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

Implementation of national pride projects will not face obstruction: FM Khatiwada

Finance Minister Dr Yubraj Khatiwada has said that the government would not allow any obstruction in implementing the national pride projects despite adverse impact of COVID-19 on the economy.

Budget head change will be used if needed to ensure availability of funds for such projects. During the meeting today of National Concern Committee under the National Assembly, Finance Minister Dr Khatiwada shared the government would not allow budget scarcity on these projects through transferring of funds and fulfilling from donor agencies.

He further said that it would be easier in implementation of national pride projects if a separate law in this regard is formulated. Minister Khatiwada had presented the bill in this regard in the parliament two years ago.

Hotels, restaurants in Sauraha resuming from today

Hotels and restaurants that remained shut since the Nepal government imposed lockdown on March 24 opened from Thursday.

A meeting of the Regional Hotel Association (HAN) held in Sauraha on Tuesday had decided to open hotels and restaurants from Thursday with some precautionary measures.

All the restaurants and hotels based in Sauraha including tourism activities had remained closed from March 24 due to coronavirus pandemic.

“The government has also decided to allow hotels and restaurants to resume their operations from July 30. We have also decided to open hotels and restaurants from today,” Deepak Bhattarai, HAN Chairman of Chitwan chapter said.

Meanwhile, HAN has directed hoteliers to ensure tourists take their temperature, use sanitizers, masks and wash hands frequently. Hoteliers and restaurants have to record their details their guests.

Hotels and restaurants resume services

Hotels and restaurants closed for the past four months due to lockdown have resumed  their business from today.

The government had decided to resume the hotel business from July 30 after the four-month lockdown. Offices related to trekking, travel and mountaineering are coming into operation in view of tourism season.

The tourism entrepreneurs plan to  take the business ahead by following the health protocol with new enthusiasm after the end of lockdown.

First Vice-Chairperson of Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), Binayak Shah, said that there is still dilemma about the different matters whether the foreign tourists visiting Nepal has to stay in quarantine.

There is still slim chance of foreign tourists visiting Nepal any time soon. Tourism entrepreneurs said that they are ready to welcome tourists.

They said that they would be able to uplift their business to some extent, pinning their hopes on domestic tourists though it would take some time to return the business in its previous situation.

Hotel entrepreneurs are making plan to bring only 10 per cent service of the full capacity of their business into operation in the initial phase.

(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.