NEA’s Annual Income Rises by 164 Percent

Aug 11, 2022 0 4 minutes 23 seconds to read

August 11: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recorded an increase in its annual income by 164…

An Emerging Entrepreneur Plans to Add Nutritional Value to Chocolates

Aug 11, 2022 0 3 minutes 40 seconds to read

August 11: After graduating in food technology, Pratibha Parajuli, who is currently pursuing her master's degree in nutrition, is working on adding nutrients in chocolates.…

Investment Board Approves Investment worth Rs 122 Billion

Aug 11, 2022 0 2 minutes 5 seconds to read

August 11: The Investment Board informed that it has approved and implemented its five-year strategic plan along with business plan worth more than Rs 122 billion in the fiscal year…

China Announces to Commission Feasibility Study of Kerung-Kathmandu Railway

Aug 11, 2022 0 4 minutes 26 seconds to read

August 11: Nepal’s northern neighbour China has announced to commission a feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway with…

Apple Farming Shifting to Higher Elevation in Mustang

Aug 10, 2022 0 5 minutes 3 seconds to read

August 10: Lete and Kobang in Mustang district, once famous for apples and products made from apple such as dried apples, apple jams and brandy (Marpha) among others, no longer grow apple…

UML against Involvement of Private Sector for Insurance Programme

Aug 10, 2022 0 3 minutes 7 seconds to read

August 10: The main opposition party CPN (UML) has expressed its concern over what it says the government's preparations for partnering with the private sector for implementing the state-run health insurance…

Five Corruption Cases Filed in a Single Day

Aug 10, 2022 0 3 minutes 13 seconds to read

August 10: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed five cases of corruption in the special court in a single…

Cooperatives Under Pressure to Increase Interest Rates

Aug 10, 2022 0 5 minutes 41 seconds to read

August 10: As the savings and credit cooperatives under increasing pressure due to liquidity crisis, the operators of the cooperatives have been pressing increase in reference interest rate of the…

CNI Jobs and Skills Fair 2022 in November

Aug 10, 2022 0 4 minutes 5 seconds to read

August 10: The CNI Jobs and Skills Fair-2022 is all set to be organized in Kathmandu from November 3 to 20, with the participation of 200 companies of national and international…

Surya Nepal, the Highest Taxpayer in FY 2021/22

Aug 10, 2022 0 2 minutes 3 seconds to read

August 10: Surya Nepal Private Limited has emerged as the highest taxpayer during the last fiscal year.…

'Increasing COVID-19 Cases Signals Fourth Wave'

Aug 09, 2022 0 2 minutes 58 seconds to read

August 9: COVID-19 is on the rise in the country with the increasing number of new cases reported since the past few weeks.…

Ncell Re-launches Power SIM Offer

Aug 09, 2022 0 1 minutes 17 seconds to read

August 9: Ncell Axiata Company has re-launched its starter pack 'Sahi Yo ⁄ Power SIM'.…

Banks Increasing Credit Flow Despite Decline in Deposits

Aug 09, 2022 0 2 minutes 23 seconds to read

August 9: Bank deposits have continued to decline in the first week of August.…

Government Fails to Execute its Plan to Reopen Problematic Industries

Aug 09, 2022 0 3 minutes 35 seconds to read

August 9: The government, in the current fiscal year’s budget, has stated that the Hetauda Textile Industry will be brought into operation in a suitable…

Salary Hike won’t Exceed 15 Percent: Finance Minister

Aug 09, 2022 0 4 minutes 46 seconds to read

August 9: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has made it clear that the proposal to increase the salary of some civil servants above the rate announced in the budget will not be…

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No Laughing Matter

The Sweet Rewards of Power

By Madan Lamsal

. . .
read more »

NEPSE

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			'id' => '15776',
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			'title' => 'NEA’s Annual Income Rises by 164 Percent   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recorded an increase in its annual income by 164 percent.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recorded an increase in its annual income by 164 percent.&nbsp; The state-owned electricity authority has projected its annual net profit to rise to Rs 16.9 billion in the fiscal year 2021/22 from Rs 6.1 billion in the fiscal year 2020/21.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">NEA&#39;s Chief Executive officer Kulman Ghising shared that the annual income of the Authority has exceeded Rs 100 billion. Such figure was obtained through the unprocessed financial data of the NEA for the fiscal year 2021/22. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">With this, the NEA has been established as the highest income-generating and profit-making public enterprises in Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;The income from sales has increased with the rise in the energy consumption by 27 percent. Export of energy has also increased, said Ghising, adding, &ldquo;The NEA has been successful to increase energy production by around 16 percent from the power houses owned by the NEA.&quot; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Ghising further shared that the energy leakage has also been reduced and the expenditure has been effectively managed resulting in the rise in net profit. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The NEA, which was in a loss of Rs 8.89 billion in the Fiscal Year 2015/16, has been making profit ever since the very next year. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The NEA registered a profit of Rs 1.5 billion in the Fiscal Year 2016/17. Its profit increased to as much as Rs 11.75 billion in the Fiscal Year 2019/20.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Ghising says that the NEA&rsquo;s effort to maintain regular and uninterrupted supply of good quality of electricity has had a positive impact on the financial situation of the authority.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The NEA has generated an income of Rs 88 billion through the sales of electricity. The NEA says that it has waived an amount equivalent to Rs 980 million for the customers who paid their electricity bills on time.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A statement issued by the NEA on Wednesday says that the net income from sales of electricity during the last fiscal year was Rs 87 billion, which is 22 percent more compared to the previous fiscal year.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the NEA, leakage of electricity has been reduced to 15.38 percent in the last fiscal year. Such leakage was 25.78 percent in FY 2015/16. Ghising informed that the NEA made an additional income worth Rs 2 billion compared to the previous fiscal year by reducing leakage of electricity.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;We launched a campaign to reduce electricity leakage by controlling electricity theft and improving the standard of transmission lines and sub stations,&rdquo; said Ghising.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Export of electricity to India from Nepal increased in the Fiscal Year 2021/22. On the other hand, the import has declined. At present, Nepal is exporting around 364 to 400 megawatts of surplus electricity to India per day. In FY 2020/21, Nepal exported 440 million units of electricity to India, which increased to 493 million units in FY 2021/22. NEA made an income of Rs 3.88 billion through the export of electricity.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In FY 2020/21, Nepal imported 2.8 billion units of electricity to meet the domestic demand but that dropped to 1.54 billion units in FY FY 2021/22, which is a significant decline of 45.05 percent comparatively.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'summary' => 'August 11:   After graduating in food technology, Pratibha Parajuli, who is currently pursuing her master's degree in nutrition, is working on adding nutrients in chocolates. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">Prashant Khadka</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: &nbsp;&nbsp;After graduating in food technology, Pratibha Parajuli, who is currently pursuing her master&#39;s degree in nutrition, is working on adding nutrients in chocolates. Since chocolate contains a lot of sugar and carbohydrates and does more harm than good for the human body, she is working on adding nutrients such as vitamins and minerals necessary for human health.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">She has already produced one lot of such chocolates and tasted them with her close relatives and friends. After getting a good response from her relatives, she is now planning to open a company to add nutrients to chocolate and other food products. She informed that she has recently registered a company named Healthway Foods Pvt Ltd. Parajuli says that she registered the company to commercialize the work of adding nutritional value to chocolates and other food products.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;We are eating chocolate almost every day. It increases the amount of sugar in our bodies. Therefore, I have ensured that vitamins, minerals, and other elements reach our bodies through chocolate,&rdquo; she told New Business Age.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">She also went to the National Innovation Center opened by Mahabir Pun to learn more ideas for this work. She says that she got more information from there. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">At present, Prarjuli is getting more knowledge about entrepreneurship by joining the Nabil School of Social Entrepreneurship organized by Nabil Bank. Nabil Bank has launched this programme targeting students under 50 years of age who are studying or have completed their studies at Tribhuvan University. Currently, 20 students are taking entrepreneurship training under this programme.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Nabil School of Social Entrepreneurship supports entrepreneurs in solving complex social problems using social entrepreneurship. Students who are involved in professional work that positively impacts society get an opportunity here.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Narrating her experience after participating in this programme of Nabil Bank, she said, &#39;I wanted to become an entrepreneur, but I had no knowledge of how to become an entrepreneur, where to start, how to market the products I made, and what to do to reach out to more people. After coming here, I got the opportunity to gain knowledge about these things. So now I have just opened a company, thinking I should not delay starting work.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In addition, she says there is a plan to add nutrients to traditional Nepali food as well. Along with chocolate, she is also working on adding nutrients to mustard. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">She says that with the help of Nabil Bank she got more energy and courage in the work she wanted to do. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nabil Bank Gyanendra Prasad Dhungana also said that it is a matter of happiness for Nabil Bank to teach entrepreneurship skills to students who are aware of doing something in society in collaboration with Tribhuvan University. He says that these students have the potential to become successful entrepreneurs tomorrow.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '15774',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Investment Board Approves Investment worth Rs 122 Billion',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11: The Investment Board informed that it has approved and implemented its five-year strategic plan along with business plan worth more than Rs 122 billion in the fiscal year 2021/22.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: The Investment Board informed that it has approved and implemented its five-year strategic plan along with business plan worth more than Rs 122 billion in the fiscal year 2021/22. In the same year, the board also prepared the guidelines for project bank and project monitoring dashboard, states a report presented to the prime minister on Wednesday.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, the board informed that the study on the development framework of the West Seti and Seti River-6 joint hydropower project, the study on the extension of the financial management of the Upper Karnali hydropower project have been completed and the study report on the comparative analysis of the technology available to establish a chemical fertilizer factory in Nepal has been published as well.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Sushil Bhatta, CEO of the board, submitted the report to Prime Minister and Chairman of the Board, Sher Bahadur Deuba amid a function on August 10.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A performance agreement on 42 activities based on measurable indicators with a timetable was signed between the prime minister and CEO Bhatt on 16 August 2021 for the last fiscal year. &nbsp;As per the statement of the board, an agreement was reached between the prime minister and the CEO to focus on the four main strategic pillars of the board - project development and management, investment promotion, institutional development and coordination, collaboration and partnership. Also, all the specified indicators have been fulfilled and 100 percent success has been achieved, reads the statement released by the board.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The board also informed that systems such as Project Bank Management Information System (PBMIS), One Stop Service (OSS) have been developed to make the Investment Board information technology-friendly.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'China Announces to Commission Feasibility Study of Kerung-Kathmandu Railway',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11: Nepal’s northern neighbour China has announced to commission a feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway with grant-assistance.   ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: Nepal&rsquo;s northern neighbour China has announced to commission a feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway with grant-assistance.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister for Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi made such announcement during a bilateral meeting with his Nepalese counterpart Dr Narayan Khadka, who is in a three-day state visit to China. The Nepal-China bilateral meeting was held in Qingdao of China on August 10 (Wednesday), according to the state-owned national news agency RSS.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">During the talks, the two sides made a comprehensive review of Nepal-China relations and bilateral cooperation and also agreed to further extend assistance in the areas of trade, connectivity, investment, health, tourism, poverty alleviation, agriculture, disaster risk reduction, education and culture, among others, reads a press statement issued by the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing on Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the RSS, Foreign Minister Khadka is on a three-day official visit to China at the invitation of China&#39;s State Councilor and Minister for Foreign Affairs Wang.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On the occasion, Minister Khadka reiterated Nepal&#39;s unswerving stance on one-China policy noting that Nepal would not allow the use of its territory for any activity against China, the embassy said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Likewise, Foreign Minister Wang also reiterated China&#39;s continued and unconditional support and solidarity for Nepal&#39;s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and assured to provide assistance in Nepal&#39;s development efforts as per the priorities of the Government of Nepal, RSS further reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Expressing commitment to timely implementation of the deals signed during the high-level state visits in the past, both the two ministers agreed to expedite the implementation of the projects being operated with China&#39;s assistance to Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On the same occasion, the Chinese side also assured the Nepali delegation of immediately starting the second round of construction of the Kathmandu Ring Road Improvement Project.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Foreign Minister Wang also assured Nepal to undertake pre-feasibility study of Nepal-China Cross-Border Transmission Line as per the MoU signed during his earlier visit to Nepal in March 2022.&nbsp; Minister Wang had announced to provide Nepal with financial package of 800 million RMB in 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">During Wednesday&rsquo;s meeting, China also assured to provide Nepal with chemical fertilizers and was positive about commissioning a feasibility study on the establishment of chemical fertilizer factory in Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Likewise, Foreign Minister Wang also pledged to boost China&#39;s assistance to further develop Nepal&#39;s agriculture sector, to encourage Chinese investment to increase Nepal&#39;s agro productivity and to enhance assistance in the export of Nepali tea and traditional herbal products.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the Beijing-based Nepali Embassy, the two ministers also agreed to set up a joint mechanism for the prevention and control of pandemic along the border ports.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Also included in the agreement was to open the Rasuwa-Kerung and Tatopani-Jangmu ports for two-way trade and Hilsa-Pulang port for one way trade. The trans-border trade between Nepal and China has been affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic amid China&rsquo;s attempt to control the virus in its autonomous region, Tibet.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On the occasion, China has announced to hand over materials used for managing disaster risks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister Wang also pledged to provide additional vaccines against COVID-19 to fulfill Nepal&#39;s requirement and medical assistance as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Also on the occasion, the two sides agreed to form a bilateral technical team to carry out the works of existing mechanism of the Nepal-China Joint Border Inspection Committee.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister Khadka had set out to China on August 9 leading an 11-member Nepali delegation. The delegation is scheduled to return Kathmandu today<em>. &nbsp;(Based on report published by RSS)</em></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 4 => array(
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			'id' => '15771',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Apple Farming Shifting to Higher Elevation in Mustang',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: Lete and Kobang in Mustang district, once famous for apples and products made from apple such as dried apples, apple jams and brandy (Marpha) among others, no longer grow apple lately.    ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: Lete and Kobang in Mustang district, once famous for apples and products made from apple such as dried apples, apple jams and brandy (Marpha) among others, no longer grow apple lately.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Locals who were dependent on apple farming in both the localities situated at around 2,500 metres above the sea level are left with no other option than seeking alternative to apple farming.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Much to the astonishment of the locals, until a decade and half ago, apples used to be grown commercially in the land only up to 3,000 metres above the sea level. These days, apples are cultivated in the highland above that elevation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In Lete and Kobang, fruits like pears, walnut and apricot were put in place as an alternative to apple farming, informed Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Mustang Chief Prakash Bastakoti. He shared that apples are grown in Lomanthang (3,800 meters) and its surrounding areas lately.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Locals shared that apple farming has been booming in Muktinath and Chusang areas in the district known for producing fragrant, juicy and crispy apples. Proprietor of Hotel Grand Sambala in Muktinatha, Suraj Gurung, shared that more and more farmers in those areas are fascinated in commercial farming of apple of late.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The residents in the high hills said they could see a change in rainfall pattern these days. The settlement here would see rainfall rarely in the past, but these rainfall is not an occasional phenomenon for them. With the start of rainfall here, age-old structures made of clay are at risk of collaping.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">People residing around the Nilgiri Peak in Mustang say the area would not see rainfall annually, but now the pattern has got changed and it has been frequent, weakening the clay-made structures.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Settlements on the lap of the Nilgiri are facing the consequences of the change in rainfall pattern. Lupra, Marpha, Jomsom, Chhairu, Thini and Thyang feature the traditional houses with clay roof tiles. It seems such roof tiles are not enough to resist rainfall as they are gradually getting crumbled with rainfall becoming frequent.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Such structures are made for special purposes to challenge a chilling cold in the high alpine settlement. They work as the indigenous air-conditioning system to keep houses warm and prevent the people from consequences of biting cold.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">They still remember using shovels to clear off the snow depositions from their roof sometimes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Climate in high lands is almost all time cold and houses with clay roof keep them less affected by the cold. Locals say they now face challenges to keep the indigenous architect intact. The scale of incidences of rainfall-induced disasters has gone up while changing climate system has its direct impact on the agriculture production. Peaks here are facing melting of snow. They seem at high risk of extinction.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Ram Chandra Baral who teaches at Prithvi Narayan Campus Pokhara said that topics like increase in rainfall in the mountainous region and change in the agriculture system, among others can be linked to the effects of climate change. Baral has been conducting research on various issues of the mountainous region since long.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">He shared that he has been closely observing the shifting of apple farming to higher altitudes, relating his research experience since nine years. Baral added that he bought apples for Rs 60 per kilo at Marpha, for Rs 100 at Jharkot and for Rs 150 at Jhong back then. As he said, the taste of apple became more delicious at higher altitude.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Baral added that in recent years attraction has increased towards constructing apple orchards at higher regions such as Yara and Ghami areas of Mustang.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Mosquitoes which are usually found in tropical regions have also started to be seen in the mountain region these days. So people have to use mosquito nets.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Moreover, places like Lomanthang, Chhonup, Chhoser, Surkhang, Charang, Ghami among others in Upper Mustang are facing water crisis due to the low amount of snowfall. The water crisis was so acute at Samjung settlement in Chhoser that it had to be shifted to Namasung village.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;Before, it was said that the monsoon does not cross the Himalayas. But now it has crossed. The sudden flash floods in Manang and Mustang, the trans-Himalayan districts, last year is the vivid example of this change in monsoon weather pattern,&quot; Baral pointed out. -- RSS</span></span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15772',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'UML against Involvement of Private Sector for Insurance Programme   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: The main opposition party CPN (UML) has expressed its concern over what it says the government's preparations for partnering with the private sector for implementing the state-run health insurance programme.   ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: The main opposition party CPN (UML) has expressed its concern over what it says the government&#39;s preparations for partnering with the private sector for implementing the state-run health insurance programme.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Speaking at a meeting of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, UML lawmaker Khagaraj Adhikari said the point no 151 of the budget speech for the current fiscal year suggests the government preparing to include the private sector in implementing the insurance scheme. The former Minister for Health and Population said that the move would only make the programme a failure.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government had announced in the annual budget for the current fiscal year that the health insurance programme, which is currently being run by the Insurance Board under the Ministry of Health, will be entrusted to private insurance companies.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Former Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada was against handing the insurance programme to the private sector.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;I am not in favor of implementing new provision, nor will I ever do so,&rdquo; said Khatiwada, before he was recalled by his party CPN Unified Socialist and was replaced by Bhawani Prasad Khapung as the new health minister</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Khatiwada had made it clear that the health insurance programme would be continued as per the Health Insurance Act. The Health Insurance Act has provision for the board to run the programme. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Even the Health Insurance Board is said to be dissatisfied with the government&#39;s policy for the current fiscal year. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the health insurance programme operated by the government, five-member families can get medical treatment up to Rs 100,000 annually. To avail such facility, they have to pay an annual premium of Rs 3,500. Despite being called insurance, the government introduced this programme as social security scheme. Stakeholders express that the programme promoted as social security should not be handed to a private company. <em>(With inputs from RSS)</em></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Read also: Government Reluctant to Entrust Health Insurance Programme to Private Sector</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">https://www.newbusinessage.com/Articles/view/15454</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></p>
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15770',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Five Corruption Cases Filed in a Single Day',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed five cases of corruption in the special court in a single day.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed five cases of corruption in the special court in a single day.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">CIAA registered five cases in the Special Court on Tuesday on charges of corruption by employees working in various public bodies in Kalikot and Mugu districts during the Fiscal Year 2014/15. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">CIAA filed cases against Mugu Divisional Forest Officer Bharat Bahadur Budha Thapa; former non gazette officer of the District Development Committee Office, Kalikot Raj Bahadur Bam; former Local Adaptation Plan for Action (LAPA) Programme Coordinator of District Development Committee Kalikot Kamal Prasad Khanal; Building Construction Consumer Committee Officer of Allo Bhango Processing Center, Kalikot and former technician of the ,Agriculture Development Office Kalikot&nbsp; Paras Ratna Prasad Pandey, separately.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the anti-graft body, the CIAA filed the case against seven people, including Bharat Bahadur Budha Thapa, a forest officer of Division Forest Office, Mugu after they were found involved in embezzling funds during the construction of a tourist trail from Chankheli Himal to Dudhtal under Mugu&#39;s Chayanath Rara Municipality-14.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The case against Ratna Prasad Pandey, the then technical assistant of Kalikot, who is now the official of Guthichour Rural Municipality, Jumla, was registered for his role in embezzling government and public property during the agricultural training programme conducted by the District Agricultural Development Office, Kalikot in the fiscal year 2013/14.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A case has also been registered against the Consumers Construction Committee and its office bearers including President Nanda Prasad Pandey, Secretary Narendra Prasad Pandey and Treasurer Binita Rana Pandey for embezzling funds by creating fake bills for the construction of Allo Bhango Processing Center in Kalikot in the fiscal year 2013/14.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The commission has registered a case in the special court against the then non-gazetted officer Raj Bahadur Bam of Kalikot who was involved in fraudulent activities in the purchase of sewing machines and transportation of the goods in the programme under the Under Privileged Upliftment Development Committee run in Kalikot during the fiscal year 2013/14.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The authority filed the case against Kamal Prasad Khanal,&nbsp; former LAPA Programme Coordinator of the District Development Committee, Kalikot, on the charge that he had made a hoarding board for propaganda purpose under the Nepal Climate Change Assistance Program in FY 2013/14, by including it in a fake payment scheme.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15769',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Cooperatives Under Pressure to Increase Interest Rates',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: As the savings and credit cooperatives under increasing pressure due to liquidity crisis, the operators of the cooperatives have been pressing increase in reference interest rate of the cooperatives.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: As the savings and credit cooperatives under increasing pressure due to liquidity crisis, the operators of the cooperatives have been pressing increase in reference interest rate of the cooperatives. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The cooperatives have been demanding a review of the reference interest rate, saying that after the banks and financial institutions increased the interest, the deposits started moving from the cooperatives to the banks. The Federal Cooperative Department has been applying a reference interest rate of 16 percent on cooperatives since February 27. The interest rate fixed four months ago is not relevant in the market and the cooperatives have launched a campaign demanded its review.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Paritosh Paudyal, president of Nepal Federation of Savings Credit Cooperative Unions Ltd (NEFSCUN), said that as banks and financial institutions are paying high interest on deposits due to lack of liquidity, the reference interest rate of cooperatives should also be changed.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&nbsp;&ldquo;The interest rate of banks has reached as much as 19 percent at present. If the reference interest rate of cooperatives is not reviewed in time, it may create a situation where cooperatives might have to violate it,&rdquo; he said.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In February, the reference interest rate determination committee meeting decided to hold a meeting every 4 months and review it. However, the meeting of the committee has not been held even after 4 months after the implementation of the interest rate.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Om Devi Malla, Senior Vice President of the National Cooperative Federation and member of the Interest Rate Recommendation Committee said that the department is reluctant to hold a meeting of the committee. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;We requested the registrar to call a meeting according to the decision of the committee. However, the registrar refused to call the meeting stating that the minister does not think the interest rate should be increased,&rdquo; she said.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Some time ago, Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Shashi Shrestha said during a public programme that the reference interest rate should not be increased under any circumstances.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Amid increasing pressure &nbsp;to revise the interest rate, the department formed a technical committee under the coordination of Deputy-Registrar Tolraj Upadhyay. General Manager of National Cooperative Federation Chitra Kumari Subba, Chief Executive Officer of National Cooperative Bank Badri Kumar Guragain and Chief Executive Officer of NEFSCUN Prakash Prasad Pokharel are members of the committee. Department sources say that the committee is ready to hold a meeting only after the technical committee submits its report.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">After the reference interest rate was not reviewed earlier in February, the cooperatives under the leadership of the Federation of Cooperatives staged a sit-in protest at the department.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In order to manage the interest rate of the cooperatives, the Cooperatives Act 2074 has a provision for the reference interest rate. According to section 51 of the Act, there will be an arrangement for representative members of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank, National Cooperative Development Board, Federation of Cooperatives and Subject Cooperative Associations under the coordination of the Federal Registrar.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the provisions of the Cooperative Act and Regulations, there is a provision to determine the reference interest rate for cooperatives based on the average interest of commercial banks, the average interest of savings and credit cooperatives, and the average interest of cooperative banks.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although the reference interest rate is the maximum limit for the interest on loan investment of cooperatives, it has not been effectively implemented. However, due to lack of liquidity, institutions operating in urban areas are charging higher interest rates than the fixed rates.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minraj Kandel, president of the National Cooperative Federation said that the problem of liquidity increased due to the increase in the number of people demanding the return of savings in some cooperatives. He added that in this situation, it is necessary to increase the reference interest rate in order to increase the deposit interest rate.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Earlier, in an appeal issued last Sunday, the Federation of Cooperatives also demanded to review the reference rate saying that the limit has caused difficulties to the cooperatives. Similarly, the Federation has been advocating for a system of automatic interest rate of the cooperative based on the market.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15768',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'CNI Jobs and Skills Fair 2022 in November',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: The CNI Jobs and Skills Fair-2022 is all set to be organized in Kathmandu from November 3 to 20, with the participation of 200 companies of national and international level.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: The CNI Jobs and Skills Fair-2022 is all set to be organized in Kathmandu from November 3 to 20, with the participation of 200 companies of national and international level. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The aim of organizing the fair is to reduce the gap between the availability of skills in the market, the employers and the unemployed with skill and to make direct contact with the companies, informed the Confederation of Nepalese Industries.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Organising a press conference in Kathmandu on Tuesday, CNI said that the fair will help in reducing the situation where employers are not able to find skilled manpower, but young people who have learned skills are unemployed. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">As per CNI, at least 500,000 people seek for employment in the country each year. Even though companies demand employees from drivers to management level, there is no clear connection between employers and job seekers. The aim of the fair is to improve this situation, said CNI. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">During the press meet, CNI Vice President Krishna Prasad Adhikari said that there will be coordination between job seekers and employers. According to Adhilari, CNI will also launch an &quot;app&quot; with the aim of making it easier to find jobs by establishing direct contact with the companies participating in the fair.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;The fair is not organized to give out jobs. Rather, it is organized to act as a bridge between the gap between employment and skills,&rdquo; he said.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Stating that this is the first attempt of the confederation, he said that it is time to pay attention to education criteria to meet the demand for the market.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Rajesh Agarwal, vice president of the federation said that the fair is also necessary to develop the issues of education, employment and skills as a national debate. He informed that although the CNI is organizing such a fair for the first time in Kathmandu, it will also be held at the state level in the future. He said that an app will be created for contacting the companies that came to the fair and those who need employment can register and apply for employment through the same app.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">CNI also informed that there will be a comprehensive discussion on the needs of employers and meeting the demands of skilled employees. Twiraj Sharma, coordinator of the fair said that companies from India like Tata and other countries will be invited to participate as well.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The confederation is going to study the job situation and demand before the fair, especially by studying the information technology, hospitality and agriculture sectors. The confederation expects to achieve success in identifying the need for policy and curriculum to create world-class manpower in Nepal through the fair. There will be a comprehensive discussion on skill development, presentations from national and international experts and discussions and contacts with companies for work. Organizers estimate that more than 50,000 people will attend the fair.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15767',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Surya Nepal, the Highest Taxpayer in FY 2021/22',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: Surya Nepal Private Limited has emerged as the highest taxpayer during the last fiscal year. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: Surya Nepal Private Limited has emerged as the highest taxpayer during the last fiscal year. According to the Large Taxpayers Office (LTO), the company paid taxes worth Rs 10.72 billion during FY 2021/22.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The LTO informed that the amount includes Value Added Tax (VAT), income tax and all other taxes liable to the government. Surya Nepal Private Limited has been operating since 1986. Indian company ITC holds the largest amount of share of Surya Nepal. The Indian company holds 59 percent share while a Nepali company and individuals hold 39 percent share. Similarly, the British American Tobacco Limited holds the remaining two percent shares. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Surya Nepal has been producing cigarettes as well as match sticks, incense sticks and chocolates. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Nepal Telecommunication Company Limited was the second highest tax payer during the review period. The Government of Nepal holds 91.49 percent shares in the company. The NTC was established 1975 and was registered as Nepal Telecom Company on February 5, 2004. Nepal Telecom paid taxes worth Rs 9.72 billion during the last fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, Ncell Axiata Limited, a private sector telecommunication company operating in Nepal, finished third among the top taxpayers. Ncell paid taxes worth Rs 7.79 billion. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Gorkha Brewry, which produces beers like Gorkha, Carlsberg, Sanmiguel, and Somersby, was the fourth largest taxpayer during the review period for paying taxes worth Rs 5.69 billion followed by the state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (Rs 3.95 billion). The NEA purchases electricity produced by state-owned projects as well as private sector and distributes it to the public. It also sells electricity to India when there is surplus production and imports electricity from the neighbouring country during scarcity.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, NIC Asia Bank ranks sixth among the highest taxpayers. The bank paid taxes worth Rs 3.41 billion followed by seventh-placed Nabil Bank (Rs 3.32 billion ), Global IME Bank (Rs 3.21 billion ), Siddhartha Bank (Rs 2.77 &nbsp;billion ), and Rastriya Banijya Bank (Rs 2.65 billion). </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15766',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => ''Increasing COVID-19 Cases Signals Fourth Wave'   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9:  COVID-19 is on the rise in the country with the increasing number of new cases reported since the past few weeks. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: &nbsp;COVID-19 is on the rise in the country with the increasing number of new cases reported since the past few weeks. The surge in the infection rate follows increasing cases in neighbouring India, with easy cross border mobility of people due to the open border.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The country has already reported Omicron&#39;s sub-variant, BA.5 and its transmission rate is much higher, thus contributing to the surge, according to health workers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">At present, the infection rate was over 15 percent against 0.5 percent some weeks earlier. </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The infection statistics indicate the occurrence of the fourth wave, according to Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population. The government does not officially announce the wave as the statistics themselves suggest it, he said. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;In the past too, we did not announce any wave. Neither will we do so this time. But the caseload have indicated another wave.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Dr Khageshwor Gelal, senior health administrator at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division under the Department of Health Services and public health expert Dr Sagar Raj Bhandari concurred with Dr Adhikari on the indication of the occurrence of the fourth wave. &quot;The government does not officially announce the manifestation of the virus. But, hundreds of infection cases taking place in recent days indicate the occurrence of the fourth wave,&quot; said Dr Gelal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Infection rate rising above five percent is considered to be another wave, said Dr Bhandari, adding that &quot;the figure at present has been around 15 percent.&quot; In general, the rate goes down only after getting to its peak, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although BA.5 sub-variant is transmitted rapidly, it does not turn out to be serious, he said. He urged all people to follow the health protocols and get administered fourth dose of the vaccine.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Meanwhile, in view of the latest infection risks, the ministry has directed health institutions and concerned authorities to manage early treatment.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Seventeen hospitals across the country have been designated to provide treatment to infected people. Likewise, the government has asked people to follow health protocols like compulsorily wearing facemasks and using sanitizers and not attending and hosting gatherings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Of the virus-related deaths that took place lately, 80 percent were found in those who had not taken the COVID-19 vaccine, said Dr Gelal. -- RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15765',
			'article_category_id' => '266',
			'title' => 'Ncell Re-launches Power SIM Offer',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: Ncell Axiata Company has re-launched its starter pack 'Sahi Yo ⁄ Power SIM'. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: Ncell Axiata Company has re-launched its starter pack &#39;Sahi Yo &frasl; Power SIM&#39;. The company re-launched it with the facility of free access to various digital services including Instagram and MyFive. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The company informed that customers can buy the SIM from Monday for Rs 97 including tax that will include 200 MB data, 20 minutes of on-net talk time and 20 on-net SMS with validity of seven days and a main balance of Rs 20.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the company, customers who subscribe the pack can use the Instagram service for free for 30 days from the day of activation. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Also, customers who renew the pack will also get free MyFive service for 30 days. In addition, customers can pair any 5 Ncell numbers under the MyFive service and talk to those five MyFive numbers for only 50 paisa per minute.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'article_date' => '2022-08-09 17:31:07',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15764',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Banks Increasing Credit Flow Despite Decline in Deposits',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: Bank deposits have continued to decline in the first week of August. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: Bank deposits have continued to decline in the first week of August. Although the banks faced a setback in deposit collection, they have increased credit flow during this period.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the data provided by the Nepal Bankers Association, the deposit collection of banks declined by Rs 4 billion during the first week of August. Deposit collection of banks had declined by Rs 64 billion in the third week of July and by Rs 28 in the fourth week of July. It means that the deposit collection of banks has declined by Rs 96 billion so far in the current fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The total deposits of banks by the end of the last fiscal year stood at Rs 4541 billion. It has now decreased to Rs 4446 billion as of August 5. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Spokesperson of Nepal Rastra Bank Dr Gunakar Bhatta says that the banking system witnessed withdrawal of cash in large amount as the Nepal Oil Corporation paid its long-standing dues to the Indian Oil Corporation during the beginning of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, the deposits of banks also declined towards the end of the last fiscal year as the cheques issued by the government were withdrawn during that period, says Bhatta.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although the bank deposits have declined, credit flow has increased during the same period. Initially, the banks had reduced credit flow in the first week two weeks of the current fiscal year but have increased credit flow by Rs 2 billion in August.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The credit flow of banks had declined by Rs 10 billion in the third week of July and by Rs 1 billion in the fourth week of July. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The total credit flow of banks as of August 5 stands at Rs 4166 billion. The credit flow of banks was Rs 4175 by the end of the last fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Banks had been tightening credit flow and focusing on deposit collection due to liquidity crisis. This had helped the banks to maintain the CD ratio as prescribed by the central bank. As of August 5, the average CD ratio of banks stands at 87.69 percent, according to Nepal Bankers Association.</span></span></p>
',
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			'keywords' => 'banks, credit, flow, deposit, collection, liquidity crisis, Nepal, Rastra, Bank',
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15763',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Fails to Execute its Plan to Reopen Problematic Industries',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: The government, in the current fiscal year’s budget, has stated that the Hetauda Textile Industry will be brought into operation in a suitable format.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: The government, in the current fiscal year&rsquo;s budget, has stated that the Hetauda Textile Industry will be brought into operation in a suitable format. Arrangements will be made for people holding public positions to wear clothes produced by the Hetauda Textile Industry.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In the budget statement of the last fiscal year too, it was also mentioned that proposals will be invited to run the Hetauda Textile Industry in partnership with the private sector. However, both these announcements are not new. The government made efforts to run this industry in the fiscal year 2008/09. However, the government backed off from its plan to operate the industry citing reasons including lack of money to import cotton.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">After four years of attempt to run the industry, the cabinet meeting on January 15, 2013 decided to halt the plan to reopen Hetauda Textile Industry Limited. For the last few years, the government has again pledged to reopen the textile industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government, despite failing to reopen the industry for more than a decade, now has announced that it will operate the textile industry in an appropriate format this year and make arrangements for civil servants to use the clothes produced by the same industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">It is speculated that the latest announcement will also be limited to the papers as the announcement was made without adequate preparation. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although the government has announced to open the industry which has remained closed since the last two decades (2000), the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Industrial Area Management Limited (IDM) are not much active in terms of operational modality, technology and investment required for the industry. The Ministry of Industry had entrusted the project to IDM.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government&#39;s share of investment in IDM is expected to come from the assessment of the building and other physical infrastructure of the industry. Even though the industry was handed over to IDM for almost a decade with the government&#39;s shares intact, the IDM has not tried to revive the industry. Instead, the IDM is involved in expanding and announcing new industrial areas. The government had formed study committees at different times to operate the ailing industries.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Former Secretary Deepak Subedi, who is also the coordinator of the study committee formed two years ago, says that the Hetauda Textile Industry can be operated.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;You don&#39;t need to do much for this. If you fulfil an handful of works, you can run the industry in a way that makes a profit,&quot; said Subedi adding, &quot;The latest technology and equipment, good management system, and experienced people will be enough to run the industry rather than political appointments.&quot;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15762',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Salary Hike won’t Exceed 15 Percent: Finance Minister',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has made it clear that the proposal to increase the salary of some civil servants above the rate announced in the budget will not be implemented.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has made it clear that the proposal to increase the salary of some civil servants above the rate announced in the budget will not be implemented. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Finance Minister Sharma gave such an assurance during a meeting with the gazetted officers who are protesting against the attempt to increase salaries in an unfair manner against the provisions of the budget.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Krishna Hari Pushkar, secretary at the finance ministry, had even prepared a draft to present it to the Council of Ministers to increase the salary of some gazetted employees by 24.26 percent, stating that the salary scale would be maintained according to the merit order. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Meanwhile, Finance Minister Sharma had announced an increment of just 15 percent in the salaries of all civil servants, army, police, teachers, etc., effective from July 17, during his budget speech on May 29.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The top officials of Finance ministry tried to increase the salary of the gazetted officers at a higher rate than the one announced in the budget while disregarding the instructions of the parliamentary committee. On July 31, the Industry and Commerce and Labor and Consumer Welfare Committee of the Parliament gave instructions to determine the salaries of civil servants according to the order of merit. At present, the salary scale of army and police officers is higher than that of civil servants of the same rank.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The gazetted employees, who were angry with the proposal of increasing salary in an unfair manner, met the finance minister on Monday and pressured him to correct it. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Gopal Pokharel, president of Nepal Civil Service Employee&rsquo;s Association (NECSEA) informed that Sharma expressed commitment that he will increase the salary according to the budget speech for the time being and settle the unresolved issues by forming a &ldquo;Pay Commission&rdquo; as well.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Along with Pokharel, Lekhnath Koirala, president of Civil Service Organization, Hari Bahadur Rawal, president of National Employees Organization, Nepal, Bhuvaneshwar Chaudhary, president of Madhesi Employees Organization, Mohan Ghimire, president of Integrated Government Employees Organization had met Finance Minister Sharma on Monday to discuss this issue.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Rawal, President of National Employees Organization, Nepal informed that Minister Sharma will now implement a 15 percent salary increase. According to Rawal, Minister Sharma has promised to settle issues including the order of merit within and outside the civil service.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">If the proposal of the finance ministry is passed, a section officer will get an increment of 24.26 percent, under secretary 23.35 percent, joint secretary 23.63 percent and secretary 18.41 percent on their salary effective from mid-July. The salary of employees below the non-gazetted first class officer however will increase by just 15 percent.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The non-gazetted first class employees working in Singha Durbar gathered at the Ministry of Finance on Monday and opposed the proposal. The Civil Servants Association Nepal warned that the non-gazetted first class employees of the whole country will be on holiday on Tuesday.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '15776',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NEA’s Annual Income Rises by 164 Percent   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recorded an increase in its annual income by 164 percent.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recorded an increase in its annual income by 164 percent.&nbsp; The state-owned electricity authority has projected its annual net profit to rise to Rs 16.9 billion in the fiscal year 2021/22 from Rs 6.1 billion in the fiscal year 2020/21.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">NEA&#39;s Chief Executive officer Kulman Ghising shared that the annual income of the Authority has exceeded Rs 100 billion. Such figure was obtained through the unprocessed financial data of the NEA for the fiscal year 2021/22. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">With this, the NEA has been established as the highest income-generating and profit-making public enterprises in Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;The income from sales has increased with the rise in the energy consumption by 27 percent. Export of energy has also increased, said Ghising, adding, &ldquo;The NEA has been successful to increase energy production by around 16 percent from the power houses owned by the NEA.&quot; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Ghising further shared that the energy leakage has also been reduced and the expenditure has been effectively managed resulting in the rise in net profit. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The NEA, which was in a loss of Rs 8.89 billion in the Fiscal Year 2015/16, has been making profit ever since the very next year. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The NEA registered a profit of Rs 1.5 billion in the Fiscal Year 2016/17. Its profit increased to as much as Rs 11.75 billion in the Fiscal Year 2019/20.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Ghising says that the NEA&rsquo;s effort to maintain regular and uninterrupted supply of good quality of electricity has had a positive impact on the financial situation of the authority.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The NEA has generated an income of Rs 88 billion through the sales of electricity. The NEA says that it has waived an amount equivalent to Rs 980 million for the customers who paid their electricity bills on time.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A statement issued by the NEA on Wednesday says that the net income from sales of electricity during the last fiscal year was Rs 87 billion, which is 22 percent more compared to the previous fiscal year.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the NEA, leakage of electricity has been reduced to 15.38 percent in the last fiscal year. Such leakage was 25.78 percent in FY 2015/16. Ghising informed that the NEA made an additional income worth Rs 2 billion compared to the previous fiscal year by reducing leakage of electricity.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;We launched a campaign to reduce electricity leakage by controlling electricity theft and improving the standard of transmission lines and sub stations,&rdquo; said Ghising.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Export of electricity to India from Nepal increased in the Fiscal Year 2021/22. On the other hand, the import has declined. At present, Nepal is exporting around 364 to 400 megawatts of surplus electricity to India per day. In FY 2020/21, Nepal exported 440 million units of electricity to India, which increased to 493 million units in FY 2021/22. NEA made an income of Rs 3.88 billion through the export of electricity.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In FY 2020/21, Nepal imported 2.8 billion units of electricity to meet the domestic demand but that dropped to 1.54 billion units in FY FY 2021/22, which is a significant decline of 45.05 percent comparatively.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'An Emerging Entrepreneur Plans to Add Nutritional Value to Chocolates',
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			'summary' => 'August 11:   After graduating in food technology, Pratibha Parajuli, who is currently pursuing her master's degree in nutrition, is working on adding nutrients in chocolates. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">Prashant Khadka</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: &nbsp;&nbsp;After graduating in food technology, Pratibha Parajuli, who is currently pursuing her master&#39;s degree in nutrition, is working on adding nutrients in chocolates. Since chocolate contains a lot of sugar and carbohydrates and does more harm than good for the human body, she is working on adding nutrients such as vitamins and minerals necessary for human health.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">She has already produced one lot of such chocolates and tasted them with her close relatives and friends. After getting a good response from her relatives, she is now planning to open a company to add nutrients to chocolate and other food products. She informed that she has recently registered a company named Healthway Foods Pvt Ltd. Parajuli says that she registered the company to commercialize the work of adding nutritional value to chocolates and other food products.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;We are eating chocolate almost every day. It increases the amount of sugar in our bodies. Therefore, I have ensured that vitamins, minerals, and other elements reach our bodies through chocolate,&rdquo; she told New Business Age.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">She also went to the National Innovation Center opened by Mahabir Pun to learn more ideas for this work. She says that she got more information from there. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">At present, Prarjuli is getting more knowledge about entrepreneurship by joining the Nabil School of Social Entrepreneurship organized by Nabil Bank. Nabil Bank has launched this programme targeting students under 50 years of age who are studying or have completed their studies at Tribhuvan University. Currently, 20 students are taking entrepreneurship training under this programme.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Nabil School of Social Entrepreneurship supports entrepreneurs in solving complex social problems using social entrepreneurship. Students who are involved in professional work that positively impacts society get an opportunity here.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Narrating her experience after participating in this programme of Nabil Bank, she said, &#39;I wanted to become an entrepreneur, but I had no knowledge of how to become an entrepreneur, where to start, how to market the products I made, and what to do to reach out to more people. After coming here, I got the opportunity to gain knowledge about these things. So now I have just opened a company, thinking I should not delay starting work.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In addition, she says there is a plan to add nutrients to traditional Nepali food as well. Along with chocolate, she is also working on adding nutrients to mustard. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">She says that with the help of Nabil Bank she got more energy and courage in the work she wanted to do. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nabil Bank Gyanendra Prasad Dhungana also said that it is a matter of happiness for Nabil Bank to teach entrepreneurship skills to students who are aware of doing something in society in collaboration with Tribhuvan University. He says that these students have the potential to become successful entrepreneurs tomorrow.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'id' => '15774',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Investment Board Approves Investment worth Rs 122 Billion',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11: The Investment Board informed that it has approved and implemented its five-year strategic plan along with business plan worth more than Rs 122 billion in the fiscal year 2021/22.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: The Investment Board informed that it has approved and implemented its five-year strategic plan along with business plan worth more than Rs 122 billion in the fiscal year 2021/22. In the same year, the board also prepared the guidelines for project bank and project monitoring dashboard, states a report presented to the prime minister on Wednesday.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, the board informed that the study on the development framework of the West Seti and Seti River-6 joint hydropower project, the study on the extension of the financial management of the Upper Karnali hydropower project have been completed and the study report on the comparative analysis of the technology available to establish a chemical fertilizer factory in Nepal has been published as well.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Sushil Bhatta, CEO of the board, submitted the report to Prime Minister and Chairman of the Board, Sher Bahadur Deuba amid a function on August 10.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A performance agreement on 42 activities based on measurable indicators with a timetable was signed between the prime minister and CEO Bhatt on 16 August 2021 for the last fiscal year. &nbsp;As per the statement of the board, an agreement was reached between the prime minister and the CEO to focus on the four main strategic pillars of the board - project development and management, investment promotion, institutional development and coordination, collaboration and partnership. Also, all the specified indicators have been fulfilled and 100 percent success has been achieved, reads the statement released by the board.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The board also informed that systems such as Project Bank Management Information System (PBMIS), One Stop Service (OSS) have been developed to make the Investment Board information technology-friendly.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'China Announces to Commission Feasibility Study of Kerung-Kathmandu Railway',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11: Nepal’s northern neighbour China has announced to commission a feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway with grant-assistance.   ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: Nepal&rsquo;s northern neighbour China has announced to commission a feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway with grant-assistance.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister for Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi made such announcement during a bilateral meeting with his Nepalese counterpart Dr Narayan Khadka, who is in a three-day state visit to China. The Nepal-China bilateral meeting was held in Qingdao of China on August 10 (Wednesday), according to the state-owned national news agency RSS.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">During the talks, the two sides made a comprehensive review of Nepal-China relations and bilateral cooperation and also agreed to further extend assistance in the areas of trade, connectivity, investment, health, tourism, poverty alleviation, agriculture, disaster risk reduction, education and culture, among others, reads a press statement issued by the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing on Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the RSS, Foreign Minister Khadka is on a three-day official visit to China at the invitation of China&#39;s State Councilor and Minister for Foreign Affairs Wang.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On the occasion, Minister Khadka reiterated Nepal&#39;s unswerving stance on one-China policy noting that Nepal would not allow the use of its territory for any activity against China, the embassy said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Likewise, Foreign Minister Wang also reiterated China&#39;s continued and unconditional support and solidarity for Nepal&#39;s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and assured to provide assistance in Nepal&#39;s development efforts as per the priorities of the Government of Nepal, RSS further reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Expressing commitment to timely implementation of the deals signed during the high-level state visits in the past, both the two ministers agreed to expedite the implementation of the projects being operated with China&#39;s assistance to Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On the same occasion, the Chinese side also assured the Nepali delegation of immediately starting the second round of construction of the Kathmandu Ring Road Improvement Project.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Foreign Minister Wang also assured Nepal to undertake pre-feasibility study of Nepal-China Cross-Border Transmission Line as per the MoU signed during his earlier visit to Nepal in March 2022.&nbsp; Minister Wang had announced to provide Nepal with financial package of 800 million RMB in 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">During Wednesday&rsquo;s meeting, China also assured to provide Nepal with chemical fertilizers and was positive about commissioning a feasibility study on the establishment of chemical fertilizer factory in Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Likewise, Foreign Minister Wang also pledged to boost China&#39;s assistance to further develop Nepal&#39;s agriculture sector, to encourage Chinese investment to increase Nepal&#39;s agro productivity and to enhance assistance in the export of Nepali tea and traditional herbal products.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the Beijing-based Nepali Embassy, the two ministers also agreed to set up a joint mechanism for the prevention and control of pandemic along the border ports.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Also included in the agreement was to open the Rasuwa-Kerung and Tatopani-Jangmu ports for two-way trade and Hilsa-Pulang port for one way trade. The trans-border trade between Nepal and China has been affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic amid China&rsquo;s attempt to control the virus in its autonomous region, Tibet.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On the occasion, China has announced to hand over materials used for managing disaster risks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister Wang also pledged to provide additional vaccines against COVID-19 to fulfill Nepal&#39;s requirement and medical assistance as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Also on the occasion, the two sides agreed to form a bilateral technical team to carry out the works of existing mechanism of the Nepal-China Joint Border Inspection Committee.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister Khadka had set out to China on August 9 leading an 11-member Nepali delegation. The delegation is scheduled to return Kathmandu today<em>. &nbsp;(Based on report published by RSS)</em></span></span></span></p>
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	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15771',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Apple Farming Shifting to Higher Elevation in Mustang',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: Lete and Kobang in Mustang district, once famous for apples and products made from apple such as dried apples, apple jams and brandy (Marpha) among others, no longer grow apple lately.    ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: Lete and Kobang in Mustang district, once famous for apples and products made from apple such as dried apples, apple jams and brandy (Marpha) among others, no longer grow apple lately.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Locals who were dependent on apple farming in both the localities situated at around 2,500 metres above the sea level are left with no other option than seeking alternative to apple farming.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Much to the astonishment of the locals, until a decade and half ago, apples used to be grown commercially in the land only up to 3,000 metres above the sea level. These days, apples are cultivated in the highland above that elevation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In Lete and Kobang, fruits like pears, walnut and apricot were put in place as an alternative to apple farming, informed Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Mustang Chief Prakash Bastakoti. He shared that apples are grown in Lomanthang (3,800 meters) and its surrounding areas lately.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Locals shared that apple farming has been booming in Muktinath and Chusang areas in the district known for producing fragrant, juicy and crispy apples. Proprietor of Hotel Grand Sambala in Muktinatha, Suraj Gurung, shared that more and more farmers in those areas are fascinated in commercial farming of apple of late.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The residents in the high hills said they could see a change in rainfall pattern these days. The settlement here would see rainfall rarely in the past, but these rainfall is not an occasional phenomenon for them. With the start of rainfall here, age-old structures made of clay are at risk of collaping.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">People residing around the Nilgiri Peak in Mustang say the area would not see rainfall annually, but now the pattern has got changed and it has been frequent, weakening the clay-made structures.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Settlements on the lap of the Nilgiri are facing the consequences of the change in rainfall pattern. Lupra, Marpha, Jomsom, Chhairu, Thini and Thyang feature the traditional houses with clay roof tiles. It seems such roof tiles are not enough to resist rainfall as they are gradually getting crumbled with rainfall becoming frequent.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Such structures are made for special purposes to challenge a chilling cold in the high alpine settlement. They work as the indigenous air-conditioning system to keep houses warm and prevent the people from consequences of biting cold.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">They still remember using shovels to clear off the snow depositions from their roof sometimes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Climate in high lands is almost all time cold and houses with clay roof keep them less affected by the cold. Locals say they now face challenges to keep the indigenous architect intact. The scale of incidences of rainfall-induced disasters has gone up while changing climate system has its direct impact on the agriculture production. Peaks here are facing melting of snow. They seem at high risk of extinction.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Ram Chandra Baral who teaches at Prithvi Narayan Campus Pokhara said that topics like increase in rainfall in the mountainous region and change in the agriculture system, among others can be linked to the effects of climate change. Baral has been conducting research on various issues of the mountainous region since long.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">He shared that he has been closely observing the shifting of apple farming to higher altitudes, relating his research experience since nine years. Baral added that he bought apples for Rs 60 per kilo at Marpha, for Rs 100 at Jharkot and for Rs 150 at Jhong back then. As he said, the taste of apple became more delicious at higher altitude.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Baral added that in recent years attraction has increased towards constructing apple orchards at higher regions such as Yara and Ghami areas of Mustang.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Mosquitoes which are usually found in tropical regions have also started to be seen in the mountain region these days. So people have to use mosquito nets.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Moreover, places like Lomanthang, Chhonup, Chhoser, Surkhang, Charang, Ghami among others in Upper Mustang are facing water crisis due to the low amount of snowfall. The water crisis was so acute at Samjung settlement in Chhoser that it had to be shifted to Namasung village.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;Before, it was said that the monsoon does not cross the Himalayas. But now it has crossed. The sudden flash floods in Manang and Mustang, the trans-Himalayan districts, last year is the vivid example of this change in monsoon weather pattern,&quot; Baral pointed out. -- RSS</span></span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15772',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'UML against Involvement of Private Sector for Insurance Programme   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: The main opposition party CPN (UML) has expressed its concern over what it says the government's preparations for partnering with the private sector for implementing the state-run health insurance programme.   ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: The main opposition party CPN (UML) has expressed its concern over what it says the government&#39;s preparations for partnering with the private sector for implementing the state-run health insurance programme.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Speaking at a meeting of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, UML lawmaker Khagaraj Adhikari said the point no 151 of the budget speech for the current fiscal year suggests the government preparing to include the private sector in implementing the insurance scheme. The former Minister for Health and Population said that the move would only make the programme a failure.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government had announced in the annual budget for the current fiscal year that the health insurance programme, which is currently being run by the Insurance Board under the Ministry of Health, will be entrusted to private insurance companies.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Former Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada was against handing the insurance programme to the private sector.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;I am not in favor of implementing new provision, nor will I ever do so,&rdquo; said Khatiwada, before he was recalled by his party CPN Unified Socialist and was replaced by Bhawani Prasad Khapung as the new health minister</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Khatiwada had made it clear that the health insurance programme would be continued as per the Health Insurance Act. The Health Insurance Act has provision for the board to run the programme. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Even the Health Insurance Board is said to be dissatisfied with the government&#39;s policy for the current fiscal year. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the health insurance programme operated by the government, five-member families can get medical treatment up to Rs 100,000 annually. To avail such facility, they have to pay an annual premium of Rs 3,500. Despite being called insurance, the government introduced this programme as social security scheme. Stakeholders express that the programme promoted as social security should not be handed to a private company. <em>(With inputs from RSS)</em></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Read also: Government Reluctant to Entrust Health Insurance Programme to Private Sector</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">https://www.newbusinessage.com/Articles/view/15454</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></p>
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15770',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Five Corruption Cases Filed in a Single Day',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed five cases of corruption in the special court in a single day.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed five cases of corruption in the special court in a single day.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">CIAA registered five cases in the Special Court on Tuesday on charges of corruption by employees working in various public bodies in Kalikot and Mugu districts during the Fiscal Year 2014/15. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">CIAA filed cases against Mugu Divisional Forest Officer Bharat Bahadur Budha Thapa; former non gazette officer of the District Development Committee Office, Kalikot Raj Bahadur Bam; former Local Adaptation Plan for Action (LAPA) Programme Coordinator of District Development Committee Kalikot Kamal Prasad Khanal; Building Construction Consumer Committee Officer of Allo Bhango Processing Center, Kalikot and former technician of the ,Agriculture Development Office Kalikot&nbsp; Paras Ratna Prasad Pandey, separately.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the anti-graft body, the CIAA filed the case against seven people, including Bharat Bahadur Budha Thapa, a forest officer of Division Forest Office, Mugu after they were found involved in embezzling funds during the construction of a tourist trail from Chankheli Himal to Dudhtal under Mugu&#39;s Chayanath Rara Municipality-14.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The case against Ratna Prasad Pandey, the then technical assistant of Kalikot, who is now the official of Guthichour Rural Municipality, Jumla, was registered for his role in embezzling government and public property during the agricultural training programme conducted by the District Agricultural Development Office, Kalikot in the fiscal year 2013/14.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A case has also been registered against the Consumers Construction Committee and its office bearers including President Nanda Prasad Pandey, Secretary Narendra Prasad Pandey and Treasurer Binita Rana Pandey for embezzling funds by creating fake bills for the construction of Allo Bhango Processing Center in Kalikot in the fiscal year 2013/14.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The commission has registered a case in the special court against the then non-gazetted officer Raj Bahadur Bam of Kalikot who was involved in fraudulent activities in the purchase of sewing machines and transportation of the goods in the programme under the Under Privileged Upliftment Development Committee run in Kalikot during the fiscal year 2013/14.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The authority filed the case against Kamal Prasad Khanal,&nbsp; former LAPA Programme Coordinator of the District Development Committee, Kalikot, on the charge that he had made a hoarding board for propaganda purpose under the Nepal Climate Change Assistance Program in FY 2013/14, by including it in a fake payment scheme.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15769',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Cooperatives Under Pressure to Increase Interest Rates',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: As the savings and credit cooperatives under increasing pressure due to liquidity crisis, the operators of the cooperatives have been pressing increase in reference interest rate of the cooperatives.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: As the savings and credit cooperatives under increasing pressure due to liquidity crisis, the operators of the cooperatives have been pressing increase in reference interest rate of the cooperatives. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The cooperatives have been demanding a review of the reference interest rate, saying that after the banks and financial institutions increased the interest, the deposits started moving from the cooperatives to the banks. The Federal Cooperative Department has been applying a reference interest rate of 16 percent on cooperatives since February 27. The interest rate fixed four months ago is not relevant in the market and the cooperatives have launched a campaign demanded its review.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Paritosh Paudyal, president of Nepal Federation of Savings Credit Cooperative Unions Ltd (NEFSCUN), said that as banks and financial institutions are paying high interest on deposits due to lack of liquidity, the reference interest rate of cooperatives should also be changed.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&nbsp;&ldquo;The interest rate of banks has reached as much as 19 percent at present. If the reference interest rate of cooperatives is not reviewed in time, it may create a situation where cooperatives might have to violate it,&rdquo; he said.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In February, the reference interest rate determination committee meeting decided to hold a meeting every 4 months and review it. However, the meeting of the committee has not been held even after 4 months after the implementation of the interest rate.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Om Devi Malla, Senior Vice President of the National Cooperative Federation and member of the Interest Rate Recommendation Committee said that the department is reluctant to hold a meeting of the committee. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;We requested the registrar to call a meeting according to the decision of the committee. However, the registrar refused to call the meeting stating that the minister does not think the interest rate should be increased,&rdquo; she said.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Some time ago, Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Shashi Shrestha said during a public programme that the reference interest rate should not be increased under any circumstances.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Amid increasing pressure &nbsp;to revise the interest rate, the department formed a technical committee under the coordination of Deputy-Registrar Tolraj Upadhyay. General Manager of National Cooperative Federation Chitra Kumari Subba, Chief Executive Officer of National Cooperative Bank Badri Kumar Guragain and Chief Executive Officer of NEFSCUN Prakash Prasad Pokharel are members of the committee. Department sources say that the committee is ready to hold a meeting only after the technical committee submits its report.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">After the reference interest rate was not reviewed earlier in February, the cooperatives under the leadership of the Federation of Cooperatives staged a sit-in protest at the department.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In order to manage the interest rate of the cooperatives, the Cooperatives Act 2074 has a provision for the reference interest rate. According to section 51 of the Act, there will be an arrangement for representative members of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank, National Cooperative Development Board, Federation of Cooperatives and Subject Cooperative Associations under the coordination of the Federal Registrar.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the provisions of the Cooperative Act and Regulations, there is a provision to determine the reference interest rate for cooperatives based on the average interest of commercial banks, the average interest of savings and credit cooperatives, and the average interest of cooperative banks.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although the reference interest rate is the maximum limit for the interest on loan investment of cooperatives, it has not been effectively implemented. However, due to lack of liquidity, institutions operating in urban areas are charging higher interest rates than the fixed rates.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minraj Kandel, president of the National Cooperative Federation said that the problem of liquidity increased due to the increase in the number of people demanding the return of savings in some cooperatives. He added that in this situation, it is necessary to increase the reference interest rate in order to increase the deposit interest rate.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Earlier, in an appeal issued last Sunday, the Federation of Cooperatives also demanded to review the reference rate saying that the limit has caused difficulties to the cooperatives. Similarly, the Federation has been advocating for a system of automatic interest rate of the cooperative based on the market.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15768',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'CNI Jobs and Skills Fair 2022 in November',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: The CNI Jobs and Skills Fair-2022 is all set to be organized in Kathmandu from November 3 to 20, with the participation of 200 companies of national and international level.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: The CNI Jobs and Skills Fair-2022 is all set to be organized in Kathmandu from November 3 to 20, with the participation of 200 companies of national and international level. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The aim of organizing the fair is to reduce the gap between the availability of skills in the market, the employers and the unemployed with skill and to make direct contact with the companies, informed the Confederation of Nepalese Industries.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Organising a press conference in Kathmandu on Tuesday, CNI said that the fair will help in reducing the situation where employers are not able to find skilled manpower, but young people who have learned skills are unemployed. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">As per CNI, at least 500,000 people seek for employment in the country each year. Even though companies demand employees from drivers to management level, there is no clear connection between employers and job seekers. The aim of the fair is to improve this situation, said CNI. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">During the press meet, CNI Vice President Krishna Prasad Adhikari said that there will be coordination between job seekers and employers. According to Adhilari, CNI will also launch an &quot;app&quot; with the aim of making it easier to find jobs by establishing direct contact with the companies participating in the fair.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;The fair is not organized to give out jobs. Rather, it is organized to act as a bridge between the gap between employment and skills,&rdquo; he said.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Stating that this is the first attempt of the confederation, he said that it is time to pay attention to education criteria to meet the demand for the market.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Rajesh Agarwal, vice president of the federation said that the fair is also necessary to develop the issues of education, employment and skills as a national debate. He informed that although the CNI is organizing such a fair for the first time in Kathmandu, it will also be held at the state level in the future. He said that an app will be created for contacting the companies that came to the fair and those who need employment can register and apply for employment through the same app.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">CNI also informed that there will be a comprehensive discussion on the needs of employers and meeting the demands of skilled employees. Twiraj Sharma, coordinator of the fair said that companies from India like Tata and other countries will be invited to participate as well.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The confederation is going to study the job situation and demand before the fair, especially by studying the information technology, hospitality and agriculture sectors. The confederation expects to achieve success in identifying the need for policy and curriculum to create world-class manpower in Nepal through the fair. There will be a comprehensive discussion on skill development, presentations from national and international experts and discussions and contacts with companies for work. Organizers estimate that more than 50,000 people will attend the fair.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15767',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Surya Nepal, the Highest Taxpayer in FY 2021/22',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: Surya Nepal Private Limited has emerged as the highest taxpayer during the last fiscal year. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: Surya Nepal Private Limited has emerged as the highest taxpayer during the last fiscal year. According to the Large Taxpayers Office (LTO), the company paid taxes worth Rs 10.72 billion during FY 2021/22.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The LTO informed that the amount includes Value Added Tax (VAT), income tax and all other taxes liable to the government. Surya Nepal Private Limited has been operating since 1986. Indian company ITC holds the largest amount of share of Surya Nepal. The Indian company holds 59 percent share while a Nepali company and individuals hold 39 percent share. Similarly, the British American Tobacco Limited holds the remaining two percent shares. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Surya Nepal has been producing cigarettes as well as match sticks, incense sticks and chocolates. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Nepal Telecommunication Company Limited was the second highest tax payer during the review period. The Government of Nepal holds 91.49 percent shares in the company. The NTC was established 1975 and was registered as Nepal Telecom Company on February 5, 2004. Nepal Telecom paid taxes worth Rs 9.72 billion during the last fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, Ncell Axiata Limited, a private sector telecommunication company operating in Nepal, finished third among the top taxpayers. Ncell paid taxes worth Rs 7.79 billion. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Gorkha Brewry, which produces beers like Gorkha, Carlsberg, Sanmiguel, and Somersby, was the fourth largest taxpayer during the review period for paying taxes worth Rs 5.69 billion followed by the state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (Rs 3.95 billion). The NEA purchases electricity produced by state-owned projects as well as private sector and distributes it to the public. It also sells electricity to India when there is surplus production and imports electricity from the neighbouring country during scarcity.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, NIC Asia Bank ranks sixth among the highest taxpayers. The bank paid taxes worth Rs 3.41 billion followed by seventh-placed Nabil Bank (Rs 3.32 billion ), Global IME Bank (Rs 3.21 billion ), Siddhartha Bank (Rs 2.77 &nbsp;billion ), and Rastriya Banijya Bank (Rs 2.65 billion). </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15766',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => ''Increasing COVID-19 Cases Signals Fourth Wave'   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9:  COVID-19 is on the rise in the country with the increasing number of new cases reported since the past few weeks. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: &nbsp;COVID-19 is on the rise in the country with the increasing number of new cases reported since the past few weeks. The surge in the infection rate follows increasing cases in neighbouring India, with easy cross border mobility of people due to the open border.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The country has already reported Omicron&#39;s sub-variant, BA.5 and its transmission rate is much higher, thus contributing to the surge, according to health workers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">At present, the infection rate was over 15 percent against 0.5 percent some weeks earlier. </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The infection statistics indicate the occurrence of the fourth wave, according to Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population. The government does not officially announce the wave as the statistics themselves suggest it, he said. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;In the past too, we did not announce any wave. Neither will we do so this time. But the caseload have indicated another wave.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Dr Khageshwor Gelal, senior health administrator at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division under the Department of Health Services and public health expert Dr Sagar Raj Bhandari concurred with Dr Adhikari on the indication of the occurrence of the fourth wave. &quot;The government does not officially announce the manifestation of the virus. But, hundreds of infection cases taking place in recent days indicate the occurrence of the fourth wave,&quot; said Dr Gelal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Infection rate rising above five percent is considered to be another wave, said Dr Bhandari, adding that &quot;the figure at present has been around 15 percent.&quot; In general, the rate goes down only after getting to its peak, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although BA.5 sub-variant is transmitted rapidly, it does not turn out to be serious, he said. He urged all people to follow the health protocols and get administered fourth dose of the vaccine.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Meanwhile, in view of the latest infection risks, the ministry has directed health institutions and concerned authorities to manage early treatment.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Seventeen hospitals across the country have been designated to provide treatment to infected people. Likewise, the government has asked people to follow health protocols like compulsorily wearing facemasks and using sanitizers and not attending and hosting gatherings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Of the virus-related deaths that took place lately, 80 percent were found in those who had not taken the COVID-19 vaccine, said Dr Gelal. -- RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15765',
			'article_category_id' => '266',
			'title' => 'Ncell Re-launches Power SIM Offer',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: Ncell Axiata Company has re-launched its starter pack 'Sahi Yo ⁄ Power SIM'. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: Ncell Axiata Company has re-launched its starter pack &#39;Sahi Yo &frasl; Power SIM&#39;. The company re-launched it with the facility of free access to various digital services including Instagram and MyFive. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The company informed that customers can buy the SIM from Monday for Rs 97 including tax that will include 200 MB data, 20 minutes of on-net talk time and 20 on-net SMS with validity of seven days and a main balance of Rs 20.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the company, customers who subscribe the pack can use the Instagram service for free for 30 days from the day of activation. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Also, customers who renew the pack will also get free MyFive service for 30 days. In addition, customers can pair any 5 Ncell numbers under the MyFive service and talk to those five MyFive numbers for only 50 paisa per minute.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
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			'sortorder' => '15506',
			'image' => '20220809053149_ncel.jpg',
			'article_date' => '2022-08-09 17:31:07',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15764',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Banks Increasing Credit Flow Despite Decline in Deposits',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: Bank deposits have continued to decline in the first week of August. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: Bank deposits have continued to decline in the first week of August. Although the banks faced a setback in deposit collection, they have increased credit flow during this period.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the data provided by the Nepal Bankers Association, the deposit collection of banks declined by Rs 4 billion during the first week of August. Deposit collection of banks had declined by Rs 64 billion in the third week of July and by Rs 28 in the fourth week of July. It means that the deposit collection of banks has declined by Rs 96 billion so far in the current fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The total deposits of banks by the end of the last fiscal year stood at Rs 4541 billion. It has now decreased to Rs 4446 billion as of August 5. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Spokesperson of Nepal Rastra Bank Dr Gunakar Bhatta says that the banking system witnessed withdrawal of cash in large amount as the Nepal Oil Corporation paid its long-standing dues to the Indian Oil Corporation during the beginning of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, the deposits of banks also declined towards the end of the last fiscal year as the cheques issued by the government were withdrawn during that period, says Bhatta.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although the bank deposits have declined, credit flow has increased during the same period. Initially, the banks had reduced credit flow in the first week two weeks of the current fiscal year but have increased credit flow by Rs 2 billion in August.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The credit flow of banks had declined by Rs 10 billion in the third week of July and by Rs 1 billion in the fourth week of July. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The total credit flow of banks as of August 5 stands at Rs 4166 billion. The credit flow of banks was Rs 4175 by the end of the last fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Banks had been tightening credit flow and focusing on deposit collection due to liquidity crisis. This had helped the banks to maintain the CD ratio as prescribed by the central bank. As of August 5, the average CD ratio of banks stands at 87.69 percent, according to Nepal Bankers Association.</span></span></p>
',
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			'keywords' => 'banks, credit, flow, deposit, collection, liquidity crisis, Nepal, Rastra, Bank',
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15763',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Fails to Execute its Plan to Reopen Problematic Industries',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: The government, in the current fiscal year’s budget, has stated that the Hetauda Textile Industry will be brought into operation in a suitable format.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: The government, in the current fiscal year&rsquo;s budget, has stated that the Hetauda Textile Industry will be brought into operation in a suitable format. Arrangements will be made for people holding public positions to wear clothes produced by the Hetauda Textile Industry.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In the budget statement of the last fiscal year too, it was also mentioned that proposals will be invited to run the Hetauda Textile Industry in partnership with the private sector. However, both these announcements are not new. The government made efforts to run this industry in the fiscal year 2008/09. However, the government backed off from its plan to operate the industry citing reasons including lack of money to import cotton.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">After four years of attempt to run the industry, the cabinet meeting on January 15, 2013 decided to halt the plan to reopen Hetauda Textile Industry Limited. For the last few years, the government has again pledged to reopen the textile industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government, despite failing to reopen the industry for more than a decade, now has announced that it will operate the textile industry in an appropriate format this year and make arrangements for civil servants to use the clothes produced by the same industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">It is speculated that the latest announcement will also be limited to the papers as the announcement was made without adequate preparation. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although the government has announced to open the industry which has remained closed since the last two decades (2000), the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Industrial Area Management Limited (IDM) are not much active in terms of operational modality, technology and investment required for the industry. The Ministry of Industry had entrusted the project to IDM.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government&#39;s share of investment in IDM is expected to come from the assessment of the building and other physical infrastructure of the industry. Even though the industry was handed over to IDM for almost a decade with the government&#39;s shares intact, the IDM has not tried to revive the industry. Instead, the IDM is involved in expanding and announcing new industrial areas. The government had formed study committees at different times to operate the ailing industries.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Former Secretary Deepak Subedi, who is also the coordinator of the study committee formed two years ago, says that the Hetauda Textile Industry can be operated.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;You don&#39;t need to do much for this. If you fulfil an handful of works, you can run the industry in a way that makes a profit,&quot; said Subedi adding, &quot;The latest technology and equipment, good management system, and experienced people will be enough to run the industry rather than political appointments.&quot;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'Salary Hike won’t Exceed 15 Percent: Finance Minister',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has made it clear that the proposal to increase the salary of some civil servants above the rate announced in the budget will not be implemented.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has made it clear that the proposal to increase the salary of some civil servants above the rate announced in the budget will not be implemented. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Finance Minister Sharma gave such an assurance during a meeting with the gazetted officers who are protesting against the attempt to increase salaries in an unfair manner against the provisions of the budget.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Krishna Hari Pushkar, secretary at the finance ministry, had even prepared a draft to present it to the Council of Ministers to increase the salary of some gazetted employees by 24.26 percent, stating that the salary scale would be maintained according to the merit order. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Meanwhile, Finance Minister Sharma had announced an increment of just 15 percent in the salaries of all civil servants, army, police, teachers, etc., effective from July 17, during his budget speech on May 29.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The top officials of Finance ministry tried to increase the salary of the gazetted officers at a higher rate than the one announced in the budget while disregarding the instructions of the parliamentary committee. On July 31, the Industry and Commerce and Labor and Consumer Welfare Committee of the Parliament gave instructions to determine the salaries of civil servants according to the order of merit. At present, the salary scale of army and police officers is higher than that of civil servants of the same rank.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The gazetted employees, who were angry with the proposal of increasing salary in an unfair manner, met the finance minister on Monday and pressured him to correct it. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Gopal Pokharel, president of Nepal Civil Service Employee&rsquo;s Association (NECSEA) informed that Sharma expressed commitment that he will increase the salary according to the budget speech for the time being and settle the unresolved issues by forming a &ldquo;Pay Commission&rdquo; as well.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Along with Pokharel, Lekhnath Koirala, president of Civil Service Organization, Hari Bahadur Rawal, president of National Employees Organization, Nepal, Bhuvaneshwar Chaudhary, president of Madhesi Employees Organization, Mohan Ghimire, president of Integrated Government Employees Organization had met Finance Minister Sharma on Monday to discuss this issue.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Rawal, President of National Employees Organization, Nepal informed that Minister Sharma will now implement a 15 percent salary increase. According to Rawal, Minister Sharma has promised to settle issues including the order of merit within and outside the civil service.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">If the proposal of the finance ministry is passed, a section officer will get an increment of 24.26 percent, under secretary 23.35 percent, joint secretary 23.63 percent and secretary 18.41 percent on their salary effective from mid-July. The salary of employees below the non-gazetted first class officer however will increase by just 15 percent.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The non-gazetted first class employees working in Singha Durbar gathered at the Ministry of Finance on Monday and opposed the proposal. The Civil Servants Association Nepal warned that the non-gazetted first class employees of the whole country will be on holiday on Tuesday.</span></span></span></span></p>

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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15776',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'NEA’s Annual Income Rises by 164 Percent   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recorded an increase in its annual income by 164 percent.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recorded an increase in its annual income by 164 percent.&nbsp; The state-owned electricity authority has projected its annual net profit to rise to Rs 16.9 billion in the fiscal year 2021/22 from Rs 6.1 billion in the fiscal year 2020/21.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">NEA&#39;s Chief Executive officer Kulman Ghising shared that the annual income of the Authority has exceeded Rs 100 billion. Such figure was obtained through the unprocessed financial data of the NEA for the fiscal year 2021/22. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">With this, the NEA has been established as the highest income-generating and profit-making public enterprises in Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;The income from sales has increased with the rise in the energy consumption by 27 percent. Export of energy has also increased, said Ghising, adding, &ldquo;The NEA has been successful to increase energy production by around 16 percent from the power houses owned by the NEA.&quot; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Ghising further shared that the energy leakage has also been reduced and the expenditure has been effectively managed resulting in the rise in net profit. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The NEA, which was in a loss of Rs 8.89 billion in the Fiscal Year 2015/16, has been making profit ever since the very next year. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The NEA registered a profit of Rs 1.5 billion in the Fiscal Year 2016/17. Its profit increased to as much as Rs 11.75 billion in the Fiscal Year 2019/20.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Ghising says that the NEA&rsquo;s effort to maintain regular and uninterrupted supply of good quality of electricity has had a positive impact on the financial situation of the authority.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The NEA has generated an income of Rs 88 billion through the sales of electricity. The NEA says that it has waived an amount equivalent to Rs 980 million for the customers who paid their electricity bills on time.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A statement issued by the NEA on Wednesday says that the net income from sales of electricity during the last fiscal year was Rs 87 billion, which is 22 percent more compared to the previous fiscal year.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the NEA, leakage of electricity has been reduced to 15.38 percent in the last fiscal year. Such leakage was 25.78 percent in FY 2015/16. Ghising informed that the NEA made an additional income worth Rs 2 billion compared to the previous fiscal year by reducing leakage of electricity.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;We launched a campaign to reduce electricity leakage by controlling electricity theft and improving the standard of transmission lines and sub stations,&rdquo; said Ghising.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Export of electricity to India from Nepal increased in the Fiscal Year 2021/22. On the other hand, the import has declined. At present, Nepal is exporting around 364 to 400 megawatts of surplus electricity to India per day. In FY 2020/21, Nepal exported 440 million units of electricity to India, which increased to 493 million units in FY 2021/22. NEA made an income of Rs 3.88 billion through the export of electricity.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In FY 2020/21, Nepal imported 2.8 billion units of electricity to meet the domestic demand but that dropped to 1.54 billion units in FY FY 2021/22, which is a significant decline of 45.05 percent comparatively.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'An Emerging Entrepreneur Plans to Add Nutritional Value to Chocolates',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11:   After graduating in food technology, Pratibha Parajuli, who is currently pursuing her master's degree in nutrition, is working on adding nutrients in chocolates. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">Prashant Khadka</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: &nbsp;&nbsp;After graduating in food technology, Pratibha Parajuli, who is currently pursuing her master&#39;s degree in nutrition, is working on adding nutrients in chocolates. Since chocolate contains a lot of sugar and carbohydrates and does more harm than good for the human body, she is working on adding nutrients such as vitamins and minerals necessary for human health.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">She has already produced one lot of such chocolates and tasted them with her close relatives and friends. After getting a good response from her relatives, she is now planning to open a company to add nutrients to chocolate and other food products. She informed that she has recently registered a company named Healthway Foods Pvt Ltd. Parajuli says that she registered the company to commercialize the work of adding nutritional value to chocolates and other food products.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;We are eating chocolate almost every day. It increases the amount of sugar in our bodies. Therefore, I have ensured that vitamins, minerals, and other elements reach our bodies through chocolate,&rdquo; she told New Business Age.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">She also went to the National Innovation Center opened by Mahabir Pun to learn more ideas for this work. She says that she got more information from there. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">At present, Prarjuli is getting more knowledge about entrepreneurship by joining the Nabil School of Social Entrepreneurship organized by Nabil Bank. Nabil Bank has launched this programme targeting students under 50 years of age who are studying or have completed their studies at Tribhuvan University. Currently, 20 students are taking entrepreneurship training under this programme.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Nabil School of Social Entrepreneurship supports entrepreneurs in solving complex social problems using social entrepreneurship. Students who are involved in professional work that positively impacts society get an opportunity here.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Narrating her experience after participating in this programme of Nabil Bank, she said, &#39;I wanted to become an entrepreneur, but I had no knowledge of how to become an entrepreneur, where to start, how to market the products I made, and what to do to reach out to more people. After coming here, I got the opportunity to gain knowledge about these things. So now I have just opened a company, thinking I should not delay starting work.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In addition, she says there is a plan to add nutrients to traditional Nepali food as well. Along with chocolate, she is also working on adding nutrients to mustard. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">She says that with the help of Nabil Bank she got more energy and courage in the work she wanted to do. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nabil Bank Gyanendra Prasad Dhungana also said that it is a matter of happiness for Nabil Bank to teach entrepreneurship skills to students who are aware of doing something in society in collaboration with Tribhuvan University. He says that these students have the potential to become successful entrepreneurs tomorrow.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15774',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Investment Board Approves Investment worth Rs 122 Billion',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11: The Investment Board informed that it has approved and implemented its five-year strategic plan along with business plan worth more than Rs 122 billion in the fiscal year 2021/22.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: The Investment Board informed that it has approved and implemented its five-year strategic plan along with business plan worth more than Rs 122 billion in the fiscal year 2021/22. In the same year, the board also prepared the guidelines for project bank and project monitoring dashboard, states a report presented to the prime minister on Wednesday.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, the board informed that the study on the development framework of the West Seti and Seti River-6 joint hydropower project, the study on the extension of the financial management of the Upper Karnali hydropower project have been completed and the study report on the comparative analysis of the technology available to establish a chemical fertilizer factory in Nepal has been published as well.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Sushil Bhatta, CEO of the board, submitted the report to Prime Minister and Chairman of the Board, Sher Bahadur Deuba amid a function on August 10.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A performance agreement on 42 activities based on measurable indicators with a timetable was signed between the prime minister and CEO Bhatt on 16 August 2021 for the last fiscal year. &nbsp;As per the statement of the board, an agreement was reached between the prime minister and the CEO to focus on the four main strategic pillars of the board - project development and management, investment promotion, institutional development and coordination, collaboration and partnership. Also, all the specified indicators have been fulfilled and 100 percent success has been achieved, reads the statement released by the board.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The board also informed that systems such as Project Bank Management Information System (PBMIS), One Stop Service (OSS) have been developed to make the Investment Board information technology-friendly.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15773',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'China Announces to Commission Feasibility Study of Kerung-Kathmandu Railway',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11: Nepal’s northern neighbour China has announced to commission a feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway with grant-assistance.   ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: Nepal&rsquo;s northern neighbour China has announced to commission a feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway with grant-assistance.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister for Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi made such announcement during a bilateral meeting with his Nepalese counterpart Dr Narayan Khadka, who is in a three-day state visit to China. The Nepal-China bilateral meeting was held in Qingdao of China on August 10 (Wednesday), according to the state-owned national news agency RSS.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">During the talks, the two sides made a comprehensive review of Nepal-China relations and bilateral cooperation and also agreed to further extend assistance in the areas of trade, connectivity, investment, health, tourism, poverty alleviation, agriculture, disaster risk reduction, education and culture, among others, reads a press statement issued by the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing on Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the RSS, Foreign Minister Khadka is on a three-day official visit to China at the invitation of China&#39;s State Councilor and Minister for Foreign Affairs Wang.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On the occasion, Minister Khadka reiterated Nepal&#39;s unswerving stance on one-China policy noting that Nepal would not allow the use of its territory for any activity against China, the embassy said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Likewise, Foreign Minister Wang also reiterated China&#39;s continued and unconditional support and solidarity for Nepal&#39;s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and assured to provide assistance in Nepal&#39;s development efforts as per the priorities of the Government of Nepal, RSS further reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Expressing commitment to timely implementation of the deals signed during the high-level state visits in the past, both the two ministers agreed to expedite the implementation of the projects being operated with China&#39;s assistance to Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On the same occasion, the Chinese side also assured the Nepali delegation of immediately starting the second round of construction of the Kathmandu Ring Road Improvement Project.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Foreign Minister Wang also assured Nepal to undertake pre-feasibility study of Nepal-China Cross-Border Transmission Line as per the MoU signed during his earlier visit to Nepal in March 2022.&nbsp; Minister Wang had announced to provide Nepal with financial package of 800 million RMB in 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">During Wednesday&rsquo;s meeting, China also assured to provide Nepal with chemical fertilizers and was positive about commissioning a feasibility study on the establishment of chemical fertilizer factory in Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Likewise, Foreign Minister Wang also pledged to boost China&#39;s assistance to further develop Nepal&#39;s agriculture sector, to encourage Chinese investment to increase Nepal&#39;s agro productivity and to enhance assistance in the export of Nepali tea and traditional herbal products.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the Beijing-based Nepali Embassy, the two ministers also agreed to set up a joint mechanism for the prevention and control of pandemic along the border ports.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Also included in the agreement was to open the Rasuwa-Kerung and Tatopani-Jangmu ports for two-way trade and Hilsa-Pulang port for one way trade. The trans-border trade between Nepal and China has been affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic amid China&rsquo;s attempt to control the virus in its autonomous region, Tibet.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On the occasion, China has announced to hand over materials used for managing disaster risks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister Wang also pledged to provide additional vaccines against COVID-19 to fulfill Nepal&#39;s requirement and medical assistance as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Also on the occasion, the two sides agreed to form a bilateral technical team to carry out the works of existing mechanism of the Nepal-China Joint Border Inspection Committee.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister Khadka had set out to China on August 9 leading an 11-member Nepali delegation. The delegation is scheduled to return Kathmandu today<em>. &nbsp;(Based on report published by RSS)</em></span></span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15771',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Apple Farming Shifting to Higher Elevation in Mustang',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: Lete and Kobang in Mustang district, once famous for apples and products made from apple such as dried apples, apple jams and brandy (Marpha) among others, no longer grow apple lately.    ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: Lete and Kobang in Mustang district, once famous for apples and products made from apple such as dried apples, apple jams and brandy (Marpha) among others, no longer grow apple lately.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Locals who were dependent on apple farming in both the localities situated at around 2,500 metres above the sea level are left with no other option than seeking alternative to apple farming.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Much to the astonishment of the locals, until a decade and half ago, apples used to be grown commercially in the land only up to 3,000 metres above the sea level. These days, apples are cultivated in the highland above that elevation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In Lete and Kobang, fruits like pears, walnut and apricot were put in place as an alternative to apple farming, informed Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Mustang Chief Prakash Bastakoti. He shared that apples are grown in Lomanthang (3,800 meters) and its surrounding areas lately.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Locals shared that apple farming has been booming in Muktinath and Chusang areas in the district known for producing fragrant, juicy and crispy apples. Proprietor of Hotel Grand Sambala in Muktinatha, Suraj Gurung, shared that more and more farmers in those areas are fascinated in commercial farming of apple of late.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The residents in the high hills said they could see a change in rainfall pattern these days. The settlement here would see rainfall rarely in the past, but these rainfall is not an occasional phenomenon for them. With the start of rainfall here, age-old structures made of clay are at risk of collaping.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">People residing around the Nilgiri Peak in Mustang say the area would not see rainfall annually, but now the pattern has got changed and it has been frequent, weakening the clay-made structures.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Settlements on the lap of the Nilgiri are facing the consequences of the change in rainfall pattern. Lupra, Marpha, Jomsom, Chhairu, Thini and Thyang feature the traditional houses with clay roof tiles. It seems such roof tiles are not enough to resist rainfall as they are gradually getting crumbled with rainfall becoming frequent.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Such structures are made for special purposes to challenge a chilling cold in the high alpine settlement. They work as the indigenous air-conditioning system to keep houses warm and prevent the people from consequences of biting cold.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">They still remember using shovels to clear off the snow depositions from their roof sometimes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Climate in high lands is almost all time cold and houses with clay roof keep them less affected by the cold. Locals say they now face challenges to keep the indigenous architect intact. The scale of incidences of rainfall-induced disasters has gone up while changing climate system has its direct impact on the agriculture production. Peaks here are facing melting of snow. They seem at high risk of extinction.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Ram Chandra Baral who teaches at Prithvi Narayan Campus Pokhara said that topics like increase in rainfall in the mountainous region and change in the agriculture system, among others can be linked to the effects of climate change. Baral has been conducting research on various issues of the mountainous region since long.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">He shared that he has been closely observing the shifting of apple farming to higher altitudes, relating his research experience since nine years. Baral added that he bought apples for Rs 60 per kilo at Marpha, for Rs 100 at Jharkot and for Rs 150 at Jhong back then. As he said, the taste of apple became more delicious at higher altitude.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Baral added that in recent years attraction has increased towards constructing apple orchards at higher regions such as Yara and Ghami areas of Mustang.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Mosquitoes which are usually found in tropical regions have also started to be seen in the mountain region these days. So people have to use mosquito nets.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Moreover, places like Lomanthang, Chhonup, Chhoser, Surkhang, Charang, Ghami among others in Upper Mustang are facing water crisis due to the low amount of snowfall. The water crisis was so acute at Samjung settlement in Chhoser that it had to be shifted to Namasung village.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;Before, it was said that the monsoon does not cross the Himalayas. But now it has crossed. The sudden flash floods in Manang and Mustang, the trans-Himalayan districts, last year is the vivid example of this change in monsoon weather pattern,&quot; Baral pointed out. -- RSS</span></span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15772',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'UML against Involvement of Private Sector for Insurance Programme   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: The main opposition party CPN (UML) has expressed its concern over what it says the government's preparations for partnering with the private sector for implementing the state-run health insurance programme.   ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: The main opposition party CPN (UML) has expressed its concern over what it says the government&#39;s preparations for partnering with the private sector for implementing the state-run health insurance programme.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Speaking at a meeting of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, UML lawmaker Khagaraj Adhikari said the point no 151 of the budget speech for the current fiscal year suggests the government preparing to include the private sector in implementing the insurance scheme. The former Minister for Health and Population said that the move would only make the programme a failure.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government had announced in the annual budget for the current fiscal year that the health insurance programme, which is currently being run by the Insurance Board under the Ministry of Health, will be entrusted to private insurance companies.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Former Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada was against handing the insurance programme to the private sector.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;I am not in favor of implementing new provision, nor will I ever do so,&rdquo; said Khatiwada, before he was recalled by his party CPN Unified Socialist and was replaced by Bhawani Prasad Khapung as the new health minister</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Khatiwada had made it clear that the health insurance programme would be continued as per the Health Insurance Act. The Health Insurance Act has provision for the board to run the programme. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Even the Health Insurance Board is said to be dissatisfied with the government&#39;s policy for the current fiscal year. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the health insurance programme operated by the government, five-member families can get medical treatment up to Rs 100,000 annually. To avail such facility, they have to pay an annual premium of Rs 3,500. Despite being called insurance, the government introduced this programme as social security scheme. Stakeholders express that the programme promoted as social security should not be handed to a private company. <em>(With inputs from RSS)</em></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Read also: Government Reluctant to Entrust Health Insurance Programme to Private Sector</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">https://www.newbusinessage.com/Articles/view/15454</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15770',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Five Corruption Cases Filed in a Single Day',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed five cases of corruption in the special court in a single day.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed five cases of corruption in the special court in a single day.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">CIAA registered five cases in the Special Court on Tuesday on charges of corruption by employees working in various public bodies in Kalikot and Mugu districts during the Fiscal Year 2014/15. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">CIAA filed cases against Mugu Divisional Forest Officer Bharat Bahadur Budha Thapa; former non gazette officer of the District Development Committee Office, Kalikot Raj Bahadur Bam; former Local Adaptation Plan for Action (LAPA) Programme Coordinator of District Development Committee Kalikot Kamal Prasad Khanal; Building Construction Consumer Committee Officer of Allo Bhango Processing Center, Kalikot and former technician of the ,Agriculture Development Office Kalikot&nbsp; Paras Ratna Prasad Pandey, separately.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the anti-graft body, the CIAA filed the case against seven people, including Bharat Bahadur Budha Thapa, a forest officer of Division Forest Office, Mugu after they were found involved in embezzling funds during the construction of a tourist trail from Chankheli Himal to Dudhtal under Mugu&#39;s Chayanath Rara Municipality-14.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The case against Ratna Prasad Pandey, the then technical assistant of Kalikot, who is now the official of Guthichour Rural Municipality, Jumla, was registered for his role in embezzling government and public property during the agricultural training programme conducted by the District Agricultural Development Office, Kalikot in the fiscal year 2013/14.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A case has also been registered against the Consumers Construction Committee and its office bearers including President Nanda Prasad Pandey, Secretary Narendra Prasad Pandey and Treasurer Binita Rana Pandey for embezzling funds by creating fake bills for the construction of Allo Bhango Processing Center in Kalikot in the fiscal year 2013/14.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The commission has registered a case in the special court against the then non-gazetted officer Raj Bahadur Bam of Kalikot who was involved in fraudulent activities in the purchase of sewing machines and transportation of the goods in the programme under the Under Privileged Upliftment Development Committee run in Kalikot during the fiscal year 2013/14.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The authority filed the case against Kamal Prasad Khanal,&nbsp; former LAPA Programme Coordinator of the District Development Committee, Kalikot, on the charge that he had made a hoarding board for propaganda purpose under the Nepal Climate Change Assistance Program in FY 2013/14, by including it in a fake payment scheme.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15769',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Cooperatives Under Pressure to Increase Interest Rates',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: As the savings and credit cooperatives under increasing pressure due to liquidity crisis, the operators of the cooperatives have been pressing increase in reference interest rate of the cooperatives.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: As the savings and credit cooperatives under increasing pressure due to liquidity crisis, the operators of the cooperatives have been pressing increase in reference interest rate of the cooperatives. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The cooperatives have been demanding a review of the reference interest rate, saying that after the banks and financial institutions increased the interest, the deposits started moving from the cooperatives to the banks. The Federal Cooperative Department has been applying a reference interest rate of 16 percent on cooperatives since February 27. The interest rate fixed four months ago is not relevant in the market and the cooperatives have launched a campaign demanded its review.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Paritosh Paudyal, president of Nepal Federation of Savings Credit Cooperative Unions Ltd (NEFSCUN), said that as banks and financial institutions are paying high interest on deposits due to lack of liquidity, the reference interest rate of cooperatives should also be changed.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&nbsp;&ldquo;The interest rate of banks has reached as much as 19 percent at present. If the reference interest rate of cooperatives is not reviewed in time, it may create a situation where cooperatives might have to violate it,&rdquo; he said.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In February, the reference interest rate determination committee meeting decided to hold a meeting every 4 months and review it. However, the meeting of the committee has not been held even after 4 months after the implementation of the interest rate.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Om Devi Malla, Senior Vice President of the National Cooperative Federation and member of the Interest Rate Recommendation Committee said that the department is reluctant to hold a meeting of the committee. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;We requested the registrar to call a meeting according to the decision of the committee. However, the registrar refused to call the meeting stating that the minister does not think the interest rate should be increased,&rdquo; she said.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Some time ago, Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Shashi Shrestha said during a public programme that the reference interest rate should not be increased under any circumstances.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Amid increasing pressure &nbsp;to revise the interest rate, the department formed a technical committee under the coordination of Deputy-Registrar Tolraj Upadhyay. General Manager of National Cooperative Federation Chitra Kumari Subba, Chief Executive Officer of National Cooperative Bank Badri Kumar Guragain and Chief Executive Officer of NEFSCUN Prakash Prasad Pokharel are members of the committee. Department sources say that the committee is ready to hold a meeting only after the technical committee submits its report.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">After the reference interest rate was not reviewed earlier in February, the cooperatives under the leadership of the Federation of Cooperatives staged a sit-in protest at the department.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In order to manage the interest rate of the cooperatives, the Cooperatives Act 2074 has a provision for the reference interest rate. According to section 51 of the Act, there will be an arrangement for representative members of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank, National Cooperative Development Board, Federation of Cooperatives and Subject Cooperative Associations under the coordination of the Federal Registrar.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the provisions of the Cooperative Act and Regulations, there is a provision to determine the reference interest rate for cooperatives based on the average interest of commercial banks, the average interest of savings and credit cooperatives, and the average interest of cooperative banks.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although the reference interest rate is the maximum limit for the interest on loan investment of cooperatives, it has not been effectively implemented. However, due to lack of liquidity, institutions operating in urban areas are charging higher interest rates than the fixed rates.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minraj Kandel, president of the National Cooperative Federation said that the problem of liquidity increased due to the increase in the number of people demanding the return of savings in some cooperatives. He added that in this situation, it is necessary to increase the reference interest rate in order to increase the deposit interest rate.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Earlier, in an appeal issued last Sunday, the Federation of Cooperatives also demanded to review the reference rate saying that the limit has caused difficulties to the cooperatives. Similarly, the Federation has been advocating for a system of automatic interest rate of the cooperative based on the market.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15768',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'CNI Jobs and Skills Fair 2022 in November',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: The CNI Jobs and Skills Fair-2022 is all set to be organized in Kathmandu from November 3 to 20, with the participation of 200 companies of national and international level.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: The CNI Jobs and Skills Fair-2022 is all set to be organized in Kathmandu from November 3 to 20, with the participation of 200 companies of national and international level. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The aim of organizing the fair is to reduce the gap between the availability of skills in the market, the employers and the unemployed with skill and to make direct contact with the companies, informed the Confederation of Nepalese Industries.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Organising a press conference in Kathmandu on Tuesday, CNI said that the fair will help in reducing the situation where employers are not able to find skilled manpower, but young people who have learned skills are unemployed. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">As per CNI, at least 500,000 people seek for employment in the country each year. Even though companies demand employees from drivers to management level, there is no clear connection between employers and job seekers. The aim of the fair is to improve this situation, said CNI. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">During the press meet, CNI Vice President Krishna Prasad Adhikari said that there will be coordination between job seekers and employers. According to Adhilari, CNI will also launch an &quot;app&quot; with the aim of making it easier to find jobs by establishing direct contact with the companies participating in the fair.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;The fair is not organized to give out jobs. Rather, it is organized to act as a bridge between the gap between employment and skills,&rdquo; he said.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Stating that this is the first attempt of the confederation, he said that it is time to pay attention to education criteria to meet the demand for the market.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Rajesh Agarwal, vice president of the federation said that the fair is also necessary to develop the issues of education, employment and skills as a national debate. He informed that although the CNI is organizing such a fair for the first time in Kathmandu, it will also be held at the state level in the future. He said that an app will be created for contacting the companies that came to the fair and those who need employment can register and apply for employment through the same app.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">CNI also informed that there will be a comprehensive discussion on the needs of employers and meeting the demands of skilled employees. Twiraj Sharma, coordinator of the fair said that companies from India like Tata and other countries will be invited to participate as well.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The confederation is going to study the job situation and demand before the fair, especially by studying the information technology, hospitality and agriculture sectors. The confederation expects to achieve success in identifying the need for policy and curriculum to create world-class manpower in Nepal through the fair. There will be a comprehensive discussion on skill development, presentations from national and international experts and discussions and contacts with companies for work. Organizers estimate that more than 50,000 people will attend the fair.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15767',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Surya Nepal, the Highest Taxpayer in FY 2021/22',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: Surya Nepal Private Limited has emerged as the highest taxpayer during the last fiscal year. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: Surya Nepal Private Limited has emerged as the highest taxpayer during the last fiscal year. According to the Large Taxpayers Office (LTO), the company paid taxes worth Rs 10.72 billion during FY 2021/22.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The LTO informed that the amount includes Value Added Tax (VAT), income tax and all other taxes liable to the government. Surya Nepal Private Limited has been operating since 1986. Indian company ITC holds the largest amount of share of Surya Nepal. The Indian company holds 59 percent share while a Nepali company and individuals hold 39 percent share. Similarly, the British American Tobacco Limited holds the remaining two percent shares. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Surya Nepal has been producing cigarettes as well as match sticks, incense sticks and chocolates. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Nepal Telecommunication Company Limited was the second highest tax payer during the review period. The Government of Nepal holds 91.49 percent shares in the company. The NTC was established 1975 and was registered as Nepal Telecom Company on February 5, 2004. Nepal Telecom paid taxes worth Rs 9.72 billion during the last fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, Ncell Axiata Limited, a private sector telecommunication company operating in Nepal, finished third among the top taxpayers. Ncell paid taxes worth Rs 7.79 billion. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Gorkha Brewry, which produces beers like Gorkha, Carlsberg, Sanmiguel, and Somersby, was the fourth largest taxpayer during the review period for paying taxes worth Rs 5.69 billion followed by the state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (Rs 3.95 billion). The NEA purchases electricity produced by state-owned projects as well as private sector and distributes it to the public. It also sells electricity to India when there is surplus production and imports electricity from the neighbouring country during scarcity.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, NIC Asia Bank ranks sixth among the highest taxpayers. The bank paid taxes worth Rs 3.41 billion followed by seventh-placed Nabil Bank (Rs 3.32 billion ), Global IME Bank (Rs 3.21 billion ), Siddhartha Bank (Rs 2.77 &nbsp;billion ), and Rastriya Banijya Bank (Rs 2.65 billion). </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15766',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => ''Increasing COVID-19 Cases Signals Fourth Wave'   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9:  COVID-19 is on the rise in the country with the increasing number of new cases reported since the past few weeks. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: &nbsp;COVID-19 is on the rise in the country with the increasing number of new cases reported since the past few weeks. The surge in the infection rate follows increasing cases in neighbouring India, with easy cross border mobility of people due to the open border.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The country has already reported Omicron&#39;s sub-variant, BA.5 and its transmission rate is much higher, thus contributing to the surge, according to health workers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">At present, the infection rate was over 15 percent against 0.5 percent some weeks earlier. </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The infection statistics indicate the occurrence of the fourth wave, according to Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population. The government does not officially announce the wave as the statistics themselves suggest it, he said. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;In the past too, we did not announce any wave. Neither will we do so this time. But the caseload have indicated another wave.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Dr Khageshwor Gelal, senior health administrator at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division under the Department of Health Services and public health expert Dr Sagar Raj Bhandari concurred with Dr Adhikari on the indication of the occurrence of the fourth wave. &quot;The government does not officially announce the manifestation of the virus. But, hundreds of infection cases taking place in recent days indicate the occurrence of the fourth wave,&quot; said Dr Gelal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Infection rate rising above five percent is considered to be another wave, said Dr Bhandari, adding that &quot;the figure at present has been around 15 percent.&quot; In general, the rate goes down only after getting to its peak, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although BA.5 sub-variant is transmitted rapidly, it does not turn out to be serious, he said. He urged all people to follow the health protocols and get administered fourth dose of the vaccine.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Meanwhile, in view of the latest infection risks, the ministry has directed health institutions and concerned authorities to manage early treatment.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Seventeen hospitals across the country have been designated to provide treatment to infected people. Likewise, the government has asked people to follow health protocols like compulsorily wearing facemasks and using sanitizers and not attending and hosting gatherings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Of the virus-related deaths that took place lately, 80 percent were found in those who had not taken the COVID-19 vaccine, said Dr Gelal. -- RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15765',
			'article_category_id' => '266',
			'title' => 'Ncell Re-launches Power SIM Offer',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: Ncell Axiata Company has re-launched its starter pack 'Sahi Yo ⁄ Power SIM'. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: Ncell Axiata Company has re-launched its starter pack &#39;Sahi Yo &frasl; Power SIM&#39;. The company re-launched it with the facility of free access to various digital services including Instagram and MyFive. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The company informed that customers can buy the SIM from Monday for Rs 97 including tax that will include 200 MB data, 20 minutes of on-net talk time and 20 on-net SMS with validity of seven days and a main balance of Rs 20.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the company, customers who subscribe the pack can use the Instagram service for free for 30 days from the day of activation. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Also, customers who renew the pack will also get free MyFive service for 30 days. In addition, customers can pair any 5 Ncell numbers under the MyFive service and talk to those five MyFive numbers for only 50 paisa per minute.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'article_date' => '2022-08-09 17:31:07',
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			'id' => '15764',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Banks Increasing Credit Flow Despite Decline in Deposits',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: Bank deposits have continued to decline in the first week of August. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: Bank deposits have continued to decline in the first week of August. Although the banks faced a setback in deposit collection, they have increased credit flow during this period.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the data provided by the Nepal Bankers Association, the deposit collection of banks declined by Rs 4 billion during the first week of August. Deposit collection of banks had declined by Rs 64 billion in the third week of July and by Rs 28 in the fourth week of July. It means that the deposit collection of banks has declined by Rs 96 billion so far in the current fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The total deposits of banks by the end of the last fiscal year stood at Rs 4541 billion. It has now decreased to Rs 4446 billion as of August 5. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Spokesperson of Nepal Rastra Bank Dr Gunakar Bhatta says that the banking system witnessed withdrawal of cash in large amount as the Nepal Oil Corporation paid its long-standing dues to the Indian Oil Corporation during the beginning of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, the deposits of banks also declined towards the end of the last fiscal year as the cheques issued by the government were withdrawn during that period, says Bhatta.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although the bank deposits have declined, credit flow has increased during the same period. Initially, the banks had reduced credit flow in the first week two weeks of the current fiscal year but have increased credit flow by Rs 2 billion in August.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The credit flow of banks had declined by Rs 10 billion in the third week of July and by Rs 1 billion in the fourth week of July. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The total credit flow of banks as of August 5 stands at Rs 4166 billion. The credit flow of banks was Rs 4175 by the end of the last fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Banks had been tightening credit flow and focusing on deposit collection due to liquidity crisis. This had helped the banks to maintain the CD ratio as prescribed by the central bank. As of August 5, the average CD ratio of banks stands at 87.69 percent, according to Nepal Bankers Association.</span></span></p>
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15763',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Fails to Execute its Plan to Reopen Problematic Industries',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: The government, in the current fiscal year’s budget, has stated that the Hetauda Textile Industry will be brought into operation in a suitable format.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: The government, in the current fiscal year&rsquo;s budget, has stated that the Hetauda Textile Industry will be brought into operation in a suitable format. Arrangements will be made for people holding public positions to wear clothes produced by the Hetauda Textile Industry.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In the budget statement of the last fiscal year too, it was also mentioned that proposals will be invited to run the Hetauda Textile Industry in partnership with the private sector. However, both these announcements are not new. The government made efforts to run this industry in the fiscal year 2008/09. However, the government backed off from its plan to operate the industry citing reasons including lack of money to import cotton.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">After four years of attempt to run the industry, the cabinet meeting on January 15, 2013 decided to halt the plan to reopen Hetauda Textile Industry Limited. For the last few years, the government has again pledged to reopen the textile industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government, despite failing to reopen the industry for more than a decade, now has announced that it will operate the textile industry in an appropriate format this year and make arrangements for civil servants to use the clothes produced by the same industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">It is speculated that the latest announcement will also be limited to the papers as the announcement was made without adequate preparation. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although the government has announced to open the industry which has remained closed since the last two decades (2000), the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Industrial Area Management Limited (IDM) are not much active in terms of operational modality, technology and investment required for the industry. The Ministry of Industry had entrusted the project to IDM.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government&#39;s share of investment in IDM is expected to come from the assessment of the building and other physical infrastructure of the industry. Even though the industry was handed over to IDM for almost a decade with the government&#39;s shares intact, the IDM has not tried to revive the industry. Instead, the IDM is involved in expanding and announcing new industrial areas. The government had formed study committees at different times to operate the ailing industries.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Former Secretary Deepak Subedi, who is also the coordinator of the study committee formed two years ago, says that the Hetauda Textile Industry can be operated.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;You don&#39;t need to do much for this. If you fulfil an handful of works, you can run the industry in a way that makes a profit,&quot; said Subedi adding, &quot;The latest technology and equipment, good management system, and experienced people will be enough to run the industry rather than political appointments.&quot;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'Salary Hike won’t Exceed 15 Percent: Finance Minister',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has made it clear that the proposal to increase the salary of some civil servants above the rate announced in the budget will not be implemented.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has made it clear that the proposal to increase the salary of some civil servants above the rate announced in the budget will not be implemented. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Finance Minister Sharma gave such an assurance during a meeting with the gazetted officers who are protesting against the attempt to increase salaries in an unfair manner against the provisions of the budget.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Krishna Hari Pushkar, secretary at the finance ministry, had even prepared a draft to present it to the Council of Ministers to increase the salary of some gazetted employees by 24.26 percent, stating that the salary scale would be maintained according to the merit order. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Meanwhile, Finance Minister Sharma had announced an increment of just 15 percent in the salaries of all civil servants, army, police, teachers, etc., effective from July 17, during his budget speech on May 29.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The top officials of Finance ministry tried to increase the salary of the gazetted officers at a higher rate than the one announced in the budget while disregarding the instructions of the parliamentary committee. On July 31, the Industry and Commerce and Labor and Consumer Welfare Committee of the Parliament gave instructions to determine the salaries of civil servants according to the order of merit. At present, the salary scale of army and police officers is higher than that of civil servants of the same rank.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The gazetted employees, who were angry with the proposal of increasing salary in an unfair manner, met the finance minister on Monday and pressured him to correct it. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Gopal Pokharel, president of Nepal Civil Service Employee&rsquo;s Association (NECSEA) informed that Sharma expressed commitment that he will increase the salary according to the budget speech for the time being and settle the unresolved issues by forming a &ldquo;Pay Commission&rdquo; as well.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Along with Pokharel, Lekhnath Koirala, president of Civil Service Organization, Hari Bahadur Rawal, president of National Employees Organization, Nepal, Bhuvaneshwar Chaudhary, president of Madhesi Employees Organization, Mohan Ghimire, president of Integrated Government Employees Organization had met Finance Minister Sharma on Monday to discuss this issue.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Rawal, President of National Employees Organization, Nepal informed that Minister Sharma will now implement a 15 percent salary increase. According to Rawal, Minister Sharma has promised to settle issues including the order of merit within and outside the civil service.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">If the proposal of the finance ministry is passed, a section officer will get an increment of 24.26 percent, under secretary 23.35 percent, joint secretary 23.63 percent and secretary 18.41 percent on their salary effective from mid-July. The salary of employees below the non-gazetted first class officer however will increase by just 15 percent.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The non-gazetted first class employees working in Singha Durbar gathered at the Ministry of Finance on Monday and opposed the proposal. The Civil Servants Association Nepal warned that the non-gazetted first class employees of the whole country will be on holiday on Tuesday.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'NEA’s Annual Income Rises by 164 Percent   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recorded an increase in its annual income by 164 percent.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recorded an increase in its annual income by 164 percent.&nbsp; The state-owned electricity authority has projected its annual net profit to rise to Rs 16.9 billion in the fiscal year 2021/22 from Rs 6.1 billion in the fiscal year 2020/21.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">NEA&#39;s Chief Executive officer Kulman Ghising shared that the annual income of the Authority has exceeded Rs 100 billion. Such figure was obtained through the unprocessed financial data of the NEA for the fiscal year 2021/22. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">With this, the NEA has been established as the highest income-generating and profit-making public enterprises in Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;The income from sales has increased with the rise in the energy consumption by 27 percent. Export of energy has also increased, said Ghising, adding, &ldquo;The NEA has been successful to increase energy production by around 16 percent from the power houses owned by the NEA.&quot; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Ghising further shared that the energy leakage has also been reduced and the expenditure has been effectively managed resulting in the rise in net profit. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The NEA, which was in a loss of Rs 8.89 billion in the Fiscal Year 2015/16, has been making profit ever since the very next year. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The NEA registered a profit of Rs 1.5 billion in the Fiscal Year 2016/17. Its profit increased to as much as Rs 11.75 billion in the Fiscal Year 2019/20.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Ghising says that the NEA&rsquo;s effort to maintain regular and uninterrupted supply of good quality of electricity has had a positive impact on the financial situation of the authority.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The NEA has generated an income of Rs 88 billion through the sales of electricity. The NEA says that it has waived an amount equivalent to Rs 980 million for the customers who paid their electricity bills on time.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A statement issued by the NEA on Wednesday says that the net income from sales of electricity during the last fiscal year was Rs 87 billion, which is 22 percent more compared to the previous fiscal year.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the NEA, leakage of electricity has been reduced to 15.38 percent in the last fiscal year. Such leakage was 25.78 percent in FY 2015/16. Ghising informed that the NEA made an additional income worth Rs 2 billion compared to the previous fiscal year by reducing leakage of electricity.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;We launched a campaign to reduce electricity leakage by controlling electricity theft and improving the standard of transmission lines and sub stations,&rdquo; said Ghising.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Export of electricity to India from Nepal increased in the Fiscal Year 2021/22. On the other hand, the import has declined. At present, Nepal is exporting around 364 to 400 megawatts of surplus electricity to India per day. In FY 2020/21, Nepal exported 440 million units of electricity to India, which increased to 493 million units in FY 2021/22. NEA made an income of Rs 3.88 billion through the export of electricity.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In FY 2020/21, Nepal imported 2.8 billion units of electricity to meet the domestic demand but that dropped to 1.54 billion units in FY FY 2021/22, which is a significant decline of 45.05 percent comparatively.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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			'title' => 'An Emerging Entrepreneur Plans to Add Nutritional Value to Chocolates',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11:   After graduating in food technology, Pratibha Parajuli, who is currently pursuing her master's degree in nutrition, is working on adding nutrients in chocolates. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">Prashant Khadka</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: &nbsp;&nbsp;After graduating in food technology, Pratibha Parajuli, who is currently pursuing her master&#39;s degree in nutrition, is working on adding nutrients in chocolates. Since chocolate contains a lot of sugar and carbohydrates and does more harm than good for the human body, she is working on adding nutrients such as vitamins and minerals necessary for human health.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">She has already produced one lot of such chocolates and tasted them with her close relatives and friends. After getting a good response from her relatives, she is now planning to open a company to add nutrients to chocolate and other food products. She informed that she has recently registered a company named Healthway Foods Pvt Ltd. Parajuli says that she registered the company to commercialize the work of adding nutritional value to chocolates and other food products.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;We are eating chocolate almost every day. It increases the amount of sugar in our bodies. Therefore, I have ensured that vitamins, minerals, and other elements reach our bodies through chocolate,&rdquo; she told New Business Age.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">She also went to the National Innovation Center opened by Mahabir Pun to learn more ideas for this work. She says that she got more information from there. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">At present, Prarjuli is getting more knowledge about entrepreneurship by joining the Nabil School of Social Entrepreneurship organized by Nabil Bank. Nabil Bank has launched this programme targeting students under 50 years of age who are studying or have completed their studies at Tribhuvan University. Currently, 20 students are taking entrepreneurship training under this programme.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Nabil School of Social Entrepreneurship supports entrepreneurs in solving complex social problems using social entrepreneurship. Students who are involved in professional work that positively impacts society get an opportunity here.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Narrating her experience after participating in this programme of Nabil Bank, she said, &#39;I wanted to become an entrepreneur, but I had no knowledge of how to become an entrepreneur, where to start, how to market the products I made, and what to do to reach out to more people. After coming here, I got the opportunity to gain knowledge about these things. So now I have just opened a company, thinking I should not delay starting work.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In addition, she says there is a plan to add nutrients to traditional Nepali food as well. Along with chocolate, she is also working on adding nutrients to mustard. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">She says that with the help of Nabil Bank she got more energy and courage in the work she wanted to do. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nabil Bank Gyanendra Prasad Dhungana also said that it is a matter of happiness for Nabil Bank to teach entrepreneurship skills to students who are aware of doing something in society in collaboration with Tribhuvan University. He says that these students have the potential to become successful entrepreneurs tomorrow.</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15774',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Investment Board Approves Investment worth Rs 122 Billion',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11: The Investment Board informed that it has approved and implemented its five-year strategic plan along with business plan worth more than Rs 122 billion in the fiscal year 2021/22.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: The Investment Board informed that it has approved and implemented its five-year strategic plan along with business plan worth more than Rs 122 billion in the fiscal year 2021/22. In the same year, the board also prepared the guidelines for project bank and project monitoring dashboard, states a report presented to the prime minister on Wednesday.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, the board informed that the study on the development framework of the West Seti and Seti River-6 joint hydropower project, the study on the extension of the financial management of the Upper Karnali hydropower project have been completed and the study report on the comparative analysis of the technology available to establish a chemical fertilizer factory in Nepal has been published as well.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Sushil Bhatta, CEO of the board, submitted the report to Prime Minister and Chairman of the Board, Sher Bahadur Deuba amid a function on August 10.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A performance agreement on 42 activities based on measurable indicators with a timetable was signed between the prime minister and CEO Bhatt on 16 August 2021 for the last fiscal year. &nbsp;As per the statement of the board, an agreement was reached between the prime minister and the CEO to focus on the four main strategic pillars of the board - project development and management, investment promotion, institutional development and coordination, collaboration and partnership. Also, all the specified indicators have been fulfilled and 100 percent success has been achieved, reads the statement released by the board.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The board also informed that systems such as Project Bank Management Information System (PBMIS), One Stop Service (OSS) have been developed to make the Investment Board information technology-friendly.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15773',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'China Announces to Commission Feasibility Study of Kerung-Kathmandu Railway',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 11: Nepal’s northern neighbour China has announced to commission a feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway with grant-assistance.   ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 11: Nepal&rsquo;s northern neighbour China has announced to commission a feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway with grant-assistance.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister for Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi made such announcement during a bilateral meeting with his Nepalese counterpart Dr Narayan Khadka, who is in a three-day state visit to China. The Nepal-China bilateral meeting was held in Qingdao of China on August 10 (Wednesday), according to the state-owned national news agency RSS.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">During the talks, the two sides made a comprehensive review of Nepal-China relations and bilateral cooperation and also agreed to further extend assistance in the areas of trade, connectivity, investment, health, tourism, poverty alleviation, agriculture, disaster risk reduction, education and culture, among others, reads a press statement issued by the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing on Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the RSS, Foreign Minister Khadka is on a three-day official visit to China at the invitation of China&#39;s State Councilor and Minister for Foreign Affairs Wang.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On the occasion, Minister Khadka reiterated Nepal&#39;s unswerving stance on one-China policy noting that Nepal would not allow the use of its territory for any activity against China, the embassy said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Likewise, Foreign Minister Wang also reiterated China&#39;s continued and unconditional support and solidarity for Nepal&#39;s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and assured to provide assistance in Nepal&#39;s development efforts as per the priorities of the Government of Nepal, RSS further reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Expressing commitment to timely implementation of the deals signed during the high-level state visits in the past, both the two ministers agreed to expedite the implementation of the projects being operated with China&#39;s assistance to Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On the same occasion, the Chinese side also assured the Nepali delegation of immediately starting the second round of construction of the Kathmandu Ring Road Improvement Project.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Foreign Minister Wang also assured Nepal to undertake pre-feasibility study of Nepal-China Cross-Border Transmission Line as per the MoU signed during his earlier visit to Nepal in March 2022.&nbsp; Minister Wang had announced to provide Nepal with financial package of 800 million RMB in 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">During Wednesday&rsquo;s meeting, China also assured to provide Nepal with chemical fertilizers and was positive about commissioning a feasibility study on the establishment of chemical fertilizer factory in Nepal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Likewise, Foreign Minister Wang also pledged to boost China&#39;s assistance to further develop Nepal&#39;s agriculture sector, to encourage Chinese investment to increase Nepal&#39;s agro productivity and to enhance assistance in the export of Nepali tea and traditional herbal products.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the Beijing-based Nepali Embassy, the two ministers also agreed to set up a joint mechanism for the prevention and control of pandemic along the border ports.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Also included in the agreement was to open the Rasuwa-Kerung and Tatopani-Jangmu ports for two-way trade and Hilsa-Pulang port for one way trade. The trans-border trade between Nepal and China has been affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic amid China&rsquo;s attempt to control the virus in its autonomous region, Tibet.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">On the occasion, China has announced to hand over materials used for managing disaster risks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister Wang also pledged to provide additional vaccines against COVID-19 to fulfill Nepal&#39;s requirement and medical assistance as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Also on the occasion, the two sides agreed to form a bilateral technical team to carry out the works of existing mechanism of the Nepal-China Joint Border Inspection Committee.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minister Khadka had set out to China on August 9 leading an 11-member Nepali delegation. The delegation is scheduled to return Kathmandu today<em>. &nbsp;(Based on report published by RSS)</em></span></span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15771',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Apple Farming Shifting to Higher Elevation in Mustang',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: Lete and Kobang in Mustang district, once famous for apples and products made from apple such as dried apples, apple jams and brandy (Marpha) among others, no longer grow apple lately.    ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: Lete and Kobang in Mustang district, once famous for apples and products made from apple such as dried apples, apple jams and brandy (Marpha) among others, no longer grow apple lately.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Locals who were dependent on apple farming in both the localities situated at around 2,500 metres above the sea level are left with no other option than seeking alternative to apple farming.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Much to the astonishment of the locals, until a decade and half ago, apples used to be grown commercially in the land only up to 3,000 metres above the sea level. These days, apples are cultivated in the highland above that elevation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In Lete and Kobang, fruits like pears, walnut and apricot were put in place as an alternative to apple farming, informed Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Mustang Chief Prakash Bastakoti. He shared that apples are grown in Lomanthang (3,800 meters) and its surrounding areas lately.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Locals shared that apple farming has been booming in Muktinath and Chusang areas in the district known for producing fragrant, juicy and crispy apples. Proprietor of Hotel Grand Sambala in Muktinatha, Suraj Gurung, shared that more and more farmers in those areas are fascinated in commercial farming of apple of late.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The residents in the high hills said they could see a change in rainfall pattern these days. The settlement here would see rainfall rarely in the past, but these rainfall is not an occasional phenomenon for them. With the start of rainfall here, age-old structures made of clay are at risk of collaping.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">People residing around the Nilgiri Peak in Mustang say the area would not see rainfall annually, but now the pattern has got changed and it has been frequent, weakening the clay-made structures.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Settlements on the lap of the Nilgiri are facing the consequences of the change in rainfall pattern. Lupra, Marpha, Jomsom, Chhairu, Thini and Thyang feature the traditional houses with clay roof tiles. It seems such roof tiles are not enough to resist rainfall as they are gradually getting crumbled with rainfall becoming frequent.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Such structures are made for special purposes to challenge a chilling cold in the high alpine settlement. They work as the indigenous air-conditioning system to keep houses warm and prevent the people from consequences of biting cold.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">They still remember using shovels to clear off the snow depositions from their roof sometimes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Climate in high lands is almost all time cold and houses with clay roof keep them less affected by the cold. Locals say they now face challenges to keep the indigenous architect intact. The scale of incidences of rainfall-induced disasters has gone up while changing climate system has its direct impact on the agriculture production. Peaks here are facing melting of snow. They seem at high risk of extinction.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Ram Chandra Baral who teaches at Prithvi Narayan Campus Pokhara said that topics like increase in rainfall in the mountainous region and change in the agriculture system, among others can be linked to the effects of climate change. Baral has been conducting research on various issues of the mountainous region since long.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">He shared that he has been closely observing the shifting of apple farming to higher altitudes, relating his research experience since nine years. Baral added that he bought apples for Rs 60 per kilo at Marpha, for Rs 100 at Jharkot and for Rs 150 at Jhong back then. As he said, the taste of apple became more delicious at higher altitude.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Baral added that in recent years attraction has increased towards constructing apple orchards at higher regions such as Yara and Ghami areas of Mustang.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Mosquitoes which are usually found in tropical regions have also started to be seen in the mountain region these days. So people have to use mosquito nets.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Moreover, places like Lomanthang, Chhonup, Chhoser, Surkhang, Charang, Ghami among others in Upper Mustang are facing water crisis due to the low amount of snowfall. The water crisis was so acute at Samjung settlement in Chhoser that it had to be shifted to Namasung village.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;Before, it was said that the monsoon does not cross the Himalayas. But now it has crossed. The sudden flash floods in Manang and Mustang, the trans-Himalayan districts, last year is the vivid example of this change in monsoon weather pattern,&quot; Baral pointed out. -- RSS</span></span></span></p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15772',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'UML against Involvement of Private Sector for Insurance Programme   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: The main opposition party CPN (UML) has expressed its concern over what it says the government's preparations for partnering with the private sector for implementing the state-run health insurance programme.   ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: The main opposition party CPN (UML) has expressed its concern over what it says the government&#39;s preparations for partnering with the private sector for implementing the state-run health insurance programme.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Speaking at a meeting of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, UML lawmaker Khagaraj Adhikari said the point no 151 of the budget speech for the current fiscal year suggests the government preparing to include the private sector in implementing the insurance scheme. The former Minister for Health and Population said that the move would only make the programme a failure.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government had announced in the annual budget for the current fiscal year that the health insurance programme, which is currently being run by the Insurance Board under the Ministry of Health, will be entrusted to private insurance companies.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Former Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada was against handing the insurance programme to the private sector.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;I am not in favor of implementing new provision, nor will I ever do so,&rdquo; said Khatiwada, before he was recalled by his party CPN Unified Socialist and was replaced by Bhawani Prasad Khapung as the new health minister</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Khatiwada had made it clear that the health insurance programme would be continued as per the Health Insurance Act. The Health Insurance Act has provision for the board to run the programme. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Even the Health Insurance Board is said to be dissatisfied with the government&#39;s policy for the current fiscal year. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the health insurance programme operated by the government, five-member families can get medical treatment up to Rs 100,000 annually. To avail such facility, they have to pay an annual premium of Rs 3,500. Despite being called insurance, the government introduced this programme as social security scheme. Stakeholders express that the programme promoted as social security should not be handed to a private company. <em>(With inputs from RSS)</em></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Read also: Government Reluctant to Entrust Health Insurance Programme to Private Sector</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">https://www.newbusinessage.com/Articles/view/15454</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span></p>
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			'title' => 'Five Corruption Cases Filed in a Single Day',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed five cases of corruption in the special court in a single day.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed five cases of corruption in the special court in a single day.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">CIAA registered five cases in the Special Court on Tuesday on charges of corruption by employees working in various public bodies in Kalikot and Mugu districts during the Fiscal Year 2014/15. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">CIAA filed cases against Mugu Divisional Forest Officer Bharat Bahadur Budha Thapa; former non gazette officer of the District Development Committee Office, Kalikot Raj Bahadur Bam; former Local Adaptation Plan for Action (LAPA) Programme Coordinator of District Development Committee Kalikot Kamal Prasad Khanal; Building Construction Consumer Committee Officer of Allo Bhango Processing Center, Kalikot and former technician of the ,Agriculture Development Office Kalikot&nbsp; Paras Ratna Prasad Pandey, separately.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the anti-graft body, the CIAA filed the case against seven people, including Bharat Bahadur Budha Thapa, a forest officer of Division Forest Office, Mugu after they were found involved in embezzling funds during the construction of a tourist trail from Chankheli Himal to Dudhtal under Mugu&#39;s Chayanath Rara Municipality-14.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The case against Ratna Prasad Pandey, the then technical assistant of Kalikot, who is now the official of Guthichour Rural Municipality, Jumla, was registered for his role in embezzling government and public property during the agricultural training programme conducted by the District Agricultural Development Office, Kalikot in the fiscal year 2013/14.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A case has also been registered against the Consumers Construction Committee and its office bearers including President Nanda Prasad Pandey, Secretary Narendra Prasad Pandey and Treasurer Binita Rana Pandey for embezzling funds by creating fake bills for the construction of Allo Bhango Processing Center in Kalikot in the fiscal year 2013/14.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The commission has registered a case in the special court against the then non-gazetted officer Raj Bahadur Bam of Kalikot who was involved in fraudulent activities in the purchase of sewing machines and transportation of the goods in the programme under the Under Privileged Upliftment Development Committee run in Kalikot during the fiscal year 2013/14.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The authority filed the case against Kamal Prasad Khanal,&nbsp; former LAPA Programme Coordinator of the District Development Committee, Kalikot, on the charge that he had made a hoarding board for propaganda purpose under the Nepal Climate Change Assistance Program in FY 2013/14, by including it in a fake payment scheme.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15769',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Cooperatives Under Pressure to Increase Interest Rates',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: As the savings and credit cooperatives under increasing pressure due to liquidity crisis, the operators of the cooperatives have been pressing increase in reference interest rate of the cooperatives.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: As the savings and credit cooperatives under increasing pressure due to liquidity crisis, the operators of the cooperatives have been pressing increase in reference interest rate of the cooperatives. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The cooperatives have been demanding a review of the reference interest rate, saying that after the banks and financial institutions increased the interest, the deposits started moving from the cooperatives to the banks. The Federal Cooperative Department has been applying a reference interest rate of 16 percent on cooperatives since February 27. The interest rate fixed four months ago is not relevant in the market and the cooperatives have launched a campaign demanded its review.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Paritosh Paudyal, president of Nepal Federation of Savings Credit Cooperative Unions Ltd (NEFSCUN), said that as banks and financial institutions are paying high interest on deposits due to lack of liquidity, the reference interest rate of cooperatives should also be changed.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&nbsp;&ldquo;The interest rate of banks has reached as much as 19 percent at present. If the reference interest rate of cooperatives is not reviewed in time, it may create a situation where cooperatives might have to violate it,&rdquo; he said.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In February, the reference interest rate determination committee meeting decided to hold a meeting every 4 months and review it. However, the meeting of the committee has not been held even after 4 months after the implementation of the interest rate.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Om Devi Malla, Senior Vice President of the National Cooperative Federation and member of the Interest Rate Recommendation Committee said that the department is reluctant to hold a meeting of the committee. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;We requested the registrar to call a meeting according to the decision of the committee. However, the registrar refused to call the meeting stating that the minister does not think the interest rate should be increased,&rdquo; she said.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Some time ago, Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Shashi Shrestha said during a public programme that the reference interest rate should not be increased under any circumstances.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Amid increasing pressure &nbsp;to revise the interest rate, the department formed a technical committee under the coordination of Deputy-Registrar Tolraj Upadhyay. General Manager of National Cooperative Federation Chitra Kumari Subba, Chief Executive Officer of National Cooperative Bank Badri Kumar Guragain and Chief Executive Officer of NEFSCUN Prakash Prasad Pokharel are members of the committee. Department sources say that the committee is ready to hold a meeting only after the technical committee submits its report.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">After the reference interest rate was not reviewed earlier in February, the cooperatives under the leadership of the Federation of Cooperatives staged a sit-in protest at the department.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In order to manage the interest rate of the cooperatives, the Cooperatives Act 2074 has a provision for the reference interest rate. According to section 51 of the Act, there will be an arrangement for representative members of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank, National Cooperative Development Board, Federation of Cooperatives and Subject Cooperative Associations under the coordination of the Federal Registrar.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the provisions of the Cooperative Act and Regulations, there is a provision to determine the reference interest rate for cooperatives based on the average interest of commercial banks, the average interest of savings and credit cooperatives, and the average interest of cooperative banks.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although the reference interest rate is the maximum limit for the interest on loan investment of cooperatives, it has not been effectively implemented. However, due to lack of liquidity, institutions operating in urban areas are charging higher interest rates than the fixed rates.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Minraj Kandel, president of the National Cooperative Federation said that the problem of liquidity increased due to the increase in the number of people demanding the return of savings in some cooperatives. He added that in this situation, it is necessary to increase the reference interest rate in order to increase the deposit interest rate.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Earlier, in an appeal issued last Sunday, the Federation of Cooperatives also demanded to review the reference rate saying that the limit has caused difficulties to the cooperatives. Similarly, the Federation has been advocating for a system of automatic interest rate of the cooperative based on the market.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15768',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'CNI Jobs and Skills Fair 2022 in November',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: The CNI Jobs and Skills Fair-2022 is all set to be organized in Kathmandu from November 3 to 20, with the participation of 200 companies of national and international level.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: The CNI Jobs and Skills Fair-2022 is all set to be organized in Kathmandu from November 3 to 20, with the participation of 200 companies of national and international level. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The aim of organizing the fair is to reduce the gap between the availability of skills in the market, the employers and the unemployed with skill and to make direct contact with the companies, informed the Confederation of Nepalese Industries.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Organising a press conference in Kathmandu on Tuesday, CNI said that the fair will help in reducing the situation where employers are not able to find skilled manpower, but young people who have learned skills are unemployed. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">As per CNI, at least 500,000 people seek for employment in the country each year. Even though companies demand employees from drivers to management level, there is no clear connection between employers and job seekers. The aim of the fair is to improve this situation, said CNI. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">During the press meet, CNI Vice President Krishna Prasad Adhikari said that there will be coordination between job seekers and employers. According to Adhilari, CNI will also launch an &quot;app&quot; with the aim of making it easier to find jobs by establishing direct contact with the companies participating in the fair.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&ldquo;The fair is not organized to give out jobs. Rather, it is organized to act as a bridge between the gap between employment and skills,&rdquo; he said.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Stating that this is the first attempt of the confederation, he said that it is time to pay attention to education criteria to meet the demand for the market.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Rajesh Agarwal, vice president of the federation said that the fair is also necessary to develop the issues of education, employment and skills as a national debate. He informed that although the CNI is organizing such a fair for the first time in Kathmandu, it will also be held at the state level in the future. He said that an app will be created for contacting the companies that came to the fair and those who need employment can register and apply for employment through the same app.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">CNI also informed that there will be a comprehensive discussion on the needs of employers and meeting the demands of skilled employees. Twiraj Sharma, coordinator of the fair said that companies from India like Tata and other countries will be invited to participate as well.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The confederation is going to study the job situation and demand before the fair, especially by studying the information technology, hospitality and agriculture sectors. The confederation expects to achieve success in identifying the need for policy and curriculum to create world-class manpower in Nepal through the fair. There will be a comprehensive discussion on skill development, presentations from national and international experts and discussions and contacts with companies for work. Organizers estimate that more than 50,000 people will attend the fair.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15767',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Surya Nepal, the Highest Taxpayer in FY 2021/22',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 10: Surya Nepal Private Limited has emerged as the highest taxpayer during the last fiscal year. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 10: Surya Nepal Private Limited has emerged as the highest taxpayer during the last fiscal year. According to the Large Taxpayers Office (LTO), the company paid taxes worth Rs 10.72 billion during FY 2021/22.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The LTO informed that the amount includes Value Added Tax (VAT), income tax and all other taxes liable to the government. Surya Nepal Private Limited has been operating since 1986. Indian company ITC holds the largest amount of share of Surya Nepal. The Indian company holds 59 percent share while a Nepali company and individuals hold 39 percent share. Similarly, the British American Tobacco Limited holds the remaining two percent shares. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Surya Nepal has been producing cigarettes as well as match sticks, incense sticks and chocolates. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Nepal Telecommunication Company Limited was the second highest tax payer during the review period. The Government of Nepal holds 91.49 percent shares in the company. The NTC was established 1975 and was registered as Nepal Telecom Company on February 5, 2004. Nepal Telecom paid taxes worth Rs 9.72 billion during the last fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, Ncell Axiata Limited, a private sector telecommunication company operating in Nepal, finished third among the top taxpayers. Ncell paid taxes worth Rs 7.79 billion. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Gorkha Brewry, which produces beers like Gorkha, Carlsberg, Sanmiguel, and Somersby, was the fourth largest taxpayer during the review period for paying taxes worth Rs 5.69 billion followed by the state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (Rs 3.95 billion). The NEA purchases electricity produced by state-owned projects as well as private sector and distributes it to the public. It also sells electricity to India when there is surplus production and imports electricity from the neighbouring country during scarcity.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, NIC Asia Bank ranks sixth among the highest taxpayers. The bank paid taxes worth Rs 3.41 billion followed by seventh-placed Nabil Bank (Rs 3.32 billion ), Global IME Bank (Rs 3.21 billion ), Siddhartha Bank (Rs 2.77 &nbsp;billion ), and Rastriya Banijya Bank (Rs 2.65 billion). </span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15766',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => ''Increasing COVID-19 Cases Signals Fourth Wave'   ',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9:  COVID-19 is on the rise in the country with the increasing number of new cases reported since the past few weeks. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: &nbsp;COVID-19 is on the rise in the country with the increasing number of new cases reported since the past few weeks. The surge in the infection rate follows increasing cases in neighbouring India, with easy cross border mobility of people due to the open border.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The country has already reported Omicron&#39;s sub-variant, BA.5 and its transmission rate is much higher, thus contributing to the surge, according to health workers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">At present, the infection rate was over 15 percent against 0.5 percent some weeks earlier. </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The infection statistics indicate the occurrence of the fourth wave, according to Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population. The government does not officially announce the wave as the statistics themselves suggest it, he said. </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;In the past too, we did not announce any wave. Neither will we do so this time. But the caseload have indicated another wave.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Dr Khageshwor Gelal, senior health administrator at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division under the Department of Health Services and public health expert Dr Sagar Raj Bhandari concurred with Dr Adhikari on the indication of the occurrence of the fourth wave. &quot;The government does not officially announce the manifestation of the virus. But, hundreds of infection cases taking place in recent days indicate the occurrence of the fourth wave,&quot; said Dr Gelal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Infection rate rising above five percent is considered to be another wave, said Dr Bhandari, adding that &quot;the figure at present has been around 15 percent.&quot; In general, the rate goes down only after getting to its peak, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although BA.5 sub-variant is transmitted rapidly, it does not turn out to be serious, he said. He urged all people to follow the health protocols and get administered fourth dose of the vaccine.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Meanwhile, in view of the latest infection risks, the ministry has directed health institutions and concerned authorities to manage early treatment.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Seventeen hospitals across the country have been designated to provide treatment to infected people. Likewise, the government has asked people to follow health protocols like compulsorily wearing facemasks and using sanitizers and not attending and hosting gatherings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><br />
<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Of the virus-related deaths that took place lately, 80 percent were found in those who had not taken the COVID-19 vaccine, said Dr Gelal. -- RSS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15765',
			'article_category_id' => '266',
			'title' => 'Ncell Re-launches Power SIM Offer',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: Ncell Axiata Company has re-launched its starter pack 'Sahi Yo ⁄ Power SIM'. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: Ncell Axiata Company has re-launched its starter pack &#39;Sahi Yo &frasl; Power SIM&#39;. The company re-launched it with the facility of free access to various digital services including Instagram and MyFive. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The company informed that customers can buy the SIM from Monday for Rs 97 including tax that will include 200 MB data, 20 minutes of on-net talk time and 20 on-net SMS with validity of seven days and a main balance of Rs 20.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the company, customers who subscribe the pack can use the Instagram service for free for 30 days from the day of activation. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Also, customers who renew the pack will also get free MyFive service for 30 days. In addition, customers can pair any 5 Ncell numbers under the MyFive service and talk to those five MyFive numbers for only 50 paisa per minute.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15764',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Banks Increasing Credit Flow Despite Decline in Deposits',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: Bank deposits have continued to decline in the first week of August. ',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: Bank deposits have continued to decline in the first week of August. Although the banks faced a setback in deposit collection, they have increased credit flow during this period.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">According to the data provided by the Nepal Bankers Association, the deposit collection of banks declined by Rs 4 billion during the first week of August. Deposit collection of banks had declined by Rs 64 billion in the third week of July and by Rs 28 in the fourth week of July. It means that the deposit collection of banks has declined by Rs 96 billion so far in the current fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The total deposits of banks by the end of the last fiscal year stood at Rs 4541 billion. It has now decreased to Rs 4446 billion as of August 5. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Spokesperson of Nepal Rastra Bank Dr Gunakar Bhatta says that the banking system witnessed withdrawal of cash in large amount as the Nepal Oil Corporation paid its long-standing dues to the Indian Oil Corporation during the beginning of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Similarly, the deposits of banks also declined towards the end of the last fiscal year as the cheques issued by the government were withdrawn during that period, says Bhatta.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although the bank deposits have declined, credit flow has increased during the same period. Initially, the banks had reduced credit flow in the first week two weeks of the current fiscal year but have increased credit flow by Rs 2 billion in August.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The credit flow of banks had declined by Rs 10 billion in the third week of July and by Rs 1 billion in the fourth week of July. </span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The total credit flow of banks as of August 5 stands at Rs 4166 billion. The credit flow of banks was Rs 4175 by the end of the last fiscal year.</span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Banks had been tightening credit flow and focusing on deposit collection due to liquidity crisis. This had helped the banks to maintain the CD ratio as prescribed by the central bank. As of August 5, the average CD ratio of banks stands at 87.69 percent, according to Nepal Bankers Association.</span></span></p>
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15763',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Government Fails to Execute its Plan to Reopen Problematic Industries',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: The government, in the current fiscal year’s budget, has stated that the Hetauda Textile Industry will be brought into operation in a suitable format.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: The government, in the current fiscal year&rsquo;s budget, has stated that the Hetauda Textile Industry will be brought into operation in a suitable format. Arrangements will be made for people holding public positions to wear clothes produced by the Hetauda Textile Industry.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In the budget statement of the last fiscal year too, it was also mentioned that proposals will be invited to run the Hetauda Textile Industry in partnership with the private sector. However, both these announcements are not new. The government made efforts to run this industry in the fiscal year 2008/09. However, the government backed off from its plan to operate the industry citing reasons including lack of money to import cotton.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">After four years of attempt to run the industry, the cabinet meeting on January 15, 2013 decided to halt the plan to reopen Hetauda Textile Industry Limited. For the last few years, the government has again pledged to reopen the textile industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government, despite failing to reopen the industry for more than a decade, now has announced that it will operate the textile industry in an appropriate format this year and make arrangements for civil servants to use the clothes produced by the same industry. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">It is speculated that the latest announcement will also be limited to the papers as the announcement was made without adequate preparation. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Although the government has announced to open the industry which has remained closed since the last two decades (2000), the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Industrial Area Management Limited (IDM) are not much active in terms of operational modality, technology and investment required for the industry. The Ministry of Industry had entrusted the project to IDM.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The government&#39;s share of investment in IDM is expected to come from the assessment of the building and other physical infrastructure of the industry. Even though the industry was handed over to IDM for almost a decade with the government&#39;s shares intact, the IDM has not tried to revive the industry. Instead, the IDM is involved in expanding and announcing new industrial areas. The government had formed study committees at different times to operate the ailing industries.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Former Secretary Deepak Subedi, who is also the coordinator of the study committee formed two years ago, says that the Hetauda Textile Industry can be operated.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">&quot;You don&#39;t need to do much for this. If you fulfil an handful of works, you can run the industry in a way that makes a profit,&quot; said Subedi adding, &quot;The latest technology and equipment, good management system, and experienced people will be enough to run the industry rather than political appointments.&quot;</span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '15762',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Salary Hike won’t Exceed 15 Percent: Finance Minister',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => 'August 9: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has made it clear that the proposal to increase the salary of some civil servants above the rate announced in the budget will not be implemented.',
			'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">August 9: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has made it clear that the proposal to increase the salary of some civil servants above the rate announced in the budget will not be implemented. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Finance Minister Sharma gave such an assurance during a meeting with the gazetted officers who are protesting against the attempt to increase salaries in an unfair manner against the provisions of the budget.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Krishna Hari Pushkar, secretary at the finance ministry, had even prepared a draft to present it to the Council of Ministers to increase the salary of some gazetted employees by 24.26 percent, stating that the salary scale would be maintained according to the merit order. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Meanwhile, Finance Minister Sharma had announced an increment of just 15 percent in the salaries of all civil servants, army, police, teachers, etc., effective from July 17, during his budget speech on May 29.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The top officials of Finance ministry tried to increase the salary of the gazetted officers at a higher rate than the one announced in the budget while disregarding the instructions of the parliamentary committee. On July 31, the Industry and Commerce and Labor and Consumer Welfare Committee of the Parliament gave instructions to determine the salaries of civil servants according to the order of merit. At present, the salary scale of army and police officers is higher than that of civil servants of the same rank.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The gazetted employees, who were angry with the proposal of increasing salary in an unfair manner, met the finance minister on Monday and pressured him to correct it. </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Gopal Pokharel, president of Nepal Civil Service Employee&rsquo;s Association (NECSEA) informed that Sharma expressed commitment that he will increase the salary according to the budget speech for the time being and settle the unresolved issues by forming a &ldquo;Pay Commission&rdquo; as well.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Along with Pokharel, Lekhnath Koirala, president of Civil Service Organization, Hari Bahadur Rawal, president of National Employees Organization, Nepal, Bhuvaneshwar Chaudhary, president of Madhesi Employees Organization, Mohan Ghimire, president of Integrated Government Employees Organization had met Finance Minister Sharma on Monday to discuss this issue.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Rawal, President of National Employees Organization, Nepal informed that Minister Sharma will now implement a 15 percent salary increase. According to Rawal, Minister Sharma has promised to settle issues including the order of merit within and outside the civil service.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">If the proposal of the finance ministry is passed, a section officer will get an increment of 24.26 percent, under secretary 23.35 percent, joint secretary 23.63 percent and secretary 18.41 percent on their salary effective from mid-July. The salary of employees below the non-gazetted first class officer however will increase by just 15 percent.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">The non-gazetted first class employees working in Singha Durbar gathered at the Ministry of Finance on Monday and opposed the proposal. The Civil Servants Association Nepal warned that the non-gazetted first class employees of the whole country will be on holiday on Tuesday.</span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
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FOREX

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)

Bullion

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

Petroleum

Petrol	1 Liter	106.00
Diesel	1 Liter	95.00
Kerosene	1 Liter	95.00
LP Gas	1 Cylinder	1375.00