Friday, October 12, 2007
Dashain begins today
The "Navaratri Parba" or Badadasain, the great festival of the Nepalese, commences Friday. The first day of Dashain, "Ghatasthapana" is Friday. On the day of Ghatasthapana, all Nepalese worship Diyo (an oil-fed lamp), Kalas (auspicious jar) and lord Ganesh in accordance with Vedic rituals and sow maize and barley seeds in a jar filled with soil and cow dung for germination of the auspicious Jamara (barley shoots). Prayers are also offered to Durga Bhavani, the goddess of power. There is also a tradition of sacrificing animals while initiating the germination of the "Jamara". Also, prayers are offered to goddess Mahakali, Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati at the Dasain Ghar, marking the beginning of the Navaratri (nine nights).
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Global Bank Limited’s new scheme
Global Bank Ltd (GBL) has launched a new product - Global Nari Bachat Khata’ ahead of Hindu women festival Teej. The product is especially designed for women and account can be opened for Rs 100. The accountholder will avail an ATM card free of cost, states a bank press release here. The deposit in the account is subject to four per cent interest per annum on a minimum monthly balance. The bank will provide medical insurance of up to Rs 10,000 and also accidental death insurance worth four times of the balance or to a maximum of Rs 500,000, whichever is lower. Additional benefits include, discount on lockers, processing fee of auto and housing loans
India bans Nepali agro products
India has banned the import of agricultural products from Nepal. In a letter to the Mechi Customs Office yesterday, director general of the Foreign Trade Office informed about the ban.
Two trucks loaded with tea produced in Ilam were prevented from entering India by the Indian customs officials yesterday. India banned the Nepali agro products as per popular demand, said tea producer Hari Timsena. However, Nepali farmers claimed that the Indian side banned Nepali products after their popularity increased in the Indian market.
The ban has hampered the export of Nepali products to the third world countries. Agriculture produce of Ilam and Jhapa are exported to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and other countries via the Kakarvitta transit point.
Two trucks loaded with tea produced in Ilam were prevented from entering India by the Indian customs officials yesterday. India banned the Nepali agro products as per popular demand, said tea producer Hari Timsena. However, Nepali farmers claimed that the Indian side banned Nepali products after their popularity increased in the Indian market.
The ban has hampered the export of Nepali products to the third world countries. Agriculture produce of Ilam and Jhapa are exported to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and other countries via the Kakarvitta transit point.
Hydro license fee hiked
The government has enforced massive increments in license fees for hydropower projects by effecting changes in the fee appendix of Electricity Regulation 1993.
According to the amended Regulation, prospective hydropower developers will now have to pay survey license fees in the range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 million per annum for projects ranging in size from one megawatt (MW) to more than 500 MWs. This is a massive increment compared to the old fee structure of Rs 125 to Rs 750. Survey licenses, which require annual renewal, can be extended not more than four times.
Similarly, prospective developers will have to pay a one-time construction license fee in the range of Rs 100,000 to Rs 5 million for projects ranging in size from one MW to over 1,000 MWs.
This is also a heavy increment from the previous fee of Rs 3,000 to less than Rs 100,000. For projects developed to sell power in the country, construction licenses are issued for a 35-year period, while for export oriented projects, construction licenses are issued for a 30-year period. After the expiry of the licenses, the projects will have to be handed over to the government.
"All new license seekers will now have to pay according to the new fee structure," said Anup Kumar Upadhyay, joint secretary at the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR). "Existing licensees will also have to pay fees accordingly when they opt to renew their licenses," Upadhyay added.
As of June 15 this year, the government had issued 141 project survey licenses to prospective developers for projects ranging from one megawatt (MW) to 400 MWs, according to Department of Electricity Development. Combined, these projects have a total capacity to generate over 4,000 MWs of electricity.
Extension of the validity of survey licenses will depend on progress achieved according to the work schedule committed at the time of acquiring license. "If work progress is not satisfactory, the license can be revoked," Upadhyay said.
The government has hiked the license fees to ensure that survey license holders achieve work progress according to their commitment. The old license fees saw many parties acquiring licenses but not conducting surveys.
Under the new provision, survey licenses for projects in the range of one to five MWs is Rs 50,000 per year, while it is Rs 10,000 per MW per year for projects in the range of five to 100 MWs. The fee is Rs 1 million per year for projects of 100 MW to 500 MW in size, and it is Rs 2 million per year for projects above 500 MW in size.
Meanwhile, the one-time construction license fee for projects of the size 1 MW to 5 MW is Rs 100,000. The fee for projects of size 5 MW to 100 MW is Rs 500,000; fee for projects of size 100 MW to 500 MW is Rs 1 million; fee for projects of size 500 MW to 1000 MW is Rs 2.5 million; while fee for projects above 1000 MW in size is Rs 5 million.
According to the amended Regulation, prospective hydropower developers will now have to pay survey license fees in the range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 million per annum for projects ranging in size from one megawatt (MW) to more than 500 MWs. This is a massive increment compared to the old fee structure of Rs 125 to Rs 750. Survey licenses, which require annual renewal, can be extended not more than four times.
Similarly, prospective developers will have to pay a one-time construction license fee in the range of Rs 100,000 to Rs 5 million for projects ranging in size from one MW to over 1,000 MWs.
This is also a heavy increment from the previous fee of Rs 3,000 to less than Rs 100,000. For projects developed to sell power in the country, construction licenses are issued for a 35-year period, while for export oriented projects, construction licenses are issued for a 30-year period. After the expiry of the licenses, the projects will have to be handed over to the government.
"All new license seekers will now have to pay according to the new fee structure," said Anup Kumar Upadhyay, joint secretary at the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR). "Existing licensees will also have to pay fees accordingly when they opt to renew their licenses," Upadhyay added.
As of June 15 this year, the government had issued 141 project survey licenses to prospective developers for projects ranging from one megawatt (MW) to 400 MWs, according to Department of Electricity Development. Combined, these projects have a total capacity to generate over 4,000 MWs of electricity.
Extension of the validity of survey licenses will depend on progress achieved according to the work schedule committed at the time of acquiring license. "If work progress is not satisfactory, the license can be revoked," Upadhyay said.
The government has hiked the license fees to ensure that survey license holders achieve work progress according to their commitment. The old license fees saw many parties acquiring licenses but not conducting surveys.
Under the new provision, survey licenses for projects in the range of one to five MWs is Rs 50,000 per year, while it is Rs 10,000 per MW per year for projects in the range of five to 100 MWs. The fee is Rs 1 million per year for projects of 100 MW to 500 MW in size, and it is Rs 2 million per year for projects above 500 MW in size.
Meanwhile, the one-time construction license fee for projects of the size 1 MW to 5 MW is Rs 100,000. The fee for projects of size 5 MW to 100 MW is Rs 500,000; fee for projects of size 100 MW to 500 MW is Rs 1 million; fee for projects of size 500 MW to 1000 MW is Rs 2.5 million; while fee for projects above 1000 MW in size is Rs 5 million.
PRASHANT CRAZE
As Prashant Tamang of Nepali-origin makes to the final round of Indian Idol, a popular singing talent show, Palpa’s youth collect money to support sms-voting for the Darjeeling’s boy at Nautamawa in Sunauli. Prashant’s fans in Nepal and India have launched similar campaigns to support him. Prashant, also an Indian policeman, has a strong backing of the police force.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Father's Day
A throng of devotees at Gokarneshwor Mahdevsthan in Kathmandu to pay tributes to their departed fathers to mark Kushe Aunshi, on Tuesday (11 September 2007).
Bandhs Spur Shortage of Consumer Items in Terai
Eastern Tarai has been reeling under acute shortage of consumer goods and medicines due to frequent bandhs and general strikes called by different groups in the region. Prices of goods have also shot up.
An indefinite Madhes strike called by the Madhesi Mukti Tigers (MMT) since September 7 is continuing, while the Dalit Janajati Party had organised a chakkajam before that.
According to our Itahari correspondent, traffic on the Inaruwa-Saptari section of the road has been disrupted for the last 15 days. Fresh vegetables, rice, kerosene, diesel, petrol and cooking gas are in short supply. The supply of medicines has also been affected, consumers said. Proprietor of the Inaruwa-based Janakalyan Medical Hall, Kedar Poudel, said bandhs have affected the supply of medicines from Kathmandu and Birgunj.
A policeman at the Koshi Barrage Police Post, Lok Bahadur Khadka, said prices of goods in the market have shot up. Commerce secretary at the Sunsari Chamber of Commerce and Industries Giridhari Sapkota said the frequent bandhs had paralysed the business sector.
Agricultural products in Laukahi and Bhantabari areas are rotting due to traffic disruption. President of the Consumers' Forum-Inaruwa Ajaya Dev urged the parties concerned not to infringe on the rights of the consumers.
Admitting the shortage of consumer goods in the market, Sunsari CDO Prem Narayan Sharma said efforts were on to solve the problem. "We will apply all possible means to bring the situation under control and check black marketing," he said.
Our Janakpurdham correspondent said a bandh called by the Janakpur Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI) against the alleged highhandedness of the YCL cadres for the last five days had caused shortage of consumer goods in the market. Rickshaw-puller Ram Lochan Mandal said: "On one hand our income has decreased, while on the other it is difficult to find consumer goods in the market."
JCCI general-secretary Shyam Prasad Shah said they would continue their protest programme until the administration brought the guilty to book and ensures their security. Dhanusha coordinator of the YCL Shyam Yadav accused the businessmen of organising the bandh to exploit labourers. Assistant CDO of Dhausha Balbhadra Giri said efforts were on to solve the problem in coordination with the political parties.
In Bara, there has been a shortage of LPG and kerosene. The bandh crippled normal life on Tuesday as well. According to our district correspondents, consumer goods were in short supply in Siraha, Rautahat and Mahottari districts as well.
However, entrepreneurs defied the bandh called by the Madhesi Mukti Tigers in Sarlahi on Tuesday.
An indefinite Madhes strike called by the Madhesi Mukti Tigers (MMT) since September 7 is continuing, while the Dalit Janajati Party had organised a chakkajam before that.
According to our Itahari correspondent, traffic on the Inaruwa-Saptari section of the road has been disrupted for the last 15 days. Fresh vegetables, rice, kerosene, diesel, petrol and cooking gas are in short supply. The supply of medicines has also been affected, consumers said. Proprietor of the Inaruwa-based Janakalyan Medical Hall, Kedar Poudel, said bandhs have affected the supply of medicines from Kathmandu and Birgunj.
A policeman at the Koshi Barrage Police Post, Lok Bahadur Khadka, said prices of goods in the market have shot up. Commerce secretary at the Sunsari Chamber of Commerce and Industries Giridhari Sapkota said the frequent bandhs had paralysed the business sector.
Agricultural products in Laukahi and Bhantabari areas are rotting due to traffic disruption. President of the Consumers' Forum-Inaruwa Ajaya Dev urged the parties concerned not to infringe on the rights of the consumers.
Admitting the shortage of consumer goods in the market, Sunsari CDO Prem Narayan Sharma said efforts were on to solve the problem. "We will apply all possible means to bring the situation under control and check black marketing," he said.
Our Janakpurdham correspondent said a bandh called by the Janakpur Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI) against the alleged highhandedness of the YCL cadres for the last five days had caused shortage of consumer goods in the market. Rickshaw-puller Ram Lochan Mandal said: "On one hand our income has decreased, while on the other it is difficult to find consumer goods in the market."
JCCI general-secretary Shyam Prasad Shah said they would continue their protest programme until the administration brought the guilty to book and ensures their security. Dhanusha coordinator of the YCL Shyam Yadav accused the businessmen of organising the bandh to exploit labourers. Assistant CDO of Dhausha Balbhadra Giri said efforts were on to solve the problem in coordination with the political parties.
In Bara, there has been a shortage of LPG and kerosene. The bandh crippled normal life on Tuesday as well. According to our district correspondents, consumer goods were in short supply in Siraha, Rautahat and Mahottari districts as well.
However, entrepreneurs defied the bandh called by the Madhesi Mukti Tigers in Sarlahi on Tuesday.
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