:13', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15845', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt Spent Rs 1.05 Billion for Industrial Village but Infrastructure not Yet Ready', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: The government has invested more than Rs 1 billion in four years since launching the concept of industrial villages to develop micro, domestic and small industries at the municipal level.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: The government has invested more than Rs 1 billion in four years since launching the concept of industrial villages to develop micro, domestic and small industries at the municipal level. Although the government has declared more than 105 industrial villages since the approval of the procedure in 2018, it has so far failed to build the required industrial infrastructure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">This programme was officially started after the Council of Ministers approved the 'Industrial Village Declaration and Operation Procedure-2075' in March 2018. Since then, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has already spent Rs 1.05 billion in the first phase of setting up those industrial villages. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After the recommendation of the rural municipality to develop the industrial village up to the municipal level, the ministry provides a budget of Rs 10 million per industrial village. Accordingly, the investment has been made in that industrial villages so far.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">It has been four years since it was announced that the industrial villages would be built by mobilizing local resources, raw materials, technology and skills, but not a single village has been operational so far.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chandrakala Paudel, joint secretary at the ministry, admitted that not a single industrial village has been completed so far. She clarified that it took a long time to set up the industrial village because the detailed project report and environmental impact assessment took more time than expected.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"There wasn’t any problem about land acquisition because the concept of industrial village concept based on government land," Poudel said, adding that some DPRs revealed that the cost estimate would be more than the allocated budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“We will assess the current delay and work to bring the industrial villages into operation as soon as possible,” she added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government has announced the establishment of industrial villages in all 753 local units of the country. The work of infrastructure development for the industrial villages has not been able to pick up speed.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Poudel said that since the concept of creating industrial villages has already started and more than 100 villages have been announced, the focus will be on building industrial infrastructure from the current financial year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">s</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15586', 'image' => '20220823121105_Industrial-Policy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 12:10:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15844', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Passengers Overwhelmed by Janakpur-Jaynagar Railway Service', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: With the opening of Janakpur-Jayanagar railway service, it has become easier for Indian pilgrims to visit Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 23: With the opening of Janakpur-Jayanagar railway service, it has become easier for Indian pilgrims to visit Nepal. Since the train started running regularly from Kurtha of Nepal to Jayanagar of India, it has become easy for religious tourists as well as other passengers to travel in Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the cross-border train service virtually on April 2, 2022. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">India had completely stopped the train service since 2014 for the upgrading the railways. With the resumption of train services from April, it has become convenient for Indian tourists to visit Janaki Temple in Janakpur as well as Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. Passengers also say that the railway route has made it easy for them to travel. They say that the operation of the train has helped the transport service between India and Nepal has become organized.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Indian tourist Suman Bhiwa said that he felt happy visiting Nepal. He said that travelling has become much easier than it was before. Another Indian passenger, Sarita Kumari said that the operation of Nepal-India railway service has facilitated the passengers a lot. She requested to increase it further as the railway service only runs twice a day. She added that the cost of traveling by train has also decreased over time.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Train ticket seller Santu Kumar Yadav informed that the number of passengers is on the rise of late. He said that more trains should be added to handle the crowd of passengers. According to him, about 45 percent of passengers come from India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government issued the Railway Ordinance for the third time on March 22, 2022 to run the train. India handed over the railway to the Nepal Railway Company after extending the section towards Nepal to broad gauge and conducting a speed test.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">All the civil works for broad gauge expansion on the 34 km Janakpur-Jayanagar railway were completed four years ago. The government had announced to run trains on the Janakpur-Jayanagar route from January 2018. However, due to various reasons, it was not possible to run the train. However, with the re-operation of the train from April last year, it has become easier for Nepali and Indian citizens to travel.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15585', 'image' => '20220823112051_1661169484.NepaliRailway.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 11:20:15', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15843', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Minister in Favour of Promoting Religious Tourism', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha has stressed on the need to create a favourable environment for attracting religious tourists to Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 23: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha has stressed on the need to create a favourable environment for attracting religious tourists to Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He made such remark while inaugurating a museum in Pashupati area on Monday. On the occasion, Minister Shrestha pledged to do his best to create a favourable environment to bring in foreign pilgrims to Pashupatinath Temple. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He said that the Pashupati Temple holds great significance among the Hindus around the world and many of them aspire to visit the temple once in their lifetime. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The Pashupatinath Temple is the identity of our culture. Therefore, the Pashupati Area Development Trust needs to pay proper attention in facilitating the tourists who visit this holy shrine. It is also necessary to take care of the cleanliness and hygiene of the temple and the maintenance and renovation of the infrastructure,” said Minister Shrestha.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He claimed that Nepal can promote religious tourism only if the country can preserve and promote its cultural heritage. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Minister Shrestha added that the government has included protection of cultural heritage in its 73-point plan for revitalizing the tourism sector. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Preservation of cultural heritage can only ensure promotion of religious tourism,” said Minister Shrestha, adding, “It also contributes to the economy.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He argued that promotion of tourism can help create employment opportunities within the country and help in realizing the dream of prosperous Nepal. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The museum, which was damaged by the mega earthquake of 2015, was renovated with the support from Nepal Investment Bank Limited. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15584', 'image' => '20220823101523_main-qimg-2a1ebd792ce31c2b5fb833af387014a0-lq.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 10:14:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15842', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEA signs MoU with Nepal Police for Operation of Charging Station', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 23: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nepal Police (NP) for the construction and operation of charging stations for electric vehicles (EV). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 23: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nepal Police (NP) for the construction and operation of charging stations for electric vehicles (EV). </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Inspector General of Nepal Police Dhiraj Pratap Singh and Nepal Electricity Authority's Executive Director Kulman Ghising signed the MoU amid a function on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Inspector General Singh, extending gratitude towards the NEA for the MoU, urged the NEA leadership for expanding charging stations in the police offices having huge workforce. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that Nepal Police had been collaborating with NEA in cases of theft and leakage of electricity, Singh assured that the Nepal Police was ever ready to give security to the charging stations to be built along the highways and hill areas. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Ghising shared that NEA was planning to build a charging station in every 60 kilometres in the highway and opined that the role of police was very important in this regard. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to him, collaborating with Nepal Police would be very important in addressing the security concerns of the charging stations and issues related to locating the right venue to build the charging stations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoU aims to promote usage of EV. The deal has been inked in the context of the environment, ecology and living creatures being affected by carbon emission from fossil-fuel powered vehicles as well as industries. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-23', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15583', 'image' => '20220823094530_EV.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-23 09:44:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15841', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'MoU with UK Opens New Avenue of Employment for Nepali Healthcare Professionals ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: The government has signed a bilateral agreement with the UK with the aim to provide highly-paid jobs to Nepali youths in the UK.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">August 22: The government has signed a bilateral agreement with the UK with the aim to provide highly-paid jobs to Nepali youths in the UK.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Eaknarayan Aryal, and British Ambassador to Nepal, Nicola Pollitt signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) to recruit Nepali healthcare professionals in the UK's health sector. The MoU was signed in presence of Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Welfare, Sher Bahadur Kunwar. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoU has become a new milestone for Nepal in terms of diversifying employment destinations for the country’s youth. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The MoU has established Government to Government (G2G) bilateral agreement on fair and ethical recruitment of Nepali healthcare professionals to work in the UK's health sector. This pact is expected to encourage individuals seeking healthcare career and help strengthen the healthcare workforce in Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Once selected, the Nepali healthcare professional will be provided the support required for them to be placed in the UK health system. They will also receive equal rights, privileges, protections and dignity as health professionals from the UK. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the government has signed labour agreement with countries providing high remuneration including Israel, Japan and Mauritius. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Department of Foreign Employment of Nepal will work with the Department of Health and Social Care of the UK and its designated entity to undertake the recruitment process. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A joint press release issued after the programme reads, "An understanding has been reached to determine implementation protocol at the participation of government bodies of both countries in order to take the recruitment process to the conclusion." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">All the information related to recruitment process of health workers would be kept at Labour Ministry's website. Applicants, who fulfill the eligibility criteria, shall need to submit all required documents to the Department of Foreign Employment's online platform. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nepali citizens aged between 20 and 45 years holding a valid Nepali passport, who have pursued Staff Nurse, Bachelors's Degree in Nursing (B Sc) or Bachelor of Nursing or Master's degree in Nursing from a recognized institution by the Government of Nepal can file application. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The applicant should have an active professional license from the Nepal Nursing Council and at least two years of experience in a registered hospital in Nepal. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15582', 'image' => '20220823093716_RS_KTM_IMGL626008222022.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 18:21:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15840', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Goods Being Imported for Festive Season Stuck across the Northern Border', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi customs, the major trade checkpoints in the north, will not be opened anytime soon. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">August 22: Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi customs, the major trade checkpoints in the north, will not be opened anytime soon. Both of these checkpoints have been closed since the last two weeks due to the extension of lockdown in Lhasa amid rise in coronavirus infection. Officials say that the border points with China will not be opened immediately.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to the Nepali Consulate in Lhasa, China had announced a lockdown there until Sunday. However, the lockdown has been extended till Tuesday as the Covid patients are still seen and the tests have not been completed. China has not released any goods to Nepal for the last two weeks citing the reason of Covid-19. According to the Nepal Trans Himalayan Border Commerce Association, 400 containers carrying goods worth around Rs 5 billion have been currently stuck on the road across the border.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Bharat Karki, the owner of New Sugam Enterprises and general secretary of the association informed that around 350 to 400 containers are stopped at Kerung-Rasuwa and Khasa-Tatopani areas.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">His company imports goods from China. The stopped container contains items for Teej and Dashain festivals. "China has not allowed containers carrying clothes, shoes, Chinese walnuts to be brought to Nepal," he told New Business Age.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Karki informed citing Nepal’s Consul General in Lhasa, Navraj Dhakal, that the closure announced by the Chinese side is unlikely to be lifted immediately. "Goods worth billions of rupees have been stopped. We are asking the Consul General to take the initiative to open the border. However, he is saying that it is not going to open immediately,” said Karki.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The association is preparing to meet Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Dilendra Prasad Badu and request him to take initiatives to ease the border obstruction. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prabhu Adhikari, the owner of PNP Enterprises, says that the business has become chaotic due to the stoppage of goods during the festive season. According to him, due to the sudden closure of the northern border, the businessmen are facing double expenses and debt.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"The situation has worsened as goods worth billions of rupees have been held up on the way," he said, "We are in trouble because the border has been closed on the eve of the festival." The government should take the initiative to resume imports, he added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs is of the view that traders are in trouble after goods were stopped at the Chinese border on the eve of Dashain. The federation has also requested the government to solve the problem at the border immediately through diplomatic initiatives. President of the Federation Kumar Karki said, “There has been a problem at Tatopani and Kerung checkpoints for some time. Imported materials are being stopped at the Chinese border. Exports have been stalled for a long time. The government should take the initiative to open it immediately.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, the goods intended for the festivals have been stopped at the Chinese border. If those goods do not arrive on time, the entire business is under risk of going bankrupt. If the border is not opened, there is a situation where many industrialists may flee from their businesses. Karki says that the government should start diplomatic initiatives as soon as possible to solve the problems seen at the border.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15581', 'image' => '20220822061309_1661142938.Tatopani Naka.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 18:12:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15838', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Counterfeit Shoes Helping in Promotion of Goldstar Brand', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: There is hardly any person who hasn’t heard about Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, which are used synonymously in the domestic market of Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">August 22: There is hardly any person who hasn’t heard about Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, which are used synonymously in the domestic market of Nepal.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Goldstar, known as the shoes of Nepali lifestyle, is now not limited to the choice of the old generation, but is also accepted as a fashionable brand by urban youth. Goldstar is now so popular that counterfeit brands using its logo are rampant in the market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">During a conversation with New Business Age on Sunday, Amir Pratap Rana, chairman and managing director of Kiran Shoes Manufactures, the company that produces Hattichhap slippers and Goldstar shoes, said that even though counterfeit shoes have hit the market in the guise of Goldstar brand, the company's business is not affected that much. Rana says that the company did not have to spend much on branding because the brand is being promoted by of those who put the Goldstar stamp on the shoes brought from abroad.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Noor Pratap Rana of Palpa started this business from Hetauda, which is now handled by his son Amir Pratap and daughter-in-law Vidushi. The production of Hattichap slippers started in 1970. Due to political changes and labor strikes, the industry was brought from Hetauda to Kathmandu in 1985. Since the Hattichap slipper factory was set up in Ring Road, the entire stretch of two kilometers area from Narayan Gopal Showk in Maharajganj towards Chabahill is known as slipper factory (Chappal Karkhana). According to Rana, after moving the industry from Hetauda to Kathmandu, Kiran Shoes Manufacturers started producing shoes.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Goldstar is one of the latest items to be exported from Nepal. According to Rana, after Goldstar got a good market, some traders and shoe manufacturers started selling counterfeit Goldstar shoes to destroy the reputation of the company. Despite repeated attempts to tarnish the company's brand, original Goldstar's market remains good.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He says that many fake shoes have come in the market lately and the customers are being cheated. According to Rana, foreign brand shoes are also sold with fake stickers. The company is currently producing 100 million pairs of slippers and Goldstar shoes daily. In Bhairahawa, seven bighas of land have been bought and a production plant is being set up. The plant will be operational shortly after. While expanding the business, the company opened showrooms and outlets in different districts and franchises in America and Australia.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company's products are exported to India, Qatar, Bahrain, Japan, Malaysia and other countries. The company provides direct employment to 2700 people, among whom 65 percent are women.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">After Covid-19, the company also started producing leather shoes. Rana said that the company's goal is to increase production and export to all countries of the world by 2025, despite the decline in production due to problems in importing raw materials during the earthquake and Covid-19. Indians are also excited about the Goldstar brand for the past few years. Currently, the company exports about 75 percent of its total production to India besides other countries.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rana sees the need for industry-friendly policies and laws to run industries and businesses in the country. He suggested that the government should cooperate with the private sector. Rana, who is also the chairman of Kumari Bank, said that he is moving ahead in a planned manner, seeing the good future of attractive, durable, affordable footwear in Nepal and abroad.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He said that since long-term thinking and investment are necessary to run industries and businesses, he is also considering the issue of initial public offering (IPO).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15580', 'image' => '20220822012338_20211012093138_Goldstar.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 13:22:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15836', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bank Deposits Decline in First Month of Current Fiscal Year', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: Bank deposits declined by more than Rs 100 billion in the first month of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 22: Bank deposits declined by more than Rs 100 billion in the first month of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the Nepal Bankers Association, the total deposits of commercial banks in the last month of Fiscal Year 2021/22 stood at Rs 4541 billion, which dropped to Rs 4433 billion due to withdrawal of Rs 108 billion in the Nepali month of Shrawn (mid-July to mid-August).</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bank deposits had increased by Rs 150 billion in the month of Asar (mid-June to mid-July) but the deposits started declining continually the very next month. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bank deposits declined by Rs 64 billion in the third week of July followed by withdrawal of Rs 28 billion in the third week. Likewise, bank deposits declined by Rs 4 billion in the first week of August and by Rs 25 billion in the second week followed by a decline of 13 billion the next week.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal Rastra Bank’s Spokesperson Dr Gunakar Bhatta believes that the bank deposits declined in the review month because the state-owned Nepal Oil Corporation paid its long-standing debt to the Indian Oil Corporation during the beginning of the new fiscal year and the construction companies also withdrew the amount deposited in their names by the government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Bhatta believes that the amount will slowly return back to the banking system.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The NOC had borrowed Rs 16 billion from the government and paid its dues to the IOC in the third week of July.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The central bank also estimates that the bank deposits declined in the first month of the current fiscal year because the unspent budget of the local levels were returned back to the state coffers.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Although the bank deposits declined, credit flow of banks have increased nominally during the review period.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The total credit flow of banks in the last month of FY 2021/22 was Rs 4175 billion which increased to Rs 4177 billion by mid-August.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15579', 'image' => '20220822091844_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 09:17:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '15837', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Field Survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway within 2022', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'August 22: The field survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu railway is likely to be completed soon. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">August 22: The field survey of Raxaul-Kathmandu railway is likely to be completed soon. By next December, the Konkan Railway team of India will submit the final report of the project along with the DPR and other test reports to the Government of India.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The study of this railway is being done with the grant of the Government of India. Indian newspaper Prabhat Khabar has published the news that the construction of this railway is likely to start within the year 2023 after completion of all pre-construction studies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Studies have shown that a train can run at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour on this route. According to the survey team, the Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway will be 140 km long. It is mentioned in the news that the last 40 km section will be electrified with double track. Similarly, it has been reported that a single line broad gauge from Raxaul extending up to 99 kilometers will be electrified. The last 40 kilometers ie the section towards Kathmandu will be built on a double track due to the geographical location. In order to avoid problems in the future, it is being tried to make the section on a double track. As the remaining 99 km will be in the Terai section, it will be easy to make the track.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The team of Konkan Railway is currently undertaking the final survey from Raxaul to Kathmandu. Along with the field survey, the team is also conducting soil tests at the places where bridges and tunnels are to be built. It is mentioned in the news published by Prabhat Khabar that the Government of Nepal, the Indian Consulate and locals are assisting the survey team.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the survey team, 12 stations will be built on this railway from Raxaul to Kathmandu. Railway stations will be built in Raxaul, Birgunj, Belwa, Manharwa, Saphi Bazar, Nijgadh, Makwanpur, Diyal, Shikharpur, Sahitakhel, Sisneri and Kathmandu.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the preliminary reports, a total of 33 tunnels will have to be built along the railway line. The survey team has informed that the longest tunnel will be of 8 kilometers. In addition, 305 small bridges will have to be built between Raxaul and Kathmandu, including an 800-meter long cable bridge. The longest bridge of the railway will be 1,500 meters. Forty seven kilometers away from Raxaul, the railway will be built in forest and hill areas.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the year 2077, the Government of Nepal had requested the Indian government to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) of this railway, but the survey was stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">From the current survey, it will be known what kind of train can be run, and at which point the main structures like tunnels, bridges and stations should be built.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In August 2075, an agreement was reached between the governments of Nepal and India to conduct the feasibility study of this railway. Similarly, an agreement was signed with China in October 2076 to study the feasibility of the Kerung-Kathmandu railway.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-08-22', 'modified' => '2022-08-22', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '15578', 'image' => '20220822093824_1661070546.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-08-22 09:37:54', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
