December 7: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag carrier of Nepal, has been permitted to transport dangerous goods, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS.…
December 7: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag carrier of Nepal, has been permitted to transport dangerous goods, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS.…
December 6: Domestic leather manufacturers of Nepal have urged the government to remove all kinds of tariffs on import of raw materials stating that competition in the international market has become difficult due to the high tariffs.…
December 6: The District Administration Office, Mustang has tightened the entry of visitors to Mustang, taking the risk of infection of a new variant of Covid-19, Omicron into account.…
December 6: The Government of Nepal has confirmed first two cases of Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the…
December 6: The government has delayed releasing Rs 1.5 billion for the Social Security Fund (SSF) as promised while announcing the…
December 6: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is planning to build infrastructure to consume 2,000 MW of electricity within five years in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor of Province 2 under the campaign to consume electricity generated within the…
December 6: Export of Nepali products to neighbouring India and other countries through Birgunj customs has increased significantly in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (FY…
December 5: The export of goods and services has increased by cent percent in the last four months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal…
December 5: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has drawn the government’s attention to simplify the policy and procedural difficulties related to…
December 5: The 27th edition of CAN Infotech is all set to be organized at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu from February 1,…
December 5: Competition among private companies of India has increased after the amendment to the Nepal-India Railway Service Agreement opened the way for private railway companies to trnasport containers to and from…
December 5: Looking at the statistics of the last seven years, the government has refunded around Rs 34 billion of tax…
December 5: Nepal Mountain Academy, the government-run academic institution under Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, is gearing to produce 28 skiers.…
December 5: Following the confirmation of two cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 in India, the World Health Organisation has urged the South-East Asia Region to further consolidate COVID-19 response measures to control the spread of the virus and its…
December 3: Nepal and Qatar have agreed to revise the Bilateral Labour…
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 7: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag carrier of Nepal, has been permitted to transport dangerous goods, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS. This is so far the first time in its operational history of 63 years that the state-owned Airlines company has been allowed to carry dangerous goods in international flights. </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"">RSS confirmed that the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the aviation regulatory body of the country, has granted permission to Nepal Airlines Corporation to transport dangerous goods. Earlier, the national flag carrier had been transporting dangerous goods by obtaining license every three months. Now it has been provided with permanent license for such consignment. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This is expected to ease the process of carrying drugs of various categories and electronic goods in the coming days. The NAC also expects this license to enhance the effectiveness of its aviation service. </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 RSS, the NAC's wide-body aircraft A 330 with bearing capacity of around 14 tons cargo will be used for transporting dangerous goods. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CAAN's Director General Rajkumar Chhetri reportedly handed over the license to NAC Executive Director Yubaraj Adhikari amidst a programme attended by Minister for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, RSS quoted Tourism Minister Ale as saying that it was an achievement for Nepal to get approval for importing and exporting dangerous goods. He added that this will also end the hassles in the export and import and increase the income of NAC. </span></span></span><br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-07', 'modified' => '2021-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14175', 'image' => '20211207081308_Clipboard08(48).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-07 08:12:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14429', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Leather Industrialists Call for Removal of Import Tariffs on Raw Materials', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Domestic leather manufacturers of Nepal have urged the government to remove all kinds of tariffs on import of raw materials stating that competition in the international market has become difficult due to the high tariffs. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: Domestic leather manufacturers of Nepal have urged the government to remove all kinds of tariffs on import of raw materials stating that competition in the international market has become difficult due to the high tariffs. They argued that their business is on the verge of closure due to the stiff competition after India reduced the import duty on all types of raw materials required for leather to zero to protect its industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The manufacturers say that their industry is on the verge of closure as they cannot compete with the Indian leather. The main markets for leather manufactured in Nepal are India and China.</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"">Mohammad Junaid Iftikar, general secretary of the Nepal Leather Tanners Association, said that since most of the leathers produced are exported, the government should waive customs duty and VAT to help the industries survive and compete in the foreign market. He said that the cost of production has gone up due to a surge in the price of raw materials and transportation costs, along with tariffs on imports.</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 industrialists collect the main raw material, rawhides, from the domestic market. Other auxiliary raw materials required for leather processing are dependent on imports. According to the industrialists, they pay around 30 to 35 percent of tariffs at the customs point for the import of such raw materials.</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"">Iftikar also opined that the incentive policy implemented for promoting the leather industry is cumbersome and discourages industrialists. Secretary-General Iftikar expressed concern over the high risk of investment in the raw material industry and the difficult process of getting incentives.</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"">Most of such industries are operting in the Bara-Parsa corridor. There are nine industries in this corridor and four in Biratnagar.</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 association claims that no industries have benefited from the government incentives due to the cumbersome process even though the government has a policy to rebate the value-added tax paid on exported raw materials. Manoj Chachan, the operator of the Narayani Leather Manufacturing Industry, said that it is very difficult to get incentive from the government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the industrialists, the low customs duty on raw materials for the leather industry in India, Nepal's high rate of customs duty, and the inconvenient process of receiving incentives have increased the cost of domestic production. "The leather we produce is up to 35 percent more expensive than the leather produced in India. We have not been able to compete in the external market,”said Iftikar.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the association, leather exports have been declining every year due to the inability of the domestic industries to compete in the international 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"">According to the association, up to five years ago, Nepal used to export leather worth Rs 750 million annually. In the last Fiscal Year 2077/78, the size of export dropped to Rs 150 million. Nepal exports wet blue, crust, and finished leather.</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 manufacturers claim that the industries won't have a significant contribution to the promotion of home-grown products and creation of employment opportunities unless the government adopts a leather industry-friendly policy.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14174', 'image' => '20211206051124_20211017023544_20210914025646_Leathertools.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 17:10:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14428', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'DAO Mustang Tightens Entry of Tourists amid Risk of Omicron Variant', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The District Administration Office, Mustang has tightened the entry of visitors to Mustang, taking the risk of infection of a new variant of Covid-19, Omicron into account. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 6: The District Administration Office, Mustang has tightened the entry of visitors to Mustang, taking the risk of infection of a new variant of Covid-19, Omicron into account. Mustang had started receiving more domestic as well as foreign tourists after the end of the second wave of Covid-19 infection. According to Chief District Officer Netra Prasad Sharma, the decision of tightening the entry was made after the emerging cases of new Omicron variant in foreign countries as well as in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, entry of foreign citizens who do not have a PCR negative report within the last seven days or a vaccine card or antigen test report within the last 72 hours will not be allowed to enter the district. However, the meeting of the District Covid-19 Management Committee has decided that this condition will not apply to the permanent residents of Mustang and fully vaccinated staff, teachers and security personnel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The restriction has come into force from midnight of December 1 and will remain in place till December 15, informed CDO Sharma.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Besides, strict orders have been issued not to conduct various activities in the district,” said CDO Sharma, adding, “Most of the foreign as well as domestic tourists aspire to visit Mustang. At a time when new variants are spreading in different countries, entry to Mustang has been tightened to minimize the risk of infection of Omicron reaching Mustang via tourists.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The committee meeting has also issued orders not to gather in large numbers at public places and not to organize religious and cultural fairs, celebrations, parties and open markets. Similarly, the order has prohibited the participation of more than 25 persons in case of conducting urgent rituals like marriage, the coming of age ceremony and funerals. (With inputs from RSS)</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> <br /> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14173', 'image' => '20211206042408_20200327012430_459932_589579011065826_229923417_o.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 16:23:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14427', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Confirms First Two Cases of Omicron Variant ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The Government of Nepal has confirmed first two cases of Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: The Government of Nepal has confirmed first two cases of Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A foreign national and a Nepali person, who recently reached Nepal, have been confirmed to have contracted the new variant, according to the Ministry of Health and Population. The infected Nepali person is found to have been in contact with the infected foreign national. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministry organised a press conference in the presence of Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada following the confirmation of the variant on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The new variant was confirmed from tests carried out on 66 people who arrived in Nepal from foreign countries alongside the infected persons, according secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population Dr Roshan Pokharel. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Following the confirmation, the ministry has urged people to stay alert and follow the health protocols. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14172', 'image' => '20211206035907_Omi.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 15:58:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14426', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Delays Releasing Rs 1.5 Billion for SSF as Promised in Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The government has delayed releasing Rs 1.5 billion for the Social Security Fund (SSF) as promised while announcing the budget.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: The government has delayed releasing Rs 1.5 billion for the Social Security Fund (SSF) as promised while announcing the budget. </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"">While presenting the budget for the Fiscal Year 2020/21, the then Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel had announced that the government would make contribution to SSF on behalf of the workers for two months as part of the policy to provide relief to the workers affected by the COVID pandemic. </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"">Following the announcement, the SSF also issued a notice to the companies that the employers need not deposit the amount of May and June of 2021. However, the government has not released the funds yet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Social Security Fund, the Ministry of Finance should deposit around Rs 1.5 billion on behalf of the 175,000 contributors as per the announced made by the government. The SSF had submitted a claim to the Ministry of Finance through the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security this June. However, the SSF has not received any response so far, said Vivek Panthi, director of the SSF.</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 informed the contributors not to deposit the contributions of May and June as per the provisions in the budget," he said. However, the government has not released the funds yet," he added. He further said there is no need to panic as it is in the process of release. </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 to contribute to SSF on behalf of the employers at a time when the private sector was hit hard by the lockdown enforced to curb coronavirus infections. The government had announced to contribute more than one billion rupees. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the officials of the Ministry of Finance, the fund will be released soon. They say that the process has been delayed since there are other priorities than this issue.</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 record of the SSF shows the number of employees joining the fund is increasing in the post-pandemic period. As of December 1, a total of 15,892 employers have joined the fund while 298,000 employees have been listed in SSF.</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 fund has collected Rs. 10.73 billion from contributors during this period. More than 10,600 contributors have claimed facilities from the fund and Rs. 481.2 million has been paid for the claims. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14171', 'image' => '20211206015510_SSF (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 13:54:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14425', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEA to Build Infrastructure along Bara-Parsa Corridor to Increase Electricity Consumption', 'sub_title' => 'Short and long term plans afoot to consume 2,000 MW Electricity in 5 Years', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is planning to build infrastructure to consume 2,000 MW of electricity within five years in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor of Province 2 under the campaign to consume electricity generated within the country.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is planning to build infrastructure to consume 2,000 MW of electricity within five years in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor of Province 2 under the campaign to consume electricity generated within the country.</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"">NEA is going to build infrastructure related to power transmission and distribution in Simara, Nijgadh, Birgunj, Parwanipur, Pokhariya, Prasauni and other areas of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor targeting the industries currently in operation and those opening in the coming days.</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"">NEA has been working with high priority to expand and strengthen the infrastructure under short-term and long-term plans to increase the consumption of electricity by providing reliable and quality electricity to the industries. NEA has put forward the concept of construction of a 400 KV transmission line along the Postal Highway for the expansion of power lines in the Terai region.</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 order to make the power supply of industries in Simara and Birgunj region reliable, work is underway to add new towers and remove old conductors. This is expected to increase the capacity of Hetauda-Parwanipur 66 KV double circuit transmission line. As the capacity of the transmission line will be almost doubled after the completion of the work, additional power supply can be provided to the industries.</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"">There is a plan to build a new substation in Piluwa area of Bara connecting the Hetauda-Dhalkebar 400 KV transmission line that is under construction. Similarly, a substation is being constructed in Pokhariya of Parsa. NEA will immediately provide 200 MW of electricity to the industries operating in Simara and Parwanipur areas under the short-term plan to increase electricity consumption. The steel industries operating in the area have been demanding more electricity for capacity expansion. </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"">Up to 200 MW additional power can be provided to the industries operating in Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor for the moment. An additional load of 20.5 MW has been approved for Ashok Steel. As the industry currently has 16 MVA capacity transformers, electricity can be supplied according to the same capacity. NEA has stated that they can supply as much electricity as demanded after adding transformers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14170', 'image' => '20211206011518_electricity.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 13:14:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14424', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Birgunj Customs Sees Over Three Times Increment in Export', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Export of Nepali products to neighbouring India and other countries through Birgunj customs has increased significantly in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (FY 2021/22). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Export of Nepali products to neighbouring India and other countries through Birgunj customs has increased significantly in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (FY 2021/22)<strong>. </strong></span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The country’s main trade and transit point has witnessed more than three times increment in the export of Nepali products as compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. The new fiscal year begins in mid-July in Nepal. Products worth over Rs 39.5 billion were exported in the first quarter of the current fiscal year against the export of goods worth Rs 12.4 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Trade and business have eased following the decline in COVID-19 cases across the world, which has contributed to the increase in the export of Nepali products, said the information officer at the customs office, Sumit Gupta. The exported goods included refined soybean oil, refined palm oil, fruit juice, refined sunflower oil, soybean oil seed cake and medicinal herbs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The office has collected over Rs 70.1 billion in revenue in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, which is Rs 26 billion more than Rs 43.6 billion collected in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14169', 'image' => '20211206075410_20210516024759_20210118020708_1610926784.Clipboard08 (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 07:53:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14423', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal's Export Increases Cent Percent in the First 4 Months of Current FY', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: The export of goods and services has increased by cent percent in the last four months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: The export of goods and services has increased by cent percent in the last four months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, the export from Nepal in the first month of the current fiscal year has increased by 115.85 percent compared to last year. In the second, third and fourth months, export increased by 115.43 percent, 109.54 percent and 104.29 percent in August, September and October, respectively. Nepal's export has increased by cent percent this year by exporting refined oil after importing crude oil. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the first four months of the current fiscal year, Nepal has exported goods and services worth Rs 82.12 billion. The share of palm oil, soybean oil and sunflower oil in Nepal’s export alone is 57.8 percent. During this period, Nepal exported refined edible oil (soybean, palm and sunflower) worth Rs. 47.46 billion. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the four-month report of the Trade and Export Promotion Center (TEPC), soybean oil accounted for 32.15 per cent of Nepal’s export followed by palm oil (23.16 per cent) and sunflower oil (2.48 per cent).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Krishna Raj Bajagain, a senior official at the TEPC said the rise in the export of palm, soybean and sunflower has led to a cent percent increase in export. He said this volume of export needs to be sustainable and asked the government to hold talks with the Indian government to ensure stability of current exports. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He further added, that the government as well as the private sector and civil society should emphasize on this matter and focus on the implementation of the South Asian Free Trade Organization (SAFTA) as there is a provision of waiver on value added goods.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Last year, India banned import of refined palm oil which had a major impact on Nepal's exports. Due to the ban, palm oil worth Rs 400,000 had only been exported in the review period of the last fiscal year. Meanwhile, palm oil worth Rs 19.2 billion has been exported in the last four months. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rabi Sainju, former joint secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies agrees that growth in export is induced by the export of oil which cannot be considered as sustainable growth. The current volume of export has been possible due to the differences in duty. As soon as India removes tax applied on such exports, Nepal's investment and export both would be at risk. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He argues that it would be appropriate to move to a quota system if oil exports can't be sustained for a long-term. He stressed that Nepal should take it positively if India starts a quota system on oil exports. Nepal can benefit from the quota system to some extent. He said that there is no alternative to increase production to increase the export of Nepali goods. And multinational companies are coming to Indian, Chinese markets which should be targeted for exports.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14168', 'image' => '20211205064545_20210702051202_20191103092810_20190807121918_Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 18:44:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14422', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'FNCCI Urges Government to simplify Procedural Difficulties in Taxation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has drawn the government’s attention to simplify the policy and procedural difficulties related to taxation.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has drawn the government’s attention to simplify the policy and procedural difficulties related to taxation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the FNCCI, the industrialists have been facing many practical difficulties as the provisions in the law are interpreted differently by the government bodies.</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 a meeting with director general of the Inland Revenue Department Shova Kant Poudel on Thursday, a delegation from FNCCI urged the tax authority to simplify the provision of advance tax payment system and recognise the invoice where the transactions are actually done at a lower rate than the cost price. The taxpayer should be able to settle the amount of advance tax filing by splitting it in two fiscal years or the next fiscal year, FNCCI said. Likewise, as per article 54 of the Industrial Enterprise Act 2076, the tax on amount spent for corporate social responsibility should be deducted in income tax.</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"">They also drew the attention of the government in delayed implementation of the court’s verdicts on tax-related cases.</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, they suggested the effective implementation of getting tax payment certificate online as soon as possible.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14167', 'image' => '20211205035644_20201126120607_1606367319.fncci (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 15:56:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14421', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '27th CAN INFOTECH to be held from February 1', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: The 27th edition of CAN Infotech is all set to be organized at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu from February 1, 2022.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: The 27th edition of CAN Infotech is all set to be organized at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu from February 1, 2022.The Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) has been organizing this event annually. The main objective of the event is to introduce new technologies developed in the field of information and communication technology and formulating necessary strategies for the development of this sector. The 27th edition of CAN Infotech was scheduled to be held from 11<sup><span style="font-size:7.0pt">th</span></sup> to 16<sup><span style="font-size:7.0pt">th</span></sup> of May, 2021. But due to the widespread effect of Covid-19 pandemic, the event had been postponed until further notice.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">CAN member organizations as well as various national and international IT and communication companies attend the CAN Infotech every year. Attendees will be able to observe and purchase innovative information and communication technologies and future technologies as well as equipment all in one place. Organizers say that this interaction will serve as a golden opportunity for IT companies to expand their market, find customer needs, conduct market surveys, launch new products and build customer relationships.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">CAN Infotech 2022 will include branding, ICT accessories, game parlors, product launches, start-ups, robotics, emerging technologies, e-waste management, WiFi and Internet and learning centers. The 26th edition of CAN Infotech had been attended by over 3.5 million people and the organizers expect the same number of attendees in this year’s event as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14166', 'image' => '20211205034728_20160203125002_can_info.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 15:46:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14420', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Two More Companies Join Service to Transport Containers to Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: Competition among private companies of India has increased after the amendment to the Nepal-India Railway Service Agreement opened the way for private railway companies to trnasport containers to and from Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: Competition among private companies of India has increased after the amendment to the Nepal-India Railway Service Agreement opened the way for private railway companies to trnasport containers to and from Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the last three months, the number of such companies providing transportation services to Nepal from Indian ports has reached three.</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"">Earlier, the Container Corporation of India (CONCAR) enjoyed a monopoly but now three companies are providing transportation services to Birgunj Dry Port. Pristine Logistics InfraProjects, the main partner of the company in charge of dry port operations, has also started shipping from Kolkata and Visakhapatnam in India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to trade and market manager of Pristine Mohammad Nabil Akhtar, their train arrived at the Birgunj dry port on Saturday carrying containers from Visakhapatnam port.</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 also started their service from Kolkata port in India to Birgunj. Akhtar informed that a few days ago, 90 containers of industrial raw materials, plastics, electronic goods, readymade garments and other goods were sent to Birgunj from Kolkata port. The Hind Terminal, which started operating two months ago, has so far brought eight racks to the dry port. JM Baxi Group, which is active in port and railway services in India, has also started preparations for the transporting containers to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The railway agreement between Nepal and India in 2004 gave CONCAR a monopoly on rail transport. Following an amendment to the agreement, private companies of Nepal and India are allowed to provide the service at competitive rates.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal Railway Company, however, has not started its work yet.</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"">CONCAR has slashed its freight rates after its rival companies began shipping overseas cargo to Nepal. The company had informed that they had reduced the fare on the same day Hind Terminal transported racks to Birgunj.</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"">After CONCAR reduced fares by 30 to 35 percent, other companies also reduced their fares. However, the Nepali importers and exporters have not been able to reap the benefit of reduced fares till now.</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"">Ashok Kumar Temani, coordinator of the Road Transport and Transit Committee of FNCCI Province 2 says that Nepal's foreign trade has not been able to reap the benefits even though other companies have offered services in a competitive rate.</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"">Entrepreneurs complained that they have not been able to take advantage of the competition in shipping as the shipping company transports containers to Birgunj port itself and also conducts train fare transactions with CONCAR.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the traders, the shipping companies are the ones that are taking advantage of the reduction in fares by CONCAR. Former president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pradip Kedia said that there was no reduction in transportation cost even after the monopoly of CONCAR came to an end.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14165', 'image' => '20211205030511_20190203033522_IMG_9262.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 15:04:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14419', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt Approves Tax Rebate of Rs 34 Billion in Last 7 Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: Looking at the statistics of the last seven years, the government has refunded around Rs 34 billion of tax amount.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: Looking at the statistics of the last seven years, the government has refunded around Rs 34 billion of tax amount.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Inland Revenue Department, the government has released Rs 33.69 billion for tax refund claims of Rs 57.49 billion between 2071 BS to 2078 BS. The department informed that the number of individuals claiming tax refunds has increased.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the last fiscal year 2077/78, the department approved the release of Rs 3.95 billion as refund out of the total claims of Rs 19.24 billion. The department rejected the claims made for tax refund of the remaining Rs 15.29 billion. </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"">Seven years ago, the government had released Rs. 5.5 billion as tax refund out of the total claims of Rs 9.91 billion. The government has been providing tax rebate especially to diplomatic missions and for subsidies announced by the government.</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"">Lately, the number of claims for tax refund from diplomats has also been increasing. Out of the total tax refunds made in the last fiscal year 2077/78, only Rs 1.25 billion were refunded to diplomatic missions and diplomats.</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"">Raju Prasad Pyakurel, information officer of the department, said that tax refund is less compared to the claims made because the claimants do not submit the proper invoice and also do not complete the required process.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, Article 25 of the Value Added Tax Act, 2052 BS has a provision to refund taxes to diplomats and diplomatic missions if they make claims within 3 years from the date of transaction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, the government has refunded the tax paid by foreign tourists on purchases, re-exports, contracts, or contracts paid by the pharmaceutical industry. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Former joint secretary Nirmal Hari Adhikari says there has been an increase in revenue exemption lately. In addition to the exemptions provided by the tax law and the financial act of the year concerned, the scope of revenue collection seems to have shrunk due to the exemption of revenue in line with the decisions taken by various government bodies and institutions, he shared. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He added that it is necessary to stop the trend of arbitrary tax withdrawal based on the decisions of the Council of Ministers seen in recent years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14164', 'image' => '20211205020640_Untitled.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 14:05:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14418', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Mountain Academy to Produce Sixth Batch of Skiers ', 'sub_title' => 'Deadline for Application Open Until December 16', 'summary' => 'December 5: Nepal Mountain Academy, the government-run academic institution under Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, is gearing to produce 28 skiers. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 5: Nepal Mountain Academy, the government-run academic institution under Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, is gearing to produce 28 skiers. The trained skiers for the adventurous sports will be produced from two different training programmes, informed NMA. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The first category of training will be for 20 participants for a week which is titled 'Ski Level-1 Training'. Likewise, another 11-day-long training would be for eight potential participants which is titled as 'Ski Level-2 Training'. For Ski Level-2 Training, participants must have accomplished Ski Level-1 Training. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A public notice of the training has been made public last Thursday and the deadline for application is open until December 16. The training fee for both categories is Rs 5,000. Participants have to bear their own expenses for travel, accommodation and other related insurance packages. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">''This is our sixth batch enrollment for both categories,'' informed Uttam Babu Bhattarai, the director and the spokesperson at the NMA, ''We are preparing to promote winter tourism in our Himalayan regions and skiing is an indispensable part of it.'' </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Bhattarai said it their first priority to produce more and more skilled skiers to promote this neglected part of Nepal's tourism. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14163', 'image' => '20211205103909_NMA.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 10:37:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14417', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'WHO urges South-East Asia to Strengthen COVID-19 Response Measures ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: Following the confirmation of two cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 in India, the World Health Organisation has urged the South-East Asia Region to further consolidate COVID-19 response measures to control the spread of the virus and its variants. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 5: Following the confirmation of two cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 in India, the World Health Organisation has urged the South-East Asia Region to further consolidate COVID-19 response measures to control the spread of the virus and its variants. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Strengthening surveillance to rapidly detect import of any new variant and transmission of existing virus and its variants, implementing calibrated public health and social measures and scaling up vaccination coverage should continue to be our focus," said Regional Director of the WHO South-East Asia Region, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, in a statement issued on Friday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">India on Thursday confirmed two cases of the new variant which the WHO has categorized as 'of concern' within a week of the announcement of the spread of the virus. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As part of the surveillance, countries should ensure that they set up early warning systems, comprising multiple indicators such as rapid increase in cases and test positivity rates apart from monitoring whether there is a pressure on health care system such as bed occupancy in wards and intensive care units, she stressed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We cannot and should not let the virus and its variants spread and mutate further and continue to challenge us. We need to do everything we can to curtail their spread. We know what to do. The pandemic has lasted just too long and is draining our precious human and other resources. We need to stop this," she stressed. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14162', 'image' => '20211205081741_Kundan-WHO-reforms-edited_WHO.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 08:17:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14416', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal, Qatar Agree to Revise 2005 Labour Agreement ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 3: Nepal and Qatar have agreed to revise the Bilateral Labour Agreement.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 3: Nepal and Qatar have agreed to revise the Bilateral Labour Agreement. The two sides agreed to revise the 2005 pact during the fourth meeting of the Nepal –Qatar Joint Committee held recently. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Qatar has accepted Nepal’s proposal for its support for socio-economic reintegration of the Nepali migrant workers who have returned from Qatar – which is one of the top labour destinations among the Nepali migrant workers. Likewise, the Gulf nation has also agreed to further systematize the Qatar Visa Centre. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, the Government of Qatar has given its nod to establish a training center at all provinces of Nepal targeting capacity enhancement of workers to be hired from Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the meeting, the Nepali side was urged to lift a ban on hiring domestic helpers from Nepal. In response, the meeting agreed to form a bilateral committee and incorporate the issues in course of revising the labor agreement based on the recommendation of the same committee. </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 Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumers Committee of the Parliament has recommended seven conditions for a destination country to hire domestic labourers from Nepal and directed the government to allow the process only if the criteria is fulfilled.</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"">Qatar is learnt to have expressed its readiness to abide by the recruitment criteria recommended by the parliamentary committee. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The meeting discussed about the guarantee of social security of workers, workplace safety, health and insurance policy among other issues. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Binu Bajracharya, led the Nepali side which also included Under Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pushpa Raj Bhattarai, and Under Secretary at the Ministry of Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security Dr Thaneshwor Bhusal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal presented Nepal’s agenda before the team from Qatar during the meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Mohammed Hassan Al-Obaidli, Secretary for Labour Affairs, Qatar led the Qatar delegation during the meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The diplomatic relation between Nepal and Qatar was established three decades ago. The two countries had signed the Labour Agreement in 2005 in a bid to make labour migration safe and systematic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-03', 'modified' => '2021-12-03', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14161', 'image' => '20211203094055_Nepal-Qatar (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-03 21:39:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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' => '14430', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Airlines Corporation Permitted to Carry Dangerous Goods ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag carrier of Nepal, has been permitted to transport dangerous goods, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 7: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag carrier of Nepal, has been permitted to transport dangerous goods, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS. This is so far the first time in its operational history of 63 years that the state-owned Airlines company has been allowed to carry dangerous goods in international flights. </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"">RSS confirmed that the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the aviation regulatory body of the country, has granted permission to Nepal Airlines Corporation to transport dangerous goods. Earlier, the national flag carrier had been transporting dangerous goods by obtaining license every three months. Now it has been provided with permanent license for such consignment. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This is expected to ease the process of carrying drugs of various categories and electronic goods in the coming days. The NAC also expects this license to enhance the effectiveness of its aviation service. </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 RSS, the NAC's wide-body aircraft A 330 with bearing capacity of around 14 tons cargo will be used for transporting dangerous goods. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CAAN's Director General Rajkumar Chhetri reportedly handed over the license to NAC Executive Director Yubaraj Adhikari amidst a programme attended by Minister for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, RSS quoted Tourism Minister Ale as saying that it was an achievement for Nepal to get approval for importing and exporting dangerous goods. He added that this will also end the hassles in the export and import and increase the income of NAC. </span></span></span><br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-07', 'modified' => '2021-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14175', 'image' => '20211207081308_Clipboard08(48).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-07 08:12:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14429', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Leather Industrialists Call for Removal of Import Tariffs on Raw Materials', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Domestic leather manufacturers of Nepal have urged the government to remove all kinds of tariffs on import of raw materials stating that competition in the international market has become difficult due to the high tariffs. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: Domestic leather manufacturers of Nepal have urged the government to remove all kinds of tariffs on import of raw materials stating that competition in the international market has become difficult due to the high tariffs. They argued that their business is on the verge of closure due to the stiff competition after India reduced the import duty on all types of raw materials required for leather to zero to protect its industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The manufacturers say that their industry is on the verge of closure as they cannot compete with the Indian leather. The main markets for leather manufactured in Nepal are India and China.</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"">Mohammad Junaid Iftikar, general secretary of the Nepal Leather Tanners Association, said that since most of the leathers produced are exported, the government should waive customs duty and VAT to help the industries survive and compete in the foreign market. He said that the cost of production has gone up due to a surge in the price of raw materials and transportation costs, along with tariffs on imports.</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 industrialists collect the main raw material, rawhides, from the domestic market. Other auxiliary raw materials required for leather processing are dependent on imports. According to the industrialists, they pay around 30 to 35 percent of tariffs at the customs point for the import of such raw materials.</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"">Iftikar also opined that the incentive policy implemented for promoting the leather industry is cumbersome and discourages industrialists. Secretary-General Iftikar expressed concern over the high risk of investment in the raw material industry and the difficult process of getting incentives.</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"">Most of such industries are operting in the Bara-Parsa corridor. There are nine industries in this corridor and four in Biratnagar.</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 association claims that no industries have benefited from the government incentives due to the cumbersome process even though the government has a policy to rebate the value-added tax paid on exported raw materials. Manoj Chachan, the operator of the Narayani Leather Manufacturing Industry, said that it is very difficult to get incentive from the government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the industrialists, the low customs duty on raw materials for the leather industry in India, Nepal's high rate of customs duty, and the inconvenient process of receiving incentives have increased the cost of domestic production. "The leather we produce is up to 35 percent more expensive than the leather produced in India. We have not been able to compete in the external market,”said Iftikar.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the association, leather exports have been declining every year due to the inability of the domestic industries to compete in the international 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"">According to the association, up to five years ago, Nepal used to export leather worth Rs 750 million annually. In the last Fiscal Year 2077/78, the size of export dropped to Rs 150 million. Nepal exports wet blue, crust, and finished leather.</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 manufacturers claim that the industries won't have a significant contribution to the promotion of home-grown products and creation of employment opportunities unless the government adopts a leather industry-friendly policy.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14174', 'image' => '20211206051124_20211017023544_20210914025646_Leathertools.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 17:10:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14428', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'DAO Mustang Tightens Entry of Tourists amid Risk of Omicron Variant', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The District Administration Office, Mustang has tightened the entry of visitors to Mustang, taking the risk of infection of a new variant of Covid-19, Omicron into account. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 6: The District Administration Office, Mustang has tightened the entry of visitors to Mustang, taking the risk of infection of a new variant of Covid-19, Omicron into account. Mustang had started receiving more domestic as well as foreign tourists after the end of the second wave of Covid-19 infection. According to Chief District Officer Netra Prasad Sharma, the decision of tightening the entry was made after the emerging cases of new Omicron variant in foreign countries as well as in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, entry of foreign citizens who do not have a PCR negative report within the last seven days or a vaccine card or antigen test report within the last 72 hours will not be allowed to enter the district. However, the meeting of the District Covid-19 Management Committee has decided that this condition will not apply to the permanent residents of Mustang and fully vaccinated staff, teachers and security personnel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The restriction has come into force from midnight of December 1 and will remain in place till December 15, informed CDO Sharma.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Besides, strict orders have been issued not to conduct various activities in the district,” said CDO Sharma, adding, “Most of the foreign as well as domestic tourists aspire to visit Mustang. At a time when new variants are spreading in different countries, entry to Mustang has been tightened to minimize the risk of infection of Omicron reaching Mustang via tourists.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The committee meeting has also issued orders not to gather in large numbers at public places and not to organize religious and cultural fairs, celebrations, parties and open markets. Similarly, the order has prohibited the participation of more than 25 persons in case of conducting urgent rituals like marriage, the coming of age ceremony and funerals. (With inputs from RSS)</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> <br /> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14173', 'image' => '20211206042408_20200327012430_459932_589579011065826_229923417_o.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 16:23:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14427', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Confirms First Two Cases of Omicron Variant ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The Government of Nepal has confirmed first two cases of Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: The Government of Nepal has confirmed first two cases of Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A foreign national and a Nepali person, who recently reached Nepal, have been confirmed to have contracted the new variant, according to the Ministry of Health and Population. The infected Nepali person is found to have been in contact with the infected foreign national. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministry organised a press conference in the presence of Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada following the confirmation of the variant on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The new variant was confirmed from tests carried out on 66 people who arrived in Nepal from foreign countries alongside the infected persons, according secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population Dr Roshan Pokharel. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Following the confirmation, the ministry has urged people to stay alert and follow the health protocols. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14172', 'image' => '20211206035907_Omi.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 15:58:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14426', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Delays Releasing Rs 1.5 Billion for SSF as Promised in Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The government has delayed releasing Rs 1.5 billion for the Social Security Fund (SSF) as promised while announcing the budget.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: The government has delayed releasing Rs 1.5 billion for the Social Security Fund (SSF) as promised while announcing the budget. </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"">While presenting the budget for the Fiscal Year 2020/21, the then Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel had announced that the government would make contribution to SSF on behalf of the workers for two months as part of the policy to provide relief to the workers affected by the COVID pandemic. </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"">Following the announcement, the SSF also issued a notice to the companies that the employers need not deposit the amount of May and June of 2021. However, the government has not released the funds yet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Social Security Fund, the Ministry of Finance should deposit around Rs 1.5 billion on behalf of the 175,000 contributors as per the announced made by the government. The SSF had submitted a claim to the Ministry of Finance through the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security this June. However, the SSF has not received any response so far, said Vivek Panthi, director of the SSF.</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 informed the contributors not to deposit the contributions of May and June as per the provisions in the budget," he said. However, the government has not released the funds yet," he added. He further said there is no need to panic as it is in the process of release. </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 to contribute to SSF on behalf of the employers at a time when the private sector was hit hard by the lockdown enforced to curb coronavirus infections. The government had announced to contribute more than one billion rupees. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the officials of the Ministry of Finance, the fund will be released soon. They say that the process has been delayed since there are other priorities than this issue.</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 record of the SSF shows the number of employees joining the fund is increasing in the post-pandemic period. As of December 1, a total of 15,892 employers have joined the fund while 298,000 employees have been listed in SSF.</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 fund has collected Rs. 10.73 billion from contributors during this period. More than 10,600 contributors have claimed facilities from the fund and Rs. 481.2 million has been paid for the claims. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14171', 'image' => '20211206015510_SSF (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 13:54:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14425', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEA to Build Infrastructure along Bara-Parsa Corridor to Increase Electricity Consumption', 'sub_title' => 'Short and long term plans afoot to consume 2,000 MW Electricity in 5 Years', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is planning to build infrastructure to consume 2,000 MW of electricity within five years in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor of Province 2 under the campaign to consume electricity generated within the country.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is planning to build infrastructure to consume 2,000 MW of electricity within five years in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor of Province 2 under the campaign to consume electricity generated within the country.</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"">NEA is going to build infrastructure related to power transmission and distribution in Simara, Nijgadh, Birgunj, Parwanipur, Pokhariya, Prasauni and other areas of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor targeting the industries currently in operation and those opening in the coming days.</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"">NEA has been working with high priority to expand and strengthen the infrastructure under short-term and long-term plans to increase the consumption of electricity by providing reliable and quality electricity to the industries. NEA has put forward the concept of construction of a 400 KV transmission line along the Postal Highway for the expansion of power lines in the Terai region.</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 order to make the power supply of industries in Simara and Birgunj region reliable, work is underway to add new towers and remove old conductors. This is expected to increase the capacity of Hetauda-Parwanipur 66 KV double circuit transmission line. As the capacity of the transmission line will be almost doubled after the completion of the work, additional power supply can be provided to the industries.</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"">There is a plan to build a new substation in Piluwa area of Bara connecting the Hetauda-Dhalkebar 400 KV transmission line that is under construction. Similarly, a substation is being constructed in Pokhariya of Parsa. NEA will immediately provide 200 MW of electricity to the industries operating in Simara and Parwanipur areas under the short-term plan to increase electricity consumption. The steel industries operating in the area have been demanding more electricity for capacity expansion. </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"">Up to 200 MW additional power can be provided to the industries operating in Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor for the moment. An additional load of 20.5 MW has been approved for Ashok Steel. As the industry currently has 16 MVA capacity transformers, electricity can be supplied according to the same capacity. NEA has stated that they can supply as much electricity as demanded after adding transformers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14170', 'image' => '20211206011518_electricity.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 13:14:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14424', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Birgunj Customs Sees Over Three Times Increment in Export', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Export of Nepali products to neighbouring India and other countries through Birgunj customs has increased significantly in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (FY 2021/22). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Export of Nepali products to neighbouring India and other countries through Birgunj customs has increased significantly in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (FY 2021/22)<strong>. </strong></span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The country’s main trade and transit point has witnessed more than three times increment in the export of Nepali products as compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. The new fiscal year begins in mid-July in Nepal. Products worth over Rs 39.5 billion were exported in the first quarter of the current fiscal year against the export of goods worth Rs 12.4 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Trade and business have eased following the decline in COVID-19 cases across the world, which has contributed to the increase in the export of Nepali products, said the information officer at the customs office, Sumit Gupta. The exported goods included refined soybean oil, refined palm oil, fruit juice, refined sunflower oil, soybean oil seed cake and medicinal herbs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The office has collected over Rs 70.1 billion in revenue in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, which is Rs 26 billion more than Rs 43.6 billion collected in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14169', 'image' => '20211206075410_20210516024759_20210118020708_1610926784.Clipboard08 (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 07:53:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14423', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal's Export Increases Cent Percent in the First 4 Months of Current FY', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: The export of goods and services has increased by cent percent in the last four months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: The export of goods and services has increased by cent percent in the last four months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, the export from Nepal in the first month of the current fiscal year has increased by 115.85 percent compared to last year. In the second, third and fourth months, export increased by 115.43 percent, 109.54 percent and 104.29 percent in August, September and October, respectively. Nepal's export has increased by cent percent this year by exporting refined oil after importing crude oil. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the first four months of the current fiscal year, Nepal has exported goods and services worth Rs 82.12 billion. The share of palm oil, soybean oil and sunflower oil in Nepal’s export alone is 57.8 percent. During this period, Nepal exported refined edible oil (soybean, palm and sunflower) worth Rs. 47.46 billion. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the four-month report of the Trade and Export Promotion Center (TEPC), soybean oil accounted for 32.15 per cent of Nepal’s export followed by palm oil (23.16 per cent) and sunflower oil (2.48 per cent).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Krishna Raj Bajagain, a senior official at the TEPC said the rise in the export of palm, soybean and sunflower has led to a cent percent increase in export. He said this volume of export needs to be sustainable and asked the government to hold talks with the Indian government to ensure stability of current exports. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He further added, that the government as well as the private sector and civil society should emphasize on this matter and focus on the implementation of the South Asian Free Trade Organization (SAFTA) as there is a provision of waiver on value added goods.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Last year, India banned import of refined palm oil which had a major impact on Nepal's exports. Due to the ban, palm oil worth Rs 400,000 had only been exported in the review period of the last fiscal year. Meanwhile, palm oil worth Rs 19.2 billion has been exported in the last four months. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rabi Sainju, former joint secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies agrees that growth in export is induced by the export of oil which cannot be considered as sustainable growth. The current volume of export has been possible due to the differences in duty. As soon as India removes tax applied on such exports, Nepal's investment and export both would be at risk. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He argues that it would be appropriate to move to a quota system if oil exports can't be sustained for a long-term. He stressed that Nepal should take it positively if India starts a quota system on oil exports. Nepal can benefit from the quota system to some extent. He said that there is no alternative to increase production to increase the export of Nepali goods. And multinational companies are coming to Indian, Chinese markets which should be targeted for exports.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14168', 'image' => '20211205064545_20210702051202_20191103092810_20190807121918_Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 18:44:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14422', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'FNCCI Urges Government to simplify Procedural Difficulties in Taxation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has drawn the government’s attention to simplify the policy and procedural difficulties related to taxation.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has drawn the government’s attention to simplify the policy and procedural difficulties related to taxation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the FNCCI, the industrialists have been facing many practical difficulties as the provisions in the law are interpreted differently by the government bodies.</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 a meeting with director general of the Inland Revenue Department Shova Kant Poudel on Thursday, a delegation from FNCCI urged the tax authority to simplify the provision of advance tax payment system and recognise the invoice where the transactions are actually done at a lower rate than the cost price. The taxpayer should be able to settle the amount of advance tax filing by splitting it in two fiscal years or the next fiscal year, FNCCI said. Likewise, as per article 54 of the Industrial Enterprise Act 2076, the tax on amount spent for corporate social responsibility should be deducted in income tax.</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"">They also drew the attention of the government in delayed implementation of the court’s verdicts on tax-related cases.</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, they suggested the effective implementation of getting tax payment certificate online as soon as possible.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14167', 'image' => '20211205035644_20201126120607_1606367319.fncci (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 15:56:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14421', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '27th CAN INFOTECH to be held from February 1', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: The 27th edition of CAN Infotech is all set to be organized at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu from February 1, 2022.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: The 27th edition of CAN Infotech is all set to be organized at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu from February 1, 2022.The Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) has been organizing this event annually. The main objective of the event is to introduce new technologies developed in the field of information and communication technology and formulating necessary strategies for the development of this sector. The 27th edition of CAN Infotech was scheduled to be held from 11<sup><span style="font-size:7.0pt">th</span></sup> to 16<sup><span style="font-size:7.0pt">th</span></sup> of May, 2021. But due to the widespread effect of Covid-19 pandemic, the event had been postponed until further notice.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">CAN member organizations as well as various national and international IT and communication companies attend the CAN Infotech every year. Attendees will be able to observe and purchase innovative information and communication technologies and future technologies as well as equipment all in one place. Organizers say that this interaction will serve as a golden opportunity for IT companies to expand their market, find customer needs, conduct market surveys, launch new products and build customer relationships.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">CAN Infotech 2022 will include branding, ICT accessories, game parlors, product launches, start-ups, robotics, emerging technologies, e-waste management, WiFi and Internet and learning centers. The 26th edition of CAN Infotech had been attended by over 3.5 million people and the organizers expect the same number of attendees in this year’s event as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14166', 'image' => '20211205034728_20160203125002_can_info.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 15:46:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14420', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Two More Companies Join Service to Transport Containers to Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: Competition among private companies of India has increased after the amendment to the Nepal-India Railway Service Agreement opened the way for private railway companies to trnasport containers to and from Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: Competition among private companies of India has increased after the amendment to the Nepal-India Railway Service Agreement opened the way for private railway companies to trnasport containers to and from Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the last three months, the number of such companies providing transportation services to Nepal from Indian ports has reached three.</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"">Earlier, the Container Corporation of India (CONCAR) enjoyed a monopoly but now three companies are providing transportation services to Birgunj Dry Port. Pristine Logistics InfraProjects, the main partner of the company in charge of dry port operations, has also started shipping from Kolkata and Visakhapatnam in India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to trade and market manager of Pristine Mohammad Nabil Akhtar, their train arrived at the Birgunj dry port on Saturday carrying containers from Visakhapatnam port.</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 also started their service from Kolkata port in India to Birgunj. Akhtar informed that a few days ago, 90 containers of industrial raw materials, plastics, electronic goods, readymade garments and other goods were sent to Birgunj from Kolkata port. The Hind Terminal, which started operating two months ago, has so far brought eight racks to the dry port. JM Baxi Group, which is active in port and railway services in India, has also started preparations for the transporting containers to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The railway agreement between Nepal and India in 2004 gave CONCAR a monopoly on rail transport. Following an amendment to the agreement, private companies of Nepal and India are allowed to provide the service at competitive rates.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal Railway Company, however, has not started its work yet.</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"">CONCAR has slashed its freight rates after its rival companies began shipping overseas cargo to Nepal. The company had informed that they had reduced the fare on the same day Hind Terminal transported racks to Birgunj.</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"">After CONCAR reduced fares by 30 to 35 percent, other companies also reduced their fares. However, the Nepali importers and exporters have not been able to reap the benefit of reduced fares till now.</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"">Ashok Kumar Temani, coordinator of the Road Transport and Transit Committee of FNCCI Province 2 says that Nepal's foreign trade has not been able to reap the benefits even though other companies have offered services in a competitive rate.</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"">Entrepreneurs complained that they have not been able to take advantage of the competition in shipping as the shipping company transports containers to Birgunj port itself and also conducts train fare transactions with CONCAR.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the traders, the shipping companies are the ones that are taking advantage of the reduction in fares by CONCAR. Former president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pradip Kedia said that there was no reduction in transportation cost even after the monopoly of CONCAR came to an end.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14165', 'image' => '20211205030511_20190203033522_IMG_9262.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 15:04:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14419', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt Approves Tax Rebate of Rs 34 Billion in Last 7 Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: Looking at the statistics of the last seven years, the government has refunded around Rs 34 billion of tax amount.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: Looking at the statistics of the last seven years, the government has refunded around Rs 34 billion of tax amount.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Inland Revenue Department, the government has released Rs 33.69 billion for tax refund claims of Rs 57.49 billion between 2071 BS to 2078 BS. The department informed that the number of individuals claiming tax refunds has increased.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the last fiscal year 2077/78, the department approved the release of Rs 3.95 billion as refund out of the total claims of Rs 19.24 billion. The department rejected the claims made for tax refund of the remaining Rs 15.29 billion. </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"">Seven years ago, the government had released Rs. 5.5 billion as tax refund out of the total claims of Rs 9.91 billion. The government has been providing tax rebate especially to diplomatic missions and for subsidies announced by the government.</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"">Lately, the number of claims for tax refund from diplomats has also been increasing. Out of the total tax refunds made in the last fiscal year 2077/78, only Rs 1.25 billion were refunded to diplomatic missions and diplomats.</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"">Raju Prasad Pyakurel, information officer of the department, said that tax refund is less compared to the claims made because the claimants do not submit the proper invoice and also do not complete the required process.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, Article 25 of the Value Added Tax Act, 2052 BS has a provision to refund taxes to diplomats and diplomatic missions if they make claims within 3 years from the date of transaction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, the government has refunded the tax paid by foreign tourists on purchases, re-exports, contracts, or contracts paid by the pharmaceutical industry. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Former joint secretary Nirmal Hari Adhikari says there has been an increase in revenue exemption lately. In addition to the exemptions provided by the tax law and the financial act of the year concerned, the scope of revenue collection seems to have shrunk due to the exemption of revenue in line with the decisions taken by various government bodies and institutions, he shared. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He added that it is necessary to stop the trend of arbitrary tax withdrawal based on the decisions of the Council of Ministers seen in recent years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14164', 'image' => '20211205020640_Untitled.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 14:05:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14418', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Mountain Academy to Produce Sixth Batch of Skiers ', 'sub_title' => 'Deadline for Application Open Until December 16', 'summary' => 'December 5: Nepal Mountain Academy, the government-run academic institution under Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, is gearing to produce 28 skiers. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 5: Nepal Mountain Academy, the government-run academic institution under Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, is gearing to produce 28 skiers. The trained skiers for the adventurous sports will be produced from two different training programmes, informed NMA. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The first category of training will be for 20 participants for a week which is titled 'Ski Level-1 Training'. Likewise, another 11-day-long training would be for eight potential participants which is titled as 'Ski Level-2 Training'. For Ski Level-2 Training, participants must have accomplished Ski Level-1 Training. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A public notice of the training has been made public last Thursday and the deadline for application is open until December 16. The training fee for both categories is Rs 5,000. Participants have to bear their own expenses for travel, accommodation and other related insurance packages. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">''This is our sixth batch enrollment for both categories,'' informed Uttam Babu Bhattarai, the director and the spokesperson at the NMA, ''We are preparing to promote winter tourism in our Himalayan regions and skiing is an indispensable part of it.'' </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Bhattarai said it their first priority to produce more and more skilled skiers to promote this neglected part of Nepal's tourism. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14163', 'image' => '20211205103909_NMA.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 10:37:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14417', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'WHO urges South-East Asia to Strengthen COVID-19 Response Measures ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: Following the confirmation of two cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 in India, the World Health Organisation has urged the South-East Asia Region to further consolidate COVID-19 response measures to control the spread of the virus and its variants. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 5: Following the confirmation of two cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 in India, the World Health Organisation has urged the South-East Asia Region to further consolidate COVID-19 response measures to control the spread of the virus and its variants. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Strengthening surveillance to rapidly detect import of any new variant and transmission of existing virus and its variants, implementing calibrated public health and social measures and scaling up vaccination coverage should continue to be our focus," said Regional Director of the WHO South-East Asia Region, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, in a statement issued on Friday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">India on Thursday confirmed two cases of the new variant which the WHO has categorized as 'of concern' within a week of the announcement of the spread of the virus. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As part of the surveillance, countries should ensure that they set up early warning systems, comprising multiple indicators such as rapid increase in cases and test positivity rates apart from monitoring whether there is a pressure on health care system such as bed occupancy in wards and intensive care units, she stressed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We cannot and should not let the virus and its variants spread and mutate further and continue to challenge us. We need to do everything we can to curtail their spread. We know what to do. The pandemic has lasted just too long and is draining our precious human and other resources. We need to stop this," she stressed. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14162', 'image' => '20211205081741_Kundan-WHO-reforms-edited_WHO.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 08:17:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14416', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal, Qatar Agree to Revise 2005 Labour Agreement ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 3: Nepal and Qatar have agreed to revise the Bilateral Labour Agreement.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 3: Nepal and Qatar have agreed to revise the Bilateral Labour Agreement. The two sides agreed to revise the 2005 pact during the fourth meeting of the Nepal –Qatar Joint Committee held recently. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Qatar has accepted Nepal’s proposal for its support for socio-economic reintegration of the Nepali migrant workers who have returned from Qatar – which is one of the top labour destinations among the Nepali migrant workers. Likewise, the Gulf nation has also agreed to further systematize the Qatar Visa Centre. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, the Government of Qatar has given its nod to establish a training center at all provinces of Nepal targeting capacity enhancement of workers to be hired from Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the meeting, the Nepali side was urged to lift a ban on hiring domestic helpers from Nepal. In response, the meeting agreed to form a bilateral committee and incorporate the issues in course of revising the labor agreement based on the recommendation of the same committee. </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 Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumers Committee of the Parliament has recommended seven conditions for a destination country to hire domestic labourers from Nepal and directed the government to allow the process only if the criteria is fulfilled.</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"">Qatar is learnt to have expressed its readiness to abide by the recruitment criteria recommended by the parliamentary committee. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The meeting discussed about the guarantee of social security of workers, workplace safety, health and insurance policy among other issues. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Binu Bajracharya, led the Nepali side which also included Under Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pushpa Raj Bhattarai, and Under Secretary at the Ministry of Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security Dr Thaneshwor Bhusal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal presented Nepal’s agenda before the team from Qatar during the meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Mohammed Hassan Al-Obaidli, Secretary for Labour Affairs, Qatar led the Qatar delegation during the meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The diplomatic relation between Nepal and Qatar was established three decades ago. The two countries had signed the Labour Agreement in 2005 in a bid to make labour migration safe and systematic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-03', 'modified' => '2021-12-03', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14161', 'image' => '20211203094055_Nepal-Qatar (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-03 21:39:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14430', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Airlines Corporation Permitted to Carry Dangerous Goods ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag carrier of Nepal, has been permitted to transport dangerous goods, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 7: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag carrier of Nepal, has been permitted to transport dangerous goods, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS. This is so far the first time in its operational history of 63 years that the state-owned Airlines company has been allowed to carry dangerous goods in international flights. </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"">RSS confirmed that the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the aviation regulatory body of the country, has granted permission to Nepal Airlines Corporation to transport dangerous goods. Earlier, the national flag carrier had been transporting dangerous goods by obtaining license every three months. Now it has been provided with permanent license for such consignment. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This is expected to ease the process of carrying drugs of various categories and electronic goods in the coming days. The NAC also expects this license to enhance the effectiveness of its aviation service. </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 RSS, the NAC's wide-body aircraft A 330 with bearing capacity of around 14 tons cargo will be used for transporting dangerous goods. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CAAN's Director General Rajkumar Chhetri reportedly handed over the license to NAC Executive Director Yubaraj Adhikari amidst a programme attended by Minister for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, RSS quoted Tourism Minister Ale as saying that it was an achievement for Nepal to get approval for importing and exporting dangerous goods. He added that this will also end the hassles in the export and import and increase the income of NAC. </span></span></span><br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-07', 'modified' => '2021-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14175', 'image' => '20211207081308_Clipboard08(48).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-07 08:12:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14429', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Leather Industrialists Call for Removal of Import Tariffs on Raw Materials', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Domestic leather manufacturers of Nepal have urged the government to remove all kinds of tariffs on import of raw materials stating that competition in the international market has become difficult due to the high tariffs. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: Domestic leather manufacturers of Nepal have urged the government to remove all kinds of tariffs on import of raw materials stating that competition in the international market has become difficult due to the high tariffs. They argued that their business is on the verge of closure due to the stiff competition after India reduced the import duty on all types of raw materials required for leather to zero to protect its industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The manufacturers say that their industry is on the verge of closure as they cannot compete with the Indian leather. The main markets for leather manufactured in Nepal are India and China.</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"">Mohammad Junaid Iftikar, general secretary of the Nepal Leather Tanners Association, said that since most of the leathers produced are exported, the government should waive customs duty and VAT to help the industries survive and compete in the foreign market. He said that the cost of production has gone up due to a surge in the price of raw materials and transportation costs, along with tariffs on imports.</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 industrialists collect the main raw material, rawhides, from the domestic market. Other auxiliary raw materials required for leather processing are dependent on imports. According to the industrialists, they pay around 30 to 35 percent of tariffs at the customs point for the import of such raw materials.</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"">Iftikar also opined that the incentive policy implemented for promoting the leather industry is cumbersome and discourages industrialists. Secretary-General Iftikar expressed concern over the high risk of investment in the raw material industry and the difficult process of getting incentives.</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"">Most of such industries are operting in the Bara-Parsa corridor. There are nine industries in this corridor and four in Biratnagar.</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 association claims that no industries have benefited from the government incentives due to the cumbersome process even though the government has a policy to rebate the value-added tax paid on exported raw materials. Manoj Chachan, the operator of the Narayani Leather Manufacturing Industry, said that it is very difficult to get incentive from the government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the industrialists, the low customs duty on raw materials for the leather industry in India, Nepal's high rate of customs duty, and the inconvenient process of receiving incentives have increased the cost of domestic production. "The leather we produce is up to 35 percent more expensive than the leather produced in India. We have not been able to compete in the external market,”said Iftikar.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the association, leather exports have been declining every year due to the inability of the domestic industries to compete in the international 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"">According to the association, up to five years ago, Nepal used to export leather worth Rs 750 million annually. In the last Fiscal Year 2077/78, the size of export dropped to Rs 150 million. Nepal exports wet blue, crust, and finished leather.</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 manufacturers claim that the industries won't have a significant contribution to the promotion of home-grown products and creation of employment opportunities unless the government adopts a leather industry-friendly policy.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14174', 'image' => '20211206051124_20211017023544_20210914025646_Leathertools.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 17:10:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14428', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'DAO Mustang Tightens Entry of Tourists amid Risk of Omicron Variant', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The District Administration Office, Mustang has tightened the entry of visitors to Mustang, taking the risk of infection of a new variant of Covid-19, Omicron into account. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 6: The District Administration Office, Mustang has tightened the entry of visitors to Mustang, taking the risk of infection of a new variant of Covid-19, Omicron into account. Mustang had started receiving more domestic as well as foreign tourists after the end of the second wave of Covid-19 infection. According to Chief District Officer Netra Prasad Sharma, the decision of tightening the entry was made after the emerging cases of new Omicron variant in foreign countries as well as in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, entry of foreign citizens who do not have a PCR negative report within the last seven days or a vaccine card or antigen test report within the last 72 hours will not be allowed to enter the district. However, the meeting of the District Covid-19 Management Committee has decided that this condition will not apply to the permanent residents of Mustang and fully vaccinated staff, teachers and security personnel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The restriction has come into force from midnight of December 1 and will remain in place till December 15, informed CDO Sharma.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Besides, strict orders have been issued not to conduct various activities in the district,” said CDO Sharma, adding, “Most of the foreign as well as domestic tourists aspire to visit Mustang. At a time when new variants are spreading in different countries, entry to Mustang has been tightened to minimize the risk of infection of Omicron reaching Mustang via tourists.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The committee meeting has also issued orders not to gather in large numbers at public places and not to organize religious and cultural fairs, celebrations, parties and open markets. Similarly, the order has prohibited the participation of more than 25 persons in case of conducting urgent rituals like marriage, the coming of age ceremony and funerals. (With inputs from RSS)</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> <br /> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14173', 'image' => '20211206042408_20200327012430_459932_589579011065826_229923417_o.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 16:23:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14427', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Confirms First Two Cases of Omicron Variant ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The Government of Nepal has confirmed first two cases of Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: The Government of Nepal has confirmed first two cases of Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A foreign national and a Nepali person, who recently reached Nepal, have been confirmed to have contracted the new variant, according to the Ministry of Health and Population. The infected Nepali person is found to have been in contact with the infected foreign national. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministry organised a press conference in the presence of Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada following the confirmation of the variant on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The new variant was confirmed from tests carried out on 66 people who arrived in Nepal from foreign countries alongside the infected persons, according secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population Dr Roshan Pokharel. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Following the confirmation, the ministry has urged people to stay alert and follow the health protocols. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14172', 'image' => '20211206035907_Omi.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 15:58:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14426', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Delays Releasing Rs 1.5 Billion for SSF as Promised in Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The government has delayed releasing Rs 1.5 billion for the Social Security Fund (SSF) as promised while announcing the budget.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: The government has delayed releasing Rs 1.5 billion for the Social Security Fund (SSF) as promised while announcing the budget. </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"">While presenting the budget for the Fiscal Year 2020/21, the then Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel had announced that the government would make contribution to SSF on behalf of the workers for two months as part of the policy to provide relief to the workers affected by the COVID pandemic. </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"">Following the announcement, the SSF also issued a notice to the companies that the employers need not deposit the amount of May and June of 2021. However, the government has not released the funds yet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Social Security Fund, the Ministry of Finance should deposit around Rs 1.5 billion on behalf of the 175,000 contributors as per the announced made by the government. The SSF had submitted a claim to the Ministry of Finance through the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security this June. However, the SSF has not received any response so far, said Vivek Panthi, director of the SSF.</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 informed the contributors not to deposit the contributions of May and June as per the provisions in the budget," he said. However, the government has not released the funds yet," he added. He further said there is no need to panic as it is in the process of release. </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 to contribute to SSF on behalf of the employers at a time when the private sector was hit hard by the lockdown enforced to curb coronavirus infections. The government had announced to contribute more than one billion rupees. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the officials of the Ministry of Finance, the fund will be released soon. They say that the process has been delayed since there are other priorities than this issue.</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 record of the SSF shows the number of employees joining the fund is increasing in the post-pandemic period. As of December 1, a total of 15,892 employers have joined the fund while 298,000 employees have been listed in SSF.</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 fund has collected Rs. 10.73 billion from contributors during this period. More than 10,600 contributors have claimed facilities from the fund and Rs. 481.2 million has been paid for the claims. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14171', 'image' => '20211206015510_SSF (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 13:54:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14425', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEA to Build Infrastructure along Bara-Parsa Corridor to Increase Electricity Consumption', 'sub_title' => 'Short and long term plans afoot to consume 2,000 MW Electricity in 5 Years', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is planning to build infrastructure to consume 2,000 MW of electricity within five years in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor of Province 2 under the campaign to consume electricity generated within the country.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is planning to build infrastructure to consume 2,000 MW of electricity within five years in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor of Province 2 under the campaign to consume electricity generated within the country.</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"">NEA is going to build infrastructure related to power transmission and distribution in Simara, Nijgadh, Birgunj, Parwanipur, Pokhariya, Prasauni and other areas of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor targeting the industries currently in operation and those opening in the coming days.</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"">NEA has been working with high priority to expand and strengthen the infrastructure under short-term and long-term plans to increase the consumption of electricity by providing reliable and quality electricity to the industries. NEA has put forward the concept of construction of a 400 KV transmission line along the Postal Highway for the expansion of power lines in the Terai region.</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 order to make the power supply of industries in Simara and Birgunj region reliable, work is underway to add new towers and remove old conductors. This is expected to increase the capacity of Hetauda-Parwanipur 66 KV double circuit transmission line. As the capacity of the transmission line will be almost doubled after the completion of the work, additional power supply can be provided to the industries.</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"">There is a plan to build a new substation in Piluwa area of Bara connecting the Hetauda-Dhalkebar 400 KV transmission line that is under construction. Similarly, a substation is being constructed in Pokhariya of Parsa. NEA will immediately provide 200 MW of electricity to the industries operating in Simara and Parwanipur areas under the short-term plan to increase electricity consumption. The steel industries operating in the area have been demanding more electricity for capacity expansion. </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"">Up to 200 MW additional power can be provided to the industries operating in Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor for the moment. An additional load of 20.5 MW has been approved for Ashok Steel. As the industry currently has 16 MVA capacity transformers, electricity can be supplied according to the same capacity. NEA has stated that they can supply as much electricity as demanded after adding transformers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14170', 'image' => '20211206011518_electricity.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 13:14:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14424', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Birgunj Customs Sees Over Three Times Increment in Export', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Export of Nepali products to neighbouring India and other countries through Birgunj customs has increased significantly in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (FY 2021/22). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Export of Nepali products to neighbouring India and other countries through Birgunj customs has increased significantly in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (FY 2021/22)<strong>. </strong></span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The country’s main trade and transit point has witnessed more than three times increment in the export of Nepali products as compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. The new fiscal year begins in mid-July in Nepal. Products worth over Rs 39.5 billion were exported in the first quarter of the current fiscal year against the export of goods worth Rs 12.4 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Trade and business have eased following the decline in COVID-19 cases across the world, which has contributed to the increase in the export of Nepali products, said the information officer at the customs office, Sumit Gupta. The exported goods included refined soybean oil, refined palm oil, fruit juice, refined sunflower oil, soybean oil seed cake and medicinal herbs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The office has collected over Rs 70.1 billion in revenue in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, which is Rs 26 billion more than Rs 43.6 billion collected in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14169', 'image' => '20211206075410_20210516024759_20210118020708_1610926784.Clipboard08 (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 07:53:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14423', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal's Export Increases Cent Percent in the First 4 Months of Current FY', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: The export of goods and services has increased by cent percent in the last four months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: The export of goods and services has increased by cent percent in the last four months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, the export from Nepal in the first month of the current fiscal year has increased by 115.85 percent compared to last year. In the second, third and fourth months, export increased by 115.43 percent, 109.54 percent and 104.29 percent in August, September and October, respectively. Nepal's export has increased by cent percent this year by exporting refined oil after importing crude oil. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the first four months of the current fiscal year, Nepal has exported goods and services worth Rs 82.12 billion. The share of palm oil, soybean oil and sunflower oil in Nepal’s export alone is 57.8 percent. During this period, Nepal exported refined edible oil (soybean, palm and sunflower) worth Rs. 47.46 billion. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the four-month report of the Trade and Export Promotion Center (TEPC), soybean oil accounted for 32.15 per cent of Nepal’s export followed by palm oil (23.16 per cent) and sunflower oil (2.48 per cent).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Krishna Raj Bajagain, a senior official at the TEPC said the rise in the export of palm, soybean and sunflower has led to a cent percent increase in export. He said this volume of export needs to be sustainable and asked the government to hold talks with the Indian government to ensure stability of current exports. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He further added, that the government as well as the private sector and civil society should emphasize on this matter and focus on the implementation of the South Asian Free Trade Organization (SAFTA) as there is a provision of waiver on value added goods.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Last year, India banned import of refined palm oil which had a major impact on Nepal's exports. Due to the ban, palm oil worth Rs 400,000 had only been exported in the review period of the last fiscal year. Meanwhile, palm oil worth Rs 19.2 billion has been exported in the last four months. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rabi Sainju, former joint secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies agrees that growth in export is induced by the export of oil which cannot be considered as sustainable growth. The current volume of export has been possible due to the differences in duty. As soon as India removes tax applied on such exports, Nepal's investment and export both would be at risk. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He argues that it would be appropriate to move to a quota system if oil exports can't be sustained for a long-term. He stressed that Nepal should take it positively if India starts a quota system on oil exports. Nepal can benefit from the quota system to some extent. He said that there is no alternative to increase production to increase the export of Nepali goods. And multinational companies are coming to Indian, Chinese markets which should be targeted for exports.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14168', 'image' => '20211205064545_20210702051202_20191103092810_20190807121918_Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 18:44:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14422', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'FNCCI Urges Government to simplify Procedural Difficulties in Taxation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has drawn the government’s attention to simplify the policy and procedural difficulties related to taxation.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has drawn the government’s attention to simplify the policy and procedural difficulties related to taxation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the FNCCI, the industrialists have been facing many practical difficulties as the provisions in the law are interpreted differently by the government bodies.</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 a meeting with director general of the Inland Revenue Department Shova Kant Poudel on Thursday, a delegation from FNCCI urged the tax authority to simplify the provision of advance tax payment system and recognise the invoice where the transactions are actually done at a lower rate than the cost price. The taxpayer should be able to settle the amount of advance tax filing by splitting it in two fiscal years or the next fiscal year, FNCCI said. Likewise, as per article 54 of the Industrial Enterprise Act 2076, the tax on amount spent for corporate social responsibility should be deducted in income tax.</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"">They also drew the attention of the government in delayed implementation of the court’s verdicts on tax-related cases.</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, they suggested the effective implementation of getting tax payment certificate online as soon as possible.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14167', 'image' => '20211205035644_20201126120607_1606367319.fncci (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 15:56:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14421', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '27th CAN INFOTECH to be held from February 1', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: The 27th edition of CAN Infotech is all set to be organized at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu from February 1, 2022.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: The 27th edition of CAN Infotech is all set to be organized at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu from February 1, 2022.The Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) has been organizing this event annually. The main objective of the event is to introduce new technologies developed in the field of information and communication technology and formulating necessary strategies for the development of this sector. The 27th edition of CAN Infotech was scheduled to be held from 11<sup><span style="font-size:7.0pt">th</span></sup> to 16<sup><span style="font-size:7.0pt">th</span></sup> of May, 2021. But due to the widespread effect of Covid-19 pandemic, the event had been postponed until further notice.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">CAN member organizations as well as various national and international IT and communication companies attend the CAN Infotech every year. Attendees will be able to observe and purchase innovative information and communication technologies and future technologies as well as equipment all in one place. Organizers say that this interaction will serve as a golden opportunity for IT companies to expand their market, find customer needs, conduct market surveys, launch new products and build customer relationships.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">CAN Infotech 2022 will include branding, ICT accessories, game parlors, product launches, start-ups, robotics, emerging technologies, e-waste management, WiFi and Internet and learning centers. The 26th edition of CAN Infotech had been attended by over 3.5 million people and the organizers expect the same number of attendees in this year’s event as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14166', 'image' => '20211205034728_20160203125002_can_info.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 15:46:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14420', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Two More Companies Join Service to Transport Containers to Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: Competition among private companies of India has increased after the amendment to the Nepal-India Railway Service Agreement opened the way for private railway companies to trnasport containers to and from Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: Competition among private companies of India has increased after the amendment to the Nepal-India Railway Service Agreement opened the way for private railway companies to trnasport containers to and from Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the last three months, the number of such companies providing transportation services to Nepal from Indian ports has reached three.</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"">Earlier, the Container Corporation of India (CONCAR) enjoyed a monopoly but now three companies are providing transportation services to Birgunj Dry Port. Pristine Logistics InfraProjects, the main partner of the company in charge of dry port operations, has also started shipping from Kolkata and Visakhapatnam in India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to trade and market manager of Pristine Mohammad Nabil Akhtar, their train arrived at the Birgunj dry port on Saturday carrying containers from Visakhapatnam port.</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 also started their service from Kolkata port in India to Birgunj. Akhtar informed that a few days ago, 90 containers of industrial raw materials, plastics, electronic goods, readymade garments and other goods were sent to Birgunj from Kolkata port. The Hind Terminal, which started operating two months ago, has so far brought eight racks to the dry port. JM Baxi Group, which is active in port and railway services in India, has also started preparations for the transporting containers to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The railway agreement between Nepal and India in 2004 gave CONCAR a monopoly on rail transport. Following an amendment to the agreement, private companies of Nepal and India are allowed to provide the service at competitive rates.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal Railway Company, however, has not started its work yet.</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"">CONCAR has slashed its freight rates after its rival companies began shipping overseas cargo to Nepal. The company had informed that they had reduced the fare on the same day Hind Terminal transported racks to Birgunj.</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"">After CONCAR reduced fares by 30 to 35 percent, other companies also reduced their fares. However, the Nepali importers and exporters have not been able to reap the benefit of reduced fares till now.</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"">Ashok Kumar Temani, coordinator of the Road Transport and Transit Committee of FNCCI Province 2 says that Nepal's foreign trade has not been able to reap the benefits even though other companies have offered services in a competitive rate.</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"">Entrepreneurs complained that they have not been able to take advantage of the competition in shipping as the shipping company transports containers to Birgunj port itself and also conducts train fare transactions with CONCAR.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the traders, the shipping companies are the ones that are taking advantage of the reduction in fares by CONCAR. Former president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pradip Kedia said that there was no reduction in transportation cost even after the monopoly of CONCAR came to an end.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14165', 'image' => '20211205030511_20190203033522_IMG_9262.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 15:04:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14419', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt Approves Tax Rebate of Rs 34 Billion in Last 7 Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: Looking at the statistics of the last seven years, the government has refunded around Rs 34 billion of tax amount.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: Looking at the statistics of the last seven years, the government has refunded around Rs 34 billion of tax amount.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Inland Revenue Department, the government has released Rs 33.69 billion for tax refund claims of Rs 57.49 billion between 2071 BS to 2078 BS. The department informed that the number of individuals claiming tax refunds has increased.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the last fiscal year 2077/78, the department approved the release of Rs 3.95 billion as refund out of the total claims of Rs 19.24 billion. The department rejected the claims made for tax refund of the remaining Rs 15.29 billion. </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"">Seven years ago, the government had released Rs. 5.5 billion as tax refund out of the total claims of Rs 9.91 billion. The government has been providing tax rebate especially to diplomatic missions and for subsidies announced by the government.</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"">Lately, the number of claims for tax refund from diplomats has also been increasing. Out of the total tax refunds made in the last fiscal year 2077/78, only Rs 1.25 billion were refunded to diplomatic missions and diplomats.</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"">Raju Prasad Pyakurel, information officer of the department, said that tax refund is less compared to the claims made because the claimants do not submit the proper invoice and also do not complete the required process.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, Article 25 of the Value Added Tax Act, 2052 BS has a provision to refund taxes to diplomats and diplomatic missions if they make claims within 3 years from the date of transaction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, the government has refunded the tax paid by foreign tourists on purchases, re-exports, contracts, or contracts paid by the pharmaceutical industry. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Former joint secretary Nirmal Hari Adhikari says there has been an increase in revenue exemption lately. In addition to the exemptions provided by the tax law and the financial act of the year concerned, the scope of revenue collection seems to have shrunk due to the exemption of revenue in line with the decisions taken by various government bodies and institutions, he shared. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He added that it is necessary to stop the trend of arbitrary tax withdrawal based on the decisions of the Council of Ministers seen in recent years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14164', 'image' => '20211205020640_Untitled.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 14:05:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14418', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Mountain Academy to Produce Sixth Batch of Skiers ', 'sub_title' => 'Deadline for Application Open Until December 16', 'summary' => 'December 5: Nepal Mountain Academy, the government-run academic institution under Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, is gearing to produce 28 skiers. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 5: Nepal Mountain Academy, the government-run academic institution under Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, is gearing to produce 28 skiers. The trained skiers for the adventurous sports will be produced from two different training programmes, informed NMA. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The first category of training will be for 20 participants for a week which is titled 'Ski Level-1 Training'. Likewise, another 11-day-long training would be for eight potential participants which is titled as 'Ski Level-2 Training'. For Ski Level-2 Training, participants must have accomplished Ski Level-1 Training. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A public notice of the training has been made public last Thursday and the deadline for application is open until December 16. The training fee for both categories is Rs 5,000. Participants have to bear their own expenses for travel, accommodation and other related insurance packages. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">''This is our sixth batch enrollment for both categories,'' informed Uttam Babu Bhattarai, the director and the spokesperson at the NMA, ''We are preparing to promote winter tourism in our Himalayan regions and skiing is an indispensable part of it.'' </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Bhattarai said it their first priority to produce more and more skilled skiers to promote this neglected part of Nepal's tourism. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14163', 'image' => '20211205103909_NMA.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 10:37:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14417', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'WHO urges South-East Asia to Strengthen COVID-19 Response Measures ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: Following the confirmation of two cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 in India, the World Health Organisation has urged the South-East Asia Region to further consolidate COVID-19 response measures to control the spread of the virus and its variants. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 5: Following the confirmation of two cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 in India, the World Health Organisation has urged the South-East Asia Region to further consolidate COVID-19 response measures to control the spread of the virus and its variants. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Strengthening surveillance to rapidly detect import of any new variant and transmission of existing virus and its variants, implementing calibrated public health and social measures and scaling up vaccination coverage should continue to be our focus," said Regional Director of the WHO South-East Asia Region, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, in a statement issued on Friday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">India on Thursday confirmed two cases of the new variant which the WHO has categorized as 'of concern' within a week of the announcement of the spread of the virus. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As part of the surveillance, countries should ensure that they set up early warning systems, comprising multiple indicators such as rapid increase in cases and test positivity rates apart from monitoring whether there is a pressure on health care system such as bed occupancy in wards and intensive care units, she stressed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We cannot and should not let the virus and its variants spread and mutate further and continue to challenge us. We need to do everything we can to curtail their spread. We know what to do. The pandemic has lasted just too long and is draining our precious human and other resources. We need to stop this," she stressed. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14162', 'image' => '20211205081741_Kundan-WHO-reforms-edited_WHO.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 08:17:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14416', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal, Qatar Agree to Revise 2005 Labour Agreement ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 3: Nepal and Qatar have agreed to revise the Bilateral Labour Agreement.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 3: Nepal and Qatar have agreed to revise the Bilateral Labour Agreement. The two sides agreed to revise the 2005 pact during the fourth meeting of the Nepal –Qatar Joint Committee held recently. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Qatar has accepted Nepal’s proposal for its support for socio-economic reintegration of the Nepali migrant workers who have returned from Qatar – which is one of the top labour destinations among the Nepali migrant workers. Likewise, the Gulf nation has also agreed to further systematize the Qatar Visa Centre. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, the Government of Qatar has given its nod to establish a training center at all provinces of Nepal targeting capacity enhancement of workers to be hired from Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the meeting, the Nepali side was urged to lift a ban on hiring domestic helpers from Nepal. In response, the meeting agreed to form a bilateral committee and incorporate the issues in course of revising the labor agreement based on the recommendation of the same committee. </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 Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumers Committee of the Parliament has recommended seven conditions for a destination country to hire domestic labourers from Nepal and directed the government to allow the process only if the criteria is fulfilled.</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"">Qatar is learnt to have expressed its readiness to abide by the recruitment criteria recommended by the parliamentary committee. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The meeting discussed about the guarantee of social security of workers, workplace safety, health and insurance policy among other issues. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Binu Bajracharya, led the Nepali side which also included Under Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pushpa Raj Bhattarai, and Under Secretary at the Ministry of Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security Dr Thaneshwor Bhusal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal presented Nepal’s agenda before the team from Qatar during the meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Mohammed Hassan Al-Obaidli, Secretary for Labour Affairs, Qatar led the Qatar delegation during the meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The diplomatic relation between Nepal and Qatar was established three decades ago. The two countries had signed the Labour Agreement in 2005 in a bid to make labour migration safe and systematic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-03', 'modified' => '2021-12-03', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14161', 'image' => '20211203094055_Nepal-Qatar (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-03 21:39:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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 133]file not found!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' => '14430', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Airlines Corporation Permitted to Carry Dangerous Goods ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 7: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag carrier of Nepal, has been permitted to transport dangerous goods, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 7: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag carrier of Nepal, has been permitted to transport dangerous goods, according to the state-owned national news agency RSS. This is so far the first time in its operational history of 63 years that the state-owned Airlines company has been allowed to carry dangerous goods in international flights. </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"">RSS confirmed that the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the aviation regulatory body of the country, has granted permission to Nepal Airlines Corporation to transport dangerous goods. Earlier, the national flag carrier had been transporting dangerous goods by obtaining license every three months. Now it has been provided with permanent license for such consignment. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">This is expected to ease the process of carrying drugs of various categories and electronic goods in the coming days. The NAC also expects this license to enhance the effectiveness of its aviation service. </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 RSS, the NAC's wide-body aircraft A 330 with bearing capacity of around 14 tons cargo will be used for transporting dangerous goods. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">CAAN's Director General Rajkumar Chhetri reportedly handed over the license to NAC Executive Director Yubaraj Adhikari amidst a programme attended by Minister for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, RSS quoted Tourism Minister Ale as saying that it was an achievement for Nepal to get approval for importing and exporting dangerous goods. He added that this will also end the hassles in the export and import and increase the income of NAC. </span></span></span><br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-07', 'modified' => '2021-12-07', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14175', 'image' => '20211207081308_Clipboard08(48).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-07 08:12:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14429', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Leather Industrialists Call for Removal of Import Tariffs on Raw Materials', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Domestic leather manufacturers of Nepal have urged the government to remove all kinds of tariffs on import of raw materials stating that competition in the international market has become difficult due to the high tariffs. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: Domestic leather manufacturers of Nepal have urged the government to remove all kinds of tariffs on import of raw materials stating that competition in the international market has become difficult due to the high tariffs. They argued that their business is on the verge of closure due to the stiff competition after India reduced the import duty on all types of raw materials required for leather to zero to protect its industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The manufacturers say that their industry is on the verge of closure as they cannot compete with the Indian leather. The main markets for leather manufactured in Nepal are India and China.</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"">Mohammad Junaid Iftikar, general secretary of the Nepal Leather Tanners Association, said that since most of the leathers produced are exported, the government should waive customs duty and VAT to help the industries survive and compete in the foreign market. He said that the cost of production has gone up due to a surge in the price of raw materials and transportation costs, along with tariffs on imports.</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 industrialists collect the main raw material, rawhides, from the domestic market. Other auxiliary raw materials required for leather processing are dependent on imports. According to the industrialists, they pay around 30 to 35 percent of tariffs at the customs point for the import of such raw materials.</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"">Iftikar also opined that the incentive policy implemented for promoting the leather industry is cumbersome and discourages industrialists. Secretary-General Iftikar expressed concern over the high risk of investment in the raw material industry and the difficult process of getting incentives.</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"">Most of such industries are operting in the Bara-Parsa corridor. There are nine industries in this corridor and four in Biratnagar.</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 association claims that no industries have benefited from the government incentives due to the cumbersome process even though the government has a policy to rebate the value-added tax paid on exported raw materials. Manoj Chachan, the operator of the Narayani Leather Manufacturing Industry, said that it is very difficult to get incentive from the government.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the industrialists, the low customs duty on raw materials for the leather industry in India, Nepal's high rate of customs duty, and the inconvenient process of receiving incentives have increased the cost of domestic production. "The leather we produce is up to 35 percent more expensive than the leather produced in India. We have not been able to compete in the external market,”said Iftikar.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the association, leather exports have been declining every year due to the inability of the domestic industries to compete in the international 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"">According to the association, up to five years ago, Nepal used to export leather worth Rs 750 million annually. In the last Fiscal Year 2077/78, the size of export dropped to Rs 150 million. Nepal exports wet blue, crust, and finished leather.</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 manufacturers claim that the industries won't have a significant contribution to the promotion of home-grown products and creation of employment opportunities unless the government adopts a leather industry-friendly policy.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14174', 'image' => '20211206051124_20211017023544_20210914025646_Leathertools.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 17:10:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14428', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'DAO Mustang Tightens Entry of Tourists amid Risk of Omicron Variant', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The District Administration Office, Mustang has tightened the entry of visitors to Mustang, taking the risk of infection of a new variant of Covid-19, Omicron into account. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">December 6: The District Administration Office, Mustang has tightened the entry of visitors to Mustang, taking the risk of infection of a new variant of Covid-19, Omicron into account. Mustang had started receiving more domestic as well as foreign tourists after the end of the second wave of Covid-19 infection. According to Chief District Officer Netra Prasad Sharma, the decision of tightening the entry was made after the emerging cases of new Omicron variant in foreign countries as well as in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">According to him, entry of foreign citizens who do not have a PCR negative report within the last seven days or a vaccine card or antigen test report within the last 72 hours will not be allowed to enter the district. However, the meeting of the District Covid-19 Management Committee has decided that this condition will not apply to the permanent residents of Mustang and fully vaccinated staff, teachers and security personnel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The restriction has come into force from midnight of December 1 and will remain in place till December 15, informed CDO Sharma.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Besides, strict orders have been issued not to conduct various activities in the district,” said CDO Sharma, adding, “Most of the foreign as well as domestic tourists aspire to visit Mustang. At a time when new variants are spreading in different countries, entry to Mustang has been tightened to minimize the risk of infection of Omicron reaching Mustang via tourists.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The committee meeting has also issued orders not to gather in large numbers at public places and not to organize religious and cultural fairs, celebrations, parties and open markets. Similarly, the order has prohibited the participation of more than 25 persons in case of conducting urgent rituals like marriage, the coming of age ceremony and funerals. (With inputs from RSS)</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> <br /> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14173', 'image' => '20211206042408_20200327012430_459932_589579011065826_229923417_o.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 16:23:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14427', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Confirms First Two Cases of Omicron Variant ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The Government of Nepal has confirmed first two cases of Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: The Government of Nepal has confirmed first two cases of Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the country. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A foreign national and a Nepali person, who recently reached Nepal, have been confirmed to have contracted the new variant, according to the Ministry of Health and Population. The infected Nepali person is found to have been in contact with the infected foreign national. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The ministry organised a press conference in the presence of Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada following the confirmation of the variant on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The new variant was confirmed from tests carried out on 66 people who arrived in Nepal from foreign countries alongside the infected persons, according secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population Dr Roshan Pokharel. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Following the confirmation, the ministry has urged people to stay alert and follow the health protocols. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14172', 'image' => '20211206035907_Omi.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 15:58:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14426', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Delays Releasing Rs 1.5 Billion for SSF as Promised in Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: The government has delayed releasing Rs 1.5 billion for the Social Security Fund (SSF) as promised while announcing the budget.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: The government has delayed releasing Rs 1.5 billion for the Social Security Fund (SSF) as promised while announcing the budget. </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"">While presenting the budget for the Fiscal Year 2020/21, the then Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel had announced that the government would make contribution to SSF on behalf of the workers for two months as part of the policy to provide relief to the workers affected by the COVID pandemic. </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"">Following the announcement, the SSF also issued a notice to the companies that the employers need not deposit the amount of May and June of 2021. However, the government has not released the funds yet. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Social Security Fund, the Ministry of Finance should deposit around Rs 1.5 billion on behalf of the 175,000 contributors as per the announced made by the government. The SSF had submitted a claim to the Ministry of Finance through the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security this June. However, the SSF has not received any response so far, said Vivek Panthi, director of the SSF.</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 informed the contributors not to deposit the contributions of May and June as per the provisions in the budget," he said. However, the government has not released the funds yet," he added. He further said there is no need to panic as it is in the process of release. </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 to contribute to SSF on behalf of the employers at a time when the private sector was hit hard by the lockdown enforced to curb coronavirus infections. The government had announced to contribute more than one billion rupees. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the officials of the Ministry of Finance, the fund will be released soon. They say that the process has been delayed since there are other priorities than this issue.</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 record of the SSF shows the number of employees joining the fund is increasing in the post-pandemic period. As of December 1, a total of 15,892 employers have joined the fund while 298,000 employees have been listed in SSF.</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 fund has collected Rs. 10.73 billion from contributors during this period. More than 10,600 contributors have claimed facilities from the fund and Rs. 481.2 million has been paid for the claims. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14171', 'image' => '20211206015510_SSF (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 13:54:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14425', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEA to Build Infrastructure along Bara-Parsa Corridor to Increase Electricity Consumption', 'sub_title' => 'Short and long term plans afoot to consume 2,000 MW Electricity in 5 Years', 'summary' => 'December 6: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is planning to build infrastructure to consume 2,000 MW of electricity within five years in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor of Province 2 under the campaign to consume electricity generated within the country.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 6: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is planning to build infrastructure to consume 2,000 MW of electricity within five years in the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor of Province 2 under the campaign to consume electricity generated within the country.</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"">NEA is going to build infrastructure related to power transmission and distribution in Simara, Nijgadh, Birgunj, Parwanipur, Pokhariya, Prasauni and other areas of Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor targeting the industries currently in operation and those opening in the coming days.</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"">NEA has been working with high priority to expand and strengthen the infrastructure under short-term and long-term plans to increase the consumption of electricity by providing reliable and quality electricity to the industries. NEA has put forward the concept of construction of a 400 KV transmission line along the Postal Highway for the expansion of power lines in the Terai region.</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 order to make the power supply of industries in Simara and Birgunj region reliable, work is underway to add new towers and remove old conductors. This is expected to increase the capacity of Hetauda-Parwanipur 66 KV double circuit transmission line. As the capacity of the transmission line will be almost doubled after the completion of the work, additional power supply can be provided to the industries.</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"">There is a plan to build a new substation in Piluwa area of Bara connecting the Hetauda-Dhalkebar 400 KV transmission line that is under construction. Similarly, a substation is being constructed in Pokhariya of Parsa. NEA will immediately provide 200 MW of electricity to the industries operating in Simara and Parwanipur areas under the short-term plan to increase electricity consumption. The steel industries operating in the area have been demanding more electricity for capacity expansion. </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"">Up to 200 MW additional power can be provided to the industries operating in Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor for the moment. An additional load of 20.5 MW has been approved for Ashok Steel. As the industry currently has 16 MVA capacity transformers, electricity can be supplied according to the same capacity. NEA has stated that they can supply as much electricity as demanded after adding transformers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14170', 'image' => '20211206011518_electricity.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 13:14:29', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14424', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Birgunj Customs Sees Over Three Times Increment in Export', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 6: Export of Nepali products to neighbouring India and other countries through Birgunj customs has increased significantly in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (FY 2021/22). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 6: Export of Nepali products to neighbouring India and other countries through Birgunj customs has increased significantly in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (FY 2021/22)<strong>. </strong></span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The country’s main trade and transit point has witnessed more than three times increment in the export of Nepali products as compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. The new fiscal year begins in mid-July in Nepal. Products worth over Rs 39.5 billion were exported in the first quarter of the current fiscal year against the export of goods worth Rs 12.4 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Trade and business have eased following the decline in COVID-19 cases across the world, which has contributed to the increase in the export of Nepali products, said the information officer at the customs office, Sumit Gupta. The exported goods included refined soybean oil, refined palm oil, fruit juice, refined sunflower oil, soybean oil seed cake and medicinal herbs. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The office has collected over Rs 70.1 billion in revenue in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, which is Rs 26 billion more than Rs 43.6 billion collected in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-06', 'modified' => '2021-12-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14169', 'image' => '20211206075410_20210516024759_20210118020708_1610926784.Clipboard08 (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-06 07:53:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14423', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal's Export Increases Cent Percent in the First 4 Months of Current FY', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: The export of goods and services has increased by cent percent in the last four months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: The export of goods and services has increased by cent percent in the last four months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the Department of Customs, the export from Nepal in the first month of the current fiscal year has increased by 115.85 percent compared to last year. In the second, third and fourth months, export increased by 115.43 percent, 109.54 percent and 104.29 percent in August, September and October, respectively. Nepal's export has increased by cent percent this year by exporting refined oil after importing crude oil. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the first four months of the current fiscal year, Nepal has exported goods and services worth Rs 82.12 billion. The share of palm oil, soybean oil and sunflower oil in Nepal’s export alone is 57.8 percent. During this period, Nepal exported refined edible oil (soybean, palm and sunflower) worth Rs. 47.46 billion. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the four-month report of the Trade and Export Promotion Center (TEPC), soybean oil accounted for 32.15 per cent of Nepal’s export followed by palm oil (23.16 per cent) and sunflower oil (2.48 per cent).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Krishna Raj Bajagain, a senior official at the TEPC said the rise in the export of palm, soybean and sunflower has led to a cent percent increase in export. He said this volume of export needs to be sustainable and asked the government to hold talks with the Indian government to ensure stability of current exports. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He further added, that the government as well as the private sector and civil society should emphasize on this matter and focus on the implementation of the South Asian Free Trade Organization (SAFTA) as there is a provision of waiver on value added goods.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Last year, India banned import of refined palm oil which had a major impact on Nepal's exports. Due to the ban, palm oil worth Rs 400,000 had only been exported in the review period of the last fiscal year. Meanwhile, palm oil worth Rs 19.2 billion has been exported in the last four months. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Rabi Sainju, former joint secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies agrees that growth in export is induced by the export of oil which cannot be considered as sustainable growth. The current volume of export has been possible due to the differences in duty. As soon as India removes tax applied on such exports, Nepal's investment and export both would be at risk. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He argues that it would be appropriate to move to a quota system if oil exports can't be sustained for a long-term. He stressed that Nepal should take it positively if India starts a quota system on oil exports. Nepal can benefit from the quota system to some extent. He said that there is no alternative to increase production to increase the export of Nepali goods. And multinational companies are coming to Indian, Chinese markets which should be targeted for exports.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14168', 'image' => '20211205064545_20210702051202_20191103092810_20190807121918_Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 18:44:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14422', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'FNCCI Urges Government to simplify Procedural Difficulties in Taxation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has drawn the government’s attention to simplify the policy and procedural difficulties related to taxation.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has drawn the government’s attention to simplify the policy and procedural difficulties related to taxation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the FNCCI, the industrialists have been facing many practical difficulties as the provisions in the law are interpreted differently by the government bodies.</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 a meeting with director general of the Inland Revenue Department Shova Kant Poudel on Thursday, a delegation from FNCCI urged the tax authority to simplify the provision of advance tax payment system and recognise the invoice where the transactions are actually done at a lower rate than the cost price. The taxpayer should be able to settle the amount of advance tax filing by splitting it in two fiscal years or the next fiscal year, FNCCI said. Likewise, as per article 54 of the Industrial Enterprise Act 2076, the tax on amount spent for corporate social responsibility should be deducted in income tax.</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"">They also drew the attention of the government in delayed implementation of the court’s verdicts on tax-related cases.</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, they suggested the effective implementation of getting tax payment certificate online as soon as possible.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14167', 'image' => '20211205035644_20201126120607_1606367319.fncci (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 15:56:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14421', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '27th CAN INFOTECH to be held from February 1', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: The 27th edition of CAN Infotech is all set to be organized at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu from February 1, 2022.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: The 27th edition of CAN Infotech is all set to be organized at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu from February 1, 2022.The Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) has been organizing this event annually. The main objective of the event is to introduce new technologies developed in the field of information and communication technology and formulating necessary strategies for the development of this sector. The 27th edition of CAN Infotech was scheduled to be held from 11<sup><span style="font-size:7.0pt">th</span></sup> to 16<sup><span style="font-size:7.0pt">th</span></sup> of May, 2021. But due to the widespread effect of Covid-19 pandemic, the event had been postponed until further notice.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">CAN member organizations as well as various national and international IT and communication companies attend the CAN Infotech every year. Attendees will be able to observe and purchase innovative information and communication technologies and future technologies as well as equipment all in one place. Organizers say that this interaction will serve as a golden opportunity for IT companies to expand their market, find customer needs, conduct market surveys, launch new products and build customer relationships.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">CAN Infotech 2022 will include branding, ICT accessories, game parlors, product launches, start-ups, robotics, emerging technologies, e-waste management, WiFi and Internet and learning centers. The 26th edition of CAN Infotech had been attended by over 3.5 million people and the organizers expect the same number of attendees in this year’s event as well.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14166', 'image' => '20211205034728_20160203125002_can_info.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 15:46:11', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14420', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Two More Companies Join Service to Transport Containers to Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: Competition among private companies of India has increased after the amendment to the Nepal-India Railway Service Agreement opened the way for private railway companies to trnasport containers to and from Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: Competition among private companies of India has increased after the amendment to the Nepal-India Railway Service Agreement opened the way for private railway companies to trnasport containers to and from Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In the last three months, the number of such companies providing transportation services to Nepal from Indian ports has reached three.</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"">Earlier, the Container Corporation of India (CONCAR) enjoyed a monopoly but now three companies are providing transportation services to Birgunj Dry Port. Pristine Logistics InfraProjects, the main partner of the company in charge of dry port operations, has also started shipping from Kolkata and Visakhapatnam in India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to trade and market manager of Pristine Mohammad Nabil Akhtar, their train arrived at the Birgunj dry port on Saturday carrying containers from Visakhapatnam port.</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 also started their service from Kolkata port in India to Birgunj. Akhtar informed that a few days ago, 90 containers of industrial raw materials, plastics, electronic goods, readymade garments and other goods were sent to Birgunj from Kolkata port. The Hind Terminal, which started operating two months ago, has so far brought eight racks to the dry port. JM Baxi Group, which is active in port and railway services in India, has also started preparations for the transporting containers to Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The railway agreement between Nepal and India in 2004 gave CONCAR a monopoly on rail transport. Following an amendment to the agreement, private companies of Nepal and India are allowed to provide the service at competitive rates.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Nepal Railway Company, however, has not started its work yet.</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"">CONCAR has slashed its freight rates after its rival companies began shipping overseas cargo to Nepal. The company had informed that they had reduced the fare on the same day Hind Terminal transported racks to Birgunj.</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"">After CONCAR reduced fares by 30 to 35 percent, other companies also reduced their fares. However, the Nepali importers and exporters have not been able to reap the benefit of reduced fares till now.</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"">Ashok Kumar Temani, coordinator of the Road Transport and Transit Committee of FNCCI Province 2 says that Nepal's foreign trade has not been able to reap the benefits even though other companies have offered services in a competitive rate.</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"">Entrepreneurs complained that they have not been able to take advantage of the competition in shipping as the shipping company transports containers to Birgunj port itself and also conducts train fare transactions with CONCAR.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the traders, the shipping companies are the ones that are taking advantage of the reduction in fares by CONCAR. Former president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pradip Kedia said that there was no reduction in transportation cost even after the monopoly of CONCAR came to an end.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14165', 'image' => '20211205030511_20190203033522_IMG_9262.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 15:04:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14419', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt Approves Tax Rebate of Rs 34 Billion in Last 7 Years', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: Looking at the statistics of the last seven years, the government has refunded around Rs 34 billion of tax amount.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">December 5: Looking at the statistics of the last seven years, the government has refunded around Rs 34 billion of tax amount.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the Inland Revenue Department, the government has released Rs 33.69 billion for tax refund claims of Rs 57.49 billion between 2071 BS to 2078 BS. The department informed that the number of individuals claiming tax refunds has increased.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of the last fiscal year 2077/78, the department approved the release of Rs 3.95 billion as refund out of the total claims of Rs 19.24 billion. The department rejected the claims made for tax refund of the remaining Rs 15.29 billion. </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"">Seven years ago, the government had released Rs. 5.5 billion as tax refund out of the total claims of Rs 9.91 billion. The government has been providing tax rebate especially to diplomatic missions and for subsidies announced by the government.</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"">Lately, the number of claims for tax refund from diplomats has also been increasing. Out of the total tax refunds made in the last fiscal year 2077/78, only Rs 1.25 billion were refunded to diplomatic missions and diplomats.</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"">Raju Prasad Pyakurel, information officer of the department, said that tax refund is less compared to the claims made because the claimants do not submit the proper invoice and also do not complete the required process.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to him, Article 25 of the Value Added Tax Act, 2052 BS has a provision to refund taxes to diplomats and diplomatic missions if they make claims within 3 years from the date of transaction.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the department, the government has refunded the tax paid by foreign tourists on purchases, re-exports, contracts, or contracts paid by the pharmaceutical industry. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Former joint secretary Nirmal Hari Adhikari says there has been an increase in revenue exemption lately. In addition to the exemptions provided by the tax law and the financial act of the year concerned, the scope of revenue collection seems to have shrunk due to the exemption of revenue in line with the decisions taken by various government bodies and institutions, he shared. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He added that it is necessary to stop the trend of arbitrary tax withdrawal based on the decisions of the Council of Ministers seen in recent years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14164', 'image' => '20211205020640_Untitled.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 14:05:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14418', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Mountain Academy to Produce Sixth Batch of Skiers ', 'sub_title' => 'Deadline for Application Open Until December 16', 'summary' => 'December 5: Nepal Mountain Academy, the government-run academic institution under Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, is gearing to produce 28 skiers. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 5: Nepal Mountain Academy, the government-run academic institution under Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, is gearing to produce 28 skiers. The trained skiers for the adventurous sports will be produced from two different training programmes, informed NMA. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The first category of training will be for 20 participants for a week which is titled 'Ski Level-1 Training'. Likewise, another 11-day-long training would be for eight potential participants which is titled as 'Ski Level-2 Training'. For Ski Level-2 Training, participants must have accomplished Ski Level-1 Training. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">A public notice of the training has been made public last Thursday and the deadline for application is open until December 16. The training fee for both categories is Rs 5,000. Participants have to bear their own expenses for travel, accommodation and other related insurance packages. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">''This is our sixth batch enrollment for both categories,'' informed Uttam Babu Bhattarai, the director and the spokesperson at the NMA, ''We are preparing to promote winter tourism in our Himalayan regions and skiing is an indispensable part of it.'' </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Bhattarai said it their first priority to produce more and more skilled skiers to promote this neglected part of Nepal's tourism. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14163', 'image' => '20211205103909_NMA.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 10:37:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14417', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'WHO urges South-East Asia to Strengthen COVID-19 Response Measures ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 5: Following the confirmation of two cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 in India, the World Health Organisation has urged the South-East Asia Region to further consolidate COVID-19 response measures to control the spread of the virus and its variants. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 5: Following the confirmation of two cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 in India, the World Health Organisation has urged the South-East Asia Region to further consolidate COVID-19 response measures to control the spread of the virus and its variants. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Strengthening surveillance to rapidly detect import of any new variant and transmission of existing virus and its variants, implementing calibrated public health and social measures and scaling up vaccination coverage should continue to be our focus," said Regional Director of the WHO South-East Asia Region, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, in a statement issued on Friday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">India on Thursday confirmed two cases of the new variant which the WHO has categorized as 'of concern' within a week of the announcement of the spread of the virus. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As part of the surveillance, countries should ensure that they set up early warning systems, comprising multiple indicators such as rapid increase in cases and test positivity rates apart from monitoring whether there is a pressure on health care system such as bed occupancy in wards and intensive care units, she stressed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"We cannot and should not let the virus and its variants spread and mutate further and continue to challenge us. We need to do everything we can to curtail their spread. We know what to do. The pandemic has lasted just too long and is draining our precious human and other resources. We need to stop this," she stressed. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-05', 'modified' => '2021-12-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14162', 'image' => '20211205081741_Kundan-WHO-reforms-edited_WHO.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-05 08:17:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '14416', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal, Qatar Agree to Revise 2005 Labour Agreement ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'December 3: Nepal and Qatar have agreed to revise the Bilateral Labour Agreement.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">December 3: Nepal and Qatar have agreed to revise the Bilateral Labour Agreement. The two sides agreed to revise the 2005 pact during the fourth meeting of the Nepal –Qatar Joint Committee held recently. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Qatar has accepted Nepal’s proposal for its support for socio-economic reintegration of the Nepali migrant workers who have returned from Qatar – which is one of the top labour destinations among the Nepali migrant workers. Likewise, the Gulf nation has also agreed to further systematize the Qatar Visa Centre. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Moreover, the Government of Qatar has given its nod to establish a training center at all provinces of Nepal targeting capacity enhancement of workers to be hired from Nepal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the meeting, the Nepali side was urged to lift a ban on hiring domestic helpers from Nepal. In response, the meeting agreed to form a bilateral committee and incorporate the issues in course of revising the labor agreement based on the recommendation of the same committee. </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 Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumers Committee of the Parliament has recommended seven conditions for a destination country to hire domestic labourers from Nepal and directed the government to allow the process only if the criteria is fulfilled.</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"">Qatar is learnt to have expressed its readiness to abide by the recruitment criteria recommended by the parliamentary committee. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The meeting discussed about the guarantee of social security of workers, workplace safety, health and insurance policy among other issues. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Binu Bajracharya, led the Nepali side which also included Under Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pushpa Raj Bhattarai, and Under Secretary at the Ministry of Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security Dr Thaneshwor Bhusal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal presented Nepal’s agenda before the team from Qatar during the meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Mohammed Hassan Al-Obaidli, Secretary for Labour Affairs, Qatar led the Qatar delegation during the meeting. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The diplomatic relation between Nepal and Qatar was established three decades ago. The two countries had signed the Labour Agreement in 2005 in a bid to make labour migration safe and systematic. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">--- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-12-03', 'modified' => '2021-12-03', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '14161', 'image' => '20211203094055_Nepal-Qatar (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-12-03 21:39:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
