Rs. 1.948 trillion budget, Infrastructure and hydroelectricity get priority

Aim to create 400,000 employment

By Modnath Dhakal/Yogesh Pokharel

Kathmandu, May 28: Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel Saturday presented budget of Rs. 1.0485 trillion for coming Fiscal Year 2016/17 with special priority to post-quake reconstruction, infrastructure development and constitution implementation.

FM Poudel has allocated Rs. 617.16 billon for regular expenditure, Rs. 311.94 billion for development programmes and Rs. 119.81 billion for financial management.

Regular expenditure, development programmes and financial management got 58.9, 29.7 and 11.4 per cent share of the total budget respectively.

This budget is 20 per cent larger compared to the budget of current FY 2015/16 while it is larger by 49.6 per cent than the revised estimates of the budget of current fiscal.

This is the first budget unveiled following the promulgation of the new constitution. It contains several popular programmes that bring cheers to the people of various walks of life ranging from senior citizens to civil servants to those living in the far-flung districts of Karnali zone.

Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel

The government plans to manage required resources for the budget from revenue, foreign grant, principal repayment and domestic borrowing.

FM Poudel plans to generate Rs. 565.89 billion from revenue, Rs. 106.89 billion from foreign grant, Rs. 10 billion from principal repayment, Rs. 111 billion from domestic borrowing and rest from foreign loan and other sources.

Major thrust of the budget include reconstruction of quake damaged structure, hydro-electricity generation, transmission line extension and distribution, infrastructure development like road, airport and irrigation, employment generation and other pillars of economy like tourism and manufacturing.

“I have also given priority to urban and local infrastructure development, education, health and drinking water, social security and good governance,” said the Finance Minister.

With the implementation of the budget, the government aims at achieving the economic growth rate of 6.5 per cent and containing inflation at 7.5 per cent.

In the current fiscal, the economy is estimated to be up by 0.8 per cent and inflation to remain at 9.5 per cent.

 Minister Poudel raised the salary of government employee by 25 per cent, doubled the social security allowances, and promised to generate 400,000 jobs within a year.

Tax ceiling raised

Income tax ceiling is raised to Rs. 350,000 for single and Rs. 400,000 for married individual which was Rs. 250,000 for single and 300,000 for married individual.

Customs and excise duty on alcohol, cigarette and beer have been increased.

“I have expanded the tax-base. In order to give relief to the small and medium tax-payers and bring them into the tax-net under the voluntary declaration system, I have decreased income tax on business transaction,” said Poudel.

Infrastructure and agriculture

Through the budget, the government has promised to link all villages with motorable road within two years, implement contributory pension system and establish a separate monitoring mechanism for cooperative sector.

The government plans to end load shedding within two years and generate 10,000 megawatt of additional hydropower within next two decades.

All structures related to education and health will be reconstructed within three years and all quake damaged structures will be reconstructed and rehabilitated in the next five years.

"Integrated development will be promoted in the quake damaged settlement. Likewise, special programmes will be implemented for the rehabilitation of flood and landslide victims in Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Surkhet, Dailekh, Doti, Darchula, Sindhupalchowk and Taplejung districts,” read the budget speech.

The budget has given special attention to the two regional airports in Pokhara and Lumbini, second international airport in Nijgadh, Postal Highway, North-South link roads, reservoir based hydroelectricity projects, Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track road, irrigation, Mid-Hill Highway, East-West Highway and other urban infrastructure.

New programmes like Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project, development of zones and super zones, and self-reliant programmes for meat, milk, egg and other agro-products are announced in the budget.

Finance Minister Poudel has allocated budget for two satellite cities in the Kathmandu Valley, 10 model cities along the Mid-Hill Highway and rural infrastructure development.

“I have allocated Rs. 500 million each to 18 municipalities in the Terai region for infrastructure and social development as per the Intensive Urban Development Programmes,” said Poudel.

Likewise, reconstruction of quake-damaged President and Vice-President’s office, Singha Durbar, Supreme Court, Legislature-Parliament, Lawmaker’s residence, Ministers’ quarters and General Headquarters of Nepalese Army will be initiated in the coming fiscal year.

Railways and Shipping

The government has allocated budget for the detailed project report of East-West Electric railway,  Rashuwagadhi-Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini railway and Metro railway in the Kathmandu Valley.

“Construction of the track bed of Bardibas-Simara railway will be completed in the next fiscal and spreading of tracks will begin,” informed Minister Poudel.

Similarly, he promised to expedite preparations for policy making required to operate Nepal’s own ship as per the country’s past experiences and landlocked country’s right to use the sea route.

FM Poudel presents budget of Rs. 1048.92 billion

Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel Saturday presented budget of Rs. 1048.92 billion for coming Fiscal Year 2016/17. He has given priority to infrastructure development including hydropower, constitution implementation and employment creation.

Read the full text of budget in Nepali:   

बजेटको पूर्णपाठ यहाँ पढ्नुस । 

DPM Thapa appreciates Israeli cooperation in agriculture and education

Kathmandu, May 27: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign affairs Kamal Thapa has appreciated Israel’s cooperation in the areas of agriculture, education, training and research in Nepal.

Addressing a talk programme organized by the Israel Council on Foreign Relations in Jerusalem on Thursday, DPM Thapa praised Israeli government and people for their support in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in April and May last year, informed the Embassy of Nepal in Tel Aviv, Israel in a press statement.

The DPM delivered his speech on the recent political development in Nepal, country’s foreign policy and Nepal-Israel relations. Nepal-Israel bilateral diplomatic relation was established on 1^st June 1960 and Nepal was the first South Asian country to recognize the existence of Israel.

While appreciating the Israeli people for their innovativeness, creativity and entrepreneurship, DPM Thapa stated that Nepal always welcomed all efforts aimed at securing a comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

He also shed light on the new constitution of Nepal and said, “The constitution making process was broad-based, transparent and consultative. In terms of content, the constitution is comprehensive, inclusive, and substantive while in terms of orientation, it is forward-looking, progressive and dynamic.”

Later in the afternoon, addressing an economic round table organized by the Federation of Israeli Chamber of Commerce, the Deputy Prime Minister said there was a consensus in Nepal that economic agenda should now be on top and foreign investment is vital.

“The government in Nepal plays a role of facilitator and investors are key actors, innovators, entrepreneurs as well as leaders. Doors are open for investment in almost every sector which includes manufacturing, hydro-power, tourism, services, information technology, mining and agro-based industries,” said Thapa.

According to the press statement, Israeli businessmen and investors said that they were ready to collaborate with Nepalese businessmen to invest in Nepal while some shared their experiences of doing business in Nepal.

Earlier this morning, he had a meeting with Tzipi Livni, Member of Knesset and a former Foreign Minister of Israel and current Chair of Israel-Nepal Parliamentary Friendship Group. Congratulating on the promulgation of the Constitution of Nepal in 2015, Livni inquired about the various features of the constitution. While replying, Thapa highlighted the democratic and inclusive characteristics of the constitution. During the meeting they expressed satisfaction over the existing relations between Nepal and Israel and also stressed the need to have exchange of cooperation between the parliament and parliamentarians of the two countries.

Foreign Secretary of Nepal, Ambassador of Nepal to Israel, Ambassador of Israel to Nepal and senior officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both the countries were also present in the talk programme, business roundtable and the aforementioned meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa, Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi and other members of the Nepalese delegation left Israel for Turkey this afternoon to participate in the High-Level Midterm Review of the Istanbul Programme of Action to be held in Antalya, Turkey between 27 and 29 May 2016.

GDP plummets, inflation soars

Capital expenditure only 10 per cent

Kathmandu, May 26: `With the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate plummeting below one per cent and inflation rate soaring to double digit, the Economic Survey of Fiscal Year 2015/16 painted a bleak economic scenario of the country.

The GDP growth in basic price would be 0.77 per cent in the current fiscal which was 2.32 per cent in the last fiscal and 5.7 per cent in the Fiscal Year 2013/14.

"Devastating earthquakes in April and May, low growth in agriculture sector, and obstructions at the southern border points hit hard the economy, resulting in the lowest economic growth rate in the last 14 years," said Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel while presenting the Survey at the Legislature-Parliament on Thursday.

Although the governments then and now had claimed to achieve economic growth by about 6 per cent in the back of massive investment in the reconstruction of the houses and other infrastructure damaged in the earthquake, the five-month long Indian dealt a blow to this projection.

The reconstruction works could not gain momentum owing to short supply of fueld and other required materials.

The government forecasted the macroeconomic indicators on the basis of eight months data of the current fiscal year which is compared against the same period of the last fiscal.

The survey projected that the agriculture sector would see growth at the rate of 1.30 per cent in the current fiscal against the 0.80 per cent of the last fiscal and service sector would grow by 2.70 per cent compared to 3.60 per cent last year.

But the manufacturing sector has been estimate to have negative growth rate of -6.3 per cent. I's growth rate in the last fiscal was 1.5 per cent.

"Inflation rose by more than 3 per cent compared to that of last year. Inflation rate in 2016 March was 10.2 per cent which was 7 per cent in the same period last year," said Minister Poudel.

Because of the Indian blockade, export dipped by -13 per cent and export-import ratio went further down from last year's 11 per cent to 9.4 per cent this year. Energy crisis, earthquake and scarcity of skilled human resources also contributed to the decline of export business.

In the first eight months of the current FY, government's expenditure stands at Rs. 268 billion out of total Rs. 819.4 billion. It is 22.69 per cent less than the same period of the last fiscal.

Capital expenditure stands at 10.18 per cent of total allocated budget while general expenditure reached 73.87 per cent and expenditure for financial management is about 15.95 per cent.

Bank and financial institutions loan mobilization increased by 8.4 per cent in the first eight month of the current fiscal as compared to the same period last year and reached Rs. 1830.6 billion, read the Economic Survey report.

According to the government forecasts, yield of major agricultural items like rice, wheat, maize and millet would be decreased by 6 per cent as compared to the last fiscal year and the total production of such crops would be 8,692,000 metric tons.

Macroeconomic indicators and their annual change percent

Index	2013/14	2014/15	2015/16
GDP	5.7	2.32	0.77
Consumer Price	9.1	7.2	9.5
Revenue	20.5	13.7	13.5
Capital expenditure	22.2	33.1	79.2
Regular expenditure	8.3	26.5	27.9
Export	17.4	-7.3	-13.0
Import	27.3	8.4	2.0
Export-Import Ratio	12.4	11.0	9.4
Trade deficit	29.7	10.8	3.8
Current account balance (Rs. in billions)	89.7	108.3	141.9
Per capita national income (USD)	737	775	766
Remittance (Rs. in billions)	543.3	617.3	679.0
Balance of Payment (Rs. in billions)	127.1	145.0	161.0

Source: Economic Survey 2015/16

Major challenges to the economy

Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has listed 10 challenges to the country's economy.

He said that achieving high growth trajectory by mobilizing internal and external resources in the reconstruction of the quake damaged structures would be challenging.

Likewise, modernization and commercialization of agriculture, increasing productivity, market and value chain development and irrigation will be a challenge.

"Attracting foreign and domestic investment and expediting the industrialization process in the leadership of private sector is challenging. So is resolving the energy crisis in the country," said the Minister.

According to Poudel, tourism infrastructure development, enhancing capital expenditure capacity and promoting transparency, creating employment and channeling remittance to the productive sector and bringing the informal businesses in to the formal economy were equally challenging. 

Nikhil Uprety to participate in Bagmati Cleanup

Kathmandu, May 26: Former chief election commissioner Nila Kantha Uprety and actors Nikhil and Ramesh Uprety will participate in Bagmati cleaning as the Bagmati Cleanup Campaign reaches 159^th week.

Members of Nepal Film Technician's Association, other artistes and contests of various beauty pageants will participate in the cleanup activities, informed a press statement, issued by Nepal Advertising Association (AAN).

A meeting of Cleanup Campaign has decided to welcome the guest and distinguished personalities and appeal all residents and organizations in the Kathmandu Valley to participate in the cleanup. 

SEBON to approve right share application within 2 weeks

Kathmandu, May 25: The Security Board of Nepal (SEBON) Wednesday informed that applications of the bank and financial institutions (BFIs) for right share issuance would be approved within two weeks.

Announcing new provision on the issuance of right share of the BFIs, the capital market regulator said that the new arrangements would facilitate the companies in meeting the ceiling of paid-up capital of Rs. 8 billion by mid-July next year, as announced by the Nepal Rastra Bank in its Monetary Policy for the Fiscal Year 2015/16.

 “The SEBON will study the documents submitted by the companies and suggest for improvement and amendment in the application within seven working days after receiving the application. Final approval would be issued within 5 days after receiving the documents with compliance,” said the SEBON in a press release.

The SEBON expressed its hope that the new provision would expedite the process of right share issuance and make capital mobilization more effective.

A couple of weeks earlier, the Board had allowed the BFIs to issue their right share without credit rating of respective companies.

However, any company planning to issue right share should propose to issue the right share at the face value, net worth of the company should be more than Rs. 100, the market price of the share should be more than the face value.

Similarly, such company should be in operation for at least five years and earned profit for the last three years, non-performing assets shouldn’t have crossed the limit set by the NRB and the capital increment plan of the company should be registered in the Office of Company Registrar, said SEBON. 

LIC Nepal to give 25 per cent bonus share

Kathmandu, May 24: The Life Insurance Corporation Nepal (LIC Nepal) Tuesday decided to distribute 25 per cent bonus share and 1.32 cash dividend, for tax purpose, to its shareholders.

The 14^th Annual General Assembly of the company has decided to distribute the bonus and elected Kumar Keshar Bista as Public Director to the Board of Directors of the Company.

The company sold 149,796 insurance policies in the Fiscal Year 2014/15 and collected Rs. 1.81 billion from premium. 

By mid-July 2015, the company had 115,546 insurance policies and its life insurance fund reached Rs. 2.02 billion, the company informed in a press release.

The company witnessed 30.59 per cent growth in life insurance fund, 41.67 per cent growth on initial premium earning, 31.67 per cent on investment, and 16.16 per cent growth on income from investment in the last fiscal.

“The company has earned Rs. 4.60 billion by the end of the first quarter of the current fiscal year and has accumulated Rs. 24.58 billion in its life insurance fund,” read the release. 

Moon appreciated Nepal's efforts in the aftermath of the quake

Kathmandu, May 24: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa Tuesday co-chaired the High-Level Leaders’ Roundtable on “Natural Disaster and Climate Change: Managing Risks and Crises Differently” – one of the seven roundtables being organized as part of the World Humanitarian Summit being held in Istanbul, Turkey.

DPM Thapa said that putting in place effective policy, programme, strategy and institutional mechanism was an important step towards developing a consistent framework for climate action and ensuring multi stakeholder partnership at the national, regional and international levels, informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press statement.

“I would like to inform the world leaders that Nepal has a National Adaptation Plan of Action, Local Adaptation Plan of Action, environmental and climate policies and programmes as well as Environment and climate Change Councils at the highest level to muster political will in climate action,” he said.

He shared the experiences and lessons learned by Nepal in the process of rescue, rehabilitation, and reconstruction following the devastating earthquake in April and May last year.

Emphasizing the need of ‘build back better’ for increased resilience at the community level to ensure quick response and avoidance of bigger losses in life and property when disasters strike, DPM Thapa said that the build back better called for increased financial resources, application of technology suitable to the local situation, and increased innovation.

He underlined the necessity of more investment on preparedness as it was important to minimize risk and damage.

“United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon appreciated the quick response and effective coordination of the Government in the aftermath of last year’s earthquakes,” read the statement.

The President of Republic of Nauru Baron Waqa, the Deputy President of Kenya William Ruto and the Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia Demeke Mekonnen co-chaired the roundtable along with DPM Thapa. He was accompanied by foreign secretary Shankar Das Bairagi in the roundtable.

On the sidelines of the roundtable meeting, Thapa also had a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Sweden Margot Wallstrom where they discussed the matters of mutual interest, including the Swedish economic cooperation to Nepal.

Later in the afternoon, DPM Thapa left for Israel for his two-day visit where he will have meetings with the Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

DPM Thapa will also lead Nepalese delegation to the comprehensive high level mid-term review of the Istanbul Programme of Action which will be held in Antalya of Turkey from 27^th to 29^th may.

The Istanbul Programme of Action aims at enabling half of the least developed countries (LDCs) to meet the criteria for graduation from the LDC category.

DPM Thapa is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on 30^th May. 

Phalano Luga to distribute int'l clothing labels

Phalano Luga, a Nepali clothing brand, has been appointed as a distributor for the apparel range of Angry Birds 2.0, The Angry Birds Movie, Kung Fu Panda, Ice Age, Pokemon, Beebop, Joshua Tree, Chhota Bheem and the European football clubs Real Madrid and AC Milan.

The company has been also appointed as a licensee for consumer products and promotion for the iconic brands; Angry Birds 2.0, The Angry Birds Movie, Kung Fu Panda, Ice Age and Pokemon for Nepal, informed the company in a press statement.

Phalano Luga signed an agreement with Woodstock Merchandising and Dream Theatre in Mumbai, India for the distributorship of the clothing brands.

The new clothing lines would be available at Phalano Luga’s outlets in Pulchowk and Sundhara.

Phalano Luga is established and run by cartoonist Rajesh KC after his famous cartoon character ‘Phalano’.

 "We are excited to partner with Phalano Luga and bring Dream Theatre's brands and a choice of licensed brands to Nepal. We are hopeful of bringing more brands and categories to Nepal in the near future," said Jiggy George, Founder & CEO of Dream Theatre.

"We are delighted to officially have these international iconic brands' authentic apparels in Nepal. Phalano Luga shall use its best endeavours to distribute the products in Nepal, satisfy the market demand and to enhance the sales of the products," said KC, managing director of Phalano Luga.

Phalano Luga has been manufacturing and selling organic cotton and cotton blend t-shirts with uniquely Nepali flavored designs by cartoonist K.C. in Nepal since 2012.

Engineers sided with the govt in Ktm-Terai Fast Track

Kathmandu, May 21: Engineers have given thumbs up to the government's decision to build the Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track road on its own.

Airing their views on the much-talked about project, the engineers had welcomed the government's move to mobilize the domestic resources to construct it but insisted that it required innovative approach.

Their support for the construction of crucial road that drastically cut short the distance between the capital and the southern plains came as a boosting to the government that is in the firing line from the main opposition Nepali Congress for not awarding the project to a consortium of Indian companies that had carried out the detailed project report.

Indian companies led by Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) had developed the national pride project.

"Constructing the Fast Track on our own is a welcoming decision but new innovative approach  should be applied while building the project because the traditional project development methods have failed," president of the Nepal Engineers Association (NEA) Dhruba Thapa said at an interaction on 'Engineers' view on Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track road', organized by the NEA here Saturday.

After more than five years of dilly-dallying about the building and financial modality of the project, the KP Sharma Oli administration has announced to build the expressway.

Terming the project 'ambitious', Secretary of Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Arjun Karki said that in order to lead the country in the path of development, the government should be ambitious.

"Managing financial resource for the Fast-Track Project is not challenging. We have enough liquidity in our banking and financial system. On the other hand, there is enough space for borrowing," he said.

Karki said that the country had loans liability equal to about one quarter of the Gross Domestic Product which could be raised up to 50 to 60 per cent. "It can be built in five years by allocating Rs. 20 billion every year."

Saying the infrastructure development should not be the issue of debate, the former chief of Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, the largest infrastructure project in terms of investment which is being developed by the government itself, said, "Whatever be the financing and development strategy of the Fast-Track Road Project, it should be completed within 5 years."

The government has allocated Rs. 2.53 billion for the Fast Track project in the past eight years and spent Rs. 2.76 billion.

Nepalese Army has opened 80 kilometres long track of the multi-billion rupees project.

"Army completed track opening a couple of years ago. It asked the government for additional budget to make the track motorable so that the road can be used but the government then refused to disburse additional budget hoping that it would soon get a developer for the project," informed Uddhav Bista, head of Nepal Army's Directorate of Development and Construction.

Army completed the track opening in 2013. It spent Rs. 994 million in the job.

He said that the government should make a clear plan for soil disposal management, landslide control and security of developer and workers due to the difficult topography and lack of public land area.

Shankar Nath Rimal, past president of NEA, said that the government should move the project ahead with the formulation of high-powered body.

Likewise, Kishor Thapa, an expert member of the National Reconstruction Authority and former secretary of the government, said that the country needed the shortest access to the Terai along with the Simara Intarnational Airport – the planned second international airport.

Satyendra Shakya, chief of the Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track Road Project informed that Rs. 866.6 million was spent in land acquisition for the road.

"Land acquisition in most of the areas, except Khokana-Bungmati 6.4 km section, has been completed. According to rough estimates, Rs. 2.5 billion is needed to pay compensation for the first 64 km area."

Shakya informed that Rs. 1 billion, the budget allocated to the project for the current fiscal year, would be spent in land acquisition. 

Govt committed to bring out policies to facilitate businesses: PM Oli

Jewellery Expo Begun

Kathmandu, May 20: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli Friday expressed his commitment to formulate required policies and amend existing laws to create business environment and facilitate business activities.

Inaugurating Nepal International Gems and Jewellery Expo 2016 at Hotel Yak and Yeti, PM Oli assured that the government was ready to join hands with the private sector to develop the gems and jewellery business.

"The government will do whatever necessary to promote this business and market our products in the international market. We are for the quality development of the business," stated the PM.

He said that the government was expediting development works in every sector and urged one and all to assist in that endeavour.

"There are some people who don't want to see the country developed and be self-dependent. Government wants to run and people who look on standing can't realize the gravity of the matter," he said.

Som Prasad Pandey, Minister for Industry, urged the gold, silver and gem entrepreneurs for innovations in their products. "If we want to export our products to the international market, our products should have quality and innovative design."

He informed that the government had declared a moratorium on gemstone export to study the sector and find ways to enhance the quality of the products.

The export would resume after the provision of necessary policies, he said.

Ramesh Maharjan, coordinator of the Expo Main Organizing Committee, who is also President of Nepal Gem and Jewellery Promotion Council, expressed his concerns towards the increasing import-export gap. "The import-export ration has reached 9:1. Jewellery sector can play an important role in reducing this gap as it has a high export potential."

He informed that 59 national and international companies, including Indian Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council and Gemological Institute of America, are participating in the expo.

Maharjan said that the expo would help to expose Nepalese indigenous, diverse and unique jewelleries and handicraft products to the national and international consumers and traders.

Pashupati Murarka, president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, urged the government to remove policy hurdles that were hindering business environment.

Similarly, president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, asked for incentives for the business sector and demanded that it should be announced in the budget of the Fiscal Year 2016/17.

Mani Ratna Shakya, president of the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers Association, said that the gem and jewellery business was one of the largest employers in the country. "But, we are always running short of skilled workers. Most of the workers in this sector are from India. The government should help us in establishing a training institute in order to produce skilled jewellery artists in the country."

 

DPM Thapa leaves for Turkey

 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa is scheduled to leave for Istanbul, Turkey today to participate in the World Humanitarian Summit convened by the Secretary General of the United Nations.

He will be accompanied by National Reconstruction Authority chief executive officer Sushil Gyawali, foreign secretary Shankar Das Bairagi and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and Ministry of Home Affairs.

Permanent Representatives of Nepal to the UN in New York and Geneva will join the delegation in Istanbul, informed the MoFA in a press statement Friday.

"The first-ever World Humanitarian Summit aims to re-inspire and reinvigorate a commitment to humanity and to the universality of humanitarian principles, initiate a set of concrete actions and commitments as well as share best practices which can help save lives around the world," read the statement.

Representatives from business, aid organizations, civil society, affected communities and youth will also participate in the summit.

The DPM is also scheduled to pay an official visit to Israel from 24^th May to 26^th May. He will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as other leaders during his stay there.

DPM Thapa will also lead Nepalese delegation to the comprehensive high level mid-term review of the Istanbul Programme of Action being held in Antalya of Turkey from 27^th to 29^th May.

The IPOA aims at enabling half of the least developed countries to meet the criteria for graduation from the LDC category.

DPM Thapa is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on 30^th May. 

Carmix launched in Nepal

Mansiri Trading Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., authorized distributor for Apollo Carmix, Batching plant and other concrete equipments for Nepal, has introduced Italian self loading mobile concrete mixer Carmix.

Carmix is synonyms of self loading batching plant worldwide, informed the company is a press statement. Carmix can produce concrete from 5 cubic metre (cum) to 30 cum per hour.

Apollo Carmix is manufactured in Ahmadabad, India by Apollo Carmix equipments - a joint venture company of Apollo Inffratech and Metalgalante S.P.A., Italy.

“The machines are easy to use, and ideal for producing and distributing concrete at the most difficult sites, in the most congested traffic or on the remotest islands. It is versatile machines that do self loading, weighing, mixing and transporting of concrete,” claimed the company.

Carmix has self loading bucket to load aggregate, cement and sand. It will weight accurately as per mix design with computerized weighing scale and gives printing of each batch.

Having a reversible driver seat that helps to drive the machines behind by just revolving the seat, the machine is suitable for building construction, tunneling, bridges, irrigations projects, airports, drinking water projects and in road construction. 

JICA-MoE together in school reconstruction

Ministry of Education (MoE)is commencing school reconstruction through Emergency School Reconstruction Project (ESRP)in financial assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA) Thursday.

Bishwa Prakash Pandit, secretary of the Ministry of Education, DR. Hari Ram Parajuli, expert of National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), and JICA vice president Hidetoshi Irigaki will joiltly inaugurate the project with ground breaking ceremony at Shree Kalidevi Higher Secondary School, Pyutar, Lalitpur.

Issuing a press statement, JICA informed that the project targeted to rebuild and retrofit schools in the districts severely affected by the earthquake in April and May last year by financing the necessary expense for reconstruction of schools and related facilities thereby contributing to the improvement of education services and earthquake resilience.

Of the total cost of the project 132 million USD, JICA will finance 115.3 million USD.

“The project will cover 14 districts in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and the JICA will cover Lalitput, Dhading, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Gorkha and Makwanpur,” read the statement.

According to the JICA, for the first batch, out of 120 schools assessed, 84 had been identified feasible to start construction in six districts.

The earthquake inflicted huge damage in various section of which 7000 schools were destroyed and damaged. 

EU supports 5.5 million euros for quake-victims

The European Union has released Rs. 660.7 million (5.5 million euros) as humanitarian aid funding for Nepal in 2016.

“It will be used to respond to humanitarian needs like shelter and to strengthen the disaster preparedness capacities of the most vulnerable communities in quake-affected areas,” said the EU in a press statement.

The EU claimed that the aid would benefit close to 290,000 people across nine districts severely hit by the devastating earthquake last year.

“As we continue to address the humanitarian needs that remain one year after the earthquake, it is of paramount importance to ensure that the country is also better equipped to cope with recurring natural hazards,” said Christos Stylianides, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management.

Over one year after the powerful April 2015 earthquake, humanitarian needs, particularly for shelter, remain immense.

Millions of people are still living in poorly constructed temporary shelters that were built in a hurry in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. The lack of secure and adequate shelters has triggered concerns over the health and protection of survivors, read the press statement.

With the newly released fund, the total EU support to Nepal reaches 19.5 million euros. 

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यसरी खोल्नुस डिम्याट खाता 
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तपाईंले शेयर बजारमा लगानी गर्नुभएको छ ? वा अब कुनै कम्पनीको शेयर किन्ने सोचमा हुनुहुन्छ ? त्यसो भए तपाईंले शेयर डिम्याटबारे जानकारी राख्नै पर्छ किनकि पूँजीबजारको नियामक नेपाल धितोपत्र बोर्ड (सेबोन)ले आगामी साउन १ गतेदेखि काठमाडौं उपत्यका र माघ १ गतेदेखि नेपालभरबाट सार्वजनिक निष्काशनमा आवेदन दिने व्यक्तिहरुले अनिवार्य रुपमा डिम्याट खाता शेयरको दरखास्त फाराममै भर्नुपर्ने व्यवस्था गरेको छ । त्यसैले शेयरमा लगानी गरेको वा लगानी गर्ने सोच बनाएको दुवै अवस्थामा तपाईंले डिम्याट खाता खोल्नै पर्ने हुन्छ । तर, उद्योग प्रभावित क्षेत्रका बासिन्दाहरुका लागि धितोपत्र निष्काशन हुँदा भने डिम्याट खाता खोल्नै पर्ने बाध्यता छैन ।

यहाँ थाहा पाउनु पर्ने कुरा के छ भने कुनै पनि लगानीकर्ताले एक भन्दा बढी डिम्याट खाता खोल्न सक्छन् । साथै, सीडीएससीमा सूचीकृत सबै धितोपत्रहरु एउटै लगानीकर्ताको नाममा दर्ता छने भने ति सबै धितोपत्रलाई एउटै डिम्याट खातामा अभौतिकीकरण गरेर राख्न सकिन्छ ।

शेयरको डिम्याट (डिमटिरियलाइजेशन वा अभौतिकीकरण) भनेको कागजी अवस्थामा रहेको भौतिक धितोपत्रलाई विद्युतीय प्रणालीमा अभिलेख राख्ने काम हो । यसले लगानीकर्ताहरुलाई शेयर प्रमाणपत्र तथा अन्य सम्बन्धित कागजातहरु बोकेर हिंडनुपर्ने बाध्यताबाट मुक्ति दिएको छ । साथै, महत्वपूर्ण कागजातहरु हराउने वा नष्ट हुने जोखिम पनि कम भएको छ ।
त्यति मात्र होइन डिम्याट गरिएका धितोपत्रहरुको हस्तान्तरण पक्रिया पनि छिटो र कम खर्चिलो हुन्छ भने सबै प्रकारका गैरमौद्रिक संस्थागत गतिविधि तथा आईपीओ पनि व्यवस्थित र सरल हुन्छन् । हाल आईपीओमार्फत शेयर लगानी गर्ने लगानीकर्ताले प्रमाणपत्रका लागि लामो समय प्रतिक्षा गर्नुपर्छ तर डिम्याट खाता खोलिसकेपछि निष्काशन कम्पनीले वितरण गरेका धितोपत्र तत्कालै सो खातामा जम्मा गर्न सकिन्छ ।

डिम्याटले कुनै पनि शेयरको स्वामित्वमा भएको परिवर्तनलाई प्रभावकारी ढंगले अनुगमन तथा निगरानी गर्न सहयोग पु¥याउँछ जसले कम्पनीलाई कुनै पनि अनुचित कार्यका बारेमा बेलैमा जानकारी लिन सजिलो हुन्छ ।
शेयरको अभौतिकीकरण गर्ने कार्य सन् १९६० दशकमा अमेरिकामा शुरु भएको हो । युरोपेली मुलुकहरुमा ९९ प्रतिशतसम्म शेयरको डिम्याट भइसकेको पाइन्छ ।

पूर्ण डिम्याट
धितोपत्र बजारलाई पूर्ण स्वाचालित बनाउन २०७२ माघदेखि पूर्णरुपमा अभौतिकीकरण भएको शेयरको मात्र कारोबार शुरु गरिएको छ भने हकप्रद शेयर तथा बोनस शेयर लगानीकर्ताहरुको डिम्याट खातामै प्राप्त गर्ने व्यवस्था सञ्चालनमा आइसकेको छ । हाल निक्षेप सदस्य सेवा ५५ जिल्लामा पुगेको छ भने आगामी असार मसान्तसम्म ७५ ओटै जिल्लामा निक्षेप सदस्य सेवा विस्तार गर्ने सीडीएससीले जानकारी दिएको छ ।
डिम्याट भइसकेका शेयरहरु सेण्ट्रल डिपोजिटरी सिष्टममा सुरक्षित रहन्छन् । नेपालमा सीडीएस एण्ड क्लियरिङ लिमिटेड (सिडीएससी)ले सेण्ट्रल डिपोजिटरीको सेवा प्रदान गर्दछ । नेप्सेले प्रवद्र्धन गरेको यो कम्पनी २०६७ सालमा सञ्चालनमा आएको हो । भारतमा भने यो भन्दा १५ वर्ष अघि सन् १९९६ मा नेशनल सेक्युरिटिज डिपोजिटरी लिमिटेड (एनएसडीएल) र सन् १९९८ मा सेण्ट्रल डिपोजिटरी सर्भिसेज लिमिटेड (सीडीएसएल)को स्थापना भएको थियो ।
बैसाख २१ गते सम्ममा नेप्सेमा सूचीकृत २४१ कम्पनीमध्ये १९८ सीडीएससीमा दर्ता भइसकेका छन् भने दर्तावाल क्लियरिङ मेम्बरको संख्या ५० पुगेको छ । अनुमति प्राप्त निक्षेप सदस्य (डिपोजिटरी पार्टिसिपेण्ट – डीपी)/ब्रोकरको संख्या ४९ छ । हालसम्म ६५ करोड ८२ लाख, ३ सय ८० कित्ता शेयरको डिम्याट भइसकेको छ ।

डिम्याट खाता खोल्ने तरिका 
शेयर लगानी कर्ताले निक्षेप सदस्य (डिपोजिटरी पार्टिसिपेण्ट – डीपी) सँग गएर डिम्याट खाता खोल्न सक्छन् । शेयर ब्रोकर, बैंक तथा वित्तीय संस्था र सेबोनले तोकेका अन्य संस्था वा निकायहरुले डीपीको सेवा दिन सक्छन् । यसरी खोलिएको खाताको सम्पूर्ण विवरण सेण्ट्रल डिपोजिटरीमा सुरक्षित रहन्छ ।
त्यसका लागि लगानीकर्ताले सबैभन्दा पहिले खाता खोल्नका लागि फारामसहित नागरिकता लगायत अन्य आवश्यक कागजातहरु डीपीमा पेश गर्नुपर्छ । त्यसपछि डीपीले लगानीकर्ताको खाता खोली उस्को हस्ताक्षरको अभिलेख राख्छ जुन सीडीएससीमा रेकर्ड हुन्छ । सीडीएससीले सो डिम्याट खाता सदर गरी त्यसको जानकारी डीपीलाई पठाउँछ अनि डीपीले खाता सदर भएको पत्र लगानीकर्तालाई दिन्छ ।
यसरी खाता खोल्नका लागि पहिले नै शेयरमा लगानी गरेको हुनु पर्दैन । डिम्याट खाता विना कुनै मौज्दातमा खोल्न र व्यवस्थित गर्न सकिन्छ ।
यहाँ थाहा पाउनु पर्ने कुरा के छ भने कुनै पनि लगानीकर्ताले एक भन्दा बढी डिम्याट खाता खोल्न सक्छन् । साथै, सीडीएससीमा सूचीकृत सबै धितोपत्रहरु एउटै लगानीकर्ताको नाममा दर्ता छने भने ति सबै धितोपत्रलाई एउटै डिम्याट खातामा अभौतिकीकरण गरेर राख्न सकिन्छ ।
डीपीले हरेक तीन महिनामा लगानीकर्तालाई उसको डिम्याट खाताको फाँटवारी उपलब्ध गराउने हुँदा आप्mनो खाताको विवरण नियमित पाउन सकिन्छ । निकट भविष्यमै लागू गर्ने भनिएको धितोपत्रहरुको सूचनाको विद्युतीय पहुँच (ईएएसआई)मा डीपी दर्ता भइसकेपछि लगानीकर्ताले आफैले अनलाइनमार्फत आप्mनो खाताको अवस्था थाहा पाउन सक्नेछन् ।
तर, अन्य लगानीकर्ता वा डीपीले तपाईंको खाताको विवरण हेर्न भने सक्ने छैनन् । खातामा कुनै समस्या आएमा वा कुनै विवरण हराएमा तपाईं आप्mनो डीपीलाई सूचना दिई त्यस्ता समस्याको समाधान गर्न सक्नुहुन्छ ।
आफूसँग भएका धितोपत्रको डिम्याटका लागि निवेदन दिंदा धितोपत्रको आईएसआईएन (इण्टरनेशनल सेक्युरिटिज आइडेण्टिफिकेशन नम्बर) उल्लेख गर्नुपर्छ त्यस्तो नम्बर आप्mनो डीपी वा सीडीएससीको वेवसाइट धधध।अमकअलउ।अयm बाट लिन सकिन्छ । तर, आफूले डिम्याट गर्न निवेदन दिएका धितोपत्र सीडीएससीमा अभौतिकीकरणका लागि सूचीकृत भने भएको हुनुपर्छ । त्यस्ता धितोपत्र डिम्याटका लागि सूचीकृत भएका छैनन् भने सम्बन्धित कम्पनीलाई सीडीएससीमा सूचीकृत गर्न आग्रह गर्नुपर्छ ।
सामान्यतयाः धितोपत्रको डिम्याट गर्ने काम १० दिनमा पूरा हुन्छ । यसरी परिवर्तत गरिएको धितोपत्रलाई कुनै पनि बेला पुनःभौतिकीकरण गर्न सकिन्छ । डिम्याट गर्दा कुनै शुल्क लाग्दैन भने पुनःभौतिकीकरण गर्दा डीपीलाई शुल्क बुझाउनुपर्छ ।

डिम्याट खाता खोल्नुका उद्देश्य :

• भौतिक धितोपत्रहरुलाई विद्युतीय पद्धतिमा परिवर्तन गर्न
• नेपाल स्टक एक्स्चेञ्ज (नेप्से)मा भएका धितोपत्रहरुको खरीद÷विक्री कारोबारहरुलाई अभौतिक रुपमा प्राप्त गर्न
• प्राथमिक शेयर निष्काशन (आईपीओ) बाट प्राप्त धितोपत्रहरु व संस्थागत गतिविधि जस्तैः हकप्रद निष्काशन, बोनस निष्काशन, मर्जर इत्यादिलाई अभौतिक रुपमा जम्मा गर्न 
• डिम्याट खातामा ग्रहण गरेका अभौतिक धितोपत्रहरुको खाताको फाँटवारी प्राप्त गर्न
• डिम्याट खातामा भएका धितोपत्रहरुको धितो बन्धकी राख्न
• डिम्याट खातामा भएका धितोपत्रहरुको पुनःभौतिकीकरण गर्न 

स्रोत : सीडीएससी
युवामञ्च मासिकको जेठ अंकमा प्रकाशित । 

युवामञ्चको इपेपरमा यो स्टोरी पढ्न यहाँ क्लिक गर्नुस् ।

NTNC and ZSL for tiger conservation

Kathmandu, May 18: The National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) and Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Tuesday signed an agreement for integrated tiger conservation.

NTNC member secretary Govinda Gajurel and ZSL representative for Nepal signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations.

The project will be implemented at Parsa and Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserves, Banke and Bardiya National Parks, and their buffer zones with financial assistance from the International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN) and German Development Bank (KFW).

The project aims at doubling the number of tigers in Nepal by 2022.

“The project includes management of reserves and national parks and capacity building, management of tiger’s habitat, strengthening of the organizations involved in poaching control and livelihood improvement programmes for the residence of the buffer zones,” read a press statement issued by the NTNC.

The number of tigers in Nepal increased to 198 in 2013 from 125 four years earlier.