KATHMANDU: Imports of gold and silver, which were halted due to declining foreign exchange reserves, have been reopened.

Banks had stopped the import of gold and silver on the informal instruction of Nepal Rastra Bank.

However, after the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies did not include gold and silver in the list of imports restricted goods and items, the banks have started opening LCs (letters of credit) for gold and silver imports from Wednesday.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies stopped the import of only 10 items by issuing a notice in the Gazette.

The government has banned the import of color televisions above 32 inches, jeeps, cars, and vans, motorcycles with a capacity of more than 250 cc, mobiles, kurkure, kurmure, Lays, all kinds of ready-made liquor, cigarettes and tobacco products, diamonds, all kinds of toys and playing cards.