A new tell of TeliaSonera in Nepal market

KATHMANDU, APRIL 5: Teliasonera--fifth largest telecom company of Europe--has now direct or indirect investment in two telecom companies—Ncell and Nepal Satellite in Nepal. It has acquired indirectly 51 percent of the shares in Cyprus based Airbell Services that owns 50 percent stake in Nepal Satellite.

Despite being a small rural operator, Nepal Satellite is considered as a spectrum rich operator in local telecom market. “The shares in Nepal Satellite Telecom were held through intermediate not wholly-owned holding companies,” said the Annual Report 2011of the Teliasonera. It said that it acquired “indirectly 51 percent of the shares in the Cypriot holding company Airbell Services Ltd., which owns 50 percent of the shares in the Nepalese mobile operator Nepal Satellite Telecom.”

Web-based database of foreign workers to be kept

KATHMANDU, AUG 28 -The government is preparing to maintain a web-based database of foreign workers in the country. The move is targeted at keeping up-to-date records of non-Nepalis working in various sectors besides discouraging illegal hiring.

The Department of Labour has forwarded a proposal to the National Planning Commission (NPC) for approval. The department said that the planned system would help maintain records of foreigners coming to Nepal for work and those who have left after finishing their terms.

“The NPC is quite positive about our plan,” said Man Bahadur BK, director general of the department and coordinator of the Non-Nepali Employees Monitoring Committee. Once this provision comes into effect, the Department of Labour will maintain a database of foreign workers and publish it on the department’s website regularly. BK said that they were planning to update the data on workers obtaining an employment permit on a daily basis on the website with the numbers of the employees and the sector where they work.

Prices of building materials fall as demand drops

KATHMANDU, AUG 26 -Prices of building materials have declined amid a slowdown in construction activities. According to dealers, brick, cement and steel prices have dropped significantly in a year due to low demand and rising competition.

The price of cement price has come down by Rs 100-150 per bag depending on the brand, of which there are more than 30 in the market.

State-owned brands Hetauda and Udaypur, whose prices had increased up to Rs 800 per 50 kg sack, now cost Rs 715 and Rs 725 respectively. Currently, around 75 percent of the requirement in the domestic market is being fulfilled by local brands.

The current price of PPC cement is Rs 425-50, and OPC costs Rs 500-525 per sack in Hetauda and Birgunj where most of the manufacturing units are located. When these products reach the capital, prices go up by some Rs 100 with the addition of transport costs, mark-up by retailers and other charges.

Monitoring of Foreign Workers: Govt all set to finalise action plan

KATHMANDU, AUG 24 -The government is all set to finalise the action plan to monitor institutions employing non-Nepali workers illegally. The Department of Labour has said the action plan is ready and will be formally endorsed within a couple of days.

“We have readied the action plan and it will be formally approved within a couple of days,” said Man Bahadur BK, director general of the department, who is also the coordinator of the Non-Nepali Employee Monitoring Committee.

Based on the action plan, the department will form a monitoring team involving officials from ministries concerned such as Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare and Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct monitoring in institutions related to respective ministries. According to the department, the committee will conduct inspection in at least 10 institutions within a month.