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

Energy ministry urges people to pay electricity bills online

The government has urged people to pay electricity bill through online until the risk of spread of COVID-19 subsides.

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barsaman Pun said the government is making preparations to manage online payment system due to the risk of transmission of the coronavirus virus at the payment counters.

He added that consumers not able to make online payment due to lack of internet access need not worry as the Nepal Electricity Authority will not impose fine. He also said that the line, too, will not be cut.

Itahari hotels to remain closed for 10 days

Hotel Entrepreneurs Association, Itahari, said all hotels and lodges in Itahari will remain closed between March 24 and April 4.

A meeting of the Association took the decision to prevent possible transmission of COVID-19 coronavirus in crowded areas like hotels and lodges.

Jiwan Parajuli, Chairperson of the Association, said that hoteliers will hold meetings with concerned agencies for waiver of rent as well as bank interest in this moment of crisis.

Several banks open on the first day of lockdown

Banks, both commercial and development, remained open despite the lockdown in the country.

According to the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), it has asked the banks to open some of their branches and inform the public about the business.

The NRB says as people require money to buy essentials, and as the government, too, has allowed people to purchase foodstuffs and medicines, it has asked the banks to open some of their branches.

Govt urges to open shops selling daily essentials

The government has clarified that the lockdown will not be enforced on shops selling daily essentials.

Issuing a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has urged to open shops selling foods, medicines and cooking gas cylinders.

The government said that the outlets of Food Management and Trading Company and Salt Trading Corporation will open as usual.

We are with Nepal, says Chinese Ambassador Yanqi

China government has expressed its commitment to extend help to Nepal to combat coronavirus. Posting a twitter message on Tuesday, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi said the China government is making arrangements to supply medical goods to Nepal.

This assurance from China has come at a time when Nepal enforced lockdown closing all the sectors except for essential ones to contain the coronavirus.

(Compiled and prepared by Swastik Aryal and 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. The Institute for Strategic and Socio-Economic Research (ISSR), Nepal’s independent think tank, and Khabarhub — Nepal popular news portal — have joined hands to disseminate news from Nepal in the form of Economic Digest.