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The Korala Customs Office has collected Rs 3.02 billion in revenue in the first three months of the current fiscal year.

According to Office Chief Ramesh Khadka, 1,498 electric vehicles and 671 cargo containers laden with different goods have been imported in the past three months while 28 cargo vehicles laden with Nepali products have been exported to the autonomous region of Xinjiang in China through this checkpoint.

The country's trade including import and export with China is currently taking place mostly from the Korala checkpoint, after the Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi checkpoints were blocked due to floods and landslides.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 600 per tola in the domestic market on Friday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 238, 400 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 237, 800 per tola on Thursday.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 3, 020 per tola today.

The government is providing concessional loans to 400 startup enterprises in the current fiscal year 2025/26. The Industrial Enterprises Development Institute (IEDI), an autonomous entity dedicated to developing human and knowledge resources for entrepreneurship and business promotion in Nepal, has issued a public notice calling for project proposals from aspiring entrepreneurs seeking startup loans. Interested applicants can submit their proposals by Nov 27.

The loans will be disbursed under the Startup Enterprise Loan Operation Procedure, 2025, approved recently by the government. As per the revised procedure, qualified applicants must demonstrate innovative ideas, knowledge, skills, and the capacity to transform their concept into viable enterprises.

The government has allocated Rs 730m for the program in the current fiscal year. Loans will be offered at a three percent interest rate. Altogether, 765 startups have benefited from the program so far. In the previous fiscal year, 600 entrepreneurs received concessional loans under the same scheme, while 165 were financed in fiscal year 2023/24. 

The government, however, has revised the loan limit for this fiscal year. Startup enterprises, which have received financing of up to Rs 2.5m, will get only up to Rs 2m in the current fiscal year. The minimum loan amount remains unchanged at Rs 500,000. To qualify for the scheme, a startup must be registered as a private firm, partnership firm, company, or cooperative enterprise under relevant laws. Eligible businesses must be involved in the production of goods or services using innovative and creative technology, have growth potential, and not exceed 10 years since registration. Additionally, their annual turnover should not surpass Rs 150m.

The program covers 16 priority sectors, including agriculture and livestock, tourism and hospitality, forest-based industries, science and technology, health services, education, renewable energy, environmental protection, waste management, and climate change mitigation. The IEDI has urged interested entrepreneurs to submit detailed project proposals as per the prescribed format within the deadline. The proposals will be evaluated by a three-member committee as outlined in the amended procedure. Successful applicants will also be offered entrepreneurship and business management training before receiving the loan.

The startup loan initiative, which was first introduced in fiscal year 2023/24, is part of the government’s broader policy to foster a culture of innovation and reduce youth unemployment through entrepreneurship.

The Triveni Synthetic Yarn Industries based in the Bara-Parsa industrial corridor has paid the first installment of the electricity dues under the dedicated and trunk lines.

The industry paid the first installment to the Nepal Electricity Authority on Thursday. Subsequently, the power supply to the industry which was disconnected on October 21 has been resumed from the same day, said Manoj Silwal, Executive Director of the NEA.

Tribeni Synthetic is entitled to pay at least Rs 43.983 million in power tariff dues to the state-owned Nepal. As per the latest agreement, the Industry will pay all its dues divided into 28 installments. 

As the first installment, the industry has paid Rs 1.571 million.