July 4: The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) has so far in the current fiscal year granted permission for the sale of ordinary shares (IPO) of a total of 18 companies.…
July 4: The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) has so far in the current fiscal year granted permission for the sale of ordinary shares (IPO) of a total of 18 companies.…
Ministry of Finance (MoF) has authorized the Election Commission to spend up to Rs 7.73 billion for midterm polls announced for…
July 2: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has taken action against six commercial banks for violating its policy throughout the fiscal year 2077/78.…
July 2: India has removed restriction on import of palm oil almost a year after imposing a ban.…
July 2: The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the tourism sector in the country. Tourism has been one of the mainstays of the country’s economy.…
July 2: Employees of banks and financial institutions (BFIs) and insurance companies have started a protest programme expressing dissatisfaction over the contribution-based Social Security Fund…
July 2: The much-awaited shipment of fertilizers purchased by the Government of Nepal from Bangladesh has finally arrived in the country.…
July 1: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has urged people not to believe in any deceptive information circulated on social networking sites from its alleged Facebook page.…
uly 1: The weather is generally to completely cloudy throughout the country today (July 1) with most of the places experiencing light to moderate rain due to the active influence of the monsoon wind and the occurrence of the monsoon low pressure system near the Tarai region.…
July 1: The prices of green vegetables have skyrocketed up by up to 230 percent in Kathmandu in a month.…
July 1: Floods and landslides have damaged several roads and bridges across the…
July 1: Domestic flights have resumed in the country after an interval of around two…
July 1: Agriculture experts have underlined the need for mechanization and commercialization of the agriculture sector in addition to good storage facility and marketing to enhance production of the agro-based products.…
June 30: Test production of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project will begin from coming Monday (July 5).…
June 30: Nepal has been listed among countries carrying high risk of COVID-19 infection by a dozen of labour destination countries as the country has failed to acquire COVID-19 vaccine on…
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 4: The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) has so far in the current fiscal year granted permission for the sale of ordinary shares (IPO) of a total of 18 companies. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the Board, Union Life Insurance Company is the latest company that has been allowed to come up with IPO offerings. The company has been permitted to issue 6.45 million units of ordinary shares worth Rs 645 million. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Based on the permission given by the board till date, a total of Rs 1434 billion ordinary shares are to be issued this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Lately, the size of domestic share market has been expanded. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to SEBON, the number of beneficiary accounts, which was around 1.7 million at the end of last fiscal year has increased by 100 per cent and reached 3.5 million in this fiscal year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Similarly, the number of my share accounts, which was around 700,000, increased by over three folds and reached to 2.6 million. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">SEBON added that 500,000 people used to apply for IPOs in the past and this number has risen to 2.1 million these days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A total of 2.84 million have applied for the IPO issued by Jeevan Bikas Microfinance lately. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, prior to this, 1.84 million had applied for the ordinary shares of Jyoti Life Insurance Company. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13369', 'image' => '20210704110308_20160515043917_sebon.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 11:02:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13623', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Ministry Authorizes Election Commission to Spend Rs 7.73 Billion for Midterm Polls ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => ' Ministry of Finance (MoF) has authorized the Election Commission to spend up to Rs 7.73 billion for midterm polls announced for November. ', 'content' => '<p>July 3: Ministry of Finance (MoF) has authorized the Election Commission to spend up to Rs 7.73 billion for midterm polls announced for November. <br /> According to a statement issued by the MoF, the authorized fund will be spent for the procurement of materials and equipments required to hold elections of House of Representatives. <br /> The spending authorization from the Finance Ministry comes amid preperation of the constitutional body to conduct mid-term polls in two phases in November as announced by the government. <br /> Earlier on May 22, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the House of Representatives and announced midterm polls for November 12 and 19 upon the recommendation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. <br /> However, the move to dissolve the House and hold elections has been challeged in the Supreme Court. The Constitutional Bench at the Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict next week. </p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-03', 'modified' => '2021-07-03', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13368', 'image' => '20210703023134_Finance Ministry.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-03 14:29:43', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13622', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NRB Takes Action against Six Commercial Banks for Policy Violation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has taken action against six commercial banks for violating its policy throughout the fiscal year 2077/78. ', '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 2: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has taken action against six commercial banks for violating its policy throughout the fiscal year 2077/78. The central bank has imposed a fine of Rs 8.78 million on the banks in the current fiscal year. NRB has imposed financial fines on Laxmi Bank, Civil Bank and Standard Chartered Bank while it has issued warnings to Global IME Bank, Rastriya Banijya Bank and Prabhu Bank.</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 central bank has slapped a fine of Rs 2 million on Laxmi Bank for violating the Anti Money Laundering Act and instructions. Likewise, Civil Bank has been fined Rs 1 million. Banks need to pay fines if they do not report violation of the Anti Money Laundering Act and instruction to the central bank. The minimum penalty for such violation is Rs 1 million.</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 central bank has also taken action against the commercial banks that did not meet the specified limit of priority sector credit flow during this period. Standard Chartered Bank has been fined Rs 5.78 million for failing to invest in priority sector. </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 Bank Supervision Department of NRB has also warned Standard Chartered Bank not to repeat the mistake. The department has also issued warning to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rastriya Banijya Bank Kiran Kumar Shrestha.</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"">According to the Nepal Rastra Bank Act, 2058 BS, there is a provision to warn or give written warning at the beginning if the regulation of the bank is violated. According to the Bank Supervision Department, the NRB has pointed out the weaknesses observed during the supervision and alerted the concerned banks and the CEO in the first phase.</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 department says that in the beginning, they are just warning the banks and seeking clarification and not taking any strict action at the moment.</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 central bank had imposed fines of Rs. 3.14 million on two commercial banks in the fiscal year 2076/77. Mega Bank had paid a fine of Rs 148,000 for not maintaining the cash reserves ratio. In the same year, Himalayan Bank was also imposed a fine of Rs 3 million for violating the Anti Money Laundering Act. A member and CEO of Nepal Bangladesh Bank were also warned.</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 NRB Act also allows the board of directors of the bank to take corrective steps through punishment. NRB has been issuing written warnings to end recurring violations and take corrective steps.</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"">NRB can also restrict the distribution of dividends to shareholders of commercial banks or financial institutions, and even suspend or revoke their license. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13367', 'image' => '20210702052230_20210308021619_20201228012934_20201106055408_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 17:21:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13621', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India Resumes Import of Palm Oil after a Year', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: India has removed restriction on import of palm oil almost a year after imposing a ban. ', '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 2: India has removed restriction on import of palm oil almost a year after imposing a ban. Nepali entrepreneurs that the latest decision of India opened the door for export of refined palm oil from 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"">The Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India said in a statement on Tuesday that the import of palm oil has been resumed. India has allowed the import till the end of December. The government of India has given permission to Nepal and other countries to export palm oil after the rise in the price of edible oil in 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"">Even though India has started importing palm oil, it will take at least one month for Nepali entrepreneurs to export the oil to India, opined Suresh Rungta, operator of OBC 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"">“After the suspension of exports to India, industrialists are now focusing on export of soybean oil. It will take one month to process and export crude palm oil,” said entrepreneur Rungta.</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 entrepreneurs process raw palms brought from Indonesia and Malaysia and export them to India. India had imposed a complete ban on imported palm oil on April 12, 2020, saying that it had adversely affected its industries and farmers.</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"">Prior to that, the ban imposed on January 7, 2019, was lifted after one month with quantitative restrictions. India has imposed high tariffs on palm oil imports.</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"">It charges 30.25 percent on crude palm oil imports and 41.25 percent on refined oil. Nepali industrialists import crude palm oil from third countries by paying 10 percent customs duty.</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 exporters enjoy zero percent customs duty under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) for exporting refined oil to INdia. Due to this provision, industries had exported large quantities of palm oil.</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"">There are 12 industries exporting edible oil to India in the Bara-Parsa corridor and seven in the Biratnagar area. According to government data, edible oil has been the main contributor to Nepal’s export for the past two fiscal years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13366', 'image' => '20210702051202_20191103092810_20190807121918_Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 17:11:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13620', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Over 58,000 Foreign Tourists Arrived in Nepal in First 6 Months of Current FY ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the tourism sector in the country. Tourism has been one of the mainstays of the country’s economy. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 2: The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the tourism sector in the country. Tourism has been one of the mainstays of the country’s economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Due to the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector, a negligible number of foreign tourists have been recorded to have visited Nepal in the first six months of the current fiscal year 2020/21. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), a total of 58,058 foreign tourists entered Nepal. Similarly, a total of 1,143 foreign tourists flew into Nepal within June this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Spokesperson of NTB Mani Lamichhane shared that a total of 102 foreign tourists had arrived in Nepal in June last year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During this year’s June, 3,606 foreign tourists stranded in Nepal or those willing to return to their home country were flown out of Nepal amid the prohibitory order imposed by the government in the Kathmandu Valley to contain the second wave of COVID-19, said Lamichhane. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13365', 'image' => '20210702113555_20200930115831_1601420205.89.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 11:35:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13618', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'BFI Employees Start Protest Against Social Security Fund', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: Employees of banks and financial institutions (BFIs) and insurance companies have started a protest programme expressing dissatisfaction over the contribution-based Social Security Fund (SSF).', '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 2: Employees of banks and financial institutions (BFIs) and insurance companies have started a protest programme expressing dissatisfaction over the contribution-based Social Security Fund (SSF).</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"">Following the directive issued by the government asking all the private sector companies to compulsorily participate in the programme, employees’ associations of banks and financial institutions had been urging the government to make the SSF participation voluntary.</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"">As their suggestions went unheard, the associations have announced to stage protests in three phases. In the first phase of the protest programme, the employees held demonstration with banners. In the second phase they will be working with black armbands and are planning to put down the pen in the third phase of the protest. </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"">Barun Khadka, treasurer of the Financial Employees Union, said employees from 16 banks, micro finance companies, and insurance companies have put up black banners in the central office of SSF along with their demands. </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 Financial Institute Employees Union of Nepal stated that employees are being forced to participate in SSF without amending the inappropriate provisions of SSF Act, its regulation and work procedures. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13364', 'image' => '20210702111022_20210215042205_20200401094426_1585693701.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 11:09:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13619', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' 45,000 Metric Tonnes of Urea Arrive from Bangladesh ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: The much-awaited shipment of fertilizers purchased by the Government of Nepal from Bangladesh has finally arrived in the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">July 2: The much-awaited shipment of fertilizers purchased by the Government of Nepal from Bangladesh has finally arrived in the country. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">Out of 50,000 metric tons of urea ordered by the government through G2G deal, 45,000 metric tons has reportedly arrived at various border check points of Nepal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the state-owned national news agency (RSS), the fertilizer has reached the provincial offices of Agriculture Inputs Company Limited in Birgunj, Biratnagar and Bhairahawa. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:Arial">As per the agreement, the Government of Bangladesh has to provide 50,000 metric tonnes of the fertilizer to Nepal. The remaining 5,000 metric tonnes of the fertilizer will arrive in Nepal within a week, RSS reported citing the manager of the company’s Birgunj-based provincial office, Gorakhnath KC. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">The government had placed the order during the plantation season of last year, when the farmers were facing scarcity of fertilizers. However, the delivery of the fertilizer had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other reasons including Bangladesh’s insistence on providing the fertilizer through G2G deal instead of the Nepal’s request to borrow the fertilzier.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial"> Unlike in the past when farmers faced scarcity of fertilizers, KC ensured timely availability of fertilizers during this monsoon when paddy plantation begins in most parts of the country. </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13363', 'image' => '20210702112439_20200817122726_1597613093.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 11:23:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13616', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Central Bank Alerts Public about its Fake Facebook Page', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has urged people not to believe in any deceptive information circulated on social networking sites from its alleged Facebook page. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">July 1: <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has urged people not to believe in any deceptive information circulated on social networking sites from its alleged Facebook page. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The central bank has drawn the attention to the misleading information being circulated from its fake account on social networking sites such as Facebook. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The NRB does not have its own official Facebook page and neither has it posted any information on Facebook, reads a statement released by the NRB on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Those creating Facebook page in the name of the NRB illegally and posting deceptive information will be booked under cyber crime, added the statement. -- RSS </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13362', 'image' => '20210701050746_20190502053738_NRB Facebook.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 17:07:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13617', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Heavy Rainfall along with Thunder and Lightning in Forecast ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'uly 1: The weather is generally to completely cloudy throughout the country today (July 1) with most of the places experiencing light to moderate rain due to the active influence of the monsoon wind and the occurrence of the monsoon low pressure system near the Tarai region. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 1: The weather is generally to completely cloudy throughout the country today (July 1) with most of the places experiencing light to moderate rain due to the active influence of the monsoon wind and the occurrence of the monsoon low pressure system near the Tarai region. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division said light to moderate rainfall is taking place at many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati province and the Gandaki province at present. Heavy rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning is taking place at one or two places of these provinces. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Kathmandu Valley has been experiencing continuous light rainfall since Wednesday night. The sky is completely cloudy in the Valley. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Maximum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius and minimum of 22 degrees Celsius were recorded in Kathmandu on July 1. </span></span></span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><strong><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Forecast for next three days</span></strong> <br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As per the Division, the weather will be generally to completely cloudy throughout the country on July 1 with the possibility of light to moderate rainfall at many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati province, Lumbini province and Gandaki province, and at few places of Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. Similarly, heavy rainfall with thunder/lightning is likely occur in some places and torrential downpour in few places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati province, Lumbini Province and Gandaki Province. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The same weather system will continue tonight as well. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On Friday, it will be generally to completely cloudy with chances of light to moderate rain in many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province, and at a few places of Lumbini Province, Karnali Province and Sudurpaschim Province. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On Saturday, the weather will be generally to completely cloudy with chances of light to moderate rainfall at many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province, and at a few places of Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, heavy rain along with thunder and lightning is likely at a few places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati Province, Lumbini Province and Gandaki Province. -- RSS </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13361', 'image' => '20210701052135_20200511091310_Storm.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 17:21:00', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13615', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Vegetables Prices Surge by 230 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: The prices of green vegetables have skyrocketed up by up to 230 percent in Kathmandu in a month. ', '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 1: The prices of green vegetables have skyrocketed up by up to 230 percent in Kathmandu in a month. According to the daily price list of the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board (KFVMDB), the prices of green vegetables have increased substantially in the last one month.</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"">With the arrival of monsoon, farmers have started planting paddy in the land where they used to grow vegetables.</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 wholesale price of hybrid beans, which was Rs 35 per kg on May 30, has increased by 230 percent to Rs 115 on June 30. The price of local cauliflower has gone up by 200 percent from Rs 25 per kg to Rs 75 per kg. The price of bitter gourd has increased by 142 percent from Rs 27 to Rs 65 per kg.</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"">Similarly, the price of ladies’ finger has also increased by 115 percent from Rs 35 to Rs 75 per kg, while the price of kidney beans has also increased by 200 percent from Rs 35 to Rs 105 per kg. The price of vegetables including sponge gourd, bottle gourd and beans has also gone up from Rs 20 to Rs 35 per kg.</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"">Due to the rainy season, the production of vegetables has decreased. Information Officer of KFVMDB, Binay Shrestha, told New Business Age that the price of green vegetables has increased as the vegetable production has decreased due to the paddy plantation in the land where vegetables were being grown.</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"">“Especially the price of vegetables has increased as the production has decreased,” he said. According to him, vegetable production has declined in India as well due to the rain. The price has grown as the vegetables entering Nepal from India have also decreased.</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 data of the board shows that the import of vegetables has not improved although the lockdown has been relaxed. According to the board, 550, 500 and 600 metric tons of vegetables had entered Kalimati on May 28, 29 and 30 respectively.</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"">As many as 700 metric tons of vegetables were imported on June 28. Likewise, 600 metric tons on June 29 and only 500 metric tons of vegetables have been imported till June 30. Under normal circumstances, 900 to 1,000 metric tons of vegetables enter Kalimati daily.</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"">At present, traders estimate that only about 30 percent of green vegetables are imported from India. Gita Prasad Acharya, president of Kalimati Fruit and Vegetables Market Entrepreneurs Committee, said that vegetables from Dhading, Makwanpur, Dolakha, Kavre and other districts were entering Kathmandu. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13360', 'image' => '20210701020007_20200806125217_1595453904.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 13:59:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13614', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Floods and landslides damage Roads, Bridges worth Rs 1 billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Floods and landslides have damaged several roads and bridges across the country.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Landslide obstructs a road section of Prithvi Highway in Vyas Municipality of Tanahun district in this recent photo. Photo: RSS</span></span></em></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"">July 1: Floods and landslides have damaged several roads and bridges across the country. Within two weeks since the onset of this year's monsoon, floods and landslides have caused an estimated damage of more than Rs 1 billion to the infrastructure. The Department of Roads revealed the data after a preliminary assessment on the extent of damage caused by floods.</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 flood between May 14 and June 29 has blocked roads in 61 places across various highways and auxiliary highways. According to the statistics of the department, roads are still blocked in 10 places. Roads in other places have resumed service through single lane.</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"">Spokesperson and Deputy Director-General of the Department Shiva Prasad Nepal informed that the damage estimate is preliminary. "The monsoon is in its starting phase and has caused damage of more than Rs 1 billion,” Nepal said, adding that the damages are likely to increase as the rainy season is far from over.</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"">In the previous years, the monsoon caused estimated damage of Rs 2 to 3 billion. Although billions of rupees are lost annually due to floods and landslides, the government has not allocated a separate budget for reconstruction.</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 Department of Roads has been demanding a separate budget for maintenance, reconstruction, and rehabilitation, but has not received such budget. For the rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged roads and bridges, the department has been carrying out maintenance work within the regular budget.</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"">"It is not possible repair the roads with the regular budget of the department," Nepal said, adding, “We have requested the government to allocate the budget by assessing the extent of damage.</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"">He said that the department has not been able to get the budget for maintenance even after assessing the damage in the last five years. Due to this, the maintenance has been done by mobilizing the regular budget, he Nepal. According to him, the regular work has been hampered by transferring money from the regular budget for maintenance of roads damaged by disasters.</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"">For emergency work, a budget of Rs 100 million has been allocated. The budget allocated for the emergency purpose is for 37 divisional road offices, 13 mechanical and heavy equipment offices under the department..</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"">Currently, Manang and Araniko highways are blocked. There are very narrow roads in Manang. It is not possible to reach the other side without removing the landslide. "The main priority right now is to open the road unilaterally. Unless the weather improves, two-way lane will not be opened because it is likely to cause more landslides and more damage," he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13359', 'image' => '20210701015406_KN-Damauli-ChirkanePahiro.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 13:53:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13612', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Domestic Flights Resume from Today', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Domestic flights have resumed in the country after an interval of around two months.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 1: Domestic flights have resumed in the country after an interval of around two months. The government had suspended domestic flights on May 3 to curb the spread of second wave of Covid-19.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has fixed the flight schedule allowing the airline companies to share 64 flights a day among themselves.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As per the new flight schedule, domestic flights will be allowed at an interval of 10 minutes.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During normal days, a domestic flight takes off every two minutes, the state-owned national news agency (RSS) reported. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The new schedule was fixed to avoid overcrowding of the airport, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to TIA’s general manager Pratap Babu Tiwari, Buddha Air has been permitted to operate 31 flights followed by 15 flights for Yeti Airlines, seven for Shree Airlines, and three each for Sourya Airlines and other airlines. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Airport authorities have assured to effectively enforce the health safety protocol issued by the Nepal government for the safety of air passengers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation had directed CAAN to operate flights limiting their frequencies to 50 percent of regular domestic flights effective from July 1 until another notice. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A representative of Buddha Air told New Business Age that the rainy weather is not likely to cancel the flights.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“Flights get suspended only if there is poor visibility,” he said, adding, “Normal rainfall does not affect flights.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13358', 'image' => '20210701111748_20190515014355_ATR.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 11:17:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13613', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Experts Stress on Commercialization for Development of Agriculture Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Agriculture experts have underlined the need for mechanization and commercialization of the agriculture sector in addition to good storage facility and marketing to enhance production of the agro-based products. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 1: Agriculture experts have underlined the need for mechanization and commercialization of the agriculture sector in addition to good storage facility and marketing to enhance production of the agro-based products. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In a webinar organized by the Nepal Renewable Energy Confederation of Nepal (RECON) on Wednesday (June 30), the participants opined that the country could yield abundantly from agriculture provided that the human resources are given with skills development training and there is hassle-free procedure for the farmers to obtain grant and loan. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> <br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">They also opined that agro-production could be augmented considering usage of organic manure, reusing kitchen waste, solar-powered irrigation facilities (renewable energy) in those places lacking regular irrigation facilities among others. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Former Minister Ganesh Shah said that technology and equipment should be provided to farmers in a subsidized rate and farmers’ capacity should be enhanced for good harvest. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">For processing, drying and storing agriculture products, one should prioritize usage of renewable energy such as micro hydro plants, solar energy mini grid, wind energy, solar thermal among other technologies that are easily available in the rural areas, said Shah. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, Alternative Energy Promotion Centre’s executive director Madhusudan Adhikari highlighted the need to hold high-level discussions and dialogue for optimizing renewable energy technology and benefiting as many people as possible. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Youth entrepreneur duo Kushal Gurung and Abhisekh Malla presented a paper about solar-powered irrigation facilities and their usage and prospects in the agricultural country like Nepal. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The virtual seminar chaired by RECON’s President Gunaraj Dhakal was attended by agriculture expert Dr Sudha Sapkota, energy expert Dr Indira Shakya, Kathmandu University (KU)’s Assistant Profession Dr Sunil Lohani, Nepal Biogas Promotion Association’s President Prakash Chandra Subedi and Solar Electric Manufacturers Association Indra Khanal. -- RSS </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13357', 'image' => '20210701113151_20210106123441_20201105020829_cover.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 11:31:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13611', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project to begin Test Production from July 5', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'June 30: Test production of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project will begin from coming Monday (July 5). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">June 30: Test production of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project will begin from coming Monday (July 5). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The hydropower project under construction in Bigu village of Dolakha with domestic investment has a production capacity of Rs 456 MW (six units of 76 MW capacity each). The first unit is scheduled to start generating electricity as a trial from July 5. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Hitendra Dev Shakya, executive director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and chairman of Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Limited, said that the other units will generate electricity afterwards.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">A team including Shakya and Prime Minister's Development Expert Gajendra Thapaliya had monitored the project site on June 27 and 28. During the field visit, the team had monitored equipment at the powerhouse, the dam site, as well as the new Khimti substation of 220 MW under construction at Khimti in Ramechhap.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"We have brought the project, which is facing various problems, to the point of generating electricity through continuous efforts. All the tests have reached the final stage. Now, if there is no technical problem, we will start generating electricity from the first unit on Monday," he said, adding, “If no immediate decision had been taken on the design modification of the penstock pipe, the project would have been delayed further. We have completed the work by making a timely decision.” </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Reservoirs and dunes have been successfully tested in all types of hydro-mechanical devices such as water-filled dams, intakes, civil structures, and connected gates, staples. The electricity generated from the project will be transmitted to the national grid through Gongar-Khimti-Dhalkebar 220 KV transmission line.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, the 76 km Khimti-Dhalkewar transmission line will also be tested. The 47 km 220 KV transmission line from Gongar of Upper Tamakoshi Power House Dolakha to Khimti of Ramechhap and the new Khimti substation will also be tested. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The construction work of the project site office, access road to the project site, roads, bridges, and other infrastructures was started in the Fiscal Year 2062/63, and the construction of the main structures began in the Fiscal Year 2067/68. The construction of the project was delayed due to the catastrophic earthquake of 2072 BS and subsequent aftershocks and floods, problems in transportation of fuel and construction materials due to Madhes movement, design changes, the poor performance of the hydromechanical (Lot 2) contractor.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The contract for Lot 2 was awarded to the Indian company Texma's Rail and Engineering. Due to the poor performance of the company, the production and connection of hydro-mechanical equipment including penstock pipes of the dam have been delayed, affecting the overall construction work of the project. The construction of the project was halted for almost two years due to the earthquake. In addition, the construction of the project was affected by the construction of a tunnel to the dam site, design manipulation of some structures, and the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">After Texma, which got the contract for Lot 2, delayed the work, the responsibility of pipe connection in the lower vertical tunnel, which was considered very difficult, was given to the contractor of Electromechanical (Lot 3) without any financial burden. The project has reached the stage of generating electricity with the tireless efforts and support of high political and administrative leadership, employees of the project, contractors, locals, and others.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project had upgraded the Charikot-Dolakha-Singati 35 km road at a cost of around Rs 1 billion. The project has constructed 29 kilometers of road and seven concrete bridges from Singati to the dam site in Lamabagar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier this week, the project had reportedly said the test production would begin from July 15.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-06-30', 'modified' => '2021-06-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13356', 'image' => '20210630045226_20170119031439_upper tamakoshi.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-06-30 16:51:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13610', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal listed in Red Zone by Labour Destination Countries', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'June 30: Nepal has been listed among countries carrying high risk of COVID-19 infection by a dozen of labour destination countries as the country has failed to acquire COVID-19 vaccine on time.', '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"">June 30: Nepal has been listed among countries carrying high risk of COVID-19 infection by a dozen of labour destination countries as the country has failed to acquire COVID-19 vaccine on time.</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"">Countries like Kuwait, Malaysia, and Dubai which are considered to be the prime labour destination countries have not taken in any Nepali migrants as yet. These countries have listed Nepal in the red zone. This has prevented migrant workers from going to these countries for jobs.</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"">Nepali migrant workers have not been able to leave for Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar either. These countries are willing to welcome migrant workers under some conditions but those conditions seem hard to meet. One of the major requirements of these countries is that migrants need to be compulsorily vaccinated.</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"">COVID-19 protocols prepared by Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Kuwait have made vaccines a mandatory requirement. These countries have adopted a policy to take in migrants inoculated with vaccines manufactured in the US and European countries. Sujit Shrestha, General Secretary of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, said since the government is delaying the process of acquiring vaccine, there are chances Nepal will remain in the red zone. </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"">He further said that labor destination countries are refusing to take in migrant workers who are not vaccinated. This has pushed foreign employment sector of Nepal in a crisis. According to Shrestha, the government needs to take diplomatic measures to take forward the vaccination campaign.</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"">Though the government is being pressurized to bring vaccines, there are slim chances the vaccines will be available immediately. Dr Krsihna Prasad Poudel, Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the Ministry of Health, said that the government is making persistent efforts with European countries as well as China, India and the United States to acquire COVID-19 vaccines. According to him, COVID-19 vaccine will be here soon. However, the Ministry of Health is not sure when it will happen.</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 manpower agencies, only a small number of workers have gone to Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar after the government relaxed the prohibitory order and facilitated international flights. Turkey, which is considered an attractive destination for Nepalis, has also banned direct flights from six countries, including Nepal, from Monday, June 28 citing risk of COVID-19. </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"">Stakeholders sat that the government should take immediate steps to send Nepali migrants to foreign countries as Nepal's economy is dependent on remittance. </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"">A study conducted by foreign employment agencies show that 1.2 million people have been jobless since the start of the pandemic. The data includes people who have lost jobs in the country and returnees from foreign countries. However, it doesn't include returnees from India. The study shows that around 500,000 Nepalis seek for foreign employment every year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-06-30', 'modified' => '2021-06-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13355', 'image' => '20210630014240_20201125033543_20200315123851_1111.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-06-30 13:42:04', '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' => '13627', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Share Market Attracting Investors ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) has so far in the current fiscal year granted permission for the sale of ordinary shares (IPO) of a total of 18 companies. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 4: The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) has so far in the current fiscal year granted permission for the sale of ordinary shares (IPO) of a total of 18 companies. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the Board, Union Life Insurance Company is the latest company that has been allowed to come up with IPO offerings. The company has been permitted to issue 6.45 million units of ordinary shares worth Rs 645 million. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Based on the permission given by the board till date, a total of Rs 1434 billion ordinary shares are to be issued this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Lately, the size of domestic share market has been expanded. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to SEBON, the number of beneficiary accounts, which was around 1.7 million at the end of last fiscal year has increased by 100 per cent and reached 3.5 million in this fiscal year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Similarly, the number of my share accounts, which was around 700,000, increased by over three folds and reached to 2.6 million. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">SEBON added that 500,000 people used to apply for IPOs in the past and this number has risen to 2.1 million these days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A total of 2.84 million have applied for the IPO issued by Jeevan Bikas Microfinance lately. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, prior to this, 1.84 million had applied for the ordinary shares of Jyoti Life Insurance Company. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13369', 'image' => '20210704110308_20160515043917_sebon.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 11:02:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13623', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Ministry Authorizes Election Commission to Spend Rs 7.73 Billion for Midterm Polls ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => ' Ministry of Finance (MoF) has authorized the Election Commission to spend up to Rs 7.73 billion for midterm polls announced for November. ', 'content' => '<p>July 3: Ministry of Finance (MoF) has authorized the Election Commission to spend up to Rs 7.73 billion for midterm polls announced for November. <br /> According to a statement issued by the MoF, the authorized fund will be spent for the procurement of materials and equipments required to hold elections of House of Representatives. <br /> The spending authorization from the Finance Ministry comes amid preperation of the constitutional body to conduct mid-term polls in two phases in November as announced by the government. <br /> Earlier on May 22, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the House of Representatives and announced midterm polls for November 12 and 19 upon the recommendation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. <br /> However, the move to dissolve the House and hold elections has been challeged in the Supreme Court. The Constitutional Bench at the Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict next week. </p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-03', 'modified' => '2021-07-03', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13368', 'image' => '20210703023134_Finance Ministry.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-03 14:29:43', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13622', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NRB Takes Action against Six Commercial Banks for Policy Violation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has taken action against six commercial banks for violating its policy throughout the fiscal year 2077/78. ', '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 2: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has taken action against six commercial banks for violating its policy throughout the fiscal year 2077/78. The central bank has imposed a fine of Rs 8.78 million on the banks in the current fiscal year. NRB has imposed financial fines on Laxmi Bank, Civil Bank and Standard Chartered Bank while it has issued warnings to Global IME Bank, Rastriya Banijya Bank and Prabhu Bank.</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 central bank has slapped a fine of Rs 2 million on Laxmi Bank for violating the Anti Money Laundering Act and instructions. Likewise, Civil Bank has been fined Rs 1 million. Banks need to pay fines if they do not report violation of the Anti Money Laundering Act and instruction to the central bank. The minimum penalty for such violation is Rs 1 million.</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 central bank has also taken action against the commercial banks that did not meet the specified limit of priority sector credit flow during this period. Standard Chartered Bank has been fined Rs 5.78 million for failing to invest in priority sector. </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 Bank Supervision Department of NRB has also warned Standard Chartered Bank not to repeat the mistake. The department has also issued warning to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rastriya Banijya Bank Kiran Kumar Shrestha.</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"">According to the Nepal Rastra Bank Act, 2058 BS, there is a provision to warn or give written warning at the beginning if the regulation of the bank is violated. According to the Bank Supervision Department, the NRB has pointed out the weaknesses observed during the supervision and alerted the concerned banks and the CEO in the first phase.</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 department says that in the beginning, they are just warning the banks and seeking clarification and not taking any strict action at the moment.</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 central bank had imposed fines of Rs. 3.14 million on two commercial banks in the fiscal year 2076/77. Mega Bank had paid a fine of Rs 148,000 for not maintaining the cash reserves ratio. In the same year, Himalayan Bank was also imposed a fine of Rs 3 million for violating the Anti Money Laundering Act. A member and CEO of Nepal Bangladesh Bank were also warned.</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 NRB Act also allows the board of directors of the bank to take corrective steps through punishment. NRB has been issuing written warnings to end recurring violations and take corrective steps.</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"">NRB can also restrict the distribution of dividends to shareholders of commercial banks or financial institutions, and even suspend or revoke their license. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13367', 'image' => '20210702052230_20210308021619_20201228012934_20201106055408_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 17:21:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13621', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India Resumes Import of Palm Oil after a Year', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: India has removed restriction on import of palm oil almost a year after imposing a ban. ', '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 2: India has removed restriction on import of palm oil almost a year after imposing a ban. Nepali entrepreneurs that the latest decision of India opened the door for export of refined palm oil from 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"">The Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India said in a statement on Tuesday that the import of palm oil has been resumed. India has allowed the import till the end of December. The government of India has given permission to Nepal and other countries to export palm oil after the rise in the price of edible oil in 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"">Even though India has started importing palm oil, it will take at least one month for Nepali entrepreneurs to export the oil to India, opined Suresh Rungta, operator of OBC 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"">“After the suspension of exports to India, industrialists are now focusing on export of soybean oil. It will take one month to process and export crude palm oil,” said entrepreneur Rungta.</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 entrepreneurs process raw palms brought from Indonesia and Malaysia and export them to India. India had imposed a complete ban on imported palm oil on April 12, 2020, saying that it had adversely affected its industries and farmers.</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"">Prior to that, the ban imposed on January 7, 2019, was lifted after one month with quantitative restrictions. India has imposed high tariffs on palm oil imports.</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"">It charges 30.25 percent on crude palm oil imports and 41.25 percent on refined oil. Nepali industrialists import crude palm oil from third countries by paying 10 percent customs duty.</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 exporters enjoy zero percent customs duty under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) for exporting refined oil to INdia. Due to this provision, industries had exported large quantities of palm oil.</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"">There are 12 industries exporting edible oil to India in the Bara-Parsa corridor and seven in the Biratnagar area. According to government data, edible oil has been the main contributor to Nepal’s export for the past two fiscal years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13366', 'image' => '20210702051202_20191103092810_20190807121918_Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 17:11:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13620', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Over 58,000 Foreign Tourists Arrived in Nepal in First 6 Months of Current FY ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the tourism sector in the country. Tourism has been one of the mainstays of the country’s economy. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 2: The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the tourism sector in the country. Tourism has been one of the mainstays of the country’s economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Due to the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector, a negligible number of foreign tourists have been recorded to have visited Nepal in the first six months of the current fiscal year 2020/21. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), a total of 58,058 foreign tourists entered Nepal. Similarly, a total of 1,143 foreign tourists flew into Nepal within June this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Spokesperson of NTB Mani Lamichhane shared that a total of 102 foreign tourists had arrived in Nepal in June last year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During this year’s June, 3,606 foreign tourists stranded in Nepal or those willing to return to their home country were flown out of Nepal amid the prohibitory order imposed by the government in the Kathmandu Valley to contain the second wave of COVID-19, said Lamichhane. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13365', 'image' => '20210702113555_20200930115831_1601420205.89.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 11:35:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13618', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'BFI Employees Start Protest Against Social Security Fund', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: Employees of banks and financial institutions (BFIs) and insurance companies have started a protest programme expressing dissatisfaction over the contribution-based Social Security Fund (SSF).', '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 2: Employees of banks and financial institutions (BFIs) and insurance companies have started a protest programme expressing dissatisfaction over the contribution-based Social Security Fund (SSF).</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"">Following the directive issued by the government asking all the private sector companies to compulsorily participate in the programme, employees’ associations of banks and financial institutions had been urging the government to make the SSF participation voluntary.</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"">As their suggestions went unheard, the associations have announced to stage protests in three phases. In the first phase of the protest programme, the employees held demonstration with banners. In the second phase they will be working with black armbands and are planning to put down the pen in the third phase of the protest. </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"">Barun Khadka, treasurer of the Financial Employees Union, said employees from 16 banks, micro finance companies, and insurance companies have put up black banners in the central office of SSF along with their demands. </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 Financial Institute Employees Union of Nepal stated that employees are being forced to participate in SSF without amending the inappropriate provisions of SSF Act, its regulation and work procedures. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13364', 'image' => '20210702111022_20210215042205_20200401094426_1585693701.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 11:09:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13619', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' 45,000 Metric Tonnes of Urea Arrive from Bangladesh ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: The much-awaited shipment of fertilizers purchased by the Government of Nepal from Bangladesh has finally arrived in the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">July 2: The much-awaited shipment of fertilizers purchased by the Government of Nepal from Bangladesh has finally arrived in the country. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">Out of 50,000 metric tons of urea ordered by the government through G2G deal, 45,000 metric tons has reportedly arrived at various border check points of Nepal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the state-owned national news agency (RSS), the fertilizer has reached the provincial offices of Agriculture Inputs Company Limited in Birgunj, Biratnagar and Bhairahawa. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:Arial">As per the agreement, the Government of Bangladesh has to provide 50,000 metric tonnes of the fertilizer to Nepal. The remaining 5,000 metric tonnes of the fertilizer will arrive in Nepal within a week, RSS reported citing the manager of the company’s Birgunj-based provincial office, Gorakhnath KC. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">The government had placed the order during the plantation season of last year, when the farmers were facing scarcity of fertilizers. However, the delivery of the fertilizer had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other reasons including Bangladesh’s insistence on providing the fertilizer through G2G deal instead of the Nepal’s request to borrow the fertilzier.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial"> Unlike in the past when farmers faced scarcity of fertilizers, KC ensured timely availability of fertilizers during this monsoon when paddy plantation begins in most parts of the country. </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13363', 'image' => '20210702112439_20200817122726_1597613093.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 11:23:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13616', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Central Bank Alerts Public about its Fake Facebook Page', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has urged people not to believe in any deceptive information circulated on social networking sites from its alleged Facebook page. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">July 1: <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has urged people not to believe in any deceptive information circulated on social networking sites from its alleged Facebook page. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The central bank has drawn the attention to the misleading information being circulated from its fake account on social networking sites such as Facebook. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The NRB does not have its own official Facebook page and neither has it posted any information on Facebook, reads a statement released by the NRB on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Those creating Facebook page in the name of the NRB illegally and posting deceptive information will be booked under cyber crime, added the statement. -- RSS </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13362', 'image' => '20210701050746_20190502053738_NRB Facebook.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 17:07:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13617', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Heavy Rainfall along with Thunder and Lightning in Forecast ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'uly 1: The weather is generally to completely cloudy throughout the country today (July 1) with most of the places experiencing light to moderate rain due to the active influence of the monsoon wind and the occurrence of the monsoon low pressure system near the Tarai region. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 1: The weather is generally to completely cloudy throughout the country today (July 1) with most of the places experiencing light to moderate rain due to the active influence of the monsoon wind and the occurrence of the monsoon low pressure system near the Tarai region. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division said light to moderate rainfall is taking place at many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati province and the Gandaki province at present. Heavy rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning is taking place at one or two places of these provinces. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Kathmandu Valley has been experiencing continuous light rainfall since Wednesday night. The sky is completely cloudy in the Valley. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Maximum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius and minimum of 22 degrees Celsius were recorded in Kathmandu on July 1. </span></span></span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><strong><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Forecast for next three days</span></strong> <br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As per the Division, the weather will be generally to completely cloudy throughout the country on July 1 with the possibility of light to moderate rainfall at many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati province, Lumbini province and Gandaki province, and at few places of Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. Similarly, heavy rainfall with thunder/lightning is likely occur in some places and torrential downpour in few places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati province, Lumbini Province and Gandaki Province. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The same weather system will continue tonight as well. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On Friday, it will be generally to completely cloudy with chances of light to moderate rain in many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province, and at a few places of Lumbini Province, Karnali Province and Sudurpaschim Province. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On Saturday, the weather will be generally to completely cloudy with chances of light to moderate rainfall at many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province, and at a few places of Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, heavy rain along with thunder and lightning is likely at a few places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati Province, Lumbini Province and Gandaki Province. -- RSS </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13361', 'image' => '20210701052135_20200511091310_Storm.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 17:21:00', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13615', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Vegetables Prices Surge by 230 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: The prices of green vegetables have skyrocketed up by up to 230 percent in Kathmandu in a month. ', '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 1: The prices of green vegetables have skyrocketed up by up to 230 percent in Kathmandu in a month. According to the daily price list of the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board (KFVMDB), the prices of green vegetables have increased substantially in the last one month.</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"">With the arrival of monsoon, farmers have started planting paddy in the land where they used to grow vegetables.</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 wholesale price of hybrid beans, which was Rs 35 per kg on May 30, has increased by 230 percent to Rs 115 on June 30. The price of local cauliflower has gone up by 200 percent from Rs 25 per kg to Rs 75 per kg. The price of bitter gourd has increased by 142 percent from Rs 27 to Rs 65 per kg.</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"">Similarly, the price of ladies’ finger has also increased by 115 percent from Rs 35 to Rs 75 per kg, while the price of kidney beans has also increased by 200 percent from Rs 35 to Rs 105 per kg. The price of vegetables including sponge gourd, bottle gourd and beans has also gone up from Rs 20 to Rs 35 per kg.</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"">Due to the rainy season, the production of vegetables has decreased. Information Officer of KFVMDB, Binay Shrestha, told New Business Age that the price of green vegetables has increased as the vegetable production has decreased due to the paddy plantation in the land where vegetables were being grown.</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"">“Especially the price of vegetables has increased as the production has decreased,” he said. According to him, vegetable production has declined in India as well due to the rain. The price has grown as the vegetables entering Nepal from India have also decreased.</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 data of the board shows that the import of vegetables has not improved although the lockdown has been relaxed. According to the board, 550, 500 and 600 metric tons of vegetables had entered Kalimati on May 28, 29 and 30 respectively.</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"">As many as 700 metric tons of vegetables were imported on June 28. Likewise, 600 metric tons on June 29 and only 500 metric tons of vegetables have been imported till June 30. Under normal circumstances, 900 to 1,000 metric tons of vegetables enter Kalimati daily.</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"">At present, traders estimate that only about 30 percent of green vegetables are imported from India. Gita Prasad Acharya, president of Kalimati Fruit and Vegetables Market Entrepreneurs Committee, said that vegetables from Dhading, Makwanpur, Dolakha, Kavre and other districts were entering Kathmandu. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13360', 'image' => '20210701020007_20200806125217_1595453904.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 13:59:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13614', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Floods and landslides damage Roads, Bridges worth Rs 1 billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Floods and landslides have damaged several roads and bridges across the country.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Landslide obstructs a road section of Prithvi Highway in Vyas Municipality of Tanahun district in this recent photo. Photo: RSS</span></span></em></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"">July 1: Floods and landslides have damaged several roads and bridges across the country. Within two weeks since the onset of this year's monsoon, floods and landslides have caused an estimated damage of more than Rs 1 billion to the infrastructure. The Department of Roads revealed the data after a preliminary assessment on the extent of damage caused by floods.</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 flood between May 14 and June 29 has blocked roads in 61 places across various highways and auxiliary highways. According to the statistics of the department, roads are still blocked in 10 places. Roads in other places have resumed service through single lane.</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"">Spokesperson and Deputy Director-General of the Department Shiva Prasad Nepal informed that the damage estimate is preliminary. "The monsoon is in its starting phase and has caused damage of more than Rs 1 billion,” Nepal said, adding that the damages are likely to increase as the rainy season is far from over.</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"">In the previous years, the monsoon caused estimated damage of Rs 2 to 3 billion. Although billions of rupees are lost annually due to floods and landslides, the government has not allocated a separate budget for reconstruction.</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 Department of Roads has been demanding a separate budget for maintenance, reconstruction, and rehabilitation, but has not received such budget. For the rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged roads and bridges, the department has been carrying out maintenance work within the regular budget.</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"">"It is not possible repair the roads with the regular budget of the department," Nepal said, adding, “We have requested the government to allocate the budget by assessing the extent of damage.</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"">He said that the department has not been able to get the budget for maintenance even after assessing the damage in the last five years. Due to this, the maintenance has been done by mobilizing the regular budget, he Nepal. According to him, the regular work has been hampered by transferring money from the regular budget for maintenance of roads damaged by disasters.</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"">For emergency work, a budget of Rs 100 million has been allocated. The budget allocated for the emergency purpose is for 37 divisional road offices, 13 mechanical and heavy equipment offices under the department..</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"">Currently, Manang and Araniko highways are blocked. There are very narrow roads in Manang. It is not possible to reach the other side without removing the landslide. "The main priority right now is to open the road unilaterally. Unless the weather improves, two-way lane will not be opened because it is likely to cause more landslides and more damage," he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13359', 'image' => '20210701015406_KN-Damauli-ChirkanePahiro.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 13:53:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13612', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Domestic Flights Resume from Today', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Domestic flights have resumed in the country after an interval of around two months.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 1: Domestic flights have resumed in the country after an interval of around two months. The government had suspended domestic flights on May 3 to curb the spread of second wave of Covid-19.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has fixed the flight schedule allowing the airline companies to share 64 flights a day among themselves.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As per the new flight schedule, domestic flights will be allowed at an interval of 10 minutes.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During normal days, a domestic flight takes off every two minutes, the state-owned national news agency (RSS) reported. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The new schedule was fixed to avoid overcrowding of the airport, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to TIA’s general manager Pratap Babu Tiwari, Buddha Air has been permitted to operate 31 flights followed by 15 flights for Yeti Airlines, seven for Shree Airlines, and three each for Sourya Airlines and other airlines. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Airport authorities have assured to effectively enforce the health safety protocol issued by the Nepal government for the safety of air passengers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation had directed CAAN to operate flights limiting their frequencies to 50 percent of regular domestic flights effective from July 1 until another notice. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A representative of Buddha Air told New Business Age that the rainy weather is not likely to cancel the flights.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“Flights get suspended only if there is poor visibility,” he said, adding, “Normal rainfall does not affect flights.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13358', 'image' => '20210701111748_20190515014355_ATR.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 11:17:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13613', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Experts Stress on Commercialization for Development of Agriculture Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Agriculture experts have underlined the need for mechanization and commercialization of the agriculture sector in addition to good storage facility and marketing to enhance production of the agro-based products. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 1: Agriculture experts have underlined the need for mechanization and commercialization of the agriculture sector in addition to good storage facility and marketing to enhance production of the agro-based products. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In a webinar organized by the Nepal Renewable Energy Confederation of Nepal (RECON) on Wednesday (June 30), the participants opined that the country could yield abundantly from agriculture provided that the human resources are given with skills development training and there is hassle-free procedure for the farmers to obtain grant and loan. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> <br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">They also opined that agro-production could be augmented considering usage of organic manure, reusing kitchen waste, solar-powered irrigation facilities (renewable energy) in those places lacking regular irrigation facilities among others. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Former Minister Ganesh Shah said that technology and equipment should be provided to farmers in a subsidized rate and farmers’ capacity should be enhanced for good harvest. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">For processing, drying and storing agriculture products, one should prioritize usage of renewable energy such as micro hydro plants, solar energy mini grid, wind energy, solar thermal among other technologies that are easily available in the rural areas, said Shah. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, Alternative Energy Promotion Centre’s executive director Madhusudan Adhikari highlighted the need to hold high-level discussions and dialogue for optimizing renewable energy technology and benefiting as many people as possible. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Youth entrepreneur duo Kushal Gurung and Abhisekh Malla presented a paper about solar-powered irrigation facilities and their usage and prospects in the agricultural country like Nepal. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The virtual seminar chaired by RECON’s President Gunaraj Dhakal was attended by agriculture expert Dr Sudha Sapkota, energy expert Dr Indira Shakya, Kathmandu University (KU)’s Assistant Profession Dr Sunil Lohani, Nepal Biogas Promotion Association’s President Prakash Chandra Subedi and Solar Electric Manufacturers Association Indra Khanal. -- RSS </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13357', 'image' => '20210701113151_20210106123441_20201105020829_cover.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 11:31:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13611', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project to begin Test Production from July 5', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'June 30: Test production of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project will begin from coming Monday (July 5). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">June 30: Test production of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project will begin from coming Monday (July 5). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The hydropower project under construction in Bigu village of Dolakha with domestic investment has a production capacity of Rs 456 MW (six units of 76 MW capacity each). The first unit is scheduled to start generating electricity as a trial from July 5. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Hitendra Dev Shakya, executive director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and chairman of Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Limited, said that the other units will generate electricity afterwards.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">A team including Shakya and Prime Minister's Development Expert Gajendra Thapaliya had monitored the project site on June 27 and 28. During the field visit, the team had monitored equipment at the powerhouse, the dam site, as well as the new Khimti substation of 220 MW under construction at Khimti in Ramechhap.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"We have brought the project, which is facing various problems, to the point of generating electricity through continuous efforts. All the tests have reached the final stage. Now, if there is no technical problem, we will start generating electricity from the first unit on Monday," he said, adding, “If no immediate decision had been taken on the design modification of the penstock pipe, the project would have been delayed further. We have completed the work by making a timely decision.” </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Reservoirs and dunes have been successfully tested in all types of hydro-mechanical devices such as water-filled dams, intakes, civil structures, and connected gates, staples. The electricity generated from the project will be transmitted to the national grid through Gongar-Khimti-Dhalkebar 220 KV transmission line.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, the 76 km Khimti-Dhalkewar transmission line will also be tested. The 47 km 220 KV transmission line from Gongar of Upper Tamakoshi Power House Dolakha to Khimti of Ramechhap and the new Khimti substation will also be tested. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The construction work of the project site office, access road to the project site, roads, bridges, and other infrastructures was started in the Fiscal Year 2062/63, and the construction of the main structures began in the Fiscal Year 2067/68. The construction of the project was delayed due to the catastrophic earthquake of 2072 BS and subsequent aftershocks and floods, problems in transportation of fuel and construction materials due to Madhes movement, design changes, the poor performance of the hydromechanical (Lot 2) contractor.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The contract for Lot 2 was awarded to the Indian company Texma's Rail and Engineering. Due to the poor performance of the company, the production and connection of hydro-mechanical equipment including penstock pipes of the dam have been delayed, affecting the overall construction work of the project. The construction of the project was halted for almost two years due to the earthquake. In addition, the construction of the project was affected by the construction of a tunnel to the dam site, design manipulation of some structures, and the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">After Texma, which got the contract for Lot 2, delayed the work, the responsibility of pipe connection in the lower vertical tunnel, which was considered very difficult, was given to the contractor of Electromechanical (Lot 3) without any financial burden. The project has reached the stage of generating electricity with the tireless efforts and support of high political and administrative leadership, employees of the project, contractors, locals, and others.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project had upgraded the Charikot-Dolakha-Singati 35 km road at a cost of around Rs 1 billion. The project has constructed 29 kilometers of road and seven concrete bridges from Singati to the dam site in Lamabagar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier this week, the project had reportedly said the test production would begin from July 15.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-06-30', 'modified' => '2021-06-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13356', 'image' => '20210630045226_20170119031439_upper tamakoshi.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-06-30 16:51:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13610', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal listed in Red Zone by Labour Destination Countries', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'June 30: Nepal has been listed among countries carrying high risk of COVID-19 infection by a dozen of labour destination countries as the country has failed to acquire COVID-19 vaccine on time.', '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"">June 30: Nepal has been listed among countries carrying high risk of COVID-19 infection by a dozen of labour destination countries as the country has failed to acquire COVID-19 vaccine on time.</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"">Countries like Kuwait, Malaysia, and Dubai which are considered to be the prime labour destination countries have not taken in any Nepali migrants as yet. These countries have listed Nepal in the red zone. This has prevented migrant workers from going to these countries for jobs.</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"">Nepali migrant workers have not been able to leave for Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar either. These countries are willing to welcome migrant workers under some conditions but those conditions seem hard to meet. One of the major requirements of these countries is that migrants need to be compulsorily vaccinated.</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"">COVID-19 protocols prepared by Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Kuwait have made vaccines a mandatory requirement. These countries have adopted a policy to take in migrants inoculated with vaccines manufactured in the US and European countries. Sujit Shrestha, General Secretary of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, said since the government is delaying the process of acquiring vaccine, there are chances Nepal will remain in the red zone. </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"">He further said that labor destination countries are refusing to take in migrant workers who are not vaccinated. This has pushed foreign employment sector of Nepal in a crisis. According to Shrestha, the government needs to take diplomatic measures to take forward the vaccination campaign.</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"">Though the government is being pressurized to bring vaccines, there are slim chances the vaccines will be available immediately. Dr Krsihna Prasad Poudel, Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the Ministry of Health, said that the government is making persistent efforts with European countries as well as China, India and the United States to acquire COVID-19 vaccines. According to him, COVID-19 vaccine will be here soon. However, the Ministry of Health is not sure when it will happen.</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 manpower agencies, only a small number of workers have gone to Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar after the government relaxed the prohibitory order and facilitated international flights. Turkey, which is considered an attractive destination for Nepalis, has also banned direct flights from six countries, including Nepal, from Monday, June 28 citing risk of COVID-19. </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"">Stakeholders sat that the government should take immediate steps to send Nepali migrants to foreign countries as Nepal's economy is dependent on remittance. </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"">A study conducted by foreign employment agencies show that 1.2 million people have been jobless since the start of the pandemic. The data includes people who have lost jobs in the country and returnees from foreign countries. However, it doesn't include returnees from India. The study shows that around 500,000 Nepalis seek for foreign employment every year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-06-30', 'modified' => '2021-06-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13355', 'image' => '20210630014240_20201125033543_20200315123851_1111.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-06-30 13:42:04', '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' => '13627', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Share Market Attracting Investors ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) has so far in the current fiscal year granted permission for the sale of ordinary shares (IPO) of a total of 18 companies. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 4: The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) has so far in the current fiscal year granted permission for the sale of ordinary shares (IPO) of a total of 18 companies. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the Board, Union Life Insurance Company is the latest company that has been allowed to come up with IPO offerings. The company has been permitted to issue 6.45 million units of ordinary shares worth Rs 645 million. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Based on the permission given by the board till date, a total of Rs 1434 billion ordinary shares are to be issued this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Lately, the size of domestic share market has been expanded. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to SEBON, the number of beneficiary accounts, which was around 1.7 million at the end of last fiscal year has increased by 100 per cent and reached 3.5 million in this fiscal year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Similarly, the number of my share accounts, which was around 700,000, increased by over three folds and reached to 2.6 million. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">SEBON added that 500,000 people used to apply for IPOs in the past and this number has risen to 2.1 million these days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A total of 2.84 million have applied for the IPO issued by Jeevan Bikas Microfinance lately. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, prior to this, 1.84 million had applied for the ordinary shares of Jyoti Life Insurance Company. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13369', 'image' => '20210704110308_20160515043917_sebon.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 11:02:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13623', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Ministry Authorizes Election Commission to Spend Rs 7.73 Billion for Midterm Polls ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => ' Ministry of Finance (MoF) has authorized the Election Commission to spend up to Rs 7.73 billion for midterm polls announced for November. ', 'content' => '<p>July 3: Ministry of Finance (MoF) has authorized the Election Commission to spend up to Rs 7.73 billion for midterm polls announced for November. <br /> According to a statement issued by the MoF, the authorized fund will be spent for the procurement of materials and equipments required to hold elections of House of Representatives. <br /> The spending authorization from the Finance Ministry comes amid preperation of the constitutional body to conduct mid-term polls in two phases in November as announced by the government. <br /> Earlier on May 22, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the House of Representatives and announced midterm polls for November 12 and 19 upon the recommendation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. <br /> However, the move to dissolve the House and hold elections has been challeged in the Supreme Court. The Constitutional Bench at the Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict next week. </p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-03', 'modified' => '2021-07-03', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13368', 'image' => '20210703023134_Finance Ministry.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-03 14:29:43', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13622', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NRB Takes Action against Six Commercial Banks for Policy Violation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has taken action against six commercial banks for violating its policy throughout the fiscal year 2077/78. ', '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 2: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has taken action against six commercial banks for violating its policy throughout the fiscal year 2077/78. The central bank has imposed a fine of Rs 8.78 million on the banks in the current fiscal year. NRB has imposed financial fines on Laxmi Bank, Civil Bank and Standard Chartered Bank while it has issued warnings to Global IME Bank, Rastriya Banijya Bank and Prabhu Bank.</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 central bank has slapped a fine of Rs 2 million on Laxmi Bank for violating the Anti Money Laundering Act and instructions. Likewise, Civil Bank has been fined Rs 1 million. Banks need to pay fines if they do not report violation of the Anti Money Laundering Act and instruction to the central bank. The minimum penalty for such violation is Rs 1 million.</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 central bank has also taken action against the commercial banks that did not meet the specified limit of priority sector credit flow during this period. Standard Chartered Bank has been fined Rs 5.78 million for failing to invest in priority sector. </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 Bank Supervision Department of NRB has also warned Standard Chartered Bank not to repeat the mistake. The department has also issued warning to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rastriya Banijya Bank Kiran Kumar Shrestha.</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"">According to the Nepal Rastra Bank Act, 2058 BS, there is a provision to warn or give written warning at the beginning if the regulation of the bank is violated. According to the Bank Supervision Department, the NRB has pointed out the weaknesses observed during the supervision and alerted the concerned banks and the CEO in the first phase.</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 department says that in the beginning, they are just warning the banks and seeking clarification and not taking any strict action at the moment.</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 central bank had imposed fines of Rs. 3.14 million on two commercial banks in the fiscal year 2076/77. Mega Bank had paid a fine of Rs 148,000 for not maintaining the cash reserves ratio. In the same year, Himalayan Bank was also imposed a fine of Rs 3 million for violating the Anti Money Laundering Act. A member and CEO of Nepal Bangladesh Bank were also warned.</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 NRB Act also allows the board of directors of the bank to take corrective steps through punishment. NRB has been issuing written warnings to end recurring violations and take corrective steps.</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"">NRB can also restrict the distribution of dividends to shareholders of commercial banks or financial institutions, and even suspend or revoke their license. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13367', 'image' => '20210702052230_20210308021619_20201228012934_20201106055408_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 17:21:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13621', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India Resumes Import of Palm Oil after a Year', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: India has removed restriction on import of palm oil almost a year after imposing a ban. ', '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 2: India has removed restriction on import of palm oil almost a year after imposing a ban. Nepali entrepreneurs that the latest decision of India opened the door for export of refined palm oil from 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"">The Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India said in a statement on Tuesday that the import of palm oil has been resumed. India has allowed the import till the end of December. The government of India has given permission to Nepal and other countries to export palm oil after the rise in the price of edible oil in 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"">Even though India has started importing palm oil, it will take at least one month for Nepali entrepreneurs to export the oil to India, opined Suresh Rungta, operator of OBC 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"">“After the suspension of exports to India, industrialists are now focusing on export of soybean oil. It will take one month to process and export crude palm oil,” said entrepreneur Rungta.</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 entrepreneurs process raw palms brought from Indonesia and Malaysia and export them to India. India had imposed a complete ban on imported palm oil on April 12, 2020, saying that it had adversely affected its industries and farmers.</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"">Prior to that, the ban imposed on January 7, 2019, was lifted after one month with quantitative restrictions. India has imposed high tariffs on palm oil imports.</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"">It charges 30.25 percent on crude palm oil imports and 41.25 percent on refined oil. Nepali industrialists import crude palm oil from third countries by paying 10 percent customs duty.</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 exporters enjoy zero percent customs duty under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) for exporting refined oil to INdia. Due to this provision, industries had exported large quantities of palm oil.</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"">There are 12 industries exporting edible oil to India in the Bara-Parsa corridor and seven in the Biratnagar area. According to government data, edible oil has been the main contributor to Nepal’s export for the past two fiscal years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13366', 'image' => '20210702051202_20191103092810_20190807121918_Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 17:11:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13620', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Over 58,000 Foreign Tourists Arrived in Nepal in First 6 Months of Current FY ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the tourism sector in the country. Tourism has been one of the mainstays of the country’s economy. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 2: The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the tourism sector in the country. Tourism has been one of the mainstays of the country’s economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Due to the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector, a negligible number of foreign tourists have been recorded to have visited Nepal in the first six months of the current fiscal year 2020/21. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), a total of 58,058 foreign tourists entered Nepal. Similarly, a total of 1,143 foreign tourists flew into Nepal within June this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Spokesperson of NTB Mani Lamichhane shared that a total of 102 foreign tourists had arrived in Nepal in June last year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During this year’s June, 3,606 foreign tourists stranded in Nepal or those willing to return to their home country were flown out of Nepal amid the prohibitory order imposed by the government in the Kathmandu Valley to contain the second wave of COVID-19, said Lamichhane. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13365', 'image' => '20210702113555_20200930115831_1601420205.89.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 11:35:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13618', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'BFI Employees Start Protest Against Social Security Fund', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: Employees of banks and financial institutions (BFIs) and insurance companies have started a protest programme expressing dissatisfaction over the contribution-based Social Security Fund (SSF).', '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 2: Employees of banks and financial institutions (BFIs) and insurance companies have started a protest programme expressing dissatisfaction over the contribution-based Social Security Fund (SSF).</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"">Following the directive issued by the government asking all the private sector companies to compulsorily participate in the programme, employees’ associations of banks and financial institutions had been urging the government to make the SSF participation voluntary.</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"">As their suggestions went unheard, the associations have announced to stage protests in three phases. In the first phase of the protest programme, the employees held demonstration with banners. In the second phase they will be working with black armbands and are planning to put down the pen in the third phase of the protest. </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"">Barun Khadka, treasurer of the Financial Employees Union, said employees from 16 banks, micro finance companies, and insurance companies have put up black banners in the central office of SSF along with their demands. </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 Financial Institute Employees Union of Nepal stated that employees are being forced to participate in SSF without amending the inappropriate provisions of SSF Act, its regulation and work procedures. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13364', 'image' => '20210702111022_20210215042205_20200401094426_1585693701.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 11:09:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13619', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' 45,000 Metric Tonnes of Urea Arrive from Bangladesh ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: The much-awaited shipment of fertilizers purchased by the Government of Nepal from Bangladesh has finally arrived in the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">July 2: The much-awaited shipment of fertilizers purchased by the Government of Nepal from Bangladesh has finally arrived in the country. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">Out of 50,000 metric tons of urea ordered by the government through G2G deal, 45,000 metric tons has reportedly arrived at various border check points of Nepal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the state-owned national news agency (RSS), the fertilizer has reached the provincial offices of Agriculture Inputs Company Limited in Birgunj, Biratnagar and Bhairahawa. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:Arial">As per the agreement, the Government of Bangladesh has to provide 50,000 metric tonnes of the fertilizer to Nepal. The remaining 5,000 metric tonnes of the fertilizer will arrive in Nepal within a week, RSS reported citing the manager of the company’s Birgunj-based provincial office, Gorakhnath KC. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">The government had placed the order during the plantation season of last year, when the farmers were facing scarcity of fertilizers. However, the delivery of the fertilizer had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other reasons including Bangladesh’s insistence on providing the fertilizer through G2G deal instead of the Nepal’s request to borrow the fertilzier.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial"> Unlike in the past when farmers faced scarcity of fertilizers, KC ensured timely availability of fertilizers during this monsoon when paddy plantation begins in most parts of the country. </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13363', 'image' => '20210702112439_20200817122726_1597613093.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 11:23:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13616', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Central Bank Alerts Public about its Fake Facebook Page', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has urged people not to believe in any deceptive information circulated on social networking sites from its alleged Facebook page. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">July 1: <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has urged people not to believe in any deceptive information circulated on social networking sites from its alleged Facebook page. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The central bank has drawn the attention to the misleading information being circulated from its fake account on social networking sites such as Facebook. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The NRB does not have its own official Facebook page and neither has it posted any information on Facebook, reads a statement released by the NRB on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Those creating Facebook page in the name of the NRB illegally and posting deceptive information will be booked under cyber crime, added the statement. -- RSS </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13362', 'image' => '20210701050746_20190502053738_NRB Facebook.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 17:07:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13617', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Heavy Rainfall along with Thunder and Lightning in Forecast ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'uly 1: The weather is generally to completely cloudy throughout the country today (July 1) with most of the places experiencing light to moderate rain due to the active influence of the monsoon wind and the occurrence of the monsoon low pressure system near the Tarai region. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 1: The weather is generally to completely cloudy throughout the country today (July 1) with most of the places experiencing light to moderate rain due to the active influence of the monsoon wind and the occurrence of the monsoon low pressure system near the Tarai region. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division said light to moderate rainfall is taking place at many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati province and the Gandaki province at present. Heavy rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning is taking place at one or two places of these provinces. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Kathmandu Valley has been experiencing continuous light rainfall since Wednesday night. The sky is completely cloudy in the Valley. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Maximum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius and minimum of 22 degrees Celsius were recorded in Kathmandu on July 1. </span></span></span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><strong><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Forecast for next three days</span></strong> <br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As per the Division, the weather will be generally to completely cloudy throughout the country on July 1 with the possibility of light to moderate rainfall at many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati province, Lumbini province and Gandaki province, and at few places of Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. Similarly, heavy rainfall with thunder/lightning is likely occur in some places and torrential downpour in few places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati province, Lumbini Province and Gandaki Province. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The same weather system will continue tonight as well. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On Friday, it will be generally to completely cloudy with chances of light to moderate rain in many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province, and at a few places of Lumbini Province, Karnali Province and Sudurpaschim Province. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On Saturday, the weather will be generally to completely cloudy with chances of light to moderate rainfall at many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province, and at a few places of Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, heavy rain along with thunder and lightning is likely at a few places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati Province, Lumbini Province and Gandaki Province. -- RSS </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13361', 'image' => '20210701052135_20200511091310_Storm.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 17:21:00', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13615', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Vegetables Prices Surge by 230 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: The prices of green vegetables have skyrocketed up by up to 230 percent in Kathmandu in a month. ', '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 1: The prices of green vegetables have skyrocketed up by up to 230 percent in Kathmandu in a month. According to the daily price list of the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board (KFVMDB), the prices of green vegetables have increased substantially in the last one month.</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"">With the arrival of monsoon, farmers have started planting paddy in the land where they used to grow vegetables.</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 wholesale price of hybrid beans, which was Rs 35 per kg on May 30, has increased by 230 percent to Rs 115 on June 30. The price of local cauliflower has gone up by 200 percent from Rs 25 per kg to Rs 75 per kg. The price of bitter gourd has increased by 142 percent from Rs 27 to Rs 65 per kg.</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"">Similarly, the price of ladies’ finger has also increased by 115 percent from Rs 35 to Rs 75 per kg, while the price of kidney beans has also increased by 200 percent from Rs 35 to Rs 105 per kg. The price of vegetables including sponge gourd, bottle gourd and beans has also gone up from Rs 20 to Rs 35 per kg.</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"">Due to the rainy season, the production of vegetables has decreased. Information Officer of KFVMDB, Binay Shrestha, told New Business Age that the price of green vegetables has increased as the vegetable production has decreased due to the paddy plantation in the land where vegetables were being grown.</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"">“Especially the price of vegetables has increased as the production has decreased,” he said. According to him, vegetable production has declined in India as well due to the rain. The price has grown as the vegetables entering Nepal from India have also decreased.</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 data of the board shows that the import of vegetables has not improved although the lockdown has been relaxed. According to the board, 550, 500 and 600 metric tons of vegetables had entered Kalimati on May 28, 29 and 30 respectively.</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"">As many as 700 metric tons of vegetables were imported on June 28. Likewise, 600 metric tons on June 29 and only 500 metric tons of vegetables have been imported till June 30. Under normal circumstances, 900 to 1,000 metric tons of vegetables enter Kalimati daily.</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"">At present, traders estimate that only about 30 percent of green vegetables are imported from India. Gita Prasad Acharya, president of Kalimati Fruit and Vegetables Market Entrepreneurs Committee, said that vegetables from Dhading, Makwanpur, Dolakha, Kavre and other districts were entering Kathmandu. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13360', 'image' => '20210701020007_20200806125217_1595453904.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 13:59:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13614', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Floods and landslides damage Roads, Bridges worth Rs 1 billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Floods and landslides have damaged several roads and bridges across the country.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Landslide obstructs a road section of Prithvi Highway in Vyas Municipality of Tanahun district in this recent photo. Photo: RSS</span></span></em></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"">July 1: Floods and landslides have damaged several roads and bridges across the country. Within two weeks since the onset of this year's monsoon, floods and landslides have caused an estimated damage of more than Rs 1 billion to the infrastructure. The Department of Roads revealed the data after a preliminary assessment on the extent of damage caused by floods.</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 flood between May 14 and June 29 has blocked roads in 61 places across various highways and auxiliary highways. According to the statistics of the department, roads are still blocked in 10 places. Roads in other places have resumed service through single lane.</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"">Spokesperson and Deputy Director-General of the Department Shiva Prasad Nepal informed that the damage estimate is preliminary. "The monsoon is in its starting phase and has caused damage of more than Rs 1 billion,” Nepal said, adding that the damages are likely to increase as the rainy season is far from over.</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"">In the previous years, the monsoon caused estimated damage of Rs 2 to 3 billion. Although billions of rupees are lost annually due to floods and landslides, the government has not allocated a separate budget for reconstruction.</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 Department of Roads has been demanding a separate budget for maintenance, reconstruction, and rehabilitation, but has not received such budget. For the rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged roads and bridges, the department has been carrying out maintenance work within the regular budget.</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"">"It is not possible repair the roads with the regular budget of the department," Nepal said, adding, “We have requested the government to allocate the budget by assessing the extent of damage.</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"">He said that the department has not been able to get the budget for maintenance even after assessing the damage in the last five years. Due to this, the maintenance has been done by mobilizing the regular budget, he Nepal. According to him, the regular work has been hampered by transferring money from the regular budget for maintenance of roads damaged by disasters.</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"">For emergency work, a budget of Rs 100 million has been allocated. The budget allocated for the emergency purpose is for 37 divisional road offices, 13 mechanical and heavy equipment offices under the department..</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"">Currently, Manang and Araniko highways are blocked. There are very narrow roads in Manang. It is not possible to reach the other side without removing the landslide. "The main priority right now is to open the road unilaterally. Unless the weather improves, two-way lane will not be opened because it is likely to cause more landslides and more damage," he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13359', 'image' => '20210701015406_KN-Damauli-ChirkanePahiro.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 13:53:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13612', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Domestic Flights Resume from Today', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Domestic flights have resumed in the country after an interval of around two months.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 1: Domestic flights have resumed in the country after an interval of around two months. The government had suspended domestic flights on May 3 to curb the spread of second wave of Covid-19.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has fixed the flight schedule allowing the airline companies to share 64 flights a day among themselves.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As per the new flight schedule, domestic flights will be allowed at an interval of 10 minutes.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During normal days, a domestic flight takes off every two minutes, the state-owned national news agency (RSS) reported. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The new schedule was fixed to avoid overcrowding of the airport, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to TIA’s general manager Pratap Babu Tiwari, Buddha Air has been permitted to operate 31 flights followed by 15 flights for Yeti Airlines, seven for Shree Airlines, and three each for Sourya Airlines and other airlines. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Airport authorities have assured to effectively enforce the health safety protocol issued by the Nepal government for the safety of air passengers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation had directed CAAN to operate flights limiting their frequencies to 50 percent of regular domestic flights effective from July 1 until another notice. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A representative of Buddha Air told New Business Age that the rainy weather is not likely to cancel the flights.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“Flights get suspended only if there is poor visibility,” he said, adding, “Normal rainfall does not affect flights.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13358', 'image' => '20210701111748_20190515014355_ATR.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 11:17:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13613', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Experts Stress on Commercialization for Development of Agriculture Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Agriculture experts have underlined the need for mechanization and commercialization of the agriculture sector in addition to good storage facility and marketing to enhance production of the agro-based products. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 1: Agriculture experts have underlined the need for mechanization and commercialization of the agriculture sector in addition to good storage facility and marketing to enhance production of the agro-based products. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In a webinar organized by the Nepal Renewable Energy Confederation of Nepal (RECON) on Wednesday (June 30), the participants opined that the country could yield abundantly from agriculture provided that the human resources are given with skills development training and there is hassle-free procedure for the farmers to obtain grant and loan. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> <br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">They also opined that agro-production could be augmented considering usage of organic manure, reusing kitchen waste, solar-powered irrigation facilities (renewable energy) in those places lacking regular irrigation facilities among others. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Former Minister Ganesh Shah said that technology and equipment should be provided to farmers in a subsidized rate and farmers’ capacity should be enhanced for good harvest. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">For processing, drying and storing agriculture products, one should prioritize usage of renewable energy such as micro hydro plants, solar energy mini grid, wind energy, solar thermal among other technologies that are easily available in the rural areas, said Shah. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, Alternative Energy Promotion Centre’s executive director Madhusudan Adhikari highlighted the need to hold high-level discussions and dialogue for optimizing renewable energy technology and benefiting as many people as possible. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Youth entrepreneur duo Kushal Gurung and Abhisekh Malla presented a paper about solar-powered irrigation facilities and their usage and prospects in the agricultural country like Nepal. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The virtual seminar chaired by RECON’s President Gunaraj Dhakal was attended by agriculture expert Dr Sudha Sapkota, energy expert Dr Indira Shakya, Kathmandu University (KU)’s Assistant Profession Dr Sunil Lohani, Nepal Biogas Promotion Association’s President Prakash Chandra Subedi and Solar Electric Manufacturers Association Indra Khanal. -- RSS </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13357', 'image' => '20210701113151_20210106123441_20201105020829_cover.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 11:31:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13611', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project to begin Test Production from July 5', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'June 30: Test production of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project will begin from coming Monday (July 5). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">June 30: Test production of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project will begin from coming Monday (July 5). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The hydropower project under construction in Bigu village of Dolakha with domestic investment has a production capacity of Rs 456 MW (six units of 76 MW capacity each). The first unit is scheduled to start generating electricity as a trial from July 5. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Hitendra Dev Shakya, executive director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and chairman of Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Limited, said that the other units will generate electricity afterwards.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">A team including Shakya and Prime Minister's Development Expert Gajendra Thapaliya had monitored the project site on June 27 and 28. During the field visit, the team had monitored equipment at the powerhouse, the dam site, as well as the new Khimti substation of 220 MW under construction at Khimti in Ramechhap.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"We have brought the project, which is facing various problems, to the point of generating electricity through continuous efforts. All the tests have reached the final stage. Now, if there is no technical problem, we will start generating electricity from the first unit on Monday," he said, adding, “If no immediate decision had been taken on the design modification of the penstock pipe, the project would have been delayed further. We have completed the work by making a timely decision.” </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Reservoirs and dunes have been successfully tested in all types of hydro-mechanical devices such as water-filled dams, intakes, civil structures, and connected gates, staples. The electricity generated from the project will be transmitted to the national grid through Gongar-Khimti-Dhalkebar 220 KV transmission line.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, the 76 km Khimti-Dhalkewar transmission line will also be tested. The 47 km 220 KV transmission line from Gongar of Upper Tamakoshi Power House Dolakha to Khimti of Ramechhap and the new Khimti substation will also be tested. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The construction work of the project site office, access road to the project site, roads, bridges, and other infrastructures was started in the Fiscal Year 2062/63, and the construction of the main structures began in the Fiscal Year 2067/68. The construction of the project was delayed due to the catastrophic earthquake of 2072 BS and subsequent aftershocks and floods, problems in transportation of fuel and construction materials due to Madhes movement, design changes, the poor performance of the hydromechanical (Lot 2) contractor.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The contract for Lot 2 was awarded to the Indian company Texma's Rail and Engineering. Due to the poor performance of the company, the production and connection of hydro-mechanical equipment including penstock pipes of the dam have been delayed, affecting the overall construction work of the project. The construction of the project was halted for almost two years due to the earthquake. In addition, the construction of the project was affected by the construction of a tunnel to the dam site, design manipulation of some structures, and the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">After Texma, which got the contract for Lot 2, delayed the work, the responsibility of pipe connection in the lower vertical tunnel, which was considered very difficult, was given to the contractor of Electromechanical (Lot 3) without any financial burden. The project has reached the stage of generating electricity with the tireless efforts and support of high political and administrative leadership, employees of the project, contractors, locals, and others.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project had upgraded the Charikot-Dolakha-Singati 35 km road at a cost of around Rs 1 billion. The project has constructed 29 kilometers of road and seven concrete bridges from Singati to the dam site in Lamabagar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier this week, the project had reportedly said the test production would begin from July 15.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-06-30', 'modified' => '2021-06-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13356', 'image' => '20210630045226_20170119031439_upper tamakoshi.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-06-30 16:51:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13610', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal listed in Red Zone by Labour Destination Countries', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'June 30: Nepal has been listed among countries carrying high risk of COVID-19 infection by a dozen of labour destination countries as the country has failed to acquire COVID-19 vaccine on time.', '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"">June 30: Nepal has been listed among countries carrying high risk of COVID-19 infection by a dozen of labour destination countries as the country has failed to acquire COVID-19 vaccine on time.</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"">Countries like Kuwait, Malaysia, and Dubai which are considered to be the prime labour destination countries have not taken in any Nepali migrants as yet. These countries have listed Nepal in the red zone. This has prevented migrant workers from going to these countries for jobs.</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"">Nepali migrant workers have not been able to leave for Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar either. These countries are willing to welcome migrant workers under some conditions but those conditions seem hard to meet. One of the major requirements of these countries is that migrants need to be compulsorily vaccinated.</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"">COVID-19 protocols prepared by Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Kuwait have made vaccines a mandatory requirement. These countries have adopted a policy to take in migrants inoculated with vaccines manufactured in the US and European countries. Sujit Shrestha, General Secretary of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, said since the government is delaying the process of acquiring vaccine, there are chances Nepal will remain in the red zone. </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"">He further said that labor destination countries are refusing to take in migrant workers who are not vaccinated. This has pushed foreign employment sector of Nepal in a crisis. According to Shrestha, the government needs to take diplomatic measures to take forward the vaccination campaign.</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"">Though the government is being pressurized to bring vaccines, there are slim chances the vaccines will be available immediately. Dr Krsihna Prasad Poudel, Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the Ministry of Health, said that the government is making persistent efforts with European countries as well as China, India and the United States to acquire COVID-19 vaccines. According to him, COVID-19 vaccine will be here soon. However, the Ministry of Health is not sure when it will happen.</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 manpower agencies, only a small number of workers have gone to Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar after the government relaxed the prohibitory order and facilitated international flights. Turkey, which is considered an attractive destination for Nepalis, has also banned direct flights from six countries, including Nepal, from Monday, June 28 citing risk of COVID-19. </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"">Stakeholders sat that the government should take immediate steps to send Nepali migrants to foreign countries as Nepal's economy is dependent on remittance. </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"">A study conducted by foreign employment agencies show that 1.2 million people have been jobless since the start of the pandemic. The data includes people who have lost jobs in the country and returnees from foreign countries. However, it doesn't include returnees from India. The study shows that around 500,000 Nepalis seek for foreign employment every year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-06-30', 'modified' => '2021-06-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13355', 'image' => '20210630014240_20201125033543_20200315123851_1111.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-06-30 13:42:04', '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' => '13627', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Share Market Attracting Investors ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 4: The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) has so far in the current fiscal year granted permission for the sale of ordinary shares (IPO) of a total of 18 companies. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 4: The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) has so far in the current fiscal year granted permission for the sale of ordinary shares (IPO) of a total of 18 companies. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to the Board, Union Life Insurance Company is the latest company that has been allowed to come up with IPO offerings. The company has been permitted to issue 6.45 million units of ordinary shares worth Rs 645 million. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Based on the permission given by the board till date, a total of Rs 1434 billion ordinary shares are to be issued this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Lately, the size of domestic share market has been expanded. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to SEBON, the number of beneficiary accounts, which was around 1.7 million at the end of last fiscal year has increased by 100 per cent and reached 3.5 million in this fiscal year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Similarly, the number of my share accounts, which was around 700,000, increased by over three folds and reached to 2.6 million. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">SEBON added that 500,000 people used to apply for IPOs in the past and this number has risen to 2.1 million these days. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A total of 2.84 million have applied for the IPO issued by Jeevan Bikas Microfinance lately. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, prior to this, 1.84 million had applied for the ordinary shares of Jyoti Life Insurance Company. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-04', 'modified' => '2021-07-04', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13369', 'image' => '20210704110308_20160515043917_sebon.JPG', 'article_date' => '2021-07-04 11:02:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13623', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Finance Ministry Authorizes Election Commission to Spend Rs 7.73 Billion for Midterm Polls ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => ' Ministry of Finance (MoF) has authorized the Election Commission to spend up to Rs 7.73 billion for midterm polls announced for November. ', 'content' => '<p>July 3: Ministry of Finance (MoF) has authorized the Election Commission to spend up to Rs 7.73 billion for midterm polls announced for November. <br /> According to a statement issued by the MoF, the authorized fund will be spent for the procurement of materials and equipments required to hold elections of House of Representatives. <br /> The spending authorization from the Finance Ministry comes amid preperation of the constitutional body to conduct mid-term polls in two phases in November as announced by the government. <br /> Earlier on May 22, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the House of Representatives and announced midterm polls for November 12 and 19 upon the recommendation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. <br /> However, the move to dissolve the House and hold elections has been challeged in the Supreme Court. The Constitutional Bench at the Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict next week. </p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-03', 'modified' => '2021-07-03', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13368', 'image' => '20210703023134_Finance Ministry.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-03 14:29:43', 'homepage' => true, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '35' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13622', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NRB Takes Action against Six Commercial Banks for Policy Violation', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has taken action against six commercial banks for violating its policy throughout the fiscal year 2077/78. ', '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 2: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has taken action against six commercial banks for violating its policy throughout the fiscal year 2077/78. The central bank has imposed a fine of Rs 8.78 million on the banks in the current fiscal year. NRB has imposed financial fines on Laxmi Bank, Civil Bank and Standard Chartered Bank while it has issued warnings to Global IME Bank, Rastriya Banijya Bank and Prabhu Bank.</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 central bank has slapped a fine of Rs 2 million on Laxmi Bank for violating the Anti Money Laundering Act and instructions. Likewise, Civil Bank has been fined Rs 1 million. Banks need to pay fines if they do not report violation of the Anti Money Laundering Act and instruction to the central bank. The minimum penalty for such violation is Rs 1 million.</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 central bank has also taken action against the commercial banks that did not meet the specified limit of priority sector credit flow during this period. Standard Chartered Bank has been fined Rs 5.78 million for failing to invest in priority sector. </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 Bank Supervision Department of NRB has also warned Standard Chartered Bank not to repeat the mistake. The department has also issued warning to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rastriya Banijya Bank Kiran Kumar Shrestha.</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"">According to the Nepal Rastra Bank Act, 2058 BS, there is a provision to warn or give written warning at the beginning if the regulation of the bank is violated. According to the Bank Supervision Department, the NRB has pointed out the weaknesses observed during the supervision and alerted the concerned banks and the CEO in the first phase.</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 department says that in the beginning, they are just warning the banks and seeking clarification and not taking any strict action at the moment.</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 central bank had imposed fines of Rs. 3.14 million on two commercial banks in the fiscal year 2076/77. Mega Bank had paid a fine of Rs 148,000 for not maintaining the cash reserves ratio. In the same year, Himalayan Bank was also imposed a fine of Rs 3 million for violating the Anti Money Laundering Act. A member and CEO of Nepal Bangladesh Bank were also warned.</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 NRB Act also allows the board of directors of the bank to take corrective steps through punishment. NRB has been issuing written warnings to end recurring violations and take corrective steps.</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"">NRB can also restrict the distribution of dividends to shareholders of commercial banks or financial institutions, and even suspend or revoke their license. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13367', 'image' => '20210702052230_20210308021619_20201228012934_20201106055408_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 17:21:34', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13621', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'India Resumes Import of Palm Oil after a Year', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: India has removed restriction on import of palm oil almost a year after imposing a ban. ', '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 2: India has removed restriction on import of palm oil almost a year after imposing a ban. Nepali entrepreneurs that the latest decision of India opened the door for export of refined palm oil from 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"">The Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India said in a statement on Tuesday that the import of palm oil has been resumed. India has allowed the import till the end of December. The government of India has given permission to Nepal and other countries to export palm oil after the rise in the price of edible oil in 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"">Even though India has started importing palm oil, it will take at least one month for Nepali entrepreneurs to export the oil to India, opined Suresh Rungta, operator of OBC 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"">“After the suspension of exports to India, industrialists are now focusing on export of soybean oil. It will take one month to process and export crude palm oil,” said entrepreneur Rungta.</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 entrepreneurs process raw palms brought from Indonesia and Malaysia and export them to India. India had imposed a complete ban on imported palm oil on April 12, 2020, saying that it had adversely affected its industries and farmers.</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"">Prior to that, the ban imposed on January 7, 2019, was lifted after one month with quantitative restrictions. India has imposed high tariffs on palm oil imports.</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"">It charges 30.25 percent on crude palm oil imports and 41.25 percent on refined oil. Nepali industrialists import crude palm oil from third countries by paying 10 percent customs duty.</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 exporters enjoy zero percent customs duty under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) for exporting refined oil to INdia. Due to this provision, industries had exported large quantities of palm oil.</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"">There are 12 industries exporting edible oil to India in the Bara-Parsa corridor and seven in the Biratnagar area. According to government data, edible oil has been the main contributor to Nepal’s export for the past two fiscal years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13366', 'image' => '20210702051202_20191103092810_20190807121918_Clipboard01.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 17:11:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13620', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Over 58,000 Foreign Tourists Arrived in Nepal in First 6 Months of Current FY ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the tourism sector in the country. Tourism has been one of the mainstays of the country’s economy. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 2: The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the tourism sector in the country. Tourism has been one of the mainstays of the country’s economy. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Due to the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector, a negligible number of foreign tourists have been recorded to have visited Nepal in the first six months of the current fiscal year 2020/21. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), a total of 58,058 foreign tourists entered Nepal. Similarly, a total of 1,143 foreign tourists flew into Nepal within June this year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Spokesperson of NTB Mani Lamichhane shared that a total of 102 foreign tourists had arrived in Nepal in June last year. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During this year’s June, 3,606 foreign tourists stranded in Nepal or those willing to return to their home country were flown out of Nepal amid the prohibitory order imposed by the government in the Kathmandu Valley to contain the second wave of COVID-19, said Lamichhane. -- RSS </span></span></span><br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13365', 'image' => '20210702113555_20200930115831_1601420205.89.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 11:35:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13618', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'BFI Employees Start Protest Against Social Security Fund', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: Employees of banks and financial institutions (BFIs) and insurance companies have started a protest programme expressing dissatisfaction over the contribution-based Social Security Fund (SSF).', '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 2: Employees of banks and financial institutions (BFIs) and insurance companies have started a protest programme expressing dissatisfaction over the contribution-based Social Security Fund (SSF).</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"">Following the directive issued by the government asking all the private sector companies to compulsorily participate in the programme, employees’ associations of banks and financial institutions had been urging the government to make the SSF participation voluntary.</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"">As their suggestions went unheard, the associations have announced to stage protests in three phases. In the first phase of the protest programme, the employees held demonstration with banners. In the second phase they will be working with black armbands and are planning to put down the pen in the third phase of the protest. </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"">Barun Khadka, treasurer of the Financial Employees Union, said employees from 16 banks, micro finance companies, and insurance companies have put up black banners in the central office of SSF along with their demands. </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 Financial Institute Employees Union of Nepal stated that employees are being forced to participate in SSF without amending the inappropriate provisions of SSF Act, its regulation and work procedures. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13364', 'image' => '20210702111022_20210215042205_20200401094426_1585693701.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 11:09:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13619', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' 45,000 Metric Tonnes of Urea Arrive from Bangladesh ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 2: The much-awaited shipment of fertilizers purchased by the Government of Nepal from Bangladesh has finally arrived in the country. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">July 2: The much-awaited shipment of fertilizers purchased by the Government of Nepal from Bangladesh has finally arrived in the country. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">Out of 50,000 metric tons of urea ordered by the government through G2G deal, 45,000 metric tons has reportedly arrived at various border check points of Nepal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">According to the state-owned national news agency (RSS), the fertilizer has reached the provincial offices of Agriculture Inputs Company Limited in Birgunj, Biratnagar and Bhairahawa. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:Arial">As per the agreement, the Government of Bangladesh has to provide 50,000 metric tonnes of the fertilizer to Nepal. The remaining 5,000 metric tonnes of the fertilizer will arrive in Nepal within a week, RSS reported citing the manager of the company’s Birgunj-based provincial office, Gorakhnath KC. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial">The government had placed the order during the plantation season of last year, when the farmers were facing scarcity of fertilizers. However, the delivery of the fertilizer had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other reasons including Bangladesh’s insistence on providing the fertilizer through G2G deal instead of the Nepal’s request to borrow the fertilzier.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:Arial"> Unlike in the past when farmers faced scarcity of fertilizers, KC ensured timely availability of fertilizers during this monsoon when paddy plantation begins in most parts of the country. </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-02', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13363', 'image' => '20210702112439_20200817122726_1597613093.Clipboard02.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-02 11:23:55', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13616', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Central Bank Alerts Public about its Fake Facebook Page', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has urged people not to believe in any deceptive information circulated on social networking sites from its alleged Facebook page. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria">July 1: <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has urged people not to believe in any deceptive information circulated on social networking sites from its alleged Facebook page. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The central bank has drawn the attention to the misleading information being circulated from its fake account on social networking sites such as Facebook. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The NRB does not have its own official Facebook page and neither has it posted any information on Facebook, reads a statement released by the NRB on Thursday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Those creating Facebook page in the name of the NRB illegally and posting deceptive information will be booked under cyber crime, added the statement. -- RSS </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13362', 'image' => '20210701050746_20190502053738_NRB Facebook.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 17:07:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13617', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Heavy Rainfall along with Thunder and Lightning in Forecast ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'uly 1: The weather is generally to completely cloudy throughout the country today (July 1) with most of the places experiencing light to moderate rain due to the active influence of the monsoon wind and the occurrence of the monsoon low pressure system near the Tarai region. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 1: The weather is generally to completely cloudy throughout the country today (July 1) with most of the places experiencing light to moderate rain due to the active influence of the monsoon wind and the occurrence of the monsoon low pressure system near the Tarai region. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology under the Meteorological Forecasting Division said light to moderate rainfall is taking place at many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati province and the Gandaki province at present. Heavy rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning is taking place at one or two places of these provinces. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Kathmandu Valley has been experiencing continuous light rainfall since Wednesday night. The sky is completely cloudy in the Valley. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Maximum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius and minimum of 22 degrees Celsius were recorded in Kathmandu on July 1. </span></span></span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><strong><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Forecast for next three days</span></strong> <br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As per the Division, the weather will be generally to completely cloudy throughout the country on July 1 with the possibility of light to moderate rainfall at many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati province, Lumbini province and Gandaki province, and at few places of Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. Similarly, heavy rainfall with thunder/lightning is likely occur in some places and torrential downpour in few places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati province, Lumbini Province and Gandaki Province. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The same weather system will continue tonight as well. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On Friday, it will be generally to completely cloudy with chances of light to moderate rain in many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province, and at a few places of Lumbini Province, Karnali Province and Sudurpaschim Province. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">On Saturday, the weather will be generally to completely cloudy with chances of light to moderate rainfall at many places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province, and at a few places of Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, heavy rain along with thunder and lightning is likely at a few places of Province no 1, Province no 2, Bagmati Province, Lumbini Province and Gandaki Province. -- RSS </span><br /> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13361', 'image' => '20210701052135_20200511091310_Storm.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 17:21:00', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13615', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Vegetables Prices Surge by 230 Percent', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: The prices of green vegetables have skyrocketed up by up to 230 percent in Kathmandu in a month. ', '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 1: The prices of green vegetables have skyrocketed up by up to 230 percent in Kathmandu in a month. According to the daily price list of the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board (KFVMDB), the prices of green vegetables have increased substantially in the last one month.</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"">With the arrival of monsoon, farmers have started planting paddy in the land where they used to grow vegetables.</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 wholesale price of hybrid beans, which was Rs 35 per kg on May 30, has increased by 230 percent to Rs 115 on June 30. The price of local cauliflower has gone up by 200 percent from Rs 25 per kg to Rs 75 per kg. The price of bitter gourd has increased by 142 percent from Rs 27 to Rs 65 per kg.</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"">Similarly, the price of ladies’ finger has also increased by 115 percent from Rs 35 to Rs 75 per kg, while the price of kidney beans has also increased by 200 percent from Rs 35 to Rs 105 per kg. The price of vegetables including sponge gourd, bottle gourd and beans has also gone up from Rs 20 to Rs 35 per kg.</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"">Due to the rainy season, the production of vegetables has decreased. Information Officer of KFVMDB, Binay Shrestha, told New Business Age that the price of green vegetables has increased as the vegetable production has decreased due to the paddy plantation in the land where vegetables were being grown.</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"">“Especially the price of vegetables has increased as the production has decreased,” he said. According to him, vegetable production has declined in India as well due to the rain. The price has grown as the vegetables entering Nepal from India have also decreased.</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 data of the board shows that the import of vegetables has not improved although the lockdown has been relaxed. According to the board, 550, 500 and 600 metric tons of vegetables had entered Kalimati on May 28, 29 and 30 respectively.</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"">As many as 700 metric tons of vegetables were imported on June 28. Likewise, 600 metric tons on June 29 and only 500 metric tons of vegetables have been imported till June 30. Under normal circumstances, 900 to 1,000 metric tons of vegetables enter Kalimati daily.</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"">At present, traders estimate that only about 30 percent of green vegetables are imported from India. Gita Prasad Acharya, president of Kalimati Fruit and Vegetables Market Entrepreneurs Committee, said that vegetables from Dhading, Makwanpur, Dolakha, Kavre and other districts were entering Kathmandu. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13360', 'image' => '20210701020007_20200806125217_1595453904.Clipboard03.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 13:59:36', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13614', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Floods and landslides damage Roads, Bridges worth Rs 1 billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Floods and landslides have damaged several roads and bridges across the country.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Times"><em><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Landslide obstructs a road section of Prithvi Highway in Vyas Municipality of Tanahun district in this recent photo. Photo: RSS</span></span></em></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"">July 1: Floods and landslides have damaged several roads and bridges across the country. Within two weeks since the onset of this year's monsoon, floods and landslides have caused an estimated damage of more than Rs 1 billion to the infrastructure. The Department of Roads revealed the data after a preliminary assessment on the extent of damage caused by floods.</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 flood between May 14 and June 29 has blocked roads in 61 places across various highways and auxiliary highways. According to the statistics of the department, roads are still blocked in 10 places. Roads in other places have resumed service through single lane.</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"">Spokesperson and Deputy Director-General of the Department Shiva Prasad Nepal informed that the damage estimate is preliminary. "The monsoon is in its starting phase and has caused damage of more than Rs 1 billion,” Nepal said, adding that the damages are likely to increase as the rainy season is far from over.</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"">In the previous years, the monsoon caused estimated damage of Rs 2 to 3 billion. Although billions of rupees are lost annually due to floods and landslides, the government has not allocated a separate budget for reconstruction.</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 Department of Roads has been demanding a separate budget for maintenance, reconstruction, and rehabilitation, but has not received such budget. For the rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged roads and bridges, the department has been carrying out maintenance work within the regular budget.</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"">"It is not possible repair the roads with the regular budget of the department," Nepal said, adding, “We have requested the government to allocate the budget by assessing the extent of damage.</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"">He said that the department has not been able to get the budget for maintenance even after assessing the damage in the last five years. Due to this, the maintenance has been done by mobilizing the regular budget, he Nepal. According to him, the regular work has been hampered by transferring money from the regular budget for maintenance of roads damaged by disasters.</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"">For emergency work, a budget of Rs 100 million has been allocated. The budget allocated for the emergency purpose is for 37 divisional road offices, 13 mechanical and heavy equipment offices under the department..</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"">Currently, Manang and Araniko highways are blocked. There are very narrow roads in Manang. It is not possible to reach the other side without removing the landslide. "The main priority right now is to open the road unilaterally. Unless the weather improves, two-way lane will not be opened because it is likely to cause more landslides and more damage," he said. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13359', 'image' => '20210701015406_KN-Damauli-ChirkanePahiro.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 13:53:26', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13612', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Domestic Flights Resume from Today', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Domestic flights have resumed in the country after an interval of around two months.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 1: Domestic flights have resumed in the country after an interval of around two months. The government had suspended domestic flights on May 3 to curb the spread of second wave of Covid-19.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has fixed the flight schedule allowing the airline companies to share 64 flights a day among themselves.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">As per the new flight schedule, domestic flights will be allowed at an interval of 10 minutes.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">During normal days, a domestic flight takes off every two minutes, the state-owned national news agency (RSS) reported. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The new schedule was fixed to avoid overcrowding of the airport, RSS further reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">According to TIA’s general manager Pratap Babu Tiwari, Buddha Air has been permitted to operate 31 flights followed by 15 flights for Yeti Airlines, seven for Shree Airlines, and three each for Sourya Airlines and other airlines. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Airport authorities have assured to effectively enforce the health safety protocol issued by the Nepal government for the safety of air passengers. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation had directed CAAN to operate flights limiting their frequencies to 50 percent of regular domestic flights effective from July 1 until another notice. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">A representative of Buddha Air told New Business Age that the rainy weather is not likely to cancel the flights.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">“Flights get suspended only if there is poor visibility,” he said, adding, “Normal rainfall does not affect flights.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-02', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13358', 'image' => '20210701111748_20190515014355_ATR.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 11:17:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13613', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Experts Stress on Commercialization for Development of Agriculture Sector', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'July 1: Agriculture experts have underlined the need for mechanization and commercialization of the agriculture sector in addition to good storage facility and marketing to enhance production of the agro-based products. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">July 1: Agriculture experts have underlined the need for mechanization and commercialization of the agriculture sector in addition to good storage facility and marketing to enhance production of the agro-based products. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">In a webinar organized by the Nepal Renewable Energy Confederation of Nepal (RECON) on Wednesday (June 30), the participants opined that the country could yield abundantly from agriculture provided that the human resources are given with skills development training and there is hassle-free procedure for the farmers to obtain grant and loan. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"> <br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">They also opined that agro-production could be augmented considering usage of organic manure, reusing kitchen waste, solar-powered irrigation facilities (renewable energy) in those places lacking regular irrigation facilities among others. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Former Minister Ganesh Shah said that technology and equipment should be provided to farmers in a subsidized rate and farmers’ capacity should be enhanced for good harvest. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">For processing, drying and storing agriculture products, one should prioritize usage of renewable energy such as micro hydro plants, solar energy mini grid, wind energy, solar thermal among other technologies that are easily available in the rural areas, said Shah. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Likewise, Alternative Energy Promotion Centre’s executive director Madhusudan Adhikari highlighted the need to hold high-level discussions and dialogue for optimizing renewable energy technology and benefiting as many people as possible. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">Youth entrepreneur duo Kushal Gurung and Abhisekh Malla presented a paper about solar-powered irrigation facilities and their usage and prospects in the agricultural country like Nepal. </span></span><br /> <span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"">The virtual seminar chaired by RECON’s President Gunaraj Dhakal was attended by agriculture expert Dr Sudha Sapkota, energy expert Dr Indira Shakya, Kathmandu University (KU)’s Assistant Profession Dr Sunil Lohani, Nepal Biogas Promotion Association’s President Prakash Chandra Subedi and Solar Electric Manufacturers Association Indra Khanal. -- RSS </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-07-01', 'modified' => '2021-07-01', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13357', 'image' => '20210701113151_20210106123441_20201105020829_cover.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-07-01 11:31:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13611', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project to begin Test Production from July 5', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'June 30: Test production of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project will begin from coming Monday (July 5). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">June 30: Test production of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project will begin from coming Monday (July 5). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The hydropower project under construction in Bigu village of Dolakha with domestic investment has a production capacity of Rs 456 MW (six units of 76 MW capacity each). The first unit is scheduled to start generating electricity as a trial from July 5. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Hitendra Dev Shakya, executive director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and chairman of Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Limited, said that the other units will generate electricity afterwards.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">A team including Shakya and Prime Minister's Development Expert Gajendra Thapaliya had monitored the project site on June 27 and 28. During the field visit, the team had monitored equipment at the powerhouse, the dam site, as well as the new Khimti substation of 220 MW under construction at Khimti in Ramechhap.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">"We have brought the project, which is facing various problems, to the point of generating electricity through continuous efforts. All the tests have reached the final stage. Now, if there is no technical problem, we will start generating electricity from the first unit on Monday," he said, adding, “If no immediate decision had been taken on the design modification of the penstock pipe, the project would have been delayed further. We have completed the work by making a timely decision.” </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Reservoirs and dunes have been successfully tested in all types of hydro-mechanical devices such as water-filled dams, intakes, civil structures, and connected gates, staples. The electricity generated from the project will be transmitted to the national grid through Gongar-Khimti-Dhalkebar 220 KV transmission line.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Likewise, the 76 km Khimti-Dhalkewar transmission line will also be tested. The 47 km 220 KV transmission line from Gongar of Upper Tamakoshi Power House Dolakha to Khimti of Ramechhap and the new Khimti substation will also be tested. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The construction work of the project site office, access road to the project site, roads, bridges, and other infrastructures was started in the Fiscal Year 2062/63, and the construction of the main structures began in the Fiscal Year 2067/68. The construction of the project was delayed due to the catastrophic earthquake of 2072 BS and subsequent aftershocks and floods, problems in transportation of fuel and construction materials due to Madhes movement, design changes, the poor performance of the hydromechanical (Lot 2) contractor.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The contract for Lot 2 was awarded to the Indian company Texma's Rail and Engineering. Due to the poor performance of the company, the production and connection of hydro-mechanical equipment including penstock pipes of the dam have been delayed, affecting the overall construction work of the project. The construction of the project was halted for almost two years due to the earthquake. In addition, the construction of the project was affected by the construction of a tunnel to the dam site, design manipulation of some structures, and the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">After Texma, which got the contract for Lot 2, delayed the work, the responsibility of pipe connection in the lower vertical tunnel, which was considered very difficult, was given to the contractor of Electromechanical (Lot 3) without any financial burden. The project has reached the stage of generating electricity with the tireless efforts and support of high political and administrative leadership, employees of the project, contractors, locals, and others.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The project had upgraded the Charikot-Dolakha-Singati 35 km road at a cost of around Rs 1 billion. The project has constructed 29 kilometers of road and seven concrete bridges from Singati to the dam site in Lamabagar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Earlier this week, the project had reportedly said the test production would begin from July 15.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-06-30', 'modified' => '2021-06-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13356', 'image' => '20210630045226_20170119031439_upper tamakoshi.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-06-30 16:51:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '13610', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal listed in Red Zone by Labour Destination Countries', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'June 30: Nepal has been listed among countries carrying high risk of COVID-19 infection by a dozen of labour destination countries as the country has failed to acquire COVID-19 vaccine on time.', '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"">June 30: Nepal has been listed among countries carrying high risk of COVID-19 infection by a dozen of labour destination countries as the country has failed to acquire COVID-19 vaccine on time.</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"">Countries like Kuwait, Malaysia, and Dubai which are considered to be the prime labour destination countries have not taken in any Nepali migrants as yet. These countries have listed Nepal in the red zone. This has prevented migrant workers from going to these countries for jobs.</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"">Nepali migrant workers have not been able to leave for Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar either. These countries are willing to welcome migrant workers under some conditions but those conditions seem hard to meet. One of the major requirements of these countries is that migrants need to be compulsorily vaccinated.</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"">COVID-19 protocols prepared by Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Kuwait have made vaccines a mandatory requirement. These countries have adopted a policy to take in migrants inoculated with vaccines manufactured in the US and European countries. Sujit Shrestha, General Secretary of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, said since the government is delaying the process of acquiring vaccine, there are chances Nepal will remain in the red zone. </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"">He further said that labor destination countries are refusing to take in migrant workers who are not vaccinated. This has pushed foreign employment sector of Nepal in a crisis. According to Shrestha, the government needs to take diplomatic measures to take forward the vaccination campaign.</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"">Though the government is being pressurized to bring vaccines, there are slim chances the vaccines will be available immediately. Dr Krsihna Prasad Poudel, Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the Ministry of Health, said that the government is making persistent efforts with European countries as well as China, India and the United States to acquire COVID-19 vaccines. According to him, COVID-19 vaccine will be here soon. However, the Ministry of Health is not sure when it will happen.</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 manpower agencies, only a small number of workers have gone to Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar after the government relaxed the prohibitory order and facilitated international flights. Turkey, which is considered an attractive destination for Nepalis, has also banned direct flights from six countries, including Nepal, from Monday, June 28 citing risk of COVID-19. </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"">Stakeholders sat that the government should take immediate steps to send Nepali migrants to foreign countries as Nepal's economy is dependent on remittance. </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"">A study conducted by foreign employment agencies show that 1.2 million people have been jobless since the start of the pandemic. The data includes people who have lost jobs in the country and returnees from foreign countries. However, it doesn't include returnees from India. The study shows that around 500,000 Nepalis seek for foreign employment every year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2021-06-30', 'modified' => '2021-06-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '13355', 'image' => '20210630014240_20201125033543_20200315123851_1111.jpg', 'article_date' => '2021-06-30 13:42:04', '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
