Nov 30, 2011

10 locations chosen for hill cities

KATHMANDU, JUL 28 - The government has selected 10 locations along the Mid-Hills Highway and north-south link roads in all five development regions to establish new cities. However, the National Planning Commission (NPC) has yet to approve the proposed sites.

Based on a feasibility study carried out by RIBS Engineering Consultant, the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction has proposed Phidim (in Panchthar district), Basantapur (Terhathum), Khurkot (Sindhuli), Baireni Galchhi (Dhading), Dumre (Tanahun), Burtibang (Baglung), Chaurjahari (Rukum), Raakam (Dailekh), Sanfebagar (Achham) and Patan (Baitadi) as potential locations to set up modern cities.

The locations will have a capacity to accommodate a population of 30,000-50,000. The planned modern cities are targeted at reducing the trend of migration from the mountains and hills to the Tarai besides increasing the possibility of developing hilly areas having economic potential.

Work permit issue: Govt asks INGOs, NGOs for foreign workers’ details

KATHMANDU, JUL 27 - The government has started demanding details of foreign workers employed by diplomatic missions and non-governmental and private organisations. The move is targeted at compiling information about foreigners working in Nepal before taking action against organisations employing foreigners without an employment permit.

The Department of Labour has recently asked for details about foreign staff from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), GIZ Nepal and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) through the Association of International NGOs in Nepal. The department has also asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to correspond with all the diplomatic missions in Nepal to provide information about employees who do not enjoy diplomatic privilege.

The department also asked the National Sports Council to submit information about foreign sportspersons in Nepal. The department has been preparing a list of multinational companies in Nepal to obtain details about their foreign workers.

Auto registrations in Bagmati down 22pc

KATHMANDU, JUL 22 - Registrations of vehicles in the last fiscal year in Bagmati zone, the country’s largest automobile market, were down 22.13 percent compared to fiscal 2009-10. Automobile dealers have attributed the slump in registrations and sales to the hike in excise duty and liquidity crunch in bank and financial institutions (BFI).

According to the Bagmati Zone Transport Management Office, 64,010 vehicles (four wheelers and two wheelers) were registered in Bagmati during fiscal 2010-11, down from 82,204 in 2009-10. Bagmati accounts for 60 percent of auto registrations and sales in the country. 

The number of motorcycles registered in 2010-11 stood at 53,690, down from 69,369 in the previous fiscal.

FCAN concerned over low capital expenditure budget

KATHMANDU, JUL 20 - The Federation of Contractors’ Associations of Nepal (FCAN) hailed the timely budget presentation saying that it will give momentum to the infrastructure development. However, it expressed dissatisfaction over the small amount of allocation for capital expenditure.

Of the total budget of Rs 384.9 billion, only 18.86 percent has been earmarked for capital expenditure.

Making public its official statement on the budget at a press meet here on Wednesday, FCAN President Yakshya Dhoj Karki said the capital expenditure budget will not be sufficient for the timely completion of large projects of national importance.

‘Not enough funds allocated for railway’

KATHMANDU, JUL 19 - The government in the budget for the current fiscal year has talked about initiating construction of the highly ambitious East West Electric Railway project, but the Department of Railways has said the amount allocated for railway development is negligible and is not even sufficient to continue ongoing studies.

For the current fiscal year, the department had demanded Rs 6.30 million for the feasibility study of metro railway or Mass Rapid System (underground and elevated railway) in the Capital, detailed project report of the East-West railways and land compensations for constructing railway links in bordering towns of the country. However, despite government’s high priority in the budget statement, only Rs 100 million has been allocated for the railway sector, according to the department.

Salary hike row: Trade unions on protest path

KATHMANDU, JUL 19 - Ten disgruntled trade unions have unveiled protest programmes to pressure employers to increase workers’ salary as provisioned in the Nepal Gazette. Their programmes include wearing black band at workplace on Thursday and an indefinite industrial closer starting Aug.15.

The protest has been announced at a time when the Supreme Court has already issued an interim order not to implement the workers’ pay hike based on the Gazette for now. The court on Jul. 3 had issued the order to the government.

In a joint press release, unions close to Madhesh-based political parties, two warring factions within the pro-UCPN (Maoist) All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) and other minor trade unions have demanded that employers implement the basic salary and dearness allowance as mentioned in the Gazette.

Infra gets whopping Rs 85.96 billion

KATHMANDU, JUL 15 - Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari has put huge money (Rs 85.96 billion) in the infrastructure sector, making it a tool for national development and employment generation.

With such a resource allocation, the government plans to complete the track opening of ongoing road projects, address energy crisis, and initiate work on the construction of multi-billion East-West Electric Railway. The budget has increased resources for the sector by over Rs 20 billion compared to FY 2010-12.

The budget allocated for the infrastructure sector is 22.33 percent of the total budget of Rs 384.9 billion for the next fiscal year.

Budget for transport sector up 31.47 pc

KATHMANDU, JUL 14 - The government is massively increasing the budget for the transport sector in the next fiscal year, giving high priority to road construction. A Finance Ministry source said a total of Rs 37.16 billion has been set aside for the sector, focusing on Postal Roads, Mid-Hill Highway and North South link roads.

The budget being allocated for the transport sector is 31.47 percent more compared to Rs 28.27 billion in the current fiscal year. The finance minister could not present the budget on Thursday amid political disputes; however, if the budget figures are not changed, Terai’s Postal Roads project will get Rs 4.98 billion for the construction of road and bridges. The amount being allocated for these Postal Roads linking Jhapa with Kanchanpur is more than double than the budget allocated for the current fiscal year.

Gold hits record high of Rs 37,295 per 10gm

KATHMANDU, JUL 13 - Gold price on Wednesday set a new record of Rs 37,295 per 10 gm (Rs 43,500 per tola) in the domestic market—an increment of Rs 345 per 10 gm in a single trading day.

The precious yellow metal was traded at Rs 36,950 per 10 gm on Tuesday. The new record has broken the previous record of Rs 37,125 per 10 gm on June 23. The metal's price also hit a record $1578.50 an ounce in the international market on Wednesday as concerns over the euro zone debt crisis deepened.

On Sunday, the gold price was recorded at Rs 36,650 per 10 gm in the local market.

Budget 2011-12: Fewer new projects in offing: MoPPW

KATHMANDU, JUL 08 - The Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW) has stated that it would construct a road tunnel from Thankot to Jhapre Khola and conduct feasibility studies for a railway link to China and a Kathmandu-Birgunj railway in the next fiscal year besides continuing to accord high priority to ongoing projects.

The tunnel, which will be around 3 km long, is aimed at reducing traffic congestion on the Nagdhunga-Naubise road section of the Tribhuvan Highway. Similarly, the feasibility studies for railway links will be done with a plan to construct a railway connecting India and China through Nepal

Tougher work permit policy on cards

KATHMANDU, JUL 05 - Any institution planning to hire foreign human resource has to follow stringent government procedures henceforth. The Ministry of Labour and Transport Management (MoLTM) is all set to introduce a new policy with tougher provisions for foreign workers’ recruitment.

The policy to be introduced by the next fiscal year will make it mandatory for employers to get preapproval from the Department of Labour (DoL) while hiring foreign human resource and publish advertisement of job vacancy in at least five national dailies. The idea, according to officials of the labour department, is to give priority to Nepali citizens.

As per the Labour Act 1992, if a Nepali citizen is not available for any skilled technical post even after publishing advertisements in newspapers, the employer can submit an application to the department along with the evidence of such a fact for the approval to appoint a non-Nepali citizen.

SC issues interim order against salary hike

KATHMANDU, JUL 03 - The Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday issued an interim order to the government asking it not to implement the salary hike as published in the Nepal Gazette on May 23.

The Ministry of Labour and Transport Management had decided to increase the minimum salary of workers by Rs 1,600 per month and the daily wage by Rs 41 following pressure by minor trade unions.

Issuing the order, the division bench of Justices Prem Sharma and Tarka Raj Bhatta said that the raise should be effective from the day it is published in the Gazette, but the government had ordered that the increased rate be implemented retroactively from March 15, 2011

Organisations with foreign workers to be monitored

KATHMANDU, JUL 01 - In a bid to apply the work permit system for foreigners more strictly, the government is preparing an action plan to start monitoring in organisations employing foreigners. The Ministry of Labour and Transport Management (MoLTM) has said that it would start monitoring within a week.

The ministry has formed a central monitoring committee and has issued a notice to get work permits from the Department of Labour for all foreigners working in the country.

“We are currently working on an action plan that will monitor all the organisations having foreign workers,” said Man Bahadur BK, director general of the department

Nov 28, 2011

Half of Nepali households have member working abroad: WB Survey

JUN 28 - Almost half of Nepali households have at least one member working abroad or have a returnee, according to a survey.

The Nepal Migration Survey carried out by the World Bank in 2009 on 3,200 households shows that around 77 percent of the returnees were interested in going for foreign employment again. Most of the Nepali migrant workers are aged between 20 and 44 years—the most productive workforce group. “The outmigration is causing domestic labour supply shortages in many rural areas,” says the survey

Bike registration up 2.98pc

JUN 27 - Continuing previous years’ trend, registration of two-wheelers has increased in the Bagmati Zone with the fiscal year coming to an end. Registration of two wheelers, which was witnessing decline in the ninth and tenth months of the current fiscal year, increased marginally by 2.98 percent in the 11th month (mid-May to mid-June).

According to the Bagmati Zone Transport Management Office, a total of 2,036 units of motorcycles were registered during mid-May to mid-June. Madan Singh Mahat, chief of the two-wheeler unit at the office, said the registration increased marginally last month. “Every year during this period, registration of two wheelers increases amid speculations of rise in vehicle prices after the budget presentation,” added Mahat.

Work permit notice stirs employers into action

JUN 24 - Companies employing foreign workers have started obtaining work permits from the Department of Labour (DoL) after the government announced that the permit system would be applied strictly.

The department said that it had been receiving an increased number of inquiries about the work permit from employers. In the last one week, the department issued permits to 10 foreigners working in the Upper Tamakoshi and Kulekhani hydropower projects

Work permit system to be enforced more strictly

JUN 14 - In a bid to enforce the work permit provision more strictly, the government on Tuesday asked the industrial sector not to employ foreigners not possessing the proper paperwork. The Ministry of Labour and Transport Management (MoLTM) has also asked employers to follow due process if they have hired any foreign workers without a work permit.

The Labour Act 1992 has made it mandatory for foreigners coming to Nepal to work to get work permits. However, it has not been implemented effectively, mainly due to the government’s negligence and

Track opening of Mid-Hill Highway stalls

JUN 06 - The track opening of the much talked about Mid-Hill Highway will not be completed this year as progress could not be made as expected in the Mid-Western Region.

According to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW), it will take one more year to complete the track opening of the 1,767 km highway as obstructions in some districts of the Mid-Western Region have led to delays.

Government officials said locals from Dailekh, Jajarkot and Rukum hindered the project due to lack of awareness on their part.

Employers to move apex court against new salary provision

JUN 03 - The workers’ pay-hike issue does not seem to resolve anytime soon. Employers are undergoing final preparations to knock the Supreme Court (SC) door against the government decision on workers’ salary. The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has said that it will file a case by Sunday.

Employers have been strongly demanding that the government correct its decision and implement the 11-point agreement that they reached with three major trade unions on March 24

FNCCI rejects new pay scale fixed by govt

JUN 02 - The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has stated that it would not implement the new salary package for workers that the government had fixed. The FNCCI’s formal reaction comes a week after the government published the new salary structure in the Nepal Gazette.

The government had formally fixed the new pay scale for workers in the last week of May with industrial workers getting a minimum monthly salary of Rs 6,200 (basic salary of Rs 3,550

Govt set to crack down on illegal foreign workers

JUN 01 - The government is planning to strictly impose the work permit provision for foreigners working in Nepal. With the number of foreigners working in Nepal on tourist visa on the rise, the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management (MoLTM) is forming a taskforce in a couple of days to check the trend.

The taskforce under the direct supervision of Labour Minister Mohammad Ishtiyak Rai will have the power to investigate, monitor, penalise and recommend authorities concerned such as the Department of Labour and Immigration Department to take action against illegal workers as well as employers

Nov 20, 2011

Unclaimed autos at customs to be auctioned

KATHMANDU, MAY 27 -
The government has moved to auction off vehicles that have remained piled up at customs offices for more than 90 days. The Department of Customs has asked auto importers to pay duty and remove their vehicles as soon as possible as it intends to auction them off by mid-June.

Automobile dealers have not cleared more than 300 vehicles through customs complaining of a slowdown in sales. Out of the total, around 100 vehicles have lain at the customs yard for more than 90 days

Taxi ride gets dearer

KATHMANDU, MAY 17 -
Travelling by taxi will get dearer henceforth. The government on Tuesday increased taxi fare by 17 percent following pressure from taxi entrepreneurs and increase in fuel price. Now, it will cost Rs 27 per km, up from Rs 23 per km.

The Department of Transport took the decision after receiving approval from the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management. The department said the new fare will come into effect form Tuesday. It added that the flag-down fare of Rs 10 has not been

Four link roads to Fast Track planned

KATHMANDU, MAY 19 -
The Ministry of Physical Planning and Works has decided to construct four link roads from Khokana, the starting point of the proposed Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track Road, to provide access to the expressway from various points in the Kathmandu Valley.

According to the plan set by the High Level Direction Committee headed by Physical Planning Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, the four roads will lead from Khokana to Harisiddhi, Satungal, Nakkhu or Ekantakuna and the Balkhu-Dakshinkali Road Saroj Man Shrestha, project manager of the Fast Track Project, said that the link roads were important for joining the Fast Track Road with the valley as no progress had been made on the Outer Ring Road Project

New salary provision: Govt move unilateral: ANTUF

KATHMANDU, MAY 25 -
The central committee of the Maoist-aligned All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) on Wednesday condemned the government’s move to endorse the new salary provision terming it ‘unilateral’.

The union has demanded that the government increase workers’ basic salary by Rs 1,050 to Rs 4,100 and dearness allowance by Rs 550 to Rs 2,100 to make the monthly minimum monthly salary Rs 6,200

Employers up in arms against new salary provision

KATHMANDU, MAY 24 -
The workers’ pay hike issue has taken a new twist, pitting the government and the private sector against each other. On Tuesday, a day after the government endorsed the new salary provision by publishing a notice in the Nepal Gazette, employers stood firmly against the increment of the monthly minimum salary from Rs 4,600 to Rs 6,200.

Employers’ organisations—the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI)—strongly demanded that the government correct its approval for the new salary provision and hike the pay as per their agreement with three major trade unions—General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF)

Workers' pay hike issue: Govt formalises new salary structure

KATHMANDU, MAY 23 -
The government has formally fixed the new salary structure for workers. Now, industrial workers will get a minimum monthly salary of Rs 6,200 (basic salary of Rs 3,550 and dearness allowance of Rs 2,650) and daily wage of Rs 231.

The government on Monday formally increased the minimum monthly salary of workers by Rs 1,600 by publishing a notice in the Nepal Gazette. Earlier, the minimum monthly salary of workers was Rs 4,600

Agitating workers close Honda, Hero Honda showrooms

KATHMANDU, MAY 19 -
Showrooms of Honda and Hero Honda of Syakar Company Limited remained closed in the Capital on Thursday following the protest by All Nepal Auto Mechanic Workers’ Association affiliated to the UCPN-Maoist. The association has demanded reinstatement of 11 workers dismissed by the company.

Bhakta Bahadur Lama, Kathmandu district president of the association, said they will not return to work

Workers’ salary hike row: Govt formalising deal reached with minor trade unions

KATHMANDU, MAY 16 -
Ignoring the salary hike deal reached between employers and three major trade unions, the government is now formalising the agreement that it reached with minor unions.

The Ministry of Labour and Transport Management (MoLTM) will soon publish a notice in the Nepal Gazette with a provision of increasing the monthly minimum salary by Rs 1,600 social security to all workers

Gold soars against strong dollar

 KATHMANDU, MAY 29 -
Gold set a new record on Sunday trading at Rs 37,125 per 10 gm (Rs 43,302 per tola) in the local market. Gold dealers said that a stronger dollar had pushed up the yellow metal to new highs.

Gold has gained Rs 690 per 10 gm over the past week. It was traded at Rs 36,435 per 10 gm in the domestic market last Sunday. The precious metal rose consistently throughout the week

May 15, 2011

Selection of firm for railway DPR soon

The government is preparing to select an international firm for carrying out detailed project report (DPR) of Bardibas-Simara stretch of the proposed Mechi-Mahakali Electric Railway and its Simara-Birgunj link. A total of 16 firms have submitted the expression of interest (EoI) to execute this job.

Ram Kumar Lamsal, chief of the Railway Construction Project—the proposed Railway Department—said they will shortlist three to six firms for request for proposal within next two weeks. “We will select the firms based on the Public Procurement Act,” he added.

May 14, 2011

NTA to invite tenders for optical fibre network by this FY-end

The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has stated that it would invite tenders for expansion of the optical fibre network in all the country’s districts within the current fiscal year. The regulatory body is preparing to seek suggestions from the Public Procurement Monitoring Office (PPMO) for calling requests for proposals for the project.

The District Optical Fibre Network Programme was launched two years ago, however, it has not able to move ahead as anticipated. The government has planned to extend optical fibre connections to all 75 districts by 2014 to provide access to high speed broadband data service.

May 11, 2011

Govt. to exchange Libyan dinar

The Ministry of Finance has agreed to exchange the Libyan Dinar brought in by Nepali migrant workers. The ministry is preparing to seek approval from the Cabinet in this regard soon to offer some relief to Nepalis forced to return from war-torn Libya.

Of the 1,869 workers returning from Libya, more than 1,350 individuals have brought a total of 265,000 Libyan Dinar, but the home country does not exchange the currency. Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) that has been holding amount for safety said it cannot exchange the Libyan Dinar as it is not included in its foreign currency exchange list.

May 9, 2011

More time sought for land acquisition for fast track

The Ministry of Physical Planning and Works has asked the government to extend the tenure of the high-level committee formed to acquire land for the Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track Project. The term of the committee expired on April 29.

“We have asked the Ministry of Finance to extend the committee’s term by three months,” said Tulsi Prasad Sitaula, joint secretary of the Physical Planning Ministry. He added they had sought additional time as the task of acquiring land, particularly from people who had long been staying on government-owned land, was yet to be completed.

Following a cabinet decision, the government had formed the committee to make land acquisition easier for the Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track Project with a three-month term. However,

May 8, 2011

Ncell clinches No 1 spot from Nepal Telecom

It’s now official. Ncell—the country’s first private GSM mobile operator—is the No 1 player in the GSM mobile segment.

Telecom regulator Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA)’s latest MIS Report says that Ncell has toppled Nepal Telecom (NT) to become the GSM segment leader.

Interestingly, Ncell achieved this feat exactly a year after its massive rebranding exercise. The NTA’s latest statistics (as of mid-March) shows that Ncell subscriber base has touched 4.78 million mark, whereas NT has 4.71 million subscribers. Ncell has already declared that the number of its subscribers increased to over 5 million as of April 10.