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Janai Purnima also known as the sacred thread festival is being observed across the country on Monday.

On the occasion, Hindu Brahmins and Chhetris who have undergone Bratabandha (hair shaving ceremony) change the sacred thread (janai) and also tie sacred thread around the wrist of the right hand.

It is also believed that this thread should be removed only on the day of Laxmi Puja that falls during Laxmi Puja in Tihar.

Janai Purnima is also popularly known as Rakshya Bandan.

On this day, sisters offer rakhi (a symbol of protection) to their brothers.

The death toll from this year's rain-induced disasters since June 10 has reached 182 as of this afternoon. 

The landslides and floods claimed the lives of 182 people including three in the Kathmandu Valley, Spokesperson of Nepal Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dan Bahadur Karki said.

Police said that 27 persons died in Koshi Province while eight in Madhes Province.

Likewise, 32 were killed in Bagmati Province,55 in Gandaki Province, 36 in Lumbini Province, 10 in Karnali Province and 11 in Sudurpaschim Province, according to Nepal Police Spokesperson DIG Karki.

Similarly, a total of 233 people sustained injuries in the water-induced disasters. Among them, 11 persons were injured in the Kathmandu Valley, 38 in Koshi Province, 12 in Madhes Province, 23 in Bagmati Province, 46 in Gandaki Province, 18 in Lumbini Province, 57 in Karnali Province, and 28 in Sudurpaschim Province.

The police also rescued as many as 113 people from the disasters. A total of 28 persons were rescued in the Kathmandu Valley, DIG Karki said.

He added that 50 persons were still missing in the floods and landslides. And, the search operations for the missing people are under, he said.

The rain-induced disasters also killed as many as 838 cattle.

Since June 10, the flood and landslides inundated 321 houses, 111 cowsheds, 51 bridges, four schools and two government office buildings, according to the police.

The number of households displaced by the disaster stands at 4,787 in the last two months.

Country's annual average inflation stood at 5.44 percent last fiscal year.

The inflation remained within the expected ceiling.

According to the  Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation of Nepal  (based on annual data) unveiled by the Rastra Bank today, last year, imports decreased by 1.2 percent and exports by 3 percent.

In the previous year, imports decreased by 16.1 percent and 21.4 percent respectively.

Remittance inflows increased 16.5 percent to reach Rs.1445.32 billion.

The increase was 23.2 percent in the previous year. In the US Dollar terms, remittance inflows increased by 14.5 percent to reach 10.86 billion in the review year compared to an increase of 13.9 percent in the previous year, according to the report.

Likewise, the balance of payments remained at a surplus of Rs.502.49 billion compared to a surplus of Rs.285.82 billion of previous year.

Gross foreign exchange reserves stood at USD 15.27 billion. This level of foreign exchange reserve is sufficient to cover the merchandise and services imports for 13 months, it is said.

Broad money (M2) expanded by 13.0 percent and deposits at Banks and Financial Institutions increased by 13.0 percent and private sector increased by 5.8 percent in the review year.  Total deposits at BFIs stood at Rs.6452 billion and private sector credit amounted to Rs.5074 billion.

The number of domestic tourists visiting Dhorpatan hunting reserve has been found to be rising of late.

The reserve spread across Rukum East, Baglung and Myagdi districts is popular among foreign tourists coming to enjoy hunting. But the number of domestic tourists too is increasing in the recent past years.

"Compared to the fiscal year 2079/080, the tourist arrival has doubled in the fiscal year 2080/081," Conservation Officer Mandip Pangeni said. In the fiscal year 2079/80, 7,645 tourists visited Dhorpatan while in 2080/81 the number climbed to 15,573.

The number of domestic tourists visiting Dhorpatan in the fiscal year 2078/79 was 9919, 6,703 in 2077/078 and 3,020 in 2076/077.

Domestic tourists are required to pay Rs 100 per person to visit the hunting reserve. Citizens from other SAARC countries have to pay Rs 1,500 per person and remaining countries Rs 3,000 per person.

The number of domestic tourists has been increasing due to better road transport, hotel and accommodation facilities and publicity in the social media, said Ram Bahadur Ghartimar, proprietor of Dhorpatan Community Homestay. There are 21 hotels and homestays in the Dhorpatan area with a total capacity to accommodate 300 people daily.

Man Bahadur Pun, a hunting guide from the Global Safari Kathmandu, said that hunters from Spain, the USA, Russia, Germany, France, Belarus and other countries come for hunting at the reserve.

Spread over an area of 1,325 square kilometers, the Dhorpatan reserve is home to 32 species of mammals and 137 species of birds.