July 6: The government is under pressure to release payments like in the previous years, as the current fiscal year is about to come to an…
July 6: The government is under pressure to release payments like in the previous years, as the current fiscal year is about to come to an…
July 6: For the first time in Nepal, the private sector of Nepal is preparing to establish a vehicle assembling…
July 6: With the partial operation of the 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, there emerges public concern regarding what and how the much-awaited national pride project would impact the national economy.…
July 6: The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has finally come into operation from Monday after various ups and downs.…
July 6: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Arnaud Cauchois as the new country director for…
July 6: Nepal Rastra Bank is all set to auction development bonds worth Rs 15 billion today (July…
July 6: The prohibitory order in Kathmandu valley has been extended till July 16 by relaxing the odd-even vehicle…
uly 5: The government has decided to provide up to Rs 500,000 to the families displaced by natural disaster.…
July 5: Coca-Cola has appointed Devyani Rajya Laxmi Rana as the multinational company’s vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability for India and Southwest Asia.…
Dabur Nepal has launched its new product ‘Real Immuno Mango+’…
uly 4: Only about two-thirds of registered pharmaceutical companies in the country are fully operational at…
July 4: The government has set ambitious targets for the next three years to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, which is yet to be endorsed by the…
July 4: Experts in the field of tourism have suggested the Nepal Tourism Board to bring a budget in coordination with the federal, state, and local levels to revive the tourism that has been burdened by Covid 19.…
July 4: Nepali industrialists have demanded India to waive anti-dumping duty (ADD) imposed on jute exported from Nepal.…
July 4: Carpets worth around Rs 5 billion have been languishing in different warehouses due to problems in exporting the product.…
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It has spent 82.98 percent under current expenditure while less than 50 percent has been spent under capital expenditure. Records at the Finance Comptroller General’s Office show that 46.98 percent of the budget has been spent on development projects. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government has been claiming improvement in its spending capacity but the spending data shows otherwise. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the Finance Comptroller General’s Office, there is not much difference compared to previous years in daily release of fund. Deputy Finance Comptroller General Gyandendra Poudel said the daily limit of fund release is increasing every day. Although the daily limit of spending has increased since mid June, the government is yet to spend Rs 437 billion of the allocated budget. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In recent years, the government has been stepping up budget spending towards the end of fiscal year. Financial experts have been raising concerns about this trend. According to them, the expenditure happening at the end of the year doesn't give sustainable results. According to Bishwambher Pyakurel, financial expert, the spending nature has not changed at all. It is very clear that the government has not been able to reform the expenditure system.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13385', 'image' => '20210706022457_20200327032654_5003_finance-ministy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 14:24:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13640', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sundar Auto to Assemble Electric Vehicles in Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: For the first time in Nepal, the private sector of Nepal is preparing to establish a vehicle assembling plant.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: For the first time in Nepal, the private sector of Nepal is preparing to establish a vehicle assembling plant.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sundar Auto Engineering, a subsidiary of Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd, is preparing to set up the plant in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sundar Yatayat is also the first company to introduce electric buses for public transportation representing the private sector in Nepal. The company is making arrangements so that they can lay the foundation for the plant before August.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The electric vehicle assembling plant is set to be established in Butwal's Sainamina municipality.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">China's Sichuan Guhang Automobile and UAE's SEC Group are said to make investments in establishing the plant. According to Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, chairman of the company, Sichuan Automobile will invest 47 percent while the share of SEC Group will be 46 percent and Sundar Yatayat’s stake will be 7 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sundar Yatayat confirmed that an agreement had been reached with these two companies for setting up an assembly plant during a program in November 2019. Although the company has been preparing to set up the plant since April last year, the work was hindered and could not proceed due to the prohibitory order, said Chairman Thapa.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to him, Rs 3.6 billion is being invested as the initial phase for setting up the assembly plant. Investments would be added gradually as the work progresses. He said that preparations have been made to assemble 100 vehicles in the first year, 300 vehicles in the second year and 1000 vehicles annually from the third year onwards. "We plan to lay the foundation stone within 15 days," he said, adding, "We have requested the prime minister to attend the inauguration as the chief guest."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He informed that the foundation stone will be laid within August and the work will commence immediately. Preparations to assemble 100 vehicles within the next fiscal year 2078/79 have already been completed. According to him, Sainamina municipality is going to provide approximately 5.8 acres of land for the establishment of the assembly plant.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Mayor of Sainamaina municipality, Chitra Bahadur Karki informed that an agreement has been reached to lease the land to the company. According to him, the company has entered into an agreement with the municipality to pay Rs 600,000 annually.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The company has agreed to provide an ambulance to the municipality in the first year, a garbage truck in the second year and a bus to a local community school every year at a 33 percent discount. He also said that the company should deposit 1 percent of their profit in the accumulated fund of the municipality.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The decision to provide land to Sundar Yatayat was reached through an all-party meeting on June 30.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Chairman Thapa mentioned that they are planning to assemble electric jeep, car, van, ambulance and bus as well. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13384', 'image' => '20210706023411_20210303125621_20190530011559_electric bus for short destination_from sajha yatayat.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 14:33:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13638', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Upper Tamakoshi: A ‘Game Changer’ Project ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: With the partial operation of the 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, there emerges public concern regarding what and how the much-awaited national pride project would impact the national economy. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 6: With the partial operation of the 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, there emerges public concern regarding what and how the much-awaited national pride project would impact the national economy. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel reportedly said that the Upper Tamakoshi project would make one per cent contribution to the economic growth of the country. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A single unit of electricity would make impact worth around Rs 90-100, the state-owned national news agency (RSS) reported citing a knowledgeable person of the energy sector. Currently, one out of six units of Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has come into operation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Hitendra Dev Shakya, informed that the project is expected to produce 2,280 million units of electricity annually.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The project that was supposed to be completed some six years ago has been delayed due to several reasons. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Policy-makers and investors however have shown their doubt whether or not the project would give anticipated returns owing to the elevated costs and protracted timing of the project, RSS further reported. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Yet the project is taken to be a gamer changer project for its potential benefits to the national economy of Nepal. This is so far the biggest project constructed with domestic financing of Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">It has to be noted that former Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Kulman Ghising took the initiative to bring this project back on track from the verge of failure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The success of this project has also boosted up the country’s confidence that hydropower projects of medium-scale capacity and investment can be undertqaken on our own financing, engineering and management, said NEA’s Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya. </span></span><br /> <em><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">(With inputs from RSS) </span></span></em> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13383', 'image' => '20210706020649_1625457331.tamakoshi_dam.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 14:05:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13637', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Begins Test Production ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has finally come into operation from Monday after various ups and downs. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has finally come into operation from Monday after various ups and downs. The project has started generating electricity from a unit with a capacity of 76 MW from Monday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The construction of the 456 Megawatt project began in 2008. The then Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal had laid the foundation stone of the project on June 19, 2008.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">On Monday (July 5), Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the project amid a formal function. He inaugurated the Dolakha-based project virtually from Kathmandu. Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel, representatives of the Nepal Electricity Authority, and project officials were also present at the inauguration.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Inaugurating the project, Prime Minister Oli said it's a matter of pride for the country to have such a big project with domestic investment. He said that the project has boosted the confidence of the nation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Minister for Energy Poudel said that the project built with domestic investment would be a great achievement for the country's economy. He said that there will be no recurrence of load shedding in Nepal due to the project. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal Electricity Authority Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya said the project would generate 228 million units of electricity annually. The project, built with domestic investment, was targeted to be operational by 2016. However, the project could not come into operation on time due to disputes, the poor performance of the construction company, and natural calamities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project came into operation almost five years after the deadline. The construction work has been delayed due to the poor performance of the construction company. The 2015 earthquake badly affected the construction of the project. The project was also affected by the Indian blockade after the earthquake.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project was delayed due to problems in transportation of fuel and construction materials due to Madhesh movement and blockade, change in the design of the project, delay in work by hydromechanical (Lot 2) contractors under various pretexts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project was targeted to be operational within the last fiscal year. However, the construction of the project was again affected by the pandemic. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In particular, the Austrian contractor of Electromechanical (Lot 3) under the tripartite agreement (Project, Texmaco, and Andrews) agreed to install penstock pipes in the 373-meter-long vertical tunnel, which was considered difficult after the Indian company Texma's Railway Engineering delayed the work. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The work gained momentum after Andrews was given the task of connecting the penstock to the lower vertical tunnel. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The cost of the project has skyrocketed as the construction work of the project has been extended. The target was to complete the construction of the project for Rs 35 billion. However, Rs 84 billion has been spent on the project.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project has a net cost of Rs 52 billion and Rs 32 billion for interest. Investment is also said to have increased due to fluctuations in the value of the US dollar.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project has 6 units of 76 MW capacity each. The first unit of the project has been brought into operation from Monday for test production. The remaining five units will also be brought into operation every two weeks, said Bijan Prasad Shrestha, chief executive officer of the project. He said that all the units will come into operation in August as per the schedule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13381', 'image' => '20210706114718_1625527854.Clipboard04.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 11:46:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13636', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'ADB Appoints New Country Director for Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Arnaud Cauchois as the new country director for Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/Arnaud%20Cauchois%20%282%29.JPG" style="height:240px; width:240px" /></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">July 6: </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Arnaud Cauchois as the new country director for Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the ADB, Cauchois will lead ADB operations in the country and policy dialogue with the government of Nepal and other development partners. He will oversee the implementation of ADB’s country partnership strategy for Nepal that focuses on the country’s long-term development needs through improved infrastructure for private sector-led growth, improved access to devolved services, and environmental sustainability and resilience, ADB said in a statement issued on July 6. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">“ADB has been a long-term development partner of Nepal. I look forward to building on the strong partnership and working closely with the government, development partners, and other stakeholders in supporting Nepal’s development agenda and poverty reduction efforts,” the statement quoted Cauchois as saying. “My immediate priority will be to support the Government of Nepal as it addresses both the immediate and longer-term health, economic, and social impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">In the medium term, Cauchois indicated the need to support the government with the development of integrated solutions by combining expertise across sectors and mixing public and private sector financing. Expansion of private sector operations, as well as green resilient and inclusive projects, will be pursued in close collaboration with the government and development partners, the statement added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to ADB, Cauchois has almost 3 decades of professional experience, including over 15 years with ADB. Cauchois, a French national, joined ADB in 2005 as a Rural Development Specialist and has since held numerous leading positions. Prior to this appointment, he served as Principal Water Resources Specialist for India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and was outposted in ADB’s India Resident Mission. He was also assigned in ADB’s Nepal Resident Mission for 6 years and led the improvement of the water management systems in Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">He holds a master of science degree in water resource management from the Superior School of Tropical Agronomy in Montpellier, France. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Since its establishment in 1966, ADB has provided over $7 billion in financial and technical assistance to Nepal. The assistance was provided in energy, transport, water supply and urban infrastructure services, agriculture and irrigation, and education, the statement added.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13380', 'image' => '20210706113824_ADB.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 11:37:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13635', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank to Issue Development Bond Today', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: Nepal Rastra Bank is all set to auction development bonds worth Rs 15 billion today (July 6).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">July 6: Nepal Rastra Bank is all set to auction development bonds worth Rs 15 billion today (July 6). The central bank is issuing the bonds to manage internal loan for the government as per its schedule to collect such loans for the fourth quarter of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The government has already collected internal loans of Rs 115 billion as of second quarter of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The National Loan Management Department of Nepal Rastra Bank on behalf of the Government of Nepal has issued a five-year Development Bond 2083 ‘E’. Interested banks and financial institutions, non-banking institutions, insurance companies as well as eligible Nepali citizens can apply for the bond within 3 pm today. The interest rate of the bond will be fixed through bidding process.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The development bond will be issued on July 7. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Prior to this, the central bank has issued development bonds of Rs 10 billion on June 22 with a maturity period of six years.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13379', 'image' => '20210706112914_1625201068.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 11:28:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13633', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prohibitory Order in Kathmandu Valley Relaxed', 'sub_title' => 'All Kinds of Vehicles Allowed to Operate', 'summary' => 'July 6: The prohibitory order in Kathmandu valley has been extended till July 16 by relaxing the odd-even vehicle rule.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: The prohibitory order in Kathmandu valley has been extended till July 16 by relaxing the odd-even vehicle rule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Chief District Officer of Kathmandu, Kali Prasad Parajuli, confirmed that the odd-even rule has been dismissed and all kinds of vehicles will be allowed to operate in the valley.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, according to CDO Parajuli, public vehicles won't be allowed to operate more passengers than the seating capacity. Public transportations has to implement the standard health protocol. The vehicles entering the valley can be allowed with the permission of the local administration.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, all kinds of businesses will be open from Tuesday morning (July 6). Such orders were issued by a joint meeting of the Chief District Officers of the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur) on Monday (July 5). The meeting has imposed a complete restriction on mass gatherings, conferences, operation of cinema halls, party palaces among others. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, gatherings in open places, weddings in hotels and party palaces, mass gatherings, religious programs except for daily worship, and educational activities in physical presence still restricted</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Local transportations is allowed to operate from 9 am to 11 am and from 4 pm to 7 pm. However, drug and health care stores will be open round the clock. Other shops and businesses can operate till 6 pm.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Businesses are required to follow all the health safety standards. Failure to do so could result in a halt of business operations. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Online delivery of essential items as well as delivery of food and other take-away items from restaurants are allowed till 7 pm in Kaathmandu valley.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Public transport will not be allowed to carry more passengers than the seating capacity. Passengers must wear a mask. If not, entry to the vehicle is prohibited. Drivers and helpers are required to wear visors and gloves. Public vehicles are required to have a sanitizer placed at the door of the vehicle. Vehicles are also required to be disinfected.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, Safa's clean tempo and the blue microbus are asked to have only four passengers in the back seat and one on the driver's side. These public vehicles have to put a plastic barrier in the middle of the vehicle to separate the passengers on both sides. In case of private vehicles, full health standards must be followed.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Public and private vehicles entering the valley for urgent work will be allowed to enter with the approval of the concerned district administration office. Vehicles for public and private construction have been asked to operate from 9 pm to 5 am.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">All kinds of pre-scheduled written and practical examinations can be conducted by following the standard health protocols. While conducting the examination, more than 25 people are not allowed to sit for exams in a single hall. The examinations have to be conducted in two shifts. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, seminars, meetings and trainings can have no more than 25 participants.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13378', 'image' => '20210706111648_1625544322.lockdown.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 10:27:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13631', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government to Provide Half a Million Rupees in Relief to Victims of Natural Disaster ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'uly 5: The government has decided to provide up to Rs 500,000 to the families displaced by natural disaster. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 5: The government has decided to provide up to Rs 500,000 to the families displaced by natural disaster. According to the government, it has allocated the relief amount for reconstruction and rehabilitation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government will provide Rs 500,000 per family in the mountainous districts, Rs 400,000 in the hill districts and Rs 300,000 in the terai districts in accordance to the Disaster Affected Private Housing Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Grant Procedure 2077. The amount will be released in installments. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel said that the government has initiated the process of providing an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 per affected family through the District Administration Offices for temporary accommodation. A total of Rs 28.6 million has been allocated for this. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Informing the assembly about the damage caused by the natural disaster in different parts of the country since the beginning of monsoon this year, Poudel said that the government has given necessary instructions for immediate rescue, relief and rehabilitation in coordination with the stakeholders. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> According to him, 572 houses have been completely damaged while 112 houses have been partially damaged since the onset of the rainy season this year. Similarly, floods and landslides have also damaged 36 government buildings and nine schools. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">A total of fifteen motorable bridges have been damaged, that includes seven in Sindhupalchowk district, two in Manang and Chitwan, one each in Tanahun, Morang, Udayapur and Siraha. Five wooden bridges were swept away in Manang. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, a total of 23 suspension bridges have been swept away in different parts of the country including 14 in Sindhupalchowk, seven in Manang. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The access road and bridge leading to the headworks of Melamchi Drinking Water Project have been damaged. Poudel said that the repair work has already started after confirming the damage to the headworks. According to him, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has already taken initiative to open the blocked road by constructing two bailey bridges in Sindhupalchowk. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Forty-three small and large drinking water projects across the country have been damaged while 25 hydropower projects in different districts including Kaski, Manang and Sindhupalchok have been partially damaged. Minister Poudel said that they are yet to receive the details of total damages so far in all the provinces and districts. He also informed that they have asked the details of the damage from the concerned agencies. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the government, reconstruction work has started by providing a grant of Rs 199.7 million at the rate of Rs 50,000 per family in the first installment to 3,949 families affected by last year's monsoon. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-05', 'modified' => '2021-07-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13377', 'image' => '20210705020447_20201220030536_20201015115013_1602717511.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-05 14:04:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13632', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Devyani Rana appointed Coca-Cola’s Vice President ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 5: Coca-Cola has appointed Devyani Rajya Laxmi Rana as the multinational company’s vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability for India and Southwest Asia. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 5: Coca-Cola has appointed Devyani Rajya Laxmi Rana as the multinational company’s vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability for India and Southwest Asia. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Rana was earlier working with Caterpillar India where—as Director of Public Affairs for India, Nepal, Bhutan—she was leading Caterpillar and its subsidiaries’ work in government/corporate affairs, public relations and communications, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability for India, Nepal and Bhutan regions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">She is a daughter of Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s leader Pashupati Shumsher Rana and Rani Usha Raje Scindia, who is a daughter of Gwalior’s last maharaja Jivajirao Scindia and Aishwarya Singh.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">She had also worked with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and United Nations (UN) in India, The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, Geneva, Switzerland World Economic Forum (WEF).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I am delighted to welcome Devyani on this exciting charter to deepen Coca-Cola’s engagement in the region as she joins the leadership team to spearhead the practice in the region,” said Sanket Ray, President, India and Southwest Asia, commenting on the appointment. “Rana brings a wealth of experience in advocating for policies, legislation, trade agreements and regulations. Her contributions will augment our belief in our purpose even stronger and serve as an acceleration of the work that was already underway.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Rana, an alumni of London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London, also holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science from Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur in Nepal and a Bachelor of Arts, in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India. </span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-05', 'modified' => '2021-07-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13376', 'image' => '20210705023038_IMG-20210705-WA0000.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-05 14:20:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13630', 'article_category_id' => '240', 'title' => ' Dabur Nepal Launches “Real Immuno Mango+” Juice ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Dabur Nepal has launched its new product ‘Real Immuno Mango+’ juice. ', 'content' => '<p>July 4: Dabur Nepal has launched its new product ‘Real Immuno Mango+’ juice. <br /> Issuing a statement on Sunday, Dabur Nepal said that the newly launched juice is Nepal’s first fortified juice. <br /> It is the tasty and popular Mango juice fortified with the ‘Power of 5’ i.e. 5 proven immunity boosting ingredients - Honey, Tulsi, Ashwagandha, Vitamin C and Zinc, according to the statement. Dabur Nepal, in its statement, also said that Real Immuno Mango + is a perfect blend of both health and taste. <br /> “In a move to widen consumer offerings, Dabur Nepal, the market leader in fruit juice category in the country has been always striving to delight the consumers through relevant product innovation,” the statement quoted H. S. Bedi, Business Head of Dabur Nepal, as saying. </p> <p>Real Immuno Mango+ was developed post intensive market research amongst the target group to understand the immunity needs of their family, according to the statement. </p> <p>“The concept of Real Immuno Mango+ was appreciated by the consumers as they found it highly relevant during this COVID-19 situation” the statement quoted Abhaya Pd. Gorkhalee, Head of Marketing at Dabur Nepal, as saying. “The consumers have also rated Real Immuno Mango+ juice highest in all 5 sensorial parameters in blind test conducted during the product development.”</p> <p>This high quality Fortified Mango juice is priced at Rs 30 for single serve 180ml and Rs 250 for 1 Ltr pack, according to the statement. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13375', 'image' => '20210704112815_Dabur Nepal.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 23:25:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13629', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Only Two-thirds Pharmaceutical Companies Fully Operational', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'uly 4: Only about two-thirds of registered pharmaceutical companies in the country are fully operational at present.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 4: Only about two-thirds of registered pharmaceutical companies in the country are fully operational at present. This was revealed in a detailed study report on self-reliant pharmaceuticals and drug manufacturing industries of Nepal released by the Department of Industry on Saturday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the report, there are 103 pharmaceutical companies registered with the Department of Drug Administration as of April 25, 2021, of which only 66 companies are fully operational. The department informed that these companies have received licenses for both production and sales of medicines. Similarly, the report states that 33 companies are in the process of obtaining licenses for production, while other four licensed industries are not operating due to technical reasons.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Out of 66 companies, four (6.06 percent) companies are in Province 1, 14 (21.21 percent) are in Province 2, Bagmati Province has 37 (56.06 percent) companies, Gandaki has 2 (3.03 percent) companies and Lumbini Province has 9 (13.63 percent) companies. The study report shows that there isn’t any pharmaceutical company in the other two provinces.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">All the above-mentioned pharmaceutical companies are private and mostly large (90 percent) with a total capital of more than Rs 250 million. Some medium-sized companies (10 percent) are also planning to increase investment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Most of the companies in operation are producing medicines in the form of tablets, capsules, liquid (syrup/suspension), powder (dry syrup), ointment/cream and eye/ear drops.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The yearly production capacity of tablets of 60 out of 66 companies is 2 billion units and the production capacity of capsules is 1.75 billion units. Similarly, the production capacity of liquid medicine of 45 companies is 4.5 billion units. In addition, the ointment production capacity of 40 companies is 150 million units and powder (dry syrup) is 30 million units. Moreover, the production capacity of nose/ear drops of five companies is 3.7 million units. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13374', 'image' => '20210704045857_20200818124630_1597700501.Clipboard10.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 16:58:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13628', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Sets Ambitious Target for MCC Projects', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: The government has set ambitious targets for the next three years to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, which is yet to be endorsed by the parliament.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 4: The government has set ambitious targets for the next three years to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, which is yet to be endorsed by the parliament.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The MCC agreement has been mired in controversy since a long time. However, the government has claimed that the work of the project will be expedited in the next three years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The recent expenditure structure prepared by the National Planning Commission, chaired by the Prime Minister, outlines the achievements to be made in the next three years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The targets are operation of Transmission Line Rehabilitation Action Plan, Additional Survey of Transmission Line (30 km), compensation and distribution to 20 percent of the people affected by the project, completion of 10 percent of MCA Nepal Partnership Program, detailed survey and design of projects, construction of 55% of substations, 15 percent of equipment installation, maintenance and operation of 40 km long Dhankhola Lamahi road section, maintenance of 37 km long Lamahi-Shivakhola road section among others.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, 178 out of 189 plots have been acquired for Ratmate Substation and Rs 1.26 billion compensation has been distributed to the affected people. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">It is claimed that preparations are in the final stage and an agreement has been signed with the Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Department of Roads seeking required help. Agreements will be signed between MCA Nepal and the Ministry of Forestry to cut down trees and use of forest land in the next fiscal year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, the government claims that three sub-stations, 315 km of transmission lines and about 77 km of national highways will be renovated by the Millennium Challenge Account in the next five years. The cost of this project is estimated to be at Rs 70.50 billion. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal had signed an agreement with the US-backed MCC in September 2017 to build a project with a grant of around Rs 55 billion. It had been agreed that the United States would provide $ 500 million in grants for two projects to increase electricity consumption and reduce the cost of road transport, and that the Government of Nepal would contribute $ 130 million to these projects.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although Nepal has expressed its commitment to implement the agreement by completing all the procedures, the project has not moved ahead as agreed. MCA-Nepal has been saying that the project cannot be fully implemented without it being endorsed by the parliament. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13373', 'image' => '20210704043711_1625349562.3.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 16:36:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13626', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Experts Suggest NTB to Introduce the Budget in Coordination with all 3 Tiers of Government', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: Experts in the field of tourism have suggested the Nepal Tourism Board to bring a budget in coordination with the federal, state, and local levels to revive the tourism that has been burdened by Covid 19. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">July 4: Experts in the field of tourism have suggested the Nepal Tourism Board to bring a budget in coordination with the federal, state, and local levels to revive the tourism that has been burdened by Covid 19. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Speaking at a recent virtual interaction organized by the Board, the experts suggested formulating a plan for maximum use of limited resources. They stressed that the tourism activities need to be revitalized gradually by ensuring vaccine against COVID-19 and maintaining health protocol. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> Former Tourism Secretary Dipendra Purush Dhakal shared that the federal government should provide a grant to the board to promote tourism amid current crisis. He said that there would be financial problems in the promotion of tourism and the sector would be affected if the government does not bring help in times of trouble.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Dr. Prem Sharma suggested the board to formulate a budget to promote domestic tourism as there is less possibility of international tourists visiting Nepal immediately. Similarly, Dr. Som Prasad Khatiwada, Ram Chandra Sedai, Chetnath Kandel, and Surya Kiran Shrestha said that the board should prepare a recovery and revival plan of at least 2 to 3 years by including the stakeholders’ suggestion and move ahead with the work of tourism promotion accordingly.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Similarly, Dr. Alok Rai, Ramesh Upadhyay, Pashupati Neupane, and Gyanendra Ratna Tuladhar stressed on digital marketing while tourism entrepreneurs Vijay Amatya, Vikram Pandey, and Sien Pandey urged the board focus on new tourism products and marketing rather than infrastructure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">During the interaction, Chandra Prasad Rijal, vice-chairman of the board, said that the board would take forward the work of policy reform by incorporating the suggestions of experts. He said that the board was planning to work transparently in all the states despite the small budget and the suggestions of experts would be helpful in formulating the budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Similarly, other members of the board Krishna Shah and Pampha Poudel Dhamala said that the board was coordinating with various agencies for resource management even in difficult circumstances. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13372', 'image' => '20210704105627_20201016032657_1602804123.Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 10:55:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13625', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Industrialists urge India to Remove its Anti-Dumping Duty on Jute Produced in Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: Nepali industrialists have demanded India to waive anti-dumping duty (ADD) imposed on jute exported from Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 4: Nepali industrialists have demanded India to waive anti-dumping duty (ADD) imposed on jute exported from Nepal. India has not imposed ADD on jute imported from Bangladesh.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepali industrialists have been paying an annual fee of Rs 300 million to the Indian government for anti-dumping. However, Bangladeshi industrialists do not pay a penny. Nepali industry has been exporting ready-made jute worth Rs 7.5 billion to India annually.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal's industries have been exporting the finished jute products by importing more than 50 percent raw jute from India. Jute produced in Nepal barely occupies 2 percent of the Indian jute market. Nepal produces jute by importing technology, raw materials, and machinery from India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">As the jute mills operated in Morang and Sunsari of Nepal are close to the border, factory employees are Indian. Despite the Indian government's policy of mandatory use of jute bags for food packaging, Indian products are not enough and therefore use plastic bags for packing food. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Raj Kumar Golchha, president of the Nepal Jute Industries Association, demanded the removal of the ADD imposed by India on jute produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Due to ADD, Nepali products have not been able to compete with Indian products, he shared. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Therefore, he demanded that the government should initiate negotiation with India to remove the five-year ADD provision. There are 30,000 workers in Nepal's jute industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The Government of India has been reviewing the duty every five years. It has been five years since India imposed ADD on Nepali jute products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Five years ago, the Nepal Jute Industries Association had repeatedly demanded the removal of ADD before the Government of India. At that time, a team of tax experts from the Government of India visited the jute industries in Morang and Sunsari and decided to impose ADD on different products. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Dinesh Bhattarai, said that the ministry would try to solve the issue diplomatically after studying Indian law. He said, "We will study the provisions in the law of India and plan accordingly."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Ramesh Rathi, treasurer of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Province No. 1 and operator of Swastik Jute, said that like Nepal, Bangladesh is also sending jute products to the Indian market. However, unlike Nepal, India has not imposed ADD on Bangladesh’ products. India has decided not to impose ADD on 16 jute industries of Bangladesh.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The products of other jute mills of Bangladesh are also coming to the Indian market under the name of these 16 jute mills. Rathi said that the Indian government is silent on this issue. He said the government of India is losing revenue to 16 jute industries in Bangladesh due to non-imposition of ADD on their products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Currently, there are 11 jute mills in Nepal, while six of them are currently closed. The remaining five jute industries that are operational are Arihant, Raghupati, Swastik, Baba, and Nepal Jute. Rathi added that if the government of Nepal resolves the ADD problem through talks with the Indian government, the industry affected by the closure due to coronavirus will get relief. Industries will increase their production capacity and that will create more jobs, he added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13371', 'image' => '20210704104051_1625349493.Clipboard06.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 10:40:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13624', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Manufacturers Facing Problems in Exporting Carpet', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: Carpets worth around Rs 5 billion have been languishing in different warehouses due to problems in exporting the product. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 4: Carpets worth around Rs 5 billion have been languishing in different warehouses due to problems in exporting the product. The country has been facing problems in exporting goods with the onset of the second wave of coronavirus. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Although there has been a rise in demand for carpets, the readymade products are being stockpiled in warehouses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During the last fiscal year, carpets worth Rs 4 billion could not be exported due to the lockdown imposed by the government to curb the spread of the deadly disease. Carpet manufacturers say that they are facing similar problem this year too. They say that they increased production after receiving orders when the first wave of pandemic started receding. But when it was time to export the product, the second wave hit the country and the government subsequently imposed prohibitory order. Due to this reason, the carpets produced have been stockpiled in warehouses, says Ram Bahadur Gurung, chairman of Nepal Carpet Producers and Exporters Association.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Gurung informed New Business Age that there is still good demand for Nepali carpet in the international market but the problem is exporting them to foreign countries amid the pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He further said that only 30 percent of carpet industries are currently operational due to the difficulty in exporting their products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Carpets produced in Nepal are exported to more than 50 countries across the world including the USA, China, Germany, the UK, Italy, France, Canada, Belgium and Australia.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">It is estimated that there are around 700 carpet industries in Nepal out of which 150 export carpets to foreign countries. The association informed that the livelihood of more than 350,000 workers are in danger as the existence of the carpet industry itself is in trouble. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13370', 'image' => '20210704103045_20200719042410_Nepali Carpet.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 10:30:05', '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' => '13639', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Steps up Spending as the Fiscal Year Comes to an End', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: The government is under pressure to release payments like in the previous years, as the current fiscal year is about to come to an end.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: The government is under pressure to release payments like in the previous years, as the current fiscal year is about to come to an end.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Government officials have said that the expenditure has increased to around Rs 10 billion daily from mid-June. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the Finance Comptroller General’s Office, which keeps records of government income and expenses, the government had spent Rs 1.53 billion on June 15 but the daily expenditure has increased to Rs 9.48 billion from July 4. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government has spent 70 percent of the total budget as of July 4, 2021. It has spent 82.98 percent under current expenditure while less than 50 percent has been spent under capital expenditure. Records at the Finance Comptroller General’s Office show that 46.98 percent of the budget has been spent on development projects. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government has been claiming improvement in its spending capacity but the spending data shows otherwise. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the Finance Comptroller General’s Office, there is not much difference compared to previous years in daily release of fund. Deputy Finance Comptroller General Gyandendra Poudel said the daily limit of fund release is increasing every day. Although the daily limit of spending has increased since mid June, the government is yet to spend Rs 437 billion of the allocated budget. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In recent years, the government has been stepping up budget spending towards the end of fiscal year. Financial experts have been raising concerns about this trend. According to them, the expenditure happening at the end of the year doesn't give sustainable results. According to Bishwambher Pyakurel, financial expert, the spending nature has not changed at all. It is very clear that the government has not been able to reform the expenditure system.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13385', 'image' => '20210706022457_20200327032654_5003_finance-ministy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 14:24:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13640', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sundar Auto to Assemble Electric Vehicles in Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: For the first time in Nepal, the private sector of Nepal is preparing to establish a vehicle assembling plant.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: For the first time in Nepal, the private sector of Nepal is preparing to establish a vehicle assembling plant.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sundar Auto Engineering, a subsidiary of Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd, is preparing to set up the plant in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sundar Yatayat is also the first company to introduce electric buses for public transportation representing the private sector in Nepal. The company is making arrangements so that they can lay the foundation for the plant before August.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The electric vehicle assembling plant is set to be established in Butwal's Sainamina municipality.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">China's Sichuan Guhang Automobile and UAE's SEC Group are said to make investments in establishing the plant. According to Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, chairman of the company, Sichuan Automobile will invest 47 percent while the share of SEC Group will be 46 percent and Sundar Yatayat’s stake will be 7 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sundar Yatayat confirmed that an agreement had been reached with these two companies for setting up an assembly plant during a program in November 2019. Although the company has been preparing to set up the plant since April last year, the work was hindered and could not proceed due to the prohibitory order, said Chairman Thapa.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to him, Rs 3.6 billion is being invested as the initial phase for setting up the assembly plant. Investments would be added gradually as the work progresses. He said that preparations have been made to assemble 100 vehicles in the first year, 300 vehicles in the second year and 1000 vehicles annually from the third year onwards. "We plan to lay the foundation stone within 15 days," he said, adding, "We have requested the prime minister to attend the inauguration as the chief guest."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He informed that the foundation stone will be laid within August and the work will commence immediately. Preparations to assemble 100 vehicles within the next fiscal year 2078/79 have already been completed. According to him, Sainamina municipality is going to provide approximately 5.8 acres of land for the establishment of the assembly plant.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Mayor of Sainamaina municipality, Chitra Bahadur Karki informed that an agreement has been reached to lease the land to the company. According to him, the company has entered into an agreement with the municipality to pay Rs 600,000 annually.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The company has agreed to provide an ambulance to the municipality in the first year, a garbage truck in the second year and a bus to a local community school every year at a 33 percent discount. He also said that the company should deposit 1 percent of their profit in the accumulated fund of the municipality.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The decision to provide land to Sundar Yatayat was reached through an all-party meeting on June 30.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Chairman Thapa mentioned that they are planning to assemble electric jeep, car, van, ambulance and bus as well. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13384', 'image' => '20210706023411_20210303125621_20190530011559_electric bus for short destination_from sajha yatayat.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 14:33:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13638', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Upper Tamakoshi: A ‘Game Changer’ Project ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: With the partial operation of the 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, there emerges public concern regarding what and how the much-awaited national pride project would impact the national economy. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 6: With the partial operation of the 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, there emerges public concern regarding what and how the much-awaited national pride project would impact the national economy. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel reportedly said that the Upper Tamakoshi project would make one per cent contribution to the economic growth of the country. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A single unit of electricity would make impact worth around Rs 90-100, the state-owned national news agency (RSS) reported citing a knowledgeable person of the energy sector. Currently, one out of six units of Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has come into operation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Hitendra Dev Shakya, informed that the project is expected to produce 2,280 million units of electricity annually.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The project that was supposed to be completed some six years ago has been delayed due to several reasons. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Policy-makers and investors however have shown their doubt whether or not the project would give anticipated returns owing to the elevated costs and protracted timing of the project, RSS further reported. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Yet the project is taken to be a gamer changer project for its potential benefits to the national economy of Nepal. This is so far the biggest project constructed with domestic financing of Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">It has to be noted that former Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Kulman Ghising took the initiative to bring this project back on track from the verge of failure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The success of this project has also boosted up the country’s confidence that hydropower projects of medium-scale capacity and investment can be undertqaken on our own financing, engineering and management, said NEA’s Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya. </span></span><br /> <em><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">(With inputs from RSS) </span></span></em> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13383', 'image' => '20210706020649_1625457331.tamakoshi_dam.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 14:05:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13637', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Begins Test Production ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has finally come into operation from Monday after various ups and downs. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has finally come into operation from Monday after various ups and downs. The project has started generating electricity from a unit with a capacity of 76 MW from Monday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The construction of the 456 Megawatt project began in 2008. The then Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal had laid the foundation stone of the project on June 19, 2008.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">On Monday (July 5), Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the project amid a formal function. He inaugurated the Dolakha-based project virtually from Kathmandu. Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel, representatives of the Nepal Electricity Authority, and project officials were also present at the inauguration.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Inaugurating the project, Prime Minister Oli said it's a matter of pride for the country to have such a big project with domestic investment. He said that the project has boosted the confidence of the nation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Minister for Energy Poudel said that the project built with domestic investment would be a great achievement for the country's economy. He said that there will be no recurrence of load shedding in Nepal due to the project. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal Electricity Authority Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya said the project would generate 228 million units of electricity annually. The project, built with domestic investment, was targeted to be operational by 2016. However, the project could not come into operation on time due to disputes, the poor performance of the construction company, and natural calamities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project came into operation almost five years after the deadline. The construction work has been delayed due to the poor performance of the construction company. The 2015 earthquake badly affected the construction of the project. The project was also affected by the Indian blockade after the earthquake.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project was delayed due to problems in transportation of fuel and construction materials due to Madhesh movement and blockade, change in the design of the project, delay in work by hydromechanical (Lot 2) contractors under various pretexts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project was targeted to be operational within the last fiscal year. However, the construction of the project was again affected by the pandemic. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In particular, the Austrian contractor of Electromechanical (Lot 3) under the tripartite agreement (Project, Texmaco, and Andrews) agreed to install penstock pipes in the 373-meter-long vertical tunnel, which was considered difficult after the Indian company Texma's Railway Engineering delayed the work. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The work gained momentum after Andrews was given the task of connecting the penstock to the lower vertical tunnel. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The cost of the project has skyrocketed as the construction work of the project has been extended. The target was to complete the construction of the project for Rs 35 billion. However, Rs 84 billion has been spent on the project.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project has a net cost of Rs 52 billion and Rs 32 billion for interest. Investment is also said to have increased due to fluctuations in the value of the US dollar.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project has 6 units of 76 MW capacity each. The first unit of the project has been brought into operation from Monday for test production. The remaining five units will also be brought into operation every two weeks, said Bijan Prasad Shrestha, chief executive officer of the project. He said that all the units will come into operation in August as per the schedule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13381', 'image' => '20210706114718_1625527854.Clipboard04.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 11:46:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13636', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'ADB Appoints New Country Director for Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Arnaud Cauchois as the new country director for Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/Arnaud%20Cauchois%20%282%29.JPG" style="height:240px; width:240px" /></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">July 6: </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Arnaud Cauchois as the new country director for Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the ADB, Cauchois will lead ADB operations in the country and policy dialogue with the government of Nepal and other development partners. He will oversee the implementation of ADB’s country partnership strategy for Nepal that focuses on the country’s long-term development needs through improved infrastructure for private sector-led growth, improved access to devolved services, and environmental sustainability and resilience, ADB said in a statement issued on July 6. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">“ADB has been a long-term development partner of Nepal. I look forward to building on the strong partnership and working closely with the government, development partners, and other stakeholders in supporting Nepal’s development agenda and poverty reduction efforts,” the statement quoted Cauchois as saying. “My immediate priority will be to support the Government of Nepal as it addresses both the immediate and longer-term health, economic, and social impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">In the medium term, Cauchois indicated the need to support the government with the development of integrated solutions by combining expertise across sectors and mixing public and private sector financing. Expansion of private sector operations, as well as green resilient and inclusive projects, will be pursued in close collaboration with the government and development partners, the statement added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to ADB, Cauchois has almost 3 decades of professional experience, including over 15 years with ADB. Cauchois, a French national, joined ADB in 2005 as a Rural Development Specialist and has since held numerous leading positions. Prior to this appointment, he served as Principal Water Resources Specialist for India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and was outposted in ADB’s India Resident Mission. He was also assigned in ADB’s Nepal Resident Mission for 6 years and led the improvement of the water management systems in Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">He holds a master of science degree in water resource management from the Superior School of Tropical Agronomy in Montpellier, France. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Since its establishment in 1966, ADB has provided over $7 billion in financial and technical assistance to Nepal. The assistance was provided in energy, transport, water supply and urban infrastructure services, agriculture and irrigation, and education, the statement added.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13380', 'image' => '20210706113824_ADB.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 11:37:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13635', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank to Issue Development Bond Today', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: Nepal Rastra Bank is all set to auction development bonds worth Rs 15 billion today (July 6).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">July 6: Nepal Rastra Bank is all set to auction development bonds worth Rs 15 billion today (July 6). The central bank is issuing the bonds to manage internal loan for the government as per its schedule to collect such loans for the fourth quarter of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The government has already collected internal loans of Rs 115 billion as of second quarter of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The National Loan Management Department of Nepal Rastra Bank on behalf of the Government of Nepal has issued a five-year Development Bond 2083 ‘E’. Interested banks and financial institutions, non-banking institutions, insurance companies as well as eligible Nepali citizens can apply for the bond within 3 pm today. The interest rate of the bond will be fixed through bidding process.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The development bond will be issued on July 7. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Prior to this, the central bank has issued development bonds of Rs 10 billion on June 22 with a maturity period of six years.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13379', 'image' => '20210706112914_1625201068.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 11:28:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13633', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prohibitory Order in Kathmandu Valley Relaxed', 'sub_title' => 'All Kinds of Vehicles Allowed to Operate', 'summary' => 'July 6: The prohibitory order in Kathmandu valley has been extended till July 16 by relaxing the odd-even vehicle rule.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: The prohibitory order in Kathmandu valley has been extended till July 16 by relaxing the odd-even vehicle rule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Chief District Officer of Kathmandu, Kali Prasad Parajuli, confirmed that the odd-even rule has been dismissed and all kinds of vehicles will be allowed to operate in the valley.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, according to CDO Parajuli, public vehicles won't be allowed to operate more passengers than the seating capacity. Public transportations has to implement the standard health protocol. The vehicles entering the valley can be allowed with the permission of the local administration.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, all kinds of businesses will be open from Tuesday morning (July 6). Such orders were issued by a joint meeting of the Chief District Officers of the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur) on Monday (July 5). The meeting has imposed a complete restriction on mass gatherings, conferences, operation of cinema halls, party palaces among others. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, gatherings in open places, weddings in hotels and party palaces, mass gatherings, religious programs except for daily worship, and educational activities in physical presence still restricted</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Local transportations is allowed to operate from 9 am to 11 am and from 4 pm to 7 pm. However, drug and health care stores will be open round the clock. Other shops and businesses can operate till 6 pm.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Businesses are required to follow all the health safety standards. Failure to do so could result in a halt of business operations. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Online delivery of essential items as well as delivery of food and other take-away items from restaurants are allowed till 7 pm in Kaathmandu valley.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Public transport will not be allowed to carry more passengers than the seating capacity. Passengers must wear a mask. If not, entry to the vehicle is prohibited. Drivers and helpers are required to wear visors and gloves. Public vehicles are required to have a sanitizer placed at the door of the vehicle. Vehicles are also required to be disinfected.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, Safa's clean tempo and the blue microbus are asked to have only four passengers in the back seat and one on the driver's side. These public vehicles have to put a plastic barrier in the middle of the vehicle to separate the passengers on both sides. In case of private vehicles, full health standards must be followed.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Public and private vehicles entering the valley for urgent work will be allowed to enter with the approval of the concerned district administration office. Vehicles for public and private construction have been asked to operate from 9 pm to 5 am.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">All kinds of pre-scheduled written and practical examinations can be conducted by following the standard health protocols. While conducting the examination, more than 25 people are not allowed to sit for exams in a single hall. The examinations have to be conducted in two shifts. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, seminars, meetings and trainings can have no more than 25 participants.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13378', 'image' => '20210706111648_1625544322.lockdown.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 10:27:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13631', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government to Provide Half a Million Rupees in Relief to Victims of Natural Disaster ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'uly 5: The government has decided to provide up to Rs 500,000 to the families displaced by natural disaster. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 5: The government has decided to provide up to Rs 500,000 to the families displaced by natural disaster. According to the government, it has allocated the relief amount for reconstruction and rehabilitation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government will provide Rs 500,000 per family in the mountainous districts, Rs 400,000 in the hill districts and Rs 300,000 in the terai districts in accordance to the Disaster Affected Private Housing Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Grant Procedure 2077. The amount will be released in installments. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel said that the government has initiated the process of providing an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 per affected family through the District Administration Offices for temporary accommodation. A total of Rs 28.6 million has been allocated for this. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Informing the assembly about the damage caused by the natural disaster in different parts of the country since the beginning of monsoon this year, Poudel said that the government has given necessary instructions for immediate rescue, relief and rehabilitation in coordination with the stakeholders. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> According to him, 572 houses have been completely damaged while 112 houses have been partially damaged since the onset of the rainy season this year. Similarly, floods and landslides have also damaged 36 government buildings and nine schools. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">A total of fifteen motorable bridges have been damaged, that includes seven in Sindhupalchowk district, two in Manang and Chitwan, one each in Tanahun, Morang, Udayapur and Siraha. Five wooden bridges were swept away in Manang. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, a total of 23 suspension bridges have been swept away in different parts of the country including 14 in Sindhupalchowk, seven in Manang. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The access road and bridge leading to the headworks of Melamchi Drinking Water Project have been damaged. Poudel said that the repair work has already started after confirming the damage to the headworks. According to him, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has already taken initiative to open the blocked road by constructing two bailey bridges in Sindhupalchowk. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Forty-three small and large drinking water projects across the country have been damaged while 25 hydropower projects in different districts including Kaski, Manang and Sindhupalchok have been partially damaged. Minister Poudel said that they are yet to receive the details of total damages so far in all the provinces and districts. He also informed that they have asked the details of the damage from the concerned agencies. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the government, reconstruction work has started by providing a grant of Rs 199.7 million at the rate of Rs 50,000 per family in the first installment to 3,949 families affected by last year's monsoon. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-05', 'modified' => '2021-07-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13377', 'image' => '20210705020447_20201220030536_20201015115013_1602717511.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-05 14:04:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13632', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Devyani Rana appointed Coca-Cola’s Vice President ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 5: Coca-Cola has appointed Devyani Rajya Laxmi Rana as the multinational company’s vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability for India and Southwest Asia. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 5: Coca-Cola has appointed Devyani Rajya Laxmi Rana as the multinational company’s vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability for India and Southwest Asia. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Rana was earlier working with Caterpillar India where—as Director of Public Affairs for India, Nepal, Bhutan—she was leading Caterpillar and its subsidiaries’ work in government/corporate affairs, public relations and communications, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability for India, Nepal and Bhutan regions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">She is a daughter of Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s leader Pashupati Shumsher Rana and Rani Usha Raje Scindia, who is a daughter of Gwalior’s last maharaja Jivajirao Scindia and Aishwarya Singh.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">She had also worked with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and United Nations (UN) in India, The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, Geneva, Switzerland World Economic Forum (WEF).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I am delighted to welcome Devyani on this exciting charter to deepen Coca-Cola’s engagement in the region as she joins the leadership team to spearhead the practice in the region,” said Sanket Ray, President, India and Southwest Asia, commenting on the appointment. “Rana brings a wealth of experience in advocating for policies, legislation, trade agreements and regulations. Her contributions will augment our belief in our purpose even stronger and serve as an acceleration of the work that was already underway.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Rana, an alumni of London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London, also holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science from Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur in Nepal and a Bachelor of Arts, in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India. </span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-05', 'modified' => '2021-07-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13376', 'image' => '20210705023038_IMG-20210705-WA0000.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-05 14:20:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13630', 'article_category_id' => '240', 'title' => ' Dabur Nepal Launches “Real Immuno Mango+” Juice ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Dabur Nepal has launched its new product ‘Real Immuno Mango+’ juice. ', 'content' => '<p>July 4: Dabur Nepal has launched its new product ‘Real Immuno Mango+’ juice. <br /> Issuing a statement on Sunday, Dabur Nepal said that the newly launched juice is Nepal’s first fortified juice. <br /> It is the tasty and popular Mango juice fortified with the ‘Power of 5’ i.e. 5 proven immunity boosting ingredients - Honey, Tulsi, Ashwagandha, Vitamin C and Zinc, according to the statement. Dabur Nepal, in its statement, also said that Real Immuno Mango + is a perfect blend of both health and taste. <br /> “In a move to widen consumer offerings, Dabur Nepal, the market leader in fruit juice category in the country has been always striving to delight the consumers through relevant product innovation,” the statement quoted H. S. Bedi, Business Head of Dabur Nepal, as saying. </p> <p>Real Immuno Mango+ was developed post intensive market research amongst the target group to understand the immunity needs of their family, according to the statement. </p> <p>“The concept of Real Immuno Mango+ was appreciated by the consumers as they found it highly relevant during this COVID-19 situation” the statement quoted Abhaya Pd. Gorkhalee, Head of Marketing at Dabur Nepal, as saying. “The consumers have also rated Real Immuno Mango+ juice highest in all 5 sensorial parameters in blind test conducted during the product development.”</p> <p>This high quality Fortified Mango juice is priced at Rs 30 for single serve 180ml and Rs 250 for 1 Ltr pack, according to the statement. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13375', 'image' => '20210704112815_Dabur Nepal.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 23:25:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13629', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Only Two-thirds Pharmaceutical Companies Fully Operational', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'uly 4: Only about two-thirds of registered pharmaceutical companies in the country are fully operational at present.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 4: Only about two-thirds of registered pharmaceutical companies in the country are fully operational at present. This was revealed in a detailed study report on self-reliant pharmaceuticals and drug manufacturing industries of Nepal released by the Department of Industry on Saturday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the report, there are 103 pharmaceutical companies registered with the Department of Drug Administration as of April 25, 2021, of which only 66 companies are fully operational. The department informed that these companies have received licenses for both production and sales of medicines. Similarly, the report states that 33 companies are in the process of obtaining licenses for production, while other four licensed industries are not operating due to technical reasons.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Out of 66 companies, four (6.06 percent) companies are in Province 1, 14 (21.21 percent) are in Province 2, Bagmati Province has 37 (56.06 percent) companies, Gandaki has 2 (3.03 percent) companies and Lumbini Province has 9 (13.63 percent) companies. The study report shows that there isn’t any pharmaceutical company in the other two provinces.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">All the above-mentioned pharmaceutical companies are private and mostly large (90 percent) with a total capital of more than Rs 250 million. Some medium-sized companies (10 percent) are also planning to increase investment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Most of the companies in operation are producing medicines in the form of tablets, capsules, liquid (syrup/suspension), powder (dry syrup), ointment/cream and eye/ear drops.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The yearly production capacity of tablets of 60 out of 66 companies is 2 billion units and the production capacity of capsules is 1.75 billion units. Similarly, the production capacity of liquid medicine of 45 companies is 4.5 billion units. In addition, the ointment production capacity of 40 companies is 150 million units and powder (dry syrup) is 30 million units. Moreover, the production capacity of nose/ear drops of five companies is 3.7 million units. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13374', 'image' => '20210704045857_20200818124630_1597700501.Clipboard10.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 16:58:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13628', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Sets Ambitious Target for MCC Projects', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: The government has set ambitious targets for the next three years to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, which is yet to be endorsed by the parliament.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 4: The government has set ambitious targets for the next three years to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, which is yet to be endorsed by the parliament.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The MCC agreement has been mired in controversy since a long time. However, the government has claimed that the work of the project will be expedited in the next three years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The recent expenditure structure prepared by the National Planning Commission, chaired by the Prime Minister, outlines the achievements to be made in the next three years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The targets are operation of Transmission Line Rehabilitation Action Plan, Additional Survey of Transmission Line (30 km), compensation and distribution to 20 percent of the people affected by the project, completion of 10 percent of MCA Nepal Partnership Program, detailed survey and design of projects, construction of 55% of substations, 15 percent of equipment installation, maintenance and operation of 40 km long Dhankhola Lamahi road section, maintenance of 37 km long Lamahi-Shivakhola road section among others.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, 178 out of 189 plots have been acquired for Ratmate Substation and Rs 1.26 billion compensation has been distributed to the affected people. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">It is claimed that preparations are in the final stage and an agreement has been signed with the Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Department of Roads seeking required help. Agreements will be signed between MCA Nepal and the Ministry of Forestry to cut down trees and use of forest land in the next fiscal year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, the government claims that three sub-stations, 315 km of transmission lines and about 77 km of national highways will be renovated by the Millennium Challenge Account in the next five years. The cost of this project is estimated to be at Rs 70.50 billion. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal had signed an agreement with the US-backed MCC in September 2017 to build a project with a grant of around Rs 55 billion. It had been agreed that the United States would provide $ 500 million in grants for two projects to increase electricity consumption and reduce the cost of road transport, and that the Government of Nepal would contribute $ 130 million to these projects.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although Nepal has expressed its commitment to implement the agreement by completing all the procedures, the project has not moved ahead as agreed. MCA-Nepal has been saying that the project cannot be fully implemented without it being endorsed by the parliament. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13373', 'image' => '20210704043711_1625349562.3.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 16:36:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13626', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Experts Suggest NTB to Introduce the Budget in Coordination with all 3 Tiers of Government', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: Experts in the field of tourism have suggested the Nepal Tourism Board to bring a budget in coordination with the federal, state, and local levels to revive the tourism that has been burdened by Covid 19. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">July 4: Experts in the field of tourism have suggested the Nepal Tourism Board to bring a budget in coordination with the federal, state, and local levels to revive the tourism that has been burdened by Covid 19. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Speaking at a recent virtual interaction organized by the Board, the experts suggested formulating a plan for maximum use of limited resources. They stressed that the tourism activities need to be revitalized gradually by ensuring vaccine against COVID-19 and maintaining health protocol. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> Former Tourism Secretary Dipendra Purush Dhakal shared that the federal government should provide a grant to the board to promote tourism amid current crisis. He said that there would be financial problems in the promotion of tourism and the sector would be affected if the government does not bring help in times of trouble.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Dr. Prem Sharma suggested the board to formulate a budget to promote domestic tourism as there is less possibility of international tourists visiting Nepal immediately. Similarly, Dr. Som Prasad Khatiwada, Ram Chandra Sedai, Chetnath Kandel, and Surya Kiran Shrestha said that the board should prepare a recovery and revival plan of at least 2 to 3 years by including the stakeholders’ suggestion and move ahead with the work of tourism promotion accordingly.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Similarly, Dr. Alok Rai, Ramesh Upadhyay, Pashupati Neupane, and Gyanendra Ratna Tuladhar stressed on digital marketing while tourism entrepreneurs Vijay Amatya, Vikram Pandey, and Sien Pandey urged the board focus on new tourism products and marketing rather than infrastructure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">During the interaction, Chandra Prasad Rijal, vice-chairman of the board, said that the board would take forward the work of policy reform by incorporating the suggestions of experts. He said that the board was planning to work transparently in all the states despite the small budget and the suggestions of experts would be helpful in formulating the budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Similarly, other members of the board Krishna Shah and Pampha Poudel Dhamala said that the board was coordinating with various agencies for resource management even in difficult circumstances. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13372', 'image' => '20210704105627_20201016032657_1602804123.Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 10:55:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13625', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Industrialists urge India to Remove its Anti-Dumping Duty on Jute Produced in Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: Nepali industrialists have demanded India to waive anti-dumping duty (ADD) imposed on jute exported from Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 4: Nepali industrialists have demanded India to waive anti-dumping duty (ADD) imposed on jute exported from Nepal. India has not imposed ADD on jute imported from Bangladesh.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepali industrialists have been paying an annual fee of Rs 300 million to the Indian government for anti-dumping. However, Bangladeshi industrialists do not pay a penny. Nepali industry has been exporting ready-made jute worth Rs 7.5 billion to India annually.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal's industries have been exporting the finished jute products by importing more than 50 percent raw jute from India. Jute produced in Nepal barely occupies 2 percent of the Indian jute market. Nepal produces jute by importing technology, raw materials, and machinery from India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">As the jute mills operated in Morang and Sunsari of Nepal are close to the border, factory employees are Indian. Despite the Indian government's policy of mandatory use of jute bags for food packaging, Indian products are not enough and therefore use plastic bags for packing food. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Raj Kumar Golchha, president of the Nepal Jute Industries Association, demanded the removal of the ADD imposed by India on jute produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Due to ADD, Nepali products have not been able to compete with Indian products, he shared. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Therefore, he demanded that the government should initiate negotiation with India to remove the five-year ADD provision. There are 30,000 workers in Nepal's jute industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The Government of India has been reviewing the duty every five years. It has been five years since India imposed ADD on Nepali jute products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Five years ago, the Nepal Jute Industries Association had repeatedly demanded the removal of ADD before the Government of India. At that time, a team of tax experts from the Government of India visited the jute industries in Morang and Sunsari and decided to impose ADD on different products. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Dinesh Bhattarai, said that the ministry would try to solve the issue diplomatically after studying Indian law. He said, "We will study the provisions in the law of India and plan accordingly."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Ramesh Rathi, treasurer of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Province No. 1 and operator of Swastik Jute, said that like Nepal, Bangladesh is also sending jute products to the Indian market. However, unlike Nepal, India has not imposed ADD on Bangladesh’ products. India has decided not to impose ADD on 16 jute industries of Bangladesh.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The products of other jute mills of Bangladesh are also coming to the Indian market under the name of these 16 jute mills. Rathi said that the Indian government is silent on this issue. He said the government of India is losing revenue to 16 jute industries in Bangladesh due to non-imposition of ADD on their products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Currently, there are 11 jute mills in Nepal, while six of them are currently closed. The remaining five jute industries that are operational are Arihant, Raghupati, Swastik, Baba, and Nepal Jute. Rathi added that if the government of Nepal resolves the ADD problem through talks with the Indian government, the industry affected by the closure due to coronavirus will get relief. Industries will increase their production capacity and that will create more jobs, he added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13371', 'image' => '20210704104051_1625349493.Clipboard06.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 10:40:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13624', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Manufacturers Facing Problems in Exporting Carpet', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: Carpets worth around Rs 5 billion have been languishing in different warehouses due to problems in exporting the product. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 4: Carpets worth around Rs 5 billion have been languishing in different warehouses due to problems in exporting the product. The country has been facing problems in exporting goods with the onset of the second wave of coronavirus. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Although there has been a rise in demand for carpets, the readymade products are being stockpiled in warehouses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During the last fiscal year, carpets worth Rs 4 billion could not be exported due to the lockdown imposed by the government to curb the spread of the deadly disease. Carpet manufacturers say that they are facing similar problem this year too. They say that they increased production after receiving orders when the first wave of pandemic started receding. But when it was time to export the product, the second wave hit the country and the government subsequently imposed prohibitory order. Due to this reason, the carpets produced have been stockpiled in warehouses, says Ram Bahadur Gurung, chairman of Nepal Carpet Producers and Exporters Association.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Gurung informed New Business Age that there is still good demand for Nepali carpet in the international market but the problem is exporting them to foreign countries amid the pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He further said that only 30 percent of carpet industries are currently operational due to the difficulty in exporting their products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Carpets produced in Nepal are exported to more than 50 countries across the world including the USA, China, Germany, the UK, Italy, France, Canada, Belgium and Australia.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">It is estimated that there are around 700 carpet industries in Nepal out of which 150 export carpets to foreign countries. The association informed that the livelihood of more than 350,000 workers are in danger as the existence of the carpet industry itself is in trouble. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13370', 'image' => '20210704103045_20200719042410_Nepali Carpet.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 10:30:05', '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' => '13639', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Steps up Spending as the Fiscal Year Comes to an End', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: The government is under pressure to release payments like in the previous years, as the current fiscal year is about to come to an end.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: The government is under pressure to release payments like in the previous years, as the current fiscal year is about to come to an end.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Government officials have said that the expenditure has increased to around Rs 10 billion daily from mid-June. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the Finance Comptroller General’s Office, which keeps records of government income and expenses, the government had spent Rs 1.53 billion on June 15 but the daily expenditure has increased to Rs 9.48 billion from July 4. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government has spent 70 percent of the total budget as of July 4, 2021. It has spent 82.98 percent under current expenditure while less than 50 percent has been spent under capital expenditure. Records at the Finance Comptroller General’s Office show that 46.98 percent of the budget has been spent on development projects. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government has been claiming improvement in its spending capacity but the spending data shows otherwise. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the Finance Comptroller General’s Office, there is not much difference compared to previous years in daily release of fund. Deputy Finance Comptroller General Gyandendra Poudel said the daily limit of fund release is increasing every day. Although the daily limit of spending has increased since mid June, the government is yet to spend Rs 437 billion of the allocated budget. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In recent years, the government has been stepping up budget spending towards the end of fiscal year. Financial experts have been raising concerns about this trend. According to them, the expenditure happening at the end of the year doesn't give sustainable results. According to Bishwambher Pyakurel, financial expert, the spending nature has not changed at all. It is very clear that the government has not been able to reform the expenditure system.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13385', 'image' => '20210706022457_20200327032654_5003_finance-ministy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 14:24:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13640', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sundar Auto to Assemble Electric Vehicles in Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: For the first time in Nepal, the private sector of Nepal is preparing to establish a vehicle assembling plant.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: For the first time in Nepal, the private sector of Nepal is preparing to establish a vehicle assembling plant.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sundar Auto Engineering, a subsidiary of Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd, is preparing to set up the plant in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sundar Yatayat is also the first company to introduce electric buses for public transportation representing the private sector in Nepal. The company is making arrangements so that they can lay the foundation for the plant before August.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The electric vehicle assembling plant is set to be established in Butwal's Sainamina municipality.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">China's Sichuan Guhang Automobile and UAE's SEC Group are said to make investments in establishing the plant. According to Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, chairman of the company, Sichuan Automobile will invest 47 percent while the share of SEC Group will be 46 percent and Sundar Yatayat’s stake will be 7 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sundar Yatayat confirmed that an agreement had been reached with these two companies for setting up an assembly plant during a program in November 2019. Although the company has been preparing to set up the plant since April last year, the work was hindered and could not proceed due to the prohibitory order, said Chairman Thapa.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to him, Rs 3.6 billion is being invested as the initial phase for setting up the assembly plant. Investments would be added gradually as the work progresses. He said that preparations have been made to assemble 100 vehicles in the first year, 300 vehicles in the second year and 1000 vehicles annually from the third year onwards. "We plan to lay the foundation stone within 15 days," he said, adding, "We have requested the prime minister to attend the inauguration as the chief guest."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He informed that the foundation stone will be laid within August and the work will commence immediately. Preparations to assemble 100 vehicles within the next fiscal year 2078/79 have already been completed. According to him, Sainamina municipality is going to provide approximately 5.8 acres of land for the establishment of the assembly plant.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Mayor of Sainamaina municipality, Chitra Bahadur Karki informed that an agreement has been reached to lease the land to the company. According to him, the company has entered into an agreement with the municipality to pay Rs 600,000 annually.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The company has agreed to provide an ambulance to the municipality in the first year, a garbage truck in the second year and a bus to a local community school every year at a 33 percent discount. He also said that the company should deposit 1 percent of their profit in the accumulated fund of the municipality.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The decision to provide land to Sundar Yatayat was reached through an all-party meeting on June 30.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Chairman Thapa mentioned that they are planning to assemble electric jeep, car, van, ambulance and bus as well. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13384', 'image' => '20210706023411_20210303125621_20190530011559_electric bus for short destination_from sajha yatayat.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 14:33:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13638', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Upper Tamakoshi: A ‘Game Changer’ Project ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: With the partial operation of the 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, there emerges public concern regarding what and how the much-awaited national pride project would impact the national economy. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 6: With the partial operation of the 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, there emerges public concern regarding what and how the much-awaited national pride project would impact the national economy. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel reportedly said that the Upper Tamakoshi project would make one per cent contribution to the economic growth of the country. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A single unit of electricity would make impact worth around Rs 90-100, the state-owned national news agency (RSS) reported citing a knowledgeable person of the energy sector. Currently, one out of six units of Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has come into operation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Hitendra Dev Shakya, informed that the project is expected to produce 2,280 million units of electricity annually.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The project that was supposed to be completed some six years ago has been delayed due to several reasons. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Policy-makers and investors however have shown their doubt whether or not the project would give anticipated returns owing to the elevated costs and protracted timing of the project, RSS further reported. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Yet the project is taken to be a gamer changer project for its potential benefits to the national economy of Nepal. This is so far the biggest project constructed with domestic financing of Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">It has to be noted that former Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Kulman Ghising took the initiative to bring this project back on track from the verge of failure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The success of this project has also boosted up the country’s confidence that hydropower projects of medium-scale capacity and investment can be undertqaken on our own financing, engineering and management, said NEA’s Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya. </span></span><br /> <em><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">(With inputs from RSS) </span></span></em> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13383', 'image' => '20210706020649_1625457331.tamakoshi_dam.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 14:05:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13637', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Begins Test Production ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has finally come into operation from Monday after various ups and downs. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has finally come into operation from Monday after various ups and downs. The project has started generating electricity from a unit with a capacity of 76 MW from Monday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The construction of the 456 Megawatt project began in 2008. The then Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal had laid the foundation stone of the project on June 19, 2008.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">On Monday (July 5), Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the project amid a formal function. He inaugurated the Dolakha-based project virtually from Kathmandu. Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel, representatives of the Nepal Electricity Authority, and project officials were also present at the inauguration.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Inaugurating the project, Prime Minister Oli said it's a matter of pride for the country to have such a big project with domestic investment. He said that the project has boosted the confidence of the nation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Minister for Energy Poudel said that the project built with domestic investment would be a great achievement for the country's economy. He said that there will be no recurrence of load shedding in Nepal due to the project. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal Electricity Authority Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya said the project would generate 228 million units of electricity annually. The project, built with domestic investment, was targeted to be operational by 2016. However, the project could not come into operation on time due to disputes, the poor performance of the construction company, and natural calamities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project came into operation almost five years after the deadline. The construction work has been delayed due to the poor performance of the construction company. The 2015 earthquake badly affected the construction of the project. The project was also affected by the Indian blockade after the earthquake.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project was delayed due to problems in transportation of fuel and construction materials due to Madhesh movement and blockade, change in the design of the project, delay in work by hydromechanical (Lot 2) contractors under various pretexts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project was targeted to be operational within the last fiscal year. However, the construction of the project was again affected by the pandemic. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In particular, the Austrian contractor of Electromechanical (Lot 3) under the tripartite agreement (Project, Texmaco, and Andrews) agreed to install penstock pipes in the 373-meter-long vertical tunnel, which was considered difficult after the Indian company Texma's Railway Engineering delayed the work. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The work gained momentum after Andrews was given the task of connecting the penstock to the lower vertical tunnel. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The cost of the project has skyrocketed as the construction work of the project has been extended. The target was to complete the construction of the project for Rs 35 billion. However, Rs 84 billion has been spent on the project.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project has a net cost of Rs 52 billion and Rs 32 billion for interest. Investment is also said to have increased due to fluctuations in the value of the US dollar.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project has 6 units of 76 MW capacity each. The first unit of the project has been brought into operation from Monday for test production. The remaining five units will also be brought into operation every two weeks, said Bijan Prasad Shrestha, chief executive officer of the project. He said that all the units will come into operation in August as per the schedule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13381', 'image' => '20210706114718_1625527854.Clipboard04.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 11:46:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13636', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'ADB Appoints New Country Director for Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Arnaud Cauchois as the new country director for Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/Arnaud%20Cauchois%20%282%29.JPG" style="height:240px; width:240px" /></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">July 6: </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Arnaud Cauchois as the new country director for Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the ADB, Cauchois will lead ADB operations in the country and policy dialogue with the government of Nepal and other development partners. He will oversee the implementation of ADB’s country partnership strategy for Nepal that focuses on the country’s long-term development needs through improved infrastructure for private sector-led growth, improved access to devolved services, and environmental sustainability and resilience, ADB said in a statement issued on July 6. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">“ADB has been a long-term development partner of Nepal. I look forward to building on the strong partnership and working closely with the government, development partners, and other stakeholders in supporting Nepal’s development agenda and poverty reduction efforts,” the statement quoted Cauchois as saying. “My immediate priority will be to support the Government of Nepal as it addresses both the immediate and longer-term health, economic, and social impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">In the medium term, Cauchois indicated the need to support the government with the development of integrated solutions by combining expertise across sectors and mixing public and private sector financing. Expansion of private sector operations, as well as green resilient and inclusive projects, will be pursued in close collaboration with the government and development partners, the statement added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to ADB, Cauchois has almost 3 decades of professional experience, including over 15 years with ADB. Cauchois, a French national, joined ADB in 2005 as a Rural Development Specialist and has since held numerous leading positions. Prior to this appointment, he served as Principal Water Resources Specialist for India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and was outposted in ADB’s India Resident Mission. He was also assigned in ADB’s Nepal Resident Mission for 6 years and led the improvement of the water management systems in Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">He holds a master of science degree in water resource management from the Superior School of Tropical Agronomy in Montpellier, France. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Since its establishment in 1966, ADB has provided over $7 billion in financial and technical assistance to Nepal. The assistance was provided in energy, transport, water supply and urban infrastructure services, agriculture and irrigation, and education, the statement added.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13380', 'image' => '20210706113824_ADB.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 11:37:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13635', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank to Issue Development Bond Today', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: Nepal Rastra Bank is all set to auction development bonds worth Rs 15 billion today (July 6).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">July 6: Nepal Rastra Bank is all set to auction development bonds worth Rs 15 billion today (July 6). The central bank is issuing the bonds to manage internal loan for the government as per its schedule to collect such loans for the fourth quarter of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The government has already collected internal loans of Rs 115 billion as of second quarter of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The National Loan Management Department of Nepal Rastra Bank on behalf of the Government of Nepal has issued a five-year Development Bond 2083 ‘E’. Interested banks and financial institutions, non-banking institutions, insurance companies as well as eligible Nepali citizens can apply for the bond within 3 pm today. The interest rate of the bond will be fixed through bidding process.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The development bond will be issued on July 7. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Prior to this, the central bank has issued development bonds of Rs 10 billion on June 22 with a maturity period of six years.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13379', 'image' => '20210706112914_1625201068.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 11:28:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13633', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prohibitory Order in Kathmandu Valley Relaxed', 'sub_title' => 'All Kinds of Vehicles Allowed to Operate', 'summary' => 'July 6: The prohibitory order in Kathmandu valley has been extended till July 16 by relaxing the odd-even vehicle rule.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: The prohibitory order in Kathmandu valley has been extended till July 16 by relaxing the odd-even vehicle rule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Chief District Officer of Kathmandu, Kali Prasad Parajuli, confirmed that the odd-even rule has been dismissed and all kinds of vehicles will be allowed to operate in the valley.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, according to CDO Parajuli, public vehicles won't be allowed to operate more passengers than the seating capacity. Public transportations has to implement the standard health protocol. The vehicles entering the valley can be allowed with the permission of the local administration.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, all kinds of businesses will be open from Tuesday morning (July 6). Such orders were issued by a joint meeting of the Chief District Officers of the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur) on Monday (July 5). The meeting has imposed a complete restriction on mass gatherings, conferences, operation of cinema halls, party palaces among others. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, gatherings in open places, weddings in hotels and party palaces, mass gatherings, religious programs except for daily worship, and educational activities in physical presence still restricted</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Local transportations is allowed to operate from 9 am to 11 am and from 4 pm to 7 pm. However, drug and health care stores will be open round the clock. Other shops and businesses can operate till 6 pm.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Businesses are required to follow all the health safety standards. Failure to do so could result in a halt of business operations. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Online delivery of essential items as well as delivery of food and other take-away items from restaurants are allowed till 7 pm in Kaathmandu valley.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Public transport will not be allowed to carry more passengers than the seating capacity. Passengers must wear a mask. If not, entry to the vehicle is prohibited. Drivers and helpers are required to wear visors and gloves. Public vehicles are required to have a sanitizer placed at the door of the vehicle. Vehicles are also required to be disinfected.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, Safa's clean tempo and the blue microbus are asked to have only four passengers in the back seat and one on the driver's side. These public vehicles have to put a plastic barrier in the middle of the vehicle to separate the passengers on both sides. In case of private vehicles, full health standards must be followed.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Public and private vehicles entering the valley for urgent work will be allowed to enter with the approval of the concerned district administration office. Vehicles for public and private construction have been asked to operate from 9 pm to 5 am.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">All kinds of pre-scheduled written and practical examinations can be conducted by following the standard health protocols. While conducting the examination, more than 25 people are not allowed to sit for exams in a single hall. The examinations have to be conducted in two shifts. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, seminars, meetings and trainings can have no more than 25 participants.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13378', 'image' => '20210706111648_1625544322.lockdown.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 10:27:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13631', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government to Provide Half a Million Rupees in Relief to Victims of Natural Disaster ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'uly 5: The government has decided to provide up to Rs 500,000 to the families displaced by natural disaster. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 5: The government has decided to provide up to Rs 500,000 to the families displaced by natural disaster. According to the government, it has allocated the relief amount for reconstruction and rehabilitation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government will provide Rs 500,000 per family in the mountainous districts, Rs 400,000 in the hill districts and Rs 300,000 in the terai districts in accordance to the Disaster Affected Private Housing Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Grant Procedure 2077. The amount will be released in installments. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel said that the government has initiated the process of providing an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 per affected family through the District Administration Offices for temporary accommodation. A total of Rs 28.6 million has been allocated for this. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Informing the assembly about the damage caused by the natural disaster in different parts of the country since the beginning of monsoon this year, Poudel said that the government has given necessary instructions for immediate rescue, relief and rehabilitation in coordination with the stakeholders. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> According to him, 572 houses have been completely damaged while 112 houses have been partially damaged since the onset of the rainy season this year. Similarly, floods and landslides have also damaged 36 government buildings and nine schools. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">A total of fifteen motorable bridges have been damaged, that includes seven in Sindhupalchowk district, two in Manang and Chitwan, one each in Tanahun, Morang, Udayapur and Siraha. Five wooden bridges were swept away in Manang. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, a total of 23 suspension bridges have been swept away in different parts of the country including 14 in Sindhupalchowk, seven in Manang. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The access road and bridge leading to the headworks of Melamchi Drinking Water Project have been damaged. Poudel said that the repair work has already started after confirming the damage to the headworks. According to him, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has already taken initiative to open the blocked road by constructing two bailey bridges in Sindhupalchowk. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Forty-three small and large drinking water projects across the country have been damaged while 25 hydropower projects in different districts including Kaski, Manang and Sindhupalchok have been partially damaged. Minister Poudel said that they are yet to receive the details of total damages so far in all the provinces and districts. He also informed that they have asked the details of the damage from the concerned agencies. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the government, reconstruction work has started by providing a grant of Rs 199.7 million at the rate of Rs 50,000 per family in the first installment to 3,949 families affected by last year's monsoon. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-05', 'modified' => '2021-07-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13377', 'image' => '20210705020447_20201220030536_20201015115013_1602717511.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-05 14:04:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13632', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Devyani Rana appointed Coca-Cola’s Vice President ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 5: Coca-Cola has appointed Devyani Rajya Laxmi Rana as the multinational company’s vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability for India and Southwest Asia. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 5: Coca-Cola has appointed Devyani Rajya Laxmi Rana as the multinational company’s vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability for India and Southwest Asia. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Rana was earlier working with Caterpillar India where—as Director of Public Affairs for India, Nepal, Bhutan—she was leading Caterpillar and its subsidiaries’ work in government/corporate affairs, public relations and communications, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability for India, Nepal and Bhutan regions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">She is a daughter of Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s leader Pashupati Shumsher Rana and Rani Usha Raje Scindia, who is a daughter of Gwalior’s last maharaja Jivajirao Scindia and Aishwarya Singh.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">She had also worked with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and United Nations (UN) in India, The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, Geneva, Switzerland World Economic Forum (WEF).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I am delighted to welcome Devyani on this exciting charter to deepen Coca-Cola’s engagement in the region as she joins the leadership team to spearhead the practice in the region,” said Sanket Ray, President, India and Southwest Asia, commenting on the appointment. “Rana brings a wealth of experience in advocating for policies, legislation, trade agreements and regulations. Her contributions will augment our belief in our purpose even stronger and serve as an acceleration of the work that was already underway.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Rana, an alumni of London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London, also holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science from Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur in Nepal and a Bachelor of Arts, in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India. </span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-05', 'modified' => '2021-07-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13376', 'image' => '20210705023038_IMG-20210705-WA0000.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-05 14:20:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13630', 'article_category_id' => '240', 'title' => ' Dabur Nepal Launches “Real Immuno Mango+” Juice ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Dabur Nepal has launched its new product ‘Real Immuno Mango+’ juice. ', 'content' => '<p>July 4: Dabur Nepal has launched its new product ‘Real Immuno Mango+’ juice. <br /> Issuing a statement on Sunday, Dabur Nepal said that the newly launched juice is Nepal’s first fortified juice. <br /> It is the tasty and popular Mango juice fortified with the ‘Power of 5’ i.e. 5 proven immunity boosting ingredients - Honey, Tulsi, Ashwagandha, Vitamin C and Zinc, according to the statement. Dabur Nepal, in its statement, also said that Real Immuno Mango + is a perfect blend of both health and taste. <br /> “In a move to widen consumer offerings, Dabur Nepal, the market leader in fruit juice category in the country has been always striving to delight the consumers through relevant product innovation,” the statement quoted H. S. Bedi, Business Head of Dabur Nepal, as saying. </p> <p>Real Immuno Mango+ was developed post intensive market research amongst the target group to understand the immunity needs of their family, according to the statement. </p> <p>“The concept of Real Immuno Mango+ was appreciated by the consumers as they found it highly relevant during this COVID-19 situation” the statement quoted Abhaya Pd. Gorkhalee, Head of Marketing at Dabur Nepal, as saying. “The consumers have also rated Real Immuno Mango+ juice highest in all 5 sensorial parameters in blind test conducted during the product development.”</p> <p>This high quality Fortified Mango juice is priced at Rs 30 for single serve 180ml and Rs 250 for 1 Ltr pack, according to the statement. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13375', 'image' => '20210704112815_Dabur Nepal.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 23:25:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13629', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Only Two-thirds Pharmaceutical Companies Fully Operational', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'uly 4: Only about two-thirds of registered pharmaceutical companies in the country are fully operational at present.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 4: Only about two-thirds of registered pharmaceutical companies in the country are fully operational at present. This was revealed in a detailed study report on self-reliant pharmaceuticals and drug manufacturing industries of Nepal released by the Department of Industry on Saturday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the report, there are 103 pharmaceutical companies registered with the Department of Drug Administration as of April 25, 2021, of which only 66 companies are fully operational. The department informed that these companies have received licenses for both production and sales of medicines. Similarly, the report states that 33 companies are in the process of obtaining licenses for production, while other four licensed industries are not operating due to technical reasons.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Out of 66 companies, four (6.06 percent) companies are in Province 1, 14 (21.21 percent) are in Province 2, Bagmati Province has 37 (56.06 percent) companies, Gandaki has 2 (3.03 percent) companies and Lumbini Province has 9 (13.63 percent) companies. The study report shows that there isn’t any pharmaceutical company in the other two provinces.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">All the above-mentioned pharmaceutical companies are private and mostly large (90 percent) with a total capital of more than Rs 250 million. Some medium-sized companies (10 percent) are also planning to increase investment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Most of the companies in operation are producing medicines in the form of tablets, capsules, liquid (syrup/suspension), powder (dry syrup), ointment/cream and eye/ear drops.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The yearly production capacity of tablets of 60 out of 66 companies is 2 billion units and the production capacity of capsules is 1.75 billion units. Similarly, the production capacity of liquid medicine of 45 companies is 4.5 billion units. In addition, the ointment production capacity of 40 companies is 150 million units and powder (dry syrup) is 30 million units. Moreover, the production capacity of nose/ear drops of five companies is 3.7 million units. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13374', 'image' => '20210704045857_20200818124630_1597700501.Clipboard10.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 16:58:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13628', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Sets Ambitious Target for MCC Projects', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: The government has set ambitious targets for the next three years to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, which is yet to be endorsed by the parliament.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 4: The government has set ambitious targets for the next three years to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, which is yet to be endorsed by the parliament.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The MCC agreement has been mired in controversy since a long time. However, the government has claimed that the work of the project will be expedited in the next three years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The recent expenditure structure prepared by the National Planning Commission, chaired by the Prime Minister, outlines the achievements to be made in the next three years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The targets are operation of Transmission Line Rehabilitation Action Plan, Additional Survey of Transmission Line (30 km), compensation and distribution to 20 percent of the people affected by the project, completion of 10 percent of MCA Nepal Partnership Program, detailed survey and design of projects, construction of 55% of substations, 15 percent of equipment installation, maintenance and operation of 40 km long Dhankhola Lamahi road section, maintenance of 37 km long Lamahi-Shivakhola road section among others.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, 178 out of 189 plots have been acquired for Ratmate Substation and Rs 1.26 billion compensation has been distributed to the affected people. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">It is claimed that preparations are in the final stage and an agreement has been signed with the Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Department of Roads seeking required help. Agreements will be signed between MCA Nepal and the Ministry of Forestry to cut down trees and use of forest land in the next fiscal year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, the government claims that three sub-stations, 315 km of transmission lines and about 77 km of national highways will be renovated by the Millennium Challenge Account in the next five years. The cost of this project is estimated to be at Rs 70.50 billion. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal had signed an agreement with the US-backed MCC in September 2017 to build a project with a grant of around Rs 55 billion. It had been agreed that the United States would provide $ 500 million in grants for two projects to increase electricity consumption and reduce the cost of road transport, and that the Government of Nepal would contribute $ 130 million to these projects.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although Nepal has expressed its commitment to implement the agreement by completing all the procedures, the project has not moved ahead as agreed. MCA-Nepal has been saying that the project cannot be fully implemented without it being endorsed by the parliament. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13373', 'image' => '20210704043711_1625349562.3.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 16:36:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13626', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Experts Suggest NTB to Introduce the Budget in Coordination with all 3 Tiers of Government', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: Experts in the field of tourism have suggested the Nepal Tourism Board to bring a budget in coordination with the federal, state, and local levels to revive the tourism that has been burdened by Covid 19. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">July 4: Experts in the field of tourism have suggested the Nepal Tourism Board to bring a budget in coordination with the federal, state, and local levels to revive the tourism that has been burdened by Covid 19. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Speaking at a recent virtual interaction organized by the Board, the experts suggested formulating a plan for maximum use of limited resources. They stressed that the tourism activities need to be revitalized gradually by ensuring vaccine against COVID-19 and maintaining health protocol. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> Former Tourism Secretary Dipendra Purush Dhakal shared that the federal government should provide a grant to the board to promote tourism amid current crisis. He said that there would be financial problems in the promotion of tourism and the sector would be affected if the government does not bring help in times of trouble.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Dr. Prem Sharma suggested the board to formulate a budget to promote domestic tourism as there is less possibility of international tourists visiting Nepal immediately. Similarly, Dr. Som Prasad Khatiwada, Ram Chandra Sedai, Chetnath Kandel, and Surya Kiran Shrestha said that the board should prepare a recovery and revival plan of at least 2 to 3 years by including the stakeholders’ suggestion and move ahead with the work of tourism promotion accordingly.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Similarly, Dr. Alok Rai, Ramesh Upadhyay, Pashupati Neupane, and Gyanendra Ratna Tuladhar stressed on digital marketing while tourism entrepreneurs Vijay Amatya, Vikram Pandey, and Sien Pandey urged the board focus on new tourism products and marketing rather than infrastructure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">During the interaction, Chandra Prasad Rijal, vice-chairman of the board, said that the board would take forward the work of policy reform by incorporating the suggestions of experts. He said that the board was planning to work transparently in all the states despite the small budget and the suggestions of experts would be helpful in formulating the budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Similarly, other members of the board Krishna Shah and Pampha Poudel Dhamala said that the board was coordinating with various agencies for resource management even in difficult circumstances. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13372', 'image' => '20210704105627_20201016032657_1602804123.Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 10:55:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13625', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Industrialists urge India to Remove its Anti-Dumping Duty on Jute Produced in Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: Nepali industrialists have demanded India to waive anti-dumping duty (ADD) imposed on jute exported from Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 4: Nepali industrialists have demanded India to waive anti-dumping duty (ADD) imposed on jute exported from Nepal. India has not imposed ADD on jute imported from Bangladesh.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepali industrialists have been paying an annual fee of Rs 300 million to the Indian government for anti-dumping. However, Bangladeshi industrialists do not pay a penny. Nepali industry has been exporting ready-made jute worth Rs 7.5 billion to India annually.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal's industries have been exporting the finished jute products by importing more than 50 percent raw jute from India. Jute produced in Nepal barely occupies 2 percent of the Indian jute market. Nepal produces jute by importing technology, raw materials, and machinery from India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">As the jute mills operated in Morang and Sunsari of Nepal are close to the border, factory employees are Indian. Despite the Indian government's policy of mandatory use of jute bags for food packaging, Indian products are not enough and therefore use plastic bags for packing food. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Raj Kumar Golchha, president of the Nepal Jute Industries Association, demanded the removal of the ADD imposed by India on jute produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Due to ADD, Nepali products have not been able to compete with Indian products, he shared. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Therefore, he demanded that the government should initiate negotiation with India to remove the five-year ADD provision. There are 30,000 workers in Nepal's jute industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The Government of India has been reviewing the duty every five years. It has been five years since India imposed ADD on Nepali jute products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Five years ago, the Nepal Jute Industries Association had repeatedly demanded the removal of ADD before the Government of India. At that time, a team of tax experts from the Government of India visited the jute industries in Morang and Sunsari and decided to impose ADD on different products. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Dinesh Bhattarai, said that the ministry would try to solve the issue diplomatically after studying Indian law. He said, "We will study the provisions in the law of India and plan accordingly."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Ramesh Rathi, treasurer of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Province No. 1 and operator of Swastik Jute, said that like Nepal, Bangladesh is also sending jute products to the Indian market. However, unlike Nepal, India has not imposed ADD on Bangladesh’ products. India has decided not to impose ADD on 16 jute industries of Bangladesh.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The products of other jute mills of Bangladesh are also coming to the Indian market under the name of these 16 jute mills. Rathi said that the Indian government is silent on this issue. He said the government of India is losing revenue to 16 jute industries in Bangladesh due to non-imposition of ADD on their products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Currently, there are 11 jute mills in Nepal, while six of them are currently closed. The remaining five jute industries that are operational are Arihant, Raghupati, Swastik, Baba, and Nepal Jute. Rathi added that if the government of Nepal resolves the ADD problem through talks with the Indian government, the industry affected by the closure due to coronavirus will get relief. Industries will increase their production capacity and that will create more jobs, he added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13371', 'image' => '20210704104051_1625349493.Clipboard06.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 10:40:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13624', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Manufacturers Facing Problems in Exporting Carpet', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: Carpets worth around Rs 5 billion have been languishing in different warehouses due to problems in exporting the product. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 4: Carpets worth around Rs 5 billion have been languishing in different warehouses due to problems in exporting the product. The country has been facing problems in exporting goods with the onset of the second wave of coronavirus. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Although there has been a rise in demand for carpets, the readymade products are being stockpiled in warehouses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During the last fiscal year, carpets worth Rs 4 billion could not be exported due to the lockdown imposed by the government to curb the spread of the deadly disease. Carpet manufacturers say that they are facing similar problem this year too. They say that they increased production after receiving orders when the first wave of pandemic started receding. But when it was time to export the product, the second wave hit the country and the government subsequently imposed prohibitory order. Due to this reason, the carpets produced have been stockpiled in warehouses, says Ram Bahadur Gurung, chairman of Nepal Carpet Producers and Exporters Association.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Gurung informed New Business Age that there is still good demand for Nepali carpet in the international market but the problem is exporting them to foreign countries amid the pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He further said that only 30 percent of carpet industries are currently operational due to the difficulty in exporting their products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Carpets produced in Nepal are exported to more than 50 countries across the world including the USA, China, Germany, the UK, Italy, France, Canada, Belgium and Australia.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">It is estimated that there are around 700 carpet industries in Nepal out of which 150 export carpets to foreign countries. The association informed that the livelihood of more than 350,000 workers are in danger as the existence of the carpet industry itself is in trouble. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13370', 'image' => '20210704103045_20200719042410_Nepali Carpet.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 10:30:05', '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' => '13639', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Steps up Spending as the Fiscal Year Comes to an End', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: The government is under pressure to release payments like in the previous years, as the current fiscal year is about to come to an end.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: The government is under pressure to release payments like in the previous years, as the current fiscal year is about to come to an end.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Government officials have said that the expenditure has increased to around Rs 10 billion daily from mid-June. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the Finance Comptroller General’s Office, which keeps records of government income and expenses, the government had spent Rs 1.53 billion on June 15 but the daily expenditure has increased to Rs 9.48 billion from July 4. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government has spent 70 percent of the total budget as of July 4, 2021. It has spent 82.98 percent under current expenditure while less than 50 percent has been spent under capital expenditure. Records at the Finance Comptroller General’s Office show that 46.98 percent of the budget has been spent on development projects. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government has been claiming improvement in its spending capacity but the spending data shows otherwise. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the Finance Comptroller General’s Office, there is not much difference compared to previous years in daily release of fund. Deputy Finance Comptroller General Gyandendra Poudel said the daily limit of fund release is increasing every day. Although the daily limit of spending has increased since mid June, the government is yet to spend Rs 437 billion of the allocated budget. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In recent years, the government has been stepping up budget spending towards the end of fiscal year. Financial experts have been raising concerns about this trend. According to them, the expenditure happening at the end of the year doesn't give sustainable results. According to Bishwambher Pyakurel, financial expert, the spending nature has not changed at all. It is very clear that the government has not been able to reform the expenditure system.</span></span></span></p> <p><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13385', 'image' => '20210706022457_20200327032654_5003_finance-ministy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 14:24:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13640', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sundar Auto to Assemble Electric Vehicles in Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: For the first time in Nepal, the private sector of Nepal is preparing to establish a vehicle assembling plant.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: For the first time in Nepal, the private sector of Nepal is preparing to establish a vehicle assembling plant.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sundar Auto Engineering, a subsidiary of Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd, is preparing to set up the plant in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sundar Yatayat is also the first company to introduce electric buses for public transportation representing the private sector in Nepal. The company is making arrangements so that they can lay the foundation for the plant before August.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The electric vehicle assembling plant is set to be established in Butwal's Sainamina municipality.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">China's Sichuan Guhang Automobile and UAE's SEC Group are said to make investments in establishing the plant. According to Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, chairman of the company, Sichuan Automobile will invest 47 percent while the share of SEC Group will be 46 percent and Sundar Yatayat’s stake will be 7 percent.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Sundar Yatayat confirmed that an agreement had been reached with these two companies for setting up an assembly plant during a program in November 2019. Although the company has been preparing to set up the plant since April last year, the work was hindered and could not proceed due to the prohibitory order, said Chairman Thapa.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to him, Rs 3.6 billion is being invested as the initial phase for setting up the assembly plant. Investments would be added gradually as the work progresses. He said that preparations have been made to assemble 100 vehicles in the first year, 300 vehicles in the second year and 1000 vehicles annually from the third year onwards. "We plan to lay the foundation stone within 15 days," he said, adding, "We have requested the prime minister to attend the inauguration as the chief guest."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">He informed that the foundation stone will be laid within August and the work will commence immediately. Preparations to assemble 100 vehicles within the next fiscal year 2078/79 have already been completed. According to him, Sainamina municipality is going to provide approximately 5.8 acres of land for the establishment of the assembly plant.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Mayor of Sainamaina municipality, Chitra Bahadur Karki informed that an agreement has been reached to lease the land to the company. According to him, the company has entered into an agreement with the municipality to pay Rs 600,000 annually.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The company has agreed to provide an ambulance to the municipality in the first year, a garbage truck in the second year and a bus to a local community school every year at a 33 percent discount. He also said that the company should deposit 1 percent of their profit in the accumulated fund of the municipality.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The decision to provide land to Sundar Yatayat was reached through an all-party meeting on June 30.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Chairman Thapa mentioned that they are planning to assemble electric jeep, car, van, ambulance and bus as well. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13384', 'image' => '20210706023411_20210303125621_20190530011559_electric bus for short destination_from sajha yatayat.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 14:33:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13638', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Upper Tamakoshi: A ‘Game Changer’ Project ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: With the partial operation of the 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, there emerges public concern regarding what and how the much-awaited national pride project would impact the national economy. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 6: With the partial operation of the 456-MW Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, there emerges public concern regarding what and how the much-awaited national pride project would impact the national economy. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel reportedly said that the Upper Tamakoshi project would make one per cent contribution to the economic growth of the country. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A single unit of electricity would make impact worth around Rs 90-100, the state-owned national news agency (RSS) reported citing a knowledgeable person of the energy sector. Currently, one out of six units of Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has come into operation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Hitendra Dev Shakya, informed that the project is expected to produce 2,280 million units of electricity annually.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The project that was supposed to be completed some six years ago has been delayed due to several reasons. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Policy-makers and investors however have shown their doubt whether or not the project would give anticipated returns owing to the elevated costs and protracted timing of the project, RSS further reported. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Yet the project is taken to be a gamer changer project for its potential benefits to the national economy of Nepal. This is so far the biggest project constructed with domestic financing of Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">It has to be noted that former Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Kulman Ghising took the initiative to bring this project back on track from the verge of failure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The success of this project has also boosted up the country’s confidence that hydropower projects of medium-scale capacity and investment can be undertqaken on our own financing, engineering and management, said NEA’s Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya. </span></span><br /> <em><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">(With inputs from RSS) </span></span></em> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13383', 'image' => '20210706020649_1625457331.tamakoshi_dam.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 14:05:51', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13637', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Begins Test Production ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has finally come into operation from Monday after various ups and downs. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project has finally come into operation from Monday after various ups and downs. The project has started generating electricity from a unit with a capacity of 76 MW from Monday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The construction of the 456 Megawatt project began in 2008. The then Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal had laid the foundation stone of the project on June 19, 2008.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">On Monday (July 5), Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the project amid a formal function. He inaugurated the Dolakha-based project virtually from Kathmandu. Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel, representatives of the Nepal Electricity Authority, and project officials were also present at the inauguration.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Inaugurating the project, Prime Minister Oli said it's a matter of pride for the country to have such a big project with domestic investment. He said that the project has boosted the confidence of the nation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Minister for Energy Poudel said that the project built with domestic investment would be a great achievement for the country's economy. He said that there will be no recurrence of load shedding in Nepal due to the project. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal Electricity Authority Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya said the project would generate 228 million units of electricity annually. The project, built with domestic investment, was targeted to be operational by 2016. However, the project could not come into operation on time due to disputes, the poor performance of the construction company, and natural calamities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project came into operation almost five years after the deadline. The construction work has been delayed due to the poor performance of the construction company. The 2015 earthquake badly affected the construction of the project. The project was also affected by the Indian blockade after the earthquake.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project was delayed due to problems in transportation of fuel and construction materials due to Madhesh movement and blockade, change in the design of the project, delay in work by hydromechanical (Lot 2) contractors under various pretexts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project was targeted to be operational within the last fiscal year. However, the construction of the project was again affected by the pandemic. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">In particular, the Austrian contractor of Electromechanical (Lot 3) under the tripartite agreement (Project, Texmaco, and Andrews) agreed to install penstock pipes in the 373-meter-long vertical tunnel, which was considered difficult after the Indian company Texma's Railway Engineering delayed the work. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The work gained momentum after Andrews was given the task of connecting the penstock to the lower vertical tunnel. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The cost of the project has skyrocketed as the construction work of the project has been extended. The target was to complete the construction of the project for Rs 35 billion. However, Rs 84 billion has been spent on the project.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project has a net cost of Rs 52 billion and Rs 32 billion for interest. Investment is also said to have increased due to fluctuations in the value of the US dollar.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project has 6 units of 76 MW capacity each. The first unit of the project has been brought into operation from Monday for test production. The remaining five units will also be brought into operation every two weeks, said Bijan Prasad Shrestha, chief executive officer of the project. He said that all the units will come into operation in August as per the schedule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13381', 'image' => '20210706114718_1625527854.Clipboard04.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 11:46:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13636', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'ADB Appoints New Country Director for Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Arnaud Cauchois as the new country director for Nepal.', 'content' => '<p><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/Arnaud%20Cauchois%20%282%29.JPG" style="height:240px; width:240px" /></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">July 6: </span></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Arnaud Cauchois as the new country director for Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the ADB, Cauchois will lead ADB operations in the country and policy dialogue with the government of Nepal and other development partners. He will oversee the implementation of ADB’s country partnership strategy for Nepal that focuses on the country’s long-term development needs through improved infrastructure for private sector-led growth, improved access to devolved services, and environmental sustainability and resilience, ADB said in a statement issued on July 6. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">“ADB has been a long-term development partner of Nepal. I look forward to building on the strong partnership and working closely with the government, development partners, and other stakeholders in supporting Nepal’s development agenda and poverty reduction efforts,” the statement quoted Cauchois as saying. “My immediate priority will be to support the Government of Nepal as it addresses both the immediate and longer-term health, economic, and social impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.” </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">In the medium term, Cauchois indicated the need to support the government with the development of integrated solutions by combining expertise across sectors and mixing public and private sector financing. Expansion of private sector operations, as well as green resilient and inclusive projects, will be pursued in close collaboration with the government and development partners, the statement added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to ADB, Cauchois has almost 3 decades of professional experience, including over 15 years with ADB. Cauchois, a French national, joined ADB in 2005 as a Rural Development Specialist and has since held numerous leading positions. Prior to this appointment, he served as Principal Water Resources Specialist for India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and was outposted in ADB’s India Resident Mission. He was also assigned in ADB’s Nepal Resident Mission for 6 years and led the improvement of the water management systems in Nepal. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">He holds a master of science degree in water resource management from the Superior School of Tropical Agronomy in Montpellier, France. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial">Since its establishment in 1966, ADB has provided over $7 billion in financial and technical assistance to Nepal. The assistance was provided in energy, transport, water supply and urban infrastructure services, agriculture and irrigation, and education, the statement added.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13380', 'image' => '20210706113824_ADB.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 11:37:08', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13635', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Central Bank to Issue Development Bond Today', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 6: Nepal Rastra Bank is all set to auction development bonds worth Rs 15 billion today (July 6).', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">July 6: Nepal Rastra Bank is all set to auction development bonds worth Rs 15 billion today (July 6). The central bank is issuing the bonds to manage internal loan for the government as per its schedule to collect such loans for the fourth quarter of the current fiscal year. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The government has already collected internal loans of Rs 115 billion as of second quarter of the current fiscal year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The National Loan Management Department of Nepal Rastra Bank on behalf of the Government of Nepal has issued a five-year Development Bond 2083 ‘E’. Interested banks and financial institutions, non-banking institutions, insurance companies as well as eligible Nepali citizens can apply for the bond within 3 pm today. The interest rate of the bond will be fixed through bidding process.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The development bond will be issued on July 7. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">Prior to this, the central bank has issued development bonds of Rs 10 billion on June 22 with a maturity period of six years.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13379', 'image' => '20210706112914_1625201068.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 11:28:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13633', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Prohibitory Order in Kathmandu Valley Relaxed', 'sub_title' => 'All Kinds of Vehicles Allowed to Operate', 'summary' => 'July 6: The prohibitory order in Kathmandu valley has been extended till July 16 by relaxing the odd-even vehicle rule.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 6: The prohibitory order in Kathmandu valley has been extended till July 16 by relaxing the odd-even vehicle rule.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Chief District Officer of Kathmandu, Kali Prasad Parajuli, confirmed that the odd-even rule has been dismissed and all kinds of vehicles will be allowed to operate in the valley.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">However, according to CDO Parajuli, public vehicles won't be allowed to operate more passengers than the seating capacity. Public transportations has to implement the standard health protocol. The vehicles entering the valley can be allowed with the permission of the local administration.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, all kinds of businesses will be open from Tuesday morning (July 6). Such orders were issued by a joint meeting of the Chief District Officers of the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur) on Monday (July 5). The meeting has imposed a complete restriction on mass gatherings, conferences, operation of cinema halls, party palaces among others. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, gatherings in open places, weddings in hotels and party palaces, mass gatherings, religious programs except for daily worship, and educational activities in physical presence still restricted</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Local transportations is allowed to operate from 9 am to 11 am and from 4 pm to 7 pm. However, drug and health care stores will be open round the clock. Other shops and businesses can operate till 6 pm.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Businesses are required to follow all the health safety standards. Failure to do so could result in a halt of business operations. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Online delivery of essential items as well as delivery of food and other take-away items from restaurants are allowed till 7 pm in Kaathmandu valley.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Public transport will not be allowed to carry more passengers than the seating capacity. Passengers must wear a mask. If not, entry to the vehicle is prohibited. Drivers and helpers are required to wear visors and gloves. Public vehicles are required to have a sanitizer placed at the door of the vehicle. Vehicles are also required to be disinfected.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, Safa's clean tempo and the blue microbus are asked to have only four passengers in the back seat and one on the driver's side. These public vehicles have to put a plastic barrier in the middle of the vehicle to separate the passengers on both sides. In case of private vehicles, full health standards must be followed.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Public and private vehicles entering the valley for urgent work will be allowed to enter with the approval of the concerned district administration office. Vehicles for public and private construction have been asked to operate from 9 pm to 5 am.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">All kinds of pre-scheduled written and practical examinations can be conducted by following the standard health protocols. While conducting the examination, more than 25 people are not allowed to sit for exams in a single hall. The examinations have to be conducted in two shifts. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, seminars, meetings and trainings can have no more than 25 participants.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-06', 'modified' => '2021-07-06', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13378', 'image' => '20210706111648_1625544322.lockdown.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-06 10:27:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13631', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government to Provide Half a Million Rupees in Relief to Victims of Natural Disaster ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'uly 5: The government has decided to provide up to Rs 500,000 to the families displaced by natural disaster. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 5: The government has decided to provide up to Rs 500,000 to the families displaced by natural disaster. According to the government, it has allocated the relief amount for reconstruction and rehabilitation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The government will provide Rs 500,000 per family in the mountainous districts, Rs 400,000 in the hill districts and Rs 300,000 in the terai districts in accordance to the Disaster Affected Private Housing Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Grant Procedure 2077. The amount will be released in installments. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel said that the government has initiated the process of providing an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 per affected family through the District Administration Offices for temporary accommodation. A total of Rs 28.6 million has been allocated for this. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Informing the assembly about the damage caused by the natural disaster in different parts of the country since the beginning of monsoon this year, Poudel said that the government has given necessary instructions for immediate rescue, relief and rehabilitation in coordination with the stakeholders. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> According to him, 572 houses have been completely damaged while 112 houses have been partially damaged since the onset of the rainy season this year. Similarly, floods and landslides have also damaged 36 government buildings and nine schools. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">A total of fifteen motorable bridges have been damaged, that includes seven in Sindhupalchowk district, two in Manang and Chitwan, one each in Tanahun, Morang, Udayapur and Siraha. Five wooden bridges were swept away in Manang. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, a total of 23 suspension bridges have been swept away in different parts of the country including 14 in Sindhupalchowk, seven in Manang. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The access road and bridge leading to the headworks of Melamchi Drinking Water Project have been damaged. Poudel said that the repair work has already started after confirming the damage to the headworks. According to him, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has already taken initiative to open the blocked road by constructing two bailey bridges in Sindhupalchowk. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Forty-three small and large drinking water projects across the country have been damaged while 25 hydropower projects in different districts including Kaski, Manang and Sindhupalchok have been partially damaged. Minister Poudel said that they are yet to receive the details of total damages so far in all the provinces and districts. He also informed that they have asked the details of the damage from the concerned agencies. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the government, reconstruction work has started by providing a grant of Rs 199.7 million at the rate of Rs 50,000 per family in the first installment to 3,949 families affected by last year's monsoon. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-05', 'modified' => '2021-07-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13377', 'image' => '20210705020447_20201220030536_20201015115013_1602717511.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-05 14:04:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13632', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Devyani Rana appointed Coca-Cola’s Vice President ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 5: Coca-Cola has appointed Devyani Rajya Laxmi Rana as the multinational company’s vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability for India and Southwest Asia. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 5: Coca-Cola has appointed Devyani Rajya Laxmi Rana as the multinational company’s vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability for India and Southwest Asia. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Rana was earlier working with Caterpillar India where—as Director of Public Affairs for India, Nepal, Bhutan—she was leading Caterpillar and its subsidiaries’ work in government/corporate affairs, public relations and communications, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability for India, Nepal and Bhutan regions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">She is a daughter of Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s leader Pashupati Shumsher Rana and Rani Usha Raje Scindia, who is a daughter of Gwalior’s last maharaja Jivajirao Scindia and Aishwarya Singh.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">She had also worked with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and United Nations (UN) in India, The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, Geneva, Switzerland World Economic Forum (WEF).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I am delighted to welcome Devyani on this exciting charter to deepen Coca-Cola’s engagement in the region as she joins the leadership team to spearhead the practice in the region,” said Sanket Ray, President, India and Southwest Asia, commenting on the appointment. “Rana brings a wealth of experience in advocating for policies, legislation, trade agreements and regulations. Her contributions will augment our belief in our purpose even stronger and serve as an acceleration of the work that was already underway.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Rana, an alumni of London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London, also holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science from Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur in Nepal and a Bachelor of Arts, in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India. </span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-05', 'modified' => '2021-07-05', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13376', 'image' => '20210705023038_IMG-20210705-WA0000.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-05 14:20:42', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13630', 'article_category_id' => '240', 'title' => ' Dabur Nepal Launches “Real Immuno Mango+” Juice ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Dabur Nepal has launched its new product ‘Real Immuno Mango+’ juice. ', 'content' => '<p>July 4: Dabur Nepal has launched its new product ‘Real Immuno Mango+’ juice. <br /> Issuing a statement on Sunday, Dabur Nepal said that the newly launched juice is Nepal’s first fortified juice. <br /> It is the tasty and popular Mango juice fortified with the ‘Power of 5’ i.e. 5 proven immunity boosting ingredients - Honey, Tulsi, Ashwagandha, Vitamin C and Zinc, according to the statement. Dabur Nepal, in its statement, also said that Real Immuno Mango + is a perfect blend of both health and taste. <br /> “In a move to widen consumer offerings, Dabur Nepal, the market leader in fruit juice category in the country has been always striving to delight the consumers through relevant product innovation,” the statement quoted H. S. Bedi, Business Head of Dabur Nepal, as saying. </p> <p>Real Immuno Mango+ was developed post intensive market research amongst the target group to understand the immunity needs of their family, according to the statement. </p> <p>“The concept of Real Immuno Mango+ was appreciated by the consumers as they found it highly relevant during this COVID-19 situation” the statement quoted Abhaya Pd. Gorkhalee, Head of Marketing at Dabur Nepal, as saying. “The consumers have also rated Real Immuno Mango+ juice highest in all 5 sensorial parameters in blind test conducted during the product development.”</p> <p>This high quality Fortified Mango juice is priced at Rs 30 for single serve 180ml and Rs 250 for 1 Ltr pack, according to the statement. </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13375', 'image' => '20210704112815_Dabur Nepal.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 23:25:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => false, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13629', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Only Two-thirds Pharmaceutical Companies Fully Operational', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'uly 4: Only about two-thirds of registered pharmaceutical companies in the country are fully operational at present.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 4: Only about two-thirds of registered pharmaceutical companies in the country are fully operational at present. This was revealed in a detailed study report on self-reliant pharmaceuticals and drug manufacturing industries of Nepal released by the Department of Industry on Saturday.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">According to the report, there are 103 pharmaceutical companies registered with the Department of Drug Administration as of April 25, 2021, of which only 66 companies are fully operational. The department informed that these companies have received licenses for both production and sales of medicines. Similarly, the report states that 33 companies are in the process of obtaining licenses for production, while other four licensed industries are not operating due to technical reasons.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Out of 66 companies, four (6.06 percent) companies are in Province 1, 14 (21.21 percent) are in Province 2, Bagmati Province has 37 (56.06 percent) companies, Gandaki has 2 (3.03 percent) companies and Lumbini Province has 9 (13.63 percent) companies. The study report shows that there isn’t any pharmaceutical company in the other two provinces.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">All the above-mentioned pharmaceutical companies are private and mostly large (90 percent) with a total capital of more than Rs 250 million. Some medium-sized companies (10 percent) are also planning to increase investment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Most of the companies in operation are producing medicines in the form of tablets, capsules, liquid (syrup/suspension), powder (dry syrup), ointment/cream and eye/ear drops.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The yearly production capacity of tablets of 60 out of 66 companies is 2 billion units and the production capacity of capsules is 1.75 billion units. Similarly, the production capacity of liquid medicine of 45 companies is 4.5 billion units. In addition, the ointment production capacity of 40 companies is 150 million units and powder (dry syrup) is 30 million units. Moreover, the production capacity of nose/ear drops of five companies is 3.7 million units. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13374', 'image' => '20210704045857_20200818124630_1597700501.Clipboard10.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 16:58:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13628', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Sets Ambitious Target for MCC Projects', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: The government has set ambitious targets for the next three years to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, which is yet to be endorsed by the parliament.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 4: The government has set ambitious targets for the next three years to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, which is yet to be endorsed by the parliament.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The MCC agreement has been mired in controversy since a long time. However, the government has claimed that the work of the project will be expedited in the next three years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The recent expenditure structure prepared by the National Planning Commission, chaired by the Prime Minister, outlines the achievements to be made in the next three years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The targets are operation of Transmission Line Rehabilitation Action Plan, Additional Survey of Transmission Line (30 km), compensation and distribution to 20 percent of the people affected by the project, completion of 10 percent of MCA Nepal Partnership Program, detailed survey and design of projects, construction of 55% of substations, 15 percent of equipment installation, maintenance and operation of 40 km long Dhankhola Lamahi road section, maintenance of 37 km long Lamahi-Shivakhola road section among others.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, 178 out of 189 plots have been acquired for Ratmate Substation and Rs 1.26 billion compensation has been distributed to the affected people. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">It is claimed that preparations are in the final stage and an agreement has been signed with the Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Department of Roads seeking required help. Agreements will be signed between MCA Nepal and the Ministry of Forestry to cut down trees and use of forest land in the next fiscal year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Similarly, the government claims that three sub-stations, 315 km of transmission lines and about 77 km of national highways will be renovated by the Millennium Challenge Account in the next five years. The cost of this project is estimated to be at Rs 70.50 billion. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal had signed an agreement with the US-backed MCC in September 2017 to build a project with a grant of around Rs 55 billion. It had been agreed that the United States would provide $ 500 million in grants for two projects to increase electricity consumption and reduce the cost of road transport, and that the Government of Nepal would contribute $ 130 million to these projects.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Although Nepal has expressed its commitment to implement the agreement by completing all the procedures, the project has not moved ahead as agreed. MCA-Nepal has been saying that the project cannot be fully implemented without it being endorsed by the parliament. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13373', 'image' => '20210704043711_1625349562.3.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 16:36:37', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13626', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tourism Experts Suggest NTB to Introduce the Budget in Coordination with all 3 Tiers of Government', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: Experts in the field of tourism have suggested the Nepal Tourism Board to bring a budget in coordination with the federal, state, and local levels to revive the tourism that has been burdened by Covid 19. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">July 4: Experts in the field of tourism have suggested the Nepal Tourism Board to bring a budget in coordination with the federal, state, and local levels to revive the tourism that has been burdened by Covid 19. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Speaking at a recent virtual interaction organized by the Board, the experts suggested formulating a plan for maximum use of limited resources. They stressed that the tourism activities need to be revitalized gradually by ensuring vaccine against COVID-19 and maintaining health protocol. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> Former Tourism Secretary Dipendra Purush Dhakal shared that the federal government should provide a grant to the board to promote tourism amid current crisis. He said that there would be financial problems in the promotion of tourism and the sector would be affected if the government does not bring help in times of trouble.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Dr. Prem Sharma suggested the board to formulate a budget to promote domestic tourism as there is less possibility of international tourists visiting Nepal immediately. Similarly, Dr. Som Prasad Khatiwada, Ram Chandra Sedai, Chetnath Kandel, and Surya Kiran Shrestha said that the board should prepare a recovery and revival plan of at least 2 to 3 years by including the stakeholders’ suggestion and move ahead with the work of tourism promotion accordingly.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Similarly, Dr. Alok Rai, Ramesh Upadhyay, Pashupati Neupane, and Gyanendra Ratna Tuladhar stressed on digital marketing while tourism entrepreneurs Vijay Amatya, Vikram Pandey, and Sien Pandey urged the board focus on new tourism products and marketing rather than infrastructure.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">During the interaction, Chandra Prasad Rijal, vice-chairman of the board, said that the board would take forward the work of policy reform by incorporating the suggestions of experts. He said that the board was planning to work transparently in all the states despite the small budget and the suggestions of experts would be helpful in formulating the budget.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Similarly, other members of the board Krishna Shah and Pampha Poudel Dhamala said that the board was coordinating with various agencies for resource management even in difficult circumstances. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13372', 'image' => '20210704105627_20201016032657_1602804123.Clipboard13.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 10:55:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13625', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Industrialists urge India to Remove its Anti-Dumping Duty on Jute Produced in Nepal', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: Nepali industrialists have demanded India to waive anti-dumping duty (ADD) imposed on jute exported from Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">July 4: Nepali industrialists have demanded India to waive anti-dumping duty (ADD) imposed on jute exported from Nepal. India has not imposed ADD on jute imported from Bangladesh.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepali industrialists have been paying an annual fee of Rs 300 million to the Indian government for anti-dumping. However, Bangladeshi industrialists do not pay a penny. Nepali industry has been exporting ready-made jute worth Rs 7.5 billion to India annually.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nepal's industries have been exporting the finished jute products by importing more than 50 percent raw jute from India. Jute produced in Nepal barely occupies 2 percent of the Indian jute market. Nepal produces jute by importing technology, raw materials, and machinery from India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">As the jute mills operated in Morang and Sunsari of Nepal are close to the border, factory employees are Indian. Despite the Indian government's policy of mandatory use of jute bags for food packaging, Indian products are not enough and therefore use plastic bags for packing food. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Raj Kumar Golchha, president of the Nepal Jute Industries Association, demanded the removal of the ADD imposed by India on jute produced in Nepal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Due to ADD, Nepali products have not been able to compete with Indian products, he shared. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Therefore, he demanded that the government should initiate negotiation with India to remove the five-year ADD provision. There are 30,000 workers in Nepal's jute industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The Government of India has been reviewing the duty every five years. It has been five years since India imposed ADD on Nepali jute products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Five years ago, the Nepal Jute Industries Association had repeatedly demanded the removal of ADD before the Government of India. At that time, a team of tax experts from the Government of India visited the jute industries in Morang and Sunsari and decided to impose ADD on different products. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Dinesh Bhattarai, said that the ministry would try to solve the issue diplomatically after studying Indian law. He said, "We will study the provisions in the law of India and plan accordingly."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Ramesh Rathi, treasurer of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Province No. 1 and operator of Swastik Jute, said that like Nepal, Bangladesh is also sending jute products to the Indian market. However, unlike Nepal, India has not imposed ADD on Bangladesh’ products. India has decided not to impose ADD on 16 jute industries of Bangladesh.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The products of other jute mills of Bangladesh are also coming to the Indian market under the name of these 16 jute mills. Rathi said that the Indian government is silent on this issue. He said the government of India is losing revenue to 16 jute industries in Bangladesh due to non-imposition of ADD on their products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Currently, there are 11 jute mills in Nepal, while six of them are currently closed. The remaining five jute industries that are operational are Arihant, Raghupati, Swastik, Baba, and Nepal Jute. Rathi added that if the government of Nepal resolves the ADD problem through talks with the Indian government, the industry affected by the closure due to coronavirus will get relief. Industries will increase their production capacity and that will create more jobs, he added.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13371', 'image' => '20210704104051_1625349493.Clipboard06.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 10:40:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13624', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Manufacturers Facing Problems in Exporting Carpet', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: Carpets worth around Rs 5 billion have been languishing in different warehouses due to problems in exporting the product. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 4: Carpets worth around Rs 5 billion have been languishing in different warehouses due to problems in exporting the product. The country has been facing problems in exporting goods with the onset of the second wave of coronavirus. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Although there has been a rise in demand for carpets, the readymade products are being stockpiled in warehouses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During the last fiscal year, carpets worth Rs 4 billion could not be exported due to the lockdown imposed by the government to curb the spread of the deadly disease. Carpet manufacturers say that they are facing similar problem this year too. They say that they increased production after receiving orders when the first wave of pandemic started receding. But when it was time to export the product, the second wave hit the country and the government subsequently imposed prohibitory order. Due to this reason, the carpets produced have been stockpiled in warehouses, says Ram Bahadur Gurung, chairman of Nepal Carpet Producers and Exporters Association.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Gurung informed New Business Age that there is still good demand for Nepali carpet in the international market but the problem is exporting them to foreign countries amid the pandemic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">He further said that only 30 percent of carpet industries are currently operational due to the difficulty in exporting their products.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Carpets produced in Nepal are exported to more than 50 countries across the world including the USA, China, Germany, the UK, Italy, France, Canada, Belgium and Australia.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">It is estimated that there are around 700 carpet industries in Nepal out of which 150 export carpets to foreign countries. The association informed that the livelihood of more than 350,000 workers are in danger as the existence of the carpet industry itself is in trouble. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13370', 'image' => '20210704103045_20200719042410_Nepali Carpet.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 10:30:05', '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
