February 25: Since the flow of water in the rivers decreases during the dry season, the electricity production is reduced.…
February 25: Since the flow of water in the rivers decreases during the dry season, the electricity production is reduced.…
February 25: The number of microfinance companies that do not distribute dividends to the investors is more than those that give dividends.…
February 25: Nepal Rastra Bank has agreed to monitor the cooperatives which falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Cooperatives.…
February 25: The farmers of Taplejung district are elated with the increase in the price of black cardamom, which is commonly known as 'black gold'…
February 25: Prime Minister and Parliamentary Party leader of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the federal government would not handle projects worth less than Rs 30…
The Nepal Telecom is gearing up to provide free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports within six months. Nepal Telecom and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have inked an agreement to provide free Wi-Fi access in the…
February 24: Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Tribhuvan University (TU), Prof Dr Keshar Jung Baral has announced to revise the Bachelor's degree to 'three…
February 24: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said it is not possible to construct an airport in Dharan without conducting a proper…
Nepal Investment Mega Bank Limited has recently brought two new branches into operation in Kathmandu. The bank launched a new branch into operation each at Swayambhu in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15 and Balaju in Kathmandu Metropolitan…
February 23: The entrepreneurs of Birgunj have complained that they have to pay interest to banks even for Value Added Tax just because of the delay in receiving payments.…
February 23: The electricity sale negotiations between Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) have progressed in the positive…
February 23: With the increase in the share of public debt, the government has had to spend a large amount of money on financial liability…
February 23: Sporadic rainfall is likely to occur at some places across the country today due to the partial impact of the westerly low pressure system (also known as western disturbance) in the…
February 23: A motorable bridge over Lo Manthang River along the Kaligandaki corridor in Upper Mustang has been…
February 23: Snowfall in different parts of the country has elated…
Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60]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' => '20340', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEA Focuses on Solar Energy during Dry Season', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Since the flow of water in the rivers decreases during the dry season, the electricity production is reduced. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: Since the flow of water in the rivers decreases during the dry season, the electricity production is reduced. So, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recently prioritized solar energy to facilitate energy supply. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Kulman Ghising, the managing director of the NEA, confirmed that the authority has prioritized solar energy.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The authority had adopted a policy of consuming only 10 percent of the total electricity connected to the national grid from solar energy. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Ghising said that the NEA has now adopted the policy of consuming 10 percent of solar energy in the total installed capacity as per the power purchase agreement (PPA). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Nepal, which exports electricity during the rainy season, has to import electricity from India during the dry season. Ghising said that solar energy is necessary to meet the domestic demand of electricity during the dry season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In line with the policy of prioritizing solar energy, the NEA has granted survey permission to 42 companies for 735 MW of solar energy in the last four years. During this period, 14 companies have taken permission to build solar power plants of 99.36 megawatts. Similarly, the NEA has issued survey permission for 77.2 MW solar energy only in the current fiscal year (FY).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The authority, which has adopted the concept of energy mix by giving preference to solar energy, has been purchasing solar energy on the basis of competition. Earlier, the authority was buying solar energy at Rs 7.30 per unit, but since February last year, it has been buying it at Rs 5.94 per unit. This is the maximum tariff. </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 Ghising, the electricity production capacity has now dropped to about 10 percent. With the onset of winter, the water level in the rivers decreases, affecting the production of electricity every year. Therefore, the authority is importing electricity from India from mid-November. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Electricity worth Rs 2.5 billion has been imported as of mid-February. Ghising says that since the country needs to step up imports of electricity in February, March and April, the NEA is forced to import electricity worth Rs 3 billion to Rs 4 billion rupees every month during the dry season. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Due to the decrease in water flow in the river, the production of the Kabeli Corridor with an installed capacity of about 200 MW is now only 20 MW. This year, drought has greatly increased due to the lack of rain and snowfall.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">What is the possibility of solar energy production?</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 statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, there is 10,30,000 hectares of barren land in Nepal. Stakeholders say that even if only 1 to 2 percent of that land is used, the production of solar energy in Nepal can be overwhelming.</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 Kuberamani Nepal, a member of the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), one and a half bigha of land is needed to build a solar power project with a capacity of one megawatt which can produce 1.7 million to 2 million units of electricity. It can generate a minimum income of Rs 124,00,000 to 1,53,00,000. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">When it comes to solar irrigation, the world average is 3.7 units per square meter but in Nepal it is 4.7 units per square meter. That means one square meter has the capacity to produce 4.7 kilowatt of solar electricity per day. Compared to the plains, there is more capacity to produce solar energy in the hills. Therefore, energy producers say that Nepal is a paradise for solar energy production.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20067', 'image' => '20240225015347_20220315024600_shutterstock_1126547147.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 13:53:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20339', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Majority of Microfinance Companies Decide not to Distribute Dividends', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The number of microfinance companies that do not distribute dividends to the investors is more than those that give dividends. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: The number of microfinance companies that do not distribute dividends to the investors is more than those that give dividends. Out of 55 microfinance companies listed in NEPSE, 15 have distributed dividends to their shareholders from their profits up to the last fiscal year (FY). Twenty seven such companies have already announced not to distribute dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Himalayan Microfinance, Gurans Microfinance, Infinity Microfinance, Laxmi Microfinance, CYC Microfinance, Sadhana Microfinance, Mero Microfinance, Ganapati Microfinance, Manakamana Smart Microfinance, Upkar Microfinance, Community Microfinance, Forward Microfinance, Nadep Microfinance, Sabaiko Microfinance, Unnati Sahakarya Microfinance and Nerude Microfinance have decided not to distribute dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Similarly, Gramin Bikas Microfinance, Nirdhan Uthan Microfinance, Kalika Microfinance, Kisan Microfinance, Mahuli Microfinance, Mahila Microfinance, Jalpa Community Microfinance, Win Nepal Microfinance, Mirmire Microfinance, Swabhiman Microfinance and Dhaulagiri Microfinance have also decided not to distribute dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Last year, the profits of microfinance companies were affected due to the economic recession. On the other hand, strict regulatory provisions made them unable to distribute dividends. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The increasing bad loans of banks and financial institutions have affected other sectors as well. Experts say that because of the bad loans of banks and financial institutions, the profits of the listed companies have been directly affected, so they are unable to distribute dividends to the shareholders. Most of the companies that have declared dividends have passed them from the annual general meeting. Some are yet to pass the dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The dividend rate of most of the companies opting to distribute dividends has decreased. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Nepal Rastra Bank has made it mandatory for the companies distributing more than 15 percent dividends to keep 95 percent of the dividend above 15 percent in reserve fund. This has forced the microfinance companies to reconsider the dividend rate.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A few years ago, investors were attracted towards the shares of microfinance companies among the companies listed in the secondary market of securities. Investors used to trade shares of microfinance companies because of the attractive dividends. However, after the implementation of the new provision by central banks since last year, the share price of microfinance companies has been continuously falling. The share price of the company, which reached above Rs 5500 per share, has now dropped to Rs 1600 per unit.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20066', 'image' => '20240225010517_cooerativesssss.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 13:04:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20337', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Rastra Bank to Monitor Cooperatives Once Again', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Nepal Rastra Bank has agreed to monitor the cooperatives which falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Cooperatives. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: Nepal Rastra Bank has agreed to monitor the cooperatives which falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Cooperatives. The central bank has sent three experts to the department for the monitoring of cooperatives upon the request from the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In order to provide technical assistance in monitoring of cooperatives, the NRB has sent Deputy Director Dr Ramesh Chaulagai, Director Ram Krishna Rai and Ramesh Poudel of Microfinance Department to the Department of Cooperatives. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Spokesperson for the Department of Cooperatives, Tolraj Upadhyay, informed New Business Age that they will participate in the monitoring committee to be formed under the coordination of the deputy registrar of the department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"Nepal Rastra Bank has sent three employees to monitor the cooperatives," said Upadhyay, "We will form a monitoring team with them and start work."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Earlier in 2066, Nepal Rastra Bank had sent two employees to the department to monitor the cooperatives. Recently, the number of problematic cooperatives has increased and the central bank has again assisted in the monitoring.</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 Cooperatives Act, there is a provision for the central bank to monitor the cooperatives with an annual turnover of more than Rs 500 million. However, the central bank has not shown any interest in monitoring the cooperatives as there is no such provision in the Nepal Rastra Bank Act. </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 provisions of the constitution, the local level has been authorised to register and regulate the cooperatives based on the area of operation of those cooperatives. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Currently, cooperatives are being regulated by the Department of Cooperative of the federal government as well as the state and local levels. However, after the transfer of cooperatives to the provincial and local levels, their regulation has weakened. As a result, in the recent past, there have been increasing incidents of misappropriation of the savings of the cooperatives, directors being out of contact and the depositors not getting back their savings.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">To solve the problems seen in the cooperatives, the government had formed a task force under the coordination of National Planning Commission’s member Dr Jayakant Raut. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A report submitted by the committee to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal about six months ago had recommended that Nepal Rastra Bank should monitor the cooperatives with large transactions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The committee had also suggested forming a second-level regulatory body for monitoring cooperatives, classifying cooperatives based on their problems, forming a credit information center, and a debt recovery tribunal, but the government has not implemented those suggestions.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20064', 'image' => '20240225114542_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 11:45:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20336', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Good Price of Black Cardamom Elates Farmers in Taplejung ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The farmers of Taplejung district are elated with the increase in the price of black cardamom, which is commonly known as 'black gold' here.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: The farmers of Taplejung district are elated with the increase in the price of black cardamom, which is commonly known as 'black gold' here. The market of black cardamom is also encouraging this year. The price of black cardamom has increased by more than two-folds compared to last year, said the locals. The price of black cardamom has reached an all-time high in the past five years. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The farmers said that the price of black cardamom has reached upto Rs 80,000 per 40 kilograms this year while it was sold at Rs 26,000 to Rs 32,000 per 40 kilograms in the local market 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">Chairman of Black Cardamom Entrepreneurs Association, Taplejung, Bhadra Bir Regmi shared that most of the farmers sold black cardamom at Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000 per 40 kilograms this season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"It was sold at Rs 60,000 in the early days while the price hit Rs 80,000 two weeks ago. Now, per 40 kg black cardamom is being sold at Rs 79,000," he shared. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Black cardamom entrepreneur Dinesh Adhikari of Phungling Municipality-5 said that the price of black cardamom soared this year due to its high demand in the international market. "Price of black cardamom in Nepal increased due to high demand in the international market and limited production in India in the recent time," Adhikari argued. </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 Adhikari, more than 80 per cent of the farmers sold out their products here and they are truly elated from the good price. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Black cardamom is grown in some 4,500 hectares of land in Taplejung and around 2,500 metric tonnes is produced each year, the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Taplejung said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">With the good price, the farmers, who are enthusiastic about black cardamom cultivation as an important cash crop, are happy as a result of higher rate in the market. Around 60 wards in the district grow black cardamom. Its production in Taplejung has increased due to favorable weather and low incidence of diseases. The farmers in the district have been attracted to the cultivation of black cardamom as they make a decent earning even by giving a little time.-- RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20063', 'image' => '20240225111202_20240224093345_20231217050627_BlackCardamom.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 11:11:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20335', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt to Hand Over Projects of Less than Rs 30 Million to Province and Local Levels', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Prime Minister and Parliamentary Party leader of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the federal government would not handle projects worth less than Rs 30 million. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">February 25: Prime Minister and Parliamentary Party leader of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the federal government would not handle projects worth less than Rs 30 million. <br /> He made such remarks during the CPN (Maoist Centre) parliamentary party meeting held at Singha Durbar on Saturday morning. During the meeting, PM Dahal shared that the government has laid emphasis on fiscal handover to strengthen federalism.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">"The federal government will keep projects with strategic importance. Province and local levels will run projects that are worth less than Rs 30 million. Furthermore, authority of project selection will be given to provinces and local levels," mentioned PM Dahal. <br /> He stressed that the trend of accumulating budget on different headings that cannot be spent while lacking budget for essential projects should be stopped, adding that the government would take possible measures to complete the under-construction projects. <br /> Prime Minister Dahal added he has already received a report related to Balkumari incident and is studying it. "Necessary decision will be taken after studying the report of Balkumari incident. The government decided to carryout investigation after forming a commission. The report is in the process of study. It is under the jurisdiction of the government. The opposition should follow a political culture," he underlined. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20062', 'image' => '20240225102449_20240224092725_20230201015828_singhadurbar-1-1310227299.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 10:23:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20334', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Telecom to Provide Free Internet in 34 Airports ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Telecom is gearing up to provide free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports within six months. Nepal Telecom and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have inked an agreement to provide free Wi-Fi access in the airports.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px">February 25: The Nepal Telecom is gearing up to provide free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports within six months. Nepal Telecom and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have inked an agreement to provide free Wi-Fi access in the airports.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"> CAAN spokesperson and deputy director-general Jagannath Niraula said that CAAN was excited to have struck the agreement with the Nepal telecom to manage free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">In accordance with the agreement, free internet service installation will be completed in all airports within next six months. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">Nepal Telecom's chief commercial officer Binita Shrestha and CAAN spokesperson Niraula signed the agreement, the CAAN sources said. (RSS) </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20061', 'image' => '20240225070846_collage (39).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 07:07:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20331', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bachelor's Degree to be Made of Three Years Again: VC Prof Dr Baral ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Tribhuvan University (TU), Prof Dr Keshar Jung Baral has announced to revise the Bachelor's degree to 'three years'. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 24: Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Tribhuvan University (TU), Prof Dr Keshar Jung Baral has announced to revise the Bachelor's degree to 'three years'. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that the Tribhuvan University (TU) had initiated the four-year Bachelor's degree programme at the Department of Management since the academic year of 2071/72 BS. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">After assuming his office at the TU on Friday, Vice-Chancellor Baral said the four-year Bachelor's programme has added investment burden to the students and guardians and also caused inconvenience to the TU in its work operations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The four-year programme was designed to adapt to the foreign education system. But, several countries, including neighbouring India and European nations are still adopting three-year Bachelor's degree," he noted. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Sharing that some countries, including the United States are running four-year Bachelor's degree, he said, "Additional one year honorary programme could be run for the students completing three-year Bachelor's degree and aspiring for pursuing four-year degree abroad." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, the Bachelor's programme of some subjects could be of four-year due to subject specialization, he noted. </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"">Pointing out that there has been quite nominal enrollment in some educational programmes of the university and some have even zero number of students, he said the Faculty of Humanities now has lesser enrollment of students compared to other educational programmes. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">VC Baral further said the Faculty of Humanities would be restructured as a multi-disciplinary liberal arts programme allowing enrollment of aspirants from other faculties in a bid to resolve the problem. Likewise, the programmes of education faculty would also be restructured in a way to allow students from other subjects to pursue the course, he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Outgoing acting VC Shivalal Bhusal along with other senior officials welcomed the newly appointed VC Baral. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-24', 'modified' => '2024-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20058', 'image' => '20240224095924_edu.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-24 09:58:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20330', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Proper Study Essential before Constructing New Airport’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said it is not possible to construct an airport in Dharan without conducting a proper study. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 24: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said it is not possible to construct an airport in Dharan without conducting a proper study. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Inaugurating the Dharan Expo, 2024 organized by Sunsari Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday, Minister Kirati reminded that 22 airports are left unused in the country as they were established without proper study. Such a hasty decision cannot be taken in case of Dharan as well, he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The minister however informed that feasibility study was being conducted. </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"">"Only possibility of conducting flights is not a solid basis to construct and operate airport," Minister Kirati informed the participants attending the event. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The expo is being organized to promote local produce, culture and tourism. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, former chairman of FNCCI, Chandi Raj Dhakal, sought support from government to elevate the status of private sector because businesses were reeling under difficulty at present.</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"">Organizer of the Expo, Bijay Shrestha, informed that event was held to promote export and internal supply of handicrafts and local products. There are a total of 150 stalls in the exhibition that will last till March 6. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-24', 'modified' => '2024-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20057', 'image' => '20240224095203_airport-field-vector-5950275.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-24 09:51:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20329', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Investment Mega Bank Opens Two new Branches in Kathmandu', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Nepal Investment Mega Bank Limited has recently brought two new branches into operation in Kathmandu. The bank launched a new branch into operation each at Swayambhu in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15 and Balaju in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-16.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 23: Nepal Investment Mega Bank Limited has recently brought two new branches into operation in Kathmandu. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank launched a new branch into operation each at Swayambhu in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15 and Balaju in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-16.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the bank, Jyotiprakash Pandey, inaugurated the new branches. CEO Pandey said that the bank would provide excellent banking services and facilities to customers from the new branches.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal Investment Mega Bank has been providing services through 268 branches, 63 extension counters, 113 branchless banking, and 262 ATMs nationwide.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20056', 'image' => '20240223034039_collage (38).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 15:39:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20328', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Young Entrepreneurs Demand Debt Recovery Law', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: The entrepreneurs of Birgunj have complained that they have to pay interest to banks even for Value Added Tax just because of the delay in receiving payments. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">February 23: The entrepreneurs of Birgunj have complained that they have to pay interest to banks even for Value Added Tax just because of the delay in receiving payments. They said that they were at the receiving end due to the lack of debt recovery laws. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The young entrepreneurs of Birgunj made this complaint while submitting a letter of recommendation to the chairman of the High Level Tax System Reform Suggestion Committee, Bidyadhar Mallik.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Sandeep Agarwal, president of Birgunj chapter of the Nepalese Youth Entrepreneurs Forum, said that after the seller issues the tax invoice, they are obliged to pay VAT by the 25th day of the next month as per the Nepali calendar. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">"On the one hand, we are unable to recover the amount while on the other hand, they have to pay taxes with interest to the bank," said Agarwal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Rakesh Sah, the outgoing president of the forum, said that due to the lack of laws related to debt recovery, they are not able to recover money for the goods sold on credit. Due to this, the entire business cycle has become costly and they have lost the edge of business competitiveness.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The entrepreneurs have been demanding for years to bring an effective law for debt recovery. However, they are not able to understand the reason for the indifference of the lawmakers, said the outgoing president Sah.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The young entrepreneur also demanded that the VAT refund process should be simplified as it is very complicated at present.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20055', 'image' => '20240223024150_1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 14:41:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20327', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Power Trade Negotiations with Bangladesh Heading in Positive Direction', 'sub_title' => 'Nepal and Bangladesh to sign agreement to export electricity from this year upcoming monsoon', 'summary' => 'February 23: The electricity sale negotiations between Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) have progressed in the positive direction.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">February 23: The electricity sale negotiations between Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) have progressed in the positive direction, according to the NEA officials who are currently in Dhaka for the power trade deal. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The two sides have agreed to conclude the electricity trade agreement as soon as possible to begin export of electricity to Bangladesh from the upcoming monsoon. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The NEA informed that the team led by its Executive Director Kulman Ghising and the Bid Evaluation Committee under the BPDB held talks in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on Thursday. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Quoting Executive Director Ghising, the NEA sources informed that the two sides held a detailed discussion on every point to be included in the electricity sale agreement and it was agreed to finalize the agreement soon.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">"BPDB submitted a proposal as per the rules upon our request and we discussed in detail the points to be included in the contract," the source quoted Ghising as saying, adding, "They have to get approval from the higher authorities and complete the process. An agreement has been reached to buy electricity from Nepal during the upcoming rainy season.''</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The electricity purchase agreement is to be signed for a five-year period initially. The NEA informed that Nepal will export electricity from India's Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV international transmission line. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Officials of the NEA say that nothing can be said about the price of electricity to be sold to Bangladesh right now. A senior officer of the authority said that although the main issue at present is the price, he is not allowed to talk about it as it can affect the negotiations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> Quoting a Bangladeshi energy expert, the Daily Observer newspaper published there wrote that the rate proposed by the authority is expensive. Bangladeshi energy experts have also said that they should be more cautious in the energy purchase agreement with Nepal as they believe that there is a possibility that more energy can be imported from Nepal in the future and that the first agreement will set a precedent for future tariff negotiations.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20054', 'image' => '20240223021605_banglad.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 14:15:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20325', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Spends Over Rs 150 Billion to Pay Interests and Principle of Public Debt', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: With the increase in the share of public debt, the government has had to spend a large amount of money on financial liability management.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 23: With the increase in the share of public debt, the government has had to spend a large amount of money on financial liability management. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the first seven months of the current fiscal year (FY), the government has spent Rs 155.24 billion on financial management, i.e. paying the principal and interest of the loans. Out of that amount, Rs 130.11 billion constitutes the principal and interest of internal debts. During the review period, the government paid internal loans of Rs 90.97 billion and interest of Rs 39.14 billion. Likewise, the government paid Rs 25.13 billion towards external loans including Rs 20.12 in principle amount and Rs 5 billion interest, according to the Public Debt Management Office under the Ministry of Finance.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Public Debt Management Office informed that the government took loans of Rs 202.43 billion between mid-July to mid-July 2023 to mid-January 2024.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">With this, the public debt of the country has increased to Rs 2386.77 billion including Rs 1184.52 billion in internal loans and foreign debts worth Rs 1202.24 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As of the end of last fiscal year, the country’s public debt stood at Rs 2295.43 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As of mid-January of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s total public debt has reached 44.36 percent of the GDP. Experts say that the country can withstand the pressure of public debt up to 50 percent of the GDP.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the current year, the government has allocated a large amount of budget to pay interest on internal debts.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20052', 'image' => '20240223125632_20231201023735_public debt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 12:55:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20324', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Weather to Improve Gradually from Saturday: Meteorological Forecasting Division', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Sporadic rainfall is likely to occur at some places across the country today due to the partial impact of the westerly low pressure system (also known as western disturbance) in the weather.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 23: Sporadic rainfall is likely to occur at some places across the country today due to the partial impact of the westerly low pressure system (also known as western disturbance) in the weather.</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"">According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the weather in the hill region of the country, especially in Koshi Province, is mostly cloudy at present but is expected to remain clear from Saturday. </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"">The weather in the Kathmandu Valley has been clear from early morning today after rainfall on Thursday evening. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The division has forecast that the weather shall remain partly to generally cloudy in the hill areas of Koshi and Gandaki provinces; partly cloudy in the hill regions of Bagmati, Karnali and Sudur Pashchim provinces and mainly fair in the rest of the country. </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"">"Light rain is possible at one or two places of the hill regions of Koshi and Gandaki provinces," according to the division. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, there are chances of light snowfall at a few places of the high hills and mountainous regions today. </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"">On Thursday, international flights to and from Tribhuvan International Airport were affected due to bad weather in Kathmandu. An aircraft belonging to Indian Indigo Airlines was diverted to Lucknow, India after it could not land at Tribhuvan International Airport on Thursday afternoon following unfavourable weather condition, said TIA Spokesperson Subas Jha. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, domestic flights were operating despite the bad weather, although there were some delays, he added. International flights resumed after the rainfall subsided on Thursday night. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20051', 'image' => '20240223122212_NL_Manang-IMG-201a825acf051f54225161d94bf72a44-V.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 12:21:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20323', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bridge over Lo Manthang River Constructed ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: A motorable bridge over Lo Manthang River along the Kaligandaki corridor in Upper Mustang has been constructed.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 23: A motorable bridge over Lo Manthang River along the Kaligandaki corridor in Upper Mustang has been constructed. With the construction of the bridge, road network along the Beni-Jomsom-Korola has become more accessible. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Developers involved in the bridge construction shared that the bridge developed with the investment of Rs 46.8 million can be run in all seasons. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Information Officer of Beni-Jomsom-Korola Road Project Engineer Bishnu Chapagain said the bridge was handed over to the concerned side after the completion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Chapagain, a total of six motorable bridges have been constructed along the 202 km long road from Beni to Korola. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Project has signed contract agreements with different companies for the construction of five more bridges allocating Rs 316.2 million in budget along the route. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20050', 'image' => '20240223114628_umustang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 11:45:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20322', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Snowfall Delights Farmers ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Snowfall in different parts of the country has elated farmers.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 23: Snowfall in different parts of the country has elated farmers. The farmers in various districts of Sudurpaschim Province have expressed happiness over the rainfall with the hope that the winter crop will yield better after the snowfall.</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"">According to the state-owned RSS, rainfall along with snowfall occurred in different place of the province on Thursday afternoon.</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"">This is the second time that the far western parts of Nepal witnessed snowfall this winter. Earlier, snowfall had occurred in the first week of February. </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"">The farmers of Solukhumbu are also delighted with the rain coupled with snowfall. The district had being suffering from drought for a long time and the rain with snowfall on Thursday brought cheers to the farmers. The wheat crop is likely to benefit while farmers can now plant other food crops. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Lhakpa Sherpa, a farmer of Salleri, said that the land was dry due to lack of winter rain but the delayed rain and snowfall has provided them some relief. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Keshav Prasad Koirala of Panchan said that the crops were drying up and the land was turning into a desert. </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"">"Yesterday's rain brought happiness to the farmers through it did not rain enough to soak the land," he said. Farmers now hope that the crops that have dried up due to drought will flourish again. </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"">Likewise, tourists who reached the Everest region are also happy after the snowfall. Dati Sherpa of Lukla said that Khumbu region is finally looking like Khumbu in real sense. </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"">“We are happy and the tourists too also enjoying the snow, while the mountains are finally covered with snow.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, heavy snowfall since Thursday afternoon briefly obstructed vehicular movement along the Jaya Prithvi Highway in Sudur Paschim Province on Thursday.</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"">Inspector Nandaraj Joshi, spokesperson of the District Police Office, Baitadi said that snowfall took place in Khodpe, Anarkholi, Harichan, Dudilakhan, Dholyamode, Bithad and other areas. </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"">Meanwhile, snowfall has also been reported in central parts of Nepal including Manang. </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"">(Updated news with inputs from RSS)</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20049', 'image' => '20240223103548_BSB-Baitadi.JPG', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 10:35:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, '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' => '20340', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEA Focuses on Solar Energy during Dry Season', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Since the flow of water in the rivers decreases during the dry season, the electricity production is reduced. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: Since the flow of water in the rivers decreases during the dry season, the electricity production is reduced. So, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recently prioritized solar energy to facilitate energy supply. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Kulman Ghising, the managing director of the NEA, confirmed that the authority has prioritized solar energy.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The authority had adopted a policy of consuming only 10 percent of the total electricity connected to the national grid from solar energy. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Ghising said that the NEA has now adopted the policy of consuming 10 percent of solar energy in the total installed capacity as per the power purchase agreement (PPA). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Nepal, which exports electricity during the rainy season, has to import electricity from India during the dry season. Ghising said that solar energy is necessary to meet the domestic demand of electricity during the dry season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In line with the policy of prioritizing solar energy, the NEA has granted survey permission to 42 companies for 735 MW of solar energy in the last four years. During this period, 14 companies have taken permission to build solar power plants of 99.36 megawatts. Similarly, the NEA has issued survey permission for 77.2 MW solar energy only in the current fiscal year (FY).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The authority, which has adopted the concept of energy mix by giving preference to solar energy, has been purchasing solar energy on the basis of competition. Earlier, the authority was buying solar energy at Rs 7.30 per unit, but since February last year, it has been buying it at Rs 5.94 per unit. This is the maximum tariff. </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 Ghising, the electricity production capacity has now dropped to about 10 percent. With the onset of winter, the water level in the rivers decreases, affecting the production of electricity every year. Therefore, the authority is importing electricity from India from mid-November. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Electricity worth Rs 2.5 billion has been imported as of mid-February. Ghising says that since the country needs to step up imports of electricity in February, March and April, the NEA is forced to import electricity worth Rs 3 billion to Rs 4 billion rupees every month during the dry season. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Due to the decrease in water flow in the river, the production of the Kabeli Corridor with an installed capacity of about 200 MW is now only 20 MW. This year, drought has greatly increased due to the lack of rain and snowfall.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">What is the possibility of solar energy production?</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 statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, there is 10,30,000 hectares of barren land in Nepal. Stakeholders say that even if only 1 to 2 percent of that land is used, the production of solar energy in Nepal can be overwhelming.</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 Kuberamani Nepal, a member of the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), one and a half bigha of land is needed to build a solar power project with a capacity of one megawatt which can produce 1.7 million to 2 million units of electricity. It can generate a minimum income of Rs 124,00,000 to 1,53,00,000. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">When it comes to solar irrigation, the world average is 3.7 units per square meter but in Nepal it is 4.7 units per square meter. That means one square meter has the capacity to produce 4.7 kilowatt of solar electricity per day. Compared to the plains, there is more capacity to produce solar energy in the hills. Therefore, energy producers say that Nepal is a paradise for solar energy production.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20067', 'image' => '20240225015347_20220315024600_shutterstock_1126547147.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 13:53:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20339', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Majority of Microfinance Companies Decide not to Distribute Dividends', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The number of microfinance companies that do not distribute dividends to the investors is more than those that give dividends. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: The number of microfinance companies that do not distribute dividends to the investors is more than those that give dividends. Out of 55 microfinance companies listed in NEPSE, 15 have distributed dividends to their shareholders from their profits up to the last fiscal year (FY). Twenty seven such companies have already announced not to distribute dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Himalayan Microfinance, Gurans Microfinance, Infinity Microfinance, Laxmi Microfinance, CYC Microfinance, Sadhana Microfinance, Mero Microfinance, Ganapati Microfinance, Manakamana Smart Microfinance, Upkar Microfinance, Community Microfinance, Forward Microfinance, Nadep Microfinance, Sabaiko Microfinance, Unnati Sahakarya Microfinance and Nerude Microfinance have decided not to distribute dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Similarly, Gramin Bikas Microfinance, Nirdhan Uthan Microfinance, Kalika Microfinance, Kisan Microfinance, Mahuli Microfinance, Mahila Microfinance, Jalpa Community Microfinance, Win Nepal Microfinance, Mirmire Microfinance, Swabhiman Microfinance and Dhaulagiri Microfinance have also decided not to distribute dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Last year, the profits of microfinance companies were affected due to the economic recession. On the other hand, strict regulatory provisions made them unable to distribute dividends. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The increasing bad loans of banks and financial institutions have affected other sectors as well. Experts say that because of the bad loans of banks and financial institutions, the profits of the listed companies have been directly affected, so they are unable to distribute dividends to the shareholders. Most of the companies that have declared dividends have passed them from the annual general meeting. Some are yet to pass the dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The dividend rate of most of the companies opting to distribute dividends has decreased. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Nepal Rastra Bank has made it mandatory for the companies distributing more than 15 percent dividends to keep 95 percent of the dividend above 15 percent in reserve fund. This has forced the microfinance companies to reconsider the dividend rate.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A few years ago, investors were attracted towards the shares of microfinance companies among the companies listed in the secondary market of securities. Investors used to trade shares of microfinance companies because of the attractive dividends. However, after the implementation of the new provision by central banks since last year, the share price of microfinance companies has been continuously falling. The share price of the company, which reached above Rs 5500 per share, has now dropped to Rs 1600 per unit.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20066', 'image' => '20240225010517_cooerativesssss.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 13:04:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20337', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Rastra Bank to Monitor Cooperatives Once Again', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Nepal Rastra Bank has agreed to monitor the cooperatives which falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Cooperatives. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: Nepal Rastra Bank has agreed to monitor the cooperatives which falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Cooperatives. The central bank has sent three experts to the department for the monitoring of cooperatives upon the request from the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In order to provide technical assistance in monitoring of cooperatives, the NRB has sent Deputy Director Dr Ramesh Chaulagai, Director Ram Krishna Rai and Ramesh Poudel of Microfinance Department to the Department of Cooperatives. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Spokesperson for the Department of Cooperatives, Tolraj Upadhyay, informed New Business Age that they will participate in the monitoring committee to be formed under the coordination of the deputy registrar of the department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"Nepal Rastra Bank has sent three employees to monitor the cooperatives," said Upadhyay, "We will form a monitoring team with them and start work."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Earlier in 2066, Nepal Rastra Bank had sent two employees to the department to monitor the cooperatives. Recently, the number of problematic cooperatives has increased and the central bank has again assisted in the monitoring.</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 Cooperatives Act, there is a provision for the central bank to monitor the cooperatives with an annual turnover of more than Rs 500 million. However, the central bank has not shown any interest in monitoring the cooperatives as there is no such provision in the Nepal Rastra Bank Act. </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 provisions of the constitution, the local level has been authorised to register and regulate the cooperatives based on the area of operation of those cooperatives. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Currently, cooperatives are being regulated by the Department of Cooperative of the federal government as well as the state and local levels. However, after the transfer of cooperatives to the provincial and local levels, their regulation has weakened. As a result, in the recent past, there have been increasing incidents of misappropriation of the savings of the cooperatives, directors being out of contact and the depositors not getting back their savings.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">To solve the problems seen in the cooperatives, the government had formed a task force under the coordination of National Planning Commission’s member Dr Jayakant Raut. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A report submitted by the committee to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal about six months ago had recommended that Nepal Rastra Bank should monitor the cooperatives with large transactions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The committee had also suggested forming a second-level regulatory body for monitoring cooperatives, classifying cooperatives based on their problems, forming a credit information center, and a debt recovery tribunal, but the government has not implemented those suggestions.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20064', 'image' => '20240225114542_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 11:45:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20336', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Good Price of Black Cardamom Elates Farmers in Taplejung ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The farmers of Taplejung district are elated with the increase in the price of black cardamom, which is commonly known as 'black gold' here.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: The farmers of Taplejung district are elated with the increase in the price of black cardamom, which is commonly known as 'black gold' here. The market of black cardamom is also encouraging this year. The price of black cardamom has increased by more than two-folds compared to last year, said the locals. The price of black cardamom has reached an all-time high in the past five years. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The farmers said that the price of black cardamom has reached upto Rs 80,000 per 40 kilograms this year while it was sold at Rs 26,000 to Rs 32,000 per 40 kilograms in the local market 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">Chairman of Black Cardamom Entrepreneurs Association, Taplejung, Bhadra Bir Regmi shared that most of the farmers sold black cardamom at Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000 per 40 kilograms this season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"It was sold at Rs 60,000 in the early days while the price hit Rs 80,000 two weeks ago. Now, per 40 kg black cardamom is being sold at Rs 79,000," he shared. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Black cardamom entrepreneur Dinesh Adhikari of Phungling Municipality-5 said that the price of black cardamom soared this year due to its high demand in the international market. "Price of black cardamom in Nepal increased due to high demand in the international market and limited production in India in the recent time," Adhikari argued. </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 Adhikari, more than 80 per cent of the farmers sold out their products here and they are truly elated from the good price. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Black cardamom is grown in some 4,500 hectares of land in Taplejung and around 2,500 metric tonnes is produced each year, the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Taplejung said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">With the good price, the farmers, who are enthusiastic about black cardamom cultivation as an important cash crop, are happy as a result of higher rate in the market. Around 60 wards in the district grow black cardamom. Its production in Taplejung has increased due to favorable weather and low incidence of diseases. The farmers in the district have been attracted to the cultivation of black cardamom as they make a decent earning even by giving a little time.-- RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20063', 'image' => '20240225111202_20240224093345_20231217050627_BlackCardamom.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 11:11:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20335', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt to Hand Over Projects of Less than Rs 30 Million to Province and Local Levels', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Prime Minister and Parliamentary Party leader of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the federal government would not handle projects worth less than Rs 30 million. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">February 25: Prime Minister and Parliamentary Party leader of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the federal government would not handle projects worth less than Rs 30 million. <br /> He made such remarks during the CPN (Maoist Centre) parliamentary party meeting held at Singha Durbar on Saturday morning. During the meeting, PM Dahal shared that the government has laid emphasis on fiscal handover to strengthen federalism.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">"The federal government will keep projects with strategic importance. Province and local levels will run projects that are worth less than Rs 30 million. Furthermore, authority of project selection will be given to provinces and local levels," mentioned PM Dahal. <br /> He stressed that the trend of accumulating budget on different headings that cannot be spent while lacking budget for essential projects should be stopped, adding that the government would take possible measures to complete the under-construction projects. <br /> Prime Minister Dahal added he has already received a report related to Balkumari incident and is studying it. "Necessary decision will be taken after studying the report of Balkumari incident. The government decided to carryout investigation after forming a commission. The report is in the process of study. It is under the jurisdiction of the government. The opposition should follow a political culture," he underlined. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20062', 'image' => '20240225102449_20240224092725_20230201015828_singhadurbar-1-1310227299.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 10:23:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20334', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Telecom to Provide Free Internet in 34 Airports ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Telecom is gearing up to provide free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports within six months. Nepal Telecom and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have inked an agreement to provide free Wi-Fi access in the airports.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px">February 25: The Nepal Telecom is gearing up to provide free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports within six months. Nepal Telecom and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have inked an agreement to provide free Wi-Fi access in the airports.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"> CAAN spokesperson and deputy director-general Jagannath Niraula said that CAAN was excited to have struck the agreement with the Nepal telecom to manage free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">In accordance with the agreement, free internet service installation will be completed in all airports within next six months. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">Nepal Telecom's chief commercial officer Binita Shrestha and CAAN spokesperson Niraula signed the agreement, the CAAN sources said. (RSS) </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20061', 'image' => '20240225070846_collage (39).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 07:07:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20331', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bachelor's Degree to be Made of Three Years Again: VC Prof Dr Baral ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Tribhuvan University (TU), Prof Dr Keshar Jung Baral has announced to revise the Bachelor's degree to 'three years'. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 24: Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Tribhuvan University (TU), Prof Dr Keshar Jung Baral has announced to revise the Bachelor's degree to 'three years'. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that the Tribhuvan University (TU) had initiated the four-year Bachelor's degree programme at the Department of Management since the academic year of 2071/72 BS. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">After assuming his office at the TU on Friday, Vice-Chancellor Baral said the four-year Bachelor's programme has added investment burden to the students and guardians and also caused inconvenience to the TU in its work operations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The four-year programme was designed to adapt to the foreign education system. But, several countries, including neighbouring India and European nations are still adopting three-year Bachelor's degree," he noted. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Sharing that some countries, including the United States are running four-year Bachelor's degree, he said, "Additional one year honorary programme could be run for the students completing three-year Bachelor's degree and aspiring for pursuing four-year degree abroad." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, the Bachelor's programme of some subjects could be of four-year due to subject specialization, he noted. </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"">Pointing out that there has been quite nominal enrollment in some educational programmes of the university and some have even zero number of students, he said the Faculty of Humanities now has lesser enrollment of students compared to other educational programmes. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">VC Baral further said the Faculty of Humanities would be restructured as a multi-disciplinary liberal arts programme allowing enrollment of aspirants from other faculties in a bid to resolve the problem. Likewise, the programmes of education faculty would also be restructured in a way to allow students from other subjects to pursue the course, he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Outgoing acting VC Shivalal Bhusal along with other senior officials welcomed the newly appointed VC Baral. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-24', 'modified' => '2024-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20058', 'image' => '20240224095924_edu.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-24 09:58:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20330', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Proper Study Essential before Constructing New Airport’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said it is not possible to construct an airport in Dharan without conducting a proper study. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 24: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said it is not possible to construct an airport in Dharan without conducting a proper study. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Inaugurating the Dharan Expo, 2024 organized by Sunsari Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday, Minister Kirati reminded that 22 airports are left unused in the country as they were established without proper study. Such a hasty decision cannot be taken in case of Dharan as well, he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The minister however informed that feasibility study was being conducted. </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"">"Only possibility of conducting flights is not a solid basis to construct and operate airport," Minister Kirati informed the participants attending the event. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The expo is being organized to promote local produce, culture and tourism. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, former chairman of FNCCI, Chandi Raj Dhakal, sought support from government to elevate the status of private sector because businesses were reeling under difficulty at present.</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"">Organizer of the Expo, Bijay Shrestha, informed that event was held to promote export and internal supply of handicrafts and local products. There are a total of 150 stalls in the exhibition that will last till March 6. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-24', 'modified' => '2024-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20057', 'image' => '20240224095203_airport-field-vector-5950275.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-24 09:51:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20329', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Investment Mega Bank Opens Two new Branches in Kathmandu', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Nepal Investment Mega Bank Limited has recently brought two new branches into operation in Kathmandu. The bank launched a new branch into operation each at Swayambhu in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15 and Balaju in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-16.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 23: Nepal Investment Mega Bank Limited has recently brought two new branches into operation in Kathmandu. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank launched a new branch into operation each at Swayambhu in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15 and Balaju in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-16.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the bank, Jyotiprakash Pandey, inaugurated the new branches. CEO Pandey said that the bank would provide excellent banking services and facilities to customers from the new branches.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal Investment Mega Bank has been providing services through 268 branches, 63 extension counters, 113 branchless banking, and 262 ATMs nationwide.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20056', 'image' => '20240223034039_collage (38).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 15:39:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20328', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Young Entrepreneurs Demand Debt Recovery Law', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: The entrepreneurs of Birgunj have complained that they have to pay interest to banks even for Value Added Tax just because of the delay in receiving payments. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">February 23: The entrepreneurs of Birgunj have complained that they have to pay interest to banks even for Value Added Tax just because of the delay in receiving payments. They said that they were at the receiving end due to the lack of debt recovery laws. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The young entrepreneurs of Birgunj made this complaint while submitting a letter of recommendation to the chairman of the High Level Tax System Reform Suggestion Committee, Bidyadhar Mallik.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Sandeep Agarwal, president of Birgunj chapter of the Nepalese Youth Entrepreneurs Forum, said that after the seller issues the tax invoice, they are obliged to pay VAT by the 25th day of the next month as per the Nepali calendar. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">"On the one hand, we are unable to recover the amount while on the other hand, they have to pay taxes with interest to the bank," said Agarwal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Rakesh Sah, the outgoing president of the forum, said that due to the lack of laws related to debt recovery, they are not able to recover money for the goods sold on credit. Due to this, the entire business cycle has become costly and they have lost the edge of business competitiveness.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The entrepreneurs have been demanding for years to bring an effective law for debt recovery. However, they are not able to understand the reason for the indifference of the lawmakers, said the outgoing president Sah.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The young entrepreneur also demanded that the VAT refund process should be simplified as it is very complicated at present.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20055', 'image' => '20240223024150_1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 14:41:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20327', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Power Trade Negotiations with Bangladesh Heading in Positive Direction', 'sub_title' => 'Nepal and Bangladesh to sign agreement to export electricity from this year upcoming monsoon', 'summary' => 'February 23: The electricity sale negotiations between Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) have progressed in the positive direction.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">February 23: The electricity sale negotiations between Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) have progressed in the positive direction, according to the NEA officials who are currently in Dhaka for the power trade deal. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The two sides have agreed to conclude the electricity trade agreement as soon as possible to begin export of electricity to Bangladesh from the upcoming monsoon. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The NEA informed that the team led by its Executive Director Kulman Ghising and the Bid Evaluation Committee under the BPDB held talks in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on Thursday. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Quoting Executive Director Ghising, the NEA sources informed that the two sides held a detailed discussion on every point to be included in the electricity sale agreement and it was agreed to finalize the agreement soon.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">"BPDB submitted a proposal as per the rules upon our request and we discussed in detail the points to be included in the contract," the source quoted Ghising as saying, adding, "They have to get approval from the higher authorities and complete the process. An agreement has been reached to buy electricity from Nepal during the upcoming rainy season.''</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The electricity purchase agreement is to be signed for a five-year period initially. The NEA informed that Nepal will export electricity from India's Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV international transmission line. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Officials of the NEA say that nothing can be said about the price of electricity to be sold to Bangladesh right now. A senior officer of the authority said that although the main issue at present is the price, he is not allowed to talk about it as it can affect the negotiations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> Quoting a Bangladeshi energy expert, the Daily Observer newspaper published there wrote that the rate proposed by the authority is expensive. Bangladeshi energy experts have also said that they should be more cautious in the energy purchase agreement with Nepal as they believe that there is a possibility that more energy can be imported from Nepal in the future and that the first agreement will set a precedent for future tariff negotiations.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20054', 'image' => '20240223021605_banglad.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 14:15:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20325', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Spends Over Rs 150 Billion to Pay Interests and Principle of Public Debt', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: With the increase in the share of public debt, the government has had to spend a large amount of money on financial liability management.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 23: With the increase in the share of public debt, the government has had to spend a large amount of money on financial liability management. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the first seven months of the current fiscal year (FY), the government has spent Rs 155.24 billion on financial management, i.e. paying the principal and interest of the loans. Out of that amount, Rs 130.11 billion constitutes the principal and interest of internal debts. During the review period, the government paid internal loans of Rs 90.97 billion and interest of Rs 39.14 billion. Likewise, the government paid Rs 25.13 billion towards external loans including Rs 20.12 in principle amount and Rs 5 billion interest, according to the Public Debt Management Office under the Ministry of Finance.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Public Debt Management Office informed that the government took loans of Rs 202.43 billion between mid-July to mid-July 2023 to mid-January 2024.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">With this, the public debt of the country has increased to Rs 2386.77 billion including Rs 1184.52 billion in internal loans and foreign debts worth Rs 1202.24 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As of the end of last fiscal year, the country’s public debt stood at Rs 2295.43 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As of mid-January of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s total public debt has reached 44.36 percent of the GDP. Experts say that the country can withstand the pressure of public debt up to 50 percent of the GDP.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the current year, the government has allocated a large amount of budget to pay interest on internal debts.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20052', 'image' => '20240223125632_20231201023735_public debt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 12:55:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20324', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Weather to Improve Gradually from Saturday: Meteorological Forecasting Division', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Sporadic rainfall is likely to occur at some places across the country today due to the partial impact of the westerly low pressure system (also known as western disturbance) in the weather.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 23: Sporadic rainfall is likely to occur at some places across the country today due to the partial impact of the westerly low pressure system (also known as western disturbance) in the weather.</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"">According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the weather in the hill region of the country, especially in Koshi Province, is mostly cloudy at present but is expected to remain clear from Saturday. </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"">The weather in the Kathmandu Valley has been clear from early morning today after rainfall on Thursday evening. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The division has forecast that the weather shall remain partly to generally cloudy in the hill areas of Koshi and Gandaki provinces; partly cloudy in the hill regions of Bagmati, Karnali and Sudur Pashchim provinces and mainly fair in the rest of the country. </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"">"Light rain is possible at one or two places of the hill regions of Koshi and Gandaki provinces," according to the division. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, there are chances of light snowfall at a few places of the high hills and mountainous regions today. </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"">On Thursday, international flights to and from Tribhuvan International Airport were affected due to bad weather in Kathmandu. An aircraft belonging to Indian Indigo Airlines was diverted to Lucknow, India after it could not land at Tribhuvan International Airport on Thursday afternoon following unfavourable weather condition, said TIA Spokesperson Subas Jha. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, domestic flights were operating despite the bad weather, although there were some delays, he added. International flights resumed after the rainfall subsided on Thursday night. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20051', 'image' => '20240223122212_NL_Manang-IMG-201a825acf051f54225161d94bf72a44-V.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 12:21:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20323', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bridge over Lo Manthang River Constructed ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: A motorable bridge over Lo Manthang River along the Kaligandaki corridor in Upper Mustang has been constructed.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 23: A motorable bridge over Lo Manthang River along the Kaligandaki corridor in Upper Mustang has been constructed. With the construction of the bridge, road network along the Beni-Jomsom-Korola has become more accessible. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Developers involved in the bridge construction shared that the bridge developed with the investment of Rs 46.8 million can be run in all seasons. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Information Officer of Beni-Jomsom-Korola Road Project Engineer Bishnu Chapagain said the bridge was handed over to the concerned side after the completion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Chapagain, a total of six motorable bridges have been constructed along the 202 km long road from Beni to Korola. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Project has signed contract agreements with different companies for the construction of five more bridges allocating Rs 316.2 million in budget along the route. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20050', 'image' => '20240223114628_umustang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 11:45:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20322', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Snowfall Delights Farmers ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Snowfall in different parts of the country has elated farmers.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 23: Snowfall in different parts of the country has elated farmers. The farmers in various districts of Sudurpaschim Province have expressed happiness over the rainfall with the hope that the winter crop will yield better after the snowfall.</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"">According to the state-owned RSS, rainfall along with snowfall occurred in different place of the province on Thursday afternoon.</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"">This is the second time that the far western parts of Nepal witnessed snowfall this winter. Earlier, snowfall had occurred in the first week of February. </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"">The farmers of Solukhumbu are also delighted with the rain coupled with snowfall. The district had being suffering from drought for a long time and the rain with snowfall on Thursday brought cheers to the farmers. The wheat crop is likely to benefit while farmers can now plant other food crops. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Lhakpa Sherpa, a farmer of Salleri, said that the land was dry due to lack of winter rain but the delayed rain and snowfall has provided them some relief. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Keshav Prasad Koirala of Panchan said that the crops were drying up and the land was turning into a desert. </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"">"Yesterday's rain brought happiness to the farmers through it did not rain enough to soak the land," he said. Farmers now hope that the crops that have dried up due to drought will flourish again. </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"">Likewise, tourists who reached the Everest region are also happy after the snowfall. Dati Sherpa of Lukla said that Khumbu region is finally looking like Khumbu in real sense. </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"">“We are happy and the tourists too also enjoying the snow, while the mountains are finally covered with snow.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, heavy snowfall since Thursday afternoon briefly obstructed vehicular movement along the Jaya Prithvi Highway in Sudur Paschim Province on Thursday.</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"">Inspector Nandaraj Joshi, spokesperson of the District Police Office, Baitadi said that snowfall took place in Khodpe, Anarkholi, Harichan, Dudilakhan, Dholyamode, Bithad and other areas. </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"">Meanwhile, snowfall has also been reported in central parts of Nepal including Manang. </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"">(Updated news with inputs from RSS)</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20049', 'image' => '20240223103548_BSB-Baitadi.JPG', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 10:35:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, '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' => '20340', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEA Focuses on Solar Energy during Dry Season', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Since the flow of water in the rivers decreases during the dry season, the electricity production is reduced. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: Since the flow of water in the rivers decreases during the dry season, the electricity production is reduced. So, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recently prioritized solar energy to facilitate energy supply. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Kulman Ghising, the managing director of the NEA, confirmed that the authority has prioritized solar energy.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The authority had adopted a policy of consuming only 10 percent of the total electricity connected to the national grid from solar energy. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Ghising said that the NEA has now adopted the policy of consuming 10 percent of solar energy in the total installed capacity as per the power purchase agreement (PPA). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Nepal, which exports electricity during the rainy season, has to import electricity from India during the dry season. Ghising said that solar energy is necessary to meet the domestic demand of electricity during the dry season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In line with the policy of prioritizing solar energy, the NEA has granted survey permission to 42 companies for 735 MW of solar energy in the last four years. During this period, 14 companies have taken permission to build solar power plants of 99.36 megawatts. Similarly, the NEA has issued survey permission for 77.2 MW solar energy only in the current fiscal year (FY).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The authority, which has adopted the concept of energy mix by giving preference to solar energy, has been purchasing solar energy on the basis of competition. Earlier, the authority was buying solar energy at Rs 7.30 per unit, but since February last year, it has been buying it at Rs 5.94 per unit. This is the maximum tariff. </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 Ghising, the electricity production capacity has now dropped to about 10 percent. With the onset of winter, the water level in the rivers decreases, affecting the production of electricity every year. Therefore, the authority is importing electricity from India from mid-November. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Electricity worth Rs 2.5 billion has been imported as of mid-February. Ghising says that since the country needs to step up imports of electricity in February, March and April, the NEA is forced to import electricity worth Rs 3 billion to Rs 4 billion rupees every month during the dry season. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Due to the decrease in water flow in the river, the production of the Kabeli Corridor with an installed capacity of about 200 MW is now only 20 MW. This year, drought has greatly increased due to the lack of rain and snowfall.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">What is the possibility of solar energy production?</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 statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, there is 10,30,000 hectares of barren land in Nepal. Stakeholders say that even if only 1 to 2 percent of that land is used, the production of solar energy in Nepal can be overwhelming.</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 Kuberamani Nepal, a member of the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), one and a half bigha of land is needed to build a solar power project with a capacity of one megawatt which can produce 1.7 million to 2 million units of electricity. It can generate a minimum income of Rs 124,00,000 to 1,53,00,000. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">When it comes to solar irrigation, the world average is 3.7 units per square meter but in Nepal it is 4.7 units per square meter. That means one square meter has the capacity to produce 4.7 kilowatt of solar electricity per day. Compared to the plains, there is more capacity to produce solar energy in the hills. Therefore, energy producers say that Nepal is a paradise for solar energy production.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20067', 'image' => '20240225015347_20220315024600_shutterstock_1126547147.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 13:53:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20339', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Majority of Microfinance Companies Decide not to Distribute Dividends', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The number of microfinance companies that do not distribute dividends to the investors is more than those that give dividends. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: The number of microfinance companies that do not distribute dividends to the investors is more than those that give dividends. Out of 55 microfinance companies listed in NEPSE, 15 have distributed dividends to their shareholders from their profits up to the last fiscal year (FY). Twenty seven such companies have already announced not to distribute dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Himalayan Microfinance, Gurans Microfinance, Infinity Microfinance, Laxmi Microfinance, CYC Microfinance, Sadhana Microfinance, Mero Microfinance, Ganapati Microfinance, Manakamana Smart Microfinance, Upkar Microfinance, Community Microfinance, Forward Microfinance, Nadep Microfinance, Sabaiko Microfinance, Unnati Sahakarya Microfinance and Nerude Microfinance have decided not to distribute dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Similarly, Gramin Bikas Microfinance, Nirdhan Uthan Microfinance, Kalika Microfinance, Kisan Microfinance, Mahuli Microfinance, Mahila Microfinance, Jalpa Community Microfinance, Win Nepal Microfinance, Mirmire Microfinance, Swabhiman Microfinance and Dhaulagiri Microfinance have also decided not to distribute dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Last year, the profits of microfinance companies were affected due to the economic recession. On the other hand, strict regulatory provisions made them unable to distribute dividends. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The increasing bad loans of banks and financial institutions have affected other sectors as well. Experts say that because of the bad loans of banks and financial institutions, the profits of the listed companies have been directly affected, so they are unable to distribute dividends to the shareholders. Most of the companies that have declared dividends have passed them from the annual general meeting. Some are yet to pass the dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The dividend rate of most of the companies opting to distribute dividends has decreased. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Nepal Rastra Bank has made it mandatory for the companies distributing more than 15 percent dividends to keep 95 percent of the dividend above 15 percent in reserve fund. This has forced the microfinance companies to reconsider the dividend rate.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A few years ago, investors were attracted towards the shares of microfinance companies among the companies listed in the secondary market of securities. Investors used to trade shares of microfinance companies because of the attractive dividends. However, after the implementation of the new provision by central banks since last year, the share price of microfinance companies has been continuously falling. The share price of the company, which reached above Rs 5500 per share, has now dropped to Rs 1600 per unit.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20066', 'image' => '20240225010517_cooerativesssss.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 13:04:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20337', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Rastra Bank to Monitor Cooperatives Once Again', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Nepal Rastra Bank has agreed to monitor the cooperatives which falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Cooperatives. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: Nepal Rastra Bank has agreed to monitor the cooperatives which falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Cooperatives. The central bank has sent three experts to the department for the monitoring of cooperatives upon the request from the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In order to provide technical assistance in monitoring of cooperatives, the NRB has sent Deputy Director Dr Ramesh Chaulagai, Director Ram Krishna Rai and Ramesh Poudel of Microfinance Department to the Department of Cooperatives. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Spokesperson for the Department of Cooperatives, Tolraj Upadhyay, informed New Business Age that they will participate in the monitoring committee to be formed under the coordination of the deputy registrar of the department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"Nepal Rastra Bank has sent three employees to monitor the cooperatives," said Upadhyay, "We will form a monitoring team with them and start work."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Earlier in 2066, Nepal Rastra Bank had sent two employees to the department to monitor the cooperatives. Recently, the number of problematic cooperatives has increased and the central bank has again assisted in the monitoring.</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 Cooperatives Act, there is a provision for the central bank to monitor the cooperatives with an annual turnover of more than Rs 500 million. However, the central bank has not shown any interest in monitoring the cooperatives as there is no such provision in the Nepal Rastra Bank Act. </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 provisions of the constitution, the local level has been authorised to register and regulate the cooperatives based on the area of operation of those cooperatives. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Currently, cooperatives are being regulated by the Department of Cooperative of the federal government as well as the state and local levels. However, after the transfer of cooperatives to the provincial and local levels, their regulation has weakened. As a result, in the recent past, there have been increasing incidents of misappropriation of the savings of the cooperatives, directors being out of contact and the depositors not getting back their savings.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">To solve the problems seen in the cooperatives, the government had formed a task force under the coordination of National Planning Commission’s member Dr Jayakant Raut. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A report submitted by the committee to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal about six months ago had recommended that Nepal Rastra Bank should monitor the cooperatives with large transactions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The committee had also suggested forming a second-level regulatory body for monitoring cooperatives, classifying cooperatives based on their problems, forming a credit information center, and a debt recovery tribunal, but the government has not implemented those suggestions.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20064', 'image' => '20240225114542_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 11:45:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20336', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Good Price of Black Cardamom Elates Farmers in Taplejung ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The farmers of Taplejung district are elated with the increase in the price of black cardamom, which is commonly known as 'black gold' here.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: The farmers of Taplejung district are elated with the increase in the price of black cardamom, which is commonly known as 'black gold' here. The market of black cardamom is also encouraging this year. The price of black cardamom has increased by more than two-folds compared to last year, said the locals. The price of black cardamom has reached an all-time high in the past five years. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The farmers said that the price of black cardamom has reached upto Rs 80,000 per 40 kilograms this year while it was sold at Rs 26,000 to Rs 32,000 per 40 kilograms in the local market 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">Chairman of Black Cardamom Entrepreneurs Association, Taplejung, Bhadra Bir Regmi shared that most of the farmers sold black cardamom at Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000 per 40 kilograms this season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"It was sold at Rs 60,000 in the early days while the price hit Rs 80,000 two weeks ago. Now, per 40 kg black cardamom is being sold at Rs 79,000," he shared. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Black cardamom entrepreneur Dinesh Adhikari of Phungling Municipality-5 said that the price of black cardamom soared this year due to its high demand in the international market. "Price of black cardamom in Nepal increased due to high demand in the international market and limited production in India in the recent time," Adhikari argued. </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 Adhikari, more than 80 per cent of the farmers sold out their products here and they are truly elated from the good price. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Black cardamom is grown in some 4,500 hectares of land in Taplejung and around 2,500 metric tonnes is produced each year, the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Taplejung said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">With the good price, the farmers, who are enthusiastic about black cardamom cultivation as an important cash crop, are happy as a result of higher rate in the market. Around 60 wards in the district grow black cardamom. Its production in Taplejung has increased due to favorable weather and low incidence of diseases. The farmers in the district have been attracted to the cultivation of black cardamom as they make a decent earning even by giving a little time.-- RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20063', 'image' => '20240225111202_20240224093345_20231217050627_BlackCardamom.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 11:11:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20335', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt to Hand Over Projects of Less than Rs 30 Million to Province and Local Levels', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Prime Minister and Parliamentary Party leader of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the federal government would not handle projects worth less than Rs 30 million. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">February 25: Prime Minister and Parliamentary Party leader of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the federal government would not handle projects worth less than Rs 30 million. <br /> He made such remarks during the CPN (Maoist Centre) parliamentary party meeting held at Singha Durbar on Saturday morning. During the meeting, PM Dahal shared that the government has laid emphasis on fiscal handover to strengthen federalism.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">"The federal government will keep projects with strategic importance. Province and local levels will run projects that are worth less than Rs 30 million. Furthermore, authority of project selection will be given to provinces and local levels," mentioned PM Dahal. <br /> He stressed that the trend of accumulating budget on different headings that cannot be spent while lacking budget for essential projects should be stopped, adding that the government would take possible measures to complete the under-construction projects. <br /> Prime Minister Dahal added he has already received a report related to Balkumari incident and is studying it. "Necessary decision will be taken after studying the report of Balkumari incident. The government decided to carryout investigation after forming a commission. The report is in the process of study. It is under the jurisdiction of the government. The opposition should follow a political culture," he underlined. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20062', 'image' => '20240225102449_20240224092725_20230201015828_singhadurbar-1-1310227299.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 10:23:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20334', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Telecom to Provide Free Internet in 34 Airports ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Telecom is gearing up to provide free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports within six months. Nepal Telecom and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have inked an agreement to provide free Wi-Fi access in the airports.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px">February 25: The Nepal Telecom is gearing up to provide free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports within six months. Nepal Telecom and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have inked an agreement to provide free Wi-Fi access in the airports.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"> CAAN spokesperson and deputy director-general Jagannath Niraula said that CAAN was excited to have struck the agreement with the Nepal telecom to manage free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">In accordance with the agreement, free internet service installation will be completed in all airports within next six months. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">Nepal Telecom's chief commercial officer Binita Shrestha and CAAN spokesperson Niraula signed the agreement, the CAAN sources said. (RSS) </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20061', 'image' => '20240225070846_collage (39).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 07:07:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20331', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bachelor's Degree to be Made of Three Years Again: VC Prof Dr Baral ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Tribhuvan University (TU), Prof Dr Keshar Jung Baral has announced to revise the Bachelor's degree to 'three years'. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 24: Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Tribhuvan University (TU), Prof Dr Keshar Jung Baral has announced to revise the Bachelor's degree to 'three years'. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that the Tribhuvan University (TU) had initiated the four-year Bachelor's degree programme at the Department of Management since the academic year of 2071/72 BS. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">After assuming his office at the TU on Friday, Vice-Chancellor Baral said the four-year Bachelor's programme has added investment burden to the students and guardians and also caused inconvenience to the TU in its work operations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The four-year programme was designed to adapt to the foreign education system. But, several countries, including neighbouring India and European nations are still adopting three-year Bachelor's degree," he noted. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Sharing that some countries, including the United States are running four-year Bachelor's degree, he said, "Additional one year honorary programme could be run for the students completing three-year Bachelor's degree and aspiring for pursuing four-year degree abroad." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, the Bachelor's programme of some subjects could be of four-year due to subject specialization, he noted. </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"">Pointing out that there has been quite nominal enrollment in some educational programmes of the university and some have even zero number of students, he said the Faculty of Humanities now has lesser enrollment of students compared to other educational programmes. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">VC Baral further said the Faculty of Humanities would be restructured as a multi-disciplinary liberal arts programme allowing enrollment of aspirants from other faculties in a bid to resolve the problem. Likewise, the programmes of education faculty would also be restructured in a way to allow students from other subjects to pursue the course, he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Outgoing acting VC Shivalal Bhusal along with other senior officials welcomed the newly appointed VC Baral. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-24', 'modified' => '2024-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20058', 'image' => '20240224095924_edu.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-24 09:58:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20330', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Proper Study Essential before Constructing New Airport’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said it is not possible to construct an airport in Dharan without conducting a proper study. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 24: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said it is not possible to construct an airport in Dharan without conducting a proper study. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Inaugurating the Dharan Expo, 2024 organized by Sunsari Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday, Minister Kirati reminded that 22 airports are left unused in the country as they were established without proper study. Such a hasty decision cannot be taken in case of Dharan as well, he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The minister however informed that feasibility study was being conducted. </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"">"Only possibility of conducting flights is not a solid basis to construct and operate airport," Minister Kirati informed the participants attending the event. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The expo is being organized to promote local produce, culture and tourism. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, former chairman of FNCCI, Chandi Raj Dhakal, sought support from government to elevate the status of private sector because businesses were reeling under difficulty at present.</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"">Organizer of the Expo, Bijay Shrestha, informed that event was held to promote export and internal supply of handicrafts and local products. There are a total of 150 stalls in the exhibition that will last till March 6. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-24', 'modified' => '2024-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20057', 'image' => '20240224095203_airport-field-vector-5950275.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-24 09:51:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20329', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Investment Mega Bank Opens Two new Branches in Kathmandu', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Nepal Investment Mega Bank Limited has recently brought two new branches into operation in Kathmandu. The bank launched a new branch into operation each at Swayambhu in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15 and Balaju in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-16.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 23: Nepal Investment Mega Bank Limited has recently brought two new branches into operation in Kathmandu. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank launched a new branch into operation each at Swayambhu in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15 and Balaju in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-16.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the bank, Jyotiprakash Pandey, inaugurated the new branches. CEO Pandey said that the bank would provide excellent banking services and facilities to customers from the new branches.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal Investment Mega Bank has been providing services through 268 branches, 63 extension counters, 113 branchless banking, and 262 ATMs nationwide.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20056', 'image' => '20240223034039_collage (38).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 15:39:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20328', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Young Entrepreneurs Demand Debt Recovery Law', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: The entrepreneurs of Birgunj have complained that they have to pay interest to banks even for Value Added Tax just because of the delay in receiving payments. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">February 23: The entrepreneurs of Birgunj have complained that they have to pay interest to banks even for Value Added Tax just because of the delay in receiving payments. They said that they were at the receiving end due to the lack of debt recovery laws. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The young entrepreneurs of Birgunj made this complaint while submitting a letter of recommendation to the chairman of the High Level Tax System Reform Suggestion Committee, Bidyadhar Mallik.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Sandeep Agarwal, president of Birgunj chapter of the Nepalese Youth Entrepreneurs Forum, said that after the seller issues the tax invoice, they are obliged to pay VAT by the 25th day of the next month as per the Nepali calendar. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">"On the one hand, we are unable to recover the amount while on the other hand, they have to pay taxes with interest to the bank," said Agarwal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Rakesh Sah, the outgoing president of the forum, said that due to the lack of laws related to debt recovery, they are not able to recover money for the goods sold on credit. Due to this, the entire business cycle has become costly and they have lost the edge of business competitiveness.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The entrepreneurs have been demanding for years to bring an effective law for debt recovery. However, they are not able to understand the reason for the indifference of the lawmakers, said the outgoing president Sah.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The young entrepreneur also demanded that the VAT refund process should be simplified as it is very complicated at present.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20055', 'image' => '20240223024150_1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 14:41:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20327', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Power Trade Negotiations with Bangladesh Heading in Positive Direction', 'sub_title' => 'Nepal and Bangladesh to sign agreement to export electricity from this year upcoming monsoon', 'summary' => 'February 23: The electricity sale negotiations between Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) have progressed in the positive direction.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">February 23: The electricity sale negotiations between Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) have progressed in the positive direction, according to the NEA officials who are currently in Dhaka for the power trade deal. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The two sides have agreed to conclude the electricity trade agreement as soon as possible to begin export of electricity to Bangladesh from the upcoming monsoon. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The NEA informed that the team led by its Executive Director Kulman Ghising and the Bid Evaluation Committee under the BPDB held talks in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on Thursday. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Quoting Executive Director Ghising, the NEA sources informed that the two sides held a detailed discussion on every point to be included in the electricity sale agreement and it was agreed to finalize the agreement soon.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">"BPDB submitted a proposal as per the rules upon our request and we discussed in detail the points to be included in the contract," the source quoted Ghising as saying, adding, "They have to get approval from the higher authorities and complete the process. An agreement has been reached to buy electricity from Nepal during the upcoming rainy season.''</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The electricity purchase agreement is to be signed for a five-year period initially. The NEA informed that Nepal will export electricity from India's Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV international transmission line. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Officials of the NEA say that nothing can be said about the price of electricity to be sold to Bangladesh right now. A senior officer of the authority said that although the main issue at present is the price, he is not allowed to talk about it as it can affect the negotiations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> Quoting a Bangladeshi energy expert, the Daily Observer newspaper published there wrote that the rate proposed by the authority is expensive. Bangladeshi energy experts have also said that they should be more cautious in the energy purchase agreement with Nepal as they believe that there is a possibility that more energy can be imported from Nepal in the future and that the first agreement will set a precedent for future tariff negotiations.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20054', 'image' => '20240223021605_banglad.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 14:15:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20325', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Spends Over Rs 150 Billion to Pay Interests and Principle of Public Debt', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: With the increase in the share of public debt, the government has had to spend a large amount of money on financial liability management.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 23: With the increase in the share of public debt, the government has had to spend a large amount of money on financial liability management. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the first seven months of the current fiscal year (FY), the government has spent Rs 155.24 billion on financial management, i.e. paying the principal and interest of the loans. Out of that amount, Rs 130.11 billion constitutes the principal and interest of internal debts. During the review period, the government paid internal loans of Rs 90.97 billion and interest of Rs 39.14 billion. Likewise, the government paid Rs 25.13 billion towards external loans including Rs 20.12 in principle amount and Rs 5 billion interest, according to the Public Debt Management Office under the Ministry of Finance.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Public Debt Management Office informed that the government took loans of Rs 202.43 billion between mid-July to mid-July 2023 to mid-January 2024.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">With this, the public debt of the country has increased to Rs 2386.77 billion including Rs 1184.52 billion in internal loans and foreign debts worth Rs 1202.24 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As of the end of last fiscal year, the country’s public debt stood at Rs 2295.43 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As of mid-January of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s total public debt has reached 44.36 percent of the GDP. Experts say that the country can withstand the pressure of public debt up to 50 percent of the GDP.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the current year, the government has allocated a large amount of budget to pay interest on internal debts.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20052', 'image' => '20240223125632_20231201023735_public debt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 12:55:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20324', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Weather to Improve Gradually from Saturday: Meteorological Forecasting Division', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Sporadic rainfall is likely to occur at some places across the country today due to the partial impact of the westerly low pressure system (also known as western disturbance) in the weather.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 23: Sporadic rainfall is likely to occur at some places across the country today due to the partial impact of the westerly low pressure system (also known as western disturbance) in the weather.</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"">According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the weather in the hill region of the country, especially in Koshi Province, is mostly cloudy at present but is expected to remain clear from Saturday. </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"">The weather in the Kathmandu Valley has been clear from early morning today after rainfall on Thursday evening. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The division has forecast that the weather shall remain partly to generally cloudy in the hill areas of Koshi and Gandaki provinces; partly cloudy in the hill regions of Bagmati, Karnali and Sudur Pashchim provinces and mainly fair in the rest of the country. </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"">"Light rain is possible at one or two places of the hill regions of Koshi and Gandaki provinces," according to the division. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, there are chances of light snowfall at a few places of the high hills and mountainous regions today. </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"">On Thursday, international flights to and from Tribhuvan International Airport were affected due to bad weather in Kathmandu. An aircraft belonging to Indian Indigo Airlines was diverted to Lucknow, India after it could not land at Tribhuvan International Airport on Thursday afternoon following unfavourable weather condition, said TIA Spokesperson Subas Jha. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, domestic flights were operating despite the bad weather, although there were some delays, he added. International flights resumed after the rainfall subsided on Thursday night. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20051', 'image' => '20240223122212_NL_Manang-IMG-201a825acf051f54225161d94bf72a44-V.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 12:21:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20323', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bridge over Lo Manthang River Constructed ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: A motorable bridge over Lo Manthang River along the Kaligandaki corridor in Upper Mustang has been constructed.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 23: A motorable bridge over Lo Manthang River along the Kaligandaki corridor in Upper Mustang has been constructed. With the construction of the bridge, road network along the Beni-Jomsom-Korola has become more accessible. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Developers involved in the bridge construction shared that the bridge developed with the investment of Rs 46.8 million can be run in all seasons. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Information Officer of Beni-Jomsom-Korola Road Project Engineer Bishnu Chapagain said the bridge was handed over to the concerned side after the completion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Chapagain, a total of six motorable bridges have been constructed along the 202 km long road from Beni to Korola. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Project has signed contract agreements with different companies for the construction of five more bridges allocating Rs 316.2 million in budget along the route. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20050', 'image' => '20240223114628_umustang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 11:45:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20322', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Snowfall Delights Farmers ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Snowfall in different parts of the country has elated farmers.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 23: Snowfall in different parts of the country has elated farmers. The farmers in various districts of Sudurpaschim Province have expressed happiness over the rainfall with the hope that the winter crop will yield better after the snowfall.</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"">According to the state-owned RSS, rainfall along with snowfall occurred in different place of the province on Thursday afternoon.</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"">This is the second time that the far western parts of Nepal witnessed snowfall this winter. Earlier, snowfall had occurred in the first week of February. </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"">The farmers of Solukhumbu are also delighted with the rain coupled with snowfall. The district had being suffering from drought for a long time and the rain with snowfall on Thursday brought cheers to the farmers. The wheat crop is likely to benefit while farmers can now plant other food crops. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Lhakpa Sherpa, a farmer of Salleri, said that the land was dry due to lack of winter rain but the delayed rain and snowfall has provided them some relief. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Keshav Prasad Koirala of Panchan said that the crops were drying up and the land was turning into a desert. </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"">"Yesterday's rain brought happiness to the farmers through it did not rain enough to soak the land," he said. Farmers now hope that the crops that have dried up due to drought will flourish again. </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"">Likewise, tourists who reached the Everest region are also happy after the snowfall. Dati Sherpa of Lukla said that Khumbu region is finally looking like Khumbu in real sense. </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"">“We are happy and the tourists too also enjoying the snow, while the mountains are finally covered with snow.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, heavy snowfall since Thursday afternoon briefly obstructed vehicular movement along the Jaya Prithvi Highway in Sudur Paschim Province on Thursday.</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"">Inspector Nandaraj Joshi, spokesperson of the District Police Office, Baitadi said that snowfall took place in Khodpe, Anarkholi, Harichan, Dudilakhan, Dholyamode, Bithad and other areas. </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"">Meanwhile, snowfall has also been reported in central parts of Nepal including Manang. </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"">(Updated news with inputs from RSS)</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20049', 'image' => '20240223103548_BSB-Baitadi.JPG', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 10:35:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, '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' => '20340', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'NEA Focuses on Solar Energy during Dry Season', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Since the flow of water in the rivers decreases during the dry season, the electricity production is reduced. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: Since the flow of water in the rivers decreases during the dry season, the electricity production is reduced. So, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has recently prioritized solar energy to facilitate energy supply. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Kulman Ghising, the managing director of the NEA, confirmed that the authority has prioritized solar energy.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The authority had adopted a policy of consuming only 10 percent of the total electricity connected to the national grid from solar energy. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Ghising said that the NEA has now adopted the policy of consuming 10 percent of solar energy in the total installed capacity as per the power purchase agreement (PPA). </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Nepal, which exports electricity during the rainy season, has to import electricity from India during the dry season. Ghising said that solar energy is necessary to meet the domestic demand of electricity during the dry season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In line with the policy of prioritizing solar energy, the NEA has granted survey permission to 42 companies for 735 MW of solar energy in the last four years. During this period, 14 companies have taken permission to build solar power plants of 99.36 megawatts. Similarly, the NEA has issued survey permission for 77.2 MW solar energy only in the current fiscal year (FY).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The authority, which has adopted the concept of energy mix by giving preference to solar energy, has been purchasing solar energy on the basis of competition. Earlier, the authority was buying solar energy at Rs 7.30 per unit, but since February last year, it has been buying it at Rs 5.94 per unit. This is the maximum tariff. </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 Ghising, the electricity production capacity has now dropped to about 10 percent. With the onset of winter, the water level in the rivers decreases, affecting the production of electricity every year. Therefore, the authority is importing electricity from India from mid-November. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Electricity worth Rs 2.5 billion has been imported as of mid-February. Ghising says that since the country needs to step up imports of electricity in February, March and April, the NEA is forced to import electricity worth Rs 3 billion to Rs 4 billion rupees every month during the dry season. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Due to the decrease in water flow in the river, the production of the Kabeli Corridor with an installed capacity of about 200 MW is now only 20 MW. This year, drought has greatly increased due to the lack of rain and snowfall.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">What is the possibility of solar energy production?</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 statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, there is 10,30,000 hectares of barren land in Nepal. Stakeholders say that even if only 1 to 2 percent of that land is used, the production of solar energy in Nepal can be overwhelming.</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 Kuberamani Nepal, a member of the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), one and a half bigha of land is needed to build a solar power project with a capacity of one megawatt which can produce 1.7 million to 2 million units of electricity. It can generate a minimum income of Rs 124,00,000 to 1,53,00,000. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">When it comes to solar irrigation, the world average is 3.7 units per square meter but in Nepal it is 4.7 units per square meter. That means one square meter has the capacity to produce 4.7 kilowatt of solar electricity per day. Compared to the plains, there is more capacity to produce solar energy in the hills. Therefore, energy producers say that Nepal is a paradise for solar energy production.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20067', 'image' => '20240225015347_20220315024600_shutterstock_1126547147.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 13:53:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20339', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Majority of Microfinance Companies Decide not to Distribute Dividends', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The number of microfinance companies that do not distribute dividends to the investors is more than those that give dividends. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: The number of microfinance companies that do not distribute dividends to the investors is more than those that give dividends. Out of 55 microfinance companies listed in NEPSE, 15 have distributed dividends to their shareholders from their profits up to the last fiscal year (FY). Twenty seven such companies have already announced not to distribute dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Himalayan Microfinance, Gurans Microfinance, Infinity Microfinance, Laxmi Microfinance, CYC Microfinance, Sadhana Microfinance, Mero Microfinance, Ganapati Microfinance, Manakamana Smart Microfinance, Upkar Microfinance, Community Microfinance, Forward Microfinance, Nadep Microfinance, Sabaiko Microfinance, Unnati Sahakarya Microfinance and Nerude Microfinance have decided not to distribute dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Similarly, Gramin Bikas Microfinance, Nirdhan Uthan Microfinance, Kalika Microfinance, Kisan Microfinance, Mahuli Microfinance, Mahila Microfinance, Jalpa Community Microfinance, Win Nepal Microfinance, Mirmire Microfinance, Swabhiman Microfinance and Dhaulagiri Microfinance have also decided not to distribute dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Last year, the profits of microfinance companies were affected due to the economic recession. On the other hand, strict regulatory provisions made them unable to distribute dividends. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The increasing bad loans of banks and financial institutions have affected other sectors as well. Experts say that because of the bad loans of banks and financial institutions, the profits of the listed companies have been directly affected, so they are unable to distribute dividends to the shareholders. Most of the companies that have declared dividends have passed them from the annual general meeting. Some are yet to pass the dividends.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The dividend rate of most of the companies opting to distribute dividends has decreased. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Nepal Rastra Bank has made it mandatory for the companies distributing more than 15 percent dividends to keep 95 percent of the dividend above 15 percent in reserve fund. This has forced the microfinance companies to reconsider the dividend rate.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A few years ago, investors were attracted towards the shares of microfinance companies among the companies listed in the secondary market of securities. Investors used to trade shares of microfinance companies because of the attractive dividends. However, after the implementation of the new provision by central banks since last year, the share price of microfinance companies has been continuously falling. The share price of the company, which reached above Rs 5500 per share, has now dropped to Rs 1600 per unit.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20066', 'image' => '20240225010517_cooerativesssss.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 13:04:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20337', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Rastra Bank to Monitor Cooperatives Once Again', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Nepal Rastra Bank has agreed to monitor the cooperatives which falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Cooperatives. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: Nepal Rastra Bank has agreed to monitor the cooperatives which falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Cooperatives. The central bank has sent three experts to the department for the monitoring of cooperatives upon the request from the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In order to provide technical assistance in monitoring of cooperatives, the NRB has sent Deputy Director Dr Ramesh Chaulagai, Director Ram Krishna Rai and Ramesh Poudel of Microfinance Department to the Department of Cooperatives. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Spokesperson for the Department of Cooperatives, Tolraj Upadhyay, informed New Business Age that they will participate in the monitoring committee to be formed under the coordination of the deputy registrar of the department.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"Nepal Rastra Bank has sent three employees to monitor the cooperatives," said Upadhyay, "We will form a monitoring team with them and start work."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Earlier in 2066, Nepal Rastra Bank had sent two employees to the department to monitor the cooperatives. Recently, the number of problematic cooperatives has increased and the central bank has again assisted in the monitoring.</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 Cooperatives Act, there is a provision for the central bank to monitor the cooperatives with an annual turnover of more than Rs 500 million. However, the central bank has not shown any interest in monitoring the cooperatives as there is no such provision in the Nepal Rastra Bank Act. </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 provisions of the constitution, the local level has been authorised to register and regulate the cooperatives based on the area of operation of those cooperatives. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Currently, cooperatives are being regulated by the Department of Cooperative of the federal government as well as the state and local levels. However, after the transfer of cooperatives to the provincial and local levels, their regulation has weakened. As a result, in the recent past, there have been increasing incidents of misappropriation of the savings of the cooperatives, directors being out of contact and the depositors not getting back their savings.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">To solve the problems seen in the cooperatives, the government had formed a task force under the coordination of National Planning Commission’s member Dr Jayakant Raut. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A report submitted by the committee to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal about six months ago had recommended that Nepal Rastra Bank should monitor the cooperatives with large transactions.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The committee had also suggested forming a second-level regulatory body for monitoring cooperatives, classifying cooperatives based on their problems, forming a credit information center, and a debt recovery tribunal, but the government has not implemented those suggestions.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20064', 'image' => '20240225114542_Nepal_Rastra_Bank2 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 11:45:04', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20336', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Good Price of Black Cardamom Elates Farmers in Taplejung ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: The farmers of Taplejung district are elated with the increase in the price of black cardamom, which is commonly known as 'black gold' here.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">February 25: The farmers of Taplejung district are elated with the increase in the price of black cardamom, which is commonly known as 'black gold' here. The market of black cardamom is also encouraging this year. The price of black cardamom has increased by more than two-folds compared to last year, said the locals. The price of black cardamom has reached an all-time high in the past five years. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The farmers said that the price of black cardamom has reached upto Rs 80,000 per 40 kilograms this year while it was sold at Rs 26,000 to Rs 32,000 per 40 kilograms in the local market 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">Chairman of Black Cardamom Entrepreneurs Association, Taplejung, Bhadra Bir Regmi shared that most of the farmers sold black cardamom at Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000 per 40 kilograms this season.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">"It was sold at Rs 60,000 in the early days while the price hit Rs 80,000 two weeks ago. Now, per 40 kg black cardamom is being sold at Rs 79,000," he shared. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Black cardamom entrepreneur Dinesh Adhikari of Phungling Municipality-5 said that the price of black cardamom soared this year due to its high demand in the international market. "Price of black cardamom in Nepal increased due to high demand in the international market and limited production in India in the recent time," Adhikari argued. </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 Adhikari, more than 80 per cent of the farmers sold out their products here and they are truly elated from the good price. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Black cardamom is grown in some 4,500 hectares of land in Taplejung and around 2,500 metric tonnes is produced each year, the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Taplejung said. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:14.0pt">With the good price, the farmers, who are enthusiastic about black cardamom cultivation as an important cash crop, are happy as a result of higher rate in the market. Around 60 wards in the district grow black cardamom. Its production in Taplejung has increased due to favorable weather and low incidence of diseases. The farmers in the district have been attracted to the cultivation of black cardamom as they make a decent earning even by giving a little time.-- RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20063', 'image' => '20240225111202_20240224093345_20231217050627_BlackCardamom.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 11:11:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20335', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Govt to Hand Over Projects of Less than Rs 30 Million to Province and Local Levels', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 25: Prime Minister and Parliamentary Party leader of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the federal government would not handle projects worth less than Rs 30 million. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">February 25: Prime Minister and Parliamentary Party leader of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the federal government would not handle projects worth less than Rs 30 million. <br /> He made such remarks during the CPN (Maoist Centre) parliamentary party meeting held at Singha Durbar on Saturday morning. During the meeting, PM Dahal shared that the government has laid emphasis on fiscal handover to strengthen federalism.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">"The federal government will keep projects with strategic importance. Province and local levels will run projects that are worth less than Rs 30 million. Furthermore, authority of project selection will be given to provinces and local levels," mentioned PM Dahal. <br /> He stressed that the trend of accumulating budget on different headings that cannot be spent while lacking budget for essential projects should be stopped, adding that the government would take possible measures to complete the under-construction projects. <br /> Prime Minister Dahal added he has already received a report related to Balkumari incident and is studying it. "Necessary decision will be taken after studying the report of Balkumari incident. The government decided to carryout investigation after forming a commission. The report is in the process of study. It is under the jurisdiction of the government. The opposition should follow a political culture," he underlined. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20062', 'image' => '20240225102449_20240224092725_20230201015828_singhadurbar-1-1310227299.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 10:23:50', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20334', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Telecom to Provide Free Internet in 34 Airports ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The Nepal Telecom is gearing up to provide free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports within six months. Nepal Telecom and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have inked an agreement to provide free Wi-Fi access in the airports.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px">February 25: The Nepal Telecom is gearing up to provide free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports within six months. Nepal Telecom and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have inked an agreement to provide free Wi-Fi access in the airports.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"> CAAN spokesperson and deputy director-general Jagannath Niraula said that CAAN was excited to have struck the agreement with the Nepal telecom to manage free Wi-Fi internet service in 34 airports.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">In accordance with the agreement, free internet service installation will be completed in all airports within next six months. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px">Nepal Telecom's chief commercial officer Binita Shrestha and CAAN spokesperson Niraula signed the agreement, the CAAN sources said. (RSS) </span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-25', 'modified' => '2024-02-25', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20061', 'image' => '20240225070846_collage (39).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-25 07:07:28', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20331', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bachelor's Degree to be Made of Three Years Again: VC Prof Dr Baral ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Tribhuvan University (TU), Prof Dr Keshar Jung Baral has announced to revise the Bachelor's degree to 'three years'. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 24: Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Tribhuvan University (TU), Prof Dr Keshar Jung Baral has announced to revise the Bachelor's degree to 'three years'. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It may be noted that the Tribhuvan University (TU) had initiated the four-year Bachelor's degree programme at the Department of Management since the academic year of 2071/72 BS. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">After assuming his office at the TU on Friday, Vice-Chancellor Baral said the four-year Bachelor's programme has added investment burden to the students and guardians and also caused inconvenience to the TU in its work operations. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"The four-year programme was designed to adapt to the foreign education system. But, several countries, including neighbouring India and European nations are still adopting three-year Bachelor's degree," he noted. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Sharing that some countries, including the United States are running four-year Bachelor's degree, he said, "Additional one year honorary programme could be run for the students completing three-year Bachelor's degree and aspiring for pursuing four-year degree abroad." </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, the Bachelor's programme of some subjects could be of four-year due to subject specialization, he noted. </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"">Pointing out that there has been quite nominal enrollment in some educational programmes of the university and some have even zero number of students, he said the Faculty of Humanities now has lesser enrollment of students compared to other educational programmes. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">VC Baral further said the Faculty of Humanities would be restructured as a multi-disciplinary liberal arts programme allowing enrollment of aspirants from other faculties in a bid to resolve the problem. Likewise, the programmes of education faculty would also be restructured in a way to allow students from other subjects to pursue the course, he added. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Outgoing acting VC Shivalal Bhusal along with other senior officials welcomed the newly appointed VC Baral. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-24', 'modified' => '2024-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20058', 'image' => '20240224095924_edu.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-24 09:58:38', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20330', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '‘Proper Study Essential before Constructing New Airport’', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 24: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said it is not possible to construct an airport in Dharan without conducting a proper study. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 24: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said it is not possible to construct an airport in Dharan without conducting a proper study. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Inaugurating the Dharan Expo, 2024 organized by Sunsari Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday, Minister Kirati reminded that 22 airports are left unused in the country as they were established without proper study. Such a hasty decision cannot be taken in case of Dharan as well, he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The minister however informed that feasibility study was being conducted. </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"">"Only possibility of conducting flights is not a solid basis to construct and operate airport," Minister Kirati informed the participants attending the event. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The expo is being organized to promote local produce, culture and tourism. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the occasion, former chairman of FNCCI, Chandi Raj Dhakal, sought support from government to elevate the status of private sector because businesses were reeling under difficulty at present.</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"">Organizer of the Expo, Bijay Shrestha, informed that event was held to promote export and internal supply of handicrafts and local products. There are a total of 150 stalls in the exhibition that will last till March 6. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-24', 'modified' => '2024-02-24', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20057', 'image' => '20240224095203_airport-field-vector-5950275.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-24 09:51:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20329', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Nepal Investment Mega Bank Opens Two new Branches in Kathmandu', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Nepal Investment Mega Bank Limited has recently brought two new branches into operation in Kathmandu. The bank launched a new branch into operation each at Swayambhu in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15 and Balaju in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-16.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 23: Nepal Investment Mega Bank Limited has recently brought two new branches into operation in Kathmandu. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The bank launched a new branch into operation each at Swayambhu in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15 and Balaju in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-16.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the bank, Jyotiprakash Pandey, inaugurated the new branches. CEO Pandey said that the bank would provide excellent banking services and facilities to customers from the new branches.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Nepal Investment Mega Bank has been providing services through 268 branches, 63 extension counters, 113 branchless banking, and 262 ATMs nationwide.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20056', 'image' => '20240223034039_collage (38).jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 15:39:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20328', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Young Entrepreneurs Demand Debt Recovery Law', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: The entrepreneurs of Birgunj have complained that they have to pay interest to banks even for Value Added Tax just because of the delay in receiving payments. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">February 23: The entrepreneurs of Birgunj have complained that they have to pay interest to banks even for Value Added Tax just because of the delay in receiving payments. They said that they were at the receiving end due to the lack of debt recovery laws. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The young entrepreneurs of Birgunj made this complaint while submitting a letter of recommendation to the chairman of the High Level Tax System Reform Suggestion Committee, Bidyadhar Mallik.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Sandeep Agarwal, president of Birgunj chapter of the Nepalese Youth Entrepreneurs Forum, said that after the seller issues the tax invoice, they are obliged to pay VAT by the 25th day of the next month as per the Nepali calendar. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">"On the one hand, we are unable to recover the amount while on the other hand, they have to pay taxes with interest to the bank," said Agarwal.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Rakesh Sah, the outgoing president of the forum, said that due to the lack of laws related to debt recovery, they are not able to recover money for the goods sold on credit. Due to this, the entire business cycle has become costly and they have lost the edge of business competitiveness.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The entrepreneurs have been demanding for years to bring an effective law for debt recovery. However, they are not able to understand the reason for the indifference of the lawmakers, said the outgoing president Sah.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The young entrepreneur also demanded that the VAT refund process should be simplified as it is very complicated at present.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20055', 'image' => '20240223024150_1.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 14:41:05', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20327', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Power Trade Negotiations with Bangladesh Heading in Positive Direction', 'sub_title' => 'Nepal and Bangladesh to sign agreement to export electricity from this year upcoming monsoon', 'summary' => 'February 23: The electricity sale negotiations between Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) have progressed in the positive direction.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">February 23: The electricity sale negotiations between Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) have progressed in the positive direction, according to the NEA officials who are currently in Dhaka for the power trade deal. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The two sides have agreed to conclude the electricity trade agreement as soon as possible to begin export of electricity to Bangladesh from the upcoming monsoon. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The NEA informed that the team led by its Executive Director Kulman Ghising and the Bid Evaluation Committee under the BPDB held talks in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on Thursday. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Quoting Executive Director Ghising, the NEA sources informed that the two sides held a detailed discussion on every point to be included in the electricity sale agreement and it was agreed to finalize the agreement soon.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">"BPDB submitted a proposal as per the rules upon our request and we discussed in detail the points to be included in the contract," the source quoted Ghising as saying, adding, "They have to get approval from the higher authorities and complete the process. An agreement has been reached to buy electricity from Nepal during the upcoming rainy season.''</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The electricity purchase agreement is to be signed for a five-year period initially. The NEA informed that Nepal will export electricity from India's Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV international transmission line. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Officials of the NEA say that nothing can be said about the price of electricity to be sold to Bangladesh right now. A senior officer of the authority said that although the main issue at present is the price, he is not allowed to talk about it as it can affect the negotiations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> Quoting a Bangladeshi energy expert, the Daily Observer newspaper published there wrote that the rate proposed by the authority is expensive. Bangladeshi energy experts have also said that they should be more cautious in the energy purchase agreement with Nepal as they believe that there is a possibility that more energy can be imported from Nepal in the future and that the first agreement will set a precedent for future tariff negotiations.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20054', 'image' => '20240223021605_banglad.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 14:15:14', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20325', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Government Spends Over Rs 150 Billion to Pay Interests and Principle of Public Debt', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: With the increase in the share of public debt, the government has had to spend a large amount of money on financial liability management.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">February 23: With the increase in the share of public debt, the government has had to spend a large amount of money on financial liability management. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the first seven months of the current fiscal year (FY), the government has spent Rs 155.24 billion on financial management, i.e. paying the principal and interest of the loans. Out of that amount, Rs 130.11 billion constitutes the principal and interest of internal debts. During the review period, the government paid internal loans of Rs 90.97 billion and interest of Rs 39.14 billion. Likewise, the government paid Rs 25.13 billion towards external loans including Rs 20.12 in principle amount and Rs 5 billion interest, according to the Public Debt Management Office under the Ministry of Finance.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Public Debt Management Office informed that the government took loans of Rs 202.43 billion between mid-July to mid-July 2023 to mid-January 2024.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">With this, the public debt of the country has increased to Rs 2386.77 billion including Rs 1184.52 billion in internal loans and foreign debts worth Rs 1202.24 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As of the end of last fiscal year, the country’s public debt stood at Rs 2295.43 billion.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As of mid-January of the current fiscal year, Nepal’s total public debt has reached 44.36 percent of the GDP. Experts say that the country can withstand the pressure of public debt up to 50 percent of the GDP.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the current year, the government has allocated a large amount of budget to pay interest on internal debts.</span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20052', 'image' => '20240223125632_20231201023735_public debt.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 12:55:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20324', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Weather to Improve Gradually from Saturday: Meteorological Forecasting Division', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Sporadic rainfall is likely to occur at some places across the country today due to the partial impact of the westerly low pressure system (also known as western disturbance) in the weather.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 23: Sporadic rainfall is likely to occur at some places across the country today due to the partial impact of the westerly low pressure system (also known as western disturbance) in the weather.</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"">According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the weather in the hill region of the country, especially in Koshi Province, is mostly cloudy at present but is expected to remain clear from Saturday. </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"">The weather in the Kathmandu Valley has been clear from early morning today after rainfall on Thursday evening. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The division has forecast that the weather shall remain partly to generally cloudy in the hill areas of Koshi and Gandaki provinces; partly cloudy in the hill regions of Bagmati, Karnali and Sudur Pashchim provinces and mainly fair in the rest of the country. </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"">"Light rain is possible at one or two places of the hill regions of Koshi and Gandaki provinces," according to the division. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, there are chances of light snowfall at a few places of the high hills and mountainous regions today. </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"">On Thursday, international flights to and from Tribhuvan International Airport were affected due to bad weather in Kathmandu. An aircraft belonging to Indian Indigo Airlines was diverted to Lucknow, India after it could not land at Tribhuvan International Airport on Thursday afternoon following unfavourable weather condition, said TIA Spokesperson Subas Jha. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, domestic flights were operating despite the bad weather, although there were some delays, he added. International flights resumed after the rainfall subsided on Thursday night. -- RSS</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20051', 'image' => '20240223122212_NL_Manang-IMG-201a825acf051f54225161d94bf72a44-V.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 12:21:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20323', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Bridge over Lo Manthang River Constructed ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: A motorable bridge over Lo Manthang River along the Kaligandaki corridor in Upper Mustang has been constructed.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 23: A motorable bridge over Lo Manthang River along the Kaligandaki corridor in Upper Mustang has been constructed. With the construction of the bridge, road network along the Beni-Jomsom-Korola has become more accessible. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Developers involved in the bridge construction shared that the bridge developed with the investment of Rs 46.8 million can be run in all seasons. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Information Officer of Beni-Jomsom-Korola Road Project Engineer Bishnu Chapagain said the bridge was handed over to the concerned side after the completion. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to Chapagain, a total of six motorable bridges have been constructed along the 202 km long road from Beni to Korola. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Project has signed contract agreements with different companies for the construction of five more bridges allocating Rs 316.2 million in budget along the route. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20050', 'image' => '20240223114628_umustang.jpg', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 11:45:45', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '20322', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Snowfall Delights Farmers ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'February 23: Snowfall in different parts of the country has elated farmers.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">February 23: Snowfall in different parts of the country has elated farmers. The farmers in various districts of Sudurpaschim Province have expressed happiness over the rainfall with the hope that the winter crop will yield better after the snowfall.</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"">According to the state-owned RSS, rainfall along with snowfall occurred in different place of the province on Thursday afternoon.</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"">This is the second time that the far western parts of Nepal witnessed snowfall this winter. Earlier, snowfall had occurred in the first week of February. </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"">The farmers of Solukhumbu are also delighted with the rain coupled with snowfall. The district had being suffering from drought for a long time and the rain with snowfall on Thursday brought cheers to the farmers. The wheat crop is likely to benefit while farmers can now plant other food crops. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Lhakpa Sherpa, a farmer of Salleri, said that the land was dry due to lack of winter rain but the delayed rain and snowfall has provided them some relief. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Keshav Prasad Koirala of Panchan said that the crops were drying up and the land was turning into a desert. </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"">"Yesterday's rain brought happiness to the farmers through it did not rain enough to soak the land," he said. Farmers now hope that the crops that have dried up due to drought will flourish again. </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"">Likewise, tourists who reached the Everest region are also happy after the snowfall. Dati Sherpa of Lukla said that Khumbu region is finally looking like Khumbu in real sense. </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"">“We are happy and the tourists too also enjoying the snow, while the mountains are finally covered with snow.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Meanwhile, heavy snowfall since Thursday afternoon briefly obstructed vehicular movement along the Jaya Prithvi Highway in Sudur Paschim Province on Thursday.</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"">Inspector Nandaraj Joshi, spokesperson of the District Police Office, Baitadi said that snowfall took place in Khodpe, Anarkholi, Harichan, Dudilakhan, Dholyamode, Bithad and other areas. </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"">Meanwhile, snowfall has also been reported in central parts of Nepal including Manang. </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"">(Updated news with inputs from RSS)</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <br /> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2024-02-23', 'modified' => '2024-02-23', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '20049', 'image' => '20240223103548_BSB-Baitadi.JPG', 'article_date' => '2024-02-23 10:35:02', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, '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
