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The Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s crackdown has severely affected the livelihood of street vendors, a study has revealed.

The study conducted by Center for Informal Economy and Hope for Change Nepal found that many street vendors are having to seek loans to sustain their daily life, as they can no longer ply their trade.

One hundred and thirty street vendors were interviewed for the study, and nearly 89 percent of them said that they were borrowing money to live.

The study, which was presented during an event in Kathmandu, also noted that only a small minority of street vendors have relocated their businesses elsewhere, while some still sell goods on streets hiding from the municipal police.

Nearly 68 percent of the study participants considered street trading their main occupation. 

In terms of the types of products sold on streets, the study found that 50 percent of vendors sold fruits, 25 percent sold clothing and accessories, 10 percent sold footwear, while others sold vegetables, food snacks and beauty products.

Approximately 44 percent of sidewalk business customers belong to the low and middle-income classes, with 17.7 percent falling into unspecified categories.

Furthermore, the study revealed that the KMC failed to return the goods confiscated from street vendors. It was also found that 95 percent of the vendors had not registered their businesses, while 56 percent were unaware of the business registration process. It was also found that nearly 55 percent of the street vendors were aware about the KMC’s monitoring efforts, whereas about 45 percent were uninformed.

To conduct the study, input was gathered from street vendors, consumers, local households, metropolitan police, ward chairpersons, and provincial assembly lawmakers from Bagmati province through various channels. The study encompassed the perspectives of participants from 83 municipalities across 39 different districts throughout the country.

The removal of street vendors has been positively received by pedestrians and local households. They  believe that the city’s actions have led to quieter and cleaner streets, improved walkability, reduced traffic, and less pollution.

The Kathmandu metropolis has decided to launch a Covid-19 vaccination drive once again targeting nine wards from August 6. The vaccination will continue till August 9.

According to Health Department Chief of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office Ram Prasad Paudel, the campaign aims to vaccinate people above 12 years of age.

The local government decided to conduct the vaccination campaign against the infectious disease as it found that some citizens here have not received even a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

It will be organized in wards 6, 11, 14, 17 and 31 on August 6-7 and in wards 12, 15, 19 and 32 on August 8-9.

In Kathmandu, 90 percent citizens have received the first dose of the vaccine while 88 percent have got the second dose, 43 percent are inoculated with the third dose and only six percent have taken the fourth dose, the KMC Office Vaccination Section Chief Dr Abhiyan Gautam said.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has urged taxpayers to pay tax on their businesses within the determined time.

Issuing a notice, the Department of Revenue of the KMC requested to pay tax and get a discount facility. The KMC has offered exemption in property tax, rental tax and business tax.

The notice reads that 10 percent exemption has been offered on the tax amount of the current fiscal year if it is paid within January 14, 2024.

Similarly, additional 30 percent discount would be offered in the case of taxpayers who have operated a hotel, resort or movie theater on their own land or taking such facilities already constructed on lease in the metropolitan city, if they pay property tax with arrears by mid-January 2024.

It is stated that property tax of the parking lot of a building constructed with the purpose of commercial parking of vehicles would be exempted for 10 years from the date of completion of the building construction.

There is a provision of 95 percent discount on business tax and registration fees of an industry or enterprise operated under the 'One Ward, One Model Industry' program for three years after the registration of the industry or business.

A 40 percent tax exemption on the total tax amount has been provided to industries, businesses, companies, organizations registered in the name of women and people from the indigenous nationalities and Dalit communities, people with disabilities of whichever age group and youths below 35 years of age and which are not under tax coverage in the Fiscal Year 2080-81 BS, which have capital investment up to Rs 500,000, if they pay the tax within January 14, 2024.

Similarly, a 25 percent tax exemption has been provided in the case of regular tax-payers.

However, individuals who are the permanent residents of Kathmandu Metropolitan City will get a 50 percent tax exemption on such tax if they pay the tax within the stipulated date.