` NEPALI STUDENTS IN AUSTRALIA CONTRIBUTE RS.230,000 TO SHELTER FOR HOMELESS Kathmamdnu, 19 Aug.: Nepali students have contributed Rs.230,000 to a free shelter for the homeless run by Dilshova Shrestha in Ravibhava. A cheque on behalf of the students was handed over to Shrestha Saturday by comedians Haribansha Acharya and Madan Krishna Shrestha. nnnn NEPAL PARTICIPATING IN 8TH ASIAN WUSHU CHAMPIONSHIP IN VIETMAN Kathmandu, 29Aug.: An eight- member wushu team is participating in the Eighth Asian Championship to be held there from 21 to 25 August. The team left for the Vietnamese capital Saturday. Pratap Thapa is the team manager while Pranil Dhoj Karki is the coach. Players from 55 countries are competing in the event. nnnn. HARI OM SHRESTHA RETURNS TO BANSBARI FOOTBALL CLUB Kathmandu, 19 Aug.: Hari Om Shresths, joined the Bansbari Football Club Saturdqy.. He’s returning to the Club Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC). Shrestha will get a monthly Rs.30,000 salary. Nnnn NRB MAY REJECT PROPOSAL TO STOP AUCTIONING OF SIX AILING FIRMS Kathmandu, 19 Aug 19: The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), central monetary authority, can reject a proposal from the Ministry of Industry (MoI) to stop bank and financial institutions (BFIs) from auctioning the properties of six ailing industries that have long been defaulting loan, Binod Raj Poudel writes ii Republica.. The central bank source clarified that it was not in a position to prevent banks and financial institutions (BFIs) from auctioning the assets of the industries that have failed to make timely repayment of loan and stated that it would be against the existing laws. NRB source stated that existing Bank and Financial Institution Act (BAFIA) doesn´t allow the monetary regulator to stop BFIs from auctioning the properties of those ailing industries until the government take decision for the special treatment of those industries regarding loan payment. “NRB can´t direct any BFIs not to go ahead with auctioning the properties of debtors industries that have long been defaulting loan. Protection of industries from getting their properties auctioned is not possible unless government make special arrangement for those industries for their relief,” NRB source told Republica. TheThe Ministry of Industry (MoI) had recently written to the NRB requesting to protect six struggling industries- Birat Leather Industries, Birat Shoes Company, Everest Floriculture, Nepal Boards- producers of wooden goods, Siris Herbal Company and Dolphin Manor Wildlife Resort. The letter had requested NRB to stop the auctioning of the assets of six industries for the next six months. “NRB can prevent the auctioning of their properties only in the case if the government issues gazette provisioning that sick industries get such privilege,” the source added. The government had formed a 8-member Sick-Industries Rehabilitation High-Level Task Force (SIRHLTF) led by Dipendra Bahadur Kshetry, vice-chairman of National Planning Commission (NPC) in a bid to seek measures to the ailing industries. However, the ministry, which has been assigned to identify actual sick industries in the country, has just started the study. The government has already formed around a dozen committees over a decade to study the situation of the ailing industries and recommend measures to rejuvenate them. Though each of the panel suggested different measures, they never came up with a specific criteria to define sick industries. Nnnn ________________________________________ HOTELS PREPARE FOR COMING TOURISM SEASON Kathmandu, 19 Aug.: With the peak tourism season round the corner, hoteliers are gearing up for renovation and upgradation. Besides, regular renovation, hoteliers are also preparing to add power supply alternatives and other amenities, Republica reports.. Peak tourism season is likely to start mid-September, according to them. Soaltee Crowne Plaza is adding a new restaurant which will come into operation shortly. The China Garden restaurant has the capacity of approximately 90 people. The hotel had opened Garden Terrace earlier this year. Hotel Yak and Yeti is focusing on augmenting the power supply for the peak season. The hotel plans to complete installing new generators by the first week of September. Bharat Joshi, resident manager at the hotel, said that the hotel was also installing new chiller and cooling plant. “We have also started changing interiors of public areas which include club lounge, bar, corridor and others,” he said. Although the hotel was initially planning to renovate the old wing, it has postponed the plan for January as the hotel has already received 70 percent confirmed bookings for September. Likewise, Hotel de l´Annapurna is introducing club room by September 15. Raj Bikram Shah, sales manager at the hotel said that they were upgrading existing 30 rooms into club rooms. “The renovation of swimming pool has been completed and we are organizing food festival from this Sunday at Coffee Shop,” he said. The Everest Hotel has also started refurbishment of 84 rooms and the work is expected to be complete before the start of the peak season. Amir Pradhananga, director-sales and marketing at the hotel said they are also adding new cuisines to their Menu. nnnn. ________________________________________