March 18: Import of Chinese goods through Rasuwagadhi transit has increased.…
March 18: Import of Chinese goods through Rasuwagadhi transit has increased.…
March 17: At a time when the price of diesel has gone up to Rs 130 per liter, the Janakpur-Jayanagar Railway has been operating its trains without passengers spending Rs 18,000 for the…
March 17: Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the…
March 17: Nepal’s telecommunication giant Ncell has recently launched the ‘All Nepal voice pack’ offer.…
March 17: In April last year, the government declared Nepal self-sufficient in milk and dairy products, including…
March 17: Fagu Purnima, popularly known as the festival of Holi, is being observed with much fanfare in the capital and hill districts today (March 17 this…
March 17: Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of fuel once again.…
March 16: Inauguration of the Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway service has become uncertain as the ordinance related to the operation of the railway service has become…
March 16: Despite the policy of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to increase investment in the productive sector, most of the banks and financial institutions have provided loans for imports and…
March 16: The Ministry of Finance has started its homework to prepare the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2079/80).…
March 16: The Government of South Korea has provided equipment worth US$ 42,100 to three hospitals under the hospital waste management programme of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).…
March 16: Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has said that industrialists and entrepreneurs should be sensitive towards consumers'…
March 15: Yashoda Foods Private Limited, the producer of Current noodles, has started the sales of new varieties of noodles and cheeseball of unique flavor.…
March 15: Nepal is preparing to raise the issues ranging from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the transshipment agenda during the upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang…
March 15: Five airlines companies have shown interest to operate regular flights to and from the Gautam Buddha International…
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 18: Import of Chinese goods through Rasuwagadhi transit has increased. As per the agreement reached between the border officials of Rasuwa and Jilung provinces in Kerung a few days ago, the volume of goods entering Nepal has started increasing. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A meeting was held between the Chief District Officer of Rasuwa and Chinese officials to address the demand of the Nepali market to increase imports that have been stalled due to the COVID-19 infection. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chief District Officer Nawaraj Jaisi informed that China has started supplying goods through 14 containers per day from Wednesday onward. Prior to this new arrangement, China had been supplying nine containers on a daily basis.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Jaisi said that the Chinese authorities have committed to supply 25 containers of goods per day through Rasuwagadi soon. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Rasuwa Customs Office, the imported goods include small and large vehicles, hydropower equipment, shoes, slippers, readymade garments, electronic goods, clothes, thermos, baby toys, walnuts, apples and garlic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chief Customs Officer Dr Ram Prasad Mainali said that the customs administration is ready to expedite the testing and inspection of goods imported from China. He said that first priority would be given to perishable items like apple, ginger and garlic. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-18', 'modified' => '2022-03-18', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14690', 'image' => '20220318115232_20200629105425_Rasuwagadhi border point.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-18 11:51:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14947', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Railway Spending Rs 18,000 on Fuel Daily to Operate Empty Trains', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: At a time when the price of diesel has gone up to Rs 130 per liter, the Janakpur-Jayanagar Railway has been operating its trains without passengers spending Rs 18,000 for the fuel.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 17: At a time when the price of diesel has gone up to Rs 130 per liter, the Janakpur-Jayanagar Railway has been operating its trains without passengers spending Rs 18,000 for the fuel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As per the price adjustment of fuel on Wednesday, diesel will now cost Rs 138 per litre.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Despite spending around Rs 18,000 daily, the train has not started carrying passengers. The trains brought to Nepal 19 months ago are now crossing the border without passengers due to lack of railway law.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, Nepal has to pay sixteen employees brought from India to operate the train. Nepal Railway Company Limited informed that Rs 518,000 has been spent running a passenger-less train from February 13 to March 14. General Manager of the company Niranjan Jha said that the train consumes 130 liters of diesel daily.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"We have not been able to run the train due to lack of law," Jha said. "But we are running the train even though it is empty." At present, the company has 58 employees, including Indians.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Officials at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport also point out that the current problem is the lack of law. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Railway Ordinance 2078 was issued on May 6, 2021, when there was a lack of law to operate the railways and the parliament was not in session. Seven months after the ordinance became inactive, the Railway Ordinance 2078 was issued on December 1, 2021.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ordinance could not be passed even after the parliament convened. Therefore, even after 19 months of bringing the train, due to lack of law, the state-owned company has not been abel to operate the trains with passengers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had registered the Railway Act-2076 in the Federal Parliament on January 3, 2020, making arrangements for the establishment of an autonomous body 'Nepal Railway Board' for the operation of railways, fixing of fares, transportation of goods, and late fees. In the meantime, the bill could not be passed despite repeated meetings of the Legislature-Parliament.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As the railway ordinances have become ineffective twice, the government’s investment of Rs 1 billion in the railway has not been able to generate income but is incurring losses instead.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14689', 'image' => '20220317024205_20200825030614_1598305318.Clipboard09.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 14:41:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14946', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'WHO says Global Rise in COVID-19 Cases is just 'Tip of the Iceberg'', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 17: Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Reuters, the WHO has stated that COVID-19 cases started to increase around the world last week after more than a month of decline. The news agency reported that lockdowns have been imposed in Asia and China's Jilin province is battling to contain an outbreak.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A combination of factors was causing the increases, including the highly transmissible Omicron variant and its BA.2 sublineage, and the lifting of public health and social measures, Reuters cited WHO as saying.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"These increase are occurring despite reductions in testing in some countries, which means the cases we're seeing are just the tip of the iceberg," Reuters quoted WHO's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as saying.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Low vaccination rates in some countries, driven partly by a "huge amount of misinformation" also explained the rise, WHO officials said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">New infections jumped by 8% globally compared to the previous week, with 11 million new cases and just over 43,000 new deaths reported from March 7-13. It is the first rise since the end of January, the news agency further reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A number of experts have raised concerns that Europe faces another coronavirus wave, with case rising since the beginning of March in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The WHO's Maria Van Kerkhove reportedly said at the briefing that BA.2 appears to be the most transmissible variant so far. However, there are no signs that it causes more severe disease, and no evidence that any other new variants are driving the rise in cases, according to Reuters.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The picture in Europe is also not universal. Denmark, for example, saw a brief peak in cases in the first half of February, driven by BA.2, which quickly subsided.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14688', 'image' => '20220317124247_DG_Dr-Tedros.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 12:41:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14945', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Ncell Launches All Nepal Voice Pack', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: Nepal’s telecommunication giant Ncell has recently launched the ‘All Nepal voice pack’ offer. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 17: Nepal’s telecommunication giant Ncell has recently launched the ‘All Nepal voice pack’ offer. The company informed that the users of Ncell can call in any network all over Nepal at low rates under this offer. As per the company, the prepaid users can now use the service of voice call at just Rs 0.51 per minute.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The offer includes 6 different voice packs available for prepaid customers. Under the offer, users will be able to make purchases of various packs for a period of 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days or 28 days with a charge ranging from Rs 14 to 385 including taxes.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company says that with these voice packs, customers can now use voice call services at affordable rate when calling other networks. Users can now have access to the 14-minute all-time talk time valid for one day at Rs 14 and 65-minute all-time valid for 3 days at Rs 45. Similarly, 150 minutes of talk time with a validity of 7 days can be purchased for Rs 94 and 225 minutes of talk time with a validity of 14 days can be purchased as well.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In addition, there are two other packs for customers with a time limit of 28 days, under which customers can buy a voice pack of 475 minutes of talk time at Rs 265 and 750 minutes of talk time at Rs 385.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14687', 'image' => '20220317123011_dddd.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 12:29:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14944', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Market Facing Shortage of Milk Despite Government Declaring Nepal Self Sufficient in Milk Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: In April last year, the government declared Nepal self-sufficient in milk and dairy products, including livestock.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 17: In April last year, the government declared Nepal self-sufficient in milk and dairy products, including livestock. However, the market is facing a shortage of milk in less than a year after the announcement.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The market, which was down due to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, has started to gain momentum now. This has increased the demand significantly, causing the shortage.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">At the time of Covid-19 pandemic, the milk industry had reduced milk collection after the demand for milk had dropped by around 50 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“As the effects of the pandemic receded, the market opened up, which led to a sharp rise in demand for milk. Now the stocks are all used up, so the shortage has increased,” said Sumit Kedia, the outgoing president of the Nepal Dairy Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, there was a demand of around 450,000 liters of milk per day at the time of the pandemic. At present, the demand has increased to around 800,000 liters per day. However, the production is only around 620,000 liters, causing an immediate shortage of 180,000 liters of milk in the market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Around this time last year, Nepal had stocks of 41,000 metric tons of powdered milk and 25,000 metric tons of butter. At present, about 80 percent of the daily demand for milk is met through milk packets and 20 percent of the milk is produced and sold in the form of ice cream, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kedia pointed out that milk production normally declines from April to August after the onset of summer and the demand for dairy products like yogurt and ice cream increases by about 35 percent this time compared to other seasons.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"It is unfortunate for our industry and the market that there is a shortage of milk which was declared self-sufficient by the state," said Kedia.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Currently, there is a shortage of butter and powdered milk in the market. Spokesperson of Nepal Dairy Development Board Dr Balak Chaudhary said that there is shortage of some dairy products in the market as the dry season has started.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, only liquid milk is available in the market while all the stocks have been used up by now. The Dairy Industry Association has submitted a memorandum to the board demanding that the industrialists and businessmen should be allowed to import liquid milk from India and other countries as there are problems in meeting the market demand.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The president of the association, Raj Kumar Dahal, said that the problem can be solved by importing food from abroad. However, some industrialists, businessmen and the Dairy Development Board have stressed on collecting milk from remote areas to meet the demand. They argue that the remote areas are not connected to the formal sector and could not supply milk to the market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Chaudhary, spokesperson of the board, even though about 6.3 million liters of milk is produced daily in Nepal, only about 3.1 million liters of milk comes to the market and the rest are used by the dairy farmers themselves. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14686', 'image' => '20220317113955_milk.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 11:39:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14943', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Festival of Colours being Observed Today with much Fanfare', 'sub_title' => 'This Festival Marks the Beginning of Spring Season', 'summary' => 'March 17: Fagu Purnima, popularly known as the festival of Holi, is being observed with much fanfare in the capital and hill districts today (March 17 this year).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 17: <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Fagu Purnima, popularly known as the festival of Holi, is being observed with much fanfare in the capital and hill districts today (March 17 this year). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This festival is also known as the festival of colours as people smear vermillion power as well as different colours to each other to celebrate the arrival of the spring season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The festival begins on the eighth day of the new moon in the month of Falgun and ends on the full moon day today with burning of the 'Chir' or the pole, which is installed on the first day. Elderly people believe that premonitions can be avoided if "tika" made from the ashes of the 'Chir' is put on one's forehead or kept in the house. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Hindu mythology, demon king Hiranyakashyapu, who was unhappy with his son Prahlad for his wholehearted devotion to Lord Vishnu, ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahalad. Following her brother's instruction, Holika, who had a boon from the god that fire would not harm her, sat on a pyre with Prahlad on her lap. But she was herself burnt to death while Prahalad remained unhurt due to the blessing of Lord Vishnu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">From then onwards, the festival is also known as Holi and is celebrated by smearing colours, especially vermillion powder, with enjoyment. It is believed that Lord Vishnu had warned Holika that the boon she had received would be meaningless if she misused it. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This year, revelers have been enjoying the festival in a grand manner as the government has lifted all kinds of restrictions issued to curb the spread of Covid-19.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This festival is celebrated in the tarai region tomorrow.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14685', 'image' => '20220317081648_Holi-festival-750.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 08:11:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14942', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NOC Hikes Fuel Prices Again', 'sub_title' => 'Petrol to Cost a Staggering Rs 155 per Litre in the Capital', 'summary' => 'March 17: Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of fuel once again. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 17: Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of fuel once again. A meeting of the NOC board of directors held on Wednesday decided to increase the price of petrol, diesel and kerosene by Rs 5 per liter effective from March 17. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for domestic flights has been increased by Rs 15 per liter and the price of ATF for international flights has been raised by US$ 200 per kiloliter. The state-owned oil monopoly has kept the price of cooking gas (LPG) unchanged. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Along with the latest price hike, the price of petrol in Kathmandu Valley has reached Rs 155 per liter while diesel and kerosene will now cost Rs 138 per liter. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Even with the new price hike, the NOC maintains that it will incur a loss of around Rs 4.66 billion in the next 15 days. The NOC decided to increase the price of petroleum products after receiving a revised list from the Indian Oil Corporation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the NOC had increased the price of petroleum products on March 3. This is the tenth time NOC has increased the price of fuel in the last eight months.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14684', 'image' => '20220317080731_6194595e531de_petrol.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 08:05:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14941', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inauguration of Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway Uncertain with Ordinance Turning Ineffective ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: Inauguration of the Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway service has become uncertain as the ordinance related to the operation of the railway service has become inactive. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 16: Inauguration of the Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway service has become uncertain as the ordinance related to the operation of the railway service has become inactive. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It may be noted that preparations were underway to inaugurate the service virtually by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi but the ordinance has become ineffective with the prorogation of the winter session of parliament from Tuesday midnight. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Nepal Railway Company’s General Manager Niranjhan Jha, talks are underway for re-issue the ordinance to pave the way for the inauguration of the railway. However, no substantive decision has been taken so far. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The ordinance relating to the operation of railway service was issued on December 1, 2021 by the president on the recommendation of the government. It was issued in accordance with the Article 114 (1) of the Constitution. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the constitutional provision, an ordinance needs to be tabled at the Parliament session within 60 days of the first meeting of both the Houses. However, the government could not table the document relating to the railway service in the House due to continued obstructions by the main opposition CPN (UML). -- RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14683', 'image' => '20220316071651_Railwayy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 19:16:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14940', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Credit Flow for Imports and Consumption Surge, Deepening Liquidity Crisis', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: Despite the policy of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to increase investment in the productive sector, most of the banks and financial institutions have provided loans for imports and consumption.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 16: Despite the policy of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to increase investment in the productive sector, most of the banks and financial institutions have provided loans for imports and consumption.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks have aggressively released credit to unproductive sectors, saying there is no demand for credit in the productive sector. According to the NRB, banks have provided loans for imports and consumption by reducing the credit flow to the construction sector. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks and financial institutions have increased their credit flow by a total of Rs 507.1 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year. However, more loans have flown to the unproductive sector. Banks have increased consumer credit by reducing construction sector credit.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Credit flow to the consumer sector has increased by Rs 676.40 billion in the review period. NRB informed that the credit to the construction sector has decreased by around Rs 200 billion during this period.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks argue that the demand for credit in the production and infrastructure development sector has decreased, and the credit flow in the consumer sector has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chairman of the Nepal Bankers' Association and Chief Executive Officer of Agriculture Development Bank, Anil Kumar Upadhyaya, says that the growth of consumer loans has been high due to the decline in demand for loans for industry and business.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"Banks and financial institutions have to lend in areas where the demand is high," he said, adding that the growth rate of consumer loans has been high due to declining demand for credit in the productive sector due to Covid-19.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks and financial institutions have been giving consumer loans by accepting gold and silver, term receipts, and bonds as collateral. Similarly, they have been investing in credit cards as well. The highest term receipt collateral loan has increased by 102 percent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Wholesale and retail business comes second in terms of credit flow from banks at present.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the first seven months of the current fiscal year, banks have invested Rs 115.79 billion in this sector. However, during this period, credit expansion of banks in manufacturing industries, agriculture, and service sector has been less than Rs 100 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Deepening liquidity crisis</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The lack of liquidity in banks and financial institutions is increasing, as banks are aggressive in increasing investment in unproductive sectors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banker Upendra Poudyal says that the liquidity crisis is increasing due to excessive credit flow of banks for imports and consumption.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"If the loans had been invested in productive sectors, new deposits would have been created," he said, adding. “Loans invested in imports and consumption have flowed out of the country and therefore there is liquidity crisis. Although BFIs are profit-oriented companies, they should act responsibly during the current crisis.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bank's investment since mid-March has almost come to a standstill due to the lack of liquidity. Banks are borrowing from NRB to maintain the cash reserve ratio (CRR).</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14682', 'image' => '20220316052328_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 17:22:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14938', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Ministry Forms Core Team to Draft Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: The Ministry of Finance has started its homework to prepare the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2079/80). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 16: The Ministry of Finance has started its homework to prepare the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2079/80). The ministry has initiated the homework by forming a core team in order to bring the budget on May 29, 2022, as per the constitutional provision.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the finance minister’s secretariat, a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has formed a five-member budget drafting committee. Chief of Revenue Management Division Bhupal Baral is the coordinator of the committee.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Members of the committee include Chakra Bahadur Budha, chief of Budget and Program Division of the ministry; Ishwori Aryal, chief of International Financial Aid Coordination Division; Mahesh Acharya, chief of Economic Policy and Analysis Division; and Baburam Subedi, chief of Financial Federalism Coordination Division.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The committee has been mandated to draft the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill to be presented in Parliament and to submit a draft of the budget for the fiscal year 2079/80.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The core team has been instructed to move ahead with the budget drafting work in coordination with Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini, Revenue Secretary Krishna Hari Pushkar, and Senior Economic Advisor Dr Surendra Kumar Upreti.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Minister Sharma has been holding discussions with various ministries and concerned authorities regarding the upcoming budget. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14681', 'image' => '20220316011556_Budget.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 13:15:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14939', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'KOICA Hands Over Equipment for Waste Management of Hospitals', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: The Government of South Korea has provided equipment worth US$ 42,100 to three hospitals under the hospital waste management programme of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 16: The Government of South Korea has provided equipment worth US$ 42,100 to three hospitals under the hospital waste management programme of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The total budget of the program is said to be USD 42,100.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">KOICA said in a statement that it handed over the equipment to Nepal-Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital, Bhaktapur, amid a programme on Tuesday, March 15.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to KOICA, the hospitals were provided with Horizontal Cylindrical Triple Walled High Pressure Biomedical Waste Autoclave Machine for the purpose of health waste management.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A handover program was organized at Nepal Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital on March 15 in the presence of Madan Sundar Shrestha, mayor of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality and Yoonhee Chung, deputy country director of KOICA, added the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The autoclave machines in other two hospitals - Nuwakot District Hospital and Tikapur Hospital - have been already installed and handed over.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">KOICA Nepal Office said it has been promoting Green ODA in each of its development cooperation programs from the year 2021. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">KOICA expressed hope that the support to these hospitals will bring significant outcomes in the overall hospital waste management system. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“It shall be useful in developing healthy and responsible habits in managing the health waste which is a minimum criterion being responsible towards the environment. Also, it can minimize the risk of infection in hospital,” the statement added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14680', 'image' => '20220316013949_20220315_112445.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 13:38:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14937', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Home Minister Bats for Protection of Consumer Rights', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has said that industrialists and entrepreneurs should be sensitive towards consumers' welfare. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 16: Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has said that industrialists and entrepreneurs should be sensitive towards consumers' welfare. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Speaking at a programme organised jointly by the Department of Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection and Kathmandu Metropolitan City on the occasion of World Consumers Rights Day on Tuesday, Home Minister Khand said that all sides should be serious towards the welfare of consumers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that the government would not hesitate to implement the provisions related to consumer rights mentioned in the constitution and laws, he urged the industrialists to become accountable to the people.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Entrepreneurs are also consumers in one way or the other. The government does not want to discourage industrialists. I believe that entrepreneurs will also be sensitive towards the interests of consumers," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that the government is aware of the consumers being affected by the rise in prices of daily essentials, the Home Minister said that the government is making maximum efforts to control the prices of consumer goods. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The government has kept the prices of petroleum products under control as much as possible," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chairperson of the Committee on Industry and Commerce, Labor and Consumer Affairs of the House of Representatives Bimal Srivastava said that the government should pay attention to guarantee the rights of consumers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chairperson of the Consumer Interest Protection Forum Jyoti Bania, representative of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Devendra Bhakta Shrestha, Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Hari Prabha Khadgi and Chair of the National Consumer Rights Forum Prem Lal Maharjan also spoke about various aspects of consumer rights protection and promotion. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14679', 'image' => '20220316081844_worl6228628.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 08:16:12', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14936', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Yashoda Foods Launches New Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 15: Yashoda Foods Private Limited, the producer of Current noodles, has started the sales of new varieties of noodles and cheeseball of unique flavor. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 15: Yashoda Foods Private Limited, the producer of Current noodles, has started the sales of new varieties of noodles and cheeseball of unique flavor. The company has launched Current noodles in cheese and butter flavour, mushroom flavour, instant noodles (family pack) and cheese chicken pizza flavor in the market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company informed that the new flavours are being introduced for the first time in Nepal. The company added that the price of a packet of Current noodles in mushroom flavor weighing 120 grams has been fixed at Rs 120.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company has introduced family pack instant noodles in cheese chicken pizza flavor for Rs 20 and cheeseballs for Rs 50 per pack. The company said it has been exporting noodles to India, Europe, South Korea, Japan, the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and other countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-15', 'modified' => '2022-03-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14678', 'image' => '20220315080210_Untitled.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-15 20:01:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14935', 'article_category_id' => '245', 'title' => 'What are the Agendas of Nepal during upcoming Visit of Chinese Foreign Minister?', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 15: Nepal is preparing to raise the issues ranging from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the transshipment agenda during the upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.', 'content' => '<p>Bijay Damase</p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 15: Nepal is preparing to raise the issues ranging from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the transshipment agenda during the upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Government of Nepal is preparing its agenda in collaboration between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and the Ministry of Industry Commerce and Supplies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the finance ministry, the Chinese foreign minister is visiting Nepal to discuss Nepal’s plans under the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by the Chinese government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It has already been five years since Nepal signed the BRI. However, the two countries are yet to finalize the projects under the BRI.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Government of Nepal has proposed construction of roads, upgrading highways, feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu Railway, hydropower projects among others under the BRI framework. However, the two sides are yet to reach an understanding regarding implementation of these projects. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The two countries had signed agreements for collaboration in 18 different sectors including transport network, physical infrastructure, agriculture, hydro power, education and health during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 12, 2019.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">However, those agendas have not been implemented effectively by the two countries. The upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang is expected to expedite these agreements. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The finance ministry has already prepared a preliminary draft of agendas to be discussed during Wang’s visit. The draft has been submitted to the foreign ministry.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to an official of the finance ministry, the two sides will also discuss about the grant assistance of Rs 56 billion announced during the visit of Chinese President Xi. The Chinese president had pledged the amount to his Nepali counterpart during his two-day state visit to Nepal in October 2019. The two countries are yet to sign an agreement to receive the grant from China.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Government of Nepal is preparing its agenda to utilize the grant assistance from China for the President’s Education Improvement Programme. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal will also urge the Chinese delegation for easy access of Nepali goods in the Chinese market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal is still unable to export goods to China from Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani customs due to the obstruction in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. Even the supply of goods from China is not smooth.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal’s trade deficit with China will also be discussed during the meeting, said informed sources.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The government is also preparing to sign a few agreements during the visit of Chinese foreign minister. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">While the government is preparing for the agenda during the visit, finance ministry is doing its homework to resolve some issues at the diplomatic level.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Joint Secretary at the finance ministry Sewa Lamsal said that the ministry is making its preparations for various agendas including the relation between the two countries as well as business partnership. According to Lamsal, the Chinese foreign minister is likely to arrive in Nepal in late March.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Diplomatic efforts are being made for the visit of Chinese foreign minister in the third or fourth week of March,” said a source requesting anonymity. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a source at the Ministry of Finance, the Chinese delegation led by Wang will arrive in Nepal on March 26 or March 27. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka, before leaving for Turkey last Tuesday, had instructed officials of the ministry to make preparations for the visit of the Chinese delegation. Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi had informed Foreign Minister Khadka about the visit of his Chinese counterpart a day before he left for Turkey. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>What do experts say about the visit of Chinese foreign minister?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The BRI was initiated in 2013. Nepal faced economic blockade in 2015. Nepal decided to take part in the BRI after the blockade. Under the BRI framework, Nepal could utilize four Chinese ports while the Chinese side assured of helping Nepal in upgrading roads and to facilitate in fuel supply as well as to open 13/14 border points. However, there has been no progress in the last seven years. Experts say that Nepal must raise these issues effectively during the visit of the Chinese delegation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Analyst Hari Rokka says that the Nepali importers are facing problems due to the supply chain disruption from China. He says that the government must take initiative to open the border as per the aspirations of the business community. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Rajendra Malla, president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), says that there is a wide gap in trade deficit between Nepal and China. Exports from Nepal is almost nil while China is the second largest supplier behind India. He suggests the government of Nepal to raise the issue of trade deficit and to narrow the gap. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former secretary Puroshattam Ojha also suggests narrowing the gap in trade deficit between Nepal and China. “The trade deficit is imbalanced. Nepal should strongly raise this issue during the upcoming meeting,” says Ojha.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He also said that the two countries signed agreement for transshipment of goods but the decision has not been implemented. “No one knows how the transshipment will be done. This agenda must also be included during the visit,” he added.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-15', 'modified' => '2022-04-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14677', 'image' => '20220315073402_Flag-Pins-Nepal-China.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-15 19:33:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14934', 'article_category_id' => '228', 'title' => 'Five Companies Show Interest for Commercial Flights at Gautam Buddha Int'l Airport ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 15: Five airlines companies have shown interest to operate regular flights to and from the Gautam Buddha International Airport. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 15: Five airlines companies have shown interest to operate regular flights to and from the Gautam Buddha International Airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is preparing to operate international flights at the airport from May 16. The authorities took such decision following the instruction from Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Prem Bahadur Ale to make arrangement for the operation of international flights at the airport as soon as possible. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the CAAN, Jazeera Airways of Kuwait, Sri Lankan Airlines of Sri Lanka, Nepal Airlines Corporation, Qatar Airways and Thai Smile Airlines Company of Thailand have shown interest for commercial flights. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Engineer Pradeep Kumar Adhikari, Director General of CAAN, said, "Some of the airline companies have shown interest to operate the service at Gautam Buddha International Airport. We have been making preparation to grant permission to the airlines after studying their proposals." </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The CAAN had issued an 'Aeronautical Publication Information' few days ago for the operation of commercial flight. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Chief of Gautam Buddha International Airport, Govinda Prasad Dahal, said that problems have surfaced in some activities due to lack of human resources. Out of 151 quotas, there are only 36 staff at the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The government has been making preparation to bring the Gautam Buddha International Airport into operation from May 16 coinciding with the Buddha Jayanti festival. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-15', 'modified' => '2022-04-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14676', 'image' => '20220315061355_Gautam Buddha airport.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-15 18:13:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity "" [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60]file not found!Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/indexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14948', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Import of Goods from Rasuwagadhi Increases', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 18: Import of Chinese goods through Rasuwagadhi transit has increased. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 18: Import of Chinese goods through Rasuwagadhi transit has increased. As per the agreement reached between the border officials of Rasuwa and Jilung provinces in Kerung a few days ago, the volume of goods entering Nepal has started increasing. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A meeting was held between the Chief District Officer of Rasuwa and Chinese officials to address the demand of the Nepali market to increase imports that have been stalled due to the COVID-19 infection. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chief District Officer Nawaraj Jaisi informed that China has started supplying goods through 14 containers per day from Wednesday onward. Prior to this new arrangement, China had been supplying nine containers on a daily basis.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Jaisi said that the Chinese authorities have committed to supply 25 containers of goods per day through Rasuwagadi soon. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Rasuwa Customs Office, the imported goods include small and large vehicles, hydropower equipment, shoes, slippers, readymade garments, electronic goods, clothes, thermos, baby toys, walnuts, apples and garlic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chief Customs Officer Dr Ram Prasad Mainali said that the customs administration is ready to expedite the testing and inspection of goods imported from China. He said that first priority would be given to perishable items like apple, ginger and garlic. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-18', 'modified' => '2022-03-18', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14690', 'image' => '20220318115232_20200629105425_Rasuwagadhi border point.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-18 11:51:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14947', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Railway Spending Rs 18,000 on Fuel Daily to Operate Empty Trains', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: At a time when the price of diesel has gone up to Rs 130 per liter, the Janakpur-Jayanagar Railway has been operating its trains without passengers spending Rs 18,000 for the fuel.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 17: At a time when the price of diesel has gone up to Rs 130 per liter, the Janakpur-Jayanagar Railway has been operating its trains without passengers spending Rs 18,000 for the fuel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As per the price adjustment of fuel on Wednesday, diesel will now cost Rs 138 per litre.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Despite spending around Rs 18,000 daily, the train has not started carrying passengers. The trains brought to Nepal 19 months ago are now crossing the border without passengers due to lack of railway law.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, Nepal has to pay sixteen employees brought from India to operate the train. Nepal Railway Company Limited informed that Rs 518,000 has been spent running a passenger-less train from February 13 to March 14. General Manager of the company Niranjan Jha said that the train consumes 130 liters of diesel daily.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"We have not been able to run the train due to lack of law," Jha said. "But we are running the train even though it is empty." At present, the company has 58 employees, including Indians.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Officials at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport also point out that the current problem is the lack of law. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Railway Ordinance 2078 was issued on May 6, 2021, when there was a lack of law to operate the railways and the parliament was not in session. Seven months after the ordinance became inactive, the Railway Ordinance 2078 was issued on December 1, 2021.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ordinance could not be passed even after the parliament convened. Therefore, even after 19 months of bringing the train, due to lack of law, the state-owned company has not been abel to operate the trains with passengers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had registered the Railway Act-2076 in the Federal Parliament on January 3, 2020, making arrangements for the establishment of an autonomous body 'Nepal Railway Board' for the operation of railways, fixing of fares, transportation of goods, and late fees. In the meantime, the bill could not be passed despite repeated meetings of the Legislature-Parliament.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As the railway ordinances have become ineffective twice, the government’s investment of Rs 1 billion in the railway has not been able to generate income but is incurring losses instead.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14689', 'image' => '20220317024205_20200825030614_1598305318.Clipboard09.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 14:41:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14946', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'WHO says Global Rise in COVID-19 Cases is just 'Tip of the Iceberg'', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 17: Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Reuters, the WHO has stated that COVID-19 cases started to increase around the world last week after more than a month of decline. The news agency reported that lockdowns have been imposed in Asia and China's Jilin province is battling to contain an outbreak.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A combination of factors was causing the increases, including the highly transmissible Omicron variant and its BA.2 sublineage, and the lifting of public health and social measures, Reuters cited WHO as saying.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"These increase are occurring despite reductions in testing in some countries, which means the cases we're seeing are just the tip of the iceberg," Reuters quoted WHO's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as saying.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Low vaccination rates in some countries, driven partly by a "huge amount of misinformation" also explained the rise, WHO officials said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">New infections jumped by 8% globally compared to the previous week, with 11 million new cases and just over 43,000 new deaths reported from March 7-13. It is the first rise since the end of January, the news agency further reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A number of experts have raised concerns that Europe faces another coronavirus wave, with case rising since the beginning of March in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The WHO's Maria Van Kerkhove reportedly said at the briefing that BA.2 appears to be the most transmissible variant so far. However, there are no signs that it causes more severe disease, and no evidence that any other new variants are driving the rise in cases, according to Reuters.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The picture in Europe is also not universal. Denmark, for example, saw a brief peak in cases in the first half of February, driven by BA.2, which quickly subsided.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14688', 'image' => '20220317124247_DG_Dr-Tedros.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 12:41:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14945', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Ncell Launches All Nepal Voice Pack', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: Nepal’s telecommunication giant Ncell has recently launched the ‘All Nepal voice pack’ offer. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 17: Nepal’s telecommunication giant Ncell has recently launched the ‘All Nepal voice pack’ offer. The company informed that the users of Ncell can call in any network all over Nepal at low rates under this offer. As per the company, the prepaid users can now use the service of voice call at just Rs 0.51 per minute.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The offer includes 6 different voice packs available for prepaid customers. Under the offer, users will be able to make purchases of various packs for a period of 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days or 28 days with a charge ranging from Rs 14 to 385 including taxes.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company says that with these voice packs, customers can now use voice call services at affordable rate when calling other networks. Users can now have access to the 14-minute all-time talk time valid for one day at Rs 14 and 65-minute all-time valid for 3 days at Rs 45. Similarly, 150 minutes of talk time with a validity of 7 days can be purchased for Rs 94 and 225 minutes of talk time with a validity of 14 days can be purchased as well.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In addition, there are two other packs for customers with a time limit of 28 days, under which customers can buy a voice pack of 475 minutes of talk time at Rs 265 and 750 minutes of talk time at Rs 385.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14687', 'image' => '20220317123011_dddd.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 12:29:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14944', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Market Facing Shortage of Milk Despite Government Declaring Nepal Self Sufficient in Milk Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: In April last year, the government declared Nepal self-sufficient in milk and dairy products, including livestock.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 17: In April last year, the government declared Nepal self-sufficient in milk and dairy products, including livestock. However, the market is facing a shortage of milk in less than a year after the announcement.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The market, which was down due to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, has started to gain momentum now. This has increased the demand significantly, causing the shortage.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">At the time of Covid-19 pandemic, the milk industry had reduced milk collection after the demand for milk had dropped by around 50 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“As the effects of the pandemic receded, the market opened up, which led to a sharp rise in demand for milk. Now the stocks are all used up, so the shortage has increased,” said Sumit Kedia, the outgoing president of the Nepal Dairy Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, there was a demand of around 450,000 liters of milk per day at the time of the pandemic. At present, the demand has increased to around 800,000 liters per day. However, the production is only around 620,000 liters, causing an immediate shortage of 180,000 liters of milk in the market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Around this time last year, Nepal had stocks of 41,000 metric tons of powdered milk and 25,000 metric tons of butter. At present, about 80 percent of the daily demand for milk is met through milk packets and 20 percent of the milk is produced and sold in the form of ice cream, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kedia pointed out that milk production normally declines from April to August after the onset of summer and the demand for dairy products like yogurt and ice cream increases by about 35 percent this time compared to other seasons.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"It is unfortunate for our industry and the market that there is a shortage of milk which was declared self-sufficient by the state," said Kedia.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Currently, there is a shortage of butter and powdered milk in the market. Spokesperson of Nepal Dairy Development Board Dr Balak Chaudhary said that there is shortage of some dairy products in the market as the dry season has started.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, only liquid milk is available in the market while all the stocks have been used up by now. The Dairy Industry Association has submitted a memorandum to the board demanding that the industrialists and businessmen should be allowed to import liquid milk from India and other countries as there are problems in meeting the market demand.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The president of the association, Raj Kumar Dahal, said that the problem can be solved by importing food from abroad. However, some industrialists, businessmen and the Dairy Development Board have stressed on collecting milk from remote areas to meet the demand. They argue that the remote areas are not connected to the formal sector and could not supply milk to the market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Chaudhary, spokesperson of the board, even though about 6.3 million liters of milk is produced daily in Nepal, only about 3.1 million liters of milk comes to the market and the rest are used by the dairy farmers themselves. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14686', 'image' => '20220317113955_milk.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 11:39:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14943', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Festival of Colours being Observed Today with much Fanfare', 'sub_title' => 'This Festival Marks the Beginning of Spring Season', 'summary' => 'March 17: Fagu Purnima, popularly known as the festival of Holi, is being observed with much fanfare in the capital and hill districts today (March 17 this year).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 17: <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Fagu Purnima, popularly known as the festival of Holi, is being observed with much fanfare in the capital and hill districts today (March 17 this year). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This festival is also known as the festival of colours as people smear vermillion power as well as different colours to each other to celebrate the arrival of the spring season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The festival begins on the eighth day of the new moon in the month of Falgun and ends on the full moon day today with burning of the 'Chir' or the pole, which is installed on the first day. Elderly people believe that premonitions can be avoided if "tika" made from the ashes of the 'Chir' is put on one's forehead or kept in the house. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Hindu mythology, demon king Hiranyakashyapu, who was unhappy with his son Prahlad for his wholehearted devotion to Lord Vishnu, ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahalad. Following her brother's instruction, Holika, who had a boon from the god that fire would not harm her, sat on a pyre with Prahlad on her lap. But she was herself burnt to death while Prahalad remained unhurt due to the blessing of Lord Vishnu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">From then onwards, the festival is also known as Holi and is celebrated by smearing colours, especially vermillion powder, with enjoyment. It is believed that Lord Vishnu had warned Holika that the boon she had received would be meaningless if she misused it. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This year, revelers have been enjoying the festival in a grand manner as the government has lifted all kinds of restrictions issued to curb the spread of Covid-19.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This festival is celebrated in the tarai region tomorrow.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14685', 'image' => '20220317081648_Holi-festival-750.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 08:11:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14942', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NOC Hikes Fuel Prices Again', 'sub_title' => 'Petrol to Cost a Staggering Rs 155 per Litre in the Capital', 'summary' => 'March 17: Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of fuel once again. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 17: Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of fuel once again. A meeting of the NOC board of directors held on Wednesday decided to increase the price of petrol, diesel and kerosene by Rs 5 per liter effective from March 17. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for domestic flights has been increased by Rs 15 per liter and the price of ATF for international flights has been raised by US$ 200 per kiloliter. The state-owned oil monopoly has kept the price of cooking gas (LPG) unchanged. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Along with the latest price hike, the price of petrol in Kathmandu Valley has reached Rs 155 per liter while diesel and kerosene will now cost Rs 138 per liter. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Even with the new price hike, the NOC maintains that it will incur a loss of around Rs 4.66 billion in the next 15 days. The NOC decided to increase the price of petroleum products after receiving a revised list from the Indian Oil Corporation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the NOC had increased the price of petroleum products on March 3. This is the tenth time NOC has increased the price of fuel in the last eight months.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14684', 'image' => '20220317080731_6194595e531de_petrol.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 08:05:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14941', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inauguration of Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway Uncertain with Ordinance Turning Ineffective ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: Inauguration of the Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway service has become uncertain as the ordinance related to the operation of the railway service has become inactive. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 16: Inauguration of the Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway service has become uncertain as the ordinance related to the operation of the railway service has become inactive. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It may be noted that preparations were underway to inaugurate the service virtually by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi but the ordinance has become ineffective with the prorogation of the winter session of parliament from Tuesday midnight. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Nepal Railway Company’s General Manager Niranjhan Jha, talks are underway for re-issue the ordinance to pave the way for the inauguration of the railway. However, no substantive decision has been taken so far. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The ordinance relating to the operation of railway service was issued on December 1, 2021 by the president on the recommendation of the government. It was issued in accordance with the Article 114 (1) of the Constitution. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the constitutional provision, an ordinance needs to be tabled at the Parliament session within 60 days of the first meeting of both the Houses. However, the government could not table the document relating to the railway service in the House due to continued obstructions by the main opposition CPN (UML). -- RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14683', 'image' => '20220316071651_Railwayy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 19:16:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14940', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Credit Flow for Imports and Consumption Surge, Deepening Liquidity Crisis', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: Despite the policy of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to increase investment in the productive sector, most of the banks and financial institutions have provided loans for imports and consumption.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 16: Despite the policy of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to increase investment in the productive sector, most of the banks and financial institutions have provided loans for imports and consumption.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks have aggressively released credit to unproductive sectors, saying there is no demand for credit in the productive sector. According to the NRB, banks have provided loans for imports and consumption by reducing the credit flow to the construction sector. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks and financial institutions have increased their credit flow by a total of Rs 507.1 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year. However, more loans have flown to the unproductive sector. Banks have increased consumer credit by reducing construction sector credit.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Credit flow to the consumer sector has increased by Rs 676.40 billion in the review period. NRB informed that the credit to the construction sector has decreased by around Rs 200 billion during this period.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks argue that the demand for credit in the production and infrastructure development sector has decreased, and the credit flow in the consumer sector has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chairman of the Nepal Bankers' Association and Chief Executive Officer of Agriculture Development Bank, Anil Kumar Upadhyaya, says that the growth of consumer loans has been high due to the decline in demand for loans for industry and business.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"Banks and financial institutions have to lend in areas where the demand is high," he said, adding that the growth rate of consumer loans has been high due to declining demand for credit in the productive sector due to Covid-19.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks and financial institutions have been giving consumer loans by accepting gold and silver, term receipts, and bonds as collateral. Similarly, they have been investing in credit cards as well. The highest term receipt collateral loan has increased by 102 percent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Wholesale and retail business comes second in terms of credit flow from banks at present.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the first seven months of the current fiscal year, banks have invested Rs 115.79 billion in this sector. However, during this period, credit expansion of banks in manufacturing industries, agriculture, and service sector has been less than Rs 100 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Deepening liquidity crisis</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The lack of liquidity in banks and financial institutions is increasing, as banks are aggressive in increasing investment in unproductive sectors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banker Upendra Poudyal says that the liquidity crisis is increasing due to excessive credit flow of banks for imports and consumption.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"If the loans had been invested in productive sectors, new deposits would have been created," he said, adding. “Loans invested in imports and consumption have flowed out of the country and therefore there is liquidity crisis. Although BFIs are profit-oriented companies, they should act responsibly during the current crisis.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bank's investment since mid-March has almost come to a standstill due to the lack of liquidity. Banks are borrowing from NRB to maintain the cash reserve ratio (CRR).</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14682', 'image' => '20220316052328_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 17:22:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14938', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Ministry Forms Core Team to Draft Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: The Ministry of Finance has started its homework to prepare the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2079/80). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 16: The Ministry of Finance has started its homework to prepare the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2079/80). The ministry has initiated the homework by forming a core team in order to bring the budget on May 29, 2022, as per the constitutional provision.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the finance minister’s secretariat, a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has formed a five-member budget drafting committee. Chief of Revenue Management Division Bhupal Baral is the coordinator of the committee.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Members of the committee include Chakra Bahadur Budha, chief of Budget and Program Division of the ministry; Ishwori Aryal, chief of International Financial Aid Coordination Division; Mahesh Acharya, chief of Economic Policy and Analysis Division; and Baburam Subedi, chief of Financial Federalism Coordination Division.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The committee has been mandated to draft the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill to be presented in Parliament and to submit a draft of the budget for the fiscal year 2079/80.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The core team has been instructed to move ahead with the budget drafting work in coordination with Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini, Revenue Secretary Krishna Hari Pushkar, and Senior Economic Advisor Dr Surendra Kumar Upreti.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Minister Sharma has been holding discussions with various ministries and concerned authorities regarding the upcoming budget. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14681', 'image' => '20220316011556_Budget.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 13:15:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14939', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'KOICA Hands Over Equipment for Waste Management of Hospitals', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: The Government of South Korea has provided equipment worth US$ 42,100 to three hospitals under the hospital waste management programme of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 16: The Government of South Korea has provided equipment worth US$ 42,100 to three hospitals under the hospital waste management programme of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The total budget of the program is said to be USD 42,100.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">KOICA said in a statement that it handed over the equipment to Nepal-Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital, Bhaktapur, amid a programme on Tuesday, March 15.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to KOICA, the hospitals were provided with Horizontal Cylindrical Triple Walled High Pressure Biomedical Waste Autoclave Machine for the purpose of health waste management.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A handover program was organized at Nepal Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital on March 15 in the presence of Madan Sundar Shrestha, mayor of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality and Yoonhee Chung, deputy country director of KOICA, added the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The autoclave machines in other two hospitals - Nuwakot District Hospital and Tikapur Hospital - have been already installed and handed over.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">KOICA Nepal Office said it has been promoting Green ODA in each of its development cooperation programs from the year 2021. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">KOICA expressed hope that the support to these hospitals will bring significant outcomes in the overall hospital waste management system. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“It shall be useful in developing healthy and responsible habits in managing the health waste which is a minimum criterion being responsible towards the environment. Also, it can minimize the risk of infection in hospital,” the statement added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14680', 'image' => '20220316013949_20220315_112445.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 13:38:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14937', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Home Minister Bats for Protection of Consumer Rights', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has said that industrialists and entrepreneurs should be sensitive towards consumers' welfare. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 16: Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has said that industrialists and entrepreneurs should be sensitive towards consumers' welfare. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Speaking at a programme organised jointly by the Department of Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection and Kathmandu Metropolitan City on the occasion of World Consumers Rights Day on Tuesday, Home Minister Khand said that all sides should be serious towards the welfare of consumers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that the government would not hesitate to implement the provisions related to consumer rights mentioned in the constitution and laws, he urged the industrialists to become accountable to the people.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Entrepreneurs are also consumers in one way or the other. The government does not want to discourage industrialists. I believe that entrepreneurs will also be sensitive towards the interests of consumers," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that the government is aware of the consumers being affected by the rise in prices of daily essentials, the Home Minister said that the government is making maximum efforts to control the prices of consumer goods. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The government has kept the prices of petroleum products under control as much as possible," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chairperson of the Committee on Industry and Commerce, Labor and Consumer Affairs of the House of Representatives Bimal Srivastava said that the government should pay attention to guarantee the rights of consumers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chairperson of the Consumer Interest Protection Forum Jyoti Bania, representative of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Devendra Bhakta Shrestha, Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Hari Prabha Khadgi and Chair of the National Consumer Rights Forum Prem Lal Maharjan also spoke about various aspects of consumer rights protection and promotion. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14679', 'image' => '20220316081844_worl6228628.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 08:16:12', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14936', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Yashoda Foods Launches New Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 15: Yashoda Foods Private Limited, the producer of Current noodles, has started the sales of new varieties of noodles and cheeseball of unique flavor. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 15: Yashoda Foods Private Limited, the producer of Current noodles, has started the sales of new varieties of noodles and cheeseball of unique flavor. The company has launched Current noodles in cheese and butter flavour, mushroom flavour, instant noodles (family pack) and cheese chicken pizza flavor in the market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company informed that the new flavours are being introduced for the first time in Nepal. The company added that the price of a packet of Current noodles in mushroom flavor weighing 120 grams has been fixed at Rs 120.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company has introduced family pack instant noodles in cheese chicken pizza flavor for Rs 20 and cheeseballs for Rs 50 per pack. The company said it has been exporting noodles to India, Europe, South Korea, Japan, the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and other countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-15', 'modified' => '2022-03-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14678', 'image' => '20220315080210_Untitled.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-15 20:01:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14935', 'article_category_id' => '245', 'title' => 'What are the Agendas of Nepal during upcoming Visit of Chinese Foreign Minister?', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 15: Nepal is preparing to raise the issues ranging from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the transshipment agenda during the upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.', 'content' => '<p>Bijay Damase</p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 15: Nepal is preparing to raise the issues ranging from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the transshipment agenda during the upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Government of Nepal is preparing its agenda in collaboration between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and the Ministry of Industry Commerce and Supplies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the finance ministry, the Chinese foreign minister is visiting Nepal to discuss Nepal’s plans under the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by the Chinese government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It has already been five years since Nepal signed the BRI. However, the two countries are yet to finalize the projects under the BRI.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Government of Nepal has proposed construction of roads, upgrading highways, feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu Railway, hydropower projects among others under the BRI framework. However, the two sides are yet to reach an understanding regarding implementation of these projects. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The two countries had signed agreements for collaboration in 18 different sectors including transport network, physical infrastructure, agriculture, hydro power, education and health during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 12, 2019.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">However, those agendas have not been implemented effectively by the two countries. The upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang is expected to expedite these agreements. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The finance ministry has already prepared a preliminary draft of agendas to be discussed during Wang’s visit. The draft has been submitted to the foreign ministry.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to an official of the finance ministry, the two sides will also discuss about the grant assistance of Rs 56 billion announced during the visit of Chinese President Xi. The Chinese president had pledged the amount to his Nepali counterpart during his two-day state visit to Nepal in October 2019. The two countries are yet to sign an agreement to receive the grant from China.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Government of Nepal is preparing its agenda to utilize the grant assistance from China for the President’s Education Improvement Programme. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal will also urge the Chinese delegation for easy access of Nepali goods in the Chinese market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal is still unable to export goods to China from Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani customs due to the obstruction in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. Even the supply of goods from China is not smooth.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal’s trade deficit with China will also be discussed during the meeting, said informed sources.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The government is also preparing to sign a few agreements during the visit of Chinese foreign minister. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">While the government is preparing for the agenda during the visit, finance ministry is doing its homework to resolve some issues at the diplomatic level.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Joint Secretary at the finance ministry Sewa Lamsal said that the ministry is making its preparations for various agendas including the relation between the two countries as well as business partnership. According to Lamsal, the Chinese foreign minister is likely to arrive in Nepal in late March.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Diplomatic efforts are being made for the visit of Chinese foreign minister in the third or fourth week of March,” said a source requesting anonymity. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a source at the Ministry of Finance, the Chinese delegation led by Wang will arrive in Nepal on March 26 or March 27. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka, before leaving for Turkey last Tuesday, had instructed officials of the ministry to make preparations for the visit of the Chinese delegation. Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi had informed Foreign Minister Khadka about the visit of his Chinese counterpart a day before he left for Turkey. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>What do experts say about the visit of Chinese foreign minister?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The BRI was initiated in 2013. Nepal faced economic blockade in 2015. Nepal decided to take part in the BRI after the blockade. Under the BRI framework, Nepal could utilize four Chinese ports while the Chinese side assured of helping Nepal in upgrading roads and to facilitate in fuel supply as well as to open 13/14 border points. However, there has been no progress in the last seven years. Experts say that Nepal must raise these issues effectively during the visit of the Chinese delegation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Analyst Hari Rokka says that the Nepali importers are facing problems due to the supply chain disruption from China. He says that the government must take initiative to open the border as per the aspirations of the business community. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Rajendra Malla, president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), says that there is a wide gap in trade deficit between Nepal and China. Exports from Nepal is almost nil while China is the second largest supplier behind India. He suggests the government of Nepal to raise the issue of trade deficit and to narrow the gap. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former secretary Puroshattam Ojha also suggests narrowing the gap in trade deficit between Nepal and China. “The trade deficit is imbalanced. Nepal should strongly raise this issue during the upcoming meeting,” says Ojha.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He also said that the two countries signed agreement for transshipment of goods but the decision has not been implemented. “No one knows how the transshipment will be done. This agenda must also be included during the visit,” he added.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-15', 'modified' => '2022-04-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14677', 'image' => '20220315073402_Flag-Pins-Nepal-China.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-15 19:33:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14934', 'article_category_id' => '228', 'title' => 'Five Companies Show Interest for Commercial Flights at Gautam Buddha Int'l Airport ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 15: Five airlines companies have shown interest to operate regular flights to and from the Gautam Buddha International Airport. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 15: Five airlines companies have shown interest to operate regular flights to and from the Gautam Buddha International Airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is preparing to operate international flights at the airport from May 16. The authorities took such decision following the instruction from Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Prem Bahadur Ale to make arrangement for the operation of international flights at the airport as soon as possible. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the CAAN, Jazeera Airways of Kuwait, Sri Lankan Airlines of Sri Lanka, Nepal Airlines Corporation, Qatar Airways and Thai Smile Airlines Company of Thailand have shown interest for commercial flights. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Engineer Pradeep Kumar Adhikari, Director General of CAAN, said, "Some of the airline companies have shown interest to operate the service at Gautam Buddha International Airport. We have been making preparation to grant permission to the airlines after studying their proposals." </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The CAAN had issued an 'Aeronautical Publication Information' few days ago for the operation of commercial flight. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Chief of Gautam Buddha International Airport, Govinda Prasad Dahal, said that problems have surfaced in some activities due to lack of human resources. Out of 151 quotas, there are only 36 staff at the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The government has been making preparation to bring the Gautam Buddha International Airport into operation from May 16 coinciding with the Buddha Jayanti festival. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-15', 'modified' => '2022-04-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14676', 'image' => '20220315061355_Gautam Buddha airport.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-15 18:13:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14948', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Import of Goods from Rasuwagadhi Increases', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 18: Import of Chinese goods through Rasuwagadhi transit has increased. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 18: Import of Chinese goods through Rasuwagadhi transit has increased. As per the agreement reached between the border officials of Rasuwa and Jilung provinces in Kerung a few days ago, the volume of goods entering Nepal has started increasing. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A meeting was held between the Chief District Officer of Rasuwa and Chinese officials to address the demand of the Nepali market to increase imports that have been stalled due to the COVID-19 infection. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chief District Officer Nawaraj Jaisi informed that China has started supplying goods through 14 containers per day from Wednesday onward. Prior to this new arrangement, China had been supplying nine containers on a daily basis.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Jaisi said that the Chinese authorities have committed to supply 25 containers of goods per day through Rasuwagadi soon. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Rasuwa Customs Office, the imported goods include small and large vehicles, hydropower equipment, shoes, slippers, readymade garments, electronic goods, clothes, thermos, baby toys, walnuts, apples and garlic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chief Customs Officer Dr Ram Prasad Mainali said that the customs administration is ready to expedite the testing and inspection of goods imported from China. He said that first priority would be given to perishable items like apple, ginger and garlic. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-18', 'modified' => '2022-03-18', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14690', 'image' => '20220318115232_20200629105425_Rasuwagadhi border point.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-18 11:51:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14947', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Railway Spending Rs 18,000 on Fuel Daily to Operate Empty Trains', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: At a time when the price of diesel has gone up to Rs 130 per liter, the Janakpur-Jayanagar Railway has been operating its trains without passengers spending Rs 18,000 for the fuel.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 17: At a time when the price of diesel has gone up to Rs 130 per liter, the Janakpur-Jayanagar Railway has been operating its trains without passengers spending Rs 18,000 for the fuel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As per the price adjustment of fuel on Wednesday, diesel will now cost Rs 138 per litre.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Despite spending around Rs 18,000 daily, the train has not started carrying passengers. The trains brought to Nepal 19 months ago are now crossing the border without passengers due to lack of railway law.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, Nepal has to pay sixteen employees brought from India to operate the train. Nepal Railway Company Limited informed that Rs 518,000 has been spent running a passenger-less train from February 13 to March 14. General Manager of the company Niranjan Jha said that the train consumes 130 liters of diesel daily.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"We have not been able to run the train due to lack of law," Jha said. "But we are running the train even though it is empty." At present, the company has 58 employees, including Indians.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Officials at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport also point out that the current problem is the lack of law. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Railway Ordinance 2078 was issued on May 6, 2021, when there was a lack of law to operate the railways and the parliament was not in session. Seven months after the ordinance became inactive, the Railway Ordinance 2078 was issued on December 1, 2021.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ordinance could not be passed even after the parliament convened. Therefore, even after 19 months of bringing the train, due to lack of law, the state-owned company has not been abel to operate the trains with passengers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had registered the Railway Act-2076 in the Federal Parliament on January 3, 2020, making arrangements for the establishment of an autonomous body 'Nepal Railway Board' for the operation of railways, fixing of fares, transportation of goods, and late fees. In the meantime, the bill could not be passed despite repeated meetings of the Legislature-Parliament.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As the railway ordinances have become ineffective twice, the government’s investment of Rs 1 billion in the railway has not been able to generate income but is incurring losses instead.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14689', 'image' => '20220317024205_20200825030614_1598305318.Clipboard09.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 14:41:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14946', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'WHO says Global Rise in COVID-19 Cases is just 'Tip of the Iceberg'', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 17: Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Reuters, the WHO has stated that COVID-19 cases started to increase around the world last week after more than a month of decline. The news agency reported that lockdowns have been imposed in Asia and China's Jilin province is battling to contain an outbreak.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A combination of factors was causing the increases, including the highly transmissible Omicron variant and its BA.2 sublineage, and the lifting of public health and social measures, Reuters cited WHO as saying.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"These increase are occurring despite reductions in testing in some countries, which means the cases we're seeing are just the tip of the iceberg," Reuters quoted WHO's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as saying.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Low vaccination rates in some countries, driven partly by a "huge amount of misinformation" also explained the rise, WHO officials said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">New infections jumped by 8% globally compared to the previous week, with 11 million new cases and just over 43,000 new deaths reported from March 7-13. It is the first rise since the end of January, the news agency further reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A number of experts have raised concerns that Europe faces another coronavirus wave, with case rising since the beginning of March in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The WHO's Maria Van Kerkhove reportedly said at the briefing that BA.2 appears to be the most transmissible variant so far. However, there are no signs that it causes more severe disease, and no evidence that any other new variants are driving the rise in cases, according to Reuters.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The picture in Europe is also not universal. Denmark, for example, saw a brief peak in cases in the first half of February, driven by BA.2, which quickly subsided.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14688', 'image' => '20220317124247_DG_Dr-Tedros.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 12:41:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14945', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Ncell Launches All Nepal Voice Pack', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: Nepal’s telecommunication giant Ncell has recently launched the ‘All Nepal voice pack’ offer. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 17: Nepal’s telecommunication giant Ncell has recently launched the ‘All Nepal voice pack’ offer. The company informed that the users of Ncell can call in any network all over Nepal at low rates under this offer. As per the company, the prepaid users can now use the service of voice call at just Rs 0.51 per minute.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The offer includes 6 different voice packs available for prepaid customers. Under the offer, users will be able to make purchases of various packs for a period of 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days or 28 days with a charge ranging from Rs 14 to 385 including taxes.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company says that with these voice packs, customers can now use voice call services at affordable rate when calling other networks. Users can now have access to the 14-minute all-time talk time valid for one day at Rs 14 and 65-minute all-time valid for 3 days at Rs 45. Similarly, 150 minutes of talk time with a validity of 7 days can be purchased for Rs 94 and 225 minutes of talk time with a validity of 14 days can be purchased as well.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In addition, there are two other packs for customers with a time limit of 28 days, under which customers can buy a voice pack of 475 minutes of talk time at Rs 265 and 750 minutes of talk time at Rs 385.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14687', 'image' => '20220317123011_dddd.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 12:29:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14944', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Market Facing Shortage of Milk Despite Government Declaring Nepal Self Sufficient in Milk Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: In April last year, the government declared Nepal self-sufficient in milk and dairy products, including livestock.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 17: In April last year, the government declared Nepal self-sufficient in milk and dairy products, including livestock. However, the market is facing a shortage of milk in less than a year after the announcement.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The market, which was down due to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, has started to gain momentum now. This has increased the demand significantly, causing the shortage.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">At the time of Covid-19 pandemic, the milk industry had reduced milk collection after the demand for milk had dropped by around 50 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“As the effects of the pandemic receded, the market opened up, which led to a sharp rise in demand for milk. Now the stocks are all used up, so the shortage has increased,” said Sumit Kedia, the outgoing president of the Nepal Dairy Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, there was a demand of around 450,000 liters of milk per day at the time of the pandemic. At present, the demand has increased to around 800,000 liters per day. However, the production is only around 620,000 liters, causing an immediate shortage of 180,000 liters of milk in the market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Around this time last year, Nepal had stocks of 41,000 metric tons of powdered milk and 25,000 metric tons of butter. At present, about 80 percent of the daily demand for milk is met through milk packets and 20 percent of the milk is produced and sold in the form of ice cream, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kedia pointed out that milk production normally declines from April to August after the onset of summer and the demand for dairy products like yogurt and ice cream increases by about 35 percent this time compared to other seasons.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"It is unfortunate for our industry and the market that there is a shortage of milk which was declared self-sufficient by the state," said Kedia.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Currently, there is a shortage of butter and powdered milk in the market. Spokesperson of Nepal Dairy Development Board Dr Balak Chaudhary said that there is shortage of some dairy products in the market as the dry season has started.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, only liquid milk is available in the market while all the stocks have been used up by now. The Dairy Industry Association has submitted a memorandum to the board demanding that the industrialists and businessmen should be allowed to import liquid milk from India and other countries as there are problems in meeting the market demand.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The president of the association, Raj Kumar Dahal, said that the problem can be solved by importing food from abroad. However, some industrialists, businessmen and the Dairy Development Board have stressed on collecting milk from remote areas to meet the demand. They argue that the remote areas are not connected to the formal sector and could not supply milk to the market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Chaudhary, spokesperson of the board, even though about 6.3 million liters of milk is produced daily in Nepal, only about 3.1 million liters of milk comes to the market and the rest are used by the dairy farmers themselves. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14686', 'image' => '20220317113955_milk.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 11:39:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14943', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Festival of Colours being Observed Today with much Fanfare', 'sub_title' => 'This Festival Marks the Beginning of Spring Season', 'summary' => 'March 17: Fagu Purnima, popularly known as the festival of Holi, is being observed with much fanfare in the capital and hill districts today (March 17 this year).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 17: <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Fagu Purnima, popularly known as the festival of Holi, is being observed with much fanfare in the capital and hill districts today (March 17 this year). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This festival is also known as the festival of colours as people smear vermillion power as well as different colours to each other to celebrate the arrival of the spring season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The festival begins on the eighth day of the new moon in the month of Falgun and ends on the full moon day today with burning of the 'Chir' or the pole, which is installed on the first day. Elderly people believe that premonitions can be avoided if "tika" made from the ashes of the 'Chir' is put on one's forehead or kept in the house. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Hindu mythology, demon king Hiranyakashyapu, who was unhappy with his son Prahlad for his wholehearted devotion to Lord Vishnu, ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahalad. Following her brother's instruction, Holika, who had a boon from the god that fire would not harm her, sat on a pyre with Prahlad on her lap. But she was herself burnt to death while Prahalad remained unhurt due to the blessing of Lord Vishnu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">From then onwards, the festival is also known as Holi and is celebrated by smearing colours, especially vermillion powder, with enjoyment. It is believed that Lord Vishnu had warned Holika that the boon she had received would be meaningless if she misused it. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This year, revelers have been enjoying the festival in a grand manner as the government has lifted all kinds of restrictions issued to curb the spread of Covid-19.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This festival is celebrated in the tarai region tomorrow.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14685', 'image' => '20220317081648_Holi-festival-750.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 08:11:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14942', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NOC Hikes Fuel Prices Again', 'sub_title' => 'Petrol to Cost a Staggering Rs 155 per Litre in the Capital', 'summary' => 'March 17: Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of fuel once again. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 17: Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of fuel once again. A meeting of the NOC board of directors held on Wednesday decided to increase the price of petrol, diesel and kerosene by Rs 5 per liter effective from March 17. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for domestic flights has been increased by Rs 15 per liter and the price of ATF for international flights has been raised by US$ 200 per kiloliter. The state-owned oil monopoly has kept the price of cooking gas (LPG) unchanged. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Along with the latest price hike, the price of petrol in Kathmandu Valley has reached Rs 155 per liter while diesel and kerosene will now cost Rs 138 per liter. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Even with the new price hike, the NOC maintains that it will incur a loss of around Rs 4.66 billion in the next 15 days. The NOC decided to increase the price of petroleum products after receiving a revised list from the Indian Oil Corporation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the NOC had increased the price of petroleum products on March 3. This is the tenth time NOC has increased the price of fuel in the last eight months.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14684', 'image' => '20220317080731_6194595e531de_petrol.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 08:05:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14941', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inauguration of Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway Uncertain with Ordinance Turning Ineffective ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: Inauguration of the Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway service has become uncertain as the ordinance related to the operation of the railway service has become inactive. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 16: Inauguration of the Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway service has become uncertain as the ordinance related to the operation of the railway service has become inactive. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It may be noted that preparations were underway to inaugurate the service virtually by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi but the ordinance has become ineffective with the prorogation of the winter session of parliament from Tuesday midnight. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Nepal Railway Company’s General Manager Niranjhan Jha, talks are underway for re-issue the ordinance to pave the way for the inauguration of the railway. However, no substantive decision has been taken so far. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The ordinance relating to the operation of railway service was issued on December 1, 2021 by the president on the recommendation of the government. It was issued in accordance with the Article 114 (1) of the Constitution. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the constitutional provision, an ordinance needs to be tabled at the Parliament session within 60 days of the first meeting of both the Houses. However, the government could not table the document relating to the railway service in the House due to continued obstructions by the main opposition CPN (UML). -- RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14683', 'image' => '20220316071651_Railwayy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 19:16:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14940', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Credit Flow for Imports and Consumption Surge, Deepening Liquidity Crisis', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: Despite the policy of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to increase investment in the productive sector, most of the banks and financial institutions have provided loans for imports and consumption.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 16: Despite the policy of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to increase investment in the productive sector, most of the banks and financial institutions have provided loans for imports and consumption.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks have aggressively released credit to unproductive sectors, saying there is no demand for credit in the productive sector. According to the NRB, banks have provided loans for imports and consumption by reducing the credit flow to the construction sector. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks and financial institutions have increased their credit flow by a total of Rs 507.1 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year. However, more loans have flown to the unproductive sector. Banks have increased consumer credit by reducing construction sector credit.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Credit flow to the consumer sector has increased by Rs 676.40 billion in the review period. NRB informed that the credit to the construction sector has decreased by around Rs 200 billion during this period.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks argue that the demand for credit in the production and infrastructure development sector has decreased, and the credit flow in the consumer sector has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chairman of the Nepal Bankers' Association and Chief Executive Officer of Agriculture Development Bank, Anil Kumar Upadhyaya, says that the growth of consumer loans has been high due to the decline in demand for loans for industry and business.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"Banks and financial institutions have to lend in areas where the demand is high," he said, adding that the growth rate of consumer loans has been high due to declining demand for credit in the productive sector due to Covid-19.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks and financial institutions have been giving consumer loans by accepting gold and silver, term receipts, and bonds as collateral. Similarly, they have been investing in credit cards as well. The highest term receipt collateral loan has increased by 102 percent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Wholesale and retail business comes second in terms of credit flow from banks at present.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the first seven months of the current fiscal year, banks have invested Rs 115.79 billion in this sector. However, during this period, credit expansion of banks in manufacturing industries, agriculture, and service sector has been less than Rs 100 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Deepening liquidity crisis</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The lack of liquidity in banks and financial institutions is increasing, as banks are aggressive in increasing investment in unproductive sectors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banker Upendra Poudyal says that the liquidity crisis is increasing due to excessive credit flow of banks for imports and consumption.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"If the loans had been invested in productive sectors, new deposits would have been created," he said, adding. “Loans invested in imports and consumption have flowed out of the country and therefore there is liquidity crisis. Although BFIs are profit-oriented companies, they should act responsibly during the current crisis.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bank's investment since mid-March has almost come to a standstill due to the lack of liquidity. Banks are borrowing from NRB to maintain the cash reserve ratio (CRR).</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14682', 'image' => '20220316052328_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 17:22:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14938', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Ministry Forms Core Team to Draft Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: The Ministry of Finance has started its homework to prepare the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2079/80). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 16: The Ministry of Finance has started its homework to prepare the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2079/80). The ministry has initiated the homework by forming a core team in order to bring the budget on May 29, 2022, as per the constitutional provision.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the finance minister’s secretariat, a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has formed a five-member budget drafting committee. Chief of Revenue Management Division Bhupal Baral is the coordinator of the committee.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Members of the committee include Chakra Bahadur Budha, chief of Budget and Program Division of the ministry; Ishwori Aryal, chief of International Financial Aid Coordination Division; Mahesh Acharya, chief of Economic Policy and Analysis Division; and Baburam Subedi, chief of Financial Federalism Coordination Division.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The committee has been mandated to draft the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill to be presented in Parliament and to submit a draft of the budget for the fiscal year 2079/80.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The core team has been instructed to move ahead with the budget drafting work in coordination with Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini, Revenue Secretary Krishna Hari Pushkar, and Senior Economic Advisor Dr Surendra Kumar Upreti.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Minister Sharma has been holding discussions with various ministries and concerned authorities regarding the upcoming budget. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14681', 'image' => '20220316011556_Budget.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 13:15:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14939', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'KOICA Hands Over Equipment for Waste Management of Hospitals', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: The Government of South Korea has provided equipment worth US$ 42,100 to three hospitals under the hospital waste management programme of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 16: The Government of South Korea has provided equipment worth US$ 42,100 to three hospitals under the hospital waste management programme of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The total budget of the program is said to be USD 42,100.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">KOICA said in a statement that it handed over the equipment to Nepal-Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital, Bhaktapur, amid a programme on Tuesday, March 15.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to KOICA, the hospitals were provided with Horizontal Cylindrical Triple Walled High Pressure Biomedical Waste Autoclave Machine for the purpose of health waste management.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A handover program was organized at Nepal Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital on March 15 in the presence of Madan Sundar Shrestha, mayor of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality and Yoonhee Chung, deputy country director of KOICA, added the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The autoclave machines in other two hospitals - Nuwakot District Hospital and Tikapur Hospital - have been already installed and handed over.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">KOICA Nepal Office said it has been promoting Green ODA in each of its development cooperation programs from the year 2021. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">KOICA expressed hope that the support to these hospitals will bring significant outcomes in the overall hospital waste management system. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“It shall be useful in developing healthy and responsible habits in managing the health waste which is a minimum criterion being responsible towards the environment. Also, it can minimize the risk of infection in hospital,” the statement added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14680', 'image' => '20220316013949_20220315_112445.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 13:38:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14937', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Home Minister Bats for Protection of Consumer Rights', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has said that industrialists and entrepreneurs should be sensitive towards consumers' welfare. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 16: Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has said that industrialists and entrepreneurs should be sensitive towards consumers' welfare. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Speaking at a programme organised jointly by the Department of Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection and Kathmandu Metropolitan City on the occasion of World Consumers Rights Day on Tuesday, Home Minister Khand said that all sides should be serious towards the welfare of consumers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that the government would not hesitate to implement the provisions related to consumer rights mentioned in the constitution and laws, he urged the industrialists to become accountable to the people.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Entrepreneurs are also consumers in one way or the other. The government does not want to discourage industrialists. I believe that entrepreneurs will also be sensitive towards the interests of consumers," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that the government is aware of the consumers being affected by the rise in prices of daily essentials, the Home Minister said that the government is making maximum efforts to control the prices of consumer goods. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The government has kept the prices of petroleum products under control as much as possible," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chairperson of the Committee on Industry and Commerce, Labor and Consumer Affairs of the House of Representatives Bimal Srivastava said that the government should pay attention to guarantee the rights of consumers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chairperson of the Consumer Interest Protection Forum Jyoti Bania, representative of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Devendra Bhakta Shrestha, Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Hari Prabha Khadgi and Chair of the National Consumer Rights Forum Prem Lal Maharjan also spoke about various aspects of consumer rights protection and promotion. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14679', 'image' => '20220316081844_worl6228628.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 08:16:12', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14936', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Yashoda Foods Launches New Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 15: Yashoda Foods Private Limited, the producer of Current noodles, has started the sales of new varieties of noodles and cheeseball of unique flavor. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 15: Yashoda Foods Private Limited, the producer of Current noodles, has started the sales of new varieties of noodles and cheeseball of unique flavor. The company has launched Current noodles in cheese and butter flavour, mushroom flavour, instant noodles (family pack) and cheese chicken pizza flavor in the market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company informed that the new flavours are being introduced for the first time in Nepal. The company added that the price of a packet of Current noodles in mushroom flavor weighing 120 grams has been fixed at Rs 120.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company has introduced family pack instant noodles in cheese chicken pizza flavor for Rs 20 and cheeseballs for Rs 50 per pack. The company said it has been exporting noodles to India, Europe, South Korea, Japan, the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and other countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-15', 'modified' => '2022-03-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14678', 'image' => '20220315080210_Untitled.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-15 20:01:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14935', 'article_category_id' => '245', 'title' => 'What are the Agendas of Nepal during upcoming Visit of Chinese Foreign Minister?', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 15: Nepal is preparing to raise the issues ranging from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the transshipment agenda during the upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.', 'content' => '<p>Bijay Damase</p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 15: Nepal is preparing to raise the issues ranging from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the transshipment agenda during the upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Government of Nepal is preparing its agenda in collaboration between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and the Ministry of Industry Commerce and Supplies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the finance ministry, the Chinese foreign minister is visiting Nepal to discuss Nepal’s plans under the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by the Chinese government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It has already been five years since Nepal signed the BRI. However, the two countries are yet to finalize the projects under the BRI.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Government of Nepal has proposed construction of roads, upgrading highways, feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu Railway, hydropower projects among others under the BRI framework. However, the two sides are yet to reach an understanding regarding implementation of these projects. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The two countries had signed agreements for collaboration in 18 different sectors including transport network, physical infrastructure, agriculture, hydro power, education and health during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 12, 2019.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">However, those agendas have not been implemented effectively by the two countries. The upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang is expected to expedite these agreements. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The finance ministry has already prepared a preliminary draft of agendas to be discussed during Wang’s visit. The draft has been submitted to the foreign ministry.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to an official of the finance ministry, the two sides will also discuss about the grant assistance of Rs 56 billion announced during the visit of Chinese President Xi. The Chinese president had pledged the amount to his Nepali counterpart during his two-day state visit to Nepal in October 2019. The two countries are yet to sign an agreement to receive the grant from China.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Government of Nepal is preparing its agenda to utilize the grant assistance from China for the President’s Education Improvement Programme. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal will also urge the Chinese delegation for easy access of Nepali goods in the Chinese market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal is still unable to export goods to China from Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani customs due to the obstruction in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. Even the supply of goods from China is not smooth.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal’s trade deficit with China will also be discussed during the meeting, said informed sources.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The government is also preparing to sign a few agreements during the visit of Chinese foreign minister. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">While the government is preparing for the agenda during the visit, finance ministry is doing its homework to resolve some issues at the diplomatic level.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Joint Secretary at the finance ministry Sewa Lamsal said that the ministry is making its preparations for various agendas including the relation between the two countries as well as business partnership. According to Lamsal, the Chinese foreign minister is likely to arrive in Nepal in late March.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Diplomatic efforts are being made for the visit of Chinese foreign minister in the third or fourth week of March,” said a source requesting anonymity. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a source at the Ministry of Finance, the Chinese delegation led by Wang will arrive in Nepal on March 26 or March 27. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka, before leaving for Turkey last Tuesday, had instructed officials of the ministry to make preparations for the visit of the Chinese delegation. Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi had informed Foreign Minister Khadka about the visit of his Chinese counterpart a day before he left for Turkey. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>What do experts say about the visit of Chinese foreign minister?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The BRI was initiated in 2013. Nepal faced economic blockade in 2015. Nepal decided to take part in the BRI after the blockade. Under the BRI framework, Nepal could utilize four Chinese ports while the Chinese side assured of helping Nepal in upgrading roads and to facilitate in fuel supply as well as to open 13/14 border points. However, there has been no progress in the last seven years. Experts say that Nepal must raise these issues effectively during the visit of the Chinese delegation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Analyst Hari Rokka says that the Nepali importers are facing problems due to the supply chain disruption from China. He says that the government must take initiative to open the border as per the aspirations of the business community. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Rajendra Malla, president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), says that there is a wide gap in trade deficit between Nepal and China. Exports from Nepal is almost nil while China is the second largest supplier behind India. He suggests the government of Nepal to raise the issue of trade deficit and to narrow the gap. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former secretary Puroshattam Ojha also suggests narrowing the gap in trade deficit between Nepal and China. “The trade deficit is imbalanced. Nepal should strongly raise this issue during the upcoming meeting,” says Ojha.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He also said that the two countries signed agreement for transshipment of goods but the decision has not been implemented. “No one knows how the transshipment will be done. This agenda must also be included during the visit,” he added.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-15', 'modified' => '2022-04-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14677', 'image' => '20220315073402_Flag-Pins-Nepal-China.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-15 19:33:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14934', 'article_category_id' => '228', 'title' => 'Five Companies Show Interest for Commercial Flights at Gautam Buddha Int'l Airport ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 15: Five airlines companies have shown interest to operate regular flights to and from the Gautam Buddha International Airport. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 15: Five airlines companies have shown interest to operate regular flights to and from the Gautam Buddha International Airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is preparing to operate international flights at the airport from May 16. The authorities took such decision following the instruction from Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Prem Bahadur Ale to make arrangement for the operation of international flights at the airport as soon as possible. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the CAAN, Jazeera Airways of Kuwait, Sri Lankan Airlines of Sri Lanka, Nepal Airlines Corporation, Qatar Airways and Thai Smile Airlines Company of Thailand have shown interest for commercial flights. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Engineer Pradeep Kumar Adhikari, Director General of CAAN, said, "Some of the airline companies have shown interest to operate the service at Gautam Buddha International Airport. We have been making preparation to grant permission to the airlines after studying their proposals." </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The CAAN had issued an 'Aeronautical Publication Information' few days ago for the operation of commercial flight. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Chief of Gautam Buddha International Airport, Govinda Prasad Dahal, said that problems have surfaced in some activities due to lack of human resources. Out of 151 quotas, there are only 36 staff at the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The government has been making preparation to bring the Gautam Buddha International Airport into operation from May 16 coinciding with the Buddha Jayanti festival. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-15', 'modified' => '2022-04-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14676', 'image' => '20220315061355_Gautam Buddha airport.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-15 18:13:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 18: Import of Chinese goods through Rasuwagadhi transit has increased. As per the agreement reached between the border officials of Rasuwa and Jilung provinces in Kerung a few days ago, the volume of goods entering Nepal has started increasing. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A meeting was held between the Chief District Officer of Rasuwa and Chinese officials to address the demand of the Nepali market to increase imports that have been stalled due to the COVID-19 infection. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chief District Officer Nawaraj Jaisi informed that China has started supplying goods through 14 containers per day from Wednesday onward. Prior to this new arrangement, China had been supplying nine containers on a daily basis.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Jaisi said that the Chinese authorities have committed to supply 25 containers of goods per day through Rasuwagadi soon. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Rasuwa Customs Office, the imported goods include small and large vehicles, hydropower equipment, shoes, slippers, readymade garments, electronic goods, clothes, thermos, baby toys, walnuts, apples and garlic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chief Customs Officer Dr Ram Prasad Mainali said that the customs administration is ready to expedite the testing and inspection of goods imported from China. He said that first priority would be given to perishable items like apple, ginger and garlic. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-18', 'modified' => '2022-03-18', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14690', 'image' => '20220318115232_20200629105425_Rasuwagadhi border point.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-18 11:51:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14947', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Railway Spending Rs 18,000 on Fuel Daily to Operate Empty Trains', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: At a time when the price of diesel has gone up to Rs 130 per liter, the Janakpur-Jayanagar Railway has been operating its trains without passengers spending Rs 18,000 for the fuel.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 17: At a time when the price of diesel has gone up to Rs 130 per liter, the Janakpur-Jayanagar Railway has been operating its trains without passengers spending Rs 18,000 for the fuel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As per the price adjustment of fuel on Wednesday, diesel will now cost Rs 138 per litre.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Despite spending around Rs 18,000 daily, the train has not started carrying passengers. The trains brought to Nepal 19 months ago are now crossing the border without passengers due to lack of railway law.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">However, Nepal has to pay sixteen employees brought from India to operate the train. Nepal Railway Company Limited informed that Rs 518,000 has been spent running a passenger-less train from February 13 to March 14. General Manager of the company Niranjan Jha said that the train consumes 130 liters of diesel daily.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"We have not been able to run the train due to lack of law," Jha said. "But we are running the train even though it is empty." At present, the company has 58 employees, including Indians.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Officials at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport also point out that the current problem is the lack of law. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Railway Ordinance 2078 was issued on May 6, 2021, when there was a lack of law to operate the railways and the parliament was not in session. Seven months after the ordinance became inactive, the Railway Ordinance 2078 was issued on December 1, 2021.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The ordinance could not be passed even after the parliament convened. Therefore, even after 19 months of bringing the train, due to lack of law, the state-owned company has not been abel to operate the trains with passengers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government had registered the Railway Act-2076 in the Federal Parliament on January 3, 2020, making arrangements for the establishment of an autonomous body 'Nepal Railway Board' for the operation of railways, fixing of fares, transportation of goods, and late fees. In the meantime, the bill could not be passed despite repeated meetings of the Legislature-Parliament.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">As the railway ordinances have become ineffective twice, the government’s investment of Rs 1 billion in the railway has not been able to generate income but is incurring losses instead.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14689', 'image' => '20220317024205_20200825030614_1598305318.Clipboard09.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 14:41:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14946', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'WHO says Global Rise in COVID-19 Cases is just 'Tip of the Iceberg'', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 17: Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Reuters, the WHO has stated that COVID-19 cases started to increase around the world last week after more than a month of decline. The news agency reported that lockdowns have been imposed in Asia and China's Jilin province is battling to contain an outbreak.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A combination of factors was causing the increases, including the highly transmissible Omicron variant and its BA.2 sublineage, and the lifting of public health and social measures, Reuters cited WHO as saying.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"These increase are occurring despite reductions in testing in some countries, which means the cases we're seeing are just the tip of the iceberg," Reuters quoted WHO's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as saying.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Low vaccination rates in some countries, driven partly by a "huge amount of misinformation" also explained the rise, WHO officials said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">New infections jumped by 8% globally compared to the previous week, with 11 million new cases and just over 43,000 new deaths reported from March 7-13. It is the first rise since the end of January, the news agency further reported.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A number of experts have raised concerns that Europe faces another coronavirus wave, with case rising since the beginning of March in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The WHO's Maria Van Kerkhove reportedly said at the briefing that BA.2 appears to be the most transmissible variant so far. However, there are no signs that it causes more severe disease, and no evidence that any other new variants are driving the rise in cases, according to Reuters.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“The picture in Europe is also not universal. Denmark, for example, saw a brief peak in cases in the first half of February, driven by BA.2, which quickly subsided.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14688', 'image' => '20220317124247_DG_Dr-Tedros.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 12:41:33', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14945', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Ncell Launches All Nepal Voice Pack', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: Nepal’s telecommunication giant Ncell has recently launched the ‘All Nepal voice pack’ offer. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 17: Nepal’s telecommunication giant Ncell has recently launched the ‘All Nepal voice pack’ offer. The company informed that the users of Ncell can call in any network all over Nepal at low rates under this offer. As per the company, the prepaid users can now use the service of voice call at just Rs 0.51 per minute.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The offer includes 6 different voice packs available for prepaid customers. Under the offer, users will be able to make purchases of various packs for a period of 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days or 28 days with a charge ranging from Rs 14 to 385 including taxes.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company says that with these voice packs, customers can now use voice call services at affordable rate when calling other networks. Users can now have access to the 14-minute all-time talk time valid for one day at Rs 14 and 65-minute all-time valid for 3 days at Rs 45. Similarly, 150 minutes of talk time with a validity of 7 days can be purchased for Rs 94 and 225 minutes of talk time with a validity of 14 days can be purchased as well.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In addition, there are two other packs for customers with a time limit of 28 days, under which customers can buy a voice pack of 475 minutes of talk time at Rs 265 and 750 minutes of talk time at Rs 385.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14687', 'image' => '20220317123011_dddd.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 12:29:24', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14944', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Market Facing Shortage of Milk Despite Government Declaring Nepal Self Sufficient in Milk Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 17: In April last year, the government declared Nepal self-sufficient in milk and dairy products, including livestock.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 17: In April last year, the government declared Nepal self-sufficient in milk and dairy products, including livestock. However, the market is facing a shortage of milk in less than a year after the announcement.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The market, which was down due to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, has started to gain momentum now. This has increased the demand significantly, causing the shortage.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">At the time of Covid-19 pandemic, the milk industry had reduced milk collection after the demand for milk had dropped by around 50 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“As the effects of the pandemic receded, the market opened up, which led to a sharp rise in demand for milk. Now the stocks are all used up, so the shortage has increased,” said Sumit Kedia, the outgoing president of the Nepal Dairy Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, there was a demand of around 450,000 liters of milk per day at the time of the pandemic. At present, the demand has increased to around 800,000 liters per day. However, the production is only around 620,000 liters, causing an immediate shortage of 180,000 liters of milk in the market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Around this time last year, Nepal had stocks of 41,000 metric tons of powdered milk and 25,000 metric tons of butter. At present, about 80 percent of the daily demand for milk is met through milk packets and 20 percent of the milk is produced and sold in the form of ice cream, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kedia pointed out that milk production normally declines from April to August after the onset of summer and the demand for dairy products like yogurt and ice cream increases by about 35 percent this time compared to other seasons.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"It is unfortunate for our industry and the market that there is a shortage of milk which was declared self-sufficient by the state," said Kedia.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Currently, there is a shortage of butter and powdered milk in the market. Spokesperson of Nepal Dairy Development Board Dr Balak Chaudhary said that there is shortage of some dairy products in the market as the dry season has started.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, only liquid milk is available in the market while all the stocks have been used up by now. The Dairy Industry Association has submitted a memorandum to the board demanding that the industrialists and businessmen should be allowed to import liquid milk from India and other countries as there are problems in meeting the market demand.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The president of the association, Raj Kumar Dahal, said that the problem can be solved by importing food from abroad. However, some industrialists, businessmen and the Dairy Development Board have stressed on collecting milk from remote areas to meet the demand. They argue that the remote areas are not connected to the formal sector and could not supply milk to the market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to Chaudhary, spokesperson of the board, even though about 6.3 million liters of milk is produced daily in Nepal, only about 3.1 million liters of milk comes to the market and the rest are used by the dairy farmers themselves. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14686', 'image' => '20220317113955_milk.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 11:39:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14943', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Festival of Colours being Observed Today with much Fanfare', 'sub_title' => 'This Festival Marks the Beginning of Spring Season', 'summary' => 'March 17: Fagu Purnima, popularly known as the festival of Holi, is being observed with much fanfare in the capital and hill districts today (March 17 this year).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 17: <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Fagu Purnima, popularly known as the festival of Holi, is being observed with much fanfare in the capital and hill districts today (March 17 this year). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This festival is also known as the festival of colours as people smear vermillion power as well as different colours to each other to celebrate the arrival of the spring season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The festival begins on the eighth day of the new moon in the month of Falgun and ends on the full moon day today with burning of the 'Chir' or the pole, which is installed on the first day. Elderly people believe that premonitions can be avoided if "tika" made from the ashes of the 'Chir' is put on one's forehead or kept in the house. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Hindu mythology, demon king Hiranyakashyapu, who was unhappy with his son Prahlad for his wholehearted devotion to Lord Vishnu, ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahalad. Following her brother's instruction, Holika, who had a boon from the god that fire would not harm her, sat on a pyre with Prahlad on her lap. But she was herself burnt to death while Prahalad remained unhurt due to the blessing of Lord Vishnu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">From then onwards, the festival is also known as Holi and is celebrated by smearing colours, especially vermillion powder, with enjoyment. It is believed that Lord Vishnu had warned Holika that the boon she had received would be meaningless if she misused it. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This year, revelers have been enjoying the festival in a grand manner as the government has lifted all kinds of restrictions issued to curb the spread of Covid-19.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This festival is celebrated in the tarai region tomorrow.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14685', 'image' => '20220317081648_Holi-festival-750.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 08:11:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14942', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NOC Hikes Fuel Prices Again', 'sub_title' => 'Petrol to Cost a Staggering Rs 155 per Litre in the Capital', 'summary' => 'March 17: Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of fuel once again. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 17: Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased the price of fuel once again. A meeting of the NOC board of directors held on Wednesday decided to increase the price of petrol, diesel and kerosene by Rs 5 per liter effective from March 17. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for domestic flights has been increased by Rs 15 per liter and the price of ATF for international flights has been raised by US$ 200 per kiloliter. The state-owned oil monopoly has kept the price of cooking gas (LPG) unchanged. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Along with the latest price hike, the price of petrol in Kathmandu Valley has reached Rs 155 per liter while diesel and kerosene will now cost Rs 138 per liter. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Even with the new price hike, the NOC maintains that it will incur a loss of around Rs 4.66 billion in the next 15 days. The NOC decided to increase the price of petroleum products after receiving a revised list from the Indian Oil Corporation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the NOC had increased the price of petroleum products on March 3. This is the tenth time NOC has increased the price of fuel in the last eight months.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-17', 'modified' => '2022-03-17', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14684', 'image' => '20220317080731_6194595e531de_petrol.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-17 08:05:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14941', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inauguration of Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway Uncertain with Ordinance Turning Ineffective ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: Inauguration of the Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway service has become uncertain as the ordinance related to the operation of the railway service has become inactive. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 16: Inauguration of the Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway service has become uncertain as the ordinance related to the operation of the railway service has become inactive. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It may be noted that preparations were underway to inaugurate the service virtually by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi but the ordinance has become ineffective with the prorogation of the winter session of parliament from Tuesday midnight. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to Nepal Railway Company’s General Manager Niranjhan Jha, talks are underway for re-issue the ordinance to pave the way for the inauguration of the railway. However, no substantive decision has been taken so far. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The ordinance relating to the operation of railway service was issued on December 1, 2021 by the president on the recommendation of the government. It was issued in accordance with the Article 114 (1) of the Constitution. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As per the constitutional provision, an ordinance needs to be tabled at the Parliament session within 60 days of the first meeting of both the Houses. However, the government could not table the document relating to the railway service in the House due to continued obstructions by the main opposition CPN (UML). -- RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14683', 'image' => '20220316071651_Railwayy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 19:16:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14940', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Credit Flow for Imports and Consumption Surge, Deepening Liquidity Crisis', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: Despite the policy of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to increase investment in the productive sector, most of the banks and financial institutions have provided loans for imports and consumption.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 16: Despite the policy of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to increase investment in the productive sector, most of the banks and financial institutions have provided loans for imports and consumption.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks have aggressively released credit to unproductive sectors, saying there is no demand for credit in the productive sector. According to the NRB, banks have provided loans for imports and consumption by reducing the credit flow to the construction sector. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks and financial institutions have increased their credit flow by a total of Rs 507.1 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year. However, more loans have flown to the unproductive sector. Banks have increased consumer credit by reducing construction sector credit.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Credit flow to the consumer sector has increased by Rs 676.40 billion in the review period. NRB informed that the credit to the construction sector has decreased by around Rs 200 billion during this period.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks argue that the demand for credit in the production and infrastructure development sector has decreased, and the credit flow in the consumer sector has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Chairman of the Nepal Bankers' Association and Chief Executive Officer of Agriculture Development Bank, Anil Kumar Upadhyaya, says that the growth of consumer loans has been high due to the decline in demand for loans for industry and business.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"Banks and financial institutions have to lend in areas where the demand is high," he said, adding that the growth rate of consumer loans has been high due to declining demand for credit in the productive sector due to Covid-19.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banks and financial institutions have been giving consumer loans by accepting gold and silver, term receipts, and bonds as collateral. Similarly, they have been investing in credit cards as well. The highest term receipt collateral loan has increased by 102 percent.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Wholesale and retail business comes second in terms of credit flow from banks at present.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the first seven months of the current fiscal year, banks have invested Rs 115.79 billion in this sector. However, during this period, credit expansion of banks in manufacturing industries, agriculture, and service sector has been less than Rs 100 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Deepening liquidity crisis</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The lack of liquidity in banks and financial institutions is increasing, as banks are aggressive in increasing investment in unproductive sectors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Banker Upendra Poudyal says that the liquidity crisis is increasing due to excessive credit flow of banks for imports and consumption.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"If the loans had been invested in productive sectors, new deposits would have been created," he said, adding. “Loans invested in imports and consumption have flowed out of the country and therefore there is liquidity crisis. Although BFIs are profit-oriented companies, they should act responsibly during the current crisis.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bank's investment since mid-March has almost come to a standstill due to the lack of liquidity. Banks are borrowing from NRB to maintain the cash reserve ratio (CRR).</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14682', 'image' => '20220316052328_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 17:22:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14938', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Ministry Forms Core Team to Draft Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: The Ministry of Finance has started its homework to prepare the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2079/80). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 16: The Ministry of Finance has started its homework to prepare the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2079/80). The ministry has initiated the homework by forming a core team in order to bring the budget on May 29, 2022, as per the constitutional provision.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the finance minister’s secretariat, a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has formed a five-member budget drafting committee. Chief of Revenue Management Division Bhupal Baral is the coordinator of the committee.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Members of the committee include Chakra Bahadur Budha, chief of Budget and Program Division of the ministry; Ishwori Aryal, chief of International Financial Aid Coordination Division; Mahesh Acharya, chief of Economic Policy and Analysis Division; and Baburam Subedi, chief of Financial Federalism Coordination Division.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The committee has been mandated to draft the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill to be presented in Parliament and to submit a draft of the budget for the fiscal year 2079/80.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The core team has been instructed to move ahead with the budget drafting work in coordination with Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini, Revenue Secretary Krishna Hari Pushkar, and Senior Economic Advisor Dr Surendra Kumar Upreti.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Minister Sharma has been holding discussions with various ministries and concerned authorities regarding the upcoming budget. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14681', 'image' => '20220316011556_Budget.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 13:15:10', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14939', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'KOICA Hands Over Equipment for Waste Management of Hospitals', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: The Government of South Korea has provided equipment worth US$ 42,100 to three hospitals under the hospital waste management programme of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 16: The Government of South Korea has provided equipment worth US$ 42,100 to three hospitals under the hospital waste management programme of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The total budget of the program is said to be USD 42,100.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">KOICA said in a statement that it handed over the equipment to Nepal-Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital, Bhaktapur, amid a programme on Tuesday, March 15.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to KOICA, the hospitals were provided with Horizontal Cylindrical Triple Walled High Pressure Biomedical Waste Autoclave Machine for the purpose of health waste management.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A handover program was organized at Nepal Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital on March 15 in the presence of Madan Sundar Shrestha, mayor of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality and Yoonhee Chung, deputy country director of KOICA, added the statement.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The autoclave machines in other two hospitals - Nuwakot District Hospital and Tikapur Hospital - have been already installed and handed over.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">KOICA Nepal Office said it has been promoting Green ODA in each of its development cooperation programs from the year 2021. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">KOICA expressed hope that the support to these hospitals will bring significant outcomes in the overall hospital waste management system. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“It shall be useful in developing healthy and responsible habits in managing the health waste which is a minimum criterion being responsible towards the environment. Also, it can minimize the risk of infection in hospital,” the statement added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14680', 'image' => '20220316013949_20220315_112445.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 13:38:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14937', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Home Minister Bats for Protection of Consumer Rights', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 16: Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has said that industrialists and entrepreneurs should be sensitive towards consumers' welfare. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 16: Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has said that industrialists and entrepreneurs should be sensitive towards consumers' welfare. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Speaking at a programme organised jointly by the Department of Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection and Kathmandu Metropolitan City on the occasion of World Consumers Rights Day on Tuesday, Home Minister Khand said that all sides should be serious towards the welfare of consumers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that the government would not hesitate to implement the provisions related to consumer rights mentioned in the constitution and laws, he urged the industrialists to become accountable to the people.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Entrepreneurs are also consumers in one way or the other. The government does not want to discourage industrialists. I believe that entrepreneurs will also be sensitive towards the interests of consumers," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Stating that the government is aware of the consumers being affected by the rise in prices of daily essentials, the Home Minister said that the government is making maximum efforts to control the prices of consumer goods. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The government has kept the prices of petroleum products under control as much as possible," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chairperson of the Committee on Industry and Commerce, Labor and Consumer Affairs of the House of Representatives Bimal Srivastava said that the government should pay attention to guarantee the rights of consumers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Chairperson of the Consumer Interest Protection Forum Jyoti Bania, representative of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Devendra Bhakta Shrestha, Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Hari Prabha Khadgi and Chair of the National Consumer Rights Forum Prem Lal Maharjan also spoke about various aspects of consumer rights protection and promotion. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-16', 'modified' => '2022-03-16', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14679', 'image' => '20220316081844_worl6228628.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-16 08:16:12', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14936', 'article_category_id' => '266', 'title' => 'Yashoda Foods Launches New Products', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 15: Yashoda Foods Private Limited, the producer of Current noodles, has started the sales of new varieties of noodles and cheeseball of unique flavor. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 15: Yashoda Foods Private Limited, the producer of Current noodles, has started the sales of new varieties of noodles and cheeseball of unique flavor. The company has launched Current noodles in cheese and butter flavour, mushroom flavour, instant noodles (family pack) and cheese chicken pizza flavor in the market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company informed that the new flavours are being introduced for the first time in Nepal. The company added that the price of a packet of Current noodles in mushroom flavor weighing 120 grams has been fixed at Rs 120.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The company has introduced family pack instant noodles in cheese chicken pizza flavor for Rs 20 and cheeseballs for Rs 50 per pack. The company said it has been exporting noodles to India, Europe, South Korea, Japan, the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and other countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-15', 'modified' => '2022-03-15', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14678', 'image' => '20220315080210_Untitled.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-15 20:01:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14935', 'article_category_id' => '245', 'title' => 'What are the Agendas of Nepal during upcoming Visit of Chinese Foreign Minister?', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 15: Nepal is preparing to raise the issues ranging from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the transshipment agenda during the upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.', 'content' => '<p>Bijay Damase</p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 15: Nepal is preparing to raise the issues ranging from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the transshipment agenda during the upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Government of Nepal is preparing its agenda in collaboration between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and the Ministry of Industry Commerce and Supplies.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the finance ministry, the Chinese foreign minister is visiting Nepal to discuss Nepal’s plans under the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by the Chinese government.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It has already been five years since Nepal signed the BRI. However, the two countries are yet to finalize the projects under the BRI.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Government of Nepal has proposed construction of roads, upgrading highways, feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu Railway, hydropower projects among others under the BRI framework. However, the two sides are yet to reach an understanding regarding implementation of these projects. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The two countries had signed agreements for collaboration in 18 different sectors including transport network, physical infrastructure, agriculture, hydro power, education and health during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 12, 2019.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">However, those agendas have not been implemented effectively by the two countries. The upcoming visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang is expected to expedite these agreements. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The finance ministry has already prepared a preliminary draft of agendas to be discussed during Wang’s visit. The draft has been submitted to the foreign ministry.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to an official of the finance ministry, the two sides will also discuss about the grant assistance of Rs 56 billion announced during the visit of Chinese President Xi. The Chinese president had pledged the amount to his Nepali counterpart during his two-day state visit to Nepal in October 2019. The two countries are yet to sign an agreement to receive the grant from China.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Government of Nepal is preparing its agenda to utilize the grant assistance from China for the President’s Education Improvement Programme. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal will also urge the Chinese delegation for easy access of Nepali goods in the Chinese market.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal is still unable to export goods to China from Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani customs due to the obstruction in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. Even the supply of goods from China is not smooth.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal’s trade deficit with China will also be discussed during the meeting, said informed sources.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The government is also preparing to sign a few agreements during the visit of Chinese foreign minister. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">While the government is preparing for the agenda during the visit, finance ministry is doing its homework to resolve some issues at the diplomatic level.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Joint Secretary at the finance ministry Sewa Lamsal said that the ministry is making its preparations for various agendas including the relation between the two countries as well as business partnership. According to Lamsal, the Chinese foreign minister is likely to arrive in Nepal in late March.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">“Diplomatic efforts are being made for the visit of Chinese foreign minister in the third or fourth week of March,” said a source requesting anonymity. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a source at the Ministry of Finance, the Chinese delegation led by Wang will arrive in Nepal on March 26 or March 27. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka, before leaving for Turkey last Tuesday, had instructed officials of the ministry to make preparations for the visit of the Chinese delegation. Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi had informed Foreign Minister Khadka about the visit of his Chinese counterpart a day before he left for Turkey. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>What do experts say about the visit of Chinese foreign minister?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The BRI was initiated in 2013. Nepal faced economic blockade in 2015. Nepal decided to take part in the BRI after the blockade. Under the BRI framework, Nepal could utilize four Chinese ports while the Chinese side assured of helping Nepal in upgrading roads and to facilitate in fuel supply as well as to open 13/14 border points. However, there has been no progress in the last seven years. Experts say that Nepal must raise these issues effectively during the visit of the Chinese delegation.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Analyst Hari Rokka says that the Nepali importers are facing problems due to the supply chain disruption from China. He says that the government must take initiative to open the border as per the aspirations of the business community. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Rajendra Malla, president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), says that there is a wide gap in trade deficit between Nepal and China. Exports from Nepal is almost nil while China is the second largest supplier behind India. He suggests the government of Nepal to raise the issue of trade deficit and to narrow the gap. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Former secretary Puroshattam Ojha also suggests narrowing the gap in trade deficit between Nepal and China. “The trade deficit is imbalanced. Nepal should strongly raise this issue during the upcoming meeting,” says Ojha.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">He also said that the two countries signed agreement for transshipment of goods but the decision has not been implemented. “No one knows how the transshipment will be done. This agenda must also be included during the visit,” he added.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-15', 'modified' => '2022-04-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14677', 'image' => '20220315073402_Flag-Pins-Nepal-China.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-15 19:33:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14934', 'article_category_id' => '228', 'title' => 'Five Companies Show Interest for Commercial Flights at Gautam Buddha Int'l Airport ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 15: Five airlines companies have shown interest to operate regular flights to and from the Gautam Buddha International Airport. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 15: Five airlines companies have shown interest to operate regular flights to and from the Gautam Buddha International Airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is preparing to operate international flights at the airport from May 16. The authorities took such decision following the instruction from Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Prem Bahadur Ale to make arrangement for the operation of international flights at the airport as soon as possible. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the CAAN, Jazeera Airways of Kuwait, Sri Lankan Airlines of Sri Lanka, Nepal Airlines Corporation, Qatar Airways and Thai Smile Airlines Company of Thailand have shown interest for commercial flights. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Engineer Pradeep Kumar Adhikari, Director General of CAAN, said, "Some of the airline companies have shown interest to operate the service at Gautam Buddha International Airport. We have been making preparation to grant permission to the airlines after studying their proposals." </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The CAAN had issued an 'Aeronautical Publication Information' few days ago for the operation of commercial flight. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Similarly, Chief of Gautam Buddha International Airport, Govinda Prasad Dahal, said that problems have surfaced in some activities due to lack of human resources. Out of 151 quotas, there are only 36 staff at the airport. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The government has been making preparation to bring the Gautam Buddha International Airport into operation from May 16 coinciding with the Buddha Jayanti festival. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2022-03-15', 'modified' => '2022-04-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14676', 'image' => '20220315061355_Gautam Buddha airport.jpg', 'article_date' => '2022-03-15 18:13:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
