KATHMANDU: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has instructed the banks and financial institutions not to charge penalty or additional fee while collecting loans from the customers during the prohibitory period.

Reviewing the third quarter of the monetary policy for the current fiscal year, the NRB has instructed banks and financial institutions not to charge additional fees to the debtors during the current hard time caused by the pandemic.

Similarly, NRB has instructed not to issue any kind of recovery or auction related information during the prohibitory period and one month after it.

Through the review, NRB has said that it will provide some relief to the industries operating for epidemic control.

The NRB has asked the banks and financial institutions to provide loans at the base rate to the existing health care providers, hospitals or industries in Nepal if they ask for loans for the purpose of setting up liquid oxygen plants or oxygen plants.

The bank has stated that the existing health care providers, hospitals or industries in Nepal will be provided up to Rs 500 million for the liquid oxygen plant.

Similarly, it has said that special refinancing will be provided for one year for the loans up to Rs. 200 million for the purpose of setting up an oxygen plant.

74 out of 77 districts of the country have imposed prohibitory orders to curb the wide spreading coronavirus pandemic.