CBS, UNICEF join hands to conduct Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys

The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) and UNICEF today signed a memorandum of understanding for the implementation of Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) – Round 6 – which is to be conducted at the beginning of 2019.
MICS is an international household survey programme developed and supported by UNICEF. It constitutes one of the world's largest sources of statistical information on children and women. The information gathered assists countries in filling data gaps for monitoring the status of human development generally, with a particular focus on the situation of children and women.
Over the past 20 years, MICS has evolved to respond to the changing data needs, expanding from 28 indicators of issues pertaining to children and women in the first round to 200 indicators in the current sixth round. As a major source of evidence for monitoring the situation of children and women, MICS results are used to track the progress made towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), national goals and global commitments aimed at promoting welfare of children and women.
“The round 6 of Nepal MICS will provide valuable information and evidence about the children and women in Nepal and its findings will be used to establish Multidimensional Poverty Index for 2019, as well as monitor progress towards achievement of Sustainable Development Goals,” said Nebin Lal Shrestha acting director general of CBS. "To enable the country to achieve the SDGs, it is necessary to track the indicators at regular intervals," he said, adding that the MICS is the major source of data for these indicators at national and provincial levels.
Since its inception, three survey rounds have been carried out in Nepal (in 2000, 2010-11 and 2014). The current survey will be conducted in Nepal from January to June 2019, with technical and financial support from UNICEF. The survey will generate data by each province with a rural and urban breakdown. The survey will also frame the data from an equity perspective by highlighting disparities related to gender, region, geography, education, household wealth, and other characteristics.
NMICS6 will include, for the first time in Nepal, a module on the functional abilities of children. Developed jointly by UNICEF and the Washington Group, the module includes questions around the difficulties faced by children, aged between two to four and five to 17, in performing certain activities. This will support the compilation of comparable data around functional limitations experienced by the population. The key objectives for obtaining this data will be: to identify children with functional limitations and use the data to compare the levels of their participation within their education, social and family life; to measure to what extent children are socially included; and to obtain data for monitoring the situation of children with disabilities in order to address their needs.
In addition, the survey will include information on water quality from sampled households and a questionnaire targeted towards men. Nepal is the second country in the world to test the quality of its drinking water for presence of fecal matter. The results provide valuable information on the steps Nepal can take to improve its water quality and thus reduce water-borne diseases like diarrhoea, typhoid and cholera.
“UNICEF is delighted to partner with CBS once again to conduct this important survey in Nepal,” said UNICEF Deputy Representative Dr Rownak Khan. "Over the many years that this survey has been conducted, we have benefited from an enriched understanding of the situation faced by women and children in Nepal, and a stronger ability to identify the pockets of inequality that demand our prioritisation," he said, adding that the critical data will form the foundation of our work, from the creation of policies to documenting progress, thus supporting collective mandate to improve the lives of every child.

Serious efforts urged on Gender-based violence

Participants, in a meeting, emphasised the need to form a Provincial-level Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response Coordination Committee housed in the Chief Minister’s Office, sensitisation on GBV prevention and response to elected representatives and local authorities to ensure resource allocation, annual monitoring of law implementation and common understanding of GBV as some of the key steps to prevent and respond to GBV in Nepal.
"We have many laws to address gender-based violence, but implementation is slow”, said Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens (MoWCSC) Tham Maya Thapa at the meeting today on multi-sectoral services to respond to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nepal.
"The government is committed to address gender-based violence in Nepal and has been providing various services from different sectors, she said, adding that the issue must be addressed immediately by concerned sectors at national and local levels to provide the survivors with support.
The three-day long meeting brought together stakeholders and service providers from health, justice and social sectors, in recognition that gender-based violence response must be multi-sectoral, if it is to be effective.
UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal, Valerie Julliand, in her opening remarks emphasised that violence against women is a fundamental breach of the human rights of women and girls, particularly the right to a life free from fear and violence. "States have a primary responsibility to respect, protect, and fulfil the rights of women and girls," she said, adding that these obligations are detailed in human rights instruments, international agreements and accompanying declarations and policies that Nepal is party to.
Gender-based violence remains a significant concern in Nepal, with numerous consequences for health, psychological, social and economic well-being of the victims and survivors. Twenty-two per cent of women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence since the age of 15 and 7 per cent have experienced sexual violence, according to Nepal Demographic Health Survey 2016. The survey also shows that 66 per cent of women who have experienced any type of physical or sexual violence have not sought any help or talked to anyone about resisting or stopping the violence they experience.
With an aim to counter these problems, UN Agencies comprising of UN Women, UNFPA, WHO, UNDP and UNODC and Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC) organised the three-day meeting from September 18 to 20 in Kathmandu. The workshop reviewed progress, achievements and lessons learnt in implementing Essential Services Package – a comprehensive package that outlines a series of ‘essential action’ to be taken by the Government in health, social services, police and justice sectors.
During the workshop, regional experts of the UN entities presented global and national frameworks and commitments to ending GBV and an overview of the Essential Services Package including its implementation.The workshop had participation from various sectors, including the government representatives at federal and provincial levels from key line ministries, government agencies, commissions, service providers, UN Agencies and civil society. 

World Bank approves first energy sector credit in Nepal

The World Bank has approved its first loan to strengthen the finances and operations of Nepal’s energy sector, so it can deliver reliable, affordable and sustainable power to the Nepalis.
The $100 million Nepal Energy Sector Development Policy Credit (DPC) aims at implementing key policy, regulatory and institutional measures. These include improving the financial viability of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) as the sole off-taker; establishing a regulatory framework that is transparent, autonomous, and accountable; encouraging electricity trade; and restructuring NEA to make it easier for the private sector to compete in the energy sector.
"The proposed credit aims at supporting the restructuring and market reform of the electricity sector to improve governance and performance of electricity institutions, eventually enhancing quality and efficiency in services,” said World Bank Country Manager for Nepal Faris Hadad-Zervos. "Our goal is to seek integration into the regional electricity market and create a competitive wholesale market.”
Despite Nepal’s large hydro generation potential, electricity constitutes of less than 5 per cent of energy consumption. While 95 per cent of the population is estimated to have access to grade and off-grid electricity, the per capita electricity consumption of 177 kWh per year is a twentieth of the global average, and a fifth of the per capita electricity consumption in South Asia.
Nepal also relies increasingly on electricity imports to reduce the electricity shortage in the country, while large export-oriented hydropower projects are yet to materialise in spite of huge opportunities. The credit aims at implementing policy and institutional measures to overcome these challenges and help bring about structural reforms in the energy sector, to ensure affordable electricity services and encourage predictability for sustainable investment.   
“The development policy credit is linked to the government’s key sector goals of expanding access to electricity to one hundred percent of the population,” said senior energy specialist at the World Bank and Co-Task Team Leader of the Project Xiaoping Wang. "In the long term, the implementation of the credit will also support key institutional and policy actions necessary for the removal of binding constraints to private investment in the sector."

Most vulnerable investors will benefit from improved safeguards on local shares: IFC

Nepal’s investment model – of awarding the locals the share of the hydropower projects – offers great potential to create local ownership and increase public support for hydropower projects, according to a study conducted by International Finance Corporation (IFC) – a member of the World Bank Group – which has released the first in-depth analysis of Nepal’s innovative benefit sharing policy that allows communities to invest in hydropower projects through the purchase of ‘local shares’.
The ‘Local Shares: An In-depth Examination of the Opportunities and Risks for Local Communities Seeking to Invest in Nepal’s Hydropower Projects’ report also recommends more community education and improved regulation to maximize opportunities for investors while protecting them from undue risk. The government requires hydropower developers to offer up to 10 per cent of their shares to communities affected by the project. With a goal to develop 10,000 MW in the next ten years, as much as $439 million in equity could be raised from project-affected communities alone. For example, in the last three years over $10 million was raised through local shares by 13 small to medium hydropower companies.
The report also found that the investment model offers great potential to create local ownership and increase public support for hydropower projects. However, it also found a widespread lack of understanding of how the market mechanism works, and a lack of effective safeguards to reduce risk to investors. This is especially true for women and others who are socially, economically and culturally disadvantaged.
Many poor rural households borrow at high interest rates or sell primary assets to invest in local shares. The study found they often have unrealistic expectations of returns, and are unclear on the risk of loss. That could explain why, despite a fall in value since their peak in 2014, demand for local shares continues to grow.
“The comprehensive consolidation of this report is very timely and will hopefully enable informed discussions at the policy level to improve and strengthen the local shares mechanism as a viable model of equity participation involving local people,” said managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kulman Ghising.
Among the study’s recommendations are simplifying financial information to be more easily understood by non-experts; defining the local share requirements in project bid documents; creating low-risk mechanisms for vulnerable households to finance their share purchases; computerising the share allocation process; and improving transparency and accountability by making it mandatory for all projects to put their information online.
“Nepal’s local shares model is unique,” said IFC country manager for Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal Wendy Werner. “It recognises the importance of communities in private sector hydropower investment,” he said, adding that IFC aims at ensuring the private sector contributes to sustainable power development and that this investment opportunity is within reach of every citizen, balancing the potential returns with the project risks.

ADB announces winners of Trade Finance Awards

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recognised leading partner banks at its fourth annual Trade Finance Programme (TFP) Awards and Partners Dinner held yesterday night in Singapore. Over 200 guests from banks and other financial institutions around the world attended the event.
The TFP Awards recognised 23 leading partner banks from 15 countries. One award recognises efforts to boost women in banking. A new award category – the Momentum Award – was launched to recognise partner banks that displayed the highest growth in transactions with TFP from 2017 to 2018. The award categories included: Trade Deal of the Year, Best SME Trade Deal, Most Progressive Bank on Gender Strategy, and Supply Chain Finance Partner of the Year.
“We’ve had amazing growth over the past 12 months," ADB’s head of Trade and Supply Chain Finance Steven Beck said, adding that they couldn’t have done this without the partner banks, which have helped them to close over $4 billion a year in trade finance market gaps. "These awards are a great opportunity to recognise and thank them for their work to provide finance to companies, which helps create growth and jobs”.
The TFP Awards and Partners Dinner was held on the first day of the Global Trade Review's annual conference in Singapore – GTR Asia Trade and Treasury Week 2018 – one of Asia’s leading trade finance conferences. At the GTR event, ADB launched its inaugural Trade Finance Scorecard – Regulation and Market Feedback, a new tool to address small business and developing country financing gaps caused by compliance challenges around efforts to prevent criminals and terrorists from exploiting the global financial system.
TFP provides guarantees and loans to banks to support trade. Backed by ADB's AAA credit rating, the programme works with over 200 partner banks to provide companies with the financial support they need to engage in import and export activities.
Since 2009, ADB’s TFP has supported more than 12,000 small and medium-sized businesses across developing Asia – through over 16,600 transactions valued at over $30 billion – in sectors ranging from commodities and capital goods to medical supplies and consumer goods.
TFP is complemented by ADB’s Supply Chain Finance Programme (SCFP), which was re-launched this year to help small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries gain access to finance in support of their domestic and global open account trade. ADB plans to scale this business in partnership with local, regional, and global banks, as well as SCF platform providers and industry experts to build capacity throughout the region.
The winners are:
Leading Partner Bank in Armenia - Ameriabank CJSC
Leading Partner Bank in Bangladesh - Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited
Leading Partner Bank in Cambodia - ACLEDA Bank PLC
Leading Partner Bank in Georgia - TBC Bank
Leading Partner Bank in Kazakhstan - Tsesnabank JSC
Leading Partner Bank in Mongolia - Khan Bank
Leading Partner Bank in Myanmar - Yoma Bank Limited
Leading Partner Bank in Nepal - Nabil Bank Limited
Leading Partner Bank in Pakistan - National Bank of Pakistan
Leading Partner Bank in Sri Lanka - DFCC Bank PLC
Leading Partner Bank in Tajikistan - OJSC Bank Eskhata
Leading Partner Bank in Uzbekistan - OJSC "Uzpromstroybank"
Leading Partner Bank in Viet Nam - JSC Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam
Leading Confirming Bank - JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
Leading SME Trade Bank - Vietnam International Commercial Joint Stock Bank
Trade Deal of the Year (Issuing Bank) - Bank of Georgia
Trade Deal of the Year (Confirming Bank) - Citibank N.A.
Best SME Deal (Confirming Bank) - Tien Phong Commercial Joint Stock Bank
Best SME Deal (Issuing Bank) - Prime Bank Limited
Supply Chain Finance Partner of the Year - Standard Chartered Bank
Gender Champion Award - Mutual Trust Bank Limited
TFP Momentum Award (Issuing Bank) - Bank for Industry, Construction and Investment Closed Joint-Stock Company (Ardshinbank CJSC)
TFP Momentum Award (Confirming Bank) - Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members—48 from the region. In 2017, ADB operations totaled $32.2 billion, including $11.9 billion in cofinancing.

औद्योगिक सुरक्षा, लगानीको वातावरण र कानुन

गत साता सर्वोच्च अदालतले सुन तस्करीको आरोपमा सरकारले बन्द गराएको बाजेको सेकुवा तत्काल खोल्न अन्तरिम आदेश दिएको छ । उक्त व्यवसायका एक प्रमुख लगानीकर्ता सुन तस्करीमा संलग्न रहेको आरोपसहित हराएको भनिएको ३३ किलो सुन पत्ता लगाउन सरकारले बनाएको समितिले बाजेको सेकुवाको सबै रेस्टुराँ बन्द गर्न तथा फ्रेन्चचाइज लिएर चलेका शाखाहरूलाई पनि ब्रान्ड परिवर्तन गर्न लगाएको थियो ।
सर्वोच्च अदालतकी न्यायाधीश सपना प्रधान मल्लको एकल इजलासले तत्कालै बन्द रहेका बाजेको सेकुवाको शाखा खोल्न अन्तरिम आदेश दिएको हुनाले अदालतको अन्तिम फैसला नआउन्जेल यस विषयमा बोल्नु वा लेख्नु अदालतलाई प्रभाव पार्न खोजिएको अर्थ लाग्ला । तर, यस प्रकरणसँग जोडेर नेपालमा व्यवसाय गर्न कति सहज छ भन्ने बहस मात्रै गर्न खोजिएको हो ।
कुनै पनि व्यक्तिमाथि आरोप लाग्नासाथ व्यवसायमा ताला लगाउने प्रचलनले नेपालमा लगानीको वातावरण कस्तो छ भन्ने एउटा झलक भने पक्कै दिन्छ । यसको अर्थ कानुन मिच्ने उद्योगी व्यवसायीलाई कारबाही गर्नु हुन्न भन्न खोजिएको नलगाइयोस् । कुनै पनि उद्योग वा व्यवसायले नियम–कानुनविपरीत कार्य गरे त्यस उद्योग वा व्यवसायसँग सम्बन्धित नियमनकारी निकायले उसलाई कारबाही गर्नु कानुनसम्मत हुन्छ, न कि पुलिस लगाएर थुनिहाल्ने तथा व्यवसाय बन्द गरिहाल्ने । ब्यक्ति थुन्नासाथ समस्या समाधान हुन्छ भन्ने मानसिकता नेपालमा मात्रै हो । तर त्यस उद्योग वा व्यवसायसँग सम्बन्धित नियमनकारी निकायले उसलाई कारबाही गर्दा गैरकानुनी कार्य गर्ने दण्डित पनि हुन्छ र औद्योगिक वातावरणमा आक्षेप लगाउने ठाउँ पनि हुन्न । तर, त्यसका लागि सक्षम नियमनकारी निकाय बनाउन आवश्यक मात्रै छैन, उक्त नियमनकारी निकायलाई कानुनी रूपमा बलियो बनाउन पनि उत्तिकै आवश्यक छ ।
तर नेपालमा औद्योगिक मात्र होइन, समग्र सुरक्षाको बुझाई नै गलत छ । साँझ १० बजे आफ्ना दोकान बन्द गर्नुस्, होटल तथा रेस्टुराँ बन्द गर्नुस् भन्दै प्रहरी आएर बन्द गराउने प्रचलन नेपालमा मात्रै होला । नेपालको सुरक्षा निकायको सुरक्षाप्रतिको सोच बुझ्न बिमस्टेकका बेला बुधबारदेखि शुक्रबारसम्म आफ्नो नागरिकका लागि सरकारले गरेको नाकाबन्दी अर्को उदाहरण हो । विशेषतः सुरक्षा भनेको विश्वास मात्रै हो । सरकार तथा सुरक्षा निकायप्रतिको विश्वासले नागरिकले आफू कति सुरक्षित छु भनेर आकलन गर्छ । र यो नियम उद्योग व्यवसायमा पनि लाग्छ । विश्वमा सबैभन्दा बढी विद्यालयमा बन्दुक प्रयोग गरी हत्या अमेरिकी विद्यालयमा हुन्छ, साथै विश्वका सबै आतंकबादिको तारो पनि अमेरिका नै बनेको छ, जुन दुःखद नै हो । तर, नेपालीहरू त्यही अमेरिकी सपना खोज्दै प्रत्येक वर्ष डिभी भर्छन् र परेपछि गौरवका साथ उड्छन् । किन, अमेरिका सुरक्षित लाग्छ र किन नेपाल असुरक्षित लाग्छ, अधिकांश नेपालीलाई ? किनकि दुर्घटना वा भव्यतव्य त जहाँ पनि हुन सक्छ, त्यसमा सरकार वा सुरक्षा निकायको त्यति धेरै संलग्नता रहन्न । तर, दुर्घटनापछि सरकार तथा सुरक्षा निकायले कति छिटोछरितो तथा निष्पक्ष ढंगले अपराधी समाउँछ र त्यसलाई कानुनी रूपमै दण्डित गर्छ, त्यसबाट नागरिकमा सुरक्षा निकाय तथा सरकारप्रति विश्वास बढ्छ ।
तर, नेपालमा सामान्य मानिसदेखि उद्योगी–व्यवसायी कसैलाई पनि सुरक्षा निकायप्रति विश्वास छैन, साथै अर्को खतरनाक कुरा के हो भने सरकार तथा सुरक्षा निकायलाई पनि आफ्ना नागरिकप्रति विश्वास छैन । यसबाट नेपाल अझै एउटा राष्ट्र बनिसकेको छैन कि भन्ने आशंका उत्पन्न हुँदैन र ?
एउटी १३ वर्षकी बालिकाको बलात्कारपछि हत्या भयो, तर पीडितलाई न्याय दिन अर्को बालकले आफ्नो जीवन आहुती दिनुप¥यो । साउन १० गते बलात्कारपछि हत्या गरिएकी एउटी बालिकाका लागि न्याय मागेर एक महिनापछि आजै पनि काठमाडौंदेखि कञ्चरपुरसम्म आन्दोलनरत हुनुपरेपछि नागरिकले आफूलाई कसरी सुरक्षित सम्झन्छ र सरकार तथा सुरक्षा निकायप्रति विश्वास बढ्छ ? त्यसमाथि पनि आजको गणतान्त्रिक नेपालमा पञ्चायतकालको झल्को दिने यस्ता घटना दोहोरिइरहनुले पनि कसरी नागरिक आफ्नो सरकार तथा सुरक्षा निकायप्रति विश्वस्त हुन सक्छ ? पहुँच हुनेले कानुन मिचे पनि कारबाही नहुने नजिर बसेपछि पहुँच नहुने कोही पनि सुरक्षित नहुने भै हाले । यदि सर्वसाधारण नागरिकको ज्यान सुरक्षित छैन भने उद्योगी–व्यवसायीको जीवन तथा लगानी पनि सुरक्षित छैन । जब आफ्नो जीवन तथा लगानीको सुरक्षा हँुदैन भने जतिसुकै भाषण गरेपनि कसैले पनि लगानी गर्दैन ।
तसर्थ प्रधानमन्त्री केपी ओली साँच्चिकै नेपालमा आर्थिक क्रान्ति चाहनुहुन्छ, लगानी बढोस् तथा रोजगारी सिर्जना होस् भन्ने चाहनुहुन्छ भने उद्योगी व्यवसायीभन्दा पनि पहिला सर्वसाधारण नागरिकको जीउधनको सुरक्षामा कुनै सम्झौता नगर्न मन्त्रीमण्डल तथा सुरक्षा निकायलाई तत्काल निर्देशन होस् । निर्मलाको हत्यारा किन पत्ता लागेन, को–को दोषी छन्, तत्काल कारबाही गरेर सरकारले गुमेको आफूमाथिको विश्वास फिर्ता गर्नु पनि अत्यन्त आवश्यक छ ।
त्यसपछि आफ्ना भाषणैपिच्छे व्यवसायीलाई पुलिस लगाएर थुन्छु भन्ने मन्त्रीहरूलाई आफना भाषा सुधार्न तथा नियमनकारी निकायलाई चुस्त तथा संस्थागत गर्न पहल गर्नुहोस् । साथै, नियमनकारी निकायहरूलाई संस्थागत मात्र होइन, कानुनी रूपमा बलियो बनाएर उनीहरूमार्फत बजारका विकृतिहरू सुधार्न लगाउनुहोस् ।
साथै, सुरक्षा निकायलाई १० बजे व्यवसाय बन्द गरेर मात्र सुरक्षा हुँदैन भन्ने बुझाउन अब ढिलो भइसक्यो । एउटा पर्यटक नेपाल आएर १० बजे होटल वा लजको कोठामा सुत्न जाओस् भन्नुको सट्टा पर्यटकीय स्थान जस्तै, काठमाडौंको ठमेल तथा पोखराको लेकसाइड चौबीसै घण्टा खुल्ने व्यवस्था गर्नुहोस् । व्यवसायीलाई बोलाएर भन्नुहोस्, गैरकानुनी काम नगर्नुस्, तर चैबीसै घण्टा व्यवसाय चलाउनुस्, म सुरक्षा दिन्छु । यसो गर्दा हाल भइरहेको रोजगारी तत्काल दोब्बरदेखि तेब्बरसम्म हुन्छ ।
अनि सुरक्षा निकायलाई भन्नुहोस्, १० बजे व्यवसाय बन्द गराउँदै नहिँड्नुहोस्, मात्र गैरकानुनी काम भएको छ÷छैन, जीउधनको खतरा छ÷छैन हेर्नुहोस् । कानूनीरुपमा ब्यवसाय गर्नेलाई सुरक्षा दिनुहोस् । अनि गैरकानुनी काम गर्ने ठूलादेखि पहुँचवालासम्म जो–कोही होस् नछोड्नुहोस्, तर पहुँच छैन भन्दैमा साना तथा मझौला व्यवसाय गर्नेलाई दुःख नदिनुहोस् । त्यसपछि मात्रै व्यवसायीमा सरकार तथा सुरक्षा निकायप्रति विश्वास बढ्छ ।
जब सर्वसाधारण तथा व्यवसायीले सरकार तथा सुरक्षा निकायप्रति विश्वास गर्न थाल्छन्, अपराधी जोसुकै होस् करबाहीको दायरामा आउँछ र कारबाही हुन्छ तथा निर्दोषलाई कानुनले रक्षा गर्छ, त्यसका लागि जुलुस, हड्ताल तथा बन्द गर्नु पर्दैन भन्ने विश्वास हुन्छ, त्यसपछि लगानी गर्नेको मनोबल पनि बढ्छ । ब्यवसायी तथा ब्यवसाय कुन दोषी हो नछुट्ुटयाई कारवाहि गर्दा त्यसको सन्देश के जान्छ भन्ने बुझनु आवस्यक छ । नत्र प्रधानमन्त्रीले लगानीका लागि जति आह्वान गरे पनि उद्योगी–व्यवसायी जीउधन तथा लगानीको असुरक्षाका कारण बिस्तारै आफ्नो लगानी सुरक्षित स्थानतिर सार्न थाल्नेछन् । नेपालले सात दशकपछि पाएको राजनीतिक स्थिरता तथा विकास अनि समृद्धिको आशा छिटै निराशामा परिणत हुन बेर लाग्दैन । सरकार आफै जानी नजानी नागरिकलाई निराशा बाँड्न उद्यत छ । यदि नागरिक यो सरकारबाट पनि निराश भए भने नेपाल अर्को द्वन्द्वमा होमिने निश्चित छ । एकपटक गम्भीर भएर सोचौं र आर्थिक क्रान्तिको यो अभूतपूर्व अवसर नगुमाऔं ।

TIA operates for 22 hours daily from today

The only international airport has come into operation for 22 hours a day from today due to increase in flow of passengers following coming festivals and tourist season.
The Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has extended its opening hour by an hour, according to the TIA officials. "From today, the operating hours starts from 5:00 am to 3:00 am," it said, adding that the TIA used to be operational for 21 hours daily from 5:00 am to 3:00 am till yesterday. "The government had started operating the only international airport for 21 hours from May 21."
"Although the TIA had remained open from 6:00 am from May 21, the domestic flights were operated only from 7:00 am," informed TIA general manager Raj Kumar Chhetri, adding, "But the flights will now be operated from 6:00 am onwards."
Nepal Airlines and Himalaya Airlines have been operating flights in the additional time, 12:30 am to 3:00 am daily.
The new timing is expected to facilitate smooth movement of domestic flights during the peak tourist season, Chettri said, adding that starting an hour early operation will ease traffic congestion to some extent.