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Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has said that Rs 853 billion will be required for the development of hydropower projects, transmission line projects, and distribution networks in the next five years. In a presentation to newly appointed Energy Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet by NEA Managing Director Kul Man Ghising, the state-owned power utility has estimated a capital requirement of Rs 437 billion for under-construction projects while Rs 853 billion will be required for both under-construction and planned projects According to the presentation obtained by the Annapurna Express, the largest amount will be required for transmission projects. It will require Rs 548 billion for under-construction and planned transmission line projects in the next five years followed by Rs 162 billion for the generation of electricity through its subsidiary companies. NEA said that it is seeking Rs 65 billion for the generation of power. As much as Rs 56 billion will be required for the distribution while Rs 19 billion will be needed for engineering and energy efficiency. According to NEA, the funding gap is one of the biggest challenges for the power utility body in developing hydropower projects, transmission line projects, and distribution networks. Managing a huge fund gap for generation, transmission, and distribution Infrastructure Development has been mentioned as one of the major challenges in Ghising's presentation. “The existing resources are not adequate and managing resources is challenging as the government is failing to collect enough revenue,” said a senior NEA official. “Without mobilizing soft loans from the donors, it will be difficult to raise sufficient resources.” According to the official, another challenge has been to spend the available budget. “Because of the issue of land acquisition and forest clearance, among others, project implementation has been difficult,” the official said. NEA has planned to add 10,874km to its existing network of transmission lines in the next five years starting from the beginning of the current fiscal year. By mid-March, Nepal added 219 km to its network while 3114km is expected to be added from under-construction projects while the extension of 7541km has been planned from the planned projects. Big transmission infrastructure is being planned in and around the Kathmandu Valley. The state-owned power utility has a master plan for transmission infrastructure for Kathmandu Valley considering the electricity demands as late as 2050. As per the plan, there will be a power demand of 3100MW by 2050. The current infrastructure is okay for sustaining the power demands of just 500MW. The NEA has planned 132kV and 220kV underground transmission lines within the Kathmandu Valley. Likewise, a 220kV transmission ring around the hills of the Kathmandu Valley has also been planned on government-owned land. It will also have to generate resources for constructing three more high-capacity cross-border transmission lines with India. According to the NEA, it needs resources of Rs 198.84 billion in the next five years for the purpose of rural electrification, substation upgrading and automation, system reinforcement and loss reduction, reliability improvement, and smart meter installation. NEA is also involved in developing 100MW Tamakoshi 5, 60MW Modi, 635MW Dudhkoshi Storage, 1061MW Upper Arun, and 210MW Chainpur Seti hydropower projects. The combined cost of the development of these projects has been estimated at USD Rs 588.11 billion.

Five new dry ports are being planned in the northern border points by the government. The Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Board (NITDB) has initiated a study to develop new dry ports in five locations along the Nepal-China border. Currently, there is only one dry port in operation along the China border i.e., Tatopani Dry Port while another one in Rasuwagadhi is under construction. The Rasuwagadhi dry port is a gift from the Chinese government. Once the construction is completed, it will have space for 350 container trucks, a warehouse, a parking lot, a customs building, and a quarantine facility. The NITDB, the government agency which manages the inland clearance depots, has begun the study to develop dry ports in Nechung (Mustang), Olangchung Gola (Taplejung), Yari (Humla), Kimathanka (Sankhuwasabha) and Tinje Dho (Dolpa). Of them, the feasibility study of the Nechung dry port has been completed. The NITDB Executive Director Ashish Gajurel said that the detailed project report (DPR) of the Nechung is currently being prepared. Similarly, pre-feasibility studies of Olangchung Gola and Yari dry ports have been completed. However, the DPR has not been carried forward as the road has not reached reach there. The board has recently selected a consultant for conducting the pre-feasibility study of the Kimathanka and Tinje Dho dry ports. The NITDB engineer Shobhakant Raut said that the study will be completed in the current fiscal year. According to Gajurel, the construction of these dry ports will ease foreign trade with China. "As there are not enough dry ports in the northern border, the bilateral trade with China has not grown as expected. That is why, we have advanced the plan to make more dry ports," he said. Currently, the Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani are the two border crossings for the overland route open for trade between Nepal and China. However, not all of these projects will not be built immediately. According to NITDB, a pre-feasibility study has shown that the dry port will be feasible only after the construction of the North-South corridor roads (Koshi, Kaligandaki, and Karnali) are built. But the study has shown the necessity of dry ports in these locations. However, the all-weather road has not reached the places where the proposed dry ports are being planned. "As of now, we have done a feasibility study as a preliminary preparation. The construction will proceed only after the road reaches there," said Raut. Two dry ports on the southern border The board has also started the process of developing dry ports at two locations on the southern border at Jaleshwor (Mahottari) and Dodhara-Chadni (Mahendranagar). The pre-feasibility study of Jaleshwar dry port has been completed. The Dodhra-Chandni dry port is being studied by the Indian government. Currently, four dry ports are in operation at Bhairahawa, Birgunj, Biratnagar, and Kakadbhitta along the Nepal-India border. And, one more dry port is being constructed in Nepalgunj with a grant of Rs 3.20 billion from the Indian government. The dry port is being built in Nepalgunj since it is the fifth largest trading point of Nepal and is closer to the Indian capital New Delhi, which would make imports by Nepal easier.  

With the year 2079 coming to an end, Nepal's private sector is fully engrossed in the election fever to elect a new leadership of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI). As per the FNCCI statute, the senior vice president automatically becomes the president for the next term. This has made the election of senior vice president a battle royale. Unlike past elections, a tripartite contest has emerged this time with Anjan Shrestha, Ram Chandra Sanghai, and Umesh Lal Shrestha vying for the senior vice president post and forming their panels. With nominations completed and one week left for the election, the candidates are making last-ditch efforts to ensure their victory. The effort for a consensus candidate for the senior vice president post, initiated by the current Senior Vice President Chandra Prasad Dhakal, who will lead the FNCCI after the 57th General Assembly, has failed to yield the desired result. As per the statute of FNCCI, there will be one president, one senior vice president, three vice presidents, and one treasurer. There will be 19 members from the association, 18 from the district/municipal, and 12 from the commodity association in the FNCCI executive committee. In addition to this, 14 members will also be chosen, two from each province. As in the past, business houses, former FNCCI presidents, and political parties all are involved in the FNCCI election, making it a high-stakes contest. As the Nepali private sector's apex organization, the FNCCI election has always been a prestige issue for the private sector. And, this time also, it is no different. All three candidates for the senior VP post claim their candidacy is natural pointing out their contributions to the organization. Anjan Shrestha, Executive Director of Laxmi Group said that the problems of the private sector should be given priority when the economy is in a state of turmoil and that FNCCI should be made accessible to all businesspersons at all levels. In Shrestha's panel, Arunraj Sumargi is contesting for the district/municipal vice president post, Manish Lal Pradhan for the commodity vice president, and Bharat Raj Acharya for the associate vice president. Ramchandra Sanghai of Triveni Group represents the Marwari business community. From his panel, Sur Krishna Vaidya is vying for the district/municipal vice president post, Sakuntalal Hirachan for the commodity vice president, and Jyotsana Shrestha for the associate vice president. Umesh Lal Shrestha, Managing Director of Quest Pharmaceuticals, is also confident to win the race. In Shrestha's panel, Dinesh Shrestha is contesting for the district/municipal vice president, Hemraj Dhakal for the commodity vice president, and Bharat Raj Acharya for the associate vice president. Acharya is the common candidate of Anjan and Umesh Lal panels. The election is scheduled for April 12. In voting, the district/municipal association has higher weightage than associate members and commodity associations. And, more than 50 percent of the total votes are needed to win the senior VP post.

Xiaomi Nepal has launched Redmi 12C. The Redmi 12C is a budget-friendly smartphone Powered by Mediatek Helio G85 processor. The phone delivers best-in-class performance and a smooth experience in gaming, imaging, or everyday use. With up to 6+5GB extended RAM and 1TB storage extension, the Redmi 12 C offers quick and responsive feedback when opening apps. The large 5,000mAh battery of Redmi 12C provides enough power to last for a full day of calling, gaming, and video playback. With a rear fingerprint sensor that blends harmoniously into its minimalist design, unlocking your phone is quick, easy, and safe. The phone has a large 6.71-inch HD+ display and its vibrant screen enables a better viewing experience with its sleek 20.6:9 aspect ratio. In addition, the reading mode feature of the device ensures the protection of the eyes. Equipped with a 50MP main camera, the Redmi 12 C offers greater details and greater light-capturing capabilities, allowing phone users to record memorable moments in any light conditions. The customers will get a Rs 500 flat discount on the purchase of any variant of Redmi 12 C between April 6-30. The discount will avail on Daraz and at all the authorized Mi stores across the country. Price  3GB+32GB Rs 13,499 4GB+64GB Rs 14,499 6GB+128GB             Rs 16,999