KATHMANDU: Economic Digest, a daily morning email digest, is basically a relatable summation of important business news from Nepal into easy-to-understand summaries.

Wage of laborers increased by Rs 100, minimum daily wage fixed at Rs 900

With the start of the new fiscal year, the District Wage Rate Fixation Committee has made changes to the wage of the workers.

The committee under the District Administration Office has increased the remuneration of daily wagers and workers in view of the increasing market inflation.

As per the wage rate determined by the committee, the daily wage of workers involved in government work has increased by Rs 100.

The wage of laborers has been increased up to 12 per cent in accordance with the Economic Act. The wage of masons, carpenters, painters and artists has increased by Rs 100.

The workers who were paid Rs 800 per day before this will get Rs 900 now. As per the fixed wage rate, the daily wage of laborers is Rs 600, plumbers Rs 688, senior plumber Rs 700, electrician helper Rs 600, electrician Rs 700, lab assistant testing construction materials Rs 640 and technician Rs 745.

Likewise, the daily wage of light vehicle driver is Rs 660, that of heavy vehicle driver Rs 730, heavy equipment operator Rs 820, driver’s helper Rs 600, town inspector or equivalent to office assistant Rs 600, and of nursery caretaker, campus worker, watchmen, sweeper, survey helper and gardener is Rs 600.

The committee has decided that 26 days’ work time will be considered as a month work and the workers should have paid a month’s salary under this provision.

Committee formed to revive sick and defunct industries

The government has formed a six-member committee in a bid to breathe a new lease of life to those state-owned and run sick and defunct industries.

Once thriving industries such as Hetauda Kapada Udhyog, Butwal Dhago Karkhana, Birgunj Krishi Aujar Karkhana, Bhrikuti Kagaj Karkhana, Gorakhkali Rubber Udhyog, Janakpur Churot Karkhana among others industries have been defunct and sick owing to various reasons over the period.

The government in the last meeting of the cabinet on August 3 decided to form a six-member committee coordinated by former secretary Deepak Subedi.

The Committee will offer recommendations on the modality so as to revive the sick industries in the country.

Ministry of Energy to resolve power tariff issue

The government has entrusted the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation to resolve the dispute over the tariff of dedicated and trunk line power supply to industries.

It may be noted that the Nepal Electricity Authority and the industrialists are in a dispute over the fee of the power received from dedicated and truck line.

The decision to give the Energy Ministry the authority to resolve the matter was made by the cabinet meeting on August 3.

World’s second highest bungee jump spot in Parbat all set to come into operation

A newly-developed bungee jumping spot in Parbat is all set to kick off its operation. The 282-meter high bungee spot is said to be the second highest in the world and the highest in Asia.

A successful test jump was conducted recently at the spot built over the Kaligandaki River near Kusma Bazar, the district headquarters of Parbat.

According to Cliff Nepal, which developed the adventure tourism facility, regular bungee jumping activities will start  once the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation comes to normalcy.

“We are waiting for an opportune time to start the operation. Once the COVID-19 threat comes down, tourism activities can be carried out at normal pace,” said Raju Karki of Cliff Nepal.

(Compiled and prepared by Nitish Lal Shrestha)

Nepal Economic Digest is a daily morning email digest, basically relatable summations of the most important business news, happenings from Nepal into easy-to-understand summaries.