March 11: The country’s current account remained at a surplus of Rs 161.69 billion in mid-February against a deficit of Rs 40.16 billion in the same period of the previous…
March 11: The country’s current account remained at a surplus of Rs 161.69 billion in mid-February against a deficit of Rs 40.16 billion in the same period of the previous…
March 11: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation moderated to 5.01 percent in mid-February 2024 compared to 7.88 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra…
March 11: Inflow of remittance to Nepal increased 21.6 percent to Rs 839 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year compared to an increase of 27.1 percent in the same period of the previous year, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra…
March 10: The price of gold continues to set new record in the domestic bullion…
March 10: The government has failed in its plan to expand the area of land where pre-monsoon paddy is cultivated.…
March 10: The deputy chief of United Nations (UN) Women on Friday called for investing in women and girls to drive societal advancement while reiterating the agency's dedication to fostering gender equality and enhancing women's participation in decision-making…
March 10: The number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives has dropped by 33 per cent as compared to last year, Maldivian website Adhadhu reported, citing data from the Maldives Tourism…
March 9: In the last five years, cybercrime cases have increased by…
Global IME Bank Limited conducted financial literacy programme by identifying various groups beyond the financial reach simultaneously through 41…
Twenty thousand fish fingerlings were destroyed in Chitwan. The stray fingerlings, which had been hidden and brought from India, were found and destroyed at Milijuli Chowk in Ward No. 16 of Bharatpur Metropolitan…
March 9: The Karnali province government has initiated a campaign aimed at discouraging the use of pesticides in…
March 9: A group of women from Taman village of Tamankhola rural municipality-3 of Baglung district established a dhaka clothes industry some years…
March 8: World food prices dropped for the seventh month in a row February as falling cereal prices outweighed more costly sugar and meat, the Food and Agricultural Organization said…
March 8: Bankers have urged the newly-appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun to stop the chaotic activities against banks and financial…
March 8: Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa ended a long silence over his ouster Thursday by releasing a book claiming "geopolitical rivalry" between China and other countries was responsible for his…
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In the US Dollar terms, the BOP remained at a surplus of 2.24 billion in the review period against a surplus of 975.7 million in the same period of the previous year, the report added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Gross foreign exchange reserves increased 19.9 percent to Rs 1844.94 billion in mid-February 2024 from Rs 1539.36 billion in mid-July 2023. In the US dollar terms, the gross foreign exchange reserves increased 18.6 percent to 13.89 billion in mid-February 2024 from 11.71 billion in mid-July 2023. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Of the total foreign exchange reserves, reserves held by NRB increased 20.7 percent to Rs 1623.92 billion in mid-February 2024 from Rs 1345.78 billion in mid-July 2023. Reserves held by banks and financial institutions (except NRB) increased 14.2 percent to Rs 221.02 billion in mid-February 2024 from Rs 193.59 billion in mid-July 2023. The share of Indian currency in total reserves stood at 22.6 percent in mid- February 2024.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Based on the imports of seven months of 2023/24, the foreign exchange reserves of the banking sector is sufficient to cover the prospective merchandise imports of 14.7 months, and merchandise and services imports of 12.3 months. T</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-11', 'modified' => '2024-03-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20185', 'image' => '20240311103902_20231001020926_20220123032134_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-11 10:38:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20457', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inflation Moderates to 5.01 Percent in Mid-February: NRB', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 11: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation moderated to 5.01 percent in mid-February 2024 compared to 7.88 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 11: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation moderated to 5.01 percent in mid-February 2024 compared to 7.88 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report of Nepal released by the central bank on Sunday reveals that food and beverage category inflation stood at 6.51 percent whereas non-food and service category inflation stood at 3.85 percent in the review month. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Under the food and beverage category, the y-o-y price index of spices sub-category increased 32.11 percent, pulses and legumes 11.15 percent, milk products and eggs 10.78 percent, cereal grains and their products 9.06 percent and vegetable 7.58 percent in the review month. The y-o-y price index of ghee and oil subcategory decreased 12.33 percent in the review month. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Under the non-food and services category, the y-o-y price index of recreation and culture sub-category increased 12.61 percent, miscellaneous goods and services 9.15 percent and education 7.31 percent in the review month. The y-o-y price index of transportation sub-category decreased 1.41 percent in the review month.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-11', 'modified' => '2024-03-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20184', 'image' => '20240311100615_20231215014318_inflation less.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-11 10:05:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20456', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Remittance Inflow Increases to Rs 839 Billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 11: Inflow of remittance to Nepal increased 21.6 percent to Rs 839 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year compared to an increase of 27.1 percent in the same period of the previous year, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 11: Inflow of remittance to Nepal increased 21.6 percent to Rs 839 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year compared to an increase of 27.1 percent in the same period of the previous year, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report of Nepal based on seven months’ data released by the central bank on Sunday reveals that remittance inflows increased 19.1 percent to 6.31 billion in terms of the US dollar billion in the review period compared to an increase of 16.4 percent in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the review period, the number of Nepali workers, both institutional and individuals, taking first-time approval for foreign employment stood at 247,012 and those taking approval for renew entry stood at 158,540. In the previous year, such numbers were 314,767 and 167,708 respectively. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the NRB, net transfer increased 20.0 percent to Rs 910.74 billion in the review period. Such a transfer had increased 25.2 percent in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-11', 'modified' => '2024-03-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20183', 'image' => '20240311092949_20211216112240_Remittance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-11 09:28:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20451', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Gold Continues to Rise', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The price of gold continues to set new record in the domestic bullion market.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 10: The price of gold continues to set new record in the domestic bullion market. The price of hallmark gold has been fixed at Rs 126,000 per tola (11.66 grams) on Sunday. It was traded at Rs 125,000 on the previous trading day. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the price of gold set new record for three consecutive days last week, rising continuously from Tuesday to Thursday to reach Rs 125,000 per tola.</span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As per the price determined by the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association (FENEGOSIDA), the price of worked gold has been fixed at Rs 125,000 per tola. It was traded at Rs 124,000 on the previous trading day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The price of silver has increased by Rs 5 per tola and reached Rs 1,475 on Sunday, FENEGOSIDA stated. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Federation has been determining the price of the precious yellow metal and silver in the domestic market based on the price in the international market. The price of gold in the international market is around USD 2,178 per ounce. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20178', 'image' => '20240310065333_20240307024448_gold newwww.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 18:53:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20449', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Fails in its Plan to Expand the Area of Pre-Monsoon Paddy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The government has failed in its plan to expand the area of land where pre-monsoon paddy is cultivated. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 10: The government has failed in its plan to expand the area of land where pre-monsoon paddy is cultivated. The government had planned to expand pre-monsoon paddy cultivation to an additional 100,000 hectares this year by expanding irrigation facilities. However, the plan has failed because the government has not completed its preparations even when it is time to plant pre-monsoon paddy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The then Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Beduram Bhusal, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, proposed a plan to increase the area of paddy production by expanding irrigation facilities. However, with the formation of a new cabinet, the plan has failed to materialize.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture, Sabnam Sivakoti Aryal, said that although the file has been sent to the Ministry of Finance for approval of the pre-monsoon paddy expansion program, the plan for this year could not go ahead due to the delay in approval. It is necessary to get approval from the finance ministry regarding the budget and priority district. The plan failed this year due to the delay on part of the finance ministry. Now it's already time to start planting rice, so it seems that we have to prepare the plan for next year," she told New Business Age.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Area and production decreasing</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the data shows that both the area and production of pre-monsoon paddy are decreasing. According to the data provided by the ministry, the area of pre-monsoon paddy and its production have been decreasing in recent years. Farmers' attraction towards paddy production has not increased due to the lack of sufficient irrigation facility. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Nepal, more than 1.4 million hectares of land are cultivated. Pre-monsoon paddy is considered good in terms of productivity. However, the government seems indifferent to the expansion of pre-monsoon paddy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the ministry, 561,197 metric tons of pre-monsoon paddy was produced in 120, 042 hectares of land in the fiscal year 2078/79. In the year 2079/80, the production area decreased by 11,435 hectares to 108,607 hectares. In that year, the production of pre-monsoon paddy also decreased by 20,866 metric tons to 540,331 metric tons.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, in the year 2080/81, the area of pre-monsoon paddy has reduced to 104,712 hectares. In addition, this year the production was also limited to 520,808 metric tons.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20177', 'image' => '20240310123437_paddyyy-transformed.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 12:33:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20450', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UN Women's Deputy Chief Urges Action to Invest in Women for Societal Progress ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The deputy chief of United Nations (UN) Women on Friday called for investing in women and girls to drive societal advancement while reiterating the agency's dedication to fostering gender equality and enhancing women's participation in decision-making roles. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 10: The deputy chief of United Nations (UN) Women on Friday called for investing in women and girls to drive societal advancement while reiterating the agency's dedication to fostering gender equality and enhancing women's participation in decision-making roles. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Our first message is: Let's invest in women and girls, let's create opportunities for them to be socially empowered, to be economically empowered, to be in positions of decision-making," Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, deputy executive director of UN Women, the world body's entity dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women globally, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview in the UN Women's office in New York. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The importance of investing in women is that when women at the household level are educated and have income, they are able to also send their children to school," Gumbonzvanda said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Without investment in women, the world is short-changing itself in economic terms, she added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"By investing in little girls to elderly women, we witness dividends across families, societies, and nations," Gumbonzvanda said, underscoring the broad spectrum of benefits stemming from supporting women and girls. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"On International Women's Day and beyond, we implore our member states to intensify their efforts" in "creating economic opportunities for women and fostering violence-free environments in our families and communities," she said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, investing in women encompasses not just economic aspects but also "empowering their voice and perspective to shape policies," Gumbonzvanda said, as "having women at the decision-making table enables them to address societal inequalities and elevate issues that are often overlooked." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Political participation and women in decision-making have been priorities since the 1995 Beijing conference," she said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Gumbonzvanda, from Zimbabwe, assumed her duties as UN Assistant Secretary-General and UN Women Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, UN System Coordination, and Programme Results on Feb. 6. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Noting that currently elections are taking place in over 60 countries, Gumbonzvanda said: "With 1.3 billion women voting, this becomes a critical moment for them to influence governments to prioritize gender equality." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">She urged both men and women in these countries to "support female candidates to achieve the 50-50 parity agreed upon by member states." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Gumbonzvanda also emphasized the critical contributions of women and girls to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by saying, "We cannot fulfill the SDGs without addressing the challenges faced by women and girls, including exclusion and violence, and without expanding their opportunities in society." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">She also highlighted the need for "broader fiscal space and the implementation of gender-responsive budgeting" as critical elements in this effort. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Talking about the upcoming 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), she noted, "The meeting is timely in its focus on poverty, institutional strengthening, and financing for gender equality, alongside social protection concerns, given the current global context." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Addressing the alarming prediction that over 300 million people could still be living in poverty by 2030, she stressed the need for governmental commitment to prioritize resources for poverty alleviation programs and called for "reform of the global financial architecture to address inequalities and enhance support for gender equality programs, including education and healthcare for women." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Gumbonzvanda expressed pride in UN Women's current initiatives with China, particularly the projects in Wuhan, which focus on "bringing our technical expertise to support efforts in the country" and "creating policies and employment capacities" targeting women. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">She also revisited the pivotal moment of the 1995 Beijing conference, highlighting its significance in setting the agenda for women's political participation and decision-making globally. – Xinhua/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20176', 'image' => '20240310015649_un.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 13:55:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20448', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Tourists in Maldives Drop by One-Third amid Diplomatic Row ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives has dropped by 33 per cent as compared to last year, Maldivian website Adhadhu reported, citing data from the Maldives Tourism Ministry.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 10: The number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives has dropped by 33 per cent as compared to last year, Maldivian website Adhadhu reported, citing data from the Maldives Tourism Ministry. This comes as the diplomatic row between New Delhi and Male continues to deteriorate. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Tourism Ministry statistics for 2023, a total of 41,054 Indian tourists visited the Maldives by March 4 last year. The number of Indian tourists recorded as of March 2 this year was 27,224. This was 13,830 lesser than last year, Maldives-based Adhadhu reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In the same period last year, India was the second largest source market for tourists to the Maldives with a 10 per cent market share. However, India is now in sixth place on the list with a six percent market share. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The row erupted after three Maldivian deputy ministers made derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over his pictures from the visit to Lakshadweep. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">PM Modi had called for the Indian island cluster to be developed as a destination for beach tourism and promotion of domestic tourism. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The matter snowballed into a major diplomatic row, with New Delhi summoning the Maldivian envoy and registering a strong protest against the viral posts. The three deputy ministers were suspended and they remain under suspension with pay. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier this year, Maldives tourism industry stakeholders expressed concern as the boycott campaign in India grew momentum and gained the support of popular Indian film stars. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) conducted a survey to determine the impact of booking cancellations by Indian guests. But the findings were not made public, as reported by Adhadhu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">India remained the top tourist market for the Maldives through 2021-23 with more than 2,00,000 tourists each year. However, China is the top market now with more than 54,000 tourist arrivals so far this year. – ANI/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20175', 'image' => '20240310113339_602b686031d43167__1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 11:32:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20447', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Cybercrime Cases Up by Six Folds in Last Five Years ', 'sub_title' => 'Number of cases of financial fraud has increased: Police', 'summary' => 'March 9: In the last five years, cybercrime cases have increased by six-fold. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 9: In the last five years, cybercrime cases have increased by six-fold. <br /> According to the Nepal Police Headquarters’ Cyber Bureau data, as many as 2,301 applications were received in the fiscal year 2076/77 BS, while 12,789 applications were recorded till March 7 of the current fiscal year. <br /> Similarly, 3,906 applications were lodged in the fiscal year 2077/78; 4,686 in 2078/79 and 9,013 in 2079/80, the police headquarters shared. <br /> According to the police, a total of 12,789 applications, including 164 from boys, 242 from girls, 5,703 from women, 6,177 from men and 503 from others have been received online till March 6 of the current fiscal year. <br /> Superintendent of Police and spokesperson of cyber bureau, Deepak Raj Awasthi said that the number of cases of financial fraud has increased in the recent past among various forms of crimes such as online fraud, publishing obscene photos and videos on social media, using the names and pictures of other people and hacking websites. <br /> The trend of cybercrime includes putting online technology by adding people's faces to different types of nude pictures, publishing obscene photos and videos on social media, demanding ransom by taking control of all the information, opening a profile page using other people's names and pictures on social media, hacking the websites of government and other organizations, and online fraud. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20174', 'image' => '20240310105647_20240309084124_cyber-crime-e1697021086560.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 10:51:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20446', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Global IME Bank Conducts Financial Literacy Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Global IME Bank Limited conducted financial literacy programme by identifying various groups beyond the financial reach simultaneously through 41 branches.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 10: Global IME Bank Limited held financial literacy programme by identifying various groups beyond the financial reach simultaneously through 41 branches. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Participants in the program included farmers, small and medium entrepreneurs, laborers, prospective migrants, students, women, recipients of remittances, and local youths.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The program provided information on savings, loans, remittances, digital banking, insurance, investment, additional banking services, financial fraud, and financial discipline to more than 5,000 individuals. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank conducted the program in various districts, such as Jhapa, Morang, Sarlahi, Lalitpur, Ramechhap, Kathmandu, Dhading, Rasuwa, Syangja, Nawalparasi, Lamjung, Tanahu, Kapilvastu, Dang, Gulmi, Palpa, Rolpa, Rupandehi, Arghakhanchi, Baitadi, and Dadeldhura. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20173', 'image' => '20240310070702_collage (48).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 07:05:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20445', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Smuggled Fish Fingerlings from India Destroyed in Chitwan', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Twenty thousand fish fingerlings were destroyed in Chitwan. The stray fingerlings, which had been hidden and brought from India, were found and destroyed at Milijuli Chowk in Ward No. 16 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 10: Twenty thousand fish fingerlings were destroyed in Chitwan. The stray fingerlings, which had been hidden and brought from India, were found and destroyed at Milijuli Chowk in Ward No. 16 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The chief of the Narayangadh Ward Police Office and Police Inspector Basant Pandey informed that fingerlings, which had been smuggled from India, were seized and destroyed. A team of police led by Pandey seized the illegal fish.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Fingerlings were destroyed in the presence of Animal Quarantine, ward representatives, and journalists, said Inspector Pandey. The market value of the destroyed fish is Rs 3 lakhs. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20172', 'image' => '20240310065557_collage (47).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 06:54:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20443', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Karnali Province Organises ‘Pesticides-Free Week’ to Discourage the Use of Pesticides in Farming', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: The Karnali province government has initiated a campaign aimed at discouraging the use of pesticides in farming.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: The Karnali province government has initiated a campaign aimed at discouraging the use of pesticides in farming.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The 'pesticides-free week' has been organized in order to raise public awareness against the harmful impact of pesticides, considering its increasing use by the farmers.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Initiating the campaign, Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Bhim Prakash Sharma, said village-level awareness programmes should be conducted to free Karnali from the use of chemicals in crops and vegetables.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Heart and kidney patients are increasing of late and use of pesticides may be the reason behind it, Minister Sharma added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Secretary at the Ministry, Dr Narahari Prasad Ghimire, said the use of pesticides is having a serious impact on human health.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He emphasized that other alternatives should be used instead of chemicals. The use of pesticides has increased in a bid to increase production to meet the growing demand for food.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Likewise, Director of Agriculture Development Directorate Chitra Bahadur Rokaya shared that public awareness, information dissemination, display and distribution of biological destroyers of insects, and orientation programs in schools will be organized during the week. -- RSS</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-09', 'modified' => '2024-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20170', 'image' => '20240309083651_20220829014335_p02-120209-78.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-09 20:36:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20442', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Women Entrepreneurs Worry Over Market of Dhaka Garments', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: A group of women from Taman village of Tamankhola rural municipality-3 of Baglung district established a dhaka clothes industry some years back.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: A group of women from Taman village of Tamankhola rural municipality-3 of Baglung district established a dhaka clothes industry some years back. Upbeat in the beginning, the women continued dhaka yarning.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But as they did not get a market for their products, they are worried now. The store is full of dhaka garments, but the demand is negligible. It has forced the women entrepreneurs to run from pillar to post. They sometimes reach Burtibang and sometimes as far as Myagdi to peddle products. A total of 15 women are associated with this small industry set up by local Kalyan Mothers' Group of Taman village.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">They began working in the industry after Sangam Consultancy Centre in Baglung provided them 15-day training on dhaka yarn and weaving. Established at a cost of Rs 45,000, the industry has produced clothes worth Rs 700,000. Group Chair Tika Devi Budhagharti informed the state-owned RSS that as their products were not sold for lack of market, they had no option but to peddle from one place to another. Various items such as shawl, cap and lungi are made in the industry.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But the products did not market as per expectation. The women manage their time for industry in the morning and evening. A woman makes garments worth Rs 30,000 in a month, but it is disappointing for not being able to sell a single item, according to Budhagharti. Similarly, Junu Maya Ghartimagar, who is working in the group, said they worked very enthusiastically in the beginning, but they are now disappointed after their products did not get market. She, however, said they are still hopeful that their goods would get to market gradually. Although some purchase by the rural municipality encourages them, further initiative was warranted for aggressive marketing.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Gharti Magar stressed that more women would be self-employed if the government ensured marketing of their products. Chairperson of Tamankhola rural municipality Joklal Budhamagar, however, shared that they had started an initiative for marketing of the products, saying the local level had provided other support to women entrepreneurs, including machines.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Budhamagar blamed increasing use of imported goods from cities to villages for not getting a good market for the local items. The chairperson pledged that entrepreneurs' compulsion to search for the market for their products would be ended because the rural municipality had prioritized women entrepreneurs.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He further assured of providing continuous support to women entrepreneurs, stating that they had made a plan to bear transport expenses for them to carry their products to different trade fairs and festivals. -- RSS</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-09', 'modified' => '2024-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20169', 'image' => '20240309083245_20211129022705_Dhaka Made in Nepal 2 Mero Kuraa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-09 20:32:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20441', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Food Prices Drop for Seventh Month: FAO', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: World food prices dropped for the seventh month in a row February as falling cereal prices outweighed more costly sugar and meat, the Food and Agricultural Organization said Friday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 8: World food prices dropped for the seventh month in a row February as falling cereal prices outweighed more costly sugar and meat, the Food and Agricultural Organization said Friday.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The United Nations agency said its FAO Food Price Index dropped 0.7 percent in February and is down 10.5 percent from a year ago.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The FAO index measures commodity market prices, and it can take a while for these to filter through to supermarket shelves. They represent only a fraction of the cost of processed final products.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Cereals alone dropped five percent during the month and 22.4 percent from February last year, driven lower by corn "amid expectations of large harvests in South America and competitive prices offered by Ukraine," the FAO said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Wheat was pulled lower by stronger Russian exports and rice prices also fell.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Vegetable oils also largely fell due to abundant harvests in South America.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Sugar, however, rose 3.2 percent during the month because of dry weather in Brazil.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The meat index rose 1.8 percent during the month as heavy rains disrupted cattle transportation in Australia and Chinese demand for pork grew amid tight supplies in Europe. – AFP/RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-08', 'modified' => '2024-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20168', 'image' => '20240308072157_20240106112122_20231014073446_image1.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-08 19:21:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20440', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bankers Urge Finance Minister to Stop Chaotic Activities against BFIs', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Bankers have urged the newly-appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun to stop the chaotic activities against banks and financial institutions.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 8: Bankers have urged the newly-appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun to stop the chaotic activities against banks and financial institutions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The representatives of Nepal Bankers Association met Pun on Thursday and demanded immediate action against those who spread misinformation that they do need to pay the bank loans. Sunil KC, president of the association, also drew the attention of the government to be serious about the security of the banking sector.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">They urged Minister Pun to be serious about the increase in cases of abusive behavior and physical attacks on bank employees who go to recover loans. In response, Minister Pun made it clear that the government will not entertain the campaign for defaulting bank loans.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Minister Pun also informed that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, in the cabinet meeting held on Thursday morning, directed the related ministries and agencies to take action against those who are inciting to default on bank loans. Minister Pun said, "The trend of not paying the loans taken from banks and financial institutions cannot be allowed to continue for a long time. No one should encourage such trend."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Finance Minister Pun said that the government will not allow the morale of investors to fall as it will lead to the downfall of the overall economy and the country. He said that the government is clear that foreign investment can be attracted only if investment environment and investment security can be guaranteed in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> "The government will put an end to the atmosphere of panic and fear in the private sector," said Pun.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Minister Pun urged the regulatory bodies not to cause unnecessary hassles to the businessmen of the private sector. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">On a different note, Finance Minister Pun said that the pre-scheduled investment summit will not be affected due to the change in the ruling coalition.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-08', 'modified' => '2024-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20167', 'image' => '20240308015342_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-08 13:53:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20439', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sri Lanka Ex-Leader ‘Ousted’ over China Investments ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa ended a long silence over his ouster Thursday by releasing a book claiming "geopolitical rivalry" between China and other countries was responsible for his downfall. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 8: Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa ended a long silence over his ouster Thursday by releasing a book claiming "geopolitical rivalry" between China and other countries was responsible for his downfall. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Rajapaksa was forced into temporary exile after protesters stormed his official residence in 2022, following months of street protests over the island nation's worst-ever economic crisis. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In a self-published account of his downfall, "The Conspiracy", Rajapaksa defends his government's economic policies, which forced an unprecedented foreign debt default and saw months of severe food and fuel shortages. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Instead, he said "Chinese funded infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka after 2006 brought in an element of geopolitical rivalry" that precipitated his overthrow. "It would be extremely naive for anyone to claim that there was no foreign hand in the moves made to oust me from power," Rajapaksa wrote. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Rajapaksa did not name specific countries, but the United States had in the past repeatedly warned Sri Lanka it risked falling into a Chinese debt trap by signing a raft of infrastructure deals. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">At the time of his ouster, the 74-year-old was initially flown out of Sri Lanka aboard a military aircraft and emailed his resignation from Singapore, but he has since returned home. In the book, Rajapaksa claimed that protesters who took to the streets as the economy ground to a halt in the final months of his tenure had "foreign funding", without offering evidence. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Beijing has funded several development projects in Sri Lanka, including a rarely-used convention centre and airport in Rajapaksa's hometown Hambantota, which critics have slammed as white elephants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">China is also Sri Lanka's biggest single bilateral lender, owning around 10 percent of the island's foreign debt. Rajapaksa was once esteemed among the Sinhala Buddhist majority for helping end Sri Lanka's long civil war in 2009 while serving as the top defence official during his brother Mahinda's presidency. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He was elected in a landslide in 2019 but his popularity crashed in tandem with Sri Lanka's economy less than three years later, as supermarket shelves stood empty and days-long queues formed at petrol stations. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Economists blamed the sudden downturn on ill-advised tax cuts by Rajapaksa's government that left it unable to respond to the collapse of foreign exchange reserves following the coronavirus pandemic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Political commentator Kusal Perera said Rajapaksa's downfall was due to his own inept handling of the economy. "He was popular as a Sinhala-Buddhist leader thanks to media hype, but he was simply unable to deliver," Perera told AFP. Rajapaksa's successor Ranil Wickremesinghe has brokered an International Monetary Fund rescue package and sharply raised taxes to restore government finances. – AFP/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-08', 'modified' => '2024-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20166', 'image' => '20240308014130_Gotabaya_1200px_22_10_28-1000x600.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-08 13:40:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity "" [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60]file not found!Code Context// $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/indexdata.xml';if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'articles' => array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( [maximum depth reached] ) ) ), 'current_user' => null, 'logged_in' => false ) $articles = array( (int) 0 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20458', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Current Account and Balance of Payments in Surplus in Current FY: NRB', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 11: The country’s current account remained at a surplus of Rs 161.69 billion in mid-February against a deficit of Rs 40.16 billion in the same period of the previous year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 11: The country’s current account remained at a surplus of Rs 161.69 billion in mid-February against a deficit of Rs 40.16 billion in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">According to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank, the current account in terms of the US dollar registered a surplus of 1.22 billion in the review period against a deficit of 314.6 million in the same period last year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report of Nepal based on seven months’ data released by the central bank on Sunday showed that capital transfer decreased 29.0 percent to Rs 3.80 billion and net foreign direct investment (FDI) remained a positive of Rs 5.18 billion in the review period.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In the same period of the previous year, capital transfer amounted to Rs 5.35 billion and net FDI amounted to Rs 1.04 billion. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Balance of Payments (BOP) remained at a surplus of Rs 297.72 billion in the review period against a surplus of Rs 128.55 billion in the same period of the previous year. In the US Dollar terms, the BOP remained at a surplus of 2.24 billion in the review period against a surplus of 975.7 million in the same period of the previous year, the report added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Gross foreign exchange reserves increased 19.9 percent to Rs 1844.94 billion in mid-February 2024 from Rs 1539.36 billion in mid-July 2023. In the US dollar terms, the gross foreign exchange reserves increased 18.6 percent to 13.89 billion in mid-February 2024 from 11.71 billion in mid-July 2023. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Of the total foreign exchange reserves, reserves held by NRB increased 20.7 percent to Rs 1623.92 billion in mid-February 2024 from Rs 1345.78 billion in mid-July 2023. Reserves held by banks and financial institutions (except NRB) increased 14.2 percent to Rs 221.02 billion in mid-February 2024 from Rs 193.59 billion in mid-July 2023. The share of Indian currency in total reserves stood at 22.6 percent in mid- February 2024.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Based on the imports of seven months of 2023/24, the foreign exchange reserves of the banking sector is sufficient to cover the prospective merchandise imports of 14.7 months, and merchandise and services imports of 12.3 months. T</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-11', 'modified' => '2024-03-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20185', 'image' => '20240311103902_20231001020926_20220123032134_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-11 10:38:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20457', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inflation Moderates to 5.01 Percent in Mid-February: NRB', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 11: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation moderated to 5.01 percent in mid-February 2024 compared to 7.88 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 11: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation moderated to 5.01 percent in mid-February 2024 compared to 7.88 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report of Nepal released by the central bank on Sunday reveals that food and beverage category inflation stood at 6.51 percent whereas non-food and service category inflation stood at 3.85 percent in the review month. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Under the food and beverage category, the y-o-y price index of spices sub-category increased 32.11 percent, pulses and legumes 11.15 percent, milk products and eggs 10.78 percent, cereal grains and their products 9.06 percent and vegetable 7.58 percent in the review month. The y-o-y price index of ghee and oil subcategory decreased 12.33 percent in the review month. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Under the non-food and services category, the y-o-y price index of recreation and culture sub-category increased 12.61 percent, miscellaneous goods and services 9.15 percent and education 7.31 percent in the review month. The y-o-y price index of transportation sub-category decreased 1.41 percent in the review month.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-11', 'modified' => '2024-03-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20184', 'image' => '20240311100615_20231215014318_inflation less.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-11 10:05:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20456', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Remittance Inflow Increases to Rs 839 Billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 11: Inflow of remittance to Nepal increased 21.6 percent to Rs 839 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year compared to an increase of 27.1 percent in the same period of the previous year, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 11: Inflow of remittance to Nepal increased 21.6 percent to Rs 839 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year compared to an increase of 27.1 percent in the same period of the previous year, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report of Nepal based on seven months’ data released by the central bank on Sunday reveals that remittance inflows increased 19.1 percent to 6.31 billion in terms of the US dollar billion in the review period compared to an increase of 16.4 percent in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the review period, the number of Nepali workers, both institutional and individuals, taking first-time approval for foreign employment stood at 247,012 and those taking approval for renew entry stood at 158,540. In the previous year, such numbers were 314,767 and 167,708 respectively. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the NRB, net transfer increased 20.0 percent to Rs 910.74 billion in the review period. Such a transfer had increased 25.2 percent in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-11', 'modified' => '2024-03-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20183', 'image' => '20240311092949_20211216112240_Remittance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-11 09:28:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20451', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Gold Continues to Rise', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The price of gold continues to set new record in the domestic bullion market.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 10: The price of gold continues to set new record in the domestic bullion market. The price of hallmark gold has been fixed at Rs 126,000 per tola (11.66 grams) on Sunday. It was traded at Rs 125,000 on the previous trading day. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the price of gold set new record for three consecutive days last week, rising continuously from Tuesday to Thursday to reach Rs 125,000 per tola.</span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As per the price determined by the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association (FENEGOSIDA), the price of worked gold has been fixed at Rs 125,000 per tola. It was traded at Rs 124,000 on the previous trading day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The price of silver has increased by Rs 5 per tola and reached Rs 1,475 on Sunday, FENEGOSIDA stated. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Federation has been determining the price of the precious yellow metal and silver in the domestic market based on the price in the international market. The price of gold in the international market is around USD 2,178 per ounce. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20178', 'image' => '20240310065333_20240307024448_gold newwww.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 18:53:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20449', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Fails in its Plan to Expand the Area of Pre-Monsoon Paddy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The government has failed in its plan to expand the area of land where pre-monsoon paddy is cultivated. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 10: The government has failed in its plan to expand the area of land where pre-monsoon paddy is cultivated. The government had planned to expand pre-monsoon paddy cultivation to an additional 100,000 hectares this year by expanding irrigation facilities. However, the plan has failed because the government has not completed its preparations even when it is time to plant pre-monsoon paddy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The then Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Beduram Bhusal, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, proposed a plan to increase the area of paddy production by expanding irrigation facilities. However, with the formation of a new cabinet, the plan has failed to materialize.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture, Sabnam Sivakoti Aryal, said that although the file has been sent to the Ministry of Finance for approval of the pre-monsoon paddy expansion program, the plan for this year could not go ahead due to the delay in approval. It is necessary to get approval from the finance ministry regarding the budget and priority district. The plan failed this year due to the delay on part of the finance ministry. Now it's already time to start planting rice, so it seems that we have to prepare the plan for next year," she told New Business Age.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Area and production decreasing</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the data shows that both the area and production of pre-monsoon paddy are decreasing. According to the data provided by the ministry, the area of pre-monsoon paddy and its production have been decreasing in recent years. Farmers' attraction towards paddy production has not increased due to the lack of sufficient irrigation facility. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Nepal, more than 1.4 million hectares of land are cultivated. Pre-monsoon paddy is considered good in terms of productivity. However, the government seems indifferent to the expansion of pre-monsoon paddy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the ministry, 561,197 metric tons of pre-monsoon paddy was produced in 120, 042 hectares of land in the fiscal year 2078/79. In the year 2079/80, the production area decreased by 11,435 hectares to 108,607 hectares. In that year, the production of pre-monsoon paddy also decreased by 20,866 metric tons to 540,331 metric tons.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, in the year 2080/81, the area of pre-monsoon paddy has reduced to 104,712 hectares. In addition, this year the production was also limited to 520,808 metric tons.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20177', 'image' => '20240310123437_paddyyy-transformed.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 12:33:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20450', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UN Women's Deputy Chief Urges Action to Invest in Women for Societal Progress ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The deputy chief of United Nations (UN) Women on Friday called for investing in women and girls to drive societal advancement while reiterating the agency's dedication to fostering gender equality and enhancing women's participation in decision-making roles. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 10: The deputy chief of United Nations (UN) Women on Friday called for investing in women and girls to drive societal advancement while reiterating the agency's dedication to fostering gender equality and enhancing women's participation in decision-making roles. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Our first message is: Let's invest in women and girls, let's create opportunities for them to be socially empowered, to be economically empowered, to be in positions of decision-making," Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, deputy executive director of UN Women, the world body's entity dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women globally, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview in the UN Women's office in New York. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The importance of investing in women is that when women at the household level are educated and have income, they are able to also send their children to school," Gumbonzvanda said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Without investment in women, the world is short-changing itself in economic terms, she added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"By investing in little girls to elderly women, we witness dividends across families, societies, and nations," Gumbonzvanda said, underscoring the broad spectrum of benefits stemming from supporting women and girls. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"On International Women's Day and beyond, we implore our member states to intensify their efforts" in "creating economic opportunities for women and fostering violence-free environments in our families and communities," she said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, investing in women encompasses not just economic aspects but also "empowering their voice and perspective to shape policies," Gumbonzvanda said, as "having women at the decision-making table enables them to address societal inequalities and elevate issues that are often overlooked." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Political participation and women in decision-making have been priorities since the 1995 Beijing conference," she said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Gumbonzvanda, from Zimbabwe, assumed her duties as UN Assistant Secretary-General and UN Women Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, UN System Coordination, and Programme Results on Feb. 6. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Noting that currently elections are taking place in over 60 countries, Gumbonzvanda said: "With 1.3 billion women voting, this becomes a critical moment for them to influence governments to prioritize gender equality." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">She urged both men and women in these countries to "support female candidates to achieve the 50-50 parity agreed upon by member states." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Gumbonzvanda also emphasized the critical contributions of women and girls to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by saying, "We cannot fulfill the SDGs without addressing the challenges faced by women and girls, including exclusion and violence, and without expanding their opportunities in society." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">She also highlighted the need for "broader fiscal space and the implementation of gender-responsive budgeting" as critical elements in this effort. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Talking about the upcoming 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), she noted, "The meeting is timely in its focus on poverty, institutional strengthening, and financing for gender equality, alongside social protection concerns, given the current global context." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Addressing the alarming prediction that over 300 million people could still be living in poverty by 2030, she stressed the need for governmental commitment to prioritize resources for poverty alleviation programs and called for "reform of the global financial architecture to address inequalities and enhance support for gender equality programs, including education and healthcare for women." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Gumbonzvanda expressed pride in UN Women's current initiatives with China, particularly the projects in Wuhan, which focus on "bringing our technical expertise to support efforts in the country" and "creating policies and employment capacities" targeting women. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">She also revisited the pivotal moment of the 1995 Beijing conference, highlighting its significance in setting the agenda for women's political participation and decision-making globally. – Xinhua/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20176', 'image' => '20240310015649_un.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 13:55:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20448', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Tourists in Maldives Drop by One-Third amid Diplomatic Row ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives has dropped by 33 per cent as compared to last year, Maldivian website Adhadhu reported, citing data from the Maldives Tourism Ministry.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 10: The number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives has dropped by 33 per cent as compared to last year, Maldivian website Adhadhu reported, citing data from the Maldives Tourism Ministry. This comes as the diplomatic row between New Delhi and Male continues to deteriorate. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Tourism Ministry statistics for 2023, a total of 41,054 Indian tourists visited the Maldives by March 4 last year. The number of Indian tourists recorded as of March 2 this year was 27,224. This was 13,830 lesser than last year, Maldives-based Adhadhu reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In the same period last year, India was the second largest source market for tourists to the Maldives with a 10 per cent market share. However, India is now in sixth place on the list with a six percent market share. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The row erupted after three Maldivian deputy ministers made derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over his pictures from the visit to Lakshadweep. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">PM Modi had called for the Indian island cluster to be developed as a destination for beach tourism and promotion of domestic tourism. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The matter snowballed into a major diplomatic row, with New Delhi summoning the Maldivian envoy and registering a strong protest against the viral posts. The three deputy ministers were suspended and they remain under suspension with pay. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier this year, Maldives tourism industry stakeholders expressed concern as the boycott campaign in India grew momentum and gained the support of popular Indian film stars. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) conducted a survey to determine the impact of booking cancellations by Indian guests. But the findings were not made public, as reported by Adhadhu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">India remained the top tourist market for the Maldives through 2021-23 with more than 2,00,000 tourists each year. However, China is the top market now with more than 54,000 tourist arrivals so far this year. – ANI/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20175', 'image' => '20240310113339_602b686031d43167__1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 11:32:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20447', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Cybercrime Cases Up by Six Folds in Last Five Years ', 'sub_title' => 'Number of cases of financial fraud has increased: Police', 'summary' => 'March 9: In the last five years, cybercrime cases have increased by six-fold. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 9: In the last five years, cybercrime cases have increased by six-fold. <br /> According to the Nepal Police Headquarters’ Cyber Bureau data, as many as 2,301 applications were received in the fiscal year 2076/77 BS, while 12,789 applications were recorded till March 7 of the current fiscal year. <br /> Similarly, 3,906 applications were lodged in the fiscal year 2077/78; 4,686 in 2078/79 and 9,013 in 2079/80, the police headquarters shared. <br /> According to the police, a total of 12,789 applications, including 164 from boys, 242 from girls, 5,703 from women, 6,177 from men and 503 from others have been received online till March 6 of the current fiscal year. <br /> Superintendent of Police and spokesperson of cyber bureau, Deepak Raj Awasthi said that the number of cases of financial fraud has increased in the recent past among various forms of crimes such as online fraud, publishing obscene photos and videos on social media, using the names and pictures of other people and hacking websites. <br /> The trend of cybercrime includes putting online technology by adding people's faces to different types of nude pictures, publishing obscene photos and videos on social media, demanding ransom by taking control of all the information, opening a profile page using other people's names and pictures on social media, hacking the websites of government and other organizations, and online fraud. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20174', 'image' => '20240310105647_20240309084124_cyber-crime-e1697021086560.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 10:51:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20446', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Global IME Bank Conducts Financial Literacy Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Global IME Bank Limited conducted financial literacy programme by identifying various groups beyond the financial reach simultaneously through 41 branches.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 10: Global IME Bank Limited held financial literacy programme by identifying various groups beyond the financial reach simultaneously through 41 branches. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Participants in the program included farmers, small and medium entrepreneurs, laborers, prospective migrants, students, women, recipients of remittances, and local youths.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The program provided information on savings, loans, remittances, digital banking, insurance, investment, additional banking services, financial fraud, and financial discipline to more than 5,000 individuals. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank conducted the program in various districts, such as Jhapa, Morang, Sarlahi, Lalitpur, Ramechhap, Kathmandu, Dhading, Rasuwa, Syangja, Nawalparasi, Lamjung, Tanahu, Kapilvastu, Dang, Gulmi, Palpa, Rolpa, Rupandehi, Arghakhanchi, Baitadi, and Dadeldhura. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20173', 'image' => '20240310070702_collage (48).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 07:05:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20445', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Smuggled Fish Fingerlings from India Destroyed in Chitwan', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Twenty thousand fish fingerlings were destroyed in Chitwan. The stray fingerlings, which had been hidden and brought from India, were found and destroyed at Milijuli Chowk in Ward No. 16 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 10: Twenty thousand fish fingerlings were destroyed in Chitwan. The stray fingerlings, which had been hidden and brought from India, were found and destroyed at Milijuli Chowk in Ward No. 16 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The chief of the Narayangadh Ward Police Office and Police Inspector Basant Pandey informed that fingerlings, which had been smuggled from India, were seized and destroyed. A team of police led by Pandey seized the illegal fish.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Fingerlings were destroyed in the presence of Animal Quarantine, ward representatives, and journalists, said Inspector Pandey. The market value of the destroyed fish is Rs 3 lakhs. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20172', 'image' => '20240310065557_collage (47).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 06:54:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20443', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Karnali Province Organises ‘Pesticides-Free Week’ to Discourage the Use of Pesticides in Farming', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: The Karnali province government has initiated a campaign aimed at discouraging the use of pesticides in farming.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: The Karnali province government has initiated a campaign aimed at discouraging the use of pesticides in farming.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The 'pesticides-free week' has been organized in order to raise public awareness against the harmful impact of pesticides, considering its increasing use by the farmers.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Initiating the campaign, Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Bhim Prakash Sharma, said village-level awareness programmes should be conducted to free Karnali from the use of chemicals in crops and vegetables.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Heart and kidney patients are increasing of late and use of pesticides may be the reason behind it, Minister Sharma added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Secretary at the Ministry, Dr Narahari Prasad Ghimire, said the use of pesticides is having a serious impact on human health.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He emphasized that other alternatives should be used instead of chemicals. The use of pesticides has increased in a bid to increase production to meet the growing demand for food.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Likewise, Director of Agriculture Development Directorate Chitra Bahadur Rokaya shared that public awareness, information dissemination, display and distribution of biological destroyers of insects, and orientation programs in schools will be organized during the week. -- RSS</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-09', 'modified' => '2024-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20170', 'image' => '20240309083651_20220829014335_p02-120209-78.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-09 20:36:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20442', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Women Entrepreneurs Worry Over Market of Dhaka Garments', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: A group of women from Taman village of Tamankhola rural municipality-3 of Baglung district established a dhaka clothes industry some years back.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: A group of women from Taman village of Tamankhola rural municipality-3 of Baglung district established a dhaka clothes industry some years back. Upbeat in the beginning, the women continued dhaka yarning.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But as they did not get a market for their products, they are worried now. The store is full of dhaka garments, but the demand is negligible. It has forced the women entrepreneurs to run from pillar to post. They sometimes reach Burtibang and sometimes as far as Myagdi to peddle products. A total of 15 women are associated with this small industry set up by local Kalyan Mothers' Group of Taman village.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">They began working in the industry after Sangam Consultancy Centre in Baglung provided them 15-day training on dhaka yarn and weaving. Established at a cost of Rs 45,000, the industry has produced clothes worth Rs 700,000. Group Chair Tika Devi Budhagharti informed the state-owned RSS that as their products were not sold for lack of market, they had no option but to peddle from one place to another. Various items such as shawl, cap and lungi are made in the industry.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But the products did not market as per expectation. The women manage their time for industry in the morning and evening. A woman makes garments worth Rs 30,000 in a month, but it is disappointing for not being able to sell a single item, according to Budhagharti. Similarly, Junu Maya Ghartimagar, who is working in the group, said they worked very enthusiastically in the beginning, but they are now disappointed after their products did not get market. She, however, said they are still hopeful that their goods would get to market gradually. Although some purchase by the rural municipality encourages them, further initiative was warranted for aggressive marketing.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Gharti Magar stressed that more women would be self-employed if the government ensured marketing of their products. Chairperson of Tamankhola rural municipality Joklal Budhamagar, however, shared that they had started an initiative for marketing of the products, saying the local level had provided other support to women entrepreneurs, including machines.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Budhamagar blamed increasing use of imported goods from cities to villages for not getting a good market for the local items. The chairperson pledged that entrepreneurs' compulsion to search for the market for their products would be ended because the rural municipality had prioritized women entrepreneurs.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He further assured of providing continuous support to women entrepreneurs, stating that they had made a plan to bear transport expenses for them to carry their products to different trade fairs and festivals. -- RSS</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-09', 'modified' => '2024-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20169', 'image' => '20240309083245_20211129022705_Dhaka Made in Nepal 2 Mero Kuraa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-09 20:32:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20441', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Food Prices Drop for Seventh Month: FAO', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: World food prices dropped for the seventh month in a row February as falling cereal prices outweighed more costly sugar and meat, the Food and Agricultural Organization said Friday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 8: World food prices dropped for the seventh month in a row February as falling cereal prices outweighed more costly sugar and meat, the Food and Agricultural Organization said Friday.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The United Nations agency said its FAO Food Price Index dropped 0.7 percent in February and is down 10.5 percent from a year ago.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The FAO index measures commodity market prices, and it can take a while for these to filter through to supermarket shelves. They represent only a fraction of the cost of processed final products.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Cereals alone dropped five percent during the month and 22.4 percent from February last year, driven lower by corn "amid expectations of large harvests in South America and competitive prices offered by Ukraine," the FAO said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Wheat was pulled lower by stronger Russian exports and rice prices also fell.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Vegetable oils also largely fell due to abundant harvests in South America.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Sugar, however, rose 3.2 percent during the month because of dry weather in Brazil.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The meat index rose 1.8 percent during the month as heavy rains disrupted cattle transportation in Australia and Chinese demand for pork grew amid tight supplies in Europe. – AFP/RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-08', 'modified' => '2024-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20168', 'image' => '20240308072157_20240106112122_20231014073446_image1.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-08 19:21:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20440', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bankers Urge Finance Minister to Stop Chaotic Activities against BFIs', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Bankers have urged the newly-appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun to stop the chaotic activities against banks and financial institutions.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 8: Bankers have urged the newly-appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun to stop the chaotic activities against banks and financial institutions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The representatives of Nepal Bankers Association met Pun on Thursday and demanded immediate action against those who spread misinformation that they do need to pay the bank loans. Sunil KC, president of the association, also drew the attention of the government to be serious about the security of the banking sector.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">They urged Minister Pun to be serious about the increase in cases of abusive behavior and physical attacks on bank employees who go to recover loans. In response, Minister Pun made it clear that the government will not entertain the campaign for defaulting bank loans.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Minister Pun also informed that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, in the cabinet meeting held on Thursday morning, directed the related ministries and agencies to take action against those who are inciting to default on bank loans. Minister Pun said, "The trend of not paying the loans taken from banks and financial institutions cannot be allowed to continue for a long time. No one should encourage such trend."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Finance Minister Pun said that the government will not allow the morale of investors to fall as it will lead to the downfall of the overall economy and the country. He said that the government is clear that foreign investment can be attracted only if investment environment and investment security can be guaranteed in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> "The government will put an end to the atmosphere of panic and fear in the private sector," said Pun.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Minister Pun urged the regulatory bodies not to cause unnecessary hassles to the businessmen of the private sector. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">On a different note, Finance Minister Pun said that the pre-scheduled investment summit will not be affected due to the change in the ruling coalition.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-08', 'modified' => '2024-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20167', 'image' => '20240308015342_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-08 13:53:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20439', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sri Lanka Ex-Leader ‘Ousted’ over China Investments ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa ended a long silence over his ouster Thursday by releasing a book claiming "geopolitical rivalry" between China and other countries was responsible for his downfall. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 8: Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa ended a long silence over his ouster Thursday by releasing a book claiming "geopolitical rivalry" between China and other countries was responsible for his downfall. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Rajapaksa was forced into temporary exile after protesters stormed his official residence in 2022, following months of street protests over the island nation's worst-ever economic crisis. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In a self-published account of his downfall, "The Conspiracy", Rajapaksa defends his government's economic policies, which forced an unprecedented foreign debt default and saw months of severe food and fuel shortages. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Instead, he said "Chinese funded infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka after 2006 brought in an element of geopolitical rivalry" that precipitated his overthrow. "It would be extremely naive for anyone to claim that there was no foreign hand in the moves made to oust me from power," Rajapaksa wrote. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Rajapaksa did not name specific countries, but the United States had in the past repeatedly warned Sri Lanka it risked falling into a Chinese debt trap by signing a raft of infrastructure deals. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">At the time of his ouster, the 74-year-old was initially flown out of Sri Lanka aboard a military aircraft and emailed his resignation from Singapore, but he has since returned home. In the book, Rajapaksa claimed that protesters who took to the streets as the economy ground to a halt in the final months of his tenure had "foreign funding", without offering evidence. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Beijing has funded several development projects in Sri Lanka, including a rarely-used convention centre and airport in Rajapaksa's hometown Hambantota, which critics have slammed as white elephants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">China is also Sri Lanka's biggest single bilateral lender, owning around 10 percent of the island's foreign debt. Rajapaksa was once esteemed among the Sinhala Buddhist majority for helping end Sri Lanka's long civil war in 2009 while serving as the top defence official during his brother Mahinda's presidency. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He was elected in a landslide in 2019 but his popularity crashed in tandem with Sri Lanka's economy less than three years later, as supermarket shelves stood empty and days-long queues formed at petrol stations. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Economists blamed the sudden downturn on ill-advised tax cuts by Rajapaksa's government that left it unable to respond to the collapse of foreign exchange reserves following the coronavirus pandemic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Political commentator Kusal Perera said Rajapaksa's downfall was due to his own inept handling of the economy. "He was popular as a Sinhala-Buddhist leader thanks to media hype, but he was simply unable to deliver," Perera told AFP. Rajapaksa's successor Ranil Wickremesinghe has brokered an International Monetary Fund rescue package and sharply raised taxes to restore government finances. – AFP/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-08', 'modified' => '2024-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20166', 'image' => '20240308014130_Gotabaya_1200px_22_10_28-1000x600.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-08 13:40:57', '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' => '20458', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Current Account and Balance of Payments in Surplus in Current FY: NRB', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 11: The country’s current account remained at a surplus of Rs 161.69 billion in mid-February against a deficit of Rs 40.16 billion in the same period of the previous year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 11: The country’s current account remained at a surplus of Rs 161.69 billion in mid-February against a deficit of Rs 40.16 billion in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">According to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank, the current account in terms of the US dollar registered a surplus of 1.22 billion in the review period against a deficit of 314.6 million in the same period last year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report of Nepal based on seven months’ data released by the central bank on Sunday showed that capital transfer decreased 29.0 percent to Rs 3.80 billion and net foreign direct investment (FDI) remained a positive of Rs 5.18 billion in the review period.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In the same period of the previous year, capital transfer amounted to Rs 5.35 billion and net FDI amounted to Rs 1.04 billion. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Balance of Payments (BOP) remained at a surplus of Rs 297.72 billion in the review period against a surplus of Rs 128.55 billion in the same period of the previous year. In the US Dollar terms, the BOP remained at a surplus of 2.24 billion in the review period against a surplus of 975.7 million in the same period of the previous year, the report added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Gross foreign exchange reserves increased 19.9 percent to Rs 1844.94 billion in mid-February 2024 from Rs 1539.36 billion in mid-July 2023. In the US dollar terms, the gross foreign exchange reserves increased 18.6 percent to 13.89 billion in mid-February 2024 from 11.71 billion in mid-July 2023. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Of the total foreign exchange reserves, reserves held by NRB increased 20.7 percent to Rs 1623.92 billion in mid-February 2024 from Rs 1345.78 billion in mid-July 2023. Reserves held by banks and financial institutions (except NRB) increased 14.2 percent to Rs 221.02 billion in mid-February 2024 from Rs 193.59 billion in mid-July 2023. The share of Indian currency in total reserves stood at 22.6 percent in mid- February 2024.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Based on the imports of seven months of 2023/24, the foreign exchange reserves of the banking sector is sufficient to cover the prospective merchandise imports of 14.7 months, and merchandise and services imports of 12.3 months. T</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-11', 'modified' => '2024-03-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20185', 'image' => '20240311103902_20231001020926_20220123032134_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-11 10:38:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20457', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inflation Moderates to 5.01 Percent in Mid-February: NRB', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 11: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation moderated to 5.01 percent in mid-February 2024 compared to 7.88 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 11: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation moderated to 5.01 percent in mid-February 2024 compared to 7.88 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report of Nepal released by the central bank on Sunday reveals that food and beverage category inflation stood at 6.51 percent whereas non-food and service category inflation stood at 3.85 percent in the review month. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Under the food and beverage category, the y-o-y price index of spices sub-category increased 32.11 percent, pulses and legumes 11.15 percent, milk products and eggs 10.78 percent, cereal grains and their products 9.06 percent and vegetable 7.58 percent in the review month. The y-o-y price index of ghee and oil subcategory decreased 12.33 percent in the review month. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Under the non-food and services category, the y-o-y price index of recreation and culture sub-category increased 12.61 percent, miscellaneous goods and services 9.15 percent and education 7.31 percent in the review month. The y-o-y price index of transportation sub-category decreased 1.41 percent in the review month.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-11', 'modified' => '2024-03-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20184', 'image' => '20240311100615_20231215014318_inflation less.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-11 10:05:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20456', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Remittance Inflow Increases to Rs 839 Billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 11: Inflow of remittance to Nepal increased 21.6 percent to Rs 839 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year compared to an increase of 27.1 percent in the same period of the previous year, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 11: Inflow of remittance to Nepal increased 21.6 percent to Rs 839 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year compared to an increase of 27.1 percent in the same period of the previous year, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report of Nepal based on seven months’ data released by the central bank on Sunday reveals that remittance inflows increased 19.1 percent to 6.31 billion in terms of the US dollar billion in the review period compared to an increase of 16.4 percent in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the review period, the number of Nepali workers, both institutional and individuals, taking first-time approval for foreign employment stood at 247,012 and those taking approval for renew entry stood at 158,540. In the previous year, such numbers were 314,767 and 167,708 respectively. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the NRB, net transfer increased 20.0 percent to Rs 910.74 billion in the review period. Such a transfer had increased 25.2 percent in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-11', 'modified' => '2024-03-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20183', 'image' => '20240311092949_20211216112240_Remittance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-11 09:28:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20451', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Gold Continues to Rise', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The price of gold continues to set new record in the domestic bullion market.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 10: The price of gold continues to set new record in the domestic bullion market. The price of hallmark gold has been fixed at Rs 126,000 per tola (11.66 grams) on Sunday. It was traded at Rs 125,000 on the previous trading day. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the price of gold set new record for three consecutive days last week, rising continuously from Tuesday to Thursday to reach Rs 125,000 per tola.</span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As per the price determined by the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association (FENEGOSIDA), the price of worked gold has been fixed at Rs 125,000 per tola. It was traded at Rs 124,000 on the previous trading day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The price of silver has increased by Rs 5 per tola and reached Rs 1,475 on Sunday, FENEGOSIDA stated. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Federation has been determining the price of the precious yellow metal and silver in the domestic market based on the price in the international market. The price of gold in the international market is around USD 2,178 per ounce. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20178', 'image' => '20240310065333_20240307024448_gold newwww.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 18:53:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20449', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Fails in its Plan to Expand the Area of Pre-Monsoon Paddy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The government has failed in its plan to expand the area of land where pre-monsoon paddy is cultivated. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 10: The government has failed in its plan to expand the area of land where pre-monsoon paddy is cultivated. The government had planned to expand pre-monsoon paddy cultivation to an additional 100,000 hectares this year by expanding irrigation facilities. However, the plan has failed because the government has not completed its preparations even when it is time to plant pre-monsoon paddy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The then Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Beduram Bhusal, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, proposed a plan to increase the area of paddy production by expanding irrigation facilities. However, with the formation of a new cabinet, the plan has failed to materialize.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture, Sabnam Sivakoti Aryal, said that although the file has been sent to the Ministry of Finance for approval of the pre-monsoon paddy expansion program, the plan for this year could not go ahead due to the delay in approval. It is necessary to get approval from the finance ministry regarding the budget and priority district. The plan failed this year due to the delay on part of the finance ministry. Now it's already time to start planting rice, so it seems that we have to prepare the plan for next year," she told New Business Age.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Area and production decreasing</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the data shows that both the area and production of pre-monsoon paddy are decreasing. According to the data provided by the ministry, the area of pre-monsoon paddy and its production have been decreasing in recent years. Farmers' attraction towards paddy production has not increased due to the lack of sufficient irrigation facility. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Nepal, more than 1.4 million hectares of land are cultivated. Pre-monsoon paddy is considered good in terms of productivity. However, the government seems indifferent to the expansion of pre-monsoon paddy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the ministry, 561,197 metric tons of pre-monsoon paddy was produced in 120, 042 hectares of land in the fiscal year 2078/79. In the year 2079/80, the production area decreased by 11,435 hectares to 108,607 hectares. In that year, the production of pre-monsoon paddy also decreased by 20,866 metric tons to 540,331 metric tons.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, in the year 2080/81, the area of pre-monsoon paddy has reduced to 104,712 hectares. In addition, this year the production was also limited to 520,808 metric tons.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20177', 'image' => '20240310123437_paddyyy-transformed.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 12:33:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20450', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UN Women's Deputy Chief Urges Action to Invest in Women for Societal Progress ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The deputy chief of United Nations (UN) Women on Friday called for investing in women and girls to drive societal advancement while reiterating the agency's dedication to fostering gender equality and enhancing women's participation in decision-making roles. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 10: The deputy chief of United Nations (UN) Women on Friday called for investing in women and girls to drive societal advancement while reiterating the agency's dedication to fostering gender equality and enhancing women's participation in decision-making roles. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Our first message is: Let's invest in women and girls, let's create opportunities for them to be socially empowered, to be economically empowered, to be in positions of decision-making," Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, deputy executive director of UN Women, the world body's entity dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women globally, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview in the UN Women's office in New York. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The importance of investing in women is that when women at the household level are educated and have income, they are able to also send their children to school," Gumbonzvanda said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Without investment in women, the world is short-changing itself in economic terms, she added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"By investing in little girls to elderly women, we witness dividends across families, societies, and nations," Gumbonzvanda said, underscoring the broad spectrum of benefits stemming from supporting women and girls. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"On International Women's Day and beyond, we implore our member states to intensify their efforts" in "creating economic opportunities for women and fostering violence-free environments in our families and communities," she said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, investing in women encompasses not just economic aspects but also "empowering their voice and perspective to shape policies," Gumbonzvanda said, as "having women at the decision-making table enables them to address societal inequalities and elevate issues that are often overlooked." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Political participation and women in decision-making have been priorities since the 1995 Beijing conference," she said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Gumbonzvanda, from Zimbabwe, assumed her duties as UN Assistant Secretary-General and UN Women Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, UN System Coordination, and Programme Results on Feb. 6. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Noting that currently elections are taking place in over 60 countries, Gumbonzvanda said: "With 1.3 billion women voting, this becomes a critical moment for them to influence governments to prioritize gender equality." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">She urged both men and women in these countries to "support female candidates to achieve the 50-50 parity agreed upon by member states." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Gumbonzvanda also emphasized the critical contributions of women and girls to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by saying, "We cannot fulfill the SDGs without addressing the challenges faced by women and girls, including exclusion and violence, and without expanding their opportunities in society." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">She also highlighted the need for "broader fiscal space and the implementation of gender-responsive budgeting" as critical elements in this effort. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Talking about the upcoming 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), she noted, "The meeting is timely in its focus on poverty, institutional strengthening, and financing for gender equality, alongside social protection concerns, given the current global context." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Addressing the alarming prediction that over 300 million people could still be living in poverty by 2030, she stressed the need for governmental commitment to prioritize resources for poverty alleviation programs and called for "reform of the global financial architecture to address inequalities and enhance support for gender equality programs, including education and healthcare for women." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Gumbonzvanda expressed pride in UN Women's current initiatives with China, particularly the projects in Wuhan, which focus on "bringing our technical expertise to support efforts in the country" and "creating policies and employment capacities" targeting women. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">She also revisited the pivotal moment of the 1995 Beijing conference, highlighting its significance in setting the agenda for women's political participation and decision-making globally. – Xinhua/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20176', 'image' => '20240310015649_un.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 13:55:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20448', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Tourists in Maldives Drop by One-Third amid Diplomatic Row ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives has dropped by 33 per cent as compared to last year, Maldivian website Adhadhu reported, citing data from the Maldives Tourism Ministry.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 10: The number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives has dropped by 33 per cent as compared to last year, Maldivian website Adhadhu reported, citing data from the Maldives Tourism Ministry. This comes as the diplomatic row between New Delhi and Male continues to deteriorate. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Tourism Ministry statistics for 2023, a total of 41,054 Indian tourists visited the Maldives by March 4 last year. The number of Indian tourists recorded as of March 2 this year was 27,224. This was 13,830 lesser than last year, Maldives-based Adhadhu reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In the same period last year, India was the second largest source market for tourists to the Maldives with a 10 per cent market share. However, India is now in sixth place on the list with a six percent market share. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The row erupted after three Maldivian deputy ministers made derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over his pictures from the visit to Lakshadweep. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">PM Modi had called for the Indian island cluster to be developed as a destination for beach tourism and promotion of domestic tourism. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The matter snowballed into a major diplomatic row, with New Delhi summoning the Maldivian envoy and registering a strong protest against the viral posts. The three deputy ministers were suspended and they remain under suspension with pay. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier this year, Maldives tourism industry stakeholders expressed concern as the boycott campaign in India grew momentum and gained the support of popular Indian film stars. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) conducted a survey to determine the impact of booking cancellations by Indian guests. But the findings were not made public, as reported by Adhadhu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">India remained the top tourist market for the Maldives through 2021-23 with more than 2,00,000 tourists each year. However, China is the top market now with more than 54,000 tourist arrivals so far this year. – ANI/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20175', 'image' => '20240310113339_602b686031d43167__1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 11:32:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20447', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Cybercrime Cases Up by Six Folds in Last Five Years ', 'sub_title' => 'Number of cases of financial fraud has increased: Police', 'summary' => 'March 9: In the last five years, cybercrime cases have increased by six-fold. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 9: In the last five years, cybercrime cases have increased by six-fold. <br /> According to the Nepal Police Headquarters’ Cyber Bureau data, as many as 2,301 applications were received in the fiscal year 2076/77 BS, while 12,789 applications were recorded till March 7 of the current fiscal year. <br /> Similarly, 3,906 applications were lodged in the fiscal year 2077/78; 4,686 in 2078/79 and 9,013 in 2079/80, the police headquarters shared. <br /> According to the police, a total of 12,789 applications, including 164 from boys, 242 from girls, 5,703 from women, 6,177 from men and 503 from others have been received online till March 6 of the current fiscal year. <br /> Superintendent of Police and spokesperson of cyber bureau, Deepak Raj Awasthi said that the number of cases of financial fraud has increased in the recent past among various forms of crimes such as online fraud, publishing obscene photos and videos on social media, using the names and pictures of other people and hacking websites. <br /> The trend of cybercrime includes putting online technology by adding people's faces to different types of nude pictures, publishing obscene photos and videos on social media, demanding ransom by taking control of all the information, opening a profile page using other people's names and pictures on social media, hacking the websites of government and other organizations, and online fraud. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20174', 'image' => '20240310105647_20240309084124_cyber-crime-e1697021086560.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 10:51:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20446', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Global IME Bank Conducts Financial Literacy Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Global IME Bank Limited conducted financial literacy programme by identifying various groups beyond the financial reach simultaneously through 41 branches.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 10: Global IME Bank Limited held financial literacy programme by identifying various groups beyond the financial reach simultaneously through 41 branches. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Participants in the program included farmers, small and medium entrepreneurs, laborers, prospective migrants, students, women, recipients of remittances, and local youths.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The program provided information on savings, loans, remittances, digital banking, insurance, investment, additional banking services, financial fraud, and financial discipline to more than 5,000 individuals. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank conducted the program in various districts, such as Jhapa, Morang, Sarlahi, Lalitpur, Ramechhap, Kathmandu, Dhading, Rasuwa, Syangja, Nawalparasi, Lamjung, Tanahu, Kapilvastu, Dang, Gulmi, Palpa, Rolpa, Rupandehi, Arghakhanchi, Baitadi, and Dadeldhura. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20173', 'image' => '20240310070702_collage (48).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 07:05:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20445', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Smuggled Fish Fingerlings from India Destroyed in Chitwan', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Twenty thousand fish fingerlings were destroyed in Chitwan. The stray fingerlings, which had been hidden and brought from India, were found and destroyed at Milijuli Chowk in Ward No. 16 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 10: Twenty thousand fish fingerlings were destroyed in Chitwan. The stray fingerlings, which had been hidden and brought from India, were found and destroyed at Milijuli Chowk in Ward No. 16 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The chief of the Narayangadh Ward Police Office and Police Inspector Basant Pandey informed that fingerlings, which had been smuggled from India, were seized and destroyed. A team of police led by Pandey seized the illegal fish.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Fingerlings were destroyed in the presence of Animal Quarantine, ward representatives, and journalists, said Inspector Pandey. The market value of the destroyed fish is Rs 3 lakhs. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20172', 'image' => '20240310065557_collage (47).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 06:54:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20443', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Karnali Province Organises ‘Pesticides-Free Week’ to Discourage the Use of Pesticides in Farming', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: The Karnali province government has initiated a campaign aimed at discouraging the use of pesticides in farming.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: The Karnali province government has initiated a campaign aimed at discouraging the use of pesticides in farming.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The 'pesticides-free week' has been organized in order to raise public awareness against the harmful impact of pesticides, considering its increasing use by the farmers.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Initiating the campaign, Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Bhim Prakash Sharma, said village-level awareness programmes should be conducted to free Karnali from the use of chemicals in crops and vegetables.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Heart and kidney patients are increasing of late and use of pesticides may be the reason behind it, Minister Sharma added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Secretary at the Ministry, Dr Narahari Prasad Ghimire, said the use of pesticides is having a serious impact on human health.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He emphasized that other alternatives should be used instead of chemicals. The use of pesticides has increased in a bid to increase production to meet the growing demand for food.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Likewise, Director of Agriculture Development Directorate Chitra Bahadur Rokaya shared that public awareness, information dissemination, display and distribution of biological destroyers of insects, and orientation programs in schools will be organized during the week. -- RSS</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-09', 'modified' => '2024-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20170', 'image' => '20240309083651_20220829014335_p02-120209-78.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-09 20:36:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20442', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Women Entrepreneurs Worry Over Market of Dhaka Garments', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: A group of women from Taman village of Tamankhola rural municipality-3 of Baglung district established a dhaka clothes industry some years back.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: A group of women from Taman village of Tamankhola rural municipality-3 of Baglung district established a dhaka clothes industry some years back. Upbeat in the beginning, the women continued dhaka yarning.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But as they did not get a market for their products, they are worried now. The store is full of dhaka garments, but the demand is negligible. It has forced the women entrepreneurs to run from pillar to post. They sometimes reach Burtibang and sometimes as far as Myagdi to peddle products. A total of 15 women are associated with this small industry set up by local Kalyan Mothers' Group of Taman village.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">They began working in the industry after Sangam Consultancy Centre in Baglung provided them 15-day training on dhaka yarn and weaving. Established at a cost of Rs 45,000, the industry has produced clothes worth Rs 700,000. Group Chair Tika Devi Budhagharti informed the state-owned RSS that as their products were not sold for lack of market, they had no option but to peddle from one place to another. Various items such as shawl, cap and lungi are made in the industry.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But the products did not market as per expectation. The women manage their time for industry in the morning and evening. A woman makes garments worth Rs 30,000 in a month, but it is disappointing for not being able to sell a single item, according to Budhagharti. Similarly, Junu Maya Ghartimagar, who is working in the group, said they worked very enthusiastically in the beginning, but they are now disappointed after their products did not get market. She, however, said they are still hopeful that their goods would get to market gradually. Although some purchase by the rural municipality encourages them, further initiative was warranted for aggressive marketing.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Gharti Magar stressed that more women would be self-employed if the government ensured marketing of their products. Chairperson of Tamankhola rural municipality Joklal Budhamagar, however, shared that they had started an initiative for marketing of the products, saying the local level had provided other support to women entrepreneurs, including machines.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Budhamagar blamed increasing use of imported goods from cities to villages for not getting a good market for the local items. The chairperson pledged that entrepreneurs' compulsion to search for the market for their products would be ended because the rural municipality had prioritized women entrepreneurs.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He further assured of providing continuous support to women entrepreneurs, stating that they had made a plan to bear transport expenses for them to carry their products to different trade fairs and festivals. -- RSS</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-09', 'modified' => '2024-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20169', 'image' => '20240309083245_20211129022705_Dhaka Made in Nepal 2 Mero Kuraa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-09 20:32:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20441', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Food Prices Drop for Seventh Month: FAO', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: World food prices dropped for the seventh month in a row February as falling cereal prices outweighed more costly sugar and meat, the Food and Agricultural Organization said Friday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 8: World food prices dropped for the seventh month in a row February as falling cereal prices outweighed more costly sugar and meat, the Food and Agricultural Organization said Friday.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The United Nations agency said its FAO Food Price Index dropped 0.7 percent in February and is down 10.5 percent from a year ago.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The FAO index measures commodity market prices, and it can take a while for these to filter through to supermarket shelves. They represent only a fraction of the cost of processed final products.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Cereals alone dropped five percent during the month and 22.4 percent from February last year, driven lower by corn "amid expectations of large harvests in South America and competitive prices offered by Ukraine," the FAO said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Wheat was pulled lower by stronger Russian exports and rice prices also fell.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Vegetable oils also largely fell due to abundant harvests in South America.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Sugar, however, rose 3.2 percent during the month because of dry weather in Brazil.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The meat index rose 1.8 percent during the month as heavy rains disrupted cattle transportation in Australia and Chinese demand for pork grew amid tight supplies in Europe. – AFP/RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-08', 'modified' => '2024-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20168', 'image' => '20240308072157_20240106112122_20231014073446_image1.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-08 19:21:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20440', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bankers Urge Finance Minister to Stop Chaotic Activities against BFIs', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Bankers have urged the newly-appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun to stop the chaotic activities against banks and financial institutions.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 8: Bankers have urged the newly-appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun to stop the chaotic activities against banks and financial institutions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The representatives of Nepal Bankers Association met Pun on Thursday and demanded immediate action against those who spread misinformation that they do need to pay the bank loans. Sunil KC, president of the association, also drew the attention of the government to be serious about the security of the banking sector.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">They urged Minister Pun to be serious about the increase in cases of abusive behavior and physical attacks on bank employees who go to recover loans. In response, Minister Pun made it clear that the government will not entertain the campaign for defaulting bank loans.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Minister Pun also informed that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, in the cabinet meeting held on Thursday morning, directed the related ministries and agencies to take action against those who are inciting to default on bank loans. Minister Pun said, "The trend of not paying the loans taken from banks and financial institutions cannot be allowed to continue for a long time. No one should encourage such trend."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Finance Minister Pun said that the government will not allow the morale of investors to fall as it will lead to the downfall of the overall economy and the country. He said that the government is clear that foreign investment can be attracted only if investment environment and investment security can be guaranteed in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> "The government will put an end to the atmosphere of panic and fear in the private sector," said Pun.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Minister Pun urged the regulatory bodies not to cause unnecessary hassles to the businessmen of the private sector. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">On a different note, Finance Minister Pun said that the pre-scheduled investment summit will not be affected due to the change in the ruling coalition.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-08', 'modified' => '2024-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20167', 'image' => '20240308015342_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-08 13:53:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20439', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sri Lanka Ex-Leader ‘Ousted’ over China Investments ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa ended a long silence over his ouster Thursday by releasing a book claiming "geopolitical rivalry" between China and other countries was responsible for his downfall. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 8: Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa ended a long silence over his ouster Thursday by releasing a book claiming "geopolitical rivalry" between China and other countries was responsible for his downfall. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Rajapaksa was forced into temporary exile after protesters stormed his official residence in 2022, following months of street protests over the island nation's worst-ever economic crisis. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In a self-published account of his downfall, "The Conspiracy", Rajapaksa defends his government's economic policies, which forced an unprecedented foreign debt default and saw months of severe food and fuel shortages. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Instead, he said "Chinese funded infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka after 2006 brought in an element of geopolitical rivalry" that precipitated his overthrow. "It would be extremely naive for anyone to claim that there was no foreign hand in the moves made to oust me from power," Rajapaksa wrote. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Rajapaksa did not name specific countries, but the United States had in the past repeatedly warned Sri Lanka it risked falling into a Chinese debt trap by signing a raft of infrastructure deals. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">At the time of his ouster, the 74-year-old was initially flown out of Sri Lanka aboard a military aircraft and emailed his resignation from Singapore, but he has since returned home. In the book, Rajapaksa claimed that protesters who took to the streets as the economy ground to a halt in the final months of his tenure had "foreign funding", without offering evidence. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Beijing has funded several development projects in Sri Lanka, including a rarely-used convention centre and airport in Rajapaksa's hometown Hambantota, which critics have slammed as white elephants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">China is also Sri Lanka's biggest single bilateral lender, owning around 10 percent of the island's foreign debt. Rajapaksa was once esteemed among the Sinhala Buddhist majority for helping end Sri Lanka's long civil war in 2009 while serving as the top defence official during his brother Mahinda's presidency. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He was elected in a landslide in 2019 but his popularity crashed in tandem with Sri Lanka's economy less than three years later, as supermarket shelves stood empty and days-long queues formed at petrol stations. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Economists blamed the sudden downturn on ill-advised tax cuts by Rajapaksa's government that left it unable to respond to the collapse of foreign exchange reserves following the coronavirus pandemic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Political commentator Kusal Perera said Rajapaksa's downfall was due to his own inept handling of the economy. "He was popular as a Sinhala-Buddhist leader thanks to media hype, but he was simply unable to deliver," Perera told AFP. Rajapaksa's successor Ranil Wickremesinghe has brokered an International Monetary Fund rescue package and sharply raised taxes to restore government finances. – AFP/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-08', 'modified' => '2024-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20166', 'image' => '20240308014130_Gotabaya_1200px_22_10_28-1000x600.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-08 13:40:57', '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' => '20458', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Current Account and Balance of Payments in Surplus in Current FY: NRB', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 11: The country’s current account remained at a surplus of Rs 161.69 billion in mid-February against a deficit of Rs 40.16 billion in the same period of the previous year.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 11: The country’s current account remained at a surplus of Rs 161.69 billion in mid-February against a deficit of Rs 40.16 billion in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">According to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank, the current account in terms of the US dollar registered a surplus of 1.22 billion in the review period against a deficit of 314.6 million in the same period last year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report of Nepal based on seven months’ data released by the central bank on Sunday showed that capital transfer decreased 29.0 percent to Rs 3.80 billion and net foreign direct investment (FDI) remained a positive of Rs 5.18 billion in the review period.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In the same period of the previous year, capital transfer amounted to Rs 5.35 billion and net FDI amounted to Rs 1.04 billion. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Balance of Payments (BOP) remained at a surplus of Rs 297.72 billion in the review period against a surplus of Rs 128.55 billion in the same period of the previous year. In the US Dollar terms, the BOP remained at a surplus of 2.24 billion in the review period against a surplus of 975.7 million in the same period of the previous year, the report added.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Gross foreign exchange reserves increased 19.9 percent to Rs 1844.94 billion in mid-February 2024 from Rs 1539.36 billion in mid-July 2023. In the US dollar terms, the gross foreign exchange reserves increased 18.6 percent to 13.89 billion in mid-February 2024 from 11.71 billion in mid-July 2023. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Of the total foreign exchange reserves, reserves held by NRB increased 20.7 percent to Rs 1623.92 billion in mid-February 2024 from Rs 1345.78 billion in mid-July 2023. Reserves held by banks and financial institutions (except NRB) increased 14.2 percent to Rs 221.02 billion in mid-February 2024 from Rs 193.59 billion in mid-July 2023. The share of Indian currency in total reserves stood at 22.6 percent in mid- February 2024.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Based on the imports of seven months of 2023/24, the foreign exchange reserves of the banking sector is sufficient to cover the prospective merchandise imports of 14.7 months, and merchandise and services imports of 12.3 months. T</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-11', 'modified' => '2024-03-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20185', 'image' => '20240311103902_20231001020926_20220123032134_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-11 10:38:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20457', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Inflation Moderates to 5.01 Percent in Mid-February: NRB', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 11: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation moderated to 5.01 percent in mid-February 2024 compared to 7.88 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 11: The year-on-year (y-o-y) consumer price inflation moderated to 5.01 percent in mid-February 2024 compared to 7.88 percent a year ago, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report of Nepal released by the central bank on Sunday reveals that food and beverage category inflation stood at 6.51 percent whereas non-food and service category inflation stood at 3.85 percent in the review month. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Under the food and beverage category, the y-o-y price index of spices sub-category increased 32.11 percent, pulses and legumes 11.15 percent, milk products and eggs 10.78 percent, cereal grains and their products 9.06 percent and vegetable 7.58 percent in the review month. The y-o-y price index of ghee and oil subcategory decreased 12.33 percent in the review month. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Under the non-food and services category, the y-o-y price index of recreation and culture sub-category increased 12.61 percent, miscellaneous goods and services 9.15 percent and education 7.31 percent in the review month. The y-o-y price index of transportation sub-category decreased 1.41 percent in the review month.</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-11', 'modified' => '2024-03-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20184', 'image' => '20240311100615_20231215014318_inflation less.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-11 10:05:41', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20456', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Remittance Inflow Increases to Rs 839 Billion', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 11: Inflow of remittance to Nepal increased 21.6 percent to Rs 839 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year compared to an increase of 27.1 percent in the same period of the previous year, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 11: Inflow of remittance to Nepal increased 21.6 percent to Rs 839 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year compared to an increase of 27.1 percent in the same period of the previous year, according to the latest report of Nepal Rastra Bank. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report of Nepal based on seven months’ data released by the central bank on Sunday reveals that remittance inflows increased 19.1 percent to 6.31 billion in terms of the US dollar billion in the review period compared to an increase of 16.4 percent in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the review period, the number of Nepali workers, both institutional and individuals, taking first-time approval for foreign employment stood at 247,012 and those taking approval for renew entry stood at 158,540. In the previous year, such numbers were 314,767 and 167,708 respectively. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the NRB, net transfer increased 20.0 percent to Rs 910.74 billion in the review period. Such a transfer had increased 25.2 percent in the same period of the previous year.</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-11', 'modified' => '2024-03-11', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20183', 'image' => '20240311092949_20211216112240_Remittance.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-11 09:28:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20451', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Price of Gold Continues to Rise', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The price of gold continues to set new record in the domestic bullion market.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 10: The price of gold continues to set new record in the domestic bullion market. The price of hallmark gold has been fixed at Rs 126,000 per tola (11.66 grams) on Sunday. It was traded at Rs 125,000 on the previous trading day. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prior to this, the price of gold set new record for three consecutive days last week, rising continuously from Tuesday to Thursday to reach Rs 125,000 per tola.</span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">As per the price determined by the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association (FENEGOSIDA), the price of worked gold has been fixed at Rs 125,000 per tola. It was traded at Rs 124,000 on the previous trading day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The price of silver has increased by Rs 5 per tola and reached Rs 1,475 on Sunday, FENEGOSIDA stated. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Federation has been determining the price of the precious yellow metal and silver in the domestic market based on the price in the international market. The price of gold in the international market is around USD 2,178 per ounce. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20178', 'image' => '20240310065333_20240307024448_gold newwww.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 18:53:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20449', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Fails in its Plan to Expand the Area of Pre-Monsoon Paddy', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The government has failed in its plan to expand the area of land where pre-monsoon paddy is cultivated. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 10: The government has failed in its plan to expand the area of land where pre-monsoon paddy is cultivated. The government had planned to expand pre-monsoon paddy cultivation to an additional 100,000 hectares this year by expanding irrigation facilities. However, the plan has failed because the government has not completed its preparations even when it is time to plant pre-monsoon paddy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The then Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Beduram Bhusal, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, proposed a plan to increase the area of paddy production by expanding irrigation facilities. However, with the formation of a new cabinet, the plan has failed to materialize.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture, Sabnam Sivakoti Aryal, said that although the file has been sent to the Ministry of Finance for approval of the pre-monsoon paddy expansion program, the plan for this year could not go ahead due to the delay in approval. It is necessary to get approval from the finance ministry regarding the budget and priority district. The plan failed this year due to the delay on part of the finance ministry. Now it's already time to start planting rice, so it seems that we have to prepare the plan for next year," she told New Business Age.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Area and production decreasing</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Meanwhile, the data shows that both the area and production of pre-monsoon paddy are decreasing. According to the data provided by the ministry, the area of pre-monsoon paddy and its production have been decreasing in recent years. Farmers' attraction towards paddy production has not increased due to the lack of sufficient irrigation facility. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Nepal, more than 1.4 million hectares of land are cultivated. Pre-monsoon paddy is considered good in terms of productivity. However, the government seems indifferent to the expansion of pre-monsoon paddy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to the ministry, 561,197 metric tons of pre-monsoon paddy was produced in 120, 042 hectares of land in the fiscal year 2078/79. In the year 2079/80, the production area decreased by 11,435 hectares to 108,607 hectares. In that year, the production of pre-monsoon paddy also decreased by 20,866 metric tons to 540,331 metric tons.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similarly, in the year 2080/81, the area of pre-monsoon paddy has reduced to 104,712 hectares. In addition, this year the production was also limited to 520,808 metric tons.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20177', 'image' => '20240310123437_paddyyy-transformed.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 12:33:44', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20450', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UN Women's Deputy Chief Urges Action to Invest in Women for Societal Progress ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The deputy chief of United Nations (UN) Women on Friday called for investing in women and girls to drive societal advancement while reiterating the agency's dedication to fostering gender equality and enhancing women's participation in decision-making roles. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 10: The deputy chief of United Nations (UN) Women on Friday called for investing in women and girls to drive societal advancement while reiterating the agency's dedication to fostering gender equality and enhancing women's participation in decision-making roles. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Our first message is: Let's invest in women and girls, let's create opportunities for them to be socially empowered, to be economically empowered, to be in positions of decision-making," Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, deputy executive director of UN Women, the world body's entity dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women globally, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview in the UN Women's office in New York. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The importance of investing in women is that when women at the household level are educated and have income, they are able to also send their children to school," Gumbonzvanda said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Without investment in women, the world is short-changing itself in economic terms, she added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"By investing in little girls to elderly women, we witness dividends across families, societies, and nations," Gumbonzvanda said, underscoring the broad spectrum of benefits stemming from supporting women and girls. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"On International Women's Day and beyond, we implore our member states to intensify their efforts" in "creating economic opportunities for women and fostering violence-free environments in our families and communities," she said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, investing in women encompasses not just economic aspects but also "empowering their voice and perspective to shape policies," Gumbonzvanda said, as "having women at the decision-making table enables them to address societal inequalities and elevate issues that are often overlooked." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"Political participation and women in decision-making have been priorities since the 1995 Beijing conference," she said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Gumbonzvanda, from Zimbabwe, assumed her duties as UN Assistant Secretary-General and UN Women Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, UN System Coordination, and Programme Results on Feb. 6. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Noting that currently elections are taking place in over 60 countries, Gumbonzvanda said: "With 1.3 billion women voting, this becomes a critical moment for them to influence governments to prioritize gender equality." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">She urged both men and women in these countries to "support female candidates to achieve the 50-50 parity agreed upon by member states." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Gumbonzvanda also emphasized the critical contributions of women and girls to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by saying, "We cannot fulfill the SDGs without addressing the challenges faced by women and girls, including exclusion and violence, and without expanding their opportunities in society." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">She also highlighted the need for "broader fiscal space and the implementation of gender-responsive budgeting" as critical elements in this effort. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Talking about the upcoming 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), she noted, "The meeting is timely in its focus on poverty, institutional strengthening, and financing for gender equality, alongside social protection concerns, given the current global context." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Addressing the alarming prediction that over 300 million people could still be living in poverty by 2030, she stressed the need for governmental commitment to prioritize resources for poverty alleviation programs and called for "reform of the global financial architecture to address inequalities and enhance support for gender equality programs, including education and healthcare for women." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Gumbonzvanda expressed pride in UN Women's current initiatives with China, particularly the projects in Wuhan, which focus on "bringing our technical expertise to support efforts in the country" and "creating policies and employment capacities" targeting women. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">She also revisited the pivotal moment of the 1995 Beijing conference, highlighting its significance in setting the agenda for women's political participation and decision-making globally. – Xinhua/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20176', 'image' => '20240310015649_un.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 13:55:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20448', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Indian Tourists in Maldives Drop by One-Third amid Diplomatic Row ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 10: The number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives has dropped by 33 per cent as compared to last year, Maldivian website Adhadhu reported, citing data from the Maldives Tourism Ministry.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">March 10: The number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives has dropped by 33 per cent as compared to last year, Maldivian website Adhadhu reported, citing data from the Maldives Tourism Ministry. This comes as the diplomatic row between New Delhi and Male continues to deteriorate. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Tourism Ministry statistics for 2023, a total of 41,054 Indian tourists visited the Maldives by March 4 last year. The number of Indian tourists recorded as of March 2 this year was 27,224. This was 13,830 lesser than last year, Maldives-based Adhadhu reported. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In the same period last year, India was the second largest source market for tourists to the Maldives with a 10 per cent market share. However, India is now in sixth place on the list with a six percent market share. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The row erupted after three Maldivian deputy ministers made derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over his pictures from the visit to Lakshadweep. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">PM Modi had called for the Indian island cluster to be developed as a destination for beach tourism and promotion of domestic tourism. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The matter snowballed into a major diplomatic row, with New Delhi summoning the Maldivian envoy and registering a strong protest against the viral posts. The three deputy ministers were suspended and they remain under suspension with pay. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Earlier this year, Maldives tourism industry stakeholders expressed concern as the boycott campaign in India grew momentum and gained the support of popular Indian film stars. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) conducted a survey to determine the impact of booking cancellations by Indian guests. But the findings were not made public, as reported by Adhadhu. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">India remained the top tourist market for the Maldives through 2021-23 with more than 2,00,000 tourists each year. However, China is the top market now with more than 54,000 tourist arrivals so far this year. – ANI/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20175', 'image' => '20240310113339_602b686031d43167__1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 11:32:53', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20447', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Cybercrime Cases Up by Six Folds in Last Five Years ', 'sub_title' => 'Number of cases of financial fraud has increased: Police', 'summary' => 'March 9: In the last five years, cybercrime cases have increased by six-fold. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px">March 9: In the last five years, cybercrime cases have increased by six-fold. <br /> According to the Nepal Police Headquarters’ Cyber Bureau data, as many as 2,301 applications were received in the fiscal year 2076/77 BS, while 12,789 applications were recorded till March 7 of the current fiscal year. <br /> Similarly, 3,906 applications were lodged in the fiscal year 2077/78; 4,686 in 2078/79 and 9,013 in 2079/80, the police headquarters shared. <br /> According to the police, a total of 12,789 applications, including 164 from boys, 242 from girls, 5,703 from women, 6,177 from men and 503 from others have been received online till March 6 of the current fiscal year. <br /> Superintendent of Police and spokesperson of cyber bureau, Deepak Raj Awasthi said that the number of cases of financial fraud has increased in the recent past among various forms of crimes such as online fraud, publishing obscene photos and videos on social media, using the names and pictures of other people and hacking websites. <br /> The trend of cybercrime includes putting online technology by adding people's faces to different types of nude pictures, publishing obscene photos and videos on social media, demanding ransom by taking control of all the information, opening a profile page using other people's names and pictures on social media, hacking the websites of government and other organizations, and online fraud. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20174', 'image' => '20240310105647_20240309084124_cyber-crime-e1697021086560.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 10:51:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20446', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Global IME Bank Conducts Financial Literacy Programme', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Global IME Bank Limited conducted financial literacy programme by identifying various groups beyond the financial reach simultaneously through 41 branches.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 10: Global IME Bank Limited held financial literacy programme by identifying various groups beyond the financial reach simultaneously through 41 branches. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Participants in the program included farmers, small and medium entrepreneurs, laborers, prospective migrants, students, women, recipients of remittances, and local youths.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The program provided information on savings, loans, remittances, digital banking, insurance, investment, additional banking services, financial fraud, and financial discipline to more than 5,000 individuals. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank conducted the program in various districts, such as Jhapa, Morang, Sarlahi, Lalitpur, Ramechhap, Kathmandu, Dhading, Rasuwa, Syangja, Nawalparasi, Lamjung, Tanahu, Kapilvastu, Dang, Gulmi, Palpa, Rolpa, Rupandehi, Arghakhanchi, Baitadi, and Dadeldhura. </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20173', 'image' => '20240310070702_collage (48).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 07:05:49', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20445', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Smuggled Fish Fingerlings from India Destroyed in Chitwan', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Twenty thousand fish fingerlings were destroyed in Chitwan. The stray fingerlings, which had been hidden and brought from India, were found and destroyed at Milijuli Chowk in Ward No. 16 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 10: Twenty thousand fish fingerlings were destroyed in Chitwan. The stray fingerlings, which had been hidden and brought from India, were found and destroyed at Milijuli Chowk in Ward No. 16 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The chief of the Narayangadh Ward Police Office and Police Inspector Basant Pandey informed that fingerlings, which had been smuggled from India, were seized and destroyed. A team of police led by Pandey seized the illegal fish.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Fingerlings were destroyed in the presence of Animal Quarantine, ward representatives, and journalists, said Inspector Pandey. The market value of the destroyed fish is Rs 3 lakhs. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-10', 'modified' => '2024-03-10', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20172', 'image' => '20240310065557_collage (47).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-10 06:54:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20443', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Karnali Province Organises ‘Pesticides-Free Week’ to Discourage the Use of Pesticides in Farming', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: The Karnali province government has initiated a campaign aimed at discouraging the use of pesticides in farming.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: The Karnali province government has initiated a campaign aimed at discouraging the use of pesticides in farming.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The 'pesticides-free week' has been organized in order to raise public awareness against the harmful impact of pesticides, considering its increasing use by the farmers.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Initiating the campaign, Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Bhim Prakash Sharma, said village-level awareness programmes should be conducted to free Karnali from the use of chemicals in crops and vegetables.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Heart and kidney patients are increasing of late and use of pesticides may be the reason behind it, Minister Sharma added.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Secretary at the Ministry, Dr Narahari Prasad Ghimire, said the use of pesticides is having a serious impact on human health.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He emphasized that other alternatives should be used instead of chemicals. The use of pesticides has increased in a bid to increase production to meet the growing demand for food.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Likewise, Director of Agriculture Development Directorate Chitra Bahadur Rokaya shared that public awareness, information dissemination, display and distribution of biological destroyers of insects, and orientation programs in schools will be organized during the week. -- RSS</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><strong> </strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-09', 'modified' => '2024-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20170', 'image' => '20240309083651_20220829014335_p02-120209-78.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-09 20:36:31', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20442', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Women Entrepreneurs Worry Over Market of Dhaka Garments', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 9: A group of women from Taman village of Tamankhola rural municipality-3 of Baglung district established a dhaka clothes industry some years back.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">March 9: A group of women from Taman village of Tamankhola rural municipality-3 of Baglung district established a dhaka clothes industry some years back. Upbeat in the beginning, the women continued dhaka yarning.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But as they did not get a market for their products, they are worried now. The store is full of dhaka garments, but the demand is negligible. It has forced the women entrepreneurs to run from pillar to post. They sometimes reach Burtibang and sometimes as far as Myagdi to peddle products. A total of 15 women are associated with this small industry set up by local Kalyan Mothers' Group of Taman village.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">They began working in the industry after Sangam Consultancy Centre in Baglung provided them 15-day training on dhaka yarn and weaving. Established at a cost of Rs 45,000, the industry has produced clothes worth Rs 700,000. Group Chair Tika Devi Budhagharti informed the state-owned RSS that as their products were not sold for lack of market, they had no option but to peddle from one place to another. Various items such as shawl, cap and lungi are made in the industry.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">But the products did not market as per expectation. The women manage their time for industry in the morning and evening. A woman makes garments worth Rs 30,000 in a month, but it is disappointing for not being able to sell a single item, according to Budhagharti. Similarly, Junu Maya Ghartimagar, who is working in the group, said they worked very enthusiastically in the beginning, but they are now disappointed after their products did not get market. She, however, said they are still hopeful that their goods would get to market gradually. Although some purchase by the rural municipality encourages them, further initiative was warranted for aggressive marketing.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Gharti Magar stressed that more women would be self-employed if the government ensured marketing of their products. Chairperson of Tamankhola rural municipality Joklal Budhamagar, however, shared that they had started an initiative for marketing of the products, saying the local level had provided other support to women entrepreneurs, including machines.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Budhamagar blamed increasing use of imported goods from cities to villages for not getting a good market for the local items. The chairperson pledged that entrepreneurs' compulsion to search for the market for their products would be ended because the rural municipality had prioritized women entrepreneurs.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">He further assured of providing continuous support to women entrepreneurs, stating that they had made a plan to bear transport expenses for them to carry their products to different trade fairs and festivals. -- RSS</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-09', 'modified' => '2024-03-09', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20169', 'image' => '20240309083245_20211129022705_Dhaka Made in Nepal 2 Mero Kuraa.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-09 20:32:20', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20441', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'World Food Prices Drop for Seventh Month: FAO', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: World food prices dropped for the seventh month in a row February as falling cereal prices outweighed more costly sugar and meat, the Food and Agricultural Organization said Friday.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">March 8: World food prices dropped for the seventh month in a row February as falling cereal prices outweighed more costly sugar and meat, the Food and Agricultural Organization said Friday.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The United Nations agency said its FAO Food Price Index dropped 0.7 percent in February and is down 10.5 percent from a year ago.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The FAO index measures commodity market prices, and it can take a while for these to filter through to supermarket shelves. They represent only a fraction of the cost of processed final products.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Cereals alone dropped five percent during the month and 22.4 percent from February last year, driven lower by corn "amid expectations of large harvests in South America and competitive prices offered by Ukraine," the FAO said.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Wheat was pulled lower by stronger Russian exports and rice prices also fell.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Vegetable oils also largely fell due to abundant harvests in South America.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Sugar, however, rose 3.2 percent during the month because of dry weather in Brazil.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The meat index rose 1.8 percent during the month as heavy rains disrupted cattle transportation in Australia and Chinese demand for pork grew amid tight supplies in Europe. – AFP/RSS</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-08', 'modified' => '2024-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20168', 'image' => '20240308072157_20240106112122_20231014073446_image1.jpeg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-08 19:21:22', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20440', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bankers Urge Finance Minister to Stop Chaotic Activities against BFIs', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Bankers have urged the newly-appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun to stop the chaotic activities against banks and financial institutions.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 8: Bankers have urged the newly-appointed Finance Minister Barshman Pun to stop the chaotic activities against banks and financial institutions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The representatives of Nepal Bankers Association met Pun on Thursday and demanded immediate action against those who spread misinformation that they do need to pay the bank loans. Sunil KC, president of the association, also drew the attention of the government to be serious about the security of the banking sector.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">They urged Minister Pun to be serious about the increase in cases of abusive behavior and physical attacks on bank employees who go to recover loans. In response, Minister Pun made it clear that the government will not entertain the campaign for defaulting bank loans.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Minister Pun also informed that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, in the cabinet meeting held on Thursday morning, directed the related ministries and agencies to take action against those who are inciting to default on bank loans. Minister Pun said, "The trend of not paying the loans taken from banks and financial institutions cannot be allowed to continue for a long time. No one should encourage such trend."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Finance Minister Pun said that the government will not allow the morale of investors to fall as it will lead to the downfall of the overall economy and the country. He said that the government is clear that foreign investment can be attracted only if investment environment and investment security can be guaranteed in the country.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> "The government will put an end to the atmosphere of panic and fear in the private sector," said Pun.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Minister Pun urged the regulatory bodies not to cause unnecessary hassles to the businessmen of the private sector. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">On a different note, Finance Minister Pun said that the pre-scheduled investment summit will not be affected due to the change in the ruling coalition.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-08', 'modified' => '2024-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20167', 'image' => '20240308015342_Banks - Copy.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-08 13:53:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20439', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Sri Lanka Ex-Leader ‘Ousted’ over China Investments ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'March 8: Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa ended a long silence over his ouster Thursday by releasing a book claiming "geopolitical rivalry" between China and other countries was responsible for his downfall. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">March 8: Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa ended a long silence over his ouster Thursday by releasing a book claiming "geopolitical rivalry" between China and other countries was responsible for his downfall. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Rajapaksa was forced into temporary exile after protesters stormed his official residence in 2022, following months of street protests over the island nation's worst-ever economic crisis. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In a self-published account of his downfall, "The Conspiracy", Rajapaksa defends his government's economic policies, which forced an unprecedented foreign debt default and saw months of severe food and fuel shortages. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Instead, he said "Chinese funded infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka after 2006 brought in an element of geopolitical rivalry" that precipitated his overthrow. "It would be extremely naive for anyone to claim that there was no foreign hand in the moves made to oust me from power," Rajapaksa wrote. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Rajapaksa did not name specific countries, but the United States had in the past repeatedly warned Sri Lanka it risked falling into a Chinese debt trap by signing a raft of infrastructure deals. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">At the time of his ouster, the 74-year-old was initially flown out of Sri Lanka aboard a military aircraft and emailed his resignation from Singapore, but he has since returned home. In the book, Rajapaksa claimed that protesters who took to the streets as the economy ground to a halt in the final months of his tenure had "foreign funding", without offering evidence. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Beijing has funded several development projects in Sri Lanka, including a rarely-used convention centre and airport in Rajapaksa's hometown Hambantota, which critics have slammed as white elephants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">China is also Sri Lanka's biggest single bilateral lender, owning around 10 percent of the island's foreign debt. Rajapaksa was once esteemed among the Sinhala Buddhist majority for helping end Sri Lanka's long civil war in 2009 while serving as the top defence official during his brother Mahinda's presidency. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">He was elected in a landslide in 2019 but his popularity crashed in tandem with Sri Lanka's economy less than three years later, as supermarket shelves stood empty and days-long queues formed at petrol stations. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Economists blamed the sudden downturn on ill-advised tax cuts by Rajapaksa's government that left it unable to respond to the collapse of foreign exchange reserves following the coronavirus pandemic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Political commentator Kusal Perera said Rajapaksa's downfall was due to his own inept handling of the economy. "He was popular as a Sinhala-Buddhist leader thanks to media hype, but he was simply unable to deliver," Perera told AFP. Rajapaksa's successor Ranil Wickremesinghe has brokered an International Monetary Fund rescue package and sharply raised taxes to restore government finances. – AFP/RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-03-08', 'modified' => '2024-03-08', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20166', 'image' => '20240308014130_Gotabaya_1200px_22_10_28-1000x600.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-03-08 13:40:57', '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
