March 26: The business of life insurance companies has decreased in mid-February to mid-March of the current fiscal…
March 26: The business of life insurance companies has decreased in mid-February to mid-March of the current fiscal…
March 26: The National Planning Commission (NPC) has prohibited the government from including random plans in the budget.…
March 26: The first-phase of construction of the Asian Highway connecting 32 countries in the continent has started in Nepal.…
March 26: India’s hesitation to renew the agreement to allow Nepal to purchase electricity from its electricity trading market (Indian Energy Exchange) has heightened the risk of load shedding in Nepal from next…
March 26: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring mountaineering season.…
March 26: The Kathmandu District Court has acquitted five people, including cricketer Adil Ansari and former national cricket player Mahaboob Alam, who were accused of match-fixing.…
March 26: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to ensure a policy for providing concessional loan to Nepal.…
March 25: It has been more than a century and a half since Nepal started cultivation of…
March 25: The percentage of the population living in their own houses in the country has decreased, according to the latest data of the…
March 25: The National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission has recommended the government to allocate fiscal equalization grant worth Rs 60 billion to the provinces and Rs 88 billion to the local levels for the upcoming fiscal year.…
…
March 25: The yellow breasted bunting, an endangered species of bird, has been spotted in the buffer zone of Shuklaphanta National Park.…
March 25: With the onset of the trekking and mountaineering season, airline companies have started daily flights to Lukla from Ramechhap's Manthali…
During a panel discussion themed “Business Opportunities in Difficult Times” at eight Edition of 'Newbiz Business Conclave and Awards - 2024' held in Kathmandu, businessmen and entrepreneurs stressed on the significance of enlarging…
March 24: Although the external sector indicators of the country's economy have been gradually improving, the field of public finance management is still challenging.…
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According to the Nepal Insurance Authority, 14 life insurance companies collected insurance fees of Rs 11.65 billion from the sale of new insurance policies and the renewal of old policies in mid-February to mid-March. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Compared to the previous one-month period, collection of insurance fees of the life insurance companies decreased by about Rs 1 billion. In mid-January to mid-February, the insurance companies had collected Rs 12.66 billion in insurance fees. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In mid-February to mid-March, life insurance companies issued a total of 415,676 insurance policies and collected Rs 2.55 billion as first-time insurance fee. Similarly, the authority said that the companies collected insurance fee of Rs 9.95 billion from the renewal of insurance policies. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In mid-January to mid-February, the insurance companies had issued a total of 448,000 insurance policies and collected Rs 2.29 billion as the first-time insurance fee. Similarly, they collected insurance fee of Rs 10.36 billion from renewal. Nepal Life Insurance Company collected the highest insurance fee in mid-February to mid-March. The company collected Rs 3.9 billion in the review month.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20306', 'image' => '20240326110912_INSURANCE-COVERAGE.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 11:08:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20578', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NPC Issues Guidelines to Discourage Inclusion of Random Plans in Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The National Planning Commission (NPC) has prohibited the government from including random plans in the budget. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The National Planning Commission (NPC) has prohibited the government from including random plans in the budget. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">While the government is doing its homework to issue the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the NPC has had made it clear that the projects that are not included in the National Project Bank will not be included in the budget.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In the past, the budget implementation used to be affected due to due to pressure and influence from the ward chairmen to the parliament to include projects of vested interests in the budget. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">This time, the National Planning Commission has taken strict measures to eliminate the past practice of haphazard planning. After realizing that the inclusion of small and petty plans in the budget without proper study caused problems in implementation of such plans every year, the National Planning Commission issued guidelines and frameworks for the upcoming budget and has made strict provisions not to include such plans in the budget.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">As per the Financial Procedures and Financial Responsibility Regulations, the NPC has asked all central agencies to send details of the annual budget and program and medium-term expenditure structure only by entering the details of the project in the National Project Bank by themselves or through their subordinate offices or projects. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">There is a clear provision in the guidelines that no budget can be allocated for projects that are not included in the National Project Bank. From now onwards, the government officials who are engaged in the preparation of the budget will not be allowed to allocate the budget for the plans that have not been entered in the National Project Bank. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Dhaniram Sharma, joint secretary of the Ministry of Finance, said that the new guidelines have discouraged the practice of randomly recommending plans in the budget. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">For programs and projects that are implemented with the cooperation and coordination of more than one federal ministry or agency, the National Planning Commission has made guidelines so that the programs can only be proposed through coordination and cooperation of all related agencies. Ministries will have to propose budgets by prioritizing programs and projects that can be completed within the first quarter of the year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The NPC has asked the ministries to be realistic on the annual plan and to propose the budget so that there is no need to revise the program in the middle of the year.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20305', 'image' => '20240326110745_budget.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 11:06:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20577', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'First-phase Construction of Asian Highway Begins', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The first-phase of construction of the Asian Highway connecting 32 countries in the continent has started in Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The first-phase of construction of the Asian Highway connecting 32 countries in the continent has started in Nepal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Under this project, a 120-kilometer four-lane road from Kakarvitta to Laukahi of Sunsari is being constructed in the first phase with the financial support of the Asian Development Bank, the state-owned RSS reported. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The government has handed the responsibility of the construction work to Jain CR F G Tundi Company. The company has started removing trees from Sitapuri of Kamal rural municipality in Jhapa district to Devikhola of Itahari. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Hari Prasad Parajuli, a representative of the construction company, said that around 6,737 trees would be removed along this section. He told RSS that the company has reached an agreement with the government to complete the road construction within three years. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The 120-km-long four-lane roadway falls under a section of the East-West Highway and it connects Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari. It is being constructed at an investment of Rs 28.17 billion from the Asian Development Bank. The highway is to be expanded along with the construction of 71 new bridges, added Parajuli. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The Asian Highway project was initiated by the United Nations in 1959 with the aim of promoting the development of international road transport in the region. During the first phase of the project (1960–1970) considerable progress was achieved, however, progress slowed down when financial assistance was suspended in 1975. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Altogether 32 countries have signed agreements to allow the highway to cross the continent and also reach to Europe. Some of the countries taking part in the highway project are India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Nepal and Bangladesh. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Most of the funding comes from the larger, more advanced Asian nations such as China, South Korea and Singapore as well as international agencies such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20304', 'image' => '20240326110558_20240325093741_highway (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 11:04:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20576', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Possibility of Load Shedding from Next Week', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: India’s hesitation to renew the agreement to allow Nepal to purchase electricity from its electricity trading market (Indian Energy Exchange) has heightened the risk of load shedding in Nepal from next week.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: India’s hesitation to renew the agreement to allow Nepal to purchase electricity from its electricity trading market (Indian Energy Exchange) has heightened the risk of load shedding in Nepal from next week. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the contract, which has to be renewed every year, is expiring on March 31. Officials of the NEA say that even though Nepal has been urging India for renewal of the contract since the last three months, the concerned bodies of India have not shown any interest for renewal.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"Indian officials have hinted verbally that the contract cannot be renewed under the pretext of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in India," said a high-ranking source at the NEA on condition of anonymity. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the official, it will be challenging for the NEA to manage electricity for the next one and a half months as Nepal's domestic electricity production will not increase until mid-May.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"India had not delayed the renewal of contract in the past," said the source. India gave the permission to Nepal to import electricity from the Indian Energy Exchange for the first time in March 2021. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the agreement, Nepal can import electricity through Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur International Transmission Line and Mahendranagar-Tanakpur International Transmission Line. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Officials of the NEA said that although India had been renewing the contract without any issues in the past, this year it has indicated that it cannot be renewed on the pretext of elections. In India, the Lok Sabha elections are being held in different stages for 6 weeks starting from April 17. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"There is a state of confusion due to non-renewal of the agreement," Chandan Kumar Ghosh, spokesperson for the NEA, told New Business Age, "But we are hopeful, India will renew the agreement because providing electricity to Nepal will not affect the availability of electricity in India.” </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, if the contract is not renewed, there will be a situation where electricity supply to the households and industries will have to be halted. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the NEA, it imports about 600 MW of electricity from India in winter. This is about one third of the demand. According to the authority, the peak hour demand has now reached 1,885 MW. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"If one-third of the demand of electricity is not available, there will be a situation of load shedding," said Ghosh. In such a situation, he indicated that industrial customers may experience power cuts more than household consumers. When there is a shortage of electricity, the authority gives priority to domestic customers. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although Nepal sells surplus electricity to India during the rainy season, it has to import electricity from India in the winter to meet the domestic demand. Most of the hydropower projects in Nepal are run-of-the-river type. Such projects produce only one-third of their capacity in winter. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although India has indicated that it will not renew the agreement due the Lok Sabha elections, it is speculated that India’s reluctance to renew the agreement may be the result of New Delhi's dissatisfaction with the latest change in the power equation of Nepal. The Indian media and analysts have been saying that the coalition government of the CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Center) was instigated by China. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal broke the alliance with the Nepali Congress on March 7 and formed a new alliance with the UML and other fringe parties.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20303', 'image' => '20240326103256_20220511083106_1652136985.Clipboard20.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 10:31:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20575', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Starts Issuing Climbing Permits for Spring Expedition', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring mountaineering season. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring mountaineering season. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">A total of 33 people have already taken permission to climb four different mountains this season, said Director of Adventure Tourism and Mountaineering Branch of the department, Rakesh Gurung. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Among them, 24 climbers have obtained permits to climb Mt Annapurna, three for Mt Ama Dablam, five for Himlung, and one for Jugal. The department will start issuing climbing permits for the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, from Tuesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the department, arrangements have been made for mountaineers to make online bookings for climbing. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Spring is considered the ideal season for climbing mountains, especially Mt Everest. The government charges higher fees during the spring season. As per the department, a tourist has to pay USD 11,000 per person to climb Mount Everest.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Last year, the government had collected over Rs 474.6 million in revenue from more than 900 climbers from different countries. Altogether 414 mountains and peaks of Nepal are open for expedition. <em>(With inputs from RSS)</em></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20302', 'image' => '20240326095408_20240325094813_20220516042550_expedition-in-nepal.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 09:52:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20574', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Court Acquits Cricketers in Match-Fixing Case', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The Kathmandu District Court has acquitted five people, including cricketer Adil Ansari and former national cricket player Mahaboob Alam, who were accused of match-fixing. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The Kathmandu District Court has acquitted five people, including cricketer Adil Ansari and former national cricket player Mahaboob Alam, who were accused of match-fixing. A bench of Judge Kamal Prasad Pokharel on Monday acquitted five people held on the charge of match fixing, arguing that the petitioners’ claim was not sufficient to prove them guilty. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to Chandra Prasad Panthi, information officer of the District Court, Kathmandu, the court acquitted the five persons after the claims made by the government against them could not be substantiated. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police had arrested cricketers Mahabub Alam and Mohammad Adil Ansari on charge of spot fixing and match fixing on January 23 last year. They were later released on a bail of Rs 300,000 each. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The franchise-club based T-20 league was held at the TU cricket ground in Kirtipur from December 24, 2022 to January 11, 2023. The match was organized by Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) in strategic and commercial partnership with India's Seven3 Sports Pvt. Ltd. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The CIB had submitted its investigation report to the Office of the District Attorney in mid-February last year recommended action against 12 people involved in the spot fixing and match fixing scam. The 12 people, including the two cricketers, recommended for prosecution were accused of helping to alter the results of the match, indulging in match fixing and inciting others to be involved in the illegal act.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20301', 'image' => '20240326091651_20230124110059_t20.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 09:14:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20573', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM urges AIIB for Concessional Loan to Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to ensure a policy for providing concessional loan to Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to ensure a policy for providing concessional loan to Nepal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">During a courtesy meeting with a delegation led by RMP Rathnayake, the AIIB director, Prime Minister Dahal said, "Nepal still needs concessions in borrowings. In fact, this market rate pricing is restricting Nepal to access to AIIB financing. As you are policy makers, I urge you all to consider about this." </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Stating the government is focused on achieving a high economic growth target simultaneously with good governance, institutional development, social justice and prosperity, the prime minister said, Nepal is expecting for the AIIB's support in financing, technical assistance, knowledge sharing and mobilizing private capital. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The PM said currently there are a few projects under AIIB investment in Nepal in the energy sector and there are ample possibilities for investment in hydropower, tourism, information technology and other infrastructure projects. He urged the AIIB to consider for the investment in these areas. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"Nepal has reached an agreement to export 10,000 megawatts of electricity to India and to Bangladesh as well. This has paved the way for Nepal's energy trade," he said. Recalling about the Nepal's schedule to host the Third Nepal Investment Summit next month (April 28-29), the prime minister expressed his hope that there would a high-level participation from the AIIB in the event, contributing to building an investment-friendly atmosphere for areas of priorities in Nepal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">He also appraised the delegation that Nepal has revised its policies aiming to promote private and foreign investment and urged the AIIB to investment confidently in Nepal. The delegation led by Rathnayake comprised AIIB vice president and other senior officials. On the occasion, Rathnayake said AIIB accords top priority to Nepal as its founding member and the bank is positive for increasing its investment in its development endeavors. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20300', 'image' => '20240326084552_20240325095453_RS-KTM1711354200023.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 08:44:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20569', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tea Export Plan to China in Peril ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: It has been more than a century and a half since Nepal started cultivation of tea.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: It has been more than a century and a half since Nepal started cultivation of tea. The tea produced here is also exported to foreign countries. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">However, Nepali tea producers have to rely on the Indian market for export. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although the Government of Nepal planned to export tea to China to diversify the tea market and break the monopoly of the Indian market, the plan has failed to materialize. Since the government’s plan could not be materialized, Nepal’s tea market has not been able to expand due to its dependence on India. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, tea produced in Nepal is exported to 38 countries in the world including China, America, Europe through some private companies. However, stakeholders say that it is not enough to break the monopoly of the Indian market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">They have recommended the government to take a G2G (Government-to-Government) initiative. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The board’s Director Dr Deepak Khanal said that although tea production has improved a lot compared to the past, Nepal has not made satisfactory progress in its efforts to expand the market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, even now the biggest problem of Nepal’s tea industry is the lack of market and monopoly of Indian market. He argues that the export of only 15 percent to European and American markets, apart from India, confirms that Nepali tea has not yet found a market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, the export of tea to countries other than India is possible through the personal relationship of businessmen. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the data of the board, Nepal exported 12,496 metric tons of tea worth Rs 3.43 billion in the fiscal year 2078/79. Out of that volume, 12, 096 metric tons of tea worth Rs 3.05 billion were exported to the Indian market. Nepalese CTC and orthodox tea are being exported to some states of India including West Bengal. Nepal produces more than 26,300 metric tons of annually on of 20,200 hectares of land. It includes 6,500 metric tons of orthodox tea. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“We planned to export to China two years ago through the G2G process to break the monopoly of the Indian market, but it has been stalled for now,'' Khanal told New Business Age. He said that the plan stalled because the government did not take diplomatic initiatives to export tea through the G2G process. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Khanal says that Nepali tea, which is sold at Rs 650 per kg in the Indian market, can be sold for as high as Rs 3700 if it is delivered to China. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Chairman of Gorkha Tea State Pvt. Ltd. Uday Chapagain says that the government should open the Chinese market as soon as possible to eliminate Nepal’s dependence on India for the tea market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, in order to expand the market of Nepali tea in countries other than India, it is also necessary to spread the message of quality products without chemical pesticides to the farmers. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><strong>100 Tons Order from China</strong> </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, in a recent news published by the state-owned news agency RSS, it is mentioned that the Chinese businessmen who visited the tea plantations and industries of Ilam have ordered more than 100 metric tons of tea. Chinese tea traders had reached there a few days ago on the initiative of Ilam Municipality and Ilam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Tea businessman Chiran Dahal reportedly coordinated to bring the Chinese tea traders. On that occasion, Dahal said that there was a discussion between Chinese businessmen and local tea businessmen and farmers about the purchase of tea and the possibility of exporting tea to China.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20296', 'image' => '20240325020040_Tea.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 13:57:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20568', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Number of People Living in their Own Houses Decreasing', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The percentage of the population living in their own houses in the country has decreased, according to the latest data of the government.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: The percentage of the population living in their own houses in the country has decreased, according to the latest data of the government. The National Census 2078 report shows that 86 percent of the families in Nepal live in their own houses. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The census report under the heading of Housing and Household Dynamics in Nepal, which was published by the National Statistics Office a few days ago, shows that the number of families living in their own houses at present is less than the figures compared to 30 years ago. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the office, the number of families having their own houses was 92.6 percent in 2048 BS. By 2078 BS, it has decreased to 86 percent. There has been an increase in the number of families living on rent in the last 30 years. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In 2048 BS, the number of families living on rent was 4.7 percent, but by 2078 BS, the number of such families has reached 12.8 percent. This number has been stable for the last one decade. Even in 2068, the number of families living on rent was 12.8 percent. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the office, the number of families living on rent in the municipality is 18 percent. Similarly, data shows that 81 percent of the families in the municipality are living in their own houses/apartments. Most of the families living in the municipality have their own house/accommodation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, 97 percent of the families living in the villages own their own houses. The office has also published the number of families living on rent in the provinces. The number of families living on rent is high in Bagmati Province, while it is lowest in Madhesh Province. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the office, the number of families living on rent in Madhesh Province is 2.3 percent. According to this data, more people are living on rent in the valley due to the services and facilities centered in the federal capital Kathmandu as well as opportunities from higher education and health facilities. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">District-wise, the number of people living in their own houses in Kathmandu is 43 percent. Recently, the number of people living in concrete houses has also increased. This is seen when comparing the data from 2058 BS and 2078 BS. According to the office, the number of families with concrete residential houses in 2058 was 36.6 percent. By 2078, it has increased to 76.5 percent.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20295', 'image' => '20240325015542_20201225055618_1608853069.Clipboard11.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 13:52:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => true, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20567', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission Recommends Fiscal Equalization Grant for Provinces', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission has recommended the government to allocate fiscal equalization grant worth Rs 60 billion to the provinces and Rs 88 billion to the local levels for the upcoming fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">March 25: The National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission has recommended the government to allocate fiscal equalization grant worth Rs 60 billion to the provinces and Rs 88 billion to the local levels for the upcoming fiscal year. The recommendation was based on the provisions of minimum grants, formula-based grants, and performance-based grants. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The grant is to be sourced from the Federal Consolidated Fund. The constitutional provision mandates that the necessity of expenditures and revenue capacity of provincial governments and local levels be assessed while allocating fiscal equalization grants from the Federal Consolidated Fund. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Out of the total Rs 60 billion of the fiscal equalization grant that has been recommended for the provinces in the upcoming fiscal year, the minimum equalization grant is equivalent to Rs 15 billion, the formula-based equalization grant is equivalent to Rs 42.6 billion and the grant given on the basis of performance is equivalent to Rs 2.40 billion. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The commission has recommended providing Rs 8. 94 billion to Koshi Province, Rs 7. 79 billion to the Madhesh Province, Rs 8.24 billion to Bagmati Province and Rs 7.63 billion to Gandaki province. Similarly, the commission has recommended providing Rs 8.28 billion to Lumbini Province, Rs 10.36 billion to Karnali Province and Rs 8.72 billion to Sudurpaschim province as the fiscal equalization grant. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Likewise, the commission has also recommended the federal government to provide Rs 88 billion as the fiscal equalization grant to the local levels in the next fiscal year. The recommended minimum equalization grant to the local levels for the next fiscal year is Rs 26.68 billion, the formula-based equalization grant is Rs 57.79 billion and the grant to be provided based on performance is Rs 3.52 billion. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20294', 'image' => '20240325011445_20230706113816_grant-writing.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 13:13:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20566', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UN General Assembly adopts Resolution for Safe, Secure and Trustworthy AI ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => '', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">March 25: The seventy-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution on artificial intelligence seeking its 'safe, secure and trustworthy' promotion. The UNGA on March 21 adopted the significant resolution, recognizing proliferation of AI and its impact on achievement of SDGs and seeking global consensus for safe, secure and trustworthy AI. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">According to the document, the safe, secure and trustworthy AI systems are human centric which fully respect, promote and protect human rights and international law, maintain privacy, enable progress towards to SDGs and sustainable development in three fronts- economic, social and environment. Similarly, it promotes peace and digital divide within and among countries, the resolution mentioned. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The resolution underlines, "AI systems in the non-military domain, whose life cycle includes the stages: pre-design, design, development, evaluation, testing, deployment, use, sale, procurement, operation and decommissioning, are such that they are human-centric, reliable, explainable, ethical, inclusive, in full respect, promotion and protection of human rights and international law." </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The UN has called upon the member states and invited stakeholders to take action for cooperation and extend assistance to the developing countries so that they could be ensured with inclusive and equitable access to reap benefit from digital transformation and AI system. The UN member states are encouraged to prepare policies and regulation to foster competition in safe, secure and trustworthy AI system and technologies associated to it. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Moreover, it has attached significance on continuation of debates on unfolding incidents and updates relating to the governance of AI in order for the international approaches to be abreast with evolution of AI systems and their uses. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The document read, "It encourages continued efforts by the international community to promote inclusive research, mapping and analysis that benefit all parties on the potential impacts and applications that artificial intelligence systems and rapid technological change can have in the development of existing and new and emerging technologies and on accelerating the achievement of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and to inform how to develop, promote and implement effective, internationally interoperable safeguards, practices, standards and tools for artificial intelligence designers, developers, evaluators, deployers, users and other stakeholders for safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems". </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The member states are further called upon to close gender digital divide. They are called to "adopt specific measures to close the gender digital divide and to ensure that particular attention is paid to access, affordability, digital literacy, privacy and online safety, to enhance the use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence systems, and to mainstream a disability, gender and racial equality perspective in policy decisions and the frameworks that guide them". </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">In this regard, the UN News wrote: Ms Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, who introduced the draft resolution, highlighted the opportunity and the responsibility of the international community “to govern this technology rather than let it govern us”. While adopting the resolution, the UNGA reaffirmed international law, Charter of the UN and recollected UDHR. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20293', 'image' => '20240325121824_320712-810x538.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 12:16:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20565', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Endangered Yellow Breasted Bunting Spotted in Shuklaphanta National Park ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The yellow breasted bunting, an endangered species of bird, has been spotted in the buffer zone of Shuklaphanta National Park. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: The yellow breasted bunting, an endangered species of bird, has been spotted in the buffer zone of Shuklaphanta National Park. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Locally known as Bagale Bagedi, the rare bird species was seen for the first time in the area, said Suwan Chaudhary, a conservationist. He said that a flock of the bird was seen in the field of a local farmer in Dhaknia, Shuklaphanta Municipality-2. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, Hirulal Dagaura, ornithologist at Bird Conservation Nepal, said that the bird was first documented in Shuklaphanta National Park in 1980. This bird has reached the point of extinction from the world after it was hunted excessively for its meat. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"The number of yellow breasted bunting has been found to have decreased by 90 percent in the last decade," said Dagaura. Just a few years ago the number of the bird in Nepal was in thousands but now it has been limited to around 30. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The bird is found in Kailali, Kanchanpur, Bardiya, Chitwan, Jhapa along with some districts of Madhes province. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20292', 'image' => '20240325111230_yellow.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 11:11:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20564', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Companies Begin Manthali-Lukla Flights to Facilitate Tourists ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: With the onset of the trekking and mountaineering season, airline companies have started daily flights to Lukla from Ramechhap's Manthali Airport.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: With the onset of the trekking and mountaineering season, airline companies have started daily flights to Lukla from Ramechhap's Manthali Airport. Tara Air, Summit Air and Sita Air have started regular flights to Solukhumbu's Lukla from Sunday. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">It is believed that operation of flights from Manthali to Lukla and vice-versa will make the travel of tourists to the gateway of Mt Everest easier. Since the Tribhuvan International Airport is busy during the tourist season, airlines bring tourists to Manthali and fly them to Lukla to avoid traffic jams. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">A large number of foreign tourists visit Lukla twice a year for hiking and climbing. Besides the spring season, a large number of tourists also visit the Khumbu region from the first week of October to the first week of November. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Praveen Subedi, Ramechhap in-charge of Tara Air, said that the number of tourists visiting the Everest region from March to May this year is very high. He informed that the airline companies decided to start flights to Lukla from Manthali on Friday, but the flights could not take place that day due to bad weather. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Pooja Thapa, acting chief at the Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Ramechhap, said that regular flights have been started from Sunday with the improvement in the weather. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20291', 'image' => '20240325104538_ijcmz-lukla6.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 10:44:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20563', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Businesspersons Have to Boost Confidence in Tough Times’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'During a panel discussion themed “Business Opportunities in Difficult Times” at eight Edition of 'Newbiz Business Conclave and Awards - 2024' held in Kathmandu, businessmen and entrepreneurs stressed on the significance of enlarging confidence.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 24: Though external economic indicators are positive, entrepreneurs and businesspersons are feeling discouraged as demand and investment have fallen. In such a scenario, stakeholders emphasized the need for the businessmen and entrepreneurs to accelerate their investment and come up with innovative ideas with self-confidence and optimism. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During a panel discussion themed “Business Opportunities in Difficult Times” at eight Edition of 'Newbiz Business Conclave and Awards - 2024' held in Kathmandu, businessmen and entrepreneurs stressed on the significance of enlarging confidence. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A very insightful panel discussion moderated by Ranjit Acharya, CEO of Prisma Advertising had Amlan Mukherjee, Managing Director of Unilever Limited, Anand Bagaria, Managing Director of Nimbus Holdings and Sewa Pathak, CEO of Vianet Communications as panelists. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee highlighted the necessity of mastering fundamental aspects. He pointed out the gap between Nepal's population and its GDP, emphasizing the country's potential for business. Providing quality services, offering smaller-scale products, investing in advertising, and leveraging digital technology were identified as crucial strategies for business resilience during difficult periods. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee emphasized that failure to invest during tough times risks losing market share to competitors, while strategic investments yield favorable outcomes upon the return of normalcy. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On the strategies for revitalization, Mukherjee addressed the challenges posed by population migration both domestically and internationally. He noted that the aspirations of Nepali youths, influenced by their exposure abroad, drive demand for quality products. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee emphasized the importance of a brand's image and its societal impact, citing Unilever's success during the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee stressed the importance of positive communication among business leaders and companies to inspire confidence and drive momentum during the difficult times.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Bagaria advocated for optimism as a key strategy to navigate difficult times, citing the emergence of successful online businesses during the pandemic. He urged for increased consumerism to stimulate economic activity, emphasizing the need for more than just legislative amendments for recovery and growth.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of business revitalization efforts, Bagaria highlighted the importance of acknowledging problems, analyzing them, and adopting innovative solutions. He emphasized synergistic partnerships, direct consumer communication, and maintained optimism for growth.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pathak shared Vianet Communications' substantial growth, attributing it to advancements in internet technology and the rise of platforms like TikTok. She underscored the importance of infrastructure development to thrive in a competitive market and discussed challenges in retaining IT professionals amidst brain drain trends.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pathak outlined strategies such as sustainable HR practices, incorporating AI, facilitating remote work, and identifying and training key resources to address these challenges.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of reinforcement strategies, Pathak emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector in the national economy. She advocated for enhancing consumerism, fostering a startup culture, and prioritizing quality services to drive growth and resilience in the private sector. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-24', 'modified' => '2024-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20290', 'image' => '20240324050445_collage (18).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-24 16:57:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20562', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government’s Budget Deficit Soars to Rs 137 Billion in Eight Months', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: Although the external sector indicators of the country's economy have been gradually improving, the field of public finance management is still challenging. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 24: Although the external sector indicators of the country's economy have been gradually improving, the field of public finance management is still challenging. The country is facing many problems in the areas of government’s income and expenditure, public debt management, government fund and resource mobilization. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Newly appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun, in his first public program after assuming the responsibility of the ministry, admitted that there are problems in the field of public finance management and improving it will be his first priority. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Speaking at the 'RBBL Management Conference 2024' organized by the Rastriya Banijya Bank on last Saturday, Finance Minister Pun said that he would work to collect revenue as per the target and increase the capital budget expenditure through reforming the public finance sector. In every formal and informal program, he has spoken about the problems in the field of public finance management. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Looking at the data published by various government agencies, the field of public finance management still seems to be challenging. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the Finance Comptroller General Office, the country suffered a huge budget deficit of Rs 137 billion in the second quarter of the current fiscal year. It means that the government’s expenditures have exceeded its income by Rs 137 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year ie from mid-July to mid-March. According to the office, the government has spent a total of Rs 801.58 billion the review period and collected Rs 663.83 billion in revenue. It shows that the gap between the government’s income and expenditure is constantly increasing.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-24', 'modified' => '2024-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20289', 'image' => '20240324115902_budgetttttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-24 11:57:12', '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
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According to the Nepal Insurance Authority, 14 life insurance companies collected insurance fees of Rs 11.65 billion from the sale of new insurance policies and the renewal of old policies in mid-February to mid-March. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Compared to the previous one-month period, collection of insurance fees of the life insurance companies decreased by about Rs 1 billion. In mid-January to mid-February, the insurance companies had collected Rs 12.66 billion in insurance fees. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In mid-February to mid-March, life insurance companies issued a total of 415,676 insurance policies and collected Rs 2.55 billion as first-time insurance fee. Similarly, the authority said that the companies collected insurance fee of Rs 9.95 billion from the renewal of insurance policies. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In mid-January to mid-February, the insurance companies had issued a total of 448,000 insurance policies and collected Rs 2.29 billion as the first-time insurance fee. Similarly, they collected insurance fee of Rs 10.36 billion from renewal. Nepal Life Insurance Company collected the highest insurance fee in mid-February to mid-March. The company collected Rs 3.9 billion in the review month.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20306', 'image' => '20240326110912_INSURANCE-COVERAGE.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 11:08:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20578', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NPC Issues Guidelines to Discourage Inclusion of Random Plans in Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The National Planning Commission (NPC) has prohibited the government from including random plans in the budget. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The National Planning Commission (NPC) has prohibited the government from including random plans in the budget. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">While the government is doing its homework to issue the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the NPC has had made it clear that the projects that are not included in the National Project Bank will not be included in the budget.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In the past, the budget implementation used to be affected due to due to pressure and influence from the ward chairmen to the parliament to include projects of vested interests in the budget. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">This time, the National Planning Commission has taken strict measures to eliminate the past practice of haphazard planning. After realizing that the inclusion of small and petty plans in the budget without proper study caused problems in implementation of such plans every year, the National Planning Commission issued guidelines and frameworks for the upcoming budget and has made strict provisions not to include such plans in the budget.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">As per the Financial Procedures and Financial Responsibility Regulations, the NPC has asked all central agencies to send details of the annual budget and program and medium-term expenditure structure only by entering the details of the project in the National Project Bank by themselves or through their subordinate offices or projects. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">There is a clear provision in the guidelines that no budget can be allocated for projects that are not included in the National Project Bank. From now onwards, the government officials who are engaged in the preparation of the budget will not be allowed to allocate the budget for the plans that have not been entered in the National Project Bank. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Dhaniram Sharma, joint secretary of the Ministry of Finance, said that the new guidelines have discouraged the practice of randomly recommending plans in the budget. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">For programs and projects that are implemented with the cooperation and coordination of more than one federal ministry or agency, the National Planning Commission has made guidelines so that the programs can only be proposed through coordination and cooperation of all related agencies. Ministries will have to propose budgets by prioritizing programs and projects that can be completed within the first quarter of the year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The NPC has asked the ministries to be realistic on the annual plan and to propose the budget so that there is no need to revise the program in the middle of the year.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20305', 'image' => '20240326110745_budget.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 11:06:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20577', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'First-phase Construction of Asian Highway Begins', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The first-phase of construction of the Asian Highway connecting 32 countries in the continent has started in Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The first-phase of construction of the Asian Highway connecting 32 countries in the continent has started in Nepal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Under this project, a 120-kilometer four-lane road from Kakarvitta to Laukahi of Sunsari is being constructed in the first phase with the financial support of the Asian Development Bank, the state-owned RSS reported. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The government has handed the responsibility of the construction work to Jain CR F G Tundi Company. The company has started removing trees from Sitapuri of Kamal rural municipality in Jhapa district to Devikhola of Itahari. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Hari Prasad Parajuli, a representative of the construction company, said that around 6,737 trees would be removed along this section. He told RSS that the company has reached an agreement with the government to complete the road construction within three years. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The 120-km-long four-lane roadway falls under a section of the East-West Highway and it connects Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari. It is being constructed at an investment of Rs 28.17 billion from the Asian Development Bank. The highway is to be expanded along with the construction of 71 new bridges, added Parajuli. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The Asian Highway project was initiated by the United Nations in 1959 with the aim of promoting the development of international road transport in the region. During the first phase of the project (1960–1970) considerable progress was achieved, however, progress slowed down when financial assistance was suspended in 1975. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Altogether 32 countries have signed agreements to allow the highway to cross the continent and also reach to Europe. Some of the countries taking part in the highway project are India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Nepal and Bangladesh. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Most of the funding comes from the larger, more advanced Asian nations such as China, South Korea and Singapore as well as international agencies such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20304', 'image' => '20240326110558_20240325093741_highway (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 11:04:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20576', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Possibility of Load Shedding from Next Week', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: India’s hesitation to renew the agreement to allow Nepal to purchase electricity from its electricity trading market (Indian Energy Exchange) has heightened the risk of load shedding in Nepal from next week.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: India’s hesitation to renew the agreement to allow Nepal to purchase electricity from its electricity trading market (Indian Energy Exchange) has heightened the risk of load shedding in Nepal from next week. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the contract, which has to be renewed every year, is expiring on March 31. Officials of the NEA say that even though Nepal has been urging India for renewal of the contract since the last three months, the concerned bodies of India have not shown any interest for renewal.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"Indian officials have hinted verbally that the contract cannot be renewed under the pretext of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in India," said a high-ranking source at the NEA on condition of anonymity. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the official, it will be challenging for the NEA to manage electricity for the next one and a half months as Nepal's domestic electricity production will not increase until mid-May.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"India had not delayed the renewal of contract in the past," said the source. India gave the permission to Nepal to import electricity from the Indian Energy Exchange for the first time in March 2021. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the agreement, Nepal can import electricity through Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur International Transmission Line and Mahendranagar-Tanakpur International Transmission Line. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Officials of the NEA said that although India had been renewing the contract without any issues in the past, this year it has indicated that it cannot be renewed on the pretext of elections. In India, the Lok Sabha elections are being held in different stages for 6 weeks starting from April 17. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"There is a state of confusion due to non-renewal of the agreement," Chandan Kumar Ghosh, spokesperson for the NEA, told New Business Age, "But we are hopeful, India will renew the agreement because providing electricity to Nepal will not affect the availability of electricity in India.” </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, if the contract is not renewed, there will be a situation where electricity supply to the households and industries will have to be halted. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the NEA, it imports about 600 MW of electricity from India in winter. This is about one third of the demand. According to the authority, the peak hour demand has now reached 1,885 MW. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"If one-third of the demand of electricity is not available, there will be a situation of load shedding," said Ghosh. In such a situation, he indicated that industrial customers may experience power cuts more than household consumers. When there is a shortage of electricity, the authority gives priority to domestic customers. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although Nepal sells surplus electricity to India during the rainy season, it has to import electricity from India in the winter to meet the domestic demand. Most of the hydropower projects in Nepal are run-of-the-river type. Such projects produce only one-third of their capacity in winter. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although India has indicated that it will not renew the agreement due the Lok Sabha elections, it is speculated that India’s reluctance to renew the agreement may be the result of New Delhi's dissatisfaction with the latest change in the power equation of Nepal. The Indian media and analysts have been saying that the coalition government of the CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Center) was instigated by China. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal broke the alliance with the Nepali Congress on March 7 and formed a new alliance with the UML and other fringe parties.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20303', 'image' => '20240326103256_20220511083106_1652136985.Clipboard20.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 10:31:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20575', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Starts Issuing Climbing Permits for Spring Expedition', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring mountaineering season. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring mountaineering season. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">A total of 33 people have already taken permission to climb four different mountains this season, said Director of Adventure Tourism and Mountaineering Branch of the department, Rakesh Gurung. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Among them, 24 climbers have obtained permits to climb Mt Annapurna, three for Mt Ama Dablam, five for Himlung, and one for Jugal. The department will start issuing climbing permits for the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, from Tuesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the department, arrangements have been made for mountaineers to make online bookings for climbing. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Spring is considered the ideal season for climbing mountains, especially Mt Everest. The government charges higher fees during the spring season. As per the department, a tourist has to pay USD 11,000 per person to climb Mount Everest.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Last year, the government had collected over Rs 474.6 million in revenue from more than 900 climbers from different countries. Altogether 414 mountains and peaks of Nepal are open for expedition. <em>(With inputs from RSS)</em></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20302', 'image' => '20240326095408_20240325094813_20220516042550_expedition-in-nepal.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 09:52:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20574', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Court Acquits Cricketers in Match-Fixing Case', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The Kathmandu District Court has acquitted five people, including cricketer Adil Ansari and former national cricket player Mahaboob Alam, who were accused of match-fixing. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The Kathmandu District Court has acquitted five people, including cricketer Adil Ansari and former national cricket player Mahaboob Alam, who were accused of match-fixing. A bench of Judge Kamal Prasad Pokharel on Monday acquitted five people held on the charge of match fixing, arguing that the petitioners’ claim was not sufficient to prove them guilty. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to Chandra Prasad Panthi, information officer of the District Court, Kathmandu, the court acquitted the five persons after the claims made by the government against them could not be substantiated. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police had arrested cricketers Mahabub Alam and Mohammad Adil Ansari on charge of spot fixing and match fixing on January 23 last year. They were later released on a bail of Rs 300,000 each. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The franchise-club based T-20 league was held at the TU cricket ground in Kirtipur from December 24, 2022 to January 11, 2023. The match was organized by Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) in strategic and commercial partnership with India's Seven3 Sports Pvt. Ltd. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The CIB had submitted its investigation report to the Office of the District Attorney in mid-February last year recommended action against 12 people involved in the spot fixing and match fixing scam. The 12 people, including the two cricketers, recommended for prosecution were accused of helping to alter the results of the match, indulging in match fixing and inciting others to be involved in the illegal act.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20301', 'image' => '20240326091651_20230124110059_t20.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 09:14:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20573', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM urges AIIB for Concessional Loan to Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to ensure a policy for providing concessional loan to Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to ensure a policy for providing concessional loan to Nepal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">During a courtesy meeting with a delegation led by RMP Rathnayake, the AIIB director, Prime Minister Dahal said, "Nepal still needs concessions in borrowings. In fact, this market rate pricing is restricting Nepal to access to AIIB financing. As you are policy makers, I urge you all to consider about this." </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Stating the government is focused on achieving a high economic growth target simultaneously with good governance, institutional development, social justice and prosperity, the prime minister said, Nepal is expecting for the AIIB's support in financing, technical assistance, knowledge sharing and mobilizing private capital. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The PM said currently there are a few projects under AIIB investment in Nepal in the energy sector and there are ample possibilities for investment in hydropower, tourism, information technology and other infrastructure projects. He urged the AIIB to consider for the investment in these areas. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"Nepal has reached an agreement to export 10,000 megawatts of electricity to India and to Bangladesh as well. This has paved the way for Nepal's energy trade," he said. Recalling about the Nepal's schedule to host the Third Nepal Investment Summit next month (April 28-29), the prime minister expressed his hope that there would a high-level participation from the AIIB in the event, contributing to building an investment-friendly atmosphere for areas of priorities in Nepal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">He also appraised the delegation that Nepal has revised its policies aiming to promote private and foreign investment and urged the AIIB to investment confidently in Nepal. The delegation led by Rathnayake comprised AIIB vice president and other senior officials. On the occasion, Rathnayake said AIIB accords top priority to Nepal as its founding member and the bank is positive for increasing its investment in its development endeavors. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20300', 'image' => '20240326084552_20240325095453_RS-KTM1711354200023.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 08:44:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20569', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tea Export Plan to China in Peril ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: It has been more than a century and a half since Nepal started cultivation of tea.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: It has been more than a century and a half since Nepal started cultivation of tea. The tea produced here is also exported to foreign countries. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">However, Nepali tea producers have to rely on the Indian market for export. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although the Government of Nepal planned to export tea to China to diversify the tea market and break the monopoly of the Indian market, the plan has failed to materialize. Since the government’s plan could not be materialized, Nepal’s tea market has not been able to expand due to its dependence on India. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, tea produced in Nepal is exported to 38 countries in the world including China, America, Europe through some private companies. However, stakeholders say that it is not enough to break the monopoly of the Indian market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">They have recommended the government to take a G2G (Government-to-Government) initiative. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The board’s Director Dr Deepak Khanal said that although tea production has improved a lot compared to the past, Nepal has not made satisfactory progress in its efforts to expand the market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, even now the biggest problem of Nepal’s tea industry is the lack of market and monopoly of Indian market. He argues that the export of only 15 percent to European and American markets, apart from India, confirms that Nepali tea has not yet found a market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, the export of tea to countries other than India is possible through the personal relationship of businessmen. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the data of the board, Nepal exported 12,496 metric tons of tea worth Rs 3.43 billion in the fiscal year 2078/79. Out of that volume, 12, 096 metric tons of tea worth Rs 3.05 billion were exported to the Indian market. Nepalese CTC and orthodox tea are being exported to some states of India including West Bengal. Nepal produces more than 26,300 metric tons of annually on of 20,200 hectares of land. It includes 6,500 metric tons of orthodox tea. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“We planned to export to China two years ago through the G2G process to break the monopoly of the Indian market, but it has been stalled for now,'' Khanal told New Business Age. He said that the plan stalled because the government did not take diplomatic initiatives to export tea through the G2G process. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Khanal says that Nepali tea, which is sold at Rs 650 per kg in the Indian market, can be sold for as high as Rs 3700 if it is delivered to China. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Chairman of Gorkha Tea State Pvt. Ltd. Uday Chapagain says that the government should open the Chinese market as soon as possible to eliminate Nepal’s dependence on India for the tea market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, in order to expand the market of Nepali tea in countries other than India, it is also necessary to spread the message of quality products without chemical pesticides to the farmers. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><strong>100 Tons Order from China</strong> </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, in a recent news published by the state-owned news agency RSS, it is mentioned that the Chinese businessmen who visited the tea plantations and industries of Ilam have ordered more than 100 metric tons of tea. Chinese tea traders had reached there a few days ago on the initiative of Ilam Municipality and Ilam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Tea businessman Chiran Dahal reportedly coordinated to bring the Chinese tea traders. On that occasion, Dahal said that there was a discussion between Chinese businessmen and local tea businessmen and farmers about the purchase of tea and the possibility of exporting tea to China.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20296', 'image' => '20240325020040_Tea.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 13:57:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20568', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Number of People Living in their Own Houses Decreasing', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The percentage of the population living in their own houses in the country has decreased, according to the latest data of the government.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: The percentage of the population living in their own houses in the country has decreased, according to the latest data of the government. The National Census 2078 report shows that 86 percent of the families in Nepal live in their own houses. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The census report under the heading of Housing and Household Dynamics in Nepal, which was published by the National Statistics Office a few days ago, shows that the number of families living in their own houses at present is less than the figures compared to 30 years ago. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the office, the number of families having their own houses was 92.6 percent in 2048 BS. By 2078 BS, it has decreased to 86 percent. There has been an increase in the number of families living on rent in the last 30 years. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In 2048 BS, the number of families living on rent was 4.7 percent, but by 2078 BS, the number of such families has reached 12.8 percent. This number has been stable for the last one decade. Even in 2068, the number of families living on rent was 12.8 percent. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the office, the number of families living on rent in the municipality is 18 percent. Similarly, data shows that 81 percent of the families in the municipality are living in their own houses/apartments. Most of the families living in the municipality have their own house/accommodation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, 97 percent of the families living in the villages own their own houses. The office has also published the number of families living on rent in the provinces. The number of families living on rent is high in Bagmati Province, while it is lowest in Madhesh Province. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the office, the number of families living on rent in Madhesh Province is 2.3 percent. According to this data, more people are living on rent in the valley due to the services and facilities centered in the federal capital Kathmandu as well as opportunities from higher education and health facilities. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">District-wise, the number of people living in their own houses in Kathmandu is 43 percent. Recently, the number of people living in concrete houses has also increased. This is seen when comparing the data from 2058 BS and 2078 BS. According to the office, the number of families with concrete residential houses in 2058 was 36.6 percent. By 2078, it has increased to 76.5 percent.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20295', 'image' => '20240325015542_20201225055618_1608853069.Clipboard11.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 13:52:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => true, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20567', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission Recommends Fiscal Equalization Grant for Provinces', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission has recommended the government to allocate fiscal equalization grant worth Rs 60 billion to the provinces and Rs 88 billion to the local levels for the upcoming fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">March 25: The National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission has recommended the government to allocate fiscal equalization grant worth Rs 60 billion to the provinces and Rs 88 billion to the local levels for the upcoming fiscal year. The recommendation was based on the provisions of minimum grants, formula-based grants, and performance-based grants. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The grant is to be sourced from the Federal Consolidated Fund. The constitutional provision mandates that the necessity of expenditures and revenue capacity of provincial governments and local levels be assessed while allocating fiscal equalization grants from the Federal Consolidated Fund. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Out of the total Rs 60 billion of the fiscal equalization grant that has been recommended for the provinces in the upcoming fiscal year, the minimum equalization grant is equivalent to Rs 15 billion, the formula-based equalization grant is equivalent to Rs 42.6 billion and the grant given on the basis of performance is equivalent to Rs 2.40 billion. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The commission has recommended providing Rs 8. 94 billion to Koshi Province, Rs 7. 79 billion to the Madhesh Province, Rs 8.24 billion to Bagmati Province and Rs 7.63 billion to Gandaki province. Similarly, the commission has recommended providing Rs 8.28 billion to Lumbini Province, Rs 10.36 billion to Karnali Province and Rs 8.72 billion to Sudurpaschim province as the fiscal equalization grant. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Likewise, the commission has also recommended the federal government to provide Rs 88 billion as the fiscal equalization grant to the local levels in the next fiscal year. The recommended minimum equalization grant to the local levels for the next fiscal year is Rs 26.68 billion, the formula-based equalization grant is Rs 57.79 billion and the grant to be provided based on performance is Rs 3.52 billion. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20294', 'image' => '20240325011445_20230706113816_grant-writing.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 13:13:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20566', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UN General Assembly adopts Resolution for Safe, Secure and Trustworthy AI ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => '', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">March 25: The seventy-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution on artificial intelligence seeking its 'safe, secure and trustworthy' promotion. The UNGA on March 21 adopted the significant resolution, recognizing proliferation of AI and its impact on achievement of SDGs and seeking global consensus for safe, secure and trustworthy AI. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">According to the document, the safe, secure and trustworthy AI systems are human centric which fully respect, promote and protect human rights and international law, maintain privacy, enable progress towards to SDGs and sustainable development in three fronts- economic, social and environment. Similarly, it promotes peace and digital divide within and among countries, the resolution mentioned. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The resolution underlines, "AI systems in the non-military domain, whose life cycle includes the stages: pre-design, design, development, evaluation, testing, deployment, use, sale, procurement, operation and decommissioning, are such that they are human-centric, reliable, explainable, ethical, inclusive, in full respect, promotion and protection of human rights and international law." </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The UN has called upon the member states and invited stakeholders to take action for cooperation and extend assistance to the developing countries so that they could be ensured with inclusive and equitable access to reap benefit from digital transformation and AI system. The UN member states are encouraged to prepare policies and regulation to foster competition in safe, secure and trustworthy AI system and technologies associated to it. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Moreover, it has attached significance on continuation of debates on unfolding incidents and updates relating to the governance of AI in order for the international approaches to be abreast with evolution of AI systems and their uses. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The document read, "It encourages continued efforts by the international community to promote inclusive research, mapping and analysis that benefit all parties on the potential impacts and applications that artificial intelligence systems and rapid technological change can have in the development of existing and new and emerging technologies and on accelerating the achievement of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and to inform how to develop, promote and implement effective, internationally interoperable safeguards, practices, standards and tools for artificial intelligence designers, developers, evaluators, deployers, users and other stakeholders for safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems". </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The member states are further called upon to close gender digital divide. They are called to "adopt specific measures to close the gender digital divide and to ensure that particular attention is paid to access, affordability, digital literacy, privacy and online safety, to enhance the use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence systems, and to mainstream a disability, gender and racial equality perspective in policy decisions and the frameworks that guide them". </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">In this regard, the UN News wrote: Ms Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, who introduced the draft resolution, highlighted the opportunity and the responsibility of the international community “to govern this technology rather than let it govern us”. While adopting the resolution, the UNGA reaffirmed international law, Charter of the UN and recollected UDHR. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20293', 'image' => '20240325121824_320712-810x538.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 12:16:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20565', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Endangered Yellow Breasted Bunting Spotted in Shuklaphanta National Park ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The yellow breasted bunting, an endangered species of bird, has been spotted in the buffer zone of Shuklaphanta National Park. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: The yellow breasted bunting, an endangered species of bird, has been spotted in the buffer zone of Shuklaphanta National Park. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Locally known as Bagale Bagedi, the rare bird species was seen for the first time in the area, said Suwan Chaudhary, a conservationist. He said that a flock of the bird was seen in the field of a local farmer in Dhaknia, Shuklaphanta Municipality-2. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, Hirulal Dagaura, ornithologist at Bird Conservation Nepal, said that the bird was first documented in Shuklaphanta National Park in 1980. This bird has reached the point of extinction from the world after it was hunted excessively for its meat. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"The number of yellow breasted bunting has been found to have decreased by 90 percent in the last decade," said Dagaura. Just a few years ago the number of the bird in Nepal was in thousands but now it has been limited to around 30. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The bird is found in Kailali, Kanchanpur, Bardiya, Chitwan, Jhapa along with some districts of Madhes province. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20292', 'image' => '20240325111230_yellow.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 11:11:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20564', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Companies Begin Manthali-Lukla Flights to Facilitate Tourists ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: With the onset of the trekking and mountaineering season, airline companies have started daily flights to Lukla from Ramechhap's Manthali Airport.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: With the onset of the trekking and mountaineering season, airline companies have started daily flights to Lukla from Ramechhap's Manthali Airport. Tara Air, Summit Air and Sita Air have started regular flights to Solukhumbu's Lukla from Sunday. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">It is believed that operation of flights from Manthali to Lukla and vice-versa will make the travel of tourists to the gateway of Mt Everest easier. Since the Tribhuvan International Airport is busy during the tourist season, airlines bring tourists to Manthali and fly them to Lukla to avoid traffic jams. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">A large number of foreign tourists visit Lukla twice a year for hiking and climbing. Besides the spring season, a large number of tourists also visit the Khumbu region from the first week of October to the first week of November. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Praveen Subedi, Ramechhap in-charge of Tara Air, said that the number of tourists visiting the Everest region from March to May this year is very high. He informed that the airline companies decided to start flights to Lukla from Manthali on Friday, but the flights could not take place that day due to bad weather. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Pooja Thapa, acting chief at the Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Ramechhap, said that regular flights have been started from Sunday with the improvement in the weather. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20291', 'image' => '20240325104538_ijcmz-lukla6.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 10:44:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20563', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Businesspersons Have to Boost Confidence in Tough Times’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'During a panel discussion themed “Business Opportunities in Difficult Times” at eight Edition of 'Newbiz Business Conclave and Awards - 2024' held in Kathmandu, businessmen and entrepreneurs stressed on the significance of enlarging confidence.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 24: Though external economic indicators are positive, entrepreneurs and businesspersons are feeling discouraged as demand and investment have fallen. In such a scenario, stakeholders emphasized the need for the businessmen and entrepreneurs to accelerate their investment and come up with innovative ideas with self-confidence and optimism. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During a panel discussion themed “Business Opportunities in Difficult Times” at eight Edition of 'Newbiz Business Conclave and Awards - 2024' held in Kathmandu, businessmen and entrepreneurs stressed on the significance of enlarging confidence. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A very insightful panel discussion moderated by Ranjit Acharya, CEO of Prisma Advertising had Amlan Mukherjee, Managing Director of Unilever Limited, Anand Bagaria, Managing Director of Nimbus Holdings and Sewa Pathak, CEO of Vianet Communications as panelists. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee highlighted the necessity of mastering fundamental aspects. He pointed out the gap between Nepal's population and its GDP, emphasizing the country's potential for business. Providing quality services, offering smaller-scale products, investing in advertising, and leveraging digital technology were identified as crucial strategies for business resilience during difficult periods. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee emphasized that failure to invest during tough times risks losing market share to competitors, while strategic investments yield favorable outcomes upon the return of normalcy. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On the strategies for revitalization, Mukherjee addressed the challenges posed by population migration both domestically and internationally. He noted that the aspirations of Nepali youths, influenced by their exposure abroad, drive demand for quality products. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee emphasized the importance of a brand's image and its societal impact, citing Unilever's success during the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee stressed the importance of positive communication among business leaders and companies to inspire confidence and drive momentum during the difficult times.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Bagaria advocated for optimism as a key strategy to navigate difficult times, citing the emergence of successful online businesses during the pandemic. He urged for increased consumerism to stimulate economic activity, emphasizing the need for more than just legislative amendments for recovery and growth.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of business revitalization efforts, Bagaria highlighted the importance of acknowledging problems, analyzing them, and adopting innovative solutions. He emphasized synergistic partnerships, direct consumer communication, and maintained optimism for growth.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pathak shared Vianet Communications' substantial growth, attributing it to advancements in internet technology and the rise of platforms like TikTok. She underscored the importance of infrastructure development to thrive in a competitive market and discussed challenges in retaining IT professionals amidst brain drain trends.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pathak outlined strategies such as sustainable HR practices, incorporating AI, facilitating remote work, and identifying and training key resources to address these challenges.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of reinforcement strategies, Pathak emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector in the national economy. She advocated for enhancing consumerism, fostering a startup culture, and prioritizing quality services to drive growth and resilience in the private sector. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-24', 'modified' => '2024-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20290', 'image' => '20240324050445_collage (18).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-24 16:57:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20562', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government’s Budget Deficit Soars to Rs 137 Billion in Eight Months', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: Although the external sector indicators of the country's economy have been gradually improving, the field of public finance management is still challenging. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 24: Although the external sector indicators of the country's economy have been gradually improving, the field of public finance management is still challenging. The country is facing many problems in the areas of government’s income and expenditure, public debt management, government fund and resource mobilization. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Newly appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun, in his first public program after assuming the responsibility of the ministry, admitted that there are problems in the field of public finance management and improving it will be his first priority. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Speaking at the 'RBBL Management Conference 2024' organized by the Rastriya Banijya Bank on last Saturday, Finance Minister Pun said that he would work to collect revenue as per the target and increase the capital budget expenditure through reforming the public finance sector. In every formal and informal program, he has spoken about the problems in the field of public finance management. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Looking at the data published by various government agencies, the field of public finance management still seems to be challenging. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the Finance Comptroller General Office, the country suffered a huge budget deficit of Rs 137 billion in the second quarter of the current fiscal year. It means that the government’s expenditures have exceeded its income by Rs 137 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year ie from mid-July to mid-March. According to the office, the government has spent a total of Rs 801.58 billion the review period and collected Rs 663.83 billion in revenue. It shows that the gap between the government’s income and expenditure is constantly increasing.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-24', 'modified' => '2024-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20289', 'image' => '20240324115902_budgetttttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-24 11:57:12', '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' => '20579', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Decline in Renewal of Insurance Policies Impacts Business of Life Insurance Companies ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The business of life insurance companies has decreased in mid-February to mid-March of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The business of life insurance companies has decreased in mid-February to mid-March of the current fiscal year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although the collection of first-time insurance fee increased in the review month, the overall business declined due to the decline in renewal of insurance policies. According to the Nepal Insurance Authority, 14 life insurance companies collected insurance fees of Rs 11.65 billion from the sale of new insurance policies and the renewal of old policies in mid-February to mid-March. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Compared to the previous one-month period, collection of insurance fees of the life insurance companies decreased by about Rs 1 billion. In mid-January to mid-February, the insurance companies had collected Rs 12.66 billion in insurance fees. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In mid-February to mid-March, life insurance companies issued a total of 415,676 insurance policies and collected Rs 2.55 billion as first-time insurance fee. Similarly, the authority said that the companies collected insurance fee of Rs 9.95 billion from the renewal of insurance policies. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In mid-January to mid-February, the insurance companies had issued a total of 448,000 insurance policies and collected Rs 2.29 billion as the first-time insurance fee. Similarly, they collected insurance fee of Rs 10.36 billion from renewal. Nepal Life Insurance Company collected the highest insurance fee in mid-February to mid-March. The company collected Rs 3.9 billion in the review month.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20306', 'image' => '20240326110912_INSURANCE-COVERAGE.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 11:08:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20578', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NPC Issues Guidelines to Discourage Inclusion of Random Plans in Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The National Planning Commission (NPC) has prohibited the government from including random plans in the budget. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The National Planning Commission (NPC) has prohibited the government from including random plans in the budget. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">While the government is doing its homework to issue the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the NPC has had made it clear that the projects that are not included in the National Project Bank will not be included in the budget.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In the past, the budget implementation used to be affected due to due to pressure and influence from the ward chairmen to the parliament to include projects of vested interests in the budget. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">This time, the National Planning Commission has taken strict measures to eliminate the past practice of haphazard planning. After realizing that the inclusion of small and petty plans in the budget without proper study caused problems in implementation of such plans every year, the National Planning Commission issued guidelines and frameworks for the upcoming budget and has made strict provisions not to include such plans in the budget.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">As per the Financial Procedures and Financial Responsibility Regulations, the NPC has asked all central agencies to send details of the annual budget and program and medium-term expenditure structure only by entering the details of the project in the National Project Bank by themselves or through their subordinate offices or projects. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">There is a clear provision in the guidelines that no budget can be allocated for projects that are not included in the National Project Bank. From now onwards, the government officials who are engaged in the preparation of the budget will not be allowed to allocate the budget for the plans that have not been entered in the National Project Bank. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Dhaniram Sharma, joint secretary of the Ministry of Finance, said that the new guidelines have discouraged the practice of randomly recommending plans in the budget. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">For programs and projects that are implemented with the cooperation and coordination of more than one federal ministry or agency, the National Planning Commission has made guidelines so that the programs can only be proposed through coordination and cooperation of all related agencies. Ministries will have to propose budgets by prioritizing programs and projects that can be completed within the first quarter of the year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The NPC has asked the ministries to be realistic on the annual plan and to propose the budget so that there is no need to revise the program in the middle of the year.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20305', 'image' => '20240326110745_budget.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 11:06:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20577', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'First-phase Construction of Asian Highway Begins', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The first-phase of construction of the Asian Highway connecting 32 countries in the continent has started in Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The first-phase of construction of the Asian Highway connecting 32 countries in the continent has started in Nepal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Under this project, a 120-kilometer four-lane road from Kakarvitta to Laukahi of Sunsari is being constructed in the first phase with the financial support of the Asian Development Bank, the state-owned RSS reported. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The government has handed the responsibility of the construction work to Jain CR F G Tundi Company. The company has started removing trees from Sitapuri of Kamal rural municipality in Jhapa district to Devikhola of Itahari. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Hari Prasad Parajuli, a representative of the construction company, said that around 6,737 trees would be removed along this section. He told RSS that the company has reached an agreement with the government to complete the road construction within three years. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The 120-km-long four-lane roadway falls under a section of the East-West Highway and it connects Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari. It is being constructed at an investment of Rs 28.17 billion from the Asian Development Bank. The highway is to be expanded along with the construction of 71 new bridges, added Parajuli. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The Asian Highway project was initiated by the United Nations in 1959 with the aim of promoting the development of international road transport in the region. During the first phase of the project (1960–1970) considerable progress was achieved, however, progress slowed down when financial assistance was suspended in 1975. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Altogether 32 countries have signed agreements to allow the highway to cross the continent and also reach to Europe. Some of the countries taking part in the highway project are India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Nepal and Bangladesh. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Most of the funding comes from the larger, more advanced Asian nations such as China, South Korea and Singapore as well as international agencies such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20304', 'image' => '20240326110558_20240325093741_highway (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 11:04:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20576', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Possibility of Load Shedding from Next Week', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: India’s hesitation to renew the agreement to allow Nepal to purchase electricity from its electricity trading market (Indian Energy Exchange) has heightened the risk of load shedding in Nepal from next week.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: India’s hesitation to renew the agreement to allow Nepal to purchase electricity from its electricity trading market (Indian Energy Exchange) has heightened the risk of load shedding in Nepal from next week. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the contract, which has to be renewed every year, is expiring on March 31. Officials of the NEA say that even though Nepal has been urging India for renewal of the contract since the last three months, the concerned bodies of India have not shown any interest for renewal.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"Indian officials have hinted verbally that the contract cannot be renewed under the pretext of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in India," said a high-ranking source at the NEA on condition of anonymity. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the official, it will be challenging for the NEA to manage electricity for the next one and a half months as Nepal's domestic electricity production will not increase until mid-May.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"India had not delayed the renewal of contract in the past," said the source. India gave the permission to Nepal to import electricity from the Indian Energy Exchange for the first time in March 2021. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the agreement, Nepal can import electricity through Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur International Transmission Line and Mahendranagar-Tanakpur International Transmission Line. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Officials of the NEA said that although India had been renewing the contract without any issues in the past, this year it has indicated that it cannot be renewed on the pretext of elections. In India, the Lok Sabha elections are being held in different stages for 6 weeks starting from April 17. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"There is a state of confusion due to non-renewal of the agreement," Chandan Kumar Ghosh, spokesperson for the NEA, told New Business Age, "But we are hopeful, India will renew the agreement because providing electricity to Nepal will not affect the availability of electricity in India.” </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, if the contract is not renewed, there will be a situation where electricity supply to the households and industries will have to be halted. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the NEA, it imports about 600 MW of electricity from India in winter. This is about one third of the demand. According to the authority, the peak hour demand has now reached 1,885 MW. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"If one-third of the demand of electricity is not available, there will be a situation of load shedding," said Ghosh. In such a situation, he indicated that industrial customers may experience power cuts more than household consumers. When there is a shortage of electricity, the authority gives priority to domestic customers. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although Nepal sells surplus electricity to India during the rainy season, it has to import electricity from India in the winter to meet the domestic demand. Most of the hydropower projects in Nepal are run-of-the-river type. Such projects produce only one-third of their capacity in winter. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although India has indicated that it will not renew the agreement due the Lok Sabha elections, it is speculated that India’s reluctance to renew the agreement may be the result of New Delhi's dissatisfaction with the latest change in the power equation of Nepal. The Indian media and analysts have been saying that the coalition government of the CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Center) was instigated by China. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal broke the alliance with the Nepali Congress on March 7 and formed a new alliance with the UML and other fringe parties.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20303', 'image' => '20240326103256_20220511083106_1652136985.Clipboard20.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 10:31:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20575', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Starts Issuing Climbing Permits for Spring Expedition', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring mountaineering season. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring mountaineering season. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">A total of 33 people have already taken permission to climb four different mountains this season, said Director of Adventure Tourism and Mountaineering Branch of the department, Rakesh Gurung. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Among them, 24 climbers have obtained permits to climb Mt Annapurna, three for Mt Ama Dablam, five for Himlung, and one for Jugal. The department will start issuing climbing permits for the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, from Tuesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the department, arrangements have been made for mountaineers to make online bookings for climbing. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Spring is considered the ideal season for climbing mountains, especially Mt Everest. The government charges higher fees during the spring season. As per the department, a tourist has to pay USD 11,000 per person to climb Mount Everest.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Last year, the government had collected over Rs 474.6 million in revenue from more than 900 climbers from different countries. Altogether 414 mountains and peaks of Nepal are open for expedition. <em>(With inputs from RSS)</em></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20302', 'image' => '20240326095408_20240325094813_20220516042550_expedition-in-nepal.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 09:52:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20574', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Court Acquits Cricketers in Match-Fixing Case', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The Kathmandu District Court has acquitted five people, including cricketer Adil Ansari and former national cricket player Mahaboob Alam, who were accused of match-fixing. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The Kathmandu District Court has acquitted five people, including cricketer Adil Ansari and former national cricket player Mahaboob Alam, who were accused of match-fixing. A bench of Judge Kamal Prasad Pokharel on Monday acquitted five people held on the charge of match fixing, arguing that the petitioners’ claim was not sufficient to prove them guilty. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to Chandra Prasad Panthi, information officer of the District Court, Kathmandu, the court acquitted the five persons after the claims made by the government against them could not be substantiated. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police had arrested cricketers Mahabub Alam and Mohammad Adil Ansari on charge of spot fixing and match fixing on January 23 last year. They were later released on a bail of Rs 300,000 each. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The franchise-club based T-20 league was held at the TU cricket ground in Kirtipur from December 24, 2022 to January 11, 2023. The match was organized by Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) in strategic and commercial partnership with India's Seven3 Sports Pvt. Ltd. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The CIB had submitted its investigation report to the Office of the District Attorney in mid-February last year recommended action against 12 people involved in the spot fixing and match fixing scam. The 12 people, including the two cricketers, recommended for prosecution were accused of helping to alter the results of the match, indulging in match fixing and inciting others to be involved in the illegal act.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20301', 'image' => '20240326091651_20230124110059_t20.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 09:14:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20573', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM urges AIIB for Concessional Loan to Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to ensure a policy for providing concessional loan to Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to ensure a policy for providing concessional loan to Nepal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">During a courtesy meeting with a delegation led by RMP Rathnayake, the AIIB director, Prime Minister Dahal said, "Nepal still needs concessions in borrowings. In fact, this market rate pricing is restricting Nepal to access to AIIB financing. As you are policy makers, I urge you all to consider about this." </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Stating the government is focused on achieving a high economic growth target simultaneously with good governance, institutional development, social justice and prosperity, the prime minister said, Nepal is expecting for the AIIB's support in financing, technical assistance, knowledge sharing and mobilizing private capital. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The PM said currently there are a few projects under AIIB investment in Nepal in the energy sector and there are ample possibilities for investment in hydropower, tourism, information technology and other infrastructure projects. He urged the AIIB to consider for the investment in these areas. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"Nepal has reached an agreement to export 10,000 megawatts of electricity to India and to Bangladesh as well. This has paved the way for Nepal's energy trade," he said. Recalling about the Nepal's schedule to host the Third Nepal Investment Summit next month (April 28-29), the prime minister expressed his hope that there would a high-level participation from the AIIB in the event, contributing to building an investment-friendly atmosphere for areas of priorities in Nepal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">He also appraised the delegation that Nepal has revised its policies aiming to promote private and foreign investment and urged the AIIB to investment confidently in Nepal. The delegation led by Rathnayake comprised AIIB vice president and other senior officials. On the occasion, Rathnayake said AIIB accords top priority to Nepal as its founding member and the bank is positive for increasing its investment in its development endeavors. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20300', 'image' => '20240326084552_20240325095453_RS-KTM1711354200023.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 08:44:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20569', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tea Export Plan to China in Peril ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: It has been more than a century and a half since Nepal started cultivation of tea.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: It has been more than a century and a half since Nepal started cultivation of tea. The tea produced here is also exported to foreign countries. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">However, Nepali tea producers have to rely on the Indian market for export. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although the Government of Nepal planned to export tea to China to diversify the tea market and break the monopoly of the Indian market, the plan has failed to materialize. Since the government’s plan could not be materialized, Nepal’s tea market has not been able to expand due to its dependence on India. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, tea produced in Nepal is exported to 38 countries in the world including China, America, Europe through some private companies. However, stakeholders say that it is not enough to break the monopoly of the Indian market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">They have recommended the government to take a G2G (Government-to-Government) initiative. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The board’s Director Dr Deepak Khanal said that although tea production has improved a lot compared to the past, Nepal has not made satisfactory progress in its efforts to expand the market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, even now the biggest problem of Nepal’s tea industry is the lack of market and monopoly of Indian market. He argues that the export of only 15 percent to European and American markets, apart from India, confirms that Nepali tea has not yet found a market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, the export of tea to countries other than India is possible through the personal relationship of businessmen. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the data of the board, Nepal exported 12,496 metric tons of tea worth Rs 3.43 billion in the fiscal year 2078/79. Out of that volume, 12, 096 metric tons of tea worth Rs 3.05 billion were exported to the Indian market. Nepalese CTC and orthodox tea are being exported to some states of India including West Bengal. Nepal produces more than 26,300 metric tons of annually on of 20,200 hectares of land. It includes 6,500 metric tons of orthodox tea. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“We planned to export to China two years ago through the G2G process to break the monopoly of the Indian market, but it has been stalled for now,'' Khanal told New Business Age. He said that the plan stalled because the government did not take diplomatic initiatives to export tea through the G2G process. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Khanal says that Nepali tea, which is sold at Rs 650 per kg in the Indian market, can be sold for as high as Rs 3700 if it is delivered to China. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Chairman of Gorkha Tea State Pvt. Ltd. Uday Chapagain says that the government should open the Chinese market as soon as possible to eliminate Nepal’s dependence on India for the tea market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, in order to expand the market of Nepali tea in countries other than India, it is also necessary to spread the message of quality products without chemical pesticides to the farmers. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><strong>100 Tons Order from China</strong> </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, in a recent news published by the state-owned news agency RSS, it is mentioned that the Chinese businessmen who visited the tea plantations and industries of Ilam have ordered more than 100 metric tons of tea. Chinese tea traders had reached there a few days ago on the initiative of Ilam Municipality and Ilam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Tea businessman Chiran Dahal reportedly coordinated to bring the Chinese tea traders. On that occasion, Dahal said that there was a discussion between Chinese businessmen and local tea businessmen and farmers about the purchase of tea and the possibility of exporting tea to China.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20296', 'image' => '20240325020040_Tea.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 13:57:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20568', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Number of People Living in their Own Houses Decreasing', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The percentage of the population living in their own houses in the country has decreased, according to the latest data of the government.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: The percentage of the population living in their own houses in the country has decreased, according to the latest data of the government. The National Census 2078 report shows that 86 percent of the families in Nepal live in their own houses. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The census report under the heading of Housing and Household Dynamics in Nepal, which was published by the National Statistics Office a few days ago, shows that the number of families living in their own houses at present is less than the figures compared to 30 years ago. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the office, the number of families having their own houses was 92.6 percent in 2048 BS. By 2078 BS, it has decreased to 86 percent. There has been an increase in the number of families living on rent in the last 30 years. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In 2048 BS, the number of families living on rent was 4.7 percent, but by 2078 BS, the number of such families has reached 12.8 percent. This number has been stable for the last one decade. Even in 2068, the number of families living on rent was 12.8 percent. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the office, the number of families living on rent in the municipality is 18 percent. Similarly, data shows that 81 percent of the families in the municipality are living in their own houses/apartments. Most of the families living in the municipality have their own house/accommodation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, 97 percent of the families living in the villages own their own houses. The office has also published the number of families living on rent in the provinces. The number of families living on rent is high in Bagmati Province, while it is lowest in Madhesh Province. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the office, the number of families living on rent in Madhesh Province is 2.3 percent. According to this data, more people are living on rent in the valley due to the services and facilities centered in the federal capital Kathmandu as well as opportunities from higher education and health facilities. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">District-wise, the number of people living in their own houses in Kathmandu is 43 percent. Recently, the number of people living in concrete houses has also increased. This is seen when comparing the data from 2058 BS and 2078 BS. According to the office, the number of families with concrete residential houses in 2058 was 36.6 percent. By 2078, it has increased to 76.5 percent.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20295', 'image' => '20240325015542_20201225055618_1608853069.Clipboard11.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 13:52:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => true, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20567', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission Recommends Fiscal Equalization Grant for Provinces', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission has recommended the government to allocate fiscal equalization grant worth Rs 60 billion to the provinces and Rs 88 billion to the local levels for the upcoming fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">March 25: The National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission has recommended the government to allocate fiscal equalization grant worth Rs 60 billion to the provinces and Rs 88 billion to the local levels for the upcoming fiscal year. The recommendation was based on the provisions of minimum grants, formula-based grants, and performance-based grants. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The grant is to be sourced from the Federal Consolidated Fund. The constitutional provision mandates that the necessity of expenditures and revenue capacity of provincial governments and local levels be assessed while allocating fiscal equalization grants from the Federal Consolidated Fund. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Out of the total Rs 60 billion of the fiscal equalization grant that has been recommended for the provinces in the upcoming fiscal year, the minimum equalization grant is equivalent to Rs 15 billion, the formula-based equalization grant is equivalent to Rs 42.6 billion and the grant given on the basis of performance is equivalent to Rs 2.40 billion. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The commission has recommended providing Rs 8. 94 billion to Koshi Province, Rs 7. 79 billion to the Madhesh Province, Rs 8.24 billion to Bagmati Province and Rs 7.63 billion to Gandaki province. Similarly, the commission has recommended providing Rs 8.28 billion to Lumbini Province, Rs 10.36 billion to Karnali Province and Rs 8.72 billion to Sudurpaschim province as the fiscal equalization grant. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Likewise, the commission has also recommended the federal government to provide Rs 88 billion as the fiscal equalization grant to the local levels in the next fiscal year. The recommended minimum equalization grant to the local levels for the next fiscal year is Rs 26.68 billion, the formula-based equalization grant is Rs 57.79 billion and the grant to be provided based on performance is Rs 3.52 billion. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20294', 'image' => '20240325011445_20230706113816_grant-writing.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 13:13:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20566', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UN General Assembly adopts Resolution for Safe, Secure and Trustworthy AI ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => '', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">March 25: The seventy-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution on artificial intelligence seeking its 'safe, secure and trustworthy' promotion. The UNGA on March 21 adopted the significant resolution, recognizing proliferation of AI and its impact on achievement of SDGs and seeking global consensus for safe, secure and trustworthy AI. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">According to the document, the safe, secure and trustworthy AI systems are human centric which fully respect, promote and protect human rights and international law, maintain privacy, enable progress towards to SDGs and sustainable development in three fronts- economic, social and environment. Similarly, it promotes peace and digital divide within and among countries, the resolution mentioned. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The resolution underlines, "AI systems in the non-military domain, whose life cycle includes the stages: pre-design, design, development, evaluation, testing, deployment, use, sale, procurement, operation and decommissioning, are such that they are human-centric, reliable, explainable, ethical, inclusive, in full respect, promotion and protection of human rights and international law." </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The UN has called upon the member states and invited stakeholders to take action for cooperation and extend assistance to the developing countries so that they could be ensured with inclusive and equitable access to reap benefit from digital transformation and AI system. The UN member states are encouraged to prepare policies and regulation to foster competition in safe, secure and trustworthy AI system and technologies associated to it. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Moreover, it has attached significance on continuation of debates on unfolding incidents and updates relating to the governance of AI in order for the international approaches to be abreast with evolution of AI systems and their uses. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The document read, "It encourages continued efforts by the international community to promote inclusive research, mapping and analysis that benefit all parties on the potential impacts and applications that artificial intelligence systems and rapid technological change can have in the development of existing and new and emerging technologies and on accelerating the achievement of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and to inform how to develop, promote and implement effective, internationally interoperable safeguards, practices, standards and tools for artificial intelligence designers, developers, evaluators, deployers, users and other stakeholders for safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems". </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The member states are further called upon to close gender digital divide. They are called to "adopt specific measures to close the gender digital divide and to ensure that particular attention is paid to access, affordability, digital literacy, privacy and online safety, to enhance the use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence systems, and to mainstream a disability, gender and racial equality perspective in policy decisions and the frameworks that guide them". </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">In this regard, the UN News wrote: Ms Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, who introduced the draft resolution, highlighted the opportunity and the responsibility of the international community “to govern this technology rather than let it govern us”. While adopting the resolution, the UNGA reaffirmed international law, Charter of the UN and recollected UDHR. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20293', 'image' => '20240325121824_320712-810x538.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 12:16:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20565', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Endangered Yellow Breasted Bunting Spotted in Shuklaphanta National Park ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The yellow breasted bunting, an endangered species of bird, has been spotted in the buffer zone of Shuklaphanta National Park. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: The yellow breasted bunting, an endangered species of bird, has been spotted in the buffer zone of Shuklaphanta National Park. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Locally known as Bagale Bagedi, the rare bird species was seen for the first time in the area, said Suwan Chaudhary, a conservationist. He said that a flock of the bird was seen in the field of a local farmer in Dhaknia, Shuklaphanta Municipality-2. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, Hirulal Dagaura, ornithologist at Bird Conservation Nepal, said that the bird was first documented in Shuklaphanta National Park in 1980. This bird has reached the point of extinction from the world after it was hunted excessively for its meat. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"The number of yellow breasted bunting has been found to have decreased by 90 percent in the last decade," said Dagaura. Just a few years ago the number of the bird in Nepal was in thousands but now it has been limited to around 30. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The bird is found in Kailali, Kanchanpur, Bardiya, Chitwan, Jhapa along with some districts of Madhes province. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20292', 'image' => '20240325111230_yellow.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 11:11:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20564', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Companies Begin Manthali-Lukla Flights to Facilitate Tourists ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: With the onset of the trekking and mountaineering season, airline companies have started daily flights to Lukla from Ramechhap's Manthali Airport.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: With the onset of the trekking and mountaineering season, airline companies have started daily flights to Lukla from Ramechhap's Manthali Airport. Tara Air, Summit Air and Sita Air have started regular flights to Solukhumbu's Lukla from Sunday. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">It is believed that operation of flights from Manthali to Lukla and vice-versa will make the travel of tourists to the gateway of Mt Everest easier. Since the Tribhuvan International Airport is busy during the tourist season, airlines bring tourists to Manthali and fly them to Lukla to avoid traffic jams. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">A large number of foreign tourists visit Lukla twice a year for hiking and climbing. Besides the spring season, a large number of tourists also visit the Khumbu region from the first week of October to the first week of November. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Praveen Subedi, Ramechhap in-charge of Tara Air, said that the number of tourists visiting the Everest region from March to May this year is very high. He informed that the airline companies decided to start flights to Lukla from Manthali on Friday, but the flights could not take place that day due to bad weather. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Pooja Thapa, acting chief at the Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Ramechhap, said that regular flights have been started from Sunday with the improvement in the weather. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20291', 'image' => '20240325104538_ijcmz-lukla6.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 10:44:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20563', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Businesspersons Have to Boost Confidence in Tough Times’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'During a panel discussion themed “Business Opportunities in Difficult Times” at eight Edition of 'Newbiz Business Conclave and Awards - 2024' held in Kathmandu, businessmen and entrepreneurs stressed on the significance of enlarging confidence.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 24: Though external economic indicators are positive, entrepreneurs and businesspersons are feeling discouraged as demand and investment have fallen. In such a scenario, stakeholders emphasized the need for the businessmen and entrepreneurs to accelerate their investment and come up with innovative ideas with self-confidence and optimism. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During a panel discussion themed “Business Opportunities in Difficult Times” at eight Edition of 'Newbiz Business Conclave and Awards - 2024' held in Kathmandu, businessmen and entrepreneurs stressed on the significance of enlarging confidence. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A very insightful panel discussion moderated by Ranjit Acharya, CEO of Prisma Advertising had Amlan Mukherjee, Managing Director of Unilever Limited, Anand Bagaria, Managing Director of Nimbus Holdings and Sewa Pathak, CEO of Vianet Communications as panelists. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee highlighted the necessity of mastering fundamental aspects. He pointed out the gap between Nepal's population and its GDP, emphasizing the country's potential for business. Providing quality services, offering smaller-scale products, investing in advertising, and leveraging digital technology were identified as crucial strategies for business resilience during difficult periods. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee emphasized that failure to invest during tough times risks losing market share to competitors, while strategic investments yield favorable outcomes upon the return of normalcy. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On the strategies for revitalization, Mukherjee addressed the challenges posed by population migration both domestically and internationally. He noted that the aspirations of Nepali youths, influenced by their exposure abroad, drive demand for quality products. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee emphasized the importance of a brand's image and its societal impact, citing Unilever's success during the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee stressed the importance of positive communication among business leaders and companies to inspire confidence and drive momentum during the difficult times.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Bagaria advocated for optimism as a key strategy to navigate difficult times, citing the emergence of successful online businesses during the pandemic. He urged for increased consumerism to stimulate economic activity, emphasizing the need for more than just legislative amendments for recovery and growth.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of business revitalization efforts, Bagaria highlighted the importance of acknowledging problems, analyzing them, and adopting innovative solutions. He emphasized synergistic partnerships, direct consumer communication, and maintained optimism for growth.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pathak shared Vianet Communications' substantial growth, attributing it to advancements in internet technology and the rise of platforms like TikTok. She underscored the importance of infrastructure development to thrive in a competitive market and discussed challenges in retaining IT professionals amidst brain drain trends.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pathak outlined strategies such as sustainable HR practices, incorporating AI, facilitating remote work, and identifying and training key resources to address these challenges.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of reinforcement strategies, Pathak emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector in the national economy. She advocated for enhancing consumerism, fostering a startup culture, and prioritizing quality services to drive growth and resilience in the private sector. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-24', 'modified' => '2024-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20290', 'image' => '20240324050445_collage (18).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-24 16:57:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20562', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government’s Budget Deficit Soars to Rs 137 Billion in Eight Months', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: Although the external sector indicators of the country's economy have been gradually improving, the field of public finance management is still challenging. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 24: Although the external sector indicators of the country's economy have been gradually improving, the field of public finance management is still challenging. The country is facing many problems in the areas of government’s income and expenditure, public debt management, government fund and resource mobilization. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Newly appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun, in his first public program after assuming the responsibility of the ministry, admitted that there are problems in the field of public finance management and improving it will be his first priority. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Speaking at the 'RBBL Management Conference 2024' organized by the Rastriya Banijya Bank on last Saturday, Finance Minister Pun said that he would work to collect revenue as per the target and increase the capital budget expenditure through reforming the public finance sector. In every formal and informal program, he has spoken about the problems in the field of public finance management. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Looking at the data published by various government agencies, the field of public finance management still seems to be challenging. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the Finance Comptroller General Office, the country suffered a huge budget deficit of Rs 137 billion in the second quarter of the current fiscal year. It means that the government’s expenditures have exceeded its income by Rs 137 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year ie from mid-July to mid-March. According to the office, the government has spent a total of Rs 801.58 billion the review period and collected Rs 663.83 billion in revenue. It shows that the gap between the government’s income and expenditure is constantly increasing.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-24', 'modified' => '2024-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20289', 'image' => '20240324115902_budgetttttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-24 11:57:12', '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' => '20579', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Decline in Renewal of Insurance Policies Impacts Business of Life Insurance Companies ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The business of life insurance companies has decreased in mid-February to mid-March of the current fiscal year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The business of life insurance companies has decreased in mid-February to mid-March of the current fiscal year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although the collection of first-time insurance fee increased in the review month, the overall business declined due to the decline in renewal of insurance policies. According to the Nepal Insurance Authority, 14 life insurance companies collected insurance fees of Rs 11.65 billion from the sale of new insurance policies and the renewal of old policies in mid-February to mid-March. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Compared to the previous one-month period, collection of insurance fees of the life insurance companies decreased by about Rs 1 billion. In mid-January to mid-February, the insurance companies had collected Rs 12.66 billion in insurance fees. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In mid-February to mid-March, life insurance companies issued a total of 415,676 insurance policies and collected Rs 2.55 billion as first-time insurance fee. Similarly, the authority said that the companies collected insurance fee of Rs 9.95 billion from the renewal of insurance policies. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In mid-January to mid-February, the insurance companies had issued a total of 448,000 insurance policies and collected Rs 2.29 billion as the first-time insurance fee. Similarly, they collected insurance fee of Rs 10.36 billion from renewal. Nepal Life Insurance Company collected the highest insurance fee in mid-February to mid-March. The company collected Rs 3.9 billion in the review month.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20306', 'image' => '20240326110912_INSURANCE-COVERAGE.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 11:08:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20578', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NPC Issues Guidelines to Discourage Inclusion of Random Plans in Budget', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The National Planning Commission (NPC) has prohibited the government from including random plans in the budget. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The National Planning Commission (NPC) has prohibited the government from including random plans in the budget. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">While the government is doing its homework to issue the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the NPC has had made it clear that the projects that are not included in the National Project Bank will not be included in the budget.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In the past, the budget implementation used to be affected due to due to pressure and influence from the ward chairmen to the parliament to include projects of vested interests in the budget. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">This time, the National Planning Commission has taken strict measures to eliminate the past practice of haphazard planning. After realizing that the inclusion of small and petty plans in the budget without proper study caused problems in implementation of such plans every year, the National Planning Commission issued guidelines and frameworks for the upcoming budget and has made strict provisions not to include such plans in the budget.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">As per the Financial Procedures and Financial Responsibility Regulations, the NPC has asked all central agencies to send details of the annual budget and program and medium-term expenditure structure only by entering the details of the project in the National Project Bank by themselves or through their subordinate offices or projects. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">There is a clear provision in the guidelines that no budget can be allocated for projects that are not included in the National Project Bank. From now onwards, the government officials who are engaged in the preparation of the budget will not be allowed to allocate the budget for the plans that have not been entered in the National Project Bank. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Dhaniram Sharma, joint secretary of the Ministry of Finance, said that the new guidelines have discouraged the practice of randomly recommending plans in the budget. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">For programs and projects that are implemented with the cooperation and coordination of more than one federal ministry or agency, the National Planning Commission has made guidelines so that the programs can only be proposed through coordination and cooperation of all related agencies. Ministries will have to propose budgets by prioritizing programs and projects that can be completed within the first quarter of the year. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The NPC has asked the ministries to be realistic on the annual plan and to propose the budget so that there is no need to revise the program in the middle of the year.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20305', 'image' => '20240326110745_budget.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 11:06:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20577', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'First-phase Construction of Asian Highway Begins', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The first-phase of construction of the Asian Highway connecting 32 countries in the continent has started in Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The first-phase of construction of the Asian Highway connecting 32 countries in the continent has started in Nepal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Under this project, a 120-kilometer four-lane road from Kakarvitta to Laukahi of Sunsari is being constructed in the first phase with the financial support of the Asian Development Bank, the state-owned RSS reported. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The government has handed the responsibility of the construction work to Jain CR F G Tundi Company. The company has started removing trees from Sitapuri of Kamal rural municipality in Jhapa district to Devikhola of Itahari. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Hari Prasad Parajuli, a representative of the construction company, said that around 6,737 trees would be removed along this section. He told RSS that the company has reached an agreement with the government to complete the road construction within three years. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The 120-km-long four-lane roadway falls under a section of the East-West Highway and it connects Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari. It is being constructed at an investment of Rs 28.17 billion from the Asian Development Bank. The highway is to be expanded along with the construction of 71 new bridges, added Parajuli. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The Asian Highway project was initiated by the United Nations in 1959 with the aim of promoting the development of international road transport in the region. During the first phase of the project (1960–1970) considerable progress was achieved, however, progress slowed down when financial assistance was suspended in 1975. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Altogether 32 countries have signed agreements to allow the highway to cross the continent and also reach to Europe. Some of the countries taking part in the highway project are India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Nepal and Bangladesh. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Most of the funding comes from the larger, more advanced Asian nations such as China, South Korea and Singapore as well as international agencies such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20304', 'image' => '20240326110558_20240325093741_highway (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 11:04:39', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20576', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Possibility of Load Shedding from Next Week', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: India’s hesitation to renew the agreement to allow Nepal to purchase electricity from its electricity trading market (Indian Energy Exchange) has heightened the risk of load shedding in Nepal from next week.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: India’s hesitation to renew the agreement to allow Nepal to purchase electricity from its electricity trading market (Indian Energy Exchange) has heightened the risk of load shedding in Nepal from next week. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the contract, which has to be renewed every year, is expiring on March 31. Officials of the NEA say that even though Nepal has been urging India for renewal of the contract since the last three months, the concerned bodies of India have not shown any interest for renewal.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"Indian officials have hinted verbally that the contract cannot be renewed under the pretext of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in India," said a high-ranking source at the NEA on condition of anonymity. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the official, it will be challenging for the NEA to manage electricity for the next one and a half months as Nepal's domestic electricity production will not increase until mid-May.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"India had not delayed the renewal of contract in the past," said the source. India gave the permission to Nepal to import electricity from the Indian Energy Exchange for the first time in March 2021. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the agreement, Nepal can import electricity through Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur International Transmission Line and Mahendranagar-Tanakpur International Transmission Line. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Officials of the NEA said that although India had been renewing the contract without any issues in the past, this year it has indicated that it cannot be renewed on the pretext of elections. In India, the Lok Sabha elections are being held in different stages for 6 weeks starting from April 17. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"There is a state of confusion due to non-renewal of the agreement," Chandan Kumar Ghosh, spokesperson for the NEA, told New Business Age, "But we are hopeful, India will renew the agreement because providing electricity to Nepal will not affect the availability of electricity in India.” </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, if the contract is not renewed, there will be a situation where electricity supply to the households and industries will have to be halted. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the NEA, it imports about 600 MW of electricity from India in winter. This is about one third of the demand. According to the authority, the peak hour demand has now reached 1,885 MW. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"If one-third of the demand of electricity is not available, there will be a situation of load shedding," said Ghosh. In such a situation, he indicated that industrial customers may experience power cuts more than household consumers. When there is a shortage of electricity, the authority gives priority to domestic customers. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although Nepal sells surplus electricity to India during the rainy season, it has to import electricity from India in the winter to meet the domestic demand. Most of the hydropower projects in Nepal are run-of-the-river type. Such projects produce only one-third of their capacity in winter. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although India has indicated that it will not renew the agreement due the Lok Sabha elections, it is speculated that India’s reluctance to renew the agreement may be the result of New Delhi's dissatisfaction with the latest change in the power equation of Nepal. The Indian media and analysts have been saying that the coalition government of the CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Center) was instigated by China. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal broke the alliance with the Nepali Congress on March 7 and formed a new alliance with the UML and other fringe parties.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20303', 'image' => '20240326103256_20220511083106_1652136985.Clipboard20.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 10:31:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20575', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Starts Issuing Climbing Permits for Spring Expedition', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring mountaineering season. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The Department of Tourism has started issuing mountaineering permits for spring mountaineering season. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">A total of 33 people have already taken permission to climb four different mountains this season, said Director of Adventure Tourism and Mountaineering Branch of the department, Rakesh Gurung. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Among them, 24 climbers have obtained permits to climb Mt Annapurna, three for Mt Ama Dablam, five for Himlung, and one for Jugal. The department will start issuing climbing permits for the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, from Tuesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the department, arrangements have been made for mountaineers to make online bookings for climbing. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Spring is considered the ideal season for climbing mountains, especially Mt Everest. The government charges higher fees during the spring season. As per the department, a tourist has to pay USD 11,000 per person to climb Mount Everest.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Last year, the government had collected over Rs 474.6 million in revenue from more than 900 climbers from different countries. Altogether 414 mountains and peaks of Nepal are open for expedition. <em>(With inputs from RSS)</em></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20302', 'image' => '20240326095408_20240325094813_20220516042550_expedition-in-nepal.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 09:52:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20574', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Court Acquits Cricketers in Match-Fixing Case', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: The Kathmandu District Court has acquitted five people, including cricketer Adil Ansari and former national cricket player Mahaboob Alam, who were accused of match-fixing. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: The Kathmandu District Court has acquitted five people, including cricketer Adil Ansari and former national cricket player Mahaboob Alam, who were accused of match-fixing. A bench of Judge Kamal Prasad Pokharel on Monday acquitted five people held on the charge of match fixing, arguing that the petitioners’ claim was not sufficient to prove them guilty. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to Chandra Prasad Panthi, information officer of the District Court, Kathmandu, the court acquitted the five persons after the claims made by the government against them could not be substantiated. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police had arrested cricketers Mahabub Alam and Mohammad Adil Ansari on charge of spot fixing and match fixing on January 23 last year. They were later released on a bail of Rs 300,000 each. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The franchise-club based T-20 league was held at the TU cricket ground in Kirtipur from December 24, 2022 to January 11, 2023. The match was organized by Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) in strategic and commercial partnership with India's Seven3 Sports Pvt. Ltd. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The CIB had submitted its investigation report to the Office of the District Attorney in mid-February last year recommended action against 12 people involved in the spot fixing and match fixing scam. The 12 people, including the two cricketers, recommended for prosecution were accused of helping to alter the results of the match, indulging in match fixing and inciting others to be involved in the illegal act.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20301', 'image' => '20240326091651_20230124110059_t20.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 09:14:56', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20573', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'PM urges AIIB for Concessional Loan to Nepal ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 26: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to ensure a policy for providing concessional loan to Nepal. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 26: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to ensure a policy for providing concessional loan to Nepal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">During a courtesy meeting with a delegation led by RMP Rathnayake, the AIIB director, Prime Minister Dahal said, "Nepal still needs concessions in borrowings. In fact, this market rate pricing is restricting Nepal to access to AIIB financing. As you are policy makers, I urge you all to consider about this." </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Stating the government is focused on achieving a high economic growth target simultaneously with good governance, institutional development, social justice and prosperity, the prime minister said, Nepal is expecting for the AIIB's support in financing, technical assistance, knowledge sharing and mobilizing private capital. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The PM said currently there are a few projects under AIIB investment in Nepal in the energy sector and there are ample possibilities for investment in hydropower, tourism, information technology and other infrastructure projects. He urged the AIIB to consider for the investment in these areas. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"Nepal has reached an agreement to export 10,000 megawatts of electricity to India and to Bangladesh as well. This has paved the way for Nepal's energy trade," he said. Recalling about the Nepal's schedule to host the Third Nepal Investment Summit next month (April 28-29), the prime minister expressed his hope that there would a high-level participation from the AIIB in the event, contributing to building an investment-friendly atmosphere for areas of priorities in Nepal. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">He also appraised the delegation that Nepal has revised its policies aiming to promote private and foreign investment and urged the AIIB to investment confidently in Nepal. The delegation led by Rathnayake comprised AIIB vice president and other senior officials. On the occasion, Rathnayake said AIIB accords top priority to Nepal as its founding member and the bank is positive for increasing its investment in its development endeavors. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-26', 'modified' => '2024-03-26', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20300', 'image' => '20240326084552_20240325095453_RS-KTM1711354200023.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-26 08:44:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20569', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Tea Export Plan to China in Peril ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: It has been more than a century and a half since Nepal started cultivation of tea.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: It has been more than a century and a half since Nepal started cultivation of tea. The tea produced here is also exported to foreign countries. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">However, Nepali tea producers have to rely on the Indian market for export. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Although the Government of Nepal planned to export tea to China to diversify the tea market and break the monopoly of the Indian market, the plan has failed to materialize. Since the government’s plan could not be materialized, Nepal’s tea market has not been able to expand due to its dependence on India. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, tea produced in Nepal is exported to 38 countries in the world including China, America, Europe through some private companies. However, stakeholders say that it is not enough to break the monopoly of the Indian market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">They have recommended the government to take a G2G (Government-to-Government) initiative. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The board’s Director Dr Deepak Khanal said that although tea production has improved a lot compared to the past, Nepal has not made satisfactory progress in its efforts to expand the market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, even now the biggest problem of Nepal’s tea industry is the lack of market and monopoly of Indian market. He argues that the export of only 15 percent to European and American markets, apart from India, confirms that Nepali tea has not yet found a market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, the export of tea to countries other than India is possible through the personal relationship of businessmen. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the data of the board, Nepal exported 12,496 metric tons of tea worth Rs 3.43 billion in the fiscal year 2078/79. Out of that volume, 12, 096 metric tons of tea worth Rs 3.05 billion were exported to the Indian market. Nepalese CTC and orthodox tea are being exported to some states of India including West Bengal. Nepal produces more than 26,300 metric tons of annually on of 20,200 hectares of land. It includes 6,500 metric tons of orthodox tea. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">“We planned to export to China two years ago through the G2G process to break the monopoly of the Indian market, but it has been stalled for now,'' Khanal told New Business Age. He said that the plan stalled because the government did not take diplomatic initiatives to export tea through the G2G process. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Khanal says that Nepali tea, which is sold at Rs 650 per kg in the Indian market, can be sold for as high as Rs 3700 if it is delivered to China. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Chairman of Gorkha Tea State Pvt. Ltd. Uday Chapagain says that the government should open the Chinese market as soon as possible to eliminate Nepal’s dependence on India for the tea market. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to him, in order to expand the market of Nepali tea in countries other than India, it is also necessary to spread the message of quality products without chemical pesticides to the farmers. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><strong>100 Tons Order from China</strong> </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, in a recent news published by the state-owned news agency RSS, it is mentioned that the Chinese businessmen who visited the tea plantations and industries of Ilam have ordered more than 100 metric tons of tea. Chinese tea traders had reached there a few days ago on the initiative of Ilam Municipality and Ilam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Tea businessman Chiran Dahal reportedly coordinated to bring the Chinese tea traders. On that occasion, Dahal said that there was a discussion between Chinese businessmen and local tea businessmen and farmers about the purchase of tea and the possibility of exporting tea to China.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20296', 'image' => '20240325020040_Tea.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 13:57:27', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20568', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Number of People Living in their Own Houses Decreasing', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The percentage of the population living in their own houses in the country has decreased, according to the latest data of the government.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: The percentage of the population living in their own houses in the country has decreased, according to the latest data of the government. The National Census 2078 report shows that 86 percent of the families in Nepal live in their own houses. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The census report under the heading of Housing and Household Dynamics in Nepal, which was published by the National Statistics Office a few days ago, shows that the number of families living in their own houses at present is less than the figures compared to 30 years ago. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the office, the number of families having their own houses was 92.6 percent in 2048 BS. By 2078 BS, it has decreased to 86 percent. There has been an increase in the number of families living on rent in the last 30 years. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">In 2048 BS, the number of families living on rent was 4.7 percent, but by 2078 BS, the number of such families has reached 12.8 percent. This number has been stable for the last one decade. Even in 2068, the number of families living on rent was 12.8 percent. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the office, the number of families living on rent in the municipality is 18 percent. Similarly, data shows that 81 percent of the families in the municipality are living in their own houses/apartments. Most of the families living in the municipality have their own house/accommodation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, 97 percent of the families living in the villages own their own houses. The office has also published the number of families living on rent in the provinces. The number of families living on rent is high in Bagmati Province, while it is lowest in Madhesh Province. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the office, the number of families living on rent in Madhesh Province is 2.3 percent. According to this data, more people are living on rent in the valley due to the services and facilities centered in the federal capital Kathmandu as well as opportunities from higher education and health facilities. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">District-wise, the number of people living in their own houses in Kathmandu is 43 percent. Recently, the number of people living in concrete houses has also increased. This is seen when comparing the data from 2058 BS and 2078 BS. According to the office, the number of families with concrete residential houses in 2058 was 36.6 percent. By 2078, it has increased to 76.5 percent.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20295', 'image' => '20240325015542_20201225055618_1608853069.Clipboard11.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 13:52:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => true, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20567', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission Recommends Fiscal Equalization Grant for Provinces', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission has recommended the government to allocate fiscal equalization grant worth Rs 60 billion to the provinces and Rs 88 billion to the local levels for the upcoming fiscal year. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">March 25: The National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission has recommended the government to allocate fiscal equalization grant worth Rs 60 billion to the provinces and Rs 88 billion to the local levels for the upcoming fiscal year. The recommendation was based on the provisions of minimum grants, formula-based grants, and performance-based grants. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The grant is to be sourced from the Federal Consolidated Fund. The constitutional provision mandates that the necessity of expenditures and revenue capacity of provincial governments and local levels be assessed while allocating fiscal equalization grants from the Federal Consolidated Fund. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Out of the total Rs 60 billion of the fiscal equalization grant that has been recommended for the provinces in the upcoming fiscal year, the minimum equalization grant is equivalent to Rs 15 billion, the formula-based equalization grant is equivalent to Rs 42.6 billion and the grant given on the basis of performance is equivalent to Rs 2.40 billion. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The commission has recommended providing Rs 8. 94 billion to Koshi Province, Rs 7. 79 billion to the Madhesh Province, Rs 8.24 billion to Bagmati Province and Rs 7.63 billion to Gandaki province. Similarly, the commission has recommended providing Rs 8.28 billion to Lumbini Province, Rs 10.36 billion to Karnali Province and Rs 8.72 billion to Sudurpaschim province as the fiscal equalization grant. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Likewise, the commission has also recommended the federal government to provide Rs 88 billion as the fiscal equalization grant to the local levels in the next fiscal year. The recommended minimum equalization grant to the local levels for the next fiscal year is Rs 26.68 billion, the formula-based equalization grant is Rs 57.79 billion and the grant to be provided based on performance is Rs 3.52 billion. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20294', 'image' => '20240325011445_20230706113816_grant-writing.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 13:13:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20566', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UN General Assembly adopts Resolution for Safe, Secure and Trustworthy AI ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => '', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">March 25: The seventy-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution on artificial intelligence seeking its 'safe, secure and trustworthy' promotion. The UNGA on March 21 adopted the significant resolution, recognizing proliferation of AI and its impact on achievement of SDGs and seeking global consensus for safe, secure and trustworthy AI. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">According to the document, the safe, secure and trustworthy AI systems are human centric which fully respect, promote and protect human rights and international law, maintain privacy, enable progress towards to SDGs and sustainable development in three fronts- economic, social and environment. Similarly, it promotes peace and digital divide within and among countries, the resolution mentioned. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The resolution underlines, "AI systems in the non-military domain, whose life cycle includes the stages: pre-design, design, development, evaluation, testing, deployment, use, sale, procurement, operation and decommissioning, are such that they are human-centric, reliable, explainable, ethical, inclusive, in full respect, promotion and protection of human rights and international law." </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The UN has called upon the member states and invited stakeholders to take action for cooperation and extend assistance to the developing countries so that they could be ensured with inclusive and equitable access to reap benefit from digital transformation and AI system. The UN member states are encouraged to prepare policies and regulation to foster competition in safe, secure and trustworthy AI system and technologies associated to it. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">Moreover, it has attached significance on continuation of debates on unfolding incidents and updates relating to the governance of AI in order for the international approaches to be abreast with evolution of AI systems and their uses. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The document read, "It encourages continued efforts by the international community to promote inclusive research, mapping and analysis that benefit all parties on the potential impacts and applications that artificial intelligence systems and rapid technological change can have in the development of existing and new and emerging technologies and on accelerating the achievement of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and to inform how to develop, promote and implement effective, internationally interoperable safeguards, practices, standards and tools for artificial intelligence designers, developers, evaluators, deployers, users and other stakeholders for safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems". </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">The member states are further called upon to close gender digital divide. They are called to "adopt specific measures to close the gender digital divide and to ensure that particular attention is paid to access, affordability, digital literacy, privacy and online safety, to enhance the use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence systems, and to mainstream a disability, gender and racial equality perspective in policy decisions and the frameworks that guide them". </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">In this regard, the UN News wrote: Ms Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, who introduced the draft resolution, highlighted the opportunity and the responsibility of the international community “to govern this technology rather than let it govern us”. While adopting the resolution, the UNGA reaffirmed international law, Charter of the UN and recollected UDHR. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20293', 'image' => '20240325121824_320712-810x538.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 12:16:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20565', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Endangered Yellow Breasted Bunting Spotted in Shuklaphanta National Park ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: The yellow breasted bunting, an endangered species of bird, has been spotted in the buffer zone of Shuklaphanta National Park. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: The yellow breasted bunting, an endangered species of bird, has been spotted in the buffer zone of Shuklaphanta National Park. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Locally known as Bagale Bagedi, the rare bird species was seen for the first time in the area, said Suwan Chaudhary, a conservationist. He said that a flock of the bird was seen in the field of a local farmer in Dhaknia, Shuklaphanta Municipality-2. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Meanwhile, Hirulal Dagaura, ornithologist at Bird Conservation Nepal, said that the bird was first documented in Shuklaphanta National Park in 1980. This bird has reached the point of extinction from the world after it was hunted excessively for its meat. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">"The number of yellow breasted bunting has been found to have decreased by 90 percent in the last decade," said Dagaura. Just a few years ago the number of the bird in Nepal was in thousands but now it has been limited to around 30. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">The bird is found in Kailali, Kanchanpur, Bardiya, Chitwan, Jhapa along with some districts of Madhes province. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20292', 'image' => '20240325111230_yellow.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 11:11:21', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20564', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Airline Companies Begin Manthali-Lukla Flights to Facilitate Tourists ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 25: With the onset of the trekking and mountaineering season, airline companies have started daily flights to Lukla from Ramechhap's Manthali Airport.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 25: With the onset of the trekking and mountaineering season, airline companies have started daily flights to Lukla from Ramechhap's Manthali Airport. Tara Air, Summit Air and Sita Air have started regular flights to Solukhumbu's Lukla from Sunday. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">It is believed that operation of flights from Manthali to Lukla and vice-versa will make the travel of tourists to the gateway of Mt Everest easier. Since the Tribhuvan International Airport is busy during the tourist season, airlines bring tourists to Manthali and fly them to Lukla to avoid traffic jams. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">A large number of foreign tourists visit Lukla twice a year for hiking and climbing. Besides the spring season, a large number of tourists also visit the Khumbu region from the first week of October to the first week of November. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Praveen Subedi, Ramechhap in-charge of Tara Air, said that the number of tourists visiting the Everest region from March to May this year is very high. He informed that the airline companies decided to start flights to Lukla from Manthali on Friday, but the flights could not take place that day due to bad weather. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Pooja Thapa, acting chief at the Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Ramechhap, said that regular flights have been started from Sunday with the improvement in the weather. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-25', 'modified' => '2024-03-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20291', 'image' => '20240325104538_ijcmz-lukla6.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-25 10:44:09', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20563', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Businesspersons Have to Boost Confidence in Tough Times’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'During a panel discussion themed “Business Opportunities in Difficult Times” at eight Edition of 'Newbiz Business Conclave and Awards - 2024' held in Kathmandu, businessmen and entrepreneurs stressed on the significance of enlarging confidence.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">March 24: Though external economic indicators are positive, entrepreneurs and businesspersons are feeling discouraged as demand and investment have fallen. In such a scenario, stakeholders emphasized the need for the businessmen and entrepreneurs to accelerate their investment and come up with innovative ideas with self-confidence and optimism. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During a panel discussion themed “Business Opportunities in Difficult Times” at eight Edition of 'Newbiz Business Conclave and Awards - 2024' held in Kathmandu, businessmen and entrepreneurs stressed on the significance of enlarging confidence. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A very insightful panel discussion moderated by Ranjit Acharya, CEO of Prisma Advertising had Amlan Mukherjee, Managing Director of Unilever Limited, Anand Bagaria, Managing Director of Nimbus Holdings and Sewa Pathak, CEO of Vianet Communications as panelists. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee highlighted the necessity of mastering fundamental aspects. He pointed out the gap between Nepal's population and its GDP, emphasizing the country's potential for business. Providing quality services, offering smaller-scale products, investing in advertising, and leveraging digital technology were identified as crucial strategies for business resilience during difficult periods. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee emphasized that failure to invest during tough times risks losing market share to competitors, while strategic investments yield favorable outcomes upon the return of normalcy. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On the strategies for revitalization, Mukherjee addressed the challenges posed by population migration both domestically and internationally. He noted that the aspirations of Nepali youths, influenced by their exposure abroad, drive demand for quality products. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee emphasized the importance of a brand's image and its societal impact, citing Unilever's success during the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mukherjee stressed the importance of positive communication among business leaders and companies to inspire confidence and drive momentum during the difficult times.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Bagaria advocated for optimism as a key strategy to navigate difficult times, citing the emergence of successful online businesses during the pandemic. He urged for increased consumerism to stimulate economic activity, emphasizing the need for more than just legislative amendments for recovery and growth.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of business revitalization efforts, Bagaria highlighted the importance of acknowledging problems, analyzing them, and adopting innovative solutions. He emphasized synergistic partnerships, direct consumer communication, and maintained optimism for growth.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pathak shared Vianet Communications' substantial growth, attributing it to advancements in internet technology and the rise of platforms like TikTok. She underscored the importance of infrastructure development to thrive in a competitive market and discussed challenges in retaining IT professionals amidst brain drain trends.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pathak outlined strategies such as sustainable HR practices, incorporating AI, facilitating remote work, and identifying and training key resources to address these challenges.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of reinforcement strategies, Pathak emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector in the national economy. She advocated for enhancing consumerism, fostering a startup culture, and prioritizing quality services to drive growth and resilience in the private sector. </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-24', 'modified' => '2024-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20290', 'image' => '20240324050445_collage (18).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-24 16:57:16', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20562', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government’s Budget Deficit Soars to Rs 137 Billion in Eight Months', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 24: Although the external sector indicators of the country's economy have been gradually improving, the field of public finance management is still challenging. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 24: Although the external sector indicators of the country's economy have been gradually improving, the field of public finance management is still challenging. The country is facing many problems in the areas of government’s income and expenditure, public debt management, government fund and resource mobilization. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Newly appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun, in his first public program after assuming the responsibility of the ministry, admitted that there are problems in the field of public finance management and improving it will be his first priority. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Speaking at the 'RBBL Management Conference 2024' organized by the Rastriya Banijya Bank on last Saturday, Finance Minister Pun said that he would work to collect revenue as per the target and increase the capital budget expenditure through reforming the public finance sector. In every formal and informal program, he has spoken about the problems in the field of public finance management. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">Looking at the data published by various government agencies, the field of public finance management still seems to be challenging. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px">According to the Finance Comptroller General Office, the country suffered a huge budget deficit of Rs 137 billion in the second quarter of the current fiscal year. It means that the government’s expenditures have exceeded its income by Rs 137 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year ie from mid-July to mid-March. According to the office, the government has spent a total of Rs 801.58 billion the review period and collected Rs 663.83 billion in revenue. It shows that the gap between the government’s income and expenditure is constantly increasing.</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-24', 'modified' => '2024-03-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20289', 'image' => '20240324115902_budgetttttt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-24 11:57:12', '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
