NEWSPAPERS INCREASE PRICES CITING INCREASED PRODUCTION COSTS

NEWSPAPER RAISE PRICEC CITING INCREASED COSTS

Kathmandu, 13 Newspapers raised prices Tuesday citing increased cost of production.
The Kathmandu Post increased its price from Rs 3 to Rs5 per issue.
Nagarik daily increased cost to Rs.10 per issue.
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AMRITA KUMARI THAPA ELECTED DIRECTOR STANDARD CHARTERED BANK NEPAL

Kathmandu, 13 Dec.: Amrita Kumari Thapa was elected
director of Standard Chartered Bank Nepal.
She represents public in the leading bank.
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RAKESH KAZI SHRESTHA RE-ELECTED

Kathmandu, 13 Dec.: Rajesh Kazi Shrestha was re-elected chief of International Chamber of Commerce Nepal Mnday by the 7th annual general meeting of the body.
Twenty-one executive committee members were elected.
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NO PUBLIC HOLIDAY CUTS
Kathmandu, 13 Dec.: Despite the government announcement to slash the number of public holidays, the number is unlikely to go down, Santosh P.Pokhrel writes in The Himalayan Times.

The Public Holiday Review Committee formed under the coordination of joint-secretary at the Home Ministry, Bhola Shiwakoti, had proposed bringing down the number of nationwide holidays to 21 from 36 days. The committee had proposed regarding holidays, including Gaura Parba, Christmas and Id, as the holidays of communities concerned and not as national holidays.

The effort to bring down the number of holidays and boost service delivery, a part of the government’s Immediate Relief Programme, did not pay off as political parties objected to the proposal, a source at the ministry said, adding that the number of holidays is sure to remain unchanged for the next year as well.

“It is really hard to cut holidays linked with different religious or communal sects at a time when they are linking their identities with public holidays,” the source said.

Nonetheless, coordinator Siwakoti said efforts are under way to decrease the numbers of public holidays. “The holidays are under review. Let’s hope the number of holidays will go down,” Siwakoti told this daily.

“Our task is to make recommendations on holidays. The council of ministers will decide whether or not to bring down the number of holidays,” he added.

As per the home ministry categorisation, besides 52 days of weekly holidays (Saturdays), there are 18 days of festive holidays and three-day holidays, especially for women employees, in a year. Four days are for the festivities in the Kathmandu Valley only, eight days for Dashain and three days for Tihar. Moreover, there are eight special day holidays, three days for birth anniversaries of national luminaries as well as one day for educational institutes only. Altogether 100 days in a year, including Saturdays, are public holidays.
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