Sangam Prasain

Kathmandu, Nepal

Senior Sub-editor at The Kathmandu Post

Articles

HT Syndication: Nepal's long-term growth may stall below 4 percent, World Bank warns

1 month ago | htsyndication.com | Sangam Prasain

Kathmandu, March 25 -- Low labour productivity, weak competition in logistics and transport, subpar infrastructure, and high tariffs and excise taxes on exports are just a few of the challenges stalling Nepal's growth. An underperforming manufacturing sector, an underdeveloped tourism industry, sluggish hydropower development, limited infrastructure, regulatory challenges, and digital literacy gaps also contribute to the stagnation.
Nepal’s long-term growth may stall below 4 percent, World Bank warns

1 month ago | kathmandupost.com | Sangam Prasain

Low labour productivity, weak competition in logistics and transport, subpar infrastructure, and high tariffs and excise taxes on exports are just a few of the challenges stalling Nepal’s growth. An underperforming manufacturing sector, an underdeveloped tourism industry, sluggish hydropower development, limited infrastructure, regulatory challenges, and digital literacy gaps also contribute to the stagnation.
HT Syndication: Banned but bountiful: Here's how hemp cultivation could benefit Nepal

1 month ago | htsyndication.com | Sangam Prasain

Kathmandu, March 24 -- Hemp fibre is found to have been used in making cloth long before the advent of agriculture nine to 15 thousand years ago. Despite its historical significance, hemp cultivation, including for industrial purposes, is banned in Nepal. Since its prohibition in 1976, Nepal has neither actively pursued nor considered commercial hemp cultivation. However, in some regions, farmers produce fibre and oil on a small scale.
Banned but bountiful: Here’s how hemp cultivation could benefit Nepal

1 month ago | kathmandupost.com | Sangam Prasain

Hemp fibre is found to have been used in making cloth long before the advent of agriculture nine to 15 thousand years ago. Despite its historical significance, hemp cultivation, including for industrial purposes, is banned in Nepal. Since its prohibition in 1976, Nepal has neither actively pursued nor considered commercial hemp cultivation. However, in some regions, farmers produce fibre and oil on a small scale.
Ni Hao, Pokhara! Lake city to see more charter flights from China

1 month ago | kathmandupost.com | Deepak Pariyar |Sangam Prasain

Deepak Pariyar & Sangam PrasainTourism entrepreneurs in Pokhara are proving to be rather enterprising. With the government failing to attract international flights to the new airport in Nepal’s tourism capital, they have taken it upon themselves to bring the facility into use, starting with charter flights. The Pokhara Tourism Council, an umbrella organisation of tourism entrepreneurs, has partnered with China’s Sichuan Airlines to launch charter flights between Chengdu, China, and Pokhara, Nepal.
HT Syndication: Wildfires put 500m tonnes of carbon- and tourism-at risk

2 months ago | htsyndication.com | Sangam Prasain

Kathmandu, March 17 -- An alarming rise in the number of forest fires has been devastating Nepal's forests and releasing massive amounts of carbon that threaten both biodiversity and the economy, according to new research, which warns that the worst is yet to come. Last month, wildfires ravaged around 82 hectares of forest land in Sindhupalchok, particularly in the upper regions of Jugal and Bhotekoshi rural municipalities. The blazes took days to extinguish.
Wildfires put 500m tonnes of carbon- and tourism-at risk

2 months ago | kathmandupost.com | Sangam Prasain

An alarming rise in the number of forest fires has been devastating Nepal’s forests and releasing massive amounts of carbon that threaten both biodiversity and the economy, according to new research, which warns that the worst is yet to come. Last month, wildfires ravaged around 82 hectares of forest land in Sindhupalchok, particularly in the upper regions of Jugal and Bhotekoshi rural municipalities. The blazes took days to extinguish.
HT Syndication: Nepal's two-tier airfares: Are they fair?

2 months ago | htsyndication.com | Sangam Prasain

Kathmandu, March 16 -- tier airfare structure on the domestic sector has resurfaced after the Supreme Court issued a show cause order to the tourism ministry, acting on a writ filed by a tourism entrepreneur. Tapendra Rawal, a tourist businessman from Kailali, had filed a petition in the Supreme Court on January 21 stating that the dollar fare was being implemented without a legal basis and that it was hindering Nepali tourism.
Nepal’s two-tier airfares: Are they fair?

2 months ago | kathmandupost.com | Sangam Prasain

The issue of two-tier airfare structure on the domestic sector has resurfaced after the Supreme Court issued a show cause order to the tourism ministry, acting on a writ filed by a tourism entrepreneur. Tapendra Rawal, a tourist businessman from Kailali, had filed a petition in the Supreme Court on January 21 stating that the dollar fare was being implemented without a legal basis and that it was hindering Nepali tourism.
HT Syndication: 5 years on ground, Chinese planes still bleed Nepal Airlines

2 months ago | htsyndication.com | Sangam Prasain

Kathmandu, March 9 -- After several failed attempts to offload its five Chinese planes, the Nepal Airlines is now awaiting guidance from its line ministry on the next steps. The six condemned planes-four 17-seater Y12e aircraft and two 56-seater MA60 aircraft-were acquired between 2014 and 2018 for Rs6.66 billion in grants and loans. One plane crashed in Nepalgunj.